FEATURE
WHY THE 2020 CENSUS MATTERS SO MUCH. P4
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Volume 86 | Number 48
NEWSTALK TILLMAN FERTITTA to buy Houston Rockets
P2 NATIONAL OMAROSA could be out from Trump team.
P3
#HoustonStrong
H.S. ZONE
REBUILDING AFTER HARVEY
JABARI JAMES Marshall QB on team to watch
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H PAGE 5
Shemar Moore
Jadeveon Clowney
The actor returns to TV as a Los Angeles police sergeant on “SWAT,” which premieres Nov. 2. He joins a number of other Blacks heading to TV, cable and streaming sites this fall. See the full slate.
Most people agree that the Texans have an outstanding defense. Now, with some promotions on the coaching side, defensive players like Clowney and JJ Watt are looking at how they can get even better in 2017.
stars in ‘Swat’
H PAGE 9
TOP EVENTS
ready on defense
H PAGE 10
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Miley Ewing and Iesha Richard are among the thousand of volunteers who came together after Hurricane Harvey.
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DEFENDER | SEPTEMBER 7 | 2017
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Justice Dept. wants state voter ID law Texas Tribune
Continuing a dramatic reversal on voting rights under President Donald Trump, the U.S. Department of Justice is asking a federal appeals court to allow Texas to enforce a photo voter identification law that a lower court found discriminatory. In a recent filing, the Justice Department asked the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to block a lower court ruling that the state’s new voter identification law – Senate Bill 5, enacted this year – failed to fix intentional discrimination against minority voters found in a previous strict ID law, enacted in 2011. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos tossed SB 5, which in some ways softened the previous requirements that Texans present one of seven forms of photo ID at the polls. The new law “does not meaningfully expand the types of photo IDs that can qualify, even though the Court was clearly critical of Texas having the most restrictive list in the
country,” she wrote. Texas has appealed that decision to the 5th Circuit court, and it’s asking those judges to block Ramos’ ruling while it considers the request. Siding with Texas, the Justice Department says in its filing that the state has a “strong likelihood” of suc-
cessfully arguing that SB 5 fixes discrimination in the old law. Allowing SB 5 to take effect will “avoid confusion among voters and election officials,” the brief states. The brief does not mention a key piece of Ramos’ rulings throughout the case: that lawmakers intentionally discriminated against Latino and Black voters in passing its 2011 ID law. Findings of intentional discrimination typically allow for more sweeping remedies in court. Former President Barack Obama’s Justice Department originally teamed with civil rights groups against Texas throughout the long and winding legal battle over the original ID law. But in February, lawyers for U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions ditched the Justice Department’s long-standing position that Texas lawmakers purposefully discriminated in 2011. As the appeal of Ramos’ decision on SB 5 plays out in the 5th Circuit, the Corpus Christi judge is set to next consider whether to invoke a section of the Voting Rights Act to place Texas under federal oversight of its election laws – a process called preclearance.
Fertitta to acquire Houston Rockets Defender News Services
The Rockets announced that a definitive agreement has been signed for the purchase of the NBA franchise by Houston businessman Tilman Fertitta, owner of the Landry’s restaurant empire and Golden Nugget Casinos and Hotels. There are reports that Fertitta is paying an NBA record $2.2 billion for the team. The transaction, which includes operation of the Toyota Center Arena, requires the approval of the NBA Board of Governors. Fertitta has no other partners in connection with the transaction.
Tilman Fertitta
“I am truly honored to have been chosen as the next owner of the Houston Rockets,” said Fertitta, a Galveston native. “This is a life-long dream come true. “Leslie Alexander has been one of the best owners in all of sports, and I thank him immensely for this opportunity. He has the heart of a champion. Lastly, out of respect for the NBA’s approval process, I can say no more other than I am overwhelmed with emotion to have this opportunity in my beloved city of Houston.” Alexander said he is excited to “pass the torch” to Fertitta.
localbriefs SOME APARTMENT RENTERS WERE SERVED with eviction notices after Hurricane Harvey ravaged Houston. The notices, affecting hundreds of local renters, ordered the residents out within five days. Many were distraught because the rental market is now tight because of the storm. According to the Houston Apartment Association, as many as a sixth of the 600,000 units owned by the group’s members have some damage.…..673 NEW TEXAS LAWS WENT INTO EFFECT SEPT. 1. The laws cover everything from owning Samurai swords to hunting hogs from hot air balloons to blocking marriages if the bride or bridegroom is under 16. Other laws
make it a hate crime to harm a police officer, ban texting and driving and stiffen the penalties for online bullying. A judge has already issued a preliminary injunction to block Senate Bill 4, a law that would give law enforcement power to ask people for proof of citizenship at routine traffic stops and other detainers…….120,000 TEXANS ARE AMONG THE young people affected by the Trump Administration’s decision to end an Obama-era program that has granted relief from deportation to young undocumented immigrants. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the administration will phase out the initiative – Deferred Action for Childhood
Arrivals (DACA) – over six months. Started in 2012, the program has awarded more than 800,000 recipients a renewable, two-year work permit and a reprieve from deportation proceedings. It applies to undocumented immigrants who came to the country before they were 16 years old and were 30 or younger as of June 2012…….FIGHTING THE MOSQUITO PROBLEM IS TOP PRIORITY for local and state officials. Gov. Greg Abbott said they are prioritizing areas for mosquito spraying and that local agencies have already started, trying to get ahead of what he described as a “meaningful mosquito outbreak” after Hurricane Harvey.
