VOL. 63, No. 7
Rape kit backlog a systematic failure, says Wharton
Mayor bringing in help to address ʻjustice deniedʼ Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Carlissa Shaw, Esq. “Every day that a sexual assault kit goes untested is delayed justice, and justice delayed is justice denied,” said Mayor A C Wharton Jr., referencing the over 12,000 untested rape kits in the City of Memphis. Wednesday morning in the Hall of Mayors at City Hall, Wharton addressed what he referred to as a “systematic failure.” He plans to develop a cross-functional team with representatives from law enforcement, and legal and victim advocate groups to address the rape kit-testing debacle. To jumpstart those efforts, Wharton announced a partnership with the Joyful Heart Foundation, a national organization that has conducted groundbreaking research in identifying the nation’s backlog of rape kits and best practices for eliminating rape kit testing delays. Specifically, Joyful Heart will “identify and make use of best practices for the city as we change, implement, and monitor testing moving forward,” said Wharton. Sarah Tofte, vice president of Policy & Advocacy for Joyful Heart Foundation, said Memphis has the largest known backlog in the country. “The news in Memphis is devastating, but Memphis will become a model city for addressing the issue of rape reform,” said Tofte, adding that that she has never seen a city respond so aggressively to such a problem. The mayor has hired former U.S. Atty. Veronica Coleman-Davis to aid the reviewing of current policies and procedures for dealing with kits collected in the future. “New procedures for dealing with
Carol Chumney
“If youʼre elected on the Democratic ticket, you shouldnʼt use your Democratic credentials to elect a Republican.”
Shea Flinn
“Party loyalty and political philosophy are important ingredients, but it comes down to the person.”
Bryan Carson
“Itʼs disheartening. If you are a staunch Democrat you should support Democrats.”
Cong. Steve Cohen
“I have supported Democrats when it was not politically advantageous to me but when it was the right thing to do.”
“Because you won your partyʼs nomination doesnʼt make you qualified to be the district attorney.”
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
The shellacking that local Democrats absorbed from Republicans in the August 2010 general election – a loss of every countywide seat – is still a fresh memory for attorney and former state legislator Carol Chumney. Now, Chumney has watchful eyes on May’s Shelby County primary and the August state and federal primaries and county elections. She contends that Democrats have come up short in recent elections in part because of the troubling practice of elected Democrats who have endorsed Republicans or cozied up to them for photo-ops. Although the Republican 2010 sweep was marked in controversy over an election-day glitch followed by a Chancery Court lawsuit, it jumpstarted Chumney’s quest to end the support of elected Democrats for Republicans.
“If everybody sticks together … we’ll win more elections locally and on the state level,” said Chumney, basing her argument in part on her 2012 loss to District Attorney General Amy Weirich, a Republican. Democrats who crossed over in that race included city councilmen Jim Strickland, a former chair of the Shelby County Democratic Party; Shea Flinn, a former Democratic state senator; former party chairman Mike Cody; and Harold Collins, the council chairman in 2010. Flinn said he chose experience over party loyalty. “Amy has more experience than
Carol,” said Flinn, pointing to Weirich’s 21 years prosecuting criminals. “Party loyalty and political philosophy are important ingredients, but it comes down to the person. It’s more important than the letter by a person’s name.” In campaign literature supporting Weirich in the race, Strickland held the same belief as Flinn that Weirich was more qualified for the job than Chumney. “Because you won your party’s nomination doesn’t make you qualified to be the district attorney,” he said. “Protecting Memphis from crime is much more important than
• Memphis Red Carpet premiere for ‘About Last Night.’ See Entertainment, page 10.
Michael Ealy
MEMPHIS WEEKEND
SUNDAY
H- 5 0o - L - 2 8o Few Sho wers
H- 4 8o - L - 3 6o P a r tl y C l ou dy
H- 5 5o - L - 4 7o Partl y Cl o udy Sunday H-62 L-52 H-49 L-38 H-68 L-49
“Some people feel like Republicans donʼt support blacks, but itʼs enough to get them elected.”
party loyalty.” A private citizen or ex-official can endorse whomever they want, said Chumney, stressing, however, that the practice of Democratic leaders not supporting the ticket is an ethical breach. “If you’re elected on the Democratic ticket, you shouldn’t use your Democratic credentials to elect a Republican,” she said. “It’s disrespectful, goes contrary to our core Democratic principles and costs us elections.” She pointed a finger at Congressman Steve Cohen, saying he indirectly supported Weirich at a news conference when he reportedly said, “Amy is more qualified than Carol.” Chumney said voters might have interpreted that statement to be an endorsement. Cohen rejects that assertion. “I did not support or endorse Ms. Weirich and am baffled by Carol’s SEE CAUTION ON PAGE 2
Michael Sam Sr. struggling with his son coming out
“old-school,” didn’t mince his words when he told the newspaper, “I’m a The Root man-and-a-woman type of guy.” He also boasted about taking his son to Earlier this week, Michael Sam came Mexico to lose his virginity, the Times out publicly with the news that he is gay. reports. When asked about his parents’ reaction The idea of a gay player in the NFL to the news during bothers Sam Sr., an interview with even if that player ESPN, Sam said, is his son. Sam Sr. “I told my mom believes that Deaand dad last week, con Jones, the Hall and they just pretty of Fame defensive much said, ‘We end known for his knew and we love fearsome play, “is you and support turning over in his you,’” he said. grave” after his “I’m their baby son’s announceboy. I’m the first ment. to go to college. Sam Jr. said in Michael Michael I’m the first to his Sunday interSam Sr. Sam Jr. graduate college. view with ESPN Something like that he, too, knows something about this is just another milestone.” being brave. Sam told his Missouri teammates back “I endured so much in my past: seein August, but he didn’t disclose his sex- ing my older brother killed from a ual orientation to his parents until last gunshot wound, not knowing that my week. On Tuesday (Feb. 11th), the New oldest sister died when she was a baby York Times reand I never got ported that the chance to Michael Sam Sr. is meet her,” he struggling with his said. son’s announce“My secondment. Michael oldest brother Sam Sr. told the went missing in New York Times 1998, and me and that he received the my little sister news last Tuesday were the last ones after his son sent to see him ... my him a text that said: Michael Sam of the Missouri other two broth“Dad, I’m gay.” Tigers recovers a fumble for a ers have been in Sam’s father touchdown against the Georgia and out of jail said he was eat- Bulldogs on Oct. 12, 2013 in since eighth ing at a Denny’s Athens, Ga. (Photo: Kevin C. grade, currently restaurant when Cox/Getty Images) both in jail. he got the text but “Telling the he couldn’t finish world I’m gay is nothing compared to his meal after he read it. that.” “I couldn’t eat no more, so I went Sam Sr. told the newspaper that he to Applebee’s to have drinks,” Sam loves his son and hopes he makes it Sr. told the newspaper. “I don’t want into the NFL. my grandkids raised in that kind of “As a black man, we have so many environment.” hurdles to cross,” Sam Sr. told the Sam Sr., who described himself as Times. “This is just one he has to cross.”
by Stephen A. Crockett Jr.
SATURDAY
O.C. Pleasant Jr.
‘Dad, I’m gay’
• African American History Month Calendar. See page 7.
Saturday H-57 L-37 H-40 L-33 H-62 L-40
“Republicans have a proven track record of being good stewards of limited resources... Those things transcend party labels.”
Jim Strickland
by Wiley Henry
• Dr. King ‘turning in his grave’ over family greed. See page 3.
Friday H-58 L-33 H-45 L-25 H-64 L-33
Justin Joy
Caution: ‘Dems’ changing lanes
- INSIDE -
FRIDAY
75 Cents
POLITICS 2014
SEE RAPE ON PAGE 2
REGIONAL TEMPS LITTLE ROCK NASHVILLE JACKSON, MS
www.tsdmemphis.com
February 13 - 19, 2014
‘The Spirit of AKA’…
NAACP National Board Chair Roslyn Brock raised her hand and asked those attending Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporatedʼs 2014 Foundersʼ Day celebration to join her in the commitment to end the violence in the African-American community. The event was held last Sunday (Feb. 9th) at First Baptist Church-Broad and was presented by the Beta Epsilon Omega, Beta Tau, Epsilon Epsilon and Mu Epsilon chapters. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
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CONTINUED FROM FRONT
implication,” Cohen said. “I have supported Democrats when it was not politically advantageous to me but when it was the right thing to do.” Cohen was 21 years old when he won the Democratic nomination for state representative in deeply Republican East Memphis in 1970. He emphatically said he has consistently supported Democrats and has never endorsed a Republican. “As the senior Democratic elected official in the state, I’ll put my Democratic credentials up against anyone in Tennessee,” said Cohen, noting that he was the first elected official in Memphis to support two African-American candidates – Myron Lowery and Kenneth T. Whalum Sr. – for city council against white incumbents. If elected Democrats continue to support Republicans, Chumney said there should be consequences. Shelby County Democratic Party Chairman Bryan Carson agrees. “It’s disheartening. If you are a staunch Democrat you should support Democrats,” he said. “They cannot continue to support the Republican nominee over the Democratic nominee.” Carson said Democrats who continue this practice could be censured by the local party and face additional censure at the state level. He also said the defector may not be able to run as a bona fide Democrat in future elections. He cited as an example the censure of Shelby County Commission Chairman James Harvey, who named Republican commissioner Heidi Shafer as chair of the Commission’s budget committee in September. The decision drew the ire of Javier Bailey, a member of both the local Democratic committee and state Democratic committee. Bailey filed the local censure motion and another one in Nashville. Republicans have crossed party lines. In the sheriff’s race in 2010, for example, Randy Wade, the Democratic nominee, lost to Bill Oldham but gained the support of conservative Republicans such as John Harvey, an information
NEWS
Tri-State Defender
February 13 - 19, 2014
If elected Democrats continue to support Republicans, Chumney said there should be consequences.
technology expert with the Memphis Police Department and former deputy sheriff. Shelby County Republican Party Chairman Justin Joy, however, said he is not aware of elected Republicans supporting Democrats. Asked why would Democrats support Republicans, he said, “Republicans have a proven track record of being good stewards of limited resources that are available in Shelby County. Those things transcend party labels.” O.C. Pleasant Jr., who served as chairman of the
‘They cannot continue to support the Republican nominee over the Democratic nominee.’
Shelby County Election Commission from 1979 to 2003, said local Democrats and Republicans have always supported each other to some degree, including politicians from both parties. “It happens in both parties. It depends on the situation,” said Pleasant. Recalling data from the 2010 election, he said Democrats in the August general election voted for Republicans and Republicans voted for Democrats. Chumney said elected Democrats who support Republi-
cans make the party look weak. “The voters are really hurt by this practice. It also is a shot in the back when you’re fighting somebody on your own team. It makes it difficult for our team to win in those highly contested races.” Pleasant cited two examples where Democrats won election to countywide seats with the help of Republicans: Cheyenne Johnson, the current Shelby County Assessor of Property, and the late Minerva Johnican, who was elected criminal court clerk in 1990. In 1982, Johnican supported Republican gubernatorial candidate Lamar Alexander and Karen Williams, a Republican candidate for state representative. When Johnican ran for city council, Republicans returned the favor. The Democratic Executive Committee, however, did not take action. “Do you think Cheyenne got elected with only Democratic votes?” asked Pleasant, though not certain if Johnson had received support from Republican leadership. “Some people feel like Republicans don’t support blacks, but it’s enough to get them elected.” Chumney acknowledges that what she views as an effort to address an impediment to the unity of the local Democratic party is likely viewed by some as her veiled attempt to return to office. “I’m here as a servant,” said Chumney, who served 13 years as a state representative and one term on the city council. “When there’s time for me to do something, God will open up the doors.”
Mayor A C Wharton Jr. (center) on Wednesday announced the development of a cross-functional team to address the handling of rape kits, including a backlog of 12,000-plus. Also pictured (l-r): Councilman Myron Lowery, Sarah Tofte, vice president of Policy & Advocacy for Joyful Heart Foundation, former U.S. Atty. for the Western District of Tennessee Veronica Coleman-Davis, Shelby County Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich, City Atty. Herman Morris Jr. and George Little, chief administrative officer. (Photo: Carlissa Shaw, Esq.)
