Challenger Community News January 6, 2016

CHALLENGER

SERVING BUFFALO, ROCHESTER, NIAGARA FALLS AND SURROUNDING AREAS

JANUARY 6, 2016 • F R E E

Congratulations

HAMLIN PARK ACADEMY #74!

Students Win 2016 Space Flight Competition!!! PG. 10 INTERNATIONAL

LOCAL

First Ever ‘Made in Ghana’ Car Is Prepared to Enter PG. 4 Marketplace

City Prepares to Honor PG. 7 A King!

IN THE HOME STRETCH

President Barack Obama will deliver his final State of the Union address on Tuesday, January 12 at 9 p.m. Now in the last year of his historic second term, America has shown clearly that it was not ready for a Black president.

PG. 10

INSIDE ROCHESTER

Stop Killin’ Start Chillin’ 4th Anniversary Event Set

NEW GENERATION “It’s Time for the East Side to Arise!”

MINISTRIES:

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INSIDE ROCHESTER

Letha Ridley Dies at 104: Was Rochester’s Second Black Principal

Letha Ridley

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etha Ridley, the second Black principal to ever hold the position in the Rochester City School District, died Dec. 29, at the age of 104.

Ridely began teaching in the city school district in 1948, before she was promoted to principal of School No. 20 in 1963. when the possibility of her being transferred from the school took place in 1969, it led to protests by her many supporters among both parents and students.

She retired from the school four years later, at the age of 62. She spent most of her retired years traveling the globe, and marked her 100th birthday with a trip to China.

She is survived by her son, William Ridley III. Her funeral was held Jan. 4.

Support The Rochester Housing Charities For 60 years the Rochester Housing Authority has provided quality affordable housing all across our region. Last year, we mobilized volunteers who committed hours of service to our residents! A holiday party is hosted annually for senior citizens in our housing units, where many feel isolated and do not have family to celebrate the holidays with . For more information on how you can donate to the Rochester Housing Charities call 585-444-8169 or email RHACharities@gmail.com

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Challenger Community News • January 6, 2016

Upstate New York Coalition for Homicide In Remembrance of Joe Brown: It an Honor To Know Him… Prevention to be Introduced at Stop Kill’n Was

by Nate Brown,Jr and Kadija Brown-Hart Start Chill’n 4th Anniversary Event oe Brown was known as many things, father, The 4th year anniversary of Stop Kill’n Start Chill’n will be held on Saturday January 9 at The Montgomery Center, 10 Cady Street.

During this event the Stop Kill’n Start Chill’n organization will introduced the Upstate New York Coalition for Homicide Prevention. The coalition consists of Stop Kill’n Start Chill’n, Rochester; Parents Encouraging Accountability and Closure for Everyone, Buffalo; Mothers Against Gun Violence Syracuse; and Parents United to Rally for Gun-Violence Elimination, Utica.

Council Women Helen Hudson of Syracuse New York, founder of Mothers Against Gun Violence, will deliver the keynote address. Additional guest speakers will include William Hall New York Life Insurance and special guest United States Attorney WilRev. Britt Pledger liam Hochul.

The donation is $20 adults $10 children under 7. All proceeds will go to support the organizations homicide prevention efforts.For more information and details contact Reverend Britt Pledger President and Founder 570-540-9309.

The Rochester Black Employees Association to Host Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Luncheon The Rochester Black Employees Association will host its annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Luncheon, a celebration of diversity, equality, and remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on January 15 at the Rochester Educational Opportunity Center, 161 Chestnut St. from 11:30 am to 1pm. The cost is $20 per person.

The theme of the event is “The Color of Diversity…Keep Moving forward” and the speaker for this year’s luncheon is Dr. Kevin McDonald (RIT’s VP and Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion). Also included will be entertainment by the ROC Bottom Slam Team, and a delicious southern inspired menu! You don’t want to miss this event!

For ticket purchases, call 585-422-0645 or contact Lauren.Haskin@xerox.com phone: 585-422-0645

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grandfather,community leader, church elder, mentor, but most of all we was just “Joe Brown.” That hearty laugh and big bright smile is what we most remember about Joe Brown.

Greeting him by his first and last name was customary with me and my family followed by hugs and kisses, a series of questions about our families and compliments on how everyone has changed after all this time.

His commitment to his faith, dedication to the community and love for his family is what kept him motivated. Joe Brown was a great example of is meant to be a true servant leader and will greatly be missed. I am just glad that our paths have crossed.

(Joseph Brown, founder of Jakapabran Consulting Group, an Anthony Jordan Health Foundation board member, local minister and community activist, died last month ( Dec. 10), at the age of 72.)

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Challenger Community News • January 6, 2016

AREA BRIEFS

City Prepares to Celebrate A King!

Afro-American Historical Association Dr. King Program to Feature Dr. LaKisha Simmons

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“Concerned Citizens Following The Dream” Committee Announce Annual King Tribute, 2016 Awardees Citizens protest disparities in Ferguson, Missouri.

“Buffalo, In Light Of Ferguson”

Investigative Post Panel Discussion will Feature Rev. Pridgen, Dr. Taylor

Investigative Post Editor Jim Heaney will moderate a panel discussion featuring The Rev. Darius Pridgen and Henry L. Taylor that will consider Buffalo’s legacy of poverty, crime, segregation and other urban ills that disproportionately affect people of color as part of its next “At Issue” series. The event will take place on Wednesday, January 13 at 12 noon at Osteria 166, 166 Franklin Street, Tickets are $25, or $10 for Investigative Post members, and can be purchased online at InvestigativePost.org.

The Investigative Post's "At Issue" series is sponsored by Bernhardi Law Offices, M&T Bank, Talking Leaves Books, R&P Oak Hill Development, WGRZ and The Public.

Leaders to Meet at Daemen to Discuss Race and Higher Education Several leaders from the Buffalo Niagara region will participate in a panel discussion on race and higher education, which will be led State Assembly Member Crystal Peoples-Stokes, as part of the Daemen College Distinguished Leaders Lecture Series at 10 a.m.Friday, Jan. 8 in the Wick Campus Center Alumni Lounge.

Peoples-Stokes, a member of the State Assembly Committee on Higher Education, will lead the discussion by panelists Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown; Dr. Catherine Fisher Collins of the New York State Education Department Board of Regents; Dr. Gary A. Olson, president of Daemen; Dr. Katherine S. Conway-Turner, president of SUNY Buffalo State; and Dr. Cynthia Zane, president of Hilbert College.

The panel discussion, which is free and open to the public, will be moderated by Dr. Isiah Marshall, Jr., Daemen associate professor of social work and master of social work program director.

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he “Concerned Citizens Following The Dream” Committee will present the Annual Martin Luther King Celebration Program at 6 p.m. on Sunday January 17 at Kleinhans Music Hall. The theme is “Let America Be America.” Rev Jimmie Hardaway pastor of Trinity Baptist Church, Niagara Falls N.Y. will give a 10 minutes enlightenment on the theme.

This year’s MLK Awardees will include: *Mrs. Linda Appleby, Educator, The “Music” Award *Rev Reginald Kerr pastor of Temple of Christ Church The “Interfaith” Award *Walter Hobson, Hobson’s Cleaners, The “Community Service” Award *Evangelist Anita Williams, “Taking it to the Streets” Ministry, The “Woman of Distinction” Award *Angelo M. Otero President of the WNY Hispanic American Veterans Memorial, The “Community Service” Award *Christian “Chris” DelPrince, of DelPrince Management Consulting, The “Business” Award.

Several youths from area schools will receive MLK Certificates of honor to encourage them to stay in school and pursue a higher level of education. They will also be doing volunteer service at the event and will receive credit through their schools for doing so. Various performers will pay tribute to Dr. King’s life and legacy through song, dance and word including: The HutchTech High School Band, Miss Barbara’s School of Dance, Darcel Blue and Company, “Jesus In Mime” Praise Dance Ministry, The African Cultural Center Dancers, Elder Malcolm Wilson and Joshua’s Generation’s Choir, The Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus and others.The admission is free and is made possible by M&T Bank, Wegman’s Food, New York State of Health, Gbuahn, UNYTS, Lombardo Funeral Home, Senator Timothy Kennedy, Buffalo Teacher’s Federation Inc.,ECMC Medical Center, and Hobson’s Cleaners. Bessie Patterson is the Chairperson/Coordinator.

Bro. Bell, Dr. Cash to Appear at King Tribute The Buffalo and Erie County Public Library System presents its 38th Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “Honoring Dr. King,” on Thursday, January 14 from 12 noon - 1 p.m. in the Downtown Central Library Auditorium, 1 Lafayette Square.

Featured will be poetry, music dance, storytelling and speakers with community leader Clifford Bell, Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash, The Colored Musicians Club, Storyteller Sharon Holley and more! A Free event. 858-8900.

The First Annual Buff City Hoops Spring Fling Fundraiser Planning MLK Scholarship Breakfast Set Meeting The 26th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Buff City Hoops will host an open community meeting to plan Buff City Hoops 1st Annual Spring Fling Fundraiser and the 2016 Buff City Hoops Summer League and Buff City Hoops 2016 Championship Finale on Wednesday, January 6 at 1324 Jefferson Ave., from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. For more information call 716-894-0914 or 716-896-1463

Breakfast hosted by New Hope Baptist Church Christian Education Scholarship Committee, will be held Monday, January 18, 2016 at Buffalo Niagara Convention Center. This year’s speaker is Dr. Glenda Hodges, Founder and CEO of Still I Rise, Inc. Tickets are $35 per person. For tickets or more information, please contact New Hope Baptist Church at 716-883-0821.

he 10th Annual AfroAmerican Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier’s Martin Luther King Jr. Program will be held Sunday, January 17 at 3 p.m. in the auditorium of the Buffalo History Museum (formerly Buffalo Erie County Historical Society, 1 Museum Court.This year’s program w i l l feature LaKisha S i m mons, PhD., Assistant Professor of Global Gender St u d i e s DR. SIMMONS at UB. She is the author of the book, Crescent City Girls: The Lives of Young Black women in Segregated New Orleans, which explores the lives, labors and love of Black girls who grew up in a Jim Crow City.

