The Washington Informer - March 3, 2016

I N S I D E

Big Chair Chess Club Hosts Day of Fun Page 8

Financial Transparency Vital in Relationships Page 14

City Contracts 3rd Party for EMS Crisis Page 18

Melissa Harris-Perry’s Days Numbered Page 30

VOL. 51, NO. 21 MAR. 3 - 9, 2016

Rebuild America’s Infrastructure - Jesse Jackson’s OpEd - Page 24

Future of PEPCO/Exelon Merger Remains Murky

Clinton, Trump Score Big on Super Tuesday

But PSC Ruling Paves the Way for Acquisition

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer The DC Public Service Commission has paved the way for local utility Pepco Holdings Inc. to be sold to Exelon Corporation.

At an early morning hearing, the PSC first voted 2-1 to reject widely contested settlement terms that was agreed upon by Mayor Muriel Bowser.

However, despite a principled dissent from Chairman Betty Ann Kane, Commissioners Joanne Doddy Fort and Willie Phillips then did an about face and voted to approve a modified version of the settlement that includes what opponents called marginal changes that failed to address the core problems which led the PSC to unanimously reject the

deal last August.

In her dissenting remarks, Kane stated that the fundamental “conflict of interest” remains, the revised settlement terms could “make the situation worse” and there is “no alternative that will address the fundamental structural problem.”

Exelon, Pepco and other settling parties have 14 days from Friday, Feb. 26, to decide whether or not to accept the modified settlement terms.

If they do, the merger will be automatically approved by way of the 2-1 PSC vote.

Exelon reportedly wants to add Pepco to help reduce Exelon’s reliance on power sold into competitive wholesale markets by Exelon’s nuclear power plants, the largest

PEPCO Page 9

Minority Votes Prove Decisive for Democrats

By D. Kevin McNeir WI Editor

5 Democratic presidential nominee hopeful Hillary Clinton swept several primary wins in the Southern states on Super Tuesday, March 2. / Photo courtesy of ABC News

DC Streetcar Rides Again 54 Years Later

Hillary Clinton has taken command of the Democratic presidential race after rolling to victory over Bernie Sanders in Texas, Virginia and throughout the South on Super Tuesday, March 1.

With her impressive wins, Clinton shows that she can maintain a national coalition of racially diverse voters that will be crucial in the November general election.

She defeated her opponent, Sanders, in states like Vermont and Oklahoma – places that he believed he could win, while also overpowering him in states with high percentages of Blacks and Hispanics.

SUPER TUESDAY Page 10

Politicians, Residents Celebrate Milestone

By Sarafina Wright WI Staff Writer

5 The D.C. Streetcar officially launched its first day of service to the public on Saturday, Feb. 27. / Photo by Travis Riddick

After hundreds of millions of dollars and a 10-year wait, the D.C. Streetcar finally will be available for District residents for the first time since its final ride in 1962.

Hundreds of residents, public officials and Mayor Muriel Bowser gathered on the H Street corridor in Northeast for the opening of the Streetcar, kicking it off with a ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 27.

“This 2.4-mile start to the Streetcar will connect neighborhoods and communities and spur economic development,” Bowser said. “Most importantly, the Streetcar offers another option in addition to Met-

STREETCAR Page 11

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The CoLumn

Is Everywhere!

By Dr. Charles Vincent & “Mickey” Thompson Vincent

Living the Dream . . . Singing the Dream The Choral Arts Society of Washington (Scott Tucker, Artistic Director) and Washington Performing Arts (Stanley Thurston, Artistic Director and Michele Fowlin, Director, Children of the Gospel Choir) performed a choral tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This year’s Humanitarian Award was presented to Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative by Marian Wright Edelman at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. For more information go to choralarts@choralarts.org

Marian Wright Edelman (Founder of Children’s Defense Fund), Awardee Bryan Stevenson, Debra Kraft (Ex. Dir.of the Choral Arts Society) & Scott Tucker (Artistic Director of the Choral Arts Society of Washington)

Guests Ralph Bazilio, Faye Wallace, William Wallace, Shirley Cephas & Floy Cephas

Michele Fowlin (Director of the Washington Performing Arts Children of the Gospel Choir)

Scott Tucker (Artistic Director of the Choral Arts Society of Washington) shown here with his his wife and family

Ralph Alan Herndon (pianist, vocalist, composer & arranger)

Guests - Mrs. Diane Bailey, Gloria & Foster Payne, Drs. William & Roselyn Epps (Father & Daughter) & Atty. Claude Bailey

Guests Shown - (not in order) Dr. Marilyn Tyler Brown, Dr. Deborah Evans, Council Member Brandon Todd (Ward 4) , Dr. Alethia Spraggins, Dr. Charle Vincent (CEO Guests Eleanor Hill & Edna Martin Social Sightings- The CoLumn), Dr. & Mrs. Franklin Smith, Angie Bigger, & Atty. Chuck & Martha Baron

Mickey Thompson Vincent (Publisher of Social Sightings), Awardee Bryan Stevenson, Marian Wright Edelman (Founder of Children’s Defense Fund) & Debra Kraft (Ex. Dir.of the Choral Arts Society)

To Publish your event on the Social Sightings-the CoLumn Page and/or in the MagaZine

Contact us at socialsightings@aol.com

Kurt Pommonths, Sr, Photographer * Photo Enhancer * Graphic Designer Social Sightings-The CoLumn is published in The Washington Informer Newspaper the Hill Rag, DC Mid-City, & East of the River Journals, 2003 © SOCIAL SIGHTINGS ALL RIGHTS RESERVED — DUPLICATION IN ANY FORM REQUIRES WRITTEN PERMISSION | E-mail SocialSightings@aol.com

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WI H O T the T OCycle P I Cof S Women Break Domestic Violence Black Students Ejected from Trump Rally in Georgia COMPILED BY D. KEVIN MCNEIR / WI EDITOR

are different of who made the decision to eject 30 Black law There enforcement.

Sheaccounts said they threat,” she said. students who say they were standing silently at top of the bleachers WI Staff Writer had come together to bring a Among thethe programs Marlow at Donald Trump’s rally in Georgia on Monday evening, Feb. 29. sense of uniformity in the way wants to see implemented are But a Trump that restraining the incidentorder at Valdosta When L.Y. Marlow's 23-year- domestic violencespokeswoman victims anddenied stricter policies,State University’s campus was initiated “atmore the request of the candidate” or the old daughter told her the father survivors are treated. rights for victim's families of her daughter threatened her presidential campaign. spokesmantoforintervene the Secreton Service contradicted “She's using her ownApersonal behalf of a vic- the life, and the life of their child, story, her statements own personal tim, domestic assessstudents’ that pain federaltoagents ledathem out ofviolence the building, saying she knew something had to be push forward,” ment unit coupled with of further Trump staff and Davis-Nickens local law enforcement officials were in charge handling done. Out of her frustration said about Marlow. training for law enforcement protesters. withValdosta law enforcement's anyone Tuesday agencies, a Child's Life ProtecPolice Chiefhandling Brian ChildressDavis-Nickens tried to clear upsaid the confusion morning, telling USA TODAY ofthat thehesituation, she decided to who reads Marlow's book will tion Act and mandatory counselpersonally went to speak to the Trump campaign staff and the local law enforcement officers helping with start the Saving Promise cam- “get it.” She said she “puts the ing for batterers. security to confirm who ordered the students out, and to ask why. The police chief said the Trump staff made the paign. case in such a way, the average “If we are ever going to eradiright call andtothat had nothing with race.

“It seems be ait vicious cycleto do person can get it.” She said at the cate domestic violence, we must sight ofturn the students, who were visibly upset, being leave the grounds created thatThewon't my family end of the day, theasked to book will look at both sidesa stir of at thea university coin. that was a whites-only campus until 1963.

The young people said they had planned to sit in silent protest loose,” Marlow said. Marlow help people begin to have a dia- We need to address both the vic- but were escorted out by security officials before the presidential candidate began speaking. shared her story with the audi- logue about domestic violence. tim and the batterer,” Marlow to do anything,” Tahjila Davis,ata 19-year-old mass media ence“We atdidn’t the plan District Heights saidAlso present the event was said. major, who was part of the group Domestic Symposium Mildred of ValdostaViolence State University students, many of whom were wearing black, that was removed.

“They ‘This is Muhammad, the allexMarlow would also likesaid, to see on May 7property; at the District Heights Trump’s it’s a private event.’wife But Iofpaid myAllen tuition to be here.” programs designed to raise John Muhammad, Municipal Center.

The sympowho was sentenced to six consecamong children Trump has been regularly heckled by protesters at his campaign rallies butawareness tensions have increased after heincame sium by immediately the utive condemning life terms without parole public and schools. She under was fire onsponsored Sunday for not support from a prominent whiteprivate supremacist.

Family and Youth Services by a Maryland jury for his role in feels children need to be educatCenter of the city of District the Beltway Sniper attacks in ed about domestic violence.

Heights and the National Hook- 2002. Mildred Muhammad is “We have to stop being pasUp of Black Women. the founder of After the Trauma, sive-aggressive with poor chilRadio One announced the pending retirement of Chris Wegmann, president, Radio Group for Radio One efMarlow has written a book, an organization that helps the dren about domestic violence,” fective April 1 – a seasoned 35 years of experience who joined Radio One in 2009 as “Color Me Butterfly,” whichradio is a broadcaster survivorswith of over domestic violence Marlow said. the regional and general manager in Dallas and St. Louis, MO, after leading organizations story about vice fourpresident generations of and their children.

Marlow has industry worked to break such as COX Radio,The Clear Channel Broadcasting to Six name athe few.cycle He took over in as the domestic violence. book is and “I Signature lived in fear for six years. of abuse her president family, of the localby radio in 2013. years in fear is a long time. It is and is confident the policies she inspired herbusiness own experiences, grateful for grandmother, Chris’ years of loyal Radio andout wish him well in hisforretirement,” and“I’m those of her notleadership an easy to thing toOne come is pushing will startsaid Alfred that her motherCEO, and Radio her daughter.

C. Liggins, One, Inc. of,” she said. process.

SheContinuing said everytotime she itself readsfor the Mildred said “Iteam, plan to take One thesealso policies to position future and Muhammad strengthen its management Radio announced excerpts from her book, she who wantIndianapolis to help aand Regional CongressVice andPresident of Detroit implore them to and the return of Deon Levingstonstill as the people General Manager of can not believe the words came domestic violence victim must change our laws,” Marlow said.

St. Louis. from her.very “Color MetoButterfly” be careful of how go into“At “I not stop untilcareer theseAlfred poli- Lig“I am excited rejoin the Radio One family,” saidthey Levingston. thewill beginning of my won the 2007 National “Best the victim's life, and understand cies are passed.” gins and Cathy Hughes gave me my first start as a General Manager and I am very happy to come home. I look Books” Award. she dominate may be the in urban “survival forward to working with the team to that grow and space.” Tia Carol Jones can be reached “I was just 16-years-old when mode”. at tiacaroljones@sbcglobal.net years, Levingston has a respected and influential multi-media executive known for his innomy For eyeover first20blackened and my been “Before you get to 'I'm going vation andMarlow leadership. He careeritwith Radio in 2001 and lips bled,” said. started historadio kill you,' started as One a verbal WI became the Vice President and General of Indianapolis Elaine Manager Davis-Nickens, presi- where he grew ratings and revenue for the cluster while annually outpacing the market growth.

To his merit, Levingston is a key contributor to the launch and/or success of The Steve dent of in therevenue National Hook-Up Harvey Morning Show, The Williams Experience and the multi-million dollar, two-day action-packed of Black Women, said there is Wendy no consistency infor thewomen, way domestic lifestyle event Circle of Sister, which remains the largest event of its kind in the world. violence issues are dealt with by

By Tia Carol Jones

Radio One Makes Changes in Local Leadership

Wilhelmina J. Rolark In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. PUBLISHER Wilhelmina J. Rolark THE WASHINGTON INFORMER Denise Rolark Barnes NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is NEWSPAPER THE WASHINGTON INFORMER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published published weekly on each Thursday. weekly on Thursday. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional Periodicals WashingSTAFF mailingpostage offices. paid Newsat and advertising deadline is Monday prior to publication. ton, Announcements D.C. and additional of- two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2000 by The must mailing be received D. Kevin McNeir, Editor fices.Washington News and Informer. advertising Alldeadline rights reserved. POST MASTER: Send change of addressRon Burke, Advertising/ Marketing Director is Monday to publication.

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“

We have to stop being D.C. Council Approves McDuffie’s Crime Prevention Bill passive-aggressive with poor The Council of the District of Columbia unanimously passed the “Neighborhood Engagement Achieves Results Amendment Act of 2016” (NEAR Act) children about domestic introduced by Councilmember McDuffie earlier this week.

The NEAR Act is an innovative, data-driven approach that establishes the District as a national leader in crime prevention policy. Grounded in principle to take these violence.

I theplan that violent crime is a public health crisis, the NEAR Act treats crime’s root causes.

