Houston Defender: March 1, 2012

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Volume 81 | Number 18 WEEK OF MARCH 1, 2012 | FREE

Urban Academic Village

PRESIDENT OBAMA comes to Houston March 9

TSU embarks on a

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 PAGE 8

WHAT’S UP OPINION

new era

OCTAVIA SPENCER Humbled byAcademy Award

P6 SPORTS

BRITTNEY GRINER leads Baylor girls

P14 CHAG’S PLACE

Vanessa Williams and mom Helen Williams at HCC gala

P16

Louis Farrakhan speaks his mind

Minister Louis Farrakhan delivered his annual Saviours’ Day speech in Chicago and spoke his mind as usual. Farrakhan talked about everything from foreign policy to fast food. He criticized those who have been critical of President Obama. He also discussed his own opposition to some of the administration’s policies.  PAGE

Kerry Washington embraces roles

Actress Kerry Washington has an impressive list of movie credits. She’s co-starring with Eddie Murphy in the new film “A Thousand Words,” and she says she liked the film’s message, as well as working with Murphy. In April, Washington can be seen in prime time when she plays the lead role in “Scandal,” a new series on ABC.

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WEEK OF MARCH 1 | 2012 | DEFENDER

Medicare scandal

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3

Riverside faces ongoing investigation, rumors

By ASWAD WALKER Defender

Houston’s historic Riverside Hospital, reeling from the news that one of its former executive staff members pleaded guilty to multiple counts of Medicare fraud, is now dogged with rumors of potential staff layoffs.

Mohammad Khan, who started working for the Third Ward hospital in 1992, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to pay health care kickbacks and five other counts of paying and offering to pay kickbacks.

According to FBI an spokeswoman, Special Agent Shauna Dunlap, the federal inquiry into Riverside remains open.

“This is still an ongoing investigation,” said Dunlap. “But since we’ve turned the case over to the U.S. Attorney’s Office we

are not allowed to comment on any more specifics of the case.”

Khan oversaw the hospital’s Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) for the mentally ill. He is being held in custody until his sentencing next month for his role in a $116 million Medicare scheme that paid kickbacks to patient recruiters and personal care home owners in exchange for directing residents to Riverside’s mental health clinics.

Wayman Prince, Khan’s attorney, said Khan is cooperating with FBI investigators and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s probe into the process by which Riverside’s mental health clinics deliver care to Medicare patients.

Between January 2008 and Feb. 8, 2012, Khan admitted directing patients to Riverside from assisted living facilities and personal care homes by paying cash kickbacks to the home owners and patient recruiters.

According to Khan’s plea agreement, he also paid Medicare recipients with cash, cigarettes and coupons to the hospital’s “country stores” to enroll in the programs.

Thirty-one million of the $116 million in Medicare claims Khan was involved in submitting were actually paid before the FBI began its investigation.

President Barack Obama

Obama comes to town March 9 President Barack Obama will be in Houston on Friday, March 9, for two high-priced fundraisers.

The first event is a 3:30 p.m. reception at Union Station in Minute Maid Park. Tickets range from $500 per person for general admittance to $15,000 for two people at a photo reception. Reservations can be made at https://my.barackobama. com/march9houstonreception.

The second fundraiser is a dinner at 6 p.m. at the home of entrepreneur Anthony “Tony” Chase and Dina Alsowayel. Chase, like Obama, is a graduate of Harvard Law School. The cost of the dinner is $35,800 per person and $15,000 for one additional guest. Reservations can be made at https://my.barackobama.com/ march9houstondinner.

Continued on Page 12

localbriefs TEXAS’ REDISTRICTING BATTLE took another turn after a panel of U.S. judges in San Antonio approved interim election maps that were delayed by a dispute between Hispanic activists and the state. The latest development increases the chance that Texas’ primaries will be held May 29. The court’s map gives Blacks and Hispanics three of the state’s four new Congressional seats, but could weaken the minority voting strength in three other seats. The plan is considered a victory for minorities in Dallas-Fort Worth, since the court redrew the Texas Legislature’s map to create a majority Hispanic Congressional District

33. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said the new interim maps are a “substantial improvement” from maps previously issued by the San Antonio court ……..THE HARRIS COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY could be going through a shake-up after ongoing reports of questionable expenditures and inflated salaries. County Commissioners Court replaced Board Chairman Casey Wallace, and Commissioner Steve Radack suggested that retired Marine Joe Ellis take his place. The housing authority is reportedly negotiating with CEO Guy Rankin IV concerning his departure from the agency……..TWO FORMER HISD

ADMINISTRATORS were indicted by a grand jury after an extensive investigation conducted by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. HISD requested the review and retained a firm to look into improprieties within the district. Peggy Collins and Dolores Westmoreland, former employees of Key Middle School and Kashmere High School, are accused of altering school records to falsely lower reported drop-out rates. The charges were cited as second-degree felony offenses involving a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Westmoreland’s bond has been set at $30,000, and Collins’ set at $20,000.

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DEFENDER | WEEK OF MARCH 1 | 2012

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national

U.S.briefs

AFarrakhan threat to affirmative speaksaction? out

on politics, race

Minister Louis Farrakhan

Defender News Services

D

uring his annual Saviours’ Day speech in Chicago, Minister Louis Farrakhan addressed some of America’s most pressing issues, including racial hatred, presidential politics and foreign policy.

Farrakhan spoke to thousands of followers at the United Center during a weekend event that marked 82 years of the Nation of Islam’s existence in North America. His theme was, “What Will 2012 Bring to America, the World, and Black and Oppressed People.”

Following are some of Farrakhan’s thoughts on various topics.

Attacks on President Obama

Farrakhan said that because of race, President Barack Obama has suffered more criticism than any other president in history, and that negative climate that could lead to attempts on Obama’s life.

“Do you think they’re wicked enough to be plotting our brother’s assassination as we speak?” he asked.

To illustrate the disrespect for Obama, Farrakhan showed photographs altered to make the president look like Adolph Hitler. He also criticized those who questioned Obama’s citizenship and even found fault with the figure of first lady Michelle Obama.

“They have called President Barack Obama a racist, an anti-Semite, a socialist, a communist, a foreigner, an alien and some have even called him a terrorist,“ Farrakhan said. “Obama has really got them upset. Republicans are looking for some white person. Anybody. Anybody.”

Farrakhan generated laughs when he said, “They’ve said over and over that [Obama] is Muslim when he’s Christian.

Well, president, you might as well come and join us. Then we’ll get something done.”

His criticism of the White House Farrakhan himself was critical of the Obama administration in certain areas, including the death of Osama bin Laden. He suggested that bin Laden was killed rather than captured because the government might not have been able to prove all its accusations against him.

“Did you ever stop to look at that?”

Farrakhan asked. “Well let’s look at it now. From the reports of that military operation, Osama bin Laden was caught unarmed with his family around him.

