VOL. 61, No. 6
One Section/Inserts
February 2 - 8, 2012
www.tristatedefender.com
75 Cents
Is this Whitehaven’s time?
Don Cornelius to net ‘Soul Train’ marathon $16 million sought for Elvis Presley Blvd. ATLANTA (PRNewswire) –Bounce TV (http://www.bouncetv .com), the nation’s first and only broadcast television network for African Americans, will pay tribute to the life of the legendary Don Cornelius with “Bounce TV Remembers Don Cornelius,” a seven-hour marathon of “Soul Train” episodes on Saturday (Feb. 4) beginning at 6 p.m. (CT). Cornelius, creator of the long-running television dance show “Soul Train,” shot himself to death We d n e s d a y morning at his home, Los Angeles police said. “Bounce TV Remembers Don Cornelius” will feature memorable and starDon studded episodes Cornelius from the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s – all hosted by Cor- R.I.P. Don nelius, including Cornelius, see the very first syn- Opinion, page 4. dicated episode of “Soul Train” (1971), which kicks off the marathon as well as the last episode Cornelius hosted (1993) as the marathon’s finale at noon. Chilli from TLC, one of the most successful female groups in music history, will host “Bounce TV Remembers Don Cornelius.” TLC appeared on Soul Train in 1992. Bounce TV, which airs “Soul Train” weekdays at 5 p.m., is also adding the series to its primetime line-up beginning Monday (Feb. 6). Monday Night Soul will feature four classic episodes of “Soul Train” back-to-back from 7 p.m. to 11CT every week.
Employment discrimination complaints hit new EEOC high Tri-State Defender staff
The EEOC – typically thought of as an agency that benefits protected classes such as minorities, women and the disabled – received a record 99,947 charges of employment discrimination in Fiscal Year 2011, and secured a chart-topping $455.6 million in relief. Once again, charges alleging retaliation were the most numerous. Of all charges the EEOC received, 37,334 or 37.4 percent, fell into that grouping. Following closely behind were 35,395 charges (35.4 percent) involving claims of race discrimination. While the numbers of charges with race and sex discrimination allegations declined from the previous year, charges with the two other most frequently-cited allegations increased: disability discrimination – 25,742; age discrimination – 23,465. The agency’s enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) produced the highest increase in monetary relief among all of the statutes. Administrative relief obtained for disability discrimination charges increased by almost 35.9 percent to $103.4 million compared to $76.1 million in the previous fiscal SEE EEOC ON PAGE 2
MEMPHIS WEEKEND
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
H- 6 5o - L - 6 0o T-Sto rms
H- 6 7o - L - 4 7o Sho wers
H- 5 5o - L - 4 2o Most ly Clo ud y
REGIONAL TEMPS LITTLE ROCK NASHVILLE JACKSON, MS
Friday H-65 L-60 H-66 L-51 H-73 L-61
Saturday H-66 L-43 H-61 L-51 H-74 L-56
Sunday H-58 L-42 H-60 L-41 H-63 L-48
Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Tony Jones
City Councilman Harold B. Collins plans to introduce a resolution at the next council meeting (Feb. 6) requesting $16 million to spruce up Elvis Presley Blvd. The idea was previewed Tuesday night (Jan. 31) at Grace United Methodist Church on Raines Rd. in
Whitehaven. Collins is requesting $8 million in 2013 and 2014, which would be coupled with $27 million the state has dedicated to the project. He gives a rosy projection of a fully refurbished Elvis Presley Boulevard to present to the world in 2015. “The council voted to give Overton Square $16 million several weeks ago and I spoke up about this then. I opposed it (Overton Square) because
it had been closed for many, many years, discussed, drafted, restarted and redone and still there’s nothing to show for it,” said Collins. “Now, contrast that to what we are proposing. Here is a project (Graceland) that has been tested for 35 years, is the number one tourist attraction in the state, number two in the nation, bringing in $170 million annually in tourist dollars. Why
wouldn’t a councilman support this initiative?” For Tuesday’s presentation in Whitehaven, Collins brought in civil engineering firm Powers Hill Design as conductors. Invitations were sent out to several hundred licensed businesses on Elvis Presley and the immediate surrounding area. A little more than two dozen were in attendance, not a real disappointment, Collins says. SEE WHITEHAVEN ON PAGE 5
“We have to eat ourselves back to good health.” – Ruby Johnson
Soul food lite: Ruby Johnson says soul food does not have to be dripping with fat or loaded with salt to taste delicious, and she has the Orange Mound restaurant to prove it. (Photo by Warren Roseborough)
Will Memphis show up New York & LA? At stake: a healthy soul food restaurant Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Linda S. Wallace Ruby Johnson, owner of Ruby’s Sizzling Skillet, is a foot soldier in the war against obesity, even though she owns and operates a soul food restaurant in Orange Mound. Soul food does not have to be dripping with fat or loaded with salt to taste delicious, says Johnson, a trim woman, who at age 64 does not take any prescription medicines. By contrast, her mother, at one point, took 14 types
of medications at the same time. “People are getting wiped out because of this,” Johnson says. “We have to eat ourselves back to good health. Once you start taking those pills, you gotta do it for the rest of your life. Eat a well-balanced meal, drink water and exercise!” Johnson used about $35,000 from her savings to open Ruby’s Sizzling Skillet in June 2010, and keep it afloat, thus far. She also received a $5,000 loan from the Small Business Administration. “My vision (for the restaurant) is a gift
from God,” says Johnson, who worked previously as an accountant and honed her culinary skills cooking for her church. “It was a gift from Him. He is using me.” Winter is traditionally a slow season for the industry and Ruby’s has been struggling lately to attract customers. Unable to find a bank or public agency to give her a business loan, Johnson sat a table last week and told The New Tri-State Defender that she was SEE RESTAURANT ON PAGE 2
- INSIDE -
Christmas Day baby brings joy to unlikely couple
• Market opportunity: disrepect for President Obama, First Family. See Opinion, page 4.
Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell “…I already have six grown children. The youngest is 35. But little David brings us such joy that we can’t fully express it. Starting all over again with a newborn is the greatest blessing imaginable – even at age 72. I am happier than I’ve been in years...” Dr. William Owens, Newly adoptive father
Ask any question at all about his new baby and Dr. William Owens sounds like any other typical, doting father. Except for the fact that he is a 72-year-old retired educator and father of six grown children. “My son has many of my characteristics,” he says. “He has a head like mine; he rests on his arms, and crosses his legs when he’s asleep. That’s exactly how I sleep. I feel that David came to us straight from heaven, the greatest blessing God could bestow. And he is, in every possible way, our child.” His wife, Dr. Deborah Owens, concurs that David Barak (pronounced bear-wreck), their new child, has brought “unspeakable joy” into their home. The adoption
• ‘Desire’ is a ‘holy thing,’ so own up to it and create. See Religion, page 9. • African-American History Month calendar See page 14. The marriage of Dr. Deborah Owens and Dr. William Owens – already distinguished by a 25-year age gap – now includes a recently adopted infant son born on Christmas Day, 2011. (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)
of their six-week-old son is teaching them both to live every day with exuberance and gratitude. “My husband and I are 25 years apart in age,” said Dr. Owens. “As we considered adopting, it occurred to us, of course, that Bill may not have as many years with him as we would like. But if God should give us five years with David, we will be grateful. We married back in 1995. The Lord has already granted us 16 wonderful years. Each day is a precious gift from God that we happily embrace. Bill and I are making the best of this incredible journey.”
William Owens acknowledges that he has more years behind than ahead, but says, these latter years will be his best years. “Many children, especially in the African-American community will never experience even one day with their father,” he said. “I have a tremendous opportunity to nurture my son and pour into him what he will need to grow in the fear and admonition of the Lord. By the age of four, many aspects of home and family values have already been inSEE ADOPT ON PAGE 5
Preston Shannon
• Preston Shannon brings Memphis sound to ‘The Voice.’ See Entertainment, page 12.
NEWS
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Tri-State Defender
February 2 - 8, 2012
RESTAURANT
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
wondering if the time had come to close her doors for good. “I was going to give myself until Sunday,” she says. Johnson has reached the tipping point: she can’t afford to pour any more of her 401 (k) savings into the business. She can’t get a loan. That leaves Memphis with an important question: Is the community ready to step up and help save a health-conscious soul food restaurant? Soul food restaurants for the health-conscious are quite chic. “America’s Next Great Restaurant,” a 2011 NBC reality television show where contestants pitched restaurant ideas to a panel of judges, selected Jamawn Woods’ concept for Soul Daddy, a healthy soul food restaurant concept, as its grand winner. Three locations opened in Minneapolis, Manhattan and Los Angeles the day after the show’s finale but closed after a month. Johnson’s powerful faith in God and astonishing willpower has kept open the doors, and she’s received some assistance from her congregation at The New Olivet Baptist Church. Members of The New Olivet formed the non-profit that manages the Olivet Training Center and Incubator, where Ruby’s is located. The center works with tenants on business plans and offers affordable rents. Johnson says the church also gave her a small loan for the business. Ruby’s menus change daily, with primarily chicken, turkey and fish featured. The soul burger served on Fridays features turkey burgers rather than hamburgers. Her succulent meat loaf also is made from ground turkey. Traditional soul food dishes – such as fried and baked chicken and fried and grilled catfish also are available – but are prepared and cooked to reduce salt and fat. “Everything in moderation,” says Johnson. “It’s OK to eat fried foods as long as you don’t do it every day. If you do, your body begins to crave it. I eat fried chicken now and then, but I take the skin off, whether it’s mine or someone else’s. Eat healthier.” Each entrée, which are priced from $6.95, comes with two generous side orders – green beans, greens, cabbage,
EEOC
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
year. Back impairments were the most frequently cited impairment, followed by other orthopedic impairments, depression, anxiety disorder and diabetes. The EEOC now fields charges brought under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of genetic information, including family medical history. Last year, the first full fiscal year of enforcement, yielded 245 charges. So far, none of those has proceeded to litigation. “For the second year in a row, the EEOC received a record number of new charges of discrimination,” said
Candied yams are part of the Rubyʼs Sizzling Skillet menu. All ingredients used are fresh or frozen – never canned.
Ruby Johnson used about $35,000 from her savings to open Rubyʼs Sizzling Skillet in June 2010, and keep it afloat, thus far. (Photos by Warren Roseborough) fried corn, black-eye peas, mashed potatoes and more. All ingredients used are fresh or frozen – never canned. Vegetable platters are a popular menu choice. A recent report entitled “F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2010” rates Mississippi as the state with the highest rate of obesity – 34.4 percent. Tennessee was among 12 states with obesity rates topping 30 percent. Four years ago, only one state had a rate that climbed above 30 percent. What’s more, poor health can slow job creation, according to Healthier Americans for a Healthier Economy, which focuses on the relationship between health and economic development. Health affects the ability of states, cities and towns to attract and retain employers, which means workplace and community wellness programs boost productivity
and reduce health spending, authors say. “High rates of chronic diseases, like diabetes and heart disease, are among the biggest drivers of U.S. health care costs and they are harming our nation’s productivity,” says Jeff Levi, PhD, executive director of TFAH, and chair of the Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health. “Workplace wellness and community prevention programs are a win-win way to make a real difference in improving our health and bottom line all at once.” Johnson, using her limited savings, working 13-hour days, opened a restaurant that brought jobs to Orange Mound, and now stands ready to stabilize costs for local corporations. Will we, as a city, allow her to fail? She, and hundreds of others social entrepreneurs, churches
and nonprofits, are unsung heroes that toil quietly, away from the cameras and spotlights, transforming neighborhoods in distinctive ways. Johnson’s message is inspiring families at all income levels to commit to leaving their children a legacy of good health. That’s a turnkey to prosperity. More than one-third of America’s children ages 10-17 are now obese. Nine of the 10
states with the highest rates of obese children are in the South. “I am putting my all into this,” Johnson tells me, her eyes moistening. “Our children are suffering.”
EEOC Chair Jacqueline Berrien. “Nevertheless, the hard work of our employees, combined with increased investments in training, tech-
nology and staffing in 2009 and 2010, and strategic management of existing resources made 2011 a year of extraordinary achievements for the
EEOC.” EEOC’s enforcement programs – in both the private and federal sectors – are credited for 5.4 million individu-
als benefiting from changes in employment policies or practices in their workplace during the past fiscal year. Public outreach and educa-
“My vision (for the restaurant) is a gift from God,” says Johnson, who worked previously as an accountant and honed her culinary skills cooking for her church.
If you go:
Ruby’s Sizzling Skillet at 645 Semmes Ave. is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on
Sundays. It is closed Saturdays and Mondays. Delivery is available for customers purchasing at least two entrees. Call 901-323-0800. Catering services also are available. (Linda S. Wallace is author of “Lessons from the Dog Park: Secrets for Getting Along with Your Pack,” a soon to be published book on handling relationships and differences.)
tion programs are said to have reached approximately 540,000 persons. Source: EEOC
OPINION
Tri-State Defender
Page 3
February 2 - 8, 2012
Lies pollute Republican presidential debates
How can you tell when politicians are lying? Answer: When they move their lips. Until now, that had been considered a j o k e . Today, h o w e v e r, that seems especially true when listening to Republicans seekGeorge ing their E. Curry party’s presidential nomination. Thanks to FactCheck.org, sponsored by the Annenberg Public Policy Center the University of Pennsylvania; PolitiFact, the Pulitzer-Prize winning site operated by the Tampa Bay Times and the Washington Post’s The Fact Checker blog, it’s easier to catch politicians in lies. Here are some notable examples: “We’re only inches away from no longer being a free economy.” – Mitt Romney, Republican debate Jan. 7 in Manchester, N.H.