RAPE
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
sexual assault kits were implemented in September of 2013 requiring that all kits collected are sent to a lab for DNA testing,” said Wharton. “Since then, 2,226 of the outstanding 12,164 kits have been tested using $1 million in funds for the Memphis Police Department and the Tennessee Office of Criminal Justice Programs.” But with additional testing there are additional costs. The city needs $5.5 million to
cover the cost of the rape kit testing. “We will find the money,” said Wharton, noting that he intends to ask the city council for $1 million during next week’s city council meeting. “I don’t know any member of the council that will say no next week,” said City Councilman Myron Lowery. That still would leave over $4 million outstanding. Wharton said he is working with the Gov. Bill Haslam and local philanthropies to raise the rest of the money needed to test all the backlogged rape kits. Megahan Ybos attended the
conference with a singular focus. “I was raped back in 2003 and my rape kit was not processed for nine years,” said Ybos. “ I am here to show support to the mayor with his partnership with the Joyful Heart Foundation.” Sexual assault kits are more than pieces of evidence collected after a crime, said Wharton. “It is a story of a woman who has been violated in a most heinous way. Survivors should have confidence that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.”
COMMENTARY
Tri-State Defender
February 13 - 19, 2014
Page 3
Dr. King ‘turning in his grave’ over family greed
The children of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. sue each other – as well as loyal family friends – so often that you need a program to keep up with the court action. Bernice and Martin Luther King III sued Dexter because he failed to open the books of their father’s estate. Dexter, hoping to sign a $1.4 million book contract, sued Bernice, who administers their mother’s estate, for not sharing their parents’ love letters. Now, for some inexplicable reason, Martin III has teamed up with Dexter to sue Bernice to compel her to turn over their father’s Bible – the one President Obama used at his second swearing-in – and his 1964 Nobel Peace Prize medal because they have an interested buyer. But Bernice refuses to surrender the items, saying some things are sacred and should not be for sale. The person who was perhaps least surprised by the latest family shenanigans is Harry E. Johnson Sr., president of what was once called the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation. In a series of tape-recorded interviews with me, beginning April 21, 2011, Johnson, who raised more than $100 million to erect the Memorial, recounted his disappointing experience with the King family. His first disappointment came when the family-controlled entity responsible for preserving Dr. King’s image charged the foundation a licensing fee of $2.8 million. But even that wasn’t enough and the King family refused to extend the licensing agreement. Consequently the name of the foundation was changed last year to The Memorial Foundation. “When we originally had an agreement with them, it was a licensing agreement to use the name and images of Dr. King (in fundraising material),” Johnson stated. “They said the licensing agreement has expired. Fine. I’m saying, ‘Give me another licensing agreement.’ They’re saying, ‘No we don’t want you to use the name.’ It really boils down to
this: They want me out of the way because they are saying they need to raise $170 million for the King Center and I’m George E. in the way. Curry Philanthropy in this country is a $320 billion a year industry. How am I in the way to raise whatever they need to raise?” Johnson questions whether Dr. King is a private figure anymore. “They keep throwing out the fact that Dr. King was a private citizen – that’s why his image is protected. And I told Roland (Martin) to ask Jeffrey Toobin, the lawyer on CNN: ‘At what
The person who was perhaps least surprised by the latest family shenanigans is Harry E. Johnson Sr., president of what was once called the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation.
point does one stop becoming a private citizen? Is that when we named a holiday after him? Or is it when we put a memorial on the Mall of him next to the other icons of this country?’ (Martin confirmed that Johnson made that request of him, but he never asked Toobin to reply.) “This is the killer part: If he’s a private person, then the King estate and family can say, ‘If you take a picture of the Memorial and you sell it as a postcard, you owe them a licensing fee. I don’t know if a member of the Congressional Black Caucus would be willing to pick that up as an issue, but I am certain a white Republican would say, ‘Get the hell out of here.’”
Warming to his subject, Johnson said, “Who makes a profit off the Lincoln Memorial? Who makes a profit off the Jefferson Memorial?…The King family – or any entrepreneur – should not benefit from saying I want to sell some postcards of the Memorial that’s on federal property. “My whole point is that’s crazy. Why are y’all jacking with me, knowing I know all this information? All I wanted to do was raise money to build a memorial for your daddy… Let them go out there and take some pictures of Dexter’s house in Malibu, with him living in a large mansion. Y’all trying to raise $170 million for the King Center.” He noted the King estate had engaged Sotheby’s, the auction house, in 2006 to sell Dr. King’s personal papers. “They were putting the papers on the auction block,” Johnson recounted. “Shirley Franklin (the former mayor of Atlanta) said, ‘We can’t have that’ and paid the King estate $32 million. Now, the King estate is coming back and saying, ‘Oh, we need $170 million for the King Center. I can even understand that. But what did you do with the $32 million? Is this going to be every time y’all need some money, you’re going to put your hands out to hold someone hostage? They are already charging people for the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.” In a statement, Bernice King said, “While I love my brothers dearly, this latest decision by them is extremely troubling. Not only am I appalled and utterly ashamed, I am frankly disappointed that they would even entertain the thought of selling these precious items.” Bernice was correct when she said, “Our father MUST be turning in his grave.” (George E. Curry is editorin-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA.) He can be reached via www.georgecurry.com. Follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge and George E. Curry Fan Page on Facebook.)
Ray Nagin (Photo: Chris McKay/Getty Images)
Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin found guilty of corruption The Root
by Breanna Edwards
A federal jury has found former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin guilty of 20 out of 21 charges of corruption, including various instances conspir-
acy, bribery and wire fraud, NPR reports. Nagin, 57, was accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and kickbacks, as well as siphoning money and granite into a business owned by his sons. The counts span most of
Nagin’s two terms as the city’s mayor, from 2002 to 2010. According to NPR, a full conviction could have meant more than 20 years in prison for the disgraced politician as well as more than $1 million in fines.
Saying some things are sacred, Bernice King has refused her brothersʼ request that she turn over her fatherʼs Bible and his 1964 Nobel Peace Price.
Harry E. Johnson Sr., president of what was once called the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation.
Page 4
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OPINION
Tri-State Defender
February 13 - 19, 2014
• Bernal E. Smith II President / Publisher • Dr. Karanja A. Ajanaku Executive Editor
So much is expected, but too little offered to help teachers
New charter schools mean more choices for Memphis families
You’ve probably known of a business that, for whatever reason, had a reputation for bad service, or sold a product that didn’t meet your expectations. Maybe you’ve noticed a place like that with a sign outside that says “under new management.” It’s their way of saying they’re turning things around to offer the very best. Well, I am pleased to say that six of our schools in Shelby County that, for whatever reason, haven’t met our expectations will make the changes they need to offer our kids a worldclass education in Memphis. These six schools will join the 16 other Memphis schools that are part of the Achievement School District in the upcoming 2014-15 school year. Let’s talk about what that means. Each school in Tennessee is measured each year by its ability to improve student performance over the year before. We measure how well our students perform through a variety of assessments. The Achievement School District was created to take the bottom 5 percent of schools in Tennessee and invites school operators with proven success to turn those schools around. The district sets high expectations for these new ASD schools: to perform among the top 25 percent in the state in five years. It’s for good reason. A seat in a quality school makes all the difference in a child’s future. Any job that provides any standard of living these days requires some form of college degree. We have to make sure our children are ready to meet that challenge. We know that students in quality schools, that top 25 percent, perform as if they’d had 86 extra days of reading and 72 more days of math instruction. They are ready to meet the challenges they will face after school. When we talk about the bottom 5 percent of schools, we’re talking about schools that consistently don’t meet our expectations and don’t prepare our students for the challenges they will face. While they may be home to many dedicated teachers, and the surrounding community does all it can to turn around the school, something still isn’t working in these schools. Here in Memphis, those schools account for 25,000 students, and 1 in 3 students aren’t doing reading and math on grade level. Our kids need us to do better. This is where the Achievement School District comes in. The district both operates schools and matches others with high-quality local and na-
tional organizations with proven success, many of them charter schools. Before a school joins, the district actively engages parents, teachers and members of the Sen. Reginald community before establishing Tate new management in a neighborhood school. After months of that kind of engagement last year, the ASD has announced new operators in six Memphis schools: Aspire Public Schools at Coleman Elementary, Promise Academy at Spring Hill Elementary, Freedom Prep Academy at Westwood Elementary, Frayser Community Schools at Frayser High School and Green Dot Public Schools at Fairley High School. The district will also open a new KIPP Academy for sixth-graders. If you have children in these schools, you can expect dramatic improvement. Take Freedom Prep for example. The new operator of Westwood Elementary currently serves a 100 percent minority population, 86 percent of which qualify for free and reduced lunch. In 2012, the school was the only school in the Memphis City Schools district to be honored with “Reward School” status by the state for academic proficiency and growth. They did it by expecting the very best of their students, with double blocks of math and reading, an extended school year and mandatory tutoring. That’s the kind of education we should expect for our kids in every school! With schools like Freedom Prep, the Achievement School District is giving our kids the opportunities they deserve. If your child is zoned for one of these schools I’ve mentioned, or you think your child’s school isn’t meeting your expectations, I urge you to learn about your options. Every student zoned to a school in the bottom 5 percent is automatically eligible for the ASD. With more schools doing everything they can to offer our kids the very best, you have choices, choices that could make a difference in your child’s future. (State Sen. Reginald Tate represents part of Shelby County in the General Assembly. He serves as vice chairman of the Senate Education Committee.)
National Marriage Week designed to strengthen bonds National Marriage Week (Feb 714) is a collaborative campaign to strengthen individual marriages, reduce the divorce rate and build a stronger marriage culture. Over the last decade, 41 percent of births occurred out of wedlock, more are opting to cohabitate and the number of divorces is steadily increasing. National Marriage Week is a great time for couples to reassess, refresh and renew their commitment to their marriages. Marriages need consistency, commitment and connection to grow and flourish. Marriage is an interactive institution that unites two to become one. To achieve a successful marriage, the husband and wife must be 100 percent engaged in the marriage daily. You made the commitment to pour into your marriage the tenacity and energy needed to make your marriage and spouse top priority in your life. It’s imperative that you learn how to keep your spouse happy, healthy, and satisfied. This is an ongoing process that must be nourished regularly. The National Marriage Week initiative is to help couples revisit the needs of their spouse and marriage in order to make daily love deposits to build a healthy marriage. Your marriage is a gift not just for you, but also for your spouse, your kids and the community. Your children gain emotional security and innumerable benefits from your positive healthy marriage. Your positive union will influence your extended family and friends. Healthy successful marriages are the glue that builds healthy
and successful communities. To maintain the connection, commitment and consistency in marriage, regular dates of quality time must be implemented and executed. Regular periods of Pamela dating allow the King couple to reconnect and slip away from everyday life. Life keeps us so busy that we negate the importance of just slowing down and enjoying time with our spouse. When we roll at 100 percent speed day in and day out, our marriage will falter. Every married couple should have a regular day that they spend together without distractions. Dating each other will give you the opportunity to talk, bond and build intimacy. The true purpose of dating is to learn more about your spouse. During National Marriage Week, recommit to instituting a regular date schedule. In knowing how busy our days are we must be proactive in scheduling time to spend with our spouse. Dating your spouse doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate. It just must happen.
(Pamela King – a wife, mother, sister, daughter and aunt – ministers to married couples through Still Dating My Spouse (SDMS), which builds on the idea of continuous dating throughout marriage. SDMS is on Twitter and Facebook.)
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld
Diverse ways of viewing diversity
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld made some comments last week about not caring about “diversity” in Hollywood, especially in the area of comedy, and set off some very heated conversations across the country. Seinfeld was on “CBS This Morning” being interviewed about his Internet-based show, “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.” Seinfeld has been criticized in the past, as he is now, for having no minorities on his hit TV show “Seinfeld.” When asked about this by the reporter from CBS, Seinfeld said, “People think it’s the census or something? This has gotta represent the actual pie chart of America? Who cares? Funny is the world that I live in. You’re funny, I’m interested. You’re not funny, I’m not interested. I have no interest in gender or race or anything like that…It’s more about PC nonsense than are you making us laugh or not?” I happen to agree with Seinfeld. I have never watched his TV show nor have I watched his webcasts. He has absolutely no obligation to have a diverse cast on any of his projects. If that really bothers you, then why do you watch his shows? It’s called choice. Turn him off and tune him out. Maybe, just maybe, you are not his intended viewer. Have you ever thought about that? I don’t support diversity for the sake of diversity. The rap group, NWA has no whites in it; should they be required to have at least one white person in the group? The Delta’s have no men in their sorority; should they be required to just for the sake of diversity? If you want diversity, then it must be sought across the board. But who determines what is diversity and how do you know when you have enough? America, as a nation, has yet to come to grips with its diversity. Unfortunately, far too many view our diversity as a liability – as seen by the reaction to the interracial Cheerios TV that ran during the Super Bowl. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, whites are 72 percent of the U.S. population, Hispanics are 15 percent, and blacks are 13 percent. For the first time in American history, the white death rate outnumbered white births in 2012. This trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. So, this continued march towards diversity will only become more pronounced. How that will be reflected in our society is an open question.
