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Nebraska’s Only Black Owned Newspaper Vol. 81 - No. 23 Omaha, Nebraska
Friday, November 15, 2019
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New Leader of MXMF Leo Louis II – Soft Spoken Yet Fierce
management, self-defense, and more.” Louis models himself after You may know there is a community gathering spot in Malcolm X. “He was really a North Omaha dedicated to the human rights hero. I am able to memory of Malcom X, but you surround myself with the essence might be surprised at how many of Malcolm and the essence of the movement. I people don’t know am able to get the about the Malcom X feel of leadership Memorial Foundation and it is defined by (MXMF). Leo Louis sacrifices a person is is determined to willing to go through change that. in order to ensure A board member that the mission is since 2012, he accomplished. I have became president done that. Leadership in June of this year. is about sacrifice. Since the Foundation People who are does not have an Leo Louis II willing to give up executive director, Louis wears that hat as well. their own personal desires for the His primary goal is to get more greater good of the people. That’s people coming to the Center. “My what I can say I am willing to focus has been to implement the do.” “But,” he adds, “it’s not just programming necessary to grow me, there are a lot of passionate our organization. Moving into 2020, we will establish a lot more people here who understand community based programming— and believe in the principles teaching financial education, time of Malcolm X and want Black By Linda Kennedy
Leo Louis II among the YSEALI Group (Young South East Asian Leaders Initiative)
people to get justice in the ways they want justice and not just let someone tell us what we should and should not have.” Asked about a particular quote from Malcolm X which inspires him, Louis says it is from the 1964 speech outlining the purpose of the Organization for Afro American Unity. Malcolm X declares the right of Black See New Leader MXMF continued on page 8
Girls Inc. volunteers at the Dr. Betty Shabazz Community Garden
DRUMLine Live Brings Holiday Classics Marching Band-Style Omaha Performing Arts presents DRUMLine Live Holiday Spectacular on Nov. 22 at the Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. Tickets starting at $20 are available at TicketOmaha. com, in person at the Ticket Omaha Box Office inside the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St., or by calling (402) 345-0606. DRUMLine Live Holiday Spectacular will take the audience on an unforgettable journey through the most beloved holiday classics, combining sounds of gospel, jazz, soul, Motown rhythms and the beats of a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) marching band. The DRUMLine Live Holiday Spectacular comes direct from Producer Don P. Roberts and the extraordinary musical team behind 20th Century Fox’s hit movie “Drumline” and VH1’s “Drumline: A New Beat.” From the modern sounds of Mariah Carey’s #1 holiday hit, “All I want for Christmas Is You,” Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” and Justin Bieber’s “Mistletoe” to the classic favorites “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Santa Clause is Coming to Town” and “Jingle Bells,” this rockin’ Holiday Spectacular brings a fun-filled experience for the entire family this holiday season.
Omaha Native Amber Ruffin Returns for Third Annual Inclusive Communities FriendsGiving Celebration End the Thanksgiving weekend with laughter and fun at FriendsGiving, Inclusive Communities’ third annual friend-raiser, featuring Omaha native Amber Ruffin. The casual event will be held Dec. 1 from noon - 2:30 p.m. at The Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. The event is designed to raise awareness for the 81-year-old organization, which works to confront biases by creating opportunities for oneon-one interactions and meaningful conversations among individuals of all ages and backgrounds. Amber Ruffin is a hilarious actress and comedian best known for her work on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and “Drunk History” on Comedy Central that features historical reenactments presented by tipsy storytellers. In September, NBC revealed that its new streaming platform Peacock will include a series from Ruffin titled “The Amber Ruffin Show,” a weekly series described as
a “late night show with just the good parts – the comedy” that will show off Ruffin’s signature smart-and-silly take on the week. “FriendsGiving is a chance to relax, have some laughs, and meet the people behind the mission of Inclusive Communities,” said Executive Director Maggie Wood. “Amber reminds us through her comedy, that even in the toughest times, we can use humor to combat hate and then turn that into action.” Doors for FriendsGiving open at noon and the show begins at 1 p.m. Tickets are available at www. Ruffin inclusive-communities.org achieve our mission of confronting prejudice, bigotry and discrimination About Inclusive Communities through educational programs that Since 1938, Inclusive Communities raise awareness, foster leadership has served Nebraska, Iowa, and and encourage advocacy for a just the region by directing our efforts and inclusive society. For more in the areas of youth; community information or to find out how you and workplace human relations; can help, visit our website at: www. and leadership programming to inclusive-communities.org.
Turkeyfest deadline – Nov. 21. See In the Village for details.
U.S. Census Bureau is Hiring
By NNPA
It’s time for that once-every-10-years job opportunity! If you are looking to earn extra income for your household, you may want to consider becoming a U.S. Census worker. To prepare for the 2020 census, the U.S. Census Bureau is hiring thousands of recruits to work temporary jobs across the nation. Working for the census will allow you to help out your community and earn money at the same time. The U.S. Census helps determine each state’s representation in Congress, how funds are spent for schools, hospitals, and roads, and provides information to guide many decisions made by government agencies, private businesses and institutions. Jobs within the census vary from working in the field canvassing, updating maps, doing follow-up interviews with citizens in your community, or working in an office as a clerk doing administrative tasks or office operation supervisor who oversees the field staff. The Census is recruiting now due to the process of getting future employees through training and other screening processes. The majority of these jobs begin on April 1, 2020 and end in December of 2020. To be able to work for the census you must: • Be 18 years old • Have a valid Social Security number • Be U.S. Citizen • Complete an application and answer assessment questions • Register with the Selective Service System • Pass a Census-performed criminal background check • Commit to completing training • Be available to work flexible hours Many older Americans take on Census jobs after formal retirement from a full-time career. But if you already have a job, you can still work for the Census. Your current job cannot clash with the hours you work for the Census or create any conflicts of interest. If you’re a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S military, you may be eligible for veterans’ preference. Get more information about becoming a census worker, or apply at 2020census.gov/en/jobs
Omaha Star Business Connection Welcomes B & E Tree Service & Tenna Shu Palace
Campaign 101 – Dec. 4. See In the Village for details.
Page Two
LOCAL NEWS
THE OMAHA STAR
November 15, 2019
THE OMAHA STAR, INC. NDOT Announces New Roadside Memorial Policy THE VOICE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY
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The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) has announced their new roadside memorial policy aimed at allowing an immediate family member to memorialize a death which occurred as the result of a vehicular crash on the State Highway System. Immediate family members can now apply for a NDOT produced sign to be erected in a requested location in the State Right of Way as a memorial for two years after installation. NDOT will make every effort to place the memorial sign as close to the requested location as possible. “The Department believes this new policy appropriately allows families to honor their loved ones while keeping the State Highway System free of
Dr. Marguerita L. Washington: Publisher, 1989 - 2016
‘Joyful Noise: A Gospel Christmas’ Is Back for a Holiday Celebration
Phyllis Hicks: Publisher/Managing Editor, 2016 - 2019 Frankie Jean Williams: Interim Publisher/Editor Tanya Cooper: Advertising Director/Business Manager Debra Shaw: Social Media Administrator Barbara Reeves: Retail Distributor THE OMAHA STAR believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national antagonism when it accords every man, regardless of race, color or creed, his human and legal rights. Hating no man, fearing no man in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as one is held back.
DISCLAIMER The United States provides opportunities for free expression of ideas. The Omaha Star has its views, but others may differ. Therefore the Omaha Star ownership reserves the right to publish views and opinions by syndicated and local columnists, professional writers and other writers whose opinions are solely their own. Those views do not necessarily reflect the policies and position of the staff and management of the Omaha Star newspaper. Readers are encouraged to email letters to the editor commenting on current events as well as what they would like to see included in the paper. Those emails should be sent to: fwilliams@omahastarinc.com and must include the writer’s name, address, email address and telephone number. The ownership has editorial rights and does not guarantee that all submissions will be published. Please be advised that the Omaha Star ownership does not employ staff writers who charge for preparing and submitting articles for the general public. Should you encounter such, please advise Frankie Jean Williams at 402.346.4041, option 3.
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3226 Lake St.
Baker’s Supermarket
7312 N. 30th St.
Baker’s Supermarket
4405 N. 72nd St.
Big Mama’s
3223 N. 45th St.
Chubb’s Finer Foods
2905 N. 16th St.
Cubby’s Old Market
601 S. 13th Street
Easy Drive
5124 N. 24th St.
Family Fare Supermarket
820 N. Saddle Creek Rd.
Family Fare Supermarket
7402 N. 30th St.
Great Plains Black History Museum 2221 N. 24th St. Home Team Auto Sales
6005 Sorensen Pkwy
Hy-Vee Supermarket
5150 Center St.
Hy-Vee Supermarket
108th & Fort St.
Phil’s CASHSAVER A cost Plus Food Outlet
3030 Ames Ave.
Walgreens
3001 Dodge St.
Walgreens
7202 N. 30th St.
Walgreens
3005 Lake St.
Walgreens
4310 Ames Ave.
Walgreens
2929 N. 60th St.
Walgreens
7151 Cass St.
Walgreens
6005 N. 72nd St.
Walgreens
225 N. Saddle Creek Rd.
Walgreens
1802 Galvin Road South, (Bellevue)
Youngblood’s Barbershop
4011 Ames Ave
Each memorial sign will include a safety message chosen by the family from five available options: “Please Drive Safely”; “Seat Belts Save Lives”; “Don’t Drink and Drive”; ”Don’t Text and Drive”; “Don’t Drive Impaired” and will also display the name of the individual being memorialized.” The application as well as guidance material for a memorial can be found at https://dot.nebraska.gov/safety/. Applications can be completed electronically or printed and filed with the Nebraska Department of Transportation, Communications and Public Policy Division. The application fee is $50 will go to the cost of the production of the customized sign.
various memorials and hazards which may be a distraction to motorists. We want to recognize grieving families while balancing our responsibility of increasing safety on Nebraska’s highway system,” said Director Kyle Schneweis. As part of the transition, NDOT will continue to work with family members who currently have private memorials on the State Highway System. Family members who currently have private memorials on the state highway system are encouraged to contact their local NDOT office to discuss the disposition of their memorial and get information regarding installation of the new memorial sign. Family members wishing to install a new memorial will be asked to submit an application for the customized sign.
Omaha Performing Arts and Salem Baptist Church announce Joyful Noise: A Gospel Christmas with special guest Regina Belle Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 8 at 4 p.m. at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. Tickets are $15 and available at TicketOmaha.com, in person at the Ticket Omaha* Box Office inside the Holland Performing Arts Center, or by calling (402)345-0606. This year’s special guest is Academy Award-winning and multi Grammywinning singer, songwriter and actress Regina Belle. From holiday classics to new music, Joyful Noise will also feature Omaha’s Grammy-nominated Salem Mass choir, musicians and dancers from Salem’s Music and Fine Arts Ministry and the Kingsmen trio. This is the sixth season for the
the Orpheum Theater and the Holland Performing Arts Center. Tickets purchased from other ticket retailers such as secondary ticket agencies or brokers may be more expensive and may not be valid. Due to the nature of live entertainment, all programs, performers, prices, dates and times are subject to change.
holiday production. Since 2014, the event has featured well known national and local artists such as: Chad and Elaine Stoner, Daniel Martinez, Jonathan McReynolds, Anita Wilson, Q. (Quiana) Smith and Deborah Joy Winans, and more! *Ticket Omaha is the official retail ticket outlet for all performances at
Salvation Army Introduces New ‘Kettle Pay’ Technology
Who You Gonna Call?
The Salvation Army is making it easier than ever for donors to give during the Christmas season – by making a gift via Apple Pay or Google Pay at its iconic red kettles. In a nationwide move, The Salvation Army is placing smart chips and QR codes on red kettle signs – which will allow shoppers to simply “bump” or scan their phones in order to make a digital donation. The Salvation Army calls this new technology Kettle Pay, and here in Omaha, shoppers can expect to see it at kettles around town. Here’s how it works: As shoppers use their smartphones to access Kettle Pay, they will be directed to a custom web page that accepts Apple or Google payment options. The donated funds will then be distributed to local Salvation Army units based on the donor’s billing ZIP code, and an email receipt will be sent directly to their phone. (Please note: Samsung smartphones built from 2012 onward – and also iPhone X and 11 models – can be “bumped” against the NFC symbol at the kettles to make donations; in the case of other smartphones, the camera function would need to be used to scan the QR code in order to access the payment options.) Salvation Army red kettles equipped with Kettle Pay will be placed at some 140 locations around the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro through Dec. 24. “We are excited about the introduction of this new technology,” said Major Greg Thompson, divisional commander. “With fewer and fewer shoppers carrying cash, we have to find new ways to engage donors at our red kettles. We hope Kettle Pay will take The Salvation Army’s 100-year-plus tradition of red kettles to the next level.” Submissions to Express Yourself must include the writer’s first and last names as well as the writer’s address and telephone number. (Addresses and phone numbers are not published.) Submissions written anonymously will not be printed. Submissions may be edited at the publisher’s discretion. Submissions to Express Yourself or the commentary page may also appear on the Omaha Star Facebook page. Email submissions must be typed in a Word document and sent to the publisher at: fwilliams@omahastarinc.com
If you have questions about cooking a turkey call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central Time on Thanksgiving Day. Operators are available in English and Spanish. E-mail: mphotline.fsis@usda.gov or you can also ask questions of “Karen,” Food Safety and Inspection Service’ virtual representative, 24/7 at AskKaren.gov.
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PRAISE & WORSHIP DIRECTORY
November 15, 2019
ALLEN CHAPEL A.M.E.