Seems to me they could have gotten him, secured him, taken him out of Pakistan and brought him to a place where he could be interrogated about 9/11 and other alleged terrorist operations.”

Farrakhan took issue with Obama’s assertion in his State of the Union

speech that the U.S. is not in decline.

“America is on her deathbed,” he said. “The vital signs of America are not good.”

Etcetera

Once again, Farrakhan condemned the killing of his friend, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

In the area of domestic policy, Farrakhan said the national debt has reached unsustainable levels. He encouraged his followers to examine their own lives when it comes to debt, which he said is causing the country’s decline as a world leader.

He even called out mothers for feeding their children fast food rather than cooking.

Farrakhan had high praise for Rev. Michael Pfleger, a white Chicago priest who presides over a Black Catholic church. He said Pfleger had been a stronger advocate of equality “than most Black preachers in Chicago.”

One of Farrakhan’s followers, Student Minister Ishmael R. Muhammad, said Saviours’ Day is always an anticipated event.

“Saviours’ Day has been the platform from which Minister Farrakhan has been able to tell the world what we can expect to see in that current year, and he has been precise and accurate and right on point,” Muhammad said.

CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS members are joining forces with National Action Network President Rev. Al Sharpton in support of voting rights. Sharpton will lead a march beginning in Selma, Ala., on March 4 tracing the historic steps of Dr. Martin Luther King and others in 1965. Several members of the CBC will participate. “In this day and age, when states like my own are now promulgating voter ID laws that actually suppress and discourage folks from voting, something needs to be done,” said Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.). The march will end March 9 in Montgomery…….. HEPATITIS C (HCV) presents a serious health problem in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the blood-borne disease that affects the liver kills more Americans than HIVrelated causes. Most of deaths occurred among middle-aged adults who acquired the virus years before but were undiagnosed. Researchers found that from 1999 to 2007, on average, 15,000 people died each year from HCV, in comparison to the 13,000 who died from health causes related to HIV. Hepatitis C is spread through injection drug use, from blood transfusions received before routine blood-screening began in 1992, and through sexual contact. In some cases, it passes from mothers to infants. While African Americans account for 13 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 22 percent of the chronic HCV cases diagnosed……... ALL FIVE MINORITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY regional offices are closing. The Obama administration cited cost savings of $30 million dollars as the reason for the closures. MBDA offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and New York will close by Sept. 30 and the San Francisco office will shut down in March 2013. The purpose of the agency is to promote competitiveness and provide resources to minority-owned businesses. House Small Business Committee member Rep. Yvette Clark (D-N.Y.) said that the regional closings “might be the beginning of the demise of the agency.” Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) said the move “sends the wrong message to entrepreneurs and businesses in our community at this time when we need to have an expansion.”

VOLUME 81 • NUMBER • 17 WEEK OF FEBRUARY 23, 2012

Publisher Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Advertising/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler Associate Editors Reshonda Billingsley Marilyn Marshall Art Director Tony Fernandez-Davila

Columnist Yvette Chargois Sport Editors Max Edison Darrell K. Ardison Contributing Writer Aswad Walker Webmaster Corneleon Block

The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Inc. Company (713-663-6996.. The Defender audited By Certified Audited Circulation. (CAC). For subscription, send $60-1 year to: Defender, P.O. Box 8005, Houston TX 77288. Payment must accompany subscription request. All material covered by 2011 copyright. (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).

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African-American faith leaders published an open letter condemning recent comments by Rev. Franklin Graham that call into question the Christian faith of President Barack Obama.

Those signing the letter include the presidents of the National Baptist Convention USA, National Baptist Convention of America and Progressive National Baptist Convention.

“These kinds of comments,” the letter says, “could have enormous negative effects for America and are especially harmful to the Christian witness.”

The leaders, all members of the NAACP’s religious roundtable, call on Graham to “refrain from using Christianity as a weapon of political division.”

Graham, the son of evangelist Billy Graham and the current CEO of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, publicly questioned Obama’s Christianity on the MSNBC program “Morning Joe.” When asked whether he believes that Obama is a Christian, Graham responded, “I cannot answer that question for anybody,” before saying that “Islam sees him as a son of Islam because his father was a Muslim, his grandfather was a Muslim, great grandfather was a Muslim and so under Islamic law, the Muslim world sees Barack Obama as a Muslim.”

He followed up saying that, “Under President Obama, the Muslims of the world, he seems more concerned about them than the Christians being murdered in the Muslim countries.”

“The notion that President Obama is deceiving America about his faith is a serious allegation,” said Rev. Nelson B. Rivers III, NAACP vice president of stakeholder relations. “It is particularly disappointing to see this sort of ugly public disparagement coming from a Christian leader as prominent as Rev. Graham.”

The religious leaders also expressed concern that Graham’s comments play into racial mistrust of Obama. “His statements seem to appeal to some of the worst racist behavior we have seen in recent times in our nation,” the letter reads.

The letter calls on Rev. Graham “and all Christian leaders to exemplify this essential teaching of Jesus and refrain from using Christianity as a weapon of political division.”

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entertainment

Kerry Washington

embraces new film, TV roles

By KAM WILLIAMS Defender

B

orn in the Bronx on in 1977, Kerry Washington attended the Spence School and graduated magna cum laude and Phi

Beta Kappa from George Washington University.

After making an impressive film debut in “Our Song” in 2000, she went on to win the NAACP Image Award just five years later for playing Ray Charles’ wife, Della, opposite Jamie Foxx in “Ray.” She will again be paired with Jamie as his spouse in “Django Unchained,” Quentin Tarantino’s revenge flick about slavery in the antebellum South.

Over the course of her meteoric rise in Hollywood, Kerry has proven to be a versatile actress by virtue of an impressive list of credits that includes memorable performances in ”Mother and Child,” “For Colored Girls,” and “The Last King of Scotland.”

On the small screen, Kerry is set to play the lead role of Olivia Pope on “Scandal,” a dramatic TV series premiering on ABC in April. Here, she talks about her latest film, “A Thousand Words,” a comedy co-starring Eddie Murphy.

KW: What interested you in “A Thousand Words?”

Kerry: I really liked the message of the film, as well as the opportunity to work with Eddie Murphy.

KW: What was it like working with Eddie?

Kerry: It was great! It was particularly fun for me because I had worked with so many people who looked up to Eddie who had been inspired to go into the business by him, from Chris Rock to Jamie Foxx to the Wayans Brothers.

So, it was like finally going to the source.

KW: Did you every have trouble keeping a straight face on the set?

Kerry: Yeah, he’s very funny. But he’s also incredibly focused, and takes comedy very seriously, if that makes any sense.

KW: What message do you think people will take away from the movie?

Kerry: It’s kind of about valuing your words, understanding that what you say has consequences, and that you can’t just B.S. your way through life.

