june 30, 2011

Houston’s Leading Black Information Source

www.defendernetwork.com WEEK OF JUNE 30, 2011 | FREE Volume 80 | Number 35

LOCAL PARENTS KNOW WHAT TO ASK WHEN CHOOSING A CHILD CARE FACILITY P3

defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 80 years

CHAG’S PLACE

P12

NATIONAL

GOP believes ObAmA bEATAbLE

H. S. ZONE

JOSHuA bLACkmON

P11

Improving his skills

P4

P10

Jerome Gray is honored by 5th Ward Enrichment Program and joined by his wife, Saundria.

H PagE 9

Oprah Winfrey revamps network

Launching her own cable channel – the Oprah Winfrey Network – has been harder than Oprah imagined. Ratings have been lower than expected, and the network’s chief executive has been ousted. Oprah believes it’s time for her to pay more attention to OWN. “The vacation that I thought that I was going to have is over,” she says.

H PagE 3

Houston NaaCP leaders suspended

There’s a lot going on at the NAACP Houston Branch, including conflicting reports about what’s really happening. After the executive director was reportedly fired, members of the national office reinstated her, but suspended the local president and others. The matter must be resolved as soon as possible, since Houston is the site of the NAACP’s 2012 convention.

Displaced Teachers

SPORTS

ANALySIS: Rockets go big in NBA draft

H PagE 6

TSU summit hopes to help

2ontheweb

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See more on: defendernetwork.com

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Should parents do more homework in selecting a day care center?

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.

News & OpinionNational African American Leadership Summit: Operational Unity

Automotive highlight2011 LEXUS RX 450H FIVE-DOOR SUV

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Discover theNew Look, New Size,

New Content, New AttitudeDesigned for your convenience, the new Defender is

packaged in an easy to handle tabloid size, with a colorful contemporary flair featuring more content as we celebrate 80 years of service to the African-American community.

The new Defender logo with the large star reflects that “You Are the STAR.” Each week you are invited to share your opinions and comments on our stories and the issues confronting our city on the defendernetwork.com. Let your voice be heard and invite others to join you.

Look for the Defender at community locations, Krogers, Fiesta, Gerlands and soon CVS pharmacies.

And visit our website

defendernetwork.com Discover the Defender

Question of the Week

In The Book CornerThe Last Year

of Your Life:A Personal

Exploration Experienceby Clint Arthur

“Do you think it’s possible for a person like you to

transform your life in just one year’s time? I was a

taxi driver, surviving on less than $500 a week...

The Cartoon of the week

Daryl Cagle, MSNBC.com

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3defendernetwork.com WEEK OF JUNE 30 | 2011 | DEFENDER

localbriefs

newstalk


Houston NaaCP hit by suspensions

Parents: Ask questions before choosing child care

Continued on page 8

By ASWAd WALKErDefender

Mum is the word from the majority of NAACP officials regarding the recent suspension of NAACP Houston Branch President D.Z. Cofield and local branch board members.

Yolanda Smith, long-time executive director of the NAACP Houston, was reportedly fired from her posi-tion last week by Cofield. However, after a visit to Hous-ton by members of the NAACP na-tional office, Smith was reinstated while Cofield and board members were suspended from acting on be-half of the local or national office.

Rev. Gil Ford, NAACP national director of Membership & Units, emphasized that the current silence from officials is a normal part of the resolution process for any non-profit dealing with organizational chal-lenges.

“This is an internal administra-tive issue,” said Ford. “Like all non-

profits, we have an internal process. We haven’t reached a conclusion yet as we are finishing up our review of information gathered from our review team. After that process, we will then make recommendations.”

Attorney and NAACP Houston member Glynis F. Gilder confirmed Smith’s firing in a recent interview,

but said Smith had been terminated by the

NAACP’s national office and was

contesting that termination. However, cur-rent NAACP legal counsel James Douglas

made statements to the contrary.

“No one has terminated Mrs. Smith,”

Douglas said. “Mrs. Smith can only be terminated by the executive committee here in Houston. That has not happened, and by National. That has not happened, so Mrs. Smith still works for the NAACP.”

Still, it was not until national NAACP representatives met with the Houston leadership that Smith was officially reinstated.

Sources say that the more expe-rienced, civil rights era members of

the NAACP prefer the matter to be handled in-house, without an airing of dirty laundry in public because of the potentially negative organization-al fallout such actions could invoke.

The Defender was unable to reach Cofield, who is pastor of Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church, for a comment. Houstonian Howard Jefferson, an NAACP national board member, declined to comment on the matter.

NAACP Texas head Gary Bledsoe declined to comment on the suspensions but did share his thoughts on the effect the current wrangling will have on the organi-zation’s 2012 national convention scheduled to take place in Hous-ton.

“Of course the current nega-tive press coverage is undesirable, but the NAACP as a national orga-nization clearly has an ‘A’ brand and reputation,” said Bledsoe. “Problems have occurred with local branches in other convention venues in the past, and the conven-tions went smoothly. I expect that to be the case here.”

