Moving celebration
VOL. 61, No. 4
One Section/Inserts
www.tristatedefender.com
January 19 - 25, 2012
75 Cents
Beware: The tax preparer cometh Tax season ushers in reason for caution Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Sonya Young
Events honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. unfolded throughout Greater Memphis, including the 27th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King National Holiday Parade last Monday (Jan. 16). For more King Holiday images, see MLK on page 8. (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)
- INSIDE -
• A diverse U.S. population will not guarantee parity. See Opinion, page 4. • Cuba Gooding Jr. opines on playing Tuskegee Airman. See page 5.
African Americans tip less: Does it really matter? New survey digs deeper into the issue Special to the Tri-State Defender
Cuba Gooding Jr.
• Right and tight, says Electrolux; Remain vigilant, says Chism. See Community, page 10. • Embrace letting go and ‘hurt’ shall come to pass. See Religion, page 11. • A diabetic Paula Deen should encourage all of us to eat better. See Health, page 14.
MEMPHIS WEEKEND
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
H- 6 0o - L - 4 4o P.M. Sh owers
H- 4 9o - L - 3 7o Few Sho wers
H- 5 9o - L - 4 7o Partl y Cl o udy
REGIONAL TEMPS LITTLE ROCK NASHVILLE JACKSON, MS
Friday H-61 L-45 H-58 L-51 H-71 L-63
Saturday H-53 L-40 H-55 L-38 H-68 L-50
Sunday H-67 L-46 H-64 L-47 H-67 L-53
SEE TAXES ON PAGE 7
Racial, ethnic health gaps – is discrimination the missing link?
by Linda S. Wallace For years, waiters and waitresses have taken to the Internet to complain about tips left by African-American customers and their discontent has been widely reported. Now, after years of independent research, academics have reached the same conclusion: African Americans tend to leave smaller tips at restaurants than whites. The answer that has eluded them is why? Do blacks tip less because wait staff discriminate against them and provide inferior service? Or do they tip less because they simply are not familiar with the tipping norms in their community? Dr. Michael Lynn, a professor at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration, recently designed a new online survey to put these and other popular theories to the test. The idea is to use research-based tools to determine cause and effect rather than rely on anecdotal personal opinions and experiences. Finally, African Americans have a chance to weigh in and contribute to the industry understanding of this issue by visiting http://bit.ly/xq1h5b and filling out the survey. “The purpose is to help me understand why blacks tip less than whites,” Dr. Lynn told The New Tri-State Defender (TSD). “I have tested a bunch of different explanations.” In 2008, the TSD wrote an award-winning series on tipping that explained the connection between minority tipping practices and jobs. If customers tip less at sit-down restaurants, then these chains will likely have higher staff turnover. In May 2008, median hourly wages (including tips) of waiters and waitresses was only $8.01. Many servers rely on good tips to make ends meet. If wait staff tips are too low, the chain experiences higher operational costs, which may then reduce profits. Thus, some industry insiders have reported that major restaurant chains have been reluctant to locate in African-American communities for fear that the below-normal tipping levels will hurt profits. This situation closes off a key gateway into the workforce for many unskilled AfricanAmerican youth – including those trying to get through college. The $604 billion restaurant industry employs more than 12.8 million, and is among the largest private-sector employers in the United States. If chains don’t locate in minority neighborhoods, many youth lose access
Amidah Jordan filed her first tax return in 2009. She walked into the tax preparer’s office with documents that would net her $4,000, but two weeks later found herself on the painful end of a scam that wiped out nearly half that amount. A year earlier, Jordan, then 26 with two children, had worked for about four months and ran a small daycare out of her home, earning less than $15,000. When it came time to file taxes, she followed the recom- Tax preparer mendation of a safety tips friend, whose Page 7 aunt managed a small tax company located in South Memphis. There was nothing suspicious, she said, about the initial visit. “I gave her my W-2 and papers showing how much I’d made each month doing childcare. She told me I would get $4,000 back and they would charge me $500 to file since I had self-employment (income).” Two days before her check arrived, the company’s manager contacted her with news that they were able to get her an additional $1,000 on her selfemployment claim. Jordan was excited. She had no idea what was about to come when she arrived to pick up her check. “I was told that I had to pay another $200 to the preparer and $500 to the manager for her fee,” she said. The manager even followed her outside and told her if she didn’t pay the additional fees, she would “mess me up with the IRS and have me owing them
New study points to ʻyesʼ
(Photo by Brian Ramoly)
“The purpose is to help me understand why blacks tip less than whites.” Dr. Michael Lynn
to job opportunities. According to the National Restaurant Industry, the industry is expected to add jobs at a rate of 2.4 percent, compared with the 1.8 percent expected for the national economy. In the next decade, the industry expects to add 1.3
million positions. If the underlying cultural differences surrounding tipping could be understood, Lynn said that he, and other industry experts, could develop suitable programs. But first, they have to know which issues to tackle! In the survey, responders are asked questions about how much they regularly tip as well as those that measure cultural attitudes and beliefs. For instance: If you leave a small tip do you think that is likely to reduce the quality of service during a future dining experience? It takes only a few minutes to complete the survey. Try to answer the questions honestly. Industry experts such as Lynn say they need an accurate snapshot of the complex issues connected to tipping practices to help restaurants respond in a manner that benefits their customers, their staffs and their investors.
Racial discrimination may be harmful to your health, according to new research from Rice University sociologists Jenifer Bratter and Bridget Gorman. That finding stands out in a study entitled, “Is Discrimination an Equal Opportunity Risk? Racial Experiences, Socio-economic Status and Heal Status Among Black and White Adults.” The authors examined data containing measures of social class, race and perceived discriminatory behavior. They found that approximately 18 percent of blacks and 4 percent of whites reported higher levels of emotional upset and/or physical symptoms due to race-based treatment. “Discriminatory behavior very well may be a ‘missing link’ in the analysis of racial and ethnic health disparities,” Bratter said. “It’s important to acknowledge and study its impact on long-term health.” Unlike most of the research on the topic, Bratter and Gorman’s study examines the health risks of discrimination among both whites and blacks, as opposed to just blacks. Their analysis was based on data from the 2004 wave of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an ongoing collaborative project between U.S. states and territories and the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “This racially comparative focus is important because we examine whether discrimination is equally harmful to the health status of black and white adults – or whether experiencing discrimination is disproportionately harmful to either black or white adults,” Gorman said. “For example, since, on average, SEE HEALTH ON PAGE 14
NEWS
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January 19 - 25, 2012
“Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has ordered a word change to the inscription on the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial after complaints that the paraphrased remarks did not reflect the humbleness in Kingʼs character. (Courtesy photo)
Inscription on Dr. King Memorial to be corrected
An inaccurate inscription etched into the Martin Luther King memorial in Washington D.C. will be changed to provide the correct context of a quote by the civil rights leader. The Washington Post first reported Jan. 13 that Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar had ordered the quote changed. According to the Associated Press, the side of the granite memorial currently bears the inscription “I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness,” taken from a February 1968 sermon known as the “Drum Major Instinct,”
made just two months before King’s assassination. However, King’s original words made him seem more modest: “Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter.” The altered quote has drawn criticism since the memorial’s opening in October, including from poet Maya Angelou, who according to the AP said the inscribed version makes King
sound like “an arrogant twit.” Salazar said he has ordered the National Park Service to consult the memorial’s organizing foundation and the King family, and report back within 30 days with a plan to correct the memorial. “This is important because Dr. King and his presence on the Mall is a forever presence for the United States of America, and we have to make sure that we get it right,” Salazar told the Post. (Special to the NNPA from the Afro-American Newspaper)
Tri-State Defender
NATION
Tri-State Defender
Page 3
January 19 - 25, 2012
‘Hate group’ listing triggers protest by coalition of African-American pastors Bullʼs-eye on Southern Poverty Law Center Tri-State Defender staff
A protest outside the headquarters of the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala. on Tuesday (Jan. 17) put the spotlight on a clash of views between the center and a coalition of AfricanAmerican pastors and their supporters. Americans for Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH), which is led by its president, Peter LaBarbera, spearheaded the press event. It was called to “protest the SPLC’s smearing of pro-family groups that oppose homosexual activism as ‘hate groups.’” Others in the coalition were described as “pro-family Christian and Jewish leaders.” The SPLC lists AFTAH as an anti-gay hate group. A blogpost on its website (www.splc.org) offered the center’s view of the protest under the headline “Anti-Gay Groups Protest SPLC with Claims of Hate and Intolerance”. The posting noted about a dozen African-American pastors participated. In his pitch for the protest, LaBarbera said, “It’s a shame that an organization which once supported the noble vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would, today, engage in anti-Christian bigotry of a kind MLK would have, no doubt, detested. What’s most troubling is that there are actually law enforcement agencies around the country that still
Petition drive seeks answers in death of FAMU student
The National Black Justice Coalition has begun an online petition drive (www.change .org/petitions/justice-forrobert-champion-jr) urging the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights to investigate whether the death of a Florida A&M University student was actually a hazing accident, the result of retaliation because of his opposition to hazing, or an anti-gay hate crime. The parents of Robert Champion Jr., told “CBS This Morning” on Jan. 10 that their son may have been targeted because he was gay and vocally opposed to hazing. “There’s no way around it. It was wrong,” Pam Champion said. According to “Journalisms,” an online column written by veteran journalist Richard Prince, Champion family lawyer Chris Chestnut told the network that the family had “spoken to over 10 potential witnesses. Some of them say Champion was singled out because of his sexual orientation and opposition to hazing.” The Champions also have filed suit against FAMU— which has since named a scholarship in Champion’s memory. In addition, they have sued Fabulous Coach Lines, the company that provided the charter bus where the attack against the marching band drum major occurred Nov. 19. The incident followed the Florida Classic football game in Orlando, Fla. “I’m waiting on a solution,” Pam Champion told CBS. “Our goal is not to shut down any school. Our goal is not to stop the music. Our goal is to stop the hazing.” (Special to the NNPA from the Afro-American Newspaper)
use the SPLC’s ‘hate group’ resources.” LaBarbera encouraged all law enforcement to discard the SPLC “as it has discarded any semblance of objectivity and usefulness.” A statement from LaBarbera prior to the protest referenced his interview with Dr.
Patrick Wooden, pastor of the Upper Room Church of God in Christ (COGIC) in Raleigh, N.Car. He noted that Wooden had “debunked the ‘civil rights’ analogy used by ‘gay’ activists, saying it is wrong to compare ‘my beautiful blackness’ with homosexual perversion.”
Mark Potok, editor of the SPLC’s Intelligence Report and the Hatewatch blog, posted a response to the AFTAHled protest. “Our listing of anti-gay hate groups is completely unrelated to religion, Christianity or the Bible. These groups are listed because they repeatedly
lie in an effort to defame LGBT people, an exercise they’ve been extraordinarily successful at,” wrote Potok. “The idea that we are criticizing these groups because they represent Judeo-Christian morality is simply ludicrous.” The SPLC lists anti-gay groups on the basis of spread-
Peter LaBarbera
Dr. Patrick Wooden
ing “known falsehoods and demonizing propaganda against LGBT people, such as the claim that gay men largely orchestrated the Holocaust,” wrote Potok.
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OPINION
Tri-State Defender
January 19 - 25, 2012
John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951 - 1997)
The Mid-Southʼs Best Alternative Newspaper
A Real Times Newspaper
• Bernal E. Smith II President / Publisher • Dr. Karanja A. Ajanaku Executive Editor
WEB POSTS
From our online readers at www.tristatedefender.com Was Beyoncé really pregnant? Edition: Jan. 12-18, 2012
Columnist Myron Mays (What’s Happening Myron?) predicted that, “I’m pretty sure that someone is not gonna like me after this” after questioning – tongue and cheek – whether superstar entertainer Beyoncé really was pregnant. The timing, he said, just didn’t seem to add up. Well, plenty of TSD web readers wanted to have words with Mays, and many of them put in print. POST: This “Beyoncé wasn’t pregnant” is getting really tired now! Why would Bey(once) opt for a hospital to have her baby when she could easily have had it @ home IF she had a surrogate? That would be a risk (because) she’d have to trust people to keep the damn secret!! Leave her!
POST: As a journalist, you may want to do a little more fact checking before suggesting the timing of Beyoncé’s pregnancy announcement. People assume that the minute you announce your pregnancy, you’ll start waddling around in maternity clothes – the truth is, many pregnant women (“especially” first time mommies-to-be) don’t start showing until somewhere between the 16th and 20th week. And many, many activities (including vigorous dancing) are perfectly fine until the late stages of pregnancy. How do I know? I’m a very physically active mom myself AND I’m a fantastic journalist as well. ;) POST: Frankly, I think you’re an idiot. With my first child, you could not tell that I was pregnant until I was 5-6 months along. Also, I worked out 5 days a week while I was pregnant and I was in the Army, so I am not talking about light impact aerobics. Both of your reasons for saying she wasn’t pregnant are completely ridiculous. POST: You people are stupid beyond repair. First of all, not all 20week-old pregnancies look the same. She (Beyoncé) has a video on Youtube when she was 6 months pregnant, this was in September, so do the math. When someone fakes a pregnancy they want to be seen by the public as little as possible. Beyoncé made many public appearances. If people saw the baby leaving Beyoncé’s body they would still say that she faked her pregnancy. Please get off the bandwagon and find another reason to write an article. POST: Obviously you know nothing about pregnancy. Most women, especially those who have had a miscarriage in the past as Beyoncé has had, do NOT disclose pregnancy until 3 months because that is when their baby is most viable and likely to go to term. When
she filmed her countdown video in September, she said she was 6 months pregnant. Pregnancy doesn’t start the day you announce it, Sherlock!... POST: …I’m a dancer and I’ve been around plenty of people in the business and have known people who were pregnant. Dancing while well into pregnancy doesn’t hurt the mother or the baby. I’ve had teachers who wore heels and rolled around on the floor while they were 6 months pregnant. Of course you have to be a bit more cautious and take it easy, but if anything it’s great exercise.
