VOL. 62, No. 45
November 7 - 13, 2013
Telegenic family helps lift NYC’s mayor-elect
www.tsdmemphis.com
‘Be inspired and step up’ Lessons abound at 2013 Freedom Award Forum
CNN
by Ray Sanchez Throughout Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio’s campaign for New York’s top political act, his backup band seemed to overshadow the headliner. His son Dante, a sophomore at a public high school in Brooklyn, appeared prominently in campaign ads, his soaring Afro a topic of conversation in political circles. Daughter Chiara, a college freshman, outdanced the rest of the telegenic family at the West Indian Day Parade with a move they called “The Smackdown.” A virtual unknown nationally despite 25 years in New York politics, de Blasio defied critics who questioned whether his experience as a city councilman from Brooklyn and, most recently, as public advocate – a sort of civic watchdog – sufficiently prepared him to run the Big Apple. He also ran Hillary Clinton’s first U.S. Senate campaign. But his biracial family’s increasing visibility resonated with residents of a city coping with a 21 percent poverty rate and increasing racial divisiveness brought on by the controversial “stop-and-frisk” policy allowing police to search people in high-crime areas. “His family, just because of the racial mix, represents a big and increasingly large part of the city and speaks to certain sensibilities,” said Harold Ickes, a veteran Democratic Party operative who advised the campaign and has known de Blasio for two decades. “The family is very important to Bill... From the outside, this family represents a part of the city not represented in city government.’ The de Blasio clan was featured prominently in commercials and campaign events. Dante, 15, appeared in his own ad over the summer that highlighted his father’s stance against “stop-and-frisk.” Dante and his hair immediately became a social media sensation – and de Blasio began to
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Dorothy Bracy Alston
The Jackson Avenue Singers put all they had into performances at the National Civil Rights Museumʼs Freedom Award Public Forum at Temple of Deliverance COGIC. (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley) National Freedom Award honoree Geoffrey Canada amplifies on a point he made during a media conference before the Freedom Award Public Forum at Temple of Deliverance COGIC on Wednesday. He had the attention of International Freedom Award winner Mary Robinson and Lifetime Achievement Award winner Earl G. Graves Sr.
SEE FAMILY ON PAGE 3
- INSIDE -
• Will the NAACP finally choose a woman to lead? See Opinion, page 4. • Literature with an Afrocentric flavor. See Entertainment, page 9. • Tony Allen is pacing the Grizzlies. See Sports, page 11.
Subtle racism damages health NNPA News Service
by Jazelle Hunt WASHINGTON – “My office says my name, Rachel, on the door. I am the only one who sits in it. People constantly walk in, see me, and say, ‘Oh, I’m sorry…I’m looking for Rachel.’ I’m half black.” “Upon hearing that I had secured an internship for the summer, my roommate said ‘I would have on[e] too if I was a minority. I have everything but that minority ‘it’ factor.’”
Tony Allen at ʻworkʼ
“‘Sometimes I forget that you’re black.’ Pissed off, how dare she! I love how she has no idea what the hell she said by that. I[t] just – it kills me. This kills me. These little jabs at my blackness” WARNING: What might seem little jabs, can have a major impact on black longevity. There’s a term for this death-by-a-thousand-cuts phenomenon: Microaggressions. It might not be in most whites’ everyday vocabulary, but black and brown people in the United States know the meaning intimately. It’s in the way they’re passed up for welldeserved promotions. In the way a
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Patrice Grell Yursik, writer and founder of the award-winning blog, Afrobella, does not appreciate having strangers touch her hair, a common microaggression (Photo:Courtesy of Patrice Grell Yursik/Afrobella.com).
teacher refuses to remember or pronounce their names correctly. And it’s in being the token in your group of white friends. The italicized quotes above are real. In fact, they were submitted to the Tumblr blog, Microaggressions (microaggressions.tumblr.com). Cocreator David Zhou explains, “Microaggressions are the subtle interactions that convey hostile language. Or, subtle expressions of what some would call bigotry or prejudice that express power in a social setting.” Scrolling through Microaggressions yields more than 1,000 similar anecdotes from marginalized people across the nation and in other Western countries. According to its “about” section, the project began in 2010 and aims to (show) how these comments create and enforce uncomfortable, violent and unsafe realities onto people. “I think this is important because…there are still so few ways to talk about types of racism other than obvert forms of discrimination,” Zhou explains. “Without the ability to talk about that, people think, well, if we just get rid of hate crimes and slurs we’ll have an equitable society. That’s not actually the case. There’s a hostile society climate that creates huge ramifications.” An emerging body of research supports Zhou’s assertion. Over time, these racialized slights incubate and fester into alarming health ramifications, ranging from higher rates of depression, more severe cases of high blood pressure, and even mortality rate disparities. David Williams, a professor of public health, sociology, and African and African American studies at Harvard University, has been studying these links for the past few decades. Three statistical instruments he crafted – the Major Experiences of Discrimination, Everyday Discrimination, and Heightened Vigilance scales – are making it possible to quantify discrimination for the first SEE RACISM ON PAGE 3
Three Keeper of the Dream winners – all students – plus three Freedom Award honorees – seasoned champions of growth and development – equal six more stalwarts the National Civil Rights Museum has saluted in its twenty-two-year journey to build upon the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. On Wednesday, the Temple of Deliverance COGIC sanctuary was the perfect positive-energy chamber for the vibes generated by the 2013 National Civil Rights Museum’s Freedom Award Public Forum. Students roared their excitement as emcee Lamman Rucker of Tyler Perry’s “Meet The Browns” took the stage. He masterly worked the crowd, demonstrating that acting and looks are not the only assets of this education advocate and son of an educator, entrepreneur and athlete. The forum’s printed program told the stories of the big-name honorees: President Mary Robinson, the first female president of Ireland (1990-97), International Freedom Award; Geoffrey Canada, president of the Harlem Children’s Zone, National Freedom Award; and Lifetime Achievement Award winner Earl G. Graves Sr. founder of Black Enterprise Magazine. It also detailed the exemplary leadership, tenacity and sacrifices of the Keeper of the Dream winners: seventh-grader Iyonia Boyce of Collierville Middle School, sixth-grader Jack Dougherty of Schilling Farms Middle School, and M’Lea Scott, a ninth grader from White Station Middle School. SEE AWARDS ON PAGE 2
THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW
MPD coat giveway to blanket A.B. Hill Elementary
The Memphis Police Department will provide every A.B. Hill Elementary School student with a new coat during a schoolwide coat giveaway this Friday (Nov. 8). MPD Director Toney Toney Armstrong Armstrong and a special guest from the Memphis Grizzlies will be on hand at the school to help distribute the coats to students just in time for the cold weather. A.B. Hill is located at 345 East Olive Ave. The giveway begins at 1 p.m. For more information, contact A.B. Hill Elementary, 416-7844.
NEWS
Page 2
November 7 - 13, 2013
AWARDS
Tri-State Defender
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
Robinson, now the president of the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice, credited Dr. King for being the reason she earned a law degree at Harvard School of Law. “I was always interested in social injustice, but when I heard that speech (the 1963 “I Have A Dream Speech”) I knew why I wanted to study law,” she said. “He had a great influence on my life and I was devastated by Dr. King’s assassination.” When cutting edge work in inner city youth development comes up, Canada’s name is often called. Lovingly dubbed “the street smart superman,” he was featured in the educational documentary, “Waiting for Superman.” “Education is the most powerfullest thing to change the world…with the assistance of parents and family,” said Canada. “I couldn’t have done none of this work without the support of my family.” Canada paid homage to Dr. King, noting that the civil rights icon and “so many others died so that our young people could get an education.” Reflecting on the start of his mission, Canada recalled this: “I said to my people, we’re going to have a new set of values – to value education.” Adults, he said, must standing up for young people. Then he spoke directly to the youth. “Some of what’s missing is on us and some of it is on you young people. You must be and do your best job.” Lifetime Achievement Award honoree Graves has 45plus years of experience in the media industry and quite a bit of wisdom that he learned along the way. “Struggles are the same regardless of the generation. My generation had struggles of racism. We had Emmett Till. You have Trayvon Martin,” he said. “We’re now looking to you to be the examples. Do your best and be your best.” It’s important, Graves told the students, “for you to know
Seasoned champions of growth and development, the three Freedom Award honorees each shared lessons learned during the 2013 Freedom Award Public Forum. Emcee Lamman Rucker of Tyler Perryʼs “Meet The Browns” was masterful working the crowd. (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley) the stories and legacies of the civil rights recipients. So you can remember, be inspired and step up.” (Dorothy Bracy Alston is a journalist, author, freelance writer, adjunct English professor and consultant. Visit Dorothy’s blog at http://www.CisbaAssociates.bl ogspot.com; join her on Faceb o o k at.Facebook.com/dorothybracyalston, Twitter @DBAlston, email her at DBAlston@hotmail.com or call 901-5703923.)
Keeper of the Dream winners and Freedom Award honorees, along with local notables, frame this Freedom Award Public Forum moment.
Earl Graves Sr. (right) was accompanied by his son, Earl Graves Jr. (second from left) at the Freedom Award Public Forum. Also enjoying the forum in the Temple of Deliverance setting were honorees Mary Robinson and Geoffrey Canada.
NEWS
Tri-State Defender
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November 7 - 13, 2013
RACISM
Bill De Blasioʼs son Dante, a sophomore at a public high school in Brooklyn, appeared prominently in campaign ads, his soaring Afro a topic of conversation in political circles.
