VOL. 61, No. 38
www.tsdmemphis.com
September 20 -26, 2012
75 Cents
Homicide by way of gun Another fatal shooting prompts no-tolerance-for-violence pledge Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Tony Jones
Report #1209010656ME – translation: another homicide by way of gun. The Memphis Police Department issued a release on Wednesday night (Sept. 19), with it reaching the newsroom of The New Tri-State Defender at 7:58:52 p.m. It was short and painfully familiar, ending with the notation that an investigation is ongoing and a plea from homicide investigator for “someone to come forward with information to help solve this crime.” The particulars: At approximately 3:50 p.m., officers responded to 810 Western Park on a shooting call. On
the scene, they located a male on the ground in the park behind the Westwood Community Center with multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics pronounced the victim deceased. No positive ID had been made, and no info was available on the suspect at the time. At 5:36:26 p.m., the office of Mayor AC Wharton Jr. had issued an emotionally charged press release underlining the importance of the Gas for Guns event held this past Saturday (Sept. 15) at Bloomfield Baptist Church, where the Rev. Ralph White is pastor. It was about the shooting on Western Park. As the mayor was issuing his statement, White was rushing back to the
church at 123 S. Parkway West for his weekly Bible study class after turning in a pair of pistols he had just retrieved from an angry mother. Gas for Guns drew more than 500 weapons from members of the general public, who took advantage of the opportunity to turn in a firearm without penalty and no questions asked in exchange for a $50 gas card and a pair of Memphis Grizzlies tickets. White said Wednesday night that he had just been contacted by police in Jackson, Miss., about planning an event there. He was processing that thought along with the frantic call for help received SEE GUNS ON PAGE 2
The Gas for Guns initiative held last Saturday (Sept. 15) led to the collection of 500-plus weapons from those who chose to take advantage of the opportunity to turn in a firearm without penalty and no questions asked in exchange for a $50 gas card and a pair of Memphis Grizzlies tickets. (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)
Ministers, Cohen forge coalition to re-elect President Special to the Tri-State Defender
by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell
President Barack Obama unleashed a nationwide fury of protest and disapproval from ministers and pastors, many of them African Americans, with his public endorsement of samesex marriage. Many encouraged their congregations to sit it out on Election Day and to ask family and friends to do the same. On Tuesday, Ministers United for President Obama – a group of local ministers – pushed back, along with Congressman Steve Cohen. They endorsed the re-election of the President during an afternoon press conference at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) building at 485 Beale Street, in downtown Memphis. “We are theologically opposed to gay marriage as Christian ministers,” said Dr. James L. Netters Sr. “But right now, we are about the business of electing a president who has done an extraordinary job. More than 400 pastors of all races and denominations have joined our ranks, and others are quickly coming on board.” Dr. Netters, pastor, senior pastor of Mt. Vernon Baptist Church-Westwood, said “our community needs leadership regarding this matter.” African-American pastors who denounced the president and encouraged parishioners to stay home on voting day have done this country “a great disservice,” said Dr. Netters. “I’ve been in civil rights all of my life. Back in 1963, when we marched right here in this city and sat at segregated lunch counters for racial equality, it is quite disheartening that pastors of any race or denomination would encourage people not to vote. “Those before us gave their lives so that we could vote,” he said. “This is the first African-American president, and he is worthy of our continued support. He cares about all people, and his decisions have been driven by seeking to improve the quality of life for all people, including the poor, the unemployed, returning veterans in need of mental healthcare and substance abuse rehabilitation, and seniors who depend on Medicare and Social Security. President Obama has proven that he’s well qualified to continue leading our country. He deserves our support.” SEE VOTE ON PAGE 3
MEMPHIS WEEKEND
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
H- 8 7o - L - 6 4o Most ly Sunn y
H- 8 3o - L - 5 4o S unn y
H- 7 3o - L - 5 2o S unn y
REGIONAL TEMPS LITTLE ROCK NASHVILLE JACKSON, MS
Friday H-89 L-64 H-84 L-63 H-87 L-60
Saturday H-90 L-58 H-90 L-58 H-88 L-61
Sunday H-75 L-55 H-75 L-55 H-80 L-51
A historical marker, sponsored by the University of Memphis and the Shelby County Historical Commission, lists the names Rose Blakney, Eleanor Gandy, John Simpson, Marvis Kneeland, Luther McClellan, Ralph Prater, Bertha Rogers and Sammie Burnett (deceased) – the eight students who integrated the U of M, then known as Memphis State University. (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)
‘Memphis State Eight’ take U of M salute in stride First AfricanAmerican students
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Erica Horton
Each of them – all in their 70s – sat at a table with family and friends wearing a white flower pinned to their suits and dresses. Eight friendly smiles greeted students and
guests in the University Center at the University of Memphis, a building, had it existed 53 years ago, they would not have been allowed to visit. “It is beautiful to see all of this color in the room and I’ll tell you this color was quite absent in 1959,” Ralph Prater, a member of the Memphis State Eight, said. “As Luther McClellan and the rest of us will attest to, there were only eight, no administrators, no staff, no professors, only the eight of us who found
ourselves in a sea of white.” Hosted by the U of M’s Office of Multicultural Affairs, Memphis State Eight Day was Tuesday, Sept. 18 and centered around the unveiling of a historical marker on the U of M campus. After a two-hour brunch in which guests were allowed to talk to the eight people that integrated the U of M, the crowd moved to SEE EIGHT ON PAGE 2
- INSIDE -
Aug. 18, 1935 – Sept. 9, 2012
LEGACY: Rev. Ezekiel Bell ʻPushing his people forwardʼ
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Tony Jones
There may never be statues or large public celebrations to commemorate him, but if the religions are right in teaching us that there is a place where good works are rewarded, there should be a great banquet planned for the Rev. Ezekiel Bell. Born in Clarksdale, Miss. in 1935, Rev. Bell was one who made it his mission to dedicate his life to pushing his people forward. Like his compatriot Joe Crittenden, whose life was chronicled in The New Tri State Defender’s May 17, 2012 issue, even in his 80s Mr. Bell kept pushing forward. He helped reestablish the Southern
Christian Leadership Conference Memphis Chapter with Crittenden and Johnnie Williams, a fellow street activist who grew up as a playmate with Emmett Till, a civil-rights era martyr. Like a wonderfully crusty set of musketeers, their hobby was to locate, eradicate and decimate social cowardice and injustice. Barely a Sunday went by when they weren’t somewhere pushing for the rights of someone, the last public display of which was their protesting the election count in Tunica, Miss. That move eventually led to the election of Louise Linzy, the first female African-American Justice Court Judge for Southern District of Mississippi. “Joe, Johnnie and Zeke” were right there, holding signs and fighting for justice. Mr. Bell played a pivotal role in the movement here during the dangerous ’60s. His obituary tells the
• Oprah gets Usher to open up in interview. See Entertainment, page 10.
story of how his home in Huntsville, Ala. became a strategic site for strat- Rev. Ezekiel egy sessions in Bell the fight to desegregate his home area. He was proud to have hosted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at his home. The obituary reads” “During the pinnacle of the civil rights movement, he invited Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to speak at Oakwood, College in Huntsville, Alabama. On March 19, 1962, Reverend Bell welcomed Dr. King to his home where he stayed for the duration of his visit – thus continuing the tradition of the Bell home being the site of several civil rights strategy SEE BELL ON PAGE 7
• NBA star brings no-‘text’ message to Mitchell High. See Community, page 13.
Dr. Marvin L. Sapp
• ‘Faith walk’ defines revival at St. Paul Baptist. See Religion, page 8.
NEWS
Page 2
EIGHT
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
A special unit of officers wearing bright yellow safety vests escorted citizens to the collection line, with Bloomfield Baptist Church volunteers also helping direct people to where they needed to go to turn in guns. (Photos by Tyrone P. Easley)
GUNS
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
from the woman who had just found her son’s guns and wanted White to come get them right away. “She told me they belonged to her 17-year-old son and she would not have them in her house one minute longer,” said White. “I usually would tell her to call the police to come get them, but she was demanding that somebody come get them right away. So I retrieved them and turned them in to police.” White’s day illustrates the message in Mayor Wharton’s release, printed here in its entirety: “Once again, I find myself having to say that my thoughts and prayers go out to yet another family. Once again, we find ourselves wondering why. Once again, we are in mourning for a teenager who has been shot on the streets of Memphis. Forgive me, because my thoughts and my prayers do go out to the family and friends of this young man. Heaven help them in this dark time. “But it is intolerable that this continues to occur on our streets, near our homes, and in our neighborhoods. “This is why, when Bloomberg Philanthropies approached me with an opportunity to work on an urban challenge, I chose the issue of youth gun violence. This is why we’ve worked with the federal government, local partners, and cities across the country to find solutions. And this is why, just last week, we offered ‘Gas for Guns.’ “But it’s clear we must redouble our efforts. “The Courts must set higher bail for firearms cases. We must have harsher sentences for violent offenders. We must mentor our children and show them there is a road that leads away from a violent lifestyle. We must provide them with opportunities to advance. “And we must have your help. Violence should not, and cannot, be tolerated by this community.”
White pledged to follow through and try to help extend the Gas-for-Guns effort to Jackson. Saturday’s event was held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. By the first hour, Bloomfield looked like a spot where the
Tri-State Defender
September 20 -26, 2012
Rev. Ralph White, Ron Kent of Chow Time and China Inn Restaurants, Nicky Sparrow of Clear Channel, Mayor AC Wharton Jr. and Police Director Toney Armstrong were key collaborators in the Gas for Guns event held last Saturday.
next iPhone was going on sale. A stream of cars kept a steady flow and people were strolling up as broadcast media pumped out the news to the public. The blue flashing lights of about a dozen police cars created a safety perimeter around the church, and gave an instant marker to people driving up looking for the location. A special unit of officers wearing bright yellow safety vests escorted citizens to the collection line as Bloomfield volunteers in bright red shirts directed people where to go. Mayor Wharton looked like a bouncing cursor on a computer screen as he moved from one media outlet to another, urging people to participate in language that may have surprised many with its directness. “It’s not about snitching anybody out, that’s not our concern,” Wharton told WDIA personality Bev Johnson’s listeners. “It’s about making your home safer and this community safer. That’s one less gun somebody could get hurt with.” Including a boost by City Councilman Myron Lowery, gun trade-ins in various forms have been conducted throughout the city for years. Saturday’s gathering included a seminar dubbed “Done with Guns,” sponsored by Lowery. The Gas for Guns sponsors were Ron Kent of Chow Time and China Inn Restaurants, Mapco, MPD, Mayor Wharton, Clear Channel, the Memphis Grizzlies and The New Tri-State Defender. White did not temper his words as he discussed why the Riverside community needed to be the focal point for Gas for
Vroom for a cause…
Guns. “This is a great event, and for those who say it won’t reach the criminal element, at least it’s another gun they won’t have the opportunity to steal,” said White. “And it can reach them. We had a group of them come into the church recently, about eight of them. One young man led them, and I gave them a strong sermon about the sagging pants, the whole nine yards. They won’t be interacting with the guys across the block or the gang across the street when they’re out there trying to find a job and make a real living.” Today, “we are perishing in the midst of knowledge,” said White. “They have got to wake up to the fact that the media they love is not the real world. This is the media age and they have to compete now in a society that is learning how to compete again; they don’t have time for none of this foolishness.” The Church community, White added, “is too consistent in its being inconsistent. We can’t just do this on an event basis. We have to become this vigilant all the time. If every church would start leading a program like this in their community, we will make an impact. The real gangbangers are going to stay home today and then come out tonight when we leave, but we have to be consistent and that’s what we are trying to do.” A woman talking while standing in line at the Kroger in the Southgate Shopping Center encapsulated it well. “I’m sick of all these fools shooting every night,” she said. “We’ve been poor before, but we’ve never been this stupid.”