KW: How can our stars avoid the pressure that celebrity brings in order

to prevent the kind of tragedy we all witnessed recently when we mourned the passing of Whitney Houston?

Kerry: I’m reluctant to comment about preventing that specifically, since we don’t yet know all the details, and because I didn’t know Whitney well enough. So, I can’t say how we can avoid repeating that particular tragedy. But I will say that, for me, it is important to have friends and family around that I love and trust and who love and trust me. And having a great therapist also helps.

KW: What is the next challenge you’re taking on in life and as an artist?

Kerry: Well, right now, I’m shooting a feature with Quentin Tarantino which is very challenging.

KW: What can you tell us about the production at this point?

Kerry: Unfortunately, I’m not really at liberty to talk about it much. But I will say that it’s great to be working with Jamie again.

KW: What would be your dream role?

Kerry: Right now my dream role would be to have another season on “Scandal,” which will be debuting on ABC on April 5th, because that has just been a tremendously fulfilling experience artistically, which I’d love to be able to continue. It’s been phenomenal to work with the quality of writers I’ve been exposed to on that project.

KW: What excites you?

Kerry: Sunshine, swimming and homecooked meals.

KW: What motivates you?

Kerry: Wanting to be of service.

Not wanting to waste this life that I’ve been blessed to have.

what’sup OCTAVIA SPENCER said winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress humbled her.

“I’m a benefactor of all of the riches that the reallife Minnys, Aibileens and Celias basically reaped,” Spencer said in the awards show press room. “I’m very humble because I get to stand here and accept this award, and I haven’t really done anything.”

Spencer won for her role as the outspoken maid Minny in “The Help,” and is the fifth Black woman to win the supporting actress award. Previous winners were Hattie McDaniel, Whoopi Goldberg, Jennifer Hudson and Mo’Nique. Halle Berry is the first and only Black woman to win an Oscar for Best Actress.…….. T.J. MARTIN became the first Black director to win an Oscar for the documentary

“Undefeated.” SEAN “DIDDY” COMBS was executive producer of the film, which tells the story of an underfunded high school football team and its coach in Tennessee…….. OMAROSA, the bad girl on “The Apprentice” reality TV show, has entered the ministry. Now known as Rev. Omarosa O. Manigault, she was recently ordained at a Los Angeles Baptist church. “This was one of the most profound days of my life and my ministry. How amazing I feel to serve God,” she said……..THE ENSEMBLE THEATER continues the celebration of its 35th anniversary season with a community appreciation event on Saturday, March 3 at 3p.m.

The celebration begins with an African drum ceremony and walk from 1010 Tuam, the theater’s

original location, to its current home at 3535 Main St. A reunion of artists, volunteers, board members and community supporters will serve as the evening finale……..EARTH, WIND & FIRE will perform with the Houston Symphony on Thursday, March 8, at 7:30 p.m. at Jones Hall. The legendary group continues to turn out hits, and has received eight Grammy Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The symphony will add a new twist to some of the group’s most popular songs such as “Let’s Groove,” “Boogie Wonderland” and “After Love Has Gone.” Concert-goers have the option of purchasing a dinner package. Contact: 713-238-1418 or derrick.rose@houstonsymphony.org.

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defendernetwork.com | WEEK OF MARCH 1 | 2012 | DEFENDER

Houstonian writes about educational gap

By ASWAD WALKER Defender

Dr. Margaret Ford Fisher, president of Houston Community College-Northeast campus, is sharing her vision for educational equality with her book, “Learning for Ownership: Empowering African American Students for Success in a Twenty-first Century Society.”

The book (Tate Publishing, $19.99) outlines Fisher’s concept for closing and eventually erasing the current achievement gap while preparing Black students, particularly those in economically-depressed urban areas, for future success.

According to one estimate, only about half of the nation’s Black and Latino students graduate on time from high school, and the majority do not graduate with college-readiness skills.

Fisher said there is more bad news.

“Annually, 1.2 million children drop out, and a large percentage of these become jobless,” she said. “Sixtyeight percent of eighth graders read under grade level, and most never catch up.

The picture is much bleaker when looking specifically at Black and Latino students who could be doing great things for our country, but

they’re not fulfilling their potential.”

Fisher was appointed to her position with HCC in 1997, and has more than 30 years of experience in higher education. She contends that the state of Black education is not simply a Black issue.

“All Americans should be concerned because this affects our quality of life, competitiveness as a nation and amount of those trained to secure the needs of our country,” said Fisher.

“At present the greatest expansion of poverty is not taking place in urban areas, but rather in suburban communities. With growing poverty we will see similar issues and educational outcomes in the suburbs. Then, more people will know that it’s not about race, but rather about how you teach and arrest those chronic stressors that come with poverty.”

Her list of challenges Black students face includes the low expectations some schools have for them, the high percentage of Blacks directed into special education, and the quick trigger some administrators have in choosing the harshest disciplinary options when they have the discretion to offer alternatives.

Fisher’s plan involves cultivating a child’s interest in learning, implementing rigorous curriculums with high student expecta-

tions, employing teachers who inspire students to want to learn, and using credentialed teachers to replace those not trained for the subjects they teach, which is a common occurrence in urban schools.

In addition, Fisher advocates equipping students to deal with the chronic stressors that lead directly to discipline problems, high absenteeism and other negative outcomes.

She contends that students from poorer, urban areas are not taught how to cope properly with setbacks, challenges, or the pain of witnessing violence, and begin to internalize their negative surroundings as a reflection of their own value.

“But those students who have been taught those critical emotions – optimism, compassion, gratitude – can live in that same environment and not internalize the chaos, and do just fine academically,” she said.

“Some emotions are inherent, others are learned. Too often Black students learn hopelessness and helplessness. Students must learn the core competencies for success in the 21st century.”

Fisher believes students must learn how to take ownership of their lives.

“Students must be able to envision their preferred future, and own themselves; own their behavior, attitudes, beliefs, emotions, associations, and the choices they make. It’s about taking personal responsibility and making decisions

Dr. Margaret Ford Fisher

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Houston opera singer to perform Defender News Services Native Houstonian Michelle Johnson will appear in Opera in the Heights’ production of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” beginning March 15 at Lambert Hall, 1703 Heights Blvd.

The opera has a surprising plot featuring gypsy camps, the burning of heretics and family secrets, all brought to life by music.

Johnson and Lara Tillotson will both portray Leonora, a character caught up in a love triangle.

Last year, Johnson was a winner in the Metropolitan Michelle Johnson Opera’s National Council Auditions. She is the daughter of Pastor Manson Johnson of Holman Street Baptist Church.

Opera in the Heights is a professional regional company. All operas are fully staged with an orchestra and presented in the original language with English surtitles projected above the stage.

Performance dates are March 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24, and 25 (matinee). Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and the matinee is at 2 p.m. Ticket prices range from $10 for students to $55. Contact: 713-861-5303 or www.operaintheheights.org.