PolitiFact: “…There’s strong evidence undercutting Romney’s claim that comes from, of all places, the conservative Heritage Foundation. Heritage published an economic freedom index for 2011 – an international ranking of nations using a combination of 10 types of statistics, covering business freedom, trade freedom, fiscal freedom, government spending, monetary freedom, investment freedom, financial freedom, property rights, freedom from corruption and labor freedom…The U.S. ranked ninth out of 179 nations on the list, with a score that placed it near the top of the ‘mostly free’ category. The only nations to be considered more ‘free’ than the U.S. were, in descending order, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Canada, Ireland, and Denmark. “If the results of this study – which, we’ll remind readers, was produced by a staunchly conservative think tank – suggest that the U.S. is on the verge of socialism, then Lenin must be partying in his mausoleum.” **
“I was talking to a state official the other day in Iowa that told me that the state of Iowa is being fined because they’re not signing up enough people on to the Medicaid program.” – Rick Santorum, CNN debate Jan. 19 in Charleston, S.C.
The FactChecker: “Santorum has made this puzzling comment before. ABC News investigated and found there was little to it. ‘Iowa, like other states, receives federal reimbursement for the money it disburses in Medicaid fees,’ Huma Khan reported. ‘There is no quota system or target that the state has to meet in order to be eligible for federal money. The amount of money that each state receives is dependent on its economy.’ She quoted a state official as saying that any reduction in payments ‘is not a punishment. This is a recognition that Iowa’s economy is improving relative to other states.’” **
“Under Jimmy Carter, we had the wrong laws, the wrong regulations, the wrong leadership, and we killed jobs. We had inflation. We went to 10.8 percent unemployment.” – Gingrich, Charleston debate
The Fact Checker: “Actually, unemployment reached 10.8 percent during the term of Gingrich’s hero, Ronald Reagan. The unemployment rate did not get higher than 7.8 percent under Carter.” **
“I could have stayed in Detroit like (Romney’s father) and gotten pulled up in a car company. I went off on my own. I didn’t inherit money from my parents. What I have I earned, I worked hard, the American way.” – Romney, Charleston
debate
The Fact Checker: “No one questions that Romney earned huge sums on his own – he is now worth an estimated $200 million or more – but he has been inconsistent in the past on the question of his inheritance. He has said he did inherit money but gave it away. “In a 2006 interview with CSPAN, he said that ‘I did inherit some funds from my dad.
But I turned and gave that away to charity. In this case I gave it to a school which Brigham Young University established in his honor, the George W. Romney School of Public Management.’ “More recently, in an interview with Reuters, he said: ‘What I got from my parents when they passed away I gave away to charity and to my kids.’ Moreover, The Boston Globe and the new book “The
Real Romney” have reported that he lived off stock investments as a college student and he received a loan from his father to buy his first house.” **
“Any child born prematurely, according to the president, in his own words, can be killed.” – Rick Santorum in a speech March 7 to the Iowa
Faith and Freedom Coalition.
PolitiFact: “We researched Obama’s position on ‘born alive’ legislation extensively during the presidential campaign. Obama favors abortion rights generally, and he opposed the state version of Illinois’ ‘born alive’ measure as a state senator. But he never said that premature children, even those who survived an abortion, could be killed.”
Don’t believe every word that leaves from a politician’s lips.
(George E. Curry, former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine and the NNPA News Service, is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. He can be reached through his Web site, www.george curry.com. You can also follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge.)
Page 4
OPINION
Tri-State Defender
February 2 - 8, 2012
John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951 - 1997)
• Bernal E. Smith II President / Publisher • Dr. Karanja A. Ajanaku Executive Editor
The Mid-Southʼs Best Alternative Newspaper
A Real Times Newspaper
Drunk with power, U.S. Dept. of Ed is hell bent
‘An opportunity of a lifetime!’
Feb. 7: National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
A few years ago, we had the opportunity to pastor an HIV-positive young man. When he was diagnosed, the medical professionals told him to go home and prepare to die. He believed they judged him and the choices he had made. After receiving the news, he decided not to share the information with anyone, fearing the same type of treatment. He wondered, if the medical profession treated him this badly, what would his family and the faith community do? As time passed without treatment, he contracted cancer, and now had cancer and AIDS. He felt blessed to have the diagnosis of cancer because there was more dignity associated with dying of cancer rather than with AIDS. Unfortunately, this young man could have lived longer had he been freed of the shame and stigma that accompanies HIV. It’s time to erase the misconceptions and stigmas associated with the disease and embrace and lift up those who have HIV. Empowering ourselves and our friends and loved ones with knowledge about the disease and knowing why your status is important, as well as prevention methods, support programs available and treatment options, are necessary to take a stand against further spread of HIV in our community. Feb. 7 is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, when more attention will be brought to statistics, risks and lives lost. The Memphis TGA Ryan White Program and its service providers across the MidSouth are educating our community, aiming to employ individuals with the knowledge they need to “Know Now. Live Longer.” National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is another opportunity to share information about the disease, with the hope of motivating individuals to get tested or seek medical care available to them through programs such as the Memphis Ryan White Program. The federally-funded initiative provides free primary medical and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS in Shelby and surrounding counties. Services provided by the Ryan White Program include medical care, AIDS prescription assistance, and mental, dental and nutrition services, among others. Additional information is available at www.hivmemphis.org or by calling (877) HIV-KNOW [(877) 4485669]. Last year, in support of December’s World AIDS Sunday, the Memphis faith community joined together with the Ryan White Program to take a stand against the disease infiltrating the Mid-South. The church has always been a place of hope, healing and healthy starts, as well as new beginnings, and was a natural partner to help remove stigma, fear and shame
associated with the disease. As we continue the conversation surrounding HIV and AIDS leading up to National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day on Feb. 7, it is important to Diane move forward Young with compassion and not judgment. This disease has entered lives through many different doors; but even when it entered through acts that we passionately disagree with, it is important to operate in love when addressing those with the disease. Truth be told, “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” The church has the power to encourage HIV-positive individuals to seek treatment and embrace them as they take this journey. Many living with the disease fear being cut off by family, friends and the faith community and, motivated by fear, often fail to seek treatment that can prolong their lives. The Memphis Ryan White Program can help them navigate the unfamiliar and show them how to live healthy lives while managing the disease. We must use National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day to begin educating congregants about the fears they have of contracting HIV by touching, talking or sitting next to a person with this disease. They need to know that is not the way HIV is spread. Actually, a person living with the disease is in more danger of being exposed to germs by sitting next to someone with a cold. On Feb. 7, we have what I call “the opportunity of a lifetime!” God has given us the chance to show love to those living with HIV or AIDS, many so tormented by shame and fear that they remain home rather than coming to church; they remain silent fearing excommunication or, more simply, “the cold shoulder.” We should encourage them to choose to live by knowing their status and to take care of themselves to live longer. We have an opportunity to put down the stones and share God’s unconditional love. National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and “Know Now. Live Longer.” are opportunities to show God’s love in the first degree. Let’s do it and begin to walk in that love every day of our lives. We can be a catalyst for many who live in fear and shame to “Know Now. Live Longer.” (Diane Young is a pastor at The Healing Center Full Gospel Baptist Church.)
IN THE MAIL
R.I.P. Don Cornelius
Don Cornelius, wow mixed emotions! I’m saddened to hear of this great loss and how we lost him. This iconic figure feels like I’ve lost an old uncle. We didn’t have so many mediums of communication back then. And you can bet yo’ bottom dollar we were glued to the TV for the Soooooooouuuuuuuuullll Train! He was an entertainment pioneer at a pivotal time. We were saying it loud, black and proud. Don was a key marketing team player to help brand the coolness of the revolution, the new look to the new attitude. It was a be-there or be-square kind of vibe. Boy, I learned some really cool moves to the grooves. Perhaps I should upgrade, but they’re still the main ones I use today, some thirty five plus years later... ouch, lol!!! Why self-inflicted? We don’t know what his declining years must
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
have been like or the cycles and seasons in between. We knew the personae not the person. I’m left to imagine that there were elements in his spiritual space that needed nurturing. Killing yourself is the finality of a cry that was not heard, ignored, or wasted in the wrong place. Certainly, on the 3rd rock-fromthe-sun, all good things must come to an end, but I wish it wouldn’t have ended this way for him. Though he may have buried himself, he did not bury his dream. He got a chance to share it with millions of eager and willing participants. Hey, it’s not a good party until you’ve had a good Soul Train line. So I draw to the beautiful things that he contributed to the lives of so many. R.I.P. Don Cornelius – Anniece Robinson Memphis DISTRIBUTION: Tri-State Defender is available at newsstands, street sales, store vendors, mail subscription and honor boxes throughout the Greater Memphis area. No person may, without prior written permission of the Tri-State Defender, reprint any part of or duplicate by electronic device any portion without written permission. Copyright 2012 by Tri-State Defender Publishing, Inc. Permission to Publisher, Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN. 38103. Back copies can be obtained by calling the Tri-State Defender at (901) 523-1818, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
Market opportunity: disrepect for President Obama, First Family
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has one hell of a nerve. In an image that has gone viral, she put her finger in President Obama’s face, apparently lecturing him about something or other, making her the pure picture of arrogant disrespect. Apparently, she has learned from the best of the marketers. Before her finger-wagging diatribe, Brewer’s book “Scorpions for Breakfast” was ranked 285,568 on the Amazon list. By the time she finished promoting and defending her disrespect, with appearances on Fox News and other networks, the book rose from its lowly perch to be ranked at 21 by last Thursday and at 15 by Sunday. And, you know, I almost bit by buying the book myself, figuring that I ought to read about something I’m going to talk about. But Kindle lets you “sample” and the sample was not impressive. And Amazon lets you browse parts of the book. Also unimpressive. At the end of the day, I refuse to enrich a woman who lacks such basic respect that she has to finger wag and still does not have the good sense to apologize. Shame on her and shame on Arizona! Brewer is not the first, though, and she won’t be the last to disrespect President Obama and the First Family. Indeed, from the time President Obama was nominated the disrespect has been replete, and it has had a racial component that only an ostrich would deny. Brewer played the race card, with body language that screamed “boy.” Then she said President Obama was “disrespectful” when he walked away from her midconversation. She is lucky that President Obama has such amazing self-restraint. I can imagine quite a few folks, failing to relish the experience of a leader so undisciplined as to resort to finger wagging, who might have responded very differently than President Obama did. Later, Gov. Brewer said she felt “threatened” by President Obama. Give me a break! This is classic “Birth of A Nation,” with the fragile white woman so threatened by brutish black man that she runs off a cliff. If anyone should have felt threatened by the conversation, it was President Obama, which is perhaps why he walked away. Look at the picture. Who looks contained, and who looks out of control? Brewer’s invocation of racial stereotypes sent her pathetic book rising to the charts, just like Rush Limbaugh’s racial attacks on President Obama keep his syndicated talk show ratings up. The insults to the Obamas have been too numerous to detail, but I was appalled when Congressman James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.) dared discuss the First’ Lady’s posterior, and even more appalled when legions of people did not rise and call him on it. Similarly, South Carolina
Congressman Joe Wilson shouted “You Lie” when the President was speaking and went on to raise money in the wake of his disrespect. Kansas House Speaker Mike O’Neal, a Republican, cirJulianne culated an email Malveaux describing our First Lady Mrs. Yo-Mama, then clumsily apologized that he didn’t read the whole email. While most decent people consider children hands off – that was the case for Amy Carter and Chelsea Clinton – the Obama girls have also been the subjects of sickly racist jokes. The Obamas have been stoic in the face of crazy racism, but Brewer says our President is thin-skinned. He didn’t write a book replete with whining complaints about the response to her racist SB 1070 that not only attempted to close borders, but also charged law enforcement officials with stopping people who “look” like illegal residents of our country. If you can’t take the heat, Mrs. Brewer, then stay out of the legislation. And keep your finger out of people’s faces. Rudeness, however, seems to be a marketing ploy these days, and disrespecting the President seems to be even a better ploy still for the Republicans who implicitly play the race card. And it does not cut both ways. When the Dixie Chicks were critical of President Bush, their sales plummeted and they were disinvited to a number of concert opportunities. Jan Brewer is disrespectful to President Bush, her book sales rise and she becomes a conservative heroine. She attempted to do what so many conservatives have also attempted to do – put President Obama in his place. But here’s the deal. He is in his place. His place is in the White House! Write, call, email Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer. If you make discretionary decisions on meeting places, consider what support of Arizona says to this disrespectful governor and the people she represents. Brewer needs to know that while some people are grabbing up her book, others see through her as a disrespectful citizen who would stoop to finger-pointing theatre to take her mediocre book from the bottom of the Amazon pile to the top. I can’t say it enough – shame on you Jan Brewer. You are very blessed and highly favored to have chosen to wag your finger at a man of restraint. Don’t try it anywhere else, because the next person might meet you toe to toe instead of choosing to walk away. (Julianne Malveaux is president of Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, N.Car.)
