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Company to bring over 300 jobs to Petersburg UniTao Pharmaceuticals LLC has purchased the Boehringer Ingelheim plant in the city of Petersburg, and will invest $22.5 million to establish operations. UniTao is a subsidiary of Shanghai-based Tenry Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and the company manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients. The project is a result of the Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s meeting with company officials in Shanghai, China during his Asia Marketing Mission. Virginia successfully competed against Petersburg Mayor Brian Moore California and China for the project, which will create 376 new jobs. “This project will have a tremendous impact in the city of Petersburg and the surrounding region. I had the great privilege of meeting with company officials during my Asia marketing mission last week in Shanghai, China to officially close this significant win. UniTao’s new manufacturing operation in the commonwealth is another milestone in building a new Virginia economy and builds on Virginia’s longstanding and growing relationship with China,” said McAuliffe. Boehringer Ingelheim announced its plant closing in August of 2013, affecting 240 total employees by the end of this year. Simultaneously, UniTao was seeking an existing manufacturing facility in the U.S. to expand its global market share. The Petersburg operation is a perfect fit for the company’s specific needs and allows quick startup to production. “The governor’s marketing mission to Asia provided a unique opportunity to strengthen Virginia's relationship with Asian companies that already have a Virginia presence, to share our great story with prospective corporate investors and trade partners, and to solidify deals like today’s announcement,” said Maurice Jones, Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade. “It is a great testament to our ongoing efforts and Virginia’s incredible assets that Tenry will establish its first U.S. manufacturing operation in the City of Petersburg. An investment of this magnitude and new job opportunities in an economically distressed community is cause for celebration.”
Eyes on school safety PAGE 2
Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones and Governor Terry McAuliffe
Tenry, founded in 2005, is a Chinese firm engaged in R&D, manufacturing, and sales of pharmaceutical drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), dietary supplements, and food additives. The company currently has 500 employees and five subsidiary operations: UniTao Pharmaceuticals, LLC; Shanghai Tenry Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; Shanghai Qingping Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; Hainan Tenry Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; and Shanghai Tenry BioMedical Technology Co., Ltd. “Our expansion to Virginia underscores our commitment to meeting the demands of our global customers as efficiently as possible,” said Chief Executive Officer for UniTao Pharmaceuticals Tao Ye. “The former Boehringer Ingelheim facility, the region’s accessibility and its skilled workforce will enable us to start operations quickly and better meet marketplace demands in the U.S. and elsewhere. We are grateful for the support of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the City of Petersburg and also the hard work of both the Boehringer
The unequal mortage market PAGE 6
Gifts for the needy PAGE 8
Ingelheim and UniTao teams that have gotten us to this point. We also are very pleased to be a catalyst for continued, advanced pharmaceutical manufacturing and R&D in the region.” The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the city of Petersburg to secure the project for Virginia. McAuliffe approved a $1 million grant from the governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist Petersburg with the project. Funding and services to support the company’s employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program. The company will also be eligible to receive a Major Business Facility Job Tax Credit and sales and use tax exemptions on manufacturing equipment. “[This] is a home run for the city of Petersburg, our local and regional economy and our residents,” said Petersburg Mayor Brian A. Moore. “The city is extremely pleased that UniTao has chosen this great city as a home for their operations. This will be a great driver to assist us with our continued plans of investment and growth.”
Portsmouth Jazz event PAGE 12
2 • Nov. 5 - 11, 2014
Grants meant to improve school safety and mental health services for students
Virginia has been awarded two fiveyear federal grants totaling nearly $13.3 million to improve mental health services for students and expand programs to make schools safer by reducing violence and disruptive behavior. A five-year “Project Aware” grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration will provide more than $9.7 million between now and 2018 to support statewide training for teachers and other public school employees to respond to mental health issues in children and youth; and connect troubled students with appropriate community- and school-based services. The Project Aware grant also will fund pilot programs in three school divisions — Montgomery County, Pulaski County and Fairfax County — to create safer learning environments by improving communication and coordination between public schools, mental health service
providers and other public and private agencies that focus on the well-being of children and young adults. In addition, a five-year “School Climate Transformation” grant from the U.S. Department of Education will provide more than $3.5 million to expand the “Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports” (PBIS) program to 45 additional school divisions. The PBIS approach to improving behavior and safety emphasizes consistent schoolwide rules, consequences and reinforcements for appropriate conduct, and intensive support and services for students engaging in disruptive behavior. Currently, 61 of Virginia’s 132 school divisions have implemented the PBIS approach. Funding from the School Climate Transformation grant will support training and technical assistance for the additional school divisions and supplement the nearly $1 million in annual state
The VOICE funding appropriated by the 2014 General Assembly for PBIS implementation. Virginia is one of only nine states whose applications for the two grants were approved. States were required to explain in their applications how funded services would be integrated into a broader initiative to improve school climate and the well-being of students. “This is a big win for Virginia schools, students, families and communities,” said Gov. Terry McAuliffe. “I want to thank the team of state agencies, led by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), that collaborated on these grant applications for their successful efforts, and for their vision for improving mental health services for students and for making our schools safer places for students and staff.” “These grants will allow schools, mental health care providers, juvenile justice agencies, law enforcement and other organizations that interact with schools and students to address collaboratively the critical and overlapping issues of school safety and mental health,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Steven R. Staples. “By educating school personnel and other adults who come in contact with youth about what to look for, children that have or are at risk of mental or behavioral health conditions can receive referrals
and treatment more quickly. At the same time, hundreds of additional schools will be able to implement a proven approach to preventing violence, bullying and other disruptive behaviors that interfere with student learning.” The Project Aware funding will support the training, beginning this fall, of as many as 750 teachers and others annually in “Mental Health First Aid,” an internationally recognized course on identifying and responding to persons who are developing a mental health condition or experiencing a mental health crisis. The following state agencies are collaborating with VDOE in implementing the Project Aware grant: Department of Medical Assistance Services, Department of Social Services, Department of Health, Department of Juvenile Justice Services, Department of Criminal Justice Services, Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, and Office of Comprehensive Services. Two non-profit organizations — Voices for Virginia Children and the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Virginia — are also participating. The 45 additional school divisions implementing PBIS with funding from the School Climate Transformation grant will be selected through an application process developed by VDOE.
VSU rolls past Chowan The No. 2 ranked Virginia State University (VSU) football team, as seen in HBCU polls, rolled past Chowan 40-7 at home during Saturday’s chilly weather. VSU led at half time 17-0 but got really warmed up in the second half with a strong running attack. PHOTO: Reggie Howell/ WCLM 1450 Sports
Nov. 5 - 11, 2014 • 3
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City adopts Complete Streets Policy Richmond officials recently announced that the city has achieved another milestone toward becoming a bike and pedestrian friendly city by adopting a Complete Streets Policy. Complete Streets is a transportation policy and design approach that helps make communities healthier, more livable, economically competitive and resilient. They are streets designed and operated to be safe, comfortable and convenient for all users regardless of age, ability or mode of travel. Adopting a Complete Streets Policy was a recommendation of the Mayor’s Pedestrian, Bicycling and Trails Commission, the city’s RVAgreen Sustainability Plan, Richmond Connects and the Green City Commission. The policy outlines the design and construction standards for sidewalks, public ways and public rights-of-way and requires that city transportation
improvement projects provide appropriate accommodations to promote safe usage for all users. “The goal of the Complete Streets Policy is to balance the access, mobility and safety of all users while creating a stronger and healthier community,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones. “City residents as well as those who come to the city to work and play will all benefit from safer roads, more transportation choices, increased mobility and reduced pollution.” The city administration is working to develop guidelines for implementing Complete Streets as required by the City’s Complete Streets Policy. As detailed in Resolution 2014-R172-170, the city administration has 12-months to develop implementation guidelines and incorporate those into the city’s “Right-of-Way Design and Construction Standards Manual.”
Geico to hire 100 associates VIRGINIA BEACH -- Growth remains strong and steady at GEICO, according to a new company reports and the company is expanding its hiring efforts in order to fill more than 100 new positions in its Virginia Beach office by the end of 2014. With more than 2,650 associates in
Virginia Beach already, GEICO notes that it is recruiting candidates for entrylevel sales, customer service and auto damage adjuster positions. The company is also hiring college graduates for its Management Development Program (MDP), one of GEICO’s leadership programs.
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EDITORIAL & LETTERS
Unequal mortgage market is no coincidence Persistent racial and ethnic inequality in the mortgage market is not a coincidence. Nearly 50 years after the adoption of the Fair Housing Act, newly released federal data indicate that people of color continued to lose ground in the homeownership market in 2013. In particular, black and Hispanic households continued to represent a shrinking fraction of the mortgage market and received higher-cost loans compared with white borrowers. Tragically, many prospective black and Hispanic homeowners never reach the loan-decision stage of the home buying process. People of color are still being treated unequally in the home mortgage market, even when they demonstrate an ability to repay their loans. By Michela Zonta Blacks and Hispanics are more than twice as likely to be denied a mortgage as non-Hispanic whites with comparable incomes and risk profiles. However, the disparate treatment received by people of color is not confined solely to the loan approval stage of the mortgage lending process and does not necessarily take the form of a loan denial. Discrimination based on race or ethnicity can take several forms during any stage of the process. During the pre-application stage, for example, lenders may discourage borrowers of color from continuing with the loan application process even though they may qualify for a loan. Lenders also may not provide the same information to applicants of color that they provide to white applicants. Further, pair testing studies—in which two individuals pose as equally qualified borrowers in every respect except their race or ethnicity and inquire about the availability and terms of home mortgage loans—demonstrate that people of color are consistently treated differently than equally qualified whites. When people of color do end up at the
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lending table, they are much more likely to receive costly subprime loans and loans with features that are associated with higher foreclosures than their white counterparts. A Wall Street Journal study found that most borrowers who received predatory loans in 2006 would have qualified for better, more sustainable loans. More recently, the Center for Responsible Lending demonstrated that racial disparities are evident even when comparing borrowers within the same credit score ranges, and especially for borrowers with higher credit scores. For example, among borrowers with good credit—a FICO score of more than 660— African Americans and Latinos received a high interest rate loan more than three times as often as white borrowers. Blaming people of color for low FICO scores and insufficient funding for a down payment represents a myopic perspective of unequal access to homeownership in the United States. Instead, a number of other factors contribute to inequality in the mortgage market. First, people of color’s inability to pay higher down payments is due in large part to decades, if not centuries, of discrimination that have created exceptional wealth gaps between communities of color and white populations. Second, credit scoring is not See “Mortgageˮ on pg. 7 Marlene Jones Executive Manager
Featured correspondent: Education rates up, but so is poverty Virginians are rightfully proud of the fact that we’re a highly educated and hardworking state. But Virginians also deserve to be fairly compensated for that hard work. Instead, even as their level of investment in their skills and future is increasing, more are living on incomes that are too low to make ends meet. Virginia’s workforce is far better educated today than when this century started, and that’s the case in almost every corner of the state. Over six in 10 Virginians over the age of 25 now have at least some college education, and over a third have completed a bachelor’s degree or more. Those rates are far higher than the nation’s as a whole. Usually, a higher education is a ticket to a bigger paycheck, and vice versa. But in fact, many of Virginia’s lowest-paid workers actually went pretty far in school. Almost four in 10 of the 240,000 Virginians who make under $8.25 an hour have at least some college education. Unfortunately, graduating from high school and going to college is no guarantee in the current difficult economy of being able to find a decent job. For Virginians with less than a college education, falling wages and the lack of enough jobs across the state means that far more Virginians are struggling with incomes below the poverty line than in 2000. And they’re not concentrated in just a few places either. In 76 of the 79 Virginia localities for which data is available, the number of people living in poverty was higher in the 2011-2013 period than in 2000. The largest increases in sheer numbers have been in large suburban counties. Fairfax, Henrico, and Prince William counties all have over 15,000 more poor residents now than they did in 2000. York County and Salem are different in a lot of ways and are hundreds of miles away from each other, but they both have seen their poverty rates more than double since 2000, despite the rising educational attainment of their residents overall. As Virginia’s lawmakers continue to deal with the state’s budget problems, they should keep in mind that hard working Virginians all across the state are doing their part to position themselves for success, but the rising tide is very slow coming in. Laura Goren Policy analyst, Commonwealth Institute
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Nov. 5 - 11, 2014 • 7
Is hunger contagious?