The convention, which will be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center in July of next year, is expected to bring more than 10,000 delegates to Houston.

HISD passes $1.6 billion budget with funding cut in mindThe Houston Independent School District recently passed a 2011-12 budget plan that is $96 million less than the prior year and would maintain the current property tax rate. The budget is built on the assumption that HISD will lose $79 million in state funding for the upcoming school year. That figure could change, however, since Texas legislators have yet to give final approval to a state school finance bill. HISD had already identified potential budget cuts in preparation for the reduction in state funding. Major reductions include $58 million less in campus funding for teachers, librarians, supplies, and other campus-based salaries and programs.

Texas considers Confederate flag specialty license plateThough some find it offensive, Texas is considering a specialty license plate featuring the Confederate flag. The Sons of Confederate Veterans is asking the Department of Motor Vehicles to approve the plates to honor Texans who died during the Civil War. The DMV license board voted on the request in April, but one of the members was absent and the vote ended in a tie. The board planned to reconsider the request at its next meeting, which didn’t take place because a member died. Gov. Rick Perry must now appoint a new board member.

Greenspoint Mall establishes sagging pants policyIn response to customer complaints about young men with their underwear showing, Greenspoint Mall is experimenting with a “no sagging-pants” policy.” Signs posted at mall entrances tell shoppers, “Any attire that exposes your undergarments will not be permitted. Please pull up your pants or you could be asked to leave.” When mall security officers see someone in violation of the policy, they ask them to hide their underwear so it doesn’t show. According to mall management, the ma-jority of young men comply with the request.

Defender News Services

With children out of school for the summer, many parents face an immediate need to find qualified and dedicated child care providers.

That’s why Collaborative for Children, a non-profit organization committed to helping parents find quality child care, is intensifying efforts to make sure parents know what to ask and what to observe when choosing a child care facility.

“Our main goal is to provide parents with the materials, resources and instruction they need when facing decisions about their child’s care and development needs,” said Carol Shattuck, presi-

dent and CEO of Collaborative for Children. Shattuck urges parents to check the child

care licensing compliance history of every single provider they consider.

“It’s simply a matter of going to our web site www.WeKnowChildCare.com and using our new QualiFind tool,” Shattuck said.

Other key considerations for parents seeking a child care provider include:• When are parents welcome to visit and are they welcome to assist with the child’s adjustment?• How often do caregivers talk to parents about the child’s progress?• Is sufficient cleanliness practiced in the center

or home, such as with diaper-changing and hand-washing procedures?• Do caregivers seem genuinely warm, caring and devoted to their work?• Are medicines and chemicals in the facility adequately secured?• Are caregivers certified in CPR and first aid?• Are the meal- and nap-time routines consistent?• What are transportation procedures if children are taken on field trips?• What are the procedures when children act-out or break classroom rules, and how is positive behavior encouraged?

4national

u.S.briefs



VOLUME 80 • NUMBER • 34JUNE 30 - JULY 6, 2011

PublisherSonceria Messiah-JilesEditorVon Jilesassociate EditorsReshonda BillingsleyMarilyn Marshall art Director Tony Fernandez-Davila

ColumnistYvette ChargoisSport EditorsMax EdisonDarrell K. ArdisonContributing WriterAswad WalkerWebmasterCorneleon Block

The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Inc. Company (713-663-6996.. The Defender audited By Certified Audited Circulation. (CAC). For subscription, send $60-1 year to: Defender, P.O. Box 8005, Houston TX 77288. Payment must accompany subscription request. All material covered by 2011 copyright. (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).

gOP believes Obama beatable in 2012

Al Sharpton and Cornel West‘Showdown’ becomes dignified debate

By AFRO Staff

More GOP candidates have been encouraged to enter the 2012 presidential race as plummet-ing approval ratings and an anemic economic recovery, along with frustration among Demo-crats, have put President Barack Obama in a vulnerable political position.

“In recent weeks, as economic news has continued to worsen, Republicans have begun to think that President Obama is not just vulner-able, but beatable,” Mark McKinnon, a former strategist to President George W. Bush and Sen. John McCain told the Hill.

“And that’s why you are seeing candidates like Rick Perry, Rudy Giuliani and George Pa-taki testing the waters.”

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton stated that Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign was successful due to his message about the economy, and Republi-cans should follow suit to win the 2012 presi-dential race. But lawmakers are split on who would be the best nominee.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) nominates Rudy Giuliani, New York City’s former mayor. “There are some other names out there — I think Rudy would be a good addition to the field,” Graham told Bolton.

“The president’s vulnerability on the econo-my and, potentially, on national security, de-pending on what he does in Afghanistan and how we deal with Libya, is real,” he said.

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) supports Gov. Perry as a potential nominee.

“I know he’s seriously considering it, and I personally think that he’d be a great choice. I think right now, the Republican Party’s look-ing for a real leader to come out of the fray,

and he has the narrative, in terms of creating more jobs than any other state,” McCaul said.