POST: Many women don’t announce they are pregnant until they are already pregnant for a while. There are several reasons for this. One reason is that they might not want to jinx things. Another reason may be they wait until the right time to break it to employers. I didn’t tell my boss until I started to show. Google “The right time to tell the boss I’m pregnant” and there will be a lot of things about this, I’m sure. As for her baby bump... Some women don’t begin to start showing until the middle of their pregnancy. Some can get away with not looking a bit pregnant. Everyone is different.
POST: Beyoncé pregnant – my exact thoughts too. How can she dance around like that? Pregnant women get tired quickly, let alone dancing! I felt she grew beer belly.
POST: I still like you after your comment. Because I realize you are just like all the other idiots that don’t have a clue.YES “B” looked more than 4 months pregnant at the awardS show! Google that! Lol...a woman really starts showing around 5 to 6 months. Yes, she could still dance and jump around like that as long as she is healthy and baby is Ok she can continue to keep doing the same physical activities that her body was used too! Hope you didn’t invest too much in journalism...it’s clearly not your calling.
POST: You really are no expert on pregnancy! I am four months and two weeks and just started showing about three weeks ago. Also my friend had her baby a few years ago and she didn’t show until five months almost. The weight a woman will gain depends on her size pre-pregnancy. Also there is nothing wrong with dancing while pregnant, you can still workout as well. Actually it is highly suggested to keep active throughout the pregnancy! You may have to modify the workout a bit but there is absolutely nothing wrong as long as you have a healthy pregnancy. POST: No, Bey(oncé) was never pregnant but her surrogate was. The surrogate had a c-section and those can’t be performed at home. I can’t believe how many people actually fell for Beyoncé’s deception.
A diverse U.S. population will not guarantee parity
The United States’ population is growing increasingly diverse, but the sharp demographic shift is unlikely to close the huge economic gap between white people and people of color, according to an annual report issued by United For a Fair Economy, a nonpartisan think tank that studies wealth and power in the U.S. Each year the Boston-based organization issues its “State of the Dream” report near Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Citing Census Bureau figures, the report notes that white Americans constituted 80 percent of the U.S. population in 1980. By 2010, that figure had slipped to 65 percent. And by 2042, whites will become a minority for the first time since the colonial days. “If the trends in racial economic inequality continue at the rate that they have since 1980, the changing demographics of the country will produce a vast racialized underclass that will persist even after the majority of the country is non-white,” the report concluded. Examples of racial and ethnic inequality in the U.S. include: In 2010, the median family income of African American and Latino families was 57 cents to every dollar of white median family income. By 2042, the median African-American family will earn approximately 61 cents for every dollar of income earned by whites. Latino families are projected to earn only 45 cents in 2042 on every dollar of white American median family income. The wealth gap is particularly disturbing. In 2007, at the height of the housing bubble, the average white family net worth was five times greater than the average African American net worth and more than 3.5 times the average Latino net worth. If current trends continue, the report states, African-American families will by 2042 accumulate 19 cents for each dollar of white net
worth. Latinos will have 25 cents per dollar. That means the wealth gap between whites and people of color in 2042 will be even larger than it is today. Education is the most imporGeorge tant tool we have E. Curry to expand social mobility. Thanks to civil rights gains, affirmative action and other progress, AfricanAmerican adults are 60 percent as likely to have a college degree as white adults; Latinos are only 42 percent as likely. If current trends continue, by 2042, African-Americans will continue to make progress in closing the education gap. However, the gap will be even larger for Latinos. People of color represent more than 65 percent of the prison population, largely because of harsh drug laws and selective prosecutions that are part of the war on drugs. African Americans are six times more likely to be in prison than whites. Roughly 65 percent of African-American men born since the mid-1970s have prison records. The report observes, “If current trends continue to 2042, the percentage of people of color who have experienced jail time will dwarf even that number.” To reduce what it calls the “perverse concentration of wealth and power in the U.S.,” the report declares, “We need nothing less than a diverse, powerful social movement dedicated to advancing meaningful policy solutions on many fronts to reduce the racial divide.” It will take a powerful movement to counter to corrupting influence that money has on politics. “To gain political power necessary to make significant progress toward
Multi-devices equals a multi-tasking success
Whew! Is it me? Or is 2012 flying by already? I am a January baby, and I celebrate my born day at the beginning of the month. As soon as my birthday is over, I sometimes feel like it’s July already, mainly because I am a busy lady and the days just get away from me so quickly. You know the feeling, whether it’s your job, taking care of your family’s needs, making sure you even remember to take care of your needs…it’s tough. On top of balancing all of that, you have to know what’s going on in the world. Remember when televisions and radios were the only sources? I do. Have you ever wondered what in the world you did before having a cell phone, a laptop or tablet? Today, our BFF gadgets allow us to multitask and Nielsen’s most recent State of the Media: Consumer Usage Report, shares a few interesting insights that may explain how you can cook dinner, go out for a run and find out if it was Blue Ivy or Ivy Blue Carter that Beyoncė and Jay-Z named their baby girl. The television still reigns supreme and is the most popular device. What’s old is new – still. Two hundred-ninety million people in the U.S. own at least one television, and 85.9 million households have upgraded cable services such as broadband TV. Even though you can watch all of your favorite videos on multiple devices now, 288 million viewers (ages 2-plus) use their televisions – with the Internet and time-shifted television at 143 million and 111 million, respectively. And because multitasking is an art, Americans (ages 2plus) still manage to find time to watch an average of 32 hours and 47 minutes of television weekly. African Americans still over-in-
dex, watching television at least 49 hours and 84 minutes a week. According to the report, multicultural consumers make up the bulk of the smartphone market. Fortyeight percent of African Americans chose them as the preferred mobile device. Now, I have a confession. I love watching videos Cheryl on my phone, the convePearsonnience of the apps, easy acMcNeil cess to my emails, a quick Facebook status update, but Top video sites I don’t like to talk on it. I visited on a know that’s what a cell mobile phone: phone is for, right? I always have to apologize to my 1. YouTube girlfriends when I acciden2. FOX tally hang-up on them during a call because my cheek 3. ABC presses “end” by mistake. 4. Comedy I’ve had my smartphone for Central a while, and don’t get me 5. CBS wrong I love it, but the touchscreen is just not my friend sometimes. But, the smartphone does help me multitask, so I adjust. Like me, others watch video and keep up with their social lives on their smartphones, too. Thirty million people (ages 2-plus) use their mobile phones to watch video, and spend an average of seven minutes weekly watching their favorites. These are the top video sites visited on a mobile phone: 1. YouTube; 2. FOX; 3. ABC; 4. Comedy Cen-
tral; and 5. CBS. And 37 percent use their phones for easier access to social media. I personally love my Facebook App. It’s like my own personal scrapbook. I can instantly share with my family and friends my many adventures with just a few characters and my favorite pictures. The iPad and gaming consoles (3 percent) are also devices used for social media, according to the report. Computers have allowed us to multitask, as well. For example, I can send emails, shop, write this column and listen to my favorite O’Jays tune – without even leaving my comfy chair. Fabulous, right? This one device helps me keep my superwoman cape intact. According to the report, 192 million people in the U.S. use home/work PCs or laptops. I don’t know what I would do without my laptop, ya’ll. My life is stored on it and it’s got to be with me at all times. In the U.S., 94 domains; 2,905 pages; and 830 Facebook pages are viewed per person per month online. A whopping 97 percent of U.S. PC/laptop users access social media and 4 in 5 Internet viewers visit social networks and blogs. So, there you have it. If you are seeking ways to simplify your life this year, you should (if you have not already) invest in multiple devices and gadgets. Trust me, they are your friends and are here to make your lives just a little bit easier. (Cheryl Pearson-McNeil is senior vice president of Public Affairs and Government Relations for Nielsen. For more information, visit www.nielsenwire.com.)
racial economic equality, the influence of money in politics must be reduced and voting rights for all Americans must be restored and protected,” the reports observes. “Eliminating racial inequality will require a powerful and sustained political movement, aligned not just along the lines of race, but also by economic interests.” Authors of the report noted that the Occupy Wall Street movement and similar efforts around the country are steps in the right direction toward building a broad coalition. In the aftermath of King Day celebrations, it is important to remember that Dr. King was organizing a Poor People’s Campaign at the time of his assassination. Encouraged by the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1968, he was creating a movement to address economic injustice. In his last speech on the eve of his assassination, referred to as the “Mountain Top” speech, Dr. King talked about the need to support black business. He said, “We begin the process of building a greater economic base.” Picking up where King left off, the report stated, “It is a moral and economic imperative that we address the racial economic divide now. If we are to chart a path to a more promising future, one in which the racial economic divide is significantly narrowed and prosperity is more broadly shared, then we must take immediate action to ensure that the coming majority is not further burdened by the legacy of racism and white supremacy in the United States.”
(George E. Curry, former editorin-chief of Emerge magazine and the NNPA News Service, is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. He can be reached through his Web site, www.georgecurry.com. You can also follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge.)
Tri-State Defender Platform
1. Racial prejudice worldwide must be destroyed. 2. Racially unrestricted membership in all jobs, public and private. 3. Equal employment opportunities on all jobs, public and private. 4. True representation in all U.S. police forces. 5. Complete cessation of all school segregation. 6. Federal intervention to protect civil rights in all instances where civil rights compliance at the state level breaks down
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FOCUS: Q&A
Tri-State Defender
Page 5
January 19 - 25, 2012
lesson than “Red Tails,” which is an action adventure tale on the scale of “Avatar,” with 16,000 special effects. It’s something that I think people are going to be really impressed with, visually.
Cuba Gooding Jr.: The ‘Red Tails’ interview Oscar-winner opines on playing Tuskegee Airman Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Kam Williams
Cuba Gooding Jr. was born in the Bronx, N.Y. on Jan. 2, 1968 to Shirley and Cuba Sr., the lead singer of the R&B group The Main Ingredient. But after his deadbeat dad abandoned the family in 1974, Gooding Jr. and his siblings were raised in L.A. by his struggling single-mom. He ended up attending four different high schools, but was still popular enough to be voted class president at three of them. Cuba’s showbiz career began in 1984 as a breakdancer during the closing ceremonies of the Summer Olympics. He subsequently landed several bit roles on TV and in movies before enjoying a meteoric rise after his spellbinding performance as Tre in “Boyz n the Hood.” In 1997, he won an Academy Award for his memorable outing as Rod “Show me the money!” Tidwell in “Jerry Maguire,” and was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World by People Magazine the same year. He has also earned two NAACP Image Awards (for “Radio” and “Gifted Hands”), a Screen Actors Guild Award (for “Jerry Maguire”), and he even has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A born-again Christian since the age of 13, Gooding married his childhood sweetheart, Sara Kapfer, whom he started dating in high school. They have three kids, Spencer, Mason and Piper. Here, he talks about his latest outing as Major Emanuelle Stance in “Red Tails,” a World War II epoch about the legendary Tuskegee Airmen. Kam Williams: Hi Cuba, thanks for the interview. Cuba Gooding Jr.: Anytime, brother, how are you?
KW: Just fine. How’re things with you? CG: I’m good. It’s easy when you’re talking about a movie you’re passionate about.
KW: What made you so passionate about “Red Tails?” CG: Well, I had first heard this story of the Tuskegee Airmen back in 1992 when I did that HBO movie. At the time, I was a young man just finishing his education, and it frustrated me that I hadn’t learned anything about these AfricanAmerican pilots who had escorted bombers during World War II. It was one of those things where I was going, “What the hell! Why didn’t I already know this?” So, to tackle that subject-matter for HBO was monumental in my life. Of course, I moved on in my career and did other things, but when I heard that George Lucas was going to make a blockbuster about the Tuskegee Airmen, I was all over it. How often do we in Hollywood get an opportunity to tell a black tale on a scale like this, an action adventure? I knew it was going to be visually stunning, so, I told him, “Hey, I have to be involved even just to coach the actors or if l have to do Kraft Services.” When I met with (director) Anthony Hemingway, we just connected. It was the longest dinner, with tears and everything. He recognized that the passion I had to be a part of the movie was the same passion that these men had to do their part for their country. George even called and asked me to narrate his new documentary for the History Channel called “Double Victory,” which chronicles both the Tuskegee Airmen’s triumphs in the skies over Europe and the racism they had to deal with back in the States. So, it’s been a fun ride, and I’ve been blessed to be involved in something that not only I’m passionate about, but so is the man financing it.