The Census Bureau projects that the U.S. will become a majority-minority nation for the first time in 2043. While the nonHispanic white population will remain the largest single group, no Raynard group will make Jackson up a majority. What will be the impact on America when this happens? What will be the legal definition of minority? Will it be whites who will be making demands of us – the newly constituted majority? The winds of change cannot be stopped or slowed. Diversity can and should be embraced. Globalism has shrunk the world. World travel is more affordable than ever before. More Americans should take the opportunity to visit a foreign country this year. Diversity can be an asset or it can be a liability, depending on whether it is embraced or resisted. Certain things must be embraced in order for diversity to be an asset. English must be the language that binds us together. Knowing and understanding America’s “total” history is mandatory to understanding how good we have it. Believing in America’s promise of freedom and opportunity, while never forgetting your heritage, helps you to fully embrace the American dream. But, in this pursuit, we must resist the temptation to self-isolate based on country of origin, race, or religion. I fail to understand how a person can live in America or any country for years and not speak the native language as too many immigrants have done. Far too many people have never been to a church outside of their own denomination. Far too many people have never been to an ethnic restaurant in their own city. America is far from perfect; but sometimes we spend so much time focusing on that which divides us that we forget what unites us. Remember, we can’t have unity without “u-n-i.” (Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a Washington, D.C.based public relations/government affairs firm. He can be reached via www.raynardjackson.com. Follow him on Twitter at raynard1223.)
FACEBOOK FAN OF THE WEEK Name: Brandon Boykin
Brandon Boykin is this weekʼs Facebook Fan of the Week! He is a Memphis native, who graduated from White Station High School and received his undergraduate degree from Furman University in Greenville, S. Car. He is now a law student at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Brandon enjoys football and spending time with his friends. He lives by the quote, “Amateurs practice til they get it right, professionals do it til they cant get it wrong.” Thanks Brandon for excelling in Memphis and for being a part of the TSD Facebook family!
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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To those who think that teaching is an 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. job with summers off, try walking in the shoes of teachers. Unless you spend time with a teacher, you will never get a sense of the amount of time and effort and passion they put into helping children thrive. With all the pressures and even hits that teachers take, there are hundreds of thousands of who go the extra mile for their kids. Without making a show of it, a Waco, Texas, elementary special education teacher discretely connects parLorretta ents with nonJohnson profit agencies that can provide their children with much-needed shirts, jackets and other clothing items. A school safety worker in Dallas goes above and beyond by teaching his disadvantaged students how to fish and garden, and he has even taken in about 40 homeless children over the past 15 years so they have a safe and secure place to live. A St. Paul, Minn., science teacher and coach felt it was important to connect with students and their families on their turf, so he developed a program in which every teacher in his school makes at least two home visits each year. And a Head Start educator in Charleston, W.Va., delivered lunches to the homes of kids who missed their free lunch when schools closed because of a recent chemical spill. Most educators will jump through hoops to make sure their students are well prepared for their next grade, college, career and life. So much is expected of teachers today, but too little is offered in the way of resources, support and professional development. Take lesson planning. Teachers are pretty much on their own – an even more difficult task now that teachers in 45 states and the District of Columbia must align their instruction with the new Common Core State Standards for mathematics and English language arts. One of the resources that educators nationwide have come to depend on is the American Federation of Teacher’s Share My Lesson – the largest collection of lesson plans, videos, ideas on instruction and other teaching resources, including more than 30,000 lesson plans that are based on the Common Core standards. Any educator can register free of charge, download anything on the site, and post favorite lesson plans or other materials to share with other teachers. There’s also a section for educators to ask peers for guidance on, say, a classroom management issue or a subject they’re teaching. Stephanie (in Waco) usually uses Share My Lesson to find lessons that have been modified for her special education students. Since February is Black History Month, the site features a large collection of relevant Black History Month lessons. And science and social studies teachers will love the special collection of lessons and videos on the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, many of which were prepared by Share My Lesson partners NBC Learn and the National Science Foundation. Another resource that tens of thousands of teachers have used is First Book, which provides free books for children in need. AFT members have distributed more than 1 million books in just two years. Incredible hard work by public school educators, along with help from Share My Lesson and other resources, keep kids motivated to do well. We are working to reclaim the promise of public education so that every student can not only dream their dreams, but achieve them. (Lorretta Johnson is secretarytreasurer of the American Federation of Teachers.) SUBSCRIPTIONS: Mail subscriptions to the Tri-State Defender are available upon request. One Year, $30.00; Two Years, $55.00. Domestic subscriptions must be addressed to: Subscriptions, Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN. 38103. Delivery may take one week. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN. 38103. GENERAL INFORMATION: Any and all inquiries can be made in writing, by calling (901) 523-1818 or by e-mail. TELEPHONE: Editorial and Administration: (901) 523-1818. Display Advertising (901) 523-1818. Classified Advertising (901) 523-1818. Fax: (901) 578-5037. E-MAIL: Editorial e-mail (press releases, news, letters to editor, etc.): editorial@tristatedefender.com; Display advertising email (ads, advertising price requests, etc.): advertising@tri-statedefender.com; Classified advertising e-mail (ads, advertising price requests, etc.): classifieds@tristatedefender.com; Subscription/Circulation e-mail (subscriptions, subscription price requests, etc.): subscriptions@tristatedefender.com; Production e-mail (technical questions/specs, etc.): production@tri-statedefender.com. The Tri-State Defender (USPS 780-220) is published weekly by Tri-State Defender Publishing Co., 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN 38103. Second Class postage paid at Memphis, TN.
NATIONAL
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February 13 - 19, 2014
Will the next black senator be a familiar face from Oklahoma? The Root
by Charles D. Ellison
Oklahoma. With its wide ranges, tornado alleys and young, upstart NBA franchise, it’s the last place you’d think of when considering black political hotbeds. But as Sen. Tom Coburn prepares to retire after a yearslong battle with cancer, black Republicans in the Sooner State are seeking to flip that script on its head. A crowded Senate-primary field is emerging, with conservative Republican powerhouses eyeing the reliably red seat as a career step to the next level. That landscape, set against the larger battle of wills between establishment Republicans, evangelical conservatives and mosquito-buzzing Tea Party irritants, is actually being shaped and shifted by a fairly influential tag team of black Republicans with national clout. Young Oklahoma state House Speaker T.W. Shannon just announced his bid last week. And another name floating around is that of Shannon’s former boss: J.C. Watts. The former congressman, once a rising star in the Republican Party who rode in on former House
Former Rep. J.C. Watts (ROkla.) (Photo: Steve Jaffe/AFP/ Getty Images) Speaker Newt Gingrich’s “Contract With America” wave, abruptly cut short his visible political career in pursuit of evangelical ministries and consulting contracts. Both men are already polling pretty well for black politicians from a Southwestern state, the former congressional superstar doing much better than his former senior aide-turned-noted up-and-comer. When a Harper Polling survey dropped this month, Watts’ name immediately jumped to the front of a standing-room-only pack of Republican hopefuls with a favorability rating of 72 percent. He also broke out with a slim 3 percent lead over Rep. James
Lankford in a hypothetical matchup, while Shannon is double digits behind on the primary ballot. That poll, however, came out days before Shannon announced. The game enters a new week, and Shannon carries significant weight among state conservatives and evangelicals, possibly more so than Lankford, who just has name ID. So here’s the big question: Is Watts going to jump in and lock this thing up with his vast fundraising network and conservative, as well as evangelical, bona fides? “Surprisingly, he’s not,” said a senior operative close to Watts who spoke on condition
of anonymity. Even as Watts polls at the top in the Senate race, “ ... he’d rather preach, minister and serve in other low-key ways.” Several seconds later, however, the source was also mentioning Watts as national party chair and even president. (President J.C. Watts? Really, fam?) “He could win (the Senate seat) without even trying. Yet he’s not interested.” But according to sources, Watts is also conflicted by the entrance of his former confidant Shannon. Rather than run against Shannon – a scenario that not only would complicate their friendship but also would make Watts look petty – the
former Orange Bowl-winning quarterback is opening up his Rolodex of resources to the state House speaker. “Plus, Watts isn’t interested in running for office,” says a prominent conservative activist with close ties to the former congressman who spoke to The Root on strict condition of anonymity. “Watts wants a seven-figure minority-outreach contract from the Republican National Committee. He’s been going after that for years.” In some respects, black Republicans are running the show in Sooner Land – at least for the moment. Even if Watts doesn’t enter the race, he can control it. Shannon has a lot of ground to cover from the outset, but he’s got three factors playing to his advantage: 1) He automatically gets plugged into Watts’ network, 2) He’s the most powerful lawmaker in the state and ... 3) He’s part Chickasaw Nation. If you haven’t noticed, the Chickasaw Nation is running things in Oklahoma. The Native American tribe is already airing sleek tourism TV ads for the state during “Meet the Press” commercial breaks. And it is expected to drop a ton of loot on Shannon’s Senate bid. Which moves these black
Republicans make will dramatically dictate the outcome of the race. Oklahoma could very well send the current U.S. Senate its third African American. If Republicans retake the Senate in 2014 – and they are very much on the cusp of doing so, based on recent polling projections – the color-splashing optics will look better for a party desperately seeking diversity. Still, diversity will be a tough sell for a conservative, Tea Party-strangled political organization that’s among the most racially unwelcome institutions in the United States. And the new crop of black conservatives could be old wine in a new bottle. In the end, they hail from majoritywhite jurisdictions or other places where they’re more beholden to Southern-white political interests than empathetic to the needs of underserved black communities in their states and beyond. (Charles D. Ellison is a veteran political strategist and frequent contributor to The Root. He is also Washington correspondent for the Philadelphia Tribune and chief political correspondent for Uptown magazine. You can reach him via Twitter.)
Fearing gentrification, Black Portland neighborhood tells Trader Joe’s ‘no’ NNPA News Service
by Blair Adams
The Trader Joe’s grocery store chain recently announced that it no longer plans to open a store in a predominately African-American neighborhood in Portland after activists claimed the store’s prices weren’t affordable for black
families. Local community leaders and activists said opening a Trader Joe’s in the historically black neighborhood would “increase the desirability of the neighborhood for non-oppressed populations” and risk gentrifying the neighborhood. In a statement to EurWeb, the PortlandAfricanAmerican Lead-
ership Forum said having a somewhat pricey food store in their Portland neighborhood would displace residents and perpetuate income inequality in the area. A letter sent to city officials from the group said it would “remain opposed to any development in north/northeast Portland that does not primarily benefit the black community.”
“We run neighborhood stores, and our approach is simple,” the grocery chain said in a statement. “If a neighborhood does not want a Trader Joe’s, we understand, and we won’t open the store in question.” The company told The Oregonian that it wouldn’t press its plans for the store, given community resistance. Trader
Joe’s are located throughout the country in urban neighborhoods. According to The Orgeonian, the store would have been located on a vacant lot on Northeast Alberta Street and Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. California-based developer Majestic Realty Co. planned to
build an $8 million retail strip mall on the site, which included the Trader Joes and 10 other retailers. The developer called Trader Joe’s decision a major “loss for the city.” Future plans for the vacant lot have not been determined. (Blair Adams is a staff writer for the Afro American.)
NEWS
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Butler to lead graduate Memphis and Memphis Talent Dividend
Bernice Butler has joined Leadership Memphis as its new director of Memphis Talent Dividend and Graduate Memphis, bringing an important addition to the leadership organization’ s efforts to increase college attendance among the city’s high school graduates. Graduate Memphis, funded by a generous grant from The Plough Foundation, focuses on increasing the rate of return to college by local adults who started college, but never finished. Butler joins the Memphis Talent Dividend/Graduate Memphis staff following nearly two years as a Fellow with the City of Memphis’ Strong Cities, Strong Communities program. She succeeds Fred Turverey, who retired late last year. “With the goals we have outlined for Graduate Memphis and the Memphis Talent Dividend, we are confident that Bernice is the right person at the right time to get us where we need to go,” said David Williams, president and CEO, Leadership Memphis. While working with the City of Memphis Administration, Butler concentrated on developing the city’s ChoiceStat program for Mayor A C Wharton. Strong Cities, Strong Communities is an interagency pilot initiative that aims to strengthen neighborhoods, towns, cities and regions around the country by strengthening the ability of local government to develop and execute their economic vision and strategies. Prior to coming to Memphis, Butler served as the Administrative Budget Manager/Grant Coordinator for the City of Saginaw Michigan. She also completed a four-agency rotation as a Capital City Fellow in the District of Columbia, working in the DC Department of Housing and Community Development, Office of the State Superintendent of Education, Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency and Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services. She is in the Leadership Circle of the Young Women Philanthropists at the Women’s Foundation of Greater Memphis, and participated in the Leadership Memphis Executive Program Class of 2013. Butler earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgia State University, and a Masters of Public Administration degree from the University of Georgia.
