Vol.80 - No.13

75 CENTS

OMAHA STAR

THE

Celebrating 80 Years

Three shots in the back!

1938 2018

Dedicated to the Service of the People that NO Good Cause Shall Lack a Champion and that Evil Shall Not Go Unopposed

Nebraska’s Only Black Owned Newspaper Vol. 80 - No. 13 Omaha, Nebraska

Friday, June 29, 2018

Native Omahan Symone Sanders to be Honored at 365Black Awards OAK BROOK, IL – In celebration of the 15th annual McDonald’s “365Black” Awards, the company will honor celebrities and everyday heroes who make positive contributions to the community. This year’s roster of remarkable honorees includes popular Political Commentator and Omaha native Symone Sanders.

Hosted for a second year by actress Essence Atkins, the awards ceremony will be held on July 8 during the 24th annual ESSENCE Festival presented by Coca Cola in New Orleans.

The annual McDonald’s 365Black Awards honor outstanding individuals who are committed to making positive contributions that strengthen the AfricanAmerican community.

McDonald’s 365Black Awards is known for attracting various top celebrity attendees, many of whom will grace the signature gold carpet prior to the ceremony. The luncheon will feature performances by award-winning R&B Sanders swooner Dave Hollister and gospel heavy-hitter Le’Andria Johnson.

Also being honored are renowned actress/activist Sheryl Lee Ralph, Black Girls CODE CEO Kimberly Bryant and next generation McDonald’s Owner/Operator Monique Vann-Brown. Additionally, college junior Tishauna Wilson will receive the McDonald’s HBCU Forward $10,000 Scholarship, for her exceptional efforts to impact the community.

“I am thrilled that McDonald’s will recognize women leaders who are courageous newsmakers and pillars of inspiration, who consistently empower others to follow their dreams,” said Kenny Mitchell, McDonald’s U.S. Vice President of Brand Marketing & Content. “They embody the essence of exceptional leaders that work every day to make a difference in the communities by moving Black culture forward.”

How do you justify that?

75 cents

OPS’s First African American Superintendent Begins Tenure July 1 Omaha Public Schools hired its first African American Superintendent at the end of January, a historic move for the district and the city of Omaha.

Dr. Cheryl Logan will officially take the helm as superintendent of the Omaha Public Schools on Monday.

“Dr. Logan brings a wealth of experience to this position,” said OPS Board President Marque Snow. “We look forward to working with her in the years to come and expanding on the positive achievements we’ve accomplished over the past five years.”

The OPS Board of Education

selected Dr. Cheryl Logan on Jan. 30. Logan comes to OPS from the School District of Philadelphia (Pa.) where she served as Chief Academic Officer, responsible for the academic achievement of more than 135,000 students. She has spent the past five months preparing for her transition into this role, attending Board of Education meetings, executive level staff meetings, visiting more than 70 schools, and meeting with principals, teachers, staff, students, parents and community members. Logan will See Superintendent continued on page 3

Dr. Logan

Murdock Graduates From Air Force Basic Training Air Force Airman Connor Murdock has graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio, Texas.

The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.

Airmen who complete basic training also earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

Murdock is a 2017 graduate of Northwest Magnet High School in Omaha.

Murdock

Omaha Star to Observe 80 Years in Service to the Community Gala Honorees

Mildred D. Brown Legacy Award Mrs. Janice Gilmore

Torch Bearer Award Mrs. Yolanda Barney

Pioneer in News Award Family of C.C. Galloway

Shining Star Award Ms. Symone Sanders

Mildred D. Brown Rising Star Award Miss Candide Villard

The longevity of the Omaha Star newspaper is something to be noted and celebrated. Some of us know the paper began on July 9, 1938, which in 2018 seems like an arbitrary date in history. Until you consider and reflect on the year, 1938.

The year 1938 was the year before World War II began. The year 1938 occurred during the last years of a financially stressed decade known as the Great Depression. Mildred Brown was proud of the fact that she and her husband, S. Edward Gilbert, founded the Omaha Star with only $2.00 in their pockets. In today’s currency it would be equivalent to $34.24. That amount of money might buy you two tickets, sodas, popcorn and Twizzlers at a Sunday matinee.

Nebraska’s longest running black newspaper also known as the longest running black newspaper co-founded by a black woman in the United States, is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year on July 15, 2018.

What Mildred Brown declared in 1954 about the Omaha Star newspaper, what she called “the Most Progressive Negro Weekly in the State of Nebraska Read Weekly by Thirty Thousand People,” remains a superb (now) bi-monthly newspaper which has not missed a single issue in 80 years.

To give you an idea of how much Mildred D. Brown thought of the Near North Side community, take a moment to read her open letter.

It is addressed to anyone in Omaha running for office.

In today’s world, thankfully long past World War II but still needing plenty of solid trustworthy leadership, her 1954 message remains timely:

“October 12, 1954 Mr. Candidate: Do you know that the Omaha Star is the only publication in the State of Nebraska which reaches 95% of all Negroes?

It is the only way a Negro can see pictures and items of his weddings, teas, club women, visitors, church activities and other things which reflect credit on the lives of the largest minority group in America.

Because of the interesting contents of this publication it is read from cover to cover. Over a period of years this group has been educated to appreciate his own publication and to respect the advertisers who are greatly responsible for the operation of such enterprises which employ many people.

It has been indelibly impressed upon the minds of people of this group that those who advertise in their publication are making the most sincere bid possible for their votes.

Your advertising in this publication will give you many votes that you would not have a chance of getting otherwise.

May we hear from you by return mail?

Yours Truly, Mildred D. Brown” Join us at the Omaha Star 80th Anniversary & the Mildred D. Brown Study Center Scholarship Gala on July 15 at 3 p.m. at the Hilton Downtown, 1001 Cass St. The following persons will be honored at the Gala: Mildred D. Brown Legacy Award This award is presented to Mrs. Janice Gilmore for her contributions

to education, entrepreneurship, and journalism similar to the life of Mildred D. Brown, who became a teacher at the age of 16, she opened the Omaha Star in 1938 where she sold advertisement and was the publisher and editor of the paper.

Janice Gilmore Mildred D. Brown Legacy Award Presented July 15, 2018 By the Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center Inc. Pioneer in News Award This award is being presented to the family of C.C. Galloway for his ownership of the Omaha Guide newspaper that proceeded the start of the Omaha Star newspaper. Mildred Brown worked at the Omaha Guide and was inspired to create the Omaha Star in 1938.

Omaha Guide and Galloway Family Presented July 15, 2018 By the Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center Inc. Torch Bearer Award This award is being presented to Mrs. Yolanda Barney for her journalism experience and her continuing of being an African American journalist by co-creating and publishing the magazine REVIVE. She continues the torch for “Black Females” in media publications in the spirit of Mildred D. Brown.

Mrs. Yolanda Barney Torch Bearer Presented July 15, 2018 By the Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center Inc. Shining Star Award

This award is presented to Symone Sanders for her outstanding career in the field of politics and media. As a recipient of the Mildred D. Brown scholarship at Creighton University, Symone was able to expand her knowledge and experience reaching national prominence after being named National Press Secretary for a presidential candidate. Thus like Mildred D. Brown making a difference in the world of politics.

Ms. Symone Sanders Shining Star Award Presented July 15, 2018 By the Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center Inc.

Mildred D. Brown Rising Star Award This award is presented to Candide Villard a student at Creighton University serving as Intern for the MDBMSC who shows her desire and ability to compete in the world of journalism and communications.

She is a winner of the Mildred D. Brown scholarship at Creighton and the recipient of the William and Helen Woods scholarship provided

by Cathy Hughes, Chairman of TV ONE and Radio ONE.

Miss Candide Villard Rising Star Award Presented July 15, 2018 By the Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center Inc.

Honorary co-chairs for the Gala are Johnny Rodgers, and Roberta Wilhelm, Executive Director, Girls Incorporated of Omaha.

Register online at http://mdbmsc. org/gala/ or phone the Omaha Star at 402-346-4041 ext. 4 or 6 for tickets!

Annual Salute to Graduates Issue

Celebrate the Omaha Star’s 80th Anniversary, attend the MDBMSC Scholarship Gala.

Lots of free summer activities!

See photos inside

Tickets are still available. See information on page 12

See In the Village for details

Page Two

LOCAL NEWS

THE OMAHA STAR

United Way Invests in Programs to Reduce Summer Learning Loss

THE OMAHA STAR, INC. THE VOICE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY Editorial and Business Office 2216 North 24th Street Phone: 402.346.4041 Fax: 402.346.4064

United Way of the Midlands (UWM) invests in programs that promote the value MAILING ADDRESS: of learning and reading year-round. This 2216 North 24th Street is especially important over the summer Omaha, Nebraska 68110 to help prevent “summer slide� – a loss in literacy skills that children often experience WEB ADDRESS: www.theomahastar.com during the summer recess.

When the school year ends, children in Like Us on Facebook high-poverty environments struggle, not only with basic needs like healthy food and E-MAIL ADDRESSES: eleanor@omahastarinc.com safe places to spend their days, but also with fwilliams@omahastarinc.com losing precious time during the summer phyllis@omahastarinc.com months to continue their learning. Summer tcooper@omahastarinc.com learning loss, or “summer slide,� can occur Notary Services available during business hours because children may not have access to Monday – Wednesday – 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. out-of-school learning programs, ageThursday – 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. appropriate books at home or transportation Member of the National Newspaper Publishers Association to a library. The cumulative effect can leave low-income students two-and-a-half to three MILDRED D. BROWN: Founder, July 9, 1938 years behind their peers.

DR. MARGUERITA L. WASHINGTON: In the 2016-17 academic year, more than Publisher, 1989 - 2016 5,500 third grade students in the OmahaPhyllis Hicks: Publisher & Managing Editor Council Bluffs metro area were not reading Frankie Jean Williams: Copy Editor at grade level. If a child does not read at Tanya Cooper: Circulation/Retail Coordinator grade level by the end of third grade, he or Carl Hill: Retail Distributor Eleanor Riggs: Adminstrative Services Representative she is four times more likely to drop out of Debra Shaw: Social Media Administrator high school – and six times more likely if the THE OMAHA STAR believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national child lives in poverty for a year. “Summer antagonism when it accords every man, regardless of race, color or creed, his human and legal rights. slide� is one of the most significant causes Hating no man, fearing no man in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as one is held back. of the achievement gap between children

from lower-and-upper income families.

With the support of generous donors, UWM invests in quality out-of-school programs and key literacy initiatives that have the potential to stop these losses and propel students toward higher achievement. Funders, policymakers and community leaders can help schools and local organizations address summer learning loss by supporting strong programs that engage more children in summer learning opportunities.

UWM is honored to have its Women United and Emerging Leaders affinity groups support and fund literacy initiatives, including “Book Trust,� a national program.

Nearly 2,200 students across 10 schools in six school districts experienced the lifechanging magic of reading over the past two academic years through a partnership between UWM and Book Trust. With a stipend of $7 each month , students ordered books based on their personal interests that they were able to call their own and take home to build personal libraries. Students received more than 90,000 books in the first two years of this three-year pilot.

UWM also supports “Raise Me to Read,� a local community initiative based on the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, that

U.S. News & World Report has ranked Children’s Hospital & Medical Center in five pediatric specialties in the new 201819 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings: Cardiology and

Heart Surgery, Pulmonology, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Orthopedics and Diabetes & Endocrine Disorders. This is the highest number of specialties Children’s has ranked since

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In order to be included in the Omaha Star, all articles and announcements must be submitted by e-mail to fwilliams@ omahastarinc.com no later than two weeks in advance of the event. All articles and announcements should be prepared in a word document using Times New Roman, 10 pt. Submissions must be limited to 500 words. Any accompanying photographs should be submitted in a jpeg or pdf file. The deadline for all articles is Monday at 3:00 p.m., two weeks prior to the event date. Articles and announcements will not be accepted at the Omaha Star office. The Omaha Star is now published bi-weekly on Fridays. The Omaha Star business office hours are MondayThursday, 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

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We strive to make our readers and our advertisers proud they support a publication that portrays the African-American as a multidimensional person capable of excelling in areas other than sports, entertainment and politics.

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methodology factors in patient outcomes, such as mortality and infection rates, as well as available clinical resources and compliance with best practices. “The U.S. News Best Children’s Hospitals rankings highlight pediatric centers that deliver state-of-the- art medical care to children with complex conditions,� says Ben Harder, Chief of Health Analysis at U.S. News. “Children with lifethreatening or rare conditions need the level of quality care that these hospitals deliver day after day.�

U.S. News introduced the Best Children’s Hospitals rankings in 2007 to help families of children with rare or life-threatening illnesses find the best medical care available. They are the only comprehensive source of quality-related information on U.S. pediatric hospitals.

This year’s rankings will be published in the U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Hospitals 2019� guidebook, available in stores late September.

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: phyllis@omahastarinc.com

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participating in the nationwide survey.

The Best Children’s Hospitals rankings recognize the top 50 pediatric facilities across the U.S. in 10 pediatric specialties: cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology and gastrointestinal surgery, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and urology. “This recognition reflects our commitment to providing the highest quality of subspecialty care for the children and families we serve,� says Richard G. Azizkhan, M.D., Children’s President & CEO. “We are honored and humbled to be a part of this elite group, and we will continue to challenge ourselves to further improve care to benefit children.�

The U.S. News Best Children’s Hospitals rankings rely on clinical data and on an annual survey of pediatric specialists. The rankings

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supports literacy and early learning for every child across Pottawattamie County.

This initiative, which focuses on school readiness, school attendance and summer learning to improve grade-level reading, will expand to Douglas and Sarpy counties by the end of 2018 to ensure more students in the three-county region are reading proficiently by third grade.

Along with program investments and initiatives, UWM is also reducing “summer slide� by hosting the 3rd Annual “Day of Action,� a volunteer service day focused on childhood literacy. On June 21, community and corporate volunteers will have the opportunity to act as reading buddies for over 500 children. Each child will receive a literacy kit with books to take home, spend time reading their new books with a volunteer and engage in fun reading activities. Six of UWM’s partner agencies in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area are participating. “Day of Action� will kickstart a summer of reading to encourage students to be well prepared for next year’s school learning.

Registration is available for “Day of Action� at www.unitedwaymidlands.org/ DayofAction.

Children’s Hospital Nationally Ranked by U.S. News & World Report

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: phyllis@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 Phyllis Hicks at 402.346.4041.

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LOCAL NEWS/NATIONAL NEWS THE OMAHA STAR Page Three Superintendent continued from page 1 Nebraska Association of African publish her official entry plan for the Omaha community sometime next week.

“I am honored and humbled to serve as the Superintendent of Omaha Public Schools and look Americans in Human Resources forward to working with the Omaha community to ensure that every student is prepared to become

June 29, 2018

A newly formed group of African-American Human Resources professionals have recently begun meeting monthly. The group’s name is the Nebraska Association of African Americans in Human Resources and its membership is comprised of individuals who hold professional positions within the field of HR. The group’s primary purpose is networking, sharing best practices, and providing professional development. The group also plans to partner with other organizations on HR related issues and will offer HR related scholarships.

The executive committee members of the organization are: Cecil Hicks, University of Nebraska at Omaha, President Aileen Warren, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Vice President Lisa Taylor Jones, State of Nebraska, Health and Human Services, Secretary Gennean Scott, Omaha Performing Arts, Treasurer Linda Cunningham, UNMC, Membership Chair Shawntal Smith, Omaha Home for Boys, Social Media Chair All of these individuals are founding members of the organization along with Vickie Adams of Omni Hotels & Resorts and Diane Yates of WoodmenLife. There are currently 23 members of the organization. The group meets monthly at various locations throughout Omaha.

