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VOL. 19 NO. 42
FEBRUARY 8, 2013—NASSAU EDITION
Serving Nassau County’s African American Community
THE NEW COMMUNITY JOURNAL
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2013
NY gets nearly $3.5B in Sandy development aid Originally published: February 5, 2013 5:05 PM Updated: February 5, 2013 10:15 PM By TOM BRUNE tom.brune@newsday.com WASHINGTON -- New York will get nearly $3.5 billion in the first release of community development block grant funds from the $50.5 billion superstorm Sandy relief act approved last week, Sen. Charles Schumer said Tuesday. Of that amount, New York City will receive about $1.8 billion and New York State will administer $1.7 billion for recovery from the storm's damage, said Schumer (D-N.Y.). Nassau and Suffolk counties are expected to be included in the state's action plan for its funds, which must be approved by federal housing officials. The funds can be used for housing repairs or replacement costs not covered by other sources; repairs for uninsured small businesses, and affordable housing and community development in low- and moderateincome neighborhoods. "This first allocation of federal funds recognizes the substantial need that the governor has fought for to rebuild the many homes, businesses and communities on Long Island and across the state that were damaged by Sandy," said Matthew Wing, spokesman for New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo. New York's share accounted for nearly two-thirds of the $5.4 billion that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is releasing this week as the first installment of the $16 billion in community development block grants in the relief act. "With this first $5.4 billion allocation, the work it took to pass the Sandy aid bill is starting to pay off," Schumer said. Of the $5.4 billion, HUD allotted $1.8 billion to New Jersey, $71.8 million to Connecticut, $8.6 million to Maryland and $3.2 million to Rhode Island. Meanwhile, the first $2 billion in transit aid from the Sandy relief act is being made available for local transit agencies, including the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Long Island Rail Road, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced this week. Transit agencies in the 12 states with disaster declarations from Sandy can apply for funds for storm-related work. NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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Blizzard watch in effect for Suffolk County Originally published: February 7, 2013 6:51 AM Updated: February 7, 2013 3:10 PM By PATRICIA KITCHEN. AND MARK HARRINGTON patricia.kitchen@newsday.com, mark.harrington@newsday.com A blizzard watch has been issued for Suffolk County, effective early Friday afternoon into Saturday morning, as "everything is coming together for a classic winter nor'easter," according to the National Weather Service. Up to a foot of snow is possible in Suffolk and as much as 9 inches in Nassau County, where a winter storm watch remains in effect, said Tim Morrin, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Upton. The blizzard watch is in effect for Suffolk from 1 p.m. Friday until 1 p.m. Saturday because the county is closer to the center of the approaching storm. In Nassau, the winter storm watch is in effect for the same time period. "We are anticipating a substantial accumulation of snow," Morrin said Thursday morning. The winter storm watch was upgraded to a blizzard watch in Suffolk because of anticipated winds sustained at 35 mph and visibility less than a quarter mile with falling and blowing snow for a period of at least three consecutive hours, Morrin said. During that time snow may fall at a rate of 2 inches to 3 inches per hour, Morrin said. He said the system coming our way is reminiscent of "every major nor'easter that's caused upward to a foot of snow," citing 2010's day-after-Christmas blizzard, as well as the storm of Feb. 6, 1978, that just marked its 35th anniversary. (Continued on page 4)
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THE NEW COMMUNITY JOURNAL
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Community Journal a publication of Emerging Business Group, Inc. Š2006 New York all rights reserved The Community Journal is a weekly publication, based in Baldwin, New York, dedicated to sharing news and information among minority businesses and residents which will enable positive action - economically, socially and politically - for the betterment of us all. From our premiere issue, July 1, 1993, we have grown to be one of the leading African heritage news and information sources on Long Island. As a community - based publication, we intend to expand our presence and to encourage greater participation from all members of the community in forging our shared destiny. We are a "for-profit" business and hope to extend that spirit of economic empowerment to many other businesses in our community. We are published each week unless otherwise indicated and are distributed through newsstands, independent sales agents, and subscriptions.
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THE NEW COMMUNITY JOURNAL
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2013
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COLUMNIST: IN THE BLACK Larry Montgomery, Sr. INSPIRATION PERSPECTIVE
Michelle Obama to attend Hadiya Pendleton funeral
EDUCATION Lisa Byers ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT: “VILLAGE LIFE Magazine� REASONABLE THINKING: Jim Reed
First Lady Michelle Obama will attend the funeral of a 15-year-old girl gunned down last week in Chicago, a White House source said. The first lady will travel to Chicago on Saturday and attend the funeral for Hadiya Pendleton at Calahan Funeral Home, according to the source. She will attend along with Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.
MINISTER LARRY MONTGOMERY, SR. PUBLISHER AND CHIEF COMMUNITY JOURNAL, INC.
WATCH AND PRAY God is about to release a 7 FOLD BLESSING. He is doing something new. SO WATCH AND PRAY. God Bless.
HEALTHY LIVING (Continued from page 2)
RELIGION: Dr. Karen Deadwyler Bishop Dr. Andy Lewter LOCAL SPORTS: BJ Robinson
In anticipation of snow accumulations, some of the busiest airlines that fly into and out of New York City have begun offering customers the opportunity to change their travel plans without a cash penalty. Airlines including Southwest, the major carrier at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, and U.S. Airway, JetBlue, American and Delta have all posted notices on their websites about change-fee waivers. Customers with plans to travel between Feb. 7 and 9 can make new travel arrangements without being charged a change fee. The window for the rescheduled travel varies by airlines, so customers should check with their airlines. An alert from Kennedy Airport said that "weather conditions are expected to cause disruptions in flight activity tomorrow and this weekend," and that travelers should check with their airlines before heading to the airport. Blizzard conditions could bring down tree limbs and cause scattered power outages, forecasters said. Indeed, Morrin said that Long Islanders are wise to prepare for potential power outages, due to the expected build up of ice and snow on tree branches and power lines, coupled with heavy winds. Snow will actually start falling early Friday -- potentially around daybreak -amounting to just a coating or up to an inch, he said, which still could make the morning commute slick. Warm air coming off the ocean will mean mixed precipitation as the day progresses, into the evening rush, he said. "We do anticipate a rapid change back to snow tomorrow evening, as this storm starts really cranking," Morrin said. By 8 p.m. the changeover to snow should be complete on Long Island, he said. Morrin urged all Long Islanders to take this storm seriously, and stay off the roads particularly Friday night into the overnight hours. "When it starts going downhill, it can go downhill in a quick hurry," Morrin said. (Continued on page 10)
NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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THE NEW COMMUNITY JOURNAL
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2013
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Hong Kong poor living in cages shows dark side of property boom Soaring real estate prices, limited space and not enough public housing mean that 100,000 people in Hong Kong are living in inadequate lodging. HONG KONG – For many of the richest people in Hong Kong, one of Asia's wealthiest cities, home is a mansion with an expansive view from the heights of Victoria Peak. For some of the poorest, like Leung Cho-yin, home is a metal cage. The 67-year-old former butcher pays $167 a month for one of about a dozen wire mesh cages resembling rabbit hutches crammed into a dilapidated apartment in a gritty, working-class West Kowloon neighborhood. The cages, stacked on top of each other, measure 16 square feet. To keep bedbugs away, Leung and his roommates put thin pads, bamboo mats, even old linoleum on their cages' wooden planks instead of mattresses. "I've been bitten so much I'm used to it," said Leung, rolling up the sleeve of his oversized blue fleece jacket to reveal a red mark on his hand. "There's nothing you can do about it. I've got to live here. I've got to survive," he said as he let out a phlegmy cough. Some 100,000 people in the former British colony live in inadequate housing, according to the Society for Community Organization, a social welfare group. The category also includes apartments subdivided into tiny cubicles or filled with coffin-sized wood and metal sleeping compartments, as well as rooftop shacks. They're a grim counterpoint to the southern Chinese city's renowned material affluence. Forced by skyrocketing housing prices to live in cramped, dirty and unsafe conditions, their plight also highlights one of the biggest headaches facing Hong Kong's unpopular Beijing-backed leader: growing public rage over the city's housing crisis. Leung Chun-ying took office as Hong Kong's chief executive in July pledging to provide more affordable housing in a bid to cool the anger. Home prices rose 23 percent in the first 10 months of 2012 and have doubled since bottoming out in 2008 during the global financial crisis, the International Monetary Fund said in a report last month. Rents have followed a similar trajectory. The soaring costs are putting decent homes out of reach for a large portion of the population while stoking resentment of the government, which controls all land for development, and a coterie of wealthy property developers. Housing costs have been fueled by easy credit thanks to ultralow interest rates that policymakers can't raise because the currency is pegged to the dollar. Money flooding in from mainland Chinese and foreign investors looking for higher returns has exacerbated the rise. In his inaugural policy speech in January, the chief executive said the inability of the middle class to buy homes posed a threat to social stability and promised to make it a priority to tackle the housing shortage. "Many families have to move into smaller or older flats, or even factory buildings," he said. "Cramped living space in cage homes, cubicle apartments and sub-divided flats has become the reluctant choice for tens of thousands of Hong Kong people," he said, as he unveiled plans to boost supply of public housing in the medium term from its current level of 15,000 apartments a year. His comments mark a distinct shift from predecessor Donald Tsang, who ignored the problem. Legislators and activists, however, slammed Leung for a lack of measures to boost the supply in the short term. Some 210,000 people are on the waiting list for public housing, about double from 2006. About one-third of Hong Kong's 7.1 million population lives in public rental flats. When apartments bought with government subsidies are included, the figure rises to nearly half. Anger over housing prices is a common theme in increasingly frequent anti-government protests. Legislator Frederick Fung warns there will be more if the problem can't be solved. He compared the effect on the poor to a lab experiment. "When we were in secondary school, we had some sort of experiment where we put many rats in a small box. They would bite each other," said Fung. "When living spaces are so congested, they would make people feel uneasy, desperate," and angry at the government, he said. NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
LACK OF HOPE Leung, the cage dweller, had little faith that the government could do anything to change the situation of people like him. "It's not whether I believe him or not, but they always talk this way. What hope is there?" said Leung, who has been living in cage homes since he stopped working at a market stall after losing part of a finger 20 years ago. With just a seventh-grade education, he was only able to find intermittent casual work. He hasn't applied for public housing because he doesn't want to leave his roommates to live alone. He expects to spend the rest of his life living in a cage. His only income is $515 in government assistance each month. After paying his rent, he's left with $350, or about $11.60 a day. "It's impossible for me to save," said Leung, who never married and has no children to lean on for support. Leung and his roommates, all of them single, elderly men, wash their clothes in a bucket. The bathroom facilities consist of two toilet stalls, one of them adjoining a squat toilet that doubles as a shower stall. There is no kitchen, just a small room with a sink. The hallway walls have turned brown with dirt accumulated over the years. While cage homes, which sprang up in the 1950s to cater mostly to single men coming in from mainland China, are becoming rarer, other types of substandard housing such as cubicle apartments are growing as more families are pushed into poverty. Nearly 1.19 million people were living in poverty in the first half of last year, up from 1.15 million in 2011, according to the Hong Kong Council of Social Services. There's no official poverty line, but it's generally defined as half of the city's median income of $1,550 a month. Many poor residents have applied for public housing but face years of waiting. Nearly three-quarters of 500 low-income families questioned by Oxfam Hong Kong in a recent survey had been on the list for more than four years without being offered a flat. Lee Tat-fong, is one of those waiting. The 63-year-old is hoping she and her two grandchildren can get out of the cubicle apartment they share in their Wan Chai neighborhood, but she has no idea how long it will take. Lee, who suffers from diabetes and back problems, takes care of Amy, 9, and Steven, 13, because their father has disappeared and their mother — her daughter — can't get a permit to come to Hong Kong from mainland China. An uncle occasionally lends a hand. The three live in a 50-square-foot room, one of seven created by subdividing an existing apartment. A bunk bed takes up half the space, a cabinet most of the rest, leaving barely enough room to stand up in. The room is jammed with their possessions: plastic bags filled with clothes, an electric fan, Amy's stuffed animals, cooking utensils. "There's too little space here. We can barely breathe," said Lee, who shares the bottom bunk with her grandson. They share the communal kitchen and two toilets with the other residents. Welfare pays their monthly rent and the three get some help with living expenses but the money is never enough, especially with two growing children to feed. Lee said the two often wanted to have McDonalds because they were still hungry after dinner, which on a recent night was meager portions of rice, vegetables and meat. The struggle to raise her two grandkids in such conditions was wearing her out. "It's exhausting," she said. "Sometimes I get so pent up with anger, and I cry but no one sees because I hide away." PAGE 5
THE NEW COMMUNITY JOURNAL
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2013
Republicans who oppose Obamacare could deny millions of low-income people insurance Still opposed to President Obama’s health care law, a growing number of Republican governors are declaring they will reject federal funds for Medicaid that they could receive next year, putting almost 5 million low-income Americans in danger of not getting health insurance. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett this week joined 10 of his GOP colleagues in saying he would not accept new federal money for Medicaid, which was intended by Obama to be expanded next year to almost every American family earning less than $32,000 and individuals with income below $16,000. “Obamacare” originally required states to expand their Medicaid programs in 2014 as set out under the law or lose all federal funding for Medicaid, but a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year which upheld the overall health care law struck down the Medicaid provision. States can now choose whether they want to expand Medicaid further, but will not lose their existing Medicaid funding. Corbett and other Republicans say they are rejecting the Medicaid funds on the grounds that it would still be too expensive for their states, as the Pennsylvania governor said the program was on an “unsustainable path.” This is a questionable claim. Under the law, the federal government would pay 100 percent of the cost for new Medicaid recipients from 2014-2016, then pick up about 90 percent of the tab after that. But the Republican governors say they fear the federal government could eventually reduce that number far below 90 percent, costing their states billions, even as Obama administration aides have emphasized the healthcare expansion is not a “bait and switch.” NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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In truth, cost is not the only reason Republican governors are rejecting the funds. Many of them, like Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal, have long been ideologically opposed to Medicaid because it is a massive government-operated health insurance program. And conservative ac-
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THE NEW COMMUNITY JOURNAL
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2013
Rep. Frederica Wilson introduces resolution honoring Trayvon Martin WASHINGTON – A Florida congresswoman on Tuesday introduced a resolution honoring Trayvon Martin, the Florida teen whose slaying a year ago this month stirred national controversy. Rep. Frederica Wilson, a South Florida Democrat, introduced a resolution “honoring the life of Trayvon Martin, urging the repeal of Stand Your Ground laws, and calling on the United States government to address the crisis of racial profiling,” according to a statement from her office. “Today, Trayvon Martin would have celebrated his 18th birthday,” the statement read. “We all know the tragic circumstances surrounding his murder: Trayvon was racially profiled, chased, made to fight for his life, and ultimately murdered. Yet we as a nation have yet to take substantive action to stop such a heartbreaking incident from happening again. Enough is enough: We as a nation have buried too many young black boys. Let’s set Congress on course to address the underlying causes behind the crisis that Trayvon’s death symbolizes. Let’s take action to stop racial profiling and give our people a chance to succeed.” George Zimmerman, the former neighborhood watch volunteer charged with second degree murder in the case, has pleaded not guilty, and is claiming self-defense. The defense disputes the idea that Zimmerman profiled Martin, who Zimmerman shot to death on the night of February 26, 2012, after a confrontation inside the gated community where Zimmerman lived, and which Martin was visiting with his father. Zimmerman claims Martin attacked him. Some state lawmakers in Florida are seeking to amend the Stand Your Ground provision in Florida’s self-defense statute, arguing that it has been applied too broadly by defendants in fatal shooting cases. Supporters of the law say it protects people who use deadly force to protect themselves from imminent danger. Reached for comment by theGrio, Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara said “a resolution honoring Trayvon Martin is fine, and repealing all Stand Your Ground laws, I think that’s more up to the individual states.” “I think that the self-defense statute that we have in Florida and that many states have is a good idea,” O’Mara said, adding that if Rep. Wilson “has a concern over Stand Your Ground and wants to focus it better, I’d be NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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happy to talk to her about it, but an all-out repeal is just a common reaction to a singular event that I don’t think is well founded in logic.” Members of the Congressional Black Caucus attempted to introduce a similar resolution last April, with some members breaking House rules by wearing hoodie sweatshirts on the floor of Congress when discussing the bill. (Continued from page 6)
tivists, still angry about the law, are putting heavy pressure on Republican governors to stop the Medicaid provisions and at least weaken “Obamacare.” When Ohio Gov. John Kasich, also a Republican, declared this week he would accept the new Medicaid funding, the conservative National Review blasted him in an editorial. About 4.7 low-income million Americans who would be newly eligible for Medicaid in 2014 live in the states where Republican governors have already declared they will not accept the new funding. (Along with Pennsylvania, the others are Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota and Texas, according to the Advisory Board Company, which is tracking the Medicaid program. The Kaiser Family Foundation last year broke down Medicaid eligibility by state.) And millions more live in GOP-controlled states where governors have not yet said if they will accept the Medicaid funding and are under political pressure not to. The issue is not completely divided on partisan lines. Five states run by Republicans, including Ohio, have chosen to expand their Medicaid programs, and a few states with Democratic governors are considering not accepting the funds. This debate is not just political. People who have health insurance tend to go to the doctor more regularly, not waiting until a problem persists and then hurrying to an emergency room. A lack of health insurance and then getting an illness that requires huge medical costs is also one of the leading causes of people going bankrupt. At the same time, as conservatives warn, people with health insurance tend to use more medical services, potentially driving up how much the U.S. government spends on health care. PAGE 7
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ENERGY ASSISTANCE OPTIONS REMAIN AVAILABLE FOR NATIONAL GRID CUSTOMERS DURING WINTER MONTHS Customers May Qualify for Federal Heating Assistance, Discounted Low-Income Rate Feb. 6, 2013 – With winter in full swing, National Grid reminds customers that applications are still being accepted for the federallyfunded Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) that provides income-eligible families assistance in paying their energy bills. LIHEAP payments vary depending on household income, household composition and heating fuel costs in relation to income. If a household receives public assistance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or food stamps, the household will most likely be eligible for LIHEAP benefits. If a household is not receiving public assistance, it still may be eligible if the gross monthly household income is at or below income guidelines based on household size. Since LIHEAP funding is limited, customers who feel they may qualify for the funds should contact LIHEAP immediately. The LIHEAP application process varies by state. In Upstate New York, please visit the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance website at www.otda.state.ny.us/main/heap to determine how to apply in your area or call your local county Department of Social Services. If you are 60 years of age or older, and need information on applying, please call your county Office for the Aging. In Downstate New York, for your convenience, applications are accepted by HEAP personnel at National Grid Customer Service Centers from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday. If you are 60 years of age or over, or if you are receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), please call 311 for information on how to apply. If you have any questions about the HEAP program, please contact the NYC HEAP Hotline at 800-692-0557. On Long Island and in the Rockaways, call the HEAP information line for your area: Nassau County (516) 565-4327 Suffolk County (631) 853-8820 The Rockaways (800) 692-0557 If you are age 60 or older, you may apply by mail. To request an application please call: Nassau County (516) 227-7386 Suffolk County (631) 853-8326 The Rockaways (212) 442-3026 HEAP information is also available on the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance’s website at www.otda.state.ny.us/main/heap. This year National Grid and the National Grid Foundation donated $1.2 million to heating assistance funds in New York and New England. Since 2005, the company and the Foundation have made heating fund donations that exceed $8 million. There are several other programs available to National Grid customers to help manage energy costs: Low-income discount rate – Discount rates are available to many National Grid electricity and/or natural gas customers, based on service area and certain eligibility requirements. For more information about availability of low-income rates and to determine eligibility, customers should contact National Grid or their local energy assistance agency, Community Action Agency or state department of social services. Billing Options – National Grid has billing programs to help customers spread payments out more evenly across the year, which are particularly helpful to those on fixed incomes. Visit www.nationalgridus.com for more information on this and other payment programs. NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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THE NEW COMMUNITY JOURNAL