A recent Gallup poll revealed that Obama’s job approval rating dropped four points. The Obama administration may have downplayed a recent Labor Department report that stated that only 54,000 jobs were added in May and the unemployment rate increased to 9.1 percent by calling it “bumps on the road to recovery.”

By JAmES G. mUhAmmAd Special to NNPA from The Final

Call CHICAGO – The debate

about whether President Obama is doing enough for Blacks and the poor should focus on the is-sues, not on personalities. That was the consensus of members of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)

during a forum here at their an-nual convention.

The forum featured two prominent leaders – Rev. Al Sharpton and Dr. Cornel West – who have been the face of the public debate, where the issues have sometimes been clouded by the passion each leader has brought to the discussion, once erupting into an on-air shouting

match. NNPA members were con-

cerned that the personalities of the leaders were overshadow-ing the issues that needed to be addressed. It was a concern that Sharpton addressed imme-diately.

“I want to get [something] out of the way early,” said

Continued on page 8

Future not promising for America’s young men of colorA report by the College Board Advocacy & Policy Center finds that the outlook is not good for young Black males in America. According to the report, nearly half of those between the ages of 15 and 24, who graduate from high school, will end up unem-ployed, incarcerated or prematurely dead. Citing an “educational crisis,” the report detailed challenges in classroom achievement. Barriers include lack of parental support, a high absenteeism and dropout rate, under representation in programs for gifted students and poor teacher-student relationships. The report called for more mentoring opportuni-ties, school reform, and professional development for teachers, along with culturally appropriate retention programs, and more research on ways to improve teaching methods.

Black college leaders gather to discuss challengesHistorically Black institutions face extra pressure from threats to the financial support that many of their students depend on, the presidents of some colleges recently said. About 100 presidents of his-torically Black colleges met in Atlanta and discussed their role in President Barack Obama’s call for America to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. Meanwhile, Pell Grants are under fire as some members of Congress look at cutting such programs to trim the budget. Many minority students depend on the needs-based grants to stay in school.

Findings show more minority kids, Black single mothersPreliminary census estimates show that for the first time, more than half of the children under age two in the U.S. are minorities. The estimates also show the share of African-American households headed by women — mostly single mothers — now exceeds African-American households with married cou-ples. The findings reflect the trend of declining U.S. marriages overall, as well as a sweeping race change. Demographers say racial and ethnic minorities will become the U.S. majority by mid-century.

5defendernetwork.com | WEEK OF JUNE 30 | 2011 | DEFENDER

Children who lived, stayed, or visited at public housing in New Orleans before Feb. 17, 2001, might qualify for money

from a $65 million settlement fund.

Official Court Notice

Settlements have been proposed in a class action lawsuit about whether children were injured by lead at Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO) public housing developments. People who qualify must register by October 20, 2011 to receive future settlement notices and to get a claim form to ask for a payment. If you are included you may object to the settlements, or ask to speak in Court about the fairness of the settlements. The Orleans Parish Civil District Court in Louisiana authorized this notice. The Court must decide whether to approve the settlements before money is paid to those included.

Who’s included?You qualify as a Class Member if, before February 17, 2001,

you were damaged by lead present in the Iberville, Florida, Lafitte, B.W. Cooper, St. Bernard, Desire, Guste, Fischer, St. Thomas, or C.J. Peete/Magnolia public housing development and either: (a) You filed a lawsuit against HANO and/or C.J. Brown Property Management, Inc., C.J. Brown Public Housing, Inc. and/or Ventana Property Management, Inc., Ventana Public Housing Management, Inc. and/or the City of New Orleans saying that you were hurt from exposure to lead at one of the HANO public housing developments; or (b) You have or can get medical documents or other evidence showing you were lead poisoned, specifically a document that shows you had an elevated blood lead level of 10 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dl) of whole blood, or higher, when you were six years old or younger and you were born on or after December 12, 1987. Register, and get more information, including a Detailed Notice, at www.HanoLeadSettlements.com—or—by calling toll free 1-888-768-2043.

What do the settlements provide?A $65 million Settlement Fund will be set up. After deducting

money for lawyers’ fees, expenses, and other settlement costs, the fund will pay valid claims from an estimated 10,000 or more Class Members. If you are a Class Member, the exact amount of money you might get will be based on how bad

your injuries are, and other factors, for example, how long you lived, stayed, or visited at HANO housing, your blood lead level, how long your elevated blood lead level lasted, the medical evidence you have or can get, your medical treatments and bills, and the total number of valid Claim Forms received after the settlements are approved. The settlements do not mean that the defendants did anything wrong.

How do you ask for a payment?First, you must register before October 20, 2011 at the

website or by calling the toll-free number. If the Court approves the settlements, Class Members who register will receive another Notice with a Claim Form. The Claim Form will tell you what you need to prove your claim and receive a payment. You will need evidence, for example a test result that shows you had an elevated blood lead level (>10 µg/dl) when you were six years old or younger and proof you were born on or after December 12, 1987, so you should start now to find these documents.

What are your other options?You may object to the settlements if you think the Court

should not approve them. The Detailed Notice explains how to object properly before the October 20, 2011 deadline. By that deadline you may also ask to speak at a Fairness Hearing the Court will hold on December 21, 2011.