Maurice Woodard, president and founder of Strictly Vettes, goes over the scoring with the judges for the car competition held at Chuck Hutton Chevrolet last Saturday (Sept. 15). The civic-oriented club focused its most recent fundraising effort on contributions to Georgian Hills Elementary School. (Photo by Warren Roseborough)
the Administration Building, where the marker stood beside it, covered with a green cloth and gold ropes. The marker, sponsored by the U of M and the Shelby County Historical Commission, lists the names of the eight honorees – Rose Blakney, Eleanor Gandy, John Simpson, Marvis Kneeland, Luther McClellan, Ralph Prater, Bertha Rogers and Sammie Burnett (deceased). Spearheaded by Lonnie Latham, associate dean of multicultural affairs, the marker and an application processing fee for the Shelby County Historical Commission costs about $2,400 and was paid for by the U of M. “I felt that this was the centennial year for the university and that we had them on campus before but we had never presented them to the city and they didn’t just help the Memphis State area, they helped the community,” Latham said. “It was important that the city honor them, the county and the Memphis community, and that they be recognized for the bravery that they displayed in being the first under hostile environments.” The events for the day were paid for by the U of M Student Event Allocation Committee, the U of M Department of History and the African and African American Studies Department. More than 400 people attended the marker ceremony. Brianna Wilkerson, president of the Black Student Association at the U of M, and Russell Born, president of the Student Government Association, started the marker ceremony with words of welcome. Speakers also included U of M President Shirley Raines, Vice President of Student Affairs Rosie Bingham, Mayor A C Wharton Jr., Shelby County Mayor Mark H. Luttrell Jr., U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen and Jimmy Ogle,
chairman of the Shelby County Historical Commission. Raines gave a brief history of the African-American presence at the University of Memphis. “By 1980, thirty-one of the 785 Memphis State faculty and eight of the 127 administrators were African Americans,” she said. “But today, in our 100th anniversary, look around this wonderful crowd at the diversity and the colleagueship that exists in this crowd and throughout this university. Today we honor these pioneers of civil rights and can tell you that one third of the student body at the University of Memphis is African American.” Zelma Dillihunt, 76, attended the ceremonies to represent her sister, the late Sammie Burnett. Each honoree had a story to tell of his/her time at the University of Memphis in the 1950s, then known as Memphis State. “As I would take my seat in the class, I would notice that seats around me would be left vacant,” Prater said. “On those days that I had a few hours or a few minutes to go to the library, if I sat at a table where other students were sitting, the moment I sat down at the table, all of the other students got up and left.” While attending Memphis State, the pioneer eight students were not allowed into the student center or cafeteria. They were not allowed to take physical education or ROTC classes and they were required to leave campus by noon every day. While speaking to guests in the University Center, Marvis Kneeland said when she and the other black students arrived on campus – which had a population of approximately 4,500 in the fall of 1959 – university administrators had already ordered all of their books. “They didn’t ask us what we wanted to major in, didn’t ask us what time we needed for classes,” she said. “They just said, ‘here you go. Don’t
go to the library, no P.E. and no health courses either.’” The year before she started attending Memphis State, Kneeland said she went to Lemoyne College, with the help of her family, church, friends and sororities and fraternities. The Board of Regents, she said, had said they needed a year to prepare Memphis State for integration. “I loved Lemoyne and I got a taste of what going to college was going to be about and I got to register myself, pick out my courses,” she said. “It did not happen that way at Memphis State.” The other surviving members said times on campus were lonely. “I had a beautiful young lady escort me to the reception and stay with me thus far and I said in 1959 my escort was a plain-clothed law enforcement officer, so it is great to be here,” Bertha Rogers said. Some in the group, including Rose Blakely, said they did not want to attend Memphis State, but went anyway with the encouragement of family and friends. “I just flat didn’t want to go. I graduated from Hamilton High School. I was salutatorian. I had some scholarships and some things I wanted to do. I wanted to go out of town,” she said. “My mother said, ‘Well now you got an opportunity and we gone try this out.’” Blakely said she cried and pouted, but still “ended up” at Memphis State University. “But, with the years come knowledge and maturity and I can see now why she pushed me,” she said. Eleanor Gandy said she stayed focused on the reason she wanted to attend college in the first place, to get a degree. Because she was focused, Gandy said she doesn’t remember much about things that “should have distracted her.” “I was happy to see my mother’s smile when the degree was placed in my hand,” she said.
Tri-State Defender
VOTE
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
‘All in this together’
An “Obama/Cohen” sign was displayed prominently as Congressman Cohen stood with the ministers. He touted President Obama’s efforts to address the needs of families suffering in the present economy, as well as the President’s desire to show concern for all people. “I was proud to stand with pastors in support of our President,” said Cohen. “As we launch a massive drive to get people registered, it is so important to understand how high the stakes are in this election. I encourage everyone to make sure they have the proper ID and exercise their constitutional right to vote. “Get out and vote, make sure your family and friends are registered and have proper ID, and together we can keep President Obama in the White House. We are all in this together.”
On balance, no comparison
“Too many of our forefathers paid the ultimate price in blood, sweat, tears and even their very lives to ensure that blacks could vote,” said the Rev. Dwight Montgomery, pastor of Annesdale-Cherokee Baptist Church in Orange Mound. “We are aware that some ministers have withdrawn their support of our President because of his public endorsement of gay marriage. “Now as a gospel preacher, I do not endorse gay marriage. We all want to make that very clear,” said Montgomery. “But just imagine you a balance scale. On one side, you have gay marriage; on the other side you’ve got the healthcare bill for those who can’t afford adequate medical care, millions of jobs created during his administration, and so many other strides made over the past four years. And when you look at that scale, positive overwhelmingly outweighs the negative – gay marriage. There is just no comparison.”
‘Withhold support until…’
While “Ministers United For President Obama” has quickly gained traction, Bishop William Owens and his wife, Dr. Deborah Owens, have created a stir on the national stage. Televised news interviews, including on Fox News and CNN, have extended the “Mandate for Marriage’ message of the Memphis-based Coalition of African-American Pastors. “The President’s public endorsement of gay marriage goes against what we believe and what we preach as Christians,” said Owens. “We believe in the Biblical standard of traditional marriage as set forth by God. That is, a union between one man and one woman. Nearly 100,000 across this nation stand with us in denouncing this position. We are asking President Obama to rethink his position and align his policies with the Biblical standard. “People of all races are standing with us,” said Owens. “We are not saying don’t support the President, but we are asking people to simply withhold support until he meets with us. We have requested a meeting with him, but he has not responded.” The ministers who stand with
‘We must lead’
NEWS
September 20 -26, 2012
Dr. Netters as part of Ministers United for President Obama are doing so as individual ministers and private citizens, not as pastors or representatives or their individual churches. While they uphold the “Biblical standard of marriage,” Netters said the right-now focus in “to get our President re-elected….We’re trying to get the estimated 100,000 voters in Shelby County to register and then get out and vote. We’ll deal with him on gay marriage later.”
Netters said the Rev. Dr. L. LaSimba Gray, pastor of New Sardis Baptist Church, and the Rev. Hubon “Dutch” Sandridge, pastor of Thomas Chapel Baptist Church, have been “instrumental in launching this massive get-out-thevote campaign for President Obama. We must lead our community and encourage everyone to exercise their right to vote – no matter what others are saying.”
Page 3
Ministers United for President Obama say they will work through the office of Rep. Steve Cohen to mount a voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaign designed to reelect President Obama. (Courtesy photo)
OPINION
Page 4
John H. Sengstacke Publisher (1951 - 1997)
The Mid-Southʼs Best Alternative Newspaper
A Real Times Newspaper
Tri-State Defender
September 20 - 26, 2012
• Bernal E. Smith II President / Publisher • Dr. Karanja A. Ajanaku Executive Editor
More access to dental care needed for poor children America’s Wire
Dr. King’s greedy children at it again
In his “I Have a Dream Speech” delivered at the 1963 March on Washington, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said he dreamed of the day his children would be judged not by the color of their skin but George the content of E. Curry their character. If Dr. King had known how Martin III, Dexter and Bernice would later fight over money generated by commercially exploiting his name, he might have omitted any reference to their character. When it comes to money, King’s remaining children have no character. The latest of many examples is their profiting from the construction of the Washington, D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial. They – and all Americans – should be grateful that Harry E. Johnson Sr. and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity had the vision and unflagging commitment to believe they could erect a memorial to Dr. King on the National Mall. Last year, the 30-foot, 8-inch statue of King was unveiled, dwarfing the 19-foot statue of Thomas Jefferson and the Abraham Lincoln memorial, which is 19 feet, 6 inches. Instead of being satisfied with this impressive memorial to their father – the first monument to an African American on the Mall – the King children saw dollar signs. They have collected more than $3 million in licensing fees from the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation. The fees were charged in exchange for allowing the foundation to use King’s words and likeness in fundraising appeals and as part of the memorial complex itself. Harry Johnson has raised $119 million of the $120 million needed to build the memorial. But I doubt that any donor gave money to the project with the expectation that the King children would be able to line their pockets with their contribution. David Garrow, the Pulitzer Prizewinning King biographer, told the Associated Press that Dr. King would have been “absolutely scandalized by the profiteering behavior of his children.” “I don’t think the Jefferson family, the Lincoln family…I don’t think any other group of family ancestors has been paid a licensing fee for a memorial in Washington,” said Garrow. “One would think any family would be so thrilled to have their forefather celebrated and memorialized in D.C. that it would never dawn on them to ask for a penny.” The King family is not looking for pennies or dollars. They are looking for millions. They are already making millions from King’s “I Have a Dream Speech.” King was a very public man, giving a public speech at the Lincoln Memorial, yet the King children claim that he was a private citizen and therefore they are entitled to profit from his public pronouncements. They successfully sued CBS to prevent the network from airing the “I Have a Dream Speech” – without paying them. But would they win such a suit today? Fortunately for them, people are willing to give them a pass because they are Dr. King’s dysfunctional children, not because of anything they have done. Private citizens don’t have federal holidays named in their honor. Monuments aren’t erected to them on the National Mall. If Dr. King isn’t a public figure, no one is. Even worse than charging the foundation that erected the King Memorial for use of King’s words and images, the King family has now told the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation that their licensing agreement has expired and the family will not extend it. Not even for a sizeable fee. And by the way, the foundation can no longer use King in its name and will have to
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
‘F’ in Chicago
Photo by Ajanaku
Dr.
Karanja
A.
“I don’t think the Jefferson family, the Lincoln family…I don’t think any other group of family ancestors has been paid a licensing fee for a memorial in Washington. One would think any family would be so thrilled to have their forefather celebrated and memorialized in D.C. that it would never dawn on them to ask for a penny.” David Garrow
change that, too. So what is their angle? You know the money grubbing Kings had to have one. Bernice King, CEO of the King Center in Atlanta, announced a year-long celebration leading to the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. “We are excited by the four days of activities we have organized to commemorate my father’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, in cooperation with the MLK, Jr. National Historic Site and the CDC,” she said. “As we launch the year-long countdown to the global observance of the 50th anniversary, the Dreamkeepers Program events will help us address the still relevant challenge of creating a more just society through nonviolent activism.” The King Center – which has been managed by Dexter, Martin III and now Bernice – hopes to raise $170 million from the events. The famous march was about more than a young preacher from Atlanta delivering a sterling speech that mesmerized the nation. Rather, it was called the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It was organized by A. Philip Randolph, president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. With an official black unemployment rate of 14.4 percent, the emphasis should again be on jobs, not Dr. King’s speech. But a focus on jobs wouldn’t put any money into the King coffers. And they’ve already shown that is one of their major objectives. They had arranged for Sotheby to auction King’s papers in 2006. But Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin stepped in and organized a private group that paid $32 million for the papers and donated them to Morehouse College, King’s alma mater. Had he been alive, that’s something Dr. King probably would have done. But unlike his children, he wouldn’t do it to make a buck.
(George E. Curry is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA) and editorial director of Heart & Soul magazine. He can be reached through www.georgecurry .com. Follow him at www.twitter.com/currygeorge.) 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.