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Urban Academic Village

coverpage

TSU embarks on new era

By REESHA BROWN Special to the Defender

A

s Texas Southern University looks back on accomplishments spanning the last 85 years, students, faculty and staff also have much to look forward to as TSU embarks

on a new era.

With the implementation of the Urban Academic Village, TSU is taking higher education to another level.

The Urban Academic Village (UAV) is a pilot program funded with $2.74 million from Houston Endowment. It is designed to create a community where 390 incoming freshmen are housed in an apartment complex, providing them with around-the-clock attention.

The grant covers $1 million in renovations for the residence hall and $1.74 million to develop and implement the academic enhancement and evaluation programs.

“The support of Houston Endowment allows us to begin this critical study, which is the bedrock of our changing undergraduate program,” said TSU President John M. Rudley.

“The results we obtain from this pilot study over the next two-and-a-half years will allow us to fully develop new academic enhancement services and revamp the undergraduate experience for all of our students going forward.”

Isiah Brown, program director of UAV, says the ultimate goal of the village is to foster student success.

“The purpose of the program is to improve retention, progression, persistence, and graduation rates of students coming into TSU,” Brown said.

In the new learning environment, students are provided daily attention from faculty and graduate advisors.

“The intent is to engage the students, emerge them in the learning paradigm so that basically they have no excuse for not being successful in the freshman year – the most critical year,” said Dr. Sunny E. Ohia, TSU’s provost/vice president for academic affairs and research.

Research shows that students are most

vulnerable to dropping out of college in their first and second years. In the case of TSU, nearly a third of all freshmen left at the end of their first year.

The university hopes that UAV can help solve the problem, especially since programs that improve student engagement with their peers, faculty and the university community have been shown to have a positive effect on academic success and degree completion.

TSU’s commitment to furthering academic performance is viewed as admirable.

“Houston Endowment is glad to assist Texas Southern University as it commits to improve the academic success of its undergraduate students,” said Houston Endowment President Larry R. Faulkner. “President Rudley has chosen an ambitious, thoughtful approach toward this central concern of any university.”

“The support of Houston Endowment allows us to begin this critical study, which is the bedrock of our changing undergraduate program,” said TSU President John M. Rudley.

TSU’s Urban Academic Village is home to 390 freshman students and 19 faculty and staff members

9

TSU’s priorities include retention, graduation

By REESHA BROWN Special to the defender

S

ince its establishment in 1927, Texas Southern University has become one of the largest HBCUs in the nation. More than 9,500 students and nearly 1,500 faculty and staff members comprise the university’s community.

TSU President Dr. John Rudley is determined to see more TSU students complete their higher education.

“Increasing our students’ retention and graduation rates is one of Texas Southern’s highest priorities,” Rudley said. “We are addressing this on a number of fronts, beginning with the establishment of admissions requirements four years ago.

Members of the Urban Academic Village Council are (l. to r.) Marquesha Foreman, Quinton Bunton, “Next fall we plan to raise the minimum GPA Krystalyn Johnson, Jalissa Taylor and Deshundra Tomlin. for entrance to Texas Southern to 2.5, which will “Step two was to make sure that we target “Evidence has shown that by putting all these bring in a stronger, more college-ready freshman students that in the top tier of their high school initiatives in place and looking out for each individual class,” Rudley said. graduating classes, and the high school students who student, they have a higher probability of becoming “We have also combined all of our primary rehave the higher ACT and SAT scores,” Ohia said. engaged in the learning process. And once they are tention efforts under a single unit, Student Academic “We did that [with] the Thomas S. Freeman engaged in the learning process, the probability of beEnhancement Services; revamped our orientation Honors College. That college is one of the major ing successful and staying on and graduating on time program to expand it to a full week of activities; and accomplishments of the present administration – is very high…so the quality of learning is the focal launched the Urban Academic Village pilot program using it as the focal point to recruit the higherpoint of this administration,” Ohia said. with the support of the Houston Endowment, which achieving students to make TSU their destination Rudley reiterated the good news about TSU. brings freshmen into a single residence hall with point…”

“The Freeman Honors College, which formally residential faculty and graduate students.” opened last fall, is positioned to attract upwards TSU also established a Student Academic TSU has made additional strides toward buildof 100 students each year to bring in some of the Enhancement Services Center, which will provide ing a brighter future for students by moving away brightest and most motivated students,” Rudley said. additional initiatives such as tutoring, counseling, from an open-enrollment institution, updating the “These honors students serve as an academic anchor mentoring and peer interaction. alumni database to open the lines of communicafor more at-risk students as well.

In some cases, students might come from lowtion with graduates, and developing programs that “We have a number of unique programs that income homes and cannot afford to attend school all educate faculty and staff about different methods of attract students from across the country, including four years, or they do not have a sufficient support reaching out to students. aviation science and maritime transportation science. system encouraging them to succeed in academics.

Dr. Sunny Ohia, provost and vice president of We have a world-renowned jazz program and march“The intent of having all these initiatives is that academic affairs, said the first action taken by the we want to place a hand on each student’s shoulders,” ing band. Our professional programs of law and current administration was to move TSU from an pharmacy are among the most diverse in the country Ohia said. “We want to know each student by name, open-enrollment university to a closed-enrollment and we have the only accredited urban planning understand who they are and guide them through the university with new admission standards. learning process. program in Houston.”

TSU prepares to celebrate 85 years

About the Urban Academic Village Objective

• Improve students’ overall academic performance • Improve retention rates to the sophomore year and every year until graduation • Improve graduation rates • Provide activities that foster scholarship, leadership, civic engagement, cultural and personal development • Prepare students to become productive members of the 21st century workforce

Advantages

• Faculty residents in village • Residence in newly-renovated building • 24/7 access to central computer labs • Meeting and activity center on premises • Core courses with other village students • Special campus activities and community outreach programs • Mentors to guide students through first academic year • 24/7 on-site security

Requirements

• 2.0 or higher high school GPA • 17 on the ACT or 820 on SAT or higher • Enroll in 15 semester hours • Participate in academic and extracurricular activities provided through the village • Live in the residence hall Source: Texas Southern University

defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 80 years

Texas Southern University was founded in 1927 as Houston Colored Junior College. TSU is celebrating its 85-year history throughout 2012 with a series of events each month.

In the fall, the celebration will culminate with major events: • Sept. 14 – 85th anniversary Founders’ Day • Sept. 15 – Opening of the new BBVA Compass Bank/TSU Dynamo Stadium • Nov. 1-3 – Homecoming • Nov. 2 – President’s Honors Gala

10

DEFENDER | WEEK OF MARCH 1 | 2012

health

defendernetwork.com

A Defender & Texas Children’s Hospital Alliance

Dog attacks on children rising

D

og attacks are becoming an increasingly major, yet preventable, public health concern. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services, 60 percent of dog bite victims are children.