We recently conducted a study to determine if hunger is contagious, and following are some of the thoughts of “experts”. While there may be no known way to transmit hunger as an infection, everyone in a household seems to get it. If people were really hungry, wouldn’t they stand up and say so? Supposedly, one in 10 people-ten percent-are hungry or food insecure. Hunger seems to be concentrated in poor neighborhoods. If a guy is hungry, he should get a job. If a person is hungry all the time, it is simply a habit. Even rich people get it sometimes as result of poor decisions on the stock market or because of the loss of their job. “The Economist” recently reported that more than 40 percent of American households do not pay income tax because of a lack of qualifying income. You can often tell if kids are hungry, because they are obese from eating junk food and they do poorly in school. Elderly and disabled people seem get it when they are unable to go to the grocery store. A sign of hunger in a single female parent is when she cannot afford day care for her children. Hunger may be transmitted in free meals in churches, shelters, soup kitchens, food pantries, and schools, and it may rub off of food stamps. Hungry people get enough to eat for a full year from donated Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. However, apparently hunger is not contagious, because hungry people are not being isolated by CDC, the media has not mentioned conspiracy theories, government and society do nothing to stop it, the military has not fielded rapid response teams, and the president has not appointed a “Hunger Czar”. Also, not enough people donate to the Volunteer Farm, which has produced more than 300 tons of food to help feed
the hungry in a third of Virginia during the last 10 years, thanks to the help of some 18,000 volunteers. So you need not worry about hunger being contagious, and people seldom die of starvation in America. Hunger is not funny. Volunteer Farm Woodstock
Another czar?
President [Barack] Obama just appointed another one of his “cronies,” a left-wing political mouth-piece, who knows nothing about health care, to be his “Ebola Czar.” Isn’t the president supposed to have a surgeon general to handle issues like this? This makes about three dozen incompetent “czars” in Obama’s pocket living off the taxpayers’ dime. Question: Is the number of “czars” directly proportional to the ineptness of this adminstration? You be the judge. Also, did you see the completly absurd political ad that accuses Republicans of creating the Ebola crisis because of their expense cuts? It’s sad to say that there are many “lowinformation” groups that buy into this leftwing rubbish. This is just more proof of the Democrats’ desperation deceptions. They are, therefore, pulling out “all of the stops” in their left-wing arsenals. Gary Allen Chesterfield
Big money game
American political dialogue often overlooks the difference between “probusiness” and “pro-market.” Failure to observe the implications of this difference leads both pundits and voters to believe that if a candidate is pro-business, naturally he is a zealous crusader for free markets. Lately this oversimplified narrative finds itself challenged as business groups such as the US Chamber of Commerce increasingly back Democrats as opposed to Tea Party Republicans perceived as more libertarian than the traditional GOP and thus more willing to take policy positions hostile to big business. Whatever the populist noise embedded in campaign talking points, the simple fact is that both major American political parties play the same corporate, big money game. Despite everything Republocrats say to the contrary, when the rubber hits the road you just won’t find a champion of the little guy among the elected American officialdom. On the contrary, in the end the real struggle isn’t between the Blue and Red teams — it’s between the political process itself, the whole mechanism of political authority, and the rest of us ordinary, working people just trying to pay our bills. Make no mistake, our corporate leviathans couldn’t care less who is in office as long as she plays ball. David S. D’Amato Northern Virginia
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Mortgage from page 6 the best measure of risk and often has a discriminatory effect on communities of color, as a National Fair Housing Alliance study shows. Third, racial segregation—created and perpetuated by both institutionalized public and private discriminatory practices—has historically precluded communities of color from accessing safe and affordable home purchase financing. It has also limited their opportunities and conditions for wealth accumulation. As Jacob Rugh and Douglas Massey explain, residential segregation and the ongoing lack of access to mortgage credit in black and Hispanic neighborhoods have combined to create the ideal conditions for predatory lending in those communities. People of color—who will account for three-quarters of household growth over the coming decade—represent the future of the housing market and the economy as a whole. Housing represents the foundation of the nation’s opportunity structure since it determines one’s access to education and job opportunities, as well as the related ability to accumulate wealth. Yet, people of color still lag behind whites in the housing market. Contrary to what some argue, the housing industry and Congress should indeed pay more attention to the massive disparities that persist in the housing market and the economy based on the color of one’s skin. If policymakers do not recognize and address racial and ethnic disparities in access to housing and the opportunities attached to it, the nation will not be able to reduce inequality, improve the economy, or strengthen the middle class. Zonta is a senior policy analyst for the Housing Finance and Policy team at the Center for American Progress. Zonta has taught urban and regional planning in the Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at VCU.
8 • Nov. 5 - 11, 2014
FAITH & RELIGION
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Three generations of women knit for needy children worldwide Carefully crafted washcloths become first gifts for thousands of kids
Christmas Child has delivered gift-filled shoeboxes to more than 113 million children in more than 150 countries. In Two spare hours is enough time for a member of The Heights Baptist Church Prayer Shawl Ministry to knit a colorful washcloth that will land in the hands of a child overseas. Many people take this simple item for granted, but these women knit washcloths as a tangible gift of love and hope for thousands of children facing war, poverty and disease. The washcloths are packed into gift-filled shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse. The Prayer Shawl Ministry (members pictured above) knitted 400 washcloths last year, the first time they partnered with Operation Christmas Child. “We didn’t want to box God in,” said Jami Gillis, a member of the group, “so we dreamed big and decided our goal was 2,000 for this year.” So, why washcloths? “It’s a manageable project for the ladies, some of whom are in their upper 80s,” said Gillis. “The ladies love washcloths because they’re not too bulky, and they can take knitting materials to doctors’ offices and on errands.” Washcloths are made from colorful washable cotton yarn and easily fit into the shoebox gifts. Gillis explained that each washcloth is a unique creation in color and design. “We try to keep it focused on the gifts,” said Gillis. “The women are thoughtful and prayerful over each item.” The women rely solely on yarn gathered from friends and donations from the community. “It’s miraculous when our yarn cabinet gets to the bare bones and somehow gets filled up again at the last
minute,” Gillis said. In 2009, three women began knitting shawls and blankets for church members who were suffering from illnesses or recent losses. The group, now 50 women, has expanded their service and now knits scarves, hats, washcloths and baby blankets for several projects simultaneously. They have created more than 5,000 items for The Children’s Hospital at VCU, The Virginia Cancer Institute and shelters in surrounding cities, as well as for missionaries traveling to Honduras, Nicaragua, Ukraine and worldwide with Operation Christmas Child. It was the founder’s vision that younger girls would come to the group to learn how to knit or crochet. Several teenagers have joined the monthly meetings, making this a multi-generational project that reaches some of the darkest corners of the world. “We have far reaches in our church’s mission program,” Gillis said. “We love what Samaritan’s Purse is doing and the idea that we could have a washcloth on the other side of the world.” National Collection Week for Operation Christmas Child is Nov. 17-24. With 1,600 washcloths knitted since April, they are set to surpass that goal. Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. It’s mission: “After sharing the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus said ‘Go and do likewise.’” Samaritan’s Purse notes that its mission is to follow the example of Christ by helping those in need and proclaiming the hope of the Gospel. Since 1993, Operation
2014, Operation Christmas Child hopes to collect enough shoebox gifts to reach another 10 million children.
Celebrating centennial for beloved Presbyterian School of Christian Education Alumni/ae from around the globe gathered at Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Nov. 2-5 to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Assembly’s Training School for Lay Workers (ATS), later known as the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (PSCE). “The impact of ATS/PSCE on Christian Education was felt around the world,” said Union Presbyterian Seminary President Brian K. Blount. Workshops, worship, class reunions, and a barn dance were highlights of the four-day event, as well as the ATS/ PSCE Centennial Banquet on Nov. 4, at the downtown Marriott. “We’ve been anticipating this centennial event the moment planning began two years ago,” said Associate Vice President of Alumni/ ae Development Lynn McClintock. “Through worshipping, learning, joining around table, and telling stories of faith, we celebrate[d] one of the most unique schools of theological education in the history of the PC(USA).” Established in 1914 by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian denomination for the “training of lay workers,” ATS/PSCE specialized in training Christian educators, missionaries, and youth ministers for professional ministry. “This institution stood alone,”
said former PSCE president and current moderator of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Heath Rada (M.A.’70). “Through every era, it taught the context of the Christian faith, and how to communicate it, and by doing so was beloved by Christians all around the world.” In 1997, Union Theological Seminary and Presbyterian School of Christian Education federated as one institution. In 2009, the two schools were united under one banner: Union Presbyterian Seminary. ATS/PSCE’s legacy of Christian Education continues, and a master of arts in Christian Education is still offered. “Together, we celebrate[d] 100 years of mission and ministry in Christian Education,” Blount said. “Studying together, playing together, dreaming together, we will envision the possibilities for the next generation of Christian educators.” Since 1812, Union Presbyterian Seminary has embraced a vision to form leaders and transform the church. The seminary serves a diverse student body at campuses in Richmond, Virginia, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Its Extended Campus Program offers students a graduate level education that combines on-line learning with intensive periods of study on campus.