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IN THE MAIL
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Karl Marx, the Father of Communism (Marxism), would be blushing if he could come up from Hell and look at what the United States Department of Education is trying to pull off on Harry the American C. Alford public. The power grab began when the economic downturn hit us. The provider of college student loans, SallieMae, was a victim like many other institutions. Like a “duck on a June bug” the federal government pounced on it. It wasn’t long before the DOE became the owner of SallieMae, shut it down permanently and took total control of student lending. It was the beginning of the end for student lending as we know it. With its new found power, it initiated the “Gainful Employment Rule.” This rule, which is a way around actual Congressional legislation, would calculate loan pay back ratios against students of particular schools. If the formula was substandard than that particular school would no longer be allowed student financing. Thus, a school not meeting the requirement would be destined to destruction. The formula was “cooked” to go against for-profit schools such as Kaplan, University of Phoenix, DeVry, etc. What is noticeable is the fact that these schools graduate the lion’s share of minority students – particularly African-American students. Obviously, this rule will deliver a deathly blow to the futures of millions of African-American students and so, we cried foul! The DOE didn’t care and pursued this vicious plot. We caught the attention of Congress, particularly the Congressional Black Caucus. They politely approached the White House. Even liberal groups such as Operation Push voiced much concern. Noticing the attention, the DOE decided to publish a “study.” The saying “figures don’t lie but liars figure” applies here. They actually had the audacity to present to Congress and the public a study that claimed there would be no disproportionate impact on minorities resulting from the implementation of the Gainful Employment Rule. Oh, what a lie! It took a formal lawsuit by the Association of Private Sector Colleges and Universities to get to the truth. It was proven in court that the so-called study by DOE omitted African-American students from its calculation. Can you believe it? They were looking for impact on minorities but excluded any information about African-American students. It was a total deceit. Keep in mind that as this rule is written, 93 percent of our historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU’s) also will no longer qualify for student loans from the federal government. What will happen to them? The power hungry DOE would shut down their legacies and merge them into state university systems. Our college tradition will be gone forever. Black folk, I think you need to pay more attention to this. There is another thing this “freight train” is trying to do. They are encouraging state legislatures, such as Indiana and others, to no longer have a licensing system for barber and beauty schools. Why? They want to take the entrepreneurship out of this industry. So many of our youth are given a second chance by going to barber college or beauty school and getting a license to open up their own shop and earn an honest living. Many times it is the only way an ex-offender can get a professional license. By doing this, it would kill all of these schools. Then, the giant DOE can start producing barbers and beauticians through their federally funded community schools. It would kill a longstanding and prosperous way of life within our communities. The above is all about “Europeanizing” our educational system. Before long, they will be deciding what African-American youth ought to do with their future. They will reserve college space for their chosen ones (including African-American bourgeoisie) and for the common folk they will slot in particular spaces and crafts. They will choose what a youth is going to do at an early age, not what the youth dreams of doing or what his parents encourage him/her to become. They will be sent to culinary schools, hospitality fields, machinists and blue collar activities. Freedom of choice, entrepreneurship and living the American dream will soon fade away if we let these zealots have their way. America, it is time to “dig in” and fight back. Don’t let them destroy our way of life.
(Harry C. Alford is the co-founder, president/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®. Website: www.nationalbcc.org. Email: halford@nationalbcc.org.)
Tri-State Defender
WHITEHAVEN
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“This is just the start to give them a preview of the initial plan. We wanted to start with the businesses first because they will be the first to be affected because of city right-of-way, zoning variances and other important details. So it was important to get them on board. Plus, they are the lifeline of the community,” Collins said. “We want to get their ideas about the redevelopment of the street.” Presenter Nisha Powers walked through a short presentation detailing the street’s built in attributes: Graceland being one of the world’s most visited tourist attraction (second only to the White House; consistent traffic flow; family based economy and more. Council Chairman Myron Lowery, who attended the presentation, expects the resolution to pass without delay. “We’ve ignored Elvis Presley Boulevard and the Whitehaven area for far too long. It’s time we make it right,” said Lowery. “We need to put more dollars in this area. This is the gateway to the airport, and as the aerotropolis concept continues to develop, Whitehaven cannot be ignored.” For some, Whitehaven, with its estimated population of 50,000, serves as a perfect economic study. Often referred to now as a predominantly AfricanAmerican community, it was organized in the late 19th century and named after property owner Colonel Francis White. While other areas have traded places with it as the new vogue, Whitehaven once was viewed by many African Americans as an attainment point. It became a case study for white flight to the suburbs and the butt of “Blackhaven” jokes. Today, many African-Americans are second-generation residents. At Tuesday’s meeting, there was evidence aplenty of a strong working class area, community pride, diversity and acknowledgement that there are a lot of people outside of the community who are ill-informed about it. Chuck Strong, the owner of Piano’s Flowers and Gifts and Whitehaven EDC President, is an avid Whitehaven booster. Asked why he didn’t move out when African Americans started moving in, Strong encapsulated is reasoning in blunt terms. “There was no reason to move. I have a home here. My business has been here for 30 years. I had no reason to move,” he said. “See, ignorance is bliss,” Strong added. “All the people that I know of that moved, for whatever reason, I’ve never heard anyone say they were so tickled to death where they are, because what they had was better than what they got. “And they all didn’t move to
ADOPT
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stilled. Love and exuberant joy is ours because David has come home.”
‘Love at first sight’
“Barak is a Hebrew word, and the name of the commander of the army of Deborah, the prophetess and heroine of the Hebrew Bible. He went out to conquer the enemies of God’s people,” Deborah Owens explained. The child’s first name, “David,” means beloved. “David was born on Christmas Day,” she says. “The birth mother sought me out months before he was born. I labored with this child emotionally and spiritually. This past week, in a Dallas courtroom I had a chance to thank David’s birth mother for blessing us with such a wonderful gift. My baby was handed to me, and we locked eyes. That was it. Bill and I were in love with him from the first moment we laid eyes on him. “What a joy he is to us. Both Bill and I are retired educators, and I presently run a nonprofit organization called Mission Education. My passion is connecting children in need with the social services and other interventions necessary to their ability to learn? We are currently in Dallas, Texas, where I am working with an HBCU in student support services. “We are only here temporarily. Our heart is in Memphis. When this assignment is over, we will be returning. Memphis will always be home.”
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February 2 - 8, 2012
the same place, so you lost y o u r neighbors.” Positioning his hands and fingers to indicate he was quotHarold ing, Strong Collins said, “‘Because of the way society is’ they ended up in the same predicament, if that’s what you want to call it. But if they had stayed, then they wouldn’t have had any predicament. It’s a self-created problem. “Here in Whitehaven, we have to pull together to keep it great and growing. I’ll be excited about this plan when I see the first bulldozer.” In the Q&A session before the breakout, Hazel Moore, a long time Whitehaven business owner, political activist and booster, whose beauty salon has been a fixture on the west side of the Whitehaven Shopping Plaza for decades, drew unified praise. “We understand that this is just the beginning of a long term plan, but one thing must be understood, we don’t need any more pawn shops and things like that down here,” said Moore to much support. “We need to bring out the bet-
ter side of Whitehaven’s strength as a community.” Powers, the presenter, asked the owners to find their locations on a wall exhibit and mark them with stickers. It was a fun way to close the information session, and there was no rush to the door. Mary Butcher of Butcher Business Tax Services said, “I’m glad they came to us as an upfront part of the planning process so we can do something effective and get it done in a better, quicker manner.” A Whitehaven resident for 20 years, Butcher said those who may feel the community has gone down since integration are mistaken. “We want to see it continue to grow as a positive neighborhood so our kids that grew up here will want to grow up and live here. It’s a great place to me.” Contractor Tommy Bell, also a Whitehaven resident, pointedly brought up what may be the sticking point of Whitehaven’s image and future development. “I think it’s a matter of the (larger) businesses not really appreciating the area. I’ve been here all my life and I still want to see a plan that will bring more African American owned businesses into the area,” said Bell. “I know the aesthetics are important, but how come when I want to go out and have a good steak, I have to go to east Memphis if I don’t want to?”
Evan Ryan Smith (left), Memphis Delta Region Student Engagement Co-Chair for Tennessee PTA; Eric Smith (center), PTA volunteer; and Otha Thornton, President-Elect National PTA, found common ground at the PTA conference. (Photo by Shirley Jackson)
PTA conference serves to unite The Tennessee PTA Memphis Delta Region Winter Conference, coordinated by Regional Director Cheryl Floyd and hosted by The Church of Christ at White Station at 1106 Colonial Road, was held last Saturday (Jan. 28.). Myriad workshops punctuated the event, which attracted about 150 parents, teachers, students, PTA members (local, regional and national), representatives from Congressman Steve Cohen’s office and various community leaders. A PTA Town Hall session featured a Q & A with
Betsy Landers, National PTA President, Karen Davis, Tennessee PTA President, Sharla Sparks, President-Elect Tennessee PTA, and Otha Thornton, President-Elect National PTA. Eric Smith, a PTA volunteer and a 7th grader at Colonial Middle School, said he would love to sit on the PTA board one day. His brother, Evan Ryan Smith, a fourth grader at Knight Road Elementary, shared his desire to be an entrepreneur and run a recycling company. – by Shirley Jackson
BUSINESS
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February 2 - 8, 2012
ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY
All is not lost to overseas facilities
Growing Manufacturing in the USA
From Brother Industries to Buckman Laboratories, manufacturing is alive in Memphis, and the recent additions of Electrolux and Mitsubishi speak to the possibility of growth. Carlee In addition to McCullough paper and computers, Memphis firms manufacture beverages, tissue, pharmaceuticals and – coming soon – electrical transformers and stoves. All of these companies should serve as inspiration for other up-and-coming small businesses. Keep in mind that manufacturing is an extremely important component to our diverse economy. As the nation attempts to rebound from a recession, more attention has been placed on American jobs and products. This month, “On Our Way to
Wealthy” focuses on manufacturing, specifically “mini manufacturing.” The term is one I coined for manufacturing businesses that are in the infant stages, with the potential for exponential growth when nurtured, supported and encouraged.
Supporting organizations
The United States was in a deep recession and many of the nation’s manufacturers were expressing a strong need to export their products when the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1895. NAM helped launch the National Council of Commerce, which later became the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In the 1990s, NAM created the Manufacturing Institute after research showed that legislators, the government, the media, policy influencers and the public had an antiquated view about manufacturing’s vital leadership in innovation, job opportunity, technological progress and economic national security. The Institute continues to be a strong supporter of manufacturing interests by conducting groundbreaking research
and combating misperceptions and stereotypes about manufacturing through educational and innovative programs. Another manufacturing support organization – the American Small Manufacturers Coalition’s (ASMC) – sports a membership that employs 13 million Americans. According to it’s website, the coalition drives job growth in manufacturing support industries such as logistics, marketing, transportation and business services. Manufacturing accounts for approximately two-thirds of domestic research and development expenditures. And ASMC believes that manufactured goods represent two-thirds of our exports and drives more net wealth creation than any other sector. ASMC’s support for manufacturing includes hosting an annual Hill Day in Washington, D.C. This year it will be March 6-7. The event allows ASMC members and client companies to meet with their respective Congressional delegation to advocate support for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) in its annual appropriations process. MEP (www.nist.gov) serves as a catalyst for strengthening American manufacturing by working with
African-American woman takes over as Sam’s Club CEO
(Special to the NNPA from the Atlanta Daily Voice)
Exporting
President Barack Obama wants to double American exports by 2015 by targeting small businesses to help
drive growth, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. The Administration wants to use federal resources, such as trade missions abroad and financing from the Export-Import Bank, to encourage more companies to export and to help those now participating in exporting to reach new markets. American goods and services are in much demand overseas, a view offered by Former Commerce Secretary Gary Locke. Unfortunately, mini- and small-manufacturers are faced with multiple challenges: lack of knowledge of international markets and laws, little money for expansion, language and customs barriers and minimal knowledge pertaining to logistical issues of exporting. So small business operators should not limit themselves to strictly doing business in the U.S. Instead, they should research international markets that may need their goods or services, and reach for the opportunities. Remember, even the greats started small. (Contact Carlee McCullough, Esq., at 5308 Cottonwood Road, Suite 1A, Memphis, TN 38118, or email her at jstce4all@aol.com.)
Black Heritage Forever Stamp salute for publishing giant John H. Johnson
NNPA News Service
BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Walmart Stores Inc., the world’s biggest retailer, has named Rosalind Brewer as president and CEO of Sam’s Club – the first woman and the first African-American to hold a CEO position at one of the company’s business units. Brewer, 49, who replaces Brian Cornell, previously was president of the retailer’s U.S. East business unit. The move was effective Feb. 1, officials said. Prior to joining Walmart, Brewer held a number of executive positions at Kimberly-Clark Corp. Brewer’s promotion is one of several moves announced last week to help boost the company’s fledgling profit margin.
small and mid-sized U.S. manufacturers to help create and retain jobs, increase profits, and save time and money. The nationwide network provides a variety of services, from innovation strategies to process improvements to green manufacturing. MEP also works with partners at the state and federal levels on programs that help manufacturers develop new clients, expand into new markets and create new products. The field staff has over 1,300 technical experts – located in every state – serving as trusted business advisors, focused on solving manufacturers’ challenges and identifying opportunities for growth. As a program of the U.S. Department of Commerce, MEP offers clients a wealth of unique and effective resources centered on five critical areas: technology acceleration, supplier development, sustainability, workforce and continuous improvement.
Walmart executive Rosalind Brewer has been named president and CEO of Samʼs Club. (Photo courtesy of NNPA/McArthur Newell II)
CHICAGO (PRNewswire) – One of the nation’s highest honors was presented on Tuesday (Jan. 31) to pioneering entrepreneur and publisher John H. Johnson, who was commemorated on this year’s Black Heritage Forever Stamp by the United States Postal Service. Johnson, the founder of Johnson Publishing Company of Chicago, which publishes Ebony and Jet magazines, is the 35th honoree in the Black Heritage stamp series. The Postal Service has recognized the achievements of prominent African Americans through the Black Heritage series since 1978. Past honorees have included Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Thurgood Marshall, and Barbara Jordan.