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SEPTEMBER 7 | 2017 | DEFENDER
national
U.S.briefs AN OFFICER WHO JOKED ABOUT KILLING BLACK people announced his retirement, just as officials were planning to fire him. A video shows the Georgia police officer reassuring a woman that she was safe in his presence because she wasn’t Black. “Remember, we only kill Black people,” Cobb County Police Lt. Gregg Abbott is heard saying on dashcam video. The woman can be heard telling the officer that she was afraid to move her hands because she had seen too many videos of police encounters with motorists ending deadly, as was the case for a number of Black Americans…….A NEW FUND NAMED AFTER PHILANDO CASTILE aims to carry on his legacy by paying for student lunches, which he would often do for children in need. Castile, who was shot and killed by a police officer during a traffic stop in July 2016, was the nutrition services supervisor at J.J. Hill Montessori Magnet School in St. Paul, Minnesota, and was adored by many students. A new fund in his name, “Philando Feeds The Children,” is raising money to cover student lunches for kids who aren’t eligible for free lunch but can’t afford meals. Lunches for one student across an elementary school year can cost up to $400. The person who started the fund initially set the goal for $5,000, but after raising $3,500 in one week, she doubled the goal and has raised more than $16,600…….. HARRIET TUBMAN MIGHT NOT GO ON THE $20 BILL after all. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has declined to support the idea of replacing President Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill with anti-slavery icon Harriet Tubman. Mnuchin said “the number one issue” the Treasury Department is concerned with is preventing the counterfeiting of U.S. currency, adding that any potential changes to denominations are “primarily related” to security concerns.
VOLUME 86 • NUMBER 48 SEPTEMBER 7 , 2017 Publisher Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Ad/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler Digital Editor LaGloria Wheatfall Art Director Tony Fernandez-Davila Engagement Manager Margo Williams Hubbard
Editors ReShonda Billingsley Marilyn Marshall Contributing Writers Aswad Walker Jasemine Knowles Sports Editors Max Edison Darrell K. Ardison
The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Inc. Company (713-663-6996.. The Defender is 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 2012 copyright. (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).
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HBCU conference cancelled amid tensions Defender News Services
The White House is delaying an annual conference for Historically Black Colleges and Universities that had been scheduled for mid-September. Congressional Democrats and multiple organizations representing HBCUs have called in recent weeks for the event to be delayed until after the White House names the executive director of its HBCU Initiative. They also called for more action related to Trump’s March executive order An annual White House Black college conference is causing controversy. Above, President Trump met on HBCUs, such as with HBCU leaders earlier this year. “developing a meaningful plan of action with conprogress made on any of their priorities, it would crete commitments to invest in and advance HBCUs,” be highly unproductive to ask HBCU presidents to as the United Negro College Fund said in its letter to come back to Washington,” said Congresswoman the administration. Alma Adams, who had asked for the conference to be While the conference is postponed, the White postponed. House said it would instead meet with a small number The conference has been hosted under every of HBCU leaders and students on strategic issues. president since Bill Clinton, and its purpose is to fosJohnny C. Taylor Jr., president and CEO of the ter relationships between federal agencies and Black Thurgood Marshall College Foundation, praised the colleges. It is typically coordinated by the executive decision to postpone the event. director of the White House initiative. “TMCF will continue our substantive and Omarosa Manigault-Newman had said the conferpositive working relationship with the entire Trump ence would proceed as planned. “President Trump’s administration,” he said. commitment to the HBCU community remains “In this current environment, and with zero strong and unwavering,” she said.
Omarosa could be out on Trump team Defender News Services
According to reports coming from inside the White House, Chief of Staff John Kelly is working to limit Omarosa Manigault-Newman’s access to President Trump in an attempt to bring order to the chaos that has engulfed the administration. Manigault-Newman, a former contestant on “The Apprentice,” is the communications director for the White House Office of Public Liaison. For the most part she has been staying out of the spotlight with the exception of her appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists convention. The problem, according to sources, is that the stories she
presents to Trump are negative ones that distract him for the rest of the day. Sources also said, “When Gen. Kelly is talking about clamping down on access to the Oval, she’s patient zero.” Kelly reportedly wants to “put a dent” in Manigault-Newman’s influence and has limited her access to the president. One source said that Kelly is “thrilled that he has been able to stop staffers… from bolting into the Oval Office and triggering the president with White House [palace] intrigue stories.” Trump, however, still calls Manigault-Newman from time to time for advice.
