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Va. ends fiscal year with less in revenue than expected Virginia finished its fiscal year with $439 million less in revenue than expected, marking the first time that the state’s collections have dropped outside of a national downturn. The state, which rode out the Great Recession with relative ease thanks to a hefty defense sector, saw revenue collections drop by 1.6 percent in the fiscal year that ended June 30, Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) announced Thursday. The commonwealth had projected 1 percent growth. The drop was largely attributed to a onetime spike in capital gains tax collections
that budget forecasters in Virginia and elsewhere mistakenly took for a long-term trend. Virginia budget officials have been warning of the shortfall since May, but at that time, they expected it to be $300 million. Even with the higher shortfall, the state — which by law must pass a balanced budget — is not in the red. The budget that just concluded included sufficient unappropriated balances to cover the unexpected deficit of income. But the lower revenue will be felt in the two-year budget that began July 1, since the money used to cover the deficit would
have been rolled over into the current spending plan. The loss of that rollover money, combined with adjusted projections for capital gains tax revenue over the next two years, led state budget officials to project a $1.5 billion shortfall for the current budget. State budget writers reworked the spending plan, and in June, the General Assembly passed a substantially leaner budget than the House and Senate had approved earlier in the process. The budget holds most spending at current levels, eliminating raises for teachers and state employees that had been included in earlier
versions. In addition, the state can dip into its rainy day fund to offset about half of the shortfall. The problem had its start with the fiscal cliff of 2012, as nervous investors cashed out stocks. States saw capital gains tax collections spike and, not realizing it was a one-time windfall, expected revenue to keep rolling in at that level the next year. It did not. Payroll withholding and sales tax collections, which account for more than 80 percent of revenue and are considered the best indicators of economic activity, also fell short. They came in $78.9 million, 0.6 percent, below forecast. © WP
Chesapeake to build apartments for city’s homeless veterans
By Jordan Crawford Southeastern Virginia Housing Corporation, a nonprofit group, wants Chesapeake’s aid in building a 50-unit apartment complex in the city for homeless or low-income disabled veterans. Representatives of the company told City Council members last week that the $9.6 million facility, to be paid for mostly with state and federal money, would be the first of its kind in the city. The project would be similar to one that opened in Virginia Beach last year. Sharon Shoff, the group’s director of administrative services, said the project would provide permanent housing for single veterans or families who would pay up to 30 percent of their income to live in one- or two-bedroom apartments. “These are people who have gone off to war and now they don’t have a decent and affordable place to live,” Shoff said. “We just feel like we can do something to help.” The project could be ready for occupancy by the end of 2017. Shoff asked the city to help find up to 2
acres of land and allocate a portion of its federal housing allotments to the project. She said the project would be modeled after Cedar Grove Apartments, a 32-unit facility the nonprofit opened last fall in the Bayside area of Virginia Beach. Chesapeake City Manager James Baker said officials already have begun exploring potential sites for the project. The proposal has already drawn positive reviews from council members. “Not every veteran needs help, but there is certainly a demonstrated need for something like this,” council member Debbie Ritter said after hearing the presentation at a work session July 8. “There are homeless veterans living under tarps on the ground in our great city,” council member Ella Ward added. “I’d be glad to see this project to fruition.” Shoff said she hoped land could be donated or sold to the company at a nominal price. The ideal site, she said, would be near a public transportation route “because many of our clients don’t have transportation.”
Winning goal Top: Germany’s players lift the World Cup trophy as they celebrate their 1-0 win in the 2014 World Cup final against Argentina at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro July 13. Bottom: German fans celebrate as they watch the 2014 World Cup final PHOTOS: Reuters
2 • July 16 - 22, 2014
The VOICE
New provost appointed to TCC Norfolk campus By Jordan Crawford Jeffery S. Boyd of Elgin Ill (right) is the new provost of Tidewater Community College’s Norfolk Campus, President Edna Baehre-Kolovani announced last Thursday. Boyd, currently Elgin’s dean of sustainability, business and career technologies, will begin his new job on Aug. 1. The downtown Norfolk campus serves more than 14,000 students each year. Baehre-Kolovani said Boyd was the “perfect candidate” for the position, which has been filled on an interim basis by TCC Portsmouth Campus Provost Michelle Woodhouse. “During Dr. Boyd’s interview we recognized that he had done in-depth homework about TCC and the Norfolk Campus,” Baehre-Kolovani said. “His understanding of the campus culture and operating environment, coupled with his experience of having worked in an urban community college setting, gave him an immediate advantage.”
She added, “He brings to TCC a wealth of leadership experience in economic and workforce development with the City of Elgin and with the Elgin school district. We are thrilled that he will be joining the TCC Team.” The president also said she’s grateful to Woodhouse for her contributions
as interim provost. As a TCC provost, Boyd will serve as chief operating officer and lead academic and student affairs administrator of the campus. “I look forward to coming to TCC to join the students, staff and faculty of the Norfolk Campus,” he said. “The level of concern, commitment and connection to the community this campus has demonstrated is so impressive, and I am excited about becoming a member of the TCC family.” Boyd brings a diverse background, rich in educational innovation. In his current role, he provides divisional leadership, collaborating with faculty and staff on curriculum and program development, professional development, policy formation, strategic planning, budget development and grant development. Boyd also worked to build partnerships with business and industry leaders, as well as public officials. He is a proven fundraiser. Boyd secured
State senator defends ‘Redskins Pride Caucus, name By Tom Jackman Last month, a group of Virginia state senators and delegates formed the “Redskins Pride Caucus,” to defend the Ashburn-based team and its name, which has come under attack from some Native American groups. Fairfax State Sen. Chap Petersen (D) led the charge to form the caucus, hold a press conference and declare their support for the team and the name. I asked him if we could discuss this in an e-mail chat and he agreed. Most of the following occurred during about an hourlong span one afternoon last week: Q: Chap, I know you’re a lifelong Redskins fan, as am I, and last year you wrote a strident defense of the Redskins name. But it seems the momentum is gradually turning against the name. You could have sat back quietly and watched. Instead you stepped up and formed a caucus of state senators and delegates to defend the name, the Redskins Pride Caucus? Why fight for this particular cause, when you could wind up (cliché alert) on The Wrong Side of History? A: Tom: Thanks for the question. My main motivation in getting involved is simply to be a voice for Redskins fans. The second is to support a Virginia-based business, which has been getting unfairly
blasted for simply retaining a brand that is one of the most significant and successful in the history of American sports. Finally, I’m trying to bring some balance to the debate, especially in light of the one-sided portrayal of this issue in the media. There is so much misinformation out there. In regard to whether my speaking out helps or hurts my own political career, I really don’t give a damn. I’m proud to be a Redskins fan and I say so publicly. Let the chips fall. Q: The National Congress of American Indians began campaigning against names such as the Redskins in 1968. What do you say to Native Americans who say the name is a racial slur? A: First of all, I doubt that any one advocacy group “speaks for” a population as diverse and heterogenous as the American Indians. I also wonder if the campaign against the “Redskins” has the grass roots support of ordinary tribal people, or is their number one grievance amidst unemployment and other issues. (Perhaps NCAI could sponsor a referendum on that topic?) As to people now claiming that “Redskin” is a racial slur, I would simply say: It’s the historic name of a professional football team, nothing more, nothing less. If you claim it means something else, then show me some
proof. For me, it will always be a symbol of pride and unity in the D.C. area which is exemplified by great Redskins such as Joe Gibbs or Darrell Green. Q: Well the proof that it means something else is the NCAI’s report from last year which calls the term “Redskin” “violent and racially derived…a term meant to disparage and denote inferiority and savagery in American culture.” Those who would agree with this characterization include the NCAA, which has forced numerous schools to change their mascots, and the ACLU, plus the fact that the man who named the team was an open, avowed racist. Yes, Joe Gibbs and Darrell Green were great Redskins, but their greatness had nothing to do with the team’s name. If the team were called the Players or the Generics, we would still have the same pride and unity in their accomplishments. A: An advocacy group citing its own report is hardly objective evidence, especially when they are so invested in working to change the public perception of a single word. I wonder if the editors of The Washington Post would react so passively if the natives of Brazil were to attack the word “Amazon” as being See “Pride
caucusˮ on pg. 3
a $100,000 grant to upgrade equipment in the college’s automotive program. He also secured funding of $150,000 to start a digital computer forensics program, which provided training for law enforcement officers. He also served as associate dean of business and career technologies at Elgin, ensuring sound academic management of the 22 programs within the division and collaborating with college constituencies in purchasing and upgrading a new public safety communication program. Boyd, who got his start at San Joaquin Delta College, a two-year institution in California, holds a doctor of education degree in community college leadership, a master’s in education and a bachelor’s in human services. Known to some as “Dr. J,” Boyd, 53, and his wife, Carolyn, have five grown sons: Jeffery, Justen, Joshua, Jonathan and Jordan. He is a lighthouse enthusiast and enjoys outdoor and water activities. The couple plans to reside in Norfolk.
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Pride caucus from page 2 racially offensive (and anti-woman) and demand that the brand name be changed. I hardly think so. The remainder of your “question” seems to reflect your own opinions. Of course, you’re free to call the team whatever you want, including “the Generics.” As for me, I prefer “the Redskins.” Q: Yes, that is my opinion: That Joe Gibbs and Darrell Green would have performed the same regardless of the team’s name. Do you disagree with that? A: I do. You minimize the entire issue to “the team name.” But it’s much more than that. Coach Gibbs always talked about “the Redskins Way” and what it meant “to be a Redskin.” If you look back at the ’80s and early ’90s championships (when the Post used to mail out free Redskins bumper stickers with their football issue), the Redskins symbol was endemic to the team’s identity: a group of over-achieving veterans who sacrificed personal goals to play as a team. Yes, that unique identity and brand was critical to the TEAM’s success. Incidentally, the Redskins Marching Band and “Hail to the Redskins” fight song also made the RFK stadium experience one of the most unique in the NFL. Again, those traditions would all be jettisoned in the Brave New World of Political Correctness. (Am I still allowed to say “brave” anymore or is that also banned?) Q: Your point seems to mirror Daniel Snyder’s, that the tradition of “Redskins” is simply too powerful to discard. There
have been other traditions in this country – slavery, killing of Native Americans, institutional racism – that we later decided were bad traditions. Many feel this name invokes a tradition of demeaning Native Americans, and that should trump the tradition of a pro football team. Why can’t the tradition of the team continue under a different name? They would still have the same colors, play in the same stadium and play for the same fans. A: So your point is that cheering for the Washington Redskins is the equivalent of “killing native Americans or slavery”? That is a truly amazing stretch and yet, unfortunately, predictable. The fight over the Redskins identity is frankly small potatoes, but what is over-arching is the default position of political correctness when confronted with opposition – “if you don’t agree with me, then you are a racist!” If you can’t do better than that logic, then don’t be surprised that the majority of Americans (and 67 percent of Northern Virginians according to WTOP) still support keeping the team name. Q: I was trying to say some traditions are bad, not that cheering for the Redskins is equal to slavery. I would be guilty too. But since you mentioned “small potatoes,” let’s finish with this: Why are Virginia politicians spending time on this at all, when some would say that they have weightier matters to worry about? Thanks Tom for the questions. Glad this is the final one! I never intended my love of the Redskins to be a political statement. It’s not. However, I did feel called to respond once the U.S. Senate got involved
State Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax), center, flanked by Del. David Ramadan (R-Loudoun), left, and Del. Michael Webert (R-Fauquier) at the Richmond press conference last month announcing the formation of the “Redskins Pride Caucus” in the Virginia General Assembly.
and made “team names” a political issue. Trust me, I’d like to go back to the old days. Anyway, this is just one of many, many state issues I’ve spoken on this year but it may be the most popular (judging
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4 • July 16 - 22, 2014
Program seeks integration of Suffolk County schools By Jordan Crawford It seems some of Hampton Roads may still be waiting to overcome. Because Suffolk is the last system in the state to ensure its schools are integrated, black students who live in the Booker T. Washington Elementary zone will be able to attend a new, mostly white school in the fall. The U.S. Department of Justice mandate stems from a time when schools across the country were segregated, even after the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. Booker T. Washington’s enrollment was about 88 percent black in the most recent school year. Pioneer Elementary, which will open in the fall, is expected to be roughly 72 percent white and 22 percent black, according to division estimates. So the federal agency told Suffolk to adopt a program, Majority to Minority, in which students who are a majority race in their school can attend another school where they will be the minority. Black students zoned to attend Booker T. could apply to go to Pioneer and white students in that school boundary could swap to Booker T. Suffolk must have enough space at each of the schools and be able to bus students in a “reasonable” amount of time. Some said the federal government is intruding into what should be a local issue. “How can they tell me what to do in Suffolk?” asked School Board Vice Chairman Enoch Copeland, who represents the Holy Neck Borough, where Pioneer is located. “They don’t have the slightest idea what we are doing here.”