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2013
FEMA extends Transitional Sheltering Assistance program in New York NEW YORK – The Federal Emergency Management Agency, at the request of the State of New York, has approved a 14-day extension to the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, which allows eligible survivors from Hurricane Sandy who cannot return to their homes to stay in participating hotels or motels. The new checkout date for those in the TSA program is Feb. 24, 2013. FEMA will call applicants eligible for the extension to notify them of the new checkout date. The temporary Transitional Sheltering Assistance program allows eligible Hurricane Sandy survivors whose houses have been severely damaged or destroyed to stay in a hotel or motel for a limited time and have the cost of the room and taxes paid directly to the hotel by FEMA. The extension was approved to help those applicants still eligible for the program to remain in hotels as FEMA and its state and local partners work to identify longer-term housing solutions. All TSA applicants currently staying in hotels will be evaluated for continued eligibility. FEMA continues to work in coordination with state, local and voluntary agency partners to assist applicants through outreach and comprehensive casework to identify and transition them to more suitable temporary or long-term housing. Meals, telephone calls and other incidental charges are not covered, and applicants are responsible for any lodging costs above the authorized allowance. The program does not reimburse previously incurred hotel expenses. For more information on New York’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov/SandyNY, www.twitter.com/ FEMASandy, www.facebook.com/FEMASandy and www.fema.gov/blog. Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA tollfree at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-4627585. FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
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113th Congress of the United States of America Gun Violence Prevention Task Force IT’S TIME TO ACT: A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT REDUCES GUN VIOLENCE AND RESPECTS THE 2ND AMENDMENT RIGHTS OF LAW-ABIDING AMERICANS Executive Summary On January 16, 2013, President Obama signed a series of executive actions that will have a meaningful impact on reducing gun violence. However, reducing gun violence cannot be the job of only one branch of government. The policies that will have the greatest impact require congressional action. It’s time for Congress to act. For nearly two months, the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, under the leadership of Chairman Mike Thompson, has met with people on both sides of the aisle and all sides of the issue to develop a comprehensive set of policy principles that respect the 2nd Amendment and will make our schools, neighborhoods, and communities safer. The task force met with and solicited input from victims of gun violence and gun safety advocates; gun owners, hunters, and outdoor sportsmen; federal, state, and local law enforcement; educators and community workers; mental health experts and physicians; representatives of the motion picture, television, music, and video game industries; leaders in our faith communities; and representatives of gun manufacturers and retailers, as well as cabinet secretaries and the Vice President of the United States. The task force also met with Members of Congress from all sides of the issue, and held hearings in Washington, DC to consider ways to address this issue. There is no law or set of laws that will completely end gun violence, but that cannot be an excuse to do nothing. Chairman Thompson and the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force urge Congress to: Support the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans. The United States Supreme Court affirmed individuals’ 2nd rights to firearms in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008). However, the Supreme Court also held that “the right secured by the Second Amendment is not unlimited,” Within the limits described by Heller, the federal government has the responsibility to take appropriate steps to protect our citizens from gun violence. Support citizens’ rights to possess firearms for hunting, shooting sports, defense, and other lawful and legitimate purposes: In the United States, there is a long tradition of hunting and recreational shooting, and firearms are often passed down within families from generation to generation. Policies passed by Congress should respect this. Reinstate and strengthen a prospective federal ban on assault weapons: These weapons are designed to fire a large number of rounds in a short period of time. They constitute a lethal threat to law enforcement and other first responders. Reinstate a prospective federal ban on assault magazines: These magazines hold more than ten rounds and allow a shooter to inflict mass damage in a short period of time without reloading. Banning them will save lives. Gun Violence Prevention Task Force 4 Require a background check for every gun sale, while respecting reasonable exceptions for cases such as gifts between family members and temporary loans for sporting purposes: It is estimated that four out of ten gun buyers do not go through a background check when purchasing a firearm because federal law only requires these checks when someone buys a gun from a federally licensed dealer. That would be (Continued on page 10)
NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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$9.8 million in dead herring Authorities in Iceland are scratching their heads after finding an estimated $9.8 million worth of dead herring in a fjord. Why did the herring die? Feb. 7, 2013: For the second time in two months, herring worth millions of dollars in exports are seen floating dead on Feb. 5 in Kolgrafafjordur, a small fjord in Iceland. More than 25,000 tons of herring were lost in December – & more this month – due to lack of oxygen in the fjord attributed to a landfill & a bridge. The current export value of the estimated 10,000 tons of herring is about $ 9.8 million, according to Morgunbladid newspaper. (© Brynjar Gauti/AP) (Continued from page 4)
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like allowing four out of ten people to choose if they’d go through airport security. This loophole allows felons, domestic abusers, and those prohibited because of mental illness to easily bypass the criminal background check system and buy firearms at gun shows, through private sellers, over the internet or out of the trunks of cars. Strengthen the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) database: Immediate action is needed to ensure the information in the NICS database is up to date. Many federal and state agencies remain deficient in transferring important records to the database. Without the information, the background checks aren’t complete. This needs to change. Prosecute those prohibited buyers who attempt to purchase firearms and others who violate federal firearm laws: Federal law bars nine categories of people—including felons and those prohibited because of mental illness —from buying guns. But when prohibited persons attempt to buy guns, they are hardly ever prosecuted. More can and must be done to make these investigations and prosecutions a priority. Pass legislation aimed specifically at cracking down on illegal gun trafficking and straw-purchasing: Straw-purchasing is when a prohibited buyer has someone with no criminal history walk into a gun store, pass a background check and purchase a gun with the purpose of giving it to the prohibited buyer. This puts guns in the hands of people who are prohibited from having them. Congress should pass a law that will put an end to this practice. Restore funding for public safety and law enforcement initiatives aimed at reducing gun violence: Congress should fund law enforcement’s efforts to reduce gun violence, while supporting federal research into causes of gun violence. Put simply, there is no reason the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) or the National Institute of Health (NIH) should be inhibited from researching the causes of gun violence. And there is no reason for the restrictions federal law places on our law enforcement officers’ ability to track and combat the spread of illegal guns. Support initiatives that prevent problems before they start: Local communities should have assistance in applying evidencebased prevention and early intervention strategies that are designed to prevent the problems that lead to gun violence before those problems start. Close the holes in our mental-health system and make sure that care is available for those who need it: Congress must improve prevention, early intervention, and treatment of mental illness while working to eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness. Access to mental health services should be improved, the shortage of mental health professionals should be addressed, and funding should be made available for those programs that have proven to be effective. Gun Violence Prevention Task Force 5
NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
"It can be very hazardous." The National Weather Service said a coastal flood watch also is in effect beginning Friday night for all North Shore and South Shore beaches and low-lying areas. Tidal departures of 3 feet to 5 feet are likely during times of high tide Friday night, and wave action along the shores of western Long Island Sound could range from 3 feet to 5 feet. On the East End of the twin forks, waves could reach 5 feet to 7 feet, the service said. "Widespread flooding of vulnerable shore roads and/or basements due to height of storm tide and wave action is possible," the service said in a hazardous weather update. Road closures and isolated structural damage also are possible. Areas already weakened by successive blows from superstorm Sandy and the nor'easter on its heels are vulnerable, Morrin said, and the winds, high waves and surges from Friday's storm can have "a major impact." Thanks to persistent winds, expect a pileup of water along the South Shore and Long Island Sound, especially the western Sound, he said. The governor's office plans to monitor LIPA's preparation and response to the storm, the first major weather system to hit fragile Island communities since the one-two punch of superstorm Sandy on Oct. 29 and a nor'easter a week later. Mark Gross, spokesman for the Long Island Power Authority, didn't have specifics on storm preparations, but said the utility and its service provider, National Grid, "are closely monitoring the storm and continue to prepare for the forecast." A spokesman for Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, Matthew Wing, said the governor's office is making sure proper precautions are being taken. "We are closely monitoring the storm and taking necessary precautions, including communicating to National Grid that they need to be ready with advance preparations and response plans," he said. "We will not accept any excuse for the utility being unprepared, especially since we can see this storm coming well in advance." Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano said at a noon news conference in Hicksville that residents should expect power outages during the storm. "This is the time . . . to prepare yourselves to shelter in place," Mangano said. He urged residents not to drive during the storm "unless it's absolutely necessary." Mangano said that 175 public works employees would be working Thursday night and Friday, that his Office of Emergency Management had been activated and police would be standing by. He said the county has 18,000 tons or salt and 5,000 cubic yards of sand at its disposal. The county's nonemergency hotline will activate Friday and remain active throughout the storm, Mangano said. "If you have a nonlife threatening issue, such as downed trees or power lines or stuck cars, dial 1-888-684-4274," he said. "For life-threatening emergencies call 911." He said that those without heat can call 1-866-WARMBED. "There will be shelters as needed," he added. The storm "could be one of the worst we've seen in years . . . particularly in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy," said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, at a noon news conference in Yaphank. "We're doing everything we can to prepare for the worst." "We're preparing for it" as if it is going to be "a significant storm." Bellone noted that Suffolk is "more vulnerable" after Sandy. Like Mangano, Bellone also warned residents to expect power outages. He said the Red Cross will be ready to open shelters "at a moment's notice." LIPA and National Grid were heavily criticized after their response to Sandy, in which nearly all Long Island customers lost power, some for weeks. Thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed, and some still lack roofs and walls. A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which includes the Long Island Rail Road, said it would have an announcement regarding the weather later on Thursday. PAGE 10
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Maragos: Shelter Program Placed Some Needy Families at Risk $72,000 in duplicate payments found Mineola, NY- At the request of County Executive Edward Mangano, Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos conducted a limited review of the Emergency Shelter program operated jointly by the Department of Social Services and Office of Housing and Community Development. The review found various control issues and $72,000 in duplicate payments from 2010 and 2011 out of $20 million in aggregate payments to shelters during the audit period. This was less than a 1% variance. The review also found two shelters that were on the “Do Not Use” list for failure to meet safety and health standards but continued being used to house needy families. “Emergency Shelter programs are vital to our communities and need to be operated safely and with appropriate supervision,” Comptroller Maragos said. “We should never place needy families in unsafe conditions. The demand for a safe and efficient Emergency Shelter program is more important than ever after Superstorm Sandy. I commend DSS for requesting and cooperating with the audit and agreeing to take immediate steps to correct its operational deficiencies and to recover the duplicate payments.” Our review found duplicate payments totaling $64,600 as a result of overlapping dates and other claims and payments totaling $7,400 that were incorrectly paid to both the client and the homeless shelter. The $64,600 in overpayments to homeless shelters for the two years were the result of DSS incorrectly processing claims containing overlapping dates that were paid on other claim vouchers. The County spends over $10 million annually to house needy individuals and families. The Comptroller’s Office also found that two shelters out of a total of 24 active shelters being used were on a DSS “Do Not Use” list for failing to meet safety and health standards. Continued use of these unsafe shelters placed residents at risk, and exposed the County to significant liability. The Comptroller’s Office recommended, and DSS agreed, that procedures and controls should be implemented to ensure that needy families are never housed in shelters on the “Do Not Use” list. Those in need of emergency shelter should contact 1866-927-6233, 1-866-WARM BED and they will be referred to a shelter and then asked to report to DSS the next day to be screened for services and to be given assistance to find permanent housing. Connect with Nassau County Comptroller Maragos Online: http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/ Comptroller/index NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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Nassau Exec Mangano Violates Campaign Finance Law Collects illegal contributions and fails to disclose fundraising activities (Mineola, NY) - Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and Chief Deputy County Executive Rob Walker have illegally solicited and collected money in violation of New York State campaign finance law. The Hicksville Republican Club, controlled by Walker, has violated campaign finance contribution limits by illegally contributing funds to support Mangano’s re-election campaign, including, hosting a fundraising event in a $200,000 luxury box at Met Life Stadium and a Golf Fundraiser in Disney World. Referencing Mangano’s September 2012 Bruce Springsteen fundraiser at Met Life Stadium Nassau County Democratic Chairman Jay Jacobs said, “Mangano and Walker are enjoying their ‘Glory Days’ in a luxury suite purchased with a pile of illegal campaign cash.” Mangano’s campaign, Friends of Ed Mangano, has illegally collected over $70,000 in corporate contributions, many of which have been made by corporations doing business with Nassau County. Among the corporate contributors is Looks Great Services, Inc. who was recently awarded $68 million in contracts from Nassau County for debris removal following Super Storm Sandy. Looks Great’s owner, Kristian Agoglia, has made $16,500 in personal contributions to Mangano campaign, but the company’s $10,745 contribution is over the legal corporate limit. Furthermore, in order to mask the collusion of their operation from any public or regulatory scrutiny, Mangano and Walker failed to properly make the necessary disclosures of contributions and expenditures that are required by law. During the 2012 filing period, Mangano’s campaign listed over $110,000 in questionable and unitemized expenses that have been paid to his staff with the only explanation given being “Fundraising”. These payments include $20,995 to Rob Walker, $62,328 to Brian Nevin and $6,793 to Doreen Pennica. All of whom are employed by Nassau County and who supposedly work for Mangano’s campaign. The complaint filed with the New York State Board of Elections and referred to the State Attorney General’s office requests immediate action to impose any such penalties, sanctions or fines. “This blatant attempt by Mangano to evade the campaign finance laws is outrageous,” said Jacobs. “Immediate action is required to prevent any illegal contributions from being used in his re-election campaign.”
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The business district, the majority of which spans Post Avenue from Old Country Road to the Northern State Parkway, recently began soliciting specialty shops and national chains with grants. Large chains are eligible for $10,000 to The Westbury Theatre, which was once a great center for $20,000, specialty and mom-and-pop shops $5,000 to $7,500. So far, the approach has not paid off and is being relaunched, film and theater, could be the key for the revival of the this time for more property owners. Again, the tactic hinges downtown Westbury. James Mollitor, a local restaurateur, recalls seeing plenty on the theater's opening, business leaders said. In recent years, the village, looking to draw young profesof films at the once-majestic venue as a boy, he said. Now sionals and empty-nesters, approved mixed-use zoning laws the area is mostly a “ghost town.� The theater, once the site of elaborate vaudeville produc- that led to more than 400 multifamily units being built around the train station over the last 10 years. Most of them, Cavaltions, deteriorated so much that the courts ordered it kept closed while the village and owner battled over its future. In laro said, are filled. Revitalizing the downtown corridor, he said, is "a decision to be successful." 2004, Roslyn developer Cyrus Hakakian paid about $1.7 The theater is the capstone, and it’s staging a comeback million for the site at a bankruptcy auction. While pursuing the sale, Hakakian said, he was content to after more than a decade since going dark, courtesy of the multimillion-dollar makeover. raze the theater and replace it with retail stores and apartWestbury isn't the first community to host a new performments. Then he stepped inside one day. ing arts center. Bay Shore, Northport, Patchogue, Huntington "It was just majestic," he said. "The skylight, the brick and, most recently, Riverhead are among those that have inwalls, it was just beautiful." vested in such facilities, seeing them as vital to their downHakakian says he's poured nearly $10 million into the towns. new theater. He's kept its brick-and-steel shell, along with Experts say it's an experiment that bears watching. some of the building's original woodwork. The rest has been "For Central Nassau County, this is groundbreaking," said gutted and repurposed, with a new Tudor-style facade, tall Eric Alexander, Executive Director of Vision Long Island. "It columns and eight chandeliers. The theater, which can hold may serve as a model for other Nassau downtowns to use the 1,500, has six bars and lounge-style banquettes along the balcony and it is expected to create at least 30 full-time jobs, arts as a centerpiece for their communities." Each is in Suffolk, and their largely successful centers, like Hakakian added. the one in Westbury, have something in common, Alexander When it opens sometime in late March, it will be reborn said: "Right in the heart of a centrally located downtown, with as The Space at Westbury, a state-of-the-art performance an excellent train station." center. If Westbury is successful, Alexander said, the approach "We took a very old, aesthetically ugly, displeasing piece of property that hasn't been used at all," Mayor Peter Caval- could take off in other Nassau communities. laro said. "It's being redeveloped for use that could change the whole dynamic of the village." Mollitor is in, but attracting other business owners has proved tough, village leaders said. Some have balked at moving to Post Avenue, fearing the promise of a revitalized downtown will not be realized. The village has tried wooing new retail to downtown, with mixed results. In the early 1990s, the village started the business improvement district. It imposed an 18.5 percent tax on property owners, reduced three years ago to 15 percent, to fund a face-lift for the downtown corridor. Combined with state and local grants, the village invested $3.5 million into the upgrades. In 1999, the improvement district began offering store owners $500 to adopt new signage. The approach has proved successful. In the 1990s, some 30 of 120 storefronts on Post Avenue stood vacant. Today, according to the village, 92 percent are filled.
Revamped theater key to Westbury revival
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Sonic Car Wash Opens on Peninsula Boulevard Sonic Car Wash and Lube on Peninsula Boulevard in Hemsptead hosted their Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting at the car wash. Town of Hempstead Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby, Village of Hempstead officials and members of the Chamber of Commerce were on hand to help cut the ribbon and congratulate the Yemini Family, owners of Sonic Car Wash.
