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The Afro-American, March 30, 2013 - March 30, 2013

March 30, 2013 - April 5, 2013, The Afro-American

Maryland House Clears Medical Marijuana Bill By AFRO Staff A measure to create a medical marijuana program cleared the Maryland House of Delegates March 25 on a 108-28 vote. The controversial bill that has been at the center of debate for many years, will now pass to the Senate. After the e House approved the measure to allow medical use of the substance, Senate

President Thomas V. Mike Miller (D) told the Associated Press that he believes that, with strong backing in the House and the endorsement of Joshua Sharfstein, secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the measure should sail through the Senate unencumbered. If enacted, the bill would create a state commission to oversee medical marijuana programs at participating academic medical

research centers. The measure is not expected reliable access through programs that bear the imprimatur of some of the country’s most to kick in until 2016. respected medical institutions.” “It may take several years for a program If instituted, the programs would provide to get up and running, and federal policy patients with marijuana from the federal presents a substantial obstacle to a law like government or state-licensed marijuana this one ever being fully implemented,” Dan Riffle, deputy director of government relations growers. The bill’s passage comes a week after a for the Marijuana Policy Project, a marijuana designed to decriminalize marijuana lobbying group, told the AP. bill November 1, “Still, 2008 -this November 7,measure 2008, The Washington Afro-American A3 gives us hope that patients could have safe, possession cleared the Senate.

Jennifer Hudson and Relatives Identify Body of Her Slain Nephew Diversity Increases for Students

By Alan King AFRO Staff Writer Continued from A1

Of the 29 million students Jennifer Hudson and other relatives identified enrolled positively in public schools

sport-utility vehicle sought in connection with the murder of Hudson’s mother and brother. andThe Employers. Computer white, 1994 Chevrolet Suburban Illinois engineerswith make aboutlicense

$70,000 coming out of in 2010, 15 percent were school. Black and 23 percent were “We’re finding that Hispanic. college-bound minority “Unfortunately, we’re students have so many career seeing a smaller number of options,” said Sharon P. racial and ethnic minorities Robinson, the president of the in front of classrooms for association told the New York a number of reasons,” said Anthony Graham, the chair of Times. “We have to develop the department of elementary some specific recruitment strategies to attract our share education at North Carolina of those students into those A & T State University in teacher education programs.” Greensboro. “Salaries, for Alternative programs that one, are an issue. Also, Courtesy Photos license teachers, but do not a lot of students are not Jennifer Hudson and her mom, Darnell Donerson who interested, based on their own award degrees have a more was killed, as well as her brother, Jason. diverse pool of students, experiences. There are a lot with about 76 percent of the of things that play into this.” plate X584859 was found on the body of her 7-year-old candidatesWest being White, The average starting Chicago’s Side after 7 nephew Monday, just hours percentreceived Black, aand 8 percent teacher is $30,377 police 7 a.m. call after his salary body was found in a Hispanic. according to the National “We have to a better job Association of Colleges

ACORN Fights Back

from a neighbor about a suspicious vehicle. The man noticed the vehicle while walking his of a pipeline approach,” says dog. According to the Chicago Tribune, boy had been shot Graham,the whose program multiple times 60 in the back seat awards about students of the vehicle. The SUV, regiswith degrees in education tered to Hudson’s murdered per year.was “Bytowed introducing brother, with the boy’s body at inside and is age being the career an earlier processed by evidence techniwe can better showcase the cians and workers. The body benefits of returning to a was later removed and taken to community and uplifting the Cook County Medical it Examiner’s office. through teaching.” Hudson other family Graham,and however, notes members arrived at the Medical that despite efforts schools Examiner’s office mid-aftermay already have recruit noon to identify thetobody. minority candidates, Given the teacher choice between looking directly the body or many fail toatpass the Praxis viewing it on a wall-mounted exam, the required teacher

