november 03, 2011

Houston’s Leading Black Information Source

www.defendernetwork.com WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3, 2011 | FREE Volume 81 | Number 1

NATIONAL WEALTH GAP BETWEEN BLACKS AND WHITES LIKELY TO GROW P4

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CHAG’S PLACE

P16

OPINION

back from White House

SPORTS

P7

P13

Gerald & Anita Smith, Dr. John Rudley, honored by Houston NAACP

PAGE 3

Herman Caindraws comparison

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is being compared to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who faced sexual harassment charges by Anita Hill during confirmation hearings. In Cain’s case, accusations recently surfaced that he sexually harassed two women when he was head of the National Restaurant Association.

ENTERTAINMENT

KAL PENN

PRES. OBAMA

COLLEGES PLAYmusical chairs

P14Michelle Obamacancels visit

First Lady Michelle Obama cancelled a re-election fundraising trip to Houston. Her staff cited a family scheduling conflict, but there are questions about the explanation. One of the two fundraisers on her schedule was to be held at the home of a former Enron trader whose affiliations upset some local Democrats and union officials.

PAGE 4

and God-factor

OPINION

Blacks on the ballot

Jolanda Jones Laurie Robinson Carroll Robinson

Jew Don Boney Paula Harris Davetta Daniels

PAGE 8Nov. 8 election

2ontheweb

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Will Black and white wealth ever be equal?

Automotive highlight

Question of the Week

In The Book CornerSecond Chance: The Martha Marie

Preston StoryBy Martha Marie Preston

This cautionary tale about a fall from grace and ultimate redemption

unfolds blow-by-blow style in “Second Chance: The Martha Marie Preston

Story.” The warts and all memoir is a real page-turner you’ll probably

read in one sitting, given the author’s heartbreaking honesty while reflecting

about the pitfalls of living life in the fast lane.

See more on: defendernetwork.com

Discover theNew Look, New Size,

New Content, New Attitude

Designed 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.

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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

logo with the large star reflects that “You Are the STAR.” Each week you are invited to share your opinions and comments on our

defendernetwork.com. Let your

at community locations, Krogers, Fiesta, Gerlands and

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3defendernetwork.com WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3| 2011 | DEFENDER

localbriefs


newstalk

ALLEGED HPD BEATING VICTIM Anthony Childress has gained the support of a number of community groups. Local civil rights leaders and ministers recently called for an independent probe into the incident, which occurred in October in Southeast Houston. Childress claims he was severely beaten by four offi cers and falsely arrested on drug charges. He was treated at Ben Taub Hospital, and said he received 56 stitches and six broken teeth. HPD declined to comment on Childress’ charges because the investigation is ongoing. Groups calling for a probe included the NAACP, Houston Area Urban League, Ministers Against Crime, National Black United Front and New Black Panther Party……..FOURTH WARD RESIDENTS are upset about a Houston Housing

Authority vacant house, which they say attracts crime, and is an eyesore. The property is located in the 1500 block of Andrews in the historic Freedmens Town area. Neighborhood activists Lenwood Johnson and Gladys House are both critical of the property, which was damaged by fi re two years ago. Johnson said it tears him apart to see the property, and House said it’s “blatant disrespect” for community members. HHA offi cials said plans to restore the house are being held up by the Texas Historical Commission.……..A HISTORIC FIFTH WARD THEATER will be redeveloped. The Deluxe Theater on Lyons Avenue, which originally opened in 1941, has been empty for 38 years. The City of Houston joined Texas Southern University and the Fifth

Ward Redevelopment Authority in announcing a $3.7 million effort to turn the building into a performing arts theater with classrooms and space for retail development. TSU President Dr. John Rudley made a commitment to stage plays and hold classes in the theater……..HISD HOPES TO COMBAT BULLYING on school buses. District bus drivers are learning strategies for creating a “positive bus climate” by establishing clear expectations and understanding the importance of consistency in discipline for riders. Drivers will also receive tips on how to respond to bullying behavior while the bus is in motion and while the bus is stopped. Buses will be fi tted with signage that makes it clear to students that bullying will not be tolerated.

First lady cancels Houston visitBy asWaD WalKERHouston Defender

Michelle Obama was sched-uled to be in Houston for a Democratic fundraiser at the River Oaks home of former Enron executive and current hedge fund manager

John Arnold and his wife Laura. However, the Houston fundraiser was post-

poned, according to a statement issued by the Obama 2012 campaign, because of a scheduling change.

Some local Texas Democrats believe the change in schedule was due to rising pressure coming from party members displeased with the First Lady’s willingness to attend an event hosted by Arnold, who supports a nationwide campaign to convert the public pensions of teachers, firefighters, police officers and others into 401(k)-style programs.

The Laura and John Arnold Foundation reportedly contributed $150,000 to the California Foundation for Fiscal Responsibility, an organi-zation that says it is “committed to educating the public and key decision-makers about California public employee retirement benefit issues.”

“My people supported Obama big-time in 2008,” said Gayle Fallon, president of the Hous-ton Federation of Teachers, who described the 401(k) proposal as “very frightening for teach-ers.”

“This [scheduled fundraiser at Arnold’s] is not helping,” added Fallon.

Additionally, an even larger Houston event that was to feature the First Lady at a Hous-ton- area hotel was canceled. Instead of mak-ing her originally planned stop in the Bayou City, Obama traveled to planned events in New Orleans.

Local activists viewed Arnold’s position on converting public pensions as so offensive, and Michelle Obama’s presence as so incon-sistent with President Obama’s positions and policies, that many of them, including the Houston chapter of Occupy Wall Street, were considering some kind of protest of the fundraiser.

President Obama, who enjoys the endorsement of the National Education Association, has made supporting teach-ers a critical component in his efforts to promote the passage of the American Jobs Act.

Along with the support of teach-ers, Obama is counting on Houston to come through for him during the 2012 campaign as it did in the historic 2008 presidential election.

Houston is considered a critical campaign stop for President Barack Obama’s re-election efforts; hence the scheduled visit from the First Lady. Since mid-May, Michelle Obama has been the featured guest at more than a dozen fundraisers across the country for her husband and the Democratic Party.

Michelle Obama

4national

U.S.briefs



VOLUME 81 • NUMBER • 1WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3, 2011

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).

Cain compared to Clarence Thomas

ColumnistYvette ChargoisSport EditorsMax EdisonDarrell K. ArdisonContributing WriterAswad WalkerWebmasterCorneleon Block

PublisherSonceria Messiah-JilesAdvertising/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler Associate EditorsReshonda BillingsleyMarilyn Marshall Art Director Tony Fernandez-Davila

Judge approves $1.2 billion Black farmers’ settlementFederal Judge Paul Friedman recently gave final approval to a $1.2 billion government settlement with Black farmers. He said it will take about a year for neutral parties to review claims and then all of the settlements will be paid out at once. The farmers claim that for many years, they were unfairly denied loans and other assistance from the Agriculture Department. The news pleased President Obama. “This agreement will provide overdue relief and justice to African-American farmers, and bring us closer to the ideals of freedom and equality that this country was founded on,” he said.