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Keeping the Faith Imagine and implement Lately, I’ve been thinking about my friend, Charles, and missing him. He was a husband, father, English teacher, social worker, canoeist, bluegrass Ronnie McBrayer player, therapist, connoisseur of green-apple moonshine, and a good friend. He spent the last decade of his life as the director of student services in my hometown school district, on the front lines of advocacy for some of the most vulnerable children in the community. It was a role he relished almost as much as playing Gordon Lightfoot and John Prine songs on his guitar. Charles died a few years ago, succumbing to leukemia. Friends of his gathered on a scraggly piece of land along the Tallapoosa River in North Georgia for his memorial service. I am certain that we gathered exactly where Charles wanted us. He loved that piece of land and the river that runs through it. He used it as a retreat for his body and soul. It was his sanctuary. I use the word “sanctuary” intentionally, for Charles wouldn’t enter a church. You see, there was always a rebel’s spirit behind Charles’ jolly smile, and he had lost a good deal of faith in politics, education, matrimony - in the human race in general. He seemed to have lost the most faith in religion. He and I would often speak of religion. At such times I could always count on him to sum up his faith by quoting Emily Dickinson: “Some keep the Sabbath going to church; I keep it staying at home; With a bobolink for a chorister, and an orchard for a dome…God preaches - a noted clergyman - and the sermon is never long; So instead of getting to heaven at last, I’m going all along!” Yet, for all the lost confidence, Charles never lost his hope for living in a better world. This was, after all, his calling. He wanted life to be better, more just, peaceful, and whole. While
often disappointed, he kept wishing and working - for nothing less than the Kingdom of God (though he disagreed with my terminology). The “Kingdom of God,” can invoke images of a faraway heaven where we will live in the sweet by-and-by. I don’t think that is accurate, because heaven is just not that far away. Jesus taught that while there is an eternal element to Christianity, having faith is not so much about moving up and out when we die; it is about embracing and fostering the presence of God in this current world. Imagine (to quote another of Charles’ favorite musicians) a world with “nothing to kill for.” Imagine all people “living life in peace.” Imagine a world where the “lion will live with the lamb, where swords are beaten into plowshares, and justice rolls down like the waters.” But do more than imagine such a future - do more than simply wish for it - work for it. Implement it. Practice it. Live it. I believe, with all my heart, that one day all of creation will be remade. I believe the universe will be divinely washed clean of all that has gone wrong, and the world will be set right. But I do not believe such faith gives me permission to be a spectator waiting for utopia. Such faith compels me to act, as Charles did, living as God would have this world to be. So it never troubled me that Charles didn’t go to the “House of God” on Sundays. Rather, it encouraged me that he went to do the work of God every day. I was never bothered by his claims to have no faith. Rather, I was challenged by how he actually practiced his faith. So what if he wanted the church to be “better?” He was making the world better. Let this be a challenge to us all especially those of us who enthusiastically gather each Sunday or Sabbath: Not all of God’s work is done within the four walls of the church house. In fact, the lion’s share of it is done outside. And that’s good, because that is where it is needed the most.
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.
Editor of Ohio’s largest newspaper laid to rest Funeral services for Constance D. Harper, editor-in-chief and associate publisher of Ohio’s largest black newspaper, the Call and Post, took place on Saturday at Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Cleveland. Considered a legend in Cleveland journalism, Harper was scheduled to be inducted into the Press Club of Cleveland Hall of Fame on Nov. 7 before falling ill while visiting her alma mater, Central State University, last week. She passed away on Friday, Oct. 24 at the age of 81. She will be inducted into the Hall of Fame posthumously. In addition to her long career in journalism, Harper served as vice president of Don King Productions, traveling to many countries around the world promoting championship fights. She also gave generously of her time and talents to help those less fortunate. She was a member of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church and Delta Sigma Theta, an international black sorority, and served on several boards including those of the Urban League of Greater Cleveland and the Vocational Guidance Center. She received numerous awards and accolades throughout her life. In 2013, she was named a YWCA Woman of Achievement
Nov. 5 - 11, 2014 • 9
Constance D. Harper
and received a Business Trailblazer Award from the Christian Business League. Earlier this year she received the Diversity in Media Distinguished Leadership Award at the McGruder Award luncheon at Kent State University. “The funeral services for Connie Harper were a celebration of life,” said the Rev. Dr. Jawanza K. Colvin, pastor, Olivet Institutional Baptist Church. “A newspaper editor, civic leader, community organizer and woman of faith, she was an extraordinary woman who had an extraordinary journey. Her presence in the community and friendship to so many makes her passing a time of heartfelt grief with deep appreciation for a truly beautiful and vibrant soul. She will be missed and long remembered. In a written statement, Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson said Harper’s voice spoke for many. “Her leadership and support will be missed.”
10 • Nov. 5 - 11, 2014
EDUCATION & OUTREACH
The VOICE
TCC is part of new industry skills partnership with institute
As one of nine Virginia community colleges designated as an assessment center for the Manufacturing Skills Institute (MSI), Tidewater Community College will expand opportunities for veterans to qualify for in-demand manufacturing fields. The MSI is the workforce development affiliate of the Virginia Manufacturers Association (VMA). The MSI relationship with TCC is through the college’s Center for Military and Veterans Education (CMVE) on the Virginia Beach Campus. “Our goal is to develop a pipeline of veterans trained in the manufacturing sector with the expertise to sustain the emerging workforce demand,” said TCC President Edna V. Baehre-Kolovani. “The CMVE will lead our effort that will expand credentialing opportunities for all Virginians as we work to close the workforce skills gap in manufacturing.” Brett Vassey, VMA president and CEO, said the trade association recognized in 2007 that manufacturers would have a skills gap of approximately 11,000 people a year. “We also knew that the largest need was in the manufacturing technician occupation, and 96 percent of manufacturers wanted people with these applied and measurable skills. Although the economics challenges of the last few years have slowed demand, it is back, and
RPS accepting high school HOF nominations Richmond Public Schools (RPS) has established its first High School Athletic Hall of Fame to celebrate and honor individuals who have contributed to the district’s athletics. Nominations are currently being accepted for those who have demonstrated outstanding contributions in their chosen sport as well as in their community. Beginning this school year, each comprehensive high school will appoint a committee to select up to eight nominees for induction into the RPS High School Athletic Hall of Fame. Nominations must be submitted by Monday, Dec. 1, and demonstrate the following: • Person must have served as an athlete,
we need to move quickly. This partnership between MSI and Virginia’s community colleges will help close the skills gaps for manufacturers.” The CMVE will work with the VMA, Virginia Values Veterans (V3), the City of Chesapeake and the city’s manufacturing companies to launch the pilot program. The CMVE will be an assessment and certifying center for the VMA to assist veterans in attaining their Manufacturing Technician Level 1 (MT1) certification, a baseline credential for Virginia’s 6,000 manufacturers. “It is rewarding to work with the City of Chesapeake to organize the manufacturers and work together to provide opportunities for veterans in the advanced manufacturing industry,” said Bruce Brunson, executive director of the CMVE. Plans are also under way to explore how the MT1 initiative can be incorporated into the newly announced mechatronics pathway between TCC and Chesapeake Public Schools, which allows students to earn their high school diplomas while preparing for in-demand jobs in manufacturing. VCCS Chancellor Glenn DuBois also noted, “It’s one more step away from that ‘bachelor’s or bust’ mindset that can prevent people from promising opportunities in high-demand career areas. contributor, administrator, member of a championship team or coach in an interscholastic sport with RPS; • Person must have made a significant impact on RPS athletics; • Demonstrate good character and contributions to his/her community; • Must have retired or graduated from RPS at least 10 years prior to the nomination Candidates from Armstrong, Kennedy, Huguenot, John Marshall, Maggie Walker, Thomas Jefferson and George Wythe high schools will be considered as well as persons who attended combined schools such as Armstrong-Kennedy, MarshallWalker and Jefferson-Huguenot-Wythe. Inductees will be announced in the spring. “The RPS High School Athletic Hall of Fame is an extension of our ongoing efforts in honoring those who have contributed meritorious service to the prestige and progress of RPS athletics,” said Stefanie Ramsey, RPS instructional specialist for athletics.
TCC President Edna V. Baehre-Kolovani
In addition to TCC, community colleges involved in the project are Blue Ridge; John Tyler and J. Sargent Reynolds; Mountain Empire; Southside Virginia; Thomas Nelson; Virginia Highlands; and Virginia Western. TCC is also the recipient of a six-figure federal grant to help train military veterans and their spouses for employment as commercial bus and truck drivers. The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently announced the $107,271 grant. The grant will support training and placement of veterans and their spouses in one of the highest demand industries in Hampton Roads, where the average truck driver is more than 50 years old and approaching retirement. “Employment of truck drivers is projected to grow as the economy grows,” said Bruce Brunson, executive director of TCC’s Center for Military and Veterans Education, which will administer the grant. “The demand for goods will increase, and more truck drivers will be needed to keep supply chains moving.” Brunson continued, “This grant will give
veterans and spouses funding for TCC’s Truck Driver Training Program, through which they can prepare for a successful, well-paid career in the trucking industry.” He further noted that the training program brings together two major TCC priorities: meeting both the needs of military-related students and the demands of local maritime and transportation industries. TCC is one of nine technical and community colleges to receive funding provided through FMCSA’s Commercial Motor Vehicle – Operator Safety Training grant program. The grants will provide training for nearly 400 new students, including 48 at TCC. “Those that we entrust to protect and serve our nation deserve opportunities that utilize the skills and training they received on the job on military bases overseas and at home,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “We can think of none more appropriate to safeguard our highways as commercial vehicle drivers than the thousands of veterans who have already proven they can safely handle large vehicles under extremely stressful circumstances.”
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VSU professor wins international teaching award Kim Gower, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Reginald F. Lewis College of Business at Virginia State University, has been awarded the 2014 New Educator Award by the OBTS Teaching Society for Management Educators. The New Educator Award recognizes promising academics who make a difference in the field of management education through exceptional classroom instruction, educational innovation and cutting-edge promise and creativity through their teaching, scholarship, and/or service. New Educator Award nominees are to be at an early stage of their teaching careers, defined as regularly teaching for the past five years or less. This includes those who have earned a doctorate degree in 2010 or later and have taken a full time, tenuretrack position following completion of their degree. Gower was cited for her record of teaching excellence and “classroom as an organization” approach, which involves
Kim Gower Ph.D.
students in the learning experience through service learning and community-based projects. While at VSU, Gower has used this method in the College of Business capstone Strategy class, an experience cited by her students as playing a key role
in them securing high level, professional positions after graduation. Gower was nominated by her former Ph.D. advisor and mentor, Dr. Margaret L. Williams, dean of the University of North Dakota College of Business and Public Administration. In her nomination letter, Williams wrote “Many aspects of teaching that I have had to work to develop over the course of my career come naturally to Kim. She relates to students, engages them in the classroom, and challenges them to move beyond their roles as ‘students’ to accept the adult challenges that await them beyond school.” The OBTS Teaching Society for Management Educators is the oldest, international professional organization dedicated to teaching and learning excellence in the organizational and management sciences. Society members are faculty at universities and colleges throughout the world, as well as business educators and management consultants.
