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The CSRA’s FREE WEEKLY
Newspaper VOL.2 NO.42 VOL.2 NO.18 The CSRA’s
JULY 11 - 17, 2013
A Lucy C. Laney High School alumnus poses in front of a “Wildcats” mural in the lunchroooml. Former students shared memories and toured the building on Saturday, which is scheduled to be demolished to make room for a new campus. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Laney alumni in final walk-through High school steeped in history is set to be demolished next week.
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Look Here! FRONT ‘N’ CENTER TAKE NOTE Sassett West in special “Thank You” Performance
RAIN DELAY? NOT FOR THIS ARTIST: Vernis Brown of "V Browns Art" works on a sketch at his booth during First Friday on Broad Street. The event drew only sparse crowds downtown and rain caused the cancellation of some street performances. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Springfield Baptist Church
OUT AND ABOUT
Institution celebrates 226th Anniversary
Miss Central Georgia, Ashley, signs the “Pair Up” poster during “Kidney Action Day”, held at The Kroc Center recently. Over one hundred people were screened for kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and also enjoyed live entertainment and cooking demonstrations. “Kidney Action Day” is held in cities where rates of kidney disease are higher than the national average. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
U W rban Pro
2012 SPARK winner Sassett West is hosting a special gathering to show appreciation to the local community that has accelerated the development of her creative career. This “Thank You” party, entitled “Links to Our Legacy” – will be held July 27th at the Kroc Center from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. This is a free event. As the 2012 SPARK Winner, Ms. West received a $15,000 prize package that included professional services, creative development opportunities. She has also been given an opportunity to collaborate with some of the area’s most talented creative professionals. During this night of celebration, she will present some of the end results of these collaborative efforts, in addition to performing new literary works.
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Historic Springfield Baptist Church of Augusta, Georgia will celebrate its 226th Church Anniversary on Sunday, August 11, 2013. This Institution serves as one of the Mothers to the African American churches in this nation and holds steadfast to its claim as being the oldest black Baptist church in the United States, fostering continued service to the community in the same location of its founding place. It is also the birth place of Morehouse College, as well as many other organizations and institutions. The morning celebration service will be held at 10:00 am and the message will be given by Pastor Hardy S. Bennings, IIIPastor of Springfield Baptist Church. The afternoon celebration service will be held at 3:00 pm. The message will be presented by Rev. Dr. Jonathan C. Carter, Pastor of Siloam International Church, Atlanta, Georgia. The members of this church will be Springfield’s special guest. As major components of the pre-celebration, Springfield Baptist Church will present a concert and a youth talent/
Publisher Ben Hasan 706-394-9411 Managing Editor Frederick Benjamin Sr. 706-836-2018
Sales & Marketing Phone: 706-394-9411 Photography and Social Media Courtesy of Vincent Hobbs
fashion show. The concert will feature Augusta native, internationally Renowned Lyric Soprano and Contemporary Music Star, Bernice Hogan-Hall. Mrs. HoganHall has sung with the Capital City Opera Company, Phoenix Opera Company, Houston Opera Company, Atlanta Opera Company, Lyric Music Company, Atlanta Orchestra Company, and on international stages. In Augusta she presented a concert at the Morris Museum of Art and at the St. John’s Towers of St. John’s Methodist Church. The concert will be held at Historic Springfield Baptist Church on Saturday August 3, 2013 at 6:00 pm in the evening. Tickets for the concert are $20 per person. The Youth Church will present a Fashion/ Talent Show on Saturday, July 27, 2013 at 6:00 pm, in the St. John’s Building of Springfield Baptist Church, in honor of the pre-celebration of the Church’s Anniversary. There is no charge for this event. Please call the church’s office, 706-7241056 or Deborah Austin, 706-294-3306 to purchase concert tickets.