At the Fairness Hearing the Court will consider whether to approve the settlements, and how much to pay the Class lawyers. They will ask the Court for fees and reimbursement of their expenses totaling up to 45% of the Fund, plus $15,000 each for the five named Plaintiffs and five Class Representatives who provided service in the class action. Significant administration costs are required by the settlements, and will also be deducted from the Fund, but the total cannot be known until Claim Forms are processed. For more information on this case (Billieson v. City of New Orleans, et al, No. 94-19231) call toll free, see the website, or write to Billieson Notice Administrator, P.O. Box 2010, Chanhassen, MN 55317-2010.

1-888-768-2043www.HanoLeadSettlements.com

By REShONda TaTE BiLLiNgSLEyDefender

In the past, people looking for a long-term stable career, often turned to teaching. Not anymore.

“Teaching has always been a mainstay and once you get in education, you feel like you’re going to have a job forever,” said Dr. Danita Bailey-Perry, associate profes-sor of education at Texas Southern University’s College of Education. “We now know that’s no longer the case.”

Especially in the Houston Independent School District, where more than 700 teachers were laid off in the past year. TSU now wants to help some of those displaced teachers. The College of Education is hosting a displaced teacher career summit to help educators reinvent themselves in this ever-changing job market.

The summit will take place Thursday, July 14, at 9 a.m. at the College of Education on the campus of TSU.

“A lot of teachers have lost their positions, positions they’ve held for a long time,” said Bailey-Perry. “Many of those teachers have been employed for years so it’s a transition, a change for them.”

Bailey-Perry says since many of those educators came from TSU, the school felt compelled to do something about it.

“We have a lot of alumni that might have been caught up in this. We thought it would be a real good idea to provide them with some support and resources so they could have a successful transition into an alternative career,” she said.

The cuts to HISD’s workforce, while unsettling, comes as no surprise to Bailey-Perry.

“That’s the reality with the recession. That’s the reality of the legislation in Texas. They’re wanting to take money from our

children. They’re targeting education. They see that as a way to balance the budget. It’s caused us to step back, reevaluate and see what other things we can do.”

a serious problemAs of April, HISD had processed

1,912 “human resource actions” — a combination of 945 job eliminations and

967 resignations or retirements, according to a summary presented by HISD. The district was required by law to send its layoff notices to teachers by mid-April.

Since HISD is a decentralized school district and principals had to make their own decision, more than 700 teachers received notices. Then, more teachers notified the district they would be resigning or retiring and the district found out it now had more than 200 jobs to fill.

“It is sheer in-your-face gall to have posted 286 jobs and tell those [laid off] teachers, ‘You can apply for them, too,’ ” said Gayle Fallon, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers. “It has demoralized them so badly. They think [district officials] don’t want us at all.”

Fallon said HISD had previ-

ously indicated the displaced teachers would be given preferential treat-ment in filling the new jobs. But many HISD teachers have expressed fear that by opening up the jobs for additional applicants, the

district will be leaning toward hiring first-year educators.

The school district already held a job fair late last month for the dis-placed teachers, but only 200 of them attended. However, the district still has vacancies from that job fair, so the district now will consider external candidates.

“We’re committed to ensuring an effective teacher in every classroom and we know that many high-quality teachers lost their jobs through no fault of their own as a result of the state budget cuts,” HISD Chief Human Resources Officer Ann Best said in a statement.

“Not all of our displaced teach-ers hold the required certifications to be eligible for some of our vacancies,

which are one reason why we will begin giving consideration to external candidates.”

TSU’s summit detailsIn the past, many teachers laid off

in one district would simply move to a surrounding district. But now that those districts are no longer hiring, Dr. Bailey-Perry says many teachers are simply opting out of education.

That’s where the TSU summit comes in. They’ll hold workshops, teaching displaced teachers everything from how to search for jobs using social media to alternative careers.

“A lot of them are uncomfortable with using social media to look for a job. We hope to make them knowledge-able of the opportunities they can ex-plore with social media,” she said.

“The workshops will help these teachers determine how to translate their teaching skills into corporate/com-munity assets, renew and build skills that will help them to make a success-ful transition into a new field and learn what alternative career options and opportunities they might have.”

Keynote speakers for the summit are: Omar Reid, director for the City of

6 DEFENDER | WEEK OF JUNE 30 | 2011

coverpage


TSU summit hopes to help

Displaced Teachers

TSU Displaced Teacher Career SummitThursday, July 14, 20119 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. (Registration begins at 8:30 a.m.)Roderick R. Paige Education BuildingTexas Southern University Campus

Workshop topics:• Translating Teaching Skills into Corporate/Community Assets• Career Options• Resume Writing & Interviewing Techniques• Technical Writing and Public Speaking


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Houston Department of Human Resources; DeShaunda Warner, project manager, El-ementary Digital Pearson Digital Learning; and Frazier Wilson, vice president, Shell Oil Company Foundation and manager, social investment.

