Removing Police From Mental Health Response

January 21, 2021 FREE thechallengernews.com | Community News

“We believe we serve a God that can hear our cry and there’s going to be justice (for the Buffalo 5)!” - Bishop Michael A. Badger Page 10

Photo: Challenger Photo

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Malik Evans Announces Run for Rochester Mayor Page 2 The Passing of Our Beloved Bishop William Henderson Page 16 Removing Police From Mental Health Response Page 3

Niagara Falls Native Delivers Benediction at Biden Inauguration Page 6

INSIDE ROCHESTER Malik Evans Announces Run For Rochester Mayor City Councilman Malik Evans has announced he is running for mayor of Rochester. Evans, a former City School Board President is challenging Mayor Lovely Warren' in her bid for a third term. "We must build bridges in our community," Evans said in a pre-recorded video posted to YouTube. "And this starts by building trust and transparency at City Hall." Also reportedly running is Mohamed Mohamed, (aka Mohamed Squared and Abdul Bounds, a community activist . TheWarren campaign Malik Evans issued the following statement in the wake of evans announcement: "We’ve prepared for this moment. All over the country unfortunately it’s been our brothers that have been first in line to take on sisters. The powers that be playbook hasn’t changed since the days of slavery. We know our ancestors are looking down upon us and asking...when will our people learn.

Fire Chief Will Jackson Retiring After 25 Years of Service

Mayor Lovely A. Warren recently announced that Rochester Fire Department Chief Will Jackson will retire at the end of February after 25 years of service to the community. Executive Deputy Chief Felipe Hernandez Jr., a 20-year veteran of the RFD, has been appointed as Interim Chief upon Chief Jackson’s retirement. “Today is a happy day,” said Mayor Warren. “I am excited that Chief Jackson has fulfilled the two-year plan he gave to me when I asked him to lead our Fire Department. He became Chief at a critical time for our City and he stepped up to the challenge. But, he told me then, that he made a promise to his wife and family to retire after 25 years of service. Chief Will Jackson Well, that day is coming, and Chief Jackson’s a man of his word. So I am grateful to him for his leadership and excited that Chief Hernandez is ready to lead the department and continue our success.” Under Chief Jackson’s leadership, the RFD earned national accreditation and Rochester maintained its status as a Class 1 ISO city, which leads to lower insurance rates for homeowners and businesses. With a staff of 504 firefighters and civilian employees, RFD responds to approximately 36,000 calls for service each year to protect the lives and property of city residents and visitors.

The Bills Are What Superbowl Teams Are Made Of!

Defense! Defense! And more Defense was the theme of Buffalo Bills Divisional Playoff game. It’s the first time this season that the Bills defensive unit reminded me of 90’s unit lead by Bruce Smith, Darryl Talley, and Nate Odom’s. The game changing play was Taron Johnson’S 101-yard interception return for a touchdown It was the first defensive touchdown in the playoffs by a Bill since Jeff Burris had a 34-yard interception in 1996 against Tennessee and tied George Teague for the longest playoff interception in NFL history. The Bills defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier put together a game plan to not only slow down Ravens QB Lamar Jackson but also force him to throw into coverage. Bills edge rusher Jerry Hughes said:“Throughout the week we had Isiah McKenzie play Lamar Jackson in practice and allowed us to simulate what we were going to see especially speed wise. The type of team we are likes to feed off each other and the crowd allowed us to get that added juice; We were able to hold the edge and force Lamar to make plays against us.” Yes, the Bills made tackles and did not give up many yards after contact which was extremely good for them. It was the Bills Defensive Coordinator’s best game plan of the season and has added him to Head Coaching interviews which was announced first during my question to him last Monday on his phone.. Coach Frazier said: “Yes earlier today my representative was contacted by Houston Texans.” Bills Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier’s stock has risen and could be a possible option in Philadelphia as well. He deserves the opportunity after four years of high-quality defensive play by his unit. You must keep in mind the Bills are playing without a true nose guard in Star Lotulelei, after he opted out of the season and Bills General Manager Brandon Beane decided to go with the players they have and not bring in any free agent nose guards. That gamble continues to pay off with the under sized defensive front line using speed to make up for size. I thought this philosophy would have caught up to them against the Baltimore Ravens powerful and massive offensive line, but to their credit the Bills gave up some early yardage and made adjustments by putting nine players near line of scrimmage forcing Lamar Jackson to throw the ball. The Baltimore Ravens need to follow the Buffalo Bills blue print for their QB to sign a top free agent wide receiver like an Allen Robinson to give Lamar Jackson a true number one receiver. Dez Bryant a shell of himself, Hollywood