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
time, which is helping drive more rigorous research on the topic. He recounts an incident 10 years ago, when he submitted a paper on discrimination for peer review and one of his colleagues commented, “The word ‘racism’ doesn’t belong in a scientific paper because it’s just a social term that can’t be measured.” Williams recounted, “From a scientific point of view, researchers were very worried (about discrimination measures) that people were just saying how they felt. But now we have actual discrimination predicting incidence of disease. Evidence today is overwhelmingly finding that this type of stress is greatly and adversely affecting our physiological functions.” Professor Williams’ and other studies are finding that those who report higher levels of discrimination also report high levels of inflammation in the blood and visceral fat inside organs – both of which increase risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. One study in the February 2013 issue of Sociological Inquiry finds that physical or emotional stress stemming from discrimination predicts an increase in poor mental and physical health days. A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 2007 found that in African-American women, breast cancer risk increased 20 percent for those who reported discrimination at work. Another from 2006 asserted that chronic discrimination might increase risk of early artery plaque build-up in African-American women. Camara Jules P. Harrell, a psychology professor at Howard University, has studied stress, psychophysiology, and how discrimination intersects the two. “Just being in this environment has physiological reactions, often outside of awareness,” he says. “I take the extreme position, but I emphatically believe in how so much of (microaggressions) – well over 60 percent – is processed outside awareness.” Harrell and Williams agree that it is the small indignities that have the biggest impact. “What we’re finding with discrimination is that chronic, ongoing stress has a bigger effect than big, one-time stress events,” Williams says. He likens it to the effect of dripping water on concrete; each drip on its own doesn’t matter much. But over time, the damage is considerable. Not only does the constant barrage of negative feedback erode a sense of safety and belonging, it also creates an underlying hyper-awareness, or vigilance. A study published in the May 2012 American Journal of Public Health finds: “…merely anticipating prejudice leads to both psychological and cardiovascular stress responses. These results are consistent with the conceptualization of anticipated discrimination as a stressor and suggest that vigilance for prejudice may be a contributing factor to racial/ethnic health disparities in the United States.” Williams says, “People who report higher levels of vigilance also report poorer sleep. It’s as if you can never fully relax; you’re always on alert to protect yourself.” Although the link between health and the effects of discrimination is now firmly established, Williams says it will take time for these considerations to trickle into health professional training and academic programs, but there are already some signs of progress, according to Harrell. “There’s a big demand on therapists to have that (understanding). I think (health providers) curtsey to it, they say the right things, but they have no idea what this experience means,” Harrell says. “It’s got to be saturated into every form of health learning. It’s tough, but if you want to be effective that’s what you got to do.”
FAMILY
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
surge in the polls. In addition, Chirlane McCray, a political activist who once identified herself as lesbian before marrying de Blasio, emerged as a top campaign strategist. DeBlasio, 52, portrayed himself as the “unapologetically progressive alternative to the Bloomberg era,” saying that the current mayor’s polices favor the rich. He repeatedly used the Dickensian phrase “a tale of two cities” to describe New York City under billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The wealth inequality message appeared to have struck home with minority and low-income voters on Tuesday, giving de Blasio an advantage over Republican candidate Joe Lhota among black and Latino voters compared to white voters. “The city is much more racially mixed than when Bloomberg took office,” Ickes said. “A lot of people having a hard time economically are black, Hispanic and Asian and Bill spoke elegantly to that.” De Blasio’s critics accused him of dividing the city along economic and racial lines, and credited “stop-and-frisk” with a sharp crime reduction during
Chirlane McCray, wife of newly elected New York City mayor Bill de Blasio, speaks at his election night party on Nov. 5. (Photo: Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
Bloomberg’s tenure. Appearing on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” on Wednesday, Bloomberg said he had a meeting with de Blasio and vowed to help with the transition. “Keep in mind, I have a big vested interest in making Bill de Blasio an even better mayor than I was,” Bloomberg said. “We built a lot. We’ve given
them a lot to work with... But the bottom line is, I’m going to live in New York City and I want Bill de Blasio’s administration to be successful and our administration to do everything to transfer everything we’ve been doing over.” De Blasio, who has a bachelor’s degree from New York University and a master’s in international and public affairs
from Columbia University, met McCray while working in the administration of David Dinkins, the city’s first black mayor. When de Blasio delivered his acceptance speech late on Election Day, he was surrounded, like most of the campaign, by his family. The strapping politician, the first Democratic mayor in the largely-Democratic city in two decades, hugged son and daughter and planted a firm kiss on the lips of his wife before going on to thank the many people behind his triumph. “The people I’m most grateful to and most grateful for are standing next to me,” he said amid cheers and applause. “My partner in life, my best friend in the world: she is brilliant and every bit as compassionate as she is tough, the love of my life Chirlane McCray.” He added, “Of everything I have to feel fortunate about, I am most lucky, most blessed to be the father of two extraordinary children: Chiara and Dante. They make me proud every single day. And, my fellow New Yorkers, they are very stylish.’ De Blasio greeted his supporters in both Spanish and Italian. McCray introduced him: ‘From our family to your family, I give you the next mayor of New York City.’
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OPINION
Tri-State Defender
November 7 - 13, 2013
John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951 - 1997)
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EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON
Is the room at the top of civil rights groups just for men only? In a petition circulated online, Change.org minces no words – “NAACP: Hire the First Woman President in the NAACP’s 104 year History.” Seventy percent of the respondents agreed it is time that NAACP (the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) elect the first permanent woman president in its history. The petition and the clamor for a woman to lead the organization came almost within moments after current NAACP President Ben Jealous announced he was stepping down at the end of the year. This is hardly the first time there’s been a clamor and an even louder criticism of the dearth of female leaders at the top of the nation’s major civil rights organizations. Two things have marked the litany of civil rights organizations past and present. One is that throughout the history of the best-known major civil rights groups – the Urban League, Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), and of course the NAACP – no woman has occupied the top spot any of them. The sole exception was in 2009, when the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), which in its declining years finally elected the first woman head, Bernice King, Dr. Martin Luther King’s daughter. But that breakthrough was short-lived when King could not reach agreement with the SCLC’s male-dominated board regarding the terms of her presidency. The second major earmark of civil rights organizations has been the number of prominent women who played pivotal roles in the fight for justice and equality. They are wellknown: Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer, Ella Baker, Gloria Richardson, Dorothy Cotton, Septima Clark, Dorothy Height, to name a few. These women had to wage two fights. One was for civil rights and one was against the blatant sexism and male dominance among the rank and file and leadership in the civil rights organizations. The men frequently denigrated and minimized women’s role and importance, or they pigeon holed them into so called women’s roles – typists, phone answerers, general gofers, and just plain flunkies for the men. In some cases, they sexually exploited and abused women. The most blatant example of this was Black Panther leader Eldridge Cleaver’s frequent admonition that the only place for women in the movement was “prone.” This ignited a firestorm of criticism and condemnation from female Panther members and among women activists in various other civil rights organizations. Although Cleaver took much deserved heat for his insulting and outlandish digs at women, he reflected the quiet sentiment of far too many men that, aside from their views of women, their positions were some of the most advanced, forward thinking and progressive in their social concepts and activism. The Achilles’ Heel of the civil rights organizations remained the
quiet and destructive sexism within their ranks. This history burst into public in the run-up to the 50th anniversary commemoration of the March on Washington this past August. A number of women took dead aim at the march’s 1963 organizers for what they considered the deliberate exclusion of women from a major role in the planning, organizing and deliverance of any of the keynote speeches at the historic event. Those women didn’t stop with a nostalgic glancing, over-the-shoulder critique of the events 50 years ago. Instead, they openly wondered how much had really changed within the major civil rights organizations today. Apart from the towering roles that women played in past civil rights battles as activists and organizers, radical women, such as Kathleen Cleaver, Angela Davis and Hamer showed by their courage and example that they could more than hold their own and even surpass most men, including men who were considered the movement leaders, in terms of vision, passion, energy and steel-like dedication to the fight for economic and social justice. Yet despite the power of their leadership and example, they still had to struggle against marginalization by male leaders. In spite of their prominence and name recognition, they constantly bumped up against the intrinsic and galling reality that when it came to leadership and decision-making in organizations, the hard edge of traditional and ingrained male domination and female marginalization continued to be the order of the day. While many applauded an Angela Davis and rallied to her defense, she was still seen by many men as a woman first, second and often last, and not as a black leader. Yet, just as in the past, there were powerful examples of women as activists and leaders in the civil rights movement, there are even more women today who are fully capable of being not only the visible face of a major civil rights organization, but one of its leading decision and policy makers as well NAACP has legions of women in local decision- and policy-making roles in their various chapters. Any one of them could step into the top presidential spot. There are also prominent women outside the organization that BlackAmericaweb.com named, who could assume the president’s mantle. Appointing any one of them to head the organization would signal that the NAACP has shattered the glass ceiling. It would send a powerful message that the organization regards the fight for gender equality and against sexism as being equally potent and compelling as the historic and continuing fight for racial justice and equality. NAACP has a golden opportunity to open the door of its male-only room at the top to women. It’s an opportunity that it and no other civil rights organization purporting to call itself a champion of civil rights should blow.
(This commentary courtesy of New America Media)
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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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Davion Navar Henry Only
Davion Navar Henry Only is not the only one
“I’ll take anyone,” Davion said. “Old or young, dad or mom, black, white, purple. I don’t care. And I would be really appreciative. The best I could be…” It was a front Marian Wright page story in the Edelman Tampa Bay Times last month that broke hearts around the world. Fifteen-year-old Davion Navar Henry Only has spent his entire life in Florida’s foster care system. His mother was incarcerated when he was born, and when he did an Internet search for her name in June he learned she’d died just a few weeks earlier. He’s been moved from placement to placement throughout his childhood without ever finding somewhere he really belonged. As a teenager now living in a group home, Davion was starting to feel like he was running out of time – at risk of becoming one of the more than 23,000 youths each year who simply “age out” of the foster care system at age 18 or older and are left on their own without ever finding a caring, permanent family connection. Davion decided to take his future into his own hands and asked his caseworker if she could help him speak at a church. She made arrangements at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in St. Petersburg, Fla. There, as the article reported, the shy teenager who’s worked hard to get A’s so far this year in everything but geometry and would love to play football if he had someone to drive him to practice, stood at the pulpit and asked the congregation if “someone, anyone” could adopt him. Davion’s story quickly went viral and was shared on social media networks and websites around the country. He appeared on national television and received media coverage as far away as Australia and Japan and there is wonderful news to report. Davion’s child welfare agency, Eckerd, has received more than 10,000 inquiries about adopting him and says: “We are confident that Davion’s new forever family is within the responses we’ve received and case managers have already begun to follow up individually with each family. Davion’s simple plea has raised awareness of adoption everywhere, but it’s vital to remember that there are thousands more Davions
out there.” Davion told the reporter who first shared his story in a follow up interview: “I know what it’s like to have nobody, with no light at the end of the tunnel, no one who wants you. I just keep saying, ‘There’s only one me. But all my friends, all the other guys at the group home, all these other kids need families too.’ I just hope they don’t give up. And that someone gives them a chance.” I am so grateful Davion did not give up on himself and is serving as a voice for many other youths like himself. There were nearly 400,000 children in foster care in 2012, and 101,719 of them were waiting to be adopted. Although foster care is supposed to be temporary, the average length of stay in foster care is nearly two years. Almost one-third of children waiting for adoption have been in care three or more years and one in seven has been in care five years or longer. For some children like Davion, foster care can last an entire childhood. One of the remarkable blessings of Davion’s sharing his story is that it shed light on the thousands of children who wait years and years before finding a permanent family, especially on the thousands of teenagers who desperately want but are at risk of never finding a family: 16 and 17 year olds are just 3.3 percent of finalized adoptions. Children who leave foster care without permanent families are at increased risk of not graduating from high school and ending up unemployed, homeless or in the juvenile and criminal justice systems – with a jail cell in place of a home. The church that welcomed Davion to tell his story served an important mission. Across the country other faith communities are helping children in foster care find permanent families and help support families to keep children from going into care. November is National Adoption Month. If just one-third of the nearly 345,000 faith congregations in America encouraged one member to adopt one child from foster care, all the 101,719 children in foster care awaiting adoption could have a loving permanent family. Davion’s pleading words struck a chord as he reminded adults everywhere that God does not give up on any child – and neither should we. (Marian Wright Edelman is president of the Children’s Defense Fund. For more information, go to www.childrensdefense.org.)