But some parents are happy for the opportunity to choose where their children should be educated. As of late June, 35 students were signed up, with 33 of those going from Booker T. near downtown Suffolk to Pioneer, which is in the western part of the city off U.S. 58. Two signed up to switch from Pioneer to Booker T. Solomon Foster, who is black, wants his two daughters that are in the Booker T. zone to go to the new school. Both Foster’s daughters spent kindergarten and first grade at Booker T. “They both enjoyed it,” he said. “They made friends there and I was happy with their education. But, I am excited for the transition.” Deidra Johnson wants her son and daughter to interact with cultures different from their own and thus is in favor of her children attending the new school. “Diversity is important to me,” said Johnson. “I want my kids to work with different people.” In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled that segregated schools were unconstitutional, angering many, particularly in the South. In some places, the verdict was essentially disregarded. Ten years later, Congress enacted the Civil Rights Act to confront resistance. CivilRights.org says the law allowed the Department of Justice to initiate or intervene in lawsuits to desegregate schools. A 1968 Supreme Court ruling said federal courts should monitor school divisions until they eliminate segregation. Nationally, there are more than 180
divisions on the department’s “Open Desegregation Case List.” Most are in the South, but there are also some in Arizona, Connecticut, Indiana and Utah. There are two in North Carolina— in Franklin and Halifax counties. Nansemond County, now part of Suffolk, stopped running an all-Black high school in 1970. But Suffolk is on the list because of a case that started that year in which a court later found that Nansemond County’s School Board had discriminated against certain Black teachers. Today, according to census reports, Suffolk has no school with one race making up more than 90 percent of the population. By contrast, Norfolk’s division,
which was about 61 percent Black in 2013-14, according to state figures, has several elementary schools— including Campostella, Chesterfield Academy and James Monroe — that are at least 92 percent Black. A judge decided that Norfolk was sufficiently desegregated in 1975, meaning it no longer had to be under Justice Department supervision. As of last September, Suffolk Public Schools were roughly 56 percent black and 37 percent white. In 2015-16, the Majority to Minority program would expand to either Mack Benn Jr. Elementary or Elephant’s Fork Elementary, both mostly black. All four schools, including Pioneer and Booker T., would be in the program by 2016-17.
NN Sheriff Morgan speaks at D.C. launch of bipartisan Congressional Crime Prevention and Youth Development Caucus Newport News Sheriff Gabe Morgan spoke in Washington, D.C. last week, at the launch of the bipartisan Congressional Crime Prevention and Youth Development Caucus. He was invited by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, a bipartisan, anti-crime organization of 5,000 police chiefs, sheriffs, prosecutors, and violence survivors. “We cannot arrest our way out of crime,” said Morgan. “If we want to protect our citizens from the trauma and cost of crime, we have to do much more to prevent crime in the first place.” At the event, Morgan highlighted research on evidence-based programs for children and youth that have been proven to reduce later crime and violence, including voluntary home visiting, highquality early education, and interventions to get troubled youth back on track. The Congressional Crime Prevention and Youth Development Caucus was founded by U.S. Reps. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) and David Reichert (R-WA), who were joined by charter members Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Rep.Ted Poe (R-TX), to
Newport News Sheriff Gabe Morgan
create bipartisan support to prevent youth crime and violence by investing in the future of America, our children. Caucus members hope to raise the profile of youth crime prevention and intervention efforts, specifically those targeted at children and young people who are most at rick. The opportunity to address national legislative leaders goes hand-in-hand with Morgan’s longtime support of evidencebased programs that help young people. Most recently, Morgan was joined in Newport News by Petersburg Police Chief John Dixon at a press conference in which they urged state legislators to welcome federal funding to extend health insurance to low income and uninsured parents. They released a report showing a link between crime reduction and access to health care and treatment.
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July 16 - 22, 2014 • 5
6 • July 16 - 22, 2014
Let the immigrants stay By Sheldon Richman Virtually all commentary about the influx of unaccompanied Central American children into the United States, which some say could rise to 90,000 this year, misses the point: no government has the moral authority to capture these kids and send them back to the miserable situations they have escaped. This claim will strike many people as outrageous. So I ask, Where does government get the moral authority — I’m not talking about legal power — to apprehend and detain human beings of any age who have committed aggression against no one? There is no such authority. These children are human beings. Whether they are coming here to be with family or to escape danger, they have the same natural rights as Americans have. Our rights can be expressed in many ways, but they boil down to just one: the right to be free of aggression. We have this right not by virtue of being American, but by virtue of being human. It is a natural, not national, right, so these young Hondurans, Salvadorans, and Guatemalans have it too. Locking them up and deporting them should offend Americans, who claim to believe in the natural right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Did the Fourth of July have any meaning, or was it just a day off from work? For some strange reason, immigration makes people forget about freedom — their sense of freedom gets overwhelmed by their deference to the state and national sovereignty. That’s why most people think “securing the borders,” as President Barack Obama is doing, is more important than the welfare of poor people born on the other side of those borders (especially the southern border). I say “strange” because volumes of evidence show that the influx of people from other lands and cultures is also good for the people already here. We
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need not fear newcomers. It takes initiative and courage to pick yourself up, leave the only home and culture you’ve known, and journey to a new land. Those qualities also lead people to become entrepreneurs and engage in innovation. But even immigrants who don’t start successful businesses still render valuable services as they strive to make better lives. If this is not obvious to most Americans, it may be because the illegal status forces people without government papers to work in the shadows. That status also leaves them vulnerable to horrible exploitation by people who can threaten to call the immigration authorities if their commands are not obeyed. That appalling condition is reason enough to legalize the so-called illegals. Speaking of exploitation, the perilous conditions that unaccompanied children face at home and on their northward journeys are direct results of evil government policies. If the borders were open — that is, if the natural right to be free of aggression were respected — children would not need to be entrusted to shady men who can extort large sums of money on the promise to transport the children to the United States. Without government agents hunting them, children and parents could move north together in freedom and safety. They would be welcomed by generous humanitarian organizations, as immigrants were in the past. Also, if the U.S. government did not prosecute a violent war on drug makers and users, and did not push the war on Latin American governments, those children would be safer to start with. Many children leave today because of drug-related violence, or for fear of being impressed into drug gangs.But, many people ask, how can we handle all these See “Immigrantsˮ on pg. 7 Marlene Jones Executive Manager AJ Simon Editor aj.simon@voicenewspaper.com Constance Ramirez-Gonzalez General Sales Manager constanceramirezgonzalez @voicenwspaper.com
Featured correspondent: Julianne Malveaux It’s mid-July. Do you know if your children are learning? Just a month ago they were eager to leave the regimentation of the daily classroom to “enjoy the summer”. A month from now, many will prepare to return to school. Will they return ready to hit the ground running in the fall? Or will they struggle to catch up because their summer activities were not stimulating enough to prevent learning losses. Student’s score lower on standardized tests at the end of the summer than at the beginning of the summer, according to the National Summer Learning Association. That organization makes a strong case that young people must be engaged in summer learning and enrichment opportunities, because they lose as much as two months of math learning, and more than two months of reading proficiency without summer engagement. Of course, lower income students experience more losses, while middle-class students may gain proficiency during the summer. The National Summer Learning Association says that at least half of the achievement gap between lower and higher income young people is a function of unequal access to summer learning opportunities. Some youngsters don’t have summer opportunities because they don’t know about them, others because they can’t afford them, and still others because they are needed at home. Some teens are tasked with taking care of younger siblings, though they might be better served in enrichment programs that would prepare them for the next school year. Others must choose between work and summer enrichment programs, and when money matters, work wins over enrichment. And while subsidized summer enrichment programs are available, some students are unable to participate when even modest fees are required.I’ve not spoken of race, only income, in examining the importance of summer enrichment programs. But because African American students are more likely to be low-income than others, we know that race matters here. We also know that space makes a difference as well. There will be a greater variety of summer enrichment programs in affluent neighborhoods, as opposed to other neighborhoods. And while programs See “Summer reflectionsˮ on pg. 7
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P.T. Hoffsteader, Esq.
July 16 - 22, 2014 • 7
Staff tribute
I met Mr. Jack Green during the summer of 1986 in a chance encounter. And what a wonderful chance encounter it became. I was running an errand for the store I was employed with. It was raining, and as some customers and I were standing under the store awning waiting for the storm to clear, I mentioned to a lady that I was a cartoonist and that I had been trying to sell my artwork. Standing two steps away was Mr. Green, who overheard, and stated that he had recently started a newspaper called The Voice, and they were looking for an (editorial) cartoonist. I went home, gathered a collection of my old comics, and went for an interview at the Voice office. Having never drawn political cartoons before, only comic strips, Mr. Green was an extremely patient political (art) teacher as I learned how to create a small editorial page drawing that was timely, newsworthy, humorous, and spoke specifically to our readers. The bond that Mr. Green and I shared as publisher/cartoonist also extended further when our fathers met. Mr. Green, Sr. and my father were both very outgoing, gregarious gentlemen, and when they met, they became fast friends. When they would get together, they would laugh and joke as if they had known each other all their lives. Mr. Green was very proud of this friendship, as was I, and we were pleased to see our respective parents hitting it off so well. Mr. Green and I also bonded as “sons” of Southside Virginia, Mr. Green being from Nottoway County, and myself coming from Mecklenburg County. After drawing comics for a local Mecklenburg paper for about five years, I was not certain if any opportunity would be present when I came to Richmond. On that chance encounter on that rainy day 28 years ago under that awning,
Mr. Jack Green offered an incredible opportunity which I shall always remember, and which I intend to make sure I do not take for granted. Thank you, Mr. Green, for allowing me to continue to express myself politically, creatively, and artistically for 28 momentous and enjoyable years. Thank you, Mr. Green, for that opportunity. Arthur Neblett
Summer reflections from page 6 in affluent neighborhoods may offer scholarships for those who need assistance, transportation may become a barrier. Whether excuses or explanations, the achievement gap speaks to differential outcomes.While summer enrichment opportunities are differentially available, with black and brown young people less likely to have access to opportunities than others, some organizations are doing the work to ensure that young people are intellectually engaged during the summer, enabling them to return to school ready to do their best work. Dr. Marian Wright Edelman, founder and leading light of the Children’s Defense Fund has developed a Freedom School program that teaches young people civil rights history along with basic skills. Organizations can purchase the curriculum
and send staff for training in teaching it. Thousands of young people are being positively impacted by Freedom Schools. Lots of local programs have developed programs that have elements similar to those at the CDF Freedom Schools. A week or so ago, I began my morning with the young people at Washington D.C.’s Southeast Tennis and Learning Center for their “Read Aloud” program. At about 8:30 in the morning, the youngsters, whose ages range from 6 to 15, gather in a circle to hear a book read to them, and to engage in an energetic and affirming ritual. I love the read aloud program because I love looking into the eyes of these young people, to imagine the leaders they will become. I read Faith Ringgold’s Aunt Harriett’s Underground Railroad in the Sky as selected students acted out the words, joined me in song, and applauded each other as the story came to an end. Flashback to preadolescence – the students who played the parts of Cassie and Bebe, a sister and brother separated moving along the railroad were supposed to hug when reunited. While the young man was “up” for the hug, the young woman looked like she wanted to run in another direction. The Read Aloud program ends with a rousing group rendition of Labi Siffre’s Something Inside, complete with choreographed hand gestures and motions.
The VOICE welcomes opinions from our readers. Letters should be typewritten and include your full name, address and telephone number where you can be reached during business hours. Send your letters to: 205 E. Clay St., Richmond, Va. 23219 or Email: letters@voicenewspaper.com
Every morning, these 50 or so young ’uns are affirming themselves through song. The adults that participate in the Read Aloud program are politicians and business leaders, artists and educators. If they are anything like me, they leave uplifted by the children and their promise of resilience. I’m encouraging those who can to help with a summer enrichment program. Spend a day, a few afternoons, and maybe more time to help provide a summer experience. Funding helps provide great summer opportunities for our youth, and informal programs with a couple of retired teachers and a church basement can go a long way, as well. We cannot afford is to widen the achievement gap by leaving too many of our young people unengaged this summer. Malveaux is a D.C. based economist.