KW: Larry Greenberg points out that you’ve played pilots and military men before, both real-life heroes like Carl Brashear in “Men of Honor” and Dorie Miller in “Pearl Harbor,” and also fictional characters in “A Few Good Men,” “Judgement,” “Outbreak” and other movies.
He asks: “Is this something you have a passion for?” CG: I guess so. I used to say, “No, no, I just got lucky being cast.” But the older I get, the more I ask myself, “Cube, what’s your deal here?” Truthfully, I think it’s playing real-life people that I’m attracted to. And the majority of them have been military men. But there’s also James Robert “Radio” Kennedy and some other guys I’ve played who are real-life people. I think there’s something about the heightened responsibility to tell the truth that attracts me to these roles, especially when you can have them on the set to help you do your job. And now that I have two sons who are 15 and 17 who love watching movies, you can count me in whenever I have an opportunity to do a movie that gives a history lesson about our contributions, especially to the military. I’m in! I’m involved! KW: Editor/legist Patricia Turnier asks: “How would you describe your character,
KW: Harriet also asks: “What did you learn about yourself doing your role in ‘Red Tails?’” CG: I learned that not only am I a descendant of slaves, but that I am also a descendant of royalty, that there are politicians from the 1800s as well as Tuskegee Airmen in my lineage. Cuba Gooding Jr. (left) and Terrence Howard in “Red Tails.” (Courtesy photo)
Major Emanuelle Stance?” CG: Major Emanuelle Stance is the patriarch on the base. He’s like the football coach. He’s the person that gives the men their encouragement before they go back out onto the field.
KW: Teresa Emerson asks: What was it like to meet the surviving Tuskegee Airmen? Did they help you prepare for your role as Major Stance? CG: Every day, literally! They helped me to prepare to be a man. And not only were they on the set every day, but one or two have attended each
of the screenings on the junket from Dallas to Miami. And they’re in their 90s! It’s been a magical and emotional experience for me every, single time. So, it’s been great! (Chuckles) KW: Attorney Bernadette Beekman says: “You’ve played a lot of heroes. Who is your own personal hero?” CG: My mom, to do what she’s done to hold the family together. She raised me, my brother, Omar, and my sister, with all of us being homeless and having to live in the back of a car for a period of time. So, yeah, my mom’s my hero.
If I had to pick one from the screen, it might be U.S. Navy Master Chief Carl Brashear.
KW: Harriet Pakula Teweles asks: “How do you expect the picture to contribute to the public’s rethinking of the historic role of the Tuskegee airmen? CG: I hope the picture makes an impact, and I know George Lucas is doing everything he can to make sure that happens. And then there’s the documentary “Double Victory” I mentioned, which is serving as a tangent to the movie. That will be more of a history
KW: Rudy Lewis asks: “How inspirational can ‘Red Tails’ be to those who who are not being educated in the skills necessary to compete nationally and globally with young men of their generation? Will ‘Red Tails’ be relevant to those 50 percent of young black men who drop out of high school yearly? CG: I hope so. If some youngsters are inspired to go back and complete their education based on the achievements of these warriors, that would be God’s gift. KW: Thanks again for the time, Cuba, and best of luck with both “Red Tails” and “Double Victory.” CG: Nice talking with you, Kam.
BUSINESS
Page 6
Tri-State Defender
January 19 - 25, 2012
Focus: Government contracting
ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY
Dealing with the State of Tennessee At R & P Executive Services, contracting expert Alan Rousseau helps keep the focus on government and commercial business endeavors. The firm works with small and medium size business owners, assisting with business management and development, business and marketing plans, bid documents, quality control plans, procurement opportunities, contract negotiations and contract compliance. This is part two of our conversation with him as we focus on government contracting. Carlee McCullough: What type of opportunities do you see on the state level? Alan Rousseau: The State of Tennessee requires all types of products, employees, services, and commodities. The list is almost endless.
CM: Is there a difference between contracting with local and state governments? If so what are the differences? AR: The company certification process, procurement rules and regulations are very similar on the state level. If your business license, taxes, certifications, reports, etc. are in order, you should have no problems with the certification process to do business with the State of Tennessee.
AR: The Tennessee Small Business Development Center (http://www.tsbdc.org/) is an excellent resource to start with. Go to the state web sites I gave and register to do business with the state.
Carlee McCullough
Alan Rousseau
CM: How do you find potential business opportunities with the State of Tennessee? Is there a website? AR: There are two sites that I would suggest to start reviewing for opportunities, the Tennessee Department of Finance http://www.tennessee.gov/finance/rds/ocr /rfp.html) and the Tennessee Department of General Services (http://www.tn.gov/generalserv/ purchasing/). During the registration process you can request to be on the email list for solicitations with your NAICS Code.
CM: What advice would you offer businesses interested in pursuing opportunities with state agencies? Where do they begin the process?
CM: Once the opportunity presents itself, then what happens on the state level? AR: When a client tells R & P that they want to submit a bid or proposal for a business opportunity we begin to research the scope of work and requirements needed to perform the work. Also, we discuss with the client our findings so the client can intelligently determine if they can successfully perform the services being requested in a professional and responsibly cost effective manner. This will include: • Furnishing information relating to the history of the contract, past problems and successes, possible issue/needs and changes to request in the bid documents/ solicitation/opportunity; • Making sure any bonding and special insurance and requirements can be met, etc; • Indoctrination of the client’s and R & P’s key personnel regarding the contract specifications;
CM: What has been your experience with the procurement processes of the State of Tennessee? AR: The procurement process with all government agencies is a highly regulated process to assure vendors that the selection process is a fair. Compliance rules and regulations are regularly reviewed by the various government agencies to protect the citizens and the vendors.
MONEY MATTERS
may be six “suitable” investments for you, and under a suitability standard the adviser can recommend the most expensive investment that is not in your best interest. Expertise, not size. The recent financial crisis has cast doubt on whether a firm’s size is indicative of expertise and sophistication. Regardless, many publications still rank firms and advisers based on their size, even though there is no connection between size and expertise. Expertise is really what you should be paying for. A compatible adviser that is easy to work with. If a relationship does not feel right, it is not going to work. Do not be swayed by a “sales” personality. Many advisers focus on sales more than anything else. Usually their claim to fame is how much product they sell and sales awards. An adviser with a large book of business may be a great salesman, but not necessarily a great financial planner.
How to choose a financial planner The Financial Planning Association website has a very useful section called “Choosing a Planner,” which begins by stating: Choosing a financial planner is as important as choosing a doctor or lawyer; it’s a very personal relationship. In addition to competency, a financial planner should have integrity, trust and a commitment to ethical behavior and high professional standards. You want a planner who puts your needs and interests first. This is great advice, but finding a financial planner meeting those criteria can be difficult. How do you know that a prospective planner is well qualified? The FPA PlannerSearch (http://www.fpanet.org/ PlannerSearch/PlannerSearch.aspx) tool is a great start. It will only recommend advisors that have earned the Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) designation. Too many consumers are harmed by unqualified advisers that are incompetent or unethical, and asking the right questions can identify well qualified planners.
What to look for:
Credentials that demonstrate competence. Credentials are not everything, but they do provide a starting point for Charles evaluating comSims Jr. petence. For example, Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) practitioners are required to pass rigorous exams and fulfill work experience requirements before obtaining the designation. CFP® practitioners are also required to adhere to a fiduciary standard, a client-centered code of ethics, and continuing education requirements. Other meaningful designations include the CFA, CPA/PFS, CLU, and ChFC. There are, however, dozens of other designations. Don’t be swayed by letters, unless they actually mean something.
• Advice and consultation relating to a competitive bidding strategy; • Bid preparation and submittal and/or administrative assistance with the bid preparation and submittal; and • Analysis of bid opening results.
Membership in professional associations. Many planners invest time in one or more professional organizations, such as the Financial Planning Association. If an adviser is not a member, you should ask why. These professional associations provide valuable opportunities for continuing education and professional development. Adherence to a fiduciary standard. There is an ongoing debate as to whether all financial advisers should be required to adhere to a fiduciary standard, where the client’s interest must be placed first. Currently some advisers are only required to uphold a suitability standard, which merely requires that recommendations are suitable and consistent with a client’s risk tolerance and time horizon. There is more potential for conflicts of interest under a suitability standard because advisers are allowed to recommend “suitable” investments that place the adviser’s interest ahead of the client’s. This can happen when the advisor is captive, meaning all products recommended are from the same company. There
CM: How do you see the role of procurement developing in the future? AR: I think there will be more high tech outsourcing, an increase in IT web based services, an increase in the government’s use of social media services and an increase in logistics playing a more important role in providing cost efficient governmental services.
CM: Any closing words? AR: Thank you for the opportunity to share my opinions and comments with your readers. If you
A product-centered adviser. Some advisers will try to sell you products before knowing much about you. One size does not fit all. A captive advisor. Some advisors
What to avoid:
would like to contact us, we are available at alanr@ RandPservices.com, (901) 508-6276 and www.Randp services.com. Talk, chat and listen to our Blog Talk Radio Show every Friday at noon Central at http://www.blogtalkradio .com/businessnegotiators1 or call 949203-4717 and follow the prompts. Remember, “Companies don’t get what they deserve, they get what they negotiate.”
NOTE: The Tennessee General Assembly enacted a diversity program in April 2004. The executive order established the Governor’s Office of Diversity Business Enterprise (GO DBE) to develop state regulations, policies and procedures for the program. Under the program, businesses must apply for certification and provide evidence of ownership and control by a minority, female, service-disabled veteran(s) or small business enterprises as part of the diversity business certification process. (For those interested in doing business with the City of Memphis, visit www.memphistn.gov and register. If you have an interest in Shelby County Government, visit www.shelbycountytn.gov.)
are employees of firms and will only recommend products of that firm even if better products are available with another firm. Products that seem too good to be true. If something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is too good to true. Products that are difficult to understand. You should not invest in anything that is too exotic or complicated to understand. Dinner seminars. Expensive products with big commissions are often pitched at dinner seminars. Recommendations to switch insurance policies. Sometimes the best course of action is to switch to a new policy, but there are advisers that will recommend a switch because they benefit, not you. If the benefit of switching policies is not absolutely clear, do not make the switch. (Charles Sims Jr., CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, is President/ CEO of The Sims Financial Group. Contact him at 901-6822410 or visit www.SimsFinancial Group.com. The information in this article is not intended to be tax or legal advice, and it may not be relied on to avoid federal tax penalties.)
BUSINESS
Tri-State Defender
January 19 - 25, 2012
Tax preparer safety tips According to investinganswers.com, over one percent of personal returns were audited in 2010, up 11 percent from 2009. Since taxpayers are legally responsible for their returns, even if prepared by someone else, here are some tips from irs.gov: • Check the person’s qualifications. New regulations effective in 2011 require all paid tax return preparers, including attorneys, CPAs and enrolled agents to have a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). • Check the preparer’s history. Check to see if the preparer has a questionable history with the Better Business Bureau and check for any disciplinary actions and licensure status through the state boards of accountancy for certified pub-
TAXES
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
for the next three years.” Jordan left; cashed her check and returned with the fees she was told to pay. As she was leaving, she spotted the friend who referred her to the tax company being paid by the manager with the money Jordan had just forked over. She drove away, regretting her $1,200 mistake. Chris Taylor is a local Senior Area Manager for Jackson Hewitt Tax Service. With nine years of preparing taxes under his belt, he’s heard similar stories and wants the public to know how to avoid Jordan’s nightmare. “The dominant demographic that gets scammed are people who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and make between eight and 17 thousand a year,” Taylor told The New Tri-State Defender. “The EITC is a major source of income for these people and they get in a hurry to file.” The EITC, said Taylor, was designed to give an economic lift to impoverished people, but
lic accountants; the state bar associations for attorneys; and the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility for enrolled agents. • Find out about their service fees. Avoid preparers who base their fee on a percentage of your refund or those who claim they can obtain larger refunds than other preparers. • Make sure the tax preparer is accessible. Make sure you will be able to contact the tax preparer after the return has been filed, even after the April due date, in case questions arise. • Provide all records and receipts needed to prepare your return. Most reputable preparers will request to see your records and receipts and will ask you multiple questions to determine your
many tax preparers have taken advantage of it. One way that happens, he shared, is when tax preparers falsify information such as the number of children the filer has, or lists a claim of dependency for a child the filer doesn’t actually support. While there are times the filer may be aware of the dishonesty, other times the tax professional has altered the information without the filer’s knowledge. Taylor stressed the importance of knowing what’s on your return. “Get a copy of the documents you sign,” said Taylor. “Is the direct deposit information yours? Is the information listed actually yours?” Told about Jordan’s situation, Taylor shared that while he has seen fees as high as $1,200, an amount that high would be for a complex situation such as a filer who has various businesses and deductions. Acknowledging that fees can vary between different companies, Taylor said most companies either charge a flat fee or charge per form needed to complete the return, such as the Schedule C for selfemployment. “It’s illegal to charge based
total income and your qualifications for expenses, deductions and other items. • Never sign a blank return. Avoid tax preparers that ask you to sign a blank tax form. Review the entire return before signing it. Before you sign your tax return, review it and ask questions. Make sure you understand everything and are comfortable with the accuracy of the return before you sign it. • Make sure the preparer signs the form and includes their PTIN. A paid preparer must sign the return and include their PTIN as required by law. Although the preparer signs the return, you are responsible for the accuracy of every item on your return. The preparer must also give you a copy of the return.
on the refund amount,” said Taylor. “It’s also illegal to file using your last pay stub.” He explained that a professional preparer can use the stub to try to access your W2 online, but must obtain the information needed to file directly from the W2. A professional tax preparer will take the time to answer questions, walk you through your return before you sign and not try to convince you to list false information on your return. These days, Jordan can be found on the other side of the tax preparation desk, working for Olympic Taxes and sharing what she’s learned with others. “Be sure you know who you’re dealing with,” said Jordan, noting that she’s had clients that were so afraid to hear how much the fee would be that they would agree to filing without knowing the cost. “There should be only one set fee charged; don’t be afraid to ask,” said Jordan. Taylor added some sage advice of his own: “Be honest.” (For more information, visit irs.gov.)