email: Ben Hasan bzhasan54@yahoo.com Frederick Benjamin Sr. editor@urbanproweekly.com Vincent Hobbs coolveestudio@gmail.com
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UrbanProWeekly • JULY 11 - 17, 2013
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The City
DOWNTOWN SECURITY
IN THE NEWS Rev. Dr. Jeffery R. Thomas
Paine Collegen mourns death of faculty member AUGUSTA Paine college is mourning the loss of Rev. Dr. Jeffery R. Thomas. Thomas was an assistant professor of Religion. Dr. Thomas had also served as Pastor for Trinity CME Church in Jeffery R. Augusta. Thomas “The Paine College and CME Church communities have suffered a great loss,” Brandon P. Brown, Vice President of Institutional Advancement said. Dr. Thomas graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and Religion from Paine College in 2001. While at Paine, Dr. Thomas earned prestigious fellowships and became a Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Fellow, Fund for Theological Education Undergraduate Fellow and an Andrew W. Mellon Social Science Research Council Fellow. Dr. Thomas also received numerous awards that included being named the UNCF PreAlumni Council Male of the Year (2000). He was inducted into the Alpha Kappa Mu National Honor Society; named to the National Dean’s List; and received the Paine College Distinguished Recognition Award. Dr. Thomas was licensed to preach the gospel in 1995, ordained in 2002 and became an elder in 2006 in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. He served in various capacities of numerous churches including the Raise Bridge CME Church in Waynesboro, GA; Westwood United Methodist Church, of Los Angeles, CA and the Holman United Methodist Church, also of Los Angeles. In 2001, Dr. Thomas received a Presidential Scholarship to attend the Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, California where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. During graduation ceremonies he was honored with the Church of the Good Shepherd Preaching Award and the Edwin and Frances Witman Pastoral Care Award. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 13, 2013 at 1 p.m. at Trinity C.M.E. Church located at 2930 Glenn Hills Drive, Augusta, GA 30906.
Sheriff’s plan D.O.A.?
Sheriff Richard Roundtree on the streets of downtown Augusta. Is his “proposal” for downtown security too comprehensive, too forward thinking and too costly for Augusta? Photo by Vincent Hobbs By Frederick Benjamin Sr. UPW Political Analysis AUGUSTA If it was a theoretical physics formula, it would be called elegant. If it was a business plan, it would be called brilliant. If it was a Pentagon war plan it would be called a slam dunk. If it was a stock option, it would be called “in the money.” However, Sheriff Richard Roundtree’s Downtown Security plan is none of those things. It is a craftily constructed sales presentation which, sadly, will likely be drawn into a political black hole the minute the Augusta-Richmond Commission gets to weigh in on the details. Sheriff Roundtree is a pretty good salesman. While his presentation to the Public Safety Committee on Monday (July 8) was not “slick,” it was polished, well delivered and covered all the bases. The sheriff remained true to his “community-policing pedigree” with statements like “good lighting is the most effective deterrent to criminal activity and “crime is not just the Sheriff’s Department’s problem, it’s everybody’s problem.” The real challenge for Roundtree and city administrator Fred Russell, who helped put together the plan, is that there are so many moving parts. And while Roundtree emphasized that this is just a proposal for consideration, he is, in fact, prepared to implement it almost immediately. The holistic nature of the plan – which
MAIN FEATURES OF ROUNDTREE/RUSSELL DOWNTOWN SECURITY PROPOSAL •Close Riverwalk after 11 p.m. (Cost: 0) •32 surveillance cameras along the Riverwalk and Broad Street (Cost: $342,000) •6 additional RCSO deputies, plus vehicles and equipment (Cost: $353,000) •Recreation and Parks Department cutting back trees and shrubbery (Cost: ???) •Creation of a Continually Patrolled [Tax] District (CPD) of downtown businesses to pay for increased security personnel. (Cost: ??) makes is so elegant – requires that each element of the plan be approved in theory and then properly funded. Those are the just the types of challenges that this Augusta-Richmond commission has not been able to overcome. Even while the plan was receiving the endorsement (4-0) from the city committee, it still has to get 6 votes from the full commission in order for it to move forward. Those who are familiar with the way this commission operates knows what that entails and what is likely to happen to a final proposal. Here’s a hint. It will likely be thrown back to committee for “discussion.” then it will likely be assigned to a special “work session” after which it will be sent back to the full commission for a vote. And that’s if everything goes smoothly. By then, it will be probably be September and the plan will bear little resemblance to that which Roundtree and Russell originally proposed. That’s just how this commission rolls. Debate, delay, deride and derail.
Out of the gate, commissioners have questioned the plan’s boldest recommendation — that Riverwalk “park” be closed after 11 p.m. Some don’t want it closed at all and others would like to haggle about the time it closes. There is also the matter of 32 surveillance cameras. They’re not cheap and what about the cost for maintenance and replacements. Who will sit there an monitor the cameras - and at what cost? Sure, it’s easy to say that the Rec. Dept. will keep the vegetation along Riverwalk nicely manicured, but again, at what cost. Why wouldn’t the Rec. director turn around and request more funds for extra manpower and equipment? The beautiful thing about the proposal is that it’s very community oriented. In order for it to work, the community has to pay for it, but getting the community to pay for it is not going to be easy. It will require setting up a special downtown tax district which would require 51 percent of the business owners buying into the deal. Sound familiar? Here we go again.