Your letters to the editor are welcome. For verification, please include your name, address and telephone number. Mail to: In The Mail, Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale St., Ste. 200, Memphis, TN 38103 E-mail: inthemail@tri-statedefender.com Maximum length: 300 words (subject to editing for clarity)
IN THE MAIL
Today, of course, when we talk about what we watch, that doesn’t necessarily mean just television or the big screen. We have the choice of watching content (e.g. movies, TV, shows and Cheryl videos) on a Pearson-McNeil number of our cool devices whenever we feel like it. We have the choice of watching this content on a number of cool devices whenever and at times wherever we choose. We have our computers (African Americans are 10 percent more likely to spend time on the Internet searching for information on electronics than the total population); smartphones (71 percent of us own smartphones compared to 62 percent of the total population); and television of course (African Americans watch 37 percent more television that the total population, which is the most of any other group). Although how we watch continues to evolve, what we watch remains consistent, as Nielsen’s latest report on African-American consumers, Resilient, Receptive and Relevant: The African-American Consumer 2013 Report, details. We prefer shows and movies that star or feature people who look like us – even though they might not always act like the average AfricanAmerican person (When was the last time you threw a drink in someone’s face or tried to pull someone’s wig off?). Marketers who want to reach African-American audiences and a piece of our $1 trillion buying power should be paying close attention. We’re loyal television fans. Our watch activity breaks down to seven hours and 17 minutes of viewing a day, compared to five hours and 18 minutes of viewing time a day for the total population. And, ladies, we watch more than the guys, especially those of us in the 18-49 age range. It’s no surprise that African Americans prefer cable. Since many cable shows and casts offer more diversity than network programs, eight of our Top 10 TV shows air on cable networks. The two exceptions are ABC’s “Scandal,” starring, Kerry Washington, and FOX’s long-running singing competition variety show, “American Idol.” If you are a true gladiator, then I know you tuned in to watch “Scandal’s” third season premiere in October. Not only did Olivia Pope and company rack up 10.5 million viewers; the show helped us introduce a new measurement – Nielsen’s Twitter TV Ratings. “Scandal’s” premiere was that week’s top-tweeted show with almost 713,000 tweets, reaching a Twitter audience of 3.7 million. It tied with VH1’s “Love & Hip-Hop Atlanta 2” as our top rated show earlier this summer on June 30. African Americans love Twitter, with those of us between 18-34 spending 11 percent more time on the social chat site than 35-44 and 45-64 year olds combined. Twitter TV conversations have grown since last year. From the same period a year ago, there has been 38 percent more tweets related to live TV – 190 million tweets in 2012 grew to 263 million tweets in 2013. There’s also been an increase in Tweeters as well – from 15 million in 2012 to 19 million in 2013. By offering these metrics, Nielsen gives marketers yet another outlet to reach you in their campaigns. We also like to watch movies. We go to the movies with the same frequency as every other consumer group, about 6.3 times a year. As with TV, we favor films with characters that look like us. Action/adventure movies, however, are the exception. We tend to gravitate to that genre more than other groups, regardless of the cast’s ethnicity. Nielsen research shows that 51 percent of us are receptive to product ads that run in movie theaters and 87 percent of us are receptive to movie trailers and previews. We’re almost finish breaking down this year’s report, but if you just can’t wait until the next column, download the report at www.nielsen.com. And, don’t forget, I want to hear from you! Talk to me and let me know what you think. Let’s keep the conversation going. (NNPA columnist Cheryl PearsonMcNeil is senior vice president of Public Affairs and Government Relations for Nielsen. For more information go to www.nielsen.com.)
Tri-State Defender
November 7 - 13, 2013
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BUSINESS
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Tri-State Defender
November 7 - 13, 2013
ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY
Hospice care: the business of providing a dignified death
Be strong. Fight until the end. Never give up. Continue to pray. If anyone close to you has ever experienced a life-threatening illness or accident, such phrases may have been used as encouragement. Still, death is inevitable, with the business of providing a dignified death known as hospice care. Although often thought of as a physical place, hospice is a specific type of healthcare with the primary focus of providing the patient with comfort and palliative care. Palliative care refers to the relief of the pain, symptoms and stress of serious illness. Once the doctor and patient are in agreement that the illness cannot be reversed, hospice care becomes a consideration. Hospice care may be provided in the home or in a hospital, assisted living, veterans, prison or a long-term facility.
Hospice is not designed to hasten or prevent death. It is an option that provides the patient with management Carlee McCullough of pain and symptoms, an increased quality of life, and also emotional and spiritual support. Ultimately, terminally ill patients in hospice are given the opportunity to choose the end-of-life care received. From a business perspective, hospice care is a multimillion-dollar. Businesses are compensated based on enrollment. With little to no expenses earmarked for a cure, the profit margins tend to be
great. A very profitable hospice business can be established with the appropriate resources, a solid business plan and knowledge of the industry or affiliation with professionals that possess the requisite knowledge.
Medicare, Medicaid, private pay benefits
Hospice care is a fast-growing business segment. Historically, non-profits have flourished and provided the bulk of care. However, for-profit hospice organizations are growing rapidly and giving the non-profits increased competition. The rising interest in hospice care is partly fueled by the fact that Medicare, Medicaid and private pay insurance companies provide a fee per day of care. Typically, hospice provides prescriptions, medical equipment,
round the clock access to care and support.
Length of care
Patients diagnosed with six months or less to live and little hope of curing the illness are the target market for hospice care. While the length of stay may be more or less, a doctor’s certification of the terminal illness is required to maintain the continued hospice care. More than one million people receive hospice benefits annually.
Referral relationships
The most successful hospice organizations have developed relationships with physicians, hospitals and nursing homes for referrals. Patients can revoke hospice care in the case of improved health, such as if the patient goes into remission. They can reenter hos-
pice care if their health declines and they meet the required criteria for care.
Illnesses
Cancer is one of the primary illnesses that patients have in hospice care. Advanced heart, lung, or renal diseases are just a few of the other illnesses that may require hospice care.
Palliative care
Over the last few years, hospices have moved toward palliative care, which primarily focuses on the reduction of symptoms. Early palliative care can actually improve longevity. Many professionals believe that the decrease in stress and discomfort helps to extend life for those with advanced illnesses.
Walmart one of the biggest recipients of food stamps by Lynette Holloway The Root
American shoppers spend about 18 percent of all food stamp dollars at Walmart, one of the nation’s most profitable companies, the Huffington Post reports. That adds up to an estimated $14 billion of the $80 billion Congress set aside for food stamps last year, the site says. The company’s total profits for 2013 were $17 billion. The estimates come as 47
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New message screens will soon be operating from atop the Beale Street Gift Shop at the intersection of Beale and Second streets. (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku)
MONEY MATTERS
Ins and outs of health savings accounts
According to a 2013 survey, almost 90 percent of middle-inc o m e Americans do not feel prepared to handle Charles Sims Jr., CFP the financial cost of a critical illness. Most respondents said they would have to use their savings, but 75 percent had less than $20,000 in savings and 25 percent had no savings at all. A critical illness can be especially challenging, but even healthy people with medical insurance can face substantial out-of-pocket expenses. The total health-care cost for a typical family of four covered by an employer-sponsored PPO insurance plan is $22,030 in 2013. More than 40 percent of this total – $9,144 – is paid by employees through payroll de-
ductions and out-of-pocket expenditures. One strategy that may help reduce health-care costs while saving for future expenses is to combine a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) with a health savings account (HSA).
Trade-off for lower premiums
Individuals covered by an HDHP pay a relatively high annual deductible – at least $1,250 ($2,500 for families) in 2013 and 2014 – for services such as hospital care, physician visits, and prescriptions before the plan begins to pay a percentage of expenses. The costs for medical services may be reduced through the insurer’s negotiated rate, and certain types of preventive care, such as annual physicals and health screenings, may be provided at no cost. Some plans have higher deductibles. The trade-off for potentially higher up-front expenses is that premiums are typically
lower for HDHPs than they are for traditional PPO and HMO plans. To protect consumers from “catastrophic expenses,” HDHPs (and most other policies) are required to have out-of-pocket maximums above which the insurer pays all medical expenses.