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“The Manny Awards” planned My Brother’s Keeper of Greater Richmond will honor 15 men and boys from the Richmond region with the launch of its annual Manny Awards aka The Mannys. The semi-formal awards dinner will be held Saturday, Nov. 8 at the Embassy Suites, 2925 Emerywood Parkway, Richmond. My Brother’s Keeper of Greater Richmond will recognize boys and men from a variety of backgrounds, professions and life experiences. “These are people who have grown educationally, financially, and spiritually to improve their lives, and the lives of their families and of those in their communities. We believe our honorees represent the MBKGRVA mission, which to help men become who stable, successful, compassionate men, who give of themselves to others,” said MBKGRVA Founder Stephan “Coach” Hicks, a motivational speaker.
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12 • Nov. 5 - 11, 2014
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
The VOICE
Richmond exhibit features art by youth living with HIV/AIDS ART 180, a nonprofit organization that works with youth from challenging circumstances to create art that explains and illustrates their feelings, thoughts, and experiences, will debut the “Never Walk Alone” exhibition at an opening recetion in Richmond on Nov. 7, in partnership with Sunburst Projects. The exhibition spotlights visual art made by young people with HIV/AIDS living in Kisumu, Kenya. It will feature a special art activity for the youth in Kenya and will be on display at Atlas, ART 180’s art center for teens, through Nov. 26. Atlas is located at 114 W. Marshall St. in Jackson Ward and is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. .
Since 2010, Sunburst Projects has worked in Kenya to train young adults living with HIV/AIDS as peer leaders to run youth support groups, community recreational activities, provide HIV/ AIDS prevention education in the schools, and provide mentorship that ensures HIV positive youth remain in care and treatment. According to ART 180, the youth in this program expressed themselves through art as a way to communicate who they are regardless of their HIV/AIDS status. The Richmond reception is familyfriendly and open to the public. A Kenyan youth is shown with an art project.
Virginia is for Opera Lovers: VTC grant to enhance tourism Virginia Opera recently received a grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation Marketing Leverage Program grant fund. In total VTC awarded more than $852,000 for 46 tourism marketing projects across the state to help increase visitation and revenue for Virginia’s localities through tourism. The grants are designed to help local and regional tourism entities attract more visitors by leveraging local marketing dollars, and will ultimately impact at least 195 other statewide tourism entities. The local organizations match the state grant funds by a minimum of 2:1 in order to support marketing projects. This funding cycle, the local partners will match the VTC grant dollars with more than $2.1 million, providing more than $3 million in new marketing to increase visitation to Virginia. Virginia Opera received a $50,000 maximum award grant for its “Virginia is for Opera Lovers” project. The opera has partnered with Richmond Region Tourism, Visit Norfolk, Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau and city of Fairfax/ Destination Fairfax to supply $217,800 in matching funds for the project. Virginia is for Opera Lovers will define the Opera’s Fabulous at Forty, 40th Anniversary Season for 2014-15. The Program will bring visitors to each of the four cities, which lie at the epicenters of each of the markets served.
Four strategic Direct Marketing Organization partners (Richmond Region Tourism, Visit Norfolk, Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau and the City of Fairfax/Destination Fairfax) who possess the influence to achieve the ultimate impact in the communities, will participate in the effort. The program will leverage a new partnership between Virginia Tourism Corporation, the four Partners and The Official Opera Company of Virginia to represent Virginia’s commitment to quality of life for all of its citizens and represent it as a destination for new national and international business. Said Russell P. Allen, Virginia Opera president and CEO; “this new statewide partnership will maximize the public relations profile of Virginia Opera, helping to realize the Company’s 40 year promise to annually engage over 150,000 residents of and visitors to our great Commonwealth in the life-changing experience of live opera and musical theatre. This support proffered by the VTC Marketing Leverage Program is invaluable to our efforts to increase awareness of the multitude of cultural offerings we provide in Hampton Roads, Central Virginia and in the Northern Virginia.” The VTC Marketing Leverage Program is designed to stimulate new tourism marketing through partnerships by leveraging limited marketing dollars, resulting in increased visitor spending.
Ask Alma
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Homebody husband Dear Alma I’ve been married 22 years. My problem is that my husband doesn’t want to spend time with me or take me out. He just stays at home, eats and uses the computer to do I have no idea what. He doesn’t do anything romantic like bring me flowers or gifts. We don’t talk or have pleasant conversations. He doesn’t want to talk about his feelings, so basically we have no relationship and no friendship, if you ask me. There’s just nothing between us anymore. We don’t even take walks after dinner. When I ask, he says he doesn’t feel like it. If I even try to get him off the computer to let’s say ask him to watch a movie or anything he gets mad and I get hurt so I just keep quiet. Most night he falls asleep downstairs and I’m left alone in bed. I don’t want to leave my husband, I love him. How do I get him interested in me again? I hope you are prepared to hear me say your spouse is taking advantage and doesn’t really care. You are no longer the object of his desire and he has replaced you, possibly with a computer. I’m sorry, really I am. I’m not trying to hurt your feelings and I understand you’re working with a fragile heart. TBT, you’re scared, hunting for a dead horse and it’s time to make a change. You and I both know, grown folks pay attention when
pining for each other. There’s no need for directions or a howto manual. If you don’t mind, why don’t you take the time to become the mate that you seek? If you want attention, give him attention. If you’re longing for love, make love to him. If you’re searching for him to desire you, desire him first. You feel me? You’ve got to lead this horse outta the barn and back towards the water, baby. It’s ok, he’s your husband. Stop offering him back-out options and hop on that Thoroughbred and ride. Get your saddle ready girl, I know you’ve got some tricks up your sleeve. Show up with a rope, in just your riding boots and getcho rodeo started! ***** Want advice? E-mail questions to alwaysaskalma@yahoo.com. Follow her on Facebook at “Ask Alma” and twitter @almaaskalma *****
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Nov. 5 - 11, 2014 • 13
Portsmouth jazz event to benefit musical arts in schools Music, culture and support of the arts, are the focus of the 2nd Annual Jazz legacy Foundation Gala event to be held in Portsmouth. Designed to spur interest in supporting musical education in public schools, the event will feature an all-star line- up that includes Will Downing, The Fuzz Band, Rachelle Ferrell, Patrice Rushen, Karen Briggs, Phil Perry, Kim Waters and Pieces of A Dream. The gala will be held on Nov. 1415, 2014 at the Renaissance Hotel and Conference Center. The gala is presented by the Jazz Legacy Foundation, a 501c(3). “The first gala was extremely successful in supports musical education in our schools. The gala is actually part of our campaign to support music awareness and we are extremely excited about this years musical line-up,” said Alvin Keels, president of the Jazz Legacy Foundation. “We are committed to make this year, the best year yet in support of musical education and are tremendously excited about the amazing jazz line-up for this years gala.” Last year, The Jazz Legacy Foundation was able to present thousands of dollars worth of support to school music departments. The goal is to provide support to bolster music departments. Studies have proven that students who study music tend to have larger vocabularies and more advanced reading skills that students who do not participate in music. Also, children who study music are more likely to excel in all of their other studies. The Jazz Legacy Foundation is dedicated to exposing and supporting students through music education. Will Downing has firmly established himself as one of most consistent performers of his era and arguably today’s leading provider of romantic, soulful music for the grown and sexy crowd. Off the road, Will loves giving back to the community and actively seeks opportunities to lend his time, name or presence to the awareness and fundraising efforts of The American Heart/Stroke Association and Muscular Dystrophy Association (Polymyositis). Will also manages to connect with his community and fan base through a web-based radio show which he hosts and produces, called “The Wind Down,” showcasing his love and knowledge of music while educating and enlightening his listeners to R&B classics and talented
newcomers. However, Downing’s most cherished down time is spent as a loving husband and father in New Jersey, where he’s able to recharge his creative juices. Pieces of a Dream first started playing throughout the Tri-State area, and were soon featured on Temple University’s pioneering jazz radio station, WRTI-FM. From 1981 to 1984, Pieces of a Dream built their reputation with three albums on Elektra that would come to define the musical essence of the smooth jazz radio explosion: Pieces of a Dream, We Are One and Imagine This. “Pillow Talk,” released in March 2006, marked the band’s 30th anniversary with a satisfying set that showcased the band’s trademark catchy riffs, infectious grooves and compelling vocals. The youthful exuberance of those two Philly kids from the mid-‘70s is still very much alive in “Soul Intent”, Pieces of a Dream’s latest effort on Heads Up. The Fuzz Band, whose sound is a fusion of Urban & Rock music, met and formed while attending Hampton University. Several years, albums, and three USO tours later, the band can count Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Dubai, Africa, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, Jordan, and England as second homes where they experienced bombings, medical emergencies involving IVs, and pseudo kidnapping & ransom scenarios all in the name of music. The Fuzz Band was featured in the Hollywood Issue of “Black Enterprise Magazine”, and has received nods in “Rolling Stone” and in “Spin” magazine. The band has performed with Grammy award-winning artists such as Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill, Chicago, Jill Scott and Outkast. In 2008, The Fuzz Band was a featured performer at President Barack Obama’s inaugural ball. Rachelle Ferrell is lauded as one of the most dynamic talents in contemporary pop music. Very few vocal artists in the industry have Ferrell’s potent combination of range, phrasing, and musicianship. She received classical training in violin at an early age and by the time she was a teen, she was able to play the piano at a professional level. She enrolled in Berklee College of Music in Boston where she honed her musical abilities in arrangement, singing and songwriting. Very few vocal artists in the industry have Ferrell’s potent combination of range, phrasing, and
Will Downing will perform at the 2nd Annual Jazz legacy Foundation Gala.
musicianship. Born and raised in East St. Louis, Phil Perry has spent most of his career as one of the most sought-after backing vocalists in the music business. His bright, multitioctave range has played a supporting role on dozens of albums by such acts as Anita Baker, Boz Scaggs, Rod Stewart, Peabo Bryson and George Duke. But he has also distinguished himself through a series of strong solo albums that have highlighted both his ability to interpret classic soul songs as well as his own songwriting skills. Multi-Grammy nominated artist, Patrice Rushen, is fashioning her career after the legacy of her long-time friend and mentor, Quincy Jones. Composer...Producer... International Recording Artist...Rushen has de finitely earned the respect she has been awarded by her peers in the music industry. She has 14 solo albums to her credit and a greatest hits anthology released on Rhino Records in 1997. Currently, her career focus is composing for films, television and orchestras. Rushen spends whatever free time she has working closely with the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, NARAS “Grammy In The Schools”
program and other organizations dedicated to establishing music education and mentorship programs for inner-city youth. Kim Waters’ theme of his newest album release is “Silver Soul.” The “Silver Soul” album will also mark his 25th year in the entertainment business. The first single off of the project is “Dreaming of You,” one of his favorite cuts on the album. Featured vocalists of the “Silver Soul” project include his wife Dana Pope, his daughter Kayla Waters, Eric Roberson and Zendaya. (Disney’s “Shake It Up”) “I pretty much did everything at home,” Waters said about the project, including playing all the instruments. Karen Brigg’s near four decade span through genres as a violinist includes an eclectic range of Orchestral, Gospel, Funk, R&B, Latin, New Age, Rock, Hip Hop and several Jazz styles. All mostly linked by improvisation and embellishment, her audio visual signature has become popular and sought after for a variety of live events and recorded projects both domestic and international. Briggs appears as a feature in twelve music video concerts, hundredsof recordings and has recorded four solo projects.