“Implementing the NEAR Act means effective andpolicies sustainable crimeto prevenCongress and tion for District residents,” said Councilmember McDuffie. “One homicide in the District is one too many. We know that we cannot simply arrest our way out of crime; prevention is key. This implore them to change our comprehensive bill is a step in the right direction.”

The NEAR Act will establish an Office of Violence Prevention and Health Equity (OVPHE). It will require not stop anduntil the city to develop and implement a public healthlaws. strategy usingIriskwill assessment tools, cognitive family based therapy and service coordination to combat the spread of violence. Such coordination will include placing clinicians in every hospital’s emergency department to immediately respondpolicies to victims of crime and prevent the escalation these are passed.

“

In Memoriam

The Washington Informer Dr. Calvin Newspaper W. Rolark, Sr.

of violence.

The NEAR Act also creates an Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE).L.Y. BasedMarlow on the sucPHOTOGRAPHERS CIRCULATION cessful Richmond, CA model, the goal of the office will be to identify teenagers and young adults at the highest Paul Trantham John E. DeFreitas, Shevry Lassiter, risk for committing or being a victim of violent crimes, for participation in a stipend based program involving life Roy Lewis, Patricia Little, Corey Parrish, planning, trauma­informed therapy and mentorship. The program will require its participants to create and execute Travis Riddick, Nancy Shia a successful life­plan, moving them away from the pitfalls of violent crime. Between 2007 and 2014, Richmond experienced a 76 percent reduction in firearm­related homicides.

4 / May 15 - 21, 2008 The Washington Informer / www.washingtoninformer.com “As I have said all along, the District should only fund programs that work,” McDuffie said. “I believe in evidence-based approaches and will monitor and review the effectiveness of each of these initiatives to ensure that District residents’ tax dollars are being spent in an efficient and effective manner.”

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Bowser Provides Details on Cuba Trip Education, Health Care Among Top Priorities

By Sarafina Wright WI Staff Writer Mayor Muriel Bowser, along with a regional delegation led by the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, traveled to Cuba to establish diplomatic relations and business opportunities and promote economic and cultural opportunities in the District.

The five-day trip, from Feb. 2025, enabled the group to meet with a U.S. ambassador to Cuba and health care leaders and learn about the country’s educational system.

“For 40 years, the chamber has dedicated its work to building innovative partnerships that advance Latino business ownership and expand their reach into new markets at home and abroad,” Angela Franco, GWHCC CEO and president, said.

“What we’ve been told time and again is that it’s good we got to Cuba early and that it’s good that we are getting the lay of the land now so that when opportunities become available, we’ll be ready,” Bowser said.

Bowser toured the University of Havana, the oldest universi-

ty in Cuba, along with D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson, representatives from American and Howard University’s business schools and other members of the exploratory mission delegation.

Bowser said the insight she got about the country’s high literacy numbers, graduation rates and university retention rates will provide a blueprint on what will work for the District.

“Washington, D.C., has seen great gains in our education system,” she said. “Given Cuba’s emphasis on a strong education, I know there’s a lot we can learn from each other.”

“We now have a better understanding of how their literacy and graduation rates remain consistently high – something that the District continues to work towards,” she said.

The mayor also spoke favorably of future trade opportunities with Cuba.

“The mission was really about laying the groundwork for future relationships and potential economic and cultural opportunities with Cuba,” she said.

On her first day in Havana,

2016 DC RepubliCan pResiDential pRefeRenCe & Delegate seleCtion Convention

Bowser had the opportunity to meet with Ambassador Jeffrey DeLaurentis, chargé d’affaires for the United States in Cuba to discuss diplomatic relations.

Reports state the mayor and the ambassador on their very first meeting discussed how the District and the greater Washington area can best position itself to do business with Cuba as relations normalize.

The United States established diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1902, opening the first U.S. embassy in Havana in 1923.

The embassy closed in 1961 when the United States’ relationship with Cuba went south.

In 2014, President Barack Obama announced the intention to re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba, and in 2015, the two nations officially renewed diplomatic relations.

The delegation received the opportunity to explore Cuba’s renowned National Center of Sexual Education, one of the better parts of its health care system.

Mariela Castro, director of research at Cuba’s National Center of Sexual Education and daughter of

5At the US Embassy in Havana, Council member Roger Berliner, Virginia Secretary of Commerce Maurice Jones, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, US Ambassador to Cuba Jeffrey DeLaurentis, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett, Council member Nancy Navarro and DC Councilmember Jack Evans. / Courtesy of dc.gov Cuban President Raúl Castro, led the mayor and company on a tour of the organization, a teaching and research institution in the area of human sexuality.

“A city is only as strong as the health and well-being of its residents,” Bowser said. “No matter your background or economic status, everyone has the right to quality health care, and it’s encouraging to see that Cuba has made that a top priority.”

The mayor along with other attendees also met with a host of Cuban officials such as Marta Hernandez Romero, mayor of Havana, Bruno Eduardo Rodriguez Parrilla, Cuban minister of foreign affairs,

Roberto Morales Ojeda, minister of public health and Manuel Marrero Cruz, Cuban minister of tourism.

The group got to visit the Solidarity With Panama special-needs school and the Rancho Boyeros public school.

They also toured research hospitals and clinics to learn about strategies that achieve high health standards in Cuba amid a scarcity of resources.

“This is my second international trip in four months, and whether it’s China, Cuba or anywhere else, these missions are important because they can create job opportunities for our residents and improve our economy,” Bowser said. WI

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MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 5

AROUND THE REGION WEEK OF MAR. 3 - 9, 2016

Black Facts MARCH 3

1968 – The infamous COINTELPRO memorandum is sent to FBI field offices around the country.

COINTELPRO was a government counter-intelligence program aimed at disrupting and destroying Black, peace and anti-war groups. The March 3rd memorandum specifically called on FBI agents to infiltrate militant Black organizations and employ various tactics to prevent them from growing individually or uniting with one another.

1990 – Carole Gist is crowned first Black Miss USA. 1991 – Rodney King is beaten by a group of White policemen in Los Angeles.

MARCH 4

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BUYING RECORDS

1922 – Comedic great Bert Williams dies of pneumonia in New York City at the age of 46.

1968 – Martin Luther King, Jr. announced plans for Poor People’s Campaign in Washington. He said he would lead a massive civil disobedience campaign in the capital to pressure the government to provide jobs and income for all Americans. He said at a news conference that an army of poor Whites, Blacks and Hispanics would converge on Washington on April 20 and would demonstrate until their demands were met.

MARCH 5

1770 – Crispus Attucks, an escaped slave, became the first man killed in the cause of America’s freedom. This event is better known as the Boston Massacre.

1897 – American Negro Academy founded.

1920 – Leontine T.C. Kelly, the first African-American woman to become a bishop within the Methodist denomination.

1939 - Playwright Charles Fuller was born in Philadelphia March 5, 1939. Fuller co-founded the Afro-American Arts Theatre in Philadelphia, his hometown, in 1967. The Perfect Party (1969) was the first of Fuller’s plays to receive critical acclaim.

1985 – The Mary McLeod Bethune commemorative stamp is issued by the U.S. Postal Service as the eighth stamp in its Black Heritage USA series.

1997 – Desi Giles, a Black man, receives death threats after portraying Jesus in the annual passion play in Union City, New Jersey.

pendence, Massachusetts. Hall was a leather-dresser and caterer. On July 3, 1775, African Lodge No.1 was organized in Boston by a group of Black Masons.

1857 – The Dred Scott decision of the Supreme Court denied Blacks U.S. citizenship and denied the power of Congress to restrict slavery in any federal territory.

1901 – Virginia State University is founded.

MARCH 7

1965 – U.S. Supreme Court upholds key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

1997 – Former Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley dies. Manley is perhaps best known for his brand of democratic socialism and attempting to organize Caribbean and African nations into a bloc to press for better prices for their raw materials.

MARCH 8

1977 – Henry L. Marsh III is elected the first Black mayor of Richmond, Virginia. Before becoming mayor of the capital of the old confederacy, Marsh had made a name for himself confronting the city’s White power structure as a civil rights attorney. He also served in the state senate.

MARCH 9

1941 – Amistad mutineers freed by U.S. Supreme Court.

1997 – Rap artist The Notorious B.I.G. (Christopher Wallace) is shot to death in Los Angeles, California, as a result of an alleged East Coast/West Coast dispute in the rap music industry. The killing has never been solved criminally. But a civil suit in Los Angeles federal court accused two rogue Los Angeles police officers of arranging the driveby shooting that led to his death.

WI

MARCH 6 Buying Vinyl Records from 1950 to 1986, Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, R&B, Disco, Soul, Reggae, Blues, Gospel, and record format 33 1/3, 45s, and some of the older 78s.

Prefer larger collections of at least 100.

CALL JOHN @ 301-596-6201 6 MAR. 3 - 9, 2016

1775 – Prince Hall and fourteen other Blacks were initiated into British Military Lodge No. 441 of the Masons at Fort Inde-

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Notorious B.I.G.

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AROUND THE REGION

FINAL PITCH

The Reality PITCH Competition FINANCIAL ANALYTICS FIRM SMARTASSET RECENTLY RATED THE MUCH-MALIGNED WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITY’S SUBWAY SYSTEM THE NATION’S BEST. THE OBJECT OF MANY RIDERS’ FRUSTRATION, WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCES AND WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE AREA’S SUBWAY SYSTEM?

SIDNEY SMITH

WASHINGTON, D.C.

I have used the D.C., New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and Baltimore metro systems. I have found the D.C. Metro system to be the best from the standpoint of clean trains, modern high-ceiling Metro stops and the number of stops. A person can get around the D.C/ metro area very easily with its. The Northwest D.C. line has more stops and reach, and it runs 24-7. The D.C. metro system’s downfall is that it stops running late night and has limited weekend coverage.

SEAN HOGGARD WASHINGTON, D.C.

By Inez Kelley CEO; Kelley Media Marketing, Inc. www.finalpitchtv.com The Perils of a Television Host MELISSA HARRIS-PERRY In a letter penned by Ms. Perry, just before the final word came down, the discord erupted from her refusal to host her weekend program MHP on Saturday. This action was in direct response to Ms. Perry’s claim of her program for several weeks being preempted and thereby excluded from the presidential campaign conversation.

What remains to be seen is the fallout of such a move that was hopefully at minimum a calculated risk. Hosting with all the notoriety can blur the lines…Such attention could cause one to forget, as it appears Ms. Perry has when reading her statement; ‘I will not be used as a tool for their purposes’, well actually you are; you’re an employee that is why they hired you!

Growing through difficult situations is, well difficult. We may object to and at times be subject to what we may deem as unfair practices or decisions. When feeling as though we’re being devalued by decisions that may leave us on the short side of the equation, it’s easy to react in a way that could soon be regrettable. She states, ‘four inconsequential hours’… on MSNBC…? Does MSNBC or any major 24 hour news outlet have any inconsequential hours…? Her response; REACTIONARY is what she’s labeled.

Here the deal…7% of the revenue of all the United States is what blacks contribute. That number still baffles the mind. Having the power, because that’s what it’s going to take, not just a good job or the thousands that Ms. Harris-Perry can probably still command with speaking engagements, is what it will take to begin to close this chasm called ‘wealth inequality’.

A platform like MSNBC has the power (and has) to propel Ms. Perry into position high visibility. It’s in reaching that level and stature within any industry does opportunity translate to power…unless the ego gets in and moves us prematurely out of position.

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No, I don’t agree with the recent rankings. I read about them, but I don’t recall what exactly they based the rankings on. If you love to ride forever on one-sided tracks, walk up the steps only to find a broken escalator and having to deal with World War III-style random attacks from customers, then yes, it’s the best transit system.

GUILIFORD QUEEN

SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND

Our Metro system started out with high aspirations and hope. We struggle to keep it running efficiently and modern with funding from three separate jurisdiction who tweak and fund the system almost completely independent of one another. Oh yes, the rules set by the federal government make you want to holler if you are in charge or are a passenger.

SIDNEY THOMAS WASHINGTON, D.C.

I have complained about various D.C. Metro problems on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s website and a representative has contacted me within 24 hours of making contact. The Metro system is far from perfect but I think they are making an effort to improve their services.

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MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 7

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By Sam P.K. Collins WI Contributing Writer @SamPKCollins

For young Black men living in the inner-city jungle that’s Washington, D.C., the game of chess provides an opportunity to develop critical thinking skills that prove essential in avoiding common pitfalls.

It also allows them to revel in each other’s company and enjoy friendly competition.

Last weekend, chess connoisseurs of various ages gathered for an afternoon that included chess matches, trash talking and exchanges about strategy. The event, touted as “Chess Fun Day” and held on Saturday, Feb. 27, attracted dozens of men from across the D.C. metropolitan area who converged at the Big Chair Chess Club in Northeast for the festivities.

“We wanted to bring some enlightenment about chess and its history. Our Black community should know that it’s something to do,” said Ricky Norman, manager of the Big Chair Chess Club.