Texas Children’s Hospital has seen an increase in the number of children seeking treatment for injuries resulting from dog attacks.

In 2011, there were 232 children admitted to Texas Children’s Emergency Center for dog bite injuries, and 27 of those cases were so severe that the children had to be hospitalized. These types of cases frequently result in reconstructive surgeries and can result in a long road to recovery for many of the patients.

“Designated as a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center, Texas Children’s multidisciplinary team of experts provides the best treatment in the event that a child is attacked,” said Jaimee Westfall, pediatric trauma nurse practitioner at Texas Children’s Hospital. “But the bottom line is that these types of injuries do not have to occur as frequently as they do.”

Preventing dog bites is more than just the responsibility of the dog’s owner; it is also your responsibility to practice safe behavior when around both unfamiliar and familiar dogs.

Children under the age of 6 are at higher risk of attack due to their size, and babies and small children

It’s important that parents always supervise young children as they play with pets.

should never be left alone with a dog regardless of the breed.

“Although no one can predict if or when a dog may attack, there are rules parents can teach their children in an effort to prevent such a devastating incident,” said Westfall.

Texas Children’s Trauma and Injury Prevention teams highlight some of the preventative measures parents can teach their children, including: • Never disturb a dog if it’s eating, sleeping or caring for puppies.

• Keep your hands away from a dog’s fence. A dog may growl or bite to protect its yard.

• Never tease a dog with food or treats.

• Always ask the owner’s permission before petting a dog.

If your child encounters a threatening dog: • Don’t make eye contact with the dog. Dogs sometimes think direct eye contact is a challenge for power.

• Stand very still with your feet together and cross your arms over your chest with your fists under your chin and elbows into the chest.

• If you are knocked down: lay still, face down, with your legs together and your hands over your head and neck.

healthnotes Finding the right formula The value of feeding human milk for virtually all infants cannot be overstated. However, the overwhelming majority of infants in the United States will receive some infant formula during the first year of life and often parents are given little objective guidance in how to make a formula choice. Although discussions about the best formula should be conducted with your pediatrician, Dr. Steven Abrams, neonatologist at Texas Children’s Hospital, o≠ers some tips for finding the right formula.

First of all, there are a number of issues and questions parents have regarding the right selection of formula for their child including: • making sure that their baby’s formula meets the nutrient needs of their infant for growth and development • ensuring the formula will be well-tolerated and won’t provoke or worsen any health problems • assessing the cost for formula so that parents aren’t paying for a product that’s higher in cost without documented benefits to justify the expense Some families may choose to use a ready-to-feed liquid formula, especially during the first month of life. Though the risk of infection from powdered formula or from preparing the formula is extremely low, most of the risk of an infection associated with formula-feeding infants occurs during the first month of life. Using more expensive, ready-to-feed liquid formulas is not a requirement or recommendation, but it’s simpler and avoids issues of preparing formula.

Specialized formulas exist in which the cow milk protein is partially or completely “broken down.” This is done to avoid concerns about an allergic response. The benefit to this for healthy babies is debated, but most infants don’t require a formula in which the proteins have been broken down.

In addition to sharing this information, Abrams cautions parents against: • the use of unpasteurized milk of any form for infants • adding whole cow’s milk to the diet of infants in the first year of life • using any milk that is not specifically approved by the FDA for infant nutrition No infant formula is close to human milk.

More expensive doesn’t mean better, so be sure there’s a reason for picking “more expensive.”

Children and cell phone responsibility These days even young children carry cell phones with messaging and Internet functionality, and Dr. Erica Thomas, a pediatrician with Texas Children’s Pediatric Associates – Ripley House, recommends that parents “proceed with some degree of caution.”

While mobile devices offer parents more confidence in the fact that they have a way to reach their children in case of an emergency, there are some indicators that a child may need more monitoring of their cell phone usage: • Excessive minutes used or text messaging may be evidenced as poor time management when it comes to completing tasks such as homework or chores.

• Inappropriate messaging or Internet usage is increasingly common. You may notice your child becoming overly concerned with privacy.

• Lots of routine overage charges are a clear indicator of a lack of responsibility and management.

Thomas suggests the following tips to parents to help avoid and correct these behaviors: • Charge cell phones in the parent’s bedroom to avoid late night activities.

• Hold the child responsible for overages. This may mean reduced allowances or increased chores.

• Keep cell phones unlocked, or parents should know the code.

While privacy should be granted to responsible children of a certain age, “audits” are justified if behaviors warrant it. However, parents should not abuse their access because it could promote distrust.

“I would also give one last word of caution,” says Thomas.

“Teen drivers are inexperienced drivers, so no texting while driving.”

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11

Texas Children’s Health Plan covers children from newborns to teenagers. We even cover adults and pregnant moms through STAR Medicaid. Families with children who qualify for CHIP pay $50 or less a year. Those who qualify for Medicaid pay nothing.

CHIP and STAR Medicaid offer a wide range of benefits including checkups and shots, dental services, medications, and more.

With Texas Children’s Health Plan you also get: ■

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find an event in your area, visit us online or call today.

12 DEFENDER | WEEK OF MARCH 1 | 2012

| defendernetwork.com

Medicare Scandal...Continued from page 3 ....

“Many of the beneficiaries for whom Riverside submitted claims to Medicare for PHP services did not have severe mental illness and did not need the level of intense treatment provided in a PHP,” stated Khan’s plea agreement with the government.

The Defender attempted to reach Riverside Hospital staff for comments on the investigation and rumors of workforce reductions, but was unable to speak with hospital officials.

Some Riverside staff members, requesting to remain nameless, reported layoffs are almost cer-

tain. Community members such as Diane Worthy wonder about the long-term health of Riverside, especially after the Medicare probe.

“I hope this doesn’t spell the end for Riverside,” said Worthy. “It’s an iconic Black institution, and it would be a shame to see it go.”

Riverside traces its roots to the Houston Negro Hospital which opened in 1927. The hospital has a history of overcoming challenges to its existence, staving off closure in the 1930s, 1970s and 1980s, when the viability of a hospital that catered to Black patient needs was questioned.

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For more than 135 years, CenterPoint Energy has served communities throughout the Houston area by building relationships between our employees and our customers. As a public utility, we touch the lives of our customers each and every day by delivering safe, reliable electricity and natural gas. But, that’s not all we do. Through our education and community outreach efforts, we work to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve.

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by Tommy Salazar / Tommy Fonts & Images

Creative Dir Art Director Copywriter Account Mgr Proofreader

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The Texas Lottery supports Texas Education. © 2012 Texas Lottery Commission. All rights reserved.

_HNDF_EOG_AFAM_0301.indd

It was the first nonprofit hospital for Black patients in Houston, and provided a place for Black physicians to work. Renamed Riverside General Hospital in 1961, it offered one of the first prepaid systems of medical care in the region when it sold hospital memberships for $6 per family per year.