Dr. Simmons is also the author of the article, “To Lay Aside All Morals: Sexuality, Respectfully and Black College Students in the 1930’s ” published in Gender and History. She is currently working on two projects, an article on Harlem Renaissance girlhood during the 1930’s and a new book project called Segregated Motherhood: Black Women, Babies and Health. Dr. Simmons teaches courses on African American women’s history, gender studies and on histories of women and health. She is the mother of two children (a one year old daughter and an eleven year old step son).

A book signing will follow the program. The event is free and open to the public and is co-sponsored by the Monroe Fordham Regional History Center, SUCB, Buffalo Branch NAACP, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Rho Lambda Chapter of Buffalo, and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. Phi Omega Chapter.

History Repeats Itself...

Citizens demonstrate killing of 15-year-old Leon Mosley by police in 1948.

15-Year-Old Leon Mosley

As reported by the Afro American newspaper, Dec. 25, 1948 edition, 65 years before the #BlackLivesMatter movement was launched on social media, the trial of policeman Louis Melasi got underway in December 1948. Melasi was indicted on charge of involuntary manslaughter. He requested and was granted a bench trial instead of a jury trial after killing 15-year-old Leon Mosley. Leon, a high school student was shot in the back as he ran from a stolen car after it crashed, and was chased by Melasi. Eleven witnesses testified the first day of the trial who saw murder. The police officer was tried but he was acquitted.

10-Year-Old Clifford Glover

On April 28, 1973, in South Jamaica, Queens, Clifford Glover was walking with his stepfather when two plainclothes White police pulled up and jumped out with their guns drawn. Fearing it was a stick up, they ran. The cops, who claimed they were looking for a robber, began to shoot. One of the officers, Thomas Shea, hollered “You Black son of a bitches!” and fired a shot. In the moments after the fatal shooting, Shea was recorded on walkie-talkie transmissions to a dispatcher saying “Die, you little bastard.” Clifford Glover, a 10 year old 4th grader, weighed 90 pounds. He had been shot in the back. “They killed my son in cold blood,” said his mother, Eloise Armstead.

Shea was tried and acquitted of murder but fired from the force.

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LOCAL + NATIONAL + WORLD

Challenger Community News • January 6, 2016

Author, Psychiatrist Dr. Frances Cress Welsing Dies at 80

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Kwadwo Safo Jr, CEO of Kantanka Group

First Ever ‘Made in Ghana’ Car Is Prepared to Enter Marketplace The first cars to carry a “made in Ghana” seal will be under a harsh spotlight as they prepare to enter the marketplace and take on the major international brands. The man that made it happen is under no illusions about the difficulty of the task.

“The biggest challenge is people believing (and) having faith in the car,” says Kwadwo Safo Jr, CEO of Kantanka Group — the nation’s first manufacturers. “People think the doors will come off or the tires will blow off or something.”

“These cars are made for Ghana. We know how the roads are, and we built them to stand the roads.”

Despite positive reviews, Kantanka Group faces another challenge as a small operator seeking to compete with established rivals. The manufacturing base in Accra can produce just 100 cars month, and with high costs, the cheapest of three models costs around $20,000. But such difficulties do not deter Safo from dreaming, and his dreams are not limited to the domestic market.

“We’ve gotten this far because we believe in the possibilities,” he says. “One day we will be all over the world.”

Trial Date Set in Sandra Bland Case A trial date has been set for Jan. 23, 2017, in the civil lawsuit filed by Sandra Bland’s family against Waller County, Texas; the Texas Department of Public Safety; Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia, who arrested Bland; and two other jailers who were in contact with Bland before her death, ABC 13 reports.

Bland made national news after she was found dead in her cell following a traffic violation July 13. Police officials claim that Bland hanged herself, but Bland’s family has argued that the woman they knew and loved would not have committed suicide.

Bland’s mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, and family members, along with several supporters, gathered at the federal courthouse in Houston to note their displeasure with the way this case has been handled.

“I’m coming here before you to tell you I’m not OK,” ReedVeal said, according to ABC 13. “Coming out of this hearing today, I’m not OK. My daughter is gone. I have now celebrated one holiday without her. It is tough.”

Farrakhan Says Warns that Trump Will Take America “Into the Abyss of Hell” Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan has warned Americans that Donald Trump will take the country ‘into the abyss of hell’ if he is elected president of the United States.

Farrakhan spoke out against the Republican presidential hopeful on Chicago-based The Cliff Kelley Show last month, saying his leadership was not rooted in justice.

‘Mr Trump is tearing away the skin of the onion of white civility,’ he said.

Dr. Frances Cress Welsing

Ancestor Commemoration for Dr. Welsing The Afrikan Consciousness Workshop & The Temple of Maat will host an Ancestor Commemoration for Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, author of The Isis Papers; Keys to the Colors” on Monday, January 11 from 6-8 pm. at the Merriweather Library, 1324 Jefferson Avenue.

r. Frances Cress Welsing, a psychiatrist whose ideas about racism and society sparked years of debate and controversy, died on Saturday, January 2nd, at age 80.

Often described as Queen Mother of Black Consciousness, Dr. Welsing became famous for her work, “The Cress Theory of Color-Confrontation”in 1974 and later published the controversial The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors in 1991.

Welsing was born March 18, 1935 to Dr. Henry Cress, a medical doctor, and Ida Griffen, a schoolteacher, in Chicago, Ill. She attended Antioch College and graduated with her bachelor’s in 1957. She earned her doctorate at Howard University in 1962.

According to Blackamericaweb.com, Welsing joined Howard’s faculty as an assistant professor of pediatrics after working in the Washington, D.C. area as a psychiatrist. It was during this tenure when she published her essay, “The Cress Theory of Color-Confrontation and Racism (White Supremacy).”

In that essay, Welsing put forth the idea that racism was a worldwide behavior – and that whites’ status as a global minority feeds a fear that leads to oppression and violence.

In a 1974 TV appearance with William Shockley on Tony Brown’s Black Journal, Welsing said: “I think that… even though most white people are not consciously understanding their problem in genetics, they are certainly aware that they are genetically dominated by people of color – that’s why there’s the statement that one drop of black blood makes you black. Because people of color have the genetic capacity to annihilate white people.”

According to Welsing’s account, Howard decided to not renew her position with the school after the publishing of the paper. She then began working with Department of Human Services and worked over two decades as a psychiatrist, mostly with children. She was acclaimed for her work.

The Isis Papers expanded on several of Welsing’s ideas around whites feeling threatened by the scope and reach of Black people around the globe, even down to the size of genitalia. The seminal book also explored the Black family structure, AIDS and the crisis of Black male and female relationships. In The Isis PapersWelsing wrote:

Poll: Republicans, Whites, Angriest Americans

According to a new NBC News/Survey Monkey/Esquire online poll about outrage in the country, 49 percent of Americans are angry. But not all anger is equally distributed. It turns out that 54 percent of Whites are angry, followed by Latinos at 43 percent, and African-Americans at 33 percent. Further, while 73 percent of Whites said they get angry at least once a day, 66 percent of Latinos and 56 percent of Blacks responded the same way.

And women (53 percent) are angrier than men (44 percent), with 58 percent of White women saying they are angry, as opposed to 44 percent of Black and Brown women.

Another revealing result of this study is that Republicans are angrier than Democrats, as 61 percent—as opposed to 42 percent of Democrats— say they are angrier than a year ago. According to the poll, Republicans cite Congress and consumer fraud as the issues that set them off the most, while Democrats point to the police shooting of unarmed Black men.

DO YOU REMEMBER…

Humboldt Parkway before the construction of the Kensington Expressway?

ROCCBuffalo.org (716) 883-0529

EAT TO LIVE

Challenger Community News • January 6, 2016

Contract Compliance Review Committee to Meet The Contract Compliance Review Committee meeting will be held on Thursday, January 7 at the Frank E. Merriweather Library, 1324 Jefferson Ave. The Agenda: discussing the committee's appearance before the City Of Buffalo M/WBE Committee, the employee recruitment process at Solar City and planning a plan of action around the number of minorities working on publicly funded projects in and around Buffalo. For more information, please contact Charley H. Fisher, lll @ (716) 650-8889

We Are Women Warriors and founder Legislator Grant to host Community Planning Meeting We are Woman Warriors, Legislator Betty Jean Grant, founder, meet every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month. The community is invited to join them in discussions on community forums to present to for the year of 2016 and fundraising plans. The organization presents free information to help fight against racial, educational, employment, environmental, criminal, gender orientation, housing, and entrepreneurial injustice. The group also promotes family empowerment and is dedicated to inspiration and confidence building of families and communities through free information sharing. Through the work of the organization’s Education, Crime Prevention, Teacher Support and Parent Support Committees, We Are Women Warriors seek to make a difference in the quality of lives of our children, businesses, seniors and cultural organizations. The next meeting is Wednesday, January 6, 1324 Jefferson Avenue from 6:30 – 7:45p.m.

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Resolve to Eat Healthier in 2016!

The Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables

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ruits and vegetables are an excellent source of carbohydrates and aid in disease prevention A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of eye and digestive problems, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar which can help keep appetite in check. When possible, buy organic! Here are some of the health benefits of fruits and vegetables *Apples: protects your heart; prevents constipation; blocks diarrhea; improves lung capacity; cushions joints. *Apricots: combats cancer; controls blood pressure; saves your eyesight; shields against Alzheimer’s; slows aging. *Artichokes: aids digestion; lowers cholesterol; protects your heart; stabilizes blood sugar; guards against liver disease. *Avocados: battles diabetes; lowers cholesterol; helps stop strokes; controls blood pressure; smoothes skin.

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*Bananas: protects your heart; quiets a cough; strengthens bones; controls blood pressure; blocks diarrhea. *Beans: prevents constipation; helps hemorrhoids; lowers cholesterol; combats cancer; stabilizes blood sugar.

Beets: controls blood pressure; combats cancer; strengthens bones; protects your heart; aids weight loss.