The Divine Solution is the Only Solution. Trust your intuition. Stay open. Quiet the mind…

Brown, and Michael Boykin are not going to get it done. Bills QB Josh Allen was 23 for 37 totaling 206 yards and one touchdown. Allen missed Gabriel Davis on two badly thrown balls and twice missed John Brown which should have been touchdowns. The Bills have gone two consecutive playoff games without a turnover which is the first time ever in Bills playoff history this has happened. Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh said: “Congratulations to the Bills; Obviously they played a very good football game in all three phases. They were mistake free and capitalized on their opportunities. At the beginning of the second half was a big one, then also the turnover. They did a great job. Sean, Leslie, and all their guys, congratulations.” The playoff pressure and tension is getting the best of Josh Allen and Offensive Coordinator Brian Daboll must call more running plays for him to calm down. The Kansas City Chiefs are 21st in league against the run and the Bills must run the ball in order to beat them on Sunday night. Brian Daboll is showing once again just an average offensive coordinator and continues to put the game on Josh Allen’s shoulders which could be a recipe for disaster. I see a very exciting game with the Bills catching a slight break with Mahomes in concussion protocol and most importantly his turf toe which does not allow him to push off on certain throws. It seems things are shaping up in Buffalo’s favor. I would replace an injured Cole Beasley with newly acquired wide receiver Kenny Stills. It’s quite clear Beasley is playing on one leg and can’t be effective with his current injury. I see the Bills defense bending and not breaking, allowing offense to make some key plays by Allen/Diggs connection for a thrilling 28 -24 win. Bills are going to Super Bowl LV!!!! Follow me on Social Media: FACEBOOK, TWITTER: @georgeradney@georgeradman, RADIO: Pro Talk Plus on WLGZ – HD2, 105.5 FM The Beat of Rochester, Every Saturday morning 7 AM – 8 AM, Live call-in show 585 595 1055, What’s Going on The Experience, Every Sunday Morning 8 AM – 9 AM, on WHTK 1280 AM, Rochester, NY

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Le’Candice Durham Kicks Off Campaign for City of Buffalo Mayor

Pledging to "strengthen the relationship between the government and the people we serve,“ LeCandice Durham recently kicked off her candidacy for Mayor of the City of Buffalo from her Clinton street headqarters. Described as a demonstrated servant leader, a community activist, and a dedicated neighbor, Mrs. Durham is the owner of Candi Eyez, a fashion glasses and accessories business. She serves as president of Poppy Kidz Klub, a nonprofit organization started LeCandice Durham after her young niece was struck and killed by a vehicle on Fernhill Avenue. Like many, she does not believe political experience is a prerequisite for excellent governmental leadership. She previously worked in City Hall “Committed and impactful change starts with caring for your neighbor,” she said. Durham was born and raised with five siblings in Buffalo, on the city’s Eastside. She credits great role models with teaching her the importance of taking care of her community. Le’Candice Durham and her husband Larry reside in Riverside with their 6 children. Durham is the block club leader on her street where she resides and is very active in serving the community and Buffalo Homeless. Her mayoral vision can be found on her website https:// lecandicedurham.com. “The time for neighbors to be united is now. I believe I am the leader Buffalo needs. I pledge to be the people’s mayor.”

Buffalo Police Advisory Board Releases Recommendations On Two Topics: Mental Health Diversion & Bolawraps

The Buffalo Police Advisory Board (BPAB) has submitted two reports of policy recommendations to the Common Council, Mayor Byron Brown’s office, and the Buffalo Police Department Commissioner for review and consideration. The BPAB reports include recommendations on mental health diversion and use of Bo-laWraps. Reports are accessible through the Common Council’s website link.. The public is encouraged to submit comments to the City Council on these reports by emailing councilstaff@city-buffalo. com by end of day Sunday January 24th. BPAB will present these recommendations to the Common Council police oversight committee on January 25th.

Calls for a Better, Fairer, More Caring City and Region 2021 Community Agenda: Removing Police From Mental Health Response Number One Priority

“Once again this year, the Community Agenda created by our partners calls on us to address some of the most serious challenges we face in our region,” said Partnership for the Public Good Executive Director Andrea Ó Súilleabháin, as the group unveiled its 2021 Community Agenda in a lively virtual event on Zoom with 130 supporters.