Barrow legislation aims at shielding post civilians from sequestration cuts By Vincent Hobbs Special to UrbanProWeekly AUGUSTA If U.S. Congressman John Barrow has his way, the inconveniences and hardships borne by the civilian workers at Fort Gordon due to sequestation will be a thing of the past. The impact of the mandatory furloughs rudely affected thousands of Augustans who sat for hours in traffic while attempting to enter the post on Monday. Two of the four gates used to enter the post were closed on Monday. The Department of Defense simply did not have enough security personnel to monitor each gate. Barrow, whose district includes Fort Gordon, introduced a bill in Congress to exempt civilian DoD personnel from the furloughs. “I’m not waiting around while Congressional leaders spend all their time blaming each other. My legislation keeps civilian employees on the job, and forces the DoD to find cuts elsewhere in the budget. It’s responsible, and it’s the kind of solution the folks in the 12th District want,” Barrow said. According to information in a press release from Barrow’s office, there are more than 3,200 employees being furloughed beginning this week in Georgia’s 12th District, until September 30, 2013. “Folks in the 12th District are facing furloughs because Congress can’t get its act together long enough to replace these reckless cuts with more responsible savings,” Barrow said.
Civilian employees, including those who monitor military base gate access, are losing one work day each week, and the pay that goes with it, Congressman for up to 11 weeks. Defense John Barrow Secretary Chuck Hagel made (center) at the decision to furlough a recent 85 percent of DoD civilian gathering employees in order to comin Augusta. ply with the automatic budget Barrow’s cuts, according to Pentagon legislation Press Secretary George Little. would protect Those losses are not taken civilian DOD lightly by civilian workers workers from in Augusta. Maceo Smith, a sequestration recent US Army retiree, isn’t prompted too happy about the furfurloughs. loughs. “A lot of money has been spent and wasted. They Photo by are not furloughing the miliVincent Hobbs tary,” he said. “The people A Master Sergeant who were significantly improved being squeezed are the little (Gate 2) to be opened during people. The ones that sup- the morning and afternoon regularly commutes to the on Tuesday, “Today was norbase, noted that conditions mal”. port and make the mission rush. happen.” A second piece of legislation, was also introduced by Congressman Barrow. •The Employee Assistance Program - The EAP is a voluntary program that offers free It would exempt civilian and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals and follow-up services Department of Defense to employees who have personal or work-related problems. The program addresses a employees from furloughs, if broad and complex body of issues affecting mental and emotional well-being, such as they’ve served on active duty alcohol and other substance abuse, stress, grief, family problems and psychological disin the Armed Forces — on orders. The EAP office can be reached at (706) 791-5797. or after the passage of the • Army Community Service - More often identified with support to soldiers and their Budget Control Act. family members, ACS can provide comprehensive, coordinated and responsive advocacy “Welcoming veterans who and prevention services. It can also assist with information and referral, outreach, finanserved in action with furcial planning, employment, and other services that can support the well-being of the lough papers the minute they civilian workforce. For more information, call (706) 791-3579. get home isn’t the way to treat •Army One Source - Army One Source provides assistance on a wide range of conthese heroes,” Congressman cerns, such as parenting and child care, wounded warriors, spouse education and Barrow said. “I won’t let employment, relocation, financial management, legal issues, community and consumer Washington’s dysfunction issues, emotional well-being, health and wellness, housing, recreation special needs, trickle down to the folks who work concerns and health care. Army One Source has a vast array of educational matefight for this country every rial on its website that can be downloaded. My Army One Source also provides referrals day. This is common sense to private, confidential counseling to assist families in coping with adverse situations. legislation that will have a Get more information at www.myarmyonesource.com. positive impact on folks in •Thrift Savings Plan - Federal employee’s TSP account also offers several options to Georgia and all across the those who may be experiencing financial hardship. Among them are financial hardship country.” in-service withdrawals, loans, and loans while in a non-pay status. For more informaOn Tuesday, Army officials tion, visit the TSP web site at www.tsp.gov. addressed the gate access issue by shifting manpower ‑— Courtesy of Fort Gordon Public Affairs Office to allow an additional gate
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UrbanProWeekly • JULY 11 - 17, 2013
local news
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UrbanProWeekly • JULY 11 - 17, 2013
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The City