Emboldened educators in Chicago who are members of the American Federation of Teachers finally euphemistically said enough is enough and put their collective feet down on the streets by striking against the city of Chicago, and the so-called reform of national education favored by the White House and United States Department of Education. Beyond mischaracterizations by the corporate-owned media, teachers in Chicago were not looking for a free ride on the reform bus, but were challenging the very structure of American education. In short, the chalk board is divided into two sides: One that enhances and sustains public educators—from pay to preparation, to pensions, and another that would privatize the $600 million American education system to the highest bidder for profit. The question to be answered is whether public education should be privatized? Unfortunately, it seems that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, former White House Chief of Staff, is on the wrong side of the issue. The Chicago teachers have the right the answer. A review of American public educational history is useful. In 1853, against the will of the wealthy and corporate barons, the United States established a public school system for all students (in theory). Prior to that, only White children of the rich and resourced were privileged to be educated to high school or college. Following the American Civil War, the federal government launched the Reconstruction Period in which public school for black students and white students – albeit separate and unequal – existed. In 1896, The United States Supreme Court ruled in the Plessey v Ferguson case that a racially separate national school system was constitutional. By the 1930s, Charles Hamilton Houston and black civil rights lawyers challenged the racially separate and unequal national education system that culminated in the seminal Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education, decided in 1954. After Brown, the idea of privatization began by white parents who did not want the children to attend public schools with black children. White business leaders and clergy aligned to establish all-white, private academies. In the 1960s, such “leaders” realized that their public taxes were going to schools in which black children were being educated. Thus, the first of education voucher ideas appeared to allow white parents to opt to send their kids to virtually all-white public schools in addition to their private schools. By the 1970s, courts instituted mandatory busing to public schools to enforce the “all deliberate speed” phrase included in the Brown case. In the 1990s, the concept of public charter schools was developed across the country. The idea was to use pub-
lic funds to create private schools with private sector money and private investors. Yes, “Public Charter” schools have private investors who seek financial dividends. Public education should be Gary L. an American Flowers right and not a private privilege. In the name of “reform,” Charter schools arose as the public school system and its teachers were vilified as failing to educate students. The problem was never the public schools and public teacher unions, but rather the lack of full funding by the federal government and support for public unions that represent public teachers. Currently, the federal government only contributes 9 percent of public school funding. The other 91 percent is allotted by state and local educational entities. In many cities Public Charter Schools are used as an alternative threat to public teachers should their test scores not rise. In effect, the White House’s “Race to the Top” educational program forces teachers and school districts to compete for funding. Predictably, teaching the tests to students, and cheating on tests has resulted. Enter Chicago teachers who went back to work Wednesday. By standing up to give the right answer, Chicago teachers challenged the entire public school and public union debate. In a revealing sense, the fight that public unions fought in Wisconsin against a right-wing Republican governor last year was playing out in Chicago against a Democratic Mayor, and by silence the Democratic White House. Hmmmm! If American pubic school students are to compete with their counterparts from China, India, Japan, Germany and other world powers, our nation must declare public education a matter of national security. As such, teachers need to be paid well with livable pensions, public teacher unions need to be supported, facilities need to be upgraded to 21st century standards, and the White House and Congress should support legislation that rewards – not punishes – public educators. The children of the resourced will usually do well. But how about the masses of students and the people that teach them? Mayor Emanuel and the White House must get to the head of the class and answer the public/private question right. (NNPA columnist Gary L. Flowers, executive director and CEO of the Black Leadership Forum, Inc., can be reached at glflowers@blackleadershipforum.org.)
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IN THE MAIL
As states wrangle with whether to pursue Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, they should look carefully at the serious implications for oral health, especially for Dr. David poor and minoriSatcher ty children if Medicaid services are not expanded as originally envisioned under the ACA. Twelve years ago, as Surgeon General of the United States, I issued a report calling attention to the profound disparities in oral health care across the country. I called it a silent epidemic. Twelve years later, some progress has been made, and it is no longer silent – but for many across the country, it is still a serious epidemic causing pain and harm to millions of poor and minority children. When I issued my report, tooth decay was the single most common chronic childhood disease – five times more common than asthma. It still is. There were striking disparities in dental disease across the country. There still are. Thirty-seven percent of African American children and 41 percent of Hispanic children have untreated tooth decay, compared with 25 percent of white children. More than 50 million Americans live in areas where dentists do not practice and millions more can’t gain access due to cost reasons. It is time to get serious and pursue the framework for action that I set forth in my 2000 report. All health care professionals need to un- Thirty-seven derstand that good oral health percent of means more than African Amerisound teeth. The can children mouth is really a and 41 percent window to the of Hispanic chilwhole body. Oral health affects dren have uneverything from treated tooth the ability to decay, comspeak, eat or pared with 25 smile. Poor oral percent of health is linked to heart disease, white children. stroke and other long-term illnesses. We need to engage other health professions in working to prevent oral disease. As a country, we have made great strides in prevention, particularly with fluoride and sealants. But many do not have regular access to a dentist or school-based programs that offer some preventive care. That is why it is critical to expand access by seeking innovation on a number of fronts: in oral health policies, how we train our providers, exploring the creation of new dental providers, and building a cadre of ethnically-diverse, culturally-competent dental practitioners, as well as expanding the reach of the dental team with other health care professionals. The country has a great opportunity to increase access to dental care under the ACA, which calls for extending oral health benefits to an additional five million children in 2014. Expansion of coverage, however, won’t translate into access to care if we don’t have enough providers to meet the need. Currently, just 20 percent of practicing dentists treat Medicaid patients. How can we provide services to an additional five million children in 2014? States need to think about this now. States should explore all options that could expand access to care, including allowing mid-level dental providers such as dental therapists to practice. They are trained to provide routine services, freeing up dentists to attend to more complicated procedures. These practitioners already work in Alaska and Minnesota. And in just a number of years, they have been able to expand access in Alaska alone to an additional 35,000 people who could not get regular care in their own communities. It is imperative that everyone have access to the dental care they need. Different professionals can provide different, yet appropriate, levels of service. Our concern and approach to a solution ought to focus first on the patient, not the dental profession. We have an opportunity with the ACA to expand access. Will the medical and dental communities be ready? (Dr. David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., is a public health administrator, who served as the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Surgeon General of the United States.)
NATION / WORLD
Tri-State Defender
AFRICA BRIEFS Jackson moves to save death-row prisoners in The Gambia
(GIN) – Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has asked for a face-to-face meeting with the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. to discuss the fate of 37 death row prisoners scheduled to be executed one at a time for the next 37 months. Nine prisoners were shot dead on Aug. 29. The rest were supposed to be dead by Sept. 15, but after receiving calls from the Rev. Jackson and several international humanitarian groups, President Jammeh backed off the execution schedule. “The goal is to save some lives by getting him to commute some sentences,” Jackson told Fox News. The civil rights leader has already won the release of two Americans who faced sentences of up to 20 years. The two Gambian-born Americans – Tamsir Jasseh, a one-time U.S. soldier, and Amadou Scattred Janneh, a longtime professor at the University of Tennessee – were both accused and convicted of treason by the Jammeh regime. Killing prisoners, Jackson said, “isn’t going to make Jammeh, himself or his country, any safer…It’s essentially punishing the whole country with their blood. And executing prisoners by firing squad makes a country look less humane.” Many of The Gambia’s death row inmates are former officials and top military officers who have been detained for treason since 1994, when Jammeh took power in a coup. A woman was among those executed, the Interior Ministry said. “I hope and pray he will choose the high road,” said Jackson.
Massacre at Marikana shadows South African labor confab
(GIN) – From South African President Jacob Zuma to the head of the country’s Communist Party, there was mostly gentle criticism at this week’s major labor congress, for the armed attack on striking platinum miners, which left 34 dead and many injured. Zuma and others defended the gun-toting police whose action at the Marikana mines last month was widely described as “a massacre.” A video of the Marikana “massacre” on Aug. 10 shocked many South Africans who said it recalled atrocities from the apartheid days. But speaking at the national congress of Cosatu – the country’s largest labor federation – President Zuma charged that those who compared the police killings at Marikana to apartheidera repression were opportunists looking to score points. “Given the levels of violence and intimidation in Marikana, government deployed law enforcement agencies to stabilize the situation,” Zuma said. “This does not take away the rights of miners and residents to protest, peacefully and unarmed, as provided for in the laws of the land.” In an oblique reference to Julius Malema, the expelled African National Congress youth leader who has been championing the miners’ cause, Zuma said, “We appeal to some political party leaders in the country… to desist from the irresponsible language of comparing the Marikana law enforcement to apartheid-era measures.” While Cosatu’s General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi warned against the use of brute force by the police on mineworkers, certain leaders, including ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe, argued for a softer position on the action of the police in labor disputes. The final document of the labor group included a pledge to embark on a militant campaign against “poverty wages.” Few speakers highlighted the conditions that had sparked the unauthorized rally by 3,000 miners, who defied their union by the walk out. “When you drive around there, you see all these squatter camps,” said observer Elias Philosi to a reporter. “I felt that something would “certainly) happen one day,” Philosi said.
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In Pennsylvania, photo-ID law routed back to lower court New America Media
by Khalil Abdullah In a relatively speedy finding, Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court announced on Tuesday (Sept. 18) that it is sending the decision on the state’s controversial photo-ID law back to the lower court for a decision. The Supreme Court, which had only concluded its hearings on the law late last week, emphasized that the lower court must heavily weigh the likelihood of whether the law would prevent registered voters who lack a photo ID from being eligible to vote in the November 6th presidential election. “We’re glad to see that (the) Pennsylvania Supreme Court is taking the actual impact on voters seriously,” said Advancement Project Co-Director Judith Browne Dianis. “Requiring the state to prove the law will not disenfranchise voters is the right step to take. The reports from Pennsylvania already include long lines at the PennDOT (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation) offices, confusion and untrained workers
giving out misinformation.” That PennDOT staff would not be adequately trained to meet the volume of public inquiries, or that its bureaucracy would be incapable of issuing the number of photo IDs required, have been ongoing concerns of state Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Harrisburg). For one, he has explained that PennDOT staff are not well versed with election laws, which are distinctly different and more complex than the criteria for simply obtaining a driver’s license. However, staff training aside, Hughes, the Democratic Appropriations Chair, contends that the state simply has not allocated enough revenue to cover the costs of generating the necessary number of photo IDs. By the state’s own estimates, even if it eliminated the approximately 100,000 registered voters it has deemed inactive from its calculations, approximately 600,000 photo-IDs would have to be produced should the registered voters who do not have one made the request. Those numbers do not include eligible voters who may yet register before the
state’s October 9 deadline. Hughes said that, the last time he checked, the number of newly issued photo IDs was only in the hundreds. He said he therefore took some comfort that the Supreme Court asked, “What’s the rush? Why are we trying to get this done by November 6th?” When lower court Judge Robert Simpson issued his decision in August to the let the voter ID law stand, he received withering criticism from voting rights advocacy organizations, including the non-partisan Brennan Center for Justice. His decision was disparaged for, among other reasons, being divorced from the practical reality of how the state could meet its obligation to issue the number of IDs required. While other states – Tennessee included – have enacted voter-ID laws, the initiative in Pennsylvania became highly politicized when its Republican House Majority Leader, Michael Turzai, was videotaped in a private meeting claiming that the law’s passage would allow Mitt Romney, his party’s presidential candidate, to take Penn-
“Weʼre glad to see that (the) Pennsylvania Supreme Court is taking the actual impact on voters seriously,” said Advancement Project Co-Director Judith Browne Dianis, who discussed photo-ID challenges during a workshop at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. (Photo by Dr. Karanja A. Ajanaku)
sylvania and its 20 electoral votes. Turzai’s boast was presumably based on his assessment that the youth and minority vote that helped deliver the state to then-2008 Democratic Party candidate Sen. Barack Obama, will be effectively reduced in this year’s election. Regardless of the lower court’s impending decision, both sides have indicated they will likely appeal once again to the Supreme Court for an expedited verdict that will clearly spell out the rules for all voters before election day. Nevertheless, Hughes conceded, regardless of whether the Supreme Court again
strikes down the law, that the Republican strategy to disrupt the status quo has, to a degree, been successful. Though public outrage at the law has generated an animated debate within the state and elsewhere, Hughes said his office has had to contend with the voter ID law at a time when it typically focuses solely on voter registration. “Normally, we’d be spending all our time, energy and resources on voter registration, but we’ve had to develop a dual program to deal with voter ID and registration,” Hughes said of the protracted battle. “It’s been a huge distraction.”
BUSINESS
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September 20 - 26, 2012
BIZ BITS Methodist South welcomes new chief executive officer
Dr. James ‘Jay’ Robinson III was recently named chief executive officer at Methodist South Hospital. “Jay’s leadership style is a great fit with our culture and his career accomplishments are impressive,” said Michael Ugwueke, SVP of Methodist North and South Hospitals. “Selecting him as CEO at South is exactly the right approach.” Prior to joining Methodist South, Robinson was the CEO at the Memphis Veterans Administration Medical CenDr. James ter. He ʻJayʼ Robinson III joined the Ve t e r a n s Administration system in 1992 as a clinical psychologist and has moved through the VA leadership ranks in Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia before coming to Memphis. Robinson earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Georgia and a doctorate in psychology from the Virginia Consortium for Professional Psychology, which is associated with The College of William and Mary, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Old Dominion University and Norfolk State University.