Obama administration takes steps to help businesses The Obama administration announced it is tak-ing two steps to help U.S businesses create jobs and strengthen their competitiveness in a global economy. The administration plans to speed up the transfer of federal research and development from the laboratory to the marketplace. It will also create BusinessUSA, a one-stop, central online platform where businesses that want to begin or increase exporting can access information about available federal programs without having to waste time navigating the federal bureaucracy. “With too many families struggling and too many businesses fighting to keep their doors open, we can’t wait for Congress to take action,” Obama said.

Farrakhan blasts ‘assassination’ of GadhafiNation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan con-demned the killing of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. In an interview with WVON-AM Radio in Chicago, he said Gadhafi’s death was “an assassina-tion” and blamed it on the U.S., Great Britain and France. He took aim at the U.N. as well. “No one can trust the United Nations because it is a pawn of the Western world,” he said. Farrakhan also spoke of his friendship with the dictator. “I know something of the good of Moammar Gadhafi that made me love him as a brother and to feel a great sense of loss at his assassination.”

Defender News Services

As Republican presidential candidate Her-man Cain denies sexual harassment

charges, some conservatives are comparing him to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.

Cain’s defenders are insist-ing that he’s a victim of the political left and the media, af-ter accusations surfaced that he sexually harassed two women when he was head of the Na-tional Restaurant Association.

His campaign called the reports “thinly sourced al-legations,” and said

the media is “casting aspersions on his character and spreading rumors that never stood up to the facts.”

Supporters such as Debbie Doolege of the Atlanta Tea Par-ty Patriots made the comparison to Thomas, who was accused of sexual harassment by Anita Hill during his 1991 Supreme Court confirmation hearings.

“I think the left is com-pletely terrified of a conserva-tive Black man coming to power and prominence,” Dooley said, referring to Cain. “They are trying to do the same thing to him that they did with Clarence Thomas.”

Conservative com-mentator Ann Coulter

called the allegations a “high-tech lynching,” the same words Thomas used during his hear-ings.

Politico, which broke the story, said the women com-plained of sexually suggestive behavior by Cain and were given financial payouts to leave the association.

Business magnate Donald Trump, speaking to Fox News, called the accusations unfair.

“You become a leading can-didate, you become just a person of prominence, and somebody sues you,” Trump said. “They say all sorts of things, and perhaps he settled just because he didn’t want to go through the

legal fees.”

Analysis:Wealth disparities likely to growBy GEORGE E. CURRY TheDefendersOnline.com

A widening gap between the mega-rich and the rest of society, documented in a recent congressional study, is likely to create even larger economic disparities between African-Americans and whites.

The Congressional Bud-get Office (CBO) issued a report that stated: “For the 1 percent with the highest income, average real after-tax household income grew by 275 percent between 1979 and 2007.

“By contrast, 60 percent of the population in the middle

of the income scale (the 21st through 80th percentiles), the growth in average real after-tax household income was just under 40 percent. For the 20 percent with the lowest income, their after-tax income grew by only 18 percent over that same period.

Continued on Page 6

5defendernetwork.com | WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3 | 2011 | DEFENDER

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The 47-page CBO report is titled, “Trends in the Distribution of Household Income Between 1979 and 2007.” It showed that the share of after-tax household income for the top 1 percent more than doubled over the period studied, rising from nearly 8 percent in 1979 to 17 percent in 2007.

The most affluent 20 percent of the popula-tion received 53 percent of after-tax household income in 2007, an increase of 10 percent over 1979. Put another way: The top 20 percent earned more after-tax income in 2007 than the combined income of the other 80 percent of Americans.

These figures are fueling the heated debate over the Occupy Wall Street movement that has spread throughout the country and around the world. But that discussion has virtually ignored the plight of Blacks, who have already seen the wealth gap widen during the most recent reces-sion.

A “State of the Dream” report issued earlier this year by United for a Fair Economy chronicles African-Americans’ stalled economic progress.

“In 1947, Blacks earned 51 cents to each dol-lar of White median family income,” the report recounts. “By 1977, Blacks were earning 56 cents on each dollar in White income, a gain of five cents. Most of those gains were made in the 1960s.

“Then, as the backlash took hold, progress slowed – and stopped. By 2007, Blacks earned slightly over 57 cents (57.4 cents) to each white dollar, a gain of just one penny in thirty years. Two years later, as the Great Recession set in.

Blacks lost a half-cent, ending at 57 cents to each White dollar of median family income.”

Such erosion has led to the widest wealth gap on record between Blacks and whites.

‘Lopsided wealth ratios’In July, the Pew Research Center issued a

report that stated, “The median wealth of white households is 20 times that of Black households and 18 times that of Hispanic households.” It explained, “These lopsided wealth ratios are the largest since the government began publishing such data a quarter century ago and roughly twice the size of the ratios that had prevailed between these groups for two decades prior to the Great Recession that ended in 2009.”

The bursting of the housing bubble in 2006 and the high unemployment rates have devastated communities of color.

Median home equity for whites declined by 18 percent between 2005 and 2009, from $115,364 to $95,000. Meanwhile, Blacks lost 23 percent of their home equity, from $76,919 to $59,000.

Black long-term unemployment was also high-er than that of whites, which is usually the case during a recession. Black unemployment increased from 8.6 percent to 15.6 percent during that pe-riod; white employment rose from 3.7 percent to 8 percent.

Black wealth, already much less than Whites, worsened.

“From 2005 to 2009, inflation-adjusted me-

dian wealth fell by 66 percent among Hispanic households and 53 percent among black house-holds, compared to just 16 percent among White households,” the Pew report stated.

“As a result of these declines, the typical black household had just $5,677 in wealth (assets minus debts) in 2009, the typical Hispanic house-hold had $6,325 in wealth; and the typical white household had $113,149.”

The $5,677 in Black wealth in 2009 was less than half of the $12,124 in Black wealth just four years earlier.

In order to get ahead in the future, clearly African-Americans will need to diversify their financial holdings beyond housing.

As the Pew report noted, “Whites and Asians are much more likely than Hispanics and Blacks to own financial assets. More than 80 percent of whites and Asians own interest-earning assets in financial institutions, compared with about 60 percent of Hispanics and Blacks.

“Whites and Asians are also three to four times as likely as Hispanics and Blacks to own stocks and mutual funds shares…A sizable minor-ity of U.S. households own no assets other than a motor vehicle. In 2009, that was true of 24 percent of Black and Hispanic households, 8 percent of Asian households and 6 percent of white house-holds.”

The racial and ethnic wealth gap was already horrendous. Reports of a wider economic divide between the haves and have-nots have shown that the problem is getting even worse.

Wealth disparities.. Continued from page 4

Your personal economy: Is it time to start a business?