Reduce your financial ‘waist’ you to stay within your budget are to cut cost or increase revenue.
by Barbara H. McLaurin
Special to the Tri-State Defender
Which increased more – your waistline or your credit card debt – during the holidays? Waistline fat can’t be spot reduced, neither can reducing the holiday credit card bulge. Purposeful lifestyle changes will help you accomplish your goal of trimming the fat from both. Drastic measures may not be the healthiest way to lose body weight. However, going extreme on debt reduction may be the best financial cure.
Develop a sense of urgency
We all know how easy and tempting it is to put off the start of a diet. I’ll start tomorrow. I’ll start next week. And, of course, every day you delay adds more pounds that you’re going to have to get rid of later. The same applies to the procrastination of getting your finances in order. The longer you wait, the harder it’s going to be to start. Credit card debt can creep up on you like a spare tire around your waist during the holidays causing a deficit. Most budgetary deficits result from slow leaks when spending exceeds income over a particular period of time. Should households run deficits – or should one have money before one spends it?
Don’t go from bad to worse
No one is immune to a financial crisis. Don’t wait for a crisis to occur before you liposuction the fat from your budget. This means eliminating or significantly reducing all expenses that are not necessities. For example, you need to continue paying your rent or mortgage, but you can cut dining out from the budget because it is not a necessary expense. Go through your budget line by line and cut or reduce as many expenses as you can. The money you save can be used as supplemental income, for paying down debt, or for creating an emergency fund. The two ways that allow
Empty calories
Unnecessary expenses are sometimes difficult to separate. Understand needs versus wants and hold yourself accountable. No one is monitoring your spending but you, avoid becoming too lax with expenditures. It is better to do the hard work of budgeting and cutting down on your expenses on your own terms rather than when the creditors are twisting your arm. If you want to build a solid financial future, you’re going to have to make the constant choice between spending and saving. By spending now, you won’t have that money later. Worse, if you spend more than you make, you not only won’t have the money later, you’ll continue to owe others more money. Barbara H. McLaurin
The bottom line
To reduce your financial “waist,” you have to apply the similar principles to your finances that you apply to your diet. Both dieting and financial success come down to one word: choice. Both disciplines require you to choose between instant gratification and delayed gratification on a regular basis. When you’re dieting, you’re constantly making a basic choice between indulging now, or looking and feeling better later. Giving up too soon is the main reason that a lot of people fail. No matter how difficult things seem in the beginning, keep pushing forward. You’ll thank yourself later. (Barbara H. McLaurin is a financial advisor with Shoemaker Financial of Germantown, and is a registered representative and investment advisor representative of Securian Financial Services, Inc., Securities Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Advisor. Contact her at 901-757-5757 or email: bmclaurin@shoemaker financial.com.)
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MLK
January 19 - 25, 2012
Tri-State Defender
Legends speak…
The Memphis Grizzlies 10th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration included bestowing the National Civil Rights Sports Legacy Award upon NBA Hall of Famers George Gervin (center) and Clyde Drexler, who spoke at a symposium at the FedExForum on Monday (Jan. 16). (Photo by Warren Roseborough)
Celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Generations…
Some who marched many times before and others stepping out for the first time were among those who participated in the 27th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade that began at Auction and Main and ended at the National Civil Rights Museum. (Photos by Tyrone P. Easley)
Solidarity…
Riding in a cart pulled by two horses, Thomas Burrell rallied African-American farmers and supporters who oppose provisions in a $1.2 billion discrimination suit settlement. Burrell, president of the Memphis-based Black Farmers and Agriculturists Association, spoke on the Mid-America Mall. The rally also lent support to the ongoing Occupy Memphis protest.
‘The PUSH is on’
At Monumental Baptist Church, Dr. Harry E. Moore was among the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition honorees for 2012. Moore received the Dr. Martin L. King Legacy Award.
Noting history...
Open all-year round, the National Civil Rights Museum swelled with visitors drawn by the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday. The museum encompasses the Lorraine Motel site where Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
Family pride…
Dr. Issac Farris, nephew of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., celebrated and honored the life and legacy of his uncle at Annesdale Cherokee Missionary Baptist Church.
Tri-State Defender
MLK
January 19 - 25, 2012
Memphis rising star and country music superstar paired on ‘Two Kings’ New release pays tribute To Elvis and Dr. King Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Milton Howery III Kris Thomas, a Memphis rising R&B singer, and superstar country music singer Pam Tillis have paired their vocal abilities to pay tribute Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Elvis Presley in a song titled “Two Kings.” The song was written by Pam Tillis and Brenda O’Brien. Tillis is a former Country Music Association (CMA) Female Vocalist of the Year, Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and actress. O’Brien’s family owned the famous Memphisarea night club “The Plantation Inn,” which is known to have been frequented by celebrities, including appearances by Elvis Presley before his fame. “Martin Luther’s contribution to civil rights is an unassailable matter of history and Elvis’ disregard of the division of race in music helped change it forever,” said Tillis. “My friend Brenda O’Brien, who grew up during the turbulent times of the civil rights struggle, right in the middle of the Memphis music scene, saw the connection and brought the song idea to me. All I did was help her see her vision through.” Tillis and O’Brien – looking for a singer from Memphis who could carry the weight of this song – stumbled upon Thomas’ “I Know You Won’t”
Grammy Award winning country star Pam Tillis, and former Stax Academy student Kris Thomas, now a recording artist, are a duo on the new release “Two Kings.” (Courtesy photo)
“Martin Luther’s contribution to civil rights is an unassailable matter of history and Elvis’ disregard of the division of race in music helped change it forever.” Pam Tillis song on ITunes and his YouTube page. They instantly felt he would be perfect for the song. Thomas, a Memphis native and former Stax Academy “kid,” first gained attention in 2010 with the release of his debut single, “I Know You Won’t,” a soulful rendition of the Carrie Underwood ballad. “Two Kings” has a clearly positive and heartfelt message. Still, some might think the song is trying to compare Elvis to Dr. King or Dr. King to Elvis and come away offended “Elvis used his music to
bring people together and Dr. King used his message to bring people together,” said Thomas. “The message of this song is so powerful and relevant, especially in our world today, and all the connections to Memphis make this song really special to me being a Memphis native.” The song evokes sounds of soul, blues, gospel and pop. The video was filmed in Memphis in various iconic locations, such as Mud Island, Beale Street and the Stax Museum. It even features the Stax Academy Street Corner Harmonies choir. “Two Kings” was released on January 8, the 77th birthday of Elvis Presley, and this past Monday (Jan. 16) on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. (You can download “Two Kings” by Pam Tillis and Kris Thomas on ITunes and watch the video on AOL’s “The Boot” or Youtube.com.)
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COMMUNITY
Page 10
Tri-State Defender
January 19 - 25, 2012
Right and tight, says Electrolux; Remain vigilant, says Chism Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Tony Jones
Responding to a recent letter from state, county and city officials, Electrolux issued a major statement this week outlining the company’s engagement with minority firms in the first round of construction for the new manufacturing plant it is building here for its American Cooking products line. But Shelby County Commissioner Sidney Chism says that the company still bears watching and that he firmly stands behind strong criticism aimed at Electrolux in the Dec. 28 issue of the New Tri-State Defender. Along with City Council Chairman Myron Lowery and State Sen. Beverly Marrero (Shelby County Delegation Chair), Chism signed a letter questioning Electrolux’s allocation of early round contracts for the $80 million construction portion of the contract. The Electrolux facility – to be located in Frank C. Pidgeon Industrial Park – is expected to be fully operational in 2014, serving as a center of excellence for its cooking products and employing more than 1,200 people. The majority of the construction spend is yet
to be awarded and is expected to continue for four months. “They need to award contracts based on the need of the geographical area. We should have an adequate number of minority and local businesses represented in the spending, be they black, Hispanic or owned by women, and I am yet to see Sidney it,” Chism said on WednesChism day (Jan. 17). “They say they are going to continue to do what’s necessary to provide more contracts to MWBE’s (Minority and Women Business Enterprises). I’m going to wait and see.” In the press release outlining minority expenditures to date, Electrolux Project Director Jacob Burroughs said, “We want to be responsive to the community and share the steps and plans we, along with the Mayors, have to ensure construction dollars go to Shelby County minority firms. We remain committed to providing a meaningful local return on the investment made in us and appreciate the communi-
Grizz teams with McDonald’s to honor community heroes
The Memphis Grizzlies and McDonald’s of the Mid-South are teaming up once again to recognize those who have touched the lives of others in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. throughout the month of February as they celebrate Black History Month with their Community Heroes Program. Grizzlies fans throughout the Mid-South are encouraged to nominate the people in their lives who help make a difference in our communities at grizzlies.com. Those selected will be recognized on the court during a Grizzlies home game during the month of February. Nominations will be accepted via form located on Grizzlies.com prior to February 18, 2012. “We have been given the opportunity to honor the people who are doing great things for the community, thanks to our corporate partners at McDonald’s of the Mid-South,” said Greg Campbell, Grizzlies president of Business Operations. “We encourage people to go to grizzlies.com and nominate those who deserve to be recognized for their efforts.” Fans who want to attend any of the Grizzlies games in February and celebrate Black History Month as they support heroes throughout our community can purchase tickets at all Ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets, by calling 1-800-4NBA-TIX, by visiting the FedExForum Box Office or online at Grizzlies.com. For more information on the Community Heroes Program go to Grizzlies.com.
Current Economic Impact
Electrolux intends to spend more than 50 percent of the $80 million construction contract locally, with Shelby County expected to receive the vast majority of contract dollars. To date, $15.3 million of the $80 million construction contract has been awarded. Of the $15.3 million amount, 94 percent, or $14.5 million, was awarded to local companies. Additionally, of the $15.3 million amount, 41 percent, or $6.3 million, was awarded to local MWBE firms. The MWBE companies that were awarded contracts are: CDA, Inc. (located in Shelby County); MIG Construction Services (Memphis MSA); MJ Construction/Sidle Construc-
tion Joint Venture (Shelby County); SMS Contractors (Shelby County); South Memphis Fence (Shelby County). The majority of the construction spend is yet to be awarded and is expected to continue for four months.
MWBE assistance previously provided
• Hosted broad construction symposium to outline subcontractor opportunities. • Hosted MWBE construction symposium to outline subcontractor opportunities. • Met with Mid-South Minority Business Council to discuss subcontractor opportunities. • Partnered with Mid-South Minority Business Council to host training sessions on bid development
MWBE assistance going forward
• Engagement with local suppliers and contractors. • Training assistance in bid preparation. • Prevailing wage training. • Risk management training
International Tea Time
The LeMoyne-Owen College puts its story in the hands of new PR director
Daphne J. Thomas is a storyteller, with quite a story to tell, according to Thomas and her new boss, the president of The LeMoyne-Owen College. As LeMoyne-Owen celebrates its sesquicentennial this year, much of the detailing of that story will fall to Thomas, who came aboard as the new public relations and marketing director earlier this month. “This is an exciting time for the school,” said LeMoyne-Owen president Johnnie B. Watson. “We are fortunate to have a professional of Ms. Thomas’ caliber on board to help us tell LeMoyne-Owen’s story.” Watson, who grew up across the street from the College, said there are many people in the Memphis area who are unaware of when and why LeMoyne-Owen was founded. “It’s a beautiful story we want to share with prospective students, alumni, supporters and those who understand and value the role higher education plays in the Daphne J. success of any communiThomas ty and our nation as a whole,” he said. Thomas, who has worked in public relations and broadcasting for more than 15 years, joins the staff after most recently serving as the Memphis Public Library & Information Center’s assistant director for the Library Communications. “I’m thrilled to join LeMoyne-Owen’s team of dedicated faculty and staff as it prepares to celebrate the school’s 150th anniversary,” said Thomas. “I have fond memories of LeMoyne as I remember participating in its National Summer Youth Program as a teenager. “I look forward to being a part of the magic that goes on here and feel privileged to play a role in helping others come to know all that LeMoyne-Owen is and what this wonderful institution has to offer.” Thomas notes that her focus will include highlighting the accomplishments of LOC students, as well as the College’s. “LeMoyne is a gem in our city and my goal is to make sure as many people as possible are aware of this, and understand why.” Thomas serves on the boards of the Memphis City Beautiful Commission, the Friends of the Library and the Memphis Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
ty’s support. “We believe that we will meet and surpass our goal of 15 percent of the construction spend going to minority and women owned area businesses,” said Burroughs. The statement was accompanied by a fact sheet showing how Electrolux says its has reached out to be sure minorities have proper access in its bid award process.