“Our 315 community partners are bringing their solutions, their imagination, and their collective vision for a better, fairer, more caring community. They have come together to identify the top ten policy changes that local and state governments should take in the coming year,” Ó Súilleabháin explained.

The 2021 Community Agenda was announced at a virtual event opened by local spoken word poet Jillian Hanesworth. Then, an advocate for each proposed policy shared why it matters for our city and region.

The top ten policy change priorities are: 1 .Remove Police from Frontline Response to Mental Health Crises 2. Pass the Climate and Community Investment Act (CCIA) 3. Use Public Land for Public Benefit 4.Equitable and Sustained Funding of Frontline Arts Communities 5.Implement a New Police Oversight Model and Increase Public Involvement in Police Contract Negotiations 6.Improve Language Access and Inclusion in Western New York 7. Fund Public Transportation Emergency Relief, Expansion, and Improvement 8.Promote Local Home Ownership by Changing the City of Buffalo Auction 9.Stop the Practice of Stationing Off-Duty Police Officers in Buffalo Public Schools 10.Invest in Just Streets, Not Enforcement The full text of each plank is available at PPG’s web site, ppgbuffalo.org.

In calling for action on the number one priority, removing police from mental health response, Kartika Carr of VOICE Buffalo said: “The thought of us continually being impacted by what is happening in the current state of the world and not being able to support people specifically around mental health is literally setting us up to die.”

In calling for equitable funding for artists and arts organizations in frontline communities, Maria Ta of Ujima Company said: “While some are calling for a return to normal, what we need, now more than ever, is to reimagine our future. Arts and cultural workers face challenges in our livelihoods, in bad times and even in good ones. However, especially in the frontline art communities, help rarely reaches our doors. When the waves of this pandemic subsides, who will be left standing?”

In calling for a new model for police oversight in Buffalo, Miles Gresham of PPG said: “The oversight structure is so weak in the City of Buffalo, with an oversight board that doesn’t have subpoena power and doesn’t have disciplinary power. And then, of course, on the state side, there are laws that make it so that police are more often than not successful when they challenge the firings of bad cops.”

In calling for changes to the Buffalo property auction to prioritize local residents seeking to become homeowners, Ahmad Nieves of Buffalo Information Sharing Collective said: “A lot of people who benefit from the auction are not from Buffalo, so this plank is to change the auction process” to offer properties to local residents first.

In calling for a new approach to traffic safety known as Just Streets, Jalonda Hill of the Buffalo Fair Fines + Fees Coalition said: "This plank is about reimagining safety and reimagining how we keep our streets. We shouldn’t penalize people by giving them tickets that they cannot afford to pay. We should redesign streets to change people’s behavior.” continued pg 11

Enslaved Africans Built The White House...And A Few Other Things Too...

•The White House: Enslaved Africans built the White House. Work began in 1792, and it took eight years to finish. •Enslaved Africans also rebuilt the executive mansion after it burned down in the War of 1812.After its completion, presidents continue to use enslaved Africans to maintain the household, and seven presidents even brought their own slaves, including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Andrew Jackson, and Zachary Taylor.

•The US Capitol :The US Capitol in Washington DC took more than 30 years to build, from 1793 to 1826. Enslaved Africans slaves would have done the hard work, like sawing logs and moving stones, as well as working at quarries to get raw materials. They were also responsible for more skilled labor, like plastering, painting, and carpentry.In 2012, a marker was unveiled to remember the slave labor that went into the building.

•The Statue of Freedom

atop the Capitol.On top of the Capitol sits the Statue of Freedom, an important statue of a 19-foot bronze woman holding a sword and a laurel wreath. It was made by an enslaved Afraican named Philip Reid.

4 BUILDING COMMUNITY AMID BUILDING COMMUNITY AMID

Positive Examples of Working Together Within Our Positive Examples of Working Together Within Our

Communities To Support Ourselves And Our Neighbors Communities To Support Ourselves And Our Neighbors During The Covid-19 Crisis During The Covid-19 Crisis The Links Incorporated, Buffalo Affiliate of the National Medical Association to Host Covid-19 Forum

The community is invited to join us 7:00pm January 28, for our Third Community Forum entitled Covid-19: Navigating Parents through the Virtual learning Environment. This forum is designed to provide the community with valuable information related to Covid-19 with a focus on parents and students. We will address issues from the School Administrators, Parents, Teachers, and Students prospective. Our panelists will be Buffalo Public School Chief of Staff, Dr. Darren Brown Hall, Medical Director Niagara Street Pediatric, Dr. Fred Archer III, Say Yes Buffalo Community Schools Senior Director, Link Tanya Staples, Build Community School Principal, Link Tanika Shedrick, Riverside Academy Principal, Teena Jones, Parent Representative, Link Kawanza Humphrey and Student Representatives from Buffalo Collegiate Charter School. To register for the forum, we ask that you go to our website https://linksbuffalochapter.org/upcomingevents page and click on bit.ly/LinkingtoEducateCovid19 or enter the following link in the address bar of your internet browser: http://bit.ly/LinkingtoEducateVirtual. We invite you to come prepared to ask questions and get educated on plans for the reopening of schools for your children.