•Blueberries: combats cancer; protects your heart; stabilizes blood sugar; boosts memory; prevents constipation. *Broccoli: strengthens bones; saves eyesight; combats cancer; protects your heart; controls blood pressure. *Cabbage:combats cancer; prevents constipation; promotes weight loss; protects your heart;helps hemorrhoids. *Cantaloupe: saves eyesight; controls blood pressure; lowers cholesterol; combats cancer; supports immune system. *Carrots: saves eyesight; protects our heart; prevents constipation; combats cancer; promotes weight loss. *Cauliflower: protects against prostate cancer; combats breast cancer; strengthens bones; banishes bruises; guards against heart disease.

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*Cherries: protects your heart; combats cancer; ends insomnia; slows aging process; shields against Alzheimer’s. *Chili Peppers: aids digestion; soothes sore throat; clears sinuses; combats cancer; boosts immune system. *Figs: promotes weight loss; helps stop strokes; lowers cholesterol; combats cancer; controls blood pressure. *Flax: aids digestion; battles diabetes; protects your heart; improves mental health; boosts immune system. *Garlic: lowers cholesterol; lowers blood pressure; combats cancer. *Grapefruit: protects against heart attacks; promotes weight loss; helps stop strokes; combats prostate cancer; lowers cholesterol. *Grapes: saves eyesight; conquers kidney stones; combats cancer; enhances blood flow; protects your heart. *Green tea: combats cancer; protects your heart; helps stop strokes; promotes weight loss; kills bacteria. *Lemons: combats cancer; protects your heart; controls blood pressure; smoothes skin; stops scurvy. *Limes: combats cancer; protects your heart; controls blood pressure; smoothes skin; stops scurvy. *Mangoes: combats cancer; boosts memory; regulates thyroid; aids digestion; shields against Alzheimer’s. *Mushrooms: controls blood pressure; lowers cholesterol; kills bacteria; combats cancer; strengthens bones. *Onions: reduce risk of heart attack; combats cancer; kills bacteria; lowers cholesterol; fights fungus. (More next week)

Winter Farmers Market at Buffalo State College The Buffalo State Small Business Development Center is bringing the popular Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market to the campus during the winter months. The new winter market, which is open to the public, is presented in partnership with the Elmwood Village Association. The market will be held in Buckham Hall on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. from January 9 through April 30. Buckham Hall is conveniently located on Rockwell Road near Grant Street. Free parking will be available on campus during market hours.

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FAITH & FAMILY

2016 Kick Off Prayer Breakfast St. John AME Church 2016 Day Committee will host a Kick-Off Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, January 9 at 9 a.m. at the church located at 917 Garden Avenue in Niagara Falls. Join us as we bring in the New Year in prayer and thanksgiving! It’s a day for the entire family! For ticket information contact the church at (716)285-6432. Evangelist Ruby D. McCoy is chairperson; Sis. Kimberly A. McCoy is co-chair; Sis. Tristan Greer is advisor and Rev. Dion Greer Sr., M.Div. is Pastor. The theme is “Women In Faith…Standing in the Gap for One Another!”

Children 3 years and under are admitted free. Youths 4 to 10, $5 and 11 years to adult $10.

Challenger Community News • January 6, 2016

New Covenant Church of Christ to Host Martin Luther King Birthday Celebration Fundraiser Event A Martin Luther King Birthday Celebration featuring The Touche’ Band & Show, will be held on January 17 at 8 p.m. at the Tralf. The event is a fundraiser for the New Covenant Church of Christ parking lot. Pastor Jackie Ross Brown is Senior Pastor.

Admission to the show is $20 in advance and $25 at the door and are available at Doris Records, Ticketmaster and the Tralf Box Office.

DID YOU KNOW? Ethiopia

is often overlooked as a top destination for spiritual pilgrimage. This is an unfortunate oversight. The country is not just the cradle of civilization, it has played a significant role in the formation of many of the world’s top religions. It is not only the location of the biblical kingdom of Sheba, it is currently believed by some to house

the Ark of the Covenant.

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Challenger Community News • January 6, 2016

New Generation Ministries: “It’s Time for the East Side to Arise!”

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ew Generation Ministries is hosting a Mega Fund Raising Dinner on January 22 at the historic Statler City, located at 107 Delaware Avenue at 7 p.m. to benefit , revive and restore the eastside 14211-15 area. Council president Darius G . Pridgen will be the keynote speaker, Prior to the fundraiser the community is invited to attend a rally at the corner of Doat and May Street from 4-6 p.m. on Saturday, January 8.

“We are located in the midst of a high profile crime ridden area that has been over looked and neglected while other areas prosper,” read a statement from the group. “The neighborhoods are plagued with unkempt vacant lots, abandon houses and other unstable elements that contribute to the deterioration of the area. Because we are part of this community we have reached out,

A Service of Recognition The Western New York Chapter of the Gospel Music Workshop of America will be recognizing some individuals from the Music Ministries in Western New York. Our goal is to recognize and celebrate individuals from local churches. We are asking churches to submit the name of a faithful member who serves quietly in the background that goes above and beyond.

The deadline for submitting names is Saturday, January 16. Information can be forwarded to Ms. Yvonne Patterson, 94 Alexander Place, Buffalo NY 14208 or email von2151@aol.com You can also call Ms. Patterson at 883.6061, Mrs. Ella Robinson at 891-4598 or Mrs. Martha Connor at 713-3428 for more information.

Please join the Western New York Chapter of Gospel Music Workshop of America in this endeavor. We know that Western New York has some of the most talented people in the area. Let us come together to celebrate and recognize them for their endless work.

The service will take place on February 5, 2016 at Midtown Bible Church, 1722 Main Street. The service will start at 7 p.m. Lets show them our appreciation

embraced the children and their families. New Generation filled in where we could and as a result realize, the need is greater than we knew and a broader base and greater effort is needed.”

The initiative to establish a Community HUB on the Eastside of Buffalo will be announced at the January 22 fundraiser. This effort will involve six Eastside Ministries: New Generation Ministries, Bethesda World Harvest International, New Life Christian Fellowship, Antioch Holiness Church, Shinning Light Apostolic Ministries, and the M.A.N. Program. With roots deep in the neighborhood, the contributing Churches are perfectly positioned to understand and respond to the needs of the people.

Business leaders, city officials and members of the urban and suburban church community are invited to donate and work with us in our goal to rekindle hope and stability in the lives of children and families who have neither.

Your ( tax exempt) contributions may be mailed to New Generations Ministries, 97 Doat Street , Buffalo NY 14211 or call Lynn at 716 2205797 or Lonea at 716 4956818 to RSVP for the dinner or for more information. You may also donate online at http://www.empowered.org/ Campaign-for-CommunityHUB The Community HUB will be designed to offer a variety of spiritual, educational and recreational programs.

The HUB will provide safe havens, after-school tutoring, mentoring programs, relationship counseling, job readiness support and court advocacy.

In the near future the goal is to construct soccer fields and refurbish neighborhood housing for single parents.

By establishing a Community HUB of resources to

provide support and referral services in those areas most in need of attention (mental, medical education, vocational and residential) we speak LIFE into the darkness.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Natalie Cole Dead at Age 65 Natalie Cole, the singer who followed in the footsteps of her famous father Nat King Cole, has passed away at the age of 65.

The official cause of death, according to TMZ, was congestive heart failure, but the website reports she had underlying issued of complications from a kidney transplant.

Cole was a dynamic singer and performer, with hits like “This Will Be”, ‘Inseparable” and “I’ve Got Love on My Mind.” In 1991 she broke new ground, performing a ‘duet’ with a video of her famous father singing his classic “Unforgettable.”

The singer had cancelled a few concert dates this past December due to illness. She’d suffered with numerous health issues recently, including hepatitis C. Cole suffered kidney damage as a result of treatments for hepatitis C, and received a transplant in 2009. She talked openly about contracting the disease from a dirty needle used injecting heroin during years of addiction. She died in Los Angeles.

Married 3 times, Natalie Cole leaves behind a son.

USA Today Names Empire’s Taraji P. Henson Is The Entertainer of the Year

SENIOR PARTY! Pictured above scenes from the Salvation Army Golden Age Center’s Annual Christmas Party!

Empire’s ratings may have taken a dip in the second season, but that doesn’t change the impact the show has had on Taraji P. Henson’s career. USA Today has dubbed her Entertainer of the Year.

Lest we forget, Empire aired at the top of 2015, and it’s been a whirlwind ride ever since, Henson said in an interview with the news outlet. Last year during this time, life was “normal still,” but things have changed drastically. “I can’t really go anywhere,” Henson described, without being recognized.

The mainstream fame does has its perks, though, like free gifts.

“Upside, now that I’m rich, people like to send me things for free. I don’t understand that, but OK, I’ll take it. I love getting free gifts.”She’s more excited that people have gravitated towards an unconventional character like Cookie who isn’t perfect by anyone’s standards.

Coach Cal has been coaching in Western New York for over 30 years. He ran the C.J. Summer Basketball League at Glenny Park in Buffalo New York for over 15 years, coaching over 250 players including: *Cliff Robinson who was a 2nd Round NBA draft pick in 1989, selected by the Portland Trail Blazers. He retired in 2007; *Trevor Ruffin who was a former NBA and ABA player; *Greg Oden who was a 1st Round Coach Cal NBA draft pick in 2007, selected by the Portland Trail Blazers. He presently plays for the Jiangsu Dragons; and *Christian Laettner who is a retired NBA player. He was inducted in the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. NAs well as Ritchie Campbell and Marcus Whitfield, to name a few.

Coach Cal has coached under John Calipari of the University of Kentucky. He also runs the 3 on 3 Hoop Classic in Delaware Park as well as coach teams in the P.A.L. , College AAU Basketball and Jonny Flynn Tournament in Niagara Falls.

Samuel L. Jackson: “Muslim (Americans) are the new Black men!”

Actor Samuel L Jackson hsays that Muslims are the new Blacks of America because of how they are being persecuted.