By FaRRah GRaY NNPA Columnist

“Getting on with your life’s work” implies a career transition, which is often true of successful entrepreneurs. It is the rare entrepreneur who starts a business as his first job.

The forces driving such transitions come from many sources. In the case of former athletes or retired military personnel for example, it was the inevitability of the end of their careers.

Others start businesses because they believe in the opportunity represented by a product or an idea. For oth-ers, still, unemployment may be a factor with elevated un-employment levels that have exceeded eight percent since February 2009.

Is it time for you to “get on with your life’s work” and start a business? The follow-ing questions will help you

determine the answer. (1) Are your reasons for

wanting to start a business the right reasons?

Right reasons are ones that moti-vate you toward a goal – you want to be your own boss, you want to see your ideas bear commer-cial fruit and have others acknowledge what you have achieved. Negative reasons, such as running away from a job you don’t like, rarely breed success.

(2) Do you have a “fire in your belly,” and are you determined to start your own business regardless of what others say?

If so, that tenac-ity and drive will probably be more critical to your success than any words of wisdom

offered to you. Opportunity doesn’t

knock. It waits to be discov-ered with the three Ps – Prob-

lem, Pain and Passion. While the three Ps can

serve as sources of inspira-tion from which to start a

business, these three dimensions can also be applied to evaluating an idea for a business.

Specifically, if an idea addresses all three dimensions, most likely, it is a good foundation for a busi-ness.

If, on the other hand, the idea fails to address any of the three, it should be re-jected or restructured. While the idea may still be viable, redefin-ing your target market and how you sell into that market will be necessary.

PROBLEM – The essence of any good

business is one that responds to the market. There must be a need or a problem among

potential customers that an entrepreneur can fill or solve. For most small businesses, creating a market because of new technology or some other revolutionary approach is not feasible.

Under those circum-stances, the cost of marketing the revolutionary concept will often exceed available resources. Early stage busi-nesses should be in a sales mode and have a declarative imperative statement that ef-fectively communicates, and sells, the company’s solution to a given problem.

PAIN – While having a problem is necessary, it is not sufficient. The true basis for a business is a problem that causes “pain.” The more “pain” potential customers ex-perience, the greater their mo-tivation to find, and purchase, a solution to eliminate it.

The greatest challenge for every early stage com-

The more “pain” potential customers

experience, the greater their

motivation to find, and purchase, a

solution to eliminate it.

Continued on Page 12

what’sup

7defendernetwork.com WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3 | 2011 | DEFENDER

entertainment


Actor Kal Penn: Back from the White House

SAMUEL L. JACKSON is in the record books. According to the “Guinness Book of World Records,” Jackson’s films have earned the most money ever with $7.42 billion. Jackson makes an average of three to four movies a year. He has appeared in such films as “Pulp Fiction,” “Star Wars,” “Jurassic Park,” “Die Hard With a Vengeance” and “Iron Man.” Jackson, a Morehouse College graduate, made his film debut in “Together for Days” in 1972. He is currently starring as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the play “Mountaintop” on Broadway……..SEAN “DIDDY” COMBS just opened a new 2,000-square-foot Sean John men’s store inside Macy’s in New York. It features an interactive video display that allows customers to search for additional products online. Since its entry into the mainstream market, the brand has branched out into a fragrance line,

big and tall, boys’ collection, accessories and new women’s line. “We’re very, very proud today to open one of many shops to come and to keep growing and evolving our partnership with Macy’s,” Diddy told those at the launch……..BOBBY BROWN says his old group New Edition is reuniting with the help of God. In an interview with Sister 2 Sister Magazine, he said bringing the group back together means bringing God into the picture. “I think the thing that was missing with us was prayer – us being able to pray together and understand our differences,” he said. New Edition formed in Boston in 1978, and featured Brown, Ronnie DeVoe, Michael Bivins, Ralph Tresvant and Ricky Bell. Brown left the group in 1987 for a solo career, and had a string of top 10 hits. He married Whitney Houston in 1992, and they divorced in 2007……..ANGELA ALFRED

RICHARDS will release her new CD “So Amazing” on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 6 p.m. at Greater Macedonia Baptist Church, 5510 West Sam Houston Parkway North. There will be a guest appearance by Mona Moore. Other guests include J Mark & Divine Unity and Anointed Expressions Dance Ministry. For info call 281-829-5275……..EDDIE MURPHY, who’s starring in the new film “Tower Heist,” says he doesn’t understand why people think he’s a recluse. “I leave my house all the time,” he told Rolling Stone Magazine. “But I’m not at all the Hollywood parties. I’m grown, and where else am I supposed to be? I’m supposed to be home. If I were out in the clubs every night, they’d be saying, `That’s a shame, look at him, 50 years old; he’s still out at these clubs’.” Murphy said he’s excited about hosting the Academy Awards in February.

By Kam WilliamsDefender

Born Kalpen Suresh Modi in Montclair, N.J., in 1977, Kal Penn graduated from the Freehold Regional

High School District’s Perform-ing Arts High School, attended the Governor’s School for the Arts, and received a degree from the presti-gious School of Theater, Film and Television at UCLA.

He recently returned to acting after a two-year sabbatical during which he served as an associate director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.

During his tenure with the Obama Administration, Penn served in a variety of roles, including that of the president’s liaison to the arts communities, young Ameri-cans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

He has been an adjunct profes-sor of cinema, sociology and Asian-American studies at the University of Pennsylvania, and is currently pursuing a graduate certificate in international security at Stanford

University.Penn is currently reprising the

role of Kumar he made popular in “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” and its follow-up “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.”

Penn is widely recognized for his TV role as Dr. Lawrence Kutner on the critically-acclaimed series “House,” and also appeared regu-larly on “24.”

Here, he talks both about act-ing and about taking a break from his career to work for President Obama.

KW: What do you enjoy most about making a “Harold & Kumar” movie, and do fans ever confuse you with your iconic char-acter, Kumar?

KP: Sometimes, I am confused with him. It sort of depends on who is approaching me. I would really say my favorite thing about mak-ing another “Harold & Kumar” is coming back and working with old friends again.

KW: There is undeniably a subtle thread of politics running through “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo.” How

have your politics impacted your acting career?

KP: Hopefully, they haven’t at all. I like to keep them very sepa-rate…The aim was just to make people laugh, Democrats, Repub-licans, and everyone in between. We just hope everybody has a good time.

KW: What is the most impor-tant lesson you learned from work-ing in the White House?

KP: Patience.KW: How much freedom did

you have to implement your own ideas while working in the Obama Administration?

KP: The point of serving your country is not to do your own thing or to go rogue, but to work as part of the process. Having a chance to work on President Obama’s agenda was really remarkable, especially when it came to things like access to education, increasing Pell Grants and bringing folks home from Iraq. Those were the sort of things I was working on, and I was very happy to

Continued on page 12

As a result of a redistricting plan for Houston, two minority seats have been added to City Council – Districts J and K. There are now 11 district seats along with the five at-large positions.