If you are interested in learning more about or joining the organization, look for the Nebraska Association of African American in Human Resources web pages via LinkedIn and Facebook.

Coach Wilbert Ellis Speaks at Black History Museum Luncheon Retired Grambling baseball coach Wilbert Ellis was the keynote speaker at the fifth annual Great Plains Black History Museum sports award luncheon at North High School recently. Ellis coached the Tigers to 745 career wins over 26 years and serves as the chairman of the Friends of the Eddie Robinson Museum Commission.

He has served as a College World Series tournament director and is in Omaha to coach a youth baseball clinic Awardees Danner (left), Ellis, Gilreath, Lewis that is held annually.

Also attending the luncheon was the head of the College World Series, Victor Hill. He said CWS has been played in Omaha for 69 years and he encouraged the students in attendance to become leaders in all areas of their life, especially school.

Ellis challenges the youth to become dreamers, obey their parents and teachers, work hard, become decent citizens, get a good education, and always give something back.

Awards were given to Ivan Gilreath, CEO and president of the Boys and Girls Club of the Midlands, for his leadership, being a positive role model and community involvement with youth; Mrs. Lori Danner, a retired volleyball and track coach at North; Dariauna Lewis, state track winner in the triple jump and long jump (her mother accepted the award); Tiffany Lewis; and North High senior Milton Sargdach, an allVictor Hill, NCAA (left), Coach Ellis state football player and captain of the North High state championship team. The team ended their season with a 12-1 record.

The luncheon was attended by 90 students and adults, according to museum president Rudy Smith.

Antwon Rose Protests Continue A Week After Teen’s Death

By Nina Golgowski “Three shots in the back! How do you justify that?” they shouted a week after the unarmed teen’s death near Pittsburgh.

Protesters gathered in the streets of Pittsburgh on Tuesday morning to continue to demand justice for a 17-year-old unarmed black teenager who was shot to death by police.

An East Pittsburgh police officer shot Antwon Rose, who would have been a high school senior, three times in his back on the night of June 19 as he was allegedly fleeing a traffic stop in a town near Pittsburgh. The vehicle had been pulled over in connection to an earlier shooting, authorities claim.

“Three shots in the back! How do you justify that?” protesters shouted in unison. “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now! If we don’t get it? Shut it down.”

Protesters carried signs that read: “A badge is not a license to kill” and “prosecute killer cops.”

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette estimated that nearly 100 people attended the march and demonstrations, which featured speeches by politicians and elected city officials.

State Rep. Ed Gainey (D) gave a particularly rousing speech that called for justice and improved community relations with the city’s police force, beginning with trust.

“We know that we have great cops out here, but for the ones that are shooting innocent, unarmed men in the back, they should be charged. Because at the end of the day, it’s more important that we build a community that believes in one another based on who we are and the content of who we are, not on the color, gender, anything,” he said to

the best version of themselves, and prepared to excel in college, career and life,” said Logan.

Logan has spent her career in education working in school districts with large immigrant populations from around the world, including with students from significant English language learner populations.

She has previously served in the following roles: • Assistant Superintendent – Philadelphia Public Schools • Elementary Principal – Prince George’s Public Schools and Howard County Public Schools, Maryland • High School Principal – Prince George’s Public Schools • Foreign Language Instructor – Prince George’s Public Schools, Maryland • English for Speakers of Other Languages Instructor – Prince George’s Public Schools, Maryland Logan holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland, a Master of Education degree from The Johns Hopkins University and a Doctorate of Education degree from the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to other forms of diversity among the communities in which she has served, Dr. Logan believes a superintendent must collaborate with students, teachers, parents, the Board of Education, the business community, philanthropic and faith partners in service of children and families. Dr. Logan is also fluent in Spanish.

NAACP Juneteenth Parade Included Over 65 Entries

The Omaha Branch of the NAACP 2018 Juneteenth Parade Celebration was held on June 16. The opening ceremony consisted of prayer by Apostle Loreatha Mayberry of Bethesda Worship and Deliverance Center and Mayor Jean Stothert’s reading of the Omaha’s Juneteenth Celebration Proclamation, proclaiming the importance of Juneteenth history, celebration and the accomplishments of African Americans.

Over 65 parade entries comprised of community agencies, businesses and drill teams paraded down 30th Best Drill Team Street as part of the largest community celebrations in North Omaha. This year’s trophy winners include: Best Entry-My Sister’s Keeper, Best Drill Team-Over the Hill Drill Team, Best Float-The Big Garden. This year’s parade included new participants such as The Big Farm, My Sister’s Keeper, Metropolitan Community College, Women’s Advancement Center, Toonz Squad, Cowboys and Indians, and Scooter’s Coffee. OPD NE Precinct, Omaha 360, and Charles Drew Health Center ensured safety along the parade route from 30th and Lake to 30th & Sprague.

“This year marks 10 years the NAACP Juneteenth Parade Celebration has paraded down 30th Street.

The 2018 Juneteenth parade was the best one to date, definitely a community effort.” said President Vickie Young.

2017 NAACP President’s Award recipient Dr. Cynthia L. Robinson, UNO Black Studies Dept., served as the 2018 Juneteenth Parade Grand Marshall.

Rick Nared

Best Float

Thorson Named Human Trafficking Task Force Coordinator

The Salvation Army Western Division is pleased to announce that Jane Thorson of Omaha has joined the organization as the Director of SAFE-T (which stands for the Salvation Army’s Fight to End Trafficking) and Coordinator of the Nebraska Human Trafficking Task Force (NHTTF).

Thorson has more than 14 years of experience in program management and development. For the last six years she has worked in a number of capacities in Dubai, Afghanistan and the United States, including as a consultant, psychosocial advisor, operations and programming manager, and education and technical advisor, for Hagar International, a global non-profit organization committed to supporting survivors of gender-based violence and human trafficking.

Prior to her employment at Hagar International, Thorson earned a Master’s Degree in International Educational Development from Boston University, and worked as a Spanish/English Language Learner (ELL) teacher for Millard Public Schools.

“I am thrilled to welcome Jane Thorson to The Salvation Army,” said Linda Burkle, Social Services Director for The Salvation Army Western Division. “Jane’s extensive experience in anti-human trafficking both overseas and here in the United States makes her uniquely qualified to fulfill the dual roles of this position. Her specialized knowledge, diverse competencies, leadership experience and passion for trafficked persons will greatly enhance the work of the SAFE-T program.”

Together with the Nebraska Attorney General, The Salvation Army leads the Nebraska Human Trafficking Task Force. The purpose of the task force is to investigate and prosecute human trafficking cases, as well as provide case management for victims/survivors of trafficking. The SAFE-T program collaborates with multiple agencies across the state to coordinate comprehensive services for trafficked persons.

Alert: Utility Scam Call Reports Picking Up Again cheers.

“They need diversity education inside the police department,” he added. “And here’s why: You can’t respect who you don’t know.”

Officer Michael Rosfeld, 30, who was sworn in just hours before shooting Rose, was placed on administrative leave following the shooting.

The county district attorney is continuing to investigate the case. No charges have been filed.

The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office on Monday said that it will not publicly address the investigation until “after the grieving process and funeral.” Plans to address the case on Tuesday were not immediately shared.

The protesters’ march on Tuesday follows a number of earlier demonstrations since Rose’s death. It also came a day after the teenager’s funeral was held in a school auditorium.

The service included a poem, titled “I Am Not What You Think!” that had been written by Rose two years before his death. It addressed concerns and fear he had about what the future held for him.

“I see mothers bury their sons,” he wrote. “I want my mom to never feel that pain. I understand people believe I’m just a statistic. I say to them I’m different.”

Omaha Public Power District is seeing another uptick in the number of scam call reports they are hearing about from their customers. Over the past couple of days, the district has received nearly 50 reports from customers who have received such phone calls.

The scammers may even use “spoofing” technology so that caller identification appears to show a legitimate OPPD phone number.

They aggressively insist customers pay up on allegedly overdue bills, or pony up money for equipment they claim needs to be replaced.

The con artists demand numbers from a payment card of some sort, usually telling customers to go purchase a Green Dot payment card from a nearby store. They threaten to disconnect service if customers do not pay quickly.

In a couple of recent reports, scammers have accepted credit or debit card numbers for payment. This is unusual and may or may not be tied to the efforts to get customers to purchase payment cards. Sadly, scammers have been targeting utility customers across the country for years. It tends to peak several times a year.

The latest round of calls have been targeting

both residential and business customers. OPPD stresses that none of these people demanding payments or financial information works for the utility.

OPPD advises customers: • Never give personal or financial information to a stranger during an unsolicited phone call.

• If such a person should appear unannounced at one’s door, claiming to work for the utility, do not allow them inside. Always ask for identification or verification. OPPD employees always carry identification. Failure to produce identification should be a tip-off to the customer that something is wrong.

• Never turn off security systems for any reason if a stranger asks. Any customer who receives such a request should call law enforcement immediately.

Customers with questions about making a payment, or about their account in general, should always call OPPD directly. Within Omaha, the number is 402-536-4131.

Customers in our rural areas can talk with their local offices during business hours, as well.

Outside of Omaha, customers should call 1-877-536-4131.

PRAISE, WORSHIP, DEVOTION, OBITUARIES & INSPIRATION June 29, 2018 Vacation Bible School at Celebrating Rev. Portia A. Mount Moriah to Host Sports Pleasant Green Baptist Church Cavitt’s Reappointment Challenge Vacation Bible School

Page Four

THE OMAHA STAR

In an effort to reach at least 200 children, several north Omaha churches are collaborating to maximize their impact by offering Sports Challenge, a sports-themed, funfilled vacation bible school week. From July 16-20, children five to twelve years of age will learn and apply the principles of Jesus and how to develop a personal relationship with Him. Each evening begins at 6:00 and includes instruction in football, basketball and soccer fundamentals. In addition, children will learn bible verses and hear the gospel message based on the life of a popular sports figure. To encourage participation and kid-to-kid promotion, an amazing array of gifts and prizes will be given including bicycles, NFL

and NBA jerseys and other sports related items.

Supporting sponsors of this year’s Sports Challenge are Terry Boshart and Scott Peace who have led numerous churches in Sports Challenge type vacation bible schools in at least 9 states since 1995.

The host church, Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, 24th & Ohio, is partnering with other churches including Faithful Heart Ministry, Gethsemane Baptist, International Church Christ Built, New Beginning Community Baptist, and Peoples Mission Baptist.

Parents are encouraged to pre-register their children by either phoning Mt. Moriah at 402-451-8800 or by calling one of the partnering churches.

Vacation Bible School will be held at the Pleasant Green Baptist Church, 5555 Larimore Ave., July 16-20 from 6-8:30 p.m. Dinner will be served nightly at 6. The theme this year is “GodSquad” Special Agents in Action (1Peter 2:9).

Transportation will be provided; contact the church at 402-3468427. There will be classes for all ages, nursery through adults. Rev. Brian Page is the Pastor.

Go Ahead and Ask – God is Listening

Deaths & Funerals

By Dr. William Holland

Richard Tate Mr. Richard Tate, age 62, passed away Monday, June 18, at a local hospital.

Memorial Service 10 a.m.

Tuesday, June 26, Power House Church.

Cremation Arrangements by Thomas Funeral Home.

Mount Calvary to Host National Congress July 23-27 For the first time in its history, North Omaha’s Mount Calvary Community Church, 5112 Ames Ave., will host the National Congress of the Metropolitan Spiritual Churches of Christ, Inc. (MSCC).

Mount Calvary was founded in Omaha in 1933 by Rev. Roy W. Rev. James P. Walker Johnson and Queen Mother Ethel L. Johnson. It was the first member church of MSCC to be founded outside of Kansas City, Mo., the birthplace of its mother church and namesake of the national organization, the Metropolitan Spiritual Church of Christ, founded in 1925.

The National Congress will meet in Omaha July 23-27, with Mount Calvary serving as headquarters for formal conference meetings and training classes. Several workshops also will be held at the Omaha Marriot Downtown, primary hotel for the delegates.

The week of MSCC activities will begin at Mount Calvary on Sunday, July 22 at 11 a.m., with morning worship guest speaker, Bishop James Bryant, senior pastor, Metropolitan Spiritual Church of Christ in Kansas City. The Presiding Prelate of the National Congress, Pastor Emeritus Bishop James D. Tindall, also from Metropolitan, will be in attendance.

At 4 p.m., there will be the highly anticipated annual Pre-Congress Musical, featuring the 1st District Mass Choir, with special gospel music guests. This musical presentation features individual choir members from churches across the United States. The annual mass choir musical is a singular highlight of the National Congress.

In the long history of the African American church in America, the Metropolitan Spiritual Churches of Christ, Inc. shares a special place.

The mother church was founded by Rev. William Taylor and a musical genius, Rev. Leticus Boswell.

Boswell, who spent years as an acclaimed jazz musician before joining the ministry, returned to all his old nightclub venues and evangelized some of Kansas City’s finest musicians to join the church. MSCC became nationally famous for the most creative and exciting gospel music ever heard in the United States. The church was the first in America to incorporate drums, horns, electric guitar and polyrhythms into black sacred music.

When Mount Calvary began worship services in 1933, it was the first African American church in Omaha to use the electric organ, drums, horns and guitar, attracting hundreds of attendees who would come to Mount Calvary for Sunday evening

services after attending their own churches during the day.

Metropolitan member churches were also the first in many African American communities to move beyond the traditional black frock coats and black robes, austere ministry and worship services. They incorporated multi-colored garments, uniforms, candles and incense, creating a new vibrancy and joyfulness among African American congregations.

In addition, in 1959, Pastor Rev. Clarence H. Cobbs, founder of First Church of Deliverance in Chicago, Ill., was the first African American pastor in the United States to broadcast his church services on television. In 1939, Rev. Cobbs, who served as Presiding Prelate of the National Congress for almost 40 years, built a critically acclaimed church facility that was designed by Walter T. Bailey, the first licensed African American architect in Illinois. In 1994, First Church of Deliverance was designated an architectural Chicago Landmark. When Rev. Cobbs died in 1978, more than 10,000 people attended his funeral, one of the largest funeral processions for an African American pastor in American history.

Omaha’s Mount Calvary Community Church shares all of the above as part of its spiritual blood-line; hosting the National Congress is a distinguished honor. Mount Calvary’s members also look forward to showcasing Omaha, Nebraska as an exciting destination city and great place to live. Mount Calvary welcomes the entire city of Omaha to share in this historic gathering of representatives from more than 40 churches nationwide and in West Africa.

For more information on the 92nd Annual MSCC Congress, or attending any of the scheduled events, contact Rev. James P. Walker, Mount Calvary Community Church Senior Pastor, at 402-457-5216, email mtcccomaha@ mtcalvarycommunitychurch.org; or contact Bernard Turnbo at 402-214-9373 or nardoturnbo@ gmail.com.

Schedule of Convocation Events: July 23: 7 p.m. Holy Communion July 24: Men and Women Service Department Day 10 a.m. Women’s Service 7 p.m. Men’s Service July 25: Youth Department Service Day 7 a.m. Sunday School Breakfast 7 p.m. Youth Night Service 11 p.m. “It Happened at Midnight”– Healing and Prophecy Service July 26: Foreign Mission Service Day 7 p.m. National Congress Music Department Gospel Concert July 27: 7 p.m. – President’s Night and Elevation Service

We know that people pray for all types of things and many times I wonder if God takes every request seriously or if He considers some of them unreasonable. For example, I’m sure that at sporting events both sides are praying for victory over the opposing team but I’ve always thought these types of prayers generally fall into the category of the non-spiritual variety. The Bible actually mentions unsuitable attitudes behind our prayers and uses the word, “amiss” which means, flawed, incorrect, harmful, and inappropriate.