Beginning in 1972, Riverside became a pioneer in treating chemical dependency as a medical component, addressing both addiction and mental health disorders. The hospital is a 98- bed acute care facility with 100-plus beds in its residential

Strengthening our neighborhoods

Fonts Community involvement is at the core of our corporate culture and is exemplified by our employees and retirees who are committed Helvetica (Black, Medium, Bold), Helvetica volunteers in our service areas. Volunteering has long been central to CenterPoint Energy’s culture. We work to enhance the quality of life Neue (77 Bold Condensed, 57 Condensed), in our communities by reaching out as a caring neighbor to support education, community development and health and human services.

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Each year our employees, family members and retirees provide tens of thousands of hours in our schools – making them better places to learn, and in our neighborhoods – making them safer places to live.

Investing in education In addition to volunteer activities, we promote specific company-sponsored activities, including natural gas and electric safety education programs designed to keep students safe and to inspire them to learn. Education opens doors and provides young people options, and our employees are eager to share their personal experiences with students.

in, TX 78701

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c. 2009. All rights reserved.

BECAUSE YOU ARE AT THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING WE DO

Encouraging employees to make a difference CenterPoint Energy is a company of people who care about our businesses, our customers and our communities, and we understand that we can’t be successful if our communities are not healthy and strong. Our goal is to make a difference every day by helping to make our communities better places to live, to work and to conduct business.

For more information, log on to CenterPointEnergy.com/community.

2011 Volunteer Participation 2011 total volunteer hours: Volunteer participation rate:

235,847 41.26%

Total value of volunteer hours:* $5,037,692 * Based on the Independent Sector’s $21.36 estimate of the value of a volunteer hour. For 2010, the national average for volunteering in America was 26.5 percent.

©2012 CenterPoint Energy 120545

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WEEK OF MARCH 1 | 2012 | DEFENDER

opinion

13

Obama doesn’t get credit for

GM turnaround

T

hree years ago, President Obama came to the rescue of Detroit’s struggling auto industry. His faith in that sector of the economy was rewarded recently when General Motors announced that it earned $7.6 billion in 2011, the largest annual income in its history.

But just as was the case when Osama bin Laden was killed, President Obama gets only begrudging credit, if that.

Leading up to the Republican primary in Michigan, native son Mitt Romney continued his blistering assault on Obama, including the president’s decision to rescue the auto industry. But it is clear that it was Romney who wanted to drive us down the wrong road.

He wrote an op-ed in the New York Times on November 19, 2008 under the headline, “Let Detroit Go Bankrupt.” Romney said, “If General Motors, Ford and Chrysler get the bailout that their chief executives asked for yesterday, you can kiss the American automobile industry goodbye. It won’t go overnight, but its demise will be virtually guaranteed.”

Instead of saying goodbye, the auto industry is again saying hello. According to the Center for Automobile Research, the federal

rescue saved 1.3 million jobs at the Big Three and related businesses.

Romney, whose father served as president and chairman of American Motors Corp. and later as governor of Michigan, had a hard time justifying his support for the Wall Street bailout but not one that would benefit Main Street or Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard.

It is part of a larger problem Romney has trying to connect with everyday people.

He receives more than $20 million a year from his investments but tries to portray himself as a typical American.

After offering to bet Texas Gov. Rick Perry $10,000 during one Republican debate and calling $374,000 he earned in speaking fees “not very much” money, Romney on Friday demonstrated again his gift for gaffes.

Speaking to an audience of 1,200 at Ford Field – nearly 64,000 fewer than usually populate the stadium for Detroit Lions football games – Romney said: “It feels good, being back in Michigan. You know, the trees are the right height.

The streets are just right. I like the fact that most of the cars I see are Detroit-made automobiles.”

Departing from his stump

Petar Pismestrovic, Kleine Zeitung, Austria

By GEORGE E. CURRY NNPA Columnist

speech, Romney ran into trouble with the 99 percent of Americans who don’t share his economic status when he said, “I drive a Mustang and a Chevy pickup. Ann drives a couple of Cadillacs, actually.”

Romney’s wife, Ann, keeps a Cadillac SRX luxury crossover at their Massachusetts residence and another one at their beach house in San Diego.” The cars sell from $35,485 to $54,525.Although the Cadillac SRX is designed in

Detroit, it is assembled in Mexico.

How many people do you know who own homes on opposite coasts with at least one luxury vehicle parked in each garage?

Like Romney, the other three Republican candidates for president – Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul – opposed the plan to rescue Detroit. And neither Republican acknowledges that the auto rescue and Wall Street bailout were initiated by George W. Bush and continued by President Obama.

Economist Paul Krugman noted at the time how difficult it was to obtain credit when Obama assumed office.

“If the economy as a whole were in reasonably good shape and the credit markets were functioning, Chapter 11 [structured bankruptcy] would be the way to go. Under current circumstances, however, a default by GM would probably mean loss of ability to pay suppliers, which would mean liquidation – and that, in turn, would mean wiping out probably well over a million jobs at the worst possible moment.”

Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Re-

search in Washington, D.C., agreed.

He said in 2009, “Had General Motors and Chrysler been allowed to go into bankruptcy last fall, it would have quickly led to a chain of bankruptcies by a whole set of parts suppliers, all of whom are owed large amounts of money by these two companies.

“It is virtually certain that these companies and their suppliers would have been forced to shut down, because no one would have stepped forward to provide credit to operate through bankruptcy without a government guarantee. Because Ford shares many of these suppliers with GM and Chrysler, the disruption to the supply chain almost certainly would have been enough to push Ford over the line as well.”

GM and Chrysler received about $80 million from the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP), about half of which has already been repaid. Ford had a line of credit that allowed it to operate without emergency federal assistance.

In his “Let Detroit Go Bankrupt” op-ed, Romney said, “Detroit needs a turnaround, not a check.”

Largely because of President Obama, Detroit received a check that paved the way for the turnaround. Now, we need Romney and his Republican opponents to do a turnaround and stop misrepresenting the role President Obama played in saving the auto industry.

nextweekonlineopinions State of Black America town hall

Marc H. Morial

The Homestead Act of 1962

Harry C. Alford

Medicaid: Help in hard times

Global salute to Nelson Mandela

Benjamin Chavis

Marian Wright Edelman

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14

DEFENDER | WEEK OF MARCH 1| 2012

defendernetwork.com

sports

Baylor women dominate

Brittney Griner stands out

By MAX EDISON Defender

I

t was just a matter of t ime before it occurred. We witnessed evidence of its impending arrival over the past two seasons.

Now we are currently living and witnessing the Brittney Griner era of women’s bas-

ketball and the dominance of the program at Baylor University.