Jones made note of the main council issues and the seats “safe” for Black representation.

“The mixed signals on the drainage fee and red light cameras have received the most coverage and gotten the most voter response,” he said. “ Districts B, D and K should be considered safe districts and will be a test of the individual strengths of the candidates.”

District BEight candidates are vying for the seat held by Jarvis

Johnson, who could not seek re-election due to term limits.

One candidate, Alvin Byrd, is currently the constitu-ent services director for Johnson’s office. Another can-didate, Kathy Ballard-Blueford Daniels, is a retired postal worker active in the community.

Candidate Jerry Davis is a member of the family that owns the Breakfast Klub and Reggae Hut restaurants. He is also CEO of the non-profit Making it Better and founder of EIH Investments.

Other candidates in the District B race are Kenneth Perkins, James Joseph, Phillip “Paul” Bryant, Charles A. Ingram and Bryan Smart.

District DIncumbent Wanda Adams is running again in the

District D race. Adams was elected in 2007, and serves a district that encompasses MacGregor, Montrose, South Park and Hiram Clarke. Her background includes working in the Citizens’ Assistance Division of the Mayors Office.

District KTwo Black candidates are vying for the new

District K seat.Larry Green is CEO of HoustonWorks USA and

former district director for Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee.

Pat Frazier, a former elementary educator, is a precinct chair, election judge and member of Houston Black American Democrats.

At-Large Position 2 In one of the most competitive races, 10

candidates are attempting to win the seat of Sue Lovell, who could not run because of term limits.

Andrew C. Burks Jr., who has run for council before, is a pastor and telephone service company pastor.

Roslyn “Rozzy” Shorter is a flight attendant who is active in the Democratic party.

8 DEFENDER | WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3 | 2011

coverpage


Nov. 8 election Blacks on the ballot

By MaRILYN MaRShaLLDefender

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, Harris County residents go to the polls to elect city officials and trustees of public school and community college boards. They will also vote on 10 state constitutional amendment propositions. African-American candidates are running

for Houston City Council, city controller and the boards of the Houston Independent School District, North Forest ISD and the Houston Community College System. (City Controller Ronald C. Green is unopposed, as are North Forest incumbents Silvia Brooks Williams and Lois Edwards).The candidates include incumbents, former elected officials and political newcom-ers. To get insight into those races, the Defender interviewed Dr. Franklin D. Jones, professor and chair of the Department of Political Science at Texas Southern University. Jones noted the diversity of the political hopefuls. “The candidates and races demonstrate a diverse group of people offering themselves as potential leaders,” he said. Jones also addressed the candidates’

platforms. “There seems to be a big difference between what should be the key issues in the races and what is being reported on the campaign trails,” he said.

Houston City Council

Franklin Jones said the qual-ity of education should be the focus of the HISD election.

“What to do about the poor performances of Black children in HISD is a perennial issue and this cycle is no different,” he said.

DISTRICT IVChallenger Davetta Daniels,

a retired HISD principal, previ-ously worked as a social worker, counselor and teacher. She serves on the board of the WALIPP-TSU Preparatory Academy.

Incumbent Paula Harris was elected to the board in 2007. She began as first vice president and became president in 2011. Harris is community affairs director for Schlumberger.

Houston Independent

School District

North Forest Independent

School DistrictTwo candidates are vying for the North Forest

Trustee, Position 2 seat – incumbent Charles H. Taylor Sr. and Jerome Joseph, an HISD teacher and NFISD graduate.

The school board is facing a tough challenge. This past summer, the Texas Education Agency notified North Forest ISD that it would be closing it in July 2012.

Once again, the district was rated academically un-acceptable and earned a substandard financial account-ability rating. TEA also announced that HISD would absorb the district’s students.

North Forest said it would appeal TEA’s decision and develop improvement plans.

Paula Harris

Davetta Daniels

Alvin Byrd

Andrew Burks

At-Large Position 4Incumbent C.O. Bradford is an attor-

ney, public safety consultant and former police officer who served as police chief under Mayors Bob Lanier and Lee P. Brown.

At-Large Position 5Incumbent Jolanda Jones, an attorney,

was elected to Council in 2007.Her challengers include Laurie Robin-

son, a regulatory complaince expert and principal with MFR Solutions.

Franklin Jones summed up the council races.

“At-Large Position 5 and At-Large Po-sition 2 should be watched as indicators of the strength of the Black electorate in Houston,” he said.

“In 5 the question is who will face the conservative Jack Christie in a run-off if Jones and Robinson together win more than 50 percent of the votes.

“Because of the large and diverse field in Position 2, the Black vote should be enough to get Andrew Burks into a run-off.” get Andrew Burks into a run-off.”


9

Nov. 8 election Blacks on the ballot

By MaRILYN MaRShaLLDefender

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, Harris County residents go to the polls to elect city officials and trustees of public school and community college boards. They will also vote on 10 state constitutional amendment propositions. African-American candidates are running

for Houston City Council, city controller and the boards of the Houston Independent School District, North Forest ISD and the Houston Community College System. (City Controller Ronald C. Green is unopposed, as are North Forest incumbents Silvia Brooks Williams and Lois Edwards).The candidates include incumbents, former elected officials and political newcom-ers. To get insight into those races, the Defender interviewed Dr. Franklin D. Jones, professor and chair of the Department of Political Science at Texas Southern University. Jones noted the diversity of the political hopefuls. “The candidates and races demonstrate a diverse group of people offering themselves as potential leaders,” he said. Jones also addressed the candidates’

platforms. “There seems to be a big difference between what should be the key issues in the races and what is being reported on the campaign trails,” he said.

Houston City Council

There is a lot of interest in the Houston Community College System race, in which two well-known former City Council members are competing for the HCCS seat vacated by Pastor Michael P. Williams.

In the other race, an African-American incumbent is facing a challenge by a local business owner.

Franklin Jones said both races include candidates recruited and supported by traditional Black leadership.

“This will be reflected in the endorsement game as we approach election day,” he said.

District IVJew Don Boney, associate director of the

Mickey Leland Center on World Hunger and Peace at TSU, represented Houston’s District D from 1995 to 2001. His father, the late Dr. J. Don Boney, was the second president of the HCCS system.

Carroll Robinson, an associate professor at the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at TSU, represented the At-Large Position 5 from 1997 to 2003. He has served as a TSU law professor and chief of staff for State Sen. Rodney Ellis.

District IXIncumbent Chris Oliver was elected a trustee

in 1993 and served as board chair in 1999. He is the owner/CEO of Tekoa Property Management Group, and his background includes working as an EEO specialist with the U.S. Department of Labor.

Wendell A. Robbins III is president of W. A. Robbins Construction Co. and is making his first run for public office. He is a member of the Coali-tion of 100 Black Men.