Rev. Benjamin R. Finnell
Rev. Benjamin R. Finnell, Presiding Elder and Pastor Tammi Tate, Public Relations Chairperson 2842 Monroe St. Ph: (402) 502-8003 Fx: 934-8581 Sunday School...........................9:00 a.m. Sunday Worship......................10:00 a.m. Thursday Bible Study..............8:00 p.m. via teleconference, dial-in number 563-999-2090 and access code 576989
MOUNT CALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH
Page Three
ST. MARK BAPTIST CHURCH
“Jesus is the Light of the World” Bishop Kevin Chambers, Senior Pastor (Elect) www.m3comaha.org 5112 Ames Avenue Omaha, NE 68104 (402) 457-4216 Church Phone (402) 453-4084 Pastor’s Office
THE OMAHA STAR
Pastor Jarrod S. Parker 3616 Spaulding Street, Omaha, NE 68111 Phone: 402-451-0307 Email: smbcsecretary@ stmarkbaptist.org Bishop Kevin Chambers
Pastor Jarrod S. Parker
Sunday School – Sunday 9:00 a.m. Services: Sunday School .................................................... 9:30 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship Experience ......... 11:00 a.m. Word On Wednesday (WOW) ........................ 7:00 p.m.
Worship Service – Sunday 10:15 a.m. Children’s Church (except 2nd Sunday) Holy Communion every 1st Sunday Prayer and Bible Doctrine Study Midday - 12:00 noon; Evening – 7:00 p.m.
MT. MORIAH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
“Where Life is for Everyone”
Dr. Ralph B. Lassiter, Pastor 2602 N. 24th St. Off: (402) 451-8800 Fax: (402) 451-8522 mtmoriahomaha.net pastorlassiter@gmail.com
Drs. Marn & Lynnell Williams Founders & Lead Pastors SUNDAYS Prayer 9:00 AM Worship 10:00 AM
WEDNESDAYS Prayer 6:00 PM Worship 7:00 PM
www.ambassadorswc.com 402-341-1866 5417 N 103rd St. Omaha, NE 68134
Televised Broadcast – Sundays at 6:00 p.m., KPAO Cox Channel 22 & CenturyLink Channel 89 Our Mission: “To exalt the Savior, edify saints, evangelize sinners and elevate society.”
SACRED HEART CATHOLIC CHURCH
Rev. Ralph Lassiter, Sr.
Fr. Dave Korth
Sunday School .............................................. 9:30 a.m. Sunday Worship ..........................................10:45 a.m. Overcomers in Christ......................Sunday 7:00 p.m.
2207 Wirt Street Omaha, NE 68110 Phone: 402-451-5755
Wednesday Bible-Prayer Service 11:30 a.m. & 6:30 p.m Fr. Dave Korth
CLAIR MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH “Come Get Your Hilltop Experience” Rev. Portia A. Cavitt, Pastor 5544 Ames Avenue, Omaha, NE 68104 Telephone: 402-451-8322 • Website: www.cmumc.net Email: clairumc@cumc.omhcoxmail.com Rev. Portia A. Cavitt, Pastor
Sunday School………………………8:45 a.m. Sunday Worship Experience………...10:00 a.m. Wednesday Bible Study….…….…….6:00 p.m.
Mass Schedule: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday - 8:00 am in Rectory (2218 Binney)
MT. NEBO MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
Thursday - School Mass 8:10 am in Church
“The Church Where Fellowship is Real”
Saturday - 5:00 pm Sunday - 8:15 am and 10:30 am
Pastor Terry L. Arvie 5501 N. 50th Street Ph: 402-451-4245 Fx: 402-451-2130 office@mtneboomaha.org www.mtneboomaha.org Pastor Terry L. Arvie
Sunday Morning Worship ...................................9:00 a.m. Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting .....................7:00 p.m. Wednesday Night Church School ......................7:30 p.m. Youth/Children Ministry Focus (Wed.) ............7:30 p.m.
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
SALEM BAPTIST CHURCH Serving God and One Another in the Spirit of Excellence Rev. Dr. Selwyn Q. Bachus Senior Pastor 3131 Lake Street Omaha, NE 68111 402-455-1000 www.salembc.org
Rev. Dr. Selwyn Q. Bachus
Rev. Kent H. Little, Lead Pastor Services on Sundays at 8:30 am & 10:50 am
PLEASANT GREEN BAPTIST CHURCH
7020 Cass Street, Omaha, NE 68132 402.556.6262 www.fumcomaha.org First United Methodist Church is a welcoming and inclusive community, inspired to grow with and in God.
Weekly Services Sunday Morning Worship Service .....................8:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. Children’s Church (2nd & 4th Sunday) ................8:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. Life Development (Sunday School) .........................................10:15 a.m. Wednesday Word and Worship (WWW) ................................ 6:30 p.m.
“Where CHRIST is Preeminent and the Word Prevails!” Rev. Kent H. Little
Pastor Brian Page 5555 Larimore Avenue Church: 402-346-8427 www.pleasantgreenomaha.org
TABERNACLE OF FAITH CHURCH
Pastor Brian Page
Pastor Barbara Mitchell 2404 Fort Street, Omaha, NE 68111 402-455-1800 Church 402-455-3390 Fax
Wednesday: Prayer Power Hour ......................................12:00 p.m Thursday: Youth For Christ ............................................6:00 p.m Prayer & Bible Study ....................................6:30 p.m Sunday: Sunday School.................................................9:00 a.m. Morning Worship..........................................10:15 a.m. Televised Broadcast Sunday @ 10pm on KPAO Cox Communication channel 22 & Century Link channel 89
Charles Galloway - President, Rev John Deang - Pastor, Dr John Beasley - Elder
Pastor Barbara Mitchell
8:30 am Early Sunday Morning Worship 9:30 - 10:15 am Sunday Morning Breakfast 10:15 - 11:15 am Sunday School 11:30 am Sunday Morning Worship 6:30 pm Wednesday Bible Study 8:00 pm Friday Night Service Noon day prayer Thursday - Saturday
HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH Missouri Synod 2721 N. 30th Street 402-453-1583 Sunday School................................10:00 a.m. Church Service...............................11:00 a.m. YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME
Rev. Vitalis Anyanike
ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH
ZION BAPTIST CHURCH
2423 Grant St. Omaha, NE 68111 Ph: 402-348-0631 • Fax 402-342-4451 Sunday Mass: 9:00 a.m. Reconciliation: Sunday after Mass or by appointment
Rev. Kenneth A. Allen, Pastor
&
JOY OF LIFE MINISTRIES COGIC
HOLY NAME CATHOLIC CHURCH
Pastors Eric and Cynthia Butler
2901 Fontenelle Blvd. 68104 Ph: 402-451-6622 • Fax 402-457-6901 Mass Schedule: Mon. - Fri. 8:30 a.m., Sat. 8:30 a.m. & 5:00 p.m. Sun. 8:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m. & Noon (Spanish) Reconciliation: Sat. 4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. or by appointment
6401 N. 56th Street Omaha, NE 68104 Ph: 402-399-9628 E-Mail: Jolpastor@aol.com Sunday School..........................9:30 a.m. Sunday Worship......................10:30 a.m. Sunday Evening Worship.......6:00 p.m. Wednesday Night ....................7:00 p.m. Bible Study and Youth Ministries
Pastor: Rev. Vitalis Anyanike
Pastor Eric Butler and Co-Pastor Cynthia Butler
2215 Grant Street Omaha, NE 68110 Ph: 402-346-1502 Fax: 402-344-2720
Pastor Kenneth A. Allen
SUNDAY Sunday Morning Worship……………9:00 A.M. Sunday School……………………...11:15 A.M. WEDNESDAY 11:00 A.M. ~ Hour of Power Bible Study Wednesday is Family Night! 6:00 P.M. ~ Prayer & Praise Service 6:30 P.M. ~ Feast & Fellowship (Light Meal) 7:15 P.M. ~ Discipleship Academy (Classes for ages 5 & up)
THE WORSHIP CENTER North 24th Street Church of God “Presenting the Never-Changing GOD to an ever-changing World!”
MORNING STAR BAPTIST CHURCH
“Where Christ Jesus Is the Center of Attention” Rev. Dr. Leroy E. Adams, Jr. Senior Pastor 2019 Burdette Street Omaha, NE 68110 Ph: 402-342-0018 Fx: 402-346-9300 Rev. Dr. Leroy E. Adams, Jr.
Radio Broadcast: 101.3 fm 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. each Sunday Worship Service .............10:00 a.m. Sunday School .................8:45 a.m. Excluding First Sunday Tuesday Evening Service.........7:00 p.m.
Dr. Stan Rone - Senior Pastor 2021 N. 24th Street • Omaha, NE 68110 (402) 341-4297 Dr. Stan Rone Senior Pastor
Sunday Kingdom Academy 9:00 a.m. Worship Celebration 10:15 a.m. Tuesday Prayer Hour 7:00 a.m. & 12:00 noon Wednesday Power Hour (Prayer/Bible Study) 6:30 p.m. Youth and Children 6:30 p.m. www.theworshipcenter24cog.org
PRAISE, WORSHIP, DEVOTION, OBITUARIES & INSPIRATION
Page Four THE OMAHA STAR
RIP Bernard Tyson: Black America Mourns Death of Trailblazing CEO Bernard Tyson,” he tweeted. “One of the only African-American CEO’s of a major company, Bernard played an important role in our community.” Congresswoman Barbara Lee tweeted: “I am heartbroken upon learning of the passing of Bernard Tyson. Bernard dedicated his life to making health care more accessible for our communities. My prayers and condolences are with his family and loved ones during this time.” Tyson was recently making moves in the area of social determinants of health, economic and social issues in lower-income communities. Last spring, Kaiser launched a $200 million fund to help tackle some of those issues in the San Francisco Bay Area, half of which would take on homelessness and affordable housing. “We’re here every day and making sure that we provide coverage. We have all kinds of financial assistance program for our members … so our incentives are all aligned to the community benefits and the wellbeing of the entire community,” Tyson explained on CNBC’s “Closing Bell” last week. Of course, Kaiser Permanente wasn’t without critics either. The National Union of Healthcare
By Adrian Moore Bernard Tyson was a respected leader in the healthcare field acting as the Chairman and CEO of Kaiser Tyson Permanente. On Sunday, he died unexpectedly in his sleep at age 60, according to CNBC. Tyson had a 30-year career with Kaiser and eventually rose through the ranks to become the CEO in 2013. During his time, the integrated healthcare system and insurance company grew from 9 million members, with more than 174,000 employees, to more than 12 million members with an employee base of 218,000. Under his leadership, the country’s largest nonprofit health system became a leading advocate in the push to improve the delivery of benefits and care. Many Black leaders mourned Tyson’s death with tributes, including ball player and businessman Earvin “Magic” Johnson. “I’m devastated to hear about the passing of my good friend and Kaiser Permanente Chairman and CEO
Workers had planned a five-day strike starting Monday, which would have included 4,000 Kaiser Permanente psychologists, mental health therapists and other medical professionals. According to SF Gate, the protest was planned to improve access to mental health care and to boost the recruitment and retention of clinicians by securing certain retirement and health benefits for Kaiser employees. However, even NUHW decided to postpone the strike out of respect for Tyson. “We offer our condolences to Bernard’s family, friends and colleagues,” NUHW President Sal Rosselli said in a statement. “Our members dedicate their lives to helping people through tragedy and trauma, and they understood that a strike would not be appropriate during this period of mourning and reflection.” Tyson is survived by his wife, Denise Bradley-Tyson, along with his three sons. Kaiser Permanente’s board placed Gregory Adams, executive vice president and group president, as the interim chairman and CEO. Tyson’s cause of death has not been disclosed.
Finally at Home – A Purple Heart Finds a Son April 21 and died on May 12, 1966 from a sniper’s bullet and was interred in the Mt. Hope Cemetery. The reference to Omaha as his place of birth prompted me to think about those I know with the surname, Sanders. The first to come to mind was Derrick Sanders, a young man who five years ago knocked on the door of my church, Mt. Moriah and stated that the Lord directed him to come to us and offer his services. And serve he did, as a builder and repairman and as a bass guitar player. So I texted Derrick the question, “Do you know anyone by the name of Mack Royal Sanders?” My phone remained silent for about 30 minutes, then I was alerted to a new text message. The message was from Derrick and read, “Mack Royal Sanders is my Dad.” I texted back, “Call me, I have something that belongs to you.” A few minutes later Derrick called and we talked about finding ourselves in the midst of an amazing “God thing” – an awesome example of the truth found in Romans 8:28, “And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who
By Ralph Lassiter
The year was 1979 and a box of assorted items came into my Omaha furniture refinishing shop (Collectibles Unlimited) on the corner of 40th and Ames Avenue. Within this box were several items including a military medal – a Purple Heart. While contact with the Department of Defense resulted in their recommendation that the medal be returned to them with promises to attempt to locate the recipient, I was compelled to hold onto the medal. Fast forward to the early morning hours of October 2, forty years later. While cleaning my home office, I picked up a wooden box containing a variety of mementos including my high school and college class rings, my father’s cigarette holder, foreign coins … and the Purple Heart. On this morning I was compelled to look closely at the medal which contained on its back, the barely discernable, engraved name, Mack R. Sanders. Here was a clue that I could now explore as Internet search tools were so much more powerful in 2019 as compared to 1979. Entering the name Mack R. Sanders into my Google search engine produced a link to the Viet Nam Veterans Honor Wall with the notation that Mack Royal Sanders is honored on Panel 7e, Line 55. This link also stated that PFC Mack Sanders was born on March 24, 1941 in Omaha, Nebraska, arrived in Viet Nam on
love the Lord and are the called according to His purpose.” On October 6, the Purple Heart earned by the valiant sacrifice of Mack Sanders was returned to his son, Derrick Sanders. Thank you PFC Mack Royal Sanders for your service and ultimate sacrifice.