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Why 2020 Census count matters so much Defender News Services
The Trump administration and GOP lawmakers are clearly making efforts to undermine the accuracy of the upcoming 2020 decennial census, said a senior policy fellow at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. Robert Shapiro, Ph.D. warns that the census count “matters more than you think.” Shapiro supervised the Census Bureau in the lead-up to the year 2000 count. The U.S. Constitution requires a population count every 10 years. According to the bureau’s website, the federal government has conducted a decennial census in years ending in “0” since 1790. Shapiro noted that the count determines the allocation of the House of Representatives’ 435 seats, as well as state and local legislatures in many jurisdictions. Having an accurate census also determines how the federal government distributes funding to state and local governments for a range of public services, including education, various state health care programs (including Medicaid) and housing. State and local lawmakers also depend on the bureau’s data for their programs and effectiveness as-
sessments of those programs. “Without an accurate census, many states and cities will be denied the full funding they deserve and need, and the federal government will have to fly blind for a decade across a range of important areas,” Shapiro said. In addition, companies ranging from retailers to real estate developers to banks use the demographic information for planning and investment, as well as to
locate customers. At this point in the 10-year cycle, Congress should begin seriously funding the bureau’s work. Shapiro said it’s expensive to count the nation’s more than 300 million residents accurately. That requires not just technology purchases but also includes many other needs, such as leasing local offices and training workers. The Economist reported that legislation is pending in Congress that would appropriate just $1.5 billion for 2018 – about $300 million short of the bureau’s needs. It’s in such peril that the Government Accountability Office added the 2020 census to its high-risk projects, the magazine noted. Since entering office, President Trump has been accused of hindering the bureau’s work. Shapiro said the Trump administration cut his predecessor’s 2017 budget request for the Census Bureau by 10 percent, where Trump proposes to keep it for 2018. Shapiro also pointed to a leaked early draft of an executive order that would direct the bureau to inquire about citizenship status. The unprecedented directive, he said, is unlawful.
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#HoustonStrong
SEPTEMBER 7 | 2017 | DEFENDER
Rebuilding after Harvey By RESHONDA TATE BILLINGSLEY Defender Hurricane Harvey may be gone, but the devastation left behind will be felt for years to come. Officials estimate it will cost more than the $125 billion to rebuild after Harvey. More than 1 million people have been displaced, at least 60 people died and more than 185,000 homes were damaged. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has said it will have to work for several years to help Houston and surrounding areas to recover. The recovery is underway and from the volunteers helping the displaced to the residents showing their resilience, the effort of post-Harvey life proves every day that we are #HoustonStrong.
Houston Te xans defensive tack D.J. Reader le , right, and Houston Te xans defensive end J.J. W att carry boxes to cars whi le distributin g relief supp lies.
arrell and Jessica D Anderson, with their daughters Lauren, 6, and Harper, 2, right, view floodwaters in Addicks Reservoir from a closed freeway.
t Richard ntenden ISD Board ri e p u S HISD and H anda a, right, Carranz on President W g the ti in a y c e u rv d u E s f e o hug whil rs at Adams, om floodwate chool. fr S e ry g a ta dam men liard Ele A.G. Hil
Cynthia Perkins pa uses inside her ho me while removing belongings
k into their ty Judge Bob Hebert at a roadbloc Residents question Fort Bend Coun er Reservoir reached capacity. Bark the n whe ed flood was h neighborhood whic
Canyon Gate
mother, Julia, Afhley Lluvia, left, and her destroyed home.
remove clothing from their
Firefighters gath er during a door-to -door survey of a that was hit by flo neighborhood odwaters.