Barricades warn motorists and pedestrians of the rapidly rising water from the Savannah River, which flooded parts of the Riverwalk in downtown Augusta. The marina parking lot was partially under water on Wednesday evening. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Rising waters have river dwellers concerned By Vincent Hobbs Rain. And more rain. And even more rain. Augusta and surrounding counties have been knocked about under a deluge of seemingly never-ending rain showers, thunderstorms and flooded streets. The rapidly rising Savannah River has already placed Lock and Dam Park under water, as well as portions of the Riverwalk and the downtown marina. The still rising water is poised to deliver a crippling blow to riverside communities. The US Army Corps of Engineers advised Richmond Count y Emer genc y Management on Wednesday that they will be increasing
the release from Thurmond Dam to 40,000 cubic feet per second. This will cause the river to rise and the creeks in Richmond County swell even further. Corps officials say, this is done in preparation for any effects from tropical storm Chantal. As of Wednesday night, (July 10) tropical storm Chantal had fizzled into a tropical wave (an elongated area of low pressure) and the National Hurricane Center posted its last advisory on Chantal at 5pm. All warnings and watches had been discontinued. But the rain isn’t stopping. The National Weather Service has forecast more showers and thunderstorms through-
out the weekend, which will bring even more water into the Savannah River Upper Basin. The release of floodwaters from Thurmond Lake is projected to raise the level of the Savannah River by several feet, leaving some residents worried. Augustan Danny Westall, a retired industrial mechanic who has owned a houseboat on the river for 16 years, said, “It’s pretty shaky
right now – I don’t like it when it’s this high.” Westall said that he was seeing a lot of tree limbs and other debris traveling down the river, which was also worrisome to him. He pointed out a twenty-foot log near his houseboat that had floated in and lodged near the docks. “The river is going three or four times faster than normal. It puts a lot of strain on the lines,” Westall
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said. On Thursday, the Corps of Engineers will still conduct a test of all 23 flood gates - at Thurmond Lake Dam, Lake Hartwell Dam and Lake Russell Dam, by opening the flood gates and letting water flow through. The amount of water to be released was not announced, but with the heavy rains, it could be significant. More water for everyone.
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For the fourth consecutive year, the Path2College 529 Plan is working with Georgia Public Library Service during the 2013 Summer Reading Program. Legal residents of the state of Georgia who are at least 21 years of age or older, are the parent, legal guardian or grandparent of a child born in 1997 or after and who is participating in the 2013 Summer Reading Program may enter for a chance to win. Again, your child MUST BE enrolled in the public library’s Summer Reading Program. Enter the sweepstakes by completing the entry form between May 1 – August 15, 2013. Go to: www.path2college529.com. ONLY ONLINE ENTRIES ARE ACCEPTED. Limit of one (1) entry per eligible person, per child. For official rules and prize details, go to: www.path2college529.com. Or, stop by one of the Augusta-Richmond County Public Libraries and pick up a copy of the rules. Call 706-821-2600 to find a public library nearest you.
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UrbanProWeekly • JULY 11 - 17, 2013
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Laneyites ites!
Lucy C. Laney High School alumni pose in front of a “Wildcats” mural in the lunchroom. Former students and current shared memories and toured the building on Saturday, which is scheduled to be demolished to make room for a new campus. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
S
everal generations of Lucy Craft Laney Comprehensive High School alumni gathered for one last time on Saturday, July 6, before their beloved school becomes a cherished memory. In a few days the buildings will be razed to make room for the brand new Laney campus buildings which will be ready in two years. The festive affair was organized by the Laney H.S. Alumni Association and it pulled graduates from its first class in 1950 to its latest class of 2013. The Laney faithful walked the halls, sat in the seats, posed for pictures before the iconic murals and must have pondered the disappearance of a landmark that meant so much to so many in Augusta. The administrators and the politicians made their speeches, but the real event was the people — young and old alike garbed in their unique Laney t-shirts and caps —each with their own personal triumphs and defeats experienced on these grounds. Laney was the first public high school for African Americans in the state of Georgia. Its graduates entered into and succeeded in every professional endeavor where excellence was a requirement. A virtual Who’s Who in Augusta could be assembled from its successful graduates. So many of the descendents of those graduates haunted those hallowed grounds for one last time.