Houston Community College System

Alvin Byrd Laurie RobinsonKathy Daniels Wanda Adams Jolanda Jones

C.O. BradfordAndrew Burks Roslyn Shorter

Larry Green

Jew Don Boney

Carroll Robinson

Chris Oliver

Wendell Robbins

10 DEFENDER | WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3 | 2011 defendernetwork.com

health A Defender & Texas Children’s Hospital Alliance


healthnotes

Diabetes in children

Doctor learns from ‘human touch’ that comforted his family

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic

diseases in children and adolescents, and Texas Children’s Hospital is at the forefront of researching ways to prevent and control diabetes and its complications.

Dr. Jake Kushner, an accomplished juvenile diabetes physician-scientist, recently joined Texas Children’s and Baylor College of Medicine as chief of pediatric diabetes and endocrinology and is focusing his research on improving the health of children and adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes, which accounts for about 70 percent of new diabetes cases in children, occurs when the body does not produce insulin, a hormone that converts sugar (glucose), starches and other food into energy. Type 2 diabetes has typically only affected adults, but now, more children are being diagnosed with the disease at a much earlier age, even as young as 5. About 30 percent of new diabetes cases in children are Type 2.

“I want to have a major impact

on the health of this generation of children with diabetes and other endocrine disorders by promoting innovative research and advancing clinical care,” Kushner said. “We are eager to build ties with the Texas Medical Center research community to advance research for children with diabetes. I also am excited to develop new research programs that will lead to better outcomes for children with diabetes.”

Parents can play a big role in preventing or managing diabetes in children. Encourage your child to eat healthy foods, get plenty of physical activity and maintain a healthy weight.

Is your child at risk for Type 2 diabetes?

If two or more of the following risk factors apply to your child, consult your doctor immediately to see if he or she should be screened for Type 2 diabetes.• Does your family have a history of Type 2 diabetes?• Is your child of African, Mexican, Indian, Asian or Pacific Islander descent?• Does your child have acanthosis nigricans – a darkening around the neck described sometimes as “ring around the collar” that does not wash off?• Does your child have

elevated blood pressure and/or high cholesterol?

Parents are also encouraged to look for symptoms common to both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, including: • Frequent urination, including bed wetting in a child who had previously stopped bed wetting• Drinking a lot of fluids• Unexplained weight loss• Tiredness

The memory of my son’s surgery remains vivid even today. My wife and I sat nervously in the waiting room, while our 2-month-old son underwent neurosurgery for craniosynostosis. It was the longest 4 hours of our lives, and it impacted the way I will practice medicine forever.

Although I was well informed about the diagnosis, treatments and outcomes, the lack of control was killing me.

After the surgery, he had a swollen face and a

massive head dressing with a yellow ribbon. It was a long night in the ICU without much sleep or rest, but at least he was in our hands again. We soon learned that the nurses in OR placed ribbons on the patients’ head dressings to show the families that folks in the operating suite cared for them. That small symbol of human touch instantly added comfort and reassurance in an otherwise difficult time.

Today, he is a rambunctious 2-year-old

running circles around me and teaching me new life lessons every day. I learned several important lessons that day: to cherish the honor of having a family’s trust when caring for one of their loved ones; to never forget the human touch that meant so much to us that day; and to never take lightly a case, no matter how simple or complex.

Dr. Sina Haeri is a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist with Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women.

RSV season is aheadParents are encouraged to protect infants during the next few months from a highly contagious virus known as Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). RSV is a common, life-threatening lung infection that is the leading cause of infant hospitalization in the U.S. and will be a major health threat to babies during the next few months.“RSV affects more than 70 percent of infants under the age of 1 and can be severe for babies who are premature or have diseases affecting the lungs, heart or immune system,” said Dr. Al Gest, neonatologist at Texas Children’s Hospital.RSV is highly contagious and can be easily spread through touching, coughing, kissing or sneezing and travels rapidly through schools and childcare centers. Toddlers are common carriers of the virus, and it is important to keep them separate from infants and younger siblings if they show any signs of a cold.

Symptoms of RSVSymptoms of RSV are similar to a cold and typically start with a runny nose or fever and may worsen later to include coughing, difficulty breathing, wheezing and rapid breathing. If your infant has any of the following severe symptoms, take them to see a doctor immediately.• persistent coughing or wheezing• rapid, difficult, or gasping breaths• blue color on the lips, mouth or under the fingernails• high fever

Preventing RSV• Understand the risk factors and ask a pediatrician if your child may be at increased risk.• Have family members, siblings and caregivers wash hands before touching a baby.• Frequently wash toys and bedding that may come in contact with a baby.• Avoid being around a baby if you have a cold or fever.• Avoid exposing a baby to toddlers, children or adults with cold and flu symptoms.• Keep infants away from crowded areas.• Keep infants away from tobacco smoke.

Dr. Sina Haeri

MK-

120

8-0

07

Texas Children’s Health Plan covers children from newborns to

teenagers. We even cover adults and pregnant moms through

STAR Medicaid. Families with children who qualify for CHIP pay

$50 or less a year. Those who qualify for Medicaid pay nothing.

CHIP and STAR Medicaid offer a wide range of benefits including

checkups and shots, dental services, medications, and more.

With Texas Children’s Health Plan you also get:

■ Over 2,100 doctors.

■ A 24-hour nurse hotline.

■ Free transportation to doctor visits.

■ Pregnancy support program and classes.

■ Help losing weight through the Keep Fit Program.

■ Learn how to play soccer from the Houston Dynamo coaches.

■ Fun, free member events!

For more information, to receive an application, or to

find an event in your area, visit us online or call today.

11defendernetwork.com | WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3 | 2011 | DEFENDER

DEFENDER | WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3 | 2011 | defendernetwork.com

classifi edsActor Kal Penn.. Continued from page 7

12

MAYOR ANNISE PARKER PUTS HOUSTON JOBS

FIRST PUTS HOUSTON JOBS

FIRSTMy con� dence in American ingenuity and entrepreneurship is reinvigorated each time I visit with a prospective client who has a dream or vision for a business but lacks the necessary resources to bring it to fruition.

I am the president of Houston Business Development, Inc., a community-based, non-pro� t lending company created by the City of Houston.

Thanks to Mayor Parker’s leadership, we’re on our way to helping more small business owners than ever before gain access to the capital they need to thrive and create good jobs for Houston families.

Marlon MitchellHOUSTON BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXPERT

ON NOVEMBER 8, RE-ELECT MAYOR

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If [email protected]

contribute in that way. KW: Has President

Obama measured up to your expectations and hopes for the country?

KP: He has exceeded my expectations.

KW: How so?KP: The media

are mostly interested in generating ad revenue, so they focus on the more divisive and more titillat-ing stories. But the reality is that, behind the scenes,

I’ve watched the President fi ght day-in and day-out for the things that matter to most folks, like jobs, education reform, the needs of returning war veterans, investment capital for entrepreneurs, support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, etcetera.

That’s been my experi-ence. He’s had some huge successes with much of that agenda, but it’s rarely, if ever, mentioned in the

mainstream news. So, I’m actually very proud of the work that he’s done so far, and I believe that he’s go-ing to achieve a lot more, if we elect him to a second term.