The Pulp Fiction star, 67, said that the recent Islamist attacks in Paris and California meant that people saw it as a ‘legitimate reason’ to fear Muslims.

Jackson spoke out as high profile incidents of Muslims being targeted in the US and the UK made headlines in December.

Attacks on American mosques are on the rise and leading Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump has called for a ban on all Muslims coming to the US. Over the holidays a British father was stopped from boarding a flight from Heathrow to Disneyland in Los Angeles with his nine children because of his religion.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Jackson said: ‘I can’t even tell you how much I really wanted (San Bernardino) to just be another, you know, crazy white dude, and not really some Muslims, because it’s like: ‘Oh, s***. It’s here’...

Who Is Columnist Coach Calvin Johnson?

ANSWERS TO DEC 16TH SPORTS TRIVIA QUESTIONS *Koby Bryant played 19 years in the NBA * Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBA All Time scorer *Coach Bill Belichick, New England Patriots, current coach with most wins in NFL *Ritchie Campbell, Burgard H.S., leading scorer in WNY High School *28, most consecutive games won by Golden State Warriors MORE SPORTS TRIVIA – GIVE IT A TRY! 1.

Who holds the NBA Assist Record?

2.

What year did the Carolina Panthers join NFL? 3.

Who was Tampa Bay’s first coach?

4.

What college did Corey Graham play for?

5.

What was Muhammad Ali’s real name?

Challenger Community News • January 6, 2016

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Challenger Community News • January 6, 2016

Call for Submission for

Bronze Collective Theatre Fest See You At The EVENTS!

The Bronze Collective Theatre Fest (BCTF) in Rochester is now accepting submissions of one act plays (30 minutes or less) from local/regional

African American college students for a staged reading during its second annual festival, which will be held Feb. 21 to 28, 2016. Festival organizers

seek works that are suitable for an intimate setting (100 seat black box theater); locally and/or culturally based; and require minimal set design. Please note that BCTF will offer limited rehearsal time, therefore your project needs to be ready for staging should it be selected to participate in the festival. Please submit a biography with a recent headshot along with a one-page statement about why you want to participate in the festival. Please note that all proposals must be received

by Jan. 9, 2016. Requested submission material can be emailed to info@rochesterbc. org or sent postal mail to Bronze Collective Theatre Fest in care of Moodmakers Books, Village Gate Square, 274 N. Goodman St., Rochester, N.Y. 14607. For details, go to www.bronzecollective. webs.com or call (585) 7487727.

Join “A Conversation Between Generations” A moderated discussion between our elders and our youth in an attempt to ride the communication gap between the generations, will be held on Saturday, January 9, February 6 and March 5 at the Alphonso “Rafi” Greene Center, 1423 Fillmore Avenue. Brunch starts at 11 a.m.; group conversations at 12 noon; followed by community conversation at 1:30 p.m.

Refreshments are provided by UMJA Market and Swings.

For more information contact Bill Peoples at 892-3462 or the Center, at 332-3773 ext.

202.

RECYCLE NUMBERS 1–7.

Put all plastic bottles, tubs and lids with recycling codes 1–7 in the green tote.

SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS!

CAN IT BE RECYCLED? Call 311 or visit BuffaloRecycles.org to learn more.

MAYOR BYRON W. BROWN

CoB_Challenger.indd 3

7/20/15 2:48 PM

GENERATIONS

Challenger Community News • January 6, 2016

IN THE HOME STRETCH…

President Barack Obama will deliver his final State of the Union address on Tuesday, January 12 at 9 p.m. Now in the last year of his historic second term, America has shown clearly that it was not ready for a Black president. Do we have the audacity to hope for a better 2016?

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Hamlin Park #74 Academy Students Win 2016 Space Flight Experimental Competition!!!

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President Obama

W

hen the question is asked near the beginning—”Is America ready for its first Black president?”— it needs to be answered near the end. And as Barack Obama comes into the homestretch of his term in 2016 the answer, sadly, is no.

If nothing else, 2015 offered a rolling reminder of the first year of Barack Obama’s presidency with its numerous parallel events and template-setting episodes that have now come to a full head of hateful steam in the emergent American Serbia of the mind, if not deed. The embodiment is Donald Trump, presidential candidate, notorious birther, resident American fascist and bombthrower.

If hope and change were the Obama buzzwords in 2009, the lesson of 2015 is that a bunch of overstimulated, hopelessly right-wing pseudo statesmen haven’t changed, grown up, dropped the sub rosa race-bait narrative—even as Obama delivered on his fair share of what he promised way back when.

Don’t ask me why Obama’s race is still an issue; ask Lou Dobbs. The immigrant-bashing news anchor blabbed to the Fox masses about how Obama only became president because he played the “race card,” a curiously timed outburst given that Dobbs made it just two weeks ago.

One suspects the true motive for the race-card redux politics has to do with an inevitable pivot to the gender card embodied by Hillary Clinton. To beat Clinton, goes the takedown logic, you must first lynch Obama all over again.

Having failed its first Black president, is America ready for its first woman president? Not if Trump has anything to do with it, as the GOP frontrunner’s sick and weird comments about Clinton’s bathroom break during a Democratic debate would indicate.

Trump’s obsession with genitals was one of the more telling developments as the year wound down and the GOP establishment continued to grapple with a Trump beast of its own unleashing.

Trump’s fallback position when it comes to women is to be grossed out by simple bodily functions, and his emergence as a legitimate candidate for president in 2015, as party standard-bearer at 39 percent in the polls and rising, signals the arrival of an acceptably visceral politics of disgust, disgrace and demeaning language—with all the wink-nod whiffs of malice and conjecture about that Kenyan socialist dictator ever at the ready, because it’s all his fault.

The conflation of Islamophobia and Obamaphobia is the persistent backdrop that defines a reactionary and highly personalized politics around Obama, and that dynamic really took off in the aftermath of the Paris and San Bernardino terror attacks.

When Trump says that Hillary got “schlonged” by Obama as he did recently, he is invoking the racial slander of the Old South, in which accusations of Black men raping White women were used to justify lynchings. Trump is not alone in vowing a phallocentric outburst of ISIS carpetbombing to settle the score.

But why is that anything new?

The first year of Obama’s presidency was dominated by efforts to hold off the collapse of the American economy and undo the damage wrought by the smirking failure who previously occupied the White House. As he rolls into his last year as president, Obama appears to have largely succeeded on that front, but you’d never know it.

Then as now, Obama and his accomplishments are drowned out by the pugnacity, the sneers, the lies and the anger that regularly emits from so-called victims of Obama’s presidency and their enablers in the political-media establishment—blue-collar workers of the White persuasion left in a new-economy wilderness of shifting demographics. They are content to gloat about their anti-intellectualism as those voters continue to cling to the guns and religion that made them hate Obama in the first place.

The most recent outburst from the ramparts of dumbed-down America came in the form of a classroom lesson, a Virginia school and a teacher who had offered a lesson in calligraphy late in 2015 that utilized Arabic text. Parents were outraged, they were disgusted, and they were scared, and a compliant mainstream media gobbled up an all-too-familiar set piece that gives credence to the foolish vagaries of spittle politics.

In 2009, Obama thought it would be a good idea to tape a pep talk for kids headed back to school that September, and made available a speech for schools to show students if they chose to do so. Many did not, as fearful white parents freaked out at the idea and demanded that their children not be exposed to the half-white, non-legitimate menace. There’s a timeless quote from a Colorado parent that made the rounds back then that continues to resonate, six years later: “Thinking about my kids in school having to listen to that just really upsets me,” Shanneen Barron told

CNN. “I’m an American. They are Americans, and I don’t feel that’s OK. I feel very scared to be in this country with our leadership right now.”

That all sounds familiar, and the subtext was obvious: Maybe those people’s kids need to hear that garbage from Obama, but not mine. And when the feared socialist-indoctrination speech turned out to be some pretty wholesome stuff about staying in school and doing your homework, the fear-lovers and schlong-mongers of the right just blew it off and moved to the next available outrage—over whether the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting was an act of terrorism and why didn’t Obama say as much, even though he did say as much.

Continued Page 11

he announcement came just before the winter break for the Buffalo Public School District. The decision was made among the three finalists announced earlier in the month. Hamlin Park Dr. Claude and Ouida Clapp Academy #74 student finalists, Gabriella Melendez, Shaniylah Welch, and Toriana Cornwell, had their experimental proposal, “Tuber Growth in Microgravity,” chosen to be one selected for testing to the International Space Station in June/July 2016!

The 7th and 8th graders were overwhelmed when the announcement was made at their school. This is an historic achievement for students in the Ferry School District of the Buffalo Public School System. Dr. Michelle Kavanaugh of UB and Executive Director of WNY STEM (ScienceTechnology-EngineeringMath) program has attempted in years pass to include more of the Buffalo Public Schools in this student based initiative with little success. Ferry District BOE Representative, Ms. Sharon Belton-Cottman, took on the challenge to have five schools from her district be a part of the Buffalo/Niagara Region Urban/Suburban/Rural and Charter School Coalition. Hamlin Park #74 is one the 10 schools involved in the coalition. MST (Math-Science-Technology) Preparatory School @ Seneca Parent Facilitator, Ms Ina Ferguson, acted as the WNY STEM(Hub) Liaison, for the Buffalo Public Schools.

Science teacher/ELA Support Coach, Andrew Franz, advised the young ladies to complete their research and proposal writing during the first 10 weeks of school. Work was done before the school day started and during the two hour after-school program period. Students did research on their own time and often worked together during lunch periods. Mr. Franz guided them through the writing process and learned new information with the group as the team researched the idea of growing potatoes in a non-gravity environment in order to sustain a food supply during long periods of space travel.

The unexpected result to be chosen as a finalist was an honor for these novice science investigators. Melendez, Cornwall, and Welch refer to themselves as “The Spud

(L-R) Shaniylah Welch, Gabriella Melendez and Toriana Cornwell.