James 4:3 explains, “Ye ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts.” We find other connotations related to this way of thinking such as mistaken and inaccurate intentions related to wrong and impure motives. So, along with other reasons why our prayers are not answered, we can add this one to the list. We realize it’s difficult to understand the difference between a legitimate prayer and one that falls into the classification of being selfish, but this does not mean that God is not listening and carefully considering each one.

An amazing prayer request is found in the tenth chapter of the book of Joshua. Israel is at war with the Amorites and with Joshua leading the way, we are given an account of this true story. In verse 12, it’s recorded that Joshua declared to the Lord and in front of the entire army for the Sun and the Moon to stand still until they could defeat the enemy. God actually granted this request and for an entire day, the Sun and Moon miraculously

stood still. Israel eventually won this battle and it’s described as an overwhelming victory in which the enemy was completely destroyed. Though faith on this level is rare, I recently read a few prayers that young school children had written down and as we appreciate their honesty and innocence, some were also comical. One 8-yearold boy prayed that his math test would be easy and another classmate made his heavenly request for the cafeteria to serve chocolate cake every day. Others had a more mature petition when they asked God to protect every law enforcement, firefighter, and first responder. One 10-year-old girl said, “Dear God, thank you for helping George Washington win the Revolutionary War so that we could become the United States of America and live free” which I thought was a wonderful appreciation for answered prayer. Nonetheless, it’s beyond the imagination how God listens to everyone all at once, sorting through millions of prayer requests every hour, then deciding yes, or no, or wait till later. This is why He is the Sovereign Almighty whose attributes include being Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent.

As we continue in our spiritual journey and are inspired to believe that mountains can be moved with a small amount of faith, I see nothing wrong with sincerely asking God for a larger amount of confidence. We accept that all of our prayers may not be answered, but at the same time, if our motives are pure and God is in agreement, we can embrace His promise that nothing is impossible.

Read more articles and stories at billyhollandministries.com.

Kids Talk About God

Why Did God Create Girls?

By Carey Kinsolving And Friends “God created girls so boys don’t have to go shopping,” says Mansi, 7.

In fact, “Girls are made to spend the money that boys make,” adds Grace Marie, 11.

Forget the shopping sprees, says Trent: “God created girls because he knew the men couldn’t cook.”

You’ll get no argument from me. I’m married now, but for most of my life, I lived as a bachelor. My married friends wondered how I survived. Sometimes they felt sorry for me and invited me to a home-cooked meal.

“God made girls because they are nice, they are pretty, they are funny and they can fish good,” says Malony, 7.

A girl may be nice, pretty and funny, but if she can’t fish, forget it.

It’s all in the family, says Zach, 10: “God created girls so we could have sisters, and they could drive us nuts.”

Boys need to be bugged, says Chelsie, 11: “God created girls because he knew that boys would be clueless without them! The girls are the ones who stay home with their children when they’re sick, and are always ready to help.

The boys would definitely be lost without the girls.”

Chelsie, before you write off boys as being hopelessly clueless and lost without girls, consider this profound insight from Austin, 11: “God created girls so we would not all be in the same image.”

In the creation story, we read, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27).

Notice the image of God is “male and female.”

There’s a male and female side to the image of God. In our selfishness, we pit masculinity and femininity against each other as if they’re in

competition, or even worse, we deny obvious differences.

Can anyone doubt that God is both strong and powerful while at the same time beautiful and mysterious?

This might explain why so many husbands walk around scratching their heads saying, “I just don’t understand women.” There are some things we’ll never understand. Perhaps beauty and mystery go together.

Ryan, 9, must have read Genesis a few times, when he says, “God created girls to be a helper comparable to boys, and to be a companion throughout the span of a lifetime.”

A “helper comparable to him” is the exact language God used to describe the creation of the first woman (Genesis 2:18). It’s ridiculous to assume that it’s somehow degrading to be called a helper. The Psalmist calls God a helper in that he’s “our help and our shield” (Psalm 33:20).

Lauren, 11, explains that the image of God is in our souls: “I think God created girls because we think different than boys because boys think of some things while girls think of other things.”

Another reason God created girls is “because man needed a friend,” says Jacob, 10. “It is not good that man should be alone” is God’s assessment of Adam’s condition in perfect environment before he created Eve. “God made girls and boys special in their own way,” says Melissa, 11. “We each have our own way of being special because that’s how God created us.”

Emily, 6, agrees: “Girls are lovely. They are like flowers. They’re special.”

Think about this: It takes the best attributes of men and women together to give us a fuller picture of God. Both are made in his image.

Memorize this truth: Genesis 1:27 previously quoted.

Ask this question: If you’re a boy or a man, are you grateful that God created women?

AND

THOMAS FUNERAL HOME

THE BLACK CHURCH:

TRADITION • RESPECT • DIGNITY

THE BLACK PRESS

Forest Lawn Funeral Home Cemetery & Crematory

The Clair Memorial United Methodist Church family cordially invites the community to join in the 10th Pastoral Reappointment Celebration of their beloved pastor, Rev. Portia A. Cavitt, on July 8. This exciting event will include a power-packed 10 a.m. worship service with the Rev. Loruhamah Taylor from Allen Chapel AME Church as the guest speaker. There will also be a reception from 1-3 p.m. with opportunities for personal presentations. Your prayers for Rev. Cavitt and your participation Rev. Cavitt will add to the success of this special celebration of how God has blessed her ministry at Clair Memorial and in the Omaha community.

& Cremation Services

Serving all cemeteries Pre Planning Discounts Beautiful Repast Area Available

And Both Black - Owned.

A Tradition of Caring Since 1939

7909 Mormon Bridge Rd 402-451-1000.

Free Space for Veterans www.forestlawnomaha.com

Together, The Press And the Pulpit Can Give Us Full Citizenship Immediately

3920 North 24th St. Omaha, NE 68110 402-453-7111 www.omahathomasfh.com

Both Born Out of Necessity For Self-Expression

PRAISE & WORSHIP DIRECTORY

June 29, 2018

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

KOINONIA AND FRIENDS OF CHRIST

ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH

Pastor Tony E. Sanders Jr.

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

3208 Corby Street Omaha, NE 68111 Sunday School ..................................................9:00 a.m.

Sunday Worship .............................................10:30 a.m.

Thursday Bible Study ......................................6:30 p.m. www.KFCChurch.org

Pastor Tony E. Sanders Jr.

“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

“Where Life is for Everyone” Drs. Mar n & Lynnell Williams Founders & Lead Pastors WEDNESDAYS Prayer 6:00 PM Worship 7:00 PM

Radio Broadcast: 101.3 fm 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. each Sunday Worship Service .............10:00 a.m.

www.ambassadorswc.com 402-341-1866 5417 N 103rd St. Omaha, NE 68134

Rev. Dr. Leroy E. Adams, Jr.

Sunday School .................8:45 a.m.

Excluding First Sunday Tuesday Evening Service.........7:00 p.m.

Pastor Rordy Smith Pastor Ramona Smith

Pastor: Rev. Vitalis Anyanike

ST. MARK BAPTIST CHURCH Pastor Jarrod S. Parker 3616 Spaulding Street, Omaha, NE 68111 Phone: 402-451-0307 Email: smbcsecretary@stmarkbaptist.org Sunday School – Sunday 9:00 a.m.

Worship Service – Sunday 10:15 a.m.

Children’s Church (except 2nd Sunday) Holy Communion every 1st Sunday

Our Mission: “To exalt the Savior, edify saints, evangelize sinners and elevate society.”

“Jesus is the light of the world” Rev. James P. Walker, Senior Pastor mtcalvarycommunitychurch.org 5112 Ames Avenue Omaha, NE 68104 Ph: 402-457-4216

SALEM BAPTIST CHURCH Serving God and One Another in the Spirit of Excellence Rev. Dr. Selwyn Q. Bachus Senior Pastor

Rev. James P. Walker

CLAIR MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH MT. MORIAH MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

Rev. Portia A. Cavitt, Pastor 5544 Ames Avenue, Omaha, NE 68104 Telephone: 402-451-8322 • Website: www.cmumc.net Email: clairumc@cumc.omhcoxmail.com

Dr. Ralph B. Lassiter, Pastor 2602 N. 24th St. Off: (402) 451-8800 - Fax: (402) 451-8522 mtmoriahomaha.net pastorlassiter@gmail.com Rev. Portia A. Cavitt, Pastor

Rev. Ralph Lassiter, Sr.

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.

Sunday School ...................................... 9:30 a.m.

Sunday Worship ..................................10:45 a.m.

Overcomers in Christ...............Sunday 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday Bible-Prayer Service 11:30 a.m. & 6:30 p.m

TABERNACLE OF FAITH CHURCH Pastor Barbara Mitchell 2404 Fort Street, Omaha, NE 68111 402-455-1800 Church 402-455-3390 Fax

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Rev. Dr. Jane Florence, Senior Pastor Pastor Barbara Mitchell

Services on Sundays at 8:30 am & 10:50 am

MT. NEBO MISSIONARY 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.

Rev. Dr. Jane Florence

“The Church Where Fellowship is Real” Pastor Terry L. Arvie 5501 N. 50th Street Ph: 402-451-4245 Fx: 402-451-2130 office@mtneboomaha.org www.mtneboomaha.org 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.

Pastor Jeffrey & Terri Booth 3025 Parker Street Omaha, NE 68111 402.905.9730 • www.fwcomaha.com Sunday at 10:00am Family Night each Wednesday at 7pm The Daily Journey each Wednesday at Noon Saturday Prayer from 7 - 8am

Rev. Kenneth A. Allen, Pastor Pastor Terry L. Arvie

Missouri Synod 2723 N. 30th Street 402-453-1583 Sunday School................................10:00 a.m.

Church Service...............................11:00 a.m.

YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME

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)

PLEASANT GREEN BAPTIST CHURCH “Where CHRIST is Preeminent and the Word Prevails!”

Pastor Brian Page 5555 Larimore Avenue Church: 402-346-8427 www.pleasantgreenomaha.org

Thursday: Youth For Christ ............................................6:00 p.m Prayer & Bible Study ....................................7:30 p.m Sunday: Worship..............................................8:00 a.m.

Sunday School..................................9:30 a.m.

Worship............................................11:00 a.m.

Pastor Brian Page

Televised Broadcast Sunday @ 10pm on KPAO Cox Communication channel 22 & Century Link channel 89 Dr. Stan Rone Senior Pastor

RISING STAR MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH Pastor Darnell N. Johnson, Sr. 1823 Lothrop Street, Omaha, NE 68110 Phone: 402-451-3700 Fax: 402-451-3700 Email: Risingstarbaptchurchone@gmail.com Follow us on Facebook at RisingStarMBCONE

JOY OF LIFE MINISTRIES COGIC

Pastor Darnell N. Johnson, Sr. & Ladi J Pastor Eric Butler and Co-Pastor Cynthia Butler

Pastor Kenneth A. Allen

THE WORSHIP CENTER

Rev. James D. Wilkens

Pastors Eric and Cynthia Butler 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

2215 Grant Street Omaha, NE 68110 Ph: 402-346-1502 Fax: 402-344-2720 SUNDAY Sunday Morning Worship……………9:00 A.M. Sunday School……………………...11:15 A.M.

Wednesday: Prayer Power Hour ......................................12:00 p.m

HOPE LUTHERAN CHURCH

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

ZION BAPTIST CHURCH

FREEDOM WORSHIP CENTER OMAHA

Pastor Jeffrey & Terri Booth

3131 Lake Street Omaha, NE 68111 402-455-1000 www.salembc.org

Rev. Dr. Selwyn Q. Bachus

“Come Get Your Hilltop Experience”

Pastor Jarrod S. Parker

Televised Broadcast – Sundays at 6:00 p.m., KPAO Cox Channel 22 & CenturyLink Channel 89

MOUNT CALVARY COMMUNITY CHURCH

Sunday School .................................................... 9:30 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship Experience ......... 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday Food and Fellowship.................... 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday (WOW) Word On Wednesday... 7:00 p.m.

Sunday School………………………8:45 a.m.

Sunday Worship Experience………...10:00 a.m.

Monday Bible Study…………………6:00 p.m.

Wednesday Bible Study….…….…….7:00 p.m.

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

Prayer and Bible Doctrine Study Midday - 12:00 noon; Evening – 7:00 p.m.

BIBLE TRUTH MINISTRIES “Strengthing Families for Victorious Living” Pastor Rordy Smith Pastor Ramona Smith PO Box 1703 2402 Franklin St. Bellevue, NE 68005 402-292-9499 Web: www.BibleTruthMinistries.org Sunday School..................................9:00 a.m.

Sunday Worship Service...............10:00 a.m.

Wednesday Prayer & Bible Study......6:00 p.m

&

Rev. Vitalis Anyanike

HOLY NAME CATHOLIC CHURCH MORNING STAR BAPTIST CHURCH

SUNDAYS Prayer 9:00 AM Worship 10:00 AM

THE OMAHA STAR Page Five

Sunday Sunday School…………….............. 9:30 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship…...........10:45 a.m.

Tuesday Tuesday Night Teaching……...........6:30 p.m.

Wednesday Prayer Meeting/BIBLE Study............7:00 p.m.

North 24th Street Church of God “Presenting the Never-Changing GOD to an ever-changing World!”

Dr. Stan Rone - Senior Pastor 2021 N. 24th Street • Omaha, NE 68110 (402) 341-4297 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

Page Six

THE OMAHA STAR

COMMENTARY

Federal Regulator Ready to Reform CRA But Won’t Say If Discrimination Exists

By Charlene Crowell When the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) was enacted in 1977, urban disinvestment, redlining and blockbusting were widespread across the country. Credit was also tight in rural communities where the mortgage needs of rural residents were mostly served by smaller banks. In both types of communities, little oversight paid attention to fair lending.

For communities of color, CRA was welcomed with hopes that banking and credit needs would be as fair as they were accessible. Clearly CRA was intended to address lending discrimination aimed at individuals and businesses in low-tomoderate income communities.

Years later when the law was amended in 1992, meeting the credit needs of all communities was added to the criteria covered in bank examinations. Investments with minorityowned financial institutions was also added and included Blacks, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian-Americans and multi-racially-owned banks.

Yet when the Trump-appointed Comptroller of the Currency, Joseph Otting, testified in a House Financial Services Committee hearing on June 13, he dodged questions about whether he believed discrimination exists in America.

Instead, Otting responded by saying he had never personally observed discrimination but had heard about it from others.

Rapid reactions followed Otting’s comments.

“While you may be fortunate enough to have never personally witnessed discrimination, it is alarming that an individual entrusted with regulating institutions that provide critical financial services to a broad range of constituencies appears shockingly unfamiliar with the rationale behind the promulgation of specific regulations aimed to address the problem,” wrote U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus to Otting later that week.

“The CRA has done important work to drive financial equity and ensure banks serve all communities where they have a financial footprint,” noted Scott Astrada, Federal Advocacy Director with the Center for Responsible Lending. “Comptroller Otting’s proposal to radically restructure the law should be closely scrutinized because, given his remarks, he is apparently oblivious to the historic and systemic discrimination that the CRA was enacted to eliminate.”