More than a school, Laney was a cause, a mission and a spirit
9 UrbanProWeekly • JULY 11 - 17, 2013
Laney HS central to struggle for equality It is difficult to measure the extent to which the buildings that house Laney High School stand on hallowed ground. Laney was not just an historical artifact in a long rich heritage shared by thousands of Augusta families, it is at the epicenter of that heritage. Any discussion of Laney’s history must include Haines Institute, A.R. Johnson and Ware High School. Augusta’s often torturous journey toward equality in educational opportunity soared all the way the the Supreme Court in Cummings vs. The Richmond County School Board and that suit was based on the infamous Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court decision that legitmized the abusive separate but equal doctrine. (Above) A woman talks on a cell phone in the hallway near a “Wildcat Pride” wall graphic at Lucy C. Laney High School. Former students shared memories and toured the building on Saturday, which is scheduled to be demolished to make room for a new campus. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
(Above) LANEY FAITHFUL ON PARADE. PHOTOS COURTESY OF LANEY ALUMNI ASSOC.
A young student sits near a memorial plaque in front of Lucy C. Laney High School. The plaque commemorates the life and achievements of Ms. Laney. Former and current students shared memories and toured the building on Saturday, which is scheduled to be demolished to make room for a new campus. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
UrbanProWeekly • JULY 11 - 17, 2013
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Arts
After 40 years jazz haven to close
Atanta’s Dante’s Down The Hatch is the nation’s longest -running live jazz venue By Timothy Cox ATLANTA When news spread that one of Atlanta’s most nostalgic restaurants was about to shut its doors - forever lots of talk surrounded the unique ambiance of Dante’s Down The Hatch, a suburban Atlanta tradition for more than 40 years. Less talk noted that the July 30 closing will end the longest-running live-jazz music venue in the nation. Since 1970, Dante’s Down The Hatch has featured live jazz - six nights weekly. The end-of-month closing abruptly ends the longtime run of The John Robertson Trio, featuring vocalist Rosemary Rainey. Robertson, a Florence, S.C. native, has made it his mission to continue Atlanta’s little-known jazz tradition much like his mentor, Paul Mitchell, the jazz pianist/ bandleader who originally performed at Dante’s from 1970 until Robertson’s trio took over in 1989. Robertson came to Atlanta in the mid’70s and studied music under Mitchell, a music professor at Morris Brown University. Mitchell passed away in 2000. Since then, Robertson, who is a ver y accomplished pianist with classical roots, has carried on a tradition forged by other jazz luminaries like Oscar Peterson, Nat “King” Cole, Erroll Garner and George Shearing. Robertson’s vocal approach is reminiscent of King Cole and Cole’s younger brother, Freddie Cole, another Atlanta jazz legend who still performs nationally. Robertson and his wife/ vocalist Rainey, said they plan to keep the band intact while staying committed to traditional jazz. The trio is
John Robertson accompanies Rosemary Rainey on a classic jazz ballad at Dante’s Down The Hatch in Atlanta. The club will close this month after 40 years. All photos by Timothy Cox
Marquee notes jazz club’s closing date. rounded out with drummer Terry Smith and acoustic bassist Edwin Williams. “We’ve always appreciated ownership’s jazz commitment,” Robertson said. “We
plan to continue with our mission.” His wife adds, “Music is in our future and we plan to keep working,” said Rainey, noting that the couple’s two musician sons
are equally dedicated to the jazz genre and are college music majors. Rainey’s vocal style reflects the late Betty “Bebop” Carter, one of her many influences. Meanwhile, Dante Stephensen, owner of the restaurant, said he was forced to sell the business due to increasingly rising propert y values in the suburban Atlanta. The restaurant is located in the hear t of Buck head, near upscale retail outlets such as Lennox Mall and Phipps Plaza, home to Nordstroms and Saks Fifth Avenue. The restaurant will be replaced by a highrise apartment complex, Stephensen said. Along with quiet, classic live jazz, the eatery was also known for its unique
interior design, similar to an 18th century Mediterranean ship. Meat, vegetable and cheese fondue dinners complemented a 55-selection list of premier, international wines. Stephensen said JazzTimes magazine confirmed that his business became the nation’s oldest jazz club after two New Orleans-based clubs closed following Hurricane Katrina’s wrath in 2005. Stephensen says he hopes to relocate Dante’s Down The Hatch in the Atlanta region, but did not disclose immediate plans.