14 • Nov. 5 - 11, 2014
HEALTH NOTES
Va. AG supports federal bill providing restitution to child pornography victims Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring, along with 44 fellow attorneys general, sent a letter to the leadership of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a House Judiciary Subcommittee expressing support for the Amy and Vicky Child Pornography Victim Restitution Improvement Act of 2014 (S. 2301/H.R. 4981). The legislation would allow full restitution to victims of child pornography to pay for needed resources including mental health treatment, medical care, lost wages and other needed recovery services. The attorneys general urged the committees to bring the bill to a vote. “Child exploitation is the most vile and heartbreaking crime that my office prosecutes,” said Herring. “This important legislation will help support victims’ recovery by providing some measure of accountability and compensation for the emotional trauma caused by those who perpetrate these heinous crimes. “My office works each and every day in partnership with local and federal partners, as well as Virginia's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces, to fight child exploitation. “We will never waver in our commitment to protecting Virginia’s young people and to putting away those who would seek to
exploit them and do them harm.” In 2014, Herring’s office has prosecuted or assisted in the investigation of 85 cases involving child pornography. Thus far in 2014, 24 defendants prosecuted by the Attorney General have been sentenced to a total of 186 years and six months of active incarceration, in addition to one life sentence. According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission, cases prosecuted across the country for possession, distribution, receipt, and transportation of child pornography increased from 624 cases in 2004 to more than 2,000 cases in 2012. In April 2014, the decision made by the U.S. Supreme Court in Paroline v. United States affirmed that victims of child pornography can receive restitution from those whose actions cause harm to the victim, but it limited the number of potential defendants who could be held accountable. The attorneys general’s letter points out that the Amy and Vicky Child Pornography Victim Restitution Improvement Act would help victims seek more just compensation from more perpetrators. The letter reads in part: “Victims of child pornography are constantly reminded of the abuse of their past, and there is no way to erase the photographs from the Internet or prevent
Eosinophilic Connection conference planned A community health event will be held at Children’s Hospital of Richmond, at VCU, 2924 Brook Rd, in Richmond, on Nov. 8, from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Presentations include a summary of material presented at the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Associated Disorders (APFED) Annual Conference 2014 (EOS Connection Patient Conference). Presenters include a gastroenterologist, two noted allergists, a child psychologist, dietician, and a parent advocate along with families and adults with eosinophilic-associated diseases (EGIDS). EGIDS are a chronic immune system disease that affects multiple organs. The disease causes inflammation of and damage to the vital organs, such as the heart, lungs, kidney, and gastrointestinal tract. Recent statistics show that 1 in every 2,000 nationwide are stricken with eosinophilic esophagitis and 1 in every 3,500 are affected by eosinophilic colitis and eosinophilic gastroenteritis and face challenges of lower quality of life with chronic illnesses. There is no cure. This conference is an opportunity for those with chronic digestive and other diagnosed chronic ailments to connect with community partners to receive information pertaining to support and other helpful information. For more information, call 804-321-7474 or email Dawn McCoy at eoscentralva@ gmail.com. Pre-register at www.apfedsummarysiteva.eventbrite.com. Onsite registration will be available.
The VOICE
Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring listens in on Prevention/Education subcommittee of Campus Sexual Violence Task Force last month. FILE PHOTO
them from being shared by others. “The Supreme Court decision would force victims to pursue a continuous stream of defendants, recovering very little in each case. The emotional and monetary costs, as well as time required to seek restitution from multiple defendants, disincentivizes victims from seeking the resources they need for therapy, medical care, lost wages and other needed services. However, the decision helps protect defendants from having to pay substantial costs to those
American Red Cross: Make a blood donation before the holiday season The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to make a point to give blood before the busy holiday season arrives. Blood donations often decline between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day as people become busy with holiday festivities. Donors are needed in the weeks leading up to the winter holidays to help prevent these seasonal declines. Donors of all blood types, and especially those with types O negative, A negative and B negative, are needed now to help maintain a stable blood supply. Blood donation appointments can
they have harmed. “The Amy and Vicky Act provides victims with meaningful restitution from the multiple defendants who produce, distribute or possess images of child pornography, including those who have not been identified. “Providing timely and meaningful restitution will ensure that the growing number of victims can begin to rebuild their lives by fully recovering the financial losses caused by child pornography.” be made through the Red Cross Blood Donor App – a faster, more convenient way to schedule and manage donation appointments, especially for donors on the go. The app also allows users to track donation histories, earn rewards and invite others to join them on a lifesaving team. The app is free and available for download in app stores. Donors may also visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-7332767) to learn more about the donation process and to make an appointment. Upcoming blood donation opportunities: 11/7: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m., Maybeury Elementary School, 901 Maybeury Drive, Henrico 11/11: 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Richmond RSMO Cary Street, 420 East Cary St., Richmond 11/14: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Police Dept., Chief’s Office, 938 West Grace St., Richmond 11/14 : 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Westover Hills Elementary School, 1211 Jahnke Rd., Richmond
Nov. 5 - 11, 2014 • 15
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Foundation funds Teens With a Purpose’s in-school literacy program NORFOLK — Teens With a Purpose is the recipient of a grant from the Community Leadership Partners of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation for the in-school based poetry and literacy program “Hear This.” Spoken word poetry is a dynamic teaching tool that allows poet mentors to help students develop strong writing and speaking skills. Regardless of whether students self-identify as “poets,” participants learn how to represent themselves, their experience, and their ideas powerfully. Sessions loop back to reading, writing, speaking, and listening standards. In addition to learning about literary tools and communication techniques, students apply these tools to magnify the strength of their writing and their speaking. These standards-based residences are facilitated by trained Teens With a Purpose Poet Mentors, who partner with teachers to bring high-level creative writing and performance poetry workshops into the classroom and after school clubs. The
curriculum to be utilized was developed by a poet and high school teacher, Jeff Kass. It was created to help students bring their own personal narratives into dialogue with the issues and themes already being studied in the classroom. TWP will use best practices learned from one of their national affiliates a Chicago based organization called Young Chicago Authors (YCA) for this initiative. YCA’s teen team poetry festival Louder Than A Bomb is currently being implemented in over 120 schools in the Chicago school system. Chicago alumni surveys show an 85 percent high school graduation rate and zero incidents of violence in its 10 years of working with students throughout what is known as the most violent city in America. This award winning festival has captured the attention of media mogul Oprah Winfrey, as part of the OWN documentary series. The pilot program “Hear This” will be launched in the Norfolk Public Middle Schools 7th grades this school year. “The primary goal is to foster an
environment of high engagement among NPS middle school readers and writers while creatively nurturing critical thinking and analysis,” said Linda C. Sevigny, Ed.D, NBCT, deputy superintendent of Teaching and Learning at Norfolk Public Schools. Teens With a Purpose has been presenting spoken word programs, workshops and events in Hampton Roads for the past seven years through their spoken word division – Hampton Roads Youth Poets (HRYP). The Hampton Roads
Youth Poets recently caught the attention of Cox Communications whom have documented the 2013 and 2014 Hampton Roads Youth Poetry Slam Festivals. They produced a documentary which aired throughout the summer on Cox 11 entitled Hear This! A film about passion, competition, teamwork, and trust. Later this fall, there will be a six episode series documenting the 2014 season. Hampton Roads Youth Poets travel See “TWP ˮ on pg. 18
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safety needs to be a 24-7 priority HCA recognized for“Patient hospitals, as errors and infections all too common and often deadly,” for patient safety are said Leah Binder, president and CEO
HCA Virginia’s Chippenham, JohnstonWillis, Henrico Doctors’, Parham Doctors’ and Retreat Doctors’ Hospitals were honored with an “A” grade in the fall 2014 Hospital Safety Score, which rates how well hospitals protect patients from errors, injuries and infections. The hospital safety score is compiled and administered under the guidance of The Leapfrog Group - a leading expert on patient safety. “This recognition is a reflection of our continued commitment to our patients and all who are dedicated to providing the highest quality of care for those we serve,” said Ann Latstetter,” chief nursing officer, HCA Capital Division. “We are proud to have earned this honor and we strive every day to continue meeting these nationally recognized standards.” The first and only hospital safety rating to be peer-reviewed in the Journal of Patient Safety, the score is free to the public and designed to give consumers information they can use to protect themselves and their families when facing a hospital stay.
of The Leapfrog Group. “We commend HCA Virginia for helping us to raise the standards of health care nationwide and demonstrating that they’ve made the wellbeing of patients a top priority.” Developed under the guidance of Leapfrog’s Blue Ribbon Expert Panel, the hospital safety score uses 28 measures of publicly available hospital safety data to produce a single “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” or “F” score representing a hospital’s overall capacity to keep patients safe from preventable harm. More than 2,500 U.S. general hospitals were assigned scores in fall 2014, with about 31-percent receiving an “A” grade. The hospital safety score is fully transparent, with a full analysis of the data and methodology used in determining grades available online. The hospital safety score is an initiative of The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit organization using the collective leverage of large purchasers of health care to initiate breakthrough improvements in the safety, quality and affordability of health care for Americans.