Kids Talk About God
Why Do People Have To Die? By Carey Kinsolving And Friends People die because “God wants more angels,” says Katie, 6. Though some people act like angels and others like the devil, angels are angels and people are people. With the exception of morticians, no one likes funerals. When we experience the loss of a friend or a loved one, it’s easy to forget that death is not part of God’s original plan. “When Eve sinned and ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, God said, ‘Out of the dust you came, and back to the dust you will return,’“ says Stephani, 11. Don’t forget Adam. He ate, too. Death for us does not mean we cease to exist. Death is separation from God. Most people associate death with the physical body, but death begins in our spirits. Adam and Eve died spiritually before they died physically. The fellowship they once enjoyed with God was broken when they sinned. Elizabeth, 12, says people die “because God has called them and wants to see them.” Or, as Kyle says, “so they can see God.” According to Tiffany, 9, God might use some people as his eyes: “The reason people die is so we can go to heaven and watch over our loved ones.” In the book of Revelation, there’s a snapshot of worship in heaven where 24 elders fall down before Jesus Christ with “golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints” (Revelation 5:8). Maybe these bowls contain the prayers of Christians on earth as well as those already enjoying the bliss of heaven. Wouldn’t people in heaven have more incentive to pray for loved ones left behind? Tiffany has more: “Another reason is so that we can be with Jesus. The reason Jesus stays in heaven is because if Jesus is earthly, then he can’t watch over everybody, but in heaven he can.” On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus told his disciples he was going away, but he promised he would not leave them alone. He said he would send the Helper, the Holy Spirit. Jesus would do far more than comfort through the Holy Spirit. He would dwell inside them and live his life through them. “Earth is just a place for us to get ready for heaven,” says Ben. “Maybe some people are ready to go to heaven before others.”
How do you know if you’re ready to go? Listen to Rainey, 10: “I really don’t know why some people die before others, but the important thing is not what age you are when you die. It’s whether Jesus lives in your heart. If he does, you’ll live with Jesus in heaven forever.” Rainey wrote this only a few months before she and her sister, Lacey Lipscomb, 8, went home to be with their Lord in a train crash in Bourbonnais, Illinois, on March 15, 1999. Ten-year-old Rainey and her sister didn’t expect to see Jesus so soon, but they were ready. They now know more than ever the importance of having trusted the Lord Jesus with their eternal destiny. Think about this: None of the people who went to work at the World Trade Center or the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 expected it to be their last day on earth. The Bible is clear that today is the day of salvation. Memorize this truth: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Ask this question: Is today your time?
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November 15, 2019
Mount Calvary to Host Harvest Service Mount Calvary Community Church, 5112 Ames Ave., invites the community to worship with them during their first Annual Harvest Service on Nov. 27 at 7 p.m. Come out and give thanks to the Lord for all he has done during this Thanksgiving season. You will hear the mighty voices of the Mount Calvary Community Church Mass Choir under the direction of Minister of Music Nardo Turnbo, as well as a soul stirring word from their leader, Bishop K. Jevon Chambers.
Remembering Our Nation’s Veterans By Dr. William Holland
This is the official week when we honor and remember all of our veterans, but hopefully, we appreciate their service and sacrifices every day of the year. Most people assume the special day is spelled, “Veteran’s Day” however the day does not belong to veterans, but rather honors all veterans so no apostrophe is needed. Also, Veterans Day is not the same as Memorial Day as this is a time to remember those who literally gave their lives for our country, particularly in battle or from wounds they suffered in battle. Veterans Day which was originally called Armistice Day, honors all those who have served the country in war or peace, living or deceased, and is intended to show appreciation for all veterans for their military service. When we think about those who have served our nation, we realize that many men and women have paid a great price trying to defend and protect us and we are truly grateful. We can also look around and see many wounded warriors who are faced to live with physical disabilities along with serious psychological problems resulting from what they have gone through. Though we might not be aware of the severity of this situation, there is an ongoing phenomenon regarding the high rate of suicide among U.S. military veterans. According to a report published by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in 2016, which analyzed 55 million individual cases from 1974 to 2014, along with more recent data, tragically confirmed that an average of 22 veterans commit suicide each day. In May 2019, President Trump signed an executive order for an initiative to counter this horrible reality. The program aims to equip state and local governments with the resources necessary to identify and intervene in scenarios where veterans may be at risk. Included within the record $73.1 billion dollars for veteran health services is $8.6 billion allocated for mental health services. I’m reminded of a story about a young man named Josh who suffered a traumatic brain injury in Iraq which left him with extreme hopelessness and depression. He had been deployed southwest of Baghdad where during an attack, a mortar exploded 10 feet away from him, leaving him severely wounded and with a one-way ticket home. Six months later, on one particular winter evening, he was really having a hard time trying to fight the shadows of fear and sadness. His Ka-Bar was laying on the table beside his computer where he had just written a letter trying to explain his torment. He stepped outside to sit on the cold and wet cement steps just wanting to end it all. He remembers promising himself that tonight I will, as he took another drag from his cigarette. Staring out into the darkness, he noticed something moving and soon discovered it was a kitten that was slowly walking toward him. It was soaking wet but friendly and obviously with being so skinny, it was hungry. It was a tom with black and white patches and when Josh reached out to pet him, the mysterious visitor leaned into his touch and started to purr. This emotional connection with another living being triggered something deep within Josh’s heart as he felt hot tears running down his face in the cold drizzle. The kitten did not show fear but just kept staring at him with beautiful green eyes. In fact, Josh says this innocent creature seemed to understand how desperately he needed a friend at that very moment. He carried his unexpected guest inside, dried him off and gave him some food. His plan to end it all had been distracted. Holding the kitten close, Josh considered he might not be able to deal with his own problems, but decided that he could try to help this little fellow with his. Josh named him Scout and on bad days, Scout would curl up in Josh’s lap and shower him with love that brought comfort and peace. Over the next few weeks, the bond they developed inspired Josh to request help for his depression, and eventually, he grew stronger in his faith and confidence. It’s not a stretch of the imagination that Scout helped save his life as Josh is now married and his wife just gave birth to a baby girl. Of course, Scout still loves to sleep in Josh’s lap. If you are a veteran and struggling with PTSD, counselors are available at 1-800273-8255. “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” Psalm 34:4.
THE BLACK PRESS AND THE BLACK CHURCH: Both Born Out of Necessity For Self-Expression And Both Black - Owned. Together, The Press And the Pulpit Can Give Us Full Citizenship Immediately
STAR SPECIAL COVERAGE
November 15, 2019
THE OMAHA STAR
Page Five
Down for the Cause Not Down for the Count Development & Gentrification in North Omaha
An American Dilemma – ‘Eloquent’ Racism Through Redlining By Terri L. Crawford, JD “Two hundred fifty years of slavery; Ninety years of Jim Crow; Sixty years of separate but equal; Thirty-five years of racist housing policy; Until we reckon with our compounding moral debts, America will never be whole” – Ta-Nehisi Coates America’s public policy practices were distinctly shaped by a pattern of racial politics to the detriment of marginalized populations. One of the most atrocious of these policies was introduced with The National Fair Housing Act of 1934, the landmark legislation that created the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The FHA was enacted to regulate interest and mortgage rates after the banking crisis of the 1930s. The agency’s creation brought redlining to cities across America, including Omaha. It made homeownership accessible to White people by guaranteeing loans, while overtly refusing to back loans to Blacks or those who lived near them. Redlining destroyed the possibility of investment in the Black community, consequently denying equal opportunities for homeownership wherever Black people lived. Any discussion of redlining must also examine racial exclusion and environmental racism in the form of building toxic waste facilities in African American neighborhoods. The United Church of Christ and its “Commission for Racial Justice” have been the leading organizational force in the environmental justice movement since the late ‘70s. Their recent studies concluded that racial considerations were a strong “statistical predictor” of hazardous waste facility locations, citing the probability of such sites occurring randomly as 1 in 10,000. Scholars and experts conclude that these choices reflected the desire to avoid the deterioration of White neighborhoods when Black neighborhoods were available as alternatives. Hazardous conditions and risk of harm to Black life were not considerations in the policymaking decision. In fact, the study concluded, zoning and planning boards often made explicit exceptions to their residential neighborhood rules to permit dangerous or known polluting industries to locate in Black areas. Locally, the Douglas Motors Plant opened in 1918 at 4024 North 30th Street, near Druid Hill School. After the plant was shut down during the Great Depression, Exide Corporation manufactured batteries in the building during the 1990s. It became part of Omaha’s massive, federally-designated Superfund cleanup site due to its toxicity. EPA officials confirmed in 2014 that Omaha’s lead site had become the largest residential lead remediation site in the U.S. The hazardous conditions were not generally known to residents or discussed with the community. Redlining in North Omaha has historical and enduring contemporary effects reaching beyond housing into socioeconomic status, the educational apparatus and quality of life in general. The practice allowed and
CDBG – How Much? Is there a list of all Community Development Block Grants projects that have been built in North Omaha since the program started in 1974? Probably. However, at the time of publication, The Star was unable to locate it. When pressed to estimate this number, former City Planning Director Marty Shukert answered with the caveat, “It would probably be wrong, but I would say that if you included everything since 1980, that includes Conestoga Place, Concord Square, the Infill Project, Horizon Townhomes, Kellom Heights, it’s probably over 1,000 to 1,500 units of new housing.” The city is required to track CDBG and all other federally funded projects through the “Consolidated Plan.” Detailed documents are compiled every five years by the planning department. The 2013-2018 plan, publicly available on the website, contains almost 400 pages of charts, tables, statistics and project data. You can find a copy at https://planninghcd. cityofomaha.org/plans. The University of Nebraska at Omaha compiled the overall numbers statewide, for all communities over those 21 years. Nebraska averaged: • 77 Block Grants per year ($13,610,912) • 16 for Economic Development ($4,828,416) • 25 for Community Development ($5,133,071) • 12 for Housing ($2,943,447) • 21 for Planning ($390,207) • 2 for Tourism ($315,771)
encouraged racial discrimination in mortgage lending in the 1930s and continues to shape the demographic and wealth patterns of Black communities across America. A 2018 study by the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, a collective of national, regional and local organizations, reveals that three out of four neighborhoods “redlined” on government maps 80 years ago continue to struggle economically today. The vast majority of neighborhoods marked “hazardous” in red ink on federal Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) maps from 1935 to 1939 are today much more likely comprised of lower-income, minority residents. In the 1930s, under the auspices of the FHA, HOLC trained government surveyors in grading 239 city neighborhoods by color-coding maps green for “best,” blue for “still desirable,” yellow for “definitely declining” and red for “hazardous.” The “redlined” areas were the ones local lenders considered credit risks, in large part because of the residents’ racial and ethnic demographics. Neighborhoods predominantly populated by African Americans, as well as Catholics, Jews, Asian and southern European immigrants were deemed undesirable. “Anyone who was not northern-European White was considered to be a detraction from the value of the area,” according the senior researcher at the NCRC and one of the study’s authors. Before the FHA sponsored Whites-only suburbanization, Jim Crow and racial segregation had already started the process of racial exclusion in neighborhoods across the country, including North Omaha. Property owners, landlords and builders created segregated environments with racial covenants in individual home deeds that legally prohibited future resales to any Black families. Redlining in North Omaha can trace its beginnings to the Red Summer of 1919 and the first phase of White flight from the area. After the lynching of Will Brown at the Douglas County Court House, White mobs moved northward to attack Blacks in the part of the city known as the Near North Side. U.S. army soldiers from Fort Omaha (today the site of Metropolitan Community College’s Fort Omaha campus) held off the angry mob. The soldiers drew a line between the neighborhoods and told the Black residents they would be protected if they stayed within those lines. Those first “lines of protection” became symbolic and substantive demarcations of redlining efforts in Omaha. City leaders and White citizens as proponents of racial segregation were convinced that racial exclusion would enhance their property values, and that “race covenants” were merely private agreements between individuals that could withstand any constitutional challenges. After the FHA agreed and adopted the same stance, The Supreme Court ruled in Shelly v. Kramer (1948) that, “Although not illegal per se, racial clauses in deeds and mutual agreements, if truly private, could not depend on the power of government to enforce them.” Despite the ruling, the FHA
and other governmental agencies ignored the court, using tactics to circumvent the ruling and preserve state-sponsored segregation. In Omaha and other cities, the FHA forced home builders to comply with racial covenants, further ratifying discriminatory policies. Race-based restrictive covenants could be found in historical deeds in neighborhoods across the city including: Sacred Heart, Gifford Park, Kountze Place, Prospect Hill, Saratoga, Minne Lusa, Miller Park, Monmouth Park, Bemis Park and Walnut Hill. So what are the lessons in all of this? Lesson one, many of the economic challenges facing our city and nation including the racial wealth gap, the homeownership divide, and inequities in credit access originate in discriminatory housing and economic policies implemented from the colonial period to present day. Lesson two, there is an ideology that many Americans have internalized: that their accomplishments were largely the result of a “good work ethic and a determined grit.” Others who did not achieve similar success just did not work hard enough, got themselves into trouble, or were not smart about the choices they made in life. That is called the American meritocracy myth and ignores structural, systemic racism woven
into the fabric of America. Lesson three, the reality is that White Americans have always benefited from supportive systems that propped them up, making the American Dream more attainable. Meanwhile people of color, in particular Black people, have been deliberately excluded from these same opportunities. The final lesson is that we must begin the work of dismantling the residual effects of redlining. This begins with the acknowledgement of how redlining greatly contributed to disparities in providing or denying access to the single most important determinant of wealth for the majority of people in the U.S.—home and land ownership. This requires us to have a serious discussion and examination of the intersection between racial inequity and affordable housing on a local, state and national level. Shall we begin? (Terri L. Crawford, J.D; University of Nebraska Omaha, Department of Black Studies - Adjunct Professor; Political Awareness and Involvement Chair, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (OAC); Policy Director League of Women Voters Greater Omaha.)