The Owen College History Committee: Seated from left: Emma Ballard, Hattie Thompson, Doris Lacy and Mildred Green. Standing: Sherman Kilimanjaro, Gene Powell, Louvenia Powell, Miriam DeCosta-Willis and George Grant. (Courtesy photo)
Coming soon: ‘The Legacy of Owen College’ Special to The New Tri-State Defender
The Owen College History Committee, which has been on a two-year mission, met recently at St. John Baptist Church to finalize plans for the product yielded by its efforts. The product – “The Legacy of Owen College” – is now ready for its premiere. The
Man of the hour…
Bernice Butler
Mayor AC Wharton Jr. and his wife, attorney Ruby Wharton, hosted a birthday reception Saturday (Feb. 8th) at the Peabody Hotel in support of attorney Van Turner, a candidate for the Shelby County Commission, District 12. Also pictured, Turnerʼs wife, Tamara. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)
public is invited to attend the event on Feb. 22 in the Dorothy Harris Lounge of the Alma Hanson Building on the campus of The LeMoyneOwen College. “The Legacy of Owen College” records the history of the two-year college, which was founded by the Tennessee Baptist Missionary and Educational Conven-
tion and named for the Rev. S. A. Owen, pastor of Metropolitan Baptist Church. Located on the corner of Vance and Orleans, the college opened in 1954 and merged with LeMoyne College in 1968. What did the Owen College History Committee find during its two-year research journey? The contents of “Legacy”
speak the answer. It features photographs, graduation lists, newspaper articles, college publications and personal reflections. Committee members also wrote essays on the library, faculty, basketball team, student activities, music program and the merger from which evolved The LeMoyne-Owen College.
Tri-State Defender
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH
LeMoyne-Owen College (807 Walker Ave.)
Feb. 13: 2-3 p.m., The Hollis F. Price Library presents Birthplace of Hip-Hop Tour, Alumni Room. Feb. 18: 9:45 a.m.-10:50 a.m., A Discussion of Africans in Israel, featuring LOC faculty, Little Theater. Feb. 22: 2-4 p.m., Owen College Legacy book signing with Dr. Miriam DeCosta Willis and other Owen College alumni, Dorothy Harris Lounge in the Hanson Student Center. Feb. 22: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., 4th annual Harambee Festival, Bruce-Johnson Hall Gymnasium’ For more information, contact Dr. Femi Ajanaku at 901)-4351427.
American Red Cross
In the spirit of Dr. Charles Drew, an African-American and the first medical director of an American Red Cross blood bank, the Red Cross reminds eligible donors of the importance of a diverse blood supply. Patients are less likely to have complications from blood donated by someone with the same ethnicity. Donors of all types are encouraged to help save lives. Appointments 1-800RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org. Upcoming blood donation opportunities: Feb. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at ServiceMaster, 3839 Forest Hill-Irene Road. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Slave Haven
Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum (Burkle Estate) is located at 826 No. Second St. Feb. 15: Book signings – Dr. Yao Foli Modey, “Mama Africa & The Angry Gods of Africa”; Earnest Lacey, “Free Joe” & “The Search for Free Joe”; Dr. Miriam DeCosta-Willis, “Black Memphis Landmarks”; Larry Batchlor, “The Juneteenth Story”; Florence Howard, “From Sagging to Success: The Story of Emery Franklin”; Tobbie Ingram, “The History of the Black Soldier.” Feb., 22: Artists Market, African Artifacts, African Clothing, Doll Makers, Crafts, Jewelry, Paintings. Museum hours: Monday – Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admissions: $10 adults; $8 students.
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Calendar of events
“Down to the Crossroads: Civil Rights, Black Power, and the Meredith March Against Fear.” Free and open to the public. Reception at 5:30 p.m., lecture at 6 p.m. in Blount Auditorium of Buckman Hall. A book signing will follow. More information: Communities in Conversation Facebook page, Facebook.com/Communities.in.Conversation, or on Twitter, @Rhodes_CiC. Specific inquiries about Communities in Conversation or upcoming events: contact Dr. Jonathan Judaken, the Spence L. Wilson Chair in Humanities at Rhodes, at 901843-3292, or judakenj@rhodes.edu.
University of Mississippi
Feb. 24: Soledad O’Brien, the former CNN anchor, will speak at 5:30 p.m. Open to the public. To find out more and see
Chucalissa
Feb. 22: Celebrating Black History Month in the Heritage of Southwest Memphis, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the C.H. Nash Museum. Presentations include: The Abandoned Cemeteries of Southwest Memphis by Coriana Close, M.F.A., Assistant Professor, Department of Art, University of Memphis; Documenting and Preserving a People’s History – A Sense of Place by Cynthia Jones Sadler, Ph.D., African and African American Studies, University of Memphis; A History of Education in Southwest Memphis by Earnestine Jenkins, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Art History, University of Memphis; Comments and Recognition of U.S. Military Veterans by Robert Gurley, President, Westwood Neighborhood Association, Inc.; Also, film screening of “Black Diamonds Blues City,” which tells the story of baseball’s segregated Negro Leagues with particular emphasis on the Memphis Red Sox. A pizza lunch will be served. This event is free and open to the public. More information: 901-785-3160, ext. 12 or kjthmpsn@memphis.edu.
Bellevue Middle School
Feb. 28: “Bellevue Honors,” a formal award show, will honor African Americans who have made significant contributions to society. The New Tri-State Defender will be saluted in the areas of journalism and community service. Time: 8:30 am. More information: 901416-4488 or 901-230-9356.
DeSoto County African American History Symposium
Feb. 22: Second Annual Banquet. Theme: “The Civil Rights Movement in Retrospect; Our Struggles, Triumphs and Challenges in Modern times.” Time: 6 p.m., The Gale Center, Hernando, Miss. Tickets: Mike Smith, 901-481-3968; smithm410@yahoo.com. Visit: dcaahs.com
JEWEL Awards Banquet
Feb. 28: Lane College alumni and long-time WDIA radio personality Mark Stansbury will serve as master of ceremonies for the 13th Annual JEWEL Making history… Awards Banquet hosted by the Jackson Madison County African American At a Mt. Vernon Baptist Church-Westwood African American History Month celebration last Sun- Chamber of Commerce. The Black Hisday (Feb. 9th), David Acey, executive director of the Africa in April Cultural Festival (third from tory Month banquet featuring singer left) and the Rev. Melvin D. Watkins Jr., Mt. Vernonʼs co-pastor, hoist a poster reflecting a recent Vickie Winans will be at Oman Arena, African American History Month event at the University of Memphis that saluted Dr. James L. 179 Lane Ave. in Jackson. Netters (right), the churchʼs senior pastor. Bishop E. Lynn Brown (left) was Sundayʼs keynote Sponsored by the City of Jackson, speaker during the event that honored the AFSCME Local 1733 workers who participated in the Lane College, West Tennessee Health1968 Sanitation Workers Strike. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley). care, along with West Tennessee Examiner, WFKX 96KIX, Brownsville Radio, News Talk WNWS and WOJG-FM 94.7 Bolivar. Floor dinner seating, $50 per person; concert lodge the complete list of Black History Month events, go to: seating, $25. Tickets online: www.jmcaacc.org/buyhttp://news.olemiss.edu/former-cnn-anchor-soledad-obrien-toRhodes College tickets.html. For more information: 731-424-2030. speak-at-um-black-history-month/ - .Uu-imXmo9yE Feb. 13: Celebrated scholar Dr. Aram Goudsouzian presents
BUSINESS
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February 13 - 19, 2014
ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY
Tax season means it’s time to focus
As employees receive W-2s and independent contractors receive 1099s, many will be anticipating a refund and others may owe money. The connecting bottom line is that taxes must be filed in a timely manner. Those expecting a refund usually will rush to file as soon as possible. While those expecting to owe the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will frequently wait until the April 15th deadline. Many years ago, there were only a few major tax preparation firms, along with accountants, that prepared taxes. Now, small businesses dedicated solely to tax preparation have sprung up all over the MidSouth. These businesses are thriving and experiencing tremendous growth with a business model based on operating only a few months of the year. This month in On Our Way To Wealthy we will focus on tax-related issues. Although most people choose to employ the services of a tax professional, understanding the concepts is always helpful. Let’s begin with a review of some of the various tax forms.
Form 1040EZ
T h e F o r m 1040EZ is by far the simplest form to complete. According Carlee to the IRS McCullough w e b s i t e , F o r m 1040EZ is used under the following conditions: Your filing status is single or married filing jointly. You claim no dependents. You and your spouse, if filing a joint return, were under age 65 on January 1, 2014, and not blind at the end of 2013. You have only wages, salaries, tips, taxable scholarship and fellowship grants, unemployment compensation, or Alaska Permanent Fund dividends, and your taxable interest was not over $1,500. Your taxable income is less than $100,000. Your earned tips, if any, are included in boxes 5 and 7 of your Form W-2.
You do not owe any household employment taxes on wages you paid to a household employee. You are not a debtor in a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case filed after Oct. 16, 2005. You do not claim any adjustments to income, such as a deduction for IRA contributions, a student loan interest
deduction, an educator expenses deduction, or a tuition and fees deduction. You do not claim any credits other than the earned income credit.
Form 1040A
If for any reason you do not qualify to prepare the 1040EZ,
then the next option to consider would be Form 1040A. Internal Revenue Service states that 1040A is appropriate if: Your income is only from wages, salaries, tips, taxable scholarships and fellowship grants, interest, or ordinary dividends, capital gain distributions, pensions, annuities, IRAs, unemployment compensation, taxable social security or railroad retirement benefits, and Alaska Permanent Fund dividends. Your taxable income is less than $100,000. You do not itemize deductions. You did not have an alternative minimum tax adjustment on stock you acquired from the exercise of an incentive stock option. Your taxes are only from the Tax Table, the alternative minimum tax, recapture of an education credit, Form 8615 (PDF) or the Qualified Dividends and Capital Gain Tax Worksheet. Your only adjustments to income are the IRA deduction, the student loan interest deduction, the educator expenses deduction, the tuition and fees deduction. The only credits you are
claiming are the credit for child and dependent care expenses, the earned income credit, the credit for the elderly or the disabled, education credits, the child tax credit, the additional child tax credit, or the retirement savings contribution credit.
Form 1040
If Form 1040EZ or 1040A is not suitable for you, then the alternative would be to use Form 1040. Form 1040 is used under the following situations according to IRS: Your taxable income is $100,000 or more. You have certain types of income such as unreported tips; certain nontaxable distributions; self-employment earnings; or income received as a partner, a shareholder in an “S” Corporation, or a beneficiary of an estate or trust. You itemize deductions or claim certain tax credits or adjustments to income. You owe household employment taxes. NEXT WEEK: A closer look at deductions and credits at the taxpayer’s disposal.
MONEY MATTERS
Overcoming retirement challenges In a 2013 survey of people aged 50 to 70 with $100,000 or more in investable assets, 90 percent reported that they had experienced at least one setback in saving for retirement. In fact, the average respondent had experienced four setbacks with an average loss or missed opportunity of $117,000. The future is always uncertain, and as the saying goes, “Life happens.” It would be wise to prepare for the unexpected and react logically rather than emotionally when faced with retirement challenges. Here are some obstacles you might need to overcome. Surviving market down-
turns. More than half of those surveyed said their assets had been reduced by market losses during the Great ReCharles Sims Jr., CFP cession. Yet another survey suggested that about 50 percent of workers who were 32 to 51 when the recession started actually showed gains in their retirement accounts during the 2007
to 2009 period. This group may have had lower balances when the recession began, and it’s likely that they continued saving throughout the downturn, which might have helped them benefit when the market started to improve. Remember that all investments are subject to market fluctuation and the potential for loss. Saving too little or too late. To accumulate sufficient assets to retire at age 65, one rule of thumb suggests saving 15 percent of income starting at age 25. Someone starting at age 35 might need to save about 30 percent each year, and the savings percentage would increase to about 64
percent annually for someone starting to save at age 45! If these percentages seem unrealistic, consider that any savings increase is better than none. In addition to maximizing your retirement contributions, you may also need to adjust your lifestyle and control your spending. Once you reach age 50, you are eligible to make additional “catch- up” contributions. Experiencing a traumatic event. A job loss, unexpected medical expense, death of a loved one, or divorce might make it difficult to save for retirement. Having an emergency savings account that could help cover at least three to six months
of living expenses would put you in a stronger position. If possible, avoid tapping your retirement savings, especially tax-deferred IRAs and 401(k)s, because withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income and may be subject to a 10 percent federal income tax penalty if taken prior to age 59½. When your life returns to normal, try to save as much as possible at the highest contribution rate you can afford. Balancing college and retirement. When these two priorities compete, many people – 15 percent, according to one survey – stop savingforretirementtopayfortheir children’s educational costs.Awide
variety of college funding options are available, but there is no “scholarship” for retirement. The key is to balance your children’s needs with your own retirement goals and find an appropriate strategy. The road to retirement is long, winding and seldom smooth. But with patience and a steady commitment, you could reach your destination regardless of how many obstacles you encounter along the way.
ers your dress, hygiene and grooming, accessories and other features like visible tattoos. His perspective on the way you look affects his first impression, and can help or hinder your success during the job interview.” Small things do matter. Kokemuller also mentions small things such as whether your shoes are shined, noting how that tells a perspective employer how much attention you pay to detail. Again, small things do matter. I know a young lady who went to a job interview at a Starbuck’s location having never worked in a restaurant
or coffee shop. She was hired as an assistant manager due in no small part to the fact that she was the only person who showed up for the interview dressed properly. You do have some control. Your appearance does speak for you. Small things do matter.