Launchers” who are curious to know if a potato can be grown in outer space and returned to earth to reproduce in a controlled environment. Inquiry-based instruction motivated these young scientists to imagine the possibility of food growth for future space exploration. The team will continue to work with their University of Buffalo mentors along with the numerous corporate business and community partners to perfect the tubular experiment during the year before the launch date in June/July 2016.

The Hamlin Park Community and Taxpayers Association is a stakeholder in this project in support of the inclusion of both of their schools, Hamlin Park #74 and Community School #53, in this space flight project. “The “Cinderella-like” story ending for this competition only confirms that our schools in this community have higher performing students overlooked by the school district and their methods of testing,” according to HPCTA Education Committee member, Don Hill.

More Good News! WNY STEMHonorable Mention Goes to CS#53 Community School #53 was given Honorable Mention recognition for their 2016 Space Flight Experiment Proposal submission in early November 2015.The CS#53 8th grade team of Carlos Guzzman and Deron Loder entered their proposal entitled: “Effects of Microgravity on Crystal Formation and Growth.”

These investigators wanted to learn if Pepsi Cola is substituted for water when mixing with borax, will crystals grow faster or change size in a weightlessness atmosphere such as outer space as opposed to earth’s gravity environment.

Community and local judges were captivated by this experimental possibility when deciding on the top three proposals from the school to be sent in for consideration for testing on the International Space Station in June. Mrs. Kathryn Lister, CS#53 7th and 8th grade Science teacher, engaged all of her students in this inquiry-based instruction method from early September to October of this school year. Along with ELA instructors, Mrs. Tracey Starr-McIntosh and Mrs. Melissa Kudel, students were guided through the demanding requirements for NASA proposal writing to meet the October deadline. Work sessions before school and during the after-school two hour long program were held to meet this demanding challenge. Five proposals were submitted by 7th graders and five from 8th grade were submitted for community judging. The top 3 were passed on for judging by college and business partners for ranking. More than 70 proposals were submitted with a decision made by November 20, 2015 On December 10, 2015, the WNY STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Math) announced Hamlin Park School #74 was one of the three finalists being considered for their experiment to be tested in space. Community School #53 was among the top five Honorable Mentions. This was an historic accomplishment for both Hamlin Park Community schools. Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash visited both schools unexpectedly on December 17, 2015 to congratulate the students receiving the honors. Both schools have a high percentage of Level 1 and Level 2 ranked students. Both schools embrace an increasing enrollment of Special Education and Special Needs populaContinued Page 11

OPINIONS

Challenger Community News • January 6, 2016

When it comes to Urban Students the Commissioner Ignores Invalid High Stakes Tests

IN THE HONE STRETCH continued This obsession over that word, and its deployment, was in full force in late 2015, which found some of the media at its absolute desperate worst following the San Bernardino shootings. The Los Angeles Times flagrantly champed at the “Is it terrorism?” bit for days as it reported on San Bernardino, until such time as it was able to offer fear-jacking teasers like this: “Follow the Times‘ latest coverage of the worst terrorist attack on American soil since Sept. 11, 2001.”

The implication was obvious, even if the fact patterns couldn’t have been more starkly different. In one attack, a coordinated group of fanatical Saudi Arabians hijacked four jet airplanes, killed 2,996 people and brought down some of the most iconic buildings in the world. In the other, 14 people were murdered at a holiday party. If that’s the worst terrorist attack on American soil since 9-11, then someone’s doing a pretty good job at limiting these sorts of things.

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he December 30th edition of the Buffalo News featured an article that touted State Education Commissioner Elia’s decision granting unbridled receivership powers to Buffalo Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash.

Thanks to the Commissioner’s quick and decisive action, Superintendent Cash has been given unprecedented authority to circumvent the Teachers’ Contract and Board approval to institute any changes he deems necessary in 20 “receivership” schools. This action is being hailed by reformers as a “victory” that will benefit the students in the schools, which have been targeted “persistently struggling” and “struggling”.

As an aside, the reporter raised an issue that I wrote about two weeks ago; Barbara Seals related to high stakes tests and receivership. On December 10th, Governor Nevergold Cuomo announced the findings and final report of the Common Core Task Force. Appointed by the Governor, this group proposed a number of recommendations to address what they determined to be the flawed implementation of the State’s Common Core Learning Standards, including the Common Core aligned standardized ELA and Math exams. According to the Task Force, for numerous reasons, the validity of these tests was deemed to be equally questionable. As a result, the Task Force recommended that “the results from assessments aligned to the current Common Core Standards, as well as the updated standards, shall only be advisory and not be used to evaluate the performance of individual teachers or students.” The Task Force did not suggest how this recommendation will be implemented but did offer a time frame, advising no use of the results from the tests until 2019-20. In fact the “moratorium” on the use of the test results extends from the 2012-13 school year to 2019-20.

The Board of Regents quickly accepted the recommendations and voted to suspend use of these tests as proposed by the Task Force. Historically, these high stakes tests have played a critical role in assessing accountability - that is judging the achievement of students, schools and school districts by the State Education Department. They were also the object of the grass-roots “opt-out” movement which succeeded in producing an astounding 220,000 students (about 20 percent of students statewide), who refused to take these tests this year. This movement deserves considerable credit for the pressure it exerted on the State, which contributed to the retreat from these inappropriate tests and their equally inappropriate uses.

Yet, in the face of these major developments, Commissioner Elia refuses to discuss how the Task Force recommendations regarding the tests impact decisions about the receivership schools.

The Buffalo reporter re-iterated my concerns by stating that “those same tests, however, were a major factor in determining which schools were placed in receivership.” The article also noted that the Commissioner has been “dismissive” of this issue. The Task Force recommendation declared that students should be held harmless from the results of these tests. However, this apparently doesn’t apply to urban students. These students continue to be judged, evaluated and labeled by the results of invalid measures. There has been no change in the approach of the State Education Department with respect to the “receivership schools”, as recommended by the Task Force and dictated by sound pedagogical reasoning. Consequently, in light of the Task Force recommendation, how can some children be held harmless as a result of their test scores and others not? This raises the question of disparate treatment.

Furthermore, when the Commissioner brushes off the issue of the impact of the Regent’s decision to accept the Task Force recommendation to make these tests “advisory”, the question must be asked of the Regents as well as the Commissioner: How does she justify granting sweeping receivership “powers” to the Superintendent for schools which have been labeled as “struggling” and “persistently struggling”, based in great part on invalid tests?

But no, the shrieking narrative that followed was that Obama has totally failed to keep Americans safe for the past seven years. And yet when last spotted on Twitter in 2013, Barron was selling Napa wines in her home state of Colorado and appeared to have survived Obama and his regime of terror.

Twenty fifteen was also the year that Black Lives Matter emerged as a much-needed movement against a segregationist criminal-justice system. It was no surprise that the reaction to BLM was furiously reactive.

The Blacks are getting militant, Bill O’Reilly just wet his pants in fear, and don’t you know it but all lives matter. My favorite Internet meme of 2015 addressed this idiocy by noting that just because you want to save the rainforest doesn’t mean to hell with all those other trees.

But the sort of over-Tweeted, table-turning, first-thought, worst-thought reactions that met the BLM movement served only to distract from the real menace: the mean-season undertone held Black Lives Matter as a bunch of thugs, possibly of the Muslim persuasion, who should shut up and get back to work at McDonald’s. Therefore, Obama was consorting with Muslim thugs and he hates cops. If you don’t want to get shot, comply.

That particular cake was also baked in 2009, during the infamous Henry Louis Gates arrest, and its aftermath. Gates, an esteemed and elderly Harvard professor, who happens to be black, was arrested on disorderly conduct charges after getting uppity with a white police officer who had detained him, or tried to, in Gates’ own home—the officer had followed up on a call that someone had broken into the house.

Obama tried to diffuse the situation and leverage the “teachable moment” by calling for a beer summit with the men at the White House, which sounded like a good idea. But everybody made fun of his meaningless good-will gesture, and six years later, the right still can’t get past the fact that Obama used the word “stupid” in connection with the officer’s actions—as it repeatedly offered apologia after apologia for cop-on-black crimes in 2015, while citing the Gates incident as all the evidence you need that Obama is no friend of the police.

A committee convened to study the Gates incident recommended that moving forward, police forces around the country should offer training to their officers in de-escalation techniques, when the officers are not at risk of injury. Six years later, a white police officer in South Carolina de-escalated a nonthreatening situation by shooting a fleeing black man in the back—and then casually planted evidence to cover up his crime. That was just one of numerous videotaped encounters between (mostly) white police and black citizens that characterized 2015 as the year of the damning video.

-Politically CorrectThere’s an old joke about how “politically correct” is so overused that it doesn’t mean anything except “I don’t agree with you, so therefore you are PC”—but there is a baseline definition of the phenomenon where legitimate points of view are stifled through social shaming. A politically correct right-wing maintains to the bitter end that any attempt to talk about race, especially in relation to Obama, has to turn the tables back on the person doing the talking, because it’s probably a liberal.

So when Dylann Roof clutched a Confederate flag and then shot up a black church in Charleston in 2015, the right-wing political correctness police insisted that the only orthodox way to talk about Roof’s racist shooting spree was to note that if the low-information voters of this country didn’t elect Obama in the first place, none of this would have happened.

As 2015 came to a close, a whole new set of videos started to pop up that exemplified the politically correct culture of the right—Islamophobia by way of Obamaphobia being the core, driving principle. In December, a woman who works for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, took it upon herself to verbally harass and throw coffee at some Muslims praying in a Castro Valley park. The justification was Paris and San Bernardino, and the woman proved her politically correct right-wing bona fides when she screamed at the men, “You have nothing but hate!” She was subsequently charged with a hate crime. Whoops.

There was also a very hostile, and very politically correct right-wing man in Virginia who made the video-outrage circuit late in 2015, during a local planning commission meeting that took up the subject of a proposed new mosque in the area.

As an American Muslim and civil engineer described the project, all the Ugly American energy of the past six years was brought to bear by a bulky white dude—complete with the Trumpian finger-point at the hated Other. “This is evil. You are a terrorist. Everyone of you are terrorists, I don’t care what you say. Every Muslim is a terrorist. Shut your mouth. I don’t want to hear your mouth.”