Offices in Downtown Richmond Downtown Petersburg at 422 East Franklin Street at 119 North Sycamore St., Suite 301 (5th & Franklin Sts.) First Floor (off Washington St.)
804.218.3614 24-7 talk to an attorney for free.
16 • Nov. 5 - 11, 2014
CALENDAR & EVENTS
The VOICE
Nov. 6
Nov. 8
Reynolds Community College will host author Kevin Powers at an “Around the World Through Books” discussion on Thursday, November 6, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Lipman Auditorium of the Massey Library and Technology Center on the Parham Road Campus, located at 1651 E. Parham Road in Richmond. This event is free and open to the public. The book discussion will feature Powers’ novel “The Yellow Birds”. In Al Tafar, Iraq, 21 year-old Private Bartle and 18 year-old Private Murphy cling to life as their platoon launches a bloody battle for the city. In the endless days that follow, the two young soldiers do everything to protect each other from the forces that press in on every side: the insurgents, physical fatigue, and the mental stress that comes from constant danger. “The Yellow Birds” also examines the reactions of soldiers after their deployments. Powers’ character Bartle enters a state in which he does not want to leave his house upon his return from the war and slowly deteriorates as the novel progresses. The program is a free community event sponsored by Reynolds’s Multicultural Enrichment Council for the purpose of encouraging cultural diversity throughout the Reynolds campuses and communities. For more information about this event contact Lisa Bishop (lbishop@reynolds.edu) or visit www.reynolds.edu.
The Virginia Aviation Museum, 5701 Huntsman Rd., Richmond, is gearing up for Just Plane Fun! on Saturday, Nov. 8. This free event invites guests to let their curiosity take flight with vintage aircrafts, live music, aviation activities and more. Uncover the latest advancements in drone technology, find out how to obtain your pilot’s license from New Kent Aviation and enjoy a classic car show. Guests can get up-close with the Virginia Department of Aviation’s Cessna 206 aircraft and learn more about the Civil Air Patrol’s aerospace education, cadet programs and emergency services. The museum is soaring into physics, energy and flight with activities that include paper airplane competitions and face-painting. Aviation enthusiasts can assemble and launch a straw rocket toward a target and are challenged to build a vehicle that is solely powered by wind. Guests can also get creative by making kites and wind socks as they get handson with special aviation activities. Just Plane Fun! will feature live performances by Rattlemouth, a Richmond-based world groove and ethio-jazz band, and hula-hooping demonstrations by the RVA Hoop Mafia. In addition to an eclectic assortment of entertainment and activities, the first 500 guests will receive a free gift and enjoy a day packed with the science of flight.
Book discussion on “The Yellow Birds”
Church conference
Faith Life Tabernacle, 500 Oronoco Ave., Richmond, will host its 2014 Empowerment Conference with the theme “Manifested Miracles” through Nov. 9. Remaining sessions are on Nov. 6 and 7 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 9 at 10 a.m. with speakers Dr. Barbara - Ann Reis and Dr. Joyce Scott.
Nov. 7 JSRCC hosts French film “The Intouchables”
Reynolds Community College will host an “Around the World Through Movies” event on Friday, Nov. 7, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the Workforce Development Conference Center on the Parham Road Campus, located at 1651 E. Parham Road in Richmond. This event is free and open to the public, with pre and post movie discussion, light refreshments, and door prizes. “The Intouchables” is a 2011 French comedy-drama based on the true story of an aristocrat who becomes a quadriplegic after a paragliding accident and hires a young immigrant man from the projects of Paris to become his caretaker. The movie discussion will be led by Reynolds adjunct professor Toney Lineberry, a motivational speaker and consultant on highway safety who has traveled throughout North America speaking about safety belts, drunk driving, and responsibility. The program is a free community event sponsored by Reynolds Multicultural Enrichment Council for the purpose of encouraging cultural diversity throughout the Reynolds campuses and communities. For more information about this event contact Laurie Weinberg (lweinberg@reynolds.edu) or visit www.reynolds.edu.
Holiday Shoppers’ Fair
The Museum Stores of Richmond Holiday Shoppers’ Fair—held this year at the Library of Virginia—offers the Richmond region more than a dozen of the best local museum stores under one roof. The event is Friday, Nov. 7 — Saturday, Nov. 8 at the Lobby and Conference Rooms, Free To celebrate the event’s 20th anniversary, the fair will host a birthday party on Friday evening (5 – 8:30 p.m.) with cake and refreshments—including Virginia wine—as well as 20 percent off all merchandise, a story time for children on Saturday morning, and Virginia author meet-and-greets throughout the weekend. Free and secure parking is available below the library, with elevator access to the event. Groups are welcome, with bus parking available nearby. For details on group visits, contact Jennifer Blessman at 804-692-3561.
A Century of Flight
Annual Veterans Day Salute
On Saturday Nov. 8, the United States Colored Troops Descendants are hosting its “16th Annual Veterans Day Salute to Afro-Union Soldier and Sailor Patriot Heroes” from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the unknown and known Afro-Union Civil War Soldiers Memorial located at 1001 Bells Mill Road in Chesapeake. The memorial is the only one of its’ kind in the commonwealth of Virginia dedicated to saluting Afro-Union Soldier and Sailor Patriot Heroes. The 2014 Theme is “A Special Veterans Day Roll Call Salute to 26 Afro-Union Congressional Medal Of Honor Recipients.” Seating is limited to 45 attendees. You are advised to bring a folding chair. For more information and registration, contact Dr. E. Curtis Alexander at 757-547-5542.
“The Manny Awards”
My Brother’s Keeper of Greater Richmond will honor 15 men and boys from the Richmond region with the launch of its annual Manny Awards aka The Mannys. The semi-formal awards dinner will be held Saturday, Nov. 8 at the Embassy Suites, 2925 Emerywood Parkway, Richmond. My Brother’s Keeper of Greater Richmond will recognize boys and men from a variety of backgrounds, professions and life experiences. “These are people who have grown educationally, financially, and spiritually to improve their lives, and the lives of their families and of those in their communities. We believe our honorees represent the MBKGRVA mission, which to help men become who stable, successful, compassionate men, who give of themselves to others,” said MBKGRVA Founder Stephan “Coach” Hicks. “Coach” is a motivational speaker, blogger and expert in “authentic manhood” training. He has coordinated and facilitated numerous workshops to develop authentic male leadership in the family, in the workplace, in the church and in the community. He has also served as a consultant to churches, business and community leaders, and as a mentor to men seeking to reach their full potential as fathers, husbands and leaders in their communities. He is a frequent speaker at conferences, seminars and retreats for men, women, couples and youth.
‘Empower Yourself’
Neighborhood Housing Services of Richmond, Inc. (NHSR), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to “Promote successful homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods”, will hold “Empower Yourself Against Default”, an event where local banks will help people in trouble with mortgages. The event will be at J. Sargent Reynolds Community College Parham Rd Campus 1651 East Parham Rd., Richmond, on Nov. 8, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with NHSR Executive Director Christie Smith. Contact Samuel L. Robinson, Jr. at 804-329-2500 or e-mail srobinson@nhsofr.org for more information.
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Nov. 11
After school tutoring
After School Tutoring in Math and Science with Hampton University Tutors Hampton University pharmaceutical students will provide homework assistance to students ages 6-18 in math and science on a walk-in basis, 4-6 p.m., on Tuesdays, excluding holidays, at Pearl Bailey Library. Upcoming sessions are Nov. 11, 18; and Dec. 2 and 9. No registration required. For more information, call Pearl Bailey Library at 757-247-8677.
Free hotcakes for heroes
Veterans and active military personnel have a hearty hotcakes breakfast coming their way - free on Veterans Day, thanks to Bob Evans Farms. All Bob Evans restaurants will serve free all-you-can-eat hotcakes to veterans and active duty military members who present a valid military ID on Tuesday, Nov. 11. Company founder Bob Evans was a veteran, having served in the US Army during World War II in several posts. He was inducted into the Army in January 1945. Guests wishing to enjoy the original hotcakes breakfast (holiday offer not available on specialty hotcakes) must provide proof of service. Eligible identification includes a US Uniformed Services (current or retired) Identification Card, a current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), or a Veterans' organization card (American Legion or VFW, for example). Guests wearing a military uniform on Veterans Day also are eligible. For more information, visit www.BobEvans.com.
COLLEGE AND VOCATIONAL SCHOOL FAIR Nov. 15 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. MOUNT TABOR BAPTIST CHURCH DREAM MAKERS SCHOLARSHIP MINISTRY 2011 Fairmount Avenue Richmond, Virginia 804-643-0903 MTBCScholarship@aol.com Unfortunately, many families are not able to pay expenses to have their student participate in college tours and visit vocational schools. We know that education is an important key in improving one’s life. We want to bring the colleges and vocational schools to high school students and their parents in the surrounding community and make them aware of the wonderful educational opportunities available to help them achieve a successful future. This event is for both the parent and the student. Please call 804-6430903 or MTBCScholarship@aol.com.
18 • Nov. 5 - 11, 2014
The VOICE
EPI: Raising the minimum wage would be beneficial to the nation’s economy By Freddie Allen WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Raising the minimum wage to $10.10 would likely save taxpayers $39 billion in spending on safety net programs per year, according to a new issue brief by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). Researchers at EPI, a Washington, D.C.based think tank focused on the needs of low- and middle-income families, also found that “more than 1.7 million American workers would no longer rely on public assistance programs,” if the minimum wage were increased. David Cooper, an economic analyst for EPI and the Economic Analysis and Research Network (EARN), said that the value of today’s federal minimum wage of $7.25 lost nearly 25 percent of its worth since the 1960s. Raising the minimum wage would help to close the income gap, between Blacks and Whites, because Blacks hold a disproportionate amount of the low-wage jobs in the labor market. A report published in EPI’s “Unfinished March” series, a collection of reports that revisited the goals set during the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, found that if lawmakers had established the $2.00 minimum wage that the marchers asked for, “today it would be worth $13.39—a far cry from today’s $7.25.” Cooper said that the report looked at Medicaid, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), food stamps, the food program for Women Infants and Children (WIC), the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program and the Temporary Assistance for needy families (TANF). According to the report, “roughly 45 percent of workers likely to get a raise from an increase in the minimum wage to $10.10 receive benefits from at least one means-tested public assistance program, either directly or through a family member.” Cooper said that most of those programs were meant to be temporary support for people that had fallen on hard times or
suffered some unexpected change in their income. “They were not intended to act as long-term subsidies to employers so that businesses could get away with paying poverty-level wages,” Cooper explained. “But today roughly half of public assistance dollars for these programs go to working families and roughly half of the workers in those families that receive benefits are working full-time.” In 2014, Dēmos, a public policy group aimed at reducing political and economic inequality, reported that, “the compensation of fast food CEOs was more than 1,200 times the earnings of the average fast food worker,” in 2012. “Accommodation and Food Services [CEOs] earned 543 times the annual income of the average worker in the sector – the highest CEO-to-worker ratio of any sector in the economy in any year since 2000,” stated the Dēmos report. Dēmos also reported that the food preparation and retail jobs are among the top five occupations expected to grow through 2022. “The increasing reliance on employment in these highly unequal industries will make it harder for working people to share in the gains of economic growth as more and more income becomes concentrated at the top,” the Dēmos report said. A report released last year by The Committee for Better Banks, a group that advocates for bank workers’ rights, said that bank worker wages are so low that roughly one-third of tellers or their family members “receive some sort of public assistance nationwide.” The CBB report said that state and federal governments subsidize the lowwages that tellers earn to the tune of $900 million, annually just to help them make ends meet. And while bank CEOs were earning unheralded salaries and paying WalMart wages to bank tellers, some of their managers were engaging in discriminatory hiring and employee practices. In Virginia the minimum wage is the same as the federal minimum wage—$7.25 per hour. Efforts remain underway to further increase the minimum wage.