Beauty & barber conference set for run No. 2, Oct. 6-8
A slate of nationally known cosmetologists and barbers will share their experiences and conduct training workshops during the 2nd Annual Beauty & Barber Conference at the Memphis Airport Hotel & Conference Center, 2240 Democrat Rd., Oct. 6-8. Mayor AC Wharton Jr. will be the keynote speaker during the Oct. 6 session, which is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The workshops scheduled for Oct. 7 (10 a.m.-6 p.m.) and Oct 8 (9 a.m.-6 p.m.) will include Malaysian Weave Techniques (Eunice Johnson), Bask 2 Da Basics of Barbering (Lee Bladz) and Natural Hair…The Transition (Pearl ‘Hair Deva’ Walker of Memphis). The conference organizer is Destiny Cox, an educator, consultant and cosmetologist. “We have students graduating from business schools, but don’t have direction or know where to go,” said Cox, a 1998 Frayser High School graduate, who earned her cosmetology license at 18 and her educator’s license a year later. “There are a lot of different facets of cosmetology that people never have tapped into,” said Cox, adding, “Barbers don’t get the same opportunities as cosmetologists and I seldom see classes for barbers in Memphis.” Eight scholarships will be awarded to cosmetology students. Barbers can win $1,000 in cash and prizes during “The Masters…Barber Battle.” Cox said conference is designed to help launch the careers of African-American cosmetologists and barbers. “We hope to be more multicultural in the coming years,” she said. “The business doesn’t have a face.” For more information, contact Telisa Franklin at 901324-5945 or email telisafranklin@gmail.com.
BRIEFLY: Methodist South Hospital will host its annual Fall Health Fair on Sept. 29 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at 1300 Wesley Drive. The fair will also include a two-mile community health walk, which starts at 8:30 a.m. in the hospital’s surrounding neighborhood. For more information, visit methodisthealth.org/south or call 516-3580. BRIEFLY: The Memphis Urban League is currently recruiting college graduates who are seeking careers in the retail industry. For more information or to make an appointment, stop by the Memphis Urban League office located at 413 N Cleveland St. or call 901-272-2491.
Tri-State Defender
ON OUR WAY TO WEALTHY
Power of attorney: a hedge against the ‘what ifs’
Though none of us like to think of the “what ifs” from a negative perspective, it serves us all well to be prepared in case of the worst happening. A “power of attorney” (POA) is a legal document Carlee McCullough that gives another person the authority to act as your legal representative or agent either immediately or at some date in the future. The power allows them to make binding decisions on your behalf. So the person you choose as your representative should be one that is responsible and trustworthy. The POA is a tool that can be used for various purposes such as finance, insurance, military, care and custody of children, and buying/selling real estate. Although everything may be fine now, unexpected circumstances may present situations where a POA is needed. What happens if you are injured and incapacitated, who would pay your bills? How would they pay your bills? Who would make decisions regarding your medical care if you couldn’t? A POA may be “general” or “specific” in scope. The type of POA you
may want to create depends upon the amount of authority you want to give your representative and how long you want them to maintain this authority.
General POA
A “general” POA is usually unlimited in scope and duration. It permits the individual named as your agent to act as your legal representative in relation to financial matters until it is revoked. Typically it is used during a period of time when you are unable to act for yourself. Under the general POA, your agent would – amongst other things – possess the authority to buy/sell and manage property/real estate; perform banking transactions; prepare and file tax returns; enter into contracts; and purchase life insurance. This is a power responsibility and should be bestowed upon someone mature and experienced enough to handle the responsibility.
Limited POA
A limited or “special” POA authorizes your agent to act on your behalf only in specific situations as identified in the document. For example, you may be unable to handle your affairs because of other obligations. While most limited POAs are not as broad as general POAs, they may cover some of the same areas such as the
authority to make financial decisions; manage business interests; buy/sell and manage property/real estate; enter into safety deposit boxes; and perform banking transactions.
Health care POA
In the event that you become ill, who makes the decisions for your treatment if you cannot? With a health care POA in place, your agent would make those decisions on your behalf, if you are incapacitated, unconscious, mentally incompetent, or simply unable to do so. If the situation arises when you cannot articulate your medical wishes, the health care POA is the perfect solution to have in place. This POA doesn’t surrender your right to give your doctors direction when you’re able to do it yourself. It only becomes effective when you cannot give direction to your health care professionals. Without a health care POA in place, your family may be forced to pursue legal action to appoint someone, especially in the case where there are multiple parties with an interest and desire to control the situation. Remember, in this situation the court may not appoint the person that you would have chosen because the court doesn’t know them as well as you do. It is best to appoint someone when you are healthy and in control rather than wait
MONEY MATTERS
Surprise! It’s retirement time In a 2012 survey, 50 percent of current retirees said they retired earlier than they had planned, up from 45 percent in 2011. Many retirees reported reasons that were beyond Charles Sims their control, such as health problems Jr., CFP or disability, company downsizing or closure, changes in the skills required for their jobs, or having to care for a spouse or family member. Yet some said they retired early by choice – because they could afford to or because they wanted to do something different. If you’re nearing the end of your working years, you probably have a retirement timetable in mind. It may be as specific as a particular date or as general as a range of years. Regardless of your timetable, circumstances could change – as the experience of current
retirees demonstrates – and retirement might come sooner than you think. Addressing some key issues now might ease your transition and give you more choices in how you retire.
Calculate your income stream
If you had to retire early, would you be able to maintain your standard of living? It might be helpful to calculate your projected income based on your preferred retirement timetable and an earlier date. Of course, the sooner you retire, the less time there will be for your investments to pursue potential growth, so accelerating your savings now could make a big difference in how much you might accumulate. If you retire on schedule (or later), having a potentially larger savings balance could give you more flexibility in your retirement lifestyle. Also keep in mind that Social Security typically will be reduced if you retire before your “full retirement
age,” which ranges from 65 to 67, depending on year of birth.
Reduce your debt
Eliminating or reducing outstanding credit-card balances as soon as possible could be a great step toward getting on track for retirement. Paying off auto loans could also free up more income. Although retirement strategies in the past were typically based on the assumption that retirees would have no mortgage debt, that has changed. About a third of homeowners aged 65 and older still have mortgages. If you foresee your mortgage being an issue in your retirement years, you may want to examine options to pay it off early, reduce payments, or otherwise modify the terms.
Consider your health
Your health and the health of your spouse could be among the most important factors in determining when
until a crisis.
Durable POA
Use of the word “durable” in a POA allows your agent to exercise powers that you may or may not be able to perform. A durable POA, whether it’s general, limited, or for health care, may allow your representative to carry out the powers you granted, whether you have a disability or not. This makes it is possible for your agent to do things on your behalf behind your back, so it’s important to pick someone honest, trustworthy, honorable, responsible and dependable.
Springing POA
A springing POA limits the power of a durable POA, adding language that limits the power to situations of documented incapacity or disability. Problems and delays may arise while your agent is waiting to receive the documentation regarding the incapacity or disability. NEXT: The need for wills and trusts.
(Contact Carlee McCullough, Esq., at 5308 Cottonwood Road, Suite 1A, Memphis, TN 38118, or email her at jstce4all@aol.com.)
you will retire. Ask yourself the following questions: Is your retirement timetable realistic based on your current health status? Would you be prepared if your health were to change? Have you factored the full cost of health care into your retirement strategy? A married couple that retired in 2011 (with median expenses for prescription drugs) would need an estimated $287,000 to have a 90 percent chance of paying their health-care costs throughout retirement. Costs for future retirees may be much higher. Surprises can be fun in many situations, but not when it comes to retirement. Preparing now could help ease you into a more comfortable retirement lifestyle. (Charles Sims Jr. is President/ CEO of The Sims Financial Group. Contact him at 901-682-2410 or visit www.SimsFinancialGroup.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.)
4 ways to avoid paying for hotel Wi-Fi NNPA News Service
by Jacqueline Lawson While finalizing your travel arrangements, whether for business or pleasure, you want to make sure Wi-Fi is available at your hotel. Some hotels are able to offer Free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel property, while others charge for connection in the room only. Why is that? Because many hotels make deals with media vendors to provide per-pay television programming inside your hotel room. According to a recent J.D. Power & Associates study, about 55 percent of all hotel guests access the Internet during their stays – up 20 percent from 2006. About 87 percent of that group is using Wi-Fi.
If you find that your hotel does not have in-room Wi-Fi service, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Tether your mobile device
It’s possible to tether your 3G or 4G connection from your smartphone to your computer, but many carriers charge fees to do so. Check your service plan for additional fees; check your data plan; then, turn on your phone’s personal hotspot option, located in settings. By setting a password, you will be able to prevent other guests in nearby rooms from connecting to your hotspot.
Buy a wireless router
Although many hotels charge for
Wi-Fi, some provide ethernet cables for you to use free. You can then connect your Apple AirPort Express or similar portable Wi-Fi hotspot device to send connectivity to your laptop and mobile devices.
Check the lobby, hotel restaurant or the pool area
It might cost you more to access the web in your hotel room, but some places offer free Wi-Fi in common areas of the hotel. To prevent guests from using valuable bandwidth to stream media on sites such as Netflix — which also takes money away from in-room pay-per-view — hotels often restrict free Wi-Fi in rooms, but
open it up to guests at no extra charge on the main floor.
Find nearby connectivity
Instantly find FREE Wi-Fi Internet hotspots wherever you are in the world online or offline! JiWire’s Global FREE Wi-Fi app uses your iPhone’s GPS and network triangulation capabilities to locate free Wi-Fi Internet access. Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iOS 4.3 or later. I use a Clear HotSpot and Boingo for mobile connectivity while…out and about! (Special to the NNPA from the Houston Forward Times)
NEWS
Tri-State Defender
BELL
CONTINUED FROM FRONT
A mime helped celebrate the life of the Rev. Dr. Herbert Eugene Davenport Jr. (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)
LEGACY: The Rev. Dr. Herbert Eugene Davenport Jr.
Dena taught him how to text and email and even how to do the “Wobble.” Visa took the position that he always was right – part of the territory when you are “a daddy’s girl.” Both – Visa Davenport Harper and Dena Davenport McNeal (Terrian) – were referring to their father, the late Rev. Dr. Herbert Eugene Davenport Jr., whose life was celebrated at Greater Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, 1098 S. Wellington St., last Saturday (Sept. 15). Rev. Davenport, who served as pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church for 20-plus years, died Sept. 9. He was 75. Many knew the Rev. Davenport as a mentor for boys and girls at Hamilton Middle School and South Side High School. On a weekly basis, he would visit Vance Middle School and Booker T. Washington High School (BTW), where he organized the “Young Men of Distinction.” A BTW graduate (1956), Mr. Davenport graduated from Brewster Theological Seminary and School of Religion (1982), continuing his religious studies at Mid-South Bible College and the Ten-
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September 20 -26, 2012
nessee School of Religion, where earlier this year (May 18) he received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters DeRev. Dr. gree. Herbert F r o m Eugene 1993 to Davenport Jr. 1990, Rev. Davenport was the pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Shell Lake, Ark., accepting the call to pastor Shiloh in 1990. A Bible scholar, those who heard him preach were used to hearing him utter two familiar phrases: “Ain’t God alright” and “I’m getting ready to close now, but I’d like to tell this story.” Civic minded and a social advocate, Rev. Davenport was a member of the Memphis District Association and the Memphis Baptist Ministerial Association and was former Moderator of the Aid Benevolent Christian Association. His numerous organizational affiliations included the African American Pastors’ Consortium on HIV and AIDS,
the Gaslight Square-Bunker Hill Neighborhood Association, Lauderdale Sub Association, the Hamilton Community Initiative and the Southwest Cemetery Association. Mr. Davenport received many awards, honors and accolades for his wide-ranging civic engagement. The husband of Virginia Hill-Davenport, he also leaves three grandchildren, Terrian, Daven and Jaelyn; seven sisters, Ann Matthews, Magnolia Matthews, Arnice Matthews, Roneta Davenport, Ann Marie Williams, Karen Harris, and Velvetta Stokes; and a brother, Roy Davenport. He was preceded in death by a sister, Hattie Davenport Martin. The Rev. Keith Norman of First Baptist Church-Broad Ave. officiated at the memorial service held Sept. 14, with the Rev. J.L. Payne of Greater Mt. Moriah Baptist Church officiating at the funeral service. Burial was in Elmwood Cemetery. R.S. Lewis & Sons Funeral Home had charge. In lieu of flowers, the family asked that donations be sent to Shiloh Baptist Church Youth and Young Adult Ministry (Y.A.M.), 1670 Gaither Street, Memphis, 38106.