Summit facilitators hope that partici-pants will leave with a renewed awareness of community resources, enhanced resume writing and interviewing skills, confidence in public speaking, a better knowledge of how teaching skills can be translated into saleable corporate and community assets, educational opportunities, and meet and talk with individuals who have successfully tran-sitioned from teaching to other careers.

There is no cost to attendees and park-ing will be provided. For additional informa-tion, contact Bailey-Perry at 713-313-4418 or email [email protected].

Dr. Danita Bailey-Perry

8 DEFENDER | WEEK OF JUNE 30 | 2011

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• Are the indoor and outdoor play areas secure and what are the safety precautions used by staff?• What are the plans to evacuate in the event of an emergency?

As part of its goal of improv-ing the overall quality of child care in the Houston area, Collaborative for Children offers early child-hood training sessions to teaching

staff, caregivers, directors, assis-tant directors and owners working in licensed child care centers or in registered/licensed family child care homes in 13 area counties.

Founded in 1987, the agency works with families, educators and community leaders – the people who most influence a child’s qual-ity of life.

Ask questions before...Continued from page 3

Collaborative for Children has developed a free system on its website that ranks Houston-area child care and educational facili-ties.

QualiFind, which is found on www.weknowchildcare.com, designates a facility’s overall qualities as “Excellent,” “Good” or “Minimal.”

Establishments are ranked according to teacher-to-child ratio and group size, teacher education and training, accredi-tation, teacher tenure, family involvement and compliance with licensing standards.

“The process of choosing a quality, reputable child care pro-vider has become more difficult and intimidating than ever, but it is one of the most important decisions a parent can make,” said Carol Shattuck, president and CEO of Collaborative for Children.

“With QualiFind, child care seekers can know instantly how a provider ranks across key per-formance standards, so they can

make the best, most informed decision based on their needs and preferences, as well as a provider’s quality rating.”

According to the system, ex-cellence is achieved only when a provider meets the highest of standards.

To receive an “Excellent” ranking for teacher-to-child ratio and group size, for example, all classrooms in the center must meet standards established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

QualiFind was developed through funding from the U.S. Department of Education. Qualified licensed and regis-tered family homes are in the process of being added to the system and are scheduled for online completion by the end of the summer.

Child care centers that wish to be included in the QualiFind program, or provide their latest program information, may call the Provider Update Line at 713-600-1312.

Web-based system ranks child care facilities

Sharpton, leader of the National Action Network. “Folks have been saying that Cornel West and I are going to have a ‘show-down’ today.” If you’re looking for a circus “there’s a Chicago zoo,” he said.

West, a professor at Prince-ton University, encouraged Rev. Sharpton to use his access to the White House to raise critical issues of Black unemployment, the homeless, inadequate health care and the needs of America’s children.

Sharpton reminded West that he’s been at the forefront of those issues and challenged the Black press to maintain its posi-tion as an advocate for justice.

During the discussion, both leaders stuck to their positions

about the need to support and be critical of the administration.

Sharpton cited the “creative tension” stimulated by historic and public disagreements be-tween Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X and W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Wash-ington, and even how White progressives have feared when Blacks sought to form their own agenda.

West noted that Obama is surrounded by advisers who have no concern for the poor and working class. He reemphasized that he speaks what he believes in an effort to steer the President in a correct direction, just as Sharpton speaks in a “prophetic voice” that condemns what is wrong.

Al Sharpton and Cornel...Continued from page 4

9defendernetwork.com WEEK OF JUNE 30 | 2011 DEFENDER

entertainment

what’sup


Oprah Revamping her cable channel

H 2011 BET Awards crowned Chris Brown the comeback kid collecting five trophiesDuring the recent BET Awards, 22-year-old Chris Brown was the uncontested man of the evening. He collected five trophies, includ-ing male R&B artist, video of the year and collaboration for “Look at Me Now” during the telecast, which aired live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. “All my fans are everything to me,” Brown said while accepting the award for male R&B artist. “I know it’s been a long road. I just appreciate every blessing that’s been put in front of me.” Other winners included Wiz Khalifia for new artist, Kanye West for male hip-hop artist and Nicki Minaj for female hip-hop artist. Highlights included Anita Baker performing with Mary J. Blige and a passionate, posthumous tribute to Teena Marie, Gill Scott-Heron, Nate Dogg and Clarance Clemons.

H Diddy settles suits with victims in ‘99 nightclub shooting after more than a decadeMore than a decade after Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal woes sur-faced after a shooting at a New York nightclub, the hip-hop mogul has settled all civil actions filed against him. The New York Post recently reported that Diddy, his former artist Jamal “Shyne” Bar-row and the now-defunct nightclub struck a deal with the three club-goers who were harmed in the bar fight in 1999, according to court records. Natania Reuben, the most seriously injured shoot-ing victim, received $1.8 million. The two other victims received $500,000 and $50,000. Barrow fired the shots after Combs’ group that evening got involved in an argument with another club attendee. While charges against Combs and then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez were dropped, Barrow was convicted on two counts of as-sault, gun possession and reckless endangerment.