Tri-State Defender
BUSINESS
February 2 - 8, 2012
MONEY MATTERS
Retirement challenges facing business owners and professionals How can I convert my business into planned retirement income? With all businesses, especially those that are primarily service oriented, it is important to transition from one that is “Lifestyle Based” to one that can be “Equity Based.” Lifestyle, as the name implies, is purposed to support the owner’s living standard according to his/her schedule, income and tax benefit needs. As such, the value is based on the owner and typically diminishes or vanishes when he/she retires or passes. By contrast, an Equity Based organization is designed to run with the intention of providing a value that can be accessed by the owner or his/her family at some future time. Keys to developing an Equity Based entity include: Staff: The owner must be surrounded by people capable of replicating the product or service, thereby extricating him/her from the day-to-day business operations. Critical in this is the staff’s capability to handle routine matters, especially those that involve customer contact. The owner involvement of course remains, but is elevated to a significantly higher level like new business development and strategic planning. Procedures: Key to the businesses equity value is its ability to deliver a consistently high quality product or service independent of the owner’s involvement. A “replicable” process can only be based on developing clear procedures and guidelines that motivated staff can follow without the owner’s constant oversight and direction. Michael Gerber’s “E-Myth Revisited” provides an excellent foundation for proceduralizing that replicable process. Retention: It is essential to have one to three key employees who can act as the owner would, take pride in the business’ success, and have effective incentives to thrive personally along with that success. Bonuses based on performance and results, or even potential incremental ownership over time may prove
helpful in retaining good employees. Succession can involve ownership transference to family members, Charles co-owners, Sims Jr. current employees or an outside third party. The keys are that the entity be capable of operating separately from its owner, and that the transference be done in the most tax advantaged manner possible. Depending on the circumstances, this can result in a lump sum, a payment over time, an on-going interest in the entity or some combination of these. Which qualified retirement plan is best for my situation? Several factors need to be considered. Variability of business revenues and income: Generally, greater tax benefits are available at the cost of higher committed plan contribution levels. The downside, of course, is that in lean years it could be difficult to maintain those higher contributions. It is important to carefully weigh these, and often advisable to err on the side of greater flexibility and lower contribution levels. Owner or employee emphasis: The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) is the major body of regulations that specifies minimum participation requirements for rank and file employees. Within these rules is some flexibility that can allow owners to receive a relatively greater proportion of dollars contributed. This is especially so if the firm is willing to make prescribed minimum contributions under “Safe Harbor” provisions, and/or if the key employees have a significantly higher average age under “Age Weighted” arrangements. Retention: Ensuring that the dedicated staff built through the years is sufficiently compensated so to not be tempted to look elsewhere for
employment is important. It may also be a priority to provide them with an incentive to begin saving for their futures. This is especially so since many workers are not saving enough to be able to live comfortably after retirement and the owner worries about their well-being. Every business weighs the relative importance of these issues differently. Generally, each plan has trade offs between amount of annual taxdeductible contribution allowed, flexibility of varying that contribution in good and lean years, and a desire to reward employees versus encourage them to save for themselves. When properly done, the right retirement plan can provide the owner with effective tax benefits now, a stream of reliable income well into retirement, and a motivational-retention tool for important employees. Every owner will one day leave the business. Here’s the question: Will it be on his/her own terms or dictated based on health or financial circumstances? When it is properly planned, it can be a positive, life changing, wealth creation event that brings financial independence to the owner and/or family, and has the added benefit of leaving the business a healthy, viable entity that can flourish long after the owner departs. A qualified financial adviser can help develop a clear picture of a business’s value and then integrate that information with the owner’s personal financial situation to give a comprehensive view needed to plan for a successful future. (Charles Sims Jr., CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, is President/ CEO of The Sims Financial Group. Contact him at 901682-2410 or visit www.Sims FinancialGroup.com. The information in this article is not intended to be tax or legal advice, and it may not be relied on for the purpose of avoiding any federal tax penalties. You are encouraged to seek tax or legal advice from an independent professional advisor.)
Ne-Yo gets new gig as Motown exec
R&B star Ne-Yo has left Def Jam and signed a new deal with Motown, where he will not only continue to make his own music but serve as an executive for the label as well. “His track record of success at Def Jam will always be a benchmark,” Universal Republic and Island Def Jam Motown chairman/CEO Barry Weiss said in a statement. “But this move to Motown will provide new and inspiring challenges for Ne-Yo as both an artist and a key member of the new senior man- “I want to get a g e m e n t back to a place team that is where t a k i n g form at the everybody’s label in listening to the 2012.” same thing no N e - Y o matter what has been race, color, named the senior vice creed you p r e s i d e n t are.” for artists Ne-Yo and repertoire at Motown and will be tasked with finding and developing new talent. Ne-Yo said his main goal in his new role is to make music that everyone can enjoy. “I want to get back to a place where everybody’s listening to the same thing no matter what race, color, creed you are,” he told the Associated Press. “(Now) there’s music that’s specifically for black people and there’s music that’s specifically for white people, and I feel like the essence of…music is lost when you do that.” The announcement came on the heels of the box-office success of the movie “Red Tails,” in which Ne-Yo portrayed one of the Tuskegee Airmen. The Grammy-award winning songwriter and producer will also be a mentor for Cee Lo Green’s team on the next season of NBC’s “The Voice.” (Special to the NNPA from the Afro-American Newspaper)
Ne-Yo has been named senior vice president of A&R for Motown Records. (Photo courtesy of www.neyothegentleman.com.)
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COMMUNITY
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February 2 - 8, 2012
BRIEFS & THINGS Former Transportation Sec. Slater to reflect on Dr. Benjamin Hooks
Rodney Slater, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Bill Clinton, will speak Feb. 9, at the University of Memphis. His topic will be “Reflections on Living in Service to Others: Dr. Benjamin Hooks and the Heirs of His Legacy.” A reception will begin at 5 p.m. in the Michael D. Rose Entertainment Theatre Lobby, followed by the program at 5:30. Sponsored by the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change at the U of M, both events are free and open to the public. Parking is available in the Zach Curlin garage adjacent to the Rose Theatre. Slater will meet with students, emerging leaders, young professionals, and members of the community to discuss combining civic and public service opportunities with career goals. He also will talk about “Duty of the Hour,” a documentary on the life of Hooks, which illustrates how a committed individual can help create a more just nation. Slater is a member of the Hooks Institute National Premiere Steering Committee, which is working with the Hooks Institute to promote and support the documentary and other programming. A trailer of the film will be show during the program.
National Black Hiv/ Aids Awareness Day
Project H.O.P.E/St. Andrew A.M.E. Church, Shelby County Health Department, Clear Channel Communications, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital/Know Your Sickle Cell Status and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, along with a host of other community-based organizations will observe the 12th Annual National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (Feb. 7). The day is designed to encourage African-Americans across the United States and Territorial Areas to get educated, tested, treated and get involved with HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention. Activities for the event include: FREE Confidential HIV counseling and testing by the Shelby County Health Department from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. A $10 gift card will be presented to the first one hundred (100) individuals to be tested. FREE STD testing for syphilis, gonorrhea, syphilis and Chlamydia; FREE Hepatitis B and flu shots. Free health screenings (blood pressure, glucose & sickle cell trait). Clear Channel personalities will broadcast live: Tracey Bethea, 95.7 Hallelujah (noon to 4 p.m.) and Stan Bell, V101.1 (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.). Open mic-nite and live entertainment will feature former “American Idol” contestant Lil Rounds and local artists – Mr. Sam, “Poetically Nappy” and Michelle Montgomery, Out Loud Artistry. For more information, contact Sharron Moore-Edwards at 901-7752968 or by email at thesaintdcs3@earthlink.net.
At Bellevue Middle School, the Goal Card program works hand-inhand with the schoolʼs Step Team, which sometimes offers tutoring assistance. (Courtesy photos)
Students at Bellevue Middle get on board with Goal Card! Special to the Tri-State Defender
Ensuring a sound future for the city of Memphis no doubt begins with its youth, and the RISE Foundation recently built on its commitment to preparing young people for success with the launch of its Goal Card program at Bellevue Middle School. Bellevue is the ninth school in Memphis to adopt Goal Card, and RISE Board member Anikah Graham pushed hard to make it happen. “The work of the RISE Foundation is amazing,” said Graham, a Bellevue employee who credits RISE’s SAVE UP program for teaching her how to save, budget and maintain her personal finances. “The Goal Card program will make a positive impact at Bellevue because it will teach our students about motivation, success and life skills.” Goal Card coordinator Ricco Mitchell said there were 50 spots available for students at Bellevue,
and not a single spot is unfilled. He said it was no shock that students take to Goal Card so enthusiastically. He said RISE had been interested in working with the school for a while because it offered an opportunity to keep in touch with students who have participated in some of the foundation’s other youth programs. Most of all, Mitchell said the leadership and quality of education at Bellevue made it a great fit. “Bellevue has traditionally been a school for scholars, and the Goal Card program attempts to help students become better students – better people,” he said. Graham meets with Bellevue’s Goal Card members after school every Tuesday. They discuss the importance of setting academic goals, college preparation, character and etiquette. “I personally check with the students to make sure they are on the right track and are motivated to make and maintain excellent grades and behavior in school and away
Fifty Goal Card spots were available for students at Bellevue, and not a single spot is unfilled. from school,” Graham said. Another interesting dimension at Bellevue is that the Goal Card program works hand-in-hand with the school’s Step Team, which is coached by Graham. Step Team members sometimes offer tutoring assistance, which has helped build a sense of friendship and team spirit in the group. From school-to-school, the constant in every Goal Card program is that students have their eyes on the prize. Students earn reward points for meeting goals in grades, conduct and attendance every grading period. The points can be cashed in for prizes, ranging from games and books to gift cards for Nike Store, Game Stop or McDonald’s. Major imporvements sometimes fetch bigger rewards, too, like cell phones,
Ready, set, launch…
The Withers Collection Museum and Gallery treated Elaine Turner (left) of Heritage Tours and others to a benefit launching of Memphis BIO DOC Productions, a multi-media training program. Rosalind Withers (right), president/board chairman, stressed the importance of Memphians having professional training to better use 21st century technology. The event included a premiere showing of “Quarterback,” a short film on the life of famed photographer, Dr. Ernest C. Withers. (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)
African American Read-In
Southwest’s InfoNet Library will celebrate Black History Month by participating in the 23rd National African American Read-In. Join various students and faculty as they read excerpts from the works of their favorite African-American writers and speakers. The event begins at noon on Feb. 20. Locations/contacts: Bert Bornblum Library (Room 122-Macon Cove Campus), Lisa Coleman or Jane Harris; Gill Center Library, Ron Claxton; Maxine A. Smith Center Library, Marcia Hunter; Parrish Library (Room 101-Union Avenue Campus), MaLinda F. Wade; Whitehaven Center Library (Breakroom), Verneta Boone. The event is free and open to students, staff, faculty and the general public. For more information, call 901333-4706/5135.
Co-chairs named for NAACP annual Freedom Fund Gala
The Memphis Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has announced its co-chairs for the 36th Annual NAACP Freedom Fund Gala, which will be held March 6 at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. The corporate co-chair is Kevin M. Spiegel, FACHE, chief executive officer of Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare University Hospital. Otha L. Brandon Jr, Director of Government Affairs for Comcast Cable in Memphis is the co-chair responsible for the gala’s community outreach for table and ticket sales. To reserve tables and tickets, contact the Memphis Branch NAACP at 901-521-1343. “This event typically attracts a diverse cross-section of the Memphis business, economic and political community drawn together as we attempt to ‘Affirm America’s Promise,” said Madeleine C. Taylor, executive director.
mp3 players and digital cameras. Mitchell said the reception so far from parents and teachers at Bellevue has been great. The same goes for the other eight schools participating in Goal Card. “Most teachers are amazed and delighted that something like this even exists,” he said. “Most parents are grateful.” Funding is the only thing holding Goal Card back from hitting more schools in Memphis. Mitchell said most funds come through corporate sponsors, and a donation of just $500 could fund a full semester of incentives. If a school is interested in getting involved, Mitchell recommends first contacting RISE at (901) 507-6644, and then reaching out to adopters for support.
UTHSC seeks ‘minority’ participants for aspirin study
The Department of Preventive Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) is looking for 200 minority participants for a study on aspirin. The study, referred to as ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly), is sponsored by the National Institute on Aging, a subsidiary of the National Institutes of Health. The research will assess whether aspirin can not only prolong life, but support a life free of physical disability and/or dementia for healthy, older people. Aspirin may help older individuals to live well longer by delaying the onset of illnesses. Previous studies indicate that low dose aspirin reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes and vascular events in mid-
dle-aged people. Low dose aspirin may also assist with preventing cognitive decline and specific forms of cancer such as bowel cancer. While aspirin can thwart cardiovascular attacks and strokes in individuals with established heart disease, the effect of aspirin for elderly people without a history of cardiovascular disease is less certain and will be determined by this research. ASPREE is being conducted in cities across our nation, as well as globally. The study will enroll a total of 6,500 healthy citizens age 65 and older in the United States and another 12,500 in Australia. Since enrollment goals for Caucasian Americans have been met, only minority citizens are eligible to participate currently. In Memphis, study coordinators will recruit 200 minori-
ties of African-American, Asian or Latino descent. “The ASPREE trial may provide important information regarding the benefits and risks of aspirin, a low cost, easily available medication for older, healthy individuals,” said Dr. Suzanne Satterfield, associate professor in the UTHSC Department of Preventive Medicine and principal investigator for the Memphis study. Participants in the study will be randomly assigned to take either a low dose aspirin or placebo (a pill that contains no medicine) daily for about five years. Study pills and medical exams are being provided free of charge. Patients will receive initial reports on specific health markers, including their functional and cognitive ability. Any changes will be monitored throughout the
study. Once enrolled, participants will be seen annually. To participate in the study, interested minority citizens are asked to call the UTHSC Department of Preventive Medicine at 901-448-8400. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. (For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.)