is Asian. Of Chicago Public percent, according to a study by the Educational Testing Schools’ 400,000 students, Service, which prepares the 41.6 percent of students are Praxis exams as well as the African American and 44.1 percent are Latino. SAT tests. White teacher “The race and ethnicity candidates had a passing rate of teachers is important of 83.5 percent during that because it supports a child’s same period. developing self-image to see “It causes a ripple someone of authority they effect in terms of their own can relate to of have some education,” says Kimberly Garrett, an assistant professor level of comfort around,” Garret says. of earlyKing, childhood education Julian Jennnifer Hudson’s nephew. According to a report by at Dominican University in A spokesman for the office the murders but is being held in the National Collaborative Chicago. ”They haven’t had told the newspaper that Hudson jail for parole violation after on Diversity in the Teaching proper teaching themselves Force, teachers of color so they aren’t able to teach. certification test. “She heldthehands It was obviously a very emotional can not only help close the moment.” It’s family. an additional struggle for “Despite teacherswith we her black and Hispanic students.” achievement gap, they also try to produce, we’re losing “remained strong for her famibeing convicted of attempted video screen, family chose help students of colorhijackreach Garrett’s program has a number of the them to this ly” and was clearly its leader. murder and vehicular the latter. According to the higher academic, personal, 36 candidates in early exam,” says Graham “She held hands with her famiing. Cook County records show Tribune, Hudson said, “Yes, ly,” the spokesman said. “It that pleaded guilty to both and he social performance. childhood education right Between that’s him.” 2002-2005, was a very emotional charges in 1999. was also Garrett says, He however, now,obviously only three are Black, Black teacher candidates had moment.” convicted in 1998 for possesthat of although benefit twoThe areboy Hispanic, and a Praxis passing rate of 52.1 – the son of one Julia sion a stolenstudents motor vehicle.

Leader Calls Voter Registration Fraud Charges ‘Bogus’ Clifton Park By Alan King Continued from A1

AFRO Staff Writer

the community,” said William Presidential candidate John Alexander. “I use to come out McCain’s – and clean attack from on topACORN to bottom. Associated Community You could walk throughNow the – Organization for Reform alley withthenosuccess shoes of on.” confirms the organization, the head of the Alexander’s mother has groupasays. been tenant in a two-story, “This is testimony to the work three-bedroom house inwe’ve we’ve done and success the 2700 block of Tivoly had,” Maude Hurd, president of ACORN,for said in an 30 interview Avenue nearly years. withsaid the he AFRO. He has watched the “When this attack started, we neighborhood decline from had just announced that we had aregistered clean, friendly, Black 1.3 million new voters,” she said. neighborhood “That’s just to say middle-class that someone’s running in the 1960s and 1970sscared into a because of ACORN’s success.” thinly-occupied street where McCain, who is running for drug dealers openly ply tickpresident on the Republican et, lashed outneat at ACORN in the their trade, yards have final debate against Barack given way to clumps of trash Obama, contending the group “is and scampering household on the verge of maybe perpetratpets have been replaced by in ing one of the greatest frauds voter history in this country, scurrying rodents. maybe destroying the fabric Change, however, is of democracy.” coming, if city officials have Factcheck.org, a non-partisan their way. On March 20, with Web site, found those claims to be “exaggerated,” “no eviMayor Stephaniewith Rawlingsdence ofCouncilwoman any such democracyBlake, Mary destroying fraud.” PatHurd Clarke and other local believes the McCain officials watching, seven charges were politically motivated.the vacant homes on the of Shewere said, leveled “Becausebyit’s block a lowcityand moderate-income people, sponsored wrecking crew. and people of color, I believe the The demolition is a part McCain campaign thinks those voters going to vote of the are Coldstream Homestead Democratic, which is not necesMontebello Redevelopment sarily true.” Plan, said Mark Washington, ACORN is no stranger to executive director of the controversy. Coldstream Homestead For 38 years, the non-partisan organization has fought for social Montebello Community and economic justice for lowCorporation (CHMCC). In and moderate-income 2006, the plan identified the Americans. With 400,000 mem2700 blocksorganized of Tivoly, Hugo ber families into more thanFenwick 1,200 neighborhood and avenues aschapa ters in 110 cities nationwide, “long neglected, undervalued ACORN has over the years seen area” that ripe forwhile advoits share ofis criticism redevelopment. cating for affordable housing, living wages, If the planhealthcare succeeds,for the underserved— andwill while blighted housing beorganizing voter registration drives. replaced homes valued But none with has been as withering close to $200,000. And, the and baseless as this one. the presidential election planWith predicted, 150 to 175 less than twonew weeks permanent jobsaway, will be ACORN’s detractors allege the available. organization has engaged in masfirst, there will have siveBut voter registration fraud after thebe reported discovery of bogus to relocation, acquisition names, such as Mickey Mouse