Coach Kim Mulkey’s Baylor team has been No. 1 in the polls for the majority of the season. At last count they were 30-0 and a perfect 17-0 in Big 12 conference play.

For Mulkey the success of the Baylor program is the latest, not the first. In 11 years at Baylor she has won a national title (2005) and led the Lady Bears to 10, 20-win seasons and nine NCAA tournament appearances, including two Final Fours in the last six years.

Mulkey’s success at Baylor is undeniable and the No. 1 concept in her approach to the game is defense. Year in and year out the Lady Bears are among the nation’s leaders in most defensive categories.

“If you look at NCAA stats, we’re up there in field goal percentage defense and we take great pride in that,” Mulkey said. “You’re not going to play for me if you’re not going to guard people. If you’re coming out of a game you’re usually coming out for something you did wrong on the defensive end of the floor. “…You can come to our practices and see that there are days we don’t even do anything offensively and we take a lot of pride

Baylor’s Brittney Griner (42) is the nation’s most dominant player.

in that.”

Despite an unblemished record during the regular season, Mulkey has her team focused on one singular goal, winning the national crown. “[An undefeated season] hasn’t been a goal of ours; it’s not on the goal board,” Mulkey contends. “I mean, you certainly want to win every time you play but if we lose one of the next five – two regular season games and three tournaments – it’s okay. It’s the last six games we’re focusing on and those are the last six games of the NCAA tournament.”

For Brittney Griner, it’s the reason she came to Baylor, the pursuit of a national championship.

The 6-foot-8 junior from Aldine Nimitz continues to be the college game’s most dominating presence. The two-time All-American is averaging 22.6 points per game, 9.7 rebounds, 5.4 blocks and shooting .803 from the free throw line.

Though Griner is never one to toot her own horn, observers around the country are eager to sing her praises.

“You have to play differently against Baylor when Griner is in the game than you do against any other team in the country,” former UConn All-American turned ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo said. “That’s why she’s the Player of the Year.”

Kris Gardner of the Houston Roundball Review blog is a maven of the women’s hoops game and has observed Griner’s development since high school.

“Brittney has worked very hard to improve her game since the days she was a dunker and a shot blocker at Nimitz,” Gardner said. “She’s improved her skills game from her freshman season at Baylor to now, her junior year.

“Brittney has developed more than just one move in the post,” Gardner said. “Her face-up game has gotten better. Her jump hook has improved. She’s a much, much better free-throw shooter as well. Lastly, she’s gotten better passing the ball out of double and triple teams, too.”

Lest you think Baylor is a one-woman team Gardner offers a word of caution.

“Baylor is not just the BG show. Teammates like sophomore point guard Odyssey Sims get the job on offense and defense,” Gardner continued. “Odyssey is one of the best on-the-ball defenders in the women’s college game, and she’s a deadly three-point shooter.

“Plus, transfers Destiny Williams [from Illinois] and Brooklyn Pople [from Rutgers] crash the boards and share the scoring load up front, too,” Gardner said. “Kim Mulkey has this year’s Baylor Lady Bears’ squad on a mission to win the national title this season.

Anything less would be a disappointment.”

Head coach Kim Mulkey has molded Baylor into a top program.

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h.s.zone Barbers Hill, Cy Falls girls earn trip to state Barbers Hill will play Mansfield Summit on March 1 in a 7 p.m. Class 4A state semifinal game at the Erwin Center in Austin. The 4A state title imi Carter seized the game is set for March 3 at 3:30 p.m. moment and put the The Eagles won three state championBarbers Hills’ girls ships in Class 3A. This is the school’s qualifying for the 2012 first trip to the state tournament as a 4A state high school basketschool. ball tournament into perspective.

In the second half of the double“I picked a great year to be a header at the Campbell Center, Cy Falls freshman,” she said. “I can’t imagine held off Alief Elsik anything better.”

59-52 in the Region Carter and her III-5A championship teammates limited game. high-scoring and Cy Falls previously unbeaten jumped out to a 21-7 Beaumont Ozen (34advantage in the first 1) to a season low 39 half behind the threepoints and ran away point shooting of to a 66-39 victory in Shernise Robertson, the Region III-4A Sadalia Ellis and championship game Loryn Goodwin at the Campbell combined with the Center. inside presence of Barbers Hill 6-2 post Carol Willie.

(38-3) dictated the Yet the pace and forced Ozen defending regional into a half-court champions (Elsik) game where 6-foot-4 Carol Willie of Cy Falls Kimi Carter of Barbers Hill come storming back post Kendall Shaw behind Crystal Porter, Akunna Elonu could control the defensive board. and the sister act of Jazmine and Gabby Guards Makenzi May, Shannon Evans Ocanas to only trail 33-28 at halftime. and Carter were able to handle Ozen’s Elsik closed to within one point in pressure defense and kept turnovers to the fourth quarter (49-48) on a Jazmine a minimum. The Lady Eagles’ rotating Ocanas free throw. However, the Lady defense also proved to be suffocating Rams could never grab the lead as the for the state’s No. 1 ranked Class 4A quartet of Robertson, Ellis, Goodwin school. and Willie converted key plays down “We’re known for utilizing ball the stretch. pressure and I guess they weren’t used “Three-point shooting has been a to people being up close to them,” key for us all season,” Goodwin said.

Carter said. “Instead of going up to “We had to play smart and try to get up half court where they can cross you up more shots up than they did. Whoever and go in for a layup, we started back is the open shooter, that’s who takes the at the three-point line. shot because we’re a shooting team.”

“We actually scouted them a Willie made all four of her free whole bunch so that really helped,” Loryn Goodwin of Cy Falls throw attempts in the game’s closing Carter said. “We knew what to do and second minutes. we came in on a mission and were able Evans added 12 points and Carter chipped in with six. Shaw had eight “I was a little worried going to the to nail our game plan.” points and a game-high 18 rebounds. line with the game on the line because Barbers Hill watched Manvel Nekia Jones led Ozen with 17 it doesn’t always work out for me,” try to run with Ozen a day earlier in points.

Willie said. “My teammates told me to the regional semifinals and the Lady Trailing by six points at intermishave confidence and things went our Panthers rolled to a 71-61 victory. sion (27-21) despite poor shooting and way.”

The Eagles’ plan was to work the ball errant passing, the defending regional Cy Falls will play Duncanville around for good shots and spread the champions Panthers resorted to longin a 5A state semifinal game March Ozen defense using Shaw in the high range shooting in the second half and 2 at 3:30 p.m. The 5A title game will post. kept falling further and further behind. be March 3 at 8:30 p.m. Cy Falls’ two “Transition defense was the Ozen shot 0-for-17 from three-point losses this season came from DuncanNo. 1 thing,” Barbers Hill coach Kit range after intermission. ville and Dekaney.

Martin said. “They get a lot of scoring

By DARRELL K. ARDISON Defender

K

opportunities on long passes following made baskets so we had to make sure we didn’t give that up.