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DEFENDER | SEPTEMBER 7 | 2017
#Houston
Hurricane Harvey 125 billion (dollars)
worth of damage done
72,000 people rescued
homes damaged or destroyed
Seniors have special needs after the storm By MARILYN MARSHALL Defender
One of the more haunting images of Hurricane Harvey was a photo of senior citizens waist-high in water while waiting to be rescued from a flooded Dickinson assisted living facility. The residents were rescued, but their ordeal magnified the challenges facing older adults during a natural disaster. According to the CDC, older adults are more vulnerable because they are more likely to have impaired physical mobility, diminished sensory awareness, chronic health conditions or social and economic limitations that interfere with their ability to respond to a disaster. “Older persons who are hard of hearing or cognitively impaired might have trouble understanding information or following directions,” said the CDC. “They might feel more easily overwhelmed by a disaster, especially if they also have difficulty moving around, standing in line, or sleeping on a low cot in a noisy shelter. “Those who use wheelchairs, canes or walkers cannot climb stairs if elevators stop working due to a power outage. Elders who no longer drive or do not own a car face difficulties evacuating.” Lisa Ryerson, president of the AARP Foundation, emphasized the risks of economic hardships. The foundation established a relief fund to help Harvey victims in Texas and Louisiana, especially those over 50. “The devastation and loss in Houston and surrounding areas is staggering, especially when the hardest hit are those who were already struggling to make ends meet,” Ryerson said. “In many cases, low-income older adults have neither the financial resources nor the ability to escape the catastrophe.”
43,000
185,149
Here are five steps older adults, their family members and caregivers can take to deal with a disaster. Find temporary housing. Call Harris County Housing and Community Resource Center (713-696-1998) for help with locating emergency shelter, rental property and financial assistance. Also try Airbnb (1-855-4247262), which is helping to find housing. Those eligible for FEMA’s Transitional Shelter Assistance program may be able to stay at a participating hotel free of charge. Call 1-800-462-7585. Receive help rebuilding. Seniors 62 or older, disabled and veteran homeowners can contact Rebuilding Houston Together, which provides critical home repairs to those who meet age, income and homeownership qualifications. Contact info@rebuildinghouston.org or call 713-659-2511. Keep up with medications, treatments. For help refilling a prescription visit RxOpen.org, which maps open and closed pharmacies during disasters. Medicare recipients who need dialysis treatments can contact 800-MEDICARE. For chemotherapy or other cancer treatments, the National Cancer Institute (800-4-CANCER) can help locate cancer care providers. Get Social Security payments. Most Social Security recipients in Texas get benefits by direct deposit, but for those who still receive paper checks, a disaster can disrupt mail service for days or weeks. Call 800-772-1213 or check www.socialsecurity.gov/locator for the nearest open offices and operating hours. Avoid scams. Senior homeowners who suffered hurricane damage should beware of suspicious carpenters, electricians and other tradesmen who promise a quick repair for an upfront payment. In addition, don’t fall prey to charity scams via unsolicited phone calls and texts.
in temporary shelter
141
million already approved for FEMA assistance
The to Hurrican left on is stag The De compiled just to why th was i ‘catast
51.88 inches of rain
A resident wades through floodwater after Harvey. .
Ronnie Clay, center, gets brushed off after a trim by stylist Graham Sam at the George R. Brown Convention Center.
defendernetwork.com • Serving t
nStrong
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y: By the numbers
oll that ne Harvey Houston ggering. efender d numbers o show his storm indeed trophic. ’
215,000
14,000
students out of school in Houston
27 trillion
gallons of water dumped
national guard activated
1961
The last time a Category 4 hurricane made landfall in the Texas
56,000 calls to 911 in 15 hours (avg 8,000 a day)
the Houston area for over 85 years
FEMA disaster assistance applications submitted
Help children cope with Harvey spaces in homes, schools, child care facilities are free from physical and environmental hazards. Involve children in recovery. After a hurNearly 3 million children have been affected ricane, let children help in clean-up and recovery by Harvey’s blast through Texas and Louisiana. efforts in age-appropriate ways as this participaDisasters like hurricanes can cause tremendous tion may increase their sense of control over the upheaval in people’s lives. For adults, these are situation. traumatic and deeply distressing experiences. For Look for distress symptoms. It’s very comkids, they may be even more distressing. Losing a home for a kid may mean losing the only home he mon for children to report symptoms of post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety after a disasor she has ever had. ter. These symptoms might look like nightmares Here are some tips for parents to help chilor flashbacks to the disaster, dren cope with Harvey’s avoiding reminders of the aftermath. event or being more worried Limit media Need childcare until about events in general. exposure. Protect school resumes? Log onto Monitor schoolwork. children from seeing DefenderNetwork.com/local Children may also have too many sights and for places to take your kids trouble in school or be images of the hurricane, more sedentary. Very young including those on the children do not have wellInternet, television or developed verbal skills, and they may not be able newspapers. Exposing children to too many of to describe their own emotional distress. these images and stories may retraumatize them. Talk to your children. Since parents might Give children information that is appropriate for not be that good at guessing how their child feels, their age. it’s good to ask them. Don’t assume that you Leave kids at home until you’ve surveyed know. At the same time, if children say they’re the damage. It can be traumatizing for you to feeling fine after the trauma and appear to be funcreturn to your home and see the disarray. Make sure you’ve examined your home before you bring tioning well, don’t assume they’re “hiding” how your children back in. This could also be helpful in they really feel. Resume their routine. The most impormaking sure no health hazards exist. tant thing is to get children back into their Ensure utilities are available. Before chilroutines as soon as possible. Routines are dren are returned to areas impacted by Hurricane comforting to children, and help them feel like Harvey, make sure utilities, such as electricity and life is “back on track.” plumbing, are restored and living and learning Defender News Services
Jayden Oliver, 15, left, rests while another displaced child runs past as they shelter in the Gallery Furniture store.