Since its 2003 inception by former convict-turned-chess teacher Eugene Brown, the Big Chair Chess Club has been instrumental in helping at-risk District students change their lives for the better. The nonprofit organization’s mantra, “[T]hink before you move,” draws parallels between navigating the chessboard and making prudent life decisions. Norman said chess can be a tool for self-improvement, helping young people increase discipline and focus.

“For me, chess can be very personal. It’s about doing the best you can and improving. Some esay chess makes you think. I say the game

5Ricky Norman, manager of the Big Chair Chess Club, showed two youngsters how to play chess during Chess Fun Day on Saturday, Feb. 27th at the organization’s Deanwood-based abode. / Photo courtesy of Ben Washington gives you an opportunity to think.

That’s when the epiphany comes,” said Norman, a 54-year-old Northeast resident.

Since chess Grandmaster champion Bobby Fischer popularized the game in the 1950s, people of various ages around the world have taken to the chessboard at home, in school, at recreation centers and during tournaments. Research confirms the benefits of playing chess, including brain stimulation, the prevention of Alzheimer’s and an increase in problem-solving skills.

Under the direction of club, students from Kimball Elementary School in Southeast have won seven city championships. School administrators also noted behavioral changes in students who participated in the extracurricular program. Years later, Norman and his colleagues carry on that legacy from the confines of Big Chair Chess Club’s Deanwood-based venue.

For Germantown, Maryland resident James Washington, Chess Fun Day would be an experience

for the entire family. He and his wife watched as Norman showed their grandchildren how to move each of the pieces on the board. Their son Ben, an ardent chess player, gleefully recorded the short session.

“My grandchildren were exposed to chess at home before but it’s great to see how enthusiastic they are playing with a professional.

They may not know all of the rules, they’re blessed with the basics,” said Washington, 60. “Everyone has to deal with the game of chess at their own level. It’s the same thing with life. Children need to deal with what they can understand and grasp it so they can progress. It’s all about the decisions you need to make for your next steps.”

Local chess coach and longtime Big Chair Chess Club member Doc said learning the game opened up many doors for him in his social and professional life. Since Brown taught him chess at Kimball more than a decade ago, Doc has impart-

CHESS Page 38

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“Black people have done wonderful things for this country (saved its soul, in fact), and we have been an example to the world in the process. That should never be forgotten, even as we continue to press ahead, in our many and varied ways, toward our future. If we did so much when we had so little, think of what we can do now that we have so much more.”

“Vernon Can Read” [2001]

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AROUND THE REGION of the merger away from residential electricity customers by removing the guarantee of no rate increases for residential ratepayers through March 2019.

“The Commission’s order eviscerates the benefits and protections essential to render the proposed merger in the public interest by making changes to the $25.6 million rate offset provision for residential cus-

tomers which was the single most critical provision I supported,” she said. “The inability to afford to pay their bills is a reality for many of our residents and cannot be trivialized and dismissed. Affordable rates and affordable housing are inextricably linked,” she said in a statement.

“I am hopeful all parties and consumer participants to this case will not lose sight of the real issue

in this case – the protection of our most vulnerable residents. Going forward, we will need to work cooperatively to ensure that all consumers in all eight wards of our city are guaranteed affordable rates and reliable service and that once the fanfare dies down, our most vulnerable residents are not forgotten,” she added.

WI

5 Ward 3 Council member Mary Cheh is surrounded by reporters

after the Public Service Commission denied the Excelon-Pepco merger at the PSC offices on Friday, Feb. 26 in Northwest. / Photo by Shevry Lassiter

PEPCO from Page 1 collection in the nation.

The changes in the $6.8 billion acquisition that were agreed to on Friday, Feb. 26, have “removed the reservations that I had with the original application,” Fort said.

The alternative proposal would defer a decision on the allocation of $25.6 million of customer rate credits until Pepco’s next rate case, remove Exelon as the developer of a 5-megawatt solar facility at a District distribution system and for energy-efficiency and energy conservation measures and strike provisions regarding Pepco developing micro grids.

“We’re pleased that they offered that, and we’re going to study it, and we hope to have some decision soon,” Pepco Spokesman Vincent Morris told reporters. “We need to review them first.”

Opponents, however, weren’t pleased.

“I am extremely disappointed in the Public Service Commission’s decision,” said District At-Large Councilwoman Elissa Silverman.

“While the PSC officially rejected the merger, the proposed changes are so minor that the PSC is essentially approving the merger. The four additional conditions that two of the three commissioners want are lipstick on a pig; these terms do not change the fact that this merger is a step backward,” Silverman said.

“I urge Mayor Bowser to reject these terms in the public interest of the District and our residents. As Chairman Kane pointed out, the District will have less accountability over Pepco because of this merger.

And, in exchange, the District will get no promise of increased reliability. It started as a bad deal and it remains a bad deal,” she said.

Councilmember Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), said she felt dejected and that the deal would ultimately

pass. She said the option provided the companies to still move forward stands as a win for Exelon and Pepco.

Anya Schoolman, the head of the D.C. Solar United Neighborhoods, said it could take supporters days to feel confident that they understand all of the ramifications of the agreement.

“This is a huge slap at the mayor’s office, saying keep your hands off ratepayers’ money,” she said.

Despite back and forth between opponents and supporters of the merger, it’s appears that nothing will block the acquisition.

“This is a disappointing day for the nation’s capital. If these wholly inadequate changes are agreed to, the result will be the same,” said Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

“While Bowser and Exelon lobbyists celebrate, D.C. residents should brace for big rate hikes and new roadblocks to clean energy. Bowser betrayed D.C. ratepayers and our environment in a settlement process that reeked of dirty, pay-to-pay politics.”

Bowser in a statement said in conjunction with the Office of the People’s Council, Attorney General Karl Racine and others, the District advanced a deal that ensured D.C.’s energy future, focused on reliability, affordability and sustainability.

“The Public Service Commission took the framework we negotiated and made adjustments,” she said.

“We will have to carefully review the commission’s order to determine if it meets our goals for ratepayers, especially residents.”

Sandra Mattavous-Frye, the District’s chief advocate for ratepayers, on Tuesday said the Office of the People’s Counsel for the District of Columbia [OPC] has carefully and fully reviewed the PSC revisions and concluded that the commission has taken a principal benefit

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“What a super Tuesday,” she said while celebrating victory at a rally in Miami.

In a knock to Donald Trump, she said: “America never stopped being great. We have to make America whole – fill in what’s been hollowed out.”

“Whether we like it or not, we’re all in this together, my friends, and we have to do our part,” she said.

Meanwhile, Trump, on the Republican side, won easily across the South and in New England – illustrating his strength despite an increased resistance to his candidacy among leaders of the party.

He garnered major wins in Alabama, Georgia, Massachusetts and Tennessee, along with more narrow victories in Arkansas, Vermont and Virginia.

Ted Cruz, however, did reassert himself with a crucial victory in his home state of Texas and in nearby Oklahoma. For now, with the two wins, he has found new energy and gained a reprieve in the race. Still some question if he can go the distance and remain a viable candidate.

For Florida’s Marco Rubio, the future appears less positive. He made a run for Trump in Virginia but only had one win, in Minnesota.

It remains to be seen, whether Rubio and Cruz can muster up enough votes in the next crucial series of elections on March 15. For John Kasich and Ben Carson, it looks like it’s just a matter of time, or the lack of money, that will force them out of the race.

Still one thing remains certain – the GOP elite who once dismissed Trump and believed he would burn out – now realize that even with misstatements and mistakes, he grows ominously close to winning a majority of delegates and becoming the Republican presidential candidate.

The real battle, some say, may be at the Republican convention in July.

As for Democrats, Sanders says he will stay in the fight. WI

5Bill and Hillary Clinton / Courtesy photo

New Child Porn Charges Filed Against Former School Aide WI Staff A federal grand jury indicted a former Prince George’s County elementary school aide Monday, Feb. 29 on new child pornography charges.

Deonte Carraway, 22, of Glenarden, now faces 13 federal charges against 11 victims from ages nine to 12 years old, according to announcement made by U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein in Greenbelt, Maryland. This indictment replaces the eight counts of producing child pornography in a criminal complaint released Feb. 23.

According to court records, Carraway coerced and persuaded children from October 11, 2015, to Feb. 1 of this year to produce videos that showed children either having sex with Carraway, or children having sex with each other.

Carraway worked as a classroom aide at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary in Glenarden. He met several of the victims at the school and other victims reported he recruited them from his choir group, according to the indictment.

Carraway remains detained at the county jail on $1 million bond, according to an online court document Tuesday, March 1. He also faces state charges for child sex abuse.

If convicted, Carraway faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years followed by a lifetime of supervised release for each of the 13 counts for producing child pornography, according to court documents.

He’s scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt at 2 p.m.

Friday, March 4 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jillyn K. Schulze.

So far, police have reported a total of 17 victims and ask those with information on the case, or additional victims, to call the department’s Child and Vulnerable Adult Abuse Unit at 301-772-4930.

The FBI’s Baltimore office can be reached at 1-800-225-5324.

WI

Who’s Reading the Informer?

4Muriel Cooper, marketing and

events professional looks forward to reading the Washington Informer weekly. She also receives the digital edition. / Photo by Shevry Lassiter 10 MAR. 3 - 9, 2016

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AROUND THE REGION STREETCAR from Page 1 ro and the DC Circulator.”

“There are 10 schools along this corridor, and those students will have options,” she said.

Bowser went on to say that the Streetcar will be expanding west and east to Benning Road and that the planning is underway.

District Department of Transportation Director Leif Dormsjo echoed the mayor’s sentiments.

“The return of the Streetcar to H and Benning is just one of the many factors of the resurgence of this booming corridor,” Dormsjo said.

FACTS

Each vehicle powered by electricity can carry approximately 150 passengers sitting and standing.

The width of the Streetcar doorways are 4 feet, which gives space for two wheelchairs in each car.

The H/ Benning fleet will

consist of six vehicles, one operator per vehicle and two operator cabs per vehicle.

In 1872, a horse-drawn Streetcar line began on operating on H Street. It has been 144 years since the operation first came to the corridor.

At one point the District had

more than 200 miles of track service, but, like many cities, Washington left the Streetcar service for buses, which became more appealing.

Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton wrapped up the praises to the mayor.

“This Streetcar feels like magic!

Is it really happening!” Norton

said.

“Mayor Bowser, I want you to know there is an old saying that says this is not your grandfather’s Oldsmobile. This is not Eleanor’s that she rode to Banneker Middle School and Dunbar. This is D.C.’s newest Streetcar.” WI

OPERATION

The inaugural line services eight stops between Union Station and the intersection of Benning Road and Oklahoma Avenue, near Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium.

This will be the first part of an 8-mile line that will span the District east to west. Service will run Monday through Saturday, including holidays.

The hours of service are Monday-Thursday 6 a.m.-midnight, Friday 6 a.m.-2 a.m., and Saturday 8 a.m.- 2a.m. There will be no Sunday service for now.

During the introductory period passengers will be able to board the Streetcar for free; during this time the DDOT will review both the fare policy and the option for Sunday service.

Robert Pittman, a Ward 6 resident, praised Bowser for keeping her campaign promises.

“When I first came here, me and my neighbors were told that H Street had been left out there,” he said.

“No one cared about the economic development of H Street, but we all cared and we worked together.”

“The Lyndon Place neighborhood association and our neighbors on 12th, 13th and G streets all started a working group. Out of this group, one of the members from Wally Street thought of this wild idea, a Streetcar!” he said.

Pittman said there were a lot of discussions about the idea and many years of frustration, promises and pain, which eventually came to an end.

“We kept getting promises, but then came Mayor Bowser.

She said I am going to get this Streetcar up and running, and you know what, she actually did!” he said.

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THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 11

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

Fired Up Candidates Talk about the Issues Maryland 4th District Forum Gets ‘Testy’

By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Nine candidates seeking to represent Maryland’s 4th Congressional District talked Social Security, community policing and other topics at a forum Saturday, Feb. 27 in Fort Washington ahead of the April primary — and things got testy near the end.

As the hopefuls gave their closing remarks, Democratic candidate and military veteran Warren Christopher pleaded with the audience at the Harmony Hall Regional Center to

choose new leadership.

“There are many people who have had the opportunity to deliver for you,” said Christopher, referring to fellow Democratic candidates former Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and state Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk (District 21). “They have had 16 years. They have had eight or nine years. If you can’t deliver and bring home the money here to the state, how are you going to bring it home from Congress? How can we continue to move down this path of the same results from the same career politicians?”

Brown took the high road, countering that his plan will continue to focus on the accomplishments of President Obama regarding health care and education.

Peña-Melnyk, who represents both Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties in

DID YOU KNOW? You may qualify for assistance in paying your home phone bill. Discounts for basic telephone service are available to eligible District of Columbia low-income residents.

Verizon Washington, D.C. Lifeline Plans: Verizon Washington, D.C.’s Lifeline service, known as “Economy II,” offers reduced rates on Verizon’s monthly telephone bill and one-time discounts on the cost of installing phone service. Additionally, toll blocking is available to Economy II customers at no charge.