Source: LIPA to cede control to National Grid during storm Originally published: February 7, 2013 3:53 PM Updated: February 7, 2013 4:23 PM By MARK HARRINGTON mark.harrington@newsday.com
National Grid is taking the lead role in managing LIPA's response to the impending winter storm, a source said Thursday. It's the first time since its 1998 creation that the embattled Long Island Power Authority will cede control of operations and its public face during a potential emergency. National Grid and its predecessor, KeySpan, have always operated the electric for LIPA, with LIPA... NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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From the Desk of Mayor Hall America is steeped in tradition. We cherish the conventions this country was built upon, and we enact laws and customs to protect them. One of our proudest traditions is the legacy of immigration. This country was founded by immigrants. We are all, one way or another, descendents of those who made a life-changing journey. Because of the sacrifices they made, we have a duty to offer those same opportunities to others. That is why I support President Barack Obama’s Immigration Reform Policy. As a Mayor and a citizen, I respect the laws of this country, and I would never advocate that people divert these laws to enter this country illegally. But I believe as a nation we have an obligation to create a seamless process for legal immigration. We have a responsibility to provide support, not to erect barriers. The President’s new policy does not constitute clemency for illegal immigrants; rather, it imposes fines and enforces the payment of back taxes. It enables those who would make this country their home to take responsibility for their citizenship, just as our forebears did. The President’s plan requires newly hired workers nationwide to provide verification of legal status. This will ensure that jobs remain in the custody of a legal workforce. The plan will also add visas to relieve backlogs. These provisions make the Democratic position clear: we are offering a direct path to earned citizenship. We are not creating new rules for lawbreakers. Some forbearance is necessary with regard to the almost 11 million illegal immigrants presently in the U.S., because the hurdles were stacked so high against them to begin with. As a nation, we cannot simply ignore the unfair policies of previous decades. President Obama’s policy strikes a perfect balance by providing immigrants the opportunity to obtain legal status. It is a vital first step to helping us finally emerge from the murk that has been the hallmark of our immigration policy for years. The Village of Hempstead is vastly diverse. We have a large and proud Hispanic community, and I know that this issue is of special importance to those of you who are of Hispanic heritage. As your mayor, I am sworn to protecting your rights, and I can only do that by making my position clear: I fully support President Obama in his push for immigration reform. To learn more about what is going on in the Village of Hempstead, visit www.villageofhempstead.org. You may also join our electronic mailing list by sending your name and email address to: Mayor@villageofhempsteadny.gov. To keep abreast of the downtown revitalization, visit www.renewhempstead.com. On that site, you may share your ideas for the redevelopment and/or provide your feedback on the plan.
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Long Island Bus Rider’s Union to host public forum on February 28th The Long Island Bus Rider’s Union is hosting a hearing on fare increases/bus service that we're hosting on February 28th from 6pm to 8pm at the Ethical Humanist Society in Garden City. The goal is to get the participation of bus riders and to bring the legislators to them. If you have had problems with your bus service and want your voice to be heard or worried about fare increases and possible service cuts in 2013, or any other issues, the Long Island Bus Rider’s Union is asking people to voice their concerns are this public forum. There is also a Long Island Bus Riders' Union Incident Report Form which will help the union get a better understanding of the incident and to advocate on anyone’s behalf. Please be as thorough as possible, and remember, if the bus service is so bad that you are forced to take a taxi, please keep a receipt. They will use these receipts to advocate for better, more affordable bus service. Incident forms can be mailed to LI Bus Riders’ Union, 390 Rabro Drive, Hauppauge NY, 11788 or completed online. For further information please visit the Long Island Bus Rider’s Union website.
Sincerely,
Wayne Mayor Wayne J. Hall NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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Valentines For Vets Students from Hempstead, Uniondale and Roosevelt made beautiful cards for the Valentines for Veterans Program. Town of Hempstead Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby was so proud of the students for the thoughtful and creatives cards that they made. Veterans, men and women who have served in the military, will be delighted that students thought to wish them a Happy Valelntine's Day and know that they are
HEMPSTEAD PUBLIC LIBRARY ADULT WORKSHOP JOB SEARCH SECRETS Wednesday, March 27, 2013 6:30pm – 8:30pm FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE* * * * * * * * * * * * ADVANCE REGISTRATION NEEDED * * * * * * * CONTACT: REFERENCE* * * * * * * * *481-6990 Job Search Secrets is a positive interactive workshop, focusing on a set of specific actions job seekers can take to significantly improve the effectiveness of their job search strategy. A variety of valuable resources will be shared and discussed throughout the workshop. This is an informative PowerPoint presentation and handouts will be made available to all who attend. This free program will be held in the Community Room of the library. Registration is required. NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
HEMPSTEAD PUBLIC LIBRARY ADULT WORKSHOP ONLINE JOB SEARCH AND RESUME TECHNIQUES
Lecture and Demonstration – Part I Wednesday, February 13th, 2013 6:30P.M. –8:30P.M. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE* * * * * * * * * * * ADVANCE REGISTRATION NEEDED * * * * * * CONTACT: REFERENCE* * * * * * ** *481-6990 Learn how to use the Internet to find that perfect job! In this lecture and demo class, you will learn how to develop and create a powerful resume, find and use online job search websites, and formulate a job search process that will work for you. Such topics as online applications, the do’s and don’ts of resume writing, customizing cover letters and thank you notes will also be covered. This is the first part of a two part workshop. A basic knowledge of computer usage as well as a current e-mail address is required to attend this workshop. The program will be held in the Community Room. Registration is required for this free program. PAGE 16
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Suzanne Shank, the leading lady of Wall Street Who is Suzanne Shank? Suzanne Shank is one of the few African-American female CEOs in the country, credited with running one of the top ranked minority and women-owned municipal bond investment banking firm in the nation. This powerful businesswoman was approached by Muriel Siebert, the first
woman to buy a seat in the New York Stock exchange, in 1996; she proposed to open their discount brokerage firm. Today, their company, Siebert Brandford Shank & Co. is one of the most prominent finance companies in the industry, financing multi-million and billion-dollar deals around the country such as in New York, Philadelphia and throughout the state of Connecticut. Before co-founding Siebert Brandford Shank & Co., Shank was a design engineer engineer for General Dynamics in the Electric Boat Division, where she became one of the first black women to design submarines.
municipal finance firms in revenue in 2010. Black Enterprise in 2011 recently placed her on the list of the “75 Most Powerful Blacks on Wall Street.” She has also been recognized as one of the Wharton School’s 125 Influential People and Ideas as well as the National Entrepreneur of the Year by the Madame C.J. Walker Center.
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IN THE BLACK
Because Shank’s childhood dream was to become a
social worker, Shank has always used her corporate power to give back to the communities in need. The Wharton School graduate has spearheaded the formation of the Detroit Summer Finance Institute, an internship program that exposes high school students to the financial world. She also is vice president of the founding board of W.A.V.E., an initiative to help struggling residents pay for water utility bills. What’s next for Shank? Shank admits that municipalities are struggling at the moment, but she contends that the municipal investments are some of the safest investments in the market. Shank encourages investors the practice of pre-marketing, which involves a financing set-up before the actual sale date of the bonds.
Why is she on theGrio’s 100? Shank’s company was the first minority-owned and female-owned company to make the list as one of the top NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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SBA Launches Affordable Care Act Web Page & Blog WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) today launched a new web page and blog dedicated to educating small business owners about the Affordable Care Act. The new tools will serve as a gateway for small business owners connecting them with information provided by SBA’s federal partners responsible for implementing the law, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “The Affordable Care Act provides small business owners with access and opportunity to provide affordable health care options for their employees,” said SBA Administrator Karen G. Mills. “SBA’s new Affordable Care Act web page and blog will serve as a resource for small business owners who want learn more about how to take advantage of these benefits.” The Affordable Care Act has many beneficial measures specifically for small businesses, including slowing premium cost growth and increased access to quality, affordable health insurance. SBA’s new web page, www.sba.gov/healthcare, breaks down the key provisions of the Act based on business size in the following categories: selfemployed, fewer than 25 employees, fewer than 50 employees and more than 50 employees. The web page also provides links to other useful information for small businesses, including a glossary of key health care reform terms, an interactive timeline with dates for when certain reforms will be implemented, a state-by-state breakdown of health care options, and how to learn more about specific tax provisions and regulations. Additional resources will be added as they become available. The blog, entitled Health Care Business Pulse (www.sba.gov/blog), will provide small business owners with continuous updates about the implementation of the Act. The blog is for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal or tax advice. Readers should consult their legal or tax professionals to discuss how specific matters relate to their individual business circumstances.
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SBA Triples Surety Bond Guarantee Ceiling; Helping Small Businesses Secure Larger Contracts and Grow WASHINGTON – A major revision in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Surety Bond Guarantee (SBG) Program more than triples the eligible contract amount, from $2 million to $6.5 million, the Agency will guarantee on surety bonds for both public and private contracts. The higher surety bond guarantee limits are expected to help construction and service sector small businesses gain greater access to private and public contracts and secure larger contracts vital to small business growth. “These new contract ceilings are one more way we can help small businesses, particularly in the construction and service sectors, compete for and win critical contracting opportunities that help them grow their businesses and create jobs,” SBA Administrator Karen Mills said. “Additionally, these changes, which are enthusiastically supported across the surety industry and small business community, will help spur economic growth and recovery in areas that have been hard hit by disasters, bringing jobs and economic activity to regions at a time when it is needed most.” The revisions are a result of the Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act and are expected to bolster participation by surety bond agents and brokers and their surety companies in SBA’s SBG Program. The changes also allow SBA to guarantee bonds for government contracts valued at up to $10 million if a contracting officer of a federal agency certifies that the guarantee is necessary for the small business to obtain bonding, and it is in the best interests of the government. SBA partners with the surety industry to help small businesses that would otherwise be unable to obtain bonding in the traditional commercial marketplace. Under the partnership, SBA provides a guarantee to the participating surety company of between 70 and 90 percent of the bond amount if a contractor defaults or fails to perform. SBA assistance in locating a participating surety company or agent, and completing application forms, is available online. For more information on SBA’s Surety Bond Guarantee Program, including Surety Office contacts, go online to http:// www.sba.gov/osg/, or call 1-800-U-ASK-SBA.
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NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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ASK LISA-ANNE Teens and Marijuana: Is it harmless? Q. Many of my high school students smoke marijuana. I keep telling them that they are damaging their brains but they don’t believe me. Some say they smoke along with their parents. Can you inform parents about the dangers of marijuana? A. Yes, many teens and some parents believe marijuana is harmless or at least less dangerous than cocaine or heroin. They are so wrong! Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant. All forms of marijuana are mind-altering. In other words, they change how the brain works. They all contain THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the main active chemical in marijuana. They also contain more than 400 other chemicals. Marijuana's effects on the user depend on the strength or potency of the THC it contains. The potency of marijuana has increased since the 1970s but has been about the same since the mid-1980s. How many teens are using marijuana? Some people mistakenly believe that “everybody Is doing it” and use that as an excuse to start using marijuana themselves. Well, they need to check the facts, because that's just not true. According to NIDA's 2012 Monitoring the Future study, about 6.5 percent of 8th graders, 17.0 percent of 10th graders, and 22.9 percent of 12th graders had used marijuana in the month before the survey. In fact, marijuana use declined from the late 1990s through about 2007. Unfortunately, this trend appears to be reversing. Since 2007, annual, monthly, and daily marijuana use increased among 10th and 12th graders while daily use increased among 8th graders. In 2012, 6.5 percent of 12th graders reported using marijuana daily, compared to 5.1 percent in 2007. Teachers and parents can inform their teens that not everyone is doing marijuana! What are the effects of marijuana? According to a survey of adolescents, ages 12 to 17, taken by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, teens who admitted to using marijuana in the past year self-reported the following behaviors: * Teens who use marijuana weekly are 9 times more likely than non-users to experiment with illegal drugs or alcohol. * Adolescents who use marijuana weekly are 6 times more likely than non-users to run away from home. * Adolescents who use marijuana weekly are 5 times more likely than non-users to steal. * Adolescents who use marijuana weekly are nearly 4 times more likely than non-users to engage in violence. * Adolescents who use marijuana weekly are 3 times more likely to have thoughts about committing suicide. * Adolescents who use marijuana are more prone than nonusers to be involved in the destruction of property. * Adolescents who use marijuana are more prone than nonusers to physically attack other teens. * Adolescents who use marijuana also reported more social withdrawal, physical complaints, anxiety and depression and attention problems. With all of these side effects, it is easily understandable that teens who smoke marijuana do not do well in school! Teens who use marijuana are more likely to engage in unplanned sex, also. Medically, THC is rapidly absorbed after smoking pot. Within minutes, THC and the other substances in marijuana smoke cause short-term medical effects. Signs of using marijuana include: Rapid heart rate Increased blood pressure Increased rate of breathing Red eyes NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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Dry mouth Increased appetite, or "the munchies" Slowed reaction time **These effects are reduced after three or four hours. However, marijuana hangs around in your system for as long as a month after smoking. The lingering effects mean you're impaired for several days to weeks after the high wears off. Psychological Effects of Marijuana According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the main effects of marijuana on mood vary and may include euphoria, calmness, anxiety, or paranoia. Getting high or "stoned" is the reason most pot smokers use marijuana. Other short-term psychological effects of pot include: Distorted sense of time Paranoia Magical or "random" thinking Short-term memory loss Anxiety and depression These psychological signs of using pot also generally ease after a few hours. But residual effects can last for days. What Are Parents To Do? 1. Parents of teens should be aware of the warning signs of teen drug use. 2. Parents are the biggest reason teens chose not to get involved with marijuana. They don’t want to lose their respect. 3. Parents should know the terms teens use to talk about marijuana. Parents should also know that 420 is a popular drug term for smoking marijuana. 4. Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug among youth today according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. 5. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, studies of high school students and their patterns of drug use show that very few young people use other drugs without first trying marijuana. 6. Teens who use drugs are five times more likely to have sex than teens who do not use drugs, according to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. 7. Poorer grades are linked to the use of marijuana. A teen with a "D" average is four times more likely to have used marijuana than a teen with an "A" average based on data from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. 8. A British study shows that using marijuana can in fact worsen depression and lead to more serious mental health disorders, such as schizophrenia, anxiety and even suicide. According to a report from the NSDUH, first use of marijuana among recent new users was highest during June (11%) and July (11%) and lowest during November (7%) and December (6%). Warning Signs Include: loss of interest in family activities disrespect for family rules withdrawal from responsibilities verbally or physically abusive sudden increase or decrease in appetite disappearance of valuable items or money not coming home on time not telling you where they are going constant excuses for behavior spending a lot of time in their rooms (Continued on page 21)
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The 100 Black Men of Long Island, Inc. set to present its 39th Annual Scholarship Gala Benefit Saturday, March 9th, 2013 at the Crest Hollow Country Club Hempstead, NY (March 9, 2013)—A day that neither anyone in the counties of Nassau or Suffolk will never forget is quickly emerging around the corner and you do not want to miss it. It’s a day of appreciation, it’s a day of high emotions, it’s a day to reunite, it’s a day just for people to see “Real Men serving Real” Time, it’s the 100 Black Men of Long Island, Inc. 39th Annual Scholarship Gala happening on Saturday, March 9th, 2013 from 8pmuntil 1:00 am at the Crest Hollow Country Club, Woodbury, NY. The 100 Black Men of Long Island, Inc., Annual Scholarship Gala celebrated annually in the spring is a premier benefit event. Donations and sponsorship from this affair fund and support scholarships awarded to high school and college students, African American History Academic Challenge (History Bowl), mentoring programs, Dollars & $ense Financial Literacy Program, and various other programs of the 100 Black Men of Long Island, Inc. The festivity includes an elegant evening of a sumptuous cocktail hour, dinning, live music by Long Island greatest Sauce Band, a silent auction, promotional giveaways, photos, and dancing. Mr. Michael Stevens (Anchor for Verizon’s Fios 1 News) will serve as this year’s Master of Ceremony. For the previous years, this event has been a huge hit -as it has sold out in advance for years, it is expected to do the same this year. Some 550 people are expected to fill the grand ballroom at the Crest Hollow Country Club. This year’s Gala Honorees are Mr. Thomas P. Dinaploi- N.Y. State Comptroller, Mr. Jon CooperCo-Chair, Tri-State Region, Obama Victory Trustees -Obama for America, Dr. Kenneth K. Saunders-Officer in Charge of Nassau Community College, Ms. Lorraine Aycock- Market Manager of Bank of America, Mr. Timothy M. Williams- Chairmen of the Board Nassau County Industrial Development Agency, Mr. Anthony Woods- V.P. of Marketing & Sales Health Plus an Amerigroup Co., Mrs. Sharise E. Beatong-Hall- Financial Services Professional Agent, New York Life Insurance Co., Mr. William SuggsNational Regional Director for American Association of Blacks in Energy. For more information about this event, contact Lenore Pringle, Event Consultant for Sponsorship Packages lenorepringle@100blackmenofli.org or purchase tickets at www.39thannualscholarshipbenefitgala.eventbrite.com Visit our website @ www.100blackmenofli.org CONTACT: Communications Chairman, Elseah Chea., info@100blackmenofli.org NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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Eligible Nassau Seniors Encouraged to Apply for Home Heating Assistance (February 1, 2013/Mineola, NY) Keeping a home warm during the cold winter months can put a dent in the household budget, especially for seniors on fixed incomes. Family and Children’s Association, one of Long Island’s most respected human care agencies, encourages seniors who are facing high energy expenses to investigate their eligibility for home energy assistance from the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP), a federally-funded program to help eligible households meet their home energy needs: · Individuals 60 and older can apply for HEAP through Family & Children’s Association. · Eligibility for the HEAP program is based upon household income. A single-person household can have monthly income up to $2,138. The income threshold for a family of four is $4,111 a month. · This winter, households that heat with oil can receive a benefit up to $650. Those that heat with natural gas or electricity may get grants up to $450. · Homeowners and renters are eligible for the program. · Eligible households can receive one regular HEAP benefit per season, but may also be eligible for emergency benefits if they are running out of fuel, having their utility service shut off, or are experiencing an equipment breakdown. Contact the Family and Children’s HEAP office at 516-227-7386 for more information about the program or to have an application mailed to you. Applications will be accepted through March 15, 2013. Additional information on HEAP is available online at http:// otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/ For more information on Family & Children’s Association visit www.FamilyandChildrens.org
HEMPSTEAD PUBLIC LIBRARY ADULT WORKSHOP RESUME WRITING AND E-MAIL Hands On Workshop – Part II Wednesday, February 27th, 2013 6:30P.M. –8:30P.M. For immediate release* * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * advance Registration needed * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Contact: Reference* * * * * * * * * * * * *481-6990 We provide the computers! In this hands-on class, you will learn how to use your computer to create, style, format and e-mail a powerful resume. In addition, you will also learn how to use Microsoft Word to create your resume as well as how to attach a file to an e-mail. Writing a cover e-mail and various letter styles will also be covered. This is the second part of a two part workshop. A basic knowledge of computer usage as well as a current e-mail address is required to attend this workshop. The program will be held in the Community Room. Registration is required for this free program.