EDITOR’S NOTE: If planning to visit Dantes Down the Hatch before July 30, call 404-266-1600 or access http://www.dantesdownthehatch.com/.
Kiss Family Reunion 2013 Presented by American Family Insurance and Windsor Jewelers 96.3 Kiss FM will host the fourth annual Kiss Family Reunion on Saturday, August 31st; 1p-7pm at the Augusta Exchange Club Fairgrounds. The event offers a place where old friends and close family, alumni associations and social clubs can meet up for great fun, good food and R&B musical performances by both national and local artist and more.
This day long outdoor festival will offer a smorgasbord of vendors, adult recreation and fun, a health and wellness pavilion, a car and bike show, old school artists, new school R&B and popular local bands along with a feel good “party” atmosphere. The line up includes national and local entertainment, Marshall Tucker & the Chi-lites, Hi-Five, Theodius Ealy,
The Klass Band Brotherhood, and Eric Mayweather just to name a few. For vendor details and VIP packages call 706-396-6000 Ext 113. Tickets are on sale now at www.Etix. com and both locations of Pyramid Music & Video (Gordon Hwy and Broad Street). Group tickets are ten or more for $10 each and regular tickets are $12 each.
Portions of proceeds from Kiss Family Reunion benefit local charities and organization from here in the CSRA. Get additional details about Kiss Family Reunion 2013 online at 963kissfm.com. Kiss Family Reunion is brought to you in part by Virginia College, Vic Hawk Law Firm, and the East Central Health District Hypertension Management Outreach program.
Serenity Charity Club and Augusta Buffalo Soldiers’ Motorcycle Club School Supply Giveaway Serenity Charity Club, Inc and Augusta Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club, along with Augusta Recreation and Parks Department and KISS 96.3, will be holding their annual Back-toSchool Supply Giveaway on Sunday, August 12, 2013 from 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm. The giveaway will be held at Brigham Community Center on Golden Camp Road, Augusta, GA. Pamela Perry, the founder and president of Serenity Charity Club, Inc. said, “Due to the financial strain that has been placed upon many families, the excitement and promise of having the basic back-to-school supplies is just not a reality. Therefore again this year, we are asking the community to come together to provide backpacks, school supplies, and basic need items for our children!” Suggested items include #2 pencils, spiral notebooks, 8- or 24-count boxes of crayons, washable glue or glue sticks, full-size boxes of tissue, anti-bacterial wipes or hand sanitizer, etc. Donations of gift cards to office supply stores or retail vendors are also welcomed and will be used to purchase supplies that are needed. Our goal this year is to provide school supplies for over 500 children (drawstring backpacks filled with school supplies will be given to the first 250 children). Supplies will be given until gone. Children must be present to receive supplies. This event will also provide free haircuts for the boys; nail polishing for the girls; and FREE refreshments for the kids. If you would like to donate supplies, you can drop them off at Brigham Community Center or contact Ms. Thompkins @ 706-6991071; Ms. Perry @ 706.755.0357 or Mr. Smalls @ 706-825-4449! Deadline for donations – August 7, 2013. Donations made to Serenity Charity Club, Inc are tax deductible. If you would like to mail a donation, you can mail it to: Serenity Charity Club; PO Box 8; Hephzibah, GA 30815.
Family Fun Day & Vendor Fair “Stop the War on Our Rack” will be hosting family games, bingo, raffles, face painting, food, bake sale and much more! Local vendors include Sentsy, Tutus & Bows, 31 Purses, It Works and more. The event will be held on Saturday, July 20 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Liberty Park and Community Center, 1040 Newmantown Rd., Grovetown, Ga. All proceeds go to the $7,500 goal for breast cancer awareness for the 3-day 60-mile walk! Contact Tanya at (910) 261-4682 for more information.