Economy II Service*: $3.00 per month for unlimited local calling. Value-added services are not included (e.g., Call Waiting, Caller ID). No connection charges apply. Also, customers will not be charged for the federal subscriber line charge. Economy II customers who are 65 years of age or older can have this service at a further reduced rate of $1.00 per month. * Full terms and rates for these services, including terms of eligibility, are as set forth in federal and in Verizon’s tariffs on file with the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia. All rates, terms and conditions included in this notice are subject to change and are current at the time of printing.

Eligibility: District residents who have been certified by the Washington, DC Lifeline Program as eligible may apply for the Economy II program.

To apply, schedule an appointment with the Washington, DC Lifeline Program by calling 1-800-253-0846. Households in which one or more individuals are receiving benefits from one of the following public assistance programs or have an annual income that is 150% or below the Federal Poverty Guideline may be eligible.

P Food stamps P Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) P Supplemental Security Income P Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) P Federal Public Housing Assistance (Section 8) P Medicaid P National School Lunch Programs (Free Lunch Program)

Restrictions: P No other working telephone service at the same location P No additional phone lines P No Foreign Exchange or Foreign Zone service P No bundles or packages P No outstanding unpaid final bills P Bill name must match eligible participant P No separate Lifeline discount on cellular or wireless phone service P Business lines are not eligible P Phone number must match eligible participant P Must be a current Verizon customer or establish new service with Verizon

Contact Washington, DC Lifeline Program at 1-800-253-0846 to apply To learn more about the Lifeline program, visit www.lifelinesupport.org.

Economy II is a Lifeline supported service. Lifeline is a government assistance program. Only eligible consumers may enroll. You may qualify for Lifeline service if you can show proof that you participate in certain government assistance programs or your annual income (gross and from all sources) is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guideline. If you qualify based on income, you will be required to provide income verification. Proof of participation in a government assistance program requires your current or prior year’s statement of benefits from a qualifying state or federal program; a notice letter or other official document indicating your participation in such a program; and/or another program participation document (for example, benefit card). Proof of income requires your prior year’s state or federal tax return; current income statement from an employer or paycheck stub; a statement of Social Security, Veterans Administration, retirement, pension, or Unemployment or Workmen’s Compensation benefits; a federal notice letter of participation in General Assistance; a divorce decree; a child support award; and/or another official document containing income information. At least three months of data is necessary when showing proof of income. In addition, the Lifeline program is limited to one discount per household, consisting of either wireline or wireless service. You are required to certify and agree that no other member of the household is receiving Lifeline service from Verizon or another communications provider. Lifeline service is a non-transferable benefit. Lifeline customers may not subscribe to certain other services, including other local telephone service. Consumers who willfully make false statements in order to obtain the Lifeline benefit can be punished by fine or imprisonment, or can be barred from the program.

12 MAR. 3 - 9, 2016

5Democratic candidate Warren Christopher addresses the audience during an “Election Information and Issue Forum” at the Harmony Hall Regional Center in Fort Washington on Saturday, Feb. 27. Warren and eight other contenders in attendance spoke about how they will advance Maryland’s 4th Congressional district. The winner will replace Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Maryland), who is seeking the Senate position held by retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski. / Photo by Roy Lewis

the General Assembly, particularly took umbrage with Christopher’s contention that all the candidates should live in the 4th District, which includes Bladensburg, Forest Heights, sections of Bowie and Laurel and other portions of the two counties.

“My neighbors are in the 4th (district). The question should be the following: would I represent this district in the manner in which it deserves? Yes,” said Peña-Melnyk, who lived in the 4th district in Hyattsville until moving just outside the area to College Park in 2001.

“I know the district,” she said. “Would any of them get out of their bed at 10 p.m. if they get a call from a constituent? Hell no. Would I do it?

Yes? Have I done it? Yes.” Federal law allows candidates who live outside a district to seek election in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate as long as they reside in the state.

The other contenders in the 4th district race in attendance included the Democrats: former Prince George’s County state’s attorney Glenn Ivey who turned 55 on Feb. 27; retired U.S. Marshall Matthew Fogg; and 34-year-old political novice Terence Strait; Republicans George McDermott and Robert Broadus; and Green Party candidate Kamesha Clark.

Republican challengers Rob Buck and David Therrien, both of Anne Arundel County, did not attend. Long-time educator Alvin Thornton withdrew his candidacy last month.

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

In a heavily-Democratic region, the winner of the primary will likely replace Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Maryland) who’s seeking the seat of retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski.

TACKLING TOUGH QUESTIONS

The forum, hosted by the Southern Prince George’s Business and Professional Women, Tantallon Square Area Civic Association and Prince George’s County Drug Policy Coalition Inc., didn’t follow a debate-style format.

The dozens in attendance received voting information and instructions including how to mark a ballot, dates on when to register to vote and the eight locations slotted for early voting, held April 14-21, and the April 26 primary election.

After candidates gave brief introductions, 90-year-old moderator Elsie Conway of Suitland asked how they would improve the long-term viability of the Social Security system.

Several of the Democratic candidates criticized the Republicans on Capitol Hill that want to privatize Social Security and increase the maximum amount of taxable earnings currently set at $118,500.

Broadus, 43, said Social Security shouldn’t be considered a guaranteed pension and people should learn to save money.

“We look at it as an entitlement as something that’s supposed to be there for us. I had a grandmother and she collected Social Security and it just

wasn’t enough,” said the Republican candidate from Clinton. “We need to make sure we are putting aside enough money to provide for ourselves into our old age. The government is not the means for that.”

Next topic: community and police relations.

Again, several Democratic candidates agreed that body cameras on police officers would provide an accurate account of a situation in the community.

Clark, 25, of Upper Marlboro, disagreed and said police officers should only speak to residents.

“I don’t think body cameras are the solution because all we do is just watch what they do and nothing ever gets done,” she said. “I have had encounters with very rude police [officers]. They should not be allowed to touch us. That should be a law that police officers cannot touch you.”

As for the nearly six dozen people in the audience, Ruth Benjamin of Upper Marlboro sternly told the candidates the importance of Social Security.

“That’s my trust fund. That’s my money,” she said. “I’m entitled to that money because I put it there and my employer put it there.”

After the nearly two-hour forum, Benjamin said Christopher, who talked about his grandmother raising him in Alabama, doesn’t sound like a typical politician.

“I think he understands what seniors are going through,” she said. WI

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“ EVERY DAY, AND IN DIFFERENT WAYS, WOMEN ARE MAKING TREMENDOUS CONTRIBUTIONS

THAT CHANGE THE COURSE OF THINGS. WITHOUT THEM, OUR WORLD WOULD BE A VERY

DIFFERENT PLACE.”

Rushern L. Baker, III

County Executive

Women’s History Month 2016 Join us for our 31st Annual Women’s History Month Luncheon on March 16, 2016.

For information on tickets, call (301) 952-3755

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THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 13

BUSINESS

Financial Transparency Vital in Relationships PNC Bank Survey Reveals Importance of Honesty in Marriage

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer While the mystical cupid shot his arrow directly at the hearts of couples whose love always seems blind on Valentine’s Day, anniversaries and other occasions, the romance ultimately fizzles out for most where financial transparency is concerned.

Money is squarely at the root of most injurious relationships, according to multiple experts

3.65˝ x 8˝ Black & White

across different fields including those skilled in financial management.

A recent PNC Wealth Management Survey may have the solution to keep couples from seeing red – as in anger – during and after the lovers’ holiday.

The survey, which questioned 901 couples, revealed that the majority of affluent couples rely on financial transparency and trust and most financial tensions stem from contribution imbalance.

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“The primary thing, from my perspective, would be to communicate and make sure that you have open communications,” said Sean Flynn, the investment director of Wealth Management at PNC. “People who are in the best place in their relationship are the ones who relied on financial transparency and trust. Even if one person is OK with allowing the other to pay the bills and handle the finances, it’s important to have that other individual involved. He or she should be a part of the budgeting process, spending decisions and setting thresholds as to what dollar amount will be spent on certain items,” said Flynn, himself a newlywed.

For the survey, PNC commissioned a third party to identify attitudes about wealth from higher-income individuals.

PNC found that financial transparency defines millionaire relationships as nearly six in 10 said they fully disclosed their financial situations before getting married or started to live with a partner. However, three in 10 did not discuss finances at all.

Further, the survey discovered that while only one in four couples said they argue over money, those who do are more likely to be unequal contributors to the household finances and are less likely to have disclosed their finances before marriage or moving in together.

Of the 901 couples interviewed, 457 of them had $1 million or more in investable

5A new survey reveals the importance of financial transparency in a relationship. / Courtesy photo

assets and 150 had at least $5 million of investable assets.

However, the premise of the survey could also apply to those with little or no wealth, Flynn said.

“Absolutely it would,” he said. “I think the intent was to find people that were in a good place financially and try to identify what habits they might be employing. What we found was any amount of affluence doesn’t make people any happier or fight any less. In fact, it creates more problems.”

Problems can arise when one partner is entering the relationship with a lot of inherited money and the other has limited resources, Flynn said.

A conversation is certainly needed and honest financial discussions can help, including one in which both parties fully disclose their holdings and even their credit reports.

The survey further revealed that 93 percent of the couples said premarital conversations about their financials proved helpful.

It also proved that the bliss of Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to morph into the misery of consternation on the morning after.

“For newer couples, hopefully they are in that blissful situation,” Flynn said.

“In reality, any holiday can increase stress among couples if the issue underneath the surface comes up. Certainly, holidays like Valentine’s Day will bring issues to the surface, and it is also has to do with the season because Christmas is over and it’s a new year and people are trying to buckle down and get their budget under control and they’re starting to plan forward.”

WI

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BUSINESS

Business Exchange

GOP Can Aid Blacks After Democratic Failure Many say that “it’s time to kick Andrew Jackson off the $20 bill and replace him with a caricature of Harriett Tubman. What say

with William Reed It was the musical team of McFadden and Whitehead who wrote in their top hit ‘70s song “Ain’t No Stopping Us Now” “If you’ve ever been held down before, you’ll refuse to be held down any more.” And that appears to be how Blacks feel today as they consider whether they should support the Democrats or the Republicans as the race for each party’s presidential candidate continues to heat up.

Who in the presidential campaign supports you and your interests? The Black American electorate often campaigns about “being held down.” Actually our state of affairs is a consequence of our own actions – too often we are ignored by the Republicans and basically taken for granted by the Democrats.

The epitome of Blacks being taken for granted by the Democrats is illustrated by Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders’

disavowal of Black reparations without missing a beat in their campaigning to garner votes.

Over the past 50 years, African-Americans’ devotion to the Democrat Party has caused them to accept subordinate positions and practices that actively hurt them. Democrats take Black voters for granted while making laws that actively hurt us in the end. Would you vote for a Republican? The nation’s 46 million African-Americans need to know more of the Republican brand.

What is it that Republicans can say to Blacks that will pull them away from their dysfunctional Democratic-oriented political behaviors? It’s time Republicans seize the moment and develop an agenda to court Black voters. Republicans could get 20 to 25 percent of the2016 Black vote; all they have to do is promote balanced and nuanced discussions around race and how the Republican Party can advance our interests.

After eight years with a Black family in the White House, it’s evident that Black voters have seen the best the Democratic Party has to offer them and realized that they didn’t prosper under the Obama administration and are more broke and unemployed than ever. Blacks gained little or nothing from their “post-racial” president. If the Republicans play it right and willfully think about cor-

recting the inequities based around “race,” they can take control of elections.

Too many Republicans deny that for the past 40 years they have not been trying at all among African-Americans.

They refuse to admit that they don’t know how to reach or talk to Blacks. They’ve got to learn how to reach and talk to Blacks. They’ve got to show up, have something to say. The Republicans need to send messages to Blacks in creditable mediums. The time is ripe for Republican Party candidates to win a third or more of the African-American vote. The GOP can do this by embracing methods that advocate for education and criminal justice reform, in conjunction with other efforts that address poverty and unemployment.

Donald Trump towers over the field of contenders in willingness to address Blacks and their needs. Too often, conservatives just seem defensive and flat-footed when racial questions arise. As compared with the field’s insipidness, Trump “plays it to the edge.” Actually, Trump is the only presidential candidate to have Blacks on his staff in significant positions.

Trump is the only one to speak about how poorly Blacks fared under Obama. The businessman said: “Blacks are going to like me better than they like Obama. Truth is Obama has

done nothing for them. I am going to create wealth for the country. People are going to partake.” Trump can create real wealth for Blacks by stepping forward to endorse H.R. 40, A Commission to Study Reparation Proposals for African-Americans Act. A tip to Trump and the Republicans: You can tilt the 2016 elections simply by stepping across the “color line.” Republicans need to take on issues that affect Blacks. A strategic alignment with Black publishers can help the GOP propel its efforts and programs that regard and impact Blacks. As late as 1972 Richard Nixon got 30

percent of the Black votes. The candidate who walks away with a third of Blacks’ votes can win.