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lies about activities finding the following: cigarette rolling papers, pipes, roach clips, small glass vials, plastic baggies, remnants of drugs (seeds, etc.) Are Black Teens at a Higher Risk? No! In May, 2012, The Partnership at Drugfree.org and MetLife Foundation released results of a National Study and found that marijuana use – particularly heavy use – has increased significantly among U.S. high school students since 2008. According to the new data, half of Hispanic teens (50 percent) report that they have used marijuana in the past year (versus 40 percent for African Americans and 35 percent for Caucasians). This means Hispanic teens are nearly twice as likely (43 percent) as Caucasian teens to have smoked marijuana in the past year (50 percent vs. 35 percent) and 25 percent more likely than African-American teens. Duke Medicine News and Communications 2011 reports a new analysis of teenage drug abuse finds widespread problems among Whites, Native Americans, Hispanics, and youngsters of multiple races, with less severe abuse among Asian and African American teens. Beware of the Synthetic Marijuana, also. It’s just as dangerous! Some information gathered from http:// teens.drugabuse.gov/drugfacts/marijuana, Teenswithproblems.com, About.com, WebMD.com and http:// www.dukehealth.org/ health_library/news Lisa-Anne Ray-Byers is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist who has worked in education for over two decades. She holds graduate degrees in speechlanguage pathology and multicultural education. She also holds certification in educational administration. She is the author of the books, They Say I Have ADHD, I Say Life Sucks! Thoughts From Nicholas, They S S Say I’m a St St Stutterer, But I S S Say Nothing! Meet Kelly and co-author of the book 365 Ways to Succeed With ADHD available by contacting her. She is a member of the National Education Writers Association and the Education Editor of the Community Journal newspaper in Long Island, New York. You may contact her at speechlrb@yahoo.com or by visiting her website at www.AskLisaAnne.com.
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New Visions School Celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday New Visions School in the Freeport School District celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday with a schoolwide assembly that centered on Dr. King’s inspiring words and the events that moved him. “Dr. Martin Luther King was a great man; that’s why we honor him today,” said New Visions Principal Renee Crump-Dedmond to the students and parents in her welcoming address. “If you’re like me,” she added, “you’re proud to be from Freeport, a diverse community that celebrates our differences and our similarities.” In honor of Dr. King, Jodi Dispigno’s and Kerry Sambus’ first-grade classes sang Barbara Klaskin Silberg’s “I Have a Dream,” with added narration to emphasize the message of the song. Michael DeGennaro’s and Gabriela Farruggio’s fourth-grade dual language classes acted out their Reader’s Theatre interpretation of “The Dream” by Susan Peterson, followed by a rousing rendition of Stevie Wonder’s musical tribute to Dr. King, “Happy Birthday.” The highlight of the celebration was the introduction of new student recognition awards. Each fourth-grade class nominated one classmate to be honored for demonstrating the exemplary qualities of Dr. King. The highest award level was bestowed upon Jayda Pollard of John Woodward and Lambrini Kavadias’ class. Jayda’s name and picture
NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
are now on a special plaque that will be displayed in the school.
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BABYLON STUDENTS SELECTED FOR SCMEA ALL-COUNTY FESTIVAL Nineteen musicians from the Babylon School District have been selected to perform in this year’s Suffolk County Music Educators’ Association All-County Festival. From Babylon High School, Tyler Gumpel, Brooke Wexler, William Ye and Chi Zhang were the students selected for the festival’s Division III (ninth- and 10th-grade) group, while Gabriella Albanese, Lindsey Daily, Matthew Fama, Olivia Lully, Emma Schubart and Jake Zukaitis earned spots on the Division II (seventh- and eighth-grade) list. From Babylon Grade School, Sydney Altbacker , Aubrey Alvino, Rachel Gordon, Emily Lully, Julia Minicozzi, Rachel Pinna, Anna Romero, Peter Schubart and Nick Zukaitis were selected to Division I, representing the fifth and sixth grades. “This distinction marks them among the top studentmusicians in their age group,” Babylon Director of Fine Arts Angela Turk said of the honor. “They will participate in three rehearsals and a concert in early March. Congratulations to our students and their music teachers.”
WHEELER AVENUE SCHOOL HOSTS NYISLANDERS ASSEMBLY New York Islanders arena hostess Dina Tsiorvas and team mascot Sparky the Dragon paid a visit to Valley Stream UFSD Thirteen’s Wheeler Avenue School this week to teach students a lesson on teamwork, healthy living and better decision-making. The “Orange and Blue and You” assembly, a fan favorite with students and teachers across Long Island, showed students how important it is to live a healthy lifestyle and be the best they can be, as well as the importance of helping others. During the assembly, Tsiorvas and Sparky called students to the stage to help with demonstrations on teamwork. They held a balancing demonstration, where the children needed to work together to stack and balance foam hockey pucks for the chance to win free New York Islanders tickets. Tsiorvas and Sparky effectively taught students why it is so important to practice teamwork in all facets of their lives. This fun and informative assembly program also included a video presentation with a special message from New York Islanders head coach Jack Capuano, and some great leave-behinds for the students, including New York Islanders school folders. NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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Freeport Students Use Math Skills to Raise Funds for St. Jude Children’s Hospital Archer Street Elementary School students participated in the St. Jude Children’s Hospital Math-A-Thon again this year, collecting nearly $850 and bringing their 10-year total
to nearly $28,000. Third-grader Brianna Smithson earned the distinction of being named school champion in funds raised, with a total of $150 collected from her sponsors. “Our students benefit by learning to solve math problems and understanding the importance of helping others,” said Archer Street School Principal Paula Lein. “It was a little difficult this year, considering Superstorm Sandy, but they still came out and did an excellent job,” added math specialist Linda Marino. The top 10 students received prizes for their efforts, including backpacks, t-shirts, games and certificates. The Math-A-Thon is a fundraising program in which students obtain sponsors for the number of problems completed in a math “funbook” distributed to all participants. Students ask family and friends for pledges based on an amount-perproblem or one-time donation. After students complete their work, they collect the pledges, and all donations are sent to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
PLEASE KEEP THE COMMENTS COMING AND IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE ARE DOING SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FINANCIALLY CHECK OUT OUR NEW WEB-SITE www.communityjournal.info Subscribe Today for only $9.95 for 6 months NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
Today We Feature Lauryn Butisingh Lauryn is 12 years old and the youngest of two siblings. When she was younger (3 or 4 years old), she developed asthma which is a breathing disorder. To control her asthma attacks she was placed on multiple steroid medications. The drugs controlled the asthma attacks but also caused her to become increasingly lethargic. Steroids are also known to increase the appetite and as a result she began to gain weight. By the time Lauryn was 10 years old she was above the 95th percentile for weight and considered medically obese. In April of 2011, Lauryn confided in her aunt that she was unhappy about her weight and that she wanted to change it. After receiving medical clearance from her pediatrician, Lauryn began to change her diet (replacing fruit juice and soda with water, flavored seltzer and favored water). She gave up sweets, fried foods, red meat and whole milk, began eating more whole foods (fresh fruits and vegetables, lean chicken, fish and legumes). Cow's milk was replaced with Soy, Almond and Cashew milk. In addition to these healthful changes to her diet, she began taking classes at United Taekwondo in Jackson Heights. In the beginning it was very difficult for her to keep up, however she persevered no matter how difficult it was and gave her all in every class! She also became more active at school and was instrumental in starting the first ever girls basketball team! She was Co-Captain and earned the "Brave Heart" award for starting the team, To date Lauryn has achieved a weight loss of approximately 50 pounds. She no longer uses any maintenance medication to control her asthma and has not had an attack in two years. She is much more confident and most importantly; much healthier and physically fit. In June of 2012, she took and passed the "Presidential Challenge" which is a physical fitness test. In January 2013, she earned her Purple Stripe in Taekwondo and is committed to achieving the rank of Black Belt. She has four more belts and approximately 2 more years of training before she reaches her goal. Lauryn wants other girls to know that they can do it, too! Keep going Lauryn! PAGE 24
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Elmont Online & Highlighting Success Black History Program at Adelphi Elmont Online & Highlighting Success, Inc. presented their 10th Annual Black History Month Award Ceremony & Dinner at Adelphi University in Garden City. The program consisted of three events that included a Round Table Discussion, Art Exhibit, and Award Dinner. Town of Hempstead Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby congratulated panelists at the Round Table Discussion that dealt with education, health, immigration and civil rights in minority communities. The Councilwoman also congratulated Dr. Marsha Darling, Director of the Center for African, Black & Caribbean Studies at Adelphi. During the Awards Dinner, Councilwoman Goosby and Councilman Ambrosino presented a Certificate of Recognition to each of this year’s honorees and to the sponsor organizations. photo 1: Leg. Robert Troiano, Rabia Azia, panelist, CEO LI Minority AIDS Coalition, Prof. Martin Melkonian, panelist, Uniondale, Dr. Robert Dillon, panelist, Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby, Dr. Marsha Darling, Frederick K. Brewington, Esq., panelist, Lucia Gomez-Jemenez, panelist Aubrey Phillips, Exec. Director, Highlighting Success, Inc., Elmont photo 2: Councilwoman Goosby & Councilman Ambrosino with award winner Lizette Terry of Elmont photo 3: Councilwoman Goosby & Councilman Ambrosino with award winners Bradley & Brandon Atkins of Elmont
NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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Professor Sylvester Wise Retires from Nassau Community College A Gala Surprise Party was held in honor of the retirement of Professor Sylvester Wise of Nassau Community College at Verdi’s in Westbury. Town of Hempstead Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby offered her heartfelt congratulations to Prof. Wise. Pictured (L to R): Evor Ingram, Westbury, President Ken Saunders, Nassau Community College, Valerie Wise, Hempstead, Prof. Sylvester Wise, Long Beach, Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby Darius Reed, Long Beach
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THE NEW COMMUNITY JOURNAL
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Jabari Parker, high school phenom plays with purpose Who is Jabari Parker? Sports Illustrated dubbed a then 17-year-old LeBron James “The Chosen One” in 2002. Last year, the magazine named Chicago’s Jabari Parker the best high school basketball player since James. For Parker’s sake, you can just call him one of the most decorated high school basketball players in hoops’ history and someone Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel says is a “role model for kids.” Why is he on theGrio’s 100? Parker, 17, has already been named Gatorade’s National Boys Basketball Player of the Year and won three state titles for Chicago’s Simeon Career Academy. (2011 NBA MVP Derrick Rose is an alum) And he’s not even done his senior season yet. Parker’s also making news for his commitment to his faith: Mormonism. “I realize why I’m in the position I’m in right now,” Parker told Sports Illustrated in May last year. “It’s not because of me. It’s because of God.” According to the New York Times, Parker “abides by Mormon customs,” regularly attending Bible study before class and refusing to smoke or drink alcohol. In a city making headlines too often for gang violence, Parker is among the reasons Chicago is smiling. What’s next for Parker? Parker will attend Duke University in the fall, making his announcement in front of classmates and national media NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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in December. He was coveted by all of the top Division 1 programs, but ultimately Duke and their legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski won Parker over. “You can’t go wrong at the program and most importantly, the long-term investment,” Parker said about his decision. “I feel like if I go there, I can get a good degree. I can also stay close to home where it’s easily accessible to my parents, my family. It’s not too far away.” Parker said he would not take time away from college when he turns 19 to serve his church on a mission to spread faith. (as thousands of other Mormon men do at that age) He said a mission may be in his future but, for now, Parker is likely to be wearing a NBA uniform for the start of next year’s season. Follow Jabari Parker on Twitter @JabariParker22
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failed to report salary he received as elected official
Long Beach City Councilman Convicted of Multiple Felonies After Receiving Improper Unemployment Benefits Fagen faces up to four years in prison;
ATTENTION STUDENTS, PARENTS, AUNTS, UNCLES, GRANDPARENTS AND TEACHERS! IN AN EFFORT TO PRAISE AND ENCOURAGE OUR CHILDREN IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL ENDEAVORS, WE WOULD LIKE TO SPOTLIGHT A STUDENT A WEEK WHO HAS ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING SPECIAL IN SCHOOL!
MINEOLA, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced today that Long Beach City Councilman Michael Fagen has been convicted of multiple charges by a jury after filing for unemployment benefit to which he was not entitled. Fagen, 56, of Long Beach, was convicted of 18 counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, and one misdemeanor count of Petit Larceny. He faces up to four years in prison at his Nassau County District April 8 sentencing. Attorney Kathleen Rice Rice said that Fagen began receiving $405 per week in Unemployment Insurance Benefits from the New York State Department of Labor (DOL) in September 2009. In November 2009, Fagen was elected to a fouryear term as a Long Beach city councilman, a full-time position, and began receiving a yearly salary of $19,828 upon his inauguration in January 2010. Fagen failed to disclose his government employment to the DOL, as well as his employment as a salesman for a hotel membership benefits company while continuing to receive undeserved unemployment benefits. After his inauguration, he falsely certified that he was unemployed to the DOL. “Elected officials are expected to put their communities and constituents first, not look for ways to pad their wallets at the expense of those they represent,” Rice said. “Mr. Fagen violated the trust of Long Beach residents.” The investigation of this case was jointly conducted by the District Attorney’s Office and the New York State Department of Labor’s Office of Special Investigations following notification by the City of Long Beach. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and 20 counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. Chief Marshall Trager and Assistant District Attorney William Jorgenson of the Government & Consumer Frauds Bureau are prosecuting the case for the DA’s Office. Fagen is represented by Marc Gann, Esq.
graduated, won a certificate, passed an exam, written a poem, created or invented something, has significantly improved his/her grades, wrote a fantastic essay, joined the track team, sang a solo, has a part in a play or painted a beautiful picture, let us know and we’ll show him/her off in the paper! Contact Lisa-Anne Byers at speechlrb@yahoo.com
If you know a student from kindergarten - college who has NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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Woodmere Man Pleads Uniondale church burglary Guilty to Stealing More Than defendants arraigned $634K From Local Synagogue Zucker used access as congregation’s treasurer to steal money; faces up to 7 years in prison
MINEOLA, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced today that a Woodmere man has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $634,000 from a local synagogue by wiring cash from the congregation’s accounts into his own. Isaac Zucker, 49, pleaded guilty this morning to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree. He faces up to seven years in prison at his April 9 sentencing.
Three men arrested for burglarizing a Uniondale church on January 30 were arraigned today by Judge Joy Watson. Duane Smith and Triston Thomas, both charged with Burglary in the Third Degree and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree, had bail set in the amount of $10,000 bond or $5,000 cash. Richard Norris, charged with Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree, had bail set in the amount of $5,000 bond or $2,500 cash.
Rice said that between his election to treasurer in 2006 and June 2011, Zucker stole $634,960 from the Congregation Aish Kodesh in Woodmere. Zucker, as treasurer, was responsible for paying bills for and making deposits and used his access to the synagogue’s accounts to steal the cash by wiring it into his law practice’s business account and writing himself checks from the congregation’s accounts.
All three defendants were represented by the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County and are due back in court on February 5.
The theft was discovered in June 2011 when checks meant to pay the synagogue’s bills began bouncing. Doctored bank statements provided to the congregation’s leadership by Zucker showed one account’s balance to be $200,000. In reality, it was only $50. Zucker was arrested by members of the Nassau County Police Department’s Crimes Against Property Squad at a hotel near MacArthur Airport on June 29, 2011. “Houses of worship act as beacons of education, guidance, friendship, and trust and for this defendant to violate that sanctity in order to fill his own pockets is unconscionable,” Rice said. “He could not escape the years of lies and deceit, however, and for that my office will be seeking full restitution in addition to any prison sentence he may receive.” Assistant District Attorney Peter Mancuso of the Government & Consumer Frauds Bureau is prosecuting the case for the DA’s Office. Zucker is represented by Joseph A. Grob, Esq.
NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
Jesse Jackson Jr. Plea Deal: Source Says Disgraced Ex-Congressman's Deal Includes 'Significant' Jail Time As the trouble train rolls on for former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., new reports indicate the disgraced ex-congressman could be headed for an extended stay behind bars. Jackson and the federal authorities investigating the former representative's alleged misuse of campaign funds are said to have a plea deal in the works, the Sun-Times exclusively reported late Wednesday. “Significant jail time is now definitely a part of the deal,” a top source told the Sun-Times. As NBC Chicago notes, word of Jackson's plea deal comes just days after the news broke that feds were looking in to the campaign finances of his wife, former Chicago Ald. Sandi Jackson, in an independent investigation. A second source told the Sun-Times, “...I think [Jackson’s wife] Sandi, feels like she was thrown under the bus by her husband, ” now that a separate probe has begun on her. Sandi Jackson acknowledged to NBC back last December that there was a $69,000 discrepancy between campaign finance reports issued by her office and her husband's office; she blamed the issue on clerical errors. Sandi Jackson, who represented the city's 7th Ward, abruptly resigned from her post last month despite previous denials that she was quitting the City Council. Some investigations believe Jackson Jr. was tipped off to the probe coming his way prior to taking his leave of absence in Congress, according to Politico. In his resignation letter, Jackson acknowledged the federal investigation. Sandi Jackson, meanwhile, made no mention of any federal probe in her January resignation from Chicago's City Council, citing instead family and personal matters as contributing factors to her decision.