and Dallas Cowboys players Tony Romo and Terrell Owens, among the names submitted to election officials. Hurd said those workers, who were doing those things without ACORN’s knowledge or permission, were fired. “The evidence that has surfaced so far shows they faked forms to get paid for work they didn’t do, not to stuff ballot boxes.” ACORN, she said, is the victim of fraud, not the perpetrator of it. Hurd said the only things bogus are the charges themselves. And factcheck. org agrees. It concluded, “Neither ACORN nor its employees have been found guilty of, or even charged with, casting fraudulent votes.” The problem came about primarily because of the way ACORN operates. Rather than rely on volunteers, it pays people, many of them poor or unemployed, to sign up new voters. The idea was to help both those being registered and those doing the registration. Photo By Krishana Davis Maud explained, “We have a Olive Stewart wasfor deliberzero tolerance policy relocated from ate falsification of Tivoly registration.” Most newsnew account neglect Ave. to her home on to point out that ACORN is Echodale Ave. required by law to turn in all registration forms. And they also fail to note that it was the organizaand of the that 2700first tion, demolition in many instances, blocks of Tivoly-Hugobrought the phony registrations to the attention of authorities. Fenwick destroying nearly The McCainvacant-camp apparently 300—mostly units isn’t interested in those fine and attracting builders, points, preferring to air misleadWashington said. ing ads that seek to link Obama to ACORN, thereby undercutting So far, the city has his political$3.6 support. allocated million of McCain: I’m John McCain the city’s federally-funded and I approve this message. redevelopment money for the Announcer: Who is Barack Obama? A man “a political acquisition andwith demolition baptism performed warp of Tivoly Avenue at and is speed.” Vast ambition. After colconsidering adding another $2 lege, he moved to Chicago. million to the venture. Became a community organizer. “Absentee landlords, There, Obama met Madeleine Talbot, part of and the Chicago crime, drugs predatory branch of ACORN. He was so lending caused this problem,” impressive that he was asked to said Washington, who has train the ACORN staff. spent most his lifeinas a What did of ACORN Chicago engage in? Bullying banks. Clifton Park resident. Intimidation tactics. Disruption Recently, CHMCC has of business. ACORN forced been assistance banksreceiving to issue risky home loans. from Mayor Stephanie The same types of loans that caused the financial Vacants crisis we’re Rawlings-Blake’s to in today.

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posted fliers bearing his photograph around the city. On Sunday, Jennifer Hudson asked from teachers for thehaving public’s help in of finding her nephew. In her MySpace color, its more important blog, she thanked and supfor them to have fans culturally porters for their prayers and and intellectually competent offered a $100,000 reward to adults in these roles the thanboy anyone who returned alive. anything else. Since theisinvestigation, “There an aspect of Hudson – who gained stardom value that someone from the after appearing on “American same ethnic group to Idol,” and then won brings an Academy Awardthat for helps her role the classroom to in the moviestudents Dreamgirls has develop on a–deeper stayed out of the public eye. level,” says Garrett. “But The Chicago Tribune reportit’sthat notajust an ethnic ed parade of carsmatch moved that’s important.” slowly past her family’s home Monday morning, past the “There was a special news vans, reporters anddocurirapport that I had and ous onlookers. have with students of color Neighbors stood that added to quietly the experience,” and reflected she adds. “But that on the violence. doesn’t take away from the In front of the Hudson’s connection teachers can home, men inallheavy jackets havehooded if they’re aware of their and sweatshirts came to kiss the twin students andwhite their crosses varyingbaring the names of Donerson and needs.” Jason. “Everybody is sick of going through likeMayor this,” Artisha back to stuff former Kurt West, a former resident of the Schmoke’s administration, area told the Tribune. “We all said Stewart. The growing have to stick together. All these blight children in the neighborhood young are dying, and caused Stewart’s insurance for what?”

No wonder Obama’s campaign is trying to distance him from the Value saying, (V2V) “Barack program,Obama which group, Never Organized with ACORN.” is aimed at eliminating urban But Obama’s ties to ACORN run blight in Baltimore through long and deep. He taught classes rehabilitating or even demolishing for ACORN. They endorsed vacant buildings in the city. him for President. But “The now ACORN is in stabilizes trouble. demolition There arecreates at least theReporter: community and 11 investigations across the room for redevelopment,” country involving thousands of said Cheron Porter, director potentially fraudulent ACORN forms. of communications for Announcer: Massive voter Baltimore Housing. “Blighted fraud. And the Obama campaign properties create criminal paid more than $800,000 to an behavior... It’s healthy ACORN front fornot getaout the vote efforts. place. It doesn’t help anyone’s Pressuring banks to issue risky property value.” loans. Nationwide voter fraud. Through theBad federal Barack Obama. judgment. Uniform Relocation Act, Blind ambition. Too risky fora America. 1970 law which, while using