H Twins Tia and Tamera Mowry starring in reality series debuting on StyleTia and Tamera Mowry, former stars of the sitcom “Sister, Sister,” are teaming up for a new show, an eight-episode reality series to debut on the Style Network in August, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The series follows the 32-year-olds as Tia goes through her first pregnancy — she and her husband, actor Cory Hardrict, are expecting a boy in just a few weeks — and Tamera plans her wedding to FOX News correspondent Adam Housely, who she got engaged to in January. Tia also currently stars in BET’s hit comedy, “The Game,” which was recently renewed for season five. Tamera most recently co-starred with her sister in the Lifetime movie, “Double Wedding,” and also starred in ABC Family’s short-lived comedy, “Roommates.”

By gaiL ChOiCE Special to the NNPA from Our Weekly What do champions do when they

discover that things are not going as planned or hoped? They regroup and come out fighting. Oprah Winfrey

is just that kind of champion.

Winfrey has acknowledged that launching

her own cable channel has been more difficult than she expected. And she plans to devote

herself to overhauling OWN, the Oprah Win-

frey Network, and spend-ing more time in Los

Angeles where the channel is

headquar-tered.

Since its launch, OWN has been av-eraging fewer than 300,000 viewers in prime time, ac-cording to the Nielsen Co. It’s now reported that ratings are just a third of those expected by advertisers, averaging a 0.1 rating on an all-day basis rather than the anticipated 0.3 rating.

Sagging ratings prompted Winfrey and Discovery to oust the channel’s chief execu-

tive, Christina Norman, who is Black, and the former president of MTV. Nor-man spent 17 years at MTV, climbing from a freelance production manager to president.

In a recent interview with Discovery Channel host Paula Zahn at the National Cable & Telecom-munications Association convention in Chicago, Winfrey said: “The vacation that I thought that I was go-ing to have is over. I need to be there. I need to be engaged and involved.”

Oprah told Zahn, that she didn’t have “one single space of energy left” to de-vote to the startup while she was taping the final season of her talk show. She was consumed with giving her program the sendoff that she felt it deserved.

Winfrey said that when she told viewers she had a new cable channel, people showed up with high expectations – not expecting to see a work in progress. But she said she was determined to make it work. “I have committed everything I have to this cable venture,” Winfrey said. “I wouldn’t bet against me.”

Experts say it takes a cable station some five years to get up and running profitably, but Winfrey claims OWN will do it in three years.

Ask questions before...Continued from page 3

“The vacation that I thought that I

was going to have is over. I need to be there. I need

to be engaged and involved.”

10 DEFENDER | WEEK OF JUNE 30 | 2011 defendernetwork.com

sports


Analysis: Rockets go big in NBa draft

By Max EdiSONDefender

The 2011 NBA Draft has come and gone and the Rockets are beam-ing from ear to ear

over their selections. With the Yao Ming era officially over, it was no secret that size was the No. 1 physical trait at the top of the team’s wish list.

The Rockets selected Big 12 Player of the Year power forward Marcus Morris (6’7 3/4” 230 lbs.) from Kansas with the 14th pick of the first round. They then added Dona-tas Montiejunas, 7’ 220 lbs., center/power forward from Lithuania with the 20th pick in the first round.

They concluded the draft by selecting 6’10”, 221 lbs. small forward Chandler Par-sons. The SEC Player of the Year, Parsons was drafted in the second round, 38th overall.

Team GM Daryl Morey shared the team’s philosophy on drafting talent.

“We went with who we thought was the best guy there each time,” Morey explained. “We’re a team trying to rees-tablish our foundation. We’re very value-oriented.

“We thought Marcus Mor-ris was one of the top players in the draft, skilled on both ends. We thought Montiejunas was a lottery type talent, so we’re thrilled to get him at 20. We thought Chandler was a first round type-talent, we were thrilled to get him later.”

New Rocket head coach Kevin McHale is enthralled with the overall versatility of his team’s top draft selection Morris.

“I think Marcus is a

tremendous player. Can play the 3 spot, can play the 4 spot, you can post him up, he’s very skilled. You can do a lot of different things with him, just very versatile which is great. He can handle the ball on the perimeter and make shots.”

For Marcus Morris, Hous-ton was the place he most wanted to be.

“From the first time I worked out for them I got a great vibe from those guys. They told me how much they wanted me,” he said.

He also reflects on the great post men that have influ-enced him, including his new head coach.

“It’s so crazy, I just went from one of the best great post players in Danny Man-ning [Kansas assistant coach] to Kevin McHale, two of the best.”

So at the end of the day the Rockets are right where they started before the draft. Morey continues to draft undersized power forwards. It started with Carl Landry, last year Patrick Patterson and now Marcus Morris.

Montiejunas has the perquisite height, but is woe-

fully thin. Chandler will compete with Chase Budinger for minutes at the small forward position and both will

have to learn to up-grade their defense significantly.

Right now the Rockets, as composed, are the worlds larg-est “swap shop.” They’ve got more spare parts than Auto Zone and hopefully

Morey can find some poor team to pawn some of them off on.