Tax advantages
Only individuals who are enrolled in an HDHP are eligible to establish and contribute to an HSA, which is a tax-advantaged savings account that can be used to pay future medical expenses. HSA contributions are typically made through payroll deductions, but in most cases they can also be made directly to the HSA provider. HSA funds can be withdrawn free of federal income tax and penalties as long as the money is spent on qualified health-care expenses. Depending on the state, HSA contributions and earnings may or may not be subject to state taxes. Assets in an HSA belong to
the contributor, so they can be retained in the account (typically with an investment option) even after the individual changes employers or retires. Unspent HSA balances can be used to help meet medical needs in future years, whether the account owner is enrolled in an HDHP or not. Although HSA funds cannot be used to pay regular health insurance premiums, they can be used to help pay Medicare premiums and long-term-care expenses. The HDHP/HSA strategy is designed to help keep total medical costs down by encouraging consumers to focus on wellness, compare costs, and use in-network providers and generic prescription medicines. Although this requires some effort – and may not be appropriate for everyone – it could help you control your annual out-of-pocket expenses. (Charles Sims Jr. is president/ CEO of The Sims Financial Group. Contact him at 901-6822410 or visit www.SimsFinancial Group.com.)
Hospice team and the plan
The hospice team may consist of a medical director, nurse, social worker, home health aide, spiritual counselor and volunteers who support the plan of the patient during their alliative care. A comprehensive, individualized care plan is prepared for every patient. The plan is customized for the individual and may change as the patient’s care needs change. Businesses with a focus on senior housing or healthcare are on the rise. So with focus and dedication, hospice care is a definitely a business to consider. (Contact Carlee McCullough, Esq., at 5308 Cottonwood Road, Suite 1A, Memphis, TN 38118, or email her at jstce4all@aol.com.)
million Americans are slated to lose their food stamp benefits as funding for the program expires. Indeed, the former recipients are likely to become even more dependent on the low-cost retailer. “I would say we’re cautious but modestly optimistic,” Bill Simon, Walmart’s U.S. CEO, said at an analyst meeting earlier this month, according to the Huffington Post. “When the (foodstamp) benefits expanded, our market share actually went down.” The chain has traditionally lobbied around food stamps, according to a report from Eat Drink Politics, an advocacy group. Additionally, Walmart worked with Michelle Obama in 2011 on the Great American Family Dinner Challenge, a drive to encourage families to eat healthy on a food-stamp budget.
RELIGION
Tri-State Defender
RELIGION BRIEFS
LIVING THE LIFE I LOVE
Why be afraid when your dream comes true?
Wiley College’s A Cappella Choir set for Mt. Zion Baptist
The George Washington Carver Class of ’65 presents the famous A Cappella Choir of Wiley College on Nov. 10th at 4 p.m. The concert will be at Mt. Zion Baptist Church at 60 South Parkway East. Proceeds will go towards supporting the educational and athletic programs at Carver. The Cappella Choir s directed by Stephen L. Hayes. Wiley College is the home of the “Great Debaters.”
Mt. Zion Taska MBC to ‘burn’ its mortgage
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November 7 - 13, 2013
MT. Zion Taska Missionary Baptist Church is celebrating its 142nd Church Anniversary and the “burning of our mortgage.” Established under a “Bush Arbor” in 1871, Mt. Zion Taska has undergone several renovations since acquiring land for a permanent building. The construction of a new sanctuary was completed in 1999 and the church now has been “blessed to pay it off.” That completion will be celebrated Nov. 8-10 Here is the weekend itinerary: Friday (Nov. 8) – Reunion Choir Concert, 7 p.m. Saturday – Memorial “Bush Arbor” Service and Walk, 9 a.m.; Black-Tie Banquet at New Sardis Ballroom at 7739 East Holmes Rd. (Germantown) at 6 p.m.; tickets: $25, children (12 and under) $15; Guest speaker: Dr. Terence L. Taylor, pastor of Mt. Joyner MBC. Sunday – Church Anniversary and Mortgage Burning Worship at 2:30 p.m.; guest speaker, Bishop Edward Stephens and Golden Gate Cathedral. The host pastor is the Rev. Brandon A. Blake. For more information, contact Della Hooker at 901-651-8987 BRIEFLY: Zounds Hearing will be at Church Health Center Wellness, 1115 Union Avenue, on Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to conduct hearing screenings and provide educational materials. Screenings are available to the first 150 participants. BRIEFLY: Join the Church Health Center in supporting Heroes in Recovery 6K on Nov. 16! Proceeds benefit The Way, a recovery ministry of the Church Health Center. Sign up for Heroes in Recovery at heroes6k.com. BRIEFLY: Gospel Temple Missionary Baptist Church at 1080 N. Manassas St. will celebrate its 109th Anniversary on Nov. 24 with a service that begins at 11 a.m. The guest speaker will be the Rev. Gary DeBose of First Baptist Church-Broad. Rev. Katral Rainey is senior pastor.
Dear Lucy: I have just been offered a promotion at work. It is something I have dreamed of but it didn’t come like I expected. I will get to be a supervisor but I will have to transfer and work for someone who is known for being extremely hard to work for. This person has never ever spoken to me even when I pass him in the hall. He runs a really tight area but everybody is terrified of him. I don’t think I should take it. Any advice? – Afraid to Move
Dear Afraid to Move: Isn’t it funny how we dream and dream of having something wonderful happen for us and then when it comes we get afraid? So, what exactly are you afraid of? Are you afraid that you don’t know how to do the job? All jobs have probationary periods where you get to learn the ropes and prove your capacity to do the work. It is a time for you to get acquainted with the work, the people, the rules and decide if you have the passion and skill to do the work. Do you suppose you
were offered the job because someone wanted you to fail? I doubt that. The ego has a wonderful way of blocking our good fortune. It begins to show us reasons why we cannot move into a bigger, better life or why Lucy we don’t deserve a Shaw better life. Often, we don’t deserve. Mostly, the good things that happen for us come through Grace. Grace is just God’s brilliant love shining forth in our lives. So one thing you can do is simply open up your heart and take a big gulp of Grace and forget about deserving. On the other hand, you can listen to your ego and keep taking tiny sips of God’s unlimited Grace and stay where you are. Another possibility is this. The Buddhists speak of what is called “The Noble Adversary.” Noble adversaries are
those people, conditions or circumstances that show up in our lives to teach us something we need to learn and refuse to learn the easy way! An adversary is generally thought of as an enemy. You have already made your new boss your enemy in your heart and you are sending out vibrations of fear all around him. What if he is simply a Noble Adversary come to teach you something wonderful? In the movie, “Lee Daniel’s The Butler,” the boss of the butlers was a noble adversary. He was never able to fire the butler yet refused to give him fair and equitable pay. Yet, the butler learned the discipline of patience, respect, love and sacrifice for himself, his family and his co-workers. He never compromised his dignity nor the exemplary quality of his work year after year. Perhaps there is a great and noble lesson awaiting you in this job. Grace delivered it to you. It is your responsibility to walk into it and seek the lesson and the blessing that it is bringing to you.
We so often want life to be fair and easy. It is not. Lessons will show up over and over simply so that we may grow in spirit, confidence and grace. Sometimes we look at others and think, “How did they get that? I know I am as smart as he is.” Maybe they just know how to wallow in God’s grace, taking big gulps, receiving without question and never even considering having a “little” life or a safe life. It’s when you open your mouth and heart really wide and step into Grace that you learn that safety is first and foremost a state of mind. Open up and drink up! Blessings, Lucy (Check out Lucy Shaw’s website at http://www.heartworks4u.com. Send your 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.)
Second Congregational Church to celebrate its 145-year legacy The historic churchʼs legacy includes the Amistad incident
When called…
The Rev. Darryl Shack, pastor of Greater New Liberty Missionary Baptist Church, ably manned the 3 p.m. speaker role during the Nineteenth Pastorʼs Appreciation Day celebration for The Rev. Dr. James B. Collins of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
For all you do…
Pastor James Fifer and Acacia Baptist Church & Christian Center recently hosted a Legendary Awards Ceremony for WLOKʼs Delsa FireBall Fleming. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
“Celebrating Our Past, Envisioning Our Future” is the theme for the 145th Anniversary observance at Second Congregational Church, located at 764 Walker Avenue. A series of programs and activities have been scheduled throughout November to mark the milestone. Second Congregational Church has a long record of involvement in education and in human and civil rights efforts. The historic church’s legacy includes the Amistad incident, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, engaging the first women preachers, the first gay preachers and 19th century integrated congregations, said longtime member Clarence Christian. A Youth Explosion is set for Sunday (Nov. 10) at 3:30 p.m. It features youth from the church and community worshipping through dance, instrument and voice. A special Legacy Speaks will be a part of this program. An anniversary banquet is set for Nov. 15 on the campus of The LeMoyne-Owen College. The college grew out of the efforts of the American Missionary Association, anti-slavery evangelicals who raised funds and hired teachers to provide education for newly-freed men during reconstruction. The church is a congregation of that denomination and has served as an outreach mission for the AMA; it also long served as a chapel for LeMoyne College. “The LeMoyne-Owen Annual Gift” is a part of the special Anniversary Observance service at 11 a.m. on Nov. 18, 2013 at Second Congregational Church. Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover, president of Tennessee State University, is the featured speaker; LOC President Johnnie B. Watson and The LeMoyne-Owen College will be among special guests. Special exhibits will be on display throughout the church in November, including ones on Dr. Hollis F. Price, the first African American President of LeMoyne College; the first to be elected to the highest lay office in the Congregationalist Church, L. E. Brown; Harold Smith, a Tuskegee Airman; Ron Walter of WREG TV; and Clifton H. Johnson, founder of the Amistad Center. All were or are members of the church. Lizzie Haley is anniversary chair. The Rev. Joshua Harper is the host pastor. For more information, call 901-789-4039 or 901-489-9162.