All That Glitters 45 Years of Block Grants - Part 1 Omaha, the 1970s. Moviegoers thrilled to “Jaws.” Eyebrow grooming was not yet “a thing.” Cell phones were the stuff of sci fi, “Pong” constituted cutting edge gaming technology and the city fathers were worried because downtown had been steadily losing its mojo as the city’s business center. Fifty years ago, neighborhood development was not yet “a thing” in Omaha either. They received a relatively small amount of federal funding used for things like code enforcement and housing rehabilitation from HUD’s categorical programs (so-called because they fit within eight different categories of development.) Nationwide, planning trends were moving away from subsidized public housing and towards urban renewal. Part of the Housing Act of 1954, urban renewal was commercially-friendly. It worked by acquiring privately owned properties, purchasing or seizing them through eminent domain, then razing and re-conveying them to selected developers who devoted them to other uses. Preferential treatment was given to families who agreed to relocation for slum eradication or revitalization. According to a masters thesis on “The Urban Renewal Movement in Omaha, 1954-1970” by UNO history department student Donald Louis Stevens Jr., local businessmen, labor groups, and
politicians pushed long and hard for the creation of a local urban renewal agency similar to OHA. They hoped to target blighted neighborhoods in east Omaha to both the north and the south for development. Omahans decisively voted it down three times between the 50s and 70s. Not surprisingly, opposition was strongest from those in urban renewal’s crosshairs, while White suburban voters tended to support it. Ultimately, urban renewal’s avid promotion by Omaha’s wealthy businessmen smelled of selfish self-interest, casting suspicion on the claim for “community good” since the advocates were also most likely to profit. Downtown revitalization swung into full gear when Omaha received a hefty grant from a categorical “Federal Open Space” program. Here at last was the opportunity to create the Central Park Mall, a massive refresh of the heavy industry and leadpolluted land that had always existed between downtown and the Missouri River. The open air park and lagoon replaced several city blocks of uninviting brick buildings with nature and familyfriendly features. In 1975 the city demolished the first building, the Omaha Typesetting Company at 11th and Douglas, to make way for this new project. A 2017 World Herald story on the history of the Mall sums it up tidily: “The city sued 104 property owners in the
mall site and began condemnation proceedings. All parties eventually reached financial agreements, and the mall was built.” Into this already fractious environment HUD’s Community Development Block Grants (CDBGs) debuted in 1974. Notably, CDBGs subsumed the categorical grants which were funding the Mall revitalization. Marty Shukert is in a unique position to offer insight into what happened next. He was just beginning his career in the Omaha Planning Department around this time, and would go on to serve as Planning and Community Development Director, Omaha Planning Director in 1983 and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Economic & Policy Development. He is now a principal at RDG Planning and Design. He explains, “Cities that had grants under one of these previous categorical programs could complete that work but those programs were discontinued and ‘folded in’ to the CDBG program. So the city, which had gotten this grant to do the mall, was effectively given permission to use Block Grant funds to continue that project. An obligation (had been) entered into before, but the program no longer existed. This was a subject of huge conflict in the community. When people in North Omaha or in other neighborhoods said, You’re using all that money on the mall! Well … yes! But that was the deal.”
Omaha was now one of the cities with a population over 50,000 that would receive Block Grant money from HUD. They did not have to apply for the money, but did have to file paperwork and monitor the funds to ensure they were being used to meet one of three elements: removal of slums and blight, principle benefit to low and moderate income populations or meeting some urgent community development need (e.g. recovery from a catastrophic storm.) Any given city’s particular entitlement was calculated by a number of different factors including population size, poverty, blight, etc. “Despite the fact that I worked with the program for years, I honestly have no idea what the components of the formula are,” admits Shukert. Although they now had more money in the budget, Omaha was “starting from scratch” in the realm of neighborhood redevelopment, Shukert says. “The city really had no organizational infrastructure internally and no neighborhood infrastructure externally to do a very good job administering those funds or even figuring out what to use them for.” As Omaha waded into the CDBG waters, three major plans for North Omaha emerged: Kellom Heights, the Conestoga Place subdivision, and redevelopment of 24th and Lake Streets. Look for Part Two in the Nov. 29 issue of The Omaha Star.
Page Six THE OMAHA STAR
COMMENTARY
Announcing a Face-to-Face with Black History Adult Learning Tour
Preston Love Jr., Executive Director of the 501c3 nonprofit Black Votes Matter Institute of Community Engagement, announces a unique opportunity for adults to apply to attend Preston Love Jr. the Face-to-Face with Black History Adult Learning Tour. “Not a day goes by when an adult doesn’t ask if they can attend the BVM tour. Last year, we had a few church groups consisting of adults follow our youth the Civil Rights Trail. This year, for our 3rd Annual BVM Tour 2020, we would like to offer a special tour to adults who want a life-changing, learning experience,” said Love. Details The Face-to-face with Black History Adult Learning Tour will depart Sunday, June 21, and return on Sunday, June 28. The Adult Learning Tour does not have grant funds associated with it, so the pricing is self-sustaining in the fees collected. The tour includes a deluxe tour bus seat, fullservice, top-tier hotel room, and all fees paid to all venues, museums, and tour stops. Hotel full breakfast included. Participants are invited to an end of the week celebration Barbeque & Fun night. If interested, contact Preston Love, Jr. at prestonlovejr@gmail. com or phone 402- 812-3324. The Curriculum An Adjunct Professor of Black Studies at UNO, Preston Love Jr. designed the Faceto-Face with Black History curriculum and will participate in the tour as the master tour guide. Youth and adult participants of the tour will learn about the key events, key people, and non-violent methods employed during the civil rights era. Love uses leading-edge microlearning for all participants to be fully prepared for the experience. Microlearning is a self-paced, personalized, and interactive course of compressed and engaging lessons that cover one individual objective at a time. The lessons allow participants to learn and
discuss the destinations before experiencing them first-hand. The curriculum is delivered to participant’s mobile smartphones, so they can consume the content while riding on the bus and in between events. In addition to the microlearning, the students and adults participate in a daily survey that consists of capturing a story and image about their experience. Love expects a strong change in the attitudes and beliefs of the participants over the week-long experience, similar to 2019’s results. The Route The BVM Tour 2020 will depart from Omaha and move through the following cities: Memphis; Jackson; Birmingham; Selma; Montgomery; Tuskegee, and Atlanta. In Memphis, participants will see the Lorraine Motel, Mason Temple, and the National Civil Rights Museum. In Jackson, highlights will include Emmitt Till, the Medgar Evers Home National Monument, and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. Birmingham showcases the 16th Street Baptist Church, Kelly Ingram Park, and the Birmingham Civil Rights Museum. In Selma, participants experience the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the Voting Rights Museum & Institute, and the Slavery & Civil War Museum. Montgomery highlights the Civil Rights Memorial Freedom Shrine, Rosa Parks Museum, the Legacy Museum – From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration, and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. In Tuskegee, participants experience the George Washington Carver Museum and the Tuskegee Airmen. Finally, Atlanta highlights include the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change; Ebenezer Baptist Church; Spelman College, and Morehouse College before returning to Omaha. More Information A 2019 BVM Trip Report can be found at http://bit.ly/BVMFTF2019Report. A comprehensive data break out is available upon request. For further information, contact Preston Love Jr. at 402-812-3324 or prestonlovejr@gmail.com.
Financial Tips from Veridian You May Qualify for Free Tax Filing
Start thinking now about your tax filing plan so that you can file as soon as you receive the necessary forms. You may qualify for free tax filing if your income is less than $66,000 or if you can claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the Child and Dependent Care Credit or an education credit. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA) is run by volunteer tax preparation professionals. If you’re age 60 or older, you may also qualify for assistance through the Tax Counseling for the Elderly program, which works the same. These volunteers can help you file your federal and state tax returns for free. Call ahead to ask what documents you need to bring, which will likely include: • Proof of identification (photo ID) • Social Security cards or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) assignment letters for you, your spouse and dependents • Proof of foreign status, if applying for an ITIN • Birth dates for all in your household
• Wage and earning statements (Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, 1099-Misc) from all employers • A copy of last year’s federal and state returns, if available • Your bank account routing and account numbers for direct deposit • Total paid for day care provider’s tax ID number • Forms 1095-A, B and C, Health Coverage Statements These services are typically offered at local community centers. To find free tax filing assistance near you, go to https:// irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep and enter your ZIP code. The results will indicate whether you need an appointment and the languages in which services are provided at each location. If you could use some financial advice, Veridian is here to help. We’re a not-forprofit credit union with branches in Council Bluffs, Omaha and Papillion. Simply stop by a Veridian branch or call (800) 2353228 and ask to speak to Areli to schedule a one-on-one consultation today.
November 15, 2019
Mentoring Matters College Possible or Impossible? By Debra L. Shaw Mentoring students to attend college today can be a challenge. There are countless barriers such as having the right grades, securing the right finances or receiving the right support partners that would allow students to reach their postsecondary goals. How can students discover if college is possible? Do they decide that college is impossible due to their circumstances? Actually, there is hope for the future. The College Possible high school program offers students the option to attend after-school sessions for two hours twice a week throughout their junior and senior years of high school. Over the course of these two years, students participate in more than 320 hours of programming in a supportive group of college-bound peers. Coaches implement an interactive curriculum designed to guide students through the key aspects of preparing for college. College Possible Omaha served more than 734 high school students in the Omaha area at 10 partner high schools in six different districts for the 20182019 academic year. More than 1,200 college students from the Omaha site are enrolled at 71 colleges and universities regionally and across the country, and nearly 80 percent of the students will be the first in their family to attend college. College Possible Omaha was founded during the 2011-12 school
year. Thirty-two AmeriCorps members currently serve through the site. http:// www.collegepossible.org/omaha/. Through the leadership of Executive Director, Alvin Frazer, III, College Possible offers students the opportunity to learn about ACT, how to find free practice tests and receive tips to help students do their best to increase their scores. Also, College Possible helps students explore colleges, research costs and determine the major that is a right fit for each student. Students learn how to submit college applications and they can gather tips on how to write college application essays along with general information on admissions. Here is a direct quote from their website, “College Possible connects promising, low-income students to the best colleges for them; those that challenge them and help them achieve their dreams. This means we work with many colleges across the country. Some of our partner colleges have taken extra steps to commit to our mission, working closely with College Possible to recruit and retain students in need.” https://www. collegepossible.org/college-partnerships/ connects-partnerships/. Go to http://www.collegepossible. org/programs/student-resources/ to discover all the details regarding what College Possible offers students who are continuing their educational journey after high school and click on the ‘Enroll’ link to join the program. Remember, college is possible when you seek help, identify resources and connect with a caring trusted adult. Mentoring Matters!
To His Wealthy Donors, Trump is Their Grifter By Jesse Jackson (TriceEdneyWire.com) – To decipher President Donald Trump’s presidency, apply the basic rule of politics: Follow the money. In September, for example, Trump performed at rallies in North Carolina and in New Mexico. He entertained adoring crowds, clad in Trump’s MAGA caps and T-shirts. The rallies got featured on Fox and other news stations. Then Trump flew to California and went to a series of big-dollar fundraisers that were closed to the public, pocketing what his campaign boasted as more than $15 million in campaign funding, largely from anonymous wealthy donors. This is only a small part of the record campaign war chest that the wealthy are building for Trump’s re-election campaign. The press treats the overwhelmingly White, working class audiences at Trump’s rallies as his “base.” But they are more his marks than his base. The anonymous wealthy donors in California have a far better claim to be the base that he serves. The donors got the tax cuts; the working people at his rallies got health care cuts. The CEOs got the roll-back of clean water and clean air regulations; his rally audiences got the fouled water and more kids with emphysema. Big oil and coal executives got lavish public subsidies; teachers and parents got cuts in school funding. Big Agra got billions in payoffs to make up for Trump’s trade war; family farmers were casualties, many bankrupted by the loss of markets, with Wisconsin’s small farmers suffering the worst. Auto executives enjoyed record profits; auto workers suffered more layoffs and plant closings. The rich saw their wealth soar;
working people faced rising prices in housing, health care, college, cars – with incomes that didn’t keep up. Trump brags on the record-low unemployment numbers, but the jobs too often don’t pay a living wage and Trump and Republicans won’t even allow a vote on raising the minimum wage. Not surprisingly, workers are beginning to protest. GM autoworkers were involved in the largest strike in years. Teachers in red states across the country have gone on strike to demand greater investment in schools. Nurses are on strike for decent wages and better staffing of hospitals and clinics. Fast food and restaurant workers have led marches for a $15 minimum wage and a union. Young people are marching to protest Trump’s refusal to address the clear and present threat posed by catastrophic climate change. Trump regales the crowds at his rallies with scurrilous attacks on his opponents, lies and tales about his accomplishments, and boasts about the economy. He panders to their fears, fanning racial division, railing against immigrants and Muslims and the homeless. He’s pugnacious, funny and outrageous. They know he’s a bad guy, but they think he’s their bad guy. And that is the con. The anonymous donors who are contributing record amounts to Trump’s campaign don’t wear MAGA hats. They don’t go to public rallies. They roll their eyes at Trump’s rambling rants and racial taunts. They aren’t on strike or in the streets. They are getting a great return on their investment and are happy to ante up again. The Trump economy doesn’t work for most Americans, but it works for them. Trump keeps his promises – and his payoffs – to them. They know Trump is a grifter, but he’s their grifter. They are all in on the con.