sessions. Dr. King delivered his ‘I Have A Dream’ speech at the Oakwood Gym, a year and a half before he famously presented the speech at the March on Washington.” In 1966, Rev. Bell became pastor of Parkway Gardens Presbyterian Church. His studious life included class president and valedictorian at Douglass High School, attending Tennessee State University and graduating as a minister from the Chicago Theological Seminary, a move he funded with a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. Mr. Bell was steadfast in finding ways to open doors for his fellow African Americans and fighting the racism that threatened their pursuit of the American dream. He
served as president of the Memphis chapters of the NAACP, SCLC and never wavered in his convictions. The Tennessee House of Representatives and the United States Senate honored his commitment to justice. Bobby White, Mayor AC Wharton Jr.’s executive assistant, only met Rev. Bell once. He was at last weekend’s Gas For Guns when he learned of Mr. Bell’s death, recalling something truly special. “The actor Tyrese was here doing research for a potential role he may be playing as Dr. Martin Luther King and Mr. Bell was one of the people that he was taken to speak with,” said White. “We stayed and talked with him for more than an hour. I hadn’t known the gentleman or knew of him before then, but he seemed to be an extremely humble man. “When he got to talking
about some of the things he had witnessed, you got to see his eyes lighting up. He was discussing the stories of the injustices that were fought, but there was no bitterness in his tone. He just seemed to be a very humble man.” Mr. Bell was married to the late Eltie Mae Jackson. He leaves three sons, Frederick Daniel (Tiffany), John Mark, and Philip Ezekiel; and four grandchildren, Kristopher John, Jana De’Audrey, Nicholas Darian, and Ashley Nicole. Mr. Bell’s homegoing celebration was held at Annesdale-Cherokee Baptist Church, with the eulogy by the Rev. Dwight Montgomery, the host pastor and president of the Memphis Chapter of the SCLC. Burial was in New Park Cemetery. Joe Ford Funeral Home had charge.
The family of long-time activist the Rev. Ezekiel Bell, who was forever focused on eliminating social injustice. (Photo by Tyrone P. Easley)
Page 8
RELIGION
Tri-State Defender
September 20 - 26, 2012
LIVING THE LIFE I LOVE
Movies as ‘graven images’ – what’s up with that?
Lucy Shaw
Dear Lucy: In one of your recent articles you talked about going to the movies. It’s hard to find a movie today that is not a fantasy, a fairy tale, an animation or something gruesome. I have grandkids and it’s hard to know what’s OK to see. What’s up with that? – CT
Dear CT: As a movie lover and a grandmother who enjoys movie dates with my grandchildren, I am pretty sensitive and attentive to movie trends. My grandson, Asa, pays such close attention to movie trailers on TV that by the time he finishes telling you about a movie you would think he already went to see it! Their parents are pretty good about choosing what they should or shouldn’t see so I just ask them what’s OK for their kids. The ratings cannot always be trusted. At the end of the day, it is about what you as an adult think you and they can bear with decency, good judgment and intelligence. But here is what I have noticed. Imaginary worlds, fantasies and fairy tales rule right now, even on TV. Look at the power of “Hunger Games,” “Game of Thrones,” “The Vampire Diaries,” “True Blood,” and “Batman,” to name a few. There was even a remake of “Red Riding Hood” and “Sleeping Beauty” that was pretty dark. If you pay close attention, you will find that most of these feature superheroes and s-heroes and super-villains offering up a new brand of science fiction taken to a new level with technology. The other significance is that they are movies scripted to teach lessons on morality, good and evil, or the consequences of bad judgment. Some of them end well and some of them don’t. Some are bloodier than others. Some morals get lost in the fantasy and the technology. Some just seem to teach that punishment by any means and anybody is justifiable. But I have asked myself, “Why is there such a huge appetite for these movies?” I will be the first to admit that what can be done today with computer assistance is a marvel to behold. Here is my theory. There is much that adults and children alike are find- Art mimics life. ing difficult to make The distinction sense of in today’s between good world. These movies guys and bad provide an alternate reality. They provide a isn’t very clear place to slip into in the in real life dark and escape for a today. So why while. That’s what would we movies have always expect art to done except that now, the alternative demands see it any more bells and whistles differently? or shock content to hold our attention. They also get reinforced in the cereal box, the fast food restaurant, the toy store, the shoe store, the radio, the TV, the clothing store, the Internet, Facebook...you catch my drift. I remember going to the movies as a child and being content to see the same movie two or three times at 20 cents a pop. Today, that’s like asking a privileged child to get by on just two pairs of shoes! Or worse, suggesting to the underprivileged child that those shoes don’t mean anything so he shouldn’t want them. Today’s visuals are very powerful and multidimensional. The statement of morals in the movies I saw as a child was different only in the depth of the color, language, bells and whistles. But there was clarity of who the good guy was and who wasn’t. There wasn’t quite as much blood or guts or sexual explicitness. Yet, art mimics life. The distinction between good guys and bad isn’t very clear in real life today. So why would we expect art to see it any differently? They make what sells. And just in case you don’t have show fare, wait a few months and get your fix at Netflix or the truly affordable Red Box. I guess what I’m saying is that art is art. It takes its cues from society. Lessons in morality are pretty changeless across religions and cultures. The responsibility for ciphering it and teaching it to our children starts at home and expands into the church, our schools and those we choose to allow access to our children. One way to think about it is this. If movies are the newest and most powerful of “graven images,” what would you like engraved on your babies inner picture screen? There’s a lot of stuff that even I don’t want to see when I close my eyes! See you at the movies (maybe), 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.)
From time to time, “we need to be refueled, we need to be renewed, we need to be recharged,” said Dr. Christopher B. Davis (left), senior pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church.
‘Faith walk’ defines revival at St. Paul Baptist Accents include Dr. Marvin Sapp & social media
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Nicole R. Harris
As attendees filled St. Paul Baptist Church on Tuesday night (Sept.18), excitement filled the sanctuary. There were smiles and whispers, all in anticipation of the church’s annual fall revival. While many people view revivals as an evangelistic effort to allow individuals to accept Christ, Senior Pastor Dr. Christopher B. Davis had different expectations for this year’s two-day event. “Our faith walk, while a joyous one, can also be a frustrating one at times. So from time to time, like anything else, we need to be refueled, we need to be renewed, we need to be recharged,” Davis said. “That’s the whole focus of this revival, to gather the people of God together and encourage them in their faith walk.” This year’s keynote speaker was encouragement enough, all on his own. Taking a few days off from his current tour, Dr. Marvin L. Sapp brought a message of transformation and motivation during Tuesday night’s sermon. Chosen by the church for his powerful messages and music, Dr. Sapp did nothing short of just that, engaging in an impromptu praise and worship session before he delivered his sermon. Throughout parts of the evening, he touched on the loss of his late wife, Dr. Miranda Sapp, and the relationship they shared. He encouraged attendees not to give up on love because of a broken heart. “Why would you deny yourself of something special (love) because you picked a frog? Some of you are holding on to suckers when you need to throw them back. Change your bait and go fishing,” Sapp said as the crowd erupted in laughter. Before delving into the message of being ready for the transformation God has prepared, Dr. Sapp spoke on the importance of social media and how it not only helped him deal with insomnia and grief, but also how it led to a successful self-published book. Posting what he calls “Marvin’s Motivational Moments” has been key to his healing process, as well as connecting him with fans. Dr. Davis noted that the rise
Dr. Marvin L. Sapp brought a message of transformation and motivation during his Tuesday night sermon at St. Paul Baptist Church. (Photos by Nicole R. Harris)
of social media in the church is not only critical, it’s what Jesus wanted. Referring to the St. Paul Baptist Church Twitter followers and Facebook friends as his “Cyber Sanctuary,” Davis integrates social media into the core values of the church. Throughout the revival, attendees could be seen feverishly tapping away on their smart phones during profound moments.
BRIEFLY: The Wings of Wisdom dance ministry at Monumental Baptist Church will host its fifth annual praise dance program on Sunday (Sept. 23) at 3 p.m. The church is located at 704 South Parkway East, just west of the South Parkway East-Mississippi Boulevard intersection. The pastor is the Rev, Samuel “Billy” Kyles. The celebration is free and open to the public. BRIEFLY: Join The New Olivet Baptist Church on Sunday (Sept. 23) for its annual Gospel Music Heritage Month Celebration. This year’s lineup includes recording artist Jonathan McReynolds, The New Olivet Sanctuary Choir, with a special appearance by the Rev. Dr. Kenneth T. Whalum Jr., the host pastor. The free family-oriented event begins at 6
“The reality is that Jesus says to us, ‘The works I do you’ll do and you’ll also do greater works.’ The question becomes, if Jesus walked on water, raised the dead, how do you do greater works? The work that he came to do was to seek and to save the lost. But I think the reason he said we would do greater works is because we would have access to social media: Facebook, Insta-
RELIGION BRIEFS
p.m., with the doors open at 5:30 p.m. Congressman Steve Cohen will receive the Spirit of Memphis Award. BRIEFLY: Trinity Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, 1096 North Thomas Blvd., will celebrate 110 years of service to the North Memphis Community during the weekend of Sept. 21-23. For more information, including tickets, call the church office at 901-523-1024 or Cheryl Rivers at 901-299-4287. Cheryl Rivers is the program’s general chairperson. The Rev. Roland Johnson Jr. is the pastor. BRIEFLY: Keel Avenue Missionary Baptist Church in collaboration with the Klondike/Smokey City CDC will host its Sixth Annual Community Fest at the church, 778 N. Bellevue, on Sept. 22, beginning at 11 a.m. The
gram, Twitter and so forth,” Davis said. “The reality is that if you’re not using to connect with people now, you’re missing a whole demographic,” Davis said. (St. Paul Baptist Church can be found online on their Facebook Page, as well as www.spbcmemphis.org and Twitter.com/spbcmemphis.)
host pastor is the Rev. Robert C. Jones Jr. For more information, call 901-299-2438. BRIEFLY: Teaching girls what the world doesn’t want them to know will be the focus during the “It’s Girls Talk Summit” from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 29 at Abundant Life Fellowship Church, 3747 Knight Arnold Rd. at Lamar. The event targets girls in grades 6 to 12.To register: visit www.alfcmemphis.org or call 901-365-9293. BRIEFLY: The Memphis Affiliate Chapter of Sisters Network® Inc will host their Second Annual First Ladies’ Prayer Brunch on Oct. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Holiday Inn- University of Memphis, located at 3700 Central Ave. For more information, contact Minister Brenda K. Johnson at 901-485-2864.
Tri-State Defender
RELIGION
PRAISE CONNECT -A WEEKLY DIRECTORY OF MINISTERS & CHURCHES-
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. —John 13:34
Page 9
September 20 - 26, 2012
METROPOLITAN BAPTIST CHURCH
767 Walker Avenue Memphis, TN 38126
ASSOCIATE MINISTERS
ST. ANDREW A.M.E. CHURCH 867 SOUTH PARKWAY EAST Memphis, TN 38106
Dr. Reginald L. Porter Sr., Pastor
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
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
“Ministering to Memphis-Spirit, Soul and Body”
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
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
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
— Proverbs 1:7
Dr. David Allen Hall Pastor
“The Founder’s Church”
First Pastor: Senior Bishop C.H. Mason
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. —Ecclesiastes 3:1
Greenwood Christian Methodist Episcopal Church 3311 Kimball Ave. Memphis, TN 38111 (901) 744-7531 (901) 744-7664
Worship Services Sunday Sunday School Worship Service
Clarence Kelby Heath Wednesday Pastor
Noon - 1 p.m. 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
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
9 a.m. 10:30 a.m.
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. —Revelation 1:8
ENTERTAINMENT Tri-State Defender, Thursday, September 20 - 26, 2012, Page 10
WHAT’S HAPPENING MYRON?