PRAISE CONNECT -A WEEKLY DIRECTORY OF MINISTERS & CHURCHES-
METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH Dr. Reginald L. Porter Sr., Pastor
767 Walker Avenue Memphis, TN 38126
ASSOCIATE MINISTERS
901-946-4095 fax 948-8311
Rev. Davena Young Porter Rev. Linda A Paige Rev. Luecretia Matthews SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES
SUNDAY Sunday School .....................8:30 am Morning Worship Service ....10:00am
WEDNESDAY Bible Study .........................10:30 am Mid-Day Prayer Meeting .....12 noon Evening Prayer Meeting........7:00pm
FRIDAY Cable Channel 17 ............... 8:00pm
Dr. & Rev. Mrs. Reginald Porter
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. —Matthew 7: 1-2
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. —Phillipians 4:13
COMMUNITY
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BRIEFS & THINGS
Heal the Hood Foundation sets Hoops for A Cause
Trevor Jackson – teen sensation, singer, dancer and actor – will partner rap mogul/community leader Master P and his children on Saturday (Nov. 9) in an event billed as “Hoops for a Cause.” The Heal the Hood Foundation (HTH) of Memphis is coordinating the event, which is designed to boost the foundation’s drive to raise funds to help reduce gun violence among Memphis youth. Funds will benefit the HTH Mentor Program and the new Evolution School of the Arts. Master P’s children, Cymphonique Miller of Nickelodeons’ “How to Rock” and actor/recording artist Romeo Miller will be on hand for Hoops for A Cause event. The elements include a free Let the Kids Grow Basketball camp from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. followed by the Celebrity Basketball game at 3 p.m. Can goods will be collected to support the Mid-South Memphis Food Bank. The venue is Ridgeway High School. Admission is $15 in advance, $20 at the door.
Tri-State Defender
November 7 - 13, 2013
Hudson to retire as MATA chief Hudson has served as the chief of MATA since 1993. He came aboard as a bus operator 49 years ago.
William Hudson Jr.
A career that spans four decades and began with him as a bus operator ends in January for William Hudson Jr., president and general manager of the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA). Hudson, who has served as the chief of MATA since 1993, came aboard as a bus operator 49 years ago. His decision to retire was announced at MATA’s regularly scheduled quarterly board meeting last week. The first African American to hold the position of president and general manager of
MATA, Hudson has worked in nearly every aspect of transit and has held numerous senior level positions including director of transit operations, customer service and marketing, and labor relations and field operations. Hudson, who developed a safety program that has been considered a national model, has conducted seminars in transit management, safety and labor negotiations, and consulted with transit systems across the country. In 2003, MATA was selected as one
of the Top Ten Most Improved transit systems by Metro Magazine. In 2001, Hudson was named one of the Downtowners of the Decade. He was also named Executive of the Year by the Africa in April Festival, Inc. and inducted into the Tennessee Public Transportation Hall of Fame in 2009. At Monumental Baptist Church, Hudson serves as chairman of the Trustee Board. He and his wife, Gracie, have one adult son and two grandsons.
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS
Handy Heritage Awards to honor Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland
The 17th Annual W.C. Handy Heritage Awards honoring “Authentic Beale Street Musicians” will be dedicated to the memory of iconic blues vocalist, Bobby“Blue” Bland. The awards show, which will celebrate W.C. Handy’s 140th birthday, is presented annually by the W.C. Handy Museum Preservation Fund and Heritage Tours. This year’s show will be held Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. at the Holiday Inn- University of Memphis, 3700 Central Ave. Ruby Wilson – the “Queen of Beale Street” – will receive the Lifetime Music Achievement Award. Other honorees include: gospel/jazz singer Deborah Gleese Barnes; R & B recording artist Dr. O.T. Sykes; Stax recording musician Bill Easley; and veteran blues saxophonist Melvin Jackson. The dynamic Bobby “Blue” Bland Blues Band will also receive an award during the event. BRIEFLY: The Sierra Club will host the 12th Annual Environmental Justice Conference on Saturday (Nov. 9) from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Lindenwood Christian Church, 2400 Union Avenue. BRIEFLY: The Veteran of Foreign Wars Post 11333 will present the Gospel Benefit Program at 3 p.m. on Sunday (Nov. 10) at Tree of Life Baptist Church at 407 East McLemore Ave., wher the Rev. Franklin D. DeBerry is pastor. For more information, contact Scott Banbury, conservation chair, Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club, at 901619-8567 or email him at smbanbury@gmail.com. BRIEFLY: Mayor A C Wharton Jr. is again joining with Seedco for two upcoming Health Insurance Marketplace Town Hall Meetings. individuals will be able to have their questions answered and to enroll, with navigators and certified application counselors on-site to assist. The dates are: Nov. 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library, 3030 Poplar Ave.; Nov.14 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Golden Gate Cathedral, 3240 James Road. BRIEFLY: The MLGW Business of Service Conference is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the MLGW Training Center, 4949 Raleigh-LaGrange at Covington Pike. The annual event provides training and networking opportunities for faith and nonprofit leaders. Registration is $10. Register online at www.mlgw.com/serviceleader s or call 528-4820. BRIEFLY: On Dec. 9, the Tennessee Arts Commission will hold a public meeting in Memphis as part of a statewide effort to determine how art is moving in various communities and what the commission can do to help. The setting will be the Stax Museum of American Soul Music at 926 E. McLemore Ave. from 1p.m. to 3 p.m., with a performance and networking to follow until 3:30 p.m.
DELTAS – EPSILON KAPPA
The Epsilon Kappa Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta at the University of Memphis celebrated its 50th anniversary a weekend of varied events. Charter members were key to the celebratory mix that included the designation of the Epsilon Kappa Lounge and a Zumba workout session. Throughout the weekend, the chapter took note of 50 years of WOW – wisdom, oneness, wonder. (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley)
Making the moment count… A word about a legend…
Dr. Willie W. Herenton was among those who recently delivered remarks honoring the Rev. T. L. James Sr. of Whitehaven Community Baptist Church on his 64th Singing Anniversary. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
Free flu vaccines during emergency preparedness exercise
The Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) Emergency Preparedness Program will host a free Seasonal Flu Vaccination Clinic on Nov. 16. The clinic will be part of an exercise to test the capabilities to quickly mass vaccinate the public in response to a threat of any new emerging infectious disease. “We annually review and revise our plans to mass vaccinate the public, should it ever be needed, but it must be tested as well,” said Helen Morrow, M.D., health officer for SCHD. “A flu clinic, thankfully, allows us to simultaneously test our plans and offer the public an opportunity to protect themselves and their family from the flu and participate in an exercise to increase our abilities to protect the community.” The clinic will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Christ Church Bartlett at 5955 Yale Rd. Vaccinations will be provided free of charge to all participants, including high-dose in limited quantities for individuals 65 and older. All Medicare, Medicaid and TennCare recipients will need to show their insurance cards. While the seasonal flu vaccine is recommended for everyone over six months of age, specific populations are at an increased risk for severe complications associated with the flu, including: Pregnant women; Individuals over the age of 50; Individuals of any age with chronic medial conditions, including asthma and other lung diseases, heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes; People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities; People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, such as: Health care workers, household contact of persons at high risk for complications from the flu and household contacts and caregivers of children less than 6 months of age. The flu vaccine is not recommended for the following: Individuals with a severe allergy to chicken eggs; Individuals who have previously experienced a severe reaction to a flu vaccine; Children less than six months of age. To help facilitate the ease and effectiveness of the exercise and clinic, participants are encouraged to email SCHDResponse@shelbycoun tytn.gov to request a packet of forms that should be completed and brought to the clinic.
The 26th Annual Black Scholars Unlimited Scholarship Banquet featured a performance by the Black Student Associationʼs Gospel Choir, Chosen Generation last Saturday (Nov. 2) at the University Center Ballroom. The keynote speaker was attorney Kevin Bruce, a former Black Scholars Unlimited president. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
ENTERTAINMENT Tri-State Defender, Thursday, November 7 - 13, 2013, Page 9
LITERATURE
AfricanAmerican bestsellers – Fall 2013
Terry McMillan returns with
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
The Power List, the quarterly compilation of best-selling books written or read by African Americans, released its Fall 2013 list this week. “The Butler a Witness To History” by Wil Haygood, the book upon which the successful summer film, “‘Lee Daniel’s The Butler,’” was based, was #1 on the hardcover nonfiction list. Sales of the book were, no doubt, bolstered by the film’s popularity. “The Good Lord Bird” by James McBride and “Who Asked You?” by Terry McMillan were #1 and #2, respectively, on the hardcover fiction list. A number of authors who have James consistently reMcBride leased best-selling books for at least a decade also had one or more titles on the Fall 2013 list. Those authors include: Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, Walter Mosley, Kimberla Lawson Roby, Eric Jerome Dickey, Carl Weber and Sister Souljah. Other notable information about the Fall 2013 list: “Dreams of My Father,” the memoir written by President Barack Obama, was #6 on the paperback nonfiction list. “The Rejected Stone” by the Rev. Al Sharpton was #4 on the hardcover non-fiction list. Oprah’s book pick, “The Twelve Tribes of Hattie” by Ayana Mathis, continues to show solid sales since its release in December 2012, and was #6 among hardcover fiction bestsellers. Several non-fiction paperback titles that were published two or more years ago continue to be bestsellers, including “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot, “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander and “The Other Wes Moore” by Wes Moore. Books by celebrity authors Steve Harvey, Tyrese Gibson and Ian K. Smith were also included on the list. The Power List is a joint project of AALBC.com, Cushcity.com and Mosaicbooks.com – three web sites that have promoted African-American literature for more than a decade. The Power List is compiled by collecting data from online booksellers, random samples on relevant Facebook pages, and a quarterly survey of 1,200 African-American book clubs. The list is released on the fourth Monday in the month following each calendar quarter. (For more information, visit www.powerlist.info.)
Southwest to host noted African-American author Randall Kenan
Randall Kenan, author of “A Visitation of Spirits” and “Let the Dead Bury Their Dead” – among The New York Times Notable Books of 1992 – will be presenting at Southwest Tennessee Community College’s Macon Cove Campus on Friday (Nov. 8) at 3 p.m. Kenan was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. and spent his childhood in ChinRandall quapin, N. Car. Kenan He was, among numerous other achievements, the John and Renee Grisham Writer-inResidence at the University of Mississippi, Oxford (1997-98) and a visiting professor of creative writing at The University of Memphis. Governor Michael Easley presented him with the North Carolina Award for Literature in 2005, and in March 2007, he was inducted into the Fellowship of Southern Writers. Kenan will present at the Macon Cove Campus Bornblum Library Auditorium. This event is free.
(For more information, contact Jerome Wilson at 901-333-5215 or at wjwilson2@southwest.tn.edu.)
Best-selling author Terry McMillanʼs ʻWho Asked You?ʼ is about a matriarch who learns to trust her gut and keep her family intact. (Photo: Courtesy Viking Press)
‘Who Asked You?’