Deadly and Dangerous – Healthcare in America By Ray Curry Secretary-Treasurer, UAW
Laughter is the Best Medicine, says the Reader’s Digest version of America. But not when it’s the only medicine, responds the America that far too many have known and continue to know. Not when the United States alone is one of the world’s top 33 most developed countries that does not have a form of universal health care that covers all of its population. I guess I am just not in on the joke when I see people either going without health care – something that ought to be a human right – or struggling to the breaking point to keep on top of huge medical bills when sickness or infirmary hit. Funny how that just isn’t funny. Actually, it is a national tragedy. A tragedy when African Americans in disproportionate number lack insurance coverage. For too many folks in this country, you are free to laugh – just not till it hurts. The system is sick Here are some not-so-fun facts. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), which focuses on major health care issues facing the nation as well as the U.S. role in global health policies, as of year-end 2016, 27 million Americans in this country were without medical coverage. That number was significantly down from the more than 44 million in 2013 – just before the Affordable Care Act (ACA) kicked in. But in 2017, the current administration took office, and … VOILA! After much purposeful meddling and dismantling, a year later we saw 700,000 people moving back into the uninsured
column. These are the latest stats from the KFF, but the folks there know the score under the current administration. Ongoing efforts to alter historic gains in health insurance coverage via the ACA or to make receipt of Medicare contingent on work (another Republican initiative) they say, “may further erode coverage gains seen under the ACA.” That statement carries with it profound life and death implications, that have the potential to affect families from coast to coast, in neighborhoods and communities all over America. The KFF aren’t the only ones who know what that will mean for working Americans. I think we all know that assaults on the ACA are an assault on the health and wellbeing of millions of Americans. Scared … just plain scared So what does it mean to be without healthcare in America? It is truly frightening on so many levels. How about facing each day without knowing if medical care is even available for your family? How about having to postpone necessary care and forego preventive care – such as childhood immunizations and routine check-ups? How about no regular doctor, limited or no access to prescriptions, and only seeking medical attention when it’s bordering on too late and winding up in the hospital or worse? And how about the shameful fact that in today’s America, when a loved one falls ill or is in need of medical care, too often it’s the devastating financial burden that is the focus, rather than being able to concentrate on healing. This is not the America I know and love, and it is certainly not the America I want to know.
On a macro level, the fact that we don’t insure all of our people adds up this way: The U.S. spends two to three times as much per capita on health care as most industrialized nations. Elsewhere, governments regulate and negotiate the price of drugs and medical services; elsewhere there is no need for a vast private health-insurance bureaucracy. And how do African Americans fair in all this? While Obama and the ACA have opened up some new roads, too often we continue down a dangerous path. Here are some even-less-than-fun facts: • Non-elderly African Americans are younger, more likely to be poor, and less likely to have a fulltime worker in the family compared to non-elderly whites. • Non-elderly African Americans face endemic health disparities compared to their white counterparts, such as poorer overall health, and conditions such as obesity, diabetes and asthma. • Uninsured African Americans are more likely to fall into the coverage gap, earning too much for Medicaid but not enough for tax credits. • And, African Americans are more concentrated in those southern states that somehow see no need to expand Medicaid. So what’s to be done? I am a union man, so I am going to talk from my gut. The state of our health care here is not some Norman Rockwell painting nor is it some kid bravely waiting for the nurse to give him that booster shot during the monthly visit by the county health department’s mobile clinic. We must do better. RIGHT NOW. I’m sorry to say it’s bad news for so many Americans and the ACA made it better, but things are starting to backslide.
I belong to the UAW. We first proposed comprehensive health coverage for all Americans back in the 1940s and we haven’t stopped as our bargaining and our policies have shown over the years. Not even slowed down. Our goal is universal health care – coverage for everyone – and we have spoken loud and clear about the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs; against those who would deny coverage for those of us with pre-existing conditions; against those who would scuttle provisions like Section 1557 of the ACA which combats discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. All these reforms are under threat. So, we fight on. We have recently signed on to a grassroots campaign to lower the cost of prescription drugs. “Lower Drug Prices Now!” is a coalition comprised of 53 state and national organizations that are committed to forcing bold prescription drug reforms that will stop Big Pharma price-gouging and put people ahead of profits. No more should working Americans have to make decisions between putting food on the table and filling their insulin prescription. I truly believe, as my union brothers and sisters do, that with universal health care, working people can turn to employers for higher wages, for job security and retirement security because health care would be off the table. I will end this way. How about this? Instead of some folksy panacea like laughter is the best medicine while we turn back the clock, we go with a healing prescription of democracy and access to affordable, quality health care for one and all.
LOCAL NEWS
November 15, 2019
Three Artists Work Together to Create One-of-a-Kind Mural
Amplify Arts and Millwork Commons have announced the completion of a mural titled “The Keeper of Stories� by artists Reggie LeFlore, Nicholas Miller and norm4eva on three stacked shipping containers at 12th and Izard Streets. The organizations held an unveiling celebration in front of the mural on Nov. 1. Selected by a jury of local arts community members, LeFlore, Miller and norm4eva were challenged to develop a concept using the three 500-square-foot containers that, when stacked, would create one cohesive piece. The artists have been working together since early September. Each received a $6000 stipend. “This project embodies everything that Amplify Arts is about: making connections, promoting the arts as a civic necessity and paying artists. And of course, we are grateful to our partners in this endeavor, Millwork Commons, for having this vision and dedication to the arts community in Omaha,� said Andy Saladino, Executive Director of Amplify Arts. A long term vision for the Millwork Commons neighborhood, which will become home to tech company Flywheel next summer, is to strengthen Omaha’s urban core and help define the city as a culturally vibrant and inclusive place. “Artists are great at communicating ideas that lead to innovation. With this mural, norm4eva, Reggie and Nick are helping set the tone for collaboration that will foster innovation in Millwork Commons,� said Annette Smith of Black Dog Management, which is leading the Millwork Commons development. “We are grateful they were willing to try something new and be part of our first efforts to bring art, new ideas and energy to the neighborhood!� Miller and norm4eva live in Omaha. LeFlore is from Omaha, but currently lives in Minneapolis. Each has painted murals in locations across the country. LeFlore paints human portraits and is influenced by street culture and illustration. He uses spray paint
THE OMAHA STAR
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Who You Gonna Call? If you have questions about cooking a turkey call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central Time on Thanksgiving Day. Operators are available in English and Spanish. E-mail: mphotline.fsis@usda. gov or you can also ask questions of “Karen,� Food Safety and Inspection Service’ virtual representative, 24/7 at AskKaren.gov.
IN THE VILLAGE EVENTS CALENDAR To have upcoming events for your club, places of worship or organizations considered for publication, please email a short description of the event to: fwilliams@omahastarinc.com The information must be typed in Times New Roman font, 10 pt. All requests must be submitted no later than two weeks prior to the event.
L to R: Andy Saladino, Executive Director of Amplify Arts, norm4eva, Nicholas Miller, Reggie LeFlore.
Descriptions of events should include: the event title, date, location, time and a for-more-information contact name, phone number and email address. Event prices will not be published. To include prices and more details, consider purchasing an ad by contacting Tanya Cooper at 402.346.4041, opt 5 The events calendar is updated daily on our website: theomahastar.com. Please visit the website to view upcoming events.
Caring for someone with Alzheimer’s isn’t easy. Reaching us is.
Work in progress
as his primary medium while also incorporating stencils, paint marker and graphic design techniques. Miller specializes in geometric abstraction and has created over a dozen murals across the country. He was recognized by Austin Monthly in 2013 for Best New Public Art. norm4eva is selftaught and has been painting for 18 years. She works with the “intricacies of the relationship between past, present and future� to “invite viewers to develop deep cerebral and emotional connections� to her colorful pieces. The opportunity for each artist
to apply their distinct style to the mural sparked new ideas and also created some challenges. The mural represents a collection of “legends, knowledge and wisdom� spanning generations. It depicts a woman on one side and a lion on the other. “Throughout the collaborative process we have developed this narrative to go along with our piece and help tell all of our individual stories. We are viewing the stacked containers as a full size book, with binding and pages running down the side,� said Miller.
If you care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease, memory loss or dementia, you are not alone. We’re here day or night — whenever you need us — oering reliable information and support. Free 24/7 Helpline: 800.272.3900 Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiver Center: alz.org/care
How does a refrigerator door become a wall of honor? With a great teacher.
Nominate an Omaha Public Schools teacher for
If you know an Omaha Public Schools teacher who deserves recognition, please share it with us. To be eligible, a nominee must be a certiďŹ ed Omaha Public Schools teacher or counselor with at least two years’ experience. Anyone can submit a nomination: students, parents, school staff, former students, you (teachers cannot nominate themselves). Tell us about the teacher you’d like to nominate and share your story about how he or she has made a difference. Please be descriptive as the information you provide will be the deciding factor in selecting the winners. Fifteen teachers will receive the public recognition they so richly deserve and a $10,000 gift. Tell us about the teacher you want to nominate. Visit
by January 15, 2020.
The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation
LOCAL NEWS
Page Eight THE OMAHA STAR
November 15, 2019
New Leader MXMF continued from page 1 people “…to be respected as a human being, given the rights of a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any means necessary. I’m sorry it took so long.” “Leo sacrifices a lot personally for things he believes in. He has a vision for what he wants the Center to be and he is not passive at all about the route he wants the Center to take and what he wants it to become,” said Karen Glover Gamble, the Center’s event coordinator. “Leo is soft spoken, but fierce. He has an incredible mind,” said former Malcolm X board member Walter Brooks. “He is very well-read. His ideas are valid and he can intellectually engage with anyone on any level, strengths he shares with Malcolm X. The Foundation has turned a corner under Louis’ leadership and great things are happening.” Established in 1971 and located in what was a church, the Malcolm X Foundation sits at 34th and Evans on 17 acres and includes the site of Malcolm X’s first childhood home. Louis says he gets positive Malcolm X vibes just being in the building every day. “There is an energy of leadership here, of forward movement. This place is full of momentum.” One of Leo Louis’s main causes is to address the unfair treatment of Black learners in Omaha Public Schools. It’s called the Justice For Kids Initiative. Black students make up 25% of the population and 56% of the suspensions. This, he believes, contributes to the school to prison pipeline. It’s another example of
a system which must be changed, he says. As Louis worked for change, in the community then for MXMF, he realized that there are political and economic structures in place to support the status quo, and powerful people who do not want change. “There are people who don’t like what I’m doing. Things like truly empowering the people in the community, giving them real information and knowledge of how the system works. The system requires that truly effective nonprofits, designed to address the needs of the people, be controlled or stopped. The type of activism I want to do can be threatening for me. ” Leo Louis was born in Omaha, lived in North Omaha, and attended several grade schools including Saratoga. When he was in fourth grade, he was asked to write a report on a problem which affects the world. “I planned to write about how Black people are treated in this country, but I had a feeling I’d get in trouble, so I wrote about overpopulation instead,” Louis said. “Even in those early days, I noticed that Black people are treated differently than white.” That was probably the last time he backed away from truth or injustice. He is compelled to act. “I am pressing forward to help change America’s relationship with the Black population. There is work undone. The more I do, the more confirmation I get that I am moving in the right direction.” Things could have gone very differently. In high school his grades were poor and the future
did not look promising. Without encouragement to reach for more, his ambition withered. “I did not believe I had the ability to do so.” A bogus arrest shortly after graduation and a charge of felony possession of firearms sent him to a youth facility for ten days. “That was my introduction to the real world.” A series of jobs, a stint as a rapper, hanging out with gang members, and writing music were all part of his search for identity and belonging. In 2007, he and his brother, along with a friend, started meeting every Sunday, “…to talk about being young Black males trying to figure out life … and how to get our peers off the street. These were hard core guys with records, involved in shootings. Some of the guys were in rival gangs but we’d say, ‘In this room we don’t have any problems, we are all one people.’” The group was called Found Period. “We felt we were all lost … We thought, let’s not declare that we are lost, let’s declare that we are found. We found understanding and enlightenment through our searching of who we are.” From there, it was a small leap to full-time community service. Over the years he worked to register voters, in gang intervention, and after school programs. Louis then got an opportunity to work for City Spouts and create urban gardens. He engaged not only the students in the summer program, but the neighboring communities as well. “It’s a healing thing and something I was very attached to and I thought if we were able to get people from the streets to garden, then maybe it could
Aerial shot of the Betty Shabazz garden.
provide some healing for them.” He found a funder and started his own gardening program in 2010 called “Grown in North Omaha.” He hired five people, some with criminal records, “... which I was glad about because I wanted them to have a skill set outside of what society said they were. We built 12 gardens in North Omaha, one being at the Malcolm X Foundation.” While the Foundation was trying to buy the church building for its Center, Leo Louis was realizing he had a gift for community organizing: knocking on doors, talking to people, and getting them involved. He offered to help the Foundation raise funds. He also moved those Sunday meetings to the Malcolm X Center once the church building was acquired. He held Town Hall meetings on police brutality. In 2018, he organized 400 volunteers to build a halfacre community garden on the property. Louis has a fierce drive to
make change. “This is the place where the seed is. All we have to do is put the proper soil around it and watch it germinate and that’s the path we are on now. I am here to be a good steward and water it as much as I can so it can grow to what it’s going to be.” The Malcolm X Foundation has directed a lot of energy chasing grants and asking for support from outside the community. Like Malcolm X, Leo Louis believes in self-sufficiency. He believes the Foundation should support itself and make money through entrepreneurship. The Foundation now has a full-time tour guide. Spend some time at the Malcom X Center and you’ll see that Foundation Board President Leo Louis is right where he is supposed be, using any means to do what’s necessary for the Foundation. “I’m sorry it took so long.” Want to tour the Center? Phone 800-645-9287.