Do we have the audacity to hope for a better 2016?

(Excerpted from a piece by Tom Gogola that originally appeared on Bohemian.com Tom Gogola is News Editor at the North Bay Bohemian. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including New York and the Nation.)

“We wish to plead our own cause.

Too long have others spoken for us.”

- John Russwurm, Freedom’s Journal.

1827 America’s 1st Black Newspaper

Challenger Community News P.O. BOX 474 Buffalo, NY 14209 advertising@thechallengernews.com

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COMMUNITY SCHOOL #53 continued tions. Both schools are viewed poorly by Central Office personnel as a “dumping ground” for low performing or students with behavioral issues. One school does not receive the resources or staff needed to meet the requirements of its growing school population.

These two schools lack the science equipment and materials taken for granted in suburban and private schools, but yet with limited resources have students through inquiry based instruction presenting researched, student driven and written proposals on par with college students. The Hamlin Park Community and Taxpayers Association are proud of all the students at both schools.

Ferry District Board of Education Representative, Sharon Belton Cottman, Ms Ina Ferguson, MST(Math-Science-Technology)Preparatory School @ Seneca Parent Facilitator, and Dr. Michelle Kavanaugh, UB WNY STEM Executive Director, are to be commended for involving our students in this project. Through the leadership and encouragement of CS#53 Principal Mrs. June Clark with Asst. Principal, Mr. Donald White, and Hamlin Park #74 Principal, Mrs. Elizabeth Giangreco with teacher and staff support, this student driven learning opportunity would not have happened. Kudos to all parties involved in making our students shine like the stars that they are.

• • • •

Published every Wednesday News Deadline: Friday 5 p.m.

Ad Deadline: Friday 5 p.m.

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We respectfully submit that the opinions expressed on the editorial pages of this newspaper are not necessairly those of Challenger Community News Corporation or its advertisers.

Advertising /News/ Information/Inquiries a d ve r t i s i n g @ t h e c h a l l e n g e r n ew s . c o m or a l n i s a 3 3 @ ya h o o . c o m

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Challenger Community News • January 6, 2016

Peoples-Stokes Proposes Changes to Auto Insurance Underwriting Will limit auto insurers’ ability to use non-driving information to price auto insurance Buffalo, NY — Assembly Member Crystal PeoplesStokes proposes legislation that will change the insurance underwriting process to ensure an equitable market place for all drivers. The legislation will prohibit motor vehicle insurers from using any range of socioeconomic factors in determining premiums; which ultimately leads to adverse treatment of low-to moderateincome and minority drivers.

In order to comply with New York State law a person operating a motor vehicle must have limited liability auto insurance. Currently, LEGAL NOTICE

RFP

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR ASBESTOS RELATED INJURY LEGAL DEFENSE COUNSEL SERVICES The Office of General Counsel of the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority (BMHA) requests responses to provide legal services with expertise in asbestos related injury legal defense as outside counsel. Specifically, one asbestos related injury Complaint that requires legal defense work and related analysis and litigation. If you are interested in receiving a copy of the RFP and the Summons and Complaint, please contact Larry Sherlick, at lsherlick@bmhahousing. com and copy Arnitra Chester at achester@bmhahousing.com in your request.Proposals will be received until 3:00 PM, local time, on Monday, January 11, 2016 at 300 Perry Street, Buffalo, NY 14204.

Proposals received after this time will not be accepted.The contract for professional services will be awarded to a single professional firm. The BMHA reserves the right to waive irregularities and to reject any or all of the proposals that are submitted. The Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer and actively solicits the same conduct from all firms interested in this opportunity.

auto insurers may use any range of factors in determine premiums for the pricing on auto insurance policies. Often times a drivers experience and driving record are not the sole indicators used when determining their auto insurance premiums.

Using socioeconomic and non-driving factors that are not related to a person’s ability to operate a motor vehicle safely, forces good drivers to pay substantially more for auto insurance. This inequity leads to an unequal and ad-

verse experience in the auto insurance market place.

“A driver with a clean driving record should not have to pay more for auto insurance due to their socioeconomic status than someone with a bad driving record and a high socioeconomic status.” said Assemblywoman PeoplesStokes. Auto insurers use socioeconomic and non-driving factors when determining premiums. If two drivers have the same driving record and apply for the same auto insurance policy, the driver with a lower

LEGAL NOTICE RFP Legal Notice City of Buffalo Office of Strategic Planning Division of Real Estate Notice of Request For Proposals 204, 206 & 208 High Street Buffalo, NY The City of Buffalo is soliciting proposals for the sale and redevelopment of the parcels located at 204, 206 and 208 High Street.

The three parcels consist of two vacant lots and two structures.

The structures are both two (2) story Italianate brick residences that are positioned on the corner of High and Maple Streets in the City’s Fruit Belt neighborhood.

Built in 1865 these structures have proximity to the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus situated one block away from Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the Buffalo Medical Center. Titles to the properties are currently being held by the City of Buffalo.

Proposals are due no later than Monday February 29, 2016 at 4:00pm. Proposals should include all information specified in the Request for Proposal which is available in the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning, 905 City Hall, Buffalo, NY 14202.

The proposal package is also available on the City of Buffalo’s website at: http://www.city-buffalo.com/ Home/City_Departments/RealEstate/RequestsForProposals

socioeconomic status can be quoted a significantly higher insurance premium. “Working families in New York State should not be subjected to unequal treatment in the auto insurance marketplace”.

The Western New York Law Center recently conducted a study that examined over 4,600 rate quotes for drivers in Western New Yorkand cited auto insurance reform as “a step in creating economic justice in Western New York.”

Buffalo Training & Employment Center Update

Now’s the time to get yourself ready for work!

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s colder weather is upon us and the community begins to settle down, now is the time to enroll in some training class that can lead to employment. *The NFTA is expecting a shortage of mechanics. Mechanics must be skilled and trained in order to get neighbors the training needed BOCES is now offering an Electro Mechanical Maintenance Program.

The training provided will produce candidates that are eligible to be NFTA mechanics. To enroll attend an orientation session any Wednesday at 8:30 at Erie 1 BOCES, Demone 1526 Walden. Call 821-7500 or go on-line: SMITH www.e1b.org/adulted *Rural Metro is looking for EMTsEmergency Medical Technicians. They are offering a free EMTBasic Certification Course. Once you receive your certification you will be offered an opportunity to apply for a position with Rural Metro. Candidates must attend one of the following open enrollment sessions January 7 at 8:45 am or JANUARY 8TH at 1pm the Rural Metro Training center 3121 Clinton St. For more information call 812-7055

Need work? Here is Who’s Hiring!

ROOMS FOR RENT: Delavan-Humboldt area, Bailey-Delavan. $325$480. Everything included.

(716)818-3410.

*The City of Buffalo is seeking Motor Equipment Mechanics and First Student is currently hiring School Bus drivers. *Roswell Park Opportunity - Administrative Aide - Ambulatory Services. For details and interested applicants can apply by referencing posting #4238 to ww.roswellpark.org/careers/ apply-online EOE *Cooks & Other Openings - Longhorn Steakhouse! Looking for cooks and other staff at its restaurants on Walden Avenue in Cheektowaga, on Amelia Drive in Orchard Park and on Military Road in Niagara Falls. Those interested can apply in person at ANY OF THE 3 LOCATIONS or apply online at: www.LongHornSteakhouse.com/careers *Bookkeeper/HR Assistant is needed at the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy!Send resume, cover letter and three references to beth@bfloparks.org Please include job title in subject of email. Must be a City of Buffalo resident *Starbucks Coffee is hiring Barista’s and Shift Supervisors at many local stores!To apply: http://www.starbucks.com/ careers/retail-careers *Some great job opportunities at SASI! For details regarding the types of jobs and how to apply, please go to: www. sasinc.org/Careers *Research Assistant position available at Via Evaluation, located in downtown Buffalo If this sounds like a professional and cultural fit for you, please send: a cover letter, your current resume, names of professional references, writing sample, and salary history (in PDF or Microsoft Word format) to: Ms. Komani Lundquist: komani@viaeval.com or by fax @ (716) 362-0712 *FIRST CENTER has 50 openings for Loan Customer Service Representative Subject to employer reference check and criminal background check , apply by email or on line: email: fcjobs@firstcenterbuffalo.comonline: www.firstcenterbuffalo.com*The Internal Revenue Service is hiring a number of seasonal and temporary workers www.usajobs.gov The Buffalo Employment Training Center is here to help with your job searching needs. We have free services to all job seekers looking to find better paying work, an exciting new career or wanting to upgrade skills to become more marketable in today’s marketplace. Orientations are every Monday –Thursday 10am or 2pm. 77 Goodell St. 856-JOBS(5627) (Former Masten Councilmember Smith is Director of falo Employment Center.)

District Demone the BufTraining

Classified

Challenger Community News • January 6, 2016

Looking for a Job in the Customer Service field?

Check Out EOC! The UBEOC is collaborating with local employers to meet their staffing needs. Staff Buffalo, Strauss Group, Center One, Inergex and Capital Management are just a few of the companies that have interviewed and/or hired graduates of EOC’s short term Customer Service Certification Program that ended in October 2015.

Employers in banking and hospitality are also hiring.

Students that graduate from this 40 hour course receive a national certification from the National Retail Federation and the National Work Readiness Credential. If they want to continue to build their resume, students will work with EOC’s Career Services Office and have the opportunity to earn certifications in Electronic Health Records, Digital Literacy, Microsoft Office 2013 and QuickBooks.

Our next program begins in January 2016. Thank you for sharing this information and call us at 716.645.1900 to learn how to apply.

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EMPLOYMENT Assistant Professor

The Fine Arts Department at Buffalo State, State University of New York, seeks candidates for the position of Assistant Professor.

For a full job description and to apply: https://jobs.buffalostate.edu.

Buffalo State is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and committed to respect for diversity and individual differences.

Title IX Investigator & Prevention Specialist

The Dean of Students office at Buffalo State, State University of New York, seeks candidates for the position of Title IX Investigator & Prevention Specialist.