Protestors in Richmond demonstrate to have the minimum wage increased to $15 an hour.
As recently as September, minimum wage protestors were arrested for peacefully demonstrating along Mechanicsville Turnpike in Richmond. The protestors were a part of the “Fight for $14” campaign—an initiative striving to increase the minimum wage for fast food workers to their pay provides a livable wage. Cooper maintains that the public should not continue to subsidize low-wage
employers who arguably haven’t been doing their fair share of the social contract: the understanding, in American society, that if you work hard you should be paid enough to make ends meet. Cooper added: “Raising the minimum wage is a simple and long overdue step towards rebalancing the social contract so that the private and public sectors are more equal partners in improving living standards for American families.”
TWP from page 15
Hampton Roads Youth Poetry Festival, are held by affiliated organizations to prepare the youth in their region for the unique experience of sharing an international stage with other spoken word activists. Poets come from all parts of the country and the globe like Guam, Los Angeles, the United Kingdom, Jamaica, South Africa, Israel, Canada and many other places.
throughout the country to represent the voice of the Hampton Roads youth and all unheard youth. They have traveled and competed in Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, Chicago, Washington, D.C., San Diego and San Francisco. Teens With a Purpose is part of an international network of youth spoken word organizations that meet annually at Brave New Voices, an international youth poetry festival that brings together over 500 youths from around the globe. Each year, nation-wide regional events, such as the Teens With a Purpose’s
Nov. 5 - 11, 2014 • 19
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NNPA president envisions Black Press as ‘mainstream’
By Hazel Trice Edney WASHINGTON (TEWire) — Civil rights leader Benjamin Chavis, now president of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, envisions black newspapers as becoming the “new mainstream” rather than an alternative press as it is often called. “The Black Press, I believe has an opportunity where it can make even more traction than it has in the past,” Chavis said in an interview. “In other words, I don’t see the Black Press as a side press from the mainstream press. I want the Black Press to become the new mainstream because the demographics are changing.” Chavis was among the speakers at a recent gala celebration for the 50th Anniversary of the Washington Informer Newspaper, published by NNPA member Denise Rolark Barnes. Blackowned newspapers are often called specialty, alternative or minority press by government agencies and corporate America. But, according to an analysis of U. S. Census Bureau population stats, people of color, including African-Americans, will gradually increase to become a clear majority of America’s population over the next four decades. “All in all, minorities, now 37 percent of the U.S. population, are projected to comprise 57 percent of the population in 2060,” according to a U. S. Census report. “The total minority population would more than double, from 116.2 million to 241.3 million over the period.” During that period, “the black population is expected to increase from 41.2 million to 61.8 million” as the White population will peak in 2024 - 10 years from now - and then gradually decrease by 20.6 million by 2060, the Census reports. Chavis sees this increase as a prospective boon for NNPA’s more than 200 blackowned newspapers as it anticipates its 75th anniversary next year - but only if certain strategies are put in place. First, the black press must focus on a stronger economic foundation by generating more revenue. AfricanAmericans spend $1.2 trillion dollars a year, he said, noting that black newspapers must partner with the black Church, black banks, black colleges and black organizations to network and support the Black Press.
Ben Chavis and Denise Rolark Barnes (inset). PHOTOS: Roy Lewis/TEWire
This strategy would require much unity, Chavis said. “This is beyond connecting the dots. The dots have to converge…There’s too much disunity in our community. And I’m not just talking about organizational disunity. I’m talking about disunity even among the so-called personalities…In my long career in civil rights I’ve seen what happens when leadership goes in divergent paths…To me, it’s a disservice to our community to allow personality conflicts to get in the way.” Secondly, white-owned businesses must be made to understand the value of supporting black newspapers as businesses and as a sustainable institution, the same as the broadcast media, Chavis said. “To reach people in our community.
They can’t just look at something on TV or hear it on the radio and act. They’ve got to look at it and read it more than once. That’s the value of the black print press,” he said. “The pen has to have an economic undergirding so that what is written gets distributed; so that what is written gets circulated. Sometimes we overlook the necessity to the strong economic foundation in our quest for freedom, justice and equality.” Finally, Chavis said, black newspapers must take full advantage of the digital universe. “Technology, particularly digital technology can be a great equalizer. Some people think the digital will supplant the print. I don’t. To me, the digital will make
more valuable the print press because every day it’s about the content. We have the content, but we have not aggregated the content,” he said. Denise Rolark Barnes, who has been publisher of the Informer for 20 years, succeeded her now late father, Dr. Calvin Rolark, a prominent D.C. businessman and black leader. Barnes recalls how the Black Press has led America’s media when it comes to many of the issues that have now emerged as headline news for white-owned media, such as police brutality, economic justice and voting rights. “The more you do it, the more stories you realize need to be told; the more you realize that our community, our Black history every day is being thrown away,” said Barnes, in an exhibit hall showing historic front pages and photos from the Informer. “I’ve learned that history does repeat itself and is repeating itself.” Hundreds of people packed into the Carnegie Library in Downtown Washington, D.C. to salute the Informer and its legacy. Iconic radio talk show host Joe Madison recalled how the Black Press has been so audience-specific that readers know that those who advertise in black newspapers specifically want to reach black people. “It means it’s for us,” Madison said. Madison also underscored black newspapers as a chronicler of black history. “Most of us would not have known about Emmett Till had it not been for the black Press. Most of us wouldn’t have known, quite honestly about Martin Luther King Jr. if it wasn’t for the Black Press because White media certainly wasn’t publicizing it…The Black Press is, as Frederick Douglass would probably say, our North Star.” Chavis is one who has benefited tremendously from the Black Press. He is one of the historic Wilmington 10, who was pardoned by North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue two years ago in a 1971 firebombing amidst the civil rights struggle. The pardon finally came after the Wilmington Journal of North Carolina, published by Mary Alice Thatch, escalated the campaign for justice. “It is in the business of not only reporting the news, but defending the news when it comes to the interest of black people,” said Chavis. “That’s what gives the Black Press its unique value, not only to black America, but to the rest of America.”
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The VOICE
NCSA: Blacks share more on certain social media sites
By Jazelle Hunt WASHINGTON (NNPA) – While black and white people have similar rates of Internet use, blacks are slightly more plugged in to certain social media sites, where sharing life’s minutiae is the norm. “Social networks are a great way to stay connected with others, but you should be wary about how much personal information you post,” noted the National Cyber Security Alliance on its website, staysafeonline.org. “The more information you post, the easier it may be for a hacker or someone else to use that information to steal your identity, access your data, or commit other crimes such as stalking.” According to the Pew Research Center, more than 75 percent of black people own a smart phone, and are likelier to access social media from their phones than a computer—making photo and location sharing even easier. “Sometimes in the privacy of your home you say something, feeling like you’re just talking to your close friends,” said Angie Vaughn, a Nashville, Tenn. resident. Vaughn said she’s particularly cautious online, opting for the highest privacy settings on her social media accounts and taking necessary steps to have her information removed from marketing sites. “You don’t really think much about it but then you come back to like 10,000 comments. And it’s like, oh, I didn’t think all these people were paying attention to what I say.” Ben Halpert, vice president of Risk and Corporate Security at an online security firm, said this is a primary consideration when sharing online. “Social media really gives identity thieves a treasure trove of information,” said Halpert. “The security questions you have to answer on some sites—like your childhood home, or your pet’s name—all of that is information people give freely on social media all the time.” It’s easy to lose control of a photo, comment, video, or message online. Without privacy settings, anyone can stumble upon public posts at any time, even within Google results. If privacy controls are in place to only share with approved people, those people can simply save an image, video, or message on their own devices, and post them elsewhere
where strangers may see, save, and share it. Additionally, using the Internet—visiting websites, shopping, reading articles— creates a digital trail. That trail, and anything posted to the Internet, exists in archives, sometimes indefinitely, even if the user deletes the information from his or her own page, website, or device. Using the Facebook phone app, for example, allows Facebook to access a user’s location, down to the block. The app is also is able to “read” whether or not a phone call is in progress, the phone numbers involved, and the user’s call log. It says so right in the App Permissions most people pretend to have read before clicking “Accept”. In the event that archives or servers are breached, the intruder can expose this content at will. While online security is often centered on protecting credit and identity and teaching minors about privacy and safety, it’s equally important for parents to understand how their own behavior can affect their children. From delivery room snapshots, to embarrassing videos as punishment, to childhood antics that end up on daytime television, the average parent introduces their children to the World Wide Web well before the age of consent. “As adults, we decide to tag our children in pictures, even from birth, and some people even make pages with their child’s name. We’re creating this online life for them, and kids have no say in it,” Halpert says. “If you’re posting that kind of information online, think about how your child may see it in the future.” Vaughn doesn’t have children but does have reservations about some of the things she sees in her newsfeeds. “I feel like funny stuff is okay, but sometimes it’s too much, with kids,” she said. “They’re too young to even understand what it means to be online, and it should be a choice they make as an adult, whether to post themselves there.” Interestingly, parents and grandparents often rely on the young people in their lives to lead the way with technology. But Halpert said children may not be as knowledgeable about safety as parents may believe. “In everything I’ve seen, I don’t believe kids are as privacy aware as adults think they are. While they’re more users of
technology, there’s less thought behind what they’re doing. As they’re growing up with technology, there’s no inhibition,” he said. Halpert is also the author of a storybook series called “The Savvy Cyber Kids At Home”, designed to teach young children about Internet safety, cyberbullying, and
life - screen balance. Halpert also advises parents to consider their own interaction with technology, and the message it sends to their children. “Parents need to model the behavior they expect from their kids,” he said. “It’s up to the adults to make sure you’re locking down privacy for the whole household.”