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In 2005, I chose to run for public office for the first time in my life because I felt I had the energy and ideas to make a difference in a county I care so much about. Nearly two terms later, I’m proud to have kept my promises and to have helped the district attorney’s office become one of the most professional, independent and innovative prosecutor's offices in the nation. While our strides have been bold and our progress steady, I believe I have more to contribute to an office that we all rely upon to protect our families and to ensure the integrity of the criminal justice system. That’s why I’m so excited to announce my candidacy for a third term as Nassau County’s district attorney. Our work over the last two terms is something we can be proud of. our office has become a national leader in the fight against drunk and drugged-driving. We’ve cut plea-bargaining and toughened prosecutions of violent criminals and cyber predators. We’ve gone after corrupt officials who abuse the public’s trust and we've recovered millions of dollars of misused taxpayer money. Our community and school education programs have received widespread praise and our efforts to help rehabilitate non-violent offenders and reduce recidivism have put our office on the forefront of the criminal justice reform movement. We’ve done all this as non-political, independent prosecutors not guided by fear or favor, but instead by what’s right and what’s wrong. If you give me the opportunity to continue my public service as your district attorney, I can promise that you will get more of the same independence that has become the hallmark of our time in office. And you will always know where I stand on the issues. My top priorities for a third term are clear: I will to continue to crack down on violent and cyber crime. I will redouble investigative efforts targeting those who steal from taxpayers or abuse the public’s trust. I will help lead local and state reform of the juvenile justice system so that we can reduce recidivism and redirect nonviolent teen offenders to paths of prosperity. I will fight to get illegal guns off our streets and I will lobby Albany and Washington for sensible gun-control laws. I will continue to push for reforms that better safeguard the integrity of our criminal justice system. I need your help to make sure that the progress that has improved the safety of Nassau County families continues. If you share my belief in the importance of keeping the office in the hands of prosecutors who are committed to innovation and independence, then please take a moment to contribute to our campaign (link below), forward this email to your circle of contacts, or visit our website, Facebook or Twitter accounts using the links below. Additionally, our first event of 2013 is next Thursday, January 10 at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City. As a homicide prosecutor, as an assistant U.S. attorney, and as Nassau County’s district attorney, I have spent my entire life advocating for victims of crime and for reforms that make our criminal justice system more effective. I ask for your support so that we can build on our successes and continue to make Nassau County a safer, more prosperous place for us all. Sincerely, Kathleen Rice NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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Statement of D.A. Kathleen Rice Chief on Chief Judge Lippman's Bail Reform Proposals "Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman’s proposals show a wise understanding that the public's safety should be a factor for courts to consider when setting bail. At the same time, moving most non-violent, indigent defendants from jail cells to supervised release programs is a smart way to save money and also avoid potentially disruptive factors in defendants' paths to law-abiding lives. Chief Judge Lippman is also right that the forprofit bail bonds industry has too much influence on who our system incarcerates. I am eager to join him in finding ways to limit that influence so that our system can more fairly and effectively determine who should be in jail and who should not. In the meantime, I fully support these reform proposals a means to bring the bail process of New York courts more in line with a modern model that we know limits incarceration, improves public safety and saves taxpayer dollars."
Nassau County Guardians Association, Inc. Circa 1953
The Nassau County Guardians Association, Inc. is celebrating its Sixty Years of existence within the Nassau County Police Department... Members of this organization are of African American Dissent, and are sworn officers of the police departments in Nassau County and the Non-sworn civilian employees of these departments… As we begin the Month of February, which is also known as the Black History Month, the Guardians will be celebrating a historical fact, where three of its members are currently holding a rank above the level of Captain. These members are Deputy Inspector Lorna Atmore: Assign within the Detective Division; Deputy Inspector Stephen Palmer: Assign within the Patrol Division; and Deputy Inspector Keechant Sewell: Assign within the Patrol Division. The members of the Guardians have come a long way, and are still striving for other achievements within the police department, being the best professionals they can be policing the streets of Nassau County. They act as a buffer between the African American Communities and the Police Departments, as they conduct workshops for the youths of our generation, by teaching them how to interact during a street encounter with the police; they are also mentors within the school districts, and also participate in some after school programs with the PAL. Over the years the Guardians have been active in the recruitment process, to bring talented brothers and sisters to the departments; they have supported the efforts of Katrina; they have funded rebuilding projects in Haiti; they have participated in the efforts of recovering from Storm Sandy; and every year have funded scholarships for three to six high school graduates of the African American communities who are entering their first year in college. As the Guardians celebrate this historical feat, they are still weak with representation in the supervisory ranks throughout Nassau, with One Lieutenant in Support Division; Two Detective Sergeants in the Detective Division; and Two Sergeants in the Patrol Division of the Nassau County Police department; One Lieutenant and Four Sergeants in Hempstead Police Department; And, Two Sergeants in Freeport Police Department. John Nedd Past President Nassau County Guardians Association, Inc. PAGE 30
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Dr. Marilyn Hughes Gaston and Dr. Gayle K. Porter, promoting health among midlife women Who are Drs. Marilyn Hughes Gaston and Dr. Gayle K. Porter? Dr. Marilyn Hughes Gaston, 73, is a pediatrician by training who has dedicated her professional career to improving the health of poor children and their families. She was the second African-American woman to achieve the rank of assistant surgeon general and rear admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service. As the director of a public health service bureau, she managed a $5 million budget, and improved access to quality health care to over 12 million underserved minority patients in the United States. Dr. Gayle K. Porter, 67, is a clinical psychologist and the first African-American female psychologist on the psychiatry faculty of Johns Hopkins. She is an internationally known expert and lecturer in mental health, especially regarding minority children, women and families. Among many achievements, Porter helped create what became a nationally known school-based mental health program for Johns Hopkins University – a program that helped reduce violence among the targeted group of youth. They have both received numerous honors and accolades for their work. In fact, two cities have named a “Marilyn Hughes Day” on their observance calendar — Cincinnati and Lincoln Heights, Ohio. Together, they have pooled their expertise and formed The Gaston and Porter Health Improvement Center, with their most recent focus on black women’s emotional and physical health.
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Gaston and Porter’s interest in this particular group of women led to their best-selling holistic book, Prime Time: The African-American Woman’s Complete Guide to Midlife Health and Wellness. It encouraged women to make lifestyle changes to improve their health by starting or joining support groups. After much interest in the concept of using support groups to foster health improvement, the Prime Time Sister Circles® were born. The two secured grant funding and developed a science-based curriculum to improve the lifestyles of black women ages 40 and 75 years of age. The groups focus on stress management, fitness, nutrition and taking charge of one’s health. Its members meet for two hours over 12 weeks around their communities. Gaston and Porter live by example, taking their own health seriously and following the tenets of the PTSC as well. A breast cancer survivor, Gaston also advises women on breast cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The Prime Time Sister Circles® have now helped over 2,000 women in 16 cities. In addition, the Gaston and Porter National Training Institute has trained over 100 women to continue facilitating the PTSC programs as health educators. Among the women involved in PTSC, there has been a documented reduction in obesity and overall weight, decrease in blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and improvements in stress and physical activity. What’s next for Drs. Gaston and Porter? Currently based both in the Washington, D.C. area and Poinciana, Fla., the duo plans to expand the PTSC to black women nationally and internationally, as well as to younger black women. In response to requests from women of various racial and ethnic groups, they will be piloting a new curriculum for women of all groups, called Prime Time Woman Circles®
Why are they on theGrio’s 100? NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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Most common male cancer kills black men more Four years ago, after routine blood work, James Huffman, now 60, got a disturbing phone call. “My doctor was out, and another doctor called, and said my PSA came back a bit high,” Huffman recalls. “And the doctor added: ‘I really would impress upon you to make an appointment, don’t let this go.’” Prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, is a blood test used to alert doctors to a potential problem with the prostate. For men over age 50, it is part of routine screening for prostate cancer together with a digital rectal examination, where the prostate is checked using a gloved finger, feeling for nodules or abnormalities in the prostate. “I wasn’t familiar with the PSA. When he wanted to do the blood work, I said fine no problem. i didn’t think any more about it,” Huffman says. “That was the first time I had heard anything about this.” The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that only men have. It makes semen, the fluid that carries sperm. The prostate is located in front of the rectum and just below the bladder. It is the most common site for cancer in men after skin cancer — one in six develops it in their lifetime. The prostate enlarges as men age, but sometimes a group of cells start to grow abnormally and creates a cancerous tumor that can spread to other parts of the body. Most do not spread. But, if it does, it usually goes to the bone or areas inside of the abdomen. Huffman decided to wait before having a biopsy, where doctors take a piece of the prostate and look at it under a microscope, looking for cancer. Initially, his PSA was over 6 — normal is 4. In months, it rose to 7.8. Then, he agreed to the biopsy. “I asked a friend who had had prostate cancer in the past. He suggested that with African-American men it was too aggressive to watch and wait,” says Huffman. For unclear reasons, African-American men have higher rates of developing and dying from prostate cancer than men of other racial or ethnic groups in the United States. One in five African-American men is diagnosed with prostate cancer, one in 20 die from it. They die almost 2.5 times more than white men. Huffman’s biopsy was negative. A few months later, a year after his first abnormal PSA level, his level came back at 9. He and his doctor decided to repeat a biopsy and take a larger amount of prostate this time. ”[The biopsy] was so positive that it was prostate cancer,” Huffman says. He decided to have his prostate removed using robotic surgery. The cancer had grown throughout his entire prostate, but luckily, it did not spread outside of it. “It was hard to believe. I didn’t know anything about this before. I had not had a history of anything except for [high blood pressure] before this,” says Huffman. Fred Irvin, 56, shared a similar disbelief. Diagnosed over a year ago, he too had routine blood work to screen for prostate cancer. His PSA level came back at 8.2. He had a biopsy right away, and the results were distressing. “The psychological part of this thing was hard. I had cancer, the big C, how do you tell the family?,” Irvin says. “I have a daughter in college, 22 years old, and a son 28. How do you tell them? My daughter was just devastated. I reassured her it wasn’t the end and its treatable.” Within months, Irvin chose to have his prostate removed. “Because of my age and the fact that I’m African-American, the protocol was to take it out — to not even play around,” says Irvin. One of the more treatable cancers, prostate cancer has a survival rate of 99 percent. Yet, black men tend to delay screening and diagnosis, sometimes until it is too late. “I have a friend of mine who has a PSA of 22 — almost 3 times what mine was — but he refuses to get a biopsy. The reality is you need to know,” Irvin says. “He’s playing with fire.” Irvin has already seen the consequences — he recently met a man whose prostate cancer had spread throughout his body before he sought medical care. As a whole, many surveys have identified a general mistrust of the medical community among many African-Americans. Yet, this aversion to seeking care is even greater among black men. Some agree that it is rooted in the experimentation on African-Americans during the Tuskegee experiment, NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
where, for four decades, black men believed they were being treated for syphilis, but the researchers were actually observing what would happen if syphilis was allowed to progress. Other surveys have found that African-Americans feel discriminated against by their physicians. One showed that patients have a high level of trust in their physicians when first seeking care about an issue such as cancer, until after the visit, when it drops significantly. Aside from myths such as, biopsies actually cause cancer, the biggest concern surrounding prostate screening and cancer is its effect on erectile dysfunction and perceived manhood. Huffman frequently sees black men who refuse rectal exams because of what he thinks is homophobia. In addition, a side effect of surgery or radiation treatment for prostate cancer difficulty with erections — this can exist for years after the surgery. In some cases, that ability may not come back. “There are some men who wish they didn’t even have the surgery, as amazing as that sounds,” Huffman says. “After the surgery, they are happy like ‘Oh my God, I’m good’ and they are very happy. But as time goes on, six months or a year with these difficulties, the elation somewhat lowers.” Through his outreach work, Huffman has met men who would rather die of cancer than lose their sense of manhood. Irvin says it is still worth it. “I’m not worried about being able to perform again. Sometimes that’s compromised. Sometimes it may never come back. My doctor did tell me that, that it will take one or two years. But, that’s the last thing on my mind right now.” Though not always successful, there are treatments for erectile dysfunction following prostate surgery or radiation — oral medications such as Viagra, or injections. HOW WE OVERCOME IT Researchers do not know how to prevent prostate cancer, but early detection can increase survival. Often, there are no obvious symptoms until the disease has progressed. Thus, a digital rectal exam and blood levels are the first steps for screening. This is especially important if there is family history of prostate cancer. As Huffman says, “You should know your PSA numbers like you know your social security number.” There is some controversy about if and when men should be screened, so it is a discussion unique to each man and his doctor. WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING TO KEEP US HEALTHY The American Cancer Society runs Brother to Brother support groups where black men affected by prostate cancer can come together and talk. Huffman says that even being in a room of other men with prostate cancer who have issues surrounding erectile difficulties, men are still not as supportive as they need to be. “You’re taught to grin, bear it and go on,” he says. “If you can’t open up and feel like that, then who do u speak to about it? You can’t really speak to your spouse. The doctors, they don’t talk about it, or feel comfortable talking about it.” The Prostate Education Project teamed up in 2009 with the Black Barbershop Outreach Program to utilize 100 barbershops around Los Angeles to not only teach black men about prostate cancer, but also link them to low-cost or free doctors in the area. The Prostate Health Education Network, led by Thomas Farrington, will hold rallies at select black churches nationwide on this Father’s Day to raise awareness about the importance of prostate cancer and screening. PAGE 32
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DuBois leaving White House faith-based post WASHINGTON (RNS) Longtime White House aide Joshua DuBois, who heads the White House office focused on the intersection of religion and public policy, will step down on Friday (Feb. 8), President Obama announced Thursday. Obama, speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast, asked DuBois to lead his White House Office of Faithbased and Neighborhood Partnerships in 2009 when the Pentecostal reverend was 26, and hoped DuBois could sustain the ties he had helped forge between Obama and religious groups during the 2008 presidential campaign. DuBois will teach at New York University starting later in the year, according to White House officials, and also plans to write a book based on the inspirational messages he sent to Obama daily. “Every morning he sends me via email a daily meditation — a snippet of Scripture for me to reflect on,” Obama told the more than 3,000 people gathered for the annual bipartisan prayer breakfast. “And it has meant the world to me.” DuBois tweeted in response: “Humbled beyond words. Grateful to God for a good President, and a good friend. Thankful for all of you. And excited about the future.” DuBois, 30, who grew up in Nashville, Tenn., and worked as an assistant pastor in Massachusetts and for Obama when he was a senator, also plans to start a new organization with Michael Wear — his former assistant at the White House — to help organizations and local governments partner with faith-based organizations, according to a White House source.
that allows religious groups that receive federal funds to hire and fire based on an employee’s religion. At the prayer breakfast sponsored by members of Congress who meet weekly for prayer when Congress is in session, Obama steered clear of political topics and spoke of his faith in both personal and general terms. “Sometimes I search Scripture to determine how best to balance life as a president and as a husband and as a father. I often search for Scripture to figure out how I can be a better man as well as a better president,” Obama said. He continued: “And I believe that we are united in these struggles. But I also believe that we are united in the knowledge of a redeeming Savior, whose grace is sufficient for the multitude of our sins, and whose love is never failing.” The prayer breakfast is interfaith, but with a heavily evangelical Christian emphasis.
Wear also directed faith-based outreach for the president’s re-election campaign.
At this year’s event, Obama shared the dais with first lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and keynoter Dr. Benjamin S. Carson, director of pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.
DuBois, despite his youth, earned the respect of many who work at the intersection of faith and politics, but he was criticized for not changing a policy that preceded him
Opera star Andrea Bocelli sang “Ave Maria” for the gathering and Gabrielle Douglas, the gold-medal-winning Olympic gymnast, offered the closing prayer.