As an independent bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department, OCC regulates, and supervises all 1,300 national banks, federal savings associations and federal branches of foreign banks. An

agency staff of 4,000 employees works with the Comptroller who also and concurrently serves as a director of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, member of the Financial Stability Oversight Council, and the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council.

On June 21, OCC released a report on banking revenues. In just the first quarter of 2018, banks and federal savings associations reported $8.2 billion, a 62.8 percent increase - $3.2 billion larger than the last quarterly report.

Before Otting’s appointment as Comptroller, he had a lengthy career as a banker, with a series of positions with major institutions like Bank of America, Union Bank of California, and OneWest Bank, N.A. So how could financial discrimination be so elusive to Otting? In his senior executive roles, how did he and his staff report CRA compliance?

And if he somehow missed the history of discrimination, perhaps it would be helpful for him to glean insights from an important annual report. On June 19 Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies released its annual report, The State of the Nation’s Housing 2018.

According to the report, Black consumers are the only racial/ethnic group that has made no appreciable progress in homeownership over the past 30 years. In 1987, 43.1 percent of Blacks owned homes. In 2017, black homeownership dropped even lower to 40.4 percent.

Latino and Asian-American homeownership levels are slightly better respectively at 46.2 and 55.8 percent. And among White households, homeownership is greatest – 72.3 percent.

In other words, despite 50 years of the Fair Housing Act or 40 years since enactment of the CRA, Black people are still waiting for access to safe and affordable loans. And as we wait for our own American Dreams, racial wealth disparities will continue to worsen. Having a home remains a solid building block to family wealth.

Without homeownership and its potential for equity appreciation, every generation of Black Americans begins anew the quest to climb the economic ladder to financial security. At the same time, white families have the ability to transfer wealth from one generation to another because our nation’s federal homeownership policies gave them a head start in wealth building.

Reportedly, Comptroller Otting has agreed to meet with the Congressional Black Caucus.

That meeting should be the beginning of several others to better attune Otting to the realities of being Black in America.

“I hope he will work collaboratively with civil rights, housing, and consumer groups on any changes to the law to ensure he accounts for the harsh realities of discrimination that still plague the financial marketplace,” concluded Astrada.

June 29, 2018

7 Steps to Thriving Financially as a New Graduate

By Hugh Norton Leaving college and entering the “real world” can bring about a mixture of excitement and anxiety. I remember feeling as if the possibilities were endless, but also feeling uncertainty about where or how to start the next phase of my life.

You may have countless opportunities ahead of you and will also likely face a few new challenges – including managing income, expenses and (often) student loans. Wherever you are, getting your finances in order could help you be better able to focus on enjoying life as a new grad.

By taking the following steps on the path to achieving financial independence, you’ll be setting yourself up for a stronger financial future.

1. Create a budget No matter what your future income might be, it’s important to put a realistic budget in place based on what your current income is in order to live within your means. For example, if you make $2,000 per month, your expenses, savings and investments combined should not exceed that number. While budgeting typically means setting limitations, you may be surprised how much freedom the certainty of having a budget can give you.

To start, follow this step-by-step guide to creating a monthly budget: • Calculate your income. The first step is to calculate all of your monthly income from your work pay, side-gigs, regular financial support you may get from family and/or any other funds coming in on a regular basis.

• Evaluate your expenses. List all of your expenses, including rent, food, transportation, loan payments, entertainment, etc. Taking an objective look at the list, break your expenses into “wants” versus “needs.” When calculating, don’t forget to put money aside for taxes if you take on contract or freelancing work.

• Track, trim and target. Once you start tracking, you may be surprised to learn where your money goes. Take a hard look at your expenses and start eliminating unnecessary spending by evaluating your wants. Sometimes reducing expenses is easier than cutting costs. Remember, your budget is a living document and you can always make adjustments and reevaluate as necessary.

There are many free tools at your disposal to help you create and stick to a budget. Online resources and apps can help you keep track of your income and expenses, making it easier to stick to your budget. To get started, try this Budgeting Calculator.

2. Prioritize paying off your student loans Whether you have a student loan or other loan, you will drastically reduce the amount of money you will pay over the term of the loan by making extra payments towards the balance on those that have the highest interest rates. It may be tempting to defer or pay the minimums on your student loans, but the longer you wait to pay them off, the more interest will accrue. Making more than the minimum payment, even by a little, will help you reach your goal faster.

3. Build a safety net You should aim to have three to six months of basic living expenses in your savings account as an emergency fund. You never know when you might need a car repair, lose your job or have to

handle an unexpected financial emergency. These expenses could put you in a tough place if you don’t have a safety net, forcing you to miss loan payments (and incur penalties or fees) or take on interest-accruing debt.

4. Take control of your credit Having a good credit score can help you get approved for a loan when you go to buy a car or home. A higher score can also save you money by helping you get a lower interest rate on loans and credit lines. Paying bills on time and only using a small portion of your available credit on credit cards are two good first steps to building a healthy credit history.

5. Optimize your savings One of the easiest ways to build up your savings is to automate the process where possible. If your employer offers a retirement savings plan, you may be able to put a portion of your paycheck directly into the account each month. Some employers also match a portion of your contributions, meaning extra money going into your retirement account.

If you don’t have an employer-sponsored account, you could still set up automatic transfers to a savings account. Or, if you get paid via direct deposit, you may be able to automatically have part of your paycheck directly deposited into a savings account.

Ideally, you might aim to save 15 to 20 percent of your income – more if circumstances allow.

If you can’t put that much aside right away, you could start with a smaller percentage and then increase it slightly every few months as your income-to-expenses ratio allows.

6. Invest in your future Once you have an emergency fund, sufficient savings and feel financially stable, you can look into investing your money. Starting to invest early in your life can lead to great long-term gains, as you’ll have decades during which your earnings can compound.

There are numerous apps that can help you save and invest your money, including ones that automatically review your checking account and invest the money you don’t need right now. You can also research investment options to find the best fit for your financial situation before making a commitment.

7. Reward yourself Financially preparing yourself for post-graduate life doesn’t necessarily mean living as frugally as possible. Rather, you should strive to strike a balance between financial stability and enjoying the kind of lifestyle that allows you to live within your means and take steps towards reaching financial independence, while on occasion rewarding yourself for your accomplishments.

Try to build wiggle room into your budget so you can treat yourself. Rewards don’t have to be extravagantly expensive, but determining what’s important to you and finding a balance between discipline and fun can lead to long-term success while budgeting.

Bottom line: Life as a new grad can be exciting and daunting.

Taking some simple steps to ensure that you’re on the right track financially can make the transition as smooth as possible and set you up for a strong financial future.

Mentoring Matters

By Debra L. Shaw There are some Dos and Don’ts within the relationship between a mentor and mentee.

It’s tempting for a mentor to want to ride in on a white horse to rescue a mentee from making mistakes. But the wisest mentors know that if they did that every time, the mentee wouldn’t learn anything from the experience.

Mentors must let mentees make mistakes if they want them to grow. As with any relationship, both parties have responsibilities they must shoulder to ensure the relationship thrives. Mentors must refrain from giving all the answers, and mentees must be able to take direction. On the flip side, among the mentee’s many responsibilities is having the right attitude. Mentees should know that they are in a unique position to learn from their mentor’s knowledge and experience. When a mentor offers suggestions or direction on how to approach a problem, it’s the mentee’s responsibility to take in the advice, evaluate it, and decide how you apply it to his/her world (or not).

That’s not the time to argue or defend a position (unless, of course, it’s warranted). Good mentees are coachable and open to direction. https://www. forbes.com/sites/ianaltman/2017/09/12/the-dosand-donts-of-mentoring/#3169d272493c Serving as a mentor presents many challenges and benefits with the best mentors working to guide their mentees into becoming leaders, rather than just good followers. When done well, the long-term impact of mentoring can offer lifeand career-changing benefits to both mentor and mentee. A structured mentoring program, with

defined procedures and programs that incorporate room for creative and innovative interactions, is the best scenario for mentors and mentees to develop meaningful partnerships that will drive effective changes in the mentee’s journey to reach his/her goals. Mentors have the responsibility of introducing mentees to current ideas, new opportunities and supportive connections to foster positive outcomes. Mentors have the power to re-direct the course of a mentee’s outlook on life by inserting a sense of hope and purpose that leads to social, educational and financial benefits.

Mentors can offer a list of choices which exposes the mentee to a wider range of options that builds an acquisition of more skills in their toolkit to deal with the ups and downs of life.

There are lots of mentoring groups waiting for volunteers to step up to the plate. Furthermore, there are a substantial number of young students who desperately need caring mentors to assist them as they navigate the hurdles of growing up in today’s contemporary world. To explore mentoring options, visit the Midlands Mentoring Partnerships website at https://mmpomaha.org/ to learn more about some wonderful mentoring opportunities. This site provides information about the following mentoring programs: Girls Inc; Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Midlands; Partnership4 Kids; Ollie Webb Center; 100 Black Men; Hope Center; Reach and Rise YMCA; Bike Union Mentoring Project; Youth Emergency Services; Release Ministry and Kids Can Community Center. Decide which mentoring program offers the best game plan to make a difference. Together, we can help our young people hit a home run in the game called life.

Mentoring Matters!

LOCAL NEWS

June 29, 2018

THE OMAHA STAR

Page Seven

Congratulations

2018 Graduates!

College Graduates

Loriana Harkey Bachelor of Science Psychology Creighton University

Ashley Swift Bachelor of Science Child, Youth, and Family Studies University of Nebraska at Lincoln

Brianna H. Nielsen University of NE Omaha B.S. Business Administration

Justin L. Payne Michigan State University Master of Music

Wayne J. Banks II Columbia University Master of Education

Tina Oliver Applied Science/Health Info Management Metropolitan Community College

Antoinette Herbert Bachelor of Science Psychology University of Nebraska at Lincoln

Mariah Russell Bachelor of Arts Communication University of Nebraska at Omaha

Janae Gaines Masters of Arts in Human Services Bellevue University

Tiffany Sanders Masters of Science Health and Wellness Coaching Creighton University

Taylor White-Welchen Masters- Public Health University of PA

Taylor M. Williams Associates in Nursing Metropolitan Community College

Ca’Brea Fields Central High School

Aniya Montague Central High School

High School Graduates

Kristian Harris Central High School

Jackson Craddock Bennington High School

Zavier Banks Bellevue West High School

Vashan Jones Bellevue East High School

Maryam Arellno Bellevue East High School

Darleen Cannon Burke High School

Cameron Coleman Burke High School

Courtni Johnson Burke High School

Destiny Jordan Burke High School

Tyron Foster Creighton Prep High School

Jalen Nichols Creighton Prep High School

Tyler White-Welchen Creighton Prep High School

Malik R. Watson Creighton Prep High School

Darrick Smith South High Magnet School

Jai-Ashli Owens North High Magnet School

De’Andre Butts North High Magnet School

Khalil Antonie North High Magnet School

Raschon Rush Northwest High School

Felicia Carroll Omaha Roncalli Catholic High School

Kamara Cullins Omaha Roncalli Catholic High School

David Van Camp, Jr Benson High School

Page Eight

COMMENTARY

THE OMAHA STAR

United Way of the Midlands’ Community Spotlight

Investing in Programs to Reduce Summer Learning Loss United Way of the Midlands (UWM) invests in programs that promote the value of learning and reading year-round. This is especially important over the summer to help prevent “summer slide” – a loss in literacy skills that children often experience during the summer recess.

When the school year ends, children in highpoverty environments struggle, not only with basic needs like healthy food and safe places to spend their days, but also with losing precious time during the summer months to continue their learning. Summer learning loss, or “summer slide,” can occur because children may not have access to out-of-school learning programs, ageappropriate books at home or transportation to a library. The cumulative effect can leave lowincome students two-and-a-half to three years behind their peers.

In the 2016-17 academic year, more than 5,500 third grade students in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area were not reading at grade level. If a child does not read at grade level by the end of third grade, he or she is four times more likely to drop out of high school – and six times more likely if the child lives in poverty for a year.

“Summer slide” is one of the most significant causes of the achievement gap between children from lower-and-upper income families.

With the support of generous donors, UWM invests in quality out-of-school programs and key literacy initiatives that have the potential to stop these losses and propel students toward higher achievement. Funders, policymakers and community leaders can help schools and local organizations address summer learning loss by supporting strong programs that engage more children in summer learning opportunities.

UWM is honored to have its Women United and Emerging Leaders affinity groups support and

fund literacy initiatives, including “Book Trust,” a national program. Nearly 2,200 students across 10 schools in six school districts experienced the life-changing magic of reading over the past two academic years through a partnership between UWM and Book Trust. With a stipend of $7 each month , students ordered books based on their personal interests that they were able to call their own and take home to build personal libraries.

Students received more than 90,000 books in the first two years of this three-year pilot.

UWM also supports “Raise Me to Read,” a local community initiative based on the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, that supports literacy and early learning for every child across Pottawattamie County. This initiative, which focuses on school readiness, school attendance and summer learning to improve grade-level reading, will expand to Douglas and Sarpy counties by the end of 2018 to ensure more students in the three-county region are reading proficiently by third grade.

Along with program investments and initiatives, UWM is also reducing “summer slide” by hosting the 3rd Annual “Day of Action,” a volunteer service day focused on childhood literacy. On June 21, community and corporate volunteers will have the opportunity to act as reading buddies for over 500 children. Each child will receive a literacy kit with books to take home, spend time reading their new books with a volunteer and engage in fun reading activities.

Six of UWM’s partner agencies in the OmahaCouncil Bluffs metro area are participating. “Day of Action” will kick-start a summer of reading to encourage students to be well prepared for next year’s school learning.

Registration is available for “Day of Action” at www.unitedwaymidlands.org/DayofAction.

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OMAHA STAR

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Dedicated to the Service of the People that NO Good Cause Shall Lack a Champion and that Evil Shall Not Go Unopposed

Nebraska’s Only Black Owned Newspaper SUPPORT THE OMAHA STAR NEWSPAPER BECAUSE: • As a member of NNPA, it keeps you in touch with the Events, People, and News in your Community and across the Nation.

• We are the only Black owned newspaper in the State of Nebraska– since 1938. NNPA member newspapers have longevity.

• It carries advertisers who want your business and cater to your needs, as a NNPA member newspaper, member newspapers reach more than 19 million of the 39 million Black consumers every week.

To subscribe contact: Omaha Star Inc. - 2216 North 24th St. - Omaha, NE 68110 • 402-346-4041 Op 5

Help the Omaha Star Find Its Missing Issues Complete the Nebraska State Historical Society Archives On June 2 representatives of the Nebraska State Historical Society took bound copies of some of the Omaha Star’s earliest issues with them to Lincoln. The five bound books will complete issues missing from the state archives for the past sixty years, ranging from September 17, 1938 through October 26, 1951.

The Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center (MDBMSC) Board is working with the Nebraska Historical Society to create a complete Library Archive of the past and current issues of the Omaha Star. Although many years of newspapers have been microfilmed by the Omaha Public Library and the Nebraska Historical Society, many issues are missing. We are asking readers, who may have copies of the issues that are listed, to please bring them to the Omaha Star to be microfilmed. The issues will be returned to you.

The MDBMSC was formed to continue the legacy of Mildred Brown the founder and publisher of the Omaha Star. The purpose of the Study Center is to provide area students with scholarship support and opportunities to envision career possibilities in journalism and communications through educational programs, field trips, tutoring and mentoring. They are also provided access to resources and inspirational archive materials.