Blacks must cease being held down by their party. Democrats and “The Black White House” have been “half-stepping” in regards to Blacks and their interests. A useful, coherent picture of Republicans and race needs to emerge. Through strategic messaging, Republicans can implement organized, purposeful efforts to create change for African-Americans. WI William Reed is publisher of “Who’s Who in Black Corporate America” and is available for projects via busxchng@his.com.

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MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 15

NATIONAL

Whittington New MD Homeland Security Chief Continues to Break Race Barriers

By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Gevonia Whittington has made a few firsts as a Black woman during her 26-year tenure as a Prince George’s County employee.

As a member of the police department, she became the first commander in the special operations division, the first to obtain the rank of sergeant in the K-9 unit and the second deputy police chief.

The 45-year-old native from Landover became confirmed Feb. 16 as the county’s third director of Homeland Security.

“I’m like ‘What did I do to deserve all these good things?’” she

said Feb. 24 while standing inside the county’s 911 dispatch center in Bowie. “I’ve just been blessed beyond what I ever thought I would be.”

Whittington, who receives a $160,000 salary, describes her job as helping to manage, direct and coordinate any public safety responses to such incidents as domestic terrorism, inclement weather and natural disasters. One of her first duties as interim director last month required a 4 a.m. conference call with school, judicial and emergency officials on how to prepare for the snowstorm.

The agency oversees two offices: Emergency Management and Public Safety Communications, or 911

emergency services. Whittington said she’s comfortable overseeing more than 200 employees because of her previous job as deputy police chief for bureau and administration.

She replaces former Homeland Security Directory Brian Moe, who served in the position for five years.

County employees raved about Whittington’s professionalism, honesty and work ethic.

“I think the director (Whittington) brings direction, brings a vision and cohesiveness. At times there was a gap in the entire hierarchy,” said Ronnie Gill, Jr., the director of Emergency Management for five years. “Just to see someone to eliminate any fractions in the three

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Whittington has an office at the county’s $32 million, state-of-theart Emergency Operations Center in Landover, which has plenty of tools to monitor any threat.

For example, workers use a geographical information system to print out up-to-date maps of the county.

Computer software known as “WEB EOC” allows the county to store and share information on incidents and other work being done in municipalities and other counties in the Washington area.

The 47,300-square-foot center, which opened in September, has a full-size kitchen with a refrigerator, a stove and an ice machine scheduled to be installed. During last month’s snowstorm, the kitchen became stocked with bagels, fruit, chicken, baked ziti, bottled water and other items for emergency personnel and members of the National Guard.

Whittington and dozens of others slept on cots and stayed the entire weekend to coordinate emergency efforts.

“If the Homeland Security director can stay the entire time with us, how can you complain as a staff member?” Gill said.

Several 55-inch high-definition monitors nailed on the wall live-

stream various county intersections such as Ritchie and Walker Mill roads in Capitol Heights.

CHANGING ROLE OF FIRST RESPONDERS

Whittington also has an office at the 911 center that relocated from Landover to Bowie in 2011.

She visited the building Feb. 24 and chatted with supervisors Gerber Jimenez and Linda Shegan.

“I don’t get to see many of them because of the shifts they work, so it’s always good to see them when I can,” Whittington said.

The center receives 5,000 calls daily that range from burglaries to mothers in labor. Whittington says the work of a first responder has changed dramatically, especially when a person now works a 12hour shift.

Before workers can even handle their first emergency call, they must first adhere to six weeks of training in the classroom. Then another 545 hours of training are required with an experienced dispatcher, but instruction for fire and emergency services calls take even longer. They must also get a geography lesson by riding around the entire county to know the streets and landmarks.

Call-takers, or those who answer a 911 call, ask for a name, location and the person’s phone number.

Depending on the emergency, the call-taker enters the information

WHITTINGTON Page 38

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Artist Still Misses New Orleans

By Eric Easter, Urban News Service Jennifer Renee Johnson desperately misses New Orleans during Mardi Gras. But the New Orleans she misses, she says, no longer exists.

Johnson is one of thousands of native New Orleanians who, in this 10th Mardi Gras since Hurricane Katrina, have yet to move back after fleeing the 2005 disaster.

For many former New Orleans residents, Mardi Gras cannot be replaced where they now live. “I don’t find other ways to celebrate,” said Johnson. “It makes me too sad.”

Johnson’s post-Katrina story is a mix of missed connections, mishaps, fateful decisions and luck.

A nationally recognized artist, who is better known as JRenée, she had art and clothing store in the French Quarter that was a gathering point for creatives. Musicians who played at the nearby House of Blues often dropped by. She painted the first album cover for popular trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis.

Johnson’s efforts to protect her staff and friends slowed her evacuation.

“I wanted to take care of vendors and employees who were also trying to get out and needed their money,” Johnson said. “A lot of store owners who rented, like myself, got into conflicts with landlords who also wanted to leave.

‘Who is going to board up what?’

People underestimated the amount of preparation, whether you decided to stay or leave.”

The storm came too soon for her family to escape. Johnson had a car, but the keys were with a friend who already had sped off to Atlanta.

This minor mistake proved a major problem.

“There were other people who were leaving but only had space for one or two. We had five,” Johnson said. “We had to make the decision to split up in the middle of a disaster or stay together. We decided to ride it out.”

The Johnsons sheltered with a friend on higher ground. They eventually re-entered a city that had changed forever.

Near the Superdome, a chaotic refuge of last resort for some 30,000, cops redirected the Johnsons to a stranger with a truck. “We knew something had to be really wrong at the Superdome.”

The stranger drove them to Houston, where they stayed at a church. There, the Johnsons shared stories and tears with other dis-

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5Jennifer Renée, Poster, “For the Love of Zulu” / Photo Credit: Shakia Anderson placed families.

Using church-sponsored Amtrak tickets, they wound up in Washington, D.C., where they were assigned to the D.C. Armory with hundreds more evacuees. Johnson had artistic roots in D.C., as muralist in up-and-coming restaurants and nightclubs. “It seemed like a good place to try a new start.”

After three months in shelters, Johnson returned to New Orleans.

Though the French Quarter was less damaged than she feared, her shop had been flooded and looted.

“But oddly, they didn’t touch the art, the most valuable thing.”

Johnson retrieved what she could and relocated to Columbia, South Carolina. It offers Johnson a much lower living costs, but is a city in which the culture, she finds, shares at least some similarities with New Orleans.

Her reasons for not returning are emotional and financial.

“A lot of people have gone back, but they are on the outskirts.

They can’t afford to live in the city proper,” Johnson said. “People are charging $1,200 for a one bedroom. Pre-Katrina, the same thing would have been around $450.

A house that would have cost $150,000 is now $450,000. What kind of jobs sustain the mortgage on a $450,000 house in a place like

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New Orleans?”

Some returnees still feel displaced because, they say, New Orleans is losing its culture.

Johnson has returned for Mardi Gras only once, when her commissioned painting “For the Love of Zulu” became the official poster of 2012’s Zulu Parade.

“When I had the chance to go back, the first thing I noticed is that lack of people who know the culture,” Johnson said. “When there was a second-line march, local people used to join in … Now you have more people taking pictures than participating. It makes you feel self-conscious and less free to express yourself. It’s a bit of a Walt Disney atmosphere.”

“The real New Orleans, the one I send people to, is the black New Orleans. But truthfully, New Orleans is just not as black anymore,” said Johnson.

Though she has no plans to return permanently, New Orleans never has left her. She envisions a major new mural there, for which she is raising funds.

But until then, she’ll be sitting Mardi Gras out. “Everybody wants to be from New Orleans,” said Johnson, “but while they might appreciate the culture, it’s only true New Orleanians who can perpetuate it.”

WI

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 17

HEALTH

City Contracts 3rd Party for EMS Crisis New Chief Tries Something New

By Sarafina Wright WI Staff Writer According to D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department Chief Gregory M. Dean in an opinion piece he published for The Washington Post last week, the city has taken a new approach in contracting a third party to help combat the District’s EMS woes.

In October, the City Council unanimously approved an act that would allow private ambulances to transport patients with low-priority needs.

In a statement released from American Medical Response out of Colorado on Friday, Feb. 19, the private fleet of basic life sup-

port ambulances will commence in 30 days, providing service from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. seven days a week.

This arrangement will provide DCFEMS additional bandwidth to treat Advanced Life Support patients.

“Caring for the citizens and visitors of our nation’s capital has been an immense source of pride for our clinicians and organization for many years and we are honored to now also do so within the community’s 911 system,” Edward Van Horne, president and CEO of AMR said.

Before the new arrangement had been brought to the table, Dean spent six months review-

5A D.C. fire department vehicle from Engine Company 23 on its way to an emergency in Adams Morgan in February. / Photo by Nancy Shia

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ing the current system’s perceived shortcomings such as decades of underinvestment, poor training and a lack of leadership.

Among other issues, he wrote: “We spent our days chasing calls and trying to get our units back from the hospitals. Our firefighters and emergency medical technicians have not had adequate time to participate in regular training, and our vehicles were tapped out and breaking down.

Many of our paramedics (who are frequently cross-trained as firefighters) responded to too many low-acuity calls, pulling them away from more urgent situations.”

AMR, no stranger to the District, already works in partnership with DCFEMS to provide medical support at the U.S. Park Service’s locations and events.

“AMR is proud that DCFEMS has recognized the value of our clinical expertise, operational experience and integrated EMS technologies and we look forward to supporting their mission,” Van Horne said.

The first year for this program will include a $9 million invest-

ment, the largest investment into the EMS system by a mayor in recent times, according to Dean.

He also said in his piece that addressing the high call volume alone will not solve the city’s EMS crisis.

He noted that 74 new firefighters and technicians have been hired, new vehicles have been purchased and the training academy held its first entrance exam since 2007.

As well as working with the Office of Unified Communications to improve the 911 dispatch process, they have trained more than 4,100 people in CPR as a part of the “Hands on Hearts” initiative.

“AMR is committed to providing exemplary emergency medical services to the residents of Washington, DC,” Thomas McEntee, AMR East Region CEO said. “We are confident the complementary emergency response teams of DCFEMS and AMR will lead to decreased response times, improved patient satisfaction and a healthier D.C.” WI

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Prevent Poisonings in Your Home

Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia

Practicing poison prevention can help keep you and your family safe.

Did you know your home might be full of poison? In fact, poison can be found almost everywhere. Even the most common things we use in our homes can be poisonous if not used correctly. But when used the right way, many of these items can help make our everyday life easy. For example, cleaning items and hand sanitizers kill germs but can be unsafe if swallowed. And the medicines we take to get well can be dangerous if we do not take them like the doctor orders.

Our homes often have many items that can be dangerous if we swallow them. This can include medicines, makeup, pesticides (bug killers) and cleaning products. Some can also itch and harm our skin. It is best to keep these products locked up and away from children. There are also poisons you cannot see, like lead or carbon monoxide (a dangerous gas you cannot see or smell).

Use these tips to help prevent

an accidental poisoning: • Read the drug facts label on over-the-counter medicines. Do this before taking them or giving them to your children. If you have questions about any kind of medicine, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

• Children should never take medicine without a caregiver’s supervision. Caregivers should also be careful where they take their medicines. Be sure to take yours in private. This is important so children can’t see you take them. That way, little ones don’t think it is OK for them to take the medicine, too.

• Medicines left out can be mistaken for candy. Many pills are shaped and colored like children’s treats. And liquid medicines may be mistaken for juice. This is why it is so important to never call medicines or vitamins “candy.” And even though most medicines have safety caps, they are not enough.

Be sure to lock away all medicines.

• In addition to medicines, other household items can look like candy and be unsafe for children.

For instance, laundry or dishwasher pods look like bright colored gummies. Many liquid cleaners can also look like juices or sports drinks. Store all supplies in their original containers and keep out

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of children’s reach. Don’t put these products under your sink unless the cabinets are locked.

• If you live in an older building, you may have lead in your home and not know it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the major source of lead poisoning for children is lead-based paint and dust with lead in it. Lead can also come from old pipes, toys and certain soils.

Ask your children’s doctor about a lead screening. By the age of 2, all children need to be tested for lead.

• Foods that are expired or recalled can be also be unsafe for your family. To keep up to date on the most recent food recalls, visit www.foodsafety.gov/recalls.

YOUR SEASONAL “TO-DO” LIST

In addition to these important safety tips, make seasonal “to-do” lists for your family. These should include chores that make sure your home is safe all year long.

• Although you should clean your home every week, do a thorough cleaning each season. This includes wiping down walls, ceilings, vents and fans.

• Check your cabinets and their locks. Make sure everything is secure. All products that can be

harmful should be locked and out of children’s reach.

• If you have small children, check that all your electrical outlets have safety plugs.

• Have a technician check your heater and other appliances every year.

• Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Make sure their alarms work. Check to see if their batteries are good, too.

Carbon monoxide detectors’ batteries need to be changed at least twice a year. For a smoke detector, replace the batteries at least once a year. But be sure to test the alarms every month.

• Check your home for expired medicine and dispose of it safely.

To learn how to get rid of medicines safely, visit www.dc.gov.

Type “safe disposal of medications” in the search bar.

There are many ways to keep you and your family

safe. Help prevent poisonings in your home and act fast in case of an emergency.