The authorʼs new book, “Who Asked You?,” explores grandparents raising grandchildren – a topic that has long fascinated her. CNN
by Alicia W. Stewart
CNN: You have spoken about drawing from real-life observations and experiences for previous novels. How do you balance that public persona that people really relate to, with the fictional stories that some might assume to be the story of your life? McMillan: Well, I’ll put it this way, I separate my personal life from what I write about regardless. This book is not necessarily a reflection of my own personal experiences. But there are certain things that are universal: disappointment, love, forgiveness, just a sense of responsibility, danger, etc. You just personalize that, you bring it down to ground level.
Terry McMillan writes best-selling fiction, but it was real-life drama – a very public divorce – that garnered her some of her biggest headlines. The nasty split with ex-husband Jonathan Plummer, the inspiration for the popular novel and movie “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” was dissected everywhere, from book blogs to “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” A lawsuit, fraud allegations and public accusations all played out like plot points in one of her novels. A lot has changed since then. CNN: One of the stories you drew from personal experience was “I just ended up realizing I had become this other person that I “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” about an older woman who didn’t like,” McMillan falls in love with a much said. She is now friends younger man while on vacawith her ex (“I just spoke tion. Your subsequent dito Jonathan on the phone vorce from Jonathan, your yesterday”) and has set ex-husband who inspired the out to explore other famibook, became a topic of disly dramas in her tradecussion. What was the lesmark candid and funny son you took away from that style. public divorce? Her new book, “Who McMillan: You have to Asked You?,” explores go through what you go grandparents raising through, regardless of what grandchildren – a topic other people say. And you that has long fascinated shouldn’t have to apologize her. for grieving. I was grieving, “One of the reasons and I was angry – two bad that I write is because I’m combinations. And so I had more interested in lookto go through it. ing, as opposed to lookIt took awhile for me to ing away,” McMillan realize that, to this day, I said. still love the Jonathan that I In the book, Betty Jean, loved, that I was with eight or BJ, is the matriarch of of those 10 years. And I a family that includes an stopped holding myself ailing husband, two sisemotionally hostage, and I ters, a son in jail, a stopped holding him respondaughter on drugs and a sible for it. son who is trying to forI think that’s the lesson. get where he came from. But there’s no time limit on It delves into a serious grief or anger until you start topics from 15 viewrealizing it’s like a termite points, an ambitious exand it’s eating you up. ploration of the inner That’s when you need to pay lives of characters that attention. And I realized also are not normally given a that I had given this man too voice. much power over my life. Though it touches on And not only was he not drug abuse, coming out of worth it, but I was worth the closet and prison senmore. tences, “Who Asked You?” still features the CNN: Part of your appeal typical McMillan humor is having been such an auand smart dialogue, conthentic voice and being honnecting the themes est in sharing your personal through family and life. Do you ever regret friendship. sharing some parts because And while she insists of reactions or reviews like her personal life has been The New York Times that an inspiration for her ficcomment on your life as tion, it is not the template well as your books? “A lot of the characters McMillan: No. The botI write about aren’t like Terry McMillanʼs new book – ʻWho Asked You?ʼ – features the typi- tom line is this — this book me, with the exception cal McMillan humor and smart dialogue, connecting the themes had nothing to do with my there might be snippets or through family and friendship. (Photo: Matthew Jordan Smith) personal life. It wasn’t even little particles of their a reflection of it. The review personality that I might was a short review, anyway; identify with,” she said. “The fact that they think this might be real it was only two paragraphs. The entire first paragraph, she spent – that means I did my job.” reviewing me. Which I thought was grossly unprofessional as well McMillan spoke to CNN about learning to trust her instincts, as just tacky. what she learned from a highly publicized divorce and where her And plus it was tinged with anger. It was anger in that first paralife ends and art begins. An edited transcript of the conversation graph. I mean, I can handle a bad review, especially if there’s follows: something I can get out of it. I’ve been out here too long. A lot of people make their own deductions about what’s real and CNN: What inspired you to write “Who Asked You?” what’s not real. Personally I don’t really care, but when I go Terry McMillan: What inspired me to write this book was my around and I do book tours, I often have cleared things up. And ongoing or longstanding concern and curiosity about grandparents, sometimes it shows up in print, and now with social media. There and grandmothers in particular, who raise their grandchildren. are people that know what I stand for and who I am. I knew it would be a hardship story, and I didn’t want it just to be that, based on the grandmother. So I also figured that there was CNN: What do you want people to know about you that they another element that would probably lend itself to the story, one I may not already know about you? was familiar with, and that is when you open your mouth to offer McMillan: That I’m a die-hard romantic. They might know that. unsolicited advice, and people either resent it or don’t use it or You get energized by (love). I don’t care what kind of love it is – don’t take it. it could be a baby, a puppy. Romantic love probably tops all of And, when people do this, not just me, but when people offer ad- them. Maybe – I haven’t had a grandchild yet. vice, they don’t look at their own behavior.
ENTERTAINMENT
Page 10
November 7 - 13, 2013
OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam’s Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
Chris Hemsworth and Idris Elba in “Thor The Dark World.” (Courtesy photo)
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Kam Williams
For movies opening Nov. 8, 2013
BIG BUDGET FILMS
“The Book Thief” (PG-13 for violence and mature themes) Adaptation of the Mark Zusak novel of the same name, set in Nazi, Germany, and revolving around an abandoned 9 year-old girl (Sophie Nelisse) adopted by foster parents (Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson) hiding a Jewish refugee (Ben Schnetzer) from the SS. With Kirsten Block, Nico Liersch and Sandra Nedeleff.(In English and German with subtitles)
“Thor: The Dark World” (PG-13 for suggestive content and intense violence) 8th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) in an epic battle with a primeval race of demonic elves led by a revenge-minded madman (Christopher Eccleston) with a grudge to settle. Ensemble includes Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Idris Elba, Stellan Skarsgard, Tom Hiddleston, Renee Russo, Kat Dennings and Ray Stevenson.
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
“The Armstrong Lie” (R for profanity) -Doping expose’ chronicling the rise and fall of cycling cheat and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong. Featuring commentary by Frankie Andreu, Daniel Coyle and Phil Liggett. “Ass Backwards” (Unrated) Late bloomer
comedy about a couple of lifelong BFFs (Casey Wilson and June Diane Raphael) living in NYC who decide at around 30 to return to their hometown to re-enter the kiddie beauty pageant in which they tied for last place as children. With Alicia Silverstone, Jon Cryer and Bob Odenkirk.
aGay Hamilton) who enlists the assistance of an ex-con (Yolonda Ross) she knew as a child and a disgraced, former LAPD detective (Edward James Olmos) when her son (McKinley Belcher III) goes missing in Tijuana. With Isaiah Washington, Harold Perrineau and Tessa Ferrer. (In English and Spanish with subtitles)
“A Case of You” (Unrated) Romantic comedy about an aspiring writer (Justin Long) who embellishes his profile to impress a woman (Evan Rachel Wood) he meets on an internet dating website. With Sienna Miller, Sam Rockwell, Brendan Fraser and Peter Dinklage.
“Medora” (Unrated) Hoop dreams documentary, set in an Indiana Rust Belt town facing extinction, about the effort of Medora High School’s boy’s basketball team to break a 44-game losing streak.
“Best Man Down” (PG-13 for sexuality, drug use, mature themes and brief profanity) Romantic dramedy about a bride (Jess Weixler) and groom (Justin Long) who are forced to cancel their honeymoon to handle funeral arrangements after their Best Man (Tyler Labine) drops dead during the wedding. With Shelley Long, Frances O’Connor and Addison Timlin.
“Finding Mr. Right” (Unrated) Romantic comedy about a millionaire’s pampered, pregnant mistress (Wei Tang) who flies from Beijing to Seattle to have her baby only to find herself falling in love with a doctor (Xiubo Wu) moonlighting as a limo driver. Cast includes Dante Lee Arias, Trevor Bess and Jason Burkart. (In Mandarin and English with subtitles) “Go for Sisters” (Unrated) John Sayles wrote and directed this missing persons thriller about recovering a parole officer (Lis-
“How I Live Now” (R for violence, profanity, sexuality and disturbing images) Adaptation of the Meg Rosoff novel of the same name about an American teenager (Saoirse Ronan) spending the summer vacation with relatives in the English countryside where she falls in love with a cousin (George MacKay) against the backdrop of the outbreak of World War III. With Natasha Jonas, Tom Holland, Harley Bird and Sabrina Dickens.