555,000
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DEFENDER | SEPTEMBER 7 | 2017 defendernetwork.com
#HoustonStrong
Residents listen to officials at a roadblock into their Canyon Gate neighborhood which was flooded when the Barker Reservoir reached capacity.
Harvey racial optics different than Katrina
T
Associated Press
he charges of racism that swirled after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans 12 years ago have yet to surface as Houston recovers from the floods unleashed by
Harvey. Houston was hit as the nation roiled from a white supremacist rally that turned deadly on Aug. 12 in Charlottesville, Va. The violence left in its wake deep divisions primed by President Donald Trump’s assertion that “many sides” were to blame, producing heated debates about Confederate statues and whether they are important historical markers or symbols of hate that should be removed. When Katrina struck on Aug. 29, 2005, New Orleans had 500,000 residents, nearly 70 percent of them Black. Americans were horrified by images of people stranded on rooftops and scrounging for food and water. There were appalling conditions in the Superdome, the shelter of last resort for thousands and a hell-scape for those too poor to leave ahead of the storm. The face of Katrina was largely Black and poor. Within days, Katrina’s death toll was into the hundreds. By contrast, Harvey’s death toll hovered around 60, though it’s expected to rise as waters recede. Many cited the heavy death toll following Katrina, and the slow, inadequate government response, as evidence that New Orleans’ poor, Black residents were considered disposable. By comparison, Houston – a sprawling city of more than 2.4 million – is more racially diverse, with Blacks and whites each accounting for about a quarter of the population. Because there was no mandatory evacuation, people of all races and classes remained in the storm’s path, not just folks who couldn’t afford to leave. “What we’re not seeing in Houston are
the hundreds of Black people being stuck in a building or stopped on a highway and blocked from getting out of the city,” said George Washington University sociologist Gregory Squires. ‘’Nobody is saying that Donald Trump doesn’t like Black people.” In New Orleans, as the levees broke, the water rose and people struggled to survive as media reports of looting depicted storm victims as criminals. Those who were eventually able to relocate to other cities were labeled “refugees,” a term usually reserved for people fleeing one country for another. “Katrina was kind of a crime scene, with implications against local, state and federal government on how they were failing poor people; in Houston, it’s kind of universal,” said Rice University historian Douglas Brinkley. Devin Coleman, 34, moved to Houston from the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans just before Katrina hit. He lost his aunt and his grandmother in the storm. He was sheltered at Houston’s convention center for nearly a week and was amazed at how helpful people were. “If you weren’t white or had your own money, it’s almost as if they didn’t want you there.” Coleman recalled of the environment during Katrina. “In Harvey, nobody is talking about race. It’s just, ‘What do you need?’ “ Texas Southern University urban planning professor Robert D. Bullard warned that what happens next could uncover racial disparities. Homeowners of color may lack the financial resources or networks to rebuild as quickly, if at all, he said. On the city’s more affluent and white west side, Bullard noted people are “hiring contractors and starting to rebuild.” Bullard, regarded as the father of “environmental racism,” also pointed out that poor and minority residents were most likely to have lived in proximity to the industrial areas affected by the storm. Pollution and chemical spills could affect those communities disproportionately.
Squires predicted as the scope of the damage is surveyed the racial impact will grow. “Rich and poor alike were affected by the storm, but I strongly doubt that these groups
were affected equally,” he said. “The optics clearly are not as racial here as they were in New Orleans. But I think we need to distinguish between the optics and the reality.”
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SEPTEMBER 7 | 2017 | DEFENDER
entertainment
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Blacks star on new TV shows
“The Mayor” stars (l. to r.) Brandon Micheal Hall, Yvette Nicole Brown, Bernard David Jones, Marcel Spears and Lea Michele on ABC.
Cress Williams is a superhero on the CW’s “Black Lightning.”