If you or someone you know has been poisoned, call Poison Control right away at 1-800222-1222. You can also visit webPOISONCONTROL® at triage.webpoisoncontrol.org.

If you or someone you know is having trouble breathing or is unconscious, call 9-1-1 and get help right away.

Sources: American Association of Poison Control Centers, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FoodSafety.gov and MedlinePlus All images are used under license for illustrative purposes only. Any individual depicted is a model.

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MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 19

HEALTH

Heart Health Awareness Particularly Important for Blacks

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer Cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of death of men and women in the United States.

However, Emmy-Award winning cardiologist and American Heart Association spokesperson Jennifer Mieres cautioned that African-American women and men have a higher prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease, particularly hypertension, diabetes, obesity and inactivity.

And one of the focuses on American Heart Month, which is observed during February each year, is to encourage everyone to know their blood pressure and, if it’s high, to make controlling it a top goal.

“Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death for African-American women, killing over 48,000 annually. Only 36 percent of African-American women and 34 percent of Latino women know that heart disease is their greatest health risk, compared with 65 percent of Caucasian women,” Mieres said, citing AHA statistics.

288410_6_x_6.5.indd 1

20 MAR. 3 - 9, 2016

“Of African-American women ages 20 and older, 48.3 percent have cardiovascular disease. Yet only 14 percent believe that cardiovascular disease is their greatest health problem,” she said.

Further, only about 50 percent of African-American women are aware of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack and that the impact of major cardiovascular risk factors combined is greater in women than men and in Blacks than Whites.

“Diabetes and high blood pressure may play the greatest role in leading to cardiovascular disease in women and Blacks. Recent clinical studies have found that significant disparities exist in regard to heart failure, with women of color being most disproportionately affected.”

Mieres said.

Additionally, heart failure before the age of 50 is significantly more likely in Blacks than Whites, and the increase in heart failure incidence is likely due to untreated risk factors that occurred earlier in life, according to a medical study Mieres cited.

“Beginning in your 20s, everyone should have a baseline risk evalua-

tion and, at your next checkup, ask your doctor about taking tests, (including BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol, fasting blood glucose and a discussion about personal risk for heart disease),” Mieres said.

Risk factors for women include cigarette smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia and a family history.

For men, risk factors include obesity, physical inactivity, metabolic syndrome, poor exercise capacity, and systemic autoimmune collagen-vascular disease.

Mieres said every woman 40 and older needs to get a heart disease risk score and those under 40 should know their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

A nuclear cardiologist and senior vice president of the North Shore- LIJ Health System’s Office of Community and Public Health, Mieres is the first chief diversity and inclusion officer for the system with oversight of the Katz Institute for Women’s Health in New York and several education and health care access programs.

Her documentary, “A Woman’s Heart,” earned Mieres an Emmy

5Emmy-nominated physician discusses heart health and African Americans. / Courtesy photo

Award.

She said some of the early warning signs that all should be aware of include pain, pressure, squeezing or stabbing pain in the chest. Also included are pain radiating to the neck, shoulder, back, arm or jaw and a pounding heart, a change in heart rhythm, difficulty breathing, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, cold sweats or clammy skin and dizziness.

Women should also be aware of symptoms that include sudden onset of weakness, shortness of breath,

fatigue, body aches or overall feeling of illness without chest pain and an unusual feeling or mild discomfort in the back, chest, arm, neck or jaw that’s not accompanied by chest pain.

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death among all women, with Black women at the highest risk,” Mieres said. “The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign inspires women to make lifestyle changes, mobilize communities and shape policies to save lives.” WI

2/25/16 9:14 AM

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EDUCATION

Prince George’s School Board Approves Budget

By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill The Prince George’s County Board of Education voted to approve a $2.1 billion fiscal year 2017 budget that seeks to expand all-day prekindergarten, hire literacy coaches and conduct renovation projects.

Intense debate on certain items didn’t make it easy to OK the spending plan during the meeting, which ended near midnight Thursday, Feb. 25, at the Sasccer Administration Building in Upper Marlboro.

“You need to hold us accountable for your budget. Hold us accountable,” said board member Verjeana Jacobs (District 5), who voted against the budget. Board members Beverly Anderson, Eugene Burroughs and Zabrina Epps also opposed the spending plan.

Before the board’s 9-4 vote, school system CEO Kevin Maxwell presented an amendment to add five math and two reading specialists, which would cost about $726,000. The items slashed would’ve come from two teachers, educational software and travel expenses for the board.

When that amendment failed to pass with nine votes, board member Eugene Burroughs (District 8) suggested his colleagues cut $200,000 each from the chief of strategic and external affairs, communications and chief of staff offices.

However, his motion failed 9-3, with Anderson abstaining.

“Whenever there’s a time to create a chief (administrative) position, there’s always money,” Burroughs said.

“I’m just confused as to why they had to cut other instructional positions in order to accommodate other instructional positions. It makes no sense to me.”

Board member Curtis Valentine opposed those budgetary cuts because positions in the chief of staff’s office such as ombudsman advocate on behalf of parents in the school system.

One proposal not included in the budget will keep the doors open at Forestville High School in Forestville and Skyline Elementary in Suitland. If it were approved, Forestville students would have attended Suitland High School and Skyline students William Beans Elementary in Suitland next year.

Now the school’s financial plan will be reviewed by the County Council, which will host a town hall on the county’s overall 2017

5Prince George’s County Public Schools CEO Kevin Maxwell offered an amendment to add math and reading specialists in the fiscal year 2017 budget, but the board of education didn’t pass it. The board did approve a $2.1 billion budget he presented. / Photo contributed by Prince George’s County fiscal year budget March 8 at Prince George’s Community College in Largo.

As for the school’s budget, it would be a $182 million or nearly 10 percent increase from the current one that ends June 30.

Various items in the spending plan include: • $4.8 million in teachers’ professional development; • $2.8 million to hire 34 teachers for grades kindergarten through two to help reduce class sizes; and • $2.1 million to implement an evening shifts for maintenance workers to handle projects after school.

Some of the $303 million in capital improvement projects anticipated include $51 million to renovate Fairmount Heights High School in Capitol Heights; a $23.4 million renovation of the Bowie High

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School annex; and a $10 million upgrade to the William S. Schmidt Education Center in Brandywine.

The school system’s population, projected at nearly 129,000, ranks in the top 25 in the nation.

For more information about the budget, go to http://www1.pgcps. org/ceo/ and click on the link “FY 2017 CEO Proposed Budget.”

Epps, who will not seek re-election in District 1, encouraged those in the audience to vote after the board didn’t approve to add the math and reading specialists in low-performing schools.

“The message is very clear. Budgets are statement documents,” she said.

“My charge to all of you here who have assembled is to tell your friends this is an election year. Because of the people that you put there, this is what you end up with.”

WI

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MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 21

EDUCATION

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there this past year for its challenging academics and to participate in DCPS sports.

Ashara does her homework during lunch to make time for track, as well as to maintaining a 3.4 grade point average.

Her favorite moments on the team are the days when she and her teammates go out to the track for extra practice, even when it’s not mandatory.

“It shows who’s actually committed to running … usually the whole team goes,” said Ashara, who plans on attending college on a track scholarship.

DC PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS: ENCOURAGEMENT PROGRAM

5D.C. Principal of the Year Kim Jackson chats with some of her students at Seaton Elementary School in Northwest. / Photos courtesy DCPS Kim Jackson, honored in February as D.C.’s Principal of the Year, is featured in the online education-focused publication The Seventy Four.

According to the publication, Jackson who oversees the education of 320 students from pre-K through fifth-grade at Seaton Elementary School in Northwest, often shares credit for Seaton’s success with her staff.

“Jackson, beloved by parents, teachers, students and her superiors, was surprised this fall when Chancellor Kaya Henderson showed up at her building to present her with the District’s Principal of the Year award. Henderson also got Jackson to call her mother so they could share the good news,” states The Seventy Four.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

5Jose Membreño received the $1,000 Ben Friedberg Scholarship in 2015. / Photo courtesy The Next Step PCS A program at The Next Step PCS in Northwest encourages students to solicit advice from recent graduates.

Jose Membreño, a 2015 graduate who wants to earn a master’s degree in electrical engineering, shared his experience of being an immigrant from El Salvador. He came to the United States in 2012 and was recently interviewed by staff at Next Step: Q: How did you hear about Next Step?

I heard about The Next Step PCS through a family friend.

Q: What attracted you to Next Step and how was your experience?

I met different professors who really helped me become a successful student; for instance, I met Mr. Torres who was the professor of reading comprehension, social studies, and

science. Mr. Torres helped me in these three different subjects in a way that I definitely understood the materials. Because of the support of Mr. Torres and other staff from the school, I passed the GED successfully.

Q: How long did it take you to pass the GED? It took me one school year.

Q: What was your motivation for getting your GED? It was the need for a higher education so that I could help my mom and my family.

Q: Did you ever feel frustrated during your time at Next Step?

Yes, I felt frustrated when I did not pass one of the subjects the first time I took the official GED. I remember that when I went to take that exam I had the flu. The staff at the school advised me to not take it for that very reason, but I decided to go and take it anyway. Consequently, I did not pass the social studies section, and I felt very frustrated about the situation.

Q: What are you doing now?

After The Next Step PCS, I attend LAYC Career Academy and graduated from their IT program.

I also attended the BARD College program and obtained six college credits. I am currently enrolled at Montgomery College taking classes towards an associate’s degree in electrical engineering.

NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK

National School Choice Week is an annual week-long event that spotlights the quality options available to meet the needs of all students – whether they attend a public traditional, public charter, magnet, private or parochial school.

During the week of Jan. 24-30, parents in D.C. shared their love for school choice with their respective D.C. Council members in celebration of a series of activities and events.

Parents, who represented 45 public charter schools, also had the opportunity to share how they have enjoyed being able to decide on the right school for their children.

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5Ashara Ford plans to attend college on a track scholarship. / Photo courtesy DCPS Ashara Ford, a sophmore at Phelps Architectural, Construction and Engineering High School in Northeast, transferred

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5Parents from 45 of the District’s public charter schools met with members of

the D.C. Council during “National School Choice Week 2016.” / Photo courtesy DC Public Charter Schools

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS EDITORIAL

It’s Not Trump That Worries Us, It’s His Supporters Donald Trump has gone after Mexicans, Muslims, women and Blacks. He has cajoled, insulted and boasted. And yet, he continues to pick up win after win as the primary election season moves forward.

The leaders of the Republican Party seem to be overwhelmed and confused as the “Trumpster” lashes out, saying whatever comes to mind and attacking whoever gets in his way.

But the recent brouhaha over his endorsement by former, we think former, Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, has to make one wonder if our country and the world can survive a presidency with Trump at the helm.

Trump has disavowed Duke, then said he didn’t know who Duke was. Then he said he needed to do more research.

Come on Donald. Are you serious? Even a second grader knows about the KKK. Sure, a candidate cannot be held accountable for the things his supporters say or their beliefs. But given the fact that members of the Klan, white supremacists and white nationalists have said that Trump is their man, their candidate, it’s daunting to understand what they believe Trump can or will do for them and their constituencies. And it should cause us great alarm.

Once upon a time, overt racism was tantamount to the kiss of death in politics. But that does not seem to be the case anymore. Now we see a growing cadre of racist organizations who feel quite at home with the Republican front runner.

And with the recent Georgia rally where Trumps’ team had Black students ejected from the event because the youth were being disrespectful – that too seems quite suspicious. Did the young people do anything more than hecklers sometimes do when attending a political rally? It doesn’t appear so. What does that tell us about Trump and his team?

Trump says he will make America great once more. For whom?

That’s a laudable goal. But we wonder who he plans to really help out should he make it to the White House. Will Blacks have a seat and a voice? Will gays and lesbians find themselves excluded or forced to take a position on the margins? Will women be viewed as objects or real people? Will the rich get richer?

Trump has proven that he’s a shrewd businessman. We all know that.

But the Republicans, incorrectly believing that Trump’s fire would diminish in time, have allowed him to speak to those millions of Americans who may have always wanted us to return to the “good old days” when Blacks had no vote, no rights, and had to cross the street whenever a white man or woman came their way.

As the song goes, “if you think you’re lonely now, wait until tonight . . . “ Well, if we think things are bad in America today, and if we are still unable to see past the rhetoric of the Republican Party who have done everything in their power to keep our country’s first Black president from achieving even a modicum of success, just consider how things will look with a man like Trump and his cronies hanging out on Pennsylvania Avenue.

The next few months will tell us a lot about our political leaders and our country.

It’s not Donald Trump that causes us great alarm – it’s the folks who have come out of the woods in his support. WI

Trayvon Martin Deserves Justice

We Must Be on Guard for Child Predators

I was really glad to see the small article “Remembering Trayvon Martin” [Around the Region page, Feb. 25-Mar. 2 edition] in this week’s Washington Informer. With all of the other news of national election campaigns, the immigrant crisis all over the world and mass murders in various locations around this country, the sad story of Trayvon Martin has fallen into the “almost forgotten” pile. We should not let this happen. This young Black man was robbed of this life for no reason other than racial prejudice and there has been no closure for him or his family because the killer, George Zimmerman, was allowed to walk free.