(Charles Sims Jr. is president/ CEO of The Sims Financial Group. Contact him at 901-682-2410 or visit www.SimsFinancialGroup.co m.)
WORKFORCE READY
Small things matter According to an article Mail Online (Feb. 7th), a new survey has revealed that most children dream of becoming doctors when they grow up. It was chosen as the best job by 1,000 boys and girls ages 212, ahead of teacher, actor and scientist. Nurse, firefighter and musician also made the list of top ten jobs chosen by youngsters in the research conducted by Mothercare. Asked what was the most important part of a job, the majority of children (34 percent) said that ‘having fun’ and ‘helping others’ was more important than being rich or famous.
As a boy, it was not unusual at all to be asked what I wanted to be when I grew up. It was a great question to be Herbert asked beLester cause as early as 6 or 7 years old I had decided what I wanted to do professionally with my life. But I was not about to tell anybody! There were, however, role
models around me, and people who had the education I knew I would need. I grew up surrounded by books and magazines and was constantly challenged to think before I acted. I was also taught the survival skills I needed as an African-American growing up in the south in the 1950’s: how to avoid the police and what to do if I was stopped and questioned; the importance of grooming and appearance, etc. Strangely enough, now, more than 65 years later, those questions I was asked and the things I was taught are just as important to thriving and sur-
viving in modern America as they ever were. When it comes to getting the job you want, what you know and do about things under your control – like your appearance, your grooming and your personal hygiene – is just as important as it was 100 years ago, and can make all of the difference in the world. Small things do matter. In a Houston Chronicle article under the headline “What Is the Importance of Appearance on a Job Interview,” Neil Kokemuller writes, “When a hiring manager assesses your appearance at a job interview, he consid-
(If you need assistance on how to properly dress to secure employment, contact Kairos Services at www.kairosmemphis.org or 901- 795-2510.) (To reach Herbert Lester, email WORKFORCE READY at inthemail@tri-statedefender.com.)
RELIGION
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THE RELIGION CORNER
THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Water seeks its own level
Stellar-winner DeWayne Woods cracks Top 50 with first radio hit in 4 years
NNPA News Service
by Lyndia Grant With Valentine’s Day only a few days away, I thought I would delve into this subject of relationships a bit. Think about these truths in terms of your own relationships. If you wish to change the quality of people you are attracting, change your level. Work on yourself, change the way you think, change the things you do and the places you go, the people you meet. And what are they doing? You can create a difLyndia ferent you. Grant I heard one of my inspirational speakers say that water seeks its own level; intrigued by the saying, I discovered through research that most of the discussion was about relationships between men and women with most in romance. At that point, I began to consider my acquaintances, comparing them to myself. As I looked at the people in my life, I measured values, integrity and loyalty, and discovered, the saying is definitely true. Water seeks its own level simply means quality people of integrity find other quality people of integrity and vice versa. It also means high quality finds high quality and low quality finds low quality. This is true in business and in life. It is a scientific fact: water does indeed reach its own level. It’s also a scientific fact that our bodies are made of 90 percent water. And the Bible says the same thing but like this:“Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. Genesis 1:9 The Bible also reminds us “As a man thinketh, so is he”– so, what are we thinking? It shows when we open our mouths, with the things we say. We will create more of that which we are judging, simply by the act of placing attention on it. Whatever we judge in other people is something in ourselves we recognize, except we don’t want to look at it, but it is there. The Holy Spirit knows the number of hairs on our heads; it knew us before we were formed, so our thoughts are nothing. Scripture reminds us “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.” It tells us … But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14. So drink up, and never thirst again. You will be working on yourself from within. Look to the level of your own water, beliefs, thought patterns, and allow the Word to take you to another level. View them the same way you view garage sales. Keep some, get rid of others. You know immediately whether you’re using items or not. It served you for a while, but now it doesn’t. Time to get rid of it, to make room for something new. It’s the same thing with behaviors and beliefs and thought patterns that no longer serve you. Simply remove them, make room for new thoughts and beliefs. Change your level. As with all change, there might be a grieving process associated with it. Be gentle: don’t judge, don’t go to a place of shame or guilt, just release and move on. My mentors have all been older; Dr. Dorothy Height and Dr. Willie B. Kennedy; both are deceased now. But I often think of lifestyles they taught me. Others who taught me are still alive like Dr. Charlene Drew Jarvis; I learned an awful lot from her; and Dr. Marjorie Harris, retired college president in Detroit. She’s now like another mother to me. If water seeks its own level, I’ve been in good company, but not in every instance! (Radio talk show host and religious columnist can be reached via www.lyndiagrant.com.) (Special to the NNPA from The Washington Informer.)
Stellar Award winning recording artist DeWayne Woods is back on the gospel radio chart for the first time since his last radio hit “Living on the Top” in 2010. The singer’s rousing new anthem “Never Be The Same” pairs him with Maroon 5’s P.J. Morton, who composed and produced Wood’s 2007 Top Ten breakthrough radio smash, “Let Go.” “P.J. was instrumental in creating a voice for me and he keeps helping to define that voice,” Woods says of the reunion with Morton. “We have such great chemistry like we did on ‘Let Go.’” “Never Be The Same” recently debuted on the Top 50 Nielsen BDS gospel chart and will be featured on Woods’ first CD through his own Soul Therapy Music Group label. Soul Therapy has enlisted Gerald Haddon, who produced Isaac Carree’s No.1 hit “In The Middle,” producer, Zeke Listenbee, who has written for Dorinda Clark Cole, and the legendary R&B band Mint Condition to contribute to the set. “We’re taking our time,” says Woods’ manager Wade Jordan. “We’re not rushing anything because we want the production and songs to be perfect reflections of who Dewayne Woods has evolved into as an artist.”
LEGACY: Johnnie James Williams When you grow up on a Mississippi farm picking cotton and feeding livestock to help your family provide for you and your siblings, it’s natural to develop an appreciation for self-help and entrepreneurial development. Such was the case with Johnnie James Williams, a Memphis entrepreneur and social activist who died Jan. 28th. He was 71. Born to the union of Johnnie Wade and Willie Mae Williams on April 7, 1942 in Schlater, Miss., Mr. Williams learned early the value of a close knit, devout Christian family marked by hard-working people. A graduate of West District High School in Sumner, Miss. (1962), he was the first in his family to graduate and receive a business certificate from Coahoma Junior College (1965). He later attended the University of Tennessee Insurance School in Memphis. Having moved to Memphis with his family in search of a better life, Mr. Williams married Lilliantyn Young in 1963.
The couple had four children, Michael, Ronald, Cynthia and Angela Williams. While nurturing an entrepreneurial deJohnnie sire to run Williams his own c o m p a n y, Mr. Williams worked for other companies, including Crown Zellebach as a shipping and receiving clerk and truck driver from 1969 to 1982. From 1967 to 1969, he was an insurance agent for People Protection and United American clerk. Many came to know Mr. Williams as the president and CEO of W&R Drum Company and American Drum and Pallet Company. He rolled with the punches that some time accompany running a business, providing job opportunities for numerous employees along
with way. A former board member of the Memphis Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, he was a Mason and secretary in the Metropolitan Lodge No. 161. As executive director of BOSS (Business Organized Self Support), he was involved with mentoring young business professionals to become successful entrepreneurs. He devoted time to the Memphis chapters of the Rainbow P.U.S.H. Coalition and the NAACP, and was an Honorary Auxiliary Deputy Sheriff. A former board chairman of the Steward Board of Temple of Love CME Church, Mr. Williams served the CME National Church and its leadership with honor and respect. He later joined his family’s home church, New Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church. Mr. Williams leaves his wife of 51years, Lilliantyn Williams; five children, Cynthia D. McCollins (Clarence), Michael Williams, and Angela
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
Attend the Church of your choice
D. Williams, all of Memphis; Ronald R. Williams of Atlanta and Shirley K. Bryant of Jonestown, Miss.; nine grandchildren, Ravyn A. McCollins, Courtney A. Smith, Micheal D. Williams, Jaylen E. McCollins, Mya E. Williams, Brittnany S. Bryant, Billy K. Bryan, Jr., Mekell D. Kennedy and Germichael K. Kennedy; a great-grandson, Micheal D. Williams Jr.; his mother -inlaw, Olivia Young; four sistersin-law: Mattie B. Sumerall, Barbara A.Young, Yvonne Young and Rosemerry Tucker; a brother -in -law, LensherryYoung; an aunt, Lucy Starks of Itta Bena, Miss; three brothers, A.C. Williams, Dave Williams and Morris C. Williams; three sisters, Errie Williams Smith, Savanna Davis and Morris J. Williams; and a special nephew, George “Stanford” Roebuck Williams. Mr. Williams’ funeral service was Feb. 8th at New Mt. Olive Baptist Church on Porter Street, with burial in Forest Hill Midtown Cemetery. The Rev. Derek Scullark officiated.
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. —Phillipians 4:13
ENTERTAINMENT Tri-State Defender, Thursday, February 13 - 19, 2014, Page 10
STUFF HAPPENS, THEN WHAT?
WHAT’S HAPPENING MYRON?
‘Flo’ Anthony plans literary stops in Memphis The What’s Happening Myron Book Club welcomes syndicated radio personality and author Florence “Flo” Anthony to Memphis on Saturday (Feb. 15th). Anthony’s new book, “Deadly Stuff Players,” was released in November and published by Strebor Books, which is owned by writer Zane. In addition to her newly published book, you can also catch her on TV One’s series, “Life After.” The first African-American woman to work in the sports and en-
ʻFloʼ Anthony
tertainment departments at the New York Post, Anthony is also the first African-American woman in the nation to work on the Post’s gossip page, “Page Six.” After she left the New York Post, Anthony became the first AfricanAmerican woman to write a column for a tabloid. She headed up the Eye on the Stars column in the National Examiner magazine from 1994 to 2001. This Saturday, from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m., Anthony will be signing copies of her book – “Deadly Stuff Players”
– at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Wolfchase. Later that day, Anthony will be speaking at the What’s Happening Myron Book Club meeting, which will take place from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. at TJ Mulligan’s Downtown at 362 North Main. Until then, that’s what’s happening! (Got an event you’d like for me to cover or attend, email me at Myron@whatshappeningmyron.com)
‘About Last Night’
feature actors who just happen to be “black.” Special to The New Tri-State Defender It’s a great movie about four individuals If you’re planning to do anything dealing with their relafor Valentine’s Day you should at tionships and, ultileast make plans to check out “About mately, it’s a film that Last Night,” which opens in theatres almost anyone would this Friday (Feb. 14th). enjoy. “About Last Night” is somewhat Ealy pointed out that of a remake of the 1986 film, which “About Last Night” starred Rob Lowe and Demi Moore film is not only a film and was a film version of the 1974 for women but for guys off-Broadway play “Sexual Perveras well. His character, sity in Chicago.” This particular Danny, is a man that he adaptation stars Kevin Hart and himself could relate to,” Michael Ealy…and yes, it’s a great said Ealy, adding that film. he used to be Danny Ealy was in Memphis this past just as a lot of guys weekend promoting the film at a have been and still are second sneak screening at the Malin some cases. The film co Paradiso. The Red Carpet prewill give some guys a miere was set to take place last chance to re-evaluate week before the weather in Atlanta themselves. One-night caused all of the flights to be canActor Michael Ealy strolled the red carpet on Sunday (Feb. 9th) at the Mal- stands can really be incelled and his appearance to be co Paradiso for the premiere of his new movie set to release on Valentineʼs teresting…so I’ve postponed. Day. Radio personality and TSD columnist Myron Mays spoke with the ac- heard. (lol) A real down to earth guy, Ealy So what’s coming up tor about the script, scenes, working with comedian Kevin Hart and his aptook time to speak with the various in the near future for proach with the cast. (Photo: Erin Davidson) media outlets that were on the red Ealy? carpet covering the event. I asked Steve Harvey’s “Think Michael Ealy adhim about working with such a great cast of acLike a Man 2,” of course. According dressed attendees tors, namely Kevin Hart, who has had a spectacuto Ealy, the movie should be reand answered lar past few months, Regina Hall and Joy Bryant. leased in June. And, yes, he would crowd-friendly quesThe chemistry between the cast members was rebe more than happy to return to tions before the start ally good. There were scenes where you could Memphis to promote that film as of the “About Last tell they were just being themselves with acting well. Judging by the screaming and Night” movie premerely a byproduct. hollering from the audience, I think miere at the Malco Here’s the wonderful part, not once did it cross he would be more than welcome. Paradiso. In addition my mind that I was watching a “black” film. You “About Last Night” opens this to Ealy, the movie know what I mean, right? Of course you do. weekend in theatres and you can stars Kevin Hart, Although a remake of a film that featured catch Michael Ealy each Monday Regina Hall and Joy an all-white cast, it didn’t make you feel that night on the hit TV show “Almost Bryant. (Photo: Kelyou were watching a “black” version of a Human” on the Fox network. ley Evans) “white” film. This version just so happens to
by Myron Mays
Kameron Whalum, one of the Hooligans backing up Bruno Mars, was the main attraction during a debut concert at the Hard Rock Café on Beale Street in Downtown Memphis last Friday (Feb. 7th) night. (Photo: Christopher Hope)
Kameron Whalum wows at Hard Rock Cafe
“With it being my first show I figured what better place to have my inaugural in my hometown on the famous Beale St. in front of people that have known me or known of me.” Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Raven Phillips
Overton High School graduate Kameron Whalum put on an amazing show for his hometown at Beale Street’s Hard Rock Café last Friday (Feb. 7th). I got a chance to witness Kameron as a solo artist for the first time and not just as the trombonist who plays for Bruno Mars. I honestly was not sure what to ex-
pect. Would it just be him playing the trombone? Was it going to be as phenomenal as the recent Super Bowl performance? As I made my way into the venue I realized I should have arrived a little earlier. The place was filled with family, friends and local supporters. There were people packed up top, down below, and front to back. Kameron successfully sold out his first headlined performance.