The 54th Annual International Tea benefiting The LeMoyne-Owen College was held on campus at the Alma C. Hanson Student Center last Sunday (Jan. 15.). The event was established to empower Baptist churches to raise money for the College. (Photos by Tyrone P. Easley)
The International Tea kicks off the faith communityʼs annual fund-raising season and features churches reflecting the images of different countries.
BRIEFS & THINGS
Candidate forum set for Shelby County Primary
In hopes of providing the community with information to make informed choices, Dr. Yvonne D. Nelson, president of the McCorkle Road Neighborhood Development Association, Inc., will hold “Your questions matter: Let’s discuss the issues” – a two-hour candidate’s forum featuring Republican and Democratic candidates seeking election in the March 6 primary. The event is designed to give voters a chance to have the candidates address the questions they want answered. The community is encouraged to specify the candidate or office and to email their questions to electionquestions@live.com. Or they can call 901/3966300. The event will be held on Feb. 6 from 5:45 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Branch Library at 3030 Poplar Avenue. For information, call 901-396-6300 or email yourelection@live.com.
Largest homecoming parade in history planned for LOC
Drum rhythms and music from some of Memphis’ most beloved high-school marching bands will fill the air and the streets surrounding the campus of The LeMoyne-Owen College on Jan. 21, beginning at10 a.m. The parade is part of LeMoyne-Owen’s basketball homecoming week festivities. LOC supporters, alumni, students and everyone who loves music, dancing and watching beautifully decorated floats roll by are invited to line the streets and enjoy. Confirmed high-school marching bands include Booker T. Washington, Kingsbury and Manassas. STAX Music Academy will per-
form, along with dancers and steppers representing local fraternities and middle and high schools. Here’s the parade route: Saxon Ave at Neptune to Mississippi Blvd. to Walker Ave. to Wellington to McLemore to College to Hollis F. Price to Saxon Ave.
Whartons seek nominations for outstanding women award
Mayor A C Wharton Jr. and his wife, Ruby, are seeking nominations for the Ruby R. Wharton Award to honor women who have made outstanding contributions to the Memphis area. The awards will be presented by Mayor Wharton during the 10th Annual Tea and Talk at the Top on Feb. 12 at 3 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall. The Ruby R. Wharton Award, established in 2005, recognizes exceptional women who have unselfishly worked to improve the quality of life for others and made significant strides in the following areas: early childhood, youth and delinquency, race relations, women’s rights, and business/politics/government. The public may receive nomination forms by contacting Catherine Green at 636-6574 or by emailing Catherine.green@memphistn.gov. More information is available at at www.memphistn.gov. The deadline for nominations is 4 p.m. Jan. 27.
Women’s Foundation opens Legends Award Nominations
The Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis has announced the call for nominations for the 2012 Legends Award. Nominations are encouraged for women who demonstrate outstanding achievement, community
commitment and exemplary leadership. Ideal candidates will personify the mission of the Women’s Foundation and inspire others to strive for a better community for all. January 26 is the deadline to submit nominations. The purpose of the Legends Award is to applaud honorees whose visionary and innovative work is paramount in their specialized areas of outreach. Legends Award artists and writers create works of art and prose that personify the Legends Award honorees’ accomplishments and contributions to this community. The celebration and unveiling will occur on April 17 at the Legends Award Reception. For more information, contact Shante K. Avant at 578-9346 or 219-7204 or via email at shanteavant@wfgm.org. Visit www.wfgm.org to download the nomination form.
BRIEFLY: Mayor A C Wharton Jr. will deliver his State of the City Address beginning at 11 a.m. Jan. 23 at the Southwest Tennessee Community College Union Campus, Verties Sails Building-Gymnasium on the corner of Manassas and Linden BRIEFLY: Seeds 2 Life, Inc., a 501©3 nonprofit organization that services breast cancer patients, will host it’s Annual Pink Pajama Party fundraiser on Feb. 10 at the Doubletree Hotel East at 5069 Sanderlin Ave. For more information, contact Nicole Gates, 901-462-1889. BRIEFLY: Methodist South Hospital’s Lunch & Learn topic will be “Turning Heart Failure into Success” on Feb. 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. presented by Dr. Rami Khouzam, UT Medical Group Cardiology. The session will be in meeting rooms A & B at Methodist South Hospital, 1300 Wesley Drive. Free blood pressure and glucose screenings will be available. The event is free. A light lunch will be served and seating is limited. Register by calling 888777-5959.
RELIGION
Tri-State Defender
Page 11
January 19 - 25, 2012
LIVING THE LIFE I LOVE
BOOK REVIEW
Embrace letting go and ‘hurt’ shall come to pass
Dear Lucy: I just lost my job because someone lied on me. I made a mistake but it was not so big that it hurt the company and I didn’t do it out of dishonesty. I just made a mistake in recording something incorrectly. No one was hurt. However, someone reported it and made a great big deal out of it and got me fired. I am not only out of a job, but I am scared about my finances, hurt, angry and resentful. Someone told me that I just need to forgive the company and the person, get over it and get on with my life. It’s not that easy. What can I do? – JCH
Dear JCH: Companies create rules for reasons and sometimes they have leeway in their interpretation and application and sometimes they don’t. I have no idea of the other side of the story for the company or the person who reported you. But, I do feel your pain, anger and fear. I am reminded of a verse, “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” To be transformed is to be changed in a great way. In fact, when we are transformed, we are entirely new! I am convinced that big hurts and events like this in our lives come to help us to transform ourselves into a bigger, better self! Sometimes, we simply cannot or will not make the moves we need to make in our lives without being pushed by hurt, fear, anger or periods of un-forgiveness. Now, it would be better if we could learn to use better forms of motivation, but that just isn’t always the case.
Hand and hand…
So, how does this transformation thing work? Well first, can you find a little corner in your mind to accept the possibility that this event came to bless you and not to curse you? Are you willing to be transformed by it...in a good and great way? If your answer is yes, then the next step is to own your anger, fear and Lucy hurt. Don’t feel guilty Shaw about it. Just acknowledge that you don’t think what happened was fair or that you deserved it; have a good cry, a good scream, beat on the door and get it all out in the privacy of your own space. Now, sit down and make a list of what you learned from it that can be used for good. Now, here comes the hard part. Who are you blaming? Forgiveness is also about blame. Forgiveness is also for YOU, not for the other party or parties. Are you willing to forgive yourself for your part in this? Where did you mess up? Should you have known better? To forgive means to give up something. Are you willing to let go of the torture of selfblame or even own up to your part in this? What are you willing to give up for your own peace of mind and growth? What are you willing to let go of so that you can get on with the awesome opportunity for transformation that awaits you? What blame are you holding onto regarding the person that reported you and the
company? Can you give it up for the sake of your own peace of mind? Once you own and reconcile your right to be angry, hurt or afraid of the future, does being any of these really help you anymore? Many passages in the Bible begin with, “And it came to pass...” After that, we read some great story of how something good came out of some awful trial and tribulation. It came to pass, it did not come to stay. How long it stays depends upon your willingness to walk through it, looking for the lesson, looking for the good. The sooner you do that, the sooner will you open the door for your new life assignment from on high. In my book, “Be Not Anxious,” I teach a technique you can use to help you get over the pain and hurt faster so you can move quickly into the new YOU. Check it out on my web site, www.heartworks4u.com. Be ye transformed! Lucy
(Check out Lucy Shaw’s website at http://www.heartworks4u.com. You may send your questions to her by U.S. mail to: Heartworks4U, LLC; 4646 Poplar Ave. Ste 201, Memphis, TN 38117 or by e-mail to lucy@heartworks4u.com.) (For help with the feelings that get in the way of prayer and peace of mind, get Lucy’s new book, “BE NOT ANXIOUS.” Order it directly from her at 901-907-0260 or go to her web site www.heartworks4u.com.)
The Memphis Baptist Congress of Christian Education was held last Sunday (Jan. 15) at Metropolitan Baptist Church at 767 Walker Avenue, where the Rev. Dr. Reginald Porter is host pastor. Irene Woods of St. John M.B.C. transfers the Attendance Banner to Charles Spencer Jr. of Tree of Life. (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)
Jackson Power Breakfast to examine next steps for church, economic empowerment
The Jackson Madison County African American Chamber will look at next steps in the review of the Church and Economic Empowerment. Bishop Nathaniel Bond of Light of Life Ministries, Dr. Daryll Coleman of Mother Liberty CME and Min. Lovell C. Hayes of East Jackson Church of Christ have been invited to return and continue the discussion that began
at the November breakfast. The Power Breakfast on the Importance of the Church in Economic Empowerment – Part 2 takes place next January 23 at 7:30 a.m. at Royal Reeds Restaurant, 507 North Royal. All three pastors have completed successful church development projects and have ideas about business, civic and community projects
that they would like to see in the next 5 to 10 years. A complimentary breakfast will be served. There is no charge for the meeting or breakfast. The public is invited. Space is limited. To register for the meeting, contact Mary Cunningham at 731-424-2030 or email aacc@bellsouth.net.
A WEEKLY DIRECTORY OF MINISTERS & CHURCHES
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. — Ephesians 2:8
901-946-4095 fax 948-8311
TV Cable Access Broadcast Tuesdays, 7:30 PM, Channel 17 Website:www.saintandrewamec.org
Dr. & Rev. Mrs. Reginald Porter
TEMPLE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST
672 So. Lauderdale 38126 P.O. Box 314 Memphis, Tn 38101 Phone (General) 774-1572 Pastor: 775-0740 Secretary: 775-1909 WEEKLY SERVICES
Sunday Sunday School 9:00 a.m. Morning Worship 10:30 a.m. Night YPWW 5:00 p.m. Night Service 6:00 p.m. Tuesday Night Prayer 6:00 p.m. Bible Study 7:15 p.m. Wednesday Choir Rehearsal 7:00 p.m. Friday Morning Prayer 9:00 a.m. Night Service 7:30 p.m.
No Telecast Service
It has been said that Sunday morning is still the most segregated time in America. An explanation for that phenomenon might rest in the fact that the white Church remains in denial about the country’s ugly legacy of lynching, while the black Church was on the front lines in the battle against that despicable form of statesanctioned terrorism. This is the thesis of James H. Cone in “The Cross & the Lynching Tree,” a scathing indictment of the silence of Caucasian clerics in the pulpit about the perilous plight of generations of African Americans. The author, a professor of Systematic Theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York, points out the obvious parallels between, “the crucifixion by the Romans in Jerusalem and the lynching of blacks by whites in the United States” before wondering “What blocks the American Christian imagination from seeing the connection?” By contrast, many Jews did join African Americans on the frontlines in their fight for equality. In this regard, Cone reminds us of Holocaust survivor-turned-civil rights activist Joachim Prinz who explained his prompting his congregation’s participation with, “When I was a rabbi of the Jewish community in Berlin under the Hitler regime… the most important thing I learned… was that bigotry and hatred are NOT the most urgent problem. The most urgent and most disgraceful, the most shameful, the most tragic problem is silence.” Similar sentiments were echoed by many African-American leaders, such as James Baldwin who bemoaned the absence of white outrage in the wake of the 1963 church bombing which killed four little girls attending Sunday school by saying, “I don’t suppose that all the white people in Birmingham are monstrous… But they’re mainly silent… And that is a crime in itself.” It was likely that belief which had led Ralph Ginzburg in 1961 to publish “100 Years of Lynchings,” a chilling encyclopedia which chronicled the systematic slaughter of thousands of African-Americans by bloodthirsty vigilante mobs. In concluding, the author argues that, “Just as the Germans should never forget the Holocaust, Americans should never forget slavery, segregation, and the lynching tree.” A sobering clarion call to heed the history lessons of our horrifying past in these presumably post-racial times.