For a full job description and to apply: https://jobs.buffalostate.edu.

Buffalo State is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and committed to respect for diversity and individual differences.

Head Women’s Hockey Coach Title IX Investigator & Prevention Specialist

The Intercollegiate Athletics Department at Buffalo State, State University of The Dean of Students office at Buffalo State, State University of New York, seeks New York, candidates for IX theInvestigator position of Head Women’s Hockey Coach. candidates forseeks the position of Title & Prevention Specialist.

Grants Director

The Erie County Industrial Buffalo Challenger Development Agency (ECIDA)Size: is seeking a Grants 2 (4”)Dix 2” rector to fill a newly created role. The Director will be responsible for writing, coordinating and overseeing the grant application and management process including identification of potential new funding sources for existing and proposed programs and/ or services, writing grants, collaborating on grant applications with the ECIDA’s partners, and completing report evaluations on existing Buffalo Challenger grants.

5+ years of experience successfully grant Size: identifying 2 (4”) x 2” sources and obtaining funding is required. Qualified applicants can their submit resume to jregan@performancepros. net.

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE COACH The Aloma D. Johnson Charter School is currently seeking applicants for the position of Academic Performance Coach. The successful candidate will have a Master’s Degree in Teaching, Educational Administration, subject matter, or a related field, and New York State Education Certification.

The Academic Performance Coach should have at least five years teaching experience, proven classroom teaching performance, experience analyzing and interpreting student achievement and data and its application to instruction, and knowledge of effective staff development techniques.

Preferred qualifications: NYS SBL or SDL Certification (or NYS SAS, NYS SDA Certification), knowledge of and/or experience as a trainer in the most recent NYS Standards including Common Core.

Resumes should be submitted to the Search Committee Chair, 15 Jewett Parkway, Buffalo, NY 14214 or jpotter@adjcharter.org

by January 22, 2016.

ACHIEVEMENT COORDINATOR

The Aloma D. Johnson Charter School is currently seeking applicants for the position of Achievement Coordinator. The successful candidate will have a Master’s Degree in Education and a minimum of 5 years teaching experience.

The Achievement Coordinator is responsible for the following: Assist grade level teams with strategic opportunities for interdisMUSICIAN WANTED ciplinary units and integration of technology and performance The New Hope Baptist Church assessment; coordinate instructional materials; coordinate stuin Niagara Falls, New York is dent achievement testing; engage in targeted instructional coachlooking for a qualified pianist/ ing; assist in observation and evaluation of teachers; work with organist to play for a medium Director to develop clear procedures; ensure compliance with all size congregation. Must be assessment guidelines. NYS SBL or SDL Certification or NYS a person of faith and have a SAS, NYS SDA Certification preferred; a minimum of 5 years commitment to building the successful teaching experience; evidence of data use for instrucBuffalo Challenger music program. Salary-Negotional planning; excellent written and verbal communication tiable.

Knowledge of praise, Size: 2 (4”) x 2” skills Buffalo Challenger gospel and traditional music should be submitted to the Search Committee Chair, Size:and is able01/06/16 2to(4”) x 5.5” 15Resumes Issue: helpful work Jewett Parkway, Buffalo, NY 14214 or jpotter@adjcharter.org withD/L: a youth choir.12/31/15 If interby January 22, 2016.

Issue: 12/23 ested, please contact Deacon D/L: Williamson12/317 Michael at 716622-2189 or Deacon Patrick Price: $209.00 Chair and Associate Professor Jones at 716-990-3676.

The Elementary Education and Reading Department at Buffalo State, State University of New York, seeks candidates for the position of Chair ADVERTISING and Associate Professor.

PAYS For a full job description and to apply: https://jobs.buffalostate.edu.

Required For aQualifications: full job description and to apply: https://jobs.buffalostate.edu.

• Doctor of Law or Master's degree in Higher Education, Social Work, Psychology, Counseling or a related field.

• Experience with the investigation of alleged violations of law or institutional policy.

• Experience with conducting a trauma-informed response and crisis intervention for victims of sexual violence.

• Experience with interviewing individuals involved in an alleged violation to obtain ADVERTISING information needed to design a plan of appropriate support and accommodations.

• Knowledge of best practices in prevention of sexual violence.

PAYS Buffalo State is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer • Familiarity with procedures for case management and effective advocacy. and committed to respect for diversity and individual differences.

• Knowledge of State and federal laws and SUNY policy related to sexual assault and other forms of gender based violence including Title IX, FERPA, and Clery.

• Demonstrated effectiveness with public speaking and making educational presentations.

• Ability to maintain confidential client information.

• Good written and verbal communication skills.

• Good organizational skills.

• Ability to work cooperatively and collegially with students, faculty, staff, and community members from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications: • Training in trauma response.

• Experience workingRelations/Deputy in a higher education setting. Director of State Relations Director of Community • Experience with investigation of incidents of sexual and other gender based violence.

• Tolerance ambiguity. candidates for the position of Director of Community The University at Buffalo (UB)for seeks • Ability to work some evening and weekend hours.

• Ability to take initiative.

Relations/Deputy Director of State Relations to serve as UB’s lead policy advisor, strategist and • Ability to work independently and as part of a team. liaison in matters concerning • Strongcommunity leadership skills. relations, including the university’s relationships with • Strongand computer skills especially with Microsoft Office. city, county and town elected government officials, the university’s multiple neighborhoods, • Successful experience with writing grant proposals.

• Skills in program assessment. and its advocacy and engagement with local businesses, organizations and citizens’ groups. In

addition, the incumbent will participate inmay the full range of UB's state relations activities as directed Qualified applicants apply online at https://jobs.buffalostate.edu. by the Director of Government Relations to promote the strategic interests of the university.

Detailed information about the position and the application process can be found online at https:///www.ubjobs.buffalo.edu, posting # 1500860. All applications must be submitted through Buffalo State is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and committed to respect for diversity and individual differences. this online site by January 20, 2016.

The University at Buffalo is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic university community committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment. Potential applicants who share this goal, including veterans and individuals with disabilities, are encouraged to apply.

Buffalo State is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and committed to respect for diversity and individual differences.

JOBS

Buffalo Employment and Training Center 77 Goodell St., Buffalo, 856-5627/ Fax 7856-5670 www.workforcebuffalo.org The BETC is here to help with your job searching needs.

Free services to all jobseekers looking to find better paying work,an exciting new career, or wanting to upgrade skills to become more marketable in today’s marketplace.

Orientation Times: Monday – Thursday, 10 am or 2 pm.

B S

14

Challenger Community News • January 6, 2016

NEW YORK STATE LOTTERY NUMBERS

SUN 12/27

MON 12/28

TUES 12/29

WED 12/30 THURS 12/31 FRI 1/1 SAT 1/2

RADNEY’S SPORTS UPDATE Bills Eliminate Jets from Playoff Contention With a 22 – 17 Win

I

t was a defensive struggle with both teams using a physical defensive style of play early on in this contest. The Bills MID-351 MID-519 MID-569 MID-946 MID-669 MID-268 MID-151 jumped out to an early 13 – 0 lead and Jets QB Ryan Fritz 3-WAY patrick was looking as bad as he did when playing for the Bills.

EVE-278 EVE-077 EVE-696 EVE-267 EVE-270 EVE-124 EVE-950 Ryan’s arm strength is exposed in bad weather games.

The Jets finally scored on a 17 yard TD pass to Brandon Marshall breaking Don MayMID- 2481 MID -9671 MID - 1395 MID-5760 MID -3554 MID-7761 MID-3542 nard’s receiving record set by a New York EVE- 9132 EVE- 9185 EVE - 9117 EVE-9651 EVE- 8535 EVE- 3752 EVE-3149

Jet in 1964. That tells you Jets have been WIN 4

without quality wide receivers for a long

time. The Bills defense was able to stop the running game of the Jets, but the Jets chose not to give the ball back to Chris Ivory, who 2-9-10-13-27 17-18-24-27-32 10-16-17-19-38 3-5-11-14-27 2-9-25-37-38 1-4-9-10-32 2-3-15-22-31 TAKE 5 rushed 6 times for 81 yards. (He had a 58 yard run early in the game) It was quite

surprising the Ivory did not carry the ball

By GEORGE more, instead opting for Steven Ridley.

44-11-18-37-51-59#45 5-11-28-32-34-35#06 RADNEY Jets Head Coach Todd Bowles went with LOTTO his initial game plan instead of adjusting it for Chris Ivory to get more carries in the game. Ivory said, “I was healthy enough to play, and I’m strong enough mentally to

play through the injury. It was our game plan for this week’s game and Ridley had the reps in practice, and he was healthy so HOT TIPS they went more with him, just how it played out I did not ask for more carries during the game.”

That was an interesting decision by first year Head Coach Challenger Hits Todd Bowles not to go with the hot runner Chris Ivory more in this game.

Midday The other story of this game is Ryan Fritzpatrick still not being able to bring a team from behind to win a game. He has 268 -ZR Rundown (straight) 107-428-467-779-051-074-556-897-844-658-791-017-234a weak arm for NFL standard quarterbacks and trying to throw 946 -Aquarius , Aries (bx) 256-789-310-856-792-876-429-654-423-157-910-443-167into a strong wind was not going to happen for him. The game 569 -Taurus 9 (bx) changing play was an interception by Leodis McKelvin in the 351 -ZR Rundown (bx) 578-918-953-546-478-213-361-189-328-198-436-335-567end zone in a pass attempted for Eric Decker. Leodis said, “I’m 920-845-213-578-800-108-457-915-234-569-657-137-830 a team player and will give it my all. This could be my last Evening time playing in Bills stadium. I believe in my teammates, and I “Its In The Stars” Billy Bye Bye Sez: 950 -ZR Rundown (bx) would like to come back to the Bills next year.”