KW: Do you see yourself ever running for political offi ce someday?

KP: I don’t have any plans to run for offi ce. What I love about L.A. and Washington, D.C. is that they’re almost the opposite

of each other. L.A. is a very creative space while D.C. is a very cerebral space. So, they’re the ying and the yang in my world. I like them both for their own reasons.

KW: Why do you think the Harold & Kumar franchise has been so suc-cessful?

KP: Because of the fans. I think everyone loves to laugh. The characters are good-natured and have a

positive outlook on life. So much comedy nowadays is cynical and based on cutting other people down. What I love about the “Harold & Kumar” movies is that they are more about raising people up. I think the audience appreciates that.

pany is making the transition from develop-ment into commercializa-tion, i.e., getting targeted customers to part with their cash for the product or service.

The existence of “pain” is a critical element in closing such sales. Creating revenues is the first step toward commercial success.

PASSION – Finally, the entrepreneurial team needs to have “passion” about the solution it is providing. This passion needs to be sincere and it must permeate the entire organization.

The “passion” quotient, in the early stages of a business, is one of the most impor-tant elements in closing sales. New businesses have so many things going against them; the customer has to believe in the people promoting the product or service.

Similarly, from the entrepreneurial per-spective, things will go wrong and mistakes will be made. Without passion, an entrepre-neur may not have the fortitude to stick it out and successfully navigate these pitfalls.

If you pass the prob-lem, pain and passion test, put some power and punch into your pitches to prospects.

Who knows? You may just be able to use your unique experi-ence to gain a strategic advantage to launch your startup and gain some space on the competitive landscape.

Your Personal... Continued from page 6

opinion


pointofview

Julianne malveaux

nextweekonlineopinions

marian Wright Edelman

Say no to corporate greed

Bill Fletcher Jr.

Herman Cain’s “sense of humor”

Who is watching the supercommittee?

marc morial

defendernetwork.com WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3 | 2011 DEFENDER

Nov. 8 election:

Your vote counts more

13

Iraq quagmire ends

Obama and the God-factor

opinions

By DR. BENJaMIN F. ChaVIS JR.NNPA Columnist

We all should remember that in the aftermath of

President Nelson Mandela winning the election in South Africa in 1994, there soon began a growing list of cynics and political pundits who mis-takenly believed that President Mandela was compromising too much with the political forces of opposition.

Today, some of us are hearing similar misplaced remarks and accusations about President Barack Obama, in particular from some African-American leaders and critics.

It was just three years ago that our votes for freedom were felt and celebrated all over the world with the election of President Obama. People were literally dancing in the streets.

Mandela and Obama’s elections respectively, I believe, represented the evidence of the God-factor that ultimately helps to determine the successful outcome of long protracted struggles between those that are oppressed and their oppressors.

Today we must not allow ourselves to get lost in the desert of despair and hopelessness because of the persistence of poverty, unem-ployment, and injustice even though we have Black presidents in many nations today including the United States. But we should not take what progress that has been made for granted.

The fact of the matter is that both Mandela and Obama not only achieved historic and monumental political victories, they both with their own unique intellect and outstanding leadership abilities have helped to shape the world community better to advance the cause of libera-tion, freedom and empowerment.

The truth is there is more oppor-tunity today for African Americans to move forward more than ever before if we would work harder together, pool our trillion-dollar resources, and raise up another young generation of freedom fi ghters, entrepreneurs, and institution-builders.

Thus, I stand fi rmly for the

re-election of President Obama without reservation. We cannot afford to become cynical and hopeless. Real social change does not happen overnight or in three to four years.

But time is on our side because God is on our side if we do the right things at the right times at the right places not just for ourselves but for all people.

Yes, there are ample reasons to express concerns and criticisms about the con-tinuing plight of millions of our brothers and sisters in our communities who are crying out for a better quality of life.

But engaging in efforts to derail the re-election of President Barack Obama is foolhardy and counterproduc-tive to the overall interests of the African American, Latino American and other progres-sive constituencies in the United States.

The 2012 elections in the United States will be the most important elections of our lifetime. This will be a referendum on going forward or going backward.

Don’t miss or forsake your chance and responsibility to partici-pate in civic action. Vote and make an important difference.

I am writing this piece from Johannesburg, South Africa, where I am reminded that our struggle for freedom is constant. The entire world is watching America and the success of President Barack H. Obama. No, it will not be the X-factor, but it will be the God-factor that will ultimately win.

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Make sure you vote in this election because your single vote could mean the difference between who wins and who loses.

All of the political pundits predict that the voter turnout will be extremely low. As a result, a small number of voters will determine who will be elected to lead the City of Houston, the Houston and North Forest School Districts, the Houston Commu-nity College board and a number of other offi ces.

Too often we complain about the problems, mistakes, con-troversies and scandals our elected offi cials are involved in. We question their judgment or lack of.

Now I question whether you care enough about your taxes, services and fees you pay on a regular basis to go to the polls [early voting until Friday, Nov. 4, 2011] or to cast your vote on Election Day Tuesday, Nov. 8.

It is time we realize that an election covers more than a day. For the next two years you will be stuck or blessed with the leader-ship elected this Tuesday. These individuals placed in offi ce will determine how the city is run, how much you pay for city services or whether you get city services.

Just think about the water, drainage, sewage, and garbage fees to name a few. This is not something you take lightly.

The same applies to the school board positions where the trust-ees you elect will determine the quality of education our children will receive. In addition, the trustees will be responsible for how effi cient or ineffi cient our schools operate.

Today, the value of your vote is both monumental and stra-tegic. There are three reasons WHY you should vote on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011.

When you consider the struggle for civil rights Blacks, women and other minorities have endured – the blood, sweat, and tears, you have a moral obligation to vote. On the other hand, the recent voter ID movement to block minorities, young people and seniors from voting making it strategically mandatory that you vote.

And fi nally, with the voter turnout predicted to be so low you have an opportunity to vote and single-handedly infl uence who our leaders are. So you see, one can make a difference. Remember, your vote counts more this election.

Vote, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011.

14 DEFENDER | WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3 | 2011 defendernetwork.com

sports


College football teams play musical chairs

By maX EDisON Defender

By now, even if you’re just a casual fan of major col-lege football, you’re aware that schools have been shedding

their conference affi liation like they change their clothes.

Years of tradition and regional rivalries have been abandoned and for many sports fans, the question is why.

Last year Colorado and Nebras-ka bolted the Big 12 conference for the Pacifi c 12 and Big Ten respec-tively. That move erased a confer-ence relationship that had existed for over 50 years. The move also negated a rivalry between Oklahoma and Nebraska that began in 1912.

This year Texas A&M announced it was bolting the Big 12 conference and joining the Southeast Conference (SEC) effective at the beginning of the 2012 football season. The move could potentially affect the A&M vs. Texas game that has been a Thanks-giving holiday rivalry since 1894.

