Los Angeles Community News - 2.1.11

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Volume 5, No. 22 SmithPublish.com

Black History Month

News & Entertainment from the Community

Serving the cities of Los Angeles County

February 1 -15, 2011 lacnews@yahoo.com

Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza Presents Rachelle Ferrell & Ledisi

Inside What’s Happening Around Town… 2 Government/Business ………..........3 Education/Sports…………………. .4 Asts & Entertainment………….…..5 Church/Real Estate………..…….…6 Special Section…..…………………9 Just for Fun……….………..……..13 Calendar of Events…………....…..14

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Join us as we visit The Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw Plaza for an evening of stellar entertainment featuring acclaimed contemporary jazz artist, Rachelle Ferrell and GRAMMY nominated R&B/Soul artist, Ledisi.

These artists have collaborated with some of the most respected musicians of our time, including Quincy Jones, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Raphael Saadiq.

This outdoor performance is the final concert of the season until BHCP Live! Return‟s this summer with more great live entertainment featuring today's hottest talent! For more information, visit http://www.crenshawplaza.com

Barney’s Warehouse Sale Los Angeles Convention Center Kentia Hall February 10 – 21, 2011 1201 South Figueroa Street CLICK HERE for more information

Bernard Parks for 8th Council District CLICK HERE for video Councilmember Bernard C. Parks Bernard C. Parks is serving his second term as Los Angeles City Councilmember for the Eighth Council District.

One of the most densely populated areas in South Los Angeles, Parks represents over 250,000 people. During his first year in office he was appointed Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee where he has implemented prudent fiscal policies in tough financial times that have steered the city clear of bankruptcy. READ MORE

Community Resources – Visit for coupons, discounts, updates!

City of Los Angeles Mid City Neighborhood Council Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council City of Pasadena City of Inglewood City of Duarte City of Arcadia City of Beverly Hills

City of Cerritos Ralphs City of Santa Monica Vons City of Avalon Albertsons So Cal Edison CVS Pharmacy So Cal Gas Co DWP Time Warner Cable DirecTV Dish Network

Rep. Jane Harman of California to resign A report from the LA Times reveals that Democratic Representative Jane Harman is expected to resign from her post in Congress in order to head the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Harman is a leading voice from Congress on anti-terrorism issues, but according to a senior congressional member, Harman will be leaving Congress in order to lead the Center, and will set up a special election that will decide whom her successor will be. Her coastal district spans from Venice, California to the South Bay. Former Representative Lee Hamilton is the current leader of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a Washington, DC think tank, and no date has been set for Harman‟s move to take over the spot. She is leaving her congressional post just after her party lost control of the House. This will leave a congressional seat open in the LA area, which is a rare occurrence.

In an email which Harman sent out to her constituents to tell them of her choice, she stated, “I have always believed that the best solutions to tough problems require a bipartisan approach, and bipartisanship is the center‟s „brand‟.

Serving at its helm provides unique opportunities to involve the House and Senate, top experts, and world leaders in „great debates‟ about the most pressing foreign and domestic policy matters. READ MORE

Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Welcomes Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce L.A. Business This Week: Gov. Brown to attend Inaugural Dinner, Feb. 10 L.A. Area Chamber www.lachamber.com 122nd Annual Inaugural Dinner. California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. will be attending the Chamber's 122nd Annual Inaugural Dinner on Thursday, Feb. 10, at the JW Marriott at L.A. LIVE.

J.R. Smith & Friends Host The NBA All-Star Weekend TIP-OFF Friday, Feb 18 9:00p at Vertigos Bar & Grill, Los Angeles, CA Price: $40.00 - $50.00 Age Suitability: 21 and up

Great entertainment, dj mike smoove, & total entertainment group presents.....

J.R. Smith (Denver Nuggets & Young Money) & friends host **the NBA All-Star Weekend tip-off** February 18th 2011 | Door's open at 9pm-3am | 21+

University's David Nwaba puts recruiters on notice

By ERIC SONDHEIMER for The Los Angeles Times

The 6-foot-4 senior is one of the best players in the City Section, but college coaches aren't sure whether he can succeed at the next level.

For nearly four minutes, David Nwaba of Los Angeles University didn't even attempt a shot at the start of his team's basketball game against defending City Section champion Westchester, making fans wonder what all the fuss was about.

People who know basketball insist Nwaba is one of the best players in the City Section at 6 feet 4, and I'm sitting there waiting to be impressed. And then, with the blink of an eye, everything changed. Suddenly, he was stunningly good.

He blocked a shot, grabbed the ball and drove the length of the court for a layup. Then came two dunks and another driving layup. Over the final four minutes of the quarter, he scored 10 points and finished with 24 in a defeat last week.

Afterward, Westchester Coach Ed Azzam said, "In a transition game, he's almost unstoppable." READ MORE

Cal State Dominguez Hosting Author Terry McMillan Lecture & Book Signing Author of "Waiting to Exhale" will be talking about the power of the written word and signing copies of her book, Tuesday, February 15th, 6:00pm - 9:00pm.