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Life Changing Words Keep A Good Name Proverbs 22:1 KJV “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” When we think about what is important in life today we never think to say a Good Name. We think more about riches such as cars, house, education, a great high paying job, or maybe even silver or gold. Let me however inform you about what the Lord says in His word (Bible), which is the infallible word of God. Meaning His word is true, doesn’t lie and never fails. Now let’s look at the way God sees things. God is not concerned with the inanimate objects of our life, as He is concerned about our person. He wants you to realize in all the things that He has created man is His most precious possession. He created you in His image and likeness and that alone is enough to give Him glory for. When you think about how important His name is and you are made in His image how important should yours be. Of course I am not saying that you should consider yourself or your name by no means equal to God or His name but you should care what people say and think when your name is mentioned. What are the true thoughts from the Body of Christ and even the secular world when your name is mentioned? Do
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they speak well of you or do they speak bad of you or do they just not say anything at all. What are you known for in your community are you a follower, a liar, a gossiper, or a peacemaker. Do you exhibit love or hate are you filled with jealousy and envy and strife follows you everywhere you go. These are some things that we need to evaluate in life to see where do you truly stand as a person. Is my name associated with good things or bad things? What is my character like? Am I known to have natural and spiritual morals or no morals at all? I am putting all of these questions out there so we can all think about what is important in life besides natural achievements. God said in His word a good name is very important and is more valuable then any riches will ever be. Many people think in life that it doesn’t matter what people think of me and that maybe true but let us take it a step further. When your name is mentioned in Heaven what does God think of you? Is He pleased with what you have done, said, and accomplished in your life and in His Kingdom. For ultimately we know if we please God then we will please everyone else who truly matters in life. We realize that we can never be perfect but we can press toward the mark to maintain a good name. One of the wisest man in the world King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 7:1a KJV “A good name is better than precious ointment.” Keep your name precious (Continued on page 37)
COMING TO A PEW NEAR YOU 3/1/13 NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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Question: "What is the story of the Old Testament?" Answer: In the very beginning, God was already there. For His own good pleasure, God created time and the universe by the power of His word, turning nothing into something. On the sixth day of creation, God made something unique: mankind—a man and a woman—created in His likeness. As God created the first two humans as male and female, He instituted the covenant of marriage (Genesis 1–2). God placed the man and his wife in the Garden of Eden, a perfect environment, and gave them the responsibility of tending the garden. God allowed them to eat of any fruit in the garden but one: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was forbidden to them. They had a choice to obey or disobey, but God warned them that death would result if they disobeyed (Genesis 2:15-17). Meanwhile, a mighty angel named Lucifer rebelled against God in heaven. He and one third of the angelic host were cast out of heaven. Lucifer came into the garden where the man and his wife were. There, he took the form of a serpent and tempted Eve, the first woman, to disobey God by eating the forbidden fruit. He told her that she would not die and that the fruit was actually good for her. She believed the lies and ate some of the fruit. She then gave the fruit to her husband, Adam, and he ate it, too. Immediately, the couple knew they had done wrong. They felt ashamed and vulnerable and exposed. When God came looking for them, they hid (Isaiah 14:12-15; Genesis 3). Of course, God found them. Judgment was meted out. The ground was cursed for the man’s sake: it would no longer bring forth its fruit easily; instead, man must toil to produce a crop. The woman was cursed with pain during childbirth. The serpent was cursed to crawl in the dust from then on. And then God made a promise: one day, Someone would be born of a woman who would do battle with the Serpent. This One would crush the Serpent’s head, although He would be injured in the process. God then slaughtered an animal and provided coverings of skin for the sinful couple before He drove them out of Eden (Genesis 3:15-19, 21). The struggle between good and evil continued in the first couple’s family. One of their sons, Cain, murdered his brother, Abel, and was cursed for his deed. Another child was born to the first woman. His name was Seth (Genesis 4:8, 25). Several generations later, the world was filled with wickedness. Violence and a disregard for God were rampant. God determined to destroy the wickedness of man and begin anew. A man named Noah, one of Seth’s descendants, was extended grace (God’s blessing on the undeserving). God revealed to Noah that He would send a great Flood to destroy the earth, and He gave Noah instructions on building an ark to survive the Flood. Noah built the ark, and when the time came, God caused animals of each kind to enter the ark. These animals, along with Noah and his family, were spared. The Flood destroyed every other living thing on the earth (Genesis 6–8). After the Flood, Noah and his family began to repopulate the earth. When their descendants began building a monument to themselves in defiance of God, God confused their language. The inhabitants of the earth separated according to their language groups and spread out over the face of the earth (Genesis 11:1-8). The time came for God to begin His plan to introduce the Serpent-crusher into the world. The first step was to create a people set apart from Himself. He chose a man named Abraham and his wife, Sarah, to begin a new race of people. God called Abraham away from his home and led him to the land of Canaan. God promised Abraham innumerable descendants who would possess Canaan as their own. God also promised to bless Abraham’s seed and, through that seed, to bless all the nations of the earth. The problem was that Abraham and Sarah were old, and Sarah was barren. But Abraham believed God’s promise, and God reckoned Abraham’s faith as righteousness (Genesis 12:1-4; 15:6). In due time, God blessed Abraham and Sarah with a son, Isaac. God repeated His NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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promise of many descendants and blessing to Isaac. Isaac had twins, Esau and Jacob. God chose Jacob to inherit the promised blessing and changed his name to Israel. Jacob/Israel had twelve sons, who became the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 21:1-6; 25:19-26; 28:10-15; 35:23-26). Due to a severe famine, Jacob moved his entire family from Canaan to Egypt. Before he died, Jacob gave prophetic blessings to each of his sons. To Judah, he promised there would be a King among his descendants—One who would be honored by all the nations of the world. Jacob’s family increased in Egypt, and they remained there for the next 400 years. Then the king of Egypt, fearing that the children of Israel would become too numerous to handle, enslaved them. God raised up a prophet named Moses, from the tribe of Levi, to bring the people of Israel out of Egypt and back to the land which had been promised to Abraham (Genesis 46; 49; Exodus 1:8-14; 3:710). The exodus from Egypt was accompanied by many great miracles, including the parting of the Red Sea. Once safely out of Egypt, the children of Israel camped at Mt. Sinai, where God gave Moses the Law. This Law, summarized in the Ten Commandments, was the basis of a covenant God made with Israel: if they kept His commandments, they would be blessed, but if they broke His commandments, they would suffer curses. Israel agreed to follow the Law of God (Exodus 7–11; 14:21-22; 19–20). In addition to establishing a moral code, the Law defined the role of the priest and prescribed the offering of sacrifices to atone for sin. Atonement could only be made by the shedding of the blood of a spotless sacrifice. The Law also detailed how to build the holy tabernacle, or tent, in which God’s presence would dwell and where He would meet with His people (Leviticus 1; Exodus 25:8-9). After receiving the Law, Moses led the Israelites to the border of the Promised Land. But the people, fearing Canaan’s warlike inhabitants and doubting God’s promises, refused to enter. As a punishment, God turned them back into the wilderness, where they were forced to wander for 40 years. In His grace, God miraculously provided food and water for the entire multitude (Numbers 14:1-4, 34-35; Exodus 16:35). At the end of 40 years, Moses died. One of his last prophecies concerned the coming of another Prophet who would be like Moses and to whom the people must listen. Moses’ successor, Joshua, was used by God to lead the people of Israel into the Promised Land. They went with God’s promise that none of their enemies would be able to stand against them. God showed His power at Jericho, the first city they encountered, by causing the walls of the city to fall down flat. In His grace and mercy, God spared a believing harlot named Rahab from Jericho’s destruction (Deuteronomy 18:15; Joshua 6). Over the next years, Joshua and the Israelites succeeded in driving out most of the Canaanites, and the land was divided among the twelve tribes. However, the conquest of the land was incomplete. Through a lack of faith and simple disobedience, they failed to finish the job, and pockets of Canaanites remained. These pagan influences had an effect on the Israelites, who began to adopt the worship of idols, in direct violation of God’s Law (Joshua 15:63; 16:10; 18:1). After Joshua’s death, the Israelites experienced a tumultuous time. The nation would lapse into idolatry, and God would bring judgment in the form of enslavement to an enemy. The people of God would repent and call on the Lord for help. God would then raise up a judge to destroy the idols, rally the people, and defeat the enemy. Peace would last for a while, but, after the death of the judge, the people invariably fell back into idolatry, and the cycle would repeat (Judges 17:6). The final judge was Samuel, who was also a prophet. During his time, Israel demanded a king to rule over them, in order to be like the other nations. God granted their request, and Samuel anointed Saul as Israel’s first king. Saul was a disappointment, however. He disobeyed God and was removed from power. God chose David, of the tribe of Judah, to succeed Saul as king. God promised David that he would have a descendant who would reign on the throne forever (1 Samuel 8:5; 15:1, 26; 1 Chronicles 17:11-14). (Continued on page 37)
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Are you Ready to be an Effective Communicator during a Crisis? Get Tips on Disaster Planning During Free SBA/Agility Webinar WASHINGTON – Managing the flow of information about your company is crucial when an emergency occurs. Regardless of your abilities as a leader, it’s easy to become overwhelmed when a crisis hits. Get tips on how to plan a communications strategy that will eliminate confusion and support your recovery efforts during a free webinar on February 12, hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration and Agility Recovery. The discussion will help you assess your company’s needs, identify a good spokesperson and develop fact sheets and talking points. SBA has partnered with Agility to offer business continuity strategies through its “PrepareMyBusiness” website. Visit www.preparemybusiness.org to access past webinars and get additional preparedness tips. The SBA provides disaster recovery assistance in the form of low-interest loans to homeowners, renters, private non-profits organizations and businesses of all sizes. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov/disaster. WHAT: “Crisis Communications Planning—The Keystone of Disaster Recovery Response” will be presented by Agility Recovery CEO Bob Boyd. A question and answer session will follow. WHEN: Tuesday, February 12, 2013 – 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EST HOW: Space is limited. Register at https:// www1.gotomeeting.com/register/119177817
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in the sight of people and truly in the eyesight of God and watch the loving favor that a good name can bring you. As Leaders in the church or even as parents in the home we must all teach one another and our youth how important it is to keep a good name. See when Jesus name is mentioned it speaks of love, righteousness, peace, and hope yet it has the power to heal, deliver, set the captives free, and make demons flee. Now that’s what you call having power in a name so I charge you this day to evaluate your name….
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David’s son Solomon reigned in Jerusalem after David’s death. During the reign of Solomon’s son, civil war broke out, and the kingdom was divided: the northern kingdom was called Israel, and the southern kingdom was called Judah. The Davidic dynasty ruled in Judah (1 Kings 2:1; 12). The kingdom of Israel had an unbroken series of wicked kings. None of them sought the Lord or attempted to lead the nation according to God’s Law. God sent prophets to warn them, including the miracle-working Elijah and Elisha, but the kings persisted in their wickedness. Finally, God brought the Assyrian nation upon Israel in judgment. The Assyrians deported most of the Israelites, and that was the end of the northern kingdom (1 Kings 17:1; 2 Kings 2; 17). The kingdom of Judah had its share of wicked kings, but the chain was broken by an occasional godly king who truly loved the Lord and sought to govern according to the Law. God was faithful to His promise and blessed the people when they followed His commandments. The nation was preserved during the Assyrian invasion and endured many other threats. During this time, the prophet Isaiah preached against the sins of Judah and foresaw the Babylonian invasion. Isaiah also predicted the coming of the Servant of the Lord—He would suffer for the sins of His people and be glorified and sit on David’s throne. The prophet Micah predicted that the Promised One would be born in Bethlehem (Isaiah 37; 53:5; Micah 5:2). Eventually, the nation of Judah also fell into gross idolatry. God brought the nation of Babylon against Judah in judgment. The prophet Jeremiah experienced the fall of Jerusalem and predicted that the Jewish captives in Babylon would return to the Promised Land after 70 years. Jeremiah also prophesied a future covenant in which the Law was not written on tablets of stone but in the hearts of God’s people. This new covenant would result in God’s forgiveness of sin (2 Kings 25:8-10; Jeremiah 29:10; 31:31-34). The Babylon captivity lasted for 70 years. The prophets Daniel and Ezekiel ministered during that time. Daniel predicted the rise and fall of many nations. He also predicted the coming of the Messiah, or Chosen One, who would be killed for the sake of others (Daniel 2:36-45; 9:26). After Babylon fell to the Persians, the Jews were released to return to Judah. Many Jews returned home to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. Nehemiah and Ezra led those endeavors, with encouragement from the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. One of Zechariah’s prophecies included a description of a future King who would come into Jerusalem humbly, riding on a donkey (Nehemiah 6:15-16; Ezra 6:14-15; Zechariah 9:9). Not all of the Jews returned to Judah, however. Many chose to stay in Persia, where God still watched over them. A Jewess named Esther rose to the rank of queen of Persia and was instrumental in saving the lives of all the Jews in the kingdom (Esther 8:1). Malachi wrote the last book of the Old Testament. He prophesied that the Lord would come to His temple, but, before His arrival, another messenger would prepare the way for the Lord. This messenger would be like the prophet Elijah of old. After Malachi’s prophecy, it was another 400 years before God spoke directly to man (Malachi 3:1; 4:5). The Old Testament is the story of God’s plan to bring about the redemption of man. At the close of the Old Testament, God has a unique Chosen People who understand the importance of blood sacrifices, who believe the promises made to Abraham and David, and who are awaiting a Redeemer. In short, they are ready to receive the Serpent-crusher of Genesis, the Prophet like Moses, the Suffering Servant of Isaiah, the Son of David, the Messiah of Daniel, and the Humble King of Zechariah—all to be found in one person, Jesus Christ.
Dr. Karen Deadwyler is a new author inspired by God. Her first book titled “His Miraculous Way” speaks of her victory through Jesus Christ. For Prophetess Karen is truly a miracle writing about miracles. She is the Visionary of a women’s ministry called Willing Women of Worship Fellowship and the Co-founder of Glory Temple Ministries Inc. To contact her, inquire about her book or to send comments email her at kaynrony@yahoo.com or visit her website: www.godlypleasures.org
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TIGERS POST KEY LOSSES Taylor Townsend, pro tennis’ next superstar Who is Taylor Townsend? When Serena Williams comes out and publicly defends you, there’s a good chance you’re doing something right. And 2012 was all right for 16-year-old Chicago tennis prodigy Taylor Townsend. She dominated the junior tennis ranks and attracted Williams’ support in a bizarre spat with the United States Tennis Association over Townsend’s playing weight and fitness. Townsend’s mother Sheila played tennis in college and introduced her and her sister Symone to the sport. With the help of another tennis family, the parents of current tennis pro Donald Young, Townsend moved to Georgia before catching the attention of coaches with the USTA. Why is she on theGrio’s 100? The New York Times reports Townsend was the first American to hold the “No. 1 year-end ranking for junior girls since Gretchen Rush in 1982.” She was discouraged to participate in the United States Open because the USTA deemed she wasn’t in peak shape. The ‘controversy’ over Townsend’s 5’6, 170-pound frame, sparked discussion about female body image in sports and ironically put the focus back on the dominant year Townsend had on the court: “Taylor Townsend’s game reflects her disdain for being pigeonholed or penned in,” writes Karen Crouse of the New York Times. “It’s a blending of (Serena) Williams’ power, Billie Jean King’s soft hands and Pam Shriver’s conviviality.” Townsend’s dominance of tennis in the junior ranks was unquestionable – and when Williams and other stars like former world No. 1 Lindsay Davenport came out and defended her right to participate, the world took notice. The fact that Townsend kept a steady head despite what seemed by many as a lack of support from her sport, makes her even more inspirational. What’s next for Townsend? The next move is a big one for Townsend: The comparisons to Serena will continue to come Townsend’s way and she knows it. But she looks to another tennis legend for inspiration: Martina Navratilova. Townsend studies the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion by watching clips on You Tube. “She’s awesome,” Townsend told Sandra Harwitt of TenniShorts.com. “I got to hit with her and she was giving me a few pointers, like on my backhand slice, which is good because she had an unbelievable slice. And my serve. And she told me a few things I could do to tweak it so I wouldn’t miss it so much.” With Navratilova giving Townsend advice and friends like Williams having her back – the sky isn’t the limit – it may be the starting point. Follow Taylor Townsend on Twitter @Taylor_Townsen NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
The Hempstead Tigers have struggled of late on the basketball court. But just prior to this rough patch, the Tigers had one of their most exciting games of the season on a cold Friday night, January 25 when they handed the Nassau Conference AA-1 leader Farmingdale their first conference defeat. Before a lively crowd that loves to support its home team, the Tigers did not disappoint. They kept pace with Farmingdale and matched up well with them on both the offensive and defensive fronts. The game was close throughout with a few nail biting moments at the end until Hempstead finally wrapped up the victory and tied a bow around it with a score of 49-45. The Tigers were paced by Tidell Pierre (22), Tywan Watson (10), John Blocker (8), Baquan Lewis (4), Khalik Watts (3), and Andrew Morse (2). That excellent victory was followed by a disappointing 51-44 lost to Freeport and then a whopper of a road loss to Massapequa, which managed to limit Hempstead’s leading scorer Tidell Pierre to a mere 5 points. Then, hobbled, the Tigers faced a stellar Oceanside squad (5-5) for a 60-45 loss at home. The Tigers hope to rebound, weather-permitting on Friday, February 8 when they take a road trip to nearby Uniondale. (6-4). The Tigers (4-6) wrap their regular hoop season with a home game February 11 against Syosset…As we celebrate Black History Month, it’s a good time to look back at the history of blacks in basketball. In so doing we find that the first black player drafted by the NBA was Chuck Cooper of West Virginia State, picked in the second round of the 1950 draft by the Boston Celtics. In that same draft, in the 8th round, Washington chose Earl Lloyd, also of West Virginia State. Around the same time, the New York Knicks signed Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton from the Harlem Globetrotters. Lloyd made his debut October 31, 1950, becoming the first African American to play in an NBA game. Cooper made his debut a day later. Clifton, the first to sign a contract, played his first game on Nov. 4, 1950. Kudos to the pioneers who came before us and paved the way for others to follow 63 years ago. –B.J. Robinson PAGE 38
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Ravens hold off 49ers' rally to win Super Bowl Originally published: February 3, 2013 2:13 U p d a t e d : F e b r u a r y 4 , 2 0 1 3 2 : 4 8 By TOM ROCK tom.rock@newsday.com
PM A M
NEW ORLEANS -- Never doubt the Poe Boys in this town. The Ravens take their name from former Baltimore resident Edgar Allan Poe's ornithological poem, and Super Bowl XLVII turned into a spooky tale of its own, complete with a gloomy blackout and a chilling at-
The result left one team ecstatic over winning the game with a goal-line
stand and the other deflated that a year's worth of work came up 15 feet tempt at a comeback. Combine that with the macabre craziness New Orshort. The 49ers were closer to a Super Bowl title than a three-point shot in leans is known for, and you had one of the most memorable Super Bowls basketball, but they were unable to hit the game-winner. in history. "All the work we did in the offseason, the whole entire season, everything Despite letting a seemingly insurmountable 22-point third-quarter lead came down to five yards,'' 49ers tackle Joe Staley said, "and we weren't able bleed away to two by the middle of the fourth, the Ravens held on to beat to get it done." the 49ers, 34-31, Sunday night and earn their second Super Bowl title. "How does it feel to win the Super Bowl?" asked the Ravens' Jacoby They never lost their nerve, and they never lost their lead. Jones, who scored two touchdowns, including the longest play in Super Bowl "I tell you what, we don't make it easy," said Ravens quarterback Joe history. "I feel like Superman." Flacco, who was named MVP of the game. "But that's the way the city of The Ravens seemed to be cruising toward a second Super Bowl blowout Baltimore is, and that's the way we are." to match their trouncing of the Giants 12 years ago. They led 28-6 early in It was the 49ers' first Super Bowl loss in six appearances. The Ravens the third quarter after Jones returned the second-half kickoff 108 yards for a won their only other championship game, over the Giants in Super Bowl touchdown. XXXV. But then things got very strange. It began with the lights in the SuperJustin Tucker's 38-yard field goal with 4:14 left gave the Ravens a 34dome dimming to the point that the game had to be halted for 35 minutes. "I 29 lead, meaning the 49ers needed a touchdown. They drove inside the didn't care," Jones joked. "I was tired. I was still catching my breath." 10 in the final minutes, but on fourth-and-goal from the 5, Colin Kaepernick Stadium lights cut out on the 49ers' side, then on the Ravens' side. threw a fade pass into the end zone for Michael Crabtree that sailed out of When they returned, the 49ers seemed re-energized as well. They scored 17 bounds with 1:46 left. points in 4:10 to get back into the game. Ravens punter Sam Koch wisely burned seven seconds running The first flicker of life was a 31-yard touchdown pass to Crabtree that around the end zone before taking a safety with four seconds left. The Rawas caught at the 15. Cary Williams missed a tackle and Crabtree was able vens kicked to the 49ers, but Ted Ginn Jr. could return it only to midfield (Continued on page 40) as the confetti guns exploded. NASSAU COUNTY EDITION
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to score to make it 28-13. After forcing a poor punt by the Ravens that led to a 32-yard punt return by Ginn to the 20, the 49ers needed only two plays to score on a 6yard run by Frank Gore and make it 28-20. Then it was the Ravens' turn to give the ball away. Ray Rice, who had only one lost fumble all season, was stripped by Tarell Brown, setting up a 34-yard field goal by David Akers (who got a second chance after missing and drawing a running-into-the-kicker penalty) to make it 28-23. "You've seen those guys do it," Flacco said of the 49ers, who had trailed by at least seven points in each of their playoff games this season and two weeks ago erased a 17-0 deficit against the Falcons. "They have the ability to score and score quickly, and that's kind of what they did there . . . Boom. Next thing you know, we turn the ball over. Boom. Games can go like that. That's why you have to take care of the football and get first downs." Tucker kicked a 19-yard field goal early in the fourth, the first time in 11 red-zone trips that the Ravens did not score a touchdown, to give Baltimore a 31-23 lead. But it was still a one-possession game, and the 49ers drove 76 yards in five plays to pull within two points. Kaepernick scored the touchdown on a 15-yard run, the longest scoring dash by a quarterback in Super Bowl history, to make it 31-29 with 9:57 left. But under pressure from an Ed Reed blitz on the two-point conversion, Kaepernick overthrew Randy Moss and the Ravens held on to the lead. The Ravens took control early, driving 51 yards on their first possession, capped by Flacco's 13-yard TD pass to Anquan Boldin down the seam. The 49ers rebounded with a drive deep into Ravens territory but had to settle for a field goal that made it 7-3. The 49ers' best drive of the half was humming along with two passes to tight end Vernon Davis for 40 yards -- Ray Lewis couldn't keep up with him -- and two 8-yard runs by LaMichael James. A third run was stuffed, though, and worse yet for the 49ers, Courtney Upshaw forced a fumble by James that was recovered by Arthur Jones. The Ravens drove for a second touchdown, on a 1-yard pass to Dennis Pitta, for a 14-3 lead midway through the second quarter. Reed intercepted Kaepernick on the next play, giving the 49ers backto-back turnovers on offensive snaps. It was the first interception thrown by a 49ers quarterback in a Super Bowl (Joe Montana and Steve Young had 17 touchdown passes in their five previous appearances). But on fourthand-9 from the 14, the Ravens -- whose head coach is a former specialteams coordinator -- faked a field goal. Tucker took the snap and ran outside, but Darcel McBath and Patrick Willis chased him out of bounds a yard shy of the first down. That should have swung momentum back to the 49ers, but they ran only three plays and punted. Three plays later, Flacco threw deep for Jones, who had gotten behind cornerback Chris Culliver. Jones caught the ball falling backward at the 8 and Culliver failed to touch him down, so Jones got up and ran into the end zone for a 56-yard touchdown and a 213 lead with 1:45 left in the half. The 49ers managed a field goal as time ran out in the half to pull within 21-6. "Our guys battled to get back in it," Jim Harbaugh said. Ultimately, though, they came up just those five yards short of a championship. "We knew it was going to come down to the end," Ravens cornerback Corey Graham said. "We didn't expect it to be a blowout. We knew those guys were going to fight and compete. We said we've got to make plays when they come. We knew it would come down to the end." Just like any good Edgar Allan Poe story, that's where the heartpounding stuff is.