Oprah does it again!
You can say what you want about Oprah, but you gotta admit she is still the “Queen.” She has been snagging some really great interviews here lately – 50 Cent, the Kardashians, Rihanna, Jennifer Myron Hudson and UshMays er. Anyone who seems to be in the news is subject to be a guest. Her latest snag – Usher – appeared this past Sunday night. Of course, Usher has been in the news lately regarding the custody case pitting him and his ex-wife, Tameka Foster. Usher and Foster had been going at it for quite a while when tragedy struck. Foster’s 11-year-old son, Kyle, was injured in a jet-ski accident that left him brain dead and from which he died. Only weeks later, the custody case was back in court, where a judge awarded custody of Usher and Foster’s two children to Usher, a decision that many did not see coming. In the wake of the court ruling, Usher and his mother visited Oprah’s “Next Chapter” to discuss the decision, the marriage and its demise. She even got Usher to discuss his fidelity during his marriage, why his mother did not attend the wedding, why primary custody was important to him and whether he makes love to his own music. If you missed any of this interview, you can check it out at http://www.youtube.com/user/OWN.
‘American Idol’ update
Since I may have gone a little hard on “American Idol” a few weeks ago, I figured the least I could do is give you an update. Well, it looks like the verdict is in. Not only does Randy Jackson get to keep his seat on the “American Idol” judge’s panel, he also gets a lot of new company. The number of judges will increase from three to four and will include country star Keith Urban and rapper-singer Nicki Minaj, along with Jackson and Mariah Carey. This season will be very interesting to say the least. I’m wondering who will emerge as the “new” Simon. I’m actually interested in seeing how they pull this whole thing off.
Tye Tribett and Ricky Dillard
Donte Everhart and the End Time Movement present the Fresh Start Concert Revival & Tour featuring Tye Tribbett, Ricky Dillard and many more live at Christ Missionary Baptist Church, 480 South Parkway East, for one night only! Mark your calendars for Thursday (Sept. 20). Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7! Get your tickets now at www.ticketbud.com, One Stop for Churches located at 1200 Madison Avenue or call 901-725-7057.
Big Scoop Ice Cream Festival
Enjoy a variety of ice cream, frozen treats, snacks and drinks from many local vendors as the 18th Annual Big Scoop Ice Cream Festival kicks off another year. There will be live entertainment, fun contests, games and other activities for children – big and small. All proceeds from this familyoriented event will benefit the Ronald McDonald House, a home-awayfrom-home for 51 families. Each of these families has a very brave child who is receiving treatment for cancer or another catastrophic illness. It happens Sept. 29 at Red Birds Stadium from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is $7 in advance and $10 at the gate. Tickets are available at any YoLo Frozen Yogurt location.
Hookah Tuesday at Blu
Check out Hookah Tuesday at Blu, 3895 Hacks Cross, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Come hang with the Cloud9 Crew and enjoy complementary fish and spaghetti while it lasts! Early arrival is suggested. Come relax yourself with signature drinks from the mix-specialists, Katrina and Nichole. For reservations, call 901-846-6255 or 901-417-3110. Admission is free!
Parting shot
Hey don’t forget the big comedy show with Don “DC” Curry at the Bartlett Comedy Spot, 5709 Raleigh LaGrange, this weekend. Tickets are $25! This show is gonna be a lot fun. Don’t miss it! Call 901-590-3620 for more details. Until then, that’s what’s happening.
(Got an event you’d like for me to cover or attend, email me at Myron@whatshappeningmyron.com.)
“Splits and all,” says Tom Sanders of his on-stage tribute to the legendary James Brown. “Donʼt come see us, if you ainʼt ready.” (Courtesy photos)
Son of
James Brown discovered in Ripley (Tenn.)? Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Tony Jones
, so I’ll admit the headline is a little OK misleading. Ripley (Tenn.) R&B artist Tom Sanders
doesn’t actually claim to be part of the Godfather of Soul’s family tree. But on his new CD “Touch of Class (Remembering James Brown),” vocally and musically Sanders sounds so much like the one and only that nearly every moment on his 12-track indie release makes you want to do Brown’s signature Camel Walk. In fact, Sanders sounds so much like James Brown that to promote “Touch Of Class” he is putting together a showcase performance that will be a full-blown recreation of a James Brown Show and a perfect fit for college campuses, nicer clubs and corporate events. It’s a tall order for any performer to tackle, but according to his producer, Johnny Scott, Sanders has the chops, and the CD will prove it, if you give it a listen. Available now at www.cdbaby.com, Scott is driving around town in a newly wrapped promotional truck pushing the CD and checking out venues to re-introduce Sanders to the local entertainment scene. For Sanders, it’s a reuniting with his true love for music. And if Scott’s market acumen still works, they might have a real shot. Remembered for his pioneering television program – “The Johnny Scott Show” on WREG – back in the day, Scott had hung up his microphone and was operating his own small label, Portra Records, when he found Sanders at a nightclub in Brownsville. After finding they were compatible, the two decided to collaborate and released a string of singles. One of those singles, “Baby I Need Time,” had a two-week stay atop a local radio station’s chart, said Sanders, but eventually got eaten up by the lack of a real budget. This was long before the hip-hop indie revolution hit and there was just no way to fight the majors, he said. “That’s when there were still records. We sold quite a few, but we never were able to convince the right people to stay with it.” Scott and Sanders walked away from the industry with memories of wine, roses and thorns, but the project never left Scott’s mind. “That sound he has just stayed with me. He just naturally sounds like James Brown! Not remind you of him, not influenced by him, I mean just like James Brown. Seriously. He’s just natural at it,” said Scott. “When he was playing clubs, you could hardly keep your drink in your hand, that’s how he rocks a house. Plus, he’s got great originals. I think people are going to be really surprised when they check him out.” (A snippet of Sanders is available on Youtube.) Like most club performers, Sanders does all the greats, but it’s when he gets to the roots of the funk that he says something else takes over. “I do great with my own stuff, but when I do James it just blows the roof off the place.
Johnny Scott, a local television show pioneer, was operating his own small label, Portra Records, when he found Sanders at a nightclub in Brownsville.
Local rapper G-Manzee (featured on three songs) helps refresh the funk on the new CD “Touch of Class (Remembering James Brown).”
It really came to light one night I was backing up Bobby Rush, way back in the day at the Club Paradise. Folks were all over the place. It happened again at Martin Luther King Park, and it just stuck. I never really got big, but we put on a great show.” And that’s the key, Scott adds. “So much of the music nowadays is so
lightweight. And for people like me, black and white, that grew up with music, most of it just doesn’t hit. Now, old school is big on tours, but nobody’s doing James. They talk about him as an influence, but the music never makes it on stage. James started it all, and you can’t let that go!” Sanders was five years away from it all when Scoot called out of the blur. “He asked me did I want to write a tribute single to James Brown and I said, ‘yeah, of course.’” Back in the game again, Sanders wanted to refresh the funk and found a local rapper named G-Manzee (featured on three songs) to freshen up some of the tracks. “Aw, G is hot man. We got him wanging on “I Got It (Get On The Good Foot),” “Phenomenal” and “Please Believe Me,” and you hear me funkin’ on “You Couldn’t Touch Him (Remembering James Brown),” “Jamming in the Big M Town” and the rest. “Plus, I hope people will like my original tunes like “Baby I Need Time” and “I’m So Weak For You.” I think it’s a complete package. I can’t wait to get on stage with it. The concept is me saluting the music of James Brown, and we will be bringing the people a fantastic show.” But the most important question is this: Can he actually do James Brown? “Oh yeah,” he promises, “splits and all. Don’t come see us, if you ain’t ready.”
ENTERTAINMENT
Tri-State Defender
Page 11
September 20 - 26, 2012
OPENING THIS WEEK
Kam’s Kapsules:
Weekly Previews That Make Choosing a Film Fun
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Kam Williams
For movies opening Sept. 21, 2012
BIG BUDGET FILMS
“Dredd 3-D” (R for profanity, sexuality, drug use and graphic violence) Karl Urban assumes the title role originally played by Sly Stallone in this reboot of the futuristic, sci-fi franchise which finds America an irradiated wasteland patrolled by a formidable judge/jury/executioner committed to cleansing the country of undesirables with the help of an attractive rookie sidekick (Olivia Thirlby). Supporting cast includes Lena Headey, Wood Harris and Jason Cope.
“End of Watch” (R for sexual references, drug use, graphic violence, disturbing images and pervasive profanity) Grisly crime saga about a couple of LAPD cops (Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena) who land on a drug cartel’s hit list after confiscating a cache of guns and money during a routine traffic stop. With America Ferrara, Anna Kendrick and Natalie Martinez.
“House at the End of the Street” (PG-13 for profanity, terror, intense violence, teen partying, mature themes and brief drug use) Haunted house horror flick about a recent divorcee (Elisabeth Shue) whose hopes for a fresh start after relocating with her daughter (Jennifer Lawrence) to a quaint rural town are dashed by the creepy recluse (Max Theriot) living next-door. Ensemble includes Gil Bellows, Eva Link and Jon McLaren.
INDEPENDENT & FOREIGN FILMS
Wood Harris stars as Kay in “Dredd 3D.” (Photo by Joe Alblas/Lionsgate Entertainment)
“Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel” (PG-13 for nude images) Reverential retrospective takes a fond look back at the life and times of fashionista Diana Vreeland (19031989), the influential editor of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.
“Head Games” (PG-13 for mature themes) Brain trauma documentary explores the oftdevastating consequences of concussions suffered while playing football, hockey, soccer and other sports.
“17 Girls” (Unrated) Baby mama drama set in Lorient, France but inspired by actual events which transpired in a Massachusetts town where a clique of bored high school coeds entered a pact to get pregnant after one of them (Louise Grinberg) was accidentally knocked up. Cast includes Juliette Darche, Roxane Duran and Esther Garrel. (In French with subtitles)
“How to Survive a Plague” (Unrated) AIDS documentary chronicling the efforts of ACT UP and other gay organizations which successfully pressured the federal government to fund the research that turned the epidemic from a death sentence into a manageable medical condition. Featuring file footage of Larry Kramer and Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush.
“Dear Mandela” (Unrated) Dream deferred documentary highlighting the efforts of a trio of activists spearheading a revival of the South African civil rights movement on behalf of the black masses yet to benefit from independence. (In English and Zulu with subtitles)
“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (PG13 for mature themes, profanity, and teen sexuality, fighting drug use and alcohol abuse) Screen adaptation of the Steven Chbosky novel of the same name about a lonely freshman’s (Logan Lerman) attempt to adjust to high school while simultaneously struggling to cope with a crush on a classmate (Emma Watson), a friend’s suicide and his own mental ill-
“About Cherry” (R for sexuality, nudity, profanity and drug use) Coming-of-age drama, set in San Francisco, revolving around a troubled teen (Ashley Hinshaw) introduced to the adult entertainment industry by a sleazy attorney (James Franco) and a washed-up porn star (Heather Graham). With Dev Patel, Lili Taylor and Diane Farr.
“Knuckleball!” (Unrated) Baseball documentary deconstructing the mechanics of the knuckleball with the help of such proponents of the unorthodox pitch as Tim Wakefield, R.A. Dickey, Charlie Hough and Phil Niekro.
ness. With Paul Rudd, Ezra Miller and Dylan McDermott.
“They Call It Myannar: Lifting the Curtain” (Unrated) Bamboo Curtain expose’ offering a rare peak at Burma via interviews conducted secretly with over a hundred of the repressive regime’s political dissidents, including recently-released, Nobel Peace Prizewinner Aung San Suu Kyi. “Three Stars” (Unrated) Delightful gourmet documentary delineating the culinary philosophy of nine of the world’s greatest chefs. Featuring Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Yannick Alleno and Olivier Roellinger. (In Dutch, English, German, Japanese, Italian and Spanish with subtitles)
“Trouble with the Curve” (PG-13 for profanity, smoking, mature themes and sexual references) Clint Eastwood stars in this minor league diamond drama about an aging baseball scout with failing eyesight who grudgingly agrees to make one last road trip prior to retiring after his daughter (Amy Adams) agrees to accompany him on the trek. Cast includes Justin Timberlake, John Goodman and Scott Eastwood (Clint’s son).