The lecture is sponsored by the following on-campus organizations: Toro Productions, the Loker Student Union, the 50th Anniversary Committee, Black Faculty and Staff Association, the Multicultural Center, the Office of Alumni Programs, and the University Bookstore.

For more info, contact Toro Productions at (310) 243-2640

Green Room Santa Monica Valentine's Day is a Week away!

Make your appointments and purchase your gift certificates now!

A Spa Day is also a great Birthday Gift for the February babies in your life. ♼ Visit them at www.thegreenroomsm.com

Featured Ministry

It’s A Love Affair Banquet Greater Open Door COGIC Saturday, February 19th – 5pm – 9pm Long Beach Bible College 455 East Artesia Blvd.

Long Beach, CA For tickets, call 562-423-8653

A Word…….

Life Dance Without Him

by Gina Johnson Smith (www.thoughtsdecisionsactions.com) We are born and we die and in between we attempt to figure this life out.

As children we are at our purest place. We see things with fresh eyes and a fresh mind. We don't read much into things. We take things at face value. This is the closest we ever get to being at the beginning - like Adam and Eve. We are pure. We see people.

As time goes by and experiences color our world through hurt and deception, we become jaded. We expect the hurt of disappointment.

We steel ourselves for it to dull the pain. We know it’s coming, but we want it blurred. We want it softened.

As years tumble on we learn to medicate ourselves through illicit acts - through sex, drugs, alcohol, ugly behavior and the like. We medicate ourselves against the hurts of this life. Our medication of choice helps us make it through the day.

As adults, out from under the watchful gaze of our parents, we discover our free will. We embrace the illicitness of "stolen waters" - and justify that everyone else is doing it, so too must we. For a season we eat and drink our fill. And along the way we are told about Him. We are given a glimpse of who He is and what He has to offer, yet we continue the life dance without Him. READ MORE CLICK HERE

Smith Publishing & Media Group Talks Exclusively to of

Toushonta Hogan has always been creative, but life demanded that she be practical….that is until one day a gift of handmade soap from a friend changed her life. This moment opened her mind to possibilities…and Scentsational Soaps was born.

Today Scensational Soaps brings you an array of products made with only the best ingredients, with NO water, NO preservatives, NO mineral oil, and NO animal testing. CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO COMMERCIAL

SPMG: Thank you for taking the time to talk with Smith Publishing & Media Group about you and your business “Scentsational Soaps”.

SPMG: First, what a beautiful name you have – Toushonta. Who named you? What does your name mean?

Thank you. I was named by my father who named me after Toussaint-L'Ouverture; the leader of the Haitian Revolution. My father added the last syllable to complete the name.

SPMG: What were you like as a child? Were you creative? If so, in what ways?

As a child, I was very creative. I enjoyed drawing and making handmade cards.

SPMG: Who closely identified with your creativity in your family?

My mom, she is very creative and loves crafts. She always said using her hands while being creative gives her “peace.”

“I knew I had to take control of my future and create a job. – Toushonta Hogan SPMG: We understand you attended Cal State Dominguez Hills – Go Toros! Tell us about your experiences there?

Yes, I did. I loved Cal State Dominguez Hills. My experience there was very gratifying. I received my Business Administration Degree with an emphasis in Human Resources in 2007. I met some wonderful people there as well as teachers, whom I still stay in contact with today.

SPMG: What were your plans after graduation?

My plan after graduation was to get a job and contribute to the household. I went on several interviews with the intention that I would work at either Sony Pictures or Neutrogena in their Human Resources Department. However, after not receiving a phone call from either company, I knew that I had to take control of my future and create a job. I immediately asked God what my purpose was, and before I knew it, within a month after completing college, he had revealed to me my talent and purpose that had always been within me!

SPMG: We heard you started Scentsational Soaps after receiving a bar of handmade soap from a friend. Tell us about this?

Yes, my girlfriend has very sensitive skin and she would travel very far to purchase her soap from a Farmers Market. One day she brought back a bar of soap for me. As I was taking a shower, I was so fascinated with the color, the smell and the quality of the soap that I was excited to start making my own.

SPMG: I would say your inability to find a job was divine intervention! How did you come to the decision to start this business?

After seeing the bar of soap that my girlfriend gave me and noticing that I could not find a job, I began teaching myself how to make soap with my kids. After making several bars of soap and testing the market with close friends and colleagues, I noticed that I had created a business. I would stay up for long hours researching and educating myself about the different products, ingredients, packaging, etc. to make the right selection to incorporate in my line.

SPMG: How much support or opposition did you experience?

When I first started my business, I believe that the only opposition that I had experienced was trying to establish my identity in the market. Being that there’s lots of competition in the health &beauty industry, I had to position myself with the right target audience. As far as support, my husband, mother, best friend and my marketing manager have all played an instrumental part of my life since Scentsational Soaps inception.