Immigrants? from page 6 kids? Who will pay? Under the welfare state, unfortunately the taxpayers will pay. This is what leads many people to oppose open borders. No freedom of movement, they say, until the welfare state goes. The problem is that the welfare state will never go if it is saved from all stresses and strains. While immigrants don't use the welfare system as much as people think, free immigration might help bring the end of government transfers. Private aid would take their place. Even today, Americans are humanitarian enough to finance care for these children if people did not assume the government would do it. In other words, the welfare state is morally corrupting. Sheldon Richman is vice president and editor at The Future of Freedom Foundation in Fairfax (www.fff.org).
FAITH & RELIGION
8 • July 16 - 22, 2014
The VOICE
Inside a non-judgemental Virginia ministry to prostitutes By Jeff Brumley ABA - Women who accept money for sex, it turns out, rarely refuse invitations to pray. “Prostitutes always say ‘OK’” when asked to be prayed over, said Travis Collins, the former pastor of Bon Air Baptist Church in Richmond. “But they would pray with one eye open to see if anyone was going to drive up” to proposition them. Collins learned that and much more about prostitution through a street-walking ministry created four years ago to reach out to prostitutes and others living and working the streets of Richmond. Prostitutes StreetVolunteers minister to prostitute between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. along a stretch of troubled Jefferson Davis Highway in Richmond. The ministry, which has volunteers initiating conversations with prostitutes the third Friday night of every month, has
grown to include a daytime component called Wendy’s on Wednesdays. Prostitutes and others can meet with ministry members in the fast food restaurant for prayer, companionship and referrals to social services available to them. “The ultimate goal would be that we find someone who has been trafficked,” Collins says, adding that probably any woman involved in the sex trade falls into that category. “I’m not sure we ever met anyone who was there because it was their goal in life to be there. But we were always after those who had been trafficked — those who were there against their will.” The outreach began in 2010 as the brainchild of Valerie Carter, then a minister at Bon Air and currently executive director of Woman’s Missionary Union of Virginia. In the beginning, volunteers were drawn just from Bon Air, but members of other local churches came forward as word of the
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Volunteers minister to prostitutes between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. along Jefferson Davis Highway.
project spread throughout the city. Even then, the teams have remained small, rarely exceeding a half dozen each of the Friday nights. It certainly isn’t an outreach for everyone. “This isn’t a ministry in which we recruit volunteers,” Carter said. Those attracted to the effort feel drawn to it. “One woman from a Baptist church came one night to try it out. Afterwards, she said, ‘God is calling me to do this — God is calling me to be the grandmother and do the hugging.’” The hours and location have sent some volunteers away after an initial stab at it, while others take issue with organizers’ aversion to measuring or reporting ministry outcomes or employing strategies. “It’s not that kind of ministry. It’s designed to be fluid so people can come in and out — it can be disconcerting for people who are used to stable paradigms.” What it also isn’t, she adds, is a ministry to deliver sermons to prostitutes and others walking the streets at night. “We don’t preach and we don’t condemn,” she says. “Our goal is to just show them that God’s love is unconditional and remind them that God loves them, pray for them, hear their stories.” The women also are given Christian resources for how to get out of their situations if they want that, Carter said. Those resources include hygiene kits — which do not include condoms — and information on how to contact Gray
Haven, a ministry founded to help rescue people from the world of prostitution. To distribute those materials and initiate encounters, volunteers break into twoperson teams of either two women each or one man and one woman. The pairs speak to and pray with anyone open to it. They also regularly check in with police. Collins has witnessed several victories. One was meeting a woman in her 20s who said she was the daughter of a pastor. Another turned out to be the daughter of one of the volunteer’s friends. “She got into the car with them and they drove her home.” At no time did the group feel it was too dangerous to be out there, he added. “There were never any incidents, never a time when any of us felt that we shouldn’t have come that night.” But helping some of the women feel safer was part of the inspiration behind Wendy’s on Wednesdays. It also was inspired by discussions with Fresh Expressions, a ministry that helps develop new ways of Christian community. Collins is now Fresh Expressions’ Virginia regional coordinator and director of mission advancement for the Virginia Baptist Mission Board. Carter secured permission from a Wendy’s on Jefferson Davis Highway to hold afternoon meetings with prostitutes there. With management’s approval, Carter See “Va.
ministryˮ on pg. 9
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Faith leader: All who love justice, fairness and redemption should seek criminal justice reforms WASHINGTON – Pastor Michael McBride, director of the PICO National Network’s Lifelines to Healing Campaign – a nationwide, faith-based effort to reduce gun violence and end mass incarceration – praised the REDEEM Act introduced this week by Sen. Rand Paul and Sen. Cory Booker, noting the growing bipartisan support for reforming the U.S. criminal justice system: With the introduction of the REDEEM Act, it is clear that the momentum to unstick the criminal justice system from its ineffective and inefficient single gear of incarceration is increasing faster than ever before. The bipartisan legislation proposed bythe senators is an opportunity that we cannot allow to pass us by, especially given the intractability in Congress and our elected officials inability to reach
consensus on the most pressing challenges facing our country today. All of us who love justice, fairness and redemption Pastor Michael McBride should spring into action to ensure our brothers and sisters do not get lost in the maze of the broken criminal justice system by supporting the REDEEM Act. PICO bills itself as the largest grassroots, faith-based organizing network in the United States. It works with 1,000 religious congregations in more than 200 cities and towns through its 60 local and state federations.
Va. ministry from page 8
money they earn as prostitutes. “They are victims of a dominant male in their lives” and “most are abused physically, sexually and mentally.” In that sense, the Richmond ministry is one of a growing number on the state, national and global levels dedicated to combating human trafficking and sexual exploitation. Major pushes exist outside the faithbased realm, as well. Recent Super Bowls have included anti-sex trafficking campaigns. Denominations also are becoming more involved. A variety of Baptist organizations offer materials to help churches and ministries address human trafficking, and a number of mission personnel are dedicated to the cause nationally and globally. One challenge facing the Richmond ministry now is that there are a declining number of prostitutes walking the streets — and not because they’ve gotten out of that life. “I recently told a detective that sometimes we never see a woman on the street,” Carter recalls. “And he said it’s all online now and doesn’t even focus on the street.” That may force the street-walking ministry to become something else altogether. And that’s OK, Carter said. “The cool thing about this ministry is that we can’t control it.”
and other volunteers rearrange tables and put up signs. “At first there were only two folks who met us,” Carter said. “One was a guy in drag and the other a woman who had been a prostitute for 20 years.” Relationships have also been established with other nearby businesses, including a laundromat where prostitutes wash their clothes. The idea is to eventually build up a community to which prostitutes can feel a sense of belonging. “One of the Fresh Expressions components is to listen to the people in the community to determine how to be church among them,” Carter says. “The approach is to hear the hearts of those in the community and to let something natural develop.” The context for both the street-walking ministry and Wendy’s on Wednesdays is human trafficking, Carter says. The term is generally defined as the forced movement of people for the purpose of forced labor or sexual exploitation. Carter believes most of the women working Richmond’s streets fit into that category in some way. “Most prostitutes are addicted to drugs, so they do this for money,” she says, adding that few actually get to keep the
July 16 - 22, 2014 • 9
Keeping the Faith
Let go… or be dragged A friend who has some experience with rodeo horses sent me a most picturesque proverb: “Let go or be dragged.” Whether this phrase was first spoken by a Zen master who Ronnie McBrayer had achieved enlightenment on the mountainside, or by a battered cowboy nursing his shattered bones and pulling cacti from his backside makes no difference. It is the unmistakable truth. Take my friend’s horses as an example. Training such animals requires a great deal of lassoing, roping, and haltering. Incredible strength, patience, and stamina are needed to match a horse. But sometimes, as the proverb goes, the breaker can become the broken. A tipping point is reached where the trainer must regroup, or risk being ground into the corral’s dust. Let go or be dragged. Think of the little one who refuses to leave the playground. Haven’t you seen mothers and fathers, quite literally, hauling the kicking and screaming child to the car? Let go or be dragged. What about the dog that finally catches the school bus he has been chasing for years? Now what does he do; sink his teeth into the bumper? No, let go or be dragged. It’s the single handler left holding a giant Macy’s Day Parade balloon. He’s no match for 10,000 cubic feet of helium! If he hangs on, he will be pummeled against lamp posts, battered along 42nd Street, and become a spectacle in front of 40 million children watching on Thanksgiving morning. Let go or be dragged. This much is certain: We all will face situations, diseases, circumstances, relationships, people, challenges and conditions that are larger, stronger, and longer-lasting than we are. We have two options and only two options in such encounters. We can keep fighting an unwinnable war, and whatever we have dug our claws into will drag us into a bloody pulp (and the longer we remain
dug in, the longer it will hurt). Or, we can accept our limitations and admit that we are not omnipotent. We can accept life for how it is, even when life isn’t fair (when is it really fair, anyway?). We can let go. And in this surrender – this little act of dying – we stop our suffering. We get to live again. For this is the counterintuitive way of the cross; the paradoxical power of Christ: We only live once we have died. We only gain by giving up. We only win if we surrender – let go or be dragged. I wish there was a different way. I wish that by brute strength we could overcome everything, but it doesn’t work like that. Oh, it will for a while, but everyone loses his or her grip eventually. The quicker we get to that point, the quicker we can get to the joy of actually living. William Law, an Anglican priest and something of a mystic from three centuries ago, discerned this power of surrender better than most. His writings, as pertinent as they were in the 1700s, are filled with phrases like, “the sweet resignation of the self,” and “the sinking down into powerlessness.” We have to give up our lives, Law inferred, to get in on the life God has for us. He wrote, “God must do all, or all is nothing. But God cannot do all until all is expected from Him. And all is not expected from Him until by true and good despair we have humbly resigned everything to God.” At first blush this sounds so defeatist, something like “Christianity for Weaklings.” Some will find it intolerable and object: “Give up? How can this be? Surrender is for cowardly milksops and quitters!” Such objections ignore the fact that there are some things that we cannot change, and what cannot be changed must be handed over. Going further, such objections belittle the way of the cross. Read once again those familiar crucifixion accounts of Jesus, and there you will see that letting go requires more than a noble struggle, more than hanging on – infinitely more. It requires everything. So let go, or be dragged. Ronnie McBrayer is a syndicated columnist, pastor, and author. His newest book is “The Gospel According to Waffle House.” You can read more at www. ronniemcbrayer.me.
10 • July 16 - 22, 2014
EDUCATION & OUTREACH
The VOICE
CAP study: All students benefit from minority teachers By Freddie Allen WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Despite the cry from people of color for more teachers who look like them, both whites and blacks benefit from a more diverse teaching force, according to a study by Center of American Progress (CAP). “... A study of the relationship between the presence of African American teachers in schools and African American students’ access to equal education in schools found that fewer African Americans were placed in special-education classes, suspended, or expelled when they had more teachers of color, and that more African American students were placed in gifted and talented programs and graduated from high school,” stated the report. Teachers of color also have, “an affinity for infusing their classrooms with culturally relevant experiences and examples, setting high academic expectations, developing trusting student-teacher relationships, and serving as cultural and linguistic resources—as well as advocates, mentors, and liaisons—for students’ families and communities.” A study titled, “Teacher Diversity Revisited” reported in May 2014 that learning from and networking with a multicultural teaching staff is also important for preparing white students for a workforce and society where they will no longer make up the majority. Students do interact with people who look and act differently than they do in order to build social trust and create a wider sense of community, according to the report. “In other words, the benefits of diversity are not just for students of color.” CAP researchers said that male teachers of color are more than twice as likely to ditch the classroom for another career than female teachers of color. Black male teachers also told researchers that feelings of isolation or being the only black male on the faculty increased their, “desire to leave their current schools.” When male minority teachers get certified in their main subject, they “are only half as likely to leave the field as are other teachers.”
Teachers of color have an affinity for infusing their classrooms with culturally relevant experiences and examples, said CAP.