RELIGION
Tri-State Defender
Page 9
February 2 - 8, 2012
LIVING THE LIFE I LOVE
‘Desire’ is a ‘holy thing,’ so own up to it and create
Dear Lucy: You promised to spend February talking about love, so here is my question. I have been taught that desire is a bad and selfish thing. I was told as a child that always thinking or talking about my own desires, ambitions or wants is just selfish. As a result, I was in a relationship and spent all of my time being a doormat and supporting my partners dreams and leaving mine on the table. I became mad, depressed and hard to be around and we eventually broke up. But now, I don’t know how to begin to pick up the pieces and work on what I want out of life. On top of that, I feel like an incompetent failure. – Anne F. Dear Anne: Maybe, the good news is that you are by yourself now and have the opportunity to focus on building a new understanding in yourself of your own self worth and abilities as a creator. Desire has gotten a bad rap down through time because we don’t understand it. Did you know that the word “desire” means “of the Lord?” To me, that says that desire is a holy thing. In fact, it is desire or want that is the inspiration for the wonderful inventions we all enjoy. Edison’s desire to create electricity was so great that he made himself sick in pursuit of it. But how marvelously has that desire changed
the world! Desire makes great things happen. Your desire in this moment to find your life purpose will cause you to change in wonderful ways. So, the first step is to put desire in its proper perspective...it is the drive to create. It is how we learn and grow. Step two has to do with Lucy learning to use desire with Shaw discernment. This can be addressed by asking the question, “Will this bring me permanent or temporary satisfaction; will it cause me to grow; will it benefit someone other than me; does it resonate with my values?” When creating from a desire, it helps to choose to create in your life the thing that will stay with you as a life lesson because it caused you to stretch beyond where you are right now. If you can do it all by yourself, without Gods help, it probably isn’t a life changing desire. We are only selfish when we do things without considering how they can serve others. Sometimes just the fact that I learned and grew from my choice means it will serve others
because now I have something to teach and share because I am a better me! And most of all, asking if this desire will cause me to do something that goes against my values is really important. Do I want this so badly that I am willing to cheat, or lie or steal to get it? This is the proper use of discernment with desire. You want something different in your life. Don’t get bogged down in excuses for why you can’t have the life, the love, the experience that is calling to you. Allow yourself to own up to the urge to do, have and be more. Own up to wanting...it is what makes the human race so great. It’s agreeing with limitation and self-criticism that causes problems. You also don’t have to take from another. Don’t beat down your desire with excuses for not moving forward. Here is the last step. If you don’t like what you have today, can you picture yourself having the life you want? What does that look like? What does it feel like? Can you close your eyes and be the star in your own movie called life? Now after you have this movie and apply the questions of discernment to it pay attention to all of the reasons that pop into your mind to tell you that you can’t have it. Now, you are ready to ask the next really important question... “If I didn’t believe these objections that just popped up, what is the one step that I can take right this
minute to begin the journey into my vision?” When you get that answer, write it down with today’s date and go get busy following that step. When you complete that step, you will be shown the next step. Each night make a list of accomplishments towards your goal/vision. We are told that we are made in the image and likeness of our Creator. Our Creator creates. So do we. Once upon a time people thought the world was flat, that the best fuel was wood, that the best transportation was a donkey and the best light was a candle. Thank God for desire, discernment and the ability to create a better and better world. In the spirit of love, Lucy
(Check out Lucy Shaw’s website at http://www.heartworks4u.com. You may send your questions to her by U.S. mail to: Heartworks4U, LLC; 4646 Poplar Ave. Ste 201, Memphis, TN 38117 or by e-mail to lucy@heartworks4u.com.) (For help with the feelings that get in the way of prayer and peace of mind, get Lucy’s new book, “BE NOT ANXIOUS.” Order it directly from her at 901-907-0260 or go to her web site www.heartworks4u.com.)
A ‘Stairway to Heaven’ salute for Rev. Dr. Alston Tri-State Defender staff
The Rev. Dr. Neasbie Alston can still make a room full of people feel him. Proof was on display at the Hilton Memphis last Saturday (Jan. 28). The occasion was a 90th Birthday Celebration for Alston. The program was headlined with “Stairway to Heaven.” Family and many, many friends – including dignitaries aplenty – came out to salute Alston, all clearly moved by their interaction with him over the years. The evening including prayers for blessing and hope for the future, thanksgiving, strength and encouragement, faith and endurance, love and happiness, and peace and job. There were special presentations and proclamations, music and fellowship galore. All for Alson, who began his life journey on Jan. 30, 1922 in Covington, Tenn. He was one of 10 children, all of whom have passed away. Alston attended Frazier High School and was the first student council president at Owen Jr. College, where he also was director of the choir. Later, he attended Tennessee State University,
Delivering the charge…
and Mississippi Industrial College, where he earned a bachelors degree in horticulture. His education also extended to American Baptist Seminary, the Tennessee School of Religion (honorary degree) and the Kang Rhee Institute (black belt). A World War II veteran, Alston was married to Bernice Thomas Alston, who died in 1975. He now is married to Bishop Bettye J. Rodgers, whom in married in November 1980. The father of nine children, Alston has several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In May 1984, Alston retired from the Hughes (Arkansas) School District after 27 years of service. As a church pastor, Alston served at New Beginning Ministries Church of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and Gospel Temple Missionary Baptist Church (45 years) in Memphis. He also pastored at Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Humboldt, Tn., New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Burlison, Tenn., Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Brownsville, Tenn., and Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Jackson. In addition, he was a deacon, director of mu- Bishop Bettye J. Alson, the Rev. Dr. Neasbie Alson and Mayor A C Wharton Jr., who sic and associate minister at Cannan Mission- delivered his personal birthday greeting to Rev. Dr. Alston. (Photo by Tyrone P. ary Baptist Church in Covington, Tenn. Easley)
Justice on the menu for local faith leaders
Bishop K.D. Johnson Sr. of New Macedonia Baptist Church set the tone during “Consecration, Installation and Commitment Sunday” services last Sunday (Jan. 29). (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)
“Local Faith Leaders Talk Justice” will be the topic during the Bridges Justice Forum Luncheon at The Bridges Center at 477 North Fifth St. on Feb. 23 from noon to 1:30 p.m. Panelists include Dr. Peter Gathje, Memphis Theological Seminary; Rabbi Micah Greenstein, Temple Israel; Pastor Rev. Keith Norman, First Baptist Church-Broad; and Pastor Karren Williams, New Direction Christian Church. The guest moderator will be Dr. Russ Wigginton of Rhodes College. The cost is $10 and includes lunch. RSVP by Feb. 17 at www.bridgesusa.org/justiceforum, or by phone at 901-260-3752 (Nikki Haynes).
A WEEKLY DIRECTORY OF MINISTERS & CHURCHES
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. — Ephesians 2:8
ST. ANDREW A.M.E. CHURCH
METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH
867 SOUTH PARKWAY EAST Memphis, TN 38106
Dr. Reginald L. Porter Sr., Pastor
767 Walker Avenue Memphis, TN 38126
ASSOCIATE MINISTERS
901-946-4095 fax 948-8311
(901) 948-3441
Early Morning..........7:45 AM Church School..........9:45 AM Morning Worship......11:00 AM
Rev. Davena Young Porter Rev. Linda A Paige Rev. Luecretia Matthews
Bible Study For Youth and Adults Tuesday - 7:00 PM “Spirit, Soul, and Body!” AM 1070 WDIA Sundays, 10:00-10:30 AM
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
TV Cable Access Broadcast Tuesdays, 7:30 PM, Channel 17 Website:www.saintandrewamec.org
Dr. & Rev. Mrs. Reginald Porter
TEMPLE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST
672 So. Lauderdale 38126 P.O. Box 314 Memphis, Tn 38101 Phone (General) 774-1572 Pastor: 775-0740 Secretary: 775-1909 WEEKLY SERVICES
Sunday Sunday School 9:00 a.m. Morning Worship 10:30 a.m. Night YPWW 5:00 p.m. Night Service 6:00 p.m. Tuesday Night Prayer 6:00 p.m. Bible Study 7:15 p.m. Wednesday Choir Rehearsal 7:00 p.m. Friday Morning Prayer 9:00 a.m. Night Service 7:30 p.m. BROADCASTS 9:30 a.m. Sunday WDIA - 1070 AM
No Telecast Service
Dr. David Allen Hall Pastor
“The Founder’s Church”
First Pastor: Senior Bishop C.H. Mason
THE BLVD Ea s t 6745 Wol f Ri v e r B oule v a r d @ Ki r by Pa r k wa y ( i n t he Cl a rk Ope r a Me mphi s Ce nte r ) Me mp h i s T N 3 8 1 2 0
Dr. Frank A. Thomas Senior Servant
Child Care Center (901) 948-6441 Monday-Friday 6 AM- 5:30 PM Emergency Food Pantry Rev. Kenneth S. Robinson, Pastor & Clothes Closet Rev. Marilynn S. Robinson, Co-Pastor Wednesday 6 PM-8 PM
“Ministering to Memphis-Spirit, Soul and Body”
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you —Matthew 7:7
Page 10
February 2 - 8, 2012
Tri-State Defender
SPORTS Tri-State Defender, Thursday, February 2 - 8, 2012, Page 11
TIGER TALES
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
Conference title hopes now dangling for Tigers Special to the Tri-State Defender
by J.R. Moorhead
Roll back the calendar a week and Memphis was slated to square off against two of the top teams in Conference USA. With multiple teams in the conference sporting only one loss, the games carried the possibility of shaping the Tigers’ future. First up was a FedExForum stand against Marshall last Saturday night (Jan. 28). After Will Barton and Tarik Black were ejected for coming off the bench against Rice in the previous game, the story that had the talking heads chattering early was the chances that two of Memphis’ top players might not be eligible to compete in the match up. Marshall has proved to be a formidable opponent this year, but unfortunately for the Thundering Herd, Memphis was at full strength for the game. Neither Barton nor Black was suspended and that proved to be crucial for the Tigers. Barton played the entire 40 minutes
and had 29 points and 8 rebounds to show for his efforts. Black also played heavy minutes. He managed to drop 19 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 32 minutes. Black has been plagued by foul trouble this year, so being able to be in the game for over thirty minutes is a habit Tiger fans would love for him to form. When the final horn blew, the Tigers had defeated Marshall by a count of 8376. Memphis improved to 15-6 (6-1 CUSA), but any energy used for celebration of a clutch conference win was probably more wisely used on focus for Memphis’ upcoming road test. The Tigers traveled to Hattiesburg, Miss. to take on the Golden Eagles of Southern Mississippi on Wednesday night (Feb. 1). Memphis had not lost to USM in 18 straight contests and the Eagles were out to end that streak in front of their home crowd. And they did. Memphis came up three short, losing by a final of 72-75. The Tigers did have a last chance as Chris Crawford missed a three at the end, but Memphis’ fans
probably won’t hold a grudge. Crawford scored a career high 23 points connecting on 5-7 from behind the arc. Unfortunately for Memphis, his output was not enough to top the Eagles and the game has become a turning point in the season. Memphis drops to 15-7 (6-2 C-USA) and falls to second in the conference rankings behind a Southern Miss team with only one loss. This truly has been a season of letdowns for the True Blue Nation. The fans came into the season riding high on a top-10 preseason ranking. Now the very real possibility looms that Memphis might not even win the regular season title in C-USA. The Tigers are by no means out of the running, but they are virtually going to have to win out to have a chance at achieving that goal. And if the Tigers do not win the conference outright the fans are going to have to hope for an encore of Memphis’ tournament performance last season. With the conference tournament being held in Memphis, the drama will only build.
GRIZZ TRACK
Grizz reflect on effort-lacking win and return to grit-and-grind ways
Corryʼs Lady Eagles and head coach James Walker
The dash for the city crown is over! Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Andre Mitchell
Four teams earned places in MIAA history by becoming 2012 City Champions at Colonial Middle School on Wednesday (Feb. 1).
Special to the Tri-State Defender
By Kelley Evans
In the Grizzlies locker room each player has a mirror in his localized area as guard O.J. Mayo pointed out on Wednesday (Jan. 31). Mayo actually has two. He looked into one of his mirrors and looked back at reporters. “It’s easy when things aren’t going well to look at this guy or that guy. Sometimes you have to look in the mirror and say, ‘Am I giving it all I got? Am I doing my job to the best of my ability?’” Mayo, with something resembling half a grin, was referring to how the Grizz bounced back from an effortless loss against the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday (83-93). The bounce back ended a fourgame losing streak and came by defeating the Denver Nuggets 100-97 in overtime the next day at FedExForum in front of 13,651 fans. “We got back to our old selves,” Mayo said. “We were playing hard and scrappy. Last night (against the Spurs) is in the past. We had a great meeting last night after the loss and I thought we responded really well tonight. We were down for a majority of the game and then we fought back and got it into overtime, made some big plays down the stretch and in overtime and got a good win.” Effort was the keyword for both contests from players and coaches. After the woeful performance against St. Antonio, team leaders Mayo, Mike Conley, Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol called a team meeting and ordered the doors were locked. Effort, trust, grit and grind apparently occupied most of the discussion in the players-only meeting, which was not open to Grizz Head Coach Lionel Hollins. “They don’t tell me what’s going on in their meeting,” Hollins said. “I really don’t care just as long as they worked out whatever it was they were trying to work out. That’s the only expectation – a resolution. What they said and how they got to a resolution doesn’t matter. There are times during the season when you have to have a pow-wow and confront each other and call each other out.” The session seemed to put the Grizzlies back on track – back to the gritand-grind mentality. They clawed their way back from a 12-point deficit at the half against Denver. “We overcame a lot tonight,” Hollins said. “We overcame a 12point lead at halftime. We overcame another lead in the fourth quarter. We overcame a lead in overtime. We just kept battling back until we got a win. That’s what we have to do.” Gasol played 50 minutes and finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Gay matched his points and rebounds. Mayo followed with 18 points and scored a three-pointer with 35 seconds left in the game, which gave Memphis a 98-97 advantage, the team’s first lead since
Snowdenʼs Lady Greendogs and head coach Rashad Haynes receiving the championship plaque with MIAA Athletic Coordinator I, Karen Hodges (right).
Small Division: Girls
The Corry Lady Eagles defeated the Cypress Lady Timberwolves (52-35). Corry’s Tesia Thompson was the game’s MVP. The road to the championship covered this ground: Cypress survived against Vance (32-22). Sherwood, which defeated Lester (3932), faced Cypress for the Area 1 division title. In Area 2, Corry outlasted J.P. Freeman (41-36), and Geeter out distanced Riverview (44-20). Corry and Geeter battled for a spot in the city championship with Corry taking the game (38-24). Cypress won against Lester (40-25) and played Corry for the city title.