Athletic Shoe Retailer Joins North Omaha Business Landscape
Tenna Shu Palace (TSP), 1822 N. 33rd St., is an athletic shoe retailer that opened its doors on May 18. TSP offers quality name brand footwear to a market that has been historically underserved. Due to the high rate of diabetes that exists in the area, TSP offers diabetic sneakers as well (prescriptions welcomed). In addition to name brand shoes for the entire family, TSP offers hats, caps, body dresses, phone chargers,
and headphones. TSP’s location at 33rd and Parker Streets provides convenience to consumers who do not want to drive miles or catch multiple buses to get to the nearest shopping center. TSP owner, Tyrone Hayes, understands that the business model for North Omaha must be tailored to fit that specific demographic. “National chains tend to have an approach that does not fit our community. North Omaha has its
own unique identity and flavor and our consumers deserve to be treated with respect,” Hayes said. He added, “Often customer service in North Omaha can be lacking. At TSP we see superior customer service, coupled with authentic quality merchandise as being key ingredients to our success. Treating customers and employees like royalty is what Tenna Shu Palace brings to the North Omaha retail business environment.
Stop in today. Customers mentioning this article will receive 30% off their entire order. Visit the store on Black Friday to take advantage of huge savings. The store is open for business: Monday - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. About Tenna Shu Palace Tenna Shu Palace is owned and operated by native Omahan
Tyrone Hayes. He currently has an Associate’s Degree in business from Metropolitan Community College. After completing his studies at MCC, Hayes sold shoes in the parking lot of Jim’s Rib Haven (38th and Ames) for 2 years. Hayes has also sold merchandise at various events throughout Omaha and eastern Nebraska. The new retail location at 1822 N 33rd St. is Tenna Shu Palace’s first brick and mortar store.
Vibrant, Mixed-Use Redevelopment in Downtown Omaha to Be Known As ‘The Mercantile’
Hines, an international real estate firm, along with Conagra Brands have announced that the redevelopment of a portion of Conagra’s existing campus will be named The Mercantile. The Mercantile will be a vibrant mixed-use addition to Omaha’s downtown community. The word ‘Mercantile’ channels both simplicity and sophistication. It speaks to a place where people come together – not just to engage in trade or commerce, but to interact and share ideas. The name aligns with the heart of the development, Nebraska’s pioneering past and the inspiring call of Omaha’s motto – Fortiter in Re – to advance “Courageously in every enterprise.” When fully developed, The Mercantile will include more than 20 acres of land and provide a full mix of residential, commercial and green space uses, all overlooking the Heartland of America Park lake. “The area around the lake is one-of-a-kind and the perfect setting for this multi-use development that will be a compelling, uniquely-Omaha destination for generations,” commented Hines Senior Managing Director Tom D’Arcy. “We are making great progress working collaboratively with the Omaha community in the initial development phase for The Mercantile and we’re ready for the visible changes to begin.” The Mercantile is the result of Hines’ ongoing collaboration with Conagra Brands, a key stakeholder in this transformative initiative. The project redevelops the northwest portion of the Conagra Brands corporate campus. Conagra’s nearly 1,300 Omaha-based employees will continue to occupy the three newly-renovated office buildings on the southeast portion of the site. The Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce and other tenants will continue to occupy the building at 808 Conagra Drive. Hines and Conagra Brands have released exterior renderings of the project’s first vertical development – a 375-unit apartment building with 42,000 square feet of ground-floor retail. The best-in-class apartment building will feature many shared amenities including a club room with entertainment kitchen, co-working lounge, flex collaboration rooms, fitness center with on-demand studio classes, media and game lounge, automated package room, pet spa, and bike storage. Outdoor amenities will include a resort-style pool, grills, a fire feature and an entertainment terrace. Hines will also construct a 720-car, City of Omahaowned parking structure that will serve the residents, retailers and public. Changes to the property are expected to begin before the start of 2020. The initial phase will include the build-out of three new city blocks – a two-block extension of Harney Street toward Heartland of America Park Lake and a oneblock extension of 8th Street, from Farnam to extended Harney. Harney Street will offer an activated, pedestrianfriendly experience with a 35-foot-wide plaza between 10th Street and 9th Street. “We are pleased to partner with Hines to bring a redeveloped district to downtown Omaha,” said Rick Mosquera, vice president of Real Estate and Facilities for Conagra Brands. “The Mercantile will be a terrific addition to the community, and a great place for our employees – and all of Omaha – to live, work and play.”
LIFE & STYLE/HEALTH & WELLNESS THE OMAHA STAR Page Nine Love Leonce Skip the Picking Collard Greens • 4 boxes of good quality chicken broth By Star Staff Writer Lobster Mac & Cheese • 1t. red pepper flakes
November 15, 2019
Ingredients 2 pounds elbow macaroni 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese 4 ½ cups Velveeta cheese cut into small cubes (have extra if you desire more) 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese 1 stick butter cut into 4 pieces plus 2 additional sticks 2 cups half and half 1 cup heavy whipping cream (save for later) 1 can coconut cream (unsweetened) Salt and pepper Bon CaCa seasoning {Sam’s Club} 1 teaspoon chicken flavored bouillon 1 egg beaten 3 Fresh lobster tails 1 tablespoon Land O Lakes Honey Butter Spread Old Bay Seasoning Real Bacon bacon bits Directions • Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. • Butter a large casserole dish and set to the side. • Boil elbow macaroni according to package directions (add some oil to the water). Macaroni should not be too soft as it will finish cooking in the oven. • Once the noodles are ready, drain and pour into a large mixing bowl. Add butter and toss until melted, mix in sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack and half & half. Fold ingredients using a sturdy spoon. • Season with Bon CaCa, salt and pepper to taste. Cheese Sauce Directions: • In a large saucepan, pour in 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 can coconut cream and a half stick butter and heat until the butter has melted. • Add 4 ½ cups of Velveeta cheese to the saucepan, constantly stirring to ensure it does not stick to the pan. Stir until the sauce is creamy and resembles nacho cheese sauce. You may have to add a little more cheese depending on the consistency. • Pour some of the cheese sauce into macaroni & cheese mixture and stir. Continue
to pour until you get a creamy consistency. Reserve some of the cheese sauce, pour into a microwavable bowl and place to the side to drizzle on the dish at the end. • Taste your mac & cheese and add more seasoning if needed. • After it is seasoned and mixed, add the beaten egg and fold. Marcus Leonce • Pour your mac & cheese into the prebuttered casserole dish and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, add the toppings (recipe below) and return to oven for 5 minutes. Prepping Lobster Tails: • Wash your lobster tails and place on a cutting board. • Using sharp kitchen shears cut the shell of the lobster tails all the way down the middle. • Peel back the shell exposing the meat and gently separate the meat from the shell. • Cut the lobster tails down the middle (should have 6 pieces of lobster). • Sprinkle with Old Bay Seasoning • Use a nonstick pan and place 2 sticks of butter in the pan along with a tablespoon of Land O Lakes Honey Butter and melt on medium heat. • Once the butter has melted place your lobster in the pan and baste them in the hot butter. This will help the lobster cook. Cook for 2 minutes per side. • Allow lobster to rest for a few minutes, then cut away the red part (tendon) of the lobster tail. The tendon, if used, will be very chewy. Once tendon is removed, cut into bite size pieces. • Remove the mac and cheese from the oven and sprinkle the bacon bits on top before layering the lobster pieces. Microwave the unused cheese sauce, pour over the top. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and Enjoy!
• salt, white pepper to taste
Call me lazy, but I have discovered collard greens cut and washed in a bag. I will never go back to sitting at the sink picking stems from gritty greens. Now be warned, although the bag says cut and washed, I still wash the greens and I pick out the large stem pieces. For holiday dinners, I find that 4 2-pound bags will feed a crowd. Keep in mind all of the other food that will be on the table. On my table, it’s macaroni & cheese; candied yams; green beans; dressing (it’s stuffing if it’s cooked in the bird); mashed potatoes & gravy; dinner rolls; cornbread and don’t forget the cranberry sauce. Some time ago, I gave up cooking greens with ham hocks, shanks and salt pork. Now, I use smoked turkey parts – wings, legs and sometimes tails. Caution, tails can be very greasy. Here’s my tried and true collards with smoked turkey recipe. I normally don’t measure ingredients. This is my best estimate. I probably use more than listed, but remember this cooking rule my mother taught me – you can always add to, but you can’t take from. • 4 2-lb bags of cut & washed collard greens • 2 fully-cooked, smoked turkey legs • 2 fully-cooked smoked turkey tails • 1 large Vidalia onion, diced • 3 garlic cloves, diced
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Empty bags into a clean sink and remove the large stems. 2. Wash the collards several times in cold water to remove any dirt and grit. There will be a little dirt, but I wash them twice in a clean sink. 3. Remove the greens from the second wash, drain in a colander & set aside. 4. Wash the turkey legs and tails and place in a large pot along with the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down to a low simmer. Cook until the turkey legs fall from the bone. 5. Remove the bones and turkey tails from the pot. With a fork break up the turkey leg meat, but don’t shred it. Pull the turkey tail meat and fat off the bones. Discard the bones and fat. Return tail meat to the pot. 6. Bring the ingredients to a boil and add the greens, salt and white pepper. Reduce heat to med-low and cook until the greens are tender, but not mushy. You can increase the heat if needed but do not boil the greens. The steam will help them wilt down as they cook. This should take about 90 minutes or cook to your preference. Happy holiday cooking!
A Little Thanksgiving Help As everyone is busy making plans for their traditional Thanksgiving activities, you are encouraged to keep safety first. We all have our tried and true roasted, smoked or fried turkey recipe. On this page we are offering some tips to make sure the cook can showcase that bird without fear of foodborne illnesses. Most people are looking for ways to prepare healthy dishes without losing flavor, case in point, that pot of collard greens. On this page you will find a healthy, but delectable alternative to those usual pork prominent collard greens recipes. If you want to take your macaroni and cheese from outstanding to extraordinary, see Marcus Leonce’s fabulous Lobster Macaroni & Cheese recipe. Yes, it’s rich and full of calories, but remember, you cut back on the pork in the greens, so you can splurge on the mac & cheese. It’s only once a year. Whatever your holiday menu, keep it healthy, safe and delicious. Happy Thanksgiving!
Food Safety Tips for Your Holiday Turkey Food handling errors and inadequate cooking are the most common problems that lead to poultry-associated foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States. Follow these four food safety tips to help you safely prepare your next holiday turkey meal. 1. Safely Thaw Your Turkey Thaw turkey in the refrigerator in a container, or in a leak-proof plastic bag in a sink of cold water that is changed every 30 minutes. When thawing a turkey in the microwave, follow the microwave oven manufacturer’s instructions. Never thaw your turkey by leaving it out on the counter. A thawing turkey must defrost at a safe temperature. When the turkey is left out at
room temperature for more than two hours, its temperature becomes unsafe. Bacteria can grow rapidly in the “danger zone” between 40°F and 140°F. 2. Safely Handle Your Turkey Raw poultry can contaminate anything it touches with harmful bacteria. Follow the four steps to food safety – cook, clean, chill, and separate – to prevent the spread of bacteria to your food and family. Use a food thermometer to check for a safe
Health and Spirituality A Public Health Crisis By Mark Darby, RN APRN, FNP-C Director of North Omaha Academy of Healthy Living Sometimes it is staggering. It’s so staggering it seems like nothing can be done. I am talking about how pornography affects our young people. Each day millions of people view pornography. It is everywhere – on computers, on cell phones, in other media. The anonymity of the internet and its ease of access has made this possible. I think it is a public health crisis, but others disagree. Pornography is a first amendment right they say. Let me tell you why I think I am right. First some numbers. Almost a quarter of youth between the ages of 10 and 14, have intentionally seen a pornographic image in the last year. Either intentional or not by age 14, 66% of boys and 39% of girls have seen a pornographic image in the last year. The content on the internet can be far from “soft core.” The New York Times estimated that there are over 45 million images of child pornography on the internet. So why is this important? The American Academy of Pediatrics has pointed out that exposure to sexually explicit material is related to having sexual intercourse at an earlier age and early pregnancy. The academy also notes that men exposed to sexual materials that objectify women are more tolerant of, or in agreement with, sexual harassment and myths about rape and child sexual abuse. North Omaha Area Health (NOAH) is a clinic that offers free STD testing. In the last 6 months, I have seen a 15-year-old boy come in with a new child he had fathered, a young girl who thought she had to say yes to sex, to be popular, and a 13-year-old boy with gonorrhea; all of whom had viewed pornography in the last year. I don’t know if this is cause and effect, but I don’t think the pornography helped anything. It is one thing to think of pornography as a first amendment right when you are in an office somewhere. It is a whole other thing when you are sitting in front of someone who is too young to drive who has an STD or a baby. At NOAH, we don’t focus on what we can’t do when it comes to a problem, we focus on what we can do. What can you do? Well, the same things we do. Talk to young people. Talk to them about the reality of life that is not represented in pornographic images. Tell them: There is more to a relationship than big genitalia or large breasts. Mutual respect and caring is more important than the number of people you’ve slept with. It is okay to wait, to say no. If you can’t wait, protect yourself. Sex is great, but it is not everything in a relationship. If you run across an image, please feel free to talk to me. I want to help. To me, that is what the first amendment is really all about.
internal temperature. 3. Safely Prepare Stuffing Cooking stuffing in a casserole dish makes it easy to make sure it is thoroughly cooked. If you put stuffing in the turkey, do so just before cooking. Use a food thermometer to make sure the stuffing’s center reaches 165°F. Bacteria can survive in stuffing that has not reached 165°F and may then cause food poisoning. Wait for 20 minutes after removing the bird from the
oven before removing the stuffing from the turkey’s cavity; this allows it to cook a little more. 4. Safely Cook Your Turkey Set the oven temperature to at least 325°F. Place the completely thawed turkey with the breast side up in a roasting pan that is 2 to 2-1/2 inches deep. Cooking times will vary depending on the weight of the turkey. To make sure the turkey has reached a safe internal temperature of 165°F, check by inserting a food thermometer into the center of the stuffing and the thickest portions of the breast, thigh, and wing joint. Let the turkey stand 20 minutes before removing all stuffing from the cavity and carving the meat.