In an effort to address the lack of minority teachers and to retain the ones currently in the nation’s classrooms, CAP report suggested states should “develop innovative approaches to teacher preparation in both university-based and alternative-certification programs.” Researchers also proposed higher benchmarks for teacher-training programs. The CAP report also cited the Education Department’s recruitment campaign aimed at preparing 80,000 black teachers for classrooms across the country by 2015 to provide students not only with high-quality educational experiences, but also to present them with role models with a variety of cultural experiences, as well. “There is a need for more teacher-preparation programs to embrace calls for higher quality and candidate expectations—indeed, to marry the call for quality and diversity,” according to the report. “Improved preparation
Petersburg graduate is “inspired” by internship 2014 Petersburg High School (PHS) graduate, Isaac Presley, recently completed an internship with Rolls Royce. “The hands-on experience I received was extraordinary,” said Presley. “What I learned during my internship will assist me in my pursuit of becoming an engineer. I’m inspired,” he added. During his senior year, a PHS teacher encouraged Presley to apply for the internship. “Without the help and support of my teachers I probably would not have pursued the internship. I’m glad I was guided to do so,” said Presley – who is the first Petersburg City Public Schools student to participate in the Rolls Royce internship program. Presley plans on attending VCU in the fall where he’ll major in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering. The Rolls Royce internship provides students with practical experience. Interns work with professionals who helpe them learn the skills needed to prepare for successful careers in the aerospace, marine and energy industries.
will go a long way toward minimizing the number of new teachers that enter our schools ill-equipped and quickly exit through the revolving door.” The report concluded that policymakers needed to shift their focus to retaining effective minority teachers, while supporting the efforts of minority professionals seeking to enter the field. “States and school districts have the power to remove barriers to the retention and success of teachers of color. Those that do not address these barriers—by, for example, supporting high-quality teaching and reforming school conditions—will continue to face high turnover, destabilized faculties, and unsatisfactory student achievement levels,” the report stated. “Communities of color must advocate for effective teaching and encourage their children to prepare to enter a rigorous and demanding profession.” The report calls for “access to not only high-quality education opportunities, but also a high-quality and an equally diverse teaching force.” The CAP report said that effective teachers play a pivotal role in producing high performance students, and conversely that less experienced teachers often contribute to achievement gaps between whites and non-whites. Minorities account for nearly half of the students in public schools in the United States, but less than 20 percent of teachers are non-white. According to a 2011 study by The National Center for Education Information (NCEI), more than 80 percent of teachers are white and less than 10 percent are black. At 70 percent, white females account for the majority of all teachers. Only 2 percent of all teachers are black men, underscoring the paucity of black male role models in U.S. public schools. A 2014 report by the Children’s Defense Fund said that more than 80 percent of black students can’t read at grade level and in 2010 less than 70 percent were graduating from high school in four years. Black students also received one in six out-of-school suspensions, compared to their white peers who received 1 in 20 out-of-school suspensions.
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Many families dealing with dyslexia lack resources for help
JeRay Owens (left) suffers from dyslexia, a neurological disorder.
NNPA - Having dyslexia is tough. Just ask nine-year-old JeRay Owens. “My brain scribble scrabbles,” said the young boy who is headed to the fourth grade in the fall. When reading, Owens skips over words and letters, and sometimes guesses at words he is unsure of. He also relies heavily on his memory. These factors have resulted in poor reading comprehension. Though his reading suffers, he does well in math. Not only does Owens have dyslexia, he also has dysgraphia meaning he’s unable to write well. Oftentimes the young student has a hard time dealing with his disorder, but his mother Janet Lewis is right there with him in the fight. She noticed something wasn’t right with her son when he was in Kindergarten. “I remember one day he brought home a paper and some of his letters were backwards. I jokingly told my sister ‘maybe he’s dyslexic.’ I really didn’t know at the time that he was,” said Lewis. Teachers also noticed a change and suggested Owens get tested. He was diagnosed with dyslexia. Upon confirmation, Lewis was relieved to know her son’s issue, but was simultaneously unaware of what dyslexia was. Owens is one of thousands who suffers from dyslexia, a neurological issue that causes reading and writing difficulties. Experts say kids with dyslexia also have trouble learning how to speak, are phonemically unaware and have issues with organization. Dyslexia is primarily characterized by a person transposing how text is seen and read, however, Dr. Keith Magee, director of the multicultural initiative at the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity said dyslexia is more complex. Dyslexia is a developmental disorder that occurs when the brain does not properly recognize and process letters, numbers or symbols. “(Dyslexia affects) short term memory processing. For example, you see the word ‘cat.’ A ‘normal’ brain sees c-a-t and quickly puts that together,” said Magee. “A dyslexic brain says ‘three letters, meow, c, three letter thing that has four legs, t, that is furry, a…oh, cat.’” There is no cure for dyslexia. Surprisingly, experts don’t believe that African-American kids are more marginalized than their white counterparts - all kids with dyslexia have See “Dyslexiaˮ on pg. 14
July 16 - 22, 2014 • 11 NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF AN APPLICATION BY VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY, FOR REVISION OF RATE ADJUSTMENT CLAUSE: RIDER S, VIRGINIA CITY HYBRID ENERGY CENTER CASE NO. PUE-2014-00051 On June 16, 2014, Virginia Electric and Power Company d/b/a Dominion Virginia Power (“Dominion Virginia Power” or “Company”), pursuant to § 56-585.1 A 6 of the Code of Virginia (“Code”), filed with the State Corporation Commission (“Commission”) an annual update with respect to the Company’s rate adjustment clause, Rider S (“Application”). Through its Application, the Company seeks to recover costs associated with the Virginia City Hybrid Energy Center (“VCHEC” or “Project”), a 600 MW nominal coal-fueled generating plant and associated interconnection facilities located in Wise County, Virginia. In Case No. PUE-2007-00066, the Commission approved the development of VCHEC. In conjunction with its approval of VCHEC, the Commission also approved a rate adjustment clause, designated Rider S, which allowed Dominion Virginia Power to recover its costs associated with the development of the Project, including projected construction work in progress and any associated allowance for funds used during construction. According to Dominion Virginia Power, VCHEC became fully operational on July 10, 2012. In this proceeding, Dominion Virginia Power has asked the Commission to approve a Rider S for the rate year beginning April 1, 2015, and ending March 31, 2016 (“2015 Rate Year”). The Company is requesting a total revenue requirement of approximately $244,501,000 for service rendered during the 2015 Rate Year. The two key components of the proposed total revenue requirement are the Projected Cost Recovery Factor and the Actual Cost True-Up Factor. The Company is requesting a Projected Cost Recovery Factor revenue requirement of $228,066,000 and an Actual Cost True-Up Factor revenue requirement of $16,435,000. Dominion Virginia Power utilized a rate of return on common equity (“ROE”) of 11.00% for purposes of calculating the revenue requirement in this case. This ROE is comprised of a general ROE of 10.00% approved by the Commission in its Final Order in Case No. PUE-2013-00020, plus a 100 basis point enhanced return applicable to a conventional coal generating station as described in § 56-585.1 A 6 of the Code. If the proposed Rider S for the 2015 Rate Year is approved, the impact on customer bills would depend on the customer’s rate schedule and usage. According to Dominion Virginia Power, implementation of its proposed Rider S on April 1, 2015, would decrease the monthly bill of a residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month by approximately $0.24. With one exception, the Company has calculated the proposed Rider S rates in accordance with the same methodology as used for rates approved by the Commission in the most recent Rider S proceeding, Case No. PUE-2013-00061. The Company proposes that the Rider S rate for Rate Schedules 5, 6, 6TS, and 7 be equal to the rate of the customer class that contributes the most kilowatt hours to that rate schedule. According to the Company, making this change in methodology would simplify and clarify the overall rate calculation without making a material change to the resulting Rider S rates by rate schedule. Interested persons are encouraged to review the Application and supporting documents for the details of these and other proposals. The Commission entered an Order for Notice and Hearing that, among other things, scheduled a public hearing on January 7, 2015, at 10 a.m., in the Commission’s second floor courtroom located in the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, to receive testimony from members of the public and evidence related to the Application from the Company, any respondents, and the Commission’s Staff. Any person desiring to testify as a public witness at this hearing should appear fifteen (15) minutes prior to the starting time of the hearing and contact the Commission’s Bailiff. Individuals with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in the hearing should contact the Commission at least seven (7) days before the scheduled hearing at 1-800-552-7945 (voice) or 1-804-371-9206 (TDD). The public version of the Company’s Application and the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing are available for public inspection during regular business hours at each of the Company’s business offices in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Copies also may be obtained by submitting a written request to counsel for the Company, Lisa S. Booth, Esquire, Dominion Resources Services, Inc., 120 Tredegar Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219. If acceptable to the requesting party, the Company may provide the documents by electronic means. Copies of the public version of the Application and documents filed in this case also are available for interested persons to review in the Commission’s Document Control Center, located on the first floor of the Tyler Building, 1300 East Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219, between the hours of 8:15 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Interested persons also may download unofficial copies from the Commission’s website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. On or before September 12, 2014, any person or entity wishing to participate as a respondent in this proceeding may do so by filing a notice of participation. If not filed electronically, an original and fifteen (15) copies of the notice of participation shall be submitted to Joel H. Peck, Clerk, State Corporation Commission, c/o Document Control Center, P.O. Box 2118, Richmond, Virginia 23218-2118. A copy of the notice of participation as a respondent also must be sent to counsel for the Company at the address set forth above. Pursuant to Rule 5 VAC 5-20-80 B, Participation as a respondent, of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, any notice of participation shall set forth: (i) a precise statement of the interest of the respondent; (ii) a statement of the specific action sought to the extent then known; and (iii) the factual and legal basis for the action. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUE-2014-00051. For additional information about participation as a respondent, any person or entity should obtain a copy of the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing. On or before October 31, 2014, each respondent may file with the Clerk of the Commission, and serve on the Commission’s Staff, the Company, and all other respondents, any testimony and exhibits by which the respondent expects to establish its case. If not filed electronically, an original and fifteen (15) copies of such testimony and exhibits shall be submitted to the Clerk of the Commission at the address above. Respondents also shall comply with the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, including: 5 VAC 5-20-140, Filing and service; 5 VAC 5-20-150, Copies and format; and 5 VAC 5-20-240, Prepared testimony and exhibits. All filings shall refer to Case No. PUE-2014-00051. On or before December 30, 2014, any interested person wishing to comment on the Company’s Application shall file written comments on the Application with the Clerk of the Commission at the address above. Any interested person desiring to file comments electronically may do so on or before December 30, 2014, by following the instructions on the Commission’s website: http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. Compact discs or any other form of electronic storage medium may not be filed with the comments. All such comments shall refer to Case No. PUE-2014-00051. The Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure may be viewed at http://www.scc.virginia.gov/case. A printed copy of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure and an official copy of the Commission’s Order for Notice and Hearing in this proceeding may be obtained from the Clerk of the Commission at the address above. VIRGINIA ELECTRIC AND POWER COMPANY d/b/a DOMINION VIRGINIA POWER
12 • July 16 - 22, 2014
Movie review: “Deliver Us From Evil”
By Dwight Brown What do you get when you mix cop/ thriller elements with a paranormal film? Dread, fear, anguish, action, suspense anxiety, curiosity, disbelief, demons, thrills… At first, you might think that this creepy crime movie is just another excuse for a The Exorcist rip-off—but it’s better than that. Better. Sgt. Ralph Sarchie works in the 46th Precinct in the South Bronx, a rough section of New York City where ordinary crime is overshadowed by inexplicable acts that are just not normal. He works with priests, even aiding them as they perform exorcisms on people who seem possessed by demons. Trying to solve those bizarre incidents wears on his soul. He becomes despondent. Sound like the premise of a generic cop/ thriller/horror movie? Yes it does. And it would be no more than that, except that phenomena is based on the horrifying circumstances that a real Sgt. Sarchie encountered on patrol. He catalogued his experiences with paranormal activities in his book “Beware the Night,” which was co-written with Lisa Collier Cool. Apparently, Sarchie even became an assistant to an exorcist. His story is a tough sell to skeptics. Hard to believe. Very hard to believe. But fascinating. Director/screenwriter Scott Derrickson (“The Exorcism of Emily Rose”) and his writing partner Paul Harris Boardman based their screenplay on Sarchie’s book, whittling down a string of anecdotes into one suspenseful narrative that has cop story, family drama, investigative thriller and evil mysticism components. For the most part their unearthly concoction is compelling, dramatic, scary and violent. Their craftsmanship will likely not win
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Ask Alma
them any awards (even with all the window dressing, the film feels a bit derivative), but what’s on view is not a regulation B-movie either. The direction, writing, production quality and acting make it more than that. Sarchie (Eric Bana of “Hulk” fame) and his patrol partner Butler (Joel McHale, of TV’s “Community” and “The Soup”), a sarcastic ex-Army Ranger, cruise Bronx streets looking for trouble. Sarchie, with his inexplicable, clairvoyant and clairaudio sixth sense, sees and hears things. They investigate a domestic dispute and run across a crazed, tattooed Iraqi vet (Chris Coy) who has been beating his wife. A chase ensues. They’re called to the Bronx Zoo where a woman has thrown her young son into a lion’s habitat. When they arrive, she is psychotic, super strong and prattles on incoherently. A mysterious man (Sean Harris) in a hoody appears in the lion’s den, and then disappears. Sarchie and Butler discover that all the events are linked. Their investigation comes under the watchful eye of a Joe Mendoza (Edgar Ramírez), an atypical priest who has fallen on and off the wagon while wearing the cloth. Scott Derrickson’s pacing as a writer and director is near perfect in a film that takes nearly two hours to tell its tale of unholy possessions. He measures out the violence, gore, drama, chase sequences and devil extractions quite well. Better than a lot of paranormal movies. His efforts are helped by crystal clear cinematography, realistic costume designer, a tension-building score (Christopher Young, Spider-Man 3) and scary noises (the sounds of fingernails clawing rocks will give you the heebiejeebies). You never question the visuals, the clothes or the sounds. You just get
Making a difference between the grandkids
The VOICE
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Dear Alma, My husband and I are educated and very successful in our careers. We have been married for 10 years. I had a daughter when I was young, before I got married. She’s 15 now. My husband and I have two daughters together, ages 9 and 7. My husband loves my first daughter and treats her like his own child. The problem is my in-laws have never accepted my daughter as their grandchild. They are the best grandparents ever to my younger kids. They buy gifts and take them on vacations, but never include my oldest daughter. My husband has talked to them about their rejection of her and how it hurts me. They are defensive about it, but won’t change. I have allowed this to happen for too long, and I’m sick of it. I don’t want them in our lives and a part of our family anymore if they can’t treat all of the children exactly the same. How can I get them to understand that what they are doing is hurting our family? Name Withheld From one mother of a blended family to another, I certainly understand where you’re coming from. But it’s clear, you’ve watched three too many Hallmark movies, and you’re longing to be seen as the perfect family. Come close, so you can clearly hear me and give it a moment to sink in: Your in-laws are not your oldest child’s grandparents. Calm down, and don’t stop reading
because I didn’t say what you want to hear – it’s simply the truth. Lord knows I understand where you’re coming from. God bless Miss Hazel, she’s the blended grandma in our family, and I don’t know what we’d do without her. Heartbreakingly though, your motherin-law isn’t Miss Hazel, so why after all these years have you continued to fuel this fire? Stop, immediately! You can’t change that woman, and you shouldn’t want your daughter involved in any halfbaked, semi-committed, insincere relationship with anyone, including her “don’twannabe” step grandmother. Significant relationships are birthed between wholehearted, fully involved, 100 percent intended participants. If her biological grandparents aren’t interested in building a relationship with her, then so be it. You fill in the blank as best as you can. ***** Want advice? E-mail questions to alwaysaskalma@yahoo.com. Follow her on Facebook at “Ask Alma” and twitter @almaaskalma *****
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July 16 - 22, 2014 • 13
AMC TV series “TURN” will return to Virginia The AMC television series “TURN” will be returning to Virginia to film its second season. Based on Alexander Rose’s book “Washington’s Spies”, “TURN” is a historical thriller set during the Revolutionary War that recounts the story of America’s first spy ring. “TURN” features Abraham Woodhull, a farmer living in Britishoccupied Long Island who, along with his childhood friends, is part of a group of spies called the Culper Ring. This unlikely team of secret agents works with George Washington during the War for Independence, and in the process, creates espionage techniques still in use today. Season 2 picks up the story of Woodhull and his compatriots as they work to balance their ordinary lives and pursuits with the extraordinary circumstances in which they find themselves. “The first season of TURN was exciting, entertaining and educational, and I never missed an episode,”. said Gov. Terry McAuliffe. “We are delighted to welcome AMC back to Virginia for Season 2. “We are proud to be associated with such a high-quality endeavor that also provides jobs and financial benefits for Virginia workers and businesses.” AMC Networks Executive Vice-President of Original Programming, Production, and Digital Content Joel Stillerman said that Virginia has been an “absolutely ideal home” for “TURN”.