Small Division: Boys
O.J. Mayo manages to pass the ball between three defenders to his teammate Tony Allen who dunked, knotting the score at 91 and sending the game against the Nuggets into overtime Tuesday night. (Photo by Warren Roseborough)
the score was 19-18 late in the first quarter. Tony Allen’s defense was noted as one of the best in the league during a postgame interview with NBA TV. “We played together for 48 minutes,” Allen said. There’s nothing pretty about what we do. There’s nothing finesse about what we do. We just hung our hats on the defensive end for 48 minutes and the results were much better today.” The Grizzlies starters combined for 73 out of the 100 points. Nuggets Forward Al Harrington led the Nuggets off the bench with 23 points and 10 rebounds “We’re disappointed because number one, we try to set a rule amongst ourselves that we try not to lose two games in a row, so we’re upset about that,” Harrington said. “We just feel like we should have won the game.” The Grizzlies snapped the Nuggets’ season-high five-game road winning streak, handing Denver its first road loss since Jan. 7 at San Antonio. “Their hustle game was better than our hustle game,” said Nuggets Head Coach George Karl. “Then, in overtime, they out-hus-
tled us on many misses with the lead and made a big three. I thought we lost the game because of second shots, missed free throws (20 of 27) and turnovers (24).” “One of the first things I said to the team before the game is this team is going to play desperate and urgent,” Karl said. “Their urgency, their intensity and their desperation was clear in the first quarter and the overtime.” Nuggets guard Arron Afflalo, who pitched in eight points and three assists, attributed the loss to “offensive rebounds and missed opportunities down the stretch.” Memphis outrebounded Denver 28-17 in the second half and overtime, winning the overall rebounding battle 48-42. Playing its first overtime game of the regular season, Memphis capped the month of January with a winning record (10-8) and recorded double-digit victories in January for the fifth time in club history. Ahead for the Grizz is a tough road trip with games against the Atlanta Hawks, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Boston Celtics. They will return to battle the San Antonio Spurs on Monday (Feb. 6) at FedExForum.
The Lester Lions surged past the MAHS Lions (58-27) for the title, with Lester’s Robert Washington named the game’s MVP. Here’s how the championship run unfolded: Vance shocked Sherwood (63-55) to contend with Lester, which slid past Hamilton (63-60) in the quarterfinals. J.P. Freeman lost in overtime to MAHS (47-46), while Airways upended tourney host
Riverview (43-29). Lester defeated Vance in the semi-finals (47-40) and MAHS outscored Airways (41-33). In the city championship game, Lester and MAHS squared off, with Lester the victors.
Large Division: Girls
The Snowden Lady Greendogs won against the Hickory Ridge Lady Wildcats (65-34), earning the championship trophy. The MVP honor went to Snowden’s Rodrea Echols. For Snowden, the championship romp began by advancing against Bellevue (55-24, which beat Kate Bond (2524). Cordova topped Craigmont (30-27). In the division title game Snowden beat Cordova (59-19) to face Hickory Ridge, which won over Havenview 31-27.
Large Division: Boys
The Ridgeway Roadrunners outlasted the Snowden Greendogs (43-38) to capture the championship. Ridgeway’s Kevin Cheatham, Jr. was the game’s MVP. Snowden faced Craigmont in the Area 1 semi-final and won (40-38). Ridgeway took on American Way in the Area 2 semis, which has become an epic battle between old friends and rivals. Ridgeway, the defending TMSAA West Tennessee “state” champs, squeaked by American Way (68-66) to keep their championship repeat drive alive. And they took advantage of the opportunity.
Lesterʼs Lions and head coach Desmond Merriweather and assistant coach Anfernee ʻPennyʼ Hardaway
Ridgewayʼs Roadrunners with MIAA Athletic Coordinator II, (left) and head coach Eric Winfrey (right).
ENTERTAINMENT Tri-State Defender, Thursday, February 2 - 8, 2012, Page 12
WHAT’S HAPPENING MYRON?
Motown, the Med and Memphis together, again!
Motown comes to Memphis…at least for one night. If you love the Temptations, The Four Tops, the 5th Dimension and Thelma Houston, you are gonna want to get your tickets to check out “Med Night, A Soul Celebration.” Myron If you attended Mays last year, you enjoyed soul crooner Peabo Bryson, who also celebrated his 60th birthday as well. This year will prove to be even greater as the “Motown” sound fills the Peabody Hotel. On Tuesday, the MED Foundation held a press conference at The Regional Medical Center’s Adams Pavilion Building and announced the lineup for its upcoming gala. Guess who got a chance to participate? Me! During the media event, V101’s Stan Bell, WREG-TV’s Todd Demers and yours truly were contestants in the Soul Train Scramble Board, where we took turns revealing the headliners for this year’s event, which takes place on March 31 at the Peabody Hotel. Dr. Reginald Coopwood, the MED president and CEO, as well as the MED Foundation’s Tammie Ritchey said they looked forward to this year’s event. Don’t forget, March 31 at the Peabody Hotel in Downtown Memphis. This is a show you don’t wanna miss. Proceeds will go to benefit the Regional Medical Center, which provides a wide range of medical services. The Firefighters Regional Burn Center and Elvis Presley Memorial Trauma Center are the only burn center and level-one trauma center in a 150-mile radius. Did you know that?
A Day With Dungy
Tony Dungy, former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, will be the featured speaker for Memphis Theological Seminary’s 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Starks Scholarship Dinner and Awards Presentation on Feb. 9 at the Memphis Hilton Hotel. The Distinguished Service Award is presented to an outstanding leader who is a role model and inspiration for others, an advocate for the oppressed and one who gives personal and sacrificial service to better the global community. Contact Sandra H. Mays, Starks Advancement Director, at 901-334-5808 or smays@ MemphisSeminary.edu to purchase tickets.
Bobby Womack at the Fitz
I know you have been seeing the recent Unsung special on TV One featuring Bobby Womack, right? Well, guess what? “The Poet” himself is coming to the Mid-South at Fitzgerald’s Casino in just a few weeks! If you like such hits as “Across 110 Street,” “If You Think You’re Lonely Now,” and “That’s The Way I Feel About You,” you might wanna mark your calendars now for Feb. 18! For more information, call The Fitz at 1-800-766-5825.
Presston Shannon will get his chance to perform on “The Voice.” (Photo by Shirley Jackson)
The Super Bowl and a ‘Super Voice’ all in one night! Preston Shannon getʼs to meet Christina Aguilera and sing the blues Special to The Tri-State Defender
Kelvin Cowans
The second season of the hit reality television show “The Voice” is about to have a down home Memphis sound to it. Memphis blues legend Preston Shannon will be appearing on the show on “Super Bowl Sunday.” The Booker T. Washington High School graduate from the class of 1966, and former B.B. King Bar headliner on Beale St. since 1993, is ready for primetime. “I’m excited. I haven’t been able to stop smiling since I got back from the auditions in Los Angeles. When they told me that I made it and that I would be on the show the night of the Super Bowl, I really thought that it was something special,” said Shannon. That is indeed something special. Can you share with us which song you will be singing, I asked. “Actually I can’t. I signed a contract with them and so I can only say that I will be appearing on the show.” I understand that, I said. “Could you share with our reader’s your influences in blues music that really got you wanting to sing the blues?”
Trey Songz & Big Sean
Ok, Ill admit, I had no idea who Big Sean was until I asked my daughter. I refuse to blame it on me being old. Im not even 40 yet. However, I am very familiar with Trey Songz and his hit songs such as “Cant Be Friends” and “Bottoms Up”. Well, he is coming to town on March 10th and tickets are on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets and the Desoto Center Box Office. By the way, in case you didnt know, the Desoto Civic Center has changed names. It is now called the Landers Center.
Bartlett Comedy Club
The Bartlett Comedy Spot will host J.J. Williamson from the Johnson Family Vacation with Cedric the Entertainer on Friday and Saturday night for two shows per night. The Bartlett Comedy Spot is located at 5709 Raleigh Lagrange at Sycamore View. Admission is $10. Come out and get your laugh on.
What’s Happening Wednesday Update!
Again, I can’t wait until Feb. 8th for What’s Happening Wednesday! Be sure to look it up on Facebook and RSVP or you can RSVP at Myron@whatshappeningmyron.com! Until then, that’s what’s Happening!
(If you have an event you’d like for me to cover or attend, email me at myron@whatshappening myron.com.)
“Being raised in Olive Branch, Miss, the influences I had were people like Elmore James,” said Shannon. “In fact, I’m releasing an album where I’m singing most of his song’s as a dedication to him. I actually moved to Memphis around the age of nine and I appreciated many other blues artist as well, but that Elmore James was my favorite.” I asked whether fans still will be able to catch Shannon doing shows over at B.B. King’s, and I got a surprising answer. “It’s a funny thing, I had been doing shows over there off and on for almost 20 years, but when I told management that I had made “The Voice,” I returned to find out that my show had been cancelled,” said Shannon. “I didn’t understand because I had asked them myself did they want me to mention to “The Voice” producers that I perform at B.B. King’s and they said no. I guess they didn’t want the free publicity, which is strange, but that’s OK, I’m moving on. Coca Cola is one of the largest companies in the world but they still advertise.” So was B.B. King in on that decision, I asked. “Absolutely not, but this is what happens when you let the wrong people represent your name.” I nodded my understanding. So, other than “The Voice,” what else do you have going on and coming up? “Let your readers know that I have the
number one line dance in the world. It’s called “Shuffle, Boogie, Soul.” It’s on the Internet. It was created by a professional choreographer in Florida by the name of Ira Wiseburd. He chose a song I recorded years ago and put the dance to it,” said Shannon. “This dance came out in August of 2011 and people have been doing that line dance all over the world, from Malaysia, France, Africa to Italy. The name of my song was called “Honky Tonk,” which was off of my album “Midnight in Memphis.” Shannon noted that the CD was produced by none other than Memphis legend Willie Mitchell. His last CD – “Going Back to Memphis” – was released in 2011 with Continental Records. “And speaking of Memphis, I was very proud when President Barack Obama came to my old high school on last year and delivered a very profound and articulate speech to Memphis and for those kids. I walked around with my chest out all that week,” said Shannon. I get the feeling that we will be just as proud of Mr. Shannon on Super Bowl Night. (To reach Preston Shannon call Ray Nelson at 901-680-2018.) (Kelvin Cowans can be reached at (kelvincowans@hotmail.com)
BOOK REVIEW
In the name of freedom of the press Opus recounts bittersweet victory over radical Islam Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Kam Williams
“When a 19 year-old member of a Black Muslim cult assassinated Chauncey Bailey in 2007 – the most shocking killing of a journalist in the U.S. in 30 years – the question was: Why? ‘Killing the Messenger…’ explores one of the most blatant attacks on the 1st Amendment and free speech in American history and the… cult that carried it out… “Yusuf Bey… created a radical religion of bloodshed and fear…through a business called Your Black Muslim Bakery, beating and raping dozens of women… and fathering more than 40 children… (while) the police looked the other way as his violent soldiers ruled the streets. (culminating) in a journalist’s murder.” – Excerpted from the inside cover of the book’s dust jacket
Any Western journalist who’s honest will admit that they’re scared to write anything critical about Islam, since it doesn’t take much to make a mullah put a price on your head. Consider the recent history. Everyone from novelist Salman Rushdie to Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard has had to go into hiding because of all the death threats they received after publishing material Muslims deemed offensive. And Dutch director Theo van Gogh was stabbed to death by a disgruntled fundamentalist because he made a movie about honor killings and other forms of violence still being perpetrated against innocent females in the name of Allah. Much closer to home, Chauncey Bailey, editor-in-chief of the Oakland Post, was shot dead on the morning of Aug. 2, 2007. He was about to expose a store called Your Black Muslim Bakery as a front for a criminal operation dealing in drugs, sex slaves and murder. Chauncey’s assassination touched me personally, since he was an editor of mine at the time. In fact, the two of us had spoken just a couple of days before he was
gunned down on the street by a Muslim goon squad on orders from their imam, a madman known as Yusuf Bey IV. Disfigured by a bad case of acne, Bey preached a Chauncey racist interpreBailey tation of the Koran that said white people were devils invented only 6,000 years ago by a big-headed black scientist named Yakub. I am not making this up. Bey was also a Holocaust denier who denigrated Christianity as a spook religion, while predicting the prophet Muhammad’s Second Coming to Earth from outer space in a milewide mother ship in order to exterminate Caucasians and Jews. The delusional cleric boasted about eliminating Bailey while selling bean pies in his store, because he felt that he was untouchable. After all, Bey was already in bed with corrupt Oakland cops willing to look the other way whenever “employ-
ees” of the bakery broke the law. In this case, however, a number of California journalists, outraged by Chauncey’s murder, banded together not only to complete their colleague’s story, but to make sure that justice was served. Spearheading that effort was Thomas Peele, an investigative reporter for the Bay Area News Group. “In Killing the Messenger: A Story of Radical Faith, Racism’s Backlash, and the Assassination of a Journalist,” Peele recounts the history of Black Muslims in America, the chain of events leading to Chauncey’s slaying, and the court case leading to the convictions of everyone responsible. A riveting opus recounting a bittersweet victory for the fourth estate over radical Islam in the name of freedom of the press. Rest in Peace, Brother Chauncey. “Killing the Messenger: A Story of Radical Faith, Racismʼs Backlash, and the Assassination of a Journalist” by Thomas Peele Crown Publishing Hardcover, $26.00 464 pages, Illustrated
ENTERTAINMENT
Tri-State Defender
Page 13
February 2 - 8, 2012
I Hear a Cymphonique Cymphonique Miller: The “How to Rock” interview
KW: What messages do you think people will take away from the show? CM: That it’s OK not to be perfect, to follow your dreams and to be yourself.
Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Kam Williams
KW: You are multi-talented: singing, acting and dancing. Which one is your favorite? CM: I really can’t choose between the three… I love them all equally….