“People of a Feather” (Unrated) Eco-documentary examining the threat posed to the Inuit nation’s as well as the eider duck’s ways of life in the Arctic by massive hydroelectric dams powering much of eastern North America. (In English and Inuktitut with subtitles) “Reaching for the Moon” (Unrated) Bittersweet biopic recounting the tragic love affair between American poet Elizabeth Bishop (Miranda Otto) and Brazilian architect Lota de Macedo Soares (Gloria Pires). Featuring Tracy Middendorf, Marcello Airoldi and Lola Kirke. (In English and Portuguese with subtitles)
Tri-State Defender
HOROSCOPES
Nov. 7-13, 2013
ARIES You feel centered this week and full of efficient energy. Use this week to accomplish tasks, make plans, and finalize arrangements that need to be made. Face into personal responsibilities with love and pleasure now. TAURUS You can build a bridge with your imagination to reach the person you want to meet. Build the very best bridge your imagination can afford. Your soulmate will then cross over to you. Your intentions are warm and sincere. GEMINI While those around you may seem disagreeable, mind your own business and don’t take anything personally. Focus your mind on the project you most want to work on this week and put your beautiful energy into that with love. CANCER A happy week is in store for sociable you. Lots of friends and a party or two or three will keep your energy bright. Use caution while driving and watch for a pleasant surprise or two this week. LEO Lots of creative energy available this week, and you can use this in many creative ways. Whatever your heart tells you to focus on, focus on that. Maintain emotional balance by taking periodic breaks from your work. VIRGO Your sense of self is feeling unusually welldefined. And it’s causing you to look confident. People will notice your regal bearing and noble outlook this week. LIBRA The week may start off cloudy but will soon turn bright if you keep your outlook positive and your thoughts on higher, more optimistic ideas. Be thankful for your wise and generous heart. You have a shining spirit. SCORPIO Who is your spiritual family? Celebrate your life with these people this week. Offer praise and grace-filled vibrations, and share your blessings. Things on the mundane level are clearing up and working out perfectly. SAGITTARIUS Lots of creative energy available this week, and you can use this in many creative ways. Whatever your heart tells you to focus on, focus on that. Maintain emotional balance by taking periodic breaks from your work. CAPRICORN Your sense of self is feeling unusually welldefined. And it’s causing you to look confident. People will notice your regal bearing and noble outlook this week. AQUARIUS The week may start off cloudy but will soon turn bright if you keep your outlook positive and your thoughts on higher, more optimistic ideas. Be thankful for your wise and generous heart. You have a shining spirit. PISCES Who is your spiritual family? Celebrate your life with these people this week. Offer praise and grace-filled vibrations, and share your blessings. Things on the mundane level are clearing up and working out perfectly. Source: NNPA News service
SPORTS Tri-State Defender, Thursday, November 7 - 13, 2013, Page 11
GRIZZ TRACK
‘Close’ not whatTigers are aiming for, says Fuente Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by J.R. Moorhead
Over halfway into the 2013 campaign, the University of Memphis football team has been competitive in each and every week. Yet through seven games, the Tigers have only been able to tally one win. So is head coach Justin Fuente satisfied with their improvement? “In a lot of ways, we should sit back and say ‘look at the progress.’ It’s encouraging to get close. It’s a lot better than where we were last year. We were getting our doors blown off left and right,” said Fuente during his weekly press conference. “We’re getting close, and that’s not what we’re aiming for. We have to find some solace in the fact that it is going to continue to get better,” said Fuente. That may be true, but losing is still no fun. Fortunately for the Tigers, their remaining schedule (outside of the game at Louisville) looks to be a stretch of winnable games. However, Coach Fuente has a different view. “I would look at it differently. I would look at it as they’re all like that. There’s not a big difference between any of those teams, regardless of record or where they’re at,” he said. Fuente’s comments are typical for any coach, but all of Donald Pennington of the Tigers pursues Cincinnati quarterback Devin Drane in Memphisʼ game against the Bearcats at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium last Wednesday (Oct. 30.). Memphisʼ rally fell short as the Bearcats prevailed 34-21. (Photo: Warren Roseborough)
The Southwest menʼs basketball team earned a No. 24 ranking when the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) released its Division I Menʼs Basketball Preseason Poll. The Saluqis open conference play this weekend at the Verties Sails Gymnasium against Chattanooga State on Friday (Nov. 8) at 8 p.m. and Cleveland State on Saturday at 4 p.m. (Photo: Courtesy of Southwest)
the Tigers’ remaining AAC opponents (USF, Temple, and UConn) are in the bottom half of the conference. And anyone tuned into the facts would likely disagree with Fuente’s analysis. Before the Tigers gets to those matchups, they host the UT-Martin Skyhawks (6-3) on Saturday (Nov. 9) for their homecoming game. Despite a shocking loss to the Skyhawks last year, this should be a game the Tigers win with ease. Since its last outing was on Wednesday of the week prior and not Saturday, Memphis has had a few extra days of practice leading up to the contest. UT-Martin has looked well-rounded this year, albeit against the lesser competition of the OVC, and brings a solid run game to the table. Although Memphis’ run defense has been its strongest unit this year, the Tigers will have their hands full with UTMartin tailback D.J. McNeil. McNeil leads the OVC in rushing and is averaging 100plus yards per game. The Tigers started off slow last year, but finished the season with three straight wins en route to a 4-8 record. With its weak remaining schedule this year, Memphis looks poised to make another strong finish. Will the Tigers rally late this season, as well, or will they continue to come up just a little short?
Tony Allen of the Grizzlies battles Gerald Wallace of the Celtics for a loose ball. His tenacious defense helped key a Grizz rally and a 95-88 victory over Boston. (Photos: Warren Roseborough)
Allen sets tempo, Bayless finds rhythm as Grizz down Boston Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Kelley Evans
Memphis Grizzlies guard Jerryd Bayless was scoreless for three quarters. Suddenly, he couldn’t miss. Bayless and the Grizzlies rallied, got in a defensive mindset and erased a six-point deficit late fourth in the quarter. The cohesiveness down the stretch led to a 95-88 victory on Monday night at FedExForum against the winless Boston Celtics. Bayless poured in 15 points in the final quarter. “I got rhythm,” Bayless said. “I played so bad I missed three layups in the first half. I had to figure something out. You know it just kind of worked out and I was able to make some shots and make up for the bad stuff I did in the first half.” Down 80-74 with 7:16 left to play, Memphis closed the fourth quarter on a 21-8 run. “I kept looking at my staff saying, ‘When should I put in Mike Conley?’ And then Jerryd Bayless kept making buckets and I would be silly if I took Jerryd Bayless out of that game,” said the Grizzlies first-year head coach Dave Joerger. Conley and Zach Randolph each scored 15 points. Tony Allen finished with four steals. “We got into a good rhythm defensively,” Joerger
said. “Tony Allen really set the tempo, got some steals, and we got into transition. When we get easy buckets it sets our offense up in a good rhythm.” Monday’s game marked the fifth of the last seven games that the Grizzlies have won against the Celtics. Boston and new head coach Brad Stevens are winless in four tries. “For the most part, the game was turned by Bayless,” said Stevens. “They’re a deep team, they’re a talented team. I thought we did a heck of a job tonight in a lot of ways. Out of four games that we’ve played, this is the best we’ve played. But it’s not much silver lining for the guys in the locker room or for me right now.” Celtics forward Jeff Green led all scorers with 22 points, tallying 16 in the first half. Forward Jared Sullinger pitched in 16 points off the bench. “It was tough,” Sullinger said. “We had a lot of open shots. We still pushed forward. It’s just back to the drawing board like always. Defensively, we really did well, as far as guarding the bigs. They have two really good bigs (Randolph and center Marc Gasol). …We just couldn’t make shots.”
NOTE: The Grizzlies faced the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday at FedExForum. See coverage at TSDMemphis.com.
SOUTHWEST POWERS UP FOR 2013-14
The Southwest womenʼs basketball team will open the 2013-14 season on Friday (Nov.) 8 against conference rival Chattanooga State at the Verties Sails Gymnasium at 6 p.m. On Saturday, the Lady Saluqis play Cleveland State at 2 p.m.
Page 12
SPORTS
November 7 - 13, 2013
CHEF TIMOTHY
With diabetes on the rise, November is focus time by Chef Timothy Moore Ph.D, N.M.D, C.N. Special to The New Tri-State Defender
October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month and November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. One reason they are back to back could be because the two diseases correlate with each other. It is estimated that American women with diabetes have a great possibility of developing breast cancer, especially in the African-American community. Diabetes is an epidemic that is rapidly increasing each year. Even though we think of diabetes as a controllable disease, The Wall Street Journal reports that it appears to be growing out-of-control. The sixth leading cause of death in the United States, diabetes is moving closer to heart disease and cancer. If it continues to run rampant, in the near future it could be the number one killer disease. According to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one third of the American population will be living with diabetes by the year 2050. The CDC also reports that one third of all children born in the United States since the year 2000 are at risk for developing this disease. Hispanic children have the greatest risk. The reason for this is poor diet, economic conditions, and not getting enough exercise, which improves the circulation and blood flow in the body. As adults, we have learned to live with the disease, but when this tragedy hits our beloved children, we need to sit up and take notice. We don’t want our children to develop a deadly disease just because we don’t give them a healthier lifestyle. Sadly, one in eleven adults have diabetes; and one in every three adults in the United States have pre-diabetes, which is likely to turn into full blown
Dr. Timothy Moore
diabetes unless some major lifestyle changes are taken. Diabetes is a silent killer and it usually appears unexpected in one’s life. When it does appear, it increases the possibility of a stroke, kidney disease, blurred vision, blindness, heart disease, dehydration, edema, unexpected weight
loss and obesity. Another key factor related to the onset of diabetes is obesity. Based on BMI figures in individuals, it is estimated there are over 45 million Americans considered obese. When you combine obesity, economic conditions and poor diet the outcome becomes diabetes. Because of complications related to diabetes, males 40 years of age will lose 12 years of quality life, with females losing approximately 15 years of life. This debilitating disease can be prevented, avoided, controlled and even cured with some simple lifestyle changes, such as emotions, dietary, resting and exercising. While some are worried about Obamacare, it’s time to put the emphasis on taking control of our health and putting more initiative into self-care. Diabetes is a disease, so please, take it seriously!
(Dr. Timothy Moore teaches nutrition, heart disease and diabetes reversal through a plant-based lifestyle. The author of “47 Tips To Reverse Your Diabetes,’’ 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.)
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PUBLIC NOTICE THE MEMPHIS URBAN AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION
In compliance with federal regulations 23 CFR 450, the Memphis Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is proposing three (3) amendments to the FY 2011-2014 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). One (1) TIP amendment was associated with an Air Quality Short Conformity Determination Report: the remaining two (2) TIP amendments were included in an IAC Exempt Packet. The MPO will also be presenting the 2014-2017 Transportation Alternatives Program Project List, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Priority Project List, the MPO Boundary Expansion recommendation, the 2014-17 TIP Policy, and the Air Quality Conformity Determination Reports for Shelby and Desoto Counties for approval. The public is hereby given notice that these documents are available for review 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM Monday through Friday in the offices of the Memphis MPO located at 125 N. Main Street, Room 450, Memphis, TN 38103 or for download from the Internet at: www.memphismpo.org. The
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It is the policy of the Memphis MPO not to discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, national origin or disability in its hiring or employment practices, or in its admissions to or operations of its program, services, or activities. All inquiries for Title VI and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), or for persons with disabilities that require aids or services to participate either in the review of these documents or at the hearing may contact John Paul Shaffer at 901-576-7130, fax (901) 576-7272; or email John.Shaffer@memphistn.gov to make accessibility arrangements no less than five days prior to the November 21, 2013 Transportation Policy Board meeting.