“The Virginia Film Office, the Governor’s Office, and the Virginia film community have been incredibly helpful in bringing the vision for this show to life, and the abundance of great locations and support resources have surpassed our expectations,” he said. “It’s just a great place to make high quality television.” “We believe in the value that film and television production brings to the commonwealth,” said Maurice Jones, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “Projects like TURN help to lay the groundwork for a strong and vital industry that will provide significant benefit for Virginia.”
‘Extant’, Berry TV thriller, arrives Halle Berry is now taking herself into space, and television. In the new CBS sci-fi thriller “Extant,” Berry plays an astronaut who returns from a year-long solitary space mission, pregnant. “When I read it, I thought, wow, what an amazing character,” Berry told CBS News. “That’s what I’m looking for... a new challenge. Something I hadn’t done before. This Sci-Fi was so rooted in family and grounded, and the characters were complicated indeed. I thought hmm, this could be really wonderful.” This is Berry’s scripted television premiere, and she is thrilled about the jump to a new medium. “I have never looked at TV as a negative,” Berry said. “As I was doing well in my movie career, I always came back to do television movies. I go where the work is. I go where the characters are. And I’m happy that other people are starting to do the same thing. The lines are blurring.” As far as the main character’s unexplained pregnancy goes, Berry isn’t giving away any secrets. “You find out, but slowly,” Berry said. “It’s very mysterious, it’s very suspenseful,
and there are many twists and turns along the way getting to that resolve.” This is the actress’s first time working closely with Stephen Spielberg, who is executive producing the show, and she is very excited about the experience. “He is wonderful,” Berry said. “And nobody knows the genre better than Stephen Spielberg.” Berry is known in Hollywood not just for her dynamic roles, but also for backing an anti-paparazzi bill which is now a California law. “I did it because I had no choice, and when you have no choice you attack something from a different way,” Berry said. “I couldn’t take no for an answer because living the life we were living, with the crush of paparazzi from my kids, just wasn't gonna work.” And according to Berry, the law is working. “I have had no paparazzi since January first, since that law went into play,” Berry said. “I was in the LA airport the other day, paparazzi ran up, my security guy said ‘she has her baby with her,’ and they walked away.”
Virginia Film Office Director Andy Edmunds said Virginia wins big with the decision to bring “TURN” back. “A television series is a gift that keeps on giving for the production industry in the commonwealth,” said Edmunds. “We are thrilled that the ongoing job and infrastructure expansion that occurred during Season 1 will continue. We also worked with AMC to create a broadcast commercial promoting Virginia that was shown during each episode of TURN, thus shining a spotlight on the state’s exceptional tourism assets.” The Virginia Tourism Corporation has also established a statewide tourism trail that features locations from the filming of TURN, as well as other Colonial-era sites across the state. Locations from the series include several plantations as well as Old Towne Petersburg. Other statewide Revolutionary War-era destinations of interest include Mount Vernon, Yorktown and Colonial Williamsburg. “TURN”, Season 2 will begin filming this fall in the Richmond area, and is eligible to receive a Virginia film tax credit and grant. The exact amount will be based on the number of Virginia workers hired, Virginia goods and services purchased, and deliverables including tourism promotions. In 2012 the economic impact of the film and television industry in Virginia totaled $328.4 million and provided 3,061 jobs with $50.5 million in tax revenue.
Hickman-Darden Barbara and Burnice Butler are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Towanda Hickman, to Solomon Darden, son of Jean and Solomon Darden, Jr. Towanda is a native of the Northern Neck and currently lives in Richmond. She is the owner of Empowering Youth for Positive Change, a Mental Health Agency. Solomon is a native of Suffolk and currently lives in Atlanta GA, where he is a supervisor of a communications center. The two met in November 2009 at a Motorcycle Ball. They share a son, Solomon N. Darden, and a daughter, Elise T. Shelton, from a previous union. On July 19, 2014, the couple will celebrate their engagement with family and friends. A November 2014 wedding is planned.
14 • July 16 - 22, 2014
HEALTTH NOTES
The VOICE
Partnership brings benefits of retirement community into personal residence
NEWPORT NEWS – Riverside Health System became the first provider of Community-Based Continuing Care (CBCC) in Virginia in late 2012 and now, in partnership with Williamsburg Landing, will offer its program – ChooseHome – to residents throughout Williamsburg and Newport News, as well as the Middle Peninsula region. Also known as life care at home, CBCC programs provide services and benefits to independent older adults who wish to remain in their homes but want to have access to a safety net of continuing care services as well as control over the cost of longterm care. “Our vision is to help people age in a place of their choosing,” said Bob Bryant, senior vice president for Lifelong Health and Aging Related Services at Riverside. “With ChooseHome, we’re able to offer residents in our community the ability to stay in their homes and still have access to the high quality services and health care they need, while also protecting their finances. Riverside is proud to be the first in Virginia to offer this program.” Recognizing needs in the community, Virginia leaders adopted legislation in 2012 allowing for the creation of CBCCs in the Commonwealth, adding them to the programs regulated by the state through the Virginia Bureau of Insurance, the same organization that oversees continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). ChooseHome is offered to residents 60 and older, who currently live independently and want to have a plan for what their future long-term care needs may be. The program then partners with clients to offer the individualized support necessary to remain living in one's
own home safely and comfortably for as long as possible, potentially for life. The program is not a house calls program where a physician visits residents in their home, which Riverside does offer in select regions, but is one that helps older adults plan for and coordinate their long-term care through their relationship with a Personal Services Coordinator. The coordinators work with members to identify their goals, develop strategies to achieve them, and then orchestrate all the services that may be needed to support those goals. The partnership between Riverside and Williamsburg Landing allows ChooseHome to draw from the vast array of quality services that both organizations already offer to the community including: home care, in-home technology, and priority access to facility-based care should the participant require a higher level of care in the future, such as assisted living or 24-hour nursing care. “Williamsburg Landing is a well respected community and adheres to the same high standards that we have at Riverside,” said Jennifer Roberts, director for the Riverside ChooseHome program. The partnership, she added, was a natural fit. “Williamsburg has one of the highest concentrations of seniors in Virginia,” said Steve Montgomery, president and CEO of Williamsburg Landing, on the benefits of the partnership with Riverside. Together, Montgomery said, Riverside and Williamsburg Landing can provide “greater access to the program for the residents of Williamsburg. Our board of directors has been assessing the growing numbers of seniors in Williamsburg and realized the need for additional services to help older adults as they age in place. A joint venture with Riverside to sponsor ChooseHome is the best solution to help the seniors in the community." Riverside and Williamsburg Landing have long worked together to help older adults receive the best medical care in Williamsburg. For the past three and a half years, Riverside has provided the physician services for Williamsburg Landing. “It has been a strong relationship that works well for our residents,” Montgomery said, “and has provided a base for partnering for ChooseHome.”
Dyslexia from page 11
Lewis said her son’s tutoring is made possible by financial aid offered by the Indianapolis-based institute. Lewis pays $50 per week. Had she not received the assistance, the single mother of two would’ve had to pay $110 per week. George adds that for kids who don’t have resources - such as parents who recognize dyslexia or who have financial means and who attend traditional schools, those schools are simply not equipped to handle kids with dyslexia. “It has nothing to do with poor teaching, it has to do with knowledge of how these children have to be taught, which is very different from a traditional classroom setting,” said George. Lewis agrees. Owens attends public school and though his teachers first noticed his dyslexia, Lewis believes the school system is not conducive to how her son needs to learn. “The State of Indiana puts dyslexia under an umbrella with other disabilities called Specific Learning Disability and that’s what’s on his Individualized Education Program, not dyslexia,” said Lewis. “He’s not in a special class, he’s lumped into a regular class. He has helpers who come in and help several kids at a time, but the kid next to him might have ADHD and need
Words written by a dyslexic.
their challenges. What does put black dyslexic kids at a disadvantage is that many in their community are unaware of what dyslexia is resulting in a lack of resources available in communities of color. “Junebug and them are labeled as bad kids who aren’t paying attention. They are medicated for attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder because no one has properly diagnosed these children as actually dyslexic. They actually need to be taught as dyslexic children,” said Magee. What also puts blacks at a disadvantage is the high costs involved in proper diagnosis and treatment. “If you are a parent of means who has the tenacity to get their child diagnosed, then go and seek help. But many people don’t have $2,500 for a private assessment fee,” said Janet George, headmaster of the Fortune Academy, a comprehensive private
school located in Indianapolis dedicated to educating students with learning differences. Magee said it costs public school systems $3,000 to $6,000 to diagnose one child. Add standard budget cuts to education and overcrowded classrooms and that leaves many dyslexic children behind academically. George believes these factors greatly contribute to the high school drop out rate. “If they do stay in school, they are just getting by, if they’re getting by at all. They’re taking remedial classes that’s not addressing their needs, it’s just more of the same. You get a student who ends up very frustrated and sometimes takes on things like anxiety disorder, compulsive disorder or depression because they’re not able to understand the material. But they would if they were taught in a way where they can get the information,” said George. To fill in his education gaps, Owens gets tutoring twice a week using the Orton Gillingham method, a multisensory technique that has been proven to work well for people with dyslexia, at the Dyslexia Institute of Indiana. He also takes occupational therapy once a week to aid his other disabilities, such as his inability to brush his teeth or tie his shoes.
different instruction. They should separate kids by their disability.” People should note that though this issue can cause setbacks, those with dyslexia are still more than capable of learning. In fact, Magee and George, who are both dyslexic, say people with dyslexia are some of the most bright and creative people and grow up to be productive citizens, such as actress Whoopi Goldberg and American steel and financial giant Charles Schwab. With one in five people being dyslexic, many are working diligently to bring more awareness to this disorder and impact communities and governments. Early diagnosis is also key. “We know after third grade, you cannot close the gap. If we get early IDs, that would help,” said George. There is currently adequate research on dyslexia, however without awareness and advocacy, those with dyslexia will continue to struggle, especially blacks who face other insurmountable issues in the education system. “Until you raise the issue and sound the alarm, people will not respond,” said Magee. “Blacks need to become more aware of dyslexia, know the law and rights our children have, and advocate for them.”