Couple those moves with Pitts-burgh and Syracuse leaving the Big East for the Atlantic Coast Confer-ence (ACC), West Virginia bolt-ing the Big East for the Big12 and Missouri seriously entertaining an opportunity to leave the Big 12 for the SEC and it’s enough to drive fans and alums nuts.

The question for local fans is: what’s causing all the movement and how will all this movement affect our local Division I schools, Rice and Houston?

To help us better grasp a better understanding of all the conference re-alignment, I spoke with former Oklahoma All-American and CBS College Football studio analyst Spen-cer Tillman.

“It’s all about the monetary as-

pect of things. The unfortunate thing is university chancellors and presi-dents are making these decisions,” Tillman explained.

“It’s a tough spot for the game; it’s certainly not in the best inter-est of the game. Television and its money are driving all of this at the end of the day.

“There are some academicians who believe this is no longer a regional game,” Tillman contin-ued. “That’s why you have a West Virginia that is willing to move from the Big East to a conference (Big 12) that is primarily a Southern/Mid-west region conference.

“I think ultimately we’re mov-ing toward four, huge, major confer-ences that total about 64 schools. This would coincide with the present BCS system.”

Tillman also believes that the potential ending of many of the longtime regional college rivalries is an unfortunate by product of re-alignment.

“Tradition is the currency of col-lege football and university offi cials are spending it left and right and it’s

injurious to the game. Games like Missouri vs. Kansas which began in 1890, which is the second longest rivalry game, could potentially be eliminated with the teams being in different conferences.”

Rice and the University of Houston are both members of Conference USA (C-USA), but they could be heading in different direc-tions.

C-USA and the Mountain West conferences recently reached a unanimous agreement in principle to consolidate their member football programs into one large association. This would include the 12 members of C-USA and the 10 football play-ing members of the Mountain West.

“The role of a conference is to provide its members with the best possible environment in which to conduct their intercollegiate athlet-ics programs,” said Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson.

“Rather than await changes in membership due to realignment, it became clear the best way to serve our institutions was to pursue an original concept. The Mountain

West and C-USA share a number of similarities, and the creative merger of our football assets fi rmly posi-tions our respective members for the future.”

While this move could help the Owls, the Cougars seem to have ad-ditional options. Houston has report-edly been heavily courted by the Big East. Cougar AD Mack Rhoades, like any good poker player, is keep-ing his intentions private.

“We are aware of the grow-ing speculation regarding confer-ence realignment and do not feel it would be appropriate to comment on the possible intentions of another league,” Rhoades said.

“We are fl attered to be men-tioned as an athletics program of national importance and we are grateful for our strong traditions and the dedication of our fans, alumni, staff and student-athletes.”

The landscape is certainly changing rapidly in college football. When the music stops, expect the Owls and Cougars to have a place, but where that place is exactly, is still up for grabs.

h.s.zone15defendernetwork.com WEEK OF NOVEMBER 3 | 2011 DEFENDER

sportsbriefs


Week 10 scenario: Win or go home

Girls’ high school volleyball playoffs set to beginThe girls’ high school volleyball playoffs begin with a number of schools poised to make a run to the state tour-nament. College Park has burst on the scene as a state championship contender with a 31-5 record out of rugged District 14-5A. The Cavaliers dominated district play with a perfect 12-0 mark as Katie Mitchell led the way with 380 kills, 215 digs and 70 blocks. The College Park senior will head to Ohio State after the completion of her high school career. Other schools to watch in the postsea-son include Cypress Woods, Clear Creek, The Woodlands, Cypress Falls, Cy-Fair and Klein Collins. Friendswood has the inside track to a repeat trip to the state tournament in Class 4A with the return of powerful outside hitter Annie Mitchem following a one-year hiatus. Other 4A schools to watch include Brenham, Waller, Foster and Magnolia.

RCS opener set for Nov. 14 at the Merrell CenterThe RCS Sports “Season Opener,” featuring eight pre-season state-ranked schools, is set for Nov. 14 at the Katy ISD Merrell Center. The date is the first day of the high school boys basketball season and will be highlighted by a quadruple-header including Yates vs. Fort Bend Travis, Westbury Christian vs. Seven Lakes, St. Thomas vs. La-mar Consolidated and Strake Jesuit vs. Jones. Tickets can be purchased online for $10 apiece at www.merrellcenter.org.

Ex-coach Yeoman inducted into Hall of ChampionsFormer University of Houston football head coach Bill Yeoman recently was named one of three inductees into the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Hall of Champions. As the 25-year head football coach at the University of Houston (1962-86), Yeoman became the first represen-tative from UH to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001. He also broke barriers by integrat-ing the UH football team. Responsible for bringing FCA to the city of Houston, Yeoman has continued to find ways to minister through sports and FCA for nearly 50 years. Today, Yeoman continues to work for the university as a development officer in the athletic department.

Astros annual Alumni Golf Tourney set for Nov. 9The Astros in Action Foundation will host its annual Alumni Golf Tournament at Wildcat Golf Club Wednes-day, Nov. 9. Astros fans and golfers of all skill levels will have the unique opportunity to play a round of golf with Astros legends, with all benefits going toward the Astros MLB Urban Youth Academy at Sylvester Turner Park. Former players expected to play include: Bob Aspromon-te, Kevin Bass, Ron Brand, Enos Cabell, Ron Cook, Jerry Davanon, Bill Dawley Larry Dierker, John Edwards, Phil Garner, Bill Heath, Art Howe, John Hudek, Mike Jackson, Cliff Johnson, Scipio Spinks, Carl Warwick, Bob Watson, Brian Williams, Jimmy Wynn and Anthony Young. Individual or team registration for the tourna-ment is available online at www.astros.com/golf or by calling 713-259-8979.

By DaRREll K. aRDisONDefender

Many Houston area contenders for the high school football play-offs find themselves in a must-win scenario entering the final week of the regular season. Win and sneak into the postseason or lose and tumble into oblivion.

That situation faces perennial powerhouses North Shore, Friend-swood, Spring Westfield, Humble and Huntsville.

However, Sharpstown is sit-ting pretty atop the District 21-4A standings with a 5-0 ledger and an opportunity to clinch the outright championship Saturday at Delmar Stadium when the Apollos take on Reagan at 6 p.m.

More than a dozen other Houston area schools find themselves bubbling with uncertainty. Such is life when you live on the bubble.

Friendswood staved off playoff elimination by defeating Santa Fe before enjoying a bye. Now the defending District 24-4A champions must go on the road and defeat Texas City Friday night (7 p.m.) to secure a playoff berth.

Head coach Steve Van Meter has endured losing five starters to season-ending knee injuries and has become adept at assembling makeshift lineups.

“We’ve been ahead of the pack in the past and this is a different situ-ation for us,” Van Meter said. “We’re normally approaching the kids about staying focused this time of the year. Now the coaching staff has a team that’s taken its lumps this season and just trying to keep them positive.”