The Omaha Star and its affiliated foundation, the Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center, are seeking any copies of the following issues: July 8, 1939 to Mar. 15, 1940 May 3, 1940 July 4, 1952 June 29, 1962 Feb. 14, 1964 Apr. 29, 1967 Feb. 29, 1968 Mar. 21, 1968 to Mar. 28, 1968 May 2, 1968 May 23, 1968 July 18, 1968 Aug. 8, 1968 to Aug. 15, 1968 Nov. 14, 1968 May 29, 1969

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Our office will be closed Jan uary 18 th, in observanc e of Martin Luther Kin g holiday

OMAH STAR A Ben Gray to speak at Martin

THE

Dedicated to the Service of the Shall Lack a Champio People n and that Evil that NO Good Cause Shall Not Go Unoppo Nebraska’s Only sed

Vol. 72 - No.

2 Omaha, Nebraska

Thursday, January

7, 2010

50 cents

Omaha City Councilman Ben Gray will commemorative deliver a address on the Monday, Jan. UNMC campus 18, to on Rev. Martin Luther honor slain civil rights leader, King Jr.

Gray’s speech, which is sponsored The Nebraska Medical Center, by UNMC and Truhlsen Campus will be in the Events Center Center. in the Sorrell “We are pleased The Partnership to bring a city For community volunteer leader and tireless non-profit organization Our Kids, a Schools.” to campus,” Newland, M.D., that provides disadvantaged director of UNMC’s said Myrna “The Partnership The mission of students For Our Kids Staples Foundation and coordinator of Equity Office academic enrichment with positive works to for Learning Inc. the Martin Luther provide Commemoration is to teach, train King Day received a $10,000 experiences, has mentary school disadvantaged ele- inspire.

Committee. “I and Founded in 2002, grant from Staples students with positive believe our campus Foundation for the founda- can look forward to an Learning, a private academic enrichment experiences,” tion has contributed inspiring and speech.” more foundation created relevant than $17 said Briana Curran, million to national manager, Staples The and Funding from SFFL by Staples Inc. Foundation that provide educational local charities best annual address is regularly for Learning. will support the one attended events “Staples and opportunities Winners Circle Foundation for on Martin Luther of the city’s job skills for all program, which Learning supports This year, the King people, pro- Winners vides underserved Jr. Day. the special event starts at with a Circle program, noon, is free which cre- youth. emphasis on disadvantaged to the public. Guests dents with access elementary stu- ates an environment and open can park in Lot to rigorous math, Staples Foundation the visitor parking where youth are 15V, which is reading and citizenship recognized for for the area located on Learning has also their achievements the Student developed south increase their academic activities to teachers, peers, Life side of by relationships lasting Center at the corner parents and the achievement. of 40th & Jones com- of America, with Boys & Girls Clubs Streets.

“The Winners munity.”

Circle program Earth Force, Hispanic Gray is a first-time ensures disadvantaged Winners Circle students have for the 2nd District. elected city council member and All Our Kids Heritage Foundation, and the the resources and Initiative joined forces in for a Competitive support needed 2007 to form Prior to his election, Inner City. In addiOmaha City Councilman to Partnership develop an enthusiasm The tion, Staples Nebraska Gray had a 30-year For Our Kids, to Ben Gray Foundation for a television for learning,” Vol. 72 - No. 28 Omaha, help dis- supports said Beth Smith, career as Learning photojourna list nered with Executive Director, advantaged students. The Partnership Ashoka, an organization “Kaleidoscope” and the emergency host Winners Circle on Omaha’s ABC’s of that develops and supports department at Program of The creates a community of caring affiliate station, Nebraska Medical Center social entrepre- KETV NewsWatch 7. for stu- neurs Partnership For dents from pre-kindergart to use intervention The The show featured gies to decrease Our Kids. “With around the world, discussions about strateen through tries: sup- high school youth violence, passionate in nine port from Staples a variety of such as immediate Argentina, Belgium, coun- Gray has to help Foundation for community issues. engagement after violent won multiple Learning we can Brazil, taged youth graduate more disadvan- Canada, incidents to reduce local, regional tion attempts. continue France, Germany, awards as a reporter, and pursue highretaliaand national grades and standardized to increase er education the photojournalist In 1998, Gray to become employable Netherlands, Spain and test scores for Gray dedicates and his wife, youth throughout the United productive citizens much of his time and host.

States. For more Freddie, began ing with the African-Ame Omaha Public lives of severely who give back information about workto foundation their community. at-risk youth and to improving the to close rican Achievemen the or how to apply gang members. the achievement t Council for a grant, is the emergency team He Omaha gaps of children visit www. staplesfoundat Community Connection, director for Impact Public School in the ion.org.

(OPS) District.

Inc. — a non-profit, One A sought after lence prevention motivational vioorganization. speaker, his Martin Luther Its members King Jr. Day speech, Gray titled part- Love,” after one of Dr. “Strength to King’s most read books.

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OMAHA STAR

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Cause of the People that NO Good Dedicated to the Service that Evil Shall Not Go Unopposed Shall Lack a Champion and

Newspaper Nebraska’s Only Black Owned

KS Science Fair

North Omaha Boys & Girls Club Welcomes Club Members New and Old for the New Year On Jan.

50 cents

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Special Thanks

MILDRED D. BROWN 9, 1938

Dr. Marguerita L. Washington,

Founded Omaha Star July

Publisher

Career & Schola rship Fair

York Internationa l Children’s Film

North Omah a Developme nt Project Community Meeting is scheduled for January 28th Details on page 10

Festival

On Monday, January 11 on NET1 and NET-HD, Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye See page 2 for details

As the debate over the legalization of marijuana rolls on, the right now seems to be more open to the possible reality that prohibition has reached its final chapter. For the first time we are seeing members of Congress from both sides coming together to craft legislation to decriminalize this drug. Political foes by trade Elizabeth Warren and Cory Gardner have put aside their differences to write their piece of legislation, “Strengthening the Tenth Amendment through Entrusting States,” to remove the threat of federal intervention and prosecution in states that regulate marijuana use and sales.

“Outdated federal marijuana laws have perpetuated our broken criminal justice system, created barriers to research, and hindered economic development,” Warren said. Gardner also had something to say on the issue: “The bipartisan, commonsense bill ensures the federal government will respect the will of the voters – whether that is legalization or prohibition – and not interfere in any states’ legal marijuana industry.”

As legislation is turning toward legalization there is still a racial disparity when it comes to who gets locked up. According to a recent report by the pro-legalization Drug Policy Alliance, Black people are still getting arrested more than white people even in states where pot is legal.

Arrests for Black people have only dropped 25 percent and for Hispanics 33 percent, compared

to 51 percent for whites. Studies have shown that Blacks and whites use pot at the same rate and these alarming statistics have driven the conversation to racial and policing issues.

One Republican lawmaker from Kansas suggests Blacks respond worse to marijuana than whites “because of their character makeup, their genetics.” Is this true or are police looking for Blacks harder than whites?

“As white people exploit the changing tide on marijuana, the racism that drove its prohibition is ignored,” Vincent M. Southerland, executive director of NYU Law’s Center on Race, Inequality and the Law, and Johanna B. Steinberg of the Bronx Defenders, recently wrote for the New York Times. “So are the consequences for Black communities, where the war on drugs is most heavily waged.”

New York gubernatorial candidate Cynthia Nixon suggested giving Black people the first opportunity to sell legal weed. After much criticism from Black leaders such as Al Sharpton she has backed off from using the term “reparations” in her push to legalize marijuana but states “Marijuana legalization is coming. We have to make sure that people like John Boehner [former House Speaker] aren’t the only ones profiting.”

Time will tell if Black people will benefit from the legalization of marijuana or if this is another way white people will assert their power.

Revolutionary Slaveholders

By Oscar H. Blayton Each year, many Americans celebrate the 4th of July. On that day in 1776, it is said that “The Land of the Free” was born.

But the true historical significance of Independence Day has been smothered in hot dogs, barbecue ribs and potato salad. And fireworks distract us from contemplating the economic forces that served as midwife to the birth of this nation.

Four hundred years ago, Europeans invaded the Atlantic coast of North America and fought each other and the indigenous peoples for control of the land. By 1763, the British had made deals or driven everyone else out so that they controlled the entire coast. This included Canada and Florida, which the British obtained by treaty from France and Spain, respectively, at the end of the Seven Years’ War – a global conflict waged by the colonial powers of Europe for control of the rest of the world.

Nine years after Britain gained control of the entire Atlantic seaboard, its colonists in North America were rocked by the news of a decision in the British high court that sounded the death knell for chattel slavery in the British Empire.

This decision was the result of a case known as Somerset v. Stewart. James Somerset was a West African held in slavery by a Norfolk, Va., merchant and customs officer, Charles Stewart.

Stewart had taken Somerset with him when he sailed to England on business in 1769. Somerset escaped in 1771 while in England, but Stewart recaptured him and had him imprisoned on a ship due to sail for Jamaica. Somerset had been baptized while in England and his godparents helped him sue for his release.

The Lord Chief Justice of the high ruled in 1772 that slavery was contrary to Common Law and therefore illegal in England. Somerset was freed, and the news spread quickly to America. By early 1773, enslaved African Americans began to petition for their release in courts in the colonies, hoping to repeat Somerset’s success.

The slaveholding British colonists were alarmed at these developments and believed correctly that the British Empire was on the path to ending chattel slavery. By taking their “revolutionary” stance, the colonists hoped to free themselves and their slave-based economy from the inevitable arrival of abolition in the Empire.

Every red, white and blue American knows the narrative of how the freedom loving Sons of Liberty threw off Britain’s yoke of oppression.

Some narratives even recount faithful slaves cheering them on. PBS and others have reported that 5,000 African Americans served in the Continental Army. But many thousands more ran away to fight for their own freedom with the British.

The Revolutionary War did not end until two years after the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. As British troops were evacuating New York City in 1783, they took with them, from that port alone, 3,000 former slaves who had supported the crown. The names of these African Americans were documented in the “Book of Negroes” as they boarded the ships bound for Nova Scotia and the British West Indies. An accurate record of these former slaves was kept because of a dispute between George Washington and Sir Guy Carleton, the British commander in charge of the evacuation of New York. Southern colonials had insisted that the treaty ending the war include a provision for the return of escaped African Americans to their slaveholders. Carleton refused to comply with that provision and was backed up

by Lord Frederick North, the British Secretary of State who wrote to him that transporting the runaways from the land of their oppression was “certainly an act of justice due to them from us…”

On the other hand, Washington and other slaveholders believed they had been robbed of what was rightfully theirs. After his first meeting with Carleton, Washington complained in a letter to the governor of Virginia: “[T]he slaves who have absconded from their masters will never be restored to them.”

So, while you are enjoying your grilled burgers and fireworks on July 4th, take a moment to consider the facts of how and why this nation came to be. Maintaining slavery, as an economic institution, was the major driving force for the desire for Independence from England – at least for the Southern states. And it is fair to say that the Stars and Stripes were stitched together in large part by the sting of the lash upon black backs.

It is important to accurately recall and understand these facts in our history if we hope to make meaningful progress towards a better future.

(Oscar H. Blayton is a former Marine Corps combat pilot and human rights activist who practices law in Virginia.)

Enjoy The Omaha Star Newspaper Digitally

Details on page 4

Network Monthly Meeting will begin at 9 a.m.

This Saturday’s Empowerment Breakfast and networking High School - Viking Center. be held Aug. 14 at North meeting will begin at 9:30.

Displays to help Parents, and the interactive community Development. Tables and Partner.

Education and Youth become a Mentor or Adopt-A-Class The focus will be on Opportunity to sign up to Presentations & Families, Students & Community. to help students succeed PLUS Special Interactive ways Learn more about specific a.com.

Discussions. the web at www.empoweromah 502-5153 or visit us on For more information call

homes as you are continue to repair and buy I can hardly 4 the North Omaha of the people that no good money and invest it now doing, save your “Dedicated to the service Boys & Girls new and old Club believe that the that evil shall not go bonds that you Club opened members. The its doors tocause shall lack a champion and wisely. Buy more Savings a new year with Omaha Star has Club staff looks new Club parents if and when things forward to beginning may be comfortable unopposed.” age appropriate been in existence for and members. programs for We offer a variety change. kids ages gram areas such seventy-two years of a former pastor of to the newspaper, Mildred as, Sports, Fitness, 6-18. We offer five core Reverend Joseph Forbes, Leadership Developmen pro- In an introduction and I have been the & Recreation, said, “Mildred was t, Education & Character & Gilbert wrote: St. John A. M. E. Church Life Skills, and publisher for the Career Developmen It is with profound pleaThe ... she made her paper t, Health To the Citizens of Omaha: from certain schools Arts. We are also offering [sic] a friend of the pastors last twenty years. It a platform. She FREE transportatio& sure that the Omaha Star Publishing Co., and available anytime we needed In order to qualify in the Omaha metro area seems like yesterday n that (please well trained journalistic as a ministry. She believed work her saw a paid program for this special service all Club call for a listing). organization of energetic, by that I started after my One entire page membership fee members this day a paper of the people, God had given her a calling.

Spring program and a valid membership must have minds, give to you aunt Mildred Brown We here and now wish fee is $30.00 devoted to the work of card. Our the people and for the people. that will be valid Club hours are its was per edition was expired. Some of submitted by from 3-8 p.m.

Jan. 4 - May the Omaha Star dedicates For more Club the churches in the community, 7. Our to have you know that and ask for Mr. you have been supthe general public in information call Dave 342-2300 existence to the task of serving the pastors.

Happy New Year Felici, Unit Director. porters almost from It shall be our policy the struggle for and we hope to Among her concerns was every way humanly possible.

Others of see you at the the start.

Brown’s primary path of duty in the behalf Club! racial equality. Mildred to move in an unerring became supporters it already had. She worked bringing to you the local Star was in selling Many others became supportfoothold in Omaha than early role in the Omaha Black America in Omaha, to work for equalas the years went by. sincere it, as well as the national an excellent salespertirelessly with many organizations of the National you I want to give my news of the city as we find of ads. She was not only The African American ers recently. To all of a member use the ads as a tool of backing for the welfare ity and peace. She was she found that she could son; highlights, promoting and People to ads Career and Scholarship Achievement Council general.

Colored in of thanks. to sell newspaper Black America will have its 4th for the Advancement is fascinating. The Omaha Fair on Saturday her activism. She refused the citizens of Omaha and the She Association Annual High Magnet Working at a newspaper from 9 A.M. to Publishers Association, sea of journalistic advenemploy black workers.

School, 4410 because this is our paper.

(NAACP), the Black 3 P.M. at North As we launch out into the companies that did not N. 36th St. Those seeking the Urban League of Star is especially fascinating her readers to prosupport of the general can employment should National Business League, we sincerely request the used editorials to encourage Anyone who is interested also ture, museum. must and dressed for challenged Black group a she Plains This paper is about us. come prepared in when we as military and success. Lunch Nebraska, and the Great with a resume and issues. Where else test the segregation of the public. The time is at hand was will be provided. information call submit their story, events Congratulations the Martin Bomber plant During the time during which it was active, she Omaha Star a firm founda557-4470.

To RSVP or for Since the recent recession, to...the King them to apply for jobs that begin to build. Give the also more Science & Technology Science Fair. this State can this happen?

Bellevue, Nebraska. She the spokeswoman for the De Porres Club, and and reading support and financial rollerStudents wrote Offutt Air Force Base in at tion by way of subscribing after enterMagnet rememalso been an emotional, building an has Star build widely school congratulat detailed reports, the paper students who who is in turn will meet in the Omaha won awards hired Charles Washington, we will assure you that we are determined to persevere. conducted experiments and allowed it to for support their own facility. emony. Pictured ed the eight Award of Excellence a mouthpiece and a coaster at times but we civil rights, as a reporter club ran out of funds to and presented their projects in the annual to contact us concerning are the Awards bered for his work for prise worthy of consideration, winners and the executive the 7th & 8th grade working in the commua display board Alec Williams; I encourage the public 25 first place Whitney Young, who was She spent countless hours for the people of Omaha.