“You May Not Kiss the Bride” (PG-13 for sexuality, coarse humor and violence) Romantic comedy about a mild-mannered pet photographer (Dave Annable) forced to marry the daughter (Katharina McPhee) of the Croatian mobster (Ken Davitian) who wants his little girl to become an American citizen. With Mena Suvari, Kathy Bates, Rob Schneider, Tia Carrerre and Vinnie Jones.
HOROSCOPES
Sept. 20-26, 2012
ARIES You seem preoccupied this week and it’s because your mind is filled with a vision of love for the entire planet. Use your gifts to assist others in seeing the world as you do, in glorious color. Check the details on paperwork that you have to do, dreamer. TAURUS Everybody’s in a good mood this week, and you’ll want to join friends or family in sharing good food and feelings. You may be asked to grow, or move. Think seriously about it, because it could enhance your spiritual growth. GEMINI At work, some matters have been on hold but now you will get the green light. Continue to work as diligently as you have been in the pass to ensure success. Have faith that your plans are on target. CANCER Remember that you are in control of your emotions this week. Things will look brighter as soon as you let yourself feel like the glowing spirit that you are. Co-create your reality this week by using positive emotions to remind yourself of how wonderful you are. LEO You are in the middle of a dream coming true. Watch for signs that your wish is about to be granted. You’ll be very happy with what you’ve achieved. VIRGO Overall, the vibrations surrounding you this week are very good, very good indeed. Go with the best, and refuse to allow any minor inconvenience to spoil your sunny mood. You are going to have a lovely week. LIBRA Remember that you look marvelous! Be prepared for lots of compliments this week, and plan to accept them gracefully. You may be planning a time period trip; it’s going to be a nice getaway. SCORPIO A party or gathering with friends from the past gives you the opportunity to strut your stuff a bit. You’ve made tremendous strides and accomplished much in your life, so be pleased with yourself this week. Pass some of your wisdom along to others. SAGITTARIUS You should know by now that trying to be in two places at once is very taxing to your nerves! Slow down a bit and trust that you’ll get what needs to be done accomplished. Give yourself a head start on all road trips so that you have time to enjoy the view. CAPRICORN An afterglow surrounds you during the week, and you may not feel like getting immediately into work-mode this week. It’s okay to go with your feelings; the world will wait for a little while. Treasure happy moments. AQUARIUS Your mind is busy this week with thoughts of new projects and the things you want to get done. Best course of action is to clear up pending and overdue items. You’ll have a clean desk in no time and will feel genuinely content and relaxed for the week. PISCES Lots of opportunities are swirling around you, and it will require some diligence on your part to make the most of some of them. You’ll be happy you put in some extra effort this week! Sources: NNPA News Service
HEALTH
Page 12
Tri-State Defender
September 20 - 26, 2012
CHEF TIMOTHY
A starter plan to regain your health Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Chef Timothy Moore This week, I am providing a few simple recipes for those of you who have requested or need some assistance in preparing for a lifestyle change. What you eat will determine whether your health teeters or improves dramatically. The following recipes will help you get started. Makes 2-3 servings
Chefs Steel Cut Oats
3/4 cup ground steel cut oats 2 cups water (see note) 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (to taste) 4-6 tablespoon almond milk for serving
Dr. Timothy Moore
In a saucepan, combine oats, water and cinnamon over medium heat. Whisk almost continuously while mixture starts to come to a low boil. Reduce heat to medium-low as it is thickening and starting to bubble. Once thickened, add almond milk and stir in (use a large spoon at this stage as whisking will be difficult). Serve oatmeal immediately, topping with another drizzle of almond milk and adding chopped fresh fruit.
Employment
Director EEO/Affirmative Action The University of Memphis invites candidates to apply for the position of Director EEO/Affirmative Action. The University of Memphis, a public Carnegie Classified high research university, with approximately 23,000 students, is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The successful applicant will oversee Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action policies for the University of Memphis, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations, and university policies. (S)he will design, implement and maintain audit and reporting systems related to anti-discrimination laws and regulations. Responsibilities also include reviewing, investigating and resolving complaints of unlawful discrimination and harassment brought by students which involve faculty or staff, and brought by faculty, staff and the public. The successful applicant will serve as the Universityʼs Title IX coordinator, will train faculty, staff and students as required by Title IX, and ensure all applicable University policies are in compliance with Title IX. This position requires a Bachelorʼs degree in an appropriate area of specialization and four years of related experience. Preferred education includes: Major in public administration, human resource management, industrial or organizational psychology, law, business administration, educational administration, or a closely related field. A Masterʼs degree in one of the disciplines noted above or a closely related field is desirable; preferred experience: Professional-level experience in investigating and processing complaints, appeals, and grievances related to equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, civil rights compliance, or employment. For a comprehensive view of the position requirements and to apply, please visit: https://workforum.memphis.edu/applicants /jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp? time=1347457506892 The University of Memphis, a Tennessee Board of Regents institution, is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. We urge all qualified applicants to apply for this position. Appointment will be based on qualifications as they relate to position requirements without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability or veteran status.
WKNO MAINTENANCE ENGINEER Assist in installation, maintenance and operation of equipment associated with and required for tv and radio production, broadcast, remote production and transmission and in maintaining technical operations for the WKNO Stations in
Note: Place steel cut oats in a blender and pulse/puree until flour-like consistency. Measure out the 3/4-cup needed for this recipe.
Oatmeal Squares with Banana Makes 8 muffins
1 cup rolled oats 1 cup oat flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 cup pureed overripe banana (roughly 2 large bananas, see note) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (no alcohol) 1 teaspoon date syrup
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a mixing bowl, combine the oats, oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir through until well combined. Add the banana, vanilla and date syrup to the dry mixture and stir through until combined. Using a cookie scoop, place mounds of the batter (about 2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes until set to the touch and a touch golden. Remove and let cool on pan for just a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack. Note: Use an immersion blender and a deep cup to puree your bananas or food processor/blender. Simple Quick Pancakes
Makes 4 large pancakes
2/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour 2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 2/3 cup almond milk 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Mix the flour and baking powder together in a metal bowl. Add almond milk to dry ingredients and mix well. Put mixture in a measuring cup. Using a nonstick pan on medium heat, pour 1/3 cup batter onto the middle of the pan. When the topside bubbles and mostly firm, flip pancake over. Cook for another 1 to 1½ minutes. Repeat until all the batter is used. Serves 4
Vegan Lettuce Wraps
12 oz. dried, flavored tofu or 1 15 oz can of chickpeas raised and drained. 3 tablespoons chopped fresh garlic 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger 2 1/2 cups shiitake mushrooms, chopped 1 cup bean sprout 1 carrot cut into fine strips 1 head lettuce, use large leaves 1 tablespoon organic tamari soy sauce 1/2 lemon, squeezed 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) Stir-fry chopped garlic, ginger and carrot with some water in a non-stick pan for a few minutes until soft. Add the shiitakes, organic tamari soy sauce, pepper and red pepper flakes. Cook for 5-10 minutes, then add the dried tofu, and cook for another 2-5 minutes. Spoon the mixture into the lettuce leaves, add a few drops of lemon
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HOURS: Mon-Fri 9am - 5pm
For additional information contact Sales Dept. at (901) 746-5201 or email: advertising@tristatedefender.com
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conformance with FCC requirements, Degree in engineering, engineering technology, or a related field. Experience may be substituted. Transmitter, RF and studio broadcast systems experience preferred. Please send resume and cover letter to Deb Smith at dsmith@wkno.org or mail to WKNO, 7151 Cherry Farms Road, Cordova, TN 38016. No phone calls please EOE
Legal notices
LEGAL NOTICE TO BIDDERS Airfield Maintenance Building – Widen 2 Service Bay OH Doors Memphis International Airport MSCAA Project Number 11-1340-00 Sealed bids for the Airfield Maintenance Building – Widen 2 Service Bay OH Doors, MSCAA Project No. 11-1340-00, 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, October 11, 2012, and immediately thereafter will be opened and publicly read. BIDS WILL NOT BE RECEIVED AT ANY OTHER LOCATION. The scope of work generally consists of building modifications to widen openings between building columns and to replace two overhead, rolling metal doors at Memphis International Airportʼs Airfield Maintenance Building. Work efforts include, but are not necessarily limited to, building demolition, rolling metal door installation, concrete masonry unit installation, insulated metal panel installation, structural steel installation, electrical modifications, and other efforts as required. Bid Documents may be obtained and found on our website (www.mscaa.com) on or after Monday, September 17, 2012. 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
RATES: Rates are non-commissionable and are quoted at the net rate. All rates are flat rates. No refund for early cancellation.
MSCAA website and Respondents are responsible for checking the MSCAA website up to the time of the Bid opening. A Pre-Bid Meeting will be held Wednesday, September 26, 2012, at 9:00 AM at the Airfield Maintenance Building, 3318 Winchester Road, Memphis, Tennessee 38118. The project site will be available for inspection immediately following the meeting. 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 30% 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 or heating ventilation 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 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
juice, and roll them up! Goes well served over brown or white rice. Serves 2
Rio Jerk Spicy Stir-Fry
1 red bell pepper, sliced 1/2 red onion, sliced 1 plantain, sliced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 1/2 habanero, minced or jalapeño minced seeded. 1 teaspoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon Allspice 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme 3 tablespoons almond milk 1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain brown or white rice Over medium-high heat, sauté the bell pepper and onion until soften. Add plantain. Once it starts to brown, reduce heat to medium. Add garlic, ginger, minced pepper, curry powder, allspice, thyme and sauté for about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the almond milk, which will create a light curry that just sticks to the veggies. Serve over the cooked rice.
(Dr. Timothy Moore teaches nutrition, heart disease and diabetes reversal through a plantbased lifestyle. He is a professional speaker, wellness coach and personal plant-based chef. He is the author of “47 Tips To Reverse Your Diabetes.” He can be reached by email at cheftimothy@cheftimothymoore.com, visit him at www.cheftimothymoore.com or follow him at www.twitter.com/cheftimmoore.)
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. 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 TO BIDDER(S) Interested parties must download the solicitation directly from the Countyʼs website, unless otherwise indicated in the solicitation invitation. Please visit the Countyʼs website at www.shelbycountytn .gov. All solicitations are listed under “Purchasing Bids.” REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DUE FRIDAY OCTOBER 12, 2012 AT 4:00 PM RFP #13-009-14 Construction of Range Operations Building and Firing Range Pre-Bid Conference: A Mandatory PreBid conference will be held at 9:00 A.M., Tuesday, September 25, 2012 at the following location: Shelby County Sheriffʼs Firing Range 800 Dovecrest Road Road, Memphis, Tennessee 38134 Please be on time, once the pre-bid conference starts, late arrivals will not be allowed to attend. Copies of the project manual and plans are located on our website at www. shelbycountytn.gov. At the top of the home page, click on the links “Department,” “P” for the Purchasing Department and “Bids” to locate the name of the above-described RFP. Copies of the project manual and drawing are posted at this location and can be downloaded at no cost to the prospective bidders. Shelby County is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer, drug-free with policies of non-discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or military service. THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS IS RESERVED By order of MARK H. LUTTRELL, JR., SHELBY COUNTY MAYOR SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT
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. The hearing will be held in the Legislative Plaza, Nashville, Tennessee, as indicated below. Pertinent public testimony is invited. Tuesday, October 2, 2012, at 9:00 a.m., in Room 12 Tennessee Economic Council on Women Auctioneer Commission Board of Barber Examiners Collection Service Board Board of Cosmetology Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers Private Investigation and Polygraph Commission Real Estate Commission Real Estate Appraiser Commission Department of Education (2011 Followup) State Board of Education (2011 Followup) Compact for Education (Follow-up from May 23, 2012 hearing) Energy Efficient Schools Council (Follow-up from May 23, 2012 hearing) Tuesday, October 2, 2012, at 1:00 p.m., in Room 12 Tennessee State Veteransʼ Homes Board Board of Chiropractic Examiners Board of Communication Disorders and Sciences Board of Dentistry Board of Optometry Board of Medical Examiners Committee on Physician Assistants Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners Board of Examiners in Psychology Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners Wednesday, October 3, 2012, at 9:00 a.m., in Room 16 Tennessee Interagency Cash Flow Committee Department of Correction Board of Probation and Parole Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations Alcoholic Beverage Commission Emergency Communications 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.