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Volume 1 Number 42
Arts, Culture and Entertainment Magazine
VILLAGE LIFE MAGAZINE
ONLINE EDITION
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2013
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Destiny’s Child sales skyrocket after Super Bowl performance Historically when an artist performs during the heavilyhyped Super Bowl half time show, a bump is expected in their record sales. For Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams, this trend proved to be more than true. NFL: Beyoncé not the cause of Super Bowl blackout According to Billboard, Destiny’s Child sales rose by 600 percent while Beyoncé’s personal sales jumped by 230 percent. Their brief reunion on Super bowl Sunday aided the sales of Love Songs, a compilation of the trio’s greatest ballads that was released earlier this year. Other factors responsible for the sales increase include reduced digital CD prices from venues like iTunes and Amazon. theGrio: Beyoncé announces ‘Mrs. Carter Show’ world tour While there’s nothing confirmed about any future Destiny’s Child projects, if they do ever decide to reunite again, it would likely prove profitable.
ONLINE EDITION
‘Roots’ cast to be featured on SiriusXM for Black History Month The original cast of the groundbreaking TV mini-series Roots will be partaking in a live Q&A for a town-hall event on Sirius XM tonight in light of Black History Month. The cast, which includes LeVar Burton, Leslie Uggams and Louis Gosett Jr., will answer questions from a studio audience moderated by civil rights activist Joe Madison after the broadcast of the mini series. “We are excited to have members of the original cast of Roots in our studios with a live audience. Joe Madison’s dedication to civil rights and social issues and his ability to put history into context for a wide audience of all people makes him the ideal host for this special event,” said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer of SiriusXM in a press release. The original 12-hour mini series was arguably the most successful television movie series of all time. It was nominated for a combined 35 Emmy awards and won 14, including best director, best actor and best writing. “Roots made television history when it originally aired in 1977, and its cultural impact and influence remain powerful today,” said Greenstein. The special replays on SiriusXM The Power channel 128 on tonight at 4:00 pm, 8:00 pm, and 12:00 am.
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ONLINE EDITION
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Wild, Wired, Remembered A Richard Pryor Retrospective, ‘A Pryor Engagement,’ at BAM By JASON ZINOMAN Published: February 5, 2013
When a jittery Richard Pryor emerges from underneath a desk in “Uptown Saturday Night,” playing a black private eye who is not a sex machine to anybody, a jolt of adrenaline shoots into this sluggish comedy that keeps it wired long after he’s gone. In a virtuoso sendup of “Shaft”-style cool, he agrees to find a missing wallet, but not before somehow negotiating his price through the floor, confessing to being lonely and then nervously ducking out a window, after which he’s arrested. Once cornered, Pryor moves through a dizzying number of emotions: panic, casual exasperation, denial and, finally, bluster. “Is the governor in town?” he yells as he’s being frisked. “Get him down here! I want to see him!” When critics talk about the genius of Richard Pryor, they usually mean his singularly influential work as a stand-up comedian, not as an actor. Hilton Als of The New Yorker even argued that Pryor had “a kind of contempt” for his own films. But a different story comes through in “A Pryor Engagement,” a savvy film retrospective, beginning on Friday at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, that leans heavily on movies from the 1970s. In the decade that included his greatest achievement, the seminal 1979 stand-up concert film “Richard Pryor: Live! In Concert,” Pryor delivered many superb, committed, often brief performances hidden in movies that were mediocre or worse. One of the good things about bad movies from that era, particularly the low-budget ones, is that they often didn’t get in the way of comic performers, as they did in later years. Their slower pace allowed for more improvisation and spontaneity. Pryor, who appeared in about 20 movies around that time, was drawn to dramatic roles. He’s a gentle, doomed piano player in the Billie Holiday biopic “Lady Sings the Blues,” and imbues the wizard in “The Wiz” with a pathos and terror at odds with that frenetic musical. At the other end of the commercial spectrum, the pretentious “Some Call It Loving” shifts gears when its listless, jazz-playing hero finds Pryor’s character strung out in a bathroom, waxing poetic as if his graffiti above a urinal were a masterpiece. The scene is not played for broad laughs. Pryor gives his addict role more respect than the movie does. In comedies Pryor was funny when he was lying, funnier when he was scared. When he could play both, watch out. Take his one truly great comedy, “Which Way Is Up?” (1977), which Michael Schultz directed the year after he cast Pryor as the plastic-grinned evangelist Daddy Rich in “Car Wash.” In “Which Way Is Up?,” a remake of a Lina Wertmüller film, Pryor plays multiple parts, often in the same scene, but he anchored the movie as a Chaplin-esque orange picker, Leroy Jones. After falling off a ladder into a rally, Jones accidentally becomes a labor hero, only to be fired and ultimately become a company man. Politically apathetic, he is driven only by lust. Pryor manages to make the sentence “I’m very interested in the movement” sound like an aggressive pickup line. Pryor’s stand-up and movie roles shared certain qualities. They exposed the anxiety and fundamental fear beneath macho cool and they displayed range. Pryor shifted nimbly among characters onstage and from one movie to another. Not only did he perform serious roles but he was also comfortable playing the straight man (as he often did with Gene Wilder). Who else could be equally convincing as both a pimp’s sidekick (in “The Mack”) and a doctor (in the Neil Simon comedy “California Suite”)? In a roast on his brilliant but short-lived 1977 variety series, “The Richard Pryor Show” — in which he irreverently imagines the first black president years before Eddie Murphy did in “Delirious” — Sandra Bernhard said Pryor never sold out, adding the punch line: “He shuffles to a beat of a different drummer.” Nearby, Pryor ONLINE EDITION
laughed. Many of his movies are, in fact, empathetic portraits of someone who is arguably selling out. Pryor also played a union worker who joined management in “Blue Collar,” before a 1979 strike at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles fiercely divided comics. (Garry Shandling crossed the picket line; Jay Leno did not.) In “The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings,” a period piece about segregated baseball, Pryor is an athlete who pretends to be Cuban so he can play against white talent. These films mock an unjust system but are also sympathetic to those who make compromises inside it. “The Toy,” an execrable, tone-deaf comedy from 1982, is a notorious example of what happens when that strategy goes off the rails. Pryor plays a writer so broke that he takes a job as the playmate of a businessman’s spoiled brat. Instead of questioning this arrangement, the movie makes excuses for it. Whereas “Which Way Is Up?” took an ironic approach to Pryor’s follies — the company’s boss tells Pryor, “Be a man, boy” — “The Toy” uses Pryor as a vehicle for a rich man to learn how to love his child. The Brooklyn Academy of Music understandably decided not to include “The Toy,” but its retrospective does reveal how Pryor’s screen work from the 1980s became slicker, more hollow and hostile to his peculiar gifts. Movies like “Brewster’s Millions” and “Superman III” were narrower and restrictive. Pryor was asked to be more of a relatable lead on top of being a box office draw. It’s tempting to wonder what would have happened if his movie career had not been shortened by multiple sclerosis. (He died at 65 in 2005.) I suspect that indie directors would have figured out how to use his vulnerability for bolder ends and that he might have grown into a dramatic star like Bill Murray. Imagine Sofia Coppola or Alexander Payne building an entire quirky film around his sneaky bursts of emotion and comic fragility. Or maybe it’s better that you don’t. Richard Pryor already gave us more than enough. PAGE 5
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Village Life Is a publication of Emerging Business Group, Inc. ©2012 New York all rights reserved Village Life Magazine is a weekly publication, based in Baldwin, New York, dedicated to sharing business, cultural, entertainment and religious information among minority residents which will enable positive action - economically, socially and politically - for the betterment of all. Village Life is a footprint of the Community Journal newspaper which premiered on July 1, 1993, since then we have grown to be the leading African heritage news and information sources on Long Island. As a community - based publication, we intend to expand our presence and to encourage greater participation from all members of the community in forging our shared destiny. We are a "for-profit" business and hope to extend that spirit of economic empowerment to many other businesses in our community. We are published each week unless otherwise indicated and are distributed through newsstands, independent sales agents, and subscriptions.
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THE TEMPTATIONS and THE FOUR TOPS Friday, March 15th at 7:00PM
NEW DATE THE TEMPTATIONS & THE FOUR TOPS AT THE NYCB THEATRE AT WESTBURY – FRIDAY, MARCH 15
Privacy Policy We do not accept anonymous comments. If you do not want your comments or your name or address published tell us. Thank you from the Mgmt. ONLINE EDITION
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FRIDAY FEBRUARY 8, 2013
THE TEMPTATIONS & THE FOUR TOPS AT THE NYCB THEATRE AT WESTBURY –
FRIDAY, MARCH 15
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About Live Nation Entertainment: Live Nation Entertainment is the world’s leading live entertainment and eCommerce company, comprised of four market leaders: Ticketmaster.com, Live Nation Concerts, Front Line Management Group and Live Nation Network. Ticketmaster.com is the global event ticketing leader and one of the world’s top five eCommerce sites, with over 26 million monthly unique visitors. Live Nation Concerts produces over 20,000 shows annually for more than 2,000 artists glob-
Westbury, NY – Live Nation is pleased to present The Temptations and The Four Tops at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury on Saturday, February 9 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $69.50 and $49.50 plus applicable service charges and are available online at www.ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or at the Westbury box office. Event, date and time are subject to change. For more information visit www.thetheatreatwestbury.com. For nearly fifty years, The Temptations have prospered, propelling popular music with a series of smash hits, and sold-out performances throughout the world. The history of The Temptations is the history of contemporary American pop. An essential component of the original Motown machine, that amazing engine invented by Berry Gordy, The Temps began their musical life in Detroit in the early sixties. It wasn’t until 1964 however, that the Smokey Robinson written-andproduced “The Way You Do the things You Do” turned the guys into stars. An avalanche of hits followed, many of which...”My Girl,” for instance...attained immortality. With “Get Ready,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Beauty Is Only Skin Deep,” and “I Wish It Would Rain”...the hits kept coming. When the sixties and seventies turned political, The Temps got serious. They changed their tone, dress and music. The Temptations sound burned with intensity on songs like “Cloud Nine,” “I Can’t Get Next to You,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”, and “Psychedelic Shack.” Today, the current lineup consists of founder Otis Williams along with Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks, Joe Herndon, and Bruce Williamson. There current CD is the aptly titled "Still Here." The Four Tops are four powerful voices led by original member and founder Abdul “Duke” Fakir. Their first hit was “Baby I Need Your Loving” in 1964. Their songs, soulful and bittersweet, were across-the-board successes. “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch),” a no. 1 R&B and Pop smash in 1965, is one of Motown’s longest-running chart toppers; it was quickly followed by a longtime favorite, “It’s The Same Old Song” (no. 2 R&B/no. 5 pop). Their commercial peak was highlighted by a romantic trilogy: the no. 1 “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “Standing In The Shadows Of Love” (no. 2 R&B/no. 6 pop) and “Bernadette” (no. 3 R&B/no. 4 pop)—an extraordinary run of instant classics. Their hit making streak continued well into the eighties making them one of the few groups to have hits in three consecutive decades. In 1990, with 24 Top 40 pop hits to their credit, the Four Tops were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. Though they would no longer have hits on record, the group continued to be a hit in concert, touring incessantly, a towering testament to the enduring legacy of the Motown Sound they helped shape and define. ONLINE EDITION
ally. Front Line is the world’s top artist management company, representing over 250 artists. These businesses power Live Nation Network, the leading provider of entertainment marketing solutions, enabling over 800 advertisers to tap into the 200 million consumers Live Nation delivers annually through its live event and digital platforms. For additional
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THE FOUR TOPS FRIDAY, MARCH 15th at 7:00pm Four Tops are an American vocal quartet, whose repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, hard rock, and showtunes. Founded in Detroit, Michigan as The Four Aims, lead singer Levi Stubbs (born Levi Stubbles, a cousin of Jackie Wilson and brother of The Falcons' Joe Stubbs), and groupmates Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Renaldo "Obie" Benson and Lawrence Payton remained together for over four decades, having gone from 1953 until 1997 without a single change in personnel. Among a number of groups who helped define the Motown Sound of the 1960s, including The Miracles, The Marvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas, The Temptations, and The Supremes, the Four Tops were notable for having Stubbs, a baritone, as their lead singer; most groups of the time were fronted by a tenor. The group was the main male vocal group for the songwriting and production team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, who crafted a stream of hit singles, including two Billboard Hot 100 number-one hits: "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" and "Reach Out I'll Be There". After HollandDozier-Holland left Motown in 1967, the Four Tops were assigned to a number of producers, primarily Frank Wilson. When Motown left Detroit in 1972 to move to Los Angeles, California, the Tops stayed in Detroit and moved over to ABC Records' Dunhill imprint, where they continued to have charting singles into the late1970s. Since the 1980s, the Four Tops have recorded for, at various times, Motown, Casablanca Records and Arista Records. Today, save for Indestructible (owned by Sony Music Entertainment), Universal Music Group controls the rights to their entire post-1963 catalog (through various mergers and acquisitions), as well as their 1956 single, "Could It Be You". A change of line-up was finally forced upon the group when Lawrence Payton died on June 20, 1997. The band initially continued as a three-piece under the name The Tops,[1] before Theo Peoples (formerly of The Temptations) was recruited as the new fourth member. Peoples eventually took over the role of lead singer when Stubbs suffered a stroke in 2000 with his position assumed by Ronnie McNeir. On July 1, 2005, Benson died of lung cancer with Payton's son Roquel Payton replacing him. Levi Stubbs died on October 17, 2008. Fakir, McNeir, Payton, and Harold "Spike" Bonhart, who replaced Peoples in 2011, are still performing together as the Four Tops. Fakir is now the only surviving founding member of the original group.