Come One! Come All! The First Fruits Food Pantry Is Open!

Offering Healthy Food Options Free To The Community NEW TIME! Tuesdays 4-6 PM & Saturdays From 10 A.M. To 12 NOON

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No Forms To Fill Out, No Proof Of Income Or Residency Etc. Just The Blessing Of Good Food! While You’re There Check Out The Lincoln Memorial. Clothes Closet!

“Fighting Food Insecurity & Meeting the Needs of The People.”

Rev. George Nicholas, Pastor, Lincoln Memorial UMC

;t)CHCB Rita Hubbard Robinson, Coordinator, First Fruits Food Pantry COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER OF BUFFALO. INC. i,1,tff,\\Q - 'i+l!GAPl,,11\H� · <ttH"IO,',AGo\•�O(·PQ�l

Mayor Brown Releases Statement on Son’s “Mental Health Episode”

Mayor Byron Brown released the following statement regarding an incident last Friday night where his son, 30-year-old Byron Brown Jr, broke \windows of a Linwood Avenue apartment to gain access to a friend’s apartment above the one he broke into. The tenants and the landlords are not pressing charges and Brown will pay for the damages. His son was taken to ECMC to be evaluated. Mayor Brown Mayor Brown’s statement read: “Last night, my son, Byron, experienced a mental health episode that required professional help. My family and I are grateful that the individual who called for assistance recognized that Byron needed professional medical attention, and for the police response, which ensured his safe transport to a hospital where he is getting the care he needs. Throughout the pandemic, the absence of reliable support systems and the isolation that results from social distancing has undoubtedly had an effect on all of us, but also creates additional barriers and risks for people with mental health issues. We ask that his privacy be respected as he recovers. We are grateful for all of the support that we have in our community.” -An Issue Just days after a Buffalo Police officer shot and wounded a homeless man with a history of mental illness last fall on Buffalo's East side, Brown announced his proposal for a new police unit that would pair officers with social workers on mental health emergency calls. That proposal however, was met with vehement opposition by a group of social workers, mental health professionals and concerned community members who met outside Buffalo City Hall in September to denounce the mayor’s proposal. Ravens Lamar Jackson Shouts Out Bills Mafia for Donating $360,00 Charity “Blessings in a Backpack”

Bills Mafia is not just about being a supportive fan to their beloved home team. They have finessed the olive branch of support on many occasions and were recently thanked by Baltimore Ravens Lamar Jackson on his twitter page for donations to a Louisville charity that he has formerly raised money for, “Blessings in a Backpack,” where Bills Mafia have donated $360,000! The outpouring support to the charity’s Louisville chapter began after the Bills 17-3 victory over the Ravens in their AFC divisional playoff game during which the reigning NFL MVP was ruled out late in the third quarter with a concussion. Jackson wrote “Appreciate that Bills Mafia” .. “Means a lot to not only me but those kids as well.”

COVID and the Community

The Buffalo NAACP Health Committee will present “COVID And The Community” Thursday, Jan. 21 at 6:30 p.m. Panelists include Lorraine Braithwaite-Harte, Dr. George Matthews, Dr. Lavonne Ansari, Ph.D., and Dr. Camille A. Jones, MD, MPH. Register for this virtual event at: https://bit.ly/2XCk7bW

VITAMIN B AND COVID

While vitamins C and D have garnered much attention in the fight against COVID-19, B vitamins can also play an important role, according to two recent papers — niacin (B3) in particular. •B vitamins may play an important role in COVID-19 prevention and treatment, according to two recent papers •Based on B vitamins’ effects on your immune system, immune-competence and red blood cells (which help fight infection), supplementation may be a useful adjunct to other prevention and treatment strategies •B vitamins can influence several COVID-19-specific disease processes, including viral replication and invasion, cytokine storm induction, adaptive immunity and hypercoagulability •Niacin appears particularly important. According to a recent paper, there appears to be a causative link between low

niacin status and SARS-CoV-2 infection

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