Man gets 20 years for stealing iPod By Terry Shropshire This is a question of: does the punishment fit the crime? A suburban Atlanta man was convicted for stealing a boy’s iPod and was subsequently sentenced to 20 years in prison, according to a Cobb County district attorney. According to published reports, Shareef Tawwab Hakim, 20, of Marietta, was convicted of robbery and aggravated assault, said District Attorney Vic Reynolds. He allegedly put a boy in a headlock and stole his iPod, said the district attorney. According to the published reports, the teenage victim was sitting outside his Bellmeade Drive apartment around 9:30 p.m. one night when Hakim snuck up behind the boy and put him in a headlock and made off with the boy’s iPod. Soon thereafter, Hakim was arrested and booked into the Cobb County Jail, where he has been held without bond, booking records showed. During his trial, he took the stand and admitted he took the iPod before being convicted in Cobb County
Shareef Tawwab Hakim
Superior Court. “He is violent, and this is all a joke to him,” Assistant District Attorney Jaret Usher told Judge Robert D. Leonard II. “His demeanor demonstrates that.” Leonard sentenced Hakim to a term of 20 years, with 12 years to serve in prison and the rest on probation, Reynolds told the media.
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Black leaders skeptical of GOP’s black outreach campaigns
By Zenitha Prince TEWire — Black leaders and political analysts range from cautiously optimistic to downright skeptical of the Republican Party’s renewed campaign to reach African-American and other sidelined communities. The outreach arose out of the Republican National Committee’s Growth and Opportunity Project, a plan to reform the GOP after the stinging political losses of the 2012 election.
David Bositis
“Our efforts at the Republican Party to engage the black community are sincere and we’re making a committed effort because people are hurting—regardless of color, but especially African Americans— as a result of the president’s (Barack Obama’s) policies and we have solutions to those problems,” said Orlando Watson, the RNC’s communications director for black media. As part of their campaign, Watson pointed to their recognition of black Republican trailblazers and black military veterans during Black History Month and visits to HBCUs, black churches and other meeting places and media-based efforts to familiarize African Americans with the party and its ideals. “We have to talk to people we have not always talked to or listened to in the past,” he said, acknowledging the GOP’s alienation of the African-American community. “It is on us to make up that ground, not only because the success of our party depends on it, but also the success of our country.” Some are dubious of the Republican Party’s latest promise to increase its inclusivity, however, saying it has become a tired refrain. “I’ve been watching the Republican Party talking
Orlando Watson spent the recently past election cycle reaching out to black media in a bid to encourage conversations about Republicans.
about this for a long, long time,” said David Bositis, a longtime expert on black voters and politics. “I think it’s PR….There’s nothing there.” Some local leaders say they have not seen or heard about any outreach efforts in their area, which makes them question the veracity of the GOP’s stated goals. “I don’t think it’s real; I think they have written Maryland off,” said the Rev. Alvin Hathaway, senior pastor, Union Baptist Church in Baltimore. The well-known minister added, “I would think that in Baltimore – particularly when you think of the conditions of African Americans in the city – they would make a concentrated effort to offer a different option…[and] to recruit qualified black Republican candidates.” The Rev. Grayland Hagler, senior pastor, Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in Washington, D.C., mirrored that complaint. “I haven’t seen any outreach at all,” he said. “They reach out to those who share their conservative, reactionary views. They would have no problem if they had hundreds of thousands of Clarence Thomases or Condoleeza Rices but they would have a problem with other blacks.”
Watson conceded that the RNC’s campaign has a lot of uncovered territory but said their commitment is firm. “Our presence is growing—we have not reached the end goal yet, but we’re working to get there,” he said. Still, black leaders and political experts said their concerns about the GOP’s outreach efforts go deeper. “The party has no real outreach agenda because it does not want to change or evolve [and] they have allowed themselves to be hijacked even further to the right,” Hagler said. “Words are words. The reality is if you’re going to become diverse you can’t operate out of a racist paradigm.” Bositis added, “They want to still be the party of white Southern populists and want African Americans to come along and support the policies of the same people who used to lynch African Americans.” Hilary Shelton, the NAACP’s senior vice president of advocacy and policy and director of its Washington bureau, said Republicans’ attempt to make inroads in the black community will require more than words. “It’s a great idea that they are outreaching but it will have to come with changes to their policies because that is what people are more concerned about,”
he said. For example, blacks are severely underrepresented as delegates to RNC conventions, which is reflected in the resulting agenda. “If you don’t have African Americans at the table then the policies don’t reflect the real needs and concerns of the African-American community,” he said. Shelton expressed some optimism, pointing to Republican advocacy on issues such as Wisconsin Republican Jim Sensenbrenner’s push to renew the Voting Rights Act, Kentucky Republican Rand Paul’s outspokenness on reenfranchisement of ex-felons and poverty and more. “We are really happy to see that in some small quarters there is leadership on issues important to the black community,” Shelton said. “We have a few and that’s more than we had last year.” Bositis, however, was unimpressed and said most African Americans are similarly unconvinced by the GOP’s outreach. “They think African Americans are stupid. But I have news for you—they’re not,” Bositis said. “The vast majority [of African-American voters] think it is a joke.”
22 • Nov. 5 - 11, 2014
The VOICE
CLASSIFIED & LEGAL ADS CONTRACTServing SALES REP Richmond and Hampton Roads since 1985
The City of Richmond is seeking to fill the following positions:
Administrative Project Analyst 27M00000343 Social Services Apply by: 11/16/2014 Administrative Services Manager, Budget Manager 05M00000022 Planning and Development Review Apply by: 11/16/14 Animal Control Officer II 88M00000017 Animal Care & Control Apply by: 11/23/2014 Automotive Mechanic I 29M00001090 Public Works Apply by: 11/16/14 Program Manager, VIEW/ Daycare 27M00000472 Social Services Apply by: 11/16/2014 Refuse Truck Operator 29M00000402 Public Works Apply by: 11/16/14
The VOICE is looking for a contract sales 205 E. Clay St. representative to help us maximize our Richmond, VA 23219 revenue potential by selling ad space • 757-244-5654 • 804-644-5617 (fax) 804-644-9060 through a multi-platform advertising www.voicenewspaper.com program that includes newspaper, special ads@voicenewspaper.com editions and online advertising. The ideal candidate is knowledgeable in newspaper sales, but your motivation Ad Sizeand 9.65 inches - 1 column(s) X 9.65 inches drive to learn are much more desirable qualities. 1 Issue (Nov. 5) - $106.15
Network with other African American business
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Your earning potential is limitless, based on owners, managers, and professionals. This is your sales acumen. We payIncludes a small Internet weeklyplacement at www.voicenewspaper.com an opportunity for you to introduce yourself stipend with the bulk of your earnings Please review the proof, make any needed changes and return by fax or e-mail. coming from commission paid on closed and your business to “family” members who If your response is not received by deadline, your ad may not be inserted. sales. You must have reliable transportation.
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Your responsibilities will include developing Make connections that can grow your and executing sales strategies while meeting business. Make connections so you can refer and exceeding monthly goals.Ok with changes X _____________________________
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Please submit your resume, cover letter, references, and contact information to ads@ voicenewspaper.com. No phone calls please.
Thursday, November 13, 2014 7:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m.
Oyster’s Pearl
1401 Roseneath Road
•
Richmond, VA 23230
Free Continental Breakfast courtesy of Oyster’s Pearl
Systems Developer, Utilities Team 20M00000050 Information Technology Continuous Trade Supervisor I 29M00000418 Public Works Apply by: 11/16/14 ********************************* For an exciting career with the City of Richmond, visit our website for additional information and apply today!
www.richmondgov.com EOE M/F/D/V
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Classified ads are for everyone! Place your “For sale”, “Legal” “Wanted”, and “Service”... ads here for maximum exposure and we’ll add in online placement for close to FREE. Our rates begin at just $11 per week.
Doors open 7:30 a.m. We start PROMPTLY at 8:00 a.m. Free Admission for CVAACC members Non-members $20.00 Please RSVP via the www.CVAACC.org Event Calendar
We want to have your cup of coffee or juice ready for you. Central Virginia African American Chamber of Commerce Email: Info@CVAACC.org • Phone: 804-823-7745 Sponsored by: A.W. Smith Financial Small Business Solutions www.AWSmithFinancial.com
Nov. 5 - 11, 2014 • 23
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IF YOU USED THE BLOOD THINNER XARELTO and suffered internal bleeding, hemorrhaging, required hospitalization or a loved one died while taking Xarelto between 2011 and the present time, you may be entitled to compensation. Call Attorney Charles H. Johnson 1-800-535-5727
ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES DC BIG FLEA NOV 8-9 An Amazing Treasure Hunt! Metro DC’s Largest Antique Event! Dulles Expo-Chantilly, VA. 4320 Chantilly Shop Ctr, 20151. Adm $8 Sat 9-6 Sun 11-5. www.thebigfleamarket.com. AUCTIONS AUCTION - Construction Equipment & Trucks, November 13th, 9 AM, Richmond, VA. Excavators, Dozers, Dumps & More. Accepting Items Daily thru 11/7. Motleys Asset Disposition Group, 804-232-3300x.4 www.motleys.com/industrial VAAL #16. EDUCATION / HELP WANTED 2014-2015 VACANCIES: Biology (9-12), - Signing Bonus $2,000, English (9-12), and Special Education General Curriculum (912) - Prince Edward County Public Schools, Farmville, VA – 434315-2100. www.pecps.k12.va.us Closing Date: Until filled. EOE EDUCATION / TRAINING MEDICAL BILLING TRAINEES NEEDED! Become a Medical Office Professional! No Experience Needed! Online Training gets you ready! HS Diploma/GED & Computer needed. 1-888-424-9419.
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Help Wanted/Drivers CDL-A. Do you want more than $1,000 a Week? Excellent Monthly Bonus Program/ Benefits Weekend Hometime you Deserve! Electronic Logs/Rider Program 877-704-3773
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Are You A Korean War Veteran? Department Of Virginia Korean War Veteran Association (Post 191) Serving All of Hampton Roads. All that served in the Korean War and those that served in Korea after the war, are welcome to our Monthly Meeting which is held the 2nd Saturday of each Month 9am at Elks Lodge #366 95 Tide Mill Lane Hampton Va.
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Ad Size: 4.40” inches (2 Columns x 2.20 VDOT has opportunities statewide. We are currently seeking outstanding candidates for the following position: District Contract Manager Culpeper, VA
Nov. 5 issue - $48.40
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For more details on this position and other opportunities go to www.vdot.jobs
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