ONLINE EDITION
Radio Show host Don Durant of Living, Caring, and Sharing Hosts Live Show in New York Link http://www.prlog.org/11933857 PAGE 8
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“REASONABLE THINKING” By Jim Reed No One asked me, but here are a few things in Government that I’d like to see more or less of: 1. Fewer appointed highly‐paid Administrators hired from out of Nassau County. Promotions from within our Departments, or from within our County government, or from within our County. 2. Despite “Serving at the Pleasure of . . .” I be‐ lieve we lose a lot of tal‐ ented, experienced, able administrators who are “undesirable” because of their party affiliation, lean‐ ings, or because they were appointed by the opposing political party. 3. Fewer Deputy County Executives who make exorbitant salaries, whether compared to
other counties or state gov‐ ernment divisions. 4. Power Conservation through use of LED lighting, solar panels, solar tiles, or other methods currently on the market. Use them on our government buildings and properties and sell whatever power excesses we have back to the power companies. 5. Use reflective paint/ tape to save energy and lives. cur expenses. There will 6. Use vehicles that are be more suggestions in efficient, or pay staff for mile‐ future columns. Should age used to save on repairs anyone like to make sug‐ and wear‐and‐tear on county gestions, please e‐mail vehicles. me at: jim‐ 7. Cut down on the num‐ reed207@gmail.com Tha ber of county‐owned vehicles. nk You in advance for your care and concern. These are but a few ideas our local government can use to
THE SPINNERS & LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS BRING THEIR POP & CLASSIC R&B HITS TO THE NYCB THEATRE AT WESTBURY ON FEB 16 Westbury, NY - Live Nation is pleased to present THE SPINNERS and LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS for one night only on Saturday, February 16 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $69.50 and $49.50 plus applicable service charges and are available online at www.ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or at the Westbury box office. Event, date and time are subject to change. For more information visit www.thetheatreatwestbury.com. Sophisticated up-tempo R&B with precision choreography defines a Spinners show. With over 60 million records sold in their illustrious career, the mighty Spinners have performed for Presidents, received 6 Grammy nominations, and have appeared on TV too many times to count. Founded in 1961 in Detroit, The Spinners have been active for over 50 years and had a long run of hit singles that topped the pop and r&b charts in the seventies. Led by original members Henry Fambrough and Bobbie Smith, the group's principle lead singer, The Spinners are best known for hits such as "I'll Be Around," "Cupid," "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" and "They Just Can't Stop It (the Games People Play)." The group's hit singles also included "Then Came You" a duet with Dionne Warwick, as well as "Rubberband Man," "Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me Girl." "It's A Shame" and "One of a Kind (Love Affair)." Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009, Little Anthony & The Imperials are a New York soul group that released their first single in 1958. "Tears On My Pillow" became an instant hit and more songs followed the single to the top of the charts making them one of the era's most influential vocal groups. "Shimmy, Shimmy Ko-Ko-Bop," "Goin' Out of My Head," and "Hurst So Bad" are just a few of their most popular hits. Their appearances on numerous television shows including The Ed Sullivan Show, Hullabaloo, American Bandstand, Shindig! and The Tonight Show made them cultural icons. ONLINE EDITION
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NYCB THEATRE AT WESTBURY SCHEDULE OF EVENTS A Tribute to JOHN DENVER A ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH CONCERT FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1 at 8 PM Tickets are $39.50 and $29.50 THE SPINNERS LITTLE ANTHONY and THE IMPERIALS SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16 at 8 PM Tickets are $69.50 and $49.50 CHRIS YOUNG SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17 at 8 PM Tickets are $29.50 ARTIE LANGE LIVE! SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23 at 8 PM Tickets are $61.50 and $51.50 HOW I BECAME A PIRATE SATURDAY, MARCH 2 at 1 PM Tickets are $39.50 and $29.50 Family Four Pack Tickets available at $19.50 each. FITINGO MUSIC presents An Evening of Sophisticated Soul EN VOGUE, LILLO THOMAS & FRIENDS SATURDAY, MARCH 2 at 8 PM MARTIN SHORT SATURDAY, MARCH 9 at 8 PM Tickets are $79.50, $49.50 and $39.50 STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE & DOODLEBOPS LIVE SUNDAY, MARCH 10 at 1 PM Tickets are $49.50, $39.50 and $19.50 THE TEMPTATIONS & THE FOUR TOPS FRIDAY, MARCH 16 at 7 PM Tickets are $69.50 and $49.50 DOO WOP EXTRAVAGANZA Starring BOBBY RYDELL LOU CHRISTIE Willie Winfield & THE HARPTONES Vito Picone & THE ELEGANTS THE KNOCKOUTS – THE TOYS and THE BROOKLYN REUNION The Mystics - The Passions – The Classics SATURDAY, MARCH 23 at 7 PM Tickets are $59.50, $49.50 and $39.50 THE BEACH BOYS (featuring Mike Love & Bruce Johnston) THURSDAY, APRIL 4 at 8 PM Tickets are $69.50, $49.50 and $39.50 TNA WRESTLING FRIDAY, APRIL 5 at 7:30 PM Tickets are $75, $54, $44, $24 JERRY LEWIS SATURDAY, APRIL 6 Tickets are $89.50 and $49.50 ONLINE EDITION
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PAJANIMALS LIVE! PAJAMA PARTY SUNDAY, APRIL 7 at 1:30 PM and 4:30 PM Tickets are $59.50, $39.50, $29.50 FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASON FRIDAY, APRIL 12 at 8 PM SATURDAY, APRIL 13 at 8 PM Tickets are $71.50, $61.50 and $46.50 WAYNE NEWTON SUNDAY, APRIL 21 at 3 PM Tickets are $69.50, $49.50 and $39.50 LEWIS BLACK: THE RANT IS DUE FRIDAY, APRIL 26 at 8 PM SATURDAY, APRIL 27 at 8 PM Tickets are $59.50 and $49.50 MIKE TYSON: THE UNDISPUTED TRUTH SUNDAY, MAY 5 at 7 PM Tickets are $59.50 and $39.50 A limited number of $300 tickets available include Meet & Greet and Photo Opportunity POPOVICH COMEDY PET THEATER SATURDAY, MAY 11 at 1 PM Tickets are $39.50, $29.50 and $19.50 JOHNNY MATHIS FRIDAY, MAY 17 at 8 PM SATURDAY, MAY 18 at 8 PM Tickets are $79.50 and $49.50 CHICAGO SATURDAY, MAY 25 at 8 PM SUNDAY, MAY 26 at 8 PM Tickets are $69.50 and $59.50 BOLDER & FRESHER 2013 TOUR BILL O’REILLY & DENNIS MILLER SATURDAY, JUNE 1 at 8 PM Tickets are $133.00, $73.00 and $53 A limited number of $508 tickets available include Meet & Greet and signed book. BUY TICKETS AT WWW.TICKETMASTER.COM. CHARGE BY PHONE AT 800-745-3000 SELECT TICKETMASTER LOCATIONS and THE WESTBURY BOX OFFICE. ALL DATES, ACTS & TICKET PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. TICKETS SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE SERVICE CHARGES Visit www.TheTheatreAtWestbury.com for more information.
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21 things you probably didn’t know about Bob Marley On what would have been Bob Marley’s 68th birthday, author John Shore offers some insights into the Marley you probably didn’t know. 1. Bob’s father was a 50-year-old white British naval captain named Norval Sinclair Marley. His mom, a black country village girl named Cedella, was 19 when, in the small Jamaican village of Nine Mile in Saint Ann Parish, Bob was born at 2:30 in the morning on Feb. 6, 1945. 2. Norval instructed Cedella to name the baby boy Nesta Robert. So she did. “Robert” was the name of Norval’s brother. 3. Nobody knows to whom or what “Nesta” referred. Whatever its significance, it was important enough for Norval to make sure that Cedella spelled it right before he moved away.
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11. Bob’s mother had a child by Bunny Wailer’s dad when they were all living together in Trenchtown. That’s how close Bob and Bunny were. 12. Bunny Livingston (a.k.a. Bunny Wailer)’s given name is Neville O’Riley Livingston. 13. Peter Tosh’s given name was Winston Hubert McIntosh, a.k.a, “The Toughest.” He was murdered in his home on Friday, September 11, 1987, by a 32-year-old hoodlum acquaintance of his named Leppo. 14. The first record Bob cut was called “Judge Not.” Working at the time in a tin shack as a master welder, Bob, 17, spent most of his pay in a rum-joint jukebox up the street in which his song was a selection. He played his record so often the owner of the place finally kicked him out. 15. When later in his career Bob discovered that the reason he was still poor after being so famous for so long was that his long-time
4. As a little kid, Bob had a knack for deeply spooking people by successfully predicting their futures by reading their palms. theGrio: Fans marks Bob Marley’s birthday in Jamaica 5. A Jamaican immigration official suggested to Bob’s mom that “Nesta” sounded too much like a girl’s name. So they switched his name to Robert Nesta Marley. 6. “Tuff Gong,” the name of Bob’s recording label, was a nickname Bob earned for himself in the Kingston ghetto of Trenchtown for being exactly the wrong guy to screw with. Ever. 7. Bob was a devout Rastafarian. Ras Tafari is the name of a man who was crowned King of Ethiopia in 1930. With that crown came the honorific name Haile Selassie. Rastafarians thought this “Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah” was the messiah, come to redeem the black man. Though doctrinally a legitimate sect of Orthodox Christianity, Rastafari can be difficult for non-Jamaicans to grasp. The one thing everybody does get is that Rastafarians smoke dope and wear dreadlocks (which put dread in the heart of the oppressors, see). Old Testament devotees, the Rastas smoke because Psalm 104:14 says: “He causeth . . . herb [to be grown] for the service of man . . . .” Their hairstyle comes from Leviticus 21:5: “They shall not make baldness upon their head.” 8. Nobody really knows what the word “reggae” means, or how it originated. 9. When Bob was twenty-one, he lived in Delaware for seven months. During that time he worked the night shift at a Chrysler plant (about which he wrote in his song, “Night Shift”), drove a forklift in a factory, and worked as a lab assistant for DuPont Chemical. 10. Bob, who at twenty-one married a beautiful Trenchtown Sunday school teacher named Rita (and stayed married to her until his death did they part), fathered an untold number of kids by an untold number of women. (The general estimate puts the number of Marley’s progeny at around twenty. )The way he could tell his children, he said, was by the way each spoke out of the side of his or her mouth, the way he did. ONLINE EDITION
manager and friend Don Taylor had been robbing him blind, Bob beat Don to within an inch of his life. Then he fired him. 16. In July 1973, Bob and the Wailers opened a week of gigs for Bruce Springsteen. Later that year, they joined a 17-city tour of Sly and the Family Stone’s. After four shows, Sylvester Stone fired them for being too good and hogging all the adoration. 17. For a long time Bob drove a BMW—which, as far as he was concerned, stood for Bob Marley and the Wailers. 18. Bob was a professional level soccer player. Played a wicked game of ping-pong, too. 19. Bob once said: “America is pure deviltry, dem t’ings dat go on there. Dem just work with force and brutality. Dem lock out the punk thing because they see something happening. So the oppressors bring another man to blind the youth to the truth, and dem call himJohn Tra-vol-ta.” 20. Bob died of cancer (brain, liver, stomach, lungs) on May 11, 1981. He was thirty-six years old. In one day, 40,000 people filed past his coffin as his body lay in state in Jamaica’s National Arena. And that’s just the number of people who got inside. 21. One of Bob’s most popular songs, “No Woman, No Cry,” is today sung as a lullaby to babies all over the world. Follow John Shore on JohnShore.com or find him on Facebook , the Unfundamentalist Christians Facebook fan page, or Twitter.
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TIME MAGAZINE’s #1 Musical of the Year "Porgy and Bess is a glowing tribute to a phenomenal stage production that transcends time and race: polished, respectful and packed with the creme de la creme of Broadway talent." -BET The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess has triumphantly returned to Broadway, in an electrifying new staging as timeless as ever presenting themes that reflect the cultural landscape of America, featuring such legendary songs as "Summertime," "It Ain't Necessarily So" and "I Got Plenty of Nothing," plus a remarkable cast led by four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, Drama Desk nominee Norm Lewis, and twotime Tony nominee David Alan Grier. Experience the show TIME Magazine declares, "Exquisite, intimate and musically ravishing. A don't-miss theater event!" and The Associated Press calls,“A gorgeous version of The Gershwin Masterpiece!” “AN INDISPENSABLE TICKET! It’s hard to imagine any hurricane matching the tempest that is the extraordinary Audra McDonald.” -The New York Times “AS RAPTUROUS AS EVER! Norm Lewis is a revelation.” -USA Today “A luscious piece of musical Theatre! David Alan Grier is terrific!” -Newsday GET YOUR TICKETS NOW AND SAVE! Sunday through Friday performances: Orchestra & Front Mezz - $89(Reg. $139) Rear Mezz, Rows A to F - $69 (Reg. $87) Rear Mezz, Rows G & H $49 (Reg. $67) Saturday performances: Orchestra & Front Mezz - $99Reg. $139) Rear Mezz, Rows A to F - $69 (Reg. $87) Rear Mezz, Rows G & H $49 (Reg. $67) Three easy ways to get your discounted tickets: CALL 877-250-2929 and mention code: PBDWK Visit Ticketmaster.com and enter code: PBDWK Bring this e-mail to the Richard Rodgers Theater Box Office, (226 West 46th Street, between 8th Avenue and Broadway). Valid for performances through 7/8/12. Offer subject to availability and prior sale. Limit 12 tickets per order. Offer valid on select seat locations. All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges. Offer may be modified or revoked at any time without notice. All phone and internet offers subject to standard Ticketmaster.com service fees. All above prices include a $2 facility fee. Not valid on previously purchased tickets and may not be combined with other offers. For group sales please call 718-703-2260 For more information, visit PorgyandBessonBroadway.com
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I hope you will consider my first Christian Fiction effort about the after life. Available for only $4.99 for a limited time. Just click and enjoy... http://www.amazon.com/THE-WAY-STATIONebook/dp/B00AVECUM6/ref=la_B00AVKMARA_1_1? ie=UTF8&qid=1357229984&sr=1-1
ABOUT THIS BOOK: “THE WAY STATION” (Genre: Christian fiction) By Minister Larry Montgomery, Sr. Author of the ‘U.S. Marshal Harry Bailey Parables of Life Series’ The Way Station is a fictional account of what could happen immediately following a person’s death. This book is about the moments’ right before the souls of six strangers transitions to either the other side of life, better known as the ‘hereafter’ or to the next phase of life, known as the second chance to get it right. This book was written on the theory that either you learn the lesson you were sent into this world to learn, or you can be recycled, given another chance to get it right before it is finally too late. Seven people take an elevator ride together, each from a different walk of life, but unbeknownst to them; they are each riding into either their next destiny or a second chance. In their minds, they are all going to the top floor of an office building owned by a world renowned charitable organization, to receive a cash reward for doing something good but none of them really remembers exactly what. None of the six awardees are known to one another but during the elevator ride to the top-floor office they each have a chance to talk about that part of his or her life, they believe earned them this recognition. As they tell their story, they recollect the trials and tribulations they went through which they believe made them worthy of this honor. Each person’s story is of no consequence to any of the other recipients, but the seventh person on the elevator seems to know a lot more about their lives then even they realize. Once each of the awardees reaches their individual destination they are ushered off the elevator to confront life’s ultimate choice; to choose their soul’s next destination. Each awardee is left to choose between two doors. Each door holds a different destiny behind it. So, don’t be fooled by the majesty or outward appearance of either, the one selected is the one each recipient is most worthy of. One door is made of solid OAK1 and the other solid Birch2 wood. Ride with these six people to their final destination and read how each of them chose their soul’s next resting place based on the trials and tribulations that made up their lives. Then think how your life compares to theirs; if at all, and you just may find out more about what really awaits you at the ‘Way Station.’ ONLINE EDITION
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LISTEN TO: www.blogtalkradio.com/usmarshalharrybaileycom Friday afternoon’s at 2:30 PM for live readings or visit www.usmarshalharrybailey.com for archived readings and purchases. ONLINE EDITION
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AVAILABLE NOW AMAZON.COM eBOOKS ONLINE EDITION
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The ADHD Awareness Book Project:
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SISTAS ON FIRE New Talk Show: Station: Cablevision Channel 20 Day: Tuesdays Time: 10:30 AM Plus, we're still on Saturdays at 3 AM
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ORDER YOUR BLACK YOUR BLACK EXPRESSION HOLIDAY DAY GIFTS FROM US GET A FREE SIX MONTH SUBSCRIPTION TO THE COMMUNITY JOURNAL. INBOX US AT montgomerybusiness@hotmail.com FOR DETAILS ONLINE EDITION
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Museum Mission Statement The mission of the African American Museum of Nassau County [AAM] is to provide programming and events that foster the intellectual development of community members and visitors with an interest in African-American art, history and culture. A primary goal is to disseminate the history of African-Americans on Long Island and the AfricanAmerican contribution to the social and cultural development of American society through material and visual culture. The AAM, located in
Hempstead, New York, opened in 1970, at the height of the black power movement, as the Black History Exhibit Center. It is the only African American history museum on Long Island, and is located to serve Nassau County’s largest African-American population. The museum is a multi-disciplinary cultural institution that provides art installations, historical exhibitions, film programs, community service events, and educational programming. This 6,000-square-foot facility, offers a rotating series of exhibits showcasing local and national African American artists. The African American Museum also houses the African Atlantic Genealogy Society. This organization provides workshops and individual research instruction in family genealogy. The museum has installed a new E-Learning Program that offers an innovative pedagogical approach, using subject headings relative to Americans of African descent, for conducting research on the internet. The AAM is currently working on methods to expand the community’s understanding of knowledge organization methods, literary warrant, and information retrieval and how these relate to African-American social history.
African American Museum and Center of Education and Applied Arts 110 North Franklin Street Hempstead, New York 11550 516-572-0730 fax: 516-572-032 Mr. David Byer-Tyre, Museum Director/Curator
ONLY ON CABLEVISION CHANNEL 18 Roots & Culture The Minority Report The Nassau Channel
Sunday at 7:00 am Monday at 5:00 pm Tuesday at 9:00 pm
The Brain Child /Diaspora Wednesday 5 & 8 pm L.D. 1 Report About the Town What’s Going On Reporters Roundtable
Thursday at 9:00 pm Thursday at 6:00 pm Friday 6:00 pm Saturday 8:00 pm
Email: aamnc@yahoo.com Website: www.theaam.org Hours of Operation Monday: by appointment, Tuesday-Friday: 12-8, Saturday: 10-5, Sunday: Closed ONLINE EDITION
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update to a classic story that has endured for 200 years.”
SLEEPING BEAUTY DREAMS AWAKENS IN LICM THEATER
are priced at $5 with Museum admission or $10 for the
LICM has prepared an Activity Guide for families featuring pre- and postperformance activities to maximize the theater experience for all audience mem-
Mexico’s Marionetas de la Esquina Updates Grimm’s Classic Fairy Tale Helicopter parents, a daughter yearning to test her wings and a brave young man are the central characters in “Sleeping Beauty Dreams,” the contemporary update to the Grimm’s fairy tale that has enchanted children for 200 years. The production by Mexico’s Marionetas de la Esquina comes to Long Island Children’s Museum Theater direct from its Kennedy Center premiere. The renowned Mexico City family based puppet theater company will provide both public and school performances at LICM between February 23 – 28. Productions will be offered in both English and Spanish. Award winning playwright Amaranta Leyva, reimagines the famous princess as an overprotected daughter looking for a way to break free of her castle walls in order to search for true love … and her true self. Marionetas de la Esquina’s humorous storytelling and whimsical puppetry awaken this sleeping princess as never before. Public performances will be offered on Saturday, February 23 and Sunday, February 24 at 1 and 3 p.m. and Wednesday, February 27 and Thursday, February 28 at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Note: The Feb. 23 performance at 3 p.m. will be offered in Spanish. Sleeping Beauty Dreams tickets are available online and at the LICM box office. Tickets ONLINE EDITION
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and adults alike since 1975. They perform both in English and Spanish, and have given more than 11,000 performances, 50 workshops, and seminars. Since their inception, the company has helped disseminate and develop the art of puppetry in Mexico. In 2006, company member and playwright Amaranta Leyva received the Mexican National Prize for Children's Theater for her play The Dress. The company has also been recognized by the National Critics of Mexico. LICM Theater performances receive support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and NYSCA ArtWORKS for Young People.
Theater only. Jim Packard, LICM Theater Manager, praised the production’s contemporary themes and relevance to audiences. “We have enjoyed the warmth of Marionetas de la Esquina’s performances in the past and are delighted to have them returning with this new show. Marionetas are a family company and they bring together both children and adults to see perspectives of the parent-child relationship in the characters seen on stage,” he notes. “Marionetas de la Esquina has provided a creative and contemporary
bers. The Guide is available for download from the LICM Theater page at www.licm.org/theater.php.
All activities will be held at the Long Island Children’s Museum, 11 Davis Avenue, Garden City, NY. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Museum admission: $12 for adults and children over 1 year old, $10 seniors, FREE to museum members and children under 1 year old. Additional fees for theater and special programs may apply. For additional information, contact 516-2245800.
Marionetas de la Esquina has been entertaining children
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