Bible Study For Youth and Adults Tuesday - 7:00 PM “Spirit, Soul, and Body!” AM 1070 WDIA Sundays, 10:00-10:30 AM
SUNDAY Sunday School .....................8:30 am Morning Worship Service ....10:00am
BROADCASTS 9:30 a.m. Sunday WDIA - 1070 AM
“The cross and the lynching tree are separated by nearly 2,000 years. One is the universal symbol of Christian faith; the other is the quintessential symbol of black oppression in America... Despite the obvious similarities between Jesus’ death on a cross and the death of thousands of black men and women strung up to die on a lamppost or a tree, relatively few people… have explored the symbolic connections. “Yet, I believe this is a challenge we must face. What is at stake is the credibility and promise of the Christian gospel and the hope that we may heal the wounds of racial violence that continue to divide our churches and our society… “(Those) who want to understand the true meaning of the American experience need to remember lynching. To forget this atrocity leaves us with a fraudulent perspective of this society and of the meaning of the Christian gospel for this nation.” —Excerpted from the Introduction
(901) 948-3441
SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES
FRIDAY Cable Channel 17 ............... 8:00pm
Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Kam Williams
Early Morning..........7:45 AM Church School..........9:45 AM Morning Worship......11:00 AM
Rev. Davena Young Porter Rev. Linda A Paige Rev. Luecretia Matthews
WEDNESDAY Bible Study .........................10:30 am Mid-Day Prayer Meeting .....12 noon Evening Prayer Meeting........7:00pm
A call to heed history lessons
867 SOUTH PARKWAY EAST Memphis, TN 38106
Dr. Reginald L. Porter Sr., Pastor
ASSOCIATE MINISTERS
‘The Cross & the Lynching Tree’
ST. ANDREW A.M.E. CHURCH
METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH
767 Walker Avenue Memphis, TN 38126
“The Cross & the Lynching Tree” by James H. Cone Orbis Books; Hardcover, $28.00 222 pages
Dr. David Allen Hall Pastor
“The Founder’s Church”
First Pastor: Senior Bishop C.H. Mason
THE BLVD Ea s t 6745 Wol f Ri v e r B oule v a r d @ Ki r by Pa r k wa y ( i n t he Cl a rk Ope r a Me mphi s Ce nte r ) Me mp h i s T N 3 8 1 2 0
Dr. Frank A. Thomas Senior Servant
Child Care Center (901) 948-6441 Monday-Friday 6 AM- 5:30 PM Emergency Food Pantry Rev. Kenneth S. Robinson, Pastor & Clothes Closet Rev. Marilynn S. Robinson, Co-Pastor Wednesday 6 PM-8 PM
“Ministering to Memphis-Spirit, Soul and Body”
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you —Matthew 7:7
ENTERTAINMENT Tri-State Defender, Thursday, January 19 - 25, 2012, Page 12
WHAT’S HAPPENING MYRON? Flashback: Peace and Freedom Weekend
I always look forward to 103.5’s Peace and Freedom Weekend. Not because I work there, it’s always a great weekend of entertainment and education. It was all comedy and laughs at Sam’s Town Casino last Friday (Jan. 13) night with the “Mo Funny for your Money Comedy Show.” Featuring comedians Pierre, Joe Clair, Special K and more, the Myron show was defiMays nitely worth the money. I even got a chance to sit down and talk to Pierre. That interview will be forthcoming, so be on the lookout. The following night was all about the Blues as Sir Charles Jones and Bobby Rush took the stage to deliver their unique brands of the blues to a sold out house. After resting on Sunday, there was the 103.5 full broadcast at the National Civil Rights Museum. Hundreds, maybe thousands, showed up to not only remember the sacrifices Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made for us, but to also learn more about the struggles of the civil rights movement. Here’s a little note to remember: the National Civil Rights Museum is actually open every day of the week except for Tuesday. You don’t actually have to wait until Dr. King’s birthday to pay them a visit. They have great things happening over there all the time. But if you never keep up with them, you’ll never know, right? One more note: Dr. King did not fight for equality only on his birthday. He did it every day until he died, which leads me to my point. You don’t have to wait until one day of the year to stand up for what’s right. You don’t have to wait until once a year to be aware of what Dr. King stood for. You can live the dream every day. So what are you waiting for?
‘Someday’ by Jae Henderson
Have you read ‘Someday’ by Jae Henderson? Well, here’s good news if you haven’t. For a limited time you can read the eBook version of this wonderful inspirational romance for only .99 cents on Kindle and Nook! Find out why readers can’t stop talking about it. Download your copy today! For more information, visit www.jaehendersonauthor.com.
What’s Happening Wednesday returns!
High schoolers speak loud through art Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Luctrica Lewis
igh schoolers in the Memphis area have thoughts, opinions and – in some instances – proposed solutions to issues and problems impacting their world. For a glimpse of that truth, pay a visit to the Brooks Museum Saturday (Jan. 21) through March 25 and spend some time viewing a themed exhibition dubbed “Peaceful Warriors: Aim for Change.” Images included in the second annual exhibit blare students’ concerns about matters such as gang activity, animal cruelty, sagging pants, healthy meals, bodies and minds, failing grades and more. Students from Trezevant, Hutchison and Westwood high schools provided the exhibit photos, which are designed to start peaceful discussion. “Peaceful Warriors: Aim for Change” compliments the current exhibition at the Brooks Museum, entitled: “Armed + Dangerous: Art of the Arsenal.” It stems from the Education Department at the Brooks. Last year’s first event, “Face the Lens: Art for Social Change,” stimulated a strong community response that prompted Brooks to do another exhibition for teens to bring about continuous social change in Memphis. “This program was designed to allow the teens in Memphis to come together to voice their opinions, to fight for important causes in nonviolent ways to bring our communities together,” said Jenny Hornsby, Brooks’ assistant curator of education. A student-led panel discussion on Saturday (Jan. 21) will explore how students – from public and private schools – feel about the issues that are going on in their communities. It will begin at 11:30 a.m. in the Dorothy K. Hohenberg Auditorium at the museum and feature students from Westwood, Hutchison and Trezevant high schools. An opening reception is set for 10:30 a.m. “The students were so excited to see their work on display,” said Hornsby. “The objective for this exhibition is to highlight organizations, get conversations going, and inspire teenagers to make the change in their respective communities.” The social studies coordinator at Memphis City Schools selected the MCS schools involved in the exhibition, with Brooks making the other selection.
H
(For more information, call 901-544-6200 or visit www.brooksmuseum.org.)
OK, I am really excited about what’s about to take place. Starting Feb. 8, join me each and every Wednesday night from 7 until 10 at Cotton Bowl Lanes at 9091 Highway 51 North Stateline Rd. in Southaven for the all new “What’s Happening Wednesdays!” Free admission! Great food! $1 Cosmic Bowling and $5 drink specials til closing. Enjoy Karaoke hosted by me, Myron Mays, & you can even bring the kids. Let em bowl! For more information, visit whatshappeningmyron.com. This is gonna be a whole lot of fun!
ʻSagging Pantsʼ by Frank Mitchell, 18, Westwood High School
Thursdays at the Bartlett Comedy Spot
Funnyman Prescott hosts “Karaoke Thursdays” each and every Thursday at the Bartlett Comedy Spot. Admission is free all night. There will be $1 drinks and happy hour prices until 8 p.m. Also, calling all poets and comedians! Hit the stage this and every Sunday night at the Bartlett Comedy Spot. Admission is free before 8 p.m., when the show starts. Stormy is your host. If you like “Def Poetry Jam” and comedy you will enjoy Open Mic Sunday. You can get at Prescott on Facebook for more information about the Bartlett Comedy Spot.
‘Love Thang’ with Karen Brown
My good friend Karen Brown is at it again! And this time, it’s a “Love Thang!” Check her out on February 12 at the Rumba Room located at 303 South Main at Pontotoc in Downtown Memphis. Tickets are on sale now and are $15 in advance. For more information, call 901-573-6092.
(If you have an event you’d like for me to cover or attend, email me at Myron@whatshappening myron.com.)
ʻGang Activityʼ by Devunta Oneal, 17, Westwood High School
ʻSimple Necessityʼ by McKarious Webb, 18, Trezevant High School
ʻAnimal Crueltyʼ by Dannaka White, 17, Westwood High School ʻHealthy Meal, Healthy Body, Healthy Mindʼ by Jessica Jenkins, 16, Trezevant High School
ʻFailing Scoresʼ by Vincent Lewis, 18, Trezevant High School
ENTERTAINMENT
Tri-State Defender
Page 13
January 19 - 25, 2012
THEATER REVIEW
‘Five Moes’ step out strong in a mega-watt show Special to the Tri-State Defender
by LaTasha Beard
“Five Guys Named Moe” is centered around the character Nomax, a middle-aged fellow who neglects his girlfriend and drinks too much. Having been deservedly told where to get off by said girlfriend, a somewhat worse-for-wear Nomax gets sucked into his 1930s style radio. Inside, he encounters the snappily and flamboyantly-suited Moes – Big Moe, Little Moe, Four Eyed Moe, Know Moe and Eat Moe – who coach him and cajole him and generally help him get his life and love in order in the form of jazz hits from the infamous Louis Jordan. For the right audience, it’s the perfect match. Hearty chuckles, laughter and smiles were indicators that the viewers enjoyed the “Five Guys Named Moe” presentation at the New Daisy Theater on Beale Street last Thursday (Jan. 12). One of the biggest performances of the year, not a seat was left in the house! The set was kept simple. The
background was Nomax’s big-city apartment with splashes of color like a rainbow as seen in costume and stage décor. And that was fine, since the cast and the songs are the key things here. The performances were consistently tight and vocally breathtaking. These young highschool entertainers had an exhilarating, uproarious and successful theatrical experience.
They are downright unstoppable and their mega-watt energy is infectious. This craze moves and it gets the audience moving, too. Viara Boyd, founder of The Edge TheatreDance Productions, and choreographer Donald Frason selected an awe-inspiring cast. The five Moes, Nomax and the girlfriend were incredible performers. So different in body, voice and style, each created a
distinct character that contributed to a wonderfully textured show. It was undeniably 90 minutes of emotional richness overflowing with flavor and laughter! (For more information concerning future performances, contact: Viara Boyd-Artistic Director, THE EDGE MEMPHIS, at 901-721-5757, or email theedgetalent@gmail.com.)
“Five Guys Names Moe” was consistently tight performancewise and vocally breathtaking. (Photos by Michael T. Newman)
HOROSCOPES
Jan. 19-25, 2012
OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam’s Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
The bravery of the Tuskegee Airmen is brought to the big screen in “Red Tails.” (Courtesy photo) Special to the Tri-State Defender
reprises her role in this sci-fi sequel as a warrior vampire who now escapes from prison to lead a confederation of werewolves and the undead in an all-out war with humanity. Featuring India Eisley, Michael Ealy and Theo James.
BIG BUDGET FILMS
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
by Kam Williams
For movies opening January 20, 2012
“Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” (PG-13 for profanity, disturbing images and mature themes) Post 9/11 drama about a 9 yearold boy’s (Thomas Horn) desperate search for the lock that matches the mysterious key left behind by his father (Tom Hanks) who perished in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. With Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, John Goodman and Jeffrey Wright.
“Haywire” (R for violence) Revenge thriller, directed by Steven Soderbergh, about a special ops agent (Gina Carano) determined to track down the traitor back in the U.S. who double-crossed her and left her for dead while on a dangerous assignment in Dublin, Ireland. With Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Ewan McGregor, Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender.
“Red Tails” (PG-13 for violence) WWII saga, set in Europe in 1944, recounting the bravery of Tuskegee Airmen grounded because of their skin color who make the most of an opportunity to fight for their country when they are grudgingly enlisted to save the day. Ensemble cast includes Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Ne-Yo, Method Man and Gerald McRaney. “Underworld: Awakening” (R for profanity, gore and graphic violence) Kate Beckinsale
“The City Dark” (Unrated) Light pollution expose’ about the deleterious effect on the quality of life exacted by an increasingly bright planet.
“Coriolanus” (R for graphic violence) Ralph Fiennes stars in the title role of this modernistic reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s classic play about a banished Roman general who enters an unholy alliance with a sworn enemy (Gerard Butler). With Vanessa Redgrave, Jessica Chastain and Brian Cox. “Crazy Horse” (Unrated) Revealing documentary offering an eye-opening peek inside the legendary Crazy Horse, a classy strip club which has been staging choreographed, burlesque shows in Paris since 1951. (In French and English with subtitles)
“The Flowers of War” (Unrated) Historical drama based on the Geling Yan novel about a mortician (Christian Bale) who poses as a priest in order to save the lives of prostitutes and parishioners during the Japanese’s rape of Nanking. With Shigeo Kobayashi, Bai Xue and Paul Schneider. (In English, Mandarin and Japanese with subtitles) “Miss Bala” (R for profanity, sexuality and brutal violence) Dream deferred drama about a beauty pageant contestant (Stephanie Sigman) forced to abandon her pursuit of the Miss Mex-
ico title when she’s kidnapped by a drug kingpin (Noe Hernandez) after witnessing a gangland-style massacre inside a seedy, Tijuana disco. With Irene Azuela, Jose Yenque and James Russo. (In Spanish and English with subtitles)
“The Pruitt-Igoe Myth” (Unrated) Urban renewal documentary about a much-ballyhooed St. Louis housing project which opened to fanfare in 1954 only to be deliberately detonated and turned to rubble just 20 years later, due to vacancies, vandalism and a host of other inner-city maladies.
“Scalene” (Unrated) Triangulated, psychological thriller chronicling the quest for vengeance of the mother (Margo Martindale) of a mentally-challenged mute (Adam Scarimbolo) imprisoned for raping his college-age babysitter (Hanna Hall). Support cast includes Jim Dougherty, LaDonna Pettijohn and Raymond Kester.
“Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston” (Unrated) Reverential biopic celebrating the glamour and decadence of the late fashion designer Roy Halston Frowick (1932-1990). Featuring reflections by Liza Minelli, Diane von Furstenberg, Billy Joel, Andre Leon Talley and Anjelica Huston.
“Watching TV with the Red Chinese” (Unrated) Cross-cultural comedy, set in NYC in 1980, revolving around a well-meaning neighbor (Ryan O’Nan) who decides to try to play big brother to a trio of transfer students (Leonard Nam, James Chen and Keong Sim) from the People’s Republic. With Gillian Jacobs, Constance Wu and Idara Victor. (In English and Chinese with subtitles)
ARIES Lots of happy reasons for goofing off this week. You’ll be in a luxurious state of mind, expansive and dreamy. Ideas and dreams seem very real this week...enjoy them, and let yourself think about how wonderful it will be when your dreams come true this year. TAURUS Happiness is the order of the week as a relationship improves in a way that you didn’t think was possible. Just goes to show you, the power of positive thinking. Be happy and keep your outlook happy. GEMINI You are free to love and laugh, and you’re free to criticize and complain. It’s all in how you want to feel about yourself. Do what feels best to you in the situation that you find yourself in this week. Remember that you have many options! CANCER All planetary indicators lead to one conclusion, Party! Get together with some friends for a gab-fest and snack food feast. It doesn’t have to be fancy to be loads of fun for all involved. LEO You can rejoice in every new experience this week, because you know the secret to your happiness. What? You don’t know? Sure you do. Sit quietly somewhere this week and think about it. VIRGO Your unique energy is urging you in a new direction. Listen to your inner voice and go! You’ll be very happy with the outcome if you give your worries up to the universe. Many blessings are available to you if you let go and let the blessings come. LIBRA A relaxing week at home might be just the cure for what seems to be troubling you this week. Set aside some time to attune yourself to the sound of truth. You are an extraordinary teacher; teach yourself a new way of being with yourself this week. SCORPIO Your ideas are windows into the future. You may be feeling a bit off-center this in the present moment but all you need to do is refine your presentation. Your truth is sound and solid. You can teach with beautiful words. SAGITTARIUS Surprises are on tap this week, and you may be the messenger. Or a new message may come to you; whatever happens, it’s going to be pleasant. Base your sense of reality on the pure vision you have in your head. CAPRICORN This week you need to balance keeping your eyes on the heavens and your head here on earth. Much work needs to be done before you can accomplish the task before you. If you let yourself, you can get a lot done this week. AQUARIUS Details might trouble you early in the week, but you don’t have to go with that flow of energy. You can choose to focus your attention on the now and work through each task patiently. Things will clear up quickly if you forego idle dreams. PISCES A slight adjustment in your attitude could create a whole new vista for your outlook. What you think is not in conflict with what you do; it simply describes it. Look for a new way to describe your ideas and thoughts. Source: NNPA News Service
HEALTH
Page 14
Tri-State Defender
January 19 - 25, 2012
CHEF TIMOTHY
A diabetic Paula Deen should encourage all of us to eat better by Chef Timothy Moore Ph.D, N.M.D, C.N. Special to the Tri-State Defender
The nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine released a list in December of five of the unhealthiest cookbooks of 2011. Several of the Food Network’s top chefs and their cookbooks made the list: “Guy Fieri Food,” Jamie Oliver’s “Meals in Minutes: A Revolutionary Approach to Cooking Good Food Fast,” “The Neely’s Celebration Cookbook,” “The Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook,” and Paula Deen’s “Southern Cooking Bible.” “The high-fat meals in these cookbooks are real recipes for disaster,” said PCRM’s Nutrition Education Director Susan Levin, M.S., R.D. “It’s great that Jamie Oliver and other chefs are focusing on fresh and local ingredients, but some of these recipes have more calories and cholesterol than a Big Mac. The real key to healthful eating is moving away from high-fat, meaty meals that increase the risk of obesity, heart dis-
HEALTH
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
black adults typically experience more health risks in their social and personal environment than white adults (including higher poverty and lower-quality medical insurance), they may be especially vulnerable to
Legal notices
Universal Commercial Real Estate, LLC on behalf of Memphis City Schools is in the process of accepting bids for the sale of a neighborhood school located at 1895 Orleans Street, located adjacent to Alton Elementary School in the south Memphis section of Memphis, TN. The school site is located within minutes of the intersection of Interstate 240 and Norris Road which is less than one minute from the I-240 and I-55 junction. The school site is comprised of 5.5 acres and consists of two buildings: a three level school building which consists of 49,160 square feet of existing classroom space, administrative offices, library space and an attached two level building measured at approximately 27,160 of cafeteria space on one level with functional gymnasium with stage for auditorium functions on the next level. There is on-site paved parking. Universal Commercial on behalf of Memphis City Schools will begin accepting bids on January 15, 2012 to sell the property to the highest and most qualified bidder. Bids will no longer be accepted after 5:00 pm on January 20, 2011. Bids below $1,875,000 will not be considered. Please submit two (2) sets of sealed bids in writing to: Universal Commercial Real Estate LLC, 1331 Union Avenue, Suite 935, Memphis TN 38104. Along with each bid offer please include an official letter of credit or proof of funds from a registered financial institution confirming the bidderʼs ability to obtain funds to close, if designated as the successful bidder. MCS reserves the right to request certified financials from bidderʼs for review by MCS. Universal Commercial will schedule property inspections by appointment only. For more information, please contact Universal Commercial Real Estate, LLC at (901) 414-3315.
NOTICE TO CONSULTANT ENGINEERS REGARDING A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND LETTERS OF INTEREST January 12, 2012 The City Of Memphis, an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, seeks to retain the services of professional engineering consulting firms to provide expertise in Construction Engineering and Inspection (CEI) services on the project described below. The scope of work may include but not be limited to construction inspection, surveying, materials testing, agency coordination, construction management, reporting, ITS/ signal system software and hardware integration, migration of existing signal system communications infrastructure to Ethernet, and TMC operational support. This project is being funded by the Surface Transportation Program (STP) grant as a Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Locally Managed Program. The method of payment shall be lump sum. STP – Northwest Traffic Signal Coordination and TMC Enhancement , TDOT Pin # 112875 Firms may request consideration by submitting a letter of interest (two copies) along with qualifications to Mr. Jack Stevenson, 125 N. Main, Suite 644, Memphis, TN, 38103. All letters of interest and qualifications must be received on or before 4:00 p.m. Central Time, Friday, February 3, 2012. The letter of interest and qualifications shall indicate the scope of services to be completed by any subconsultants. Sufficient information on qualifications should be attached to the Letter of Interest, such that the factors that will be considered in evaluation, listed below, can be properly judged. Include in this information one or more contacts at TDOT who can verify the information provided concerning TDOT work or approvals to work. For additional details regarding the proposed services to be provided, letter of interest submittal requirements and City of Memphis prequalification procedures go to www.MemphisTN.gov or contact Mr. Randall Tatum, 576-6710, Randall.Tatum@ MemphisTN.gov . Information pertaining to TDOT prequalification procedures, list of pre-qualified firms, TDOTʼs standard procurement policy, and additional information can be found at this internet address www.tdot.state.tn.us/consultantinfo.htm. Interested firms without internet access may obtain this information by calling Ms. Paula Johnson at (615)741-4460 or by
ease, and cancer.” Levin has a valid point, one that I’ve been making each week in this column: Eating the wrong food can “increase the risk of obesity, heart disease, and cancer.” And eatDr. Timothy ing the wrong food will even kill Moore you. That’s a fact. “One serving of Hot Buffalo Wings (three wings) contains 910 calories and 85 grams of fat; meat-heavy diets raise obesity risk,” the PCRM wrote about Paula Deen’s wings. The PCRM is right in its criticism of Deen’s calorie-laden, cholesterolraising dishes and the risky dishes of other chefs as well. My point was proven when I read a slew of news reports recently over the Internet that Deen, the queen of Southern cooking, is stricken with type II diabetes. Now she can no longer eat the artery-clogging dishes negative health effects as a result of racial discrimination.” A greater number of blacks report poor health due to discrimination, and the study did find that black-white disparities in health are shaped in part by the differential exposure of blacks to the harmful effects of discrimination. However, Bratter and Gorman also show that while perceiving dis-
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email at Paula.Johnson@tn.gov . Submittals will be reviewed by a Consultant Evaluation Committee who will make recommendations to the City Engineer of several firms who would make viable candidates from which to make a selection or invite more detailed proposals and/or presentations. The factors that will be considered in evaluation of submittals are: A. Past experience in the required disciplines with TDOT and the City of Memphis. B. Past experience specific to CEI on TDOT projects or TDOT approval to perform such work on locally managed projects. C. Qualification (certifications) and availability of staff. D. Demonstrated ability to meet schedules without compromising sound engineering practice. E. Evaluations on prior projects with TDOT and City of Memphis, if available. F. Size of previous projects. G. Amount of work under contract with TDOT and City of Memphis. H. Prequalification with TDOT and City of Memphis i. Past experience in overseeing and supporting software and hardware migration and integration for ITS/Signal System construction projects of similar scale and complexity. J. Familiarity with the Cityʼs vision, functional needs, and operations of the existing and proposed traffic signal systems and communication infrastructure. K. Understanding of the proposed systems and specifications as necessary to respond to RFIs in an efficient and timely manner. L. Staff and resources with the necessary experience and capabilities to alter the design if unforeseeable difficulties are encountered during system integration. M. Ability to provide local on-going support for TMC operations after completion of the construction project on an as-needed basis. Evaluation proceedings will be conducted within the established guidelines regarding equal employment opportunity and nondiscriminatory action based upon the grounds of race, color, sex, creed or national origin. Interested certified Minority / Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) firms are encouraged to respond to all advertisements by City of Memphis. For information on M/WBE certification, please contact Ms. Carlee McCullough, (901) 576-6210, City of Memphis, Contract Compliance Office, 125 N. Main St, Memphis, TN 38103. John E. Cameron, P.E. City Engineer NOTICE TO BIDDERS In order to participate in the bid listed below for Shelby County Government, you must be registered with our electronic bidding system with Mercury Commerce. County bids are not available by mail or downloaded directly from the County website, unless otherwise indicated in the solicitation invitation. All vendors who wish to bid are required to register with Mercury Commerce Solutions in order to be notified
that rocketed her to fame. I’m not picking on Dean, but it was inevitable that her heavy-buttered dishes would be the detriment of her own health. She is not alone, though. Diabetes, digestive issues and overeating seem to be a problem for everybody. Here’s the remedy: Eat food that is rich in nutrients and full of disease fighting phytochemicals, such as bok choy, cabbage, carrots, kale, Swiss chard, broccoli, asparagus, and collards. Sorry Paula, but you cannot eat a diet rich in butter, sugar and fats and think this type of lifestyle will never catch up with you. I’m a chef myself, and I’m not the least bit surprised that Deen has become the victim of her own doing. Chefs, you see, don’t always prepare healthy dishes. I suppose Dean will change her lifestyle. She has to if she wants to live the remainder of her life in good health. In fact, she has already begun to address her health problems. It has been reported that she will be the spokeswoman for a pharmaceutical company pushing the Novartis diabetes medication that she takes. crimination exacerbates some of the economic-based health risks more typically experienced by black adults, patterns differ for white adults. Regardless of social-class position, white adults who perceive unfair treatment relative to other racial groups in either workplace or health care settings report poorer health. “A relatively small proportion of
CLASSIFIEDS
According to tabulated food consumption data collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average American eats nearly one ton of food each year, or about 2,700 calories per day. In one year, Americans eat 200 pounds of meat, 56 lbs. of corn, 415.4 lbs. of vegetables, 29 lbs. of French fries, 23 lbs. of pizza, 24 lbs. of ice cream, 273.2 lbs. of fruit, and drink 53 gallons of soda. Americans also consume 2.736 lbs. of sodium per year, which is 47 percent more than recommended. The overindulgence of food will expand the waistline and increase the body mass index by more than 30 percent by the year 2030, “The Lancet” (thelancet.com), a prestigious print and online medical journal founded by Thomas Wakley in 1823, reported. So reduce your consumption of food and consider the following: Swiss chard offers nearly half the recommended daily amount of vitamin A, which helps fight skin, breast, liver, colon and prostate cancers. And one cup of raspberries can offer you more than half a day’s dose of vitamin C. It’s been reported that women who white adults report unfair treatment that is race-based, but those who do say their health status is harmed more than blacks who report the same experiences,” Gorman said. Both Bratter and Gorman hope that their research will raise awareness about the impact racial discrimination has on health and wellness. “Ultimately we hope that practition-
eat nuts five times per week are 27 percent less likely to develop Type II diabetes than those who don’t. The good thing about eating fruit and vegetables is that they reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 20 percent when eating at least eight servings daily. A single serving of grapefruit gives you 100 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Vitamin C. Eating bok choy can boost your RDA of potassium by 8 percent. And if you eat a single cup of red cabbages, you’ll get 85 percent of all the Vitamin C you need. I’m sure Paula Deen is familiar with the statistical data. At this juncture in her life, I believe she’ll make the right decision to eat healthy.