The draft night deal to ship off

oft-injured and over the hill center Brad

Miller gave the team the op-portunity to acquire Montieju-nas and former lottery pick, point guard Jimmy Flynn, who has to date underachieved on a bad Minnesota team.

Already rumors abound that two recent stiffs acquired in trades, Hasheem Thabeet and Jordan Hill, are about to be shipped to Golden State for another underachieving player Andris Biedrins. If you’re starting to see a pattern emerge, you’re not alone.

At some point we’ve got to actually win a Morey trade that makes us something other than a mediocre team, des-tined to always just miss the playoffs and select too late in the lottery to get a franchise player.

Rockets#1 pick Marcus Morris greets NBACommissionerDavid Stern

GM Daryl Morey (l) & Coach McHale (r) introduce the newest Rockets

h.s.zone11defendernetwork.com WEEK OF JUNE 30 | 2011 DEFENDER

sportsbriefs

Blackmon using 7-on-7 to improve skills


Retirement ceremony for Madison coach Seals is July 17After 46 years as an educator and coach in the Houston Independent School District, Houston Madison High School head football coach Ray Seals will celebrate his retirement on July 17 at the Houston Marriott Westchase Hotel. An evening of dining, dedications and dancing will take place from 7-11 p.m. The venue is located at 2900 Briarpark Drive. Attire is semi-formal. Seals compiled a 212-96 ledger with head coaching stints at Milby and the last 23 years at Madison. His teams made 21 playoff appearances and Seals was named HISD Coach of the Year 10 times. In 2008, Seals was selected the NFL High School Coach of the Year and last February was named the inaugural Don Shula Coach of the Year. For ticket information, go online at [email protected]. RSVP required by July 5th.

Kingwood’s Amadu named Defender girls’ track MVPMariam Amadu of Kingwood Park High School is the Houston Defender’s girls’ high school track and field Most Valuable Player. Amadu won gold medals in the 300-me-ter hurdles at the state meet as a sophomore and junior. As the favorite to win again this year, Amadu fell and broke her wrist while running the 100-meter hurdles at region-als. She still repeated as 300-meter hurdle champion at regionals later that same day. A few days later, Amadu won her third consecutive state 300-meter hurdle crown.

Update: Carter makes Cougar record books with jumpChris Carter leaped into the Houston Cougar record books as he finished fourth place in the triple jump at the USATF Championships in Eugene, Ore. With his distance of 16.86m/55-3.75, he ties Byron Criddle (1983) for the second-best in Houston history. “I was real thankful and excited about my jump today,” Carter said. “I didn’t know that it was the second best in Houston history but that’s something I’m real proud of. It’s just great to see all that work paying off in one of the biggest meets of my life and I just have to thank God for that performance today.” Carter set his personal best on the second jump of the competi-tion and was situated in fourth place for the remainder of the flights. The senior from Hearne missed on the automatic qualifying for the IAAF World Championships by one place, but will still be active in other top-flight com-petitions this summer with his world-class mark.

PV baseball signs junior college, high school standouts Prairie View A&M University head baseball coach Wasky-la Cullivan announced recently the addition of 10 student-athletes to play baseball for the Panthers next season.After combing the country for pitchers in last season’s recruiting class, Cullivan focused on position players this time around as nine of the 10 recruits will play in the field. Cullivan also sought athleticism as he wanted to increase the team’s overall speed. “We were lacking in the stolen base department this past season and I felt we needed to be more athletic,” he said. “This group of hitters has the capability to hit for a high average in addition to causing havoc on the base paths.” After a solid 2011 season, which featured strong starting pitching and a SWAC Tourna-ment appearance, Cullivan signed a solid mix of standouts from both the junior college and high school ranks. “I wanted more experience on the field and we’ve been pretty successful here by going the junior college

By daRRELL K. aRdiSONDefender

Joshua Blackmon doesn’t waste time in the “what if” or hypothetical world. He’s a realist.

As the youngest of three brothers who competed in sports at Hous-ton’s Mirabeau B. Lamar High School, Blackmon is using the 7-on-7 summer football session to improve on a wide variety of skill sets.

Blackmon will enter his senior year at Lamar this fall listed as a wide receiver on the Redskins’ varsity football roster.

Yet just because his older brother, Garry, started three years as a defensive back at Lamar and his middle brother, Matthew, was a two-year starter at tight end, the youngest brother doesn’t expect anything to be given to him. He wouldn’t want it any other way.

Garry Blackmon is currently finishing up his B.A. degree at Southern University while Matthew Blackmon will be a sophomore at Houston Baptist this fall.

“I don’t want to be the only [broth-er] that doesn’t go to college,” Joshua Blackmon said. “So I’ve got a number of things to improve on like improving my speed to help me get open better, running better pass routes and catching the ball better.”

The speed element was tar-geted during the spring when he ran track for the Lamar boys’ varsity track squad. Blackmon ran the open 100-meter dash and a leg on the 4X100 meter relay.