“The second thing was handling their press,” Martin said. “Our guards did a fantastic job of passing and moving the ball up the floor. We didn’t let them create offense from their defense.”

May scored a game-high 25 points, including a trio of 3-pointers.

WEEK OF MARCH 1 | 2012 DEFENDER

15

sportsbriefs Dekaney girls’ team qualifies for state tournament It’s been a banner year for the Dekaney Wildcats. First the football team won a Class 5A Division II state championship last December. Now the girls’ varsity basketball team has earned the school’s first berth in the Class 5A state basketball tournament in Austin. The school has only been playing varsity sports for four years. Dekaney defeated Garland Sachse 47-42 in the Region II-5A championship game at the Ferrell Center in Waco to earn a trip to Austin. Kayla Nevitt led the way with a game-high 17 points while Shunta Nevitt added 14. Dekaney plays San Antonio Reagan in a 5A state semifinal game March 2 at 8:30 p.m. in the Erwin Center.

The Woodlands’ Cook breaks her own diving record Kassidy Cook of The Woodlands scored a state record 594.5 points to claim her second Class 5A gold medal in the state one-meter springboard diving competition. The score shattered the record she set in 2010 (549.6) as a freshman when she won her first gold medal. It also surpassed the boys record (593.6) set by Drew Livingston of The Woodlands in 2008. Cook will compete in the Olympic Trials in June.

Klein Oak’s Leiskau claims gold medal in wrestling The fourth trip to the state high school wrestling tournament proved to be a charm for Travis Leiskau. The senior from Klein Oak High School finally secured his first state championship by defeating Donaven Roberts of Canyon Randall 4-0 at the Austin ISD Delco Center. Competing in the 160-pound classification, Leiskau capped his high school career by going 55-2 en route to the state gold medal.

Prairie View inducts new members into Hall of Fame Assistant Athletic Director for Female Sports Alicia Pete headlined the 18th class of the Prairie View A&M University Sports Hall of Fame recently. Pete received the honor thanks to her time as a volleyball player for PV from 1987 to 1991.

Pete became head bowling coach in 1997 and head volleyball coach in 1999. Pete received SWAC Coach of the Year honors after guiding the volleyball team to its second conference title and first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament.

Rounding out the Hall of Fame class are: Sam Adams Sr. (football, 1964); Sebastian Barrie (football, 1989); Donald Bennett (men’s tennis, 1962-66); Greg Burks (men’s basketball, 1998-2003); Carlos Heyward (men’s track 1990-94); Kenneth Martindale (football, 1964-69); Kevin McKinley (men’s track, 1984-87) and Dennis Wayne (men’s basketball 1973-78). Former PV football standout and recently retired Houston Madison High School head football coach Ray Seals will receive the William “Billy” Nicks Legend Award.

Gerald Green signs 10-day contract with NJ Nets Quick show of hands – how many fans remember Gerald Green, the local high school star who bolted directly to the NBA from high school? Green was the first-round pick of the Celtics in 2005, was subsequently traded to Minnesota, and had a cup of co≠ee with the Rockets and Mavericks. Green is back in the NBA, having signed a 10-day contract with the New Jersey Nets coached by former Spur standout Avery Johnson.

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DEFENDER | WEEK OF MARCH 1 | 2012

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Bruce Austin. This spectacular event was attended by over BLACK HISTORY SCHOLARSHIP GALA…..Houston Community College celebrated their annual gala at the Hilton 1,000 guests and included attorney Jarvis Hollingsworth, Americas Hotel and honored Commissioner El Franco Lee, Debbie Dillard, Victoria and Tony Washington, Lesa Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Dr. Michael P. Spivey, Debra McGaughey, Pat and Remnele Young, Rosemary Tyler, Willie Jordan, Claude Williams with the Joyce M. Reynolds Thomas and Piper Butler, to name a Lifetime Achievement Award. Each Join Yvette Chargois few. Continued success!.....MILITARY year they have an exciting keynote HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS speaker and this year was no exception.

Events of the Week More photos on defendernetwork.com HONORED……..The Buffalo Soldiers Award-winning actress and singer Vanessa Williams of the ABC hit National Museum honored our military See Events on KTRK Ch.13’s Crossroads with Melanie Lawson Sunday Morning @ 11 a.m. series “Desperate Housewives” graced healthcare professionals at their 12th annual the stage and gave the audience the gala, which was held at the University story of her remarkable life. An of Houston Hilton Hotel. The honorees included Dr. J. Kalavar, VA Medical Center chief of staff; extra added delight was brief remarks by her mother, Helen Dr. Darrick Castleberry, the Castleberry Center; Dr. Doris Williams. Now we know where she got her beautiful Forte’, You’re Living Proof founder/CEO, and Dr. Sharon I. looks. Program participants included HCC Chancellor Richie-Melvan, colonel, US Army (Ret.), who also delivered Dr. Mary S. Spangler, Vice Chancellor Art Tyler, HCC the keynote address. Among the over 400 guests in attendance College-Central President Dr. William Harmon and board trustees Carroll Robinson, Christopher Oliver and were the last living Buffalo Soldier in Texas, Hayward

Tony and Victoria Washington

Dr. Mary S. Spangler and Remnele and Pat Young

Actress Vanessa Williams and her Mom, Helen Williams

Willie Lee Gay and Virgil Gay, Sr.

Mildred Tate, The Honorable Sheila Jackson Lee, Michael Penda, Jr. and Michael Pender, Sr.

Gala Chair June Marsh and The Honorable Al Green

Jones, U.S. Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee and Al Green, local group founder Captain Paul J. Matthews, Mildred Tate, Jacqueline Kemp, Angela Holder, Dr. Annette McClinton, Norma Burrell, LeMond Freeman, Madeline and Oscar Ray, Willie Lee Gay, Virgil Gay Sr., Michael Penda Jr. and Michael Penda Sr. We salute gala chair June Marsh and all committee members for an outstanding event.

Continued success to you also!.....BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATIONS……..Northside Antioch Baptist Church hosted their Impact Excellence Awards by honoring Rev. William Lawson, Leola Shepherd and Dr. Thomas Freeman……Members of Houston’s historic downtown Antioch Baptist Church celebrated 146 years of Christian service…..Alpha Kappa Omega Chapter/Alpha Kappa Sorority hosted a Salute to Jack Yates High School honor students and the Texas Spring Cypress Chapter of the Links, Inc. highlighted Khambrel Marshall and special guest Constance Fitzpatrick Smith during a reception……From Chag’s Place to your place, have a blessed week!

Attorney Jarvis Hollingsworth and Rosemary and Dr. Art Tyler

Jacqueline Kemp and Mildred Tate

Dr. J. Kalavar and Dr. Sharon I. Richie-Melvan, Captain Paul J. Matthews and Dr. Darrick Castleberry

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