“Man, it’s a lot of you all,” he joked. The audience got a chance to see the Memphis native for what he really can deliver. Whalum gave the audience a little taste of songs he’s written, along with dance moves and his signature trombone artistry. The crowd – myself included – took advantage of the opportunity to sample the dance floor. After the show, I talked to Whalum about his performance.
“With it being my first show I figured what better place to have my inaugural in my hometown on the famous Beale St. in front of people that have known me or know of me,” he said. “It was amazing; literally, a dream come true!” SAVE THE DATE: Bruno Mars and his band, the Hooligans (with Kameron Whalum) will perform at the FedExForum on June 6th.
‘Not bad looking and lonely’ seeks dating-site info
Dilemma and question: I met a man online. We talked for months before we met. We lived in separate cities but close enough to visit. Well I dated him for 9 months. He finally asked me to Yvette marry him. I’m George apprehensive, don’t know why. Because he treats me well. But my gut tells me no! … I want to do a background check on him but don’t know how. (I did Goggle him) but found nothing. I live on a fixed income but I need to know about this man. I feel a dark spirit around him sometimes; he chalks it up to having a bad day. He wants me to move in and leave my hometown, where I have no one/family. “Are these online dating sites safe or scams? Most men wanted a onenight stand. I’m too old & don’t want to end up dating a crazy man or serial killer. Since I don’t get out much online dating allows me to meet men & makes me feel wanted. I’m African American, 62, not bad looking, and lonely! Can you tell me of any legitimate dating sites? And do they really work?
Dear ‘not bad looking, and lonely’: Some people swear by these dating sites and have been successful. I tried a couple as an experiment for my TV show; 95 percent wanted “booty calls.” That was six years ago. Since then, several others have popped up specializing in older singles, Christian singles, etc. Times have changed and we must change with it. But have you tried traditional methods, such as asking friends if they know any single men, volunteering, and attending social events? I doubt “prince charming” will knock on your door. You must get out and enjoy life and meet people. The Internet is full of sites where you can do a background check and I suggest you follow through. I certainly wouldn’t leave town with a man I’ve only known for nine months. Do you know his friends and/or family? Intuition is a great asset! It has served many people well and kept them alive when they listened to that little voice, gut, or that uneasy feeling. I understand you may be lonely. But, I’d rather be alive and feeling lonely than with a companion that may mean me harm. Slow down, get to know him better. Ask yourself, why is he in a hurry? Has he been married before? How much do you really know about this man? If he loves you and he is the guy for you, he will wait and give you the space you need. Continue to date him. Listen to that inner voice. Dating sites may be the way of the future. If so, go on more dates before you decide to marry a guy you just met. To be honest, it’s a double-edge sword. He may be OK. I know people that dated for three months and have been married 50 years. (Rare). Then there’s the flip side. So my advice is to go with your gut! You don’t have to be lonely, date! Is he the only man you met on the site? I know plenty of married people that are lonely in their marriage. Enjoy life on your own and with the friends you have. (Stuff Happens, Then What? is an advice and relationship column that answers questions about life issues, situations and challenges. Send questions and dilemmas to StuffHappensThenWhat@yahoo.com. All parties will remain anonymous.)
ENTERTAINMENT
Tri-State Defender
Page 11
February 13 - 19, 2014
OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam’s Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
Samuel Jackson stars in Robocop, which takes place in an 80s version of Detroit, but in 2028. It is a sci-fi remake of the 1987 version, where government services have been outsourced to corporations. (Photo: Sony Pictures Digital Productions Inc. All rights reserved)
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Kam Williams
For movies opening Feb. 14, 2014
BIG BUDGET FILMS
“About Last Night” (PG-13 for profanity, sexuality and brief drug use) A modern reimagining of the 1986 romantic comedy based on “Sexual Perversity in Chicago,” the David Mamet play following two couples (Kevin Hart and Regina Hall, and Michael Ealy and Joy Bryant) whose relationships are put to the test as they venture from the bar to the bedroom. With Paula Patton, Christopher McDonald and Terrell Owens.
“Endless Love” (PG-13 for sexuality, profanity, partying and partial nudity) Remake of the romance drama about the star-crossed love affair between teens (Gabriella Wilde and Alex Pettyfer) from opposite sides of the tracks. With Bruce Greenwood, Joely Richardson, Robert Patrick, Emma Rigby and Dayo Okeniyi.
“RoboCop” (PG-13 for sensuality, drug use, brief profanity and pervasive intense violence) Sci-fi remake, set in Detroit in 2028, about a police officer (Joel Kinnaman) who is turned into a bionic crime-fighting killing machine equipped with state-of-the-art gadgetry after being critically-injured by a car bomb. Talented cast includes Oscar-nominees Samuel L. Jackson (for “Pulp Fiction”), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (for “Secrets & Lies”), Gary Oldman (for “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”), Jackie Earle Haley (for “Little Children”), along with Michael Keaton and Jay Baruchel. “Winter’s Tale” (PG-13 for sensuality and
violence) Romantic fantasy, set in Manhattan in 1916, revolving around a cat burglar (Colin Farrell) who falls in love with a sickly heiress (Jessica Brown Findlay) he meets after breaking into her mansion. A-list ensemble includes Academy Award-winners Russell Crowe (for “Gladiator”), Jennifer Connelly (for “A Beautiful Mind”), Eva Marie Saint (for “On the Waterfront”) and William Hurt (for “Kiss of the Spider Woman”), and two-time Oscarnominee Will Smith (for “The Pursuit of Happyness” and “Ali”).
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
“Adult World” (R for sexuality and drug use) Romantic comedy about a recent college grad and aspiring poet (Emma Roberts) who reluctantly takes a job at a porno shop until an English professor (John Cusack) she admires offers her a position as his assistant. With Armando Riesco, Shannon Woodward and Chris Riggi. “Beijing Love Story” (Unrated) Screen version of the popular, Asian TV series of the same name exploring romance and relationships from a Chinese perspective. Starring Tony Leung Ka Fai, Carina Lau, Gaowa Siqin and Xuebing Wang. (In Mandarin with subtitles)
“Date and Switch” (R for graphic sexuality, crude humor, pervasive profanity and drug and alcohol abuse, all involving teens) Out-ofthe-closet comedy about a straight teen (Nicholas Braun) who gets the surprise of his life after entering a pact with his secretly gay best friend (Hunter Cope) to lose their virginity before the senior prom. With Nick Offerman, Gary Cole, Megan Mullally, Dakota Johnson and Sarah Hyland. “Easy Money: Hard to Kill” (Unrated)
Action-oriented sequel finds coke smuggling protagonist (Joel Kinnaman) leaving prison and returning to his old illicit ways upon rejoining his gang. Cast includes Matias Varela, Dragomir Mrsic and Fares Fares. (In Swedish, Spanish, English, Serbian, Croatian and Arabic)
“Girl on a Bicycle” (R for sexuality, nudity and profanity) Romantic romp revolving around the triangle which ensues after an Italian bus driver (Vincenzo Amato) falls in love with a French passerby (Louise Monot) right after proposing to his German stewardess sweetheart (Nora Tschirner). With Paddy Considine, Stephane Debac and Brice Fournier.
“Jimmy P.” (Unrated) Poignant portrait of a Native-American veteran (Benicio Del Toro) who consults a French shrink (Mathieu Almaric) for help sorting out his psychological issues. With Gina McKee, Larry Pine and Joseph Cross. “Lucky Bastard” (NC-17 for explicit sexuality) Found footage horror flick about a fan (Jay Paulson) who comes to regret answering an adult website’s invitation to have sex with his favorite porn star (Betsy Rue). With Don McManus, Chris Wylde and Catherine Annette. “The New Black” (Unrated) Gay rights documentary examining how the AfricanAmerican community deals with homophobia, the legalization of same-sex marriage, and other LGBT issues.
“The Returned” (Unrated) Horror flick set in a post-apocalyptic world where infected zombies are able to live normal lives until the retroviral drug upon which they depend runs out. Co-starring Kris Holden-Ried, Emily Hampshire, Shawn Doyle and Claudia Bassols.