Black Teen Suicide Reaches Historic Highs By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia African American teenagers in the United States historically have had lower suicide rates than their white counterparts – until now. A new study analyzing suicide among American teens by a team led by researchers at the McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research at New York University have uncovered several troubling trends from 1991 to 2017, among Black high school students in particular. Researchers discovered that between 1991 and 2017, there has been an increase in the number of African American teens who said they had attempted suicide in the past year. Suicide rates for teenagers of other races and ethnicities either remained the same or decreased over that period. The researchers did not cite a reason for the trend. Bill Prasad, a licensed professional counselor with Contemporary Medicine Associates in Bellaire, Texas, cited what he believed are some reasons. “Lack of accessibility to mental health care, the inability to pay for medications and healthcare coverage, the lack of acceptance of mental illness among some members of the black community, and the availability of firearms,” Prasad stated. Prasad was not among the researchers involved in the study. Frank King, the so-called “Mental Health Comedian,” called the problem a “cultural phenomenon.” “Young people in these groups are less likely to share their issues surrounding depression and thoughts of suicide with friends and family than youth in other racial and ethnic groups,” King stated. Among the answers is “starting the conversation on depression and suicide in high-risk groups,” he said. “A partial answer is giving young people permission to give voice to their experiences and feelings, without recrimination, such as ‘If you were stronger in Christ this wouldn’t be happening,’ or ‘What do you have to be depressed about, we’ve given you everything. Your father and I started our life with nothing,’ and so forth,” King stated. Researchers in the NYU study noted that suicide is the second-leading cause of death for teens from all demographics.
They found that only accidents kill more young people than suicide. The study also revealed that, in 2017, approximately 2,200 teens between the ages of 15 and 19 died by suicide. Researchers gathered information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 198,540 high school students from 1991 to 2017. Among high school students of all demographics, 1 in 5 said they were thinking about suicide, and 1 in 10 said they had made a plan to end their lives. CNN Health reported that the study is in line with earlier research that has shown African American boys, especially younger boys between the ages of 5 and 11, have experienced an increase in the rate of suicide deaths. In black children ages 5 to 12, the
suicide rate was found to be two times higher compared with white children, according to CNN Health. The study authors found “an increased risk in reported suicide attempts among African-American teens between 1991 and 2017, and boys saw an increase in injuries related to those attempts. That might mean that black teens were using more lethal means when attempting suicide.” They found a decline in attempts overall among teens who identified as white, Hispanic, Asian American, or Pacific Islander. “As an African American woman, suicide is prominent in our community for two reasons: we often do not know how to handle it amongst our families, and the pressures on our culture are rising,” said Sabriya Dobbins of Project Passport LLC, a company that encourages getaway retreats centered around three mental wellness areas: reflection, community and personal. “Oftentimes when a black family member says they want to take their life, the family may resort to church, belittle their response and tell them to stop overreacting, or simply assume it is not a big deal,” Dobbins stated. “African American families are taught
to be tough and to hold it together because it is already ‘us against the world.’ We are taught to put our heads down and work hard to get those degrees and move up in our careers. “This causes expectations to be too high, then depression and anxiety are heightened. Not only are black youth trying to satisfy their families and be strong, but they are trying to fight their way through a world that is not always accepting. A world where they are dying in alarming numbers in senseless crimes. It is a double edge sword.” Parents should be on the lookout for risk factors, such as a recent or severe loss like death or divorce, said Dr. Fran Walfish, a Beverly Hills family and relationship psychotherapist, author of The Self-Aware Parent. Dr. Walfish also counts as a regular expert child psychologist on CBS Television’s “The Doctors,” and she co-stars on WE TV’s, “Sexbox.” “Parents should take heed when they observe specific warning signs like changes in behavior, including difficulty concentrating, difficulty focusing on school or following routine activities, researching ways to kill oneself on the internet, increasing the use of alcohol or other drugs, and acting recklessly,” Walfish stated. Included among other signs are changes in personality, appearing withdrawn, isolating to their room, irritability, extreme mood changes that are more than typical moodiness, exhibiting rage or talking about seeking revenge, Walfish added. Other alarms include changes in sleep patterns, insomnia, oversleeping, nightmares, talking about dying, going away, or different types of self-harm, she said. “Teaching problem-solving and conflict resolution skills, building a strong connection to family, friends, and community support are ways to help,” Walfish stated. “Restrict access to highly lethal means of suicide, such as firearms, and provide access to effective mental health care, including substance use treatment. Talk to your child. Many people are fearful that talking to their children about suicide will increase their risk of suicide. This is a myth,” Walfish said. How to get help: In the US, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or 1-800-432-8366. You can also visit http://teenlineonline. org.
Page Ten
YOUTH NEWS/LOCAL NEWS
THE OMAHA STAR
November 15, 2019
Adds Options to Winter Weather Toolkit UNMC, UNO Launch Dual Degrees OPS Understanding that safety is our top Service time may be changed to priority and every minute of instruction accommodate school needs. Omaha Public Schools may utilize • Kids Club will not be available following in Nursing, Business Administration matters, a late start or early release option if winter an early dismissal. The University of Nebraska Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha have launched a dualdegree Master of Science in Nursing Leadership (MSN)/Master of Business Administration (MBA). Applications are being accepted now. The UNMC/UNO collaboration, part of the University of Nebraska’s continuing effort to address workforce in the state, is targeted to registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. The dual degree requires 56 credit hours which includes 22 credit hours of the business graduate degree program and 34 of the graduate nursing program focused on leadership. The program, which includes practicum hours, can be completed full-time or part-time at the student’s own pace but must be completed within seven years. The dual degree can be earned with 56 credit hours versus 81 hours if individuals were to pursue the degrees separately. The program is offered online using web-based technology. Students also have the option of attending UNO classes in the evenings in Omaha. One mandatory nursing immersion weekend is scheduled each summer on one of the College of Nursing campuses. “We couldn’t be more excited about our latest dual-degree partnership with UNMC,” said Lynn Harland, Ph.D., interim dean and professor of management at UNO. “The program will provide graduates with an advanced set of knowledge and skills to address challenges in a strategic manner. In addition to gaining greater knowledge of the functional areas of business, graduates will learn strategies for balancing the competitive health care environment with optimal patient care.” Juliann Sebastian, Ph.D., dean of the UNMC College of Nursing, said the college is thrilled to partner with UNO. “Nurses are critical when key decisions are being made in the ever-changing health care landscape, and can navigate
complex issues associated with patient care, operations, change management and public policy,” Dr. Sebastian said. “The dual degree will give nurses another way to build their leadership knowledge and skills in a program that is accredited and ranked nationally.” Kristi Lynch, director of the UNO MBA program, said students enrolled in the dual degree programs will be able to complete the MBA core classes alongside their UNMC course work. “This allows students the ability to complete both degrees faster and benefit from shared credit hours.” Carol Wahl, D.N.P., assistant professor at the UNMC College of Nursing Kearney Division and program coordinator, said nursing professionals who possess clinical skills and a clear understanding of business management, leadership and strategic decision-making are in demand to meet the leadership challenges of today’s health care environment. “Students have the opportunity to learn from expert faculty, engage with a diverse group of students and put their learning into practice. The practicum provides an application of course content with expert faculty and preceptors,” said Dr. Wahl who earned an MBA from UNO and served as chief nursing officer at Good Samaritan in Kearney for 19 years. Though the program is a dual degree, students need to submit separate applications to UNMC and UNO. UNMC’s applications are done through the Centralized Application Service for Nursing Programs. To apply at UNMC, go to unmc.edu/nursing then “Educational Programs” then “Graduate.” UNO’s application is available online at: unomaha.edu/admissions/apply/index. php. For more UNMC information, go to unmc.edu/nursing, email graduatenursing@unmc.edu or call 402-559-4110. For UNO information, go to mba.unomaha.edu, email mba@ unomaha.edu or phone 402-554-6275.
Check out our Facebook Page! NOTICE OF FINDING OF NO SIGNFICANT IMPACT AND NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS Date of Publication: November 15, 2019 City of Omaha 1819 Farnam Street, Suite 1111 Omaha, NE 68183 402-444-5150 These notices shall satisfy two separate but related procedural requirements for activities to be undertaken by the City of Omaha. REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS On or after December 2, 2019 the City of Omaha will submit a request to the HUD for the release of $25 million of Choice Neighborhood funds under Section 24 of the U.S. Housing Act of 1937, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (Pub. L. 115-41, approved March 23, 2018) (“2018 HUD Appropriations Act), (collectively the “Choice Neighborhoods Authorization”), as amended, to undertake the following project:
weather affects part, but not all, of a school day in the months to come. Omaha Public Schools will strive to communicate any schedule adjustments or cancellations to families and staff the evening prior to a change. If the forecast requires additional monitoring before a final decision is made, OPS will communicate any adjustments or cancellations as early as possible the day of a weather event. The items below help explain how a schedule change would impact students and families: TWO-HOUR EARLY DISMISSAL This announcement means the following for students and families: • All schools will dismiss two hours earlier than their normal dismissal time. Afternoon-only early childhood programs will be canceled for the day. • All after school activities are canceled. • Breakfast and lunch will be served.
Grant Will Fund College Visit for Area Eighth Graders Eighth grade students at several Omahaarea schools will experience a college visit this school year through funding from 8th Grade Campus Visit Grants awarded by EducationQuest Foundation. Schools that received grants are All Saints Catholic School, Beveridge Magnet Middle School, Bryan Middle School, Holy Name School, King Science and Technology Magnet, Lewis and Clark Middle School, Lifegate Christian School, Logan Fontenelle Middle School, McMillian Magnet Center, Mission Middle School, Monroe Middle School, Morton Magnet Middle School, Nathan Hale Middle School, Norris Middle School, Sacred Heart School, and St.
(Lincoln) A partnership between the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS) and the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has reached a new level in assisting those who are leaving prison. The agencies have expanded a project to provide state identification cards to those who are preparing for release. It is the next step in a joint venture launched more than a year ago by NDCS and the DMV, which allowed those housed in NDCS community correctional centers to go to the DMV after hours and obtain their state IDs. To date, 543 identifications have been issued at Lincoln and Omaha DMV locations as part of that process. “State IDs are necessary for work release, job seeking, obtaining a bank account and securing housing,” said NDCS Director Scott R. Frakes. “There is not much that you can do these days without that identification. Having it in hand, upon return to the community, is a huge advantage.” As part of the new project, a mobile licensing unit from the DMV was brought to the Nebraska State Penitentiary (NSP) where nearly a dozen men were able to receive their IDs. The Nebraska Office of Vital Records, through the Department of
Purpose: With the award of a Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant, the City of Omaha will lead efforts to expand upon the initiative started through Purpose Built Communities and redevelop Spencer Homes. The replacement of Spencer Homes is intended to be a further catalyst for change along the North 30th Street corridor. Leveraging significant private philanthropy, the housing strategy will transform Spencer Homes into a mixed-income community (known as Kennedy Square) with access to educational amenities, as well as complete the Highlander mixed-use development. The City will use their Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant and leverage commitments to develop vibrant, mixed-income housing; revive a key commercial corridor; enhance public safety; and provide families with the tools they need to achieve their personal goals.
Estimated Cost: $25 million Choice Neighborhood funds, $182 million total project cost FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT The City of Omaha has determined that the project will have no significant impact on the human environment. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) is not required. Additional project information is contained in the Environmental Review Record (ERR) on file at the City of Omaha Planning Department Office, 1819 Farnam Street, Suite 1111, Omaha, NE 68183 and may be examined or copied weekdays 8 A.M to 4:30 P.M. PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the City of Omaha. All comments received by December 2, 2019 will be considered by the City of Omaha prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which Notice they are addressing. Comments can be sent to the City at 1819 Farnam Street, Suite 1111, Omaha, NE, 68183 or by email at HCDComments@ cityofomaha.org. RELEASE OF FUNDS The City of Omaha certifies to HUD that Jean Stothert in her capacity as Mayor consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the City of Omaha to use HUD program funds. OBJECTIONS TO RELEASE OF FUNDS HUD will accept objections to its release of fund and the City of Omaha’s certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City of Omaha; (b) the City of Omaha has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to HUD administration office at 1616 Capitol Avenue, Suite 329 and 402-492-3100. Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period. Mayor Jean Stothert
Matthew School. Through the grant program, the schools will also conduct activities with eighth graders that will help them get on the path to college. The 8th Grade Campus Visit Grant is one of several programs EducationQuest provides to fulfill its mission of improving access to higher education in Nebraska. “When younger students visit a college campus, they see first-hand the possibilities that college can offer,” said EducationQuest Vice President Eric Drumheller. “This experience can motivate them to take steps during high school that will make college possible.”
Agency Partnerships Provide IDs to Those Preparing for Release
Project Title: North 30th Street Transformation Plan/Choice Neighborhood Implementation Grant
Location: The project will take place along North 30th Street, generally between Cuming Streets Binney Streets from south to north, and from the North Freeway to North 33rd Street from east to west.
• Buses will run as-scheduled in the morning and two hours earlier than normal at dismissal. TWO-HOUR DELAYED START This announcement means the following for students and families: • All schools will begin classes two hours later than normal and dismiss at the regular time. Morning-only early childhood programs will be canceled for the day. • Kids Club will not be available before a late start. • All before-school extracurricular activities will be canceled. • Buses will run routes two hours later than normal in the morning and as-scheduled at dismissal. • Breakfasts will not be served before the late start. • Lunch will be served. Times may be adjusted to accommodate school needs.