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UrbanProWeekly • JULY 11 - 17, 2013
TAKE NOTE
UrbanProWeekly • JULY 11 - 17, 2013
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Commentary
Snowden made the right call when he fled the U.S. by Daniel Ellsberg Many people compare Edward Snowden to me unfavorably for leaving the country and seeking asylum, rather than facing trial as I did. I don’t agree. The country I stayed in was a different America, a long time ago. After the New York Times had been enjoined from publishing the Pentagon Papers — on June 15, 1971, the first prior restraint on a newspaper in U.S. history — and I had given another copy to The Post (which would also be enjoined), I went underground with my wife, Patricia, for 13 days. My purpose (quite like Snowden’s in flying to Hong Kong) was to elude surveillance while I was arranging — with the crucial help of a number of others, still unknown to the FBI — to distribute the Pentagon Papers sequentially to 17 other newspapers, in the face of two more injunctions. The last three days
of that period was in defiance of an arrest order: I was, like Snowden now, a “fugitive from justice.” Yet when I surrendered to arrest in Boston, having given out my last copies of the papers the night before, I was released on personal recognizance bond the same day. Later, when my charges were increased from the original three counts to 12, carrying a possible 115-year sentence, my bond was increased to $50,000. But for the whole two years I was under indictment, I was free to speak to the media and at rallies and public lectures. I was, after all, part of a movement against an ongoing war. Helping to end that war was my preeminent concern. I couldn’t have done that abroad, and leaving the country never entered my mind. There is no chance that experience could be reproduced today, let alone that a trial could be terminated by the revelation of White House actions
against a defendant that were clearly criminal in Richard Nixon’s era — and figured in his resignation in the face of impeachment — but are today all regarded as legal (including an attempt to “incapacitate me totally”). I hope Snowden’s revelations will spark a movement to rescue our democracy, but he could not be part of that movement had he stayed here. There is zero chance that he would be allowed out on bail if he returned now and close to no chance that, had he not left the country, he would have been granted bail. Instead, he would be in a prison cell like Bradley Manning, incommunicado. He would almost certainly be confined in total isolation, even longer than the more than eight months Manning suffered during his three years of imprisonment before his trial began recently. The United Nations Special Rapporteur for Torture described
Manning’s conditions as “cruel, inhuman and degrading.” (That realistic prospect, by itself, is grounds for most countries granting Snowden asylum, if they could withstand bullying and bribery from the United States.) Snowden believes that he has done nothing wrong. I agree wholeheartedly. More than 40 years after my unauthorized disclosure of the Pentagon Papers, such leaks remain the lifeblood of a free press and our republic. One lesson of the Pentagon Papers and Snowden’s leaks is simple: secrecy corrupts, just as power corrupts. Daniel Ellsberg was put on trial in 1973 for leaking the Pentagon Papers, but the case was dismissed after four months because of government misconduct. He is the author of “Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers.”
NC statehouse protests growing By Lucia Brown, Common Dreams staff intern Almost 4,000 North Carolinians stormed the state house Monday demonstrating that, despite repeated attacks by the GOP-led legislature, the opposition is growing ‘ever fiercer and stronger.’ Marking the tenth “Moral Monday” action, participants rallied in the capital against an anti-choice abortion law that passed the state Senate last week in a GOP ‹sneak attack› on reproductive rights. Organizers estimated that roughly 4,000 people had joined the action in “one of the largest” demonstrations yet. 64 people were arrested for refusing to leave the state house, bringing the total arrests since the protests began in April to over 700. “This state has gone to hell and it’s hurting my family,” said Tanya Glover, a N.C. resident, as she lined up to be arrested alongside her father. Fellow participant and Asheville city councilman Cecil Bothwell, who arrived with 100 of his constituents, expressed his grievance with the GOP saying, “It amazes
me that they claim they don’t want government intervening in health care issues, yet they want to tell women what – Janet Colm, Planned Parenthood to do with their bodies.” Among those arrested was President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina Janet Colm. In an op-ed published by the Huffington Post, Colm explained why she took part in the action, writing, “This is how we make our state better.” “It’s not just that they are playing with women’s lives,” she added. “I want these politicians to see that with every attack, they are creating a fierce and ever stronger opposition. We’re making it impossible for politicians to ignore us, no matter how hard they try.” The overwhelming number of arrests has raised questions about the legality of police officers’ motivations. House Democratic Leader Larry Hall was prompted to ask, «Who do they work for? They work for whoever is in Arrests have totaled more than 700 since the protests began. Jerry Broome AP Moral Monday organizers the majority in the House Kilkenny elaborated on this, makers are going to sneak and the Senate, who are writing, “all of this raises the legislation through in the say that next week’s action responsible for the messages question: what’s the point of middle of the night and have will focus on women’s issues sent to them from the top.” living in a democracy with concerned citizens arrested and will be led by female speakers. The Nation reporter Allison a First Amendment if law- when they try to object?”
“I want these politicians to see that with every attack, they are creating a fierce and ever stronger opposition.”