HOROSCOPES
Feb. 13-19, 2014
ARIES You know, the dream that you say you’ll “get to” when the time is right. This week the time is exactly right. Get the plan started that will lead to the realization of that dream. Talk it over with significant others so that they can add their strength. Make the dream their dream too. TAURUS You are made from the best stuff on earth. You’ll need to remember that this week. Cast a wide net among the people that admire you and spend time being admired. There are plenty of people who know your best qualities but this week seek out those who enjoy talking about what is good about you. GEMINI Give to a charity, talk with a grandparent, counsel a child, encourage a colleague this week. Choose any or all of the above or create your own list. Your goodness is an investment in your future as long as you do not think of it as such. CANCER If you are unhappy with your situation this week, you have all the power you need to change it! Don’t procrastinate any longer. You can make the improvement now! Don’t worry about what others are thinking. Just do what is good for you. LEO The universe is balanced and our lives will be filled with triumphs and tribulations. Don’t fret when you face turmoil this week. Deal with it head on and stay undeterred. Keep straight on the path you are traveling and you will reach the place where you are meant to be. VIRGO Your inner beauty is one of your greatest assets. This week take full advantage of this gift you received from God. This week hold in consciousness the truth that you are specially crafted from His hands. Allow a cheerful disposition to radiate through you. LIBRA Everything that goes around will come around for the universe is balanced. We all need to bear our crosses and accept the fate that is destined for each of us. The will of God is good and we will receive as He gives. This week is a week for finding joy in little things. SCORPIO This week have faith in what you know can happen and rededicate yourself to achieving your dreams. Be sure to remember and respect who you are as the week unfolds. Love yourself for who you are this week and this will give you a clear perspective on what you can become. SAGITTARIUS Give yourself a chance to experience a different side of your personality this week. Keep from getting bored by doing a little acting. Choose a character who would be more effective than you in the situation in which you find yourself. Be that character. Play the role. Enjoy it. CAPRICORN You are a person of action. Believe in your ability to get things done and you will find things so easy to do. Put things into perspective and obstacles will become opportunities. Put your plans into practice with confidence and your list of things to do will get done one by one. AQUARIUS This week think of yourself in ways that you have not thought of yourself recently. Find in the closet of your spirit another set of clothes. Put them on and wear them like they are your everyday apparel. Reinvent yourself and act as if the new is usual. PISCES You are a person of many talents and skills. People around you count on your abilities to keep things running smoothly this week. Know that all your hard work is appreciated and even though you may not see it right away your dedication will be rewarded. SOURCE: NNPA News Service
COMMUNITY
Page 12
Tri-State Defender
February 13 - 19, 2014
‘Anti-Bully Campaign Rally’ slated for Saturday
On Pancreatic Cancer Day in November 2012, Rep. DeBerry, who died from the disease last year, was honored. Those saluting her included (l-r) former House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, House Speaker Beth Harwell and Gov. Bill Haslam. (Photo courtesy of Gale Jones Carson)
Special to the New Tri-State Defender
by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell
When it comes to bullying, there are numbers that could easily move some to declare that it’s worse than we thought. According to the Tennessee Department of Education’s Bullying and Harassment Compliance Report issued under a law passed in 2012, there were 7,555 cases of bullying reported statewide. Of that number, 5,478 were confirmed. “This is a serious problem,” said Debbie McClennon, organizer of the “Anti-Bully Campaign Rally” slated for Saturday (Feb. 15th). “Our kids are frustrated, and they always say the same thing – that parents can’t help, teachers can’t help, and principals can’t help. Victims of bullying feel they have no help, no safe haven. This problem is getting worse. It’s not just going to go away.” McClennon of Sam’s Video Production TV Network is sponsoring the rally at 4 p.m. at the Hickory Ridge Mall, 6075 Winchester Rd. “We’re expecting about 300 to come out – students, parents, and everyone who is concerned about this growing problem,” said McClennon. “We’ve invited elected officials to attend. Mayor Wharton confirmed attendance on Tuesday. Shelby County Commissioner Justin Ford and representatives from the Memphis Police Association will also be there. We want to get everyone involved. To tell our children ‘there is nothing we can do’ is unacceptable.’” Organizers are asking parents to bring their children out for an afternoon of performances, speakers and helpful information on dealing with a bullying situation. Priscilla Williams, parent of a 6th-grade daughter at White Station Middle School, knows how disconcerting a bully can be to a child’s classroom experience. “My daughter has constantly been a victim of bullying by several girls at school,” said Williams. “One of them grabbed her neck and began choking her while the other students just kind of stood around and watched. I went over to the school and met with the principal. The girl was expelled, but I also asked that this young lady get some kind of psychological evaluation. When she was asked why she attacked my daughter, she just said, ‘I don’t know.’ Bullying is a real problem, and it’s time to come up with real solutions.” McClennon expressed disappointment that she had received no response from anyone at Shelby County Schools. SCS Board Chairman Kevin Woods told The New Tri-State Defender late Tuesday that, “Any effort by those in our community who are committed as we are committed to finding solutions for bullying in our schools has the full support of Shelby County Schools. I have already indicated on my calendar that I will be in attendance. And I want to thank Ms. McClennon and other organizers for bringing greater awareness to the issue of bullying. Together, we can work to insure the well-being of all our students.” McClennon feels that devising workable solutions to bullying will eliminate other problems. “Students keep resorting to bringing weapons to school, guns and knives, to protect themselves. It’s wrong, of course, but I’ve talked to these kids, and many are in fear of getting jumped on, many times by multiple people. They are not in gangs; they are afraid. And they feel that adults either can’t help or won’t help. We have been pretty ineffective in addressing the issue of bullying.” A pre-rally show will begin at 3 p.m., featuring young local performers. An all-youth panel will share some insight on incidents panelists have seen or personally experienced in relation to bullying. Booths are available for vendors to rent. For more information, go to: SVPTVnetwork.com.
Not the ‘death sentence’ it used to be Thousands gear up to ʻkick itʼ in pancreatic cancer 5K run
Special to the New Tri-State Defender
by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell Some of America’s most fascinating luminaries succumbed to it – Dizzy Gillespie, the jazz icon; Sally Ride, the first American woman in space; Microsoft creator Steve Jobs; and Memphis’ own political celeb, long-time House Speaker Pro-Tempore Lois DeBerry. But pancreatic cancer – one of the more aggressive forms of cancer – is not the “death sentence” it used to be. “There was a time when doctors would diagnose the disease and essentially send the patient home to die,” said Alan Kosten, founder of the Herb Kosten Pancreatic Cancer Research Foundation, which raises funds to support research at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. “Our Saturday support group has people who have survived as long as 10 years after being diagnosed. People are fighting back, and they are winning. That is good news worth spreading.”
And spreading the news, Kosten is. The 4th Annual Kick It 5K is the group’s major annual fundraiser for pancreatic cancer research. This year’s event is scheduled for Sunday, March 23rd. More than 1,000 people participated last year. “I’ve done some research on the numbers, and more than 30 percent more deaths from pancreatic cancer occur in the African-American community,” said Kosten. “I lost my brother, Herb, to the disease about 10 years ago. We can all have a hand in beating this thing.”
‘Fit Nation’ joins the fight
Toye Bogard, creator of Fit Nation, a local community of more than 6,000 local fitness buffs, is joining Kosten’s 5K event this year with some of his workout ‘family.’ “Raising money for both research and awareness is critical to fighting cancer on all fronts,” said Bogard. “We sponsored our first annual 5K run in September of last year for the American Cancer
Society. Both my parents died from cancer, so the cause is very close to my heart. We plan to be there on March 23rd in force.” Bogard started Fit Nation two years ago when he recognized a desire to reach out to African Americans in the Greater Memphis area and promote exercise and healthy living. Groups meet weekly at local community centers and churches for workout sessions. Adults, teenagers, kids and toddlers – everyone comes out “for a little bit of hip-hop and just a little bit of everything.” “Each group has a workout coach, and there are assistants who help each community hold everything together,” said Bogard. “We have groups in Whitehaven, Oakhaven, Westwood, Hickory Hill, West Memphis, and Covington. More than 6,000 strong are members of Fit Nation. Each community has its own color-coded Tshirt. Our monthly ‘Biggest Loser’ type weigh-in is a big pep rally – a family reunion. We are on the road to getting healthy.” Kosten hopes to see more fami-
lies getting involved with this year’s 5K run. Fit Nation’s involvement is going to be exciting, he said. “There is an African-American personal trainer who brings his clients to the 5K run each year to participate as a team,” said Kosten. “Having Fit Nation join us this year will be great. The more people who get involved, the greater the level of awareness, and wider participation will bring in the much needed funding for research.” Jeffrey Goldberg, editor of Memphis Magazine and the Memphis Flyer, is this year’s 5k chairman.
(Email questions or concerns about the 5K to Daniel Shafer: daniel@s2fevents.com. To sign up for the Herb Kosten 5K as a team or individual, go to kostenfoundation.com. Donations may also be made online.)
(For more information on Fit Nation, or to join the fitness movement, go to: www.wearefitnation.com.)
SCS General Choice Transfer process set for 2014-15 rollout
The 2014-15 General Choice Transfer process for all students in Shelby County will begin on Tuesday, Feb. 18th and run through Friday, March 7th. The General Choice Transfer process allows parents to choose a school in the district with available space that best fits their child’s educational needs. The General Choice Transfer process is NOT the same as the Optional Schools application process. Optional Schools have specific academic criteria for admissions and a separate application period.
Apply online
The General Choice Transfer process will be completely online to afford the most opportunities for students and families in Shelby County. No paper applications will be printed or accepted. Rather than lining up at the Board of Education, parents can complete and submit an application from any
personal computer with Internet access or smartphone that supports online forms. General Choice Transfer requests are considered based on the order that they are received. Applications will be electronically stamped with a date and time as they are submitted online. The online application portal will be accessible from the Shelby County Schools website, www.scsk12.org, beginning at 10 a.m. on Feb. 18. Parents can log in with their child’s name, birth date, current grade and school and either a Social Security number or district PIN. Parents of current SCS students will be able to test their login access prior to Feb. 18. For parents without personal Internet access, computers will be available at designated district sites throughout the application period. Here are the district locations: Technology Training Center, 3772 Jackson Ave. (Staff available to assist Feb.18th.) Gray’s Creek
Admin. Office, 2800 Gray’s Creek, Arlington. (Staff available to assist Feb. 18th.) East Regional Office, 2800 Gray’s Creek, Arlington. Northeast Regional Office, Treadwell CTC, 920 N. Highland St. Southeast Regional Office, Airways Middle School, 2601 Ketchum. Northwest Regional Office, Vance Middle School, 673 Vance Ave.) Southwest Regional Office, Walker Elementary, 322 King Rd.) Schools (Child’s current or neighborhood public school; Not the requested transfer site.)
Take note
Parents may consider public libraries, community centers, churches, etc. with free public Internet access. Transfer Priority & Enrollment Spaces: The district’s School Ad-
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT
missions policy (#6002) outlines priority considerations for General Choice Transfer requests: http://www.scsk12.org/uf/policy/. A list of schools with available enrollment spaces will be posted online prior to the start of the application process. Students on an existing General Choice Transfer at a school that will be part of SCS in 2014-15 are approved through the exit grade of the current school and do NOT have to re-apply. SCS is NOT able to renew General Choice Transfers for students who are attending a school that will be part of a municipal district in 2014-15 and do not live within the school’s municipal boundaries. Decisions about student enrollment within the municipal school districts will be made by the superintendent and school board in each respective district.
(For more information about the General Choice Transfer processes, visit www.scsk12.org.)
Seven local women were presented the Ruby R. Wharton Outstanding Women Award Sunday (Feb. 9) for their achievement and contributions to the City of Memphis during “The 12th Annual Tea and Talk at the Top” awards presentation at City Hall in the Council Chamber. Hosted by Mayor A C Wharton Jr. and his wife, Atty. Ruby R. Wharton, each honoree, including two sisters in grade school, was recognized in the following categories:
Meri Armour, president/CEO of LeBonheur Childrenʼs Hospital -- Early Childhood Development; Henri E. Brooks, Shelby County Commissioner -- Youth and Delinquency; Rosalva King, CEO and founder of Visa and Immigration Services Assistance, Inc. -- Race Relations; Deborah Mariene Clubb, executive director of Memphis Area Womenʼs Council -- Womenʼs Rights; Carolyn Chism Hardy, president/CEO of Chism Hardy
Investment -- Business; Gale Jones Carson, director of Corporate Communication for Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division -- Public Awareness; TaJuan StoutMitchell, Community Activist and Philanthropist -- Public Awareness; Sixth-grader Madison Dismuke of Houston Middle School -- Public Awareness; and her sister, fourth-grader Lindsey Dismuke of Dogwood Elementary School -- Public Awareness.
Mayor A C Wharton Jr. and his wife, Atty. Ruby R. Wharton, hosted the 2014 Ruby R. Wharton Outstanding Women Awards Sunday (Feb. 9).
And the recipients are: TaJuan Stout-Mitchell (left), Rosalva King, Meri Armour, Carolyn Chism Hardy, Madison Dismuke, Lindsey Dismuke, Deborah Mariene Clubb, Henri E. Brooks and Gale Jones Carson. The Whartons (background) look on appreciatively. (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley)
Tri-State Defender
BRIEFS & THINGS Family plans candlelight vigil in memory of gunshot victim, Corey Anderson
A candlelight vigil to remember Corey Anderson will be held on Saturday (Feb. 15th) at 5 p.m. Family and friends will gather at the brick wall near the Citgo store located at 2915 Old Austin Peay (corner of Austin Peay and Covington Pike). Tameka Morton, Corey’s sister and spokesperson for the vigil said, “A year ago someone took Corey’s life. He was robbed while leaving the Citgo at Old Austin Peay. The purpose of this vigil is to help stop senseless killings. Families should not go through what we’ve been through. Losing a love one to a senseless crime is indescribable.” Stevie Moore of Freedom From Unnecessary Negatives (F. F.U.N. “Stop the Killing”) will join in the effort. For more information, contact Tameka Morton at 901-628-8356 or via email, tamekamorton84@gmail.com.