Yet for the past five weeks, he and his Lamar team-mates have been playing in 7-on-7 football tourna-ments to qualify for another berth in the state tournament.

With only one loss in five weeks of action, Lamar qualified for the July 15-16 state tournament in College Station prior to

a June tournament at Butler Stadium.Victories over Jones, Madison and

Westbury ensued and the Redskins were awarded medals for their overall excel-lence.

Blackmon is hoping that is a sign of good things to come.

“Last year, we were eliminated early on the second day of the state tour-nament,” he said. “I think we’ll do better

this year. We have a team that wants it more.”

Lamar is trying to find a replacement at quarterback for two-year

starter Bram Kohlhausen, who graduated and took his

skills to the University of Houston. Sophomore

Darrell Colbert has looked good in 7-on-7 drills.

The Lamar senior class for the 2011 high school football season will be

smaller than usual. Along with Black-mon, other seniors that will be counted on for leadership

in the skill positions include Carrington Thompson, Kevin Hall, Nathaniel May-berry, Daniel Lopez, Marvin Taylor and Dorian McNeil.

Blackmon says playing 7-on-7 foot-ball in the Houston heat is a formidable challenge.

“I drink a lot of water anyway, but particularly the day before we play so that I can make sure to remain hydrated,” he said. “Playing without the pads in the heat makes it nice and working on team chemistry and building camaraderie is fun.”

Besides football, Blackmon spends much of his time this summer in Lamar’s conditioning camp. He says the best thing he likes about running track is winning.

Blackmon lists English as his favor-ite subject in school and is considering a college major in sports management or possibly becoming a coach at some point. “I want to attend college in Texas,” he said.

Born September 1, 1993, he lists LeBron James and Usain Bolt as his favorite athletes and the New England Patriots and Miami Heat as his favorite teams.

“I like playing the 2K11 video game and I’m usually the Miami Heat,” Blackmon said.

“I’d love to be the president for one day so I could see exactly what he goes through on a daily basis,” he added. “If I could solve any world problem, it would be the economy.”

Joshua Blackmon displays his 7-on-7 football medal.

Blackmon (foreground) enjoys rest during a 7-on-7 tournament at Butler Stadium.

12

chag’splaceFor Event Coverage...visit defendernetwork.com


Events of the Week More photos on defendernetwork.com

Join Yvette Chargois

See Events on KTRK Ch.13’s Crossroadswith Melanie Lawson Sunday Morning @ 11 a.m.


HEALING OUR COMMUNITY……. The Art Project, Houston hosted an amazing and therapeutic art venture benefiting the Bread of Life, Inc., agency at the Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth, on the campus of St. John’s UMC Downtown. Established in 1992, the Bread of Life provides solutions to homelessness, hunger, and HIV by sustaining, equipping, and transforming lives with compassion. Hundreds of folks attended this interactive paint party for an unforgettable morning of food, fun, and creative expressions by painting their own masterpiece. We salute Juanita Rasmus, founder of the Art Project, Houston and co-founder of Bread of Life, Anita Smith, event chair, and Lanecia Rouse, project manager. This

was truly a healing for our community through the arts!..... ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION…….Constable Ruben Davis has faithfully served as constable of Fort

Bend County, Precinct Two, for the past 15 years. He was recently honored at Fung’s Kitchen restaurant hosted by Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen and former Houston Mayor Lee P. Brown. His wife, Sharon Davis, his father, Ruben Davis Sr. along with many, many friends attended to include, Fort Bend County Commissioner Grady

Prestage, Vivian Singleton, Leslie Collins, Debra Davis, Joe Lee and Charles Randle. Continued success!....... A BIG HEART .........The Fifth Ward Enrichment Program recently celebrated their 13th Annual Heart of

Houston Awards Luncheon by honoring Jerome Gray, vice president and senior press officer with Metro. He is well known for his Emmy award-winning work during 22 years as a broadcast journalist. Jerome has tirelessly given his time to many non-profits and community-based organizations and he’s committed to Houston and its citizens. Those sharing this occasion with him included his wife, Saundria Gray, his mom, Helen Fisher, Drucie Chase, George Greanias, Ernest McMillan, Al Calloway, Charles Savage, Markus Rue and Alfred Hughes. Congratulations!.....LIGHT ANOTHER CANDLE……..Ernest Smith Sr. recently celebrated his 91st birthday with family and friends and still sings with the Original Spiritual Travelers Quartet. Happy B-Day!......... From Chag’s Place to your place, have a blessed week!.........

Anita Smith, Pastor Juanita Rasmus and Lanecia Rouse Pastor Yvette Tarrant Vernelle Jackson

Commissioner Grady Prestage, Ruben Davis Sr., Sharon and Constable Ruben Davis, Honorable Lee P. Brown and Mayor Allen Owen Daniel Hoang, Constable Davis and Don Dinh Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen and Constable Ruben Davis

Al Calloway, Jerome Gray and Charles Savage Honoree Jerome Gray and Saundria Gray Markus Rue, Ernest McMillian and Alfred Hughes

june 30, 2011

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