Tri-State Defender
This notice is funded (in part) under an agreement with the State of TN and MS, Departments of Transportation. NOTICE TO CONSULTANT ENGINEERS REGARDING A REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND INSPECTION (CEI) SERVICES
November 7, 2013
The City Of Memphis, Division of Engineering, 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 listed below which is anticipated to enter the construction phase in the second half of 2014. This project is being funded by the National Highway Performance Program (NHPP) and Surface Transportation Program (STP) as a Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) Locally Managed Project. This project shall adhere to all applicable Federal and State, procedures and regulations. The professional consulting engineering firms must be on TDOT’s pre-approved list and must have unlimited status. The method of payment shall be lump sum and the scope of work may include but not be limited to construction inspection, surveying, materials testing and reporting for the following street:
Elvis Presley Blvd. from Winchester Rd. to Commercial Pkwy. TDOT PIN #113028, (City of Memphis Project PW01064)
Firms (or teams) may request consideration by submitting a letter of interest, along with one copy of an abbreviated “Statement of Qualifications” for the firm (or team) to: Hussein Ghelichkhani, Project Manager, Division of Engineering, 125 N. Main, Suite 644, Memphis, TN, 38103. All letters of interest and abbreviated SOQs must be received on or before 3:00 p.m. Central Time, December 3, 2013.
The abbreviated SOQ will be used to make a short list of applicants. The firms that are short listed will then be invited to submit a more detailed SOQ which will be graded by a committee established by the Engineering Division. The abbreviated SOQ must include a letter expressing an interest to be considered for the project, must be no more than 15 pages and only needs to contain the following information:
General background about the firm(s) – history, office locations, number of staff, etc. A list of projects with a similar size and scope as the proposed work. The current amount of work the firm has
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under contract with TDOT and the City of Memphis. The City encourages the use of firms that are listed on TDOT’s certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) list. The firm that is submitting the SOQ should either list that they are certified DBE firm or state whether they anticipate using DBE firms as a sub-consultant or not.
Information pertaining to TDOT prequalification procedures, list of pre-qualified firms and certified DBEs, TDOT’s standard procurement policy, and additional information can be found at this internet add r e s s 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 email at Paula.Johnson@tn.gov .
For additional details regarding the proposed services to be provided, questions about the submittal process or the City of Memphis prequalification procedures go to www.MemphisTN.gov or contact Hussein Ghelichkhani, (901) 576-6690, Hussein.ghelichkhani@memphistn.gov. All submitters will be advised when the short list has been developed.
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 Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) firms as well as other minority/women-owned firms are encouraged to respond to all advertisements by City of Memphis. For information on DBE certification with TDOT, please contact Ms Deborah Luter at (615)741-3681 or Deborah.Luter@state.tn.us. Details and instructions for DBE certification can be found at the following website: h t t p : / / w w w. t d o t . s t a t e . t n . u s / c i v i l rights/smallbusiness/. Payment for services shall be made based on percentage of work completed in each section of the scope of services. The City of Memphis reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, accept proposals in part or whole, waive defects, informalities or minor irregularities in proposals or proposal process and to make proposals awards, as deemed, to be in its best interest. The City of Memphis is not responsible for delays occasioned by the U.S. Postal Services or any other means of delivery utilized by the proposer. Similarly, the City of Memphis is not responsible for, and will not open, any proposal responses that are received later than the date and time stated above. John Cameron, P.E. City Engineer LEGAL NOTICE Request for Qualifications RFQ Number 14-0003 Temporary Staffing Services
Responses for this Request for Qualifications for providing Temporary Staffing Services will be received by the MemphisShelby C----ounty Airport Authority (“Authority”), Staff Services Division, Memphis International Airport, Administration and Support Facility, 3505 Tchulahoma Road, Memphis, TN 38118-2718 until 11:00 AM local time, November 26, 2013. No Responses will be accepted after the stated deadline. RESPONSES WILL NOT BE RECEIVED AT ANY OTHER LOCATION. INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS
The response to the Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) shall be submitted in a sealed envelope or container. Each envelope or container must be clearly marked on the outside with the following: 1) Request for Qualifications, Temporary Staffing Services, 2) RFQ Number 14-0003, and 3) Your company name and address. No responses will be accepted after the stated deadline. A complete Request for Qualifications Packet with submittal instructions, additional data, and response format may be found on our website www.mscaa.com on or after November 7, 2013. A mandatory pre-proposal meeting will be held at the Authority’s Administration and Support Facility located at 3505 Tchulahoma Road, Memphis, TN 38118 on November 13, 2013 at 2:00 PM. Only those attending will be allowed to submit a response. All Respondents are hereby notified that all updates, addenda and additional information, if any, shall be posted to the Authority website www.mscaa.com and Respondents are responsible for checking the Authority website up to the time of the RFQ submission deadline.
The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all responses to this Request for Qualifications in whole or in part and to waive any informalities, technicalities, or omissions therein. The Authority also reserves the right to reject any response when a parent, subsidiary, affiliate, or predecessor in interest of the Respondent has pending litigation or claims with the Authority, or if any response includes a proposed subcontractor or supplier that has pending litigation or claims with the Authority, if the Authority determines, in its sole discretion, such litigation or claims may adversely affect the ability of the parties to work efficiently and effectively under this RFQ, or for any other reason as determined by the Authority. Any such response will be returned to the Respondent. All Respondents must use forms provided by the Authority.
The Authority hereby notifies that it will review and award bids/proposals in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4a (the “Act”) and Title 49, Part 26, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21, Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act. The Authority further notifies all Respondents that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, Disadvantaged Enterprises (“DBEs”) will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids/proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of age, race, sex, color, national origin, or disability in its hiring and employment practices, or in admission to, access to, or operation of its programs, services, and activities, in accordance with the Business Diversity Development Program (“BDDP”) promulgated under the September 2008 Disparity Study for non-discrimination in non-federally assisted programs commissioned by the Memphis-Shelby County Intergovernmental Consortium, as amended. The DBE participation goal for any contract awarded as a result of this RFQ is 15% in accordance with the requirements of the RFQ documents.
November 7 - 13, 2013
The Authority hereby notifies that effective July 1, 2013 the Authority shall give a preference to businesses located in the County of Shelby, State of Tennessee in awarding contracts and making purchases whenever the application of such a preference is reasonable in light of the dollarvalue of the proposal/bid received in relation to such expenditures and pursuant to the terms and conditions that are outlined in the adopted policy as amended. Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority Larry D. Cox, A.A.E. President NOTICE OF SUNSET PUBLIC HEARING
In accordance with Title 4, Chapter 29, Tennessee Code Annotated, the Government Operations Committees of the Tennessee General Assembly will conduct a public hearing to receive testimony on whether the entities listed below should be continued, restructured, or terminated. The hearings will be held in the Legislative Plaza, Nashville, Tennessee, as indicated below. Pertinent public testimony is invited. Tuesday, November 12, 2013, at 1:00 p.m., in Room 12
Board of Appeals, Department of Human Resources Department of Revenue Tennessee Corrections Institute Board of Control Tennessee Rehabilitative Initiative in Correction Wednesday, November 13, 2013, at 9:00 a.m., in Room 30 Department of Safety Advisory Council on State Procurement State Procurement Commission State Protest Committee
Any changes in the above schedule which may become necessary will be announced at the Government Operations Committees’ website at www.capitol.tn.gov/joint/committees/govopps/. For additional information or to request special accommodations for individuals with disabilities, contact: Joe Schussler, CPA, Assistant Director, Division of State Audit, Nashville, Tennessee; telephone: (615) 747-5303; e-mail: Joe.Schussler@cot.tn.gov. Request for special accommodations should be made at least 24 hours prior to the meeting whenever possible. NOTICE TO BIDDER(S)
Shelby County Government is soliciting written proposals on a competitive basis for Construction Services for a New Courtroom located at, Shelby County Criminal Justice Center, 201 Poplar Avenue, LL188, Memphis, Tennessee 38103. Information regarding this RFP is located on the County’s website at www.shelbycountytn.gov. At the top of the home page, click on the links “Department,” “P” for the Purchasing Department and “Bids” to locate the name of the above-described RFP. Copies of the project manual and drawing are posted at this location and can be downloaded at no cost to prospective bidders. REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DUE DECEMBER 3, 2013 AT 4:00 PM RFP #14-010-22 Construction of a New Courtroom, 201 Poplar Avenue, Room LL-188
A MANDATORY pre-bid conference will be held at 3:00 pm, Friday, November 15, 2013 at the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center, 201 Poplar Avenue, Room LL-188 Memphis, TN 38103. Please be on time, once the pre-bid conference starts late arrivals will not be allowed to attend.
Shelby County 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 By order of MARK H. LUTTRELL, JR., SHELBY COUNTY MAYOR SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Memphis Cook Convention Center, has part time positions available immediately for Event Setup Staff and one position for Maintenance Mechanic.
Event Setup Staff (Part-time) The Memphis Cook Convention Center has immediate openings for part-time Event Setup Staff. Must be able to perform setup functions such as transporting, placing tables, linens, risers etc. Previous convention center/ hotel experience a plus. Irregular hours, weekend and holiday work will be required. These positions require lifting, bending, stooping, and extensive walking. Must be 18 years of age with High school diploma or GED. Applicants will submit to a drug screening. EOC Employer M/F/D/V Applications accepted from November 4, 2013 through November 18 2013 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday. The administrative office is located at 255 N. Main Street, Memphis, TN 38103, 3rd floor South. No phone calls please.
Maintenance Mechanic (Part time) The Memphis Cook Convention Center is looking for a part-time maintenance mechanic. Must have experience in all maintenance and mechanical duties for a commercial building, including repair services, plumbing, painting, carpentry, masonry, concrete work, welding and related work. Must be computer literate and have a valid driver’s license, (fork lift license a plus). Must have at least 2 years experience. Irregular hours, weekend and holiday work will be required. Must be 18 years of age with High school diploma or GED. This position requires lifting, bending, stooping, and extensive walking. Applicants will submit to a drug screening. EOC Employer M/F/D/V
Applications accepted from November 4, 2013 through November 18 2013 from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday. The administrative office is located at 255 N. Main Street, Memphis, TN 38103, 3rd floor South. No phone calls please.
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Tri-State Defender