Free, new-entrepreneur symposium set by The Carter Malone Group
The Carter Malone Group LLC will host the 2nd Annual Controlling How the Cookie Crumbles: Educating and Empowering Entrepreneurs Symposium on Feb. 22 at Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church at 9 a.m. and on March 8 at the Orange Mound Community Center. The free symposium targets women and minorities who are interested in starting a business or are new business owners. Information will be shared about the staples any business needs to get off the ground, including a strong business plan, industry benchmarking, utilizing resources within the community, marketing and much more. Seasoned industry leaders will serve as speakers, including Dr. Floyd Tyler, founder/president of Preserver Partners; Fred Jones, founder/president of SMC Entertainment/the Southern Heritage Classic; Nita Black – MAP Momentum; Alandas Dobbins – Memphis Office of Resource Enterprise; Natasha Donerson – Success Unlimited; and Cynthia Norwood with alt.Consulting. Participants from last year’s seminars will give testimonials on how the experience helped their business. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at both events. Program begins at 9 a.m. and ends at noon. “Last year was amazing and we look forward to more attendees learning from successful business owners and taking what they’ve learned back to their businesses or propelling them to start a business,” said Deidre Malone, president and CEO of The Carter Malone Group. “This series of symposiums is designed to help individuals learn from industry leaders and have an opportunity to network with other entrepreneurs in the area.” A $1,500 grant and other benefits will be awarded in April to the person who submits the best business plan based on what they’ve learned at the symposium. Although a free event, participants are asked to bring items for the Shelby County Rape Crisis Center. There is a list of items that they need on The Carter Malone Group website. There is limited seating for these symposiums so registration is required. For more information and to register for the event visit www.cmgpr.com or call, The Carter Malone Group 901-278-0881. BRIEFLY: UT Health Science Center’s College of Allied Health Sciences Open House will be Feb. 21 from 2 to 4 p.m., Student-Alumni Center, 800 Madison. Open to anyone interested in learning about careers in the allied health professions, including dental hygiene, physician assistant, physical and occupational therapy, clinical laboratory science, health informatics, cytotechnology/histotechnology. More information: www.uthsc.edu/allied. To R.S.V.P.: (901) 448-2126 or ahcareers@uthsc.edu.
CLASSIFIEDS
Page 13
February 13 - 19, 2014
Legal Notices
Thomson & Thomson, Inc. will be submitting a bid for the Levee Pump Project, Gen. Dewitt Spain Airport and is soliciting quotes from certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) who are interested in performing as a subcontractor. Bids will be opened at 2:00 p.m., Feb. 20, 2014. Listed below are the specific projects and contact information. Contract No. MSCAA Project No. 12-1349-01 County Shelby
Any interested party can acquire plans and specifications from the Memphis Shelby County Airport Authority website, www.mscaa.com, or at the following locations in Memphis, TN: Builderʼs Exchange Plans room, McGraw-Hill Construction Dodge Plans Room, Memphis Area Minority Contractorʼs Association, Mid-South Minority Business Council, National Association of Minority Contractors, and Renaissance Business Center Bid Room.
Quotes may be emailed (preferred) to mthomson@tandtbridge.com, faxed (731668-1361), or mailed to Thomson & Thomson, Inc., P.O. Box 10037, Jackson, TN, attention of the estimating department. Please be sure to plainly reference the project, letting and letting date. All quotes must be received one (1) hour prior NOTICE TO BIDDER(S)
Shelby County Government is soliciting written proposals on a competitive basis from qualified companies or professionals to conduct ongoing air quality modeling, conformity analysis and travel demand modeling work for the Memphis Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. Information regarding this RFP is located on the Countyʼs website at www.shelbycountytn.gov. Go to “Purchasing–Bids” under the “Business” header on the home page to locate the above-described RFP and the attachments. RFP #14-010-18 “Air Quality Modeling, Conformity Analysis and Travel Demand Modeling” Due date Friday, October 25, 2013 @ 4:00 PM
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
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Shelby County Government, Tennessee, an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer, seeks to retain the services of one or more consulting firms to provide professional services related to the following: “GREENPRINT RECREATIONAL USE CAMPAIGN FOR SHELBY COUNTY, TENNESSEE AND SURROUNDING AREAS” (RFQ# 14-010-20) By order of MARK H. LUTTRELL, JR, MAYOR SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT LEGAL NOTICE
Public Hearing on Area Plan Aging Commission of the Mid-South
The Aging Commission of the Mid- South will conduct two (2) Public Hearings for the Area Plan on Aging and Disability for fiscal years 2015-2018 for citizens in Planning and Service Area 9, covering the City of Memphis and Shelby, Fayette, Lauderdale and Tipton Counties. The hearings will be held on: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library at 10:00 am 3030 Poplar Ave Memphis TN 38111 Thursday, February 27, 2014 Halls Senior Center at 11:00 am 605 Airport Street Halls, TN 38040
We are asking that comments be made in writing and either presented in person at the public hearings, or faxed, hand delivered or mailed to the Aging Commission of the Mid-South no later than Monday, February 24, 2014 to:
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Aging Commission of the Mid-South 2670 Union Avenue Extended, Suite 1000 Memphis, TN 38112 Telephone (901) 222-4100 Fax (901) 222-4199
Flintco will be accepting bids for Landscaping & Irrigation on the Soulsville Multipurpose Building at on 3/6/2014. The project consists of 15,500sf of new construction for Soulsville Charter School with the Gymnasium designed as a FEMA storm shelter. The project includes a commercial kitchen and servery, locker rooms, offices and classrooms, and associated site work, landscaping, and hardscaping. The Soulsville Multi-Purpose BuildingSoulsville Academy is a Dual-Use FEMA 361 Safe Room that is partially funded by The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the State of Tennessee, through the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.
Flintco is an equal opportunity employer. In keeping with the Fair Business Program, we encourage and invite bids from all Eligible Business Enterprises, including WBE, MBE, SDB, SBE, and HBE companies. Sealed Bids only will be accepted by 4:00 pm 3/6/2014 for Landscaping & Irrigation. A bid bond is required. Contact Flintco at 901-372-9600 for bid documents.
Autos for Sale
2003 Buick Rendezvous 3G5DB03E53S607745 ABD Please call 901-493-0352 (Shelly)
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SPORTS Tri-State Defender, Thursday, February 13 -19, 2014, Page 14
Speed skater Shani Davis fails to medal in the 1,000-meter race The Root
by Stephen A. Crockett Jr.
With the Tigers trailing and time a growing factor, Joe Jackson of the Tigers makes a key block on Przemek Karnowski, Gonzagaʼs 7-ft.-1-inch center. (Photo: Warren Roseborough)
Tigers meet ‘great expectations’ in thriller over Gonzaga
Shani Davis’ storybook career may have come to a sad end Wednesday (Feb. 12th), as he finished eighth in the men’s 1,000meter speed-skating event, coming up short of being the first speed skater to win the same event at three consecutive games. The heavily favored Davis, one of the greatest winter Olympians of all time and the face of American speed skating, finished with a time of 109.12. The Chicago-born skater looked every bit of his 31 years coming in well over the medal times in an event in which he holds the world record. Speed skating has never seen anyone like Shani Davis, the longlegged black man whose strides swallow up yards of ice and who often credits out-running knuckleheads on the Southside of Chicago as a youngster as the reason he
Speed skater Shani Davis fails to medal in the 1,000-meter race has been able to out-skate the rest of the world for the last decade. The Netherlands won two
medals in the race, with Stefan Groothuis winning gold in 1:08.39 and Michel Mulder win-
ning bronze in 1:08.74. Canada’s Dennny Morrison took silver in 1:08.43.
GRIZZ TRACK
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by J.R. Moorhead
With ESPN’s College GameDay and the No. 23 Gonzaga Bulldogs in town, members of the True Blue Nation packed the FedExForum Saturday night (Feb. 8). They came with great expectations and the Tigers delivered with a 60-54 win. For most of the first half, Gonzaga controlled the pace. They were able to force Memphis into a half court set and the Tigers’ offense looked non-existent. Memphis started to speed things up with around five minutes remaining in the half, but the Bulldogs seemed to have an answer every time the Tigers tried to rally. Down the stretch, a bit of luck on an inbounds play with one second on the shot clock led to a Memphis offensive rebound and a Chris Crawford three-point basket. Chipping away at the lead, Crawford would covert another three in the waning minutes of the first half. Still, the Tigers would trail 25-22 at halftime. At the beginning of the second half, Gonzaga would knock down a couple of quick buckets and the bulldogs’ lead grew (30-22). Much to the dismay of the crowd, the Bulldogs continued to control the pace and their advantage expanded to twelve points (42-30) with about 14 minutes remaining in regulation. Just when it looked like the Tigers might be fading, they got the spark they desperately needed. Shaq Goodwin gambled on defense by fronting his opponent, the seven-foot-one-inch Przemek Karnowski. Karnowski received the lob entry pass into an open lane and an uncontested dunk appeared imminent. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the 6foot Joe Jackson rose to the occasion and denied the 7 footer the easy basket. The highlight block earned Jackson ESPN’s number one play on the SportsCenter Top Ten countdown for Saturday night and shook the dazed crowd back to life. After trailing by 12, the Tigers trimmed the lead to 2 with just over eight minutes remaining (44-42). The atmosphere was electric; however, with Tiger forward Dominic Woodson ejected early in the second half and Goodwin in foul trouble, it looked like the battle on the block would be the Tigers’ demise. Gonzaga pounded the ball down low and the lead swelled back to nine with five minutes remaining. Michael Dixon Jr. kept the Tigers’ hopes alive with a big three and a difficult transition layup. Coming off the bench late in the game, Nick King contributed quality minutes by grabbing big rebounds and providing much needed defensive support. Memphis took the lead back with 1:12 remaining via a Dixon layup and the next possession essentially sealed the Bulldogs fate. The Tigers’ ferocious defense forced a turnover by way of a shot clock violation. It all came down to free throws and Memphis converted enough as the last seconds ticked off the clock. The Bulldogs were stunned and he hometown crowd erupted in elation as the final horn sounded. After the game, Dixon was quick to heap praise on his fellow teammates. “A lot of guys stepped up, Nick King, Dominic Woodson,” he said. “We got down, but we didn’t fold.” Every player pointed to Jackson’s incredible block as the catalyst for the comeback. “You can’t do anything but play hard after that,” Goodwin remarked. It was only fitting that Jackson made the big play, being that it was his birthday! The 60-54 win was the 100th victory as Tigers for Jackson and the rest of the four-year seniors. “It was the best birthday ever,” said Jackson.
Nick Calathes drives and scores a key bucket late in the game, helping the Grizzlies hold on to defeat the Washington Wizards 92-89. (Photos: Warren Roseborough)
Marc Gasol (left) scores on a reverse over Marcin Gortat of the Wizards.
All-Star break arrives with Grizz in the playoff hunt The New Tri-State Defender Staff
The Memphis Grizzlies grinded their way into the NBA’s All-Star break winning back-to-back games against Washington and Orlando and reaching the 29-victory mark. After a 92-89 nail-biter against the Wizards at the FedExForum Tuesday (Feb. 11th), Memphis snatched an 86-81 win over the Magic on the road in Orlando. Against Washington, Nick Calathes scored 18 points and added 7 rebounds as he continued to sub in a quality manner for injured point guard Mike Conley. Marc Gasol matched those numbers from the center’s position to power Memphis to the win. With Grizz fans holding their collective breath, the Wizards’ All-Star John Wall missed a three-
Ed Davis (left) of the Grizzlies battles Kevin Seraphin of the Wizards for the loose ball. pointer that would have sent the game into overtime. Overall, it
was a tough shooting night for Wall, but teammate Bradley Beal
carried Washington, scoring a career-high 37 points. Facing off against the Magic (Wednesday night), the Grizzlies were up against a hot team. In a three-game stretch at home, Orlando had taken down Detroit by 14 and then sent two of the NBA’s best – Oklahoma City and Indiana – on their way with losses. It was only the second time all year that the Magic had won three straight. Memphis went to a familiar face, Zach Randolph, who broke loose for a game-high 20 points. Z-bo got help, with 17 points from Courtney Lee, 14 from Tayshaun Prince and 12 from Calathes. In each year that Memphis has made it to the playoffs, the Grizzlies have had at least 29 victories. Whew!
Tough Knights bow to Memphis The University of Memphis Tigers returned to American Athletic Conference play Wednesday night, going toe-totoe against the University of Central Florida before notching another victory at the FedExForum. Memphis lead by six at the half, but UCF battled back, in part from the presence of big Justin McBride, who set picks so strong that even Memphis’s big man Shaq Goodwin was bouncing off and hitting the floor. McBride had six points
and seven rebounds in 16 minutes. UCF was led in scoring by Tristin Spurlock (18), Isaiah Sykes (14) and Kasey Wilson (14). Memphis had four players in double figures: Joe Jackson (18), Goodwin (14), Chris Crawford (10) and Michael Dixon Jr. (10). Goodwin topped the Tigers with six rebounds. Josh Pastner, Memphis’ head coach, said, “UCF played well and it was one of those games where we were not as sharp as we needed to be in certain
areas. We were out rebounded and it hurt us in the long run. I was glad we were able to make some free throws down the stretch.” Among the positives, Pastner noted 18 assists on 27 made field goals. “Chris Crawford hit a big three in the second half that changed the momentum,” said Pastern. “David Pellom came up with some loose balls as well. We found a way to win the game, it was not pretty but it counts in the win column.”
Nick King (right) of the University of Tigers blocks the shot of Isaiah Sykes of University of Central Florida. (Photo: Warren Roseborough)