Tri-State Defender
BRIEFS & THINGS ‘411 on Sex’ teen Conference is set
For the second year, the medical, dental, pharmacy and nursing students at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center have joined with the Shelby County Health Department and other local organizations to host the “411 on Sex” Teen Conference. The community-based event is set for Saturday (Sept. 22) at the University of Tennessee Alumni Center, 800 Madison Ave., starting with registration at 8:30 a.m., and ending at 2:30 p.m. It is designed to make parents and high school students more aware of critical issues related to “sexting,” human trafficking, pregnancy prevention, and teen dating violence. Pam Houston, special events coordinator for the UT Health Sciences Center, launched the initiative last year in response to graphic phone images, the large number of pregnant teenagers in Shelby County, and the need for parents to better understand what their children were being exposed to, via the Internet. The conference is supported by Cumulus Media and public affairs director Tony Nichelson. It’s free, with lunch provided by U.T. Parental Permission is required. Advocates working with high school students, male or female, are encouraged to call Houston at 901448-6707 to confirm interest in attending. Counselors, pastors, agency leaders and children’s advocates may also email phouston@uthsc.edu.
‘To Restore’ legal workshop on Sept. 22
A legal workshop dubbed “To Restore” will be held Saturday (Sept. 22) at First Baptist Church Broad (2835 Broad Ave.) from 9 a.m. to noon. Hosted and presented by attorney, the free workshop will feature these topics and presenters: Tennessee’s New Expungement Law – dist. Atty. Amy Weirich, state Rep. Karen Camper and state Sen. Reginald Tate; Driving Privileges – attorney Cathy Hailey-Kent; Voting Rights – attorney Phyllis Aluko; and Home Ownership (Foreclosures) – attorney Webb A. Brewer. For more information, contact Burrow at 901-590-2730 or Earnest Townes of Shifting Gears Community Outreach at 901-644-9215.
Aspire to begin ‘Listening Tour’
Aspire Public Schools-Memphis Region (APS), which the Achievement School District has selected to transform 10 schools over the next five years, will kick-off a series of Listening Tours to engage parents, guardians and community leadership in September and October. Listening tour stops: Thursday (Sept.) at The MAM Grizzlies Center, 2107 Ball Rd., 6 p.m.-8 p.m.; Sept. 27 at the Whitehaven Library, 4120 Millbranch Rd., 5 p.m.-7 p.m.; Oct. 11, Ed Rice Community Center, 2907 North Watkins St., 6 p.m.- 8 p.m.
COMMUNITY
September 20 - 26, 2012
Page 13
NBA star brings gifts and no‘text’ message to Mitchell High Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell Hundreds of Mitchell High School juniors and seniors will never forget last Thursday when alumnus and NBA great Thaddeus Young came home bearing spectacular gifts and a life-saving message: “Texting & Driving…It Can Wait.” “Thaddeus laid some texting-while-driving facts on the kids,” said Chuck Thomas III, AT&T’s regional director of External and Legislative Affairs. “It was all part of our ‘Texting & Driving…It Can Wait’ national campaign to make our streets safer. State Sen. Reginald Tate could not make it to the school because of business in Nashville, but State Rep. Barbara Cooper came out to support our initiative. AT&T appreciates how deeply our elected officials have always been in our public safety efforts.” Thomas and other officials, including Mayor AC Wharton Jr., law enforcement, and community representatives, staged a news conference Wednesday (Sept. 19) at City Hall on AT&T’s “No Text on Board” national campaign. Tennessee is among the 39 states that have passed state laws prohibiting texting while driving. Ten of those states forbid the use of hand-held phones, mostly for teens under the age of 18. However, driving fatalities continue to involve texting or talking on a cell phone while driving. Young presented the football team with new helmets and the basketball team with new uniforms and shoes. He then shared some sobering statistics concerning the common practice of teens to text on their cell phones while driving. “Texting takes your eyes off the road for an average of five seconds,” said Young. “At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of a football field completely blind. At 65 mph, a car travels the length of a basketball court in a single second. Our message is simple: When it comes to driving, texting can wait.” According to statistics compiled by AT&T, those who text while driving are 23 times more likely to be in a crash. A recent poll of
Philadelphia 76ers star Thaddeus Young (second from right) teamed with Mitchell High School Principal Kelvin Meeks (left), state Rep. Barbara Cooper and Chuck Thomas III of AT&T to emphasize the need to put texting on hold while driving. (Photo courtesy of the Young for Youth Foundation)
1,200 teen drivers across the nation revealed that while 97 percent of teens know that texting and driving is dangerous, 43 percent admit to doing it. And 75 percent said it is a common practice among their friends. “More than 500,000 teens nationwide have signed a pledge not to text and drive,” said Thomas. “I believe Thad made an indelible impact on those students last Thursday. His show of genuine concern, along with those great gifts to the athletes, created a tremendous platform upon which to give his message. Many, I believe, will not only refrain from texting while driving because it’s illegal, but now they understand how dangerous it can be.” When the athletes received their gifts, one of the students from the drama department yelled out from the audience that they needed
The power of play
money for props and costumes, said Thomas. “Thad told that student to come see him when the assembly was over. He wrote the school a check right then and there to take care of those needs. It was truly a memorable day for Principal Kelvin Meeks and the entire school.” Sen. Tate will present Young with a proclamation in the near future for the work he has done with his Young for Youth Foundation, as well as the “No Text on Board,” according to Thomas. Other notables who have committed to joining the “It Can Wait” campaign include former NBA stars Elliott Perry and Penny Hardaway. Track Olympic medalist Rochelle Stevens and University of Memphis head basketball coach Josh Pastner also are on board.
‘Stuff a Bus’ Mata Food Drive is a team effort
September is Hunger Action Month and MATA is teaming up with the Mid-South Food Bank for the second annual “Stuff a MATA Bus” Food Drive on Sept. 26 at the Poplar Plaza Shopping Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The goal is to collect enough food to fill a 40-foot city bus to help feed thousands of families in the Mid-South. Staff members from both agencies and volunteers will be on site (the Highland side of the Poplar Plaza Shopping Center) to collect food and money donations from the public. Donations will also be collected within the week leading up to the event. The donations collected directly benefit the Mid-South Food Bank’s “Food for Kids Backpack Program” and other hunger programs with member agencies. Most needed items include: canned meats (tuna, stews, chili, Spam); canned fruits, canned vegetables, canned (100 percent) fruit juice, peanut butter and any nonperishable item (pasta, cereal, rice, dried fruits). As for money donations, $1 dollar is worth $4 worth of food. For more information about volunteering at the “Stuff a MATA Bus” food drive or how to donate, contact Mid-South Food Bank at 901527-0841 or MATA at 901-722-7136.
BRIEFLY: Join SRVS, Country Ford and 95.3 FM The Rebel for a day of fun at Country Ford, 95 Goodman Road E. in Southaven (Miss.) on Saturday (Sept. 22) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be a raffle for a 50” flat screen TV and two $100 gift cards and refreshments. Handcrafted products made by individuals with disabilities at SRVS Learning Center will be available for purchase. All purchases benefit SRVS. BRIEFLY: The Mid-South Fair is partnering with the Memphis Child Advocacy Center to help them restock the center’s teddy bear wall. On opening day Friday (Sept. 21), fair patrons are asked to bring a brand new, medium-sized teddy bear to the Mid-South Fair. Make sure the bear still has its tags or store packaging. Donors will net $3 off a single adult admission. On Saturday (Sept. 22), fair patrons will receive $1 off the regular adult admission price in exchange for canned meats, canned fish and peanut butter. Donations will benefit the MidSouth Food Bank. BRIEFLY: The Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change at the University of Memphis will hold its annual open house on Sept. 27 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in its administrative offices in 204 Scates Hall. The free event will feature highlights from the April red carpet premiere of “Duty of the Hour,” a documentary on the late Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks, and information on upcoming calls for Hooks Institute funded research and other Hooks Institute programs. Refreshments will be served. Parking is available in the Zach Curlin garage.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis held its first Kickʼn it for Kids event last Saturday (Sept. 15) on National Kidsʼ Day on the Christian Brothers University Campus. More than 250 kids participated in 3 on 3 basketball tournaments, soccer clinics and a carnival that included a rock climbing, bounce obstacle course and more. Juice Plus+ was the event title sponsor. (Courtesy photos) According to the Alliance for Childhood, kids today spend 50 percent less time playing outdoors than they did in the 1970ʼs. The study also says that children spend, on average, only 12.6 minutes per day in vigorous physical activity.
SPORTS Tri-State Defender, Thursday, September 20 - 26, 2012, Page 14
Rhodes takes athletic reins at Southwest The post-Verties Sails Jr.-era is underway at Southwest Tennessee Community College, with former Saluqis player Benjamin Rhodes beginning his first season as Southwest’s athletic director and head men’s basketball coach. The legendary sales retired June 30, ending an accolade-
laden, 33-year coaching career at the college. For 19 years, Rhodes was an assistant coach to Sails. During that time, the Saluqis compiled a 365-165 record, won nine West Division titles, eight TCCAA state championships, seven region championships, and advanced to the national tournament seven times,
including a runner-up finish in 1998. Rhodes played at Shelby State Community College (now Southwest) from 1981-83, and led the Saluqis to a 53-10 record, two West Division championships, and the Region championship in 1983, when he was named to the all-tourna-
ment team. After Shelby State, Rhodes played at the University of Alabama-Huntsville, where he was a two-time all-district and allconference performer. As a junior, he averaged 19 points per game, was a three-time Player of the Month, and was named Newcomer of the Year. Rhodes aver-
aged 20.3 points as a senior, and finished his career as UAH’s 20th all-time leading scorer. Rhodes received a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from the University of Alabama-Huntsville in 1985. He is married to the former Brenda Carson and they have three children.
Tigers still scratching for a victory after MTSU downer
Sophomore Bobby McClain fumbles the ball on a kickoff return. This was one of six fumbles by a Tigers player last Saturday.
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
by J.R. Moorhead
“We write our own story.” These were the words spoken by University of Memphis starting quarterback Jacob Karam when asked if the Tigers were disappointed with the way their season was going up to this point. “We write our own story.” Five simple words that encompass the focus of a whole team. And although Memphis is now 03 after its 48-30 loss this past weekend (Sept. 15), the sentence speaks to the fact that the Tigers refuse to get down on themselves. Sure, they might have seen the story going a little different. But what’s a good story without some drama in the beginning for the protagonists to have deal with. Memphis’ season has been a calamity of errors. Unnecessary penalties and turnovers have plagued the Tigers. When you aren’t a great team to begin with these type of mistakes can make it virtually impossible to win any game, as the Tigers are quickly learning, if they didn’t already know. In it’s last contest, the Tigers fumbled the ball six times. They only lost three of those, but putting the ball on the ground that many times is downright ridiculous. If all the turnovers weren’t bad enough, the Tigers have compounded the problem by committing them at some of the most crucial points of the game. In the UT-Martin game, the punt returner fumbled a punt in the waning seconds of the game, deep in Memphis territory, allowing UT-Martin to set up a last second field goal for the win. Just before halftime in the MTSU game, Memphis drove the length of the field for a touchdown, cutting MTSU’s lead to 10 points. The Tigers were set to get the ball first in the second half. With another score, it would’ve been a one-possession game and Memphis would’ve had some serious momentum. Instead, the Tigers’ fumbled the kickoff and Middle Tennessee punched it in for a quick score. The momentum had changed in the blink of an eye and the Tigers could never recover. Fans celebrate after the Memphis Tigers score a touchdown.
Tigers linebacker Anthony Brown brings down Reggie Whatley of MTSU. (Photos by Warren Roseborough)
Things aren’t going to get any easier for Memphis, as the Tigers travel to Durham, N. Car. this week to take on Duke Blue this Saturday (Sept. 22). The Blue Devils don’t traditionally have a strong football team, but they have looked better this year and are 2-1 as they head into the match up with Memphis. This will be the Tigers’ last
Benjamin Rhodes
chance to improve before they start conference play. After watching Memphis play thus far, it has become evident that the Tigers are going to have to play a near perfect game to pull out a win. Will that be this weekend? Will the Tigers continue along the same plotline of the story they have written so far? Or will they start a new chapter?
TIGERS’ SPOTLIGHT
Marcus Rucker Class: Red-shirt senior Hometown: Memphis High School: Whitehaven Height / Weight: 6-4 / 190 Position: Wide receiver Major: Professional studies/organizational leadership