Born in New Orleans on Aug. 1, 1996, Cymphonique Miller stars as Kacey Simon on the Nickelodeon’s new TV series “How to Rock.” Prior to landing her own sitcom, Miller made guest appearances on several Nick series, including “Big Time Rush,” “True Jackson VP,” “Just Jordan: and “The Troop.” With many national television commercials and public service announcements to her credit, Miller’s big screen credits include the feature films “Scarecrow Joe” and “Opposite Day.” An accomplished singer, Cymphonique provides the voices of “Nova” and “Krystal” on the Nickelodeon animated series “Winx.” Daughter of businessman, music mogul and philanthropist Percy Miller, and sister of Romeo Miller, she has built a diverse R&B, pop and hip hop fan base online, enjoying over 20 million web views and counting. When she is not busy working and upholding her honors student status, the Los Angeles native is committed to her passion for helping others and giving back to her community. On top of her career as a singer, writer and actress, Cymphonique enjoys competitive kickboxing, swimming, drawing, and playing the piano. Here, she talks about “How to Rock,” which premieres on Nickelodeon on Saturday, Feb. 4, with back-to-back episodes airing at 7:30 and 8:00 p.m. (CT).
KW: The Sanaa Lathan question: What excites you? CM: Reading scripts excites me. I get to act them out. The ones I’m reading now for the show are really cool… KW: Dante Lee, author of “Black Business Secrets,” asks: “What was the best business decision you ever made?” CM: Attending an audition alone without anyone knowing my family connection to my father or brother and getting the job on my own merits. It meant everything to me that it was based on my own talent and ability….
KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see? CM: A girl that loves God, family and entertaining.
KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: “What is your earliest childhood memory?” CM: Watching Shirley Temple movies with my grandmother. That inspired me because I realized she was only a child but already acting with the adults at a very early age. KW: The Pastor Alex Kendrick question: “When do you feel the most content?” CM: When I’m performing.
Kam Williams: Hi, Cymphonique, thanks for the interview. Cymphonique Miller: My pleasure, Kam.
KW: The Toure question: “Who is the person who led you to become the person you are today?” CM: My family.
KW: What interested you in How to Rock? CM: I loved the message and the music.
KW: Tell me a little about your character, Kacey Simon? CM: Kacey was the most popular girl in school, but then got braces AND glasses and her friends disowned her. She learned that through just being yourself that’s where your true friends come from.
KW: The Judyth Piazza question: “What key quality do you believe all successful people share?” CM: That they had to learn how to deal with rejection.
KW: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps? CM: Be yourself. Be the best you.
KW: How would you describe the transformation she undergoes? CM: As transforming and as a great example for others because she learns that you can change and make yourself better when you do what’s right.
KW: Thanks again for the time, Cymphonique, and best of luck with the show. CM: Thanks!
KW: Is it hard having to play a girl who loses her popularity? CM: Not really.
(To see a trailer for How to Rock, visit: http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=rL6IL4j11p8)
Cymphonique Miller (top) is cast in the lede role of Kacey Simon in the Nickelodeon comedy series “How to Rock.” (Photos courtesy of Nickelodeon)
Lulu Antariska (left), Cymphonique Miller and Zander Robbins appear in the show “How to Rock” premiering Feb. 4 on Nickelodeon.
OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam’s Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Kam Williams
For movies opening February 3, 2012
BIG BUDGET FILMS
“Big Miracle” (PG for mild epithets) Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski co-star in this romance drama about the resurrected relationship of a reporter and his environmentalist ex-girlfriend in the wake of their joining forces to save a family of gray whales trapped under the ice near the Arctic Circle. Supporting cast includes Ted Danson, Kristen Bell, Dermot Mulroney, Vinessa Shaw and Tim Blake Nelson. “Chronicle” (PG-13 for profanity, mature themes, sexuality, teen drinking and intense violence) Scifi thriller about three well-meaning, high school buddies (Michael B. Jordan, Dane DeHaan and Alex Russell) who find themselves drawn to the dark side after developing such superpowers as invulnerability, mental telepathy and the ability to fly. With Michael Kelly, Ashley Hinshaw and Anna Wood. “The Woman in Black” (PG-13 for violence, disturbing images and mature themes) Eerie ghost tale about a London lawyer (Daniel Radcliffe) who travels out of town
to settle an estate only to find his recently-deceased client’s (Alisa Khazanova) house haunted by a disembodied spirit (Liz White) bent on revenge. With Janet McTeer, Ciaran Hinds and Sophie Stuckey.
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
“Bad Fever” (Unrated) Thought-provoking meditation on the compulsion for companionship revolving around a mean-spirited hussy (Eleonoro Hendricks) with a video camera who cruelly exploits an awkward loner (Kentucker Au-
dley) by filming his desperate efforts to win her heart. With Allison Baar, Hayward Buchanan and Scott Parisi. “The Innkeepers” (R for profanity and bloody images) Harrowing horror flick about a closing country inn’s only two employees’ (Sarah Paxton and Pat Healy) ill-advised attempt to prove a persistent rumor that the desolate place is haunted. With Kelly McGillis, Lena Dunham and George Riddle. “Kill List” (Unrated) Grisly crime caper about a hit man (Neil Maskell) who unwittingly agrees to perform assassinations for a cult which he has no idea worships him as the anti-Christ. With MyAnna Buring, Harry Simpson and Struan Rodger. “W.E.” (Unrated) Madonna wrote and directed this flashback flick revisiting the forbidden romance of divorcee Wallis Simpson (Andrea Riseborough) and King Edward VIII (James D’Arcy) as reflected upon six decades later through the eyes of an American Southerner (Abbie Cornish) stuck in an abusive marriage. With Katie McGrath, Oscar Isaac and Richard Coyle. “Windfall” (Unrated) Eco-expose’ uncovering the ugly underbelly of the green movement as discovered by the naïve natives of a town in upstate New York scammed by a shady, wind-energy developer.
Feb. 2 – 8, 2012
HOROSCOPES
ARIES A happy week is in store for sociable you. Lots of friends and a party or two or three will keep your energy bright. Use caution while driving and watch for a pleasant surprise or two this week. TAURUS Lots of creative energy available this week, and you can use this in many creative ways. Whatever your heart tells you to focus on, focus on that. Maintain emotional balance by taking periodic breaks from your work. GEMINI Your sense of self is feeling unusually well-defined. And it’s causing you to look confident. People will notice your regal bearing and noble outlook this week. CANCER The week may start off cloudy but will soon turn bright if you keep your outlook positive and your thoughts on higher, more optimistic ideas. Be thankful for your wise and generous heart. You have a shining spirit. LEO Who is your spiritual family? Celebrate your life with these people this week. Offer praise and grace-filled vibrations, and share your blessings. Things on the mundane level are clearing up and working out perfectly. VIRGO Lots of creative energy available this week, and you can use this in many creative ways. Whatever your heart tells you to focus on, focus on that. Maintain emotional balance by taking periodic breaks from your work. LIBRA Your sense of self is feeling unusu-
ally well-defined. And it’s causing you to look confident. People will notice your regal bearing and noble outlook this week. SCORPIO The week may start off cloudy but will soon turn bright if you keep your outlook positive and your thoughts on higher, more optimistic ideas. Be thankful for your wise and generous heart. You have a shining spirit. SAGITTARIUS Who is your spiritual family? Celebrate your life with these people this week. Offer praise and grace-filled vibrations, and share your blessings. Things on the mundane level are clearing up and working out perfectly. CAPRICORN Love gets you back on an even keel, and you feel balance and much appreciation for all of the blessings in your life. Your creativity is soaring; let some of your wilder ideas free and watch them fly AQUARIUS Sometimes, a path down the middle is better than taking sides in an issue that may lead to discomposure of your emotional harmony. Your challenge this week is to double-check arrangements or tasks that others say they have done. Be discreet, but if it involves your schedule or needs, do check twice. PISCES Your mind is sending bubbles to the top of your consciousness, signaling the imminent arrival of a couple of brilliant ideas. These ideas may even come as you are in your bubble bath or asleep in your comfy bed, so keep a notepad and pen nearby at all times to capture those impressions as they make themselves known to you. Source: NNPA News Service
Page 14
AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH February 2 - 8, 2012
CALENDAR
National Civil Rights Museum
Through August 20 – “For All the World to See: Visual Culture and the Struggle for Civil Rights” Exhibit; Museum Gallery, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. First Thursday Film Series: February-August, Museum Auditorium, 6 p.m. To complement the, “For All the World to See Exhibit”, the museum will host films that reflect the various themes of the exhibit. February 2 – “Ethnic Notions”: (1986) Director Marlon Riggs’ Emmy-winning documentary that traces the deep-rooted stereotypes which have fueled anti-black prejudice. Guest discussion leader – Derrick Lanois. February 8 – Premiere Screening of Smithsonian Channel’s “MLK: The Assassination Tapes,” Auditorium, 6 p.m.; created almost entirely through the use of television and radio news footage from the weeks leading up to Dr. King’s visits to Memphis through the aftermath of his murder. Comments from producer Tom Jennings. The documentary airs for the first time on the Smithsonian Channel February 12 at 8 p.m. February 15, 22, 29 – Children’s Story Hour, Peach Room, 10 a.m., designed for children 8 and under to have an opportunity to learn about history and provide cultural enrichment during African-American History Month. Does not include museum tour. February 18 – Exhibit Reception and Presentation, Auditorium/Gallery, 5:30 p.m. “For All the World to See” exhibit opening program. Martin Berger, PhD, and author of “Seeing Through Race: A Reinterpretation of Civil Rights Photography. Berger, professor and chair of History of Art and Visual Culture at the University of California at Santa Cruz, is the author of “Man Made: Thomas Eakins and the Construction of Gilded Age Manhood (2000)” and “Sight Unseen: Whiteness in American Visual Culture (2005).” February 22 – Lunch & Learn: “African American Women in the Civil Rights Movement,” Rose Room, 5:30 p.m. This year’s national theme for Black History Month is “Black Women in American History and Culture.” The discussion will look at the role African-American women have played from 1619 to 1968. Free, bring your own lunch; 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.
legal notices
LEGAL NOTICE TO BIDDERS TERMINAL APRON RECONSTRUCTION REBID MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MEMPHIS, TN MSCAA PROJECT NUMBER 08-1259-02 Sealed bids for the Rebid of the Terminal Apron Reconstruction, MSCAA Project No. 08-1259-02 will be received by the Staff Services Division of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority (MSCAA), 3505 Tchulahoma Road, Memphis, Tennessee 38118, until 2:00 PM local time on Thursday, March 22, 2012, BIDS WILL NOT BE RECEIVED AT ANY OTHER LOCATION, and thereafter will be opened and publicly read at 2:30 pm local time at the Airport Project Center located at 4225 Airways Boulevard, Memphis, TN 38116. The scope of work generally consists of all services necessary for the reconstruction of the aircraft apron surrounding passenger terminal Concourses A, B and C at Memphis International Airport in 5 primary phases over an approximate three (3) year period. Phases 1 thru 3 constitute the base bid for the project and will be constructed consecutively. Phase 4 and 5 will be bid as add-alternates, but with the final decision to construct or not-construct being delayed for as long as 20 months from Project Notice-to-Proceed. The Project includes the demolition and new construction of approximately 350,000 SY of airfield concrete pavement and base material. The project will also include partial and/or full replacement of underground utilities including hydrant fueling, storm drainage, sanitary sewer and water lines, underdrains, relocation of passenger boarding bridges, traffic signal modification, and other miscellaneous work to complete the project. The Contractor shall furnish all material, equipment, and labor necessary to complete the project per the construction documents, coordinate with local and state officials, utility companies and governmental agencies. The complete scope of work is shown on the drawings and/or in the specifications. The Bid Documents may be obtained on or after Monday, February 6, 2012. Electronic bid document files on CD in .pdf format may be obtained from Parsons Transportation Group Inc. at the Airport Project Center located at 4225 Airways Boulevard, Memphis, TN 38116, 901-3441650, for a nonrefundable fee of $50.00 per CD. Checks should be made payable to Parsons Transporation Group Inc. Bid documents may be examined 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. Information regarding obtaining bid documents, addenda to these documents and any other additional information may be found on our website (www.mscaa.com). All Respondents are hereby notified that all updates, addenda and additional information, if any, shall be posted to the MSCAA website and Respondents are responsible for checking the MSCAA website up to the time of the Bid opening. A MANDATORY Pre-Bid Meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 22,
Rhodes College
Feb. 7 – National Black HIV/Aids Awareness Day, Information and Ribbon Distribution, 12-1 p.m., Lynx Lair. Feb. 13 – “Soul Food and Sitcoms”: Rhodes’ Black Student Association will discuss the images and the ideology of black sitcoms while viewing “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “Living Single”; Meal provided by Melanie’s Soulfood Restaurant, 7 p.m., Orgill Room, Clough Hall. Feb. 20 – Moving Beyond Prejudice: “Prom Night in Mississippi” Documentary viewing and conversation with the director, Paul Saltzman, 7 p.m., Buckman Hall, Blount Auditorium. Feb. 28 – “State of the Black Community” sponsored by Rhodes’ Black Student Association, 6 p.m., Orgill Room, Clough Hall. (Events are co-sponsored by Rhodes’ Mike Curb Institute, African American Studies Department, Kinney Program, Black Student Association, Film Studies & Multicultural Affairs. For more information: contact Sabrina Brown, Rhodes’Office of the Multicultural Affairs, at browns@rhodes.edu or 901-8433529.)