July 16 - 22, 2014 • 15
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Medicaid ‘breakthrough’ for autism treatment coverage WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In what has been hailed a major breakthrough and victory for Medicaid coverage of autism, a federal agency has directed states to cover medically necessary treatments for autism for children and young adults, including behavioral health treatments such as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Autism Awareness, an advocacy group for autism, estimates that one-third of all children with autism receive primary coverage through Medicaid. The announcement last week by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) makes clear that autism treatment must be addressed under Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) services which cover Medicaid-eligible children up to the age of 21. Dan Unumb, the executive director of the Autism Speaks Legal Resource Center,
said the new CMS guidance “is extremely useful in providing a road map for Medicaid coverage of autism treatments, including ABA, and admonishing the states that their obligation to provide all necessary medical care under EPSDT applies with full force to children with ASD.”
“All children, including children with ASD, must receive EPSDT screenings designed to identify health and developmental issues, including ASD, as early as possible.” - CMS directive Because Medicaid is a joint state and
Free summer meals for Virginia kids are in session School may be out for the summer, but for many children across Virginia, hunger does not take a break. Thanks to the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the Virginia Department of Health, many children in Virginia are eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch this summer. When school is out, children who receive meals through school breakfast and lunch programs may miss out on wholesome meals due to their families' limited budgets or other circumstances. To fill the nutrition gap, the SFSP provides healthy meals to children who may otherwise go without. Children 18 years old and younger receive nutritious meals and snacks during the summer at no cost to parents. The Summer Food Service Program provides free, nutritious meals to children, gives children access to healthy food when school is out, is available to children and teens ages 18 and under. Families can find the closest meal site on a weekly basis by calling 211 or 1-866348-6479 (1-866-3-HUNGRY). Callers will be prompted to reply with their full address, and will then receive a
list of the closest summer meal locations, including the address, phone number, dates and times that summer meals will be provided per location.
federal program, benefits can vary widely from state to state. EPSDT, however, is mandatory. “The time for walling off EPSDT from autism is over,” said Melissa Harris, a CMS official who briefed the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee on the changes. “All children, including children with ASD, must receive EPSDT screenings designed to identify health and developmental issues, including ASD, as early as possible,” the CMS guidance directs. “EPSDT also requires medically necessary diagnostic and treatment services. When a screening examination indicates the need for further evaluation of a child’s health, the child should be appropriately referred for diagnosis and treatment without delay. “Ultimately, the goal of EPSDT is to assure that children get the health care they
need, when they need it – the right care to the right child at the right time in the right setting,” according to CMS. Among the autism treatments referenced were speech, occupational and physical therapies. “Public health insurance programs like Medicaid are critical to the healthcare of children with autism,” said Stuart Spielman, Autism Speaks’ senior policy advisor and counsel. “The bulletin provides assurance that these programs will provide the kinds of medically necessary services families are seeking.” According to Unumb, the guidance also makes clear that services can be delivered by licensed practitioners as well as appropriately credentialed nonlicensed practitioners. This is important for states that do not license providers such as behavior analysts, but instead rely on national certification for credentialing.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has tasked Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs John Harvey and Secretary of Health and Human Resources Bill Hazel to with Veterans Administration hospitals across Virginia to ensure Virginia veterans and their families have access to the critical services they need to enhance their health and well being. “As home to thousands of veterans, active duty service members and their families, Virginia has the responsibility to ensure that members of the armed service have access to the healthcare, mental health services, and resources they and their families need to succeed,” said McAuliffe. “That is why I have asked Secretary Harvey and Secretary Hazel to work with the VA medical centers in Virginia to explore ways the state can give support to their operations and make sure Virginia is providing top notch services to our veterans.” Harvey and Hazel began their tour of VA hospitals on Tuesday, July 8, with a visit to McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond and visited Hampton VA Medical Center on Wednesday, July 9.
This week, they visit Salem VA Medical Center to meet with the hospital director and identify opportunities for the state to lend assistance on any issues related to Virginia veterans seeking care and medical services. McAuliffe’s office notes that he has also made it a top priority of his administration to provide pathways for gainful employment to Virginia veterans and their families. As part of this effort, he has vowed to end veterans’ homelessness by the end of 2015, and just last month announced that veterans homelessness decreased by 14 percent between 2013 and 2014. Additionally, under the governor’s leadership, Virginia has expanded the Virginia Values Veterans initiative, which encourages employers to recruit, hire, train, and retrain our veterans, and recently announced that the state was awarded a federal grant of over $3.4 million allocated to veterans’ job training. The governor will continue to make veterans health and success a priority throughout his term, and this effort is another step towards promoting their welfare.
VA Medical Centers get politician visits, discussion of Virginia’s role in ensuring access to critical services
16 • July 16 - 22, 2014
CALENDAR & EVENTS
The VOICE
July 17
July 19
The Virginia Beach Bayfront Advisory Committee will meet Thursday, July 17, at the Resort and Conference Center, 2800 Shore Drive, from noon to 5:30 p.m. The agenda for the meeting will include: Ø Annual planning workshop for the coming year Ø Update on public and private projects in the Bayfront area Ø Update on subcommittee activities in the Bayfront area There will be an opportunity for presentations from the public on projects in the Bayfront area. The committee generally concludes its deliberations around 4:30 p.m. The meeting is then opened to the public for comments. For additional information or to obtain a copy of the draft agenda, contact Clay Bernick in the Planning Department at 757-385-4621 or cbernick@vbgov.com. For more information regarding the Bayfront Advisory Committee, visit www.VBgov.com/ Bayfront.
Henricus Historical Park will host an Adopt-A-Garden Weekend on July 19 and 20. Visitors will explore Colonial and Virginia Indian horticulture and methodologies and be introduced to the Henricus Garden Guild, which assists in long-term care of the various gardens at the living-history museum. Period-dressed historical interpreters will examine Colonial vegetables, flowers, herbs and cash crops such as tobacco. Virginia Indian interpreters will demonstrate Powhatan agriculture. Visitors will help to lay out a garden, weed, tend plants, harvest and use various tools. Gardens include the Virginia Indian garden, English officer’s garden, English soldier’s garden, plantation garden and garden at Mt. Malady, the re-created first hospital in the New World. General admission to Henricus Historical Park is free for Henricus Foundation patrons. Only 20 minutes from Richmond, the living-history museum is located at 251 Henricus Park Road, Chester. For more information, call 804-748-1611.
VB Bayfront Advisory Committee
Teen Advisory Committee
Teens ages 12-18 are invited to give input on Newport News library programs and items for the library collection as well as volunteer for projects, 4-5 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month, excluding holidays, at South Morrison Public Library, 746 Adams Drive, Room 9, Newport News. The next meeting is Thursday, July 17. Visitors are welcome. Registration is required online or by calling the South Morrison Public Library at 757-369-6810.
Financial Literacy 101
Financial literacy classes with Sun Trust Bank will be held each Thursday in July at the Petersburg Public Library, 6 p.m.. For additional information, call 804-733-2387, ext. 104
Richmond- 8th District meeting
Richmond Councilwoman Reva M. Trammell, 8th District, will hold a meeting on Thursday, July 17, at Satellite Restaurant & Lounge/Crab House, 4000 Jefferson Davis Highway, Richmond, from 6-8 p.m. Trammell holds monthly meetings that include information on her goals and accomplishments, a thematic agenda, special guests and refreshments. These meetings are free and open to the public and all Richmond 8th District residents are invited and encouraged to attend. or more information, contact Trammell, at 804-240-5050.
Art talk
Whether it’s a hero on horseback or a giant Marilyn Monroe, public art provokes passersby to take a second look and ask, “What makes this art?” In a joint program, the Peninsula Fine Arts Center and Newport News Public Art Foundation (NNPAF) will host a discussion on public art, followed by a screening of the documentary, “The Gates,” at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 17 at PFAC. Admission is free for members. NNPAF Executive Director Carol Capó will introduce the film with a brief discussion on public art: how it’s chosen, how it’s controversial and how it brings communities to life. For more information, call 757-596-8175 or visit www.pfac-va.org.
Only submit the who, what, where and when. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for space, clarity, style and grammar. Flyers will not be accepted. E-mail events to: editor@voicenewspaper.com.
Adopt-A-Garden Weekend
Book sale
Bargain hunters can find great deals on gently used books and DVDs at the Friends of the Newport News Public Library’s Booksale, July 18-19, in the lower level of Virgil I. Grissom Library, 366 DeShazor Drive, Newport News. Hours for the sale are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. both days. The Friends of the Library moved from West Avenue Library when it was closed to the public in July 2013. The lower level may be accessed by turning onto Grissom Way from Old Courthouse Way. Booksale customers may park in the Olivet Church parking lot on the right, then enter the lower level from the back entrance of the library building on the left, marked 366-B DeShazor Drive. Books are sorted by categories that include children’s books, classics, cookbooks, crafts, military interest, history, textbooks, religion and large print. Selections are available in French, German, Italian and Spanish as well. For more information, ontact the Friends of the Newport News Public Library at friendsnewportnews@yahoo.com.
Peace rally
Join fellow community members in support of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s vision of non-violence for Peace Rally at the Dr. MLK, Jr. Plaza in Norfolk culminating with a Peace March to the Dr. MLK, Jr. Monument in Norfolk. The rally takes place Saturday, July 19, at 5 p.m. and is hosted by the Virginia State Unit of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC); Peninsula District Chapter SCLC and Southeast Community Day Planning Committee Reflections will be shared by members of the community and include local leaders, members of the clergy and elected officials to support Dr. King’s vision of non-violence. in the wake of 15 shooting victims in Norfolk during the 4th of July weekend in Norfolk; over 30 shootings and countless homicides in Newport News, Hampton, Portsmouth, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. The Peace Rally and March will serve as an opportunity for all to join in unity for peace and non-violence in our beloved community.
National Megan’s Law Helpline & Sex Offender Registration Tips Program
Call (888) ASK-PFML (275-7365)
July 16 - 22, 2014 • 17
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July 25
Ongoing
Officers from the Newport News Police Department’s Central Precinct will be continuing their COFFEE WITH A COP initiative on July 25 at Danny’s Deli located at 10838 Warwick Boulevard. Officers will be available to speak with members of the community from 2 – 4 p.m. No agendas or speeches, just a chance to enjoy a cup of coffee and ask questions, voice concerns and get to know the officers patrolling your neighborhoods. The COFFEE WITH A COP initiative is designed to provide both citizens and officers an opportunity to interact in a relaxed setting where officers can better understand the community’s concerns while allowing the community to better know their officers.
The Virginia Beach Planning Commission is accepting nominations for the 2014 Planning Commission Design Awards Program from June 16 through Sept 1. The program began in 1991 to showcase and recognize quality and innovative design solutions in the built environment. Nominations should address how the project exemplifies design principles found in the city’s various design guidelines, explain how the project enhances community appearance and describe how the project contributes to the quality of the built environment in Virginia Beach. Nominations are encouraged from owners, developers, contractors, designers and others who feel that their project meets the program criteria. Projects must be 100 percent completed, or if phased, the first phase must be completed. Projects older than three years are not eligible for Design Awards. For more information concerning design guidelines, the nomination process or completing an application, contact Jonathan Sanders in the Planning Department at 757385-1829 or jdsander@vbgov.com, or visit www.VBgov.com/designawards.
Coffee with a cop
Become a member - GRTC Advisory Group
GRTC Transit System is starting a volunteer advisory group, the GRTC Transit System Advisory Group (TAG). This group does not set policy or regulations. However, they will serve a very important function as the eyes and ears of GRTC in the community. They will make recommendations for solutions to problems that are identified. GRTC is looking for a diverse group of 10 people interested in the advancement and improvement of public transit. The TAG will represent a cross section of people in the Richmond region and will be appointed from Richmond, Chesterfield County, Henrico County, Petersburg and at large. You might be a senior citizen, person with a disability, college student, business owner, social service agency representative, neighborhood association member, health care provider, environmentalist, bus rider, non-bus rider or a bicyclist, but not limited to these groups. The most important thing is your interest in public transit. TAG members will be expected to attend four meetings a year. Each meeting is planned for 2 – 3 hours each. Go to www.ridegrtc.com to get an application to be appointed to the GRTC TAG. Deadline to submit applications is July 25.