We need to remember that this case was the one that really opened the eyes of the world to the pervasive hatred toward people of color in the United States of America in the 21st century. Since Trayvon was killed, it seems like the floodgates opened wide for “snuffing out” (as the article put it) the lives of Black men and women, with no consequences for the killers.

The eyes of Trayvon Martin on the poster in the photograph accompanying the article seem to say “Remember Me.” Let’s do that and continue to press for justice in his name.

The whole story about the child abuse case at the Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School in Glenarden in Prince George’s County shows just how vulnerable parents, teachers, and yes, even administrators can be when they want someone else to do their jobs for them. Your story by William J. Ford, “School Board Chair: System Failed by Employing Accused Child Abuser,” in the February 25, 2016 issue talks about background checks and says that employees should have reported suspicious activities, but I think they are missing the real point here. Our schools and even our churches are fertile ground for predators. They can see that we as parents, teachers and leaders are giving up on our children and wanting someone – anyone – to do something with them, “just get them to act right.” These predators swoop in, gain the children’s trust and before long they have the children doing whatever they want them to do. This is not something new; it is played out over and over again all over this country. Parents have to realize it is their responsibility to raise their kids and teach them what is right and what is wrong. Teach them not to be afraid to talk to them about anything and everything, and to tell us when something is not right. It’s the teacher’s responsibility to teach our children, no matter how difficult it is, and not pass it on to someone just because they can get along with the children. Teaching is not an easy job, but teachers are there to teach and protect our children while they are in the classroom. This is a tragic story and while we can’t change what has happened we do need to remain vigilant, as parents, teachers and leaders, to be sure we are doing our jobs so it is not easy for these predators to get in and take advantage of our children.

Colette Pierce Washington, DC

Mark Young Fort Washington, MD

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MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 23

OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

By Bill Fletcher Jr.

Why Aren’t We Discussing Voter Suppression in Election Year?

There are many peculiar things about the 2016 election cycle, but one of them is what is not being discussed.

There are two items that immediately jump to mind, and believe it or not they both have to do with elections. The first is that in the state of Michigan, there have been a series of silent coups taking place in which Black-majority cities are losing control over their own affairs to a White Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, who inter-

venes supposedly in order to address various crises. This matter most recently became very public in the context of the travesty surrounding the revelation of water poisoning in Flint, Michigan. In the recent past, Flint was run by an emergency manager appointed by the governor.

Despite the existence of these silent coups, very little attention has surfaced in the mainstream media. Certainly, part of the reason is that these are Black-majority cities in question and, as a result, the problem of the deprival of

Guest Columnist

democracy can seem to only affect Black people. I hate to put it that way, but that is the reality of the situation.

The fact that these silent coups have been taking place and yet there has been little to no outrage in non-Black communities should alert us to a growing danger of declining democracy. That these cities can be deprived of local control and, in effect, disenfranchise the voters means that such an approach can be taken in any city. This is not a problem limited to the situation facing African-Americans. A precedent

has been set, and, as has been demonstrated time and again throughout the history of the United States, if the ruling elite — or a segment — wants to push through a nefarious measure, they first implement it in communities of color. Once it is successfully implemented in communities of color, there are no longer any arguments about its legitimacy when it is used more broadly. The disenfranchisement of the Black vote in the South with Jim Crow at the turn of the 20th century, which ended up disenfranchising much of the poor White

vote, is a case in point.

Yet here we are in an election year, and there has been near silence about this effort to suppress the Black vote. These silent coups should be added to other mean-spirited efforts to restrict the ability of citizens to vote. Using the duplicitous suggestion of widespread voter fraud, the Republicans have whipped up a panic — largely among Whites — about alleged illegitimate voters affecting election outcomes. While the chances of voter fraud are less

FLETCHERPage 45

By Jesse Jackson

Rebuild America’s Infrastructure In the presidential campaign, we’ve seen libels on immigrants, fear-mongering about Syrian refugees, arguments over Medicare for All and Obamacare, concerns about big money corrupting our politics and more. But too little attention has been paid to the one thing on which there should be consensus within and between the parties: the need to rebuild America now.

We didn’t need the horrors

of children at risk from fouled lead pipes in Flint, Michigan, to know that our infrastructure is dangerously decrepit.

The American Society of Civil Engineers issues a report card every four years on our infrastructure, detailing the level of our investment deficit. According to the most recent report card, which issued in 2013, simply to get the country’s drinking water — drinking water — in safe shape would cost more than $1 trillion over the next 25 years.

The report card pegged the

Guest Columnist

immediate cost of fixing atrisk bridges at $76 billion. Add fixing unsafe schools, repairing mass transit, disposing of hazardous waste and maintaining other basics, and ASCE estimated an infrastructure price tag of $3.6 trillion by 2020.

That is simply to repair what is. But we face a far larger investment deficit. If we are ever to enjoy widely shared prosperity, we will need a far more competitive real economy. That means 21st century broadband, fast trains, modernized airports, efficient mass

transit and a modernized electric grid, just for starters.

And, as Flint demonstrated, we have communities in distress that need special, targeted investment. Community health clinics to replace hospitals that have closed. New schools with modern facilities and equipment. New water systems. New affordable mass transit that makes getting to jobs in the suburbs possible.

Public parks that provide a place for children to play.

And now catastrophic climate change is causing hun-

dreds of billions of dollars in damage. We need significant research and development to generate the next generation of efficient appliances, cars, buildings and factories. We need public/private partnerships, and public investment, to help retrofit buildings and apartment houses for efficiency and alternative energy.

The need is clear. But the price tag should be seen as an opportunity, not a barrier. We still have not recovered from

JACKSON Page 45

By Rictor Craig

International Education Comes to Ward Five As we welcome the New Year, an important anniversary beckons. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the introduction of public charter schools in the District of Columbia, which now educate 44 percent of all D.C. public school children. Funded

by District tax dollars and tuition-free for District children, these unique chartered public schools are held accountable to a high standard, while being free to

24 MAR. 3 - 9, 2016

determine their own curriculum and culture.

This last point is important to me, as a charter school principal in Ward Five. This is because 2016 is a very special year for us at Friendship Public Charter School’s Woodridge International, which serves students from pre-K through eighth grade, as we will celebrate the one-year anniversary of our recognition as an International Baccalaureate School. This landmark comes on top of our recognition by the District’s charter board as a Tier One, high-per-

forming, charter school.

The internationally respected International Baccalaureate Organization was founded in Europe nearly 50 years ago. Known today as IB, its prestigious seal of approval requires certification that a school teaches to as high a standard as IB’s other nearly 6,000 schools worldwide. A majority of these are private and public schools in the United States.

Our status as an IB international school enables us to offer a public education on par with worldclass educational institutions and

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prepares our students for challenging careers available in our increasingly global society. While teaching students to become globally aware citizens, this international education also promotes lifelong learning, helping insulate them from the fierce winds of global competition and technology, which increasingly make older opportunities obsolescent.

IB allows our school to offer a higher level of academic rigor than the standardized tests required by state education departments and is a natural progression from Ad-

vanced Placement studies. AP exams are used by some private and public high schools to boost college preparedness in a way that standardized state tests do not.

Along with our schools’ core academics, we offer a foreign language program, which provides exposure to a second language in preschool and a full course in the later grades. This investment, stimulating the development of mental faculties early on and providing a better foundation for

CRAIG Page 45

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OPINIONS/EDITORIALS Guest Columnist

By James Clingman

Steer Clear of Political Silly Season The “Silly Season,” as many call it, is well underway, and Black people are up to our necks in it. The usual suspects are jockeying for position with certain presidential candidates.

They are vying for the Black spokesperson positon, knocking one another down as they rush toward the microphones and cameras. They are acting real silly themselves when it comes to endorsements and support for candidates who use them as sycophants to feed us warmed-over political pabulum.

Of course, the Democrats are the heavy favorites among Black folks, so it’s pretty easy for Black political mouthpieces to do their traditional thing on the Dems behalf and to our detriment, of course. The Republicans only have two or three Blacks asking us to vote for them, despite their candidates’ never citing Black issues in their speeches. But that’s par for the political course. Both parties are playing us, and the sad part is that some of our own brothers and sisters are helping them. But that’s our own fault.

We vote for candidates simply because someone famous endors-

es them. That’s why we see this constant coming out party among Black folks who like either Uncle Bernie or Mama Hillary. One Black commentator said Bernie needs to “tell old civil rights stories” to get more Black votes. Are we so childlike that all it takes is for some celebrity, news commentator or politician to issue a statement of support for us to fall head-over-heels for a particular candidate? That’s weak and intellectually lazy, y’all. Think for yourself; think independently.

What exactly have we gained from candidates we have supported, endorsed and worked for in the past?

Guest Columnist

Are we politically and economically empowered? Has there been elected leveraged any “Black-specific” reciprocity, such as what was given to Hispanic, Filipino, Jewish, and LGBT groups? If you are intellectually honest, you know the correct answers to those questions. We give our votes and get virtually nothing in return. How silly is that in the “Silly Season”?

Carter G. Woodson wrote, “It is unfortunate that such a large number of Negroes do not know any better than to stake their whole fortune on politics. History does not show that any race, especially

a minority group, has ever solved an important problem by relying altogether on one thing, certainly not by parking its political strength on one side of the fence because of empty promises.”

Black people must work on being economically and politically empowered—in that order, or at least concurrently. We will not win as long as we stay on our present path, which is seeking political empowerment from an economically weak position. Amos Wilson wrote, “Economic powerlessness means

CLINGMAN Page 46

By Patricia Maryland

Diversity Among Doctors Drives Trust in Health Care Black History Month gave us the opportunity to reflect on the countless examples of the contributions that African-Americans have made to build our country. By celebrating these pioneers who helped shape America, we are inspired to overcome adversity and realize the positive change we, too, are capable of enacting in areas where inequity still persists. Black health is one such example where much has been achieved, but much more can be done to secure positive health out-

comes in the Black community.

We know that on virtually every measure of health, African-Americans fare far worse than their White counterparts – from diabetes to heart disease to infant mortality.

These disparities can be explained by myriad and co-influencing factors, including a lack of access to affordable health care, nutritional education and safe spaces to exercise.

A less apparent but equally troubling reason for unequal outcomes in Black health is a strong sense of skepticism – even mistrust — in physicians, in medicine and in the health care system in general. The

impact of the Tuskegee syphilis study, a four-decades-long clinical trial in which African-American men, unaware of their condition, endured the disease for the purpose of medical observation, still looms large on the Black consciousness, perpetuating a culture of wariness that has lingered for generations.

Mistrust in medicine is particularly pronounced among African-American men, many of whom will enter the healthcare system only after their conditions are severe or life-threatening. A 2011 study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that Black men

Askia-At-Large

who self-identified as “highly mistrustful” of health care were more than twice as likely to delay checkups and cholesterol screenings, and three times more likely to delay a routine blood pressure screening, than those who were more trusting.

Distrust, skepticism, fear — these beliefs are intensely embedded in the history of Black health care, but they are ones we must overcome if we are to truly improve the health of our families and communities.

Today, too often, a lack of trust can become a huge liability, even a death sentence, for Black patients.

I became a health care profes-

sional because I saw my family members, friends and neighbors plagued by diseases that could have been prevented, if they had taken a proactive approach to their care.

While it’s important to acknowledge that African-Americans’ relationship with the health care system is complex, our community cannot afford to remain disengaged in these matters.

That’s why all of us must take a hard look at the barriers that prevent African-Americans from achieving health equity and commit

MARYLAND Page 46

By Askia Muhammad

Factor in Farrakhan First they oppose you. Then they ridicule you. Then they ignore you.

Then you win.

This has been the 85-plus year history of the Nation of Islam in North America.

First established on July 4, 1930, in the Heavenly Valley neighborhood of Detroit’s Black Bottom by a somewhat mysterious Arab silk peddler known as “The Saviour,” who held meetings in the homes of residents where he taught them ancient history and called them to

come out of the names of their former slave masters’ children, the Nation of Islam was viciously opposed from Day One by authorities who jailed the followers and the leader himself — who was known as W.D. Fard — until he mysteriously disappeared in 1934.

After he left, Fard’s chief lieutenant — Elijah Poole, later known as Elijah Kareem, and then eventually as Elijah Muhammad — led the movement in the face of continued, withering opposition, so much that he fled first to Chicago, where he established his headquarters, and

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then to Milwaukee and Washington, D.C. The opposition was unrelenting.

Muslims were persecuted for keeping their children from the toxic public schools and teaching them in their own private “home schools” called the “University of Islam.”

The mockery and ridicule of Muhammad’s followers was also unrelenting, especially that of women and girls who wore scarves covering their hair and wore bulky garments that covered their figures, even as fashions steadily moved toward shorter skirts and more and more

revealing cuts, using ever more sheer fabrics. Black people in this country, accustomed to a diet that featured every part of the pig except the “oink,” mocked the Muslim vegetarian-leaning diet and especially the “bean pie.”