Texas City and Friendswood will be vying for the fourth and final playoff slot in District 24-4A behind Manvel, Dawson and La Marque. If Friendswood should

lose, the Mustangs would miss the postseason for the first time since 2006 and only the third time since 1996.

North Shore went nearly an entire decade without losing a district contest, but the Mustangs will find themselves fighting for their playoff lives Friday when they host Chan-nelview.

It will be a familiar setting for the Falcons who have not played a home game all season. Their home stadium is currently being renovated. Over the past 25 years, Channelview has only enjoyed two winning seasons (1993 and 1994). A win over North Shore would secure a winning season and a shot in the postseason.

“It’s not where we want to be, but we’re not in a bad situation either,” said Channelview head coach Averion Hurts. “My kids haven’t been there before, but the other part is that no one else has played every game away from home either.”

Klein Collins gave itself some breathing room with a 34-10 win over Westfield. The Tigers can clinch a playoff berth with a victory over Spring.

Who could have anticipated such a predicament for Klein Collins after the Tigers went undefeated in district play the past two seasons? Yet losses

to Klein Oak and Dekaney had the Tigers reeling until they gained their fourth district win against Westfield.

“I think those two losses were the best thing to happen to us,” said Klein Collins wide receiver Shane Rhodes. “The last couple years we’ve been blowing teams out and when the playoffs arrived, we weren’t used to playing in tough games and we got beat.

“This year we’ve been down plenty of times and had to overcome adversity. I think this team handles adversity way better than before,” Rhodes said.

In District 18-4A, Summer Creek, Kingwood Park and Wil-lis are all tied for first place with one game remaining in the regular season. Huntsville is a game back and Humble is one game behind the Hor-nets. Huntsville will host Willis Friday while Humble hosts Summer Creek at Turner Stadium (7:30 p.m.).

Brenham and Stratford have clinched playoff berths in District 17-4A, but Montgomery, Magnolia West, Waller and Magnolia still harbor postseason aspirations with one game left.

Magnolia West goes to Waller Friday night while Magnolia ventures to Montgomery. Stratford makes the trip to Brenham with a victory needed to forge a co-district championship with the Cubs.

Brazoswood temporarily put itself in the final playoff position in District 24-5A with a 35-14 victory over Alvin. Yet the Bucs face top-seeded Clear Springs in the regular-

season finale while Alvin hosts defending Class 5A Division I

state champion Pearland.Good luck to all

the contenders.

Sharpstown quarterback Josh Alexander and head coach Dallas Blacklock are all smiles after defeating Yates and clinching a playoff berth in District 21-4A.

16

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.


FREEDOM FUND GALA.....The NAACP-Houston Branch hosted their annual Freedom Fund Awards Gala and chose the title, “Affirming America’s Promise for Justice and Equality.” This year’s Mickey Leland Humanitarian Award was presented to Anita and Gerald Smith and the 2011 Presidential Awards were presented to Cary P. Yates, Dr. John Rudley, Melvin Houston and The Ensemble Theater. Over 500 guests attended the gala and spotted at the event were Larry Payne, Georgia Provost, Angela and D’Artagnan Bebel, Charla and William Stuart, Christine Nunley, Akayla Pomare, Lynn Munford, Kimberly Hodge, Dawn Paul, Phillip Yates and Marica and Marc Bygrave, to name a few. Melanie Lawson of ABC-13 TV and Dr. Bennie Lambert, VP, student development/Lone Star College, served as event emcees. We salute branch

president, Rev. Reginald Lillie, executive director, Yolanda Smith, gala committee chairperson, Alane Lillie and the volunteers for making this a great event. Congrats.!...........LIFE MATTERS.......Houston Hospice is a community-

based, community supported and a not-for-profit organization that’s dedicated to providing uncompromised, compassionate, end-of-life care to each patient, family and loved one, irrespective of their ethnicity, beliefs or ability to pay. Each year, this special organization honors someone with the “Community Spirit Award,” named in honor of Laura Lee Blanton. The

honorees this year are Maureen and Jim Hackett. Some of the attendees included Cassandra Collins, Mindy Warren, Amber and LeMarcus Newman, Angela Harris, Tina Lee, Erica Welch, Kelsey Smith, Justin Bannister, Karen and Mike Purvey, Aronika Horne and Charlie Young III.

Continued Success!....LIGHT ANOTHER CANDLE.....John Beaudion Jr. recently celebrated his big 40th birthday with family and friends. In the mix to wish him many more b-days were his wife Melissa, Margo and John Beaudion Sr., Natalie Beaudion, Sylvia and Lupe DeLaGarza, Richelle and Alvin Brooks, Brenda and Charles Plater Jr., Tiffany and Tony Rachal, Onelia Labrie, Monica Labrie, El Franco Lee II, and his godmother, Ms. Chag. Happy Birthday!......KUDOS.....Goodwill Industries of Houston recently hired veteran communicator Kym King to head its newly created Public Relations and Community Affairs Department. Kym served two City of Houston administrations as the executive director of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, and because of her extensive experience along with her professionalism, enthusiasm and passion, she is ready to lead this new department during this time of immense growth. Continued success to you also!.......From Chag’s Place to your place, have a blessed week!

Print Rundown - Chag’s Place Photo Rundown - Thursday, November 3, 2 011Total Photos: 3 for Event #1.....3 for Event #2 and 3 for Event #3

PrintEvent #1.....FREEDOM FUND GALA.....NAACP-Houston Chapter Awards Gala1. Event #1.....Christine Nunley, Akayla Pomare, Lynn Munford, Kimberly Hodge and Dawn Paul2. Event #1..... Honoree Cary Yates and Phillip Yates3. Event #1.....Honorees Gerald and Anita Smith and Dr. John Rudley

PrintEvent #2.....LIFE MATTERS.....Houston Hospice Community Spirit Award1. Event #2.....Cassandra Collins and Mindy Warren2. Event #2.....Amber and LeMarcus Newman3. Event #2.....Angela Harris, Tina Lee and Erica Welch

PrintEvent #3.....LIGHT ANOTHER CANDLE.....John Beaudion, Jr. 40th B-Day1. Event #3.....B-Day Boy, John Beaudion and Melissa Beaudion2. Event #3.....El Franco Lee II, Natalie Beaudion, John Beaudion, Ms. Chag and Richelle and Alvin Brooks3. Event #3.....Dana Chargois and Chet Beaudion

.Christine Nunley, Akayla Pomare, Lynn Munford, Kimberly Hodge and Dawn Paul Honoree Cary Yates and Phillip Yates Honorees Gerald and Anita Smith and Dr. John Rudley

Cassandra Collins and Mindy Warren Amber and LeMarcus Newman Angela Harris, Tina Lee and Erica Welch

B-Day Boy, John Beaudion and Melissa BeaudionEl Franco Lee II, Natalie Beaudion, John Beaudion, Ms. Chag and Richelle and Alvin Brooks Dana Chargois and Chet Beaudion

november 03, 2011

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