FOIA Council subcommittees begin study of records, meeting exemptions The Virginia Press Association will work with local government representatives to bring clarity to a provision that allows public bodies to hold a closed meeting to discuss personnel matters. The Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council and the attorney general has issued opinions that say that provision only applies to employees they exercise control over, such as a county administrator or city manager. But this interpretation does not sit well with open government advocates and local government representatives, who heavily discussed the provision during a FOIA Council subcommittee meeting. The public discussion of an employees dismissal can lead to lawsuits and claims of discrimination or retaliation, said Roger Wiley, a local attorney who often represents local governments. G. Timothy Oksman, who works in the attorney general's office and serves on the FOIA Council, said “FOIA should not make it impossible to govern. Personnel evaluation has to be done in private. To a good reporter, FOIA is not the only way to get the [details] on what is going on.” Craig T. Merritt, an attorney with
Richmond-based Christian & Barton representing the Virginia Press Association, said there are senior administrative positions in government that involve big money and their evaluations should come with a higher degree of transparency. “The significance of one’s post in government means greater transparency,” he said. The discussion took place as the “meetings subcommittee” examined the first seven reasons a public body could go into closed session. It was the first substantive action taken by the FOIA Council in the wake of General Assembly action calling for a review of all exemptions contained in Virginia’s FOIA Law. Earlier in the day, the “records subcommittee” examined general exemptions to applying FOIA to public bodies. Merritt pointed out that it’s time for the FOIA Council to study exemptions related to proprietary records and trade secrets as a whole, rather than piece by piece. The subcommittee agreed. FOIA Council will draft changes to some of the discussed records exemptions, including stating that names of public employees can be released with salary information.
VB Planning Commission accepting nominations
‘Private colleges are affordable’ is message of Private College Week Twenty-four Virginia independent colleges will welcome prospective students and their families to their campuses July 28 – Aug. 2 during the annual Virginia Private College Week sponsored by the Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (CICV). University of Richmond is among the colleges that will hold twice-daily information sessions during the week. Admission representatives will discuss financial aid and scholarship options that allow private colleges to be affordable for families of all income levels. Students who visit at least three institutions during the week will receive three application fee waivers that can be used to apply to any three participating CICV colleges for free. During Virginia Private College Week, each participating college will host two daily programs for rising high school juniors and seniors, their families, and prospective transfer students, unless otherwise noted on CICV’s website, www.vaprivatecolleges.org. The programs will include a campus tour and information session about admission, financial aid, academic programs and extracurricular activities. Richmond’s programs will be held Monday–Thursday at 9:45 a.m. and 2:15 p.m., followed by a student-guided campus tour. Richmond will offer the morning session only on Aug. 1 and
no sessions on Aug. 2. Brochures and maps of campus are always available at a kiosk outside the admission office. Online registration is recommended at admissions.richmond.edu or by calling 800-700-1662. “Virginia Private College Week is an opportunity to dispel myths about private colleges and universities and learn more about the quality and affordability of independent colleges,” said Nathan A. Crozier, Richmond’s director of admission. “For instance, Richmond is one of only a few universities in the nation to offer need-blind admission and a commitment to meet 100 percent of an undergraduate student’s demonstrated financial need.” Last year, Richmond awarded $66 million in grants and scholarships — $60 million of which came from Richmond’s own resources — to 65 percent of its 3,000 undergraduate students. The university has raised the family income amount —to $60,000 — at which incoming, first-time, first-year applicants from Virginia can qualify for grants equal to full tuition, room and board, without loans. Previously, the income limit was $40,000. The university also is providing more than $1 million a year to fund the UR Summer Fellowships program, which allows students to do summer internships or research.
18 • July 16 - 22, 2014
The VOICE
Concussions are a greater problem for minority youth By Jazelle Hunt WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Despite the flurry of news about NFL lawsuits over concussions, the problem affects far more athletes at the high school and junior high school level, according to the federal government statistics. In 2009 alone, nearly 250,000 youth age 19 or younger were treated in emergency rooms for sports and recreation-related injuries that included concussions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Between 2001 and 2009, the rate of such visits rose 57 percent. Concussions occur when the brain is shaken violently against the skull. Although concussions are the most common brain injury, widespread awareness and concern about this issue in the world of student athletics is fairly recent. But it is especially relevant for black communities, particularly young men most likely to die from traumatic brain injuries, according to the CDC. And according to data from research nonprofit, Child Trends, 50 to 60 percent of black American high schoolers were on a sports team in 2011. In severe or untreated cases, they can cause brain damage, seizures, emotional distress, and death—in fact the CDC estimates that 5.3 million U.S. citizens are living with disability as a result of a traumatic brain injury (or TBI, an umbrella term that includes concussions). “From an athletic trainer perspective concussions have always been a big concern. Coaches seemed to think that injuries increased because [athletic trainers] were there, but really it’s that awareness is increased,” said Jennifer Rheeling, a veteran athletic trainer in D.C. Public Schools and chair of the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee for the D.C. State Athletic Association. “In the last five years particularly with the NFL starting to talk about it, and the lawsuits, has helped immensely now that people get it on a mainstream level. What they thought was just getting their bell rung was really a concussion.” On the most diligent and well-resourced student teams, players take baseline tests—a battery of motor skill drills and survey questions to record their individual peak cognitive health—and have athletic trainers who check for signs of decline. If a concussion is suspected, a player does another test to compare those results to his or her baseline. The ImPACT Concussion
Dr. Garry Harris describes the functions of the “accelerator” to workshop attendee.
Management program is currently the program of record for these tests among school athletic programs. But according to Dr. Vernon Williams, neurologist and medical director of the Sports Concussion Institute, a lack of access to care compounds the (now fading) problem of awareness. ImPACT, for example, costs a minimum of $400 per year for 100 baseline tests and 15 postinjury tests for one school. Meanwhile, many schools and school districts, largely populated by black and brown children, routinely have to make cuts to balance their budget. “We have coaches who understand the need, but they have different resources. For example, we know baseline testing for people in contact collision sports can help evaluate when people get injured,” said Williams. “But it’s uncommon for people to have access to state-of-the-art baseline testing. Players, school systems, and parents don’t have access to those funds. But we can still implement treatment using creative measures.” Currently, Dr. Gary Harris, who specializes in computer engineering and serves as associate provost for Research and Graduate Studies at Howard University, is working with engineering students and the Bison football team to devise an inexpensive concussion monitoring system, using an open source platform. “Open source” is a tech industry term that means the equipment and information to create this system is public as opposed
to proprietary, so as to encourage others to innovate and improve on the idea. The project uses a computer chip attached inside the helmet that measures impact up to 100 gs of force. For reference: a sneeze is about 2 or 3 gs of force on the human body; an F-16 fighter jet barrel roll exerts 7 to 9 gs; a car crash at 45 mph is about 60 gs. Concussions usually happen with collisions between 80 and 120 gs. The chip records the force of impact for every collision—it can be programmed to transmit this information wirelessly, say, to a cell phone app. Or, it can be downloaded from the helmet using a USB cable. It can also be programmed to send an alert when a hit exceeds a certain threshold. “You can have an entire team’s list where you know all their shock, trauma, and incidents on file,” said Harris. “We still don’t know the threshold of force for brain damage, we don’t know how many hits it takes, but the first thing we have to do is collect the data.” Each of these chips costs about $30. Technology is also being used to improve care and outcomes the aftermath of serious concussion cases. Interactive Metronome, a health tech company that creates neurological research-based brain training programs and activities, is one example. The activities are designed around “brain timing”—the ability to clap to a beat, for example. As users play games and do activities that test their reaction time, those brain cell connections are repaired and strengthened. Originally and primarily
used to improve motor skills and cognitive function in children with ADD/ADHD, the program is beginning to see success with TBI rehabilitation. “We fit into concussions in a new way, which is helping out when those [postconcussion] symptoms don’t dissipate,” said Nick Etten, vice president of Strategy and Business Development at Interactive Metronome. “There’s a lot of emphasis on technology these days—it’s really important in the world of concussions and cognitive rehab. We’re starting to understand that there was a big void in information.” Technology has helped improve identifying and treating concussions; on the prevention front, sports health care professionals now have the backing of the law. In all 50 states, a student athlete must be immediately removed from play if a concussion is suspected, and cannot return to practice or play without medical clearance. Some states also mandate that a student must remain free of symptoms or remain on the injured list for a set period of time, even if they gain medical clearance immediately. But there are still holes in preventing these injuries. “There’s clearly benefits to legislation in terms of drawing attention to the issue of concussions and having some foundation across the board with how they should be managed,” said Williams. “I think there are some variables…related to who should be allowed to clear players.” He and Rheeling have both seen athletes on under-resourced teams get clearance from an emergency room resident, for example, in contrast with athletes who take a concussion test against their baseline with their team’s athletic trainer. They’ve also seen instances of students underreporting their symptoms, coaches resisting care recommendations, and parents being lax in monitoring their child’s rest after a concussion. Emerging laws are attempting to add another layer of protection by regulating the number of weekly practices involving rough contact drills, thus reducing exposure to collisions and risk of concussion. Trainers, coaches, parents, and athletes can also receive guidance through resources such as the American Academy of Neurology online Sports Concussion Toolkit, and organizations such as the Sports Legacy Network.
July 16 - 22, 2014 • 19
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States have not obeyed court ruling on juveniles sentenced to life By Frederick H. Lowe TEWire - Two years after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that 28 states cannot automatically sentence juveniles to life in prison for murder without the chance of parole, a decision that affected mostly imprisoned black boys, only 13 states have changed their laws to comply with the ruling, but 15 states have not passed any statutory reforms, according to a study by The Sentencing Project. The justices’ decision and some states’ response to it is a clear indication that states will respond quickly to some of the court rulings but not to others. For example, after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Section 4 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, some state legislatures quickly moved to erect barriers to voting by African Americans. Fifteen states have passed laws making it more difficult to vote in the November midterm elections and in six states, groups are challenging
the laws. Following the case of Miller v Alabama, some states' governors and legislatures increased the minimum time that a person who was sentenced to prison as a juvenile must serve before being considered for parole. A juvenile who was sentenced to life in prison for a murder he committed before his 18th birthday must serve 25 years in Washington and North Carolina and 40 years in Nebraska. The reluctance or the refusal of states to enact laws to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision also underscores how difficult it is to enact and pass certain laws. “A majority of the states have ignored the court 's ruling and relief has not been granted as advocacy groups expected,” said Ashley Nellis, Ph.D., senior research analyst for The Sentencing Project and author of the report ‘Slow To Act: State Responses to 2012 Supreme Court
By Julie Pace DALLAS — President Barack Obama, seeking to keep a humanitarian crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border from becoming a deeper political liability, pushed back at critics who have cast his administration’s response to the influx of unaccompanied children as slow and ineffective. To those pressing Obama to visit the border during his two-day trip to Texas, he retorted: “This is not theater. This is a problem.” Among Obama’s harshest critics has been Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a 2012 Republican presidential candidate who is mulling another run for the White House. Perry greeted Obama upon his arrival in the state last week, then discussed the situation at the border with him privately and during a larger meeting with local officials and faith leaders. Obama cast his meeting with Perry as “constructive” and argued that he is already seeking to do much of what the governor is calling for, including sending additional resources to the border to make the deportation process more effective. “Bottom line is that there’s nothing the governor indicated he’d like to see that I have a philosophical objection to,” Obama said. Perry, in a statement released after his meeting with Obama, made no mention
of having any areas of agreement with the president. “Five hundred miles south of here in the Rio Grande Valley, there is a humanitarian crisis unfolding that has been created by bad public policy, in particular the failure to secure the border,” he said. While much of the criticism of Obama has come from Republicans, even some members of Obama’s own party were starting to make the case that Obama would be well-advised to visit the border and see the situation for himself. “ Going out there and talking to people who live this day in and day out — that’s the perspective that’s missing,” said Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz. For Obama, the border crisis has added another layer of complications to the already fraught debate in Washington over the nation’s broken immigration laws. With no indication that congressional Republicans plan to take up comprehensive legislation, Obama has vowed to make needed changes through his executive powers. But the GOP argues that the action he took on his own in 2012 to allow some young people in the U.S. illegally to stay in the country is to blame for the current crisis, a contention the White House disputes. The young people arriving at the border
Mandate On Life Without Parole.’ The Sentencing Project is based in Washington, D.C. On June 25, 2012, in the case titled Miller v Alabama the U.S. Supreme Court banned the use of mandatory life sentences without parole for teenagers who committed murder. In their decision, the justices noted that juveniles have a proclivity for risk and impulsivity and the relative inability to assess consequences, all factors that should mitigate the punishment received by juvenile defendants.” The U.S. Supreme Court ruled, however, that states could impose life without parole but only after a judge considered each individual case’s circumstances. At the time of the court's ruling, Alaska, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana, New Mexico and the District of Columbia had banned life without parole for juveniles.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court decision, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Washington and Wyoming have made legislative changes, according to The Sentencing Project, have banned life without parole sentencing for juvenile offenders. On the other hand, Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Vermont and Virginia have not passed laws that comply with the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling. Others have skirted the law altogether Following Miller v Alabama ruling, Iowa Gov. Terry Bransted commuted all of the sentences of juveniles serving life without parole to a minimum of 60 years, leaving See “Juvenile
rulings” on pg. 20
President Obama to border critics: ‘This is not theater’
President Barack Obama, center right, meets with Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, to the right of the president, and Gov. Rick Perry, top, about border immigrantion during the president’s stopover in Dallas last week. PHOTOS: Louis DeLuca
are in some cases fleeing violence in their home countries. But their arrival also appears to stem from rumors that they would be allowed to stay if they reached the U.S. Obama, who is primarily in Texas to raise money for Democrats, said he was getting frequent updates about the situation from his staff and appeared to see little additional benefit in viewing the situation himself. “There’s nothing that is taking place down there that I am not intimately aware of,” Obama said, noting that Homeland
Security Secretary Jeh Johnson was readying for his sixth trip to the border in recent weeks. Perry, who has pressed Obama to go, has visited the Rio Grande Valley twice since the surge in unaccompanied child immigrants gained national attention. On June 23, he visited a Border Patrol facility and spoke of an “untenable situation.” On July 3, Perry testified at a House Homeland Security Committee field hearing in McAllen, reiterating his call for Obama to come see the situation at the border.
