August 20, 2016 - August 26, 2016, The Afro-American
WASHINGTON-AREA
D.C. Businessman Sentenced to 3 Months for Campaign Fraud
AFRO Exclusive
Meet the New Miss Black USA
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D.C. Remembers Chris Barry
By James Wright Special to the AFRO jwright@afro.com District residents are mourning the untimely death of Marion C. Barry, the son of the late Ward 8 D.C. councilmember and former Mayor Marion S. Barry. Marion C. Barry, known mainly by his middle name “Christopher” was pronounced dead of an apparent drug overdose on Aug. 14. He was 36 years old. According to news reports, Christopher was allegedly smoking K2, a synthetic drug and PCP, a hallucinogen. The District has recently seen a rise in synthetic drugs use. See “D.C.’s Drug Face Continues to Change” article on afro.com. “This tragedy once again
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Jeffrey E. Thompson was sentenced to three months in prison for illegal campaign finance activities. By James Wright Special to the AFRO jwright@afro.com On Aug. 15 District of Columbia businessman and political fundraiser Jeffrey E. Thompson received a three-month prison sentence followed by a 90-day home confinement term for his role in illegal campaign finance activities.
“On March 10, 2014, Thompson pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to two felony charges.” Thompson, 61, will be incarcerated for a scheme in which he and his companies covertly steered about $3.3 million in illegal contributions to at least 28 political candidates and their campaigns, according to a statement released by the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia on
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Photos by Rob Roberts
Tonnille Watkis, the new Miss Black America, intends to use her platform to serve as a positive role model for the Black community and raise awareness about heart disease. By Akira Kyles Special to the AFRO Proving that the third time really is the charm, Connecticut resident Tonille Watkis claimed the honor of 2016 Miss Black USA on Aug. 7 during the annual pageant at the University of the District of Columbia. Amidst her win, she received pushback from other women because of the racial distinction. “People will constantly question why there’s a Miss Black USA, why there’s a Miss Black Connecticut, why do you need that type of pageant, things of that nature,” she said. “It’s just this feeling of negativity, like Miss Black USA is undeserving of that recognition you would give maybe a Miss USA because of the word ‘Black.’” Even so, Watkis, 25, is elated to receive the honor and sees her platform and work as important. “The honor of being Miss Black USA means everything to me. I come from a bi-cultural family,” she told the AFRO. “In recognizing the duality of who I am as a Black woman, as well, I’m able to stand up for this marginalized group within the Black community and I can say
D.C. City Council
Who Will Take Over Orange’s Council Seat? By James Wright Special to the AFRO jwright@afro.com Vincent Orange stepped down as an at-large member of the D.C. Council. By doing so, he ignited an intra-party battle for his seat. On Aug. 15, Orange formally resigned from the District’s legislative body after a combined 13 years of service. He will assume the presidency of the District of Columbia Chamber of Commerce and was anxious to do so. “I would like to thank you for allowing me to provide ‘Service above Self’ as the Ward 5 council member from 1999-2007 and as the at-large member from May 2011 until today,” he told a crowd of 25 gathered to hear his announcement at the John A. Wilson Building. Orange also served as the District’s Democratic National
Committee member from 2008-2014. Orange’s major accomplishments include modernizing McKinley Tech High School, new textbooks for District students, helping to increase the District’s minimum and living wages, sponsoring legislation benefiting Certified Business Enterprises and small businesses, and authoring the bill recognizing D.C. Emancipation Day. However, there are still things Orange would like to see his former colleagues do before the Council period ends Dec. 31. “I challenge you to pursue free tuition for D.C. residents to earn associate degrees at the University of the District of Columbia, to reduce the digital divide and provide free WiFi and access to the Internet in the nation’s capital, provide mobile shower buses for the homeless, and free personal
hygiene products for our homeless women,” he said. After the announcement, Orange delivered his documents to the Office of the District of Columbia Secretary and D.C. Board of Elections, as required by law. Orange’s resignation will force the elections board to declare the at-large seat that he held vacant. Then the D.C. Democratic State Committee (DCDSC) will have the obligation to fill the position. The front-runner to get the position is Robert White, who defeated Orange in the June 14 Democratic Party at-large council seat primary. White wants to serve out the remaining months of Orange’s term and simultaneously run in the November 8 general election for the four-year term starting on Jan. 2, 2017. “We need leaders who
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I’m a representative of what it means to be a Black woman too.” During her reign, Watkis adopted the Miss Black USA Heart Truth Campaign to raise awareness about the effect of heart disease on Black women. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease kills nearly 50,000 Black women per year with only 1 in 5 actually believing that heart disease could be a potential risk. “What we want to do is educate people about the risk factors even starting at a very young age. I hope to raise awareness to women in their early 20s because it’s never too late to take care of yourself and learning how to take care of yourself and learning how to take preventative measures so that you can reduce the risk factors,” she said. Even though Watkis experienced challenges during her preparation for the pageant, such as finding sponsors, her ultimate goal is to spread the message of Black beauty throughout the world. “I still feel like we don’t have enough positive role models who are shedding great light and doing great things of this age group and I want to be that representative,” she said, referencing her initiative “No Boxes
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Marion C. Barry was the only child of former D.C. Mayor Marion S. Barry. highlights the pressing need to get drugs off of our streets, including dangerous synthetic drugs. While often believed to be harmless, synthetic drugs can induce immediate, psychotic and deadly reactions,” D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine said in a statement, referencing that The Office of the Attorney General is working on educating the public and the business community to ensure that city neighborhoods and children are safe from drugs. Besides K2, other common synthetic drugs are Spice, Trainwreck, Scooby Snax and Bizzaro. Continued on B2
D.C.’s People’s Counsel Appeals Exelon-Pepco Merger Decision By James Wright Special to the AFRO jwright@afro.com The Office of the People’s Counsel recently filed an appeal against the District of Columbia Public Service Commission’s decision on the Exelon-Pepco merger because it is uncomfortable with the process the commission used to approve it. On Aug. 12, Sandra Mattavous-Frye, the People’s Counsel of the District of Columbia (OPC), filed a Petition for Review requesting the District of Columbia Court of Appeals examine the commission’s June 17 order approving the Exelon-Pepco merger. “OPC is appealing the [commission’s] order because it has a number of procedural weaknesses that must be addressed by the D.C. Court of Appeals,” Mattavous-Frye said. “Judicial review is critical not only because the decision impacts this case, but all cases going forward in terms of the process and procedures the commission uses in making its decisions. It concerns the amount of process, or lack thereof, afforded to all parties; and the manner in which the settlements are decided.” The commission approved the $6.8 billion Exelon-Pepco merger on March 23 despite reservations from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D), D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine (D), Matavous-Frye, a number of D.C. Council members, and the majority of advisory neighborhood commissioners. In the approval, Exelon agreed to a one-time rate credit for customers, a community benefits package that includes credits and assistance for low-income and elderly residents as well as grants to non-profit organizations, an Exelon office in the District and an investment in the city’s solar and other alternative energy programs. On June 30, Pepco requested the commission grant a rate increase of 5.25 percent to most District customers, a move that upset merger opponents such as advisory neighborhood Continued on B2