Luke Armitage; of Excellence winners (l or even if you want to to at least two columnist. force commuwinners eventufifty mouthpiece and recommendations a before as to with hundred Emily Beck; r): complaints, the Star Urban League and Katie Cramer. Nick Schultz; Ian Brummel; a Breakfast of Champions judges. The nity, receiving over one are certainly appreciIn addition to offering secretary of the Omaha the “Unsung Heroine director of the National awards cerMadeleine Dangerfield compliment us. Your comments community in Omaha, the nity service awards, including the NAACP, one of ally becoming the executive for the African-American in behalf of the community ; Martha Winterer; by editorials. the community to realize ated. The staff is working Award” for service awarded and more enlighten Urban League, contributed Gilberts also encouraged better a honored be have to Africanattention call always 16,000 to country to power boycotts and trying people in the The country’s The paper supported the positive effect the buying was small, and is an outstanding cater often only thirty-five largest film time of her death. She paper. Our staff is very she and her staff were if they would carefully festival for children and with this award by the to discrimination, and Americans could have working to satisfy you. including traditional, teens will be Lyndon B. Johnson as a businesses that employed team and they are always making stop in Omaha also appointed by President base and I wish to their purchases only to CGI, collage support well. investigate to religious community large Germany beginning in January a tour stop-motion styles. a the East and Live Action.

We have treated goodwill ambassador to Film Streams African-Americans and More than when tries are for the support of the churches In English. Australia; following the conpresents the Best issue of the paper, Edward express sincere thanks, represented, including ten coun- Recommend alleged human rights violations worked to improve 95 min.

Specifically, in the second of the New York Internationa clergy leaders. ed ages: 9 to adult. works from She also Australia, members of the North Omaha l in the community and the our struction of the Berlin Gilbert pointed out that (NYICFF). From Children’s Film Festival Germany, Denmark, Finland, least, I want to thank carriers and her office an ice cream shop Last but certainly not France, Jan. 9 to March Latvia, Sweden, the lives of the newspaper black community were patronizing which would be there would not be Streams’ Ruth 18, Film U.K. Switzerland, the Feb. 6-7, 11, 13-14, 18 — that someone did not have Ice Cream, advertisers. Without advertising, Sokolof Theater, and workers. If she learned of at 24th and Lake, Reed’s published. Advertisements nonprofit cinema, Omaha’s within the U.S. Tickets for all screenings Azur & Asmar Directed hiring practices over she would buy them bags an Omaha Star Newspaper enough food at home, will screen five Best targeted for their discriminatory an

by Michel Ocelot. the printing of the publicabest programs larded The newspaper carriof the for seniors, of NYICFF are $9 general, Porres Club. Gilbert spent and retail sales pay for from groceries to supply their a decade later by the De $7 advertisers have stuck with students, teachers A dazzling animated Christmas or Easter party series continues the 2009 NYICFF. The dren, shop and counted at least tions. Many of our older us. ers often received a special and chilhour outside the ice cream Film Streams’ feature about and $4.50 Newer ones have joined work, when they might approving of their Young family two for Film Streams boys raised as brothers, Forever Members. us throughout the years. adverin gratitude for their hard one hundred African-Americans and children’s who set off on that they don’t have to dangerous quest were given all year. their purchasing power. which is made program, Streams’ All screenings will occur a Others have the feeling them receive the only gifts they through faraway hiring practices through possible in part at Film find Americans we will give Ruth Sokolof in 1989, the Omaha Star divorced in 1943, and lands to and free the port from Lincoln with tise because as African Theater, located At the time of her death Mildred and Edward Gilbert in Fairy of the Star readers look at the Financial Group. sup- the corner of 14th at Animation. a circulation of 30,685 her maiden name, Brown. our business anyway. Omaha and Mike Fahey Founded in 1997, had a staff of twenty, and In English. France; Djinns.

Mildred resumed using wrote, support us and who longest merly Webster) Brown the those for Star, Mildred (forNYICFF paper 1969, Omaha the In Recommended Streets, one block is dedicated advertising in to promoting thirty-nine states.

As the publisher of the ages: 6 to adult. 99 min. from those advertisers.

Cuming Street. persist? The answer south of intelligent, newspaper run by a woman, we encourage them to purchase or think our readers passionate, “Why then do Negro publishers of his press, all of provocative cinematic operating black-owned refuse More information deprived neighborhood news and works for audiences For those advertisers, who is clear. If the Negro is Mildred Brown provided ages 3-18 and on all five programs Feb. 20-21, 25, 27-28, to market to, we encourage through the years since within Best helping to define March 4 — than fifty years. The paper are not important enough NYICFF Kids the tortuous gains achieved of NYICFF commentary for more compelling f a more online can Flix shop to ask those merchants lost, and tomorrow’s Negro by calling attention to ilm experience at www.f ilmstreams be found our readers when they his emancipation will be served an important function A kaleidoscop Juried by such for kids. www.gkids. of the powerful forces, they don’t? If they continue ic collection people in the black commu.org or animated well-known filmmakers that do not advertise Why youth will be at the mercy tv/tour. For questions, the accomplishments of of the best of bigStar, I urge our John Turturro, newspaper ramparts the The Omaha short man the values. in still as that positive films from around contact Casey Susan Sarandon, North and South to refuse to advertise $$ nity and emphasizing got Logan at 933-0259 please world, featuring Mildred Brown Schamus, Matthew the James email their products. Remember who received awards, or traditional x11 or CGI, otry, prejudice and discrimination.” to do so. From readers to stop buying at casey@film recognized individuals collage, and stop-motion animation, Sant, the festival Modine and Gus Van compelled streams.org. had previously been closed persisted because she felt The schedule: speak. new jobs in industries that has been described civic . In English.

65 min. Recommend she had established readers, supporters, merThe New York It announced acts of by the first edition of her newspaper, Thanks again to my staff, ed ages: 3 to 8.

Times as being to African-Americans. good writers and all others They highlighted one She guided the newspa- a challenge to herself and her staff, “that no “devoted to the kind of fare chants advertisers, contributing labeled “troublemakers.” pride and community charity.

Jan. 9-10, 14, not of that may be found March 6-7, 11, the continued existence eras of the Civil Rights cause shall lack a champion and that evil shall 16-17, 21 — week in order to continue Academy Awards at the Razzle through the tumultuous 13-14, 18 — who lend support to making neighborhood family per staff were but not at the Dazzle Directed On the occasion per to the demonstrations Your help is greatly appreciMildred Brown and her tiplex.” local mulby Darren Ashton. NYICFF Party Mix in to foster a sense of community. Ms. Brown again Movement, from segregation the Omaha Star possible. for late go unopposed.”

A mockument of their community, Brown to the racial unrest of the bright and continued future An all-animated ary skewering Best of NYICFF of the 1950s and 1960s, of the Star’s ninth anniversary, ated. I look forward to a the certainly champions outspoken voice in the wilderthe absurdiprogram featuring features one live-action ties of competition community, congratulated The Omaha Star reported ious, hilarcomedy and particular. She was an 1960s and early 1970s. pledged her support to the not the Star in the Omaha community.. youth dance troupe between kids on the vokingvisually stunning, and thought-pro four animated of its businesses and that occurred both locally ness that the tortuous gains of their emancipation programs, involved circuit – and the triumphs and the tragedies North Omaha on the growth shorts, specifically end. up this advice for her Mildred Brown was not are lost, and she worked tirelessly toward that hyper- older parents who intended for and throughout the nation. fast development, and offered audiences. In live through get any further a Seniors Alexis English them. titles. in letting discrimination Page and Ayomide neighbors.

75 min. Recommend or English suburge that you interested to and wishes Adekunle queen anniversary at Central High ed ages: 9 to 16. were crowned The Star on its Homecoming on Sept. 12, 2009. king

Best of the New

By Frank Kineavy

meeting canceled Empowerment Network has been cancelled. The next meeting will

ates Omaha Star Celebr 72nd Anniversary

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Festival Self-Empowerment St. Paul Baptist Church July 13th, 2010

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Women of Color in Leaders

and Engage, Business Success “Power to Lead: Leverage, for the Perpetual stewardship. the theme Adopt & Deliver” was Winters advised the in Leadership steps to 3rd Annual Women of Color Awards group of eight Summit & legacy of Leadership at the Inclusion on their per25, 2010 jourLuncheon held on June Center. sonal diversity Holiday Inn Central Conventionluncheon neys; the Over 200 people attended 1. Know self first – was Marywhere the keynote speaker am I? What do I of CEO’s Who Who Quaites-Ferris, Dr. Marguerita Frances Winters, Author for? What makes (L-R) Tanya Cook, Vicki from the Heart stand Get It; Diversity Leadership Leadership Award Recipients: of the Winters me “me”?

Crowder and Soul and President Washington, Annette 2. Value self – What can become? enhance who I am and gifts?

Group.

How are other ences Inclusion are my unique 5. Learn about others – What can learn from differences? circle to Ms Winters spoke on Women’s is my best self? your different from me? How today. She gave Who 4 . individuals/groups 7. Include others – Expand in the business world 3. Acknowledge your Tawanna Black and Dr. Winters continued on page 2 to sustained sucmy are they the same? examples of eight steps How do differ- See Leadership to change – What are prejudices – In what 6. Value differences – contribute to Open yourself be my best self? cess: Motivation, Passion/commitment, do I exclude? How do I opportunities to grow? To Magnitude of the ways What are my blind spots?

In-depth Inquiry, and transforming, intolerance? and Learning gap, Resolve,

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LIFE & STYLE/HEALTH & WELLNESS THE OMAHA STAR Page Nine ‘Dead on Arrival’ by Kiki Swinson The Best of Ask Alma Review by Terri Schlichenmeyer Wife’s Spending Out of Control The Bookworm Sez, LLC

June 29, 2018

By Alma Gill NNPA Columnist

Dear Alma, I love my wife and we have a great marriage. She’s beautiful, funny, spontaneous and easy to get along with. I can handle her good and her bad except for one thing. She spends like crazy! Her clothes fill up two closets in our home and extends to the basement, depending on the season. She has shoes she’s never worn and clothes that still have the tags on them. At some point we need to save towards our retirement and other obligations. I’m tired of living paycheck to paycheck to vacation back to paycheck. I’ve talked to her about it and she promised she’d stop her outrageous spending, but lately I’ve found bags of clothes in the guest room closet and the trunk of her car. Obviously, she’s still spending. I can also see the charges that continue to pop up on our credit card statement. I can’t believe she’s trying to hide what she’s buying now. How can I insist that she stop spending short of threatening a divorce? I love my wife and I don’t want a divorce, but we can’t go on this way. Any suggestions?

Name withheld

For the Love of Money – you know I’m pattin’ my feet humming the O’Jays, right! It’s helping me get my mind fixed and ready to answer your question, LOL. Some say it’s the root of all evil,

money that is, I’m not sure if I agree. I think people are the root of all evil and money is an accessory.

What I also know foshow is, couples have a hard time collaborating when it comes to money … and sex … sex and money, Honey, the more you get the more you want, that’s what a preacher once told me.

But I digress, LMBO. An addiction to spending is a tough place to be. If she’s hiding bags as you say, I see it safe to assume, she’s lost control or she thinks you really don’t mind her spending.

The two of you obviously need to start a household budget. You also need to discuss who will oversee it and how it will be determined. Will you put everything in one account, or will you opt for a mine-yours and ours bundle? There is no right or wrong way to do it. As long as you’re in agreement on what’s best for the two of you. Also agree to allow for spending money and you both have to stay within those allocated funds. That part requires a commitment, a bond of trust that can’t be broken.

It won’t be easy, you two need a serious sit down.

Lay all your facts and concerns on the table. This is not a scolding regarding her spending, but a joint discussion about your future. Figure out and be honest where she lands between overspending and compulsion. If she’s a shopaholic, please, seek professional help. If she’s overspending because she thinks you guys have money to burn, it’s time to come up with a financial strategy.

Good luck!

You want that.

And that, and that, and that. And some of those things over there because that’s human nature, especially if we want something we can’t have. So what would you do to get what you want? Would you, as in the new novel “Dead on Arrival” by Kiki Swinson, do something illegal?

There was always another poker game.

Reece Spencer hated to miss any of them, but he had to be careful: he owed several grand for gambling and he was afraid his wife, Dawn, would find out. She’d already gone to her parents for money to keep the lights on and now she was demanding eight hundred bucks for fertility treatments. If it weren’t for his job at the Norfolk International Terminal piers and a little petty theft now and then, Reece knew he’d be in big trouble.

But no, his supervisor, Ed, looked the other way while Reece and his buddies swiped the occasional big-screen TV from international containers and sold the goods elsewhere. Ed knew how much his boys needed the dough, so he asked Reece and his friends if Alma they wanted in on a big job. Reece was all ears.

Fifteen thousand dollars. That was the payoff. All they had to do was to move a couple of shipping containers to a different spot on the pier, but it had to be done quickly and quietly without being seen. There were people inside those containers.

Reece knew that human trafficking could mean prison time.

But Ed swore there was no way to get caught,

Subscribe to the Omaha Star 402-346-4041 opt. 5 theomahastar.com

Health and Spirituality

Just When You Thought it was Safe to go in the Water

By Mark Darby, RN APRN, FNP-C Director of North Omaha Academy of Healthy Living

Around the clinic people say, “If you know what you want, you can move toward it but if you don’t know what you want, you are screwed.” Very true.

What happens if you don’t get something you want? Fear, anger, frustration, a striving for more. Usually you don’t say, “Oh well, maybe I didn‘t need it anyway.” Therein lies the trouble.

Expectations create desire, desire creates actions, actions create results. It all works out pretty well if your expectations are met. It even works out well if you come close to what you wanted. All this depends on the expectations being out there, up front and concrete. It’s the expectations we don’t know about that kill us. Like one of them shark movies where the lady is swimming in the dark ocean with the shark underneath, if we don’t know what we want our legs will get chomped off.

Expectations don’t have to be conscious to work on us.

Unconscious expectations create desires, desires create actions, actions create results.

Yet, if we don’t know what we want how do we know if we got it?

A person may tell you he wants financial security but unconsciously he believes if someone else has more money then he doesn’t have enough.

These unconscious expectations cause enormous desires for wealth. These desires force us

to do horrible things-work hard, embezzle, be greedy and on and on. In the end we may get more money, maybe a lot more, but it is still never enough. You can almost hear the Jaws theme in the background Da-nuh, Da-nuh, Da-nuh – Chomp!

Unconscious expectations grow. They are not checked by reality and so we can never meet them. This results in frustration and anger. The sad thing? Since they are unconscious, we never know why we are feeling so restless. This creates a selfdefeating cycle. You go back out in the water again even though the sign clearly says, “NO swimming! Sharks lurking below?”

We are unable to rid ourselves of unconscious expectations.

They have been lurking since the dawn of time. Cain killed Abel because of his unconscious expectations about his brother.

In that very story is the solution to this problem. God says something to the effect ‘Don’t you know you will be alright?”

In our bi-weekly diet group, we have been exploring the connections between unconscious expectations and overeating. The group has learned two things: 1) there is indeed a connection between unconscious expectations and the food we consume to ease the frustration we feel. 2) one way to address the issue is to start simply. In the morning, pray or mediate in the way you do but ask for God to remove your unconscious expectations.