20 • July 16 - 22, 2014
The VOICE
Color of Change to CBC: Stop lobbying against net neutrality
By Frederick H. Lowe TEWire - Color of Change, an Internetbased civil rights organization, has launched a campaign to persuade10 members of the Congressional Black Caucus to stop lobbying against net neutrality. The Internet has allowed black bloggers, activists and entrepreneurs to flourish online despite being blocked out of ownership and participation by traditional media, Color of Change officials said. “Ten members of the Congressional Black Caucus recently signed a letter to the Federal Communications Commission
attacking net neutrality, the principle that prevents Internet service providers from discriminating online. All of these members have taken thousands in campaign contributions from the telecom industry,” Color Of Change charged in a letter posted on its website. The 10 are: U.S. Reps. Bobby Rush, G.K. Butterfield, Sanford Bishop, Corrine Brown, Lacy Clay, Alcee Hastings, Gregory Meeks, David Scott, Bennie Thompson and Marc Veasey, according to Color of Change. They are all Democrats. Butterfield is vice chair of the CBC. There were 44 members of the Congressional
Black Caucus in the 113th Congress, according to the organization’s media kit. Color Of Change charged: “Big cable and phone companies have spent millions to influence the Congressional Black Caucus. Now some black representatives are attacking Internet freedom with deceptive arguments.” This is an important time for all members of the Congressional Black Caucus to support net neutrality, Color of Change officials said. The FCC is now considering reclassifying Internet service as a public utility that would give the agency strong
10 arrested blocking trucks sent to shutoff water services in Detroit
Juvenile rullings from page 19
Tens of thousands impacted by emergency management, banks
By Abayomi Azikiwe PA News - Detroit activists concerned about the massive water shutoffs across the economically devastated city blocked entrances into the yard of Homrich, a firm given a nearly $6million contract to terminate services for hundreds of thousands of people. The firm was hired by emergency manager Kevyn Orr who was appointed by right-wing Gov. Rick Snyder in March 2013 who later forced the city into the largest municipal bankruptcy in United States history a year ago. A picket line set up before 7 a.m. on July 10 blocked the entrance to Homrich for over an hour. Eventually police arrived and attempted to force demonstrators out of the driveway prompting resistance leading to 10 arrests. Protesters were taken into custody and charged with disturbing the peace. A hearing has set for July 21. Rev. Bill Wylie-Kellerman of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Detroit said that he would gladly get arrested again in order to further the cause of stopping the shut-offs. Also arrested was Elena Herrada, a member of the Detroit Board of Education in exile and a candidate for Michigan state representative. The actions are part of a citywide efforts to declare a moratorium on water shut-offs. The ninth week of Freedom Friday protests are scheduled for July 11. On July 15 hundreds will gather outside the federal courthouse in conjunction with a bankruptcy hearing where at least 60 people will present legal objections to the so-called “plan of adjustment”. The plan, if approved, would implement huge cuts in retirees’ pensions and further disempower and expropriate Detroit residents of city assets and municipal governance rights. Already Belle Isle, the Detroit Public Lighting, Detroit Public Works, Human Services and the city health department have been taken over and privatized. Tens of thousands of retirees have had
authority to enforce net neutrality for the public good. Color of Change notes that U.S. Reps. Keith Ellison, Barbara Lee, John Lewis, John Conyers, Donna Edwards, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Charlie Rangel, Bobby Scott and Andre Carson support net neutrality. Carson is secretary of the Congressional Black Caucus. The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Congressional Black Caucus, will hold its 44th annual legislative conference Sept. 24 to 27 in Washington, D.C.
David Sole, retired DWSD employee. PHOTOS: Abayomi Azikiwe
their health care programs cancelled and are also facing substantial cuts to pension benefits. There is currently an effort to privatize the management of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD). The water department was struck hard when $530 million was taken out of the system in 2012 to terminate yet another fraudulent interest-rate swap deal controlled by JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and other banks. The July 18 Freedom Friday will be held in conjunction with the Net Roots Nation conference taking place in Detroit where thousands attending the event are being encouraged to come out into the streets and join protests against emergency management, the banks and forced privatization of the city.
their status unchanged, according to the Sentencing Project. “Justice is a balance and these commutations ensure that justice is balanced with punishment for those vicious crimes and taking into account public safety,” Bransted said in announcing his order. States’ response to Miller v Alabama is mixed in other ways. State Supreme Courts in Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska and Texas ruled that the U.S. Supreme Court decision is retroactive. Supreme Courts in Louisiana, Minnesota and Pennsylvania ruled just the opposite. In May, however, a federal court in Minnesota ruled that Miller v Alabama was retroactive. The majority of the 2,500 men and women who were sentenced as juveniles to life without parole are African Americans, according to The Sentencing Project. In related news, last week, a divided Michigan Supreme Court said in a ruling that brought joy to some families shattered by horrific crimes, but heartbreak to others, that the U.S. Supreme Court decision that makes mandatory life sentences without parole unconstitutional for juveniles should not be applied retroactively. Michigan juveniles sentenced to mandatory life without parole prior to the 2012 U.S. Supreme Court ruling do not have to get new sentencing hearings, the court said in a 4-3 opinion. The ruling is a defeat for more than 300 Michigan inmates serving mandatory life sentences without parole for murders committed when they were teenagers.
July 16 - 22, 2014 • 21
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Policy group vows to rescue center
By Hazel Trice Edney TEWire - The National Policy Alliance (NPA), a coalition of thousands of black elected officials and public policy executives, founded more than 40 years ago under the leadership of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, has recommitted to restoring the Joint Center’s historic political research wing, which is currently dormant due to a lack of funds. “The whole idea now is for the Joint Center to begin to utilize this constituency group and we’re going to rely upon the Joint Center like we used to do for research and statistics and support and that kind of thing,” said Tuskegee, Ala. Mayor Johnny Ford, a founding chair of the NPA. “I’m back now as mayor of the historic Tuskegee, Alabama. I am now going to devote some time to rebuilding this organization to the level that it once was.” Ford said the NPA, which represents at least 12,000 elected officials, had gone through a period of inactivity for the past several years although it met with President Barack Obama at the White House twice, most recently on Feb. 8, 2011, to discuss policy issues. He said he aims to re-establish that relationship as well as undergird and revive the political arm of the Joint Center. The Trice Edney News Wire confirmed last month that the Joint Center’s once powerful political think tank has been defunct for at least five months and that the center is now mainly focused on health issues. David Bositis, its long time researcher of black politics and election statistics, was among at least seven staffers who left the center last spring due to the lack of funding. The current interim president, Spencer Overton – on sabbatical from his law professorship at George Washington University - is working without a salary. Ford said he has met with Overton to reestablish an agreement through a memorandum of understanding. According to the memo, “The NPA began in early 1970s under the leadership and direction of the Joint Center. The earlier organizational name was the National Policy Institute. NPA members have convened every four years, at the beginning of each Presidential election year, to discuss public policies and issues that serve the interests and needs of the African American community.” Ford and other principals of the Joint Center and NPA who were interviewed
Tuskegee Mayor Johnny Ford
during the Center’s annual fundraising dinner June 25 conceded that the dinner alone would not be enough to rebuild the political arm upon which the Joint Center was founded 44 years ago in 1970 to increase black political participation. But, Ford appeared confident that fund-raising for the Center will be bolstered by the revitalized alliance, which is made up of nine black public policy organizations. The member organizations include Blacks in Government; Congressional Black Caucus; Judicial Council of the National Bar Association; National Association of Black County Officials; National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials; National Black Caucus of School Board Members; National Black Caucus of State Legislators; National Conference of Black Mayors; World Conference of Mayors, and the Joint Center. The annual dinner, held in a Downtown D.C. hotel, drew hundreds of political insiders and elected officials, including heads of the nine NPA organizations, plus more than a dozen members of the Congressional Black Caucus. “For over 40 years, they have provided the intellectual capital that makes policy possible,” said Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) of the Joint Center. “Having that information and documentation really helps make policy. They are not relegated to sound bites and slogans, but real solid information.” Given economic and social disparities that remain, Darlene Young, president of Blacks in Government, said, “We need [the research arm of the Joint Center] more now than ever before.” The center’s immediate past president,
The National Policy Alliance, seen here meeting with President Obama, has reformed to undergird the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. PHOTO: White House
Ralph Everett was a dinner program honoree as well as U. S. Sen. Cory Booker, who received the coveted Louis E. Martin Great American Award. Everett, who resigned effective Dec. 31 last year, was reluctant to answer questions about the organization’s finances. But he stressed the necessity of the political arm. “The Joint Center is the only organization that does the kind of tracking that we do in that area. So, I’m very hopeful that it would come back, but again that’s a decision by the board of governors,” Everett said. Board member Dr. Dianne Pinderhughes, a political scientist at the University of Notre Dame, would only say that the future of the political arm is “something that the board will have to discuss in the coming weeks.” She also said the board would probably know the direction by the end of this year. Neither Pinderhughes; nor Ford would give a dollar amount needed to rebuild and sustain the political think tank. Overton made an impassioned plea to members of the audience to contact the
Joint Center to support: “This is a time of great transition and the Joint Center is not immune,” he said. The audience applauded strongly when he added, “But, I am also convinced more than ever that there is a need for a Joint Center.” Ford, a legendary mayor of Tuskegee, who was first elected in 1972 as the city’s first black mayor, served six consecutive terms before being elected to the Alabama House of Representatives. He was reelected mayor in 2004 and then again in 2012 giving him an eighth non-consecutive term as mayor. He indicates he will fight for the Joint Center with that same determination: “The Joint Center is going to be alright. We have renewed this relationship. We met with Overton, told him that we want to work with the Center. ‘We want to be your constituency group. You can use us to give you the credibility you need to say to corporate America that I need X number of dollars,” he said. “I know. It’s serious. But we’re going to overcome all of that.”
Spelman exceeds fundraising goal Spelman College has exceeded its comprehensive fundraising campaign goal, generating $157.8 million. This is the largest amount raised in the history of the institution. The campaign attracted support for scholarships, academic initiatives, and campus renewal. A recordbreaking 12,000, representing 71 percent of alumnae, made a gift to the campaign. “When we launched the campaign, we were focused on strengthening the institution’s healthy foundation
through increased scholarship support for students, strategic investment in our faculty and academic programs, and capital improvements on our campus. It is very gratifying to have met all of these objectives while exceeding our campaign goal,” said President Beverly Daniel Tatum. Over the course of the 10-year campaign, scholarship support for Spelman students has tripled, and opportunities for faculty research and development have expanded.
22 • July 16 - 22, 2014
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