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DeWanda Wise has three lovers – including Anthony Ramos – on “She’s Gotta Have It” (Netflix).
he fall television season is beginning, and there are new and familiar faces on network TV, cable and streaming sites. Some of the actors and actresses headline shows, while others are supporting characters. Here are stars to watch in alphabetical order. Sam Adegoke & Robert Christopher Riley can be seen on “Dynasty,” a reboot of the 1980s primetime soap, starting Oct. 11 at 9 p.m. on the CW. Cleo Anthony, Lyric Bent, Anthony Ramos & DeWanda Wise are stars of Spike Lee’s “She’s Gotta Have It,” the story of an artist with three lovers. It premieres Nov. 23 on Netflix, time to be announced (TBA). Angela Bassett stars in “911,” a midseason show about first responders on Fox. Premiere date is TBA. Neil Brown Jr. & Toni Trucks can be seen on “SEAL Team,” a drama about the elite special operations force, which premieres Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. on CBS. Yvette Nicole Brown, Brandon Micheal Hall, Bernard David Jones & Marcel Spears are stars of “The Mayor,” a comedy about a young rapper elected mayor. It premieres Oct. 3 at 8:30 p.m. on ABC. Gary Carr, Dominique Fishback, Lawrence Gilliard Jr. & Natalie Paul are stars on “The Deuce,” which chronicles New York’s porn industry
Angela Bassett stars in “911,” a drama about first responders on Fox.
in the ‘70s and ‘80s. It premieres Sept. 10 at 8 p.m. on HBO. Chad Coleman, Penny Johnson & Peter Macon can be seen in the sci-fi series “The Orville,” which premieres Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. on Fox. Vondie Curtis-Hall, Britne Olford, Regé-Jean Page & Anna Deavere Smith are among the stars of “For the People,” a midseason legal drama on ABC. Premiere date is TBA. W. Tré Davis (who grew up in Houston) & Charlie Barnett are two stars of the military drama “Valor,” which premieres Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. on the CW. Eme Ikwuakor can be seen in Marvel’s Inhumans,” a comic book-based series premiering Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. on ABC. Hill Harper & Antonia Thomas are two stars of “The Good Doctor,” a medical drama premiering Sept. 25 at 9 p.m. on ABC. Marcuis W. Harris is a star on “The Crossing,” a midseason drama about a mysterious migration to a small town. Premiere date is TBA. Dennis Haysbert can be seen in “Reverie,” a midseason drama about rescuing people lost in a virtual-reality program. Premiere date is TBA. Richard T. Jones is part of a team solving crimes with a crowdsourcing app in “Wisdom of the Crowd,” premiering Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m. on CBS.
Shemar Moore returns to CBS as a Los Angeles officer in “SWAT.”
Eddie Leavy & Lyric Lewis can be seen on “A.P. Bio,” a midseason comedy on NBC about a teacher using students for his own gain. Premiere date is TBA. Sonequa Martin-Green is a first officer in “Star Trek: Discovery,” set 10 years before the original series. It premieres Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m. on CBS before moving to CBS All Access. Shemar Moore is a Los Angeles police sergeant on “SWAT,” which premieres Nov. 2 at 9 p.m. on CBS. Craig Robinson is recruited to investigate paranormal occurrences in the comedy “Ghosted,” which premieres Oct. 1 at 7:30 p.m. on Fox. Tony Rock can be seen in “By the Book,” a midseason CBS show about a man who lives according to the Bible. Premiere date is TBA. Michael Love Toliver can be seen on “The Brave,” which follows a group of military operatives. It premieres Sept. 25 at 9 p.m. on NBC. Jaleel White co-stars on “Me, Myself & I,” which tracks the life of a man over 50 years. It premieres Sept. 25 at 8:30 p.m. on CBS. Christine Adams, Damon Gupton & Cress Williams are three stars of “Black Lightning,” a midseason superhero show on the CW. Premiere date is TBA. Shaunette Renee Wilson portrays a surgeon on “The Resident,” a midseason medical drama on Fox. Premiere date is TBA.