SPMG: Despite the challenges of starting a business, what has made you persevere to the level of success you’ve currently experienced?

Despite the challenges of starting a business, what has made me persevere to the level of success that I’m currently experiencing has everything to do with my kids. I have both a girl and a boy who actively help me (mommy) with the business. I work hard for my children because I want them to be exposed to what “life” has to offer. The world is full of opportunities!

SPMG: You started with handmade, natural soaps and have expanded to other products. Tell us about them.

Yes, originally we started with glycerin soap and later expanded to the cold process way of making soap. The cold process way of making soap is a tedious but joyous process to make the best natural soap. With different soap oils to choose from, it makes customizing a soap for various types of skin, exciting! Our product line consist of soy candles, bath salts, body butters, lip balms, salt glows, massage oils, bath teas and bath melts. Recently, we just added our massage candles.

SPMG: You have an “Awareness” Soap. Tell us about this product.

Our “ Awareness” Soap was made in recognition of my mom who is a two time Breast Cancer Survivor. I wanted to show others how to turn a bad situation into a blessing for others. Each time we sell a soap, a percentage of the proceeds goes to a non-profit organization helping individuals fight against cancer; A Daughters Heart.

SPMG: What is the philosophy of your company?

Our philosophy is that nature has already provided us with the resources to develop and sustain healthy living. Through careful research and investigation while exercising moral discipline our company can discover, develop and distribute such a product at an affordable price. It is only with this directive that we can truly promote better living.

SPMG: You offer individuals an opportunity to become a consultant. How does this program work?

Yes, we do. For a small fee, an individual can become a consultant and earn up to 50% with our program. Within a few days of signing our agreement, they’ll receive the necessary tools to start selling immediately online, face to face, or through private parties.

SPMG: You also have a line of products for men. Tell us about the products and the response from men that have used them?

When we started developing our business, we wanted to incorporate a men’s line that would allow men to look, feel and smell “attractive.” We offer body butters, salt glows, and soap. The responses from the men have been amazing. Most only wear our product without cologne as our products are scented especially for the “manly” man.

SPMG: Your products are available in some stores. How did this distribution angle come into play?

The distribution angle came into play when we wanted to appear on the shelves of spas, salons, etc. To test the market, we first started on a consignment basis and later transitioned those stores into wholesale accounts.

SPMG: Where do you see your business in 10 years?

In 10 years, I see my business as an international brand working in an auto pilot mode.

SPMG: What advice would you give other individuals passionate about starting their own business?

The advice that I would give others who are passionate about starting their own business would be three words “ Believe In Yourself.” Too many times, myself included, we find fault in ourselves. We have the ability to do anything imaginable if we believe. I encourage other entrepreneurs to do just that “BELIEVE” and soar “HIGH.” SPMG: Lastly, what do you know for sure? What I know for sure is that staying positive and being persistent DEFINITELY pays off. Don‟t give up! Even when it looks dim, it‟s a must that you continue and carry on!

For more information on Toushonta Hogan and Scentsational Soaps, visit www.scentsationalsoaps.biz . Let SPMG do a video and article for YOUR business. Ask us HOW at smithpublish@yahoo.com

Movie Actors

Think About It...

Jude Law Judy Davis Julianna Marguilles Juliette Lewis Kate Beckinsale Kate Nelligan Kathleen Turner Katrin Cartldge Keith David Kenneth Branagh Kevin Conway Kevin J. O’Connor

Judge Reinhold Julia Roberts Julie Hagerty Justin Theroux Kate Capshaw Kate Winslet Kathy Bates Keanu Reeves Kelly Lynch Kenneth Mars Kevin Costner

Judi Dench Julia Stiles Juliet Stevenson Karen Allen Kate Hudson Kathleen Quinlan Katie Holmes Keith Carradine Kelly Preston Kevin Bacon Kevin Dunn

Life is a gift. It offers us the privilege, opportunity and responsibility to give something back by becoming more. – Anthony Robins

Shaq's All Star Weekend Presents: Kevin Hart Laugh At My Pain Tour LA Nokia Live Saturday, February 19, 2011 08:00 PM Door Time: 07:00 PM

Zumba Classes Shear Rhythm Dance Studio Saturday, Feb. 19th 9am 4126 Viking Way #220 Long Beach, CA 90808 Come Join the Party! The goal of Zumba® is “to move fast and have fun”.

No dance experience necessary.

CLASSES HELD: 7:00 p.m. Thursday & 9:00 a.m. Saturday at Shear Rhythm Dance Studio 4126 Viking Way, #220, L.B. (upstairs and directly across from Cirivello‟s Sport Stop)

Noah's Ark Sunday February 20, 2011 from 10:00am - 5:00pm Skirball Cultural Center 2701 N Sepulveda Blvd Los Angeles, California 90049

Inspired by the ancient flood story, which has parallels in diverse cultures around the world, this one-of-a-kind exhibition invites visitors of all generations to have fun, connect with one another, learn the value of community, and help build a better world.