Aquarius -496-235-165-579 124-New Year Hits , Quick Money (straight) The Bills defense seemed to put pressure on Fritz with a 180-283-760-1954 Pisces - 056-362-237-694 Dec Vibes, Number Book, Lucky Duckie 1447-5780-9966-6888 four man pass rush which the team should have been doing all (bx) Cancer - 482-372-895-718 “With Sgt. Hyder’s Hits You season instead of Rex Ryan’s game playing with the defensive 267- Weekday Hits (bx) Aries - 561-236-164-469 Cant Miss” scheme. The Bills current personnel is a 4—3 scheme with four 278-ZR Rundown (bx) Taurus -258-231-026-695 quality pass rushers getting after the quarterback. Bills defenGemini-495-257-694-508 sive end Manny Lawson said, “We just go out there and play JANUARY VIBES Leo-345-213-157-201 against our opponents. We are a very heartfelt team that plays Virgo 385-291-431-170 LUCKIE DUCKIE with a lot of heart and a lot of emotion. We knocked them out of Libra -247-723-179-501 the playoffs, but most important thing was we won.”

Yes, the Bills play with emotion and our front four can hang Scorpio - 453-253-571-597 202 335 -2015-4444 with any offensive line in the league. Rex Ryan came in here Sagittarius - 389-701-234-924 134-431-143

with his schemes and techniques that were not a good fit for our Capricorn:893-275-342-506 648*123*104 current team. Bills General Manager Doug Whaley now must 980-422-809 quick money $$$$ THE NUMBER BOOK bring in players that fit Rex Ryan’s 3-4 scheme for next sea981-989-970-990-080son. It’s a shame that Rex Ryan is only a one dimensional Head 189-809-444 800-515-996 Coach who could not adapt to the outstanding players he had on 390-196-102-581-752886-980-422 this roster like the really good NFL Head Coaches. The Mike 319-408-378-352-126 322-522-355 189-444-886-514 Tomlin’s, Bill Belichick, and Pete Carroll’s can win with their 322-522-412-432-421800-592-390 talent and turn around and beat you with yours. Rex is very ig423 norant to change and could not get one of the best pass rushing 394-833-924 units in the league to perform at last year’s levels, which would 127-909-418 3-Way Winning Numbers Last Year 2015 have given us a leg up along with the improved offensive play 927-313-466 might have propelled us into the playoffs.

124-550-525 Ryan is a dinosaur and the modern game of NFL football 1/14/2015 Evening 2-0-5 has passed him by and was a terrible hire by the Pegula’s. Once 1/14/2015 Midday 9-2-8 583-269-508 again the Pegula’s should stay in their lane and allow Doug 1/13/2015 Evening 1-0-6 1/13/2015 Midday 5-9-2 Whaley to fix this mess they have created and in the future alGrandma’s Picks1/12/2015 Evening 5-1-0 low him to hire the next Buffalo Bills Head Coach. Doug Whal435-789-085-689-6571/12/2015 Midday 2-0-6 ey should be given the position of Vice President of Football 1/11/2015 Evening 6-7-0 Operations and given the power to hire and fire personnel just 4-Way January Hot Tips 1/11/2015 Midday 1-2-6 like all of the other Buffalo Bills general Managers of the past.

1/10/2015 Evening 7-2-9 Don’t handcuff him or go over his head in making important 5767-8866-5252-7788-2018-1871-1303 1/10/2015 Midday 1-5-5 football decisions. Rex’s best move of the season was getting 1/09/2015 Evening 1-8-0 Doug Whaley to bring in Tyrod Taylor as our starting quarterBest JANUARY Triple - 888 1/09/2015 Midday 8-3-1 back. Doug Whaley must improve the offensive line in order 1/08/2015 Evening 7-1-7 Special Doubles - 443-588-202-335 to protect Tyrod more for next season. Tyrod is our future at 1/08/2015 Midday 9-7-8 quarterback and could give us at least five to ten years of qual1/07/2015 Evening 7-9-3 WEEK DAY HITS! ity play at the quarterback position, where we have been lack1/07/2015 Midday 1-1-3 ing for quite a bit longer in a franchise that has not made the mon 606-tues 721-wed 5921/06/2015 Evening 4-6-3 playoffs in 16 years. That’s almost unheard of in this modern 1/06/2015 Midday 9-1-8 thurs 384-fri 295-sat 621 football era.

4018

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Zakiyyah’s Rundown (ZR)

523-923-632145-701-653

648

556

738 901

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Challenger Community News • January 6, 2016

Get Help With Your Gas and Electric Bills!

The office of Legislator Betty Jean Grant is sponsoring a HEAP Outreach session on Thursday, January 14 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the KenBailey Neighborhood Housing Services, 995 Kensington Avenue. You don’t need to have a shut-off notice and Emergency HEAP is available if you have already received regular HEAP with a shut off notice. Help with electric is now available with a disconnect notice. For more information call 894-0914.

Wednesday January 6

Wednesday January 6

Sunday January 17

Khametic Ascendants: 9-10 a.m. & 12:30 a.m. (after midnight), Channel 20.

Board of Education: Special Board Meeting 5 p.m., 801 City Hall.

The Durham Central City Baby Café: every Wed. and Thurs. 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. 200 E. Eagle. Dinner free! 885-6348.

Thursday January 7

The “CONCERNED CITIZENS FOLLOWING THE DREAM” Committee Present Annual Martin Luther King Celebration: 6 p.m. at Kleinhans Music Hall. Free. (See pg. 3)

HUSTLE FOR HEALTH: Gloria J Parks Community Center 3242 Main St, 10AM Call 832-1010 WE Are Women Warriors Meeting: 6:30 – 7:45. The Merriweather Library, 1324 Jefferson Avenue.

LEGAL NOTICE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF ERIE FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION (“FANNIE MAE”), A CORPORATION ORGANIZED AND EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff, vs.

COLLEEN GRAY AS EXECUTOR AND HEIR OF THE ESTATE OF JEAN M. WALSH; MICHAEL MCGUIRE, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF JEAN M. WALSH; DENNIS MCGUIRE, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF JEAN M. WALSH; SHARON PETTITT, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF JEAN M. WALSH; DONNA GRIMALDI, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF JEAN M. WALSH; PATRICIA EWELL, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF JEAN M. WALSH; any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; ERIE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES; THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #12,” the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises, described in the complaint, Defendants. To the above named Defendants YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this summons, to serve a notice of appearance on the Plaintiff’s Attorney within Twenty (20) days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within Thirty (30) days after the service is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York) in the event the United States of America is made a party defendant, the time to answer for the said United States of America shall not expire until Sixty (60) days after service of the Summons; and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above caption action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure the sum of Sixty-seven thousand eight hundred 00/100 ($67,800.00) Dollars and interest, recorded on March 17, 2008, at Liber 13395 Page 2561, of the Public Records of ERIE County, New York, covering premises known as 474 TAUNTON PLACE, BUFFALO, NY 14216. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. ERIE County is designated as the place of trial because the real property affected by this action is located in said county. NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. Dated: November 20, 2015 Westbury, New York RAS BORISKIN, LLC Attorney for Plaintiff BY: Daniel Greenbaum, Esq.900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 106 Westbury, NY 11590 (516) 280-7675

Contract Compliance Review Committee: Merriweather Library 1324 Jefferson Avenue, 6 – 7:45. For info. Charley H. Fisher, lll (716) 650-8889.

Daemen to Host Discussion on Race and Higher Education: 10 a.m. at the Wick Campus Center. See page 3.

Monday January 11 Commemoration for Dr. Frances Cress Welsing: 6 -8 p.m.

Frank E. Merriweather Library1324 Jefferson Ave. (p.4) Aloma Johnson Charter School Board of Trustees Open Meeting: 6 pm, 15 Jewett Parkway info 856-4390.

Afrikan Consciousness Workshop: 6-7:45 p.m., Merriweather Library Jefferson @ E. Utica; every Monday; public invited.

Tuesday January 12

Diamond Girls Rock Diamond Girls Rock

- Girls Mentoring Program for girls between the ages of 10 - 18. Please joins us every Monday at 6:30p.m.at the East Delavan Community Center, 877 East Delavan Ave., Bflo. NY. for more info please call (716) 389-0115 and leave a message or visit our FB Page:www.facebook. com/diamondgirlsrock or email us @ Diamondsintheroughbflo@gmail.com

SEPAC: 9:30 a.m. at Parent Network 1000 Main Street.

Wednesday January 13 Khametic Ascendants: 9-10 a.m. & 12:30 a.m. (after midnight), Channel 20.

The Durham Central City Baby Café: every Wed. and Thurs. 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. 200 E. Eagle. Dinner free! 885-6348.

HUSTLE FOR HEALTH: Gloria J Parks Community Center 3242 Main St, 10AM. Call 832-1010 “Buffalo, In Light Of Ferguson” : Investigative Post Panel Discussion will Feature Rev. Pridgen, Dr. Henry Taylor, 12 noon at Osteria 166, 166 Franklin Street, Tickets $25, or $10 for Investigative Post members.(See pg. 3) Thursday January 14 Global Concepts Charter School Ruben Santiago-Hudson Fine Arts Center Film Festival: “Selma” at 5:30 p.m., 169 Roland Ave, Lackawanna. Limited Seats. RSVP to cclark@globalccs.org 38th Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: Honoring Dr. King, 12 – 1 p.m., Downtown Library Auditorium, 1 Lafayette Square, info 716 858 8900. Free. (See p.3)

THROUGH THESE GATES: BUFFALO’S FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARCHITECT, JOHN E. BRENT Rare photographs, original drawings, blueprints and artifacts on view through March 27. For group tours, call 716-878-3156.

www.BurchfieldPenney.org

Harold Wallace, photographer, Portrait of John E. Brent (detail), ca. 1950s; Gelatin silver print on paper, 5" x 4"; Private Collection.

HEAP Outreach

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Challenger Community News • January 6, 2016

16

FIRST NIGHT! Pictured above are scenes from the first night of Kwanzaa 2016 – Umoja! (Unity) at the Buffalo Academy of Visual and Performing Arts. More images and details next week. Asante Sana (a big thank you) to the Kwanzaa committee for another great celebration! THIRD EYE PHOTOS