eminent domain to seize some Since McCain’s comments, properties,87also compensates ACORN’s offices have been tenants, home and bombarded withowners threats and racist mail. in blighted areas merchants The after the in presidential who areday displaced the debate, vandals broke into the name of federally-funded organization’s Boston and Seattle redevelopment, V2V created offices and stole computers. After a Cleveland representative relocation packages for some appeared on TV, an e-mail was owners and tenants on Tivoly sent to the local office saying she Avenue. “is going to have her life ended.” Renters received three A worker in Providence, R.I., received a threatening saymonths of paid rent, call moving ing, “We know you get off in work expenses and assistance at 9” and uttered racial epithets. finding replacement A caller to one officeproperty left a with comparable square message on the answering machine, “Hi, I was just footage. saying: Building owners calling to let$100,000 you knowtothat were paid Barack Obama needs to get $200,000 their properties, hung. He’s for a (expletive deleted) along with relocation nigger, and he’s a piece of (expletive expenses.deleted). You guys are fraudulent, andthere you need “Initially wastoa go lotto hell. All the niggers on oak trees. of doubt and skepticism,” They’re gonna get all hung honWashington said,tonoting eys, they’re going get assassinated, they’re gonna killed.” that residents of theget block Another message said, “You would be treated fairly liberal idiots. Dumb (expletive in the transition. “It was deleted). Welfare bums. You paramount to the community guys just (expletive deleted) come to our country, consume organization that ownerevery naturalberesource occupants treatedthere is, and make a lot of babies. That’s extremely fairly and have the all you guys do. And then suck opportunity beexpect made everywhole up the welfaretoand and else not to find in a one paythemselves for your hospital bills forsituation your kids.than I jus’before.” say let worse your kids die. That’s the best But there are bumps in move. Just let your children die. the road to redevelopment. Forget about paying for hospital Alexander is I’m ready bills for them. notfor gonna do it. You guys I change but are his lowlifes. landlordAnd wants hope you all die.”According to different terms. Hurd thinks the hate calls will a search through the Maryland cease soon. Department of Assessment “In two weeks, I think these attacks will be over. But I think it and Taxation, Alexander’s will be is harder for by us to get our home owned SS5 name back on good graces Business Trust. The property because they really trashed us in is currently valued at $12,000 the last few weeks.” But ACORN not be through July 1,will a valuation deterred. shared by most of the houses “We’ve been fighting for a in that area. long time, for over 30 years, for But Alexander’s landlord, the rights of low- and moderateincome all across the “if he said,people threatened to sue country,” said. “We’re we breakHurd our lease before going to continue to fight for the settlement.” the economic justice inHe oursaid commulandlord is in court currently nities.”

Hudson, Jennifer’s sister – had been sincea Friday, tryingmissing to extract larger when a relative found Julian’s settlement from the grandmother, Darnell city. Representatives SS5 Donerson, 57, andofhis uncle, Jason Hudson, shotnot to death Business Trust29, could be in his grandmother’s home in reached for comment. the 7000 block of South Yale Alexander said he Avenue. hopes to move soon a An Amber Alert – atodesigmore community-oriented nation for high-risk missing children – was issued neighborhood where Friday his mom after Julian was discovered can garden and relax. missing after the murders. There are success Police arrested Williamstories, though. the Fewer than boy’s three stepBalfour, missing father estranged husband miles and up Harford Road, of Julia, at hisformer girlfriend’s Alexander’s neighbor Southside apartment several Olive Stewart, 67, who hours after the murders. raised two children and Michele, lost her has Balfour’s mother, told reporters that herAvenue, son had husband on Tivoly nothing to do the slayings. now lives in awith five-bedroom Balfour remains a suspect in

home on Echodale.

He was released from prison in 2006 after serving seven years She purchased the home for the attempted murder and withhijacking $200,000 she received car charges. from the city for her missing property. The boy remained through long weekend in “I’masorry [my husband] which didn’t police live toand seevolunteers this move,”

said Stewart who was fed up with Tivoly Avenue. “You would come in from work and you couldn’t sleep. They would set up basketball courts and play music all times of night. No matter how you fixed up your place, you didn’t even want your friends and family to come visit.” She and her husband lived next door to a vacant house Jason Hudson more than 20 years, going

SQUARE

company to cancel her policy stating she was a high-risk client. Her homeowner’s insurance had increased to $1,900 a year before they relocated. Today, Stewart has a huge backyard with a clean alley and friendly neighbors, one of whom she said brought her a potted plant as a housewarming gift. “I love my new neighborhood,” said Stewart.

HIGH

NOT ON THE LIST

BREAD

LEFT

RIGHT

1 BANANA

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