Sit quietly and let them go.

Then you may begin to know that you will be alright.

Older Americans Who Neglect Oral Care Put Overall Health at Risk Conscientious parents constantly remind their children to brush and floss, and routinely schedule dental checkups to make sure their teeth and gums are healthy – and staying that way.

But youngsters aren’t the only ones who can use such reminders. Older Americans need to put a priority on their oral health as well, and research shows that as a group they aren’t doing so.

In fact, the statistics are grim. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that almost every single American over age 65 (96 percent) has had a cavity, and 20 percent have untreated tooth decay. Another 65 percent suffer from gum disease, an ailment that has been linked to a host of other problems, such as strokes, heart disease and diabetes.

“Anyone who thinks they can ease up on dental care as they age is making a big mistake,” says Dr. Harold Katz, a dentist, bacteriologist and developer of TheraBreath Healthy Gums Oral Rinse.

“Not only do poor dental habits affect what’s going on in your mouth, they also affect your overall health.”

Some of the CDC’s findings that Katz says are troubling include: • Tooth loss. Nearly one in five adults aged 65 or older have lost all of their teeth. Complete tooth loss is twice as prevalent among adults aged 75 and older (26 percent) compared with adults aged 65 to 74 (13 percent). The CDC points out that having missing teeth, or wearing dentures, can have a detrimental effect on nutrition. “It’s not surprising that people who have lost teeth, or wear dentures, often are going to choose soft food they chew easily,” Katz says. “They will pass up fresh fruits and vegetables that are more nutritious, but are more difficult for them to eat.”

• Oral cancer. Cancers of the mouth (oral and pharyngeal cancers) are primarily diagnosed in older adults; median age at diagnosis is 62 years. “That’s another reason it’s important for older people to have regular checkups,” Katz says. “Your dentist can check for signs of oral cancer during those visits.”

• Dry mouth caused by medications. Most older Americans take both prescription and over-the-counter drugs, many of which can cause dry mouth. Reduced saliva flow increases the risk of cavities. Saliva helps prevent tooth decay, gum disease and bad breath, and also lubricates the mouth, making it easier to eat, swallow, speak and taste food. “Sometimes dry mouth might just cause mild discomfort,” Katz says. “At other times it can lead to significant oral disease that can compromise the person’s health, dietary intake and quality of life.”

“As you age, proper oral care is just as important as ever,” Katz says. “It’s not something you want to ignore because your overall health is at stake.”

The Wellness Feed The Social Determinants of Health

By Taylor White-Welchen, MPH Over the past few years, health and wellness have become true passions of mine. I am particularly interested in the unique non-medical factors that greatly impact our health and wellbeing.

These factors are known as the ‘social determinants of health’ – parts of our lives that might not directly impact our health, but can significantly and indirectly impact our health. Some examples of social determinants are income, education, and the environment. Let’s take a closer look at the role the environment.

Yes, environmental triggers can cause adverse health outcomes; however, living in a food desert (not living near fresh produce) can also indirectly cause adverse health outcomes. People living in food deserts are at an increased risk of obesity, diabetes,

and several other conditions, due to the limited access to fresh foods. Living in an un-walkable environment might make it more difficult to regularly exercise. Or living in a more isolated environment might complicate transportation, and can create additional barriers when seeking medical care.

As you can see our health is a lot more complicated than our biology. It is a lot more complicated than medicine. And while that might be scary, I find it extremely promising! We can’t change our biology or genes, but we can do something – individually or collectively – to create social change, to improve our communities and decrease societal gaps.

Let’s work together to make our community the best community it can be!

Good Books Café

and Reece believed him – even if Dawn didn’t.

She loved the cash, hated the idea, but bills needed to be paid and she wanted a baby, so when the first job went smoothly and Ed’s contact wanted to hire them again, Reece was ready for more.

On the second job, everything fell apart: three people escaped from a container and one died.

The Feds found the body and more, and then someone started killing Reece’s friends.

And someone else was watching his house…

At first, it seems that “Dead on Arrival” is awfully ho-hum-predictable. There’s drama here, squabbling, greed, profanity, nosy family, the usual near-pornographic sex-scene, and yawn. Same old kind of novel, right?

Nope. Keep reading, because author Kiki Swinson squeezes her plot until it’ll squeeze the breath out of you with twists and turns that are all-too-possible but will chill you like a horror novel. And here’s the thing: Swinson doesn’t overwrite this tale, and she doesn’t give readers everything. We aren’t allowed that full story; instead, we get just enough information, we’re left to fill in the blanks, and they aren’t pretty.

This leads to an ending (don’t cheat!) that will make you scream (don’t cheat!) and throw the book against the wall – twice.

Pick it back up, though, because this is a novel to share with someone, just so you can talk about it. If you’re in need of a vacation read this summer, think “Dead on Arrival.”

Yeah. You want that.

New Study Shows Higher Vitamin D Levels Lower Risk for Breast Cancer Results from a new study published in PLOS ONE shows women who have higher vitamin D blood levels have a significantly lower risk for breast cancer.

Analyses were done combining data from two randomized trials conducted at Creighton University with data from a cohort from GrassrootsHealth. The combined data included more than 5000 women, aged 55 and older, who had a broad range of vitamin D blood levels.

The study found that those women with a blood level of >60 ng/ml had an 80 percent lower risk for breast cancer than those with levels of 20 ng/ml or less. There was a dose response relationship between blood levels of vitamin D and cancer incidence, i.e. between 20 and 60 ng/mL, the higher the blood vitamin D level, the lower the risk of breast cancer.

Joan M. Lappe, PhD, RN, Criss/Beirne Professor of Nursing and investigator at the Osteoporosis Research Center at Creighton University, was the principal investigator of the two NIH-funded randomized trials conducted at Creighton University that were included in the study.

Lappe’s 2007 study on bone health and vitamin D blood levels found, in a secondary analysis, that women who took vitamin D and calcium supplementation for four years had a 60% lower risk of alltype cancer than women who took placebos. In her 2017 study of cancer and vitamin D, she and her team found that women with a vitamin D blood level of 55 ng/ml had a 35 percent significantly lower risk for all-type cancer than those with levels of 30 ng/ml.

Lappe emphasized that having the ability to prevent breast cancer and avoid the suffering endured by breast cancer patients and their families would have a significant impact on the lives of many people.

“This study provides strong support that vitamin D plays an important role in breast cancer prevention,” said Lappe. “It also demonstrates that blood levels of vitamin D for breast cancer prevention need to be higher than currently recommended levels for bone health.”

The National Academy of Science recommends that having vitamin D blood levels of 20 ng/ml or above is adequate for bone health. In the study reported in PLOS, women with blood levels of 60 ng/ml had a much lower risk of breast cancer than those with levels ≤ 20 ng/ml.

According to Carole Baggerly, a breast cancer survivor and director of GrassrootsHealth, “With roughly an 80 percent reduction in the incidence of breast cancer, getting a vitamin D blood level to 60 ng/ ml becomes the first priority for cancer prevention. Nutrition and lifestyle factors are certainly important for overall health, but they can’t replace the value of vitamin D level. The safety of this level has been demonstrated within this study as well as others.”

Female breast cancer is projected to account for more than 266,000 new cases and 40,900 deaths in the United States in 2018, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. has a stroke.

Learn the signs and be quick to recognize one.

F A S T

©2018 American Heart Association. Also known as the Heart Fund. MWA

Face Drooping

Arm Weakness

Speech Difficulty

Time to Call 9-1-1

Page Ten

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LOCAL/YOUTH/EDUCATION/NATIONAL June 29, 2018 4 Ways Students can Parlay Internships 2018 Hydrant Party Schedule into Jobs Soon after Graduation THE OMAHA STAR

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The job market appears a bit more promising for soon-to-be college graduates than it has been for most of this decade.

Just four years ago, CNN Money reported that 260,000 college grads held minimum-wage jobs.

Barely 25 percent had a job related to their college major. But this year, the National Association of Colleges and Employers projects, U.S. companies will hire 4 percent more new college graduates than they did from the Class of 2017.

Yet with more optimistic employment prospects, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still stiff competition for those first â&#x20AC;&#x153;realâ&#x20AC;? jobs. Who stands the best chance of getting them?

Several studies show that college internships make a significant difference. According to Gallup, for example, recent graduates who had an internship in college were more than twice as likely to be hired for a good, career-related job immediately after graduation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The solution for college students is to increase job experience while still in school, and that means obtaining a hands-on internship every summer while in college,â&#x20AC;? says Matthew Stewart, co-founder of College Works Painting (www. collegeworks.com), which provides business experience for thousands of college students each year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Unless you graduate college with a significant amount of real-world job experience, finding a job will be incredibly difficult.â&#x20AC;?

Stewart gives college students four tips on maximizing their college internship in order to improve their post-grad job prospects: â&#x20AC;˘ Find an internship that challenges you. An

internship experience that will be meaningful on a resume should make demands of the student, Stewart says. Ideally, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re getting a preview of their chosen profession and an idea of the skills theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need to succeed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;College students should be looking for experiences that will challenge them,â&#x20AC;? Stewart says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When they get out of school they will be competing with thousands of other graduates. They need to ask themselves, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Will the internship offer real experience that will separate me from my peers?â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ Treat your internship like a career. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The easiest way to treat your student job like a career is to ask your boss to mentor you,â&#x20AC;? Stewart says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Under the mentorship of your supervisor, you can expand your basic job functions.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ Be proactive, take initiative. Going above and beyond in your internship will set the foundation for your career. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll gain confidence by taking initiative, which is a core skill in the business world,â&#x20AC;? Stewart says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to set goals and have a plan of action around those goals.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ Seek promotion opportunities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Again, the mentor factor comes in,â&#x20AC;? Stewart says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Build a strong relationship with your mentor, and let him or her know you are eager for more responsibility and that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re up for the challenge. Always check the company job board.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;College is not the time to relax,â&#x20AC;? Stewart says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You need to treat college and an internship seriously; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your future. College consists of three summers of internships, and by the fourth summer students should have what it takes to find a career.â&#x20AC;?

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Grant Supports Art Program At Nelson Mandela Elementary African Culture Connection (ACC) has announced the receipt of a $4,924 grant from Nebraska Arts Council for the Nelson Mandela Elementary School Summer and Fall Residencies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are extremely grateful for the funding from Nebraska Arts Council,â&#x20AC;? said Charles Ahovissi, Executive/Artistic Director of African Culture Connection. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This funding will support an ongoing partnership with Nelson Mandela Elementary through a summer and fall residency integrating authentic African drumming, dancing, and art into kindergarten through third grade classroom curriculum.â&#x20AC;?

The $4,924 awarded by the Nebraska Arts Council, through an Arts Project Grant, will support African Culture Connectionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in-school and summer residencies. ACCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Teaching Artists â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Charles Ahovissi, Sondra McSwain, LaTryce Anderson, Kimberly McGreevy, and Gabrielle Gaines-Liwaru â&#x20AC;&#x201C; will go to Nelson Mandela Elementary in July and September 2018 through February 2019. The ACC sessions will enable students to build skills in traditional African dancing, drumming, and crafts while building self-esteem, cultural awareness, and an appreciation for diversity.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;No More Empty Potsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Launches 3rd Entrepreneurship Invitational

No More Empty Pots and Wells Fargo have partnered to offer the Third Entrepreneurship Invitational for foodfocused entrepreneurs interested in starting and growing businesses in the shared use kitchen at the No More Empty Potsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Food Hub. The informational session for the Third Entrepreneurship Invitational will be held July 14 from 10 a.m. till noon at the No More Empty Pots Collaborative Community Centered Food Hub, 8501 N. 30th St., in Florence. During the session, Wells Fargo representatives will guide entrepreneurs through the stages of preparation and pitching for the competition. Throughout the process, Wells Fargo team members will help entrepreneurs develop successful business plans and presentations to earn seed money to develop their business ideas.

In 2017, nine entrepreneurs pitched their businesses. After three rounds of successive pitches, Michelle ElsonRoza of MJERHelp earned the top seed money of $1,500 for her business. Jared Uecker of Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;tillie Pork & Pantry and Samuel Anez of Empanada Kitchen were awarded $750 and $250 respectively, for

their outstanding business pitches. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Helping entrepreneurs begin and grow their business is one of the most important things Wells Fargo does,â&#x20AC;? said Cristina Castro-Matukewicz, community affairs manager for Wells Fargo. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wells Fargo is excited to again support the invitational given small businesses are key to economic growth, job creation and prosperity. No More Empty Pots continues to make a difference in the lives of the most vulnerable members of our community, as we work together to help launch small businesses focused on food and contribute to positive change.â&#x20AC;?

No More Empty Pots is developing a food hub based on a system of interdependent activities that deliver positive outcomes in job training, workforce readiness, food waste reduction, healthy food access in underserved areas, income generation and business development. The food hub programs support youth and adults in cultivating educational and career pathways. The programs are designed to take participant strengths and talents and further develop their skills needed to succeed in the workplace, grow small businesses and become self-sufficient â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

leading to economic resilience.

With the opening of the food hub, No More Empty Pots is building on the success of proven models. The shared-use commercial kitchen available for rent, by the hour, is similar to LaCocina, an incubator program in San Francisco also supported by Wells Fargo. Currently, 15 food entrepreneurs are renting the space to start and grow unique businesses that serve the Omaha area.

In the summer of 2017 in the food hub, NMEP launched the Culinary Workforce Training Program; a 15-week culinary workforce development training program modeled after DC Central Kitchen (www.dccentralkitchen.org) and LA Kitchen (www.thelakitchen.org).

Additional components in the Food Hub upon the completion of construction planned for fall 2018 include a community cafĂŠ that will provide customer service and barista training areas and a place for entrepreneurs to test products before launching to a larger market. Local foods systems ventures need expertise like marketing, logistics and accounting support to grow and scale. The on-site business incubator, along with technical assistance provided

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through community collaborations, will support these emerging small businesses and further leverage the expertise and resources of the local startup ecosystem.

The Collaborative Community Centered Food Hub construction and startup costs are a $4 million community investment with a projection to generate nearly 90 percent of the funds needed to operate the food hub within five years of the hub being operational. The food hub will capitalize on the over $4 billion fresh food expenditures in Nebraska, recirculating those food dollars locally.

At just 10 percent of these purchases from local farmers, Nebraskans could support a $400 million annually recurring market. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The support from Wells Fargo for the Third Entrepreneurship Invitational at the food hub allows Wells Fargo Green Team to leverage their strengths while championing their values of sustainability. Healthy food access and consumption, earning a living wage and meaningful work are crucial in our fight against poverty,â&#x20AC;? said Nancy Williams, President and CEO of No More Empty Pots.

OPS Indoor

City of Omaha Deadline Extension for Fiscal Year 2019 Housing and Community Development Programs Request for Proposals (RFP) The deadline for the 2019 funding application/RFP for Housing and Community Development has been extended to July 16th, 2018.

The City of Omaha invites proposals from any person, partnership, for-proďŹ t corporation or non-proďŹ t corporation for funding assistance under the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fiscal-Year 2019 Housing and Community Development Program. The Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Housing and Community Development Program promotes and supports neighborhood development projects, aďŹ&#x20AC;ordable housing projects, transitional, elderly and assisted living projects, homebuyer projects, economic development projects and public services and facilities projects.

Federal sources of funding from which proposals will be funded include the Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnerships programs. Funding for projects using Nebraska AďŹ&#x20AC;ordable Housing Program will also be considered.