(Dr. Timothy Moore teaches nutrition, heart disease and diabetes reversal through a plant-based lifestyle. He is a professional speaker, wellness coach and personal plant-based chef. He can be reached by email at cheftimothy@cheftimothymoore.com or visit him on the Web sites at www.cheftimothymoore.com or www.twitter.com/cheftimmoore.)
ers and researchers in the medical field recognize the dual contribution of social class and interpersonal treatment in shaping health outcomes among persons of all racial populations,” Bratter said.
(The study first appeared in the September 2011 edition of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior and was funded by Rice University.)
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of on-line bids. There is no charge for registration, and it is easy to use. To register: • Go to www.mercurycommerce.com • Go to “Vendors” click here • Supply the requested information • Press “submit” If you have any questions about the registration process, contact ESM Solutions at (877) 969-7246. If you have any questions about information contained in the bid documents, contact the Purchasing Department at (901) 222-2250 and ask to speak to the Buyer listed for the bid. Shelby County Government hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation, and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of age, race, color, religion, national origin, sex or disability in consideration for award. The Shelby County Government is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer, drug-free with policies of non-discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or military service. The right to reject any and all bids is reserved. SEALED BID DUE MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 2012 AT 2:30 PM 4-Passenger Electric Vehicle (SB# I000135) (MC# 367) By order of MARK H. LUTTRELL JR., MAYOR SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT NOTICE TO PUBLIC The following person(s) has asked the city of Memphis Alcohol Commission for permission to sell beer for ON premise consumption. Applicant: Tracy Matthews DBA: Club 40 Location: 284 N. Cleveland Anyone desiring to circulate a petition FOR or AGAINST said establishment selling BEER at this location must secure the petition blanks for the undersigned Commission at 2714 Union Avenue Extended, 1st Floor. Must be filed no later than Tuesday, January 17, 2012. Wayne West, Chairman; Billy Post, Member; Eugene S. Bryan, Member; Erma Hayslett, Member; Martavius Jones, Member; Jimmie Kelly, Member; Ricky Middlebrook, Member; Sherman Greer, Member; Aubrey J. Howard, Executive Secretary; City of Memphis Alcohol Commission LEGAL NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids will be received at the Office of the City of Memphis Purchasing Agent, Room 354, City Hall, 125 N. Main, Memphis, TN 38103, until 2:00 PM CT, Friday, February 3, 2012, for furnishing the City of Memphis with the following: FOR THE DIVISION OF: ENGINEERING City of Memphis RFQ # 3117
FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF: STP - Poplar Ave./ Germantown Rd. Signal Coordination
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Federal Project No.: STP-M-NHE-57(47) State PIN: 112873
Location(s): The project location is Poplar Avenue from Kirby Parkway to West Street, Farmington Boulevard from Poplar Avenue to Germantown Rd, and Germantown Road from Farmington Boulevard to Wolf River Boulevard. A Pre-bid Conference will be held Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 10:00 AM CT; 980 S. Third St., Memphis, TN 38106 (901) 528-2844 1. The Prime Contractor and all Sub Contractors must pre-qualify with the Department of Transportation in accordance with Section 54-5-117 of the “Tennessee Code Annotated” and Tennessee Department of Transportation Rule 1680-5-3 prequalification of contractors before biddable proposals will be furnished. 2. The City of Memphis hereby notifies all bidders that a 1% Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goal has been set for this project and must be met or exceeded. All contractors identified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) must be on the Tennessee Uniform Certification Program (TNUCP) List at the time of the bid opening. 3. The City of Memphis hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation, and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of age, race, color, religion, national origin, sex or disability in consideration for an award. 4. The City of Memphis is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer, drugfree with policies of non-discrimination on
the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or military service. For additional information contact Carlee McCullough, (901) 5766210, City of Memphis, Contract Compliance Office, 125 N. Main St, Memphis, TN 38103 5. “Certification by each bidder must be made with respect to nondiscrimination in employment.” 6. A Bid Bond is required. 7. All bids must include, on the outside of the bid envelope, the name of the project, the bid due date and the bid opening time. Plans, Specifications and attendant deposit information available, until the time set for opening bids, from: Janet Prejean, (901) 636-2462, City of Memphis, Construction Inspections, 2599 Avery Avenue, Memphis, TN 38112. Award of contracts will be made on the basis of the lowest and best bids as determined by the City of Memphis. “Best Bid” shall be defined as the responsive quotation, that meets the contract documents, including, if applicable, any DBE Participation Goal as set out in this specification. THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS IS RESERVED Notice of intent of award will be issued after review of all opened bids. Any protest of award must be filed in writing with the Purchasing Agent within ten calendar days of the intent of award announcement. By Order of the Mayor of the City of Memphis, Tennessee. A C WHARTON, JR., Mayor JEROME SMITH, City Purchasing Agent
SPORTS Tri-State Defender, Thursday, january 19 - 25, 2012, Page 15
TIGER TALES On the way to victory, the Tigers lose Leading by two (67-65) with 42 second to go, the University of Memphis Tigers had a victory over the University of Central Florida in sight. It didn’t work out that way. The Knights – thanks to Keith Clanton, a junior forward – flipped the script on their home court in Orlando,
earning UCF’s first win over Memphis in 11 attempts. The final score was 68-67, as Clanton grabbed an offensive rebound, made the shot and added what proved to be the winning point. The Tigers could not manage another point in the seconds remaining.
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Chicagoʼs Derrick Rose, hobbled by a toe injury, could not play in the 10th Annual Martin Luther King Day Game, but he could yell, and that he did. (Photo by Warren Roseborough) The Lady Eagles of Vance Middle School are 14-3, with dreams of success in the playoffs. (Courtesy photos)
Grizz jell against Bulls, then take winning act on the road Victory sweet in MLK Day game Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Kelley Evans
This year, Vance Middle Schoolʼs Eagles (14-3) are in high gear and driving toward championship contention.
Eagles fly at Vance Middle School
Student-athlete legacy is real and ongoing Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Andre Mitchell
At the corner of Orleans Street and Vance Avenue in South Memphis sits Vance Middle School – arguably one of the finest institutions in the school district for producing athletic success stories. Opened in October 1971, the school has served as an incubator for some of the most talented student-athletes Memphis has ever seen. Vance Middle produced local stars Antonio Burkes and Andre Allen, who both went on to play at the University of Memphis. Burkes even had a short stint in the NBA, playing for the Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, Memphis Grizzlies and Miami Heat. Tyran Moore, Harris Jones Courage Award winner, and Martavious Newby, finalist for Tennessee Secondary Scholastic Athletic Association’s “Mr. Basketball” honor, are both current standouts for Booker T. Washington High School’s basketball team and former Vance Middle School Eagles. Vance’s boy’s basketball team is having a fine season at 14-3. They sit high in their league standings and are prepped and ready heading into the post season. This year’s trek through the regular sea-
son has been mostly smooth sailing as the Vance Eagles are soar toward the Memphis Interscholastic Athletic Association city playoffs. Former University of Memphis Tiger, Marcus Moody, assistant coach Arecko Gipson, and team manager Alex Mason are fine-tuning the Eagles’ wings with thoughts of flying deep into the post season. A trio of eighth graders – Tyree Benson, Chauncey Blakely and Decorian McDaniel – lead the Eagles.
Lady Eagles
The Vance Middle School Lady Eagles (14-3) so far this season are as eager as the boys’ team to get the post-season party started. The Lady Eagles are: Markessia Humphrey, Niesha Thomas, Asia Mosley, Lakevia Hale, Brianna Freeman, Karlissia Singleton, Alexis Brown, Dorthy Wright, Kaylan Perkins, Hermisha Perkins, and Arian Henry. Head coach Jordan Taylor and assistant coaches Arthur Rosenthal and Lindell Bonner are at the helm. “We simply expect our girl’s to be scholars in the classroom, on campus and star athletes in whatever sport they choose,” said Taylor. Once they buy into what we teach here at Vance, then the rest becomes easier, on and off the court.”
Team chemistry is settling in for the Memphis Grizzlies. “We’re a lot better team,” said Grizz forward Rudy Gay, remarking on progress during the lockoutshortened season. “The chemistry is there.” Want proof? The Grizzlies faced the Chicago Bulls for the second time this season on Monday (Jan. 16) during the 10th Annual Martin Luther King Day Game, grabbing a 102-86 win in front of a sold out crowd (18,119) and a national television audience (ESPN) at the FedExForum. And they did it without power forward Zach Randolph. Zebo sat on the bench, attending his first game since the Grizzlies faced the Bulls in Chicago on Jan 1. It was New Year’s Day debacle, with the Grizz suffering a 40-point beatdown as Randolph suffered a right knee injury that has him out for six to eight weeks. “All our guys are starting to see things on the court,” said Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins. “They’re starting to recognize and talk to each other.” Gay finished the high-profile MLK game with 24 points. Memphis dominated the boards, leading in points in the paint, 62-50. Memphis (6-6) won its season-high, third straight game, snapping the Bulls’ five-game winning streak. “We are getting better every day, but we can’t stop,” said Grizz cen-
ter Marc Gasol, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds. “We’re taking baby steps now. To get to where we want to get, it’s going to take a lot more effort. We wanted to be aggressive and execute defensively and offensively.” The Bulls were also missing a key cog in their system. Point guard and league MVP Derrick Rose sat on the bench, wearing a brace because of a sprained left toe. “Six or seven,” was the number Rose gave reporters when asked the level of pain he was having on a scale of one to 10. “It was hard just sitting there,” said Rose, the former University of Memphis star. “It was hard to sit there and watch your team lose.” Grizz fans – at least some of them – approached the game with redemption in mind. That 104-64 drubbing on New Year’s Day was painful. The Grizzlies’ largest lead was 27 points, with Memphis scoring 27 of their 39 field goals in the first half. Working in the newcomers has been a slight challenge for the Grizzlies. Marreese Speights – added to the mix to make up for the loss of Randolph – showed that he’s ready to get into his role, finishing with 16 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. “I know Memphis lost big to them before and when it’s on home court, you feel like that’s disrespect, so we went out there and did what we had to do to win,” said Speights. “We just go out there and play hard to win. It’s Memphis basketball, that’s what we do when we’ve got to win. My teammates have helped me a lot to adjust here, so it’s going pretty good.”
Speights hit his first four shots from the floor, throwing in two dunks and playing 34 minutes. Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau said the Bulls gave the Grizzlies confidence early. “I think when you allow easy shots early on, it allows them to gain confidence,” Thibodeau said. “Once a player has confidence in this league, it’s much harder to slow them down. They made some tough shots later in the game, but that was after they had gotten tons of easy shots. They played well. I give them credit. (Mike) Conley was great. (Marreese) Speights played extremely well. (Rudy) Gay played well. I can’t take anything away from them. Point guard Conley finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds. An injury kept him out of the first contest against the Bulls. “They are a great defensive team and I just tried to penetrate and make plays for guys,” Conley said. “To beat a good team like Chicago, you have to have energy. You have to outwork them. That’s what we wanted to do from the beginning of the game – pick up full court, inbounds plays and make a statement that we’re going to be in this game for all four quarters.” Bulls forward Luol Deng led his team with 20 points followed by C.J. Watson scoring 17. Taj Gibson added 16 points. The Grizzlies will return to Memphis on Saturday (Jan. 21) to face the Sacramento Kings. In New Orleans on Wednesday (Jan. 18) night to play the Hornets, the Grizz secured a 93-87 victory. A stop in Detroit to take on the Pistons is set for Friday.
Penny Hardaway’s Hoop Fest The city will get a chance to see some quality high school basketball at Penny Hardaway’s National Hoop Fest Friday and Saturday (Jan. 20-21) when regional teams square off with select teams from around the country. The event benefiting St. Jude Research Hospital will take place at White Station High School. Friday’s feature event will pit Craigmont with nationally ranked Oak Hill Academy (Va). Following that event, White Station pairs off with Montverde Academy (Fla). On Saturday, eight games will be played, starting at 10 a.m. Saturday evening will feature match-ups with Melrose and Oak Hill Academy, followed by Southwind and Chicago Simeon.
Advance tickets will be on sale through Friday evening at Sammy’s Man of Fashion at the corner of Perkins and American Way.
Schedule Friday
3 p.m. – Memphis Central vs Manassas, Girls. 4:30 p.m. – White Station vs Ensworth (Tenn.), Girls. 6 p.m. – Our Savior New American (N.Y.) vs Ensworth (Tenn.). 7:30 p.m. – Oak Hill Academy (Va.) vs Craigmont. 9 p.m. – White Station vs Montverde Academy (Fla.).
Saturday
10 a.m. – Arlington vs Ensworth (Tenn.), Girls. 11:30 a.m. – Ensworth vs Memphis Central. 1 p.m. – Memphis East vs Our Savior New American (N.Y.) 2:30 p.m. – White Station vs Briarcrest. 4 p.m. – Christian Brothers vs Dyer County. 5:30 p.m. - Ridgeway vs Montverde Academy (Fla.). 7 p.m. - Melrose vs Oak Hill Academy (Va). 8:30 p.m. – Southwind vs Chicago Simeon. Admission: Adult-$12, Student-$10
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January 19 - 25, 2012
Tri-State Defender