Brian Hassenplug
Martin McManaman
Health and Human Services, works with NDCS to ensure each person receives a certified copy of their birth certificate, which is required to obtain a state ID. The process utilized at the penitentiary will eventually be offered at other facilities. Once the program is up and running, representatives from the DMV will bring their mobile licensing unit to secure facilities regularly to issue state IDs. Each identification card is paid for by the recipient. Sara O’Rourke, administrator of the DMV’s Driver Licensing Services Division, was a key lead in the project. “This has been a great example of our departments working together to put our customers first. Embracing a culture of continuous improvement has allowed us to deliver a necessary service to those who are about to reenter society.” NDCS Deputy Director Dawn-Renee Smith said having great partners in the DMV and Vital Records helped ensure that all aspects of the process operated together. “It was not a simple undertaking. It took months of planning and coordination. We shared the vision and their team members were immediately on board.” Brian Hassenplug was among those who received his ID at NSP. Scheduled for release in five months, he said that receiving a state ID was a meaningful sign that he was ready to move forward with his life. “This is one of the last things I have to worry about getting before I leave NSP. I appreciate the opportunity and effort the agency puts into reentry.” NDCS Reentry Case Manager Rafael Hernandez said with the new process in place, a major barrier for returning to society is removed. “Without something as simple as having a state ID, which is an item that most people in the community take for granted, our population is limited on what they can do once they are living back in the community.” So far, the focus has been on obtaining identifications for individuals who are Nebraska residents. Soon, the same process will be initiated for incarcerated individuals who have out-of-state birth certificates. See Partnership continued on page 11
November 15, 2019
EVENTS/CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
In The Village! Things to do, people to see, places to go. Happening Now – The Union for Contemporary Art, 2423 N. 24th St., is hosting “sometimes.we.cannot.be.with. our.bodies” by Vanessa German. The artist says in her own words, “This work is a dimensional reckoning.” The exhibit runs through Nov. 30. For times or more information, phone 402-933-3161 or visit info@u-ca.org Happening Now – The Great Plains Black History Museum, 2221 N. 24th St., hosts the Will Brown and Lynchings throughout the Great Plains of America exhibit. This exhibit commemorates the 100th anniversary of the lynching of Will Brown and will map out all Terror Lynchings throughout the Great Plains. The exhibit is on display from 1-5 p.m., Thursdays - Saturday through Dec. 31. Happening Now – The Union for Contemporary Art, 2423 N. 24th St., presents Tell Martha Not to Moan, a new play staring Camille Metoyer and D. Kevin Williams. The play which explores racial divide and destruction of a Detroit community runs through Nov. 24. Tickets are available on evenbrite.com. For more info, phone 402-933-3161 or email u-ca. org. Happening Now – Race: Are We So Different? We all know people look different. Throughout history, those differences have been a source of strength, community and personal identity. They have also been the basis for discrimination and oppression. RACE: Are We So Different? gives visitors tools to recognize racial ideas and practices in contemporary American life. The exhibit runs through Jan. 5, 2020 at the Durham Museum. For more info, visit www. durhammuseum.org Nov. 18 – ACLU of NE, NE Appleseed, Civic NE and Holland Children’s Movement will host “Rigged: The Voter Suppression Playbook,” at Ruth Sokolof Theater, 1340 Mike Fahey St., from 7-9 p.m. The film identifies and unpacks a shrewd strategy to suppress the vote. A discussion will precede the screening. For more info, phone 402-933-0259. Nov. 18 – The Administration for Community Living will host a free forum to offer people with disabilities, their families and caregivers opportunities to share their experiences with emergency or disaster situations. The forum will be held from 10 a.m. - noon at The Salvation Army Omaha Kroc Center, 2825 Y St. RVSP by phoning 301-588-6046. For more info, email alston@sidemgroup. com. Nov. 21 – Salvation Army Turkeyfest applications deadline. All applications must be received by 3 p.m. To register, phone 402-898-6023 Nov. 21 – Enjoy open mic, food, vendors and CommUnity Love at the 8th Anniversary of VeRBal GuMBo hosted by Withlove Felicia. This family friendly event will be at the Malcom X Memorial Foundation, 3448 Evans St., from 8-11:30 p.m. Caution: family fun changes to adult entertainment at 9 p.m. For more info, phone 800-645-9287 or email withlovefmv@gmail.com. Nov. 23 – Enjoy A Night of Praise, at
Joslyn Museum, 2200 Dodge, from 7-10 p.m. Performers include: The William Singers; Tasha Page-Lockhart and Leandria Johnson. For more info, phone 402-707-8915 or go online to Eventbrite. com Nov. 23-28 – Henry Doorly Zoo hosts “Breakfast Under the Sea.” Enjoy a full breakfast surrounded by sharks and sea turtles at the Scott Aquarium from 8:30-10 a.m. For more info, phone 402-738-2092. The zoo will be open on Thanksgiving from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 28 – Happy Thanksgiving!! Nov. 30 – See The Prince Experience at the Slow Down, 729 N. 14th St. The tribute includes all of Prince’s hits. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. For more info, phone 402-345-7569. Tickets are available on Eventbrite.com or slowdown.com. Dec. 1 – KETV Family Festival, sponsored by various downtown arts and cultural institutions, offers the community an opportunity to experience many of Omaha’s leading downtown attractions for free. The activities are from noon5:00 p.m. For a schedule of times and locations, visit holidaylightfestival.org. Dec. 3 – The North Omaha Writer’s Group 1st Annual Event will host poets as they perform their poems and review their books. There are openings for authors wanting to sell their books. Caution: there may be some adult content expressed in performances. This event will be held at the Florence Library, 2920 Bondesson St., from noon-4 p.m. For more info, phone Lillian at 402-5989147. Dec. 4 – Campaign 101 – A workshop to help your campaign get started, including campaign finance, your field campaign, fundraising first steps, and how to communicate with your voters. The workshop will be held from 6-8 p.m. at UNO’s Community Engagement Center, 6400 University Dr., South, room 230. For more info, visit www. nebraskaunity.org or Eventbrite.com. Dec. 6 –Urban League of Nebraska will host its Annual Equal Opportunity Award Luncheon at Omaha Capital Marriott, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. This event recognizes corporations and organizations for their contributions to diversity and inclusion practices. For more info, contact Rebecca Valdez at 402-453-9730 or Rebecca.valdez@ urbanleague.org. Dec. 7 – In the air there’s a feeling of Christmas. It’s Christmas in the Village from noon - 5 p.m. For complete details, see the ad on page 8. Dec. 7/8 – Joyful Noise: A Gospel Christmas at the Holland. Enjoy the harmonious sounds of Omaha’s nationally recognized Salem Baptist Church choir! This Christmas tradition returns to the Holland Center with a combination of holiday classics and new music. The Grammy-nominated choir features the soaring voices of more than 70 members! This upbeat celebration includes exciting special guest artists, theater and choreography. Tickets are available at the box office, 402-345-0606.
THE OMAHA STAR
Page Eleven
Partnership continued from page 10 “We are dedicated to ensuring all of those eligible to obtain a photo identification credential are able to do so,” said Rhonda Lahm, DMV director. “We look forward to working alongside our partners to roll this opportunity out to other facilities in the coming months.” For Martin McManaman, the effort to secure a state ID went much smoother at NSP than it did the first time he was released from prison. He said he made sure to sign up this time, so he would not have the same challenge he did before. “I’m already a step ahead. It’s good to have this and it makes it easier to get the things I need. A lot of places require you to have an official ID to do anything.”
Who You Gonna Call? If you have questions about cooking a turkey call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854), 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central Time on Thanksgiving Day. Operators are available in English and Spanish. E-mail: mphotline.fsis@usda.gov or you can also ask questions of “Karen,” Food Safety and Inspection Service’ virtual representative, 24/7 at AskKaren.gov.
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NDOT Encourages Drivers to Prepare for Winter Driving As winter weather approaches the state, the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) encourages drivers to be prepared for winter driving conditions. NDOT works closely with its partners at the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP), Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service to be well prepared for winter weather before it approaches. While NDOT strives to be ready for all winter storms, some are so severe, no amount of preparation can forestall hazardous conditions that come with extremely low temperatures, low visibility, heavy snowfall or dangerous ice. “Last season, Nebraska experienced one of the worst winters on record. We had more snow events during the winter of 2018-2019 than anyone can recall at the Nebraska Department of Transportation,” said Director Kyle Schneweis. “Our crews were well prepared to tackle last season and they remain committed to clearing the roadways as quickly as possible. We continue to ask travelers to keep an eye on the weather and travel conditions before you head out the door. Your safe travel is our business.” When winter weather conditions are hazardous, NDOT may advise motorists to restrict their travel or even advise them not to travel at all. Such advisories are not issued without considerable thought and weighing the effects. Ultimately, the reduction of travelers on the roadway during a winter event improves safety for all who share the roadway, while also assisting NDOT with timely snow and ice removal. As winter storms approach, travelers are urged to be The Metropolitan Utilities District is seeking qualified alert, be aware and check and motivated individuals for current job openings. The the most up-to-date travel District offers an excellent and comprehensive benefits conditions available through package in addition to engaging opportunities. 511, Nebraska’s Advanced Traveler Information System. Visit www.mudomaha.com, under the careers tab, to The system is available at fill out an application. Applications will be accepted all times via Nebraska 511’s until the close date of the position. Resumes will not be smartphone app, online at accepted in place of applications. www.511.nebraska.gov or by dialing 511 on your mobile Employment Contingent Upon Results of a device within the state, or Drug Screen and a Background Check. if dialing from a landline or An Equal Opportunity Employer “Minority/Female/Disabled/ outside Nebraska at 1 800Veteran/Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation” 906-9069.
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Page Twelve THE OMAHA STAR
YOUTH/EDUCATION NEWS
Side-by-Side Campaigns Benefit Children in North Omaha Two organizations whose missions are to support students are announcing cooperative campaigns to change the face of education in north Omaha. The Holy Name Men’s Club and the CUES School System are embarking on collaborative efforts to improve the facilities at Holy Name School and to secure funding to sustain the operations at Holy Name, Sacred Heart and All Saints schools. The Holy Name Men’s Club’s, “Restore the Glory Campaign,” proposes to renovate the existing Holy Name Alumni Field House as well as adding a community center and new entrance for the school. The new community center will be home to an after-school program run in partnership with the Hope Center for Kids. The financial goal of the “Restore the Glory Campaign,” is to raise $5 million to renovate the field house, build the connecting community center and entrance to the school, and maintain a fund to operate the new facility for years to come. The “Restore the Glory Campaign” will also contribute 10% of all funds raised to the CUES School System specifically to fund the operations of Holy Name School. The campaign
has raised $1.8 million toward the goal to date. The CUES School System also announces the “Building a Foundation to Sustain Our Future” Campaign. The CUES School System is a new initiative to manage and fully fund the operations of the three inner-city Omaha Catholic schools. The goal of the campaign is to raise $12.8 million to fund the operations of the schools while building a fundraising organization that will give the schools a sustainable future. Nearly $6 million of the goal has been raised to date. “Holy Name has been a cornerstone in north Omaha for 100 years,” said James Goodman, president of the Holy Name Men’s Club. “This project will restore our iconic field house and provide a gathering place that we can all be proud of for generations to come.” “This project will change our campus and will impact our kids in such a great way,” said Fr. Dave Korth, President of the CUES School System. “We thank the Holy Name Men’s Club for their vision and their willingness to invest in our future.”
DEA Omaha Division Reaches more than 3,500 Students with Red Ribbon Presentations U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents and staff in the Omaha Division talked with more than 3,500 students about the dangers of drugs during Red Ribbon Week presentations in October. Reaching students from kindergarten through high school, grade-specific presentations focused on reading and understanding prescription medication labels, the dangers of vaping and marijuana edibles, the importance of just saying no to drugs and the reason for Red Ribbon Week celebrations. “With all of the false narratives and misleading marketing tactics our children are exposed to regarding marijuana derived products, it is imperative that law enforcement, educators and the medical community continue to educate our children on the dangers of gateway drugs,” Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Richard Salter Jr. said.
“We are the last line of defense in protecting them from an evil that will steal their future.” Agents and staff handed out red ribbons, bracelets, pens and DEA Omaha Division badge stickers to students in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. Students were given time to ask questions and try on raid gear including vests, helmets and medic packs. Some schools in the Omaha area had a surprise guest attend when a drug dog was brought in to demonstrate its skillset. The DEA Omaha Division plans to carry the drug free message to schools throughout the school year, not just during Red Ribbon Week, and hopes to visit with more students in 2020. To request a presentation at your school, visit the DEA Omaha Division website at https://www.dea. gov/domestic- divisions/omaha.
November 15, 2019
Nelson Mandela Elementary: Where Scholars Learn and Grow in Academics and Life Every day at Nelson Mandela Elementary begins with scholars expressing the power of education and hope for their part in it. Nelson Mandela himself said, “Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world” Still in its nascent years, Nelson Mandela Elementary enters its fifth year of operation. Now serving grades K-5, educators at Mandela aim to maximize the educational success of all their scholars and bridge learning and achievement gaps in North Omaha. Test scores at Mandela prove that their efforts are working. Based on MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) test scores, over 75 percent of scholars at Mandela are on grade level in math and reading. Mandela’s success is due to many factors. Mandela is a private, tuition-free school funded by the Ruth and William Scott Family Foundation and the Lozier Foundation. Instead of financial contributions, Mandela families are expected to commit at least 20 hours of volunteer service each school year. Research also guides the structures and curriculum at Nelson Mandela. The school operates year-round to reduce loss of learning, and scholars participate in recess every 90 minutes to increase focus in the classrooms. Lastly, the school relies on community partnerships with Omaha Public Schools, Omaha Catholic Schools, Creighton University, Omaha Conservatory of Music, College of St. Mary and many more to offer their scholars every opportunity to excel.
Scholars receiving awards for excellence
Nelson Mandela Elementary
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