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DEFENDER | SEPTEMBER 7 | 2017
sports
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Texans’ defense never rests J.J. Watt
By MAX EDISON Defender
As the Texans prepare to kick off the 2017 season, questions abound on the offensive side of the ball. Will the talent on the offensive line come together? Where are the playmakers at wide receiver? Can quarterback Tom Savage stay healthy and guide this team? When does Deshaun Watson takeover as QB? Whatever the answers to those Jadeveon Clowney questions are, one thing we know for certain – the Texans whom were major cogs in have an outstanding the secondary. defense. “Those two guys were The Texans definitely great for us last led the NFL in total year,” Jackson said. It will defense in 2016 and be tough to replace what that was without the they did for us last year, but services of threewe have some great guys in time NFL Defensive the room. Getting Kevin Player of the Year [Johnson] back is definitely J.J. Watt. Former huge for us as a defense. defensive coordinator Corey Moore played a ton Romeo Crennel has of ball for us last year as been bumped up to well. So, with those two assistant head coach/ guys out there I think we can get the defense. Former linejob done.” Whitney Mercilus backer coach Mike Another factor that gives rise Vrabel has been to high expectations is the return of elevated to defensive defensive end Watt to an already potent unit. coordinator. Will we see a different defense? Don’t count on it. “[Watt] plays a big role for this team,” line mate Jadeveon “It’s been a seamless transition,” head coach Bill O’Brien Clowney said. “He’s a great leader. We need him and all the guys said.” Having [Crennel] here still is a big help, but Mike’s doing a healthy.” good job. Like I said in the offseason, he’s ready for this. He brings The thought of a defense that includes Watt and Clowney is a great energy and passion and leadership to the field and knowledge something that excites linebacker Whitney Mercilus. of our scheme. Players have a lot of respect for him.” “I think it’s awesome,” Mercilus said. “We have lots of guys Defensive back Kareem Jackson echoed O’Brien’s assessment out there who are very versatile. We can give a whole lot of different of Vrabel. matchups, load one side or have guys dropping, rushing, things like “He brings enthusiasm every day and we just kind of feed off that. I think it’s going to be special but we’ve got to be able to do it of his energy,” Jackson said. “He’s been in the situations that we’ve again this year.” been in and some big-time ball games, so we’re definitely going to Watt likes what he sees and the possibilities should give opposfollow him. He’s a great leader for us.” ing offenses fits. Jackson discussed how the defensive unit can get even better “I think it’s special for all of us,” Watt said. “You have some in 2017. phenomenal pass rushing ability out there. You’ve got Jadeveon, “One of the things we talked about as soon as we got back for you’ve got Whitney, and it’s going to be great. Just to see the talent OTAs is creating turnovers,” Jackson said. “We feel like as a defenthat we have and the ability to put it on the field at the same time and sive unit, that’s our job, to create turnovers. We definitely want to be to come from different angles, it’s going to be really special.” the best unit in football.” The Texans’ first regular season game is against the JacksonIn the secondary the Texans will have to find replacements for ville Jaguars on Sept. 10 at noon. veteran cornerback A.J. Bouye and safety Quintin Demps, both of
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Kareem Jackson
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h.s.zone Ten football teams to watch in 2017 little over 10 points per contest. WESTFIELD – A 21-18 loss to longtime rival Klein Collins in the The 2017 high school 2016 regional finals didn’t sit well football season has arrived with the Mustangs who are primed and here are 10 teams to for another long playoff run. Standkeep an eye on. out defensive tackle Keondre Coburn LAMAR – The (Texas) poses a problem for opponents combination of experiand he’s joined by Joshua Carr (DE) ence, super talent and a and linebacker Franklin Montgomery. legendary head coach can Rayshawn James (RB), Noah Massey be a lethal combination. (WR) and Ali Walter (WR) are key That’s what this season’s holdovers on offense. Terrance GipLamar Texans bring to son appears to have the inside track at the table. Tom Nolen quarterback. will have the services of MANVEL – The Division I college recruits Mavericks have 12 Anthony Cook and starters back from a D’Shawn Jamison in the 13-1 squad that lost by secondary while receiver Josh Oglesby one point in the state is a topnotch Al’Vonte Woodard and quarterfinals. Kason running back back Ta’Zhawn Henry Martin (QB), Jalen for Katy. headline the offense. Preston (WR), Brian Complimenting that Johnson (LB), Deneric powerful quartet are tight end Kase RogPrince (RB) and Trent ers, defensive lineman Josh Landry, lineGordon (S) are eager backer Justin Fonteneaux, receiver Zane to bring home the Knipe and defensive back Alex Hogan. school’s first state KATY – The eight-time state football championship. champions are chomping at the bit to get MARSHALL – back on the field following a third-round Eighteen starters are playoff exit in 2016. Two top-notch runback from an 11-3 ning backs in Deondrick Glass and Josh state quarterfinal Oglesby will work behind an experisquad under Houston enced offensive line that includes Connor Jabari James is a star quarterback for Marshall. area Coach of the Year Galvin, Cole Birmingham and Evan GreatJames Williams. Top house. The Tigers’ defense features three players include Jabari James (QB), Jerry Davis (RB), standouts, including Michael Matus (DL), Moro Ojomo Barton Clement (OL), Geovante Howard (DB) and (DL) and KeShon Rowe in the secondary. Dylan Sanchez (DL). NORTH SHORE – The Mustangs were on their WHEATLEY – Wildcats head coach Cornelius way for a second consecutive state semifinal appearMcFarland may field the ance before being waylayed school’s best team in over in overtime by district rival a decade with 13 returning Atascocita in the region starters wanting to erase Top high school games to watch finals. Bryant Badie (QB) the bad taste of missing this season and K’Lavon Chaisson the playoffs last year on a (DE) are gone but key tiebreaker. returnees include Isaac Cerda (QB), Marvin Phillips WALTRIP – Could there be a new sheriff in District (OL), Jeremiah Walter (LB), Jacoby Allen (LB), Tre 24-5A with the Rams hoping to supplant Madison as the Bandy (WR) and Kerrion Hadnot (RB). undisputed league champion. Head coach Todd Wright RIDGE POINT – Nine starters return from an ofguided his team to more wins last year (seven) than in any fense that averaged 40 points per game in 2016. Quarseason since 2003. terback Aaron Allen has one of the top tight ends in the THE WOODLANDS – Wide receiver Kesean Carter country as a target in 6-foot-4 and 235-pound Mustapha and the five-time defending district champions would like Muhammad. Linebacker Chad Bailey headlines five nothing more than a return berth in the Class 6A state returning starters from a stingy defense that gave up a championship game. By DARRELL K. ARDISON Defender
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SEPTEMBER 7 | 2017 | DEFENDER
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sportsbriefs Howard stuns UNLV Howard pulled off what some are calling the biggest upset in modern college football history in a recent game against UNLV. The Bison, a FCS team from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, entered as 45-point road underdogs against UNLV and stunned the Rebels 43-40 in Las Vegas. UNLV paid Howard $600,000 for the appearance. The Bison were led by quarterback Caylin Newton, the younger brother of Panthers star, Cam Newton.