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2012 at 9:30 a.m. local time at the MSCAA Project Center, located at 4225 Airways Boulevard, Memphis, TN. Immediately following the meeting a bus tour of the project site will be available. The MSCAA hereby notifies that it will review and award contracts in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4a and Title 49, Part 26, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21, Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act. MSCAA further notifies all Bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, Disadvantaged, Minority and Women Business Enterprises (D/M/WBE) will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of age, race, sex, color, national origin, creed, religion, sexual orientation or disability in its hiring and employment practices, or in admission to, access to, or operation of its programs, services and activities. The D/M/WBE participation goal for this contract is 24% in accordance with the requirements of the Contract Documents. This project is Federal Grant Funded. Therefore, the only participation that will be counted toward meeting this goal will be participation by certified DBEs, the owners of which have been certified as having a personal net worth less than $1.32 million. MBE and WBE participation is encouraged but may NOT be counted toward the goal. Each bid must be by a contractor licensed in Tennessee and accompanied by a 5% Bid Guarantee. In accordance with TCA §62-6-119, the Bidder, and where applicable, one contractor/subcontractor performing electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, or masonry work must have its license number, expiration date of the license, and that part of the classification applying to the bid shown on the outside of the envelope containing the bid. Failure to supply all information on the
University of Memphis
Theme: “Black Women in American History and Culture: Passionate, Powerful and Proud.” Many of the events are free and open to the public free. Dates, times and venues include: Feb. 2 – Blue Lights in the Basement, 7:12 p.m., University Center Ballroom. Feb. 8 – NAACP Knowledge Bowl, 6 p.m., University Center River Room. Feb. 11 – noon-3 p.m., tour of Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum; 7:30 p.m., Gospel Explosion, featuring Kierra Sheard, Rose Theatre. Feb. 12 – “A Night With Star Jones,” 7 p.m., Rose Theatre Feb. 14 – “Black Indians: An American Story,” 1-2:30 p.m., Univ. Center Bluff Room. Feb. 17 – NAACP Freedom Ball, 7 p.m., University Center Ballroom. Feb. 21 – “The Help,” play and panel discussion, 11:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m., UC Theatre. Feb. 22 – Igniting Excitement, 2 p.m., Rose Theatre Entertainment Lobby. Feb. 23 – “An Evening with Debbie Allen,” 7 p.m., Rose Theatre. Feb. 24 – SAC Movie Night, The
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outside of the envelope will result in the return of the unopened envelope to the Bidder. The successful Bidder will be required to execute a Performance Bond and a Payment Bond, each in the amount of 100% of the Contract Price. Liquidated damages for delay in contract completion shall be as stated in the Contract Documents. No Bidder may withdraw an opened bid within the defined period following actual bid opening without MSCAAʼs consent. Award will be made to the lowest and best responsible qualified Bidder, if any contract is awarded, based on the best combination of base bid plus individual add-alternates deemed, at MSCAAʼs sole discretion, to be in MSCAAʼs best interests regardless of whether the individual add-alternates are ultimately constructed or not constructed, MSCAA reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any informalities, technicalities or omissions therein. MSCAA also reserves the right to reject bids from bidders that have pending litigation or claims with MSCAA, or if such bid includes a proposed subcontractor or supplier that has pending litigation or claims with MSCAA, if MSCAA determines, in its sole discretion, such litigation or claims may adversely affect the ability of the parties to work efficiently and effectively under this contract, or for any other reason as determined by MSCAA. Any such bid will be returned to the bidder. See Instructions to Bidders in the project specifications for a further description of this and other reservations of rights. MEMPHIS-SHELBY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY By Larry D. Cox, President & CEO NOTICE OF SUNSET PUBLIC HEARING In accordance with Title 4, Chapter 29, Tennessee Code Annotated, the Government Operations Committees of the Tennessee General Assembly will conduct a public hearing to receive testimony on whether the entity listed below should be continued, restructured, or terminated.
Help, 7 p.m., University Center Theatre Feb. 26 – Black Women Who Write: Playwrights and Publishers Extraordinaire, 4 p.m., University Center Theatre. Feb. 29 – Closing Ceremony, 1 p.m., University Center Bluff Room.
(More information, is available online at www.memphis.edu/multiculturalaffairs/events.htm or from the U of M Office of Multicultural Affairs at 901-678-2054.)
University of Tennessee
The Black Student Association (BSA) at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) is hosting its 20th Annual Awards & Recognition Ball at the Holiday Inn, 3700 Central Ave., beginning at 6 p.m. on Feb. 18. The event is a celebration of BSA members’ accomplishments throughout the academic year. Michelle Skinner, PharmD, executive director, NovoNordisk A/S, and a 1995 graduate of the UTHSC College of Pharmacy, will be this year’s speaker. Individual tickets, $45; Table of ten $450. Funds raised support BSA events. For tickets or more information, contact UTHSC Special Events
The hearing will be held in the Legislative Plaza, Nashville, Tennessee, as indicated below. Pertinent public testimony is invited. Monday, February 13, 2012, at 1:30 p.m., in Room 12 Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Air Pollution Control Board Board of Ground Water Management Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Board Solid Waste Disposal Control Board Water Quality Control Board Any changes in the above schedule which may become necessary will be announced at the Government Operations Committeesʼ website at www.capitol. tn.gov/joint/committees/gov-opps/. For additional information or to request special accommodations for individuals with disabilities, contact: Deborah V. Loveless, CPA, Assistant Director, Division of State Audit, Nashville, Tennessee; telephone: (615) 747-5258; e-mail: Deborah.Loveless @cot.tn.gov. Request for special accommodations should be made at least 24 hours prior to the meeting whenever possible. ALL INTERESTED BIDDERS The Board of Education of the Memphis City Schools will accept written bids for New Gymnasium and Renovations for Grandview Heights Elementary School, and a Request for Proposal for a Professional Learning Management System for the MCS District. Visit our website for additional information: www.mcsk12.net/departments.asp, Procurement Services link, click on Bids & RFPs. Questions concerning bids/RFP should be addressed to Procurement Services at (901) 416-5376. Thank you for supporting Memphis City Schools. Jacqueline Saunders, Director Memphis City Schools – Procurement Services NOTICE TO PUBLIC The following person(s) has asked the city of Memphis Alcohol Commission for permission to sell beer for ON premise consumption. Applicant: Andre Somerville DBA: The A List Location: 3695 Austin Peay Hwy Anyone desiring to circulate a petition FOR or AGAINST said establishment selling BEER at this location must secure the petition blanks for the undersigned Commission at 2714 Union Avenue Extended, 1st Floor. Must be filed no later than Tuesday, February 14_, 2012. Wayne West, Chairman; Billy Post, Member; Eugene S. Bryan, Member; Erma Hayslett, Member; Martavius Jones, Member; Jimmie Kelly, Member; Ricky Middlebrook, Member; Sherman Greer, Member; Jared Johnson, Member; Aubrey J. Howard, Executive Secretary City of Memphis Alcohol Commission PUBLIC NOTICE THE MEMPHIS URBAN AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION In compliance with federal regulations 23 CFR 450, the Memphis Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is proposing to amend the FY 2011-2012
Tri-State Defender
On message…
Historian and author Dr. Tiffany Ruby Patterson kicked off the month-long celebration of AfricanAmerican History Month at The LeMoyne-Owen College during a program at Metropolitan Baptist Church, 767 Walker Ave., on Wednesday (Feb. 1). Patterson is Vanderbilt Universityʼs acting director and associate professor of African American and Diaspora Studies, associate professor of American Studies and affiliated faculty for its Department of History. (Photo courtesy of The LeMoyne-Owen College)
– 901-448-5618 or 1-800-733-0482.
Arts-A-F!RE Youth Theater Troupe
Memphis Black Arts Alliance’s Arts-A-Fire Youth Theater Troupe will present an original musical entitled “Testament” during Black History Month. On stage Feb. 10-12 at Evergreen Theatre, 1705 Poplar, “Testament” is the second original production that the youth troupe has written and produced. Directed by Leslie Reddick, the play is a compilation of narrative, poetry, dance and song that celebrates the rich American heritage, past and present of African-Americans. Show times are 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $12 for MBAA members and $10 for children under 12 and groups of 10 or more. For information and ticket reservations, call the Memphis Black Arts Alliance, Inc. – FireHouse Community Arts Center at 901-948-9522, visit the center at 985 South Bellevue Blvd., or send an email to mbaafirehouse@gmail.com. Tickets also can be purchased online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/e vent/220201.
Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) and the FY 2011-2014 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and adopt the Direction 2040: Long Range Transportation Plan and Air Quality Conformity Report The public is hereby given notice that these documents are available for review 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM Monday through Friday in the offices of the Memphis and Shelby County Department of Regional Services located at 125 N. Main Street, Room 450, Memphis, TN 38103 or for download from the Internet at: www. memphismpo.org. The English and Spanish language copies are also available for public review in the library systems of Memphis, Shelby County, and Fayette County, Tennessee, and DeSoto County, Mississippi. Written public comments on the amendments will be accepted until February 17, 2012. Comments may be submitted to Pragati Srivastava, Department of Regional Services, 125 N. Main Street, Room 450, Memphis, TN 38134 or via email at Pragati.Srivastava @memphistn.gov. The Memphis MPO Transportation Policy Board (TPB) will hold a public hearing on Thursday, February 23, 2012, 1:30 PM, at Central Station, MATA Board Room, 545 S. Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38103, to accept oral comments and take action on the proposed items. The proposed action items are as follows: Amendment to the 2011-12 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP): The Memphis MPO is requesting to amend the Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 portion of the FY 2011-12 UPWP to add an additional $122,425 in Mississippi FTA 5303 funds. The additional funds have been programmed for transit activities. Adoption of Direction 2040: Long Range Transportation Plan and Air Quality Conformity Report Federal, State, and Local agencies have reviewed and provided comments on Direction 2040, the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) and Air Quality Conformity Report of the Memphis Urban Area MPO. All comments have been addressed. Amendments to the 2011-14 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP): Thirty (30) TIP Amendments are being proposed to ensure consistency between the 2040 LRTP and the 2011-2014 TIP. It is the policy of the Memphis Urban Area MPO not to discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, national origin or disability in its hiring or employment practices, or in its admissions to or operations of its program, services, or activities. All inquiries for Title VI and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), or for persons with disabilities that require aids or services to participate either in the review of these documents or at the hearing may contact Carlos McCloud at 901-576-7156, fax (901) 576-7272; or email Carlos.McCloud @memphistn.gov to make accessibility arrangements no less than five days prior to the February 23, 2012, Transportation Policy Board meeting. This public notice has been prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and the Tennessee and Mississippi Departments of Transportation. This notice is also being funded (in part) under an agreement with the State of Tennessee, Department of Transportation, and the State of Mississippi, Department of Transportation.
HEALTH
Tri-State Defender
Page 15
February 2 - 8, 2012
CHEF TIMOTHY
Woeful attitude about cancer can be just as unhealthy by Chef Timothy Moore Ph.D, N.M.D, C.N.
Special to the Tri-State Defender
If you’re stricken with cancer, you may believe your world is coming to an end. Such was the case of Dr. Timothy a 49-yearold woman Moore who could not see past her illness until she decided to look up and live. The thought of death was too much for her to bear because she’d be leaving six children behind. Like anybody whose body is being ravaged by cancer, the thought of death can tax the body even further and slow the healing process. But this woman was thinking about the future of her children in the event of her death. She couldn’t focus on healing; she focused instead on all her unfulfilled dreams and aspirations. She was troubled and afraid. The laugher was missing and the smile that once framed her face was inverted most of the time. Tears would well up in her eyes and flow like an open faucet. Did she think anyone cared? Not really, she told me. She felt alone, unable to discuss her problem, because everyone, she believed, wouldn’t understand. People smiled in her face, she said, but she believed their smiles to be fake. No one really bothered to find out what she was going through. She believed everyone was out for his or herself and could care less about the pain that had permeated her body and the fact that she was laden with depression. This woman actually thought the people close to her were her enemies. She was vexed by dread and doom and did not believe the positive comments and the encouraging words that she’d receive from concerned friends and loved ones. That’s because the debilitating illness that she was battling had gripped her mind and caused her to think negatively. The diagnosis of cervical cancer was too much to bear, too much to shoulder. And like most people who are stricken with a deadly disease, questions loom: Why me? Why did this have to happen to me? Did I do anything wrong to deserve this? Why did this have to happen at this time in my life? Lord, can you give me a few more years? After wallowing in self-pity, she soon realized that she was much to blame for her health problems. It was no one else’s fault. The problem was, and has always been, a choice of lifestyle and the kinds of food that she used to eat. So could the inevitable be corrected to keep death at bay? Sure. The woman was working three jobs and not getting any rest. She was constantly under stress at home and on the job in a hostile environment just to maintain shelter and provide food for her six children. She wasn’t eating right and, of course, neglected her body. I’m certain that millions of Americans are faced with similar circumstances: They’re discovering that it’s hard dealing with cancer or any other dreaded disease. It happens to the best of us. It can slip up on you and me like a thief in the night and rob you and me of our lives. There is good news about cancer or any other ailment. When dietary changes are implemented, the body is able to start an internal healing process in ways that most of you thought was impossible or
unbelievable. You cannot listen to others. You should know your own body. This woman had a choice to make. And it was a simple one. She realized that her health was more important than her two jobs and even her children. She started making some small changes to her diet. She also started meditating.
To her surprise, she was able to regain her health and went about the rest of her life as if nothing had ever happened. The friends and loved ones that she’d surrounded herself with were just as amazed as she was when her health improved to the point where she was no longer in the danger zone. They pelted her with
questions: How did you do it? Do you still have cancer? When I asked her how she responded to the questions, here’s what she told me: “They saw me and laughed under their breath. They had more important things to listen to than my issues. So I decided to do what was best for my family and me. I pray that
no one ever has to go through the embarrassment of a lifethreatening illness.” There is an array of food that has been documented to help with cancer. Check out the website www.prevention .com (Dr. Timothy Moore teaches nutrition, heart disease and
diabetes reversal through a plant-based lifestyle. He is a professional speaker, wellness coach and personal plantbased chef. He can be reached by email at cheftimothy @cheftimothymoore.com or visit him on the Web sites at www.cheftimothymoore.com or www.twitter.com/ cheftimmoore.)
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February 2 - 8, 2012
Tri-State Defender