Just in case Zimmerman walks Whatever the verdict, stopping the Stand-Your-Ground momentum has already occurred. By Russell Simmons Like so many people across the country, I have followed the murder trial of George Zimmerman very closely. As we enter what is probably the last week of the trial, I am sure that everyone is anxious about the outcome. For the past 16 months, I have proudly supported the courageous parents of Trayvon Martin as they have fought for justice for their son. I have greatly admired the grace and humility that they have exuded throughout this entire tragic ordeal. For them, the day of judgement in the courtroom will be a very difficult day and I certainly will say a prayer for them when that day comes. Even with this important day coming soon, I remind myself that we have already accomplished a tremendous amount in the memory of Trayvon. All we ever asked for was for equal justice for the young man who was killed that drizzling night in Sanford, Florida. If George Zimmerman had rights, so did Trayvon Martin. And that is why Mr. Zimmerman was properly arrested and charged with murder in the second degree. He will soon be judged by a jury of his peers,
and that is the best we can do. Whatever decision they make, is a decision that we must live with, whether we like it or not. Whether George Zimmerman is found innocent or guilty by the jury, I am firm believer that all of us live by karmic law, and he will ultimately be punished for the death of Trayvon, no matter what. However, if he walks free out of that courtroom, I understand that some people will be very sad, but we must remember the mission we are on. As I have heard Trayvon’s parents say time and time again, they are not only fighting for justice for their son, they are fighting for all of us, especially those parents who have to live through the misery of burying their child and the sadness that comes after. Their inspiring leadership has already led to action. In 2012, for the first time in 8 years, not ONE state in our nation passed a new “Stand Your Ground” law. The power of the NRA and their gun-toting cronies in business were stopped in their tracks by the Justice For Trayvon Martin movement. That is an incredible accomplishment. That is the mission we must continue after this trial is over. Led by the heroism of Trayvon’s par-
ents, we will support their efforts to not only block new laws from being enacted, but also repeal the laws in the 25 states who already passed “Stand Your Ground” type legislation. And we will certainly support their healing process, as they have become great protectors of our nation’s compassion. It is the future that needs to be protected and everyone who stood up for Trayvon plays a part in
that protection. If we failed to protect Trayvon on February 26, 2012, we will pledge to never make that mistake again. Never we will stop fighting for justice for Trayvon, guilty verdict or acquittal, as our work will never be done! Please go to www.TrayvonMartinFoundation.org to pledge your support for the future!
Harold V. Jones II ATTORNEY AT LAW
Criminal Law • Divorce • Personal Injury • Employment Law
SHEPARD, PLUNKETT, HAMILTON & BOUDREAUX, LLP 429 Walker Street Upper Level Augusta, GA 30901
Phone 706-722-6200 Fax 706 722-4817 hjones@shepardplunkett.com
BURKE COUNTY HEAD START
Center Director
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF POSITION: Work involves the supervision and coordination of the Center operations. Reports to the Operations Manager. Serves as a resource person for the staff and prepares monthly reports for the Supervisor and other appropriate Administrative Staff. Supervises the Center Staff. Schedules field trips. Ensures that the physical environment is safe and clean. Supervises and assists with the planning of classroom activities. Conducts center meetings at least monthly and prepare bus monitor schedule. Keeps adequate records and insures their confidentiality. Desire College study with course work in Early Childhood Education. AA degree in Management or related field is required. Three years experience working in a preschool setting. A minimum of two years supervisory experience. Must have reliable vehicle, and a valid driver’s license. QUALIFIED STAFF MEMBERS interested in applying for these positions must send a written notice to the Personnel Office no later than July 23, 2013. Detailed job descriptions are available in the Personnel Office, 1261 Greene Street, Augusta, GA. Fax: 706 722-8565
Make sure that you listen to AJ on Fridays from 1-3 pm on WKZK 103.7 FM & 1600 AM The Spirit of Gospel For all of your advertising needs contact me at (706)306.5009 or mswright26@gmail.com
UrbanProWeekly • JULY 11 - 17, 2013
Opinion / National Forum
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14 UrbanProWeekly • JULY 11 - 17, 2013
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Got Skills? UrbanProWeekly is looking for writers and photographers contact editor@urbanproweekly.com
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SHEPARD, PLUNKETT, HAMILTON & BOUDREAUX, LLP 429 Walker Street Upper Level Augusta, GA 30901
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UrbanProWeekly • JULY 11 - 17, 2013
ARE YOU AT RISK?
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16 UrbanProWeekly • JULY 11 - 17, 2013
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