Gigantic Two Ring OMAHA Public Schools Indoor Auction Friday, July 13 â&#x20AC;˘ 9 am 1000 Fort Crook Rd. â&#x20AC;˘ Bellevue NE Bus, Industrial & mowers sell first!!! Nutritional, desks, tables, file cabinets and much more!!!!!

Applications for 2019 funding has been extended to July 16, 2018, and can be downloaded from the following the Omaha Housing and Community Development Division website at https://planninghcd. cityofomaha.org/. Choose 2019 to 2023 Consolidated Planning Materials from the list of items on the left hand side of the webpage.

Interested parties may also request applications from the Omaha Planning Department by visiting the Department or by calling (402) 444-5150 Ext. 2019. Proposals, one original and two copies, are to be submitted to the attention of David Fanslau, Director, Housing and Community Development, Suite 1110 - Omaha/Douglas Civic Center, 1819 Farnam Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68183. Proposals are due by 4:30 p.m. Monday, July 16, 2018.

Gpsold.com â&#x20AC;˘ 402-210-4885

August Deadline for 12th Annual Gaines Literary Award BATON ROUGE, La. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The deadline for submissions to the 2018 Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence is Aug. 15.

Sponsored by Baton Rouge Area Foundation donors, the Gaines Award honors rising African-American fiction authors while also celebrating Louisiana native Ernest Gainesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; extraordinary contribution to the literary world.

For submissions, the Gaines Award is accepting novels or short-story collections published in 2018, as well as galleys for 2018 publications.

The winner receives a $10,000 award.

Submissions are judged by a national literary panel, and the winner is announced in November. The award ceremony will be on Jan. 24, 2019 at the Manship Theatre in downtown Baton Rouge. This event honors both the winning author and Mr. Gaines. Entry forms and information on criteria are available at www. ernestjgainesaward.org.

Previous winners include Ladee Hubbard, Crystal Wilkinson, T. Geronimo Johnson, Mitchell S. Jackson, Attica Locke, Stephanie Powell Watts, Dinaw Mengestu, Victor LaValle, Jeffery Renard Allen, Ravi Howard and Olympia Vernon.

A Louisiana native, Gainesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; critically acclaimed novel â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittmanâ&#x20AC;? was adapted into a 1974 made-for-TV movie that received nine Emmy awards. His 1993 book â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Lesson Before Dyingâ&#x20AC;? won the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction. He is writer-in-residence emeritus at the University of LouisianaLafayette.

EVENTS/NATIONAL/CLASSIFIED ADS THE OMAHA STAR Page Eleven ‘Permit Patty’ Claims She’s the Victim of Discrimination Things to do, people to see, places to go. By Kaitlyn D’Onofrio

June 29, 2018

In The Village!

June 29 – Due to flooding at Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park, The Great American Lobster Fest has been moved to the MidAmerica Center. The festival features live lobster flown in fresh from the East coast, live music, family- friendly dining and activities, unique craft shopping, and tasty cold beverages. Kids 12 and under are admitted free with legal guardian.

The festival will run through July 1. For more info, visit: https://www.americanlobsterfest. com/tickets-1/ June 29 – Head on over to the base of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge from 6-9 p.m. and enjoy the musical stylings of R-Style! Kids will enjoy entertainment from the Old Market Magician, face painting and bounce houses! You can also enjoy delicious food from Taste of New Orleans and KGB food trucks. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets.

For more info, phone 402-444-4640.

June 30 – Global Leadership Group Omaha hosts Cultivation Kids Garden from 2-3 p.m. every Saturday at 3118 N. 24th St. This is an opportunity for youth to learn how to start and care for a garden, understand environmental stewardship, and learn the impact of community care and volunteerism while having fun.

July 2 – Enjoy Monday Nights at the Movies.

Turner Park opens for seating at 5:00 p.m. and the movies begin at dusk. These free familyfriendly nights are also dog friendly. Grab Fido, your blanket, chairs, sunscreen and flat shoes, enjoy some popcorn, sit back and relax. Tents, tarps, stakes, open flames and hard liquor are prohibited. Midtown Crossing restaurants will offer concessions and beverages. The featured movie is Jaws.

July 5 – The Highlander neighborhood will host the Highlander Marketplace, an outdoor neighborhood market, from 5-7 p.m. in the parking lot of The Accelerator, 2112 N. 30th St. The Marketplace will offer a variety of events and activities that include shopping from over 20 vendors, food trucks, and live entertainment.

Vendors at the marketplace will serve delicious baked goods, healthy dog treats, hair care products, teas and more.

July 5 – Jazz on the Green opens its 2018 lineup with Gooch & His Las Vegas Big Band with Christine Hitt. Turner Park opens for seating at 5:00 p.m. The pre-show begins at 6:30, followed by the show at 7:30.

July 9 – Enjoy another Monday night at the movies. Turner Park opens for seating at 5:00 p.m. and the movies begin at dusk. These free family-friendly nights are also dog friendly.

Grab Fido, your blanket, chairs, sunscreen and flat shoes, enjoy some popcorn, sit back and relax. Tents, tarps, stakes, open flames and hard liquor are prohibited. Midtown Crossing

MCC at Do Space to Host Discussion about Climate Change Metropolitan Community College at Do Space will host the third installment of the Hubbard Sustainability Series on July 12, 4:30-6:30 p.m., on the second floor of Do Space, 72nd and Dodge streets. The event topic will be climate change and will include three expert speakers: Dr. Jesse Bell, professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Climate Science Advisor to the White House; Dr. Martha Shulski, director at the Nebraska Science Climate Office; and W. Cecil Steward, founder of the Joslyn Institute for Sustainable Communities.

A question and answer session with all three speakers will follow. Light refreshments will be served. The event is free and open to the public. To register, visit mccneb.edu/ce.

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restaurants will offer concessions and beverages.

The featured movie is Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

July 9-13 – The Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church invites all ages including adults, to be part of “God’s Squad – Special Agents In Action” Vacation Bible School, from 6-8 p.m., 1411 North 30th St. Dinner will be served from 5-5:45 p.m. Transportation provided. To register, please contact 402-342-0265.

July 11 – Charles Drew Farmers Market opens and will run every Wednesday, 3:30-5:30 p.m. through August 29.

July 12 – Jazz on the Green features The Big Takeover. Turner Park opens for seating at 5:00 p.m. The pre-show begins at 6:30, followed by the show at 7:30.

July 15 – Afromaha will present the inaugural African Cultural Festival from 12-8 p.m. at Stinson Park in Aksarben Village. Come experience Africa in the heart of Omaha! This family-friendly event incorporates authentic African music, art, dance, fashion, and cuisine in celebration of the diversity of the African diaspora. Admission is free, and festival attendees will enjoy performances by such notable acts as Edem, African Culture Connection, and Umoja Choir while they shop from an array of vendors, including food, crafts, jewelry, and clothing.

Afromaha is an organization created by Africans living in Nebraska whose mission is to connect people, foster creativity, and engage the African diaspora in the local community.

July 16 – It’s Monday Night at the Movies.

Turner Park opens for seating at 5:00 p.m. and the movies begin at dusk. These free familyfriendly nights are also dog friendly. Grab Fido, your blanket, chairs, sunscreen and flat shoes, enjoy some popcorn, sit back and relax. Tents, tarps, stakes, open flames and hard liquor are prohibited. Midtown Crossing restaurants will offer concessions and beverages. The featured movie is The Lion King.

July 16-20 – Sports Challenge, a sportsthemed, fun-filled Vacation Bible School week will be held at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, 24th & Ohio St. at 6 p.m. Children, 5-12 years of age will learn and apply the principles of Jesus and how to develop a personal relationship with Him. Parents are encouraged to pre-register their children by phoning Mt. Moriah at 402-4518800.

July 18 – Confused about Medicare? Attend a free Navigating Medicare session at 10 a.m. at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska, 1919 Aksarben Dr. in the Aksarben conference room.

Phone 855-766-5959 to reserve your seat.

July 20 – All Star Comedy Jam at Holland Performing Arts Center at 8 p.m. Tickets on sale now at the Holland box office.

backlash immediately following the incident.

Jordan’s mother told CBS News that no one was screaming and that her daughter was selling water so she could go to Disneyland for the first time. And Jordan is going to keep selling her water.

“Recently I lost my job and we were planning a trip to Disneyland before that happened,” she said. “And so it kind of sidelined us a little bit.

And my daughter just wanted to help.”

Ettel claimed she was only pretending to call the police. But either way, why?

“Let kids be kids,” Austin said. “If they’re not hurting anybody, who cares?”

This #WhileBlack tale has a happy ending after all, though, CBS reported: “As for the trip to Disneyland, musician Jonathan Brannon saw the story and has already paid for Rodgers and three of her family members to go whenever they’d like.”

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Requirements include a degree in international business or related field, international travel experience, and at least ten years of experience in international business.

Send resume, cover letter & salary expectations via email to Laurie Pieper at jobs@omahachamber.org;

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Permit Patty, cultural cousin of BBQ Becky, has turned the tables to say she is the victim after calling the police on a little Black girl for selling water bottles.

Patty, whose real name is Alison Ettel, told HuffPost she now feels “horrible and heartwrenched,” but added that she is now receiving threats over the internet and feels “discriminated against.”

Eight-year-old Jordan Rodgers was selling water bottles outside on a hot day when Ettel, 44, said she was calling the police because the girl was “illegally selling water without a permit.”

She insisted that race played no role in her actions. According to Ettel, she became frustrated because Jordan and her mother, Erin Austin, were screaming.

“It was stupid,” she said. “I completely regret that I handled that so poorly. It was completely stress-related, and I should have never confronted her. That was a mistake, a complete mistake.

Please don’t make me sound horrible.”

But in the court of public opinion, she’s already guilty of calling the police on Black people for no reason.

Ettel, a San Francisco resident, is the CEO of marijuana business Treat Well, which includes edible options for people and pets and faced

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YOUTH/EDUCATION NEWS Omaha Youth Attend Health Professions Day

Page Twelve

THE OMAHA STAR

Nearly 100 local youths took part in the fourth annual Health Professions Career Day at the University of Nebraska Medical Center on June 18. There the youths, ages 14-15, explored a variety of health professions including: nursing, physical therapy, physician assistant and medical imaging.

The career day is sponsored by the UNMC Center for Reducing Health Disparities in the College of Public Health. The students participating come from Step Up, a summer

June 29, 2018

Johnny Rodgers Career & Technical Education Scholarship

employment program sponsored by the Empowerment Network. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Through this career day we hope to pique the interest of these youths by exposing them to a variety of health careers, so they can prepare themselves academically for their chosen field,â&#x20AC;? said Wayne Houston, community health program manager with the COPH Center for Reducing Health Disparities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We also hope that by providing experiences such as this it will increase the number of diverse health care professionals.â&#x20AC;?

Learning about balance.

Learning how to take blood pressure correctly.

Learning about breathing and lung capacity.

Abalo Receives Master of Perfusion Science Degree

Ralph Abalo, who graduated May 5 with a master of perfusion science degree from the College of Allied Health Professions, has a story of how he got here. It began on May 22, 2004. He knows the exact date, because that is when he first came to the United States. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a blessing not given to everybody,â&#x20AC;? he said.

He came from the nation of Togo, in West Africa.

He came to play soccer, at Bellevue University. But he blew out his knee before his Bruins career even began, underwent surgery, and went home. And then he came back. This time with academics as his top priority.

Without a soccer scholarship, he took a job working in environmental services at Nebraska Medicine, Nebraska Medical Center. He cleaned patient rooms and clinical areas. He started to think about a career in health care.

Running late to an environmental services staff meeting one day, he bumped into Nebraska Medicine executive Marty Carmody, who now lives in Michigan. Not long after their chance meeting, Carmody was at his daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youth soccer game and was impressed by how the referee diffused a potentially volatile situation. Hey â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it was Abalo!

Carmody approached Abalo after the game â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Abalo worked at the med center, went to school, and now soccer games, too?

When Abalo applied for health professions programs at Clarkson College, Carmody wrote a letter of recommendation. Abalo eventually earned degrees in radiation technology and medical imaging.

He later became certified in sterile processing.

He also was blessed with an American wife, Blythe, and they had an American son, Richmond. Then, Abalo became an American, too. He became a U.S. citizen in 2011.

And he enrolled in UNMCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clinical perfusion program. His long-term goal is to someday bring heart surgery (clinical perfusionists

Army Awards $40,000 Scholarship at â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Salute to Youthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Luncheon

operate heart-lung machines during these surgeries) to Togo. Today, those who need heart surgery must have enough money to leave the country.

Currently, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s getting soccer balls and school supplies to the kids of his old hometown, all while juggling the responsibilities of work, family, and, oh, yes, another health-professions degree. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has not been easy for me,â&#x20AC;? or, he added, his wife. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But we are managing it.â&#x20AC;?

His parents couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make his UNMC graduation.

But his American family, his in-laws, were in attendance. It is the end of one story. But the beginning of another. He is determined the children of Togo wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to come to America to be successful. But he is so happy that he has.

Johnny Rodgers Career and Technical Education Scholarships at Metropolitan Community College Foundation will assist students by providing full ride scholarships for tuition and books in the career and technical trades programs at Metropolitan Community College.

Consideration will be given to students that show financial need, have a GPA of 2.5 or higher, OPS graduate preferred and demonstrates a commitment to start and complete the program.

Metropolitan Community College academic programs offer a wide range of career options within the skilled trades to prepare students for entrylevel employment and advancement opportunities as technical professionals in a wide variety of industries. Training options range from a single course to a two-year associate degree, as well as apprenticeship training programs.

Metropolitan Community College, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, is a comprehensive, public community college that offers affordable and quality education to all residents of Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy and Washington counties. Founded in 1974, Metropolitan Community College has the largest enrollment out of six community colleges in Nebraska and is the second largest post-secondary institution in the state.

Metropolitan Community College serves more than 50,000 students annually.

Funds generated by The Johnny â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Jetâ&#x20AC;? Rodgers National College Football Return Specialist Award Gala and matched

by Metropolitan Community College will target new and returning students enrolled full-time. Our community partners, the 100 Black Men of Omaha, and Urban League of Nebraska will provide mentoring and make referrals to support the scholarship program.

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The Army presented a college scholarship to Brig. Gen. Kevin Vereen giving the Cadet Darrol Baker in the amount of $40,000, opening remarks at the Salute to Youth presented by Col. Farrell Duncombe.

Luncheon.

(Black PR Wire) Arlington, Va. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; On June more than $330 million in ROTC scholarships 14, Brig. Gen. Kevin Vereen provided opening to students at more than 275 colleges and remarks regarding how self-discipline and strong universities across the country. Additionally, the mentorship creates both personal and professional Army has more than 150 career paths, including success. The remarks were delivered at the Salute in-demand fields such as information technology, to Youth Luncheon during the 100 Black Men engineering and health care, among others. For Inc. National Conference. During the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Salute more information, visit www.goarmy.com. to Youthâ&#x20AC;? luncheon, the U.S. Army presented a college scholarship to Cadet Darrol Baker in the amount of $40,000.

The scholarship was presented

by Col. Farrell Duncombe at the Salute to Youth Luncheon. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Strong mentorship and partnerships lead to growing opportunity and pathways of success for African-American youth,â&#x20AC;? said Brig. Gen. Vereen, U.S. Army Recruiting Command. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sharing the belief that mentorship breeds great leaders, the U.S. Army continues to stand strong with 100 Black Men of America in order to help grow strong leaders within African - .

American communities.â&#x20AC;?

Last year, the Army awarded

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