New career for Asomugha When your NFL career is finished when you’re 33 (retired in 2013), what do you do for the rest of your life? If you’re Nnamdi Asomugha, former Raider Pro Bowl cornerback, and your wife is big-time Hollywood actress Kerry Washington of “Scandal,” you try your hand in the industry as well. Asomugha co-produced and stars in the film “Crown Heights,” which was released in August. Based on a true story, “Crown Heights” chronicles the ordeal of Colin Warner (played by Lakeith Stanfield), a Trinidad native wrongly convicted of murder. Twenty years later, he was proven innocent through the efforts of his friend Carl King (played by Asomugha). The film won the Audience Award at Sundance earlier this year. Asomugha made his professional acting debut in 2008.
HS season delayed The beginning of the 2017 high school football season in the Houston area was delayed for most schools by the damage that resulted from Hurricane Harvey. Some of the more notable cancelled matchups included Austin Westlake taking on Katy at brand new Legacy Stadium, Crosby vs. Manvel, Cy-Fair vs. The Woodlands along with Westfield hosting Lamar at George Stadium. A total of 54 games were cancelled over the Labor Day weekend.
Tech overrides hurricane When Hurricane Harvey began impacting the lives of Houston area residents, Willowridge High School head football coach Richard Lazarou resorted to modern technology to keep in touch with his players. Following a scrimmage against Clements at Hall Stadium on Aug. 24, Lazarou told his players to check Hudl, an app they use to review video of their games. The Willowridge coaching staff has been able to account for the safety of every player on the roster because of the app’s messaging system. “It’s been good to see how the players are interacting,” Lazarou said. “They are checking on each other. We are so thankful to have access to the technology to be able to stay in touch.” Although the Willowridge student body has been displaced to nearby Marshall High School for the beginning of school due to mold remediation, the football team has been able to practice at the school. No word if the campus suffered additional damage due to Harvey. Lazarou confirmed that other Fort Bend ISD schools are utilizing the app to stay in touch with their players, including Ridge Point High School.
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DEFENDER | SEPTEMBER 7 | 2017
#HoustonStrong MANY HARVEY HELPERS.... In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, Houstonians showed the world what it means to be a good neighbor as citizens by the thousands poured out their hearts, their love and their contributions of all kinds to minister to the needs of those who had been displaced by Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath. The volunteer lines at the George R. Brown Convention Center, NRG Park and the Toyota Center were epic. But too was the number of individuals and organizations that found other ways to serve and volunteer. Just a partial list of the organizations that either served as distribution centers or led other volunteer efforts includes The Church Without Walls, Paradise Missionary Baptist Church, the Shrine Cultural and Events Center, the Nation of Islam, the Association of Black Psychologists, the Diaper Foundation, the Breakfast Klub, Harvest Time Church, Lilly Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Houston Northwest Church, Free Indeed Church International, Second Baptist South Campus, Free Indeed International, the Houston Pregnancy Center, Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, 97.9 FM the Box, Black Greeks Speak who wisely collected and distributed Black hair care products, and others. That doesn’t even take into account the organizations and fellowships from other cities who either sent supplies or volunteers to help out with relief efforts, like the Mr. Catfish food truck that came from Austin and provided over 500 free hot meals, the Cajun Navy and their fleet of life-saving boats or the conglomeration of churches in Huntsville, Ala. that sent a U-Haul truck filled to the brim with supplies of all kinds. Our neighbors from across the country, along with good people right here in the Bayou City, worked together to show the world the true meaning of Houston Strong. Photos by: Aswad Walker
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