As the NOI grew and its message spread, Muhammad and his chief lieutenant, Minister Malcolm X, were repeatedly attacked and ridiculed. “Experts” from around the Muslim world were engaged to denounce the NOI as being not truly authentic Muslims.

But the powers-that-be recog-

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nized that every knock against Muhammad gave him a boost, so they resolved to ignore him, hoping he would fade away.

Meanwhile, the FBI’s insidious Counter Intelligence Program emerged with the stated goal of preventing the emergence of a “black messiah” in the U.S., and it sowed dissension in the NOI and other militant Black Power movements during the civil rights era and drove wedges in movements, making it easier for leaders of splintered factions of various groups — including

MUHAMMAD Page 46

MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 25

LIFESTYLE

Oxon Hill Educator Gets Surprise Award

By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill

A stunned veteran teacher learned during an assembly on STEM and the arts that her hard work had paid off to the tune of a $25,000 award.

“I still cannot conceive of it.

I just saw stars when it was announced,” said Angela Malone, who’s been at Oxon Hill Middle School for two years and has been teaching for 14. “As teachers, we don’t do what we do for the money. You never expect as a teacher to be recognized in this way. We are all unsung heroes.”

An off-guard Malone sat among hundreds of staff and stu-

dents as Prince George’s County and Maryland education officials gave brief remarks about the importance of science, technology, engineering and math and also of incorporating art into the curriculum.

However, the main reason for the school’s gathering Wednesday, Feb. 17, was to surprise her with a $25,000 check from the Milken Family Foundation.

Besides paying off school loans and sharing the money with her husband, Malone, 38, said she’s willing to purchase equipment to improve the school’s arts integration program. Malone also works as the school’s arts integration coordinator and as an opera singer.

Jane Foley, senior vice president with the Milken Family Foundation of Santa Monica, California, said the organization annually awards teachers nationwide at assemblies to encourage students to become educators and motivate early- to midcareer teachers to stay in the profession.

About 40 teachers nationwide will receive the Milken Educator award and a $25,000 check this school year, but only Malone represents Maryland.

“Hopefully, these students remember today and remember the message about how important educators are to our future,” Foley said.

Malone received plenty of hugs from her students.

5Angela Malone, a 7th and 8th grade teacher at Oxon Hill Middle School, is overcome with joy upon hearing her named announced as the Milken Educator Award recipient of $25,000 on February 17 in Fort Washington, Md. / Photo by Patricia Little

“I still cannot conceive of it. I just saw stars when it was announced.”

Angela Malone / Middle School Teacher “I’m so happy for her. I love her so much,” said eighth-grader Carmela Sanbellos, 14. “She’s always so positive and kind, even when we are so stressful to her.”

Antoine Williams, 13, said a pizza party would be nice for the class.

“With all that money” Malone won, the eighth-grader said, smiling.

26 MAR. 3 - 9, 2016

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

The work Malone and other teachers at the middle school are doing may affect academic success at Oxon Hill High School in Oxon Hill.

The high school’s class of 2015 produced the third-highest graduation rate in the county, with a nearly 8 percent increase.

Overall in Prince George’s County, the 79 percent rate, an increase from almost 77 percent, showed the biggest improvement since 2010 and a second straight year with a boost in graduation rates.

The Maryland State Board of Education released the graduation results Feb. 12, which use a cohort method to calculate graduation rates by following students from ninth grade through their senior year.

As for Oxon Hill Middle School, principal Wendell Coleman credits Malone and the other teachers for ensuring the 600 students achieve at the next level.

“It’s an awesome thing for our school. Ms. Malone is a great teacher and does an awesome job engaging our students,” he said.

“This raises the whole profile of our building and a lot of great teaching that goes on in our school and our district. We are just excited and blessed.”

WI

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LIFESTYLE

D.C. Soccer Stars Give Back to the Community Athletes Team up with Nando’s for Charity

By Sarafina Wright WI Staff Writer D.C. United Soccer stars took over the grill at the new Nando’s PERi-PERi on H Street in Northeast in an effort to give to charity, their help raised about $8,000 for programs for children.

Goalkeeper Bill Hamid, defensive players Chris Korb and Sean Franklin and midfielders Patrick Nyarko, Lamar Neagle and Nick DeLeon grilled and served chicken as well as greeted customers on Saturday, Feb. 27.

All sales during the grand opening from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. went to Atlas Performing Arts Center in Northeast and D.C. United’s charity partner DC Scores.

DC Scores, a youth development non-profit, offers free after-school soccer and literacy programming to at-risk D.C. area youth.

Nando’s also had their very own “streetcar” or trolley for customers to enjoy just blocks away from the new DC Streetcar. WI

5 D.C. United defender Chris Korb signs an autograph on a hat for Frank McQueen, 17, a student at Kipp College Preparatory School, at Nando’s PERi-PERi on H Street in Northeast on Saturday, Feb. 27. / Photo by Nancy Shia

3 D.C. United defender Sean Franklin, forward Lamar Neagle and defender Chris Korb take full plates and instruction from Nando’s server Mya Thompson, Saturday, Feb. 27. / Photo by Nancy Shi

Come And Be Spiritually Enriched!

Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Psalm 85:6

All Are Welcome!

March 18, Dr. Otis Moss,

nior Pastor,

United Church of

Chicago,

Guest Choirs: Thursday Night, March 17

People’s Community Baptist Church Men’s Choir Friday Night, March 18

Shiloh Baptist Church Gospel Ensemble Choir

7005 Piney Branch Rd. N.W. Washington, DC 20012

At the intersection of Piney Branch Rd and Dahlia St NW (near Takoma Park Metro)

202-726-7036

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MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 27

LIFESTYLE

One Man’s Life Journey through Black History

By Avis Thomas-Lester Urban News Service

Frank Smith, Jr. emerged from a Mississippi jail and learned that “someone” wanted him – Uncle Sam. The 20-year-old civil rights worker had been locked up for three weeks in Greenwood, Mississippi for helping Blacks register to vote.

“After I was released from jail, I called my mother at home in Georgia to tell her I was okay,” said Smith, 73, of Washington, D.C. “She told me I had a draft notice to go to Vietnam.”

It was 1963. Draft board officials asked if he’d had any scrapes with the law. Smith said he had three federal cases pending, thanks to his civil rights work.

“They told me they didn’t want me in the Army,” Smith recalled. “I said, ‘Thank you very much!’ and I went back to Mississippi.”

Thirty years after leaving the South, he helped establish the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum in Northwest. It honors the war’s 209,000 Black fighters.

More than 200,000 people visit it annually. Construction will soon begin on a $4 million expansion.

The museum hosts programs and events on the Civil Rights Movement, including a service last year for Bond who, like Smith, helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee [SNCC].

Smith said the museum links Civil War heroes with those who stood up after Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on that bus.

“They were the first civil rights activists,” he said of the soldiers.

From 1962 to 1968, Smith battled on Mississippi’s front lines, resulting in being threatened, beaten and seeing his friends die.

“You had to be able to function in an environment of terror and not be paralyzed,” said Courtland Cox, 75, a resident in Northwest who worked with Smith in Mississippi.

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Born in 1942 on a Newman, Georgia, peach plantation, Smith’s father farmed and drove a truck.

His mother, Flora, now 96, reared their eight children.

Smith excelled as a student and debater. He was 12 in 1955 when he learned about the racist murder of Emmett Till, 14, in Money, Mississippi. Smith related to the martyred Chicago youth.

“Growing up in Georgia at that time, for a Black boy, was a frightening experience,” Smith said.

“Learning how to act around white people was a survival skill.”

At 16, he entered Morehouse College. He became president of the Atlanta Student Movement and helped establish SNCC. He went to Holly Springs, Mississippi, to register voters in 1962. He lived at Rust College and worked with its NAACP chapter.

“Sundays were our big days,” said Leslie Burl McLemore, 75, a close friend. “We traveled to churches to talk to people about registering to vote so they could be first-class citizens.”

Two years later, Smith, Bond, activists Fannie Lou Hamer, Lawrence Guyot, and others, formed

5 Frank Smith serves as the director of the African-American Civil War Memorial and Museum. / Photo by Shakia Anderson the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.

Their demand to be seated in place of Mississippi’s all-white delegation to the 1964 Democratic National Convention was blocked.

However, related negotiations with the White House hastened passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which “revolutionized Mississippi,” Smith said.

“White people didn’t stop lynching and beating people because they got religion. They did it because African Americans with voting rights established that they could pick and choose who was in office and get elected themselves,” he said.

Smith headed to Washington, D.C. in 1968. He worked in public policy research, served on the school board and was elected to the D.C. Council in 1982 where he served for 16 years.

His ward included U Street, which remained ravaged decades after riots erupted following Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 1968 assassination.

Smith became fascinated with Black soldiers from Mississippi who fought in the Civil War. After working with a descendant of one soldier, he became founding director of the museum in 1999.

Married with three children and nine grandchildren, Smith stays in touch with Mississippi. One of the students he drove to school as a bus driver in 1967 recently retired as a teacher. Another is a Memphis police lieutenant. She recently brought a group of children to the museum.

“You never know how you will impact the life of another,” Smith said.

“She had been one of the children all those years ago. Here she was, and she brought young people with her. It was a great moment.” WI

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Oscars Spur More Protest Chris Rock Met With Mixed Reviews

By Sarafina Wright WI Staff Writer The Oscars, the finale to the film award season, sparked even more hashtags and conversations after host Chris Rock took on Hollywood’s diversity problem in a racially charged monologue.

The 88th Oscars took place on Sunday, Feb. 28, where the host of the night got right to the point addressing the elephant in the room, or the lack of elephants.

“Well, I’m here at the Academy Awards. Otherwise known as the White People’s Choice Awards,” Rock said. “You realize, if they nominated a host, I wouldn’t even get this job! Y’all would be watching Neil Patrick Harris right now.”

“But here’s the crazy thing. This is the wildest, craziest Oscars to ever host because we got all this controversy — no black nominees. And people are like. “Chris, you should boycott! Chris, you should quit!

You should quit.” How come it’s only unemployed people that tell you to quit something, you know?,” he said.

“No one with a job ever tells you to quit. So I thought about quitting. I thought about it real hard, but I realized they’re gonna have the Oscars anyway. They’re not gonna cancel the Oscars because I quit!

And the last thing I need is to lose another job to Kevin Hart, OK?” he said.

Rock went on to say that the boycott of the 88th Oscars appeared to be overdue since the lack of Black

nominees has virtually always been the case, but he said that in the early ’60s black people had better things to protest.

“We had real things to protest.

We were too busy being raped and lynched to care about who won Best Cinematographer,” he said. “When your grandmother’s swinging from a tree, it’s really hard to care about Best Documentary Foreign Short!”

Later in his monologue Rock addressed the Black people in Hollywood who spoke out against the Oscars, and some perceived Rock’s joke as a swipe against them.

“But what happened this year?

What happened? People went mad!

Spike got mad. Sharpton got mad, and Jada went mad. Will went mad.

Everybody went mad! It’s crazy!,” he said.

“Jada went mad. Jada says she’s not coming. Protesting. I’m like, “Ain’t she on a TV show?” Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited! Oh, that’s not an invitation I would turn down!” he said.

While Rock made light of the lack of diversity in the film industry, in Los Angeles and across the country protests were happening.

The Rev. Al Sharpton of the National Action Network led a demonstration blocks from The Dolby Theatre calling for more diversity vowing to not back down, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

“This will be the last night of an all-White Oscars,” Sharpton said, as

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LIFESTYLE Best Supporting Actress for her role as mammy in “Gone With the Wind” in 1939.

Another anti-Oscars event happened hundreds of miles away in Flint, Michigan. Stars aligned for a special fundraiser to help the Flint Water Crisis named hashtag “Justice for Flint.”

Janelle Monae, Ledisi, Musiq Soulchild, Jasmine Sullivan, Dej Loaf, Hannibal Buress, Jesse Williams and Hill Harper headlined the event with a surprise performance from Stevie Wonder.

Hollywood heavyweights “Selma” director Ava Duvernay and “Creed” director Ryan Coogler spearheaded the event, which raised over $145,000 as reported by Revolt TV. Rock wrapped up his monologue with a serious note about the lack of opportunity for Black actors.

“We want opportunity. We want the Black actors to get the same op-

portunities as White actors — that’s it! You know. Not just once. Leo gets a great part every year. All you guys get great parts all the time. What about the Black actors?” he said.

Some Asian and Latino Americans took to Twitter to ask why Rock didn’t address the lack of representation of other groups besides Blacks.

This prompted the hashtag “Not your Mule” by writer Mikki Kendall. She said the hashtag stood for the fact that non-Black minorities often want Black people to take all of the risk for their causes while they benefit and maintain their model minority status.

“Solidarity doesn’t look like Black people taking the risk and & everyone else reaping the rewards #NotYourMule,” she said.

She continued, “Black hypervisibilty isn’t a license to expect us to do all the work and take all the risk. You want something? Step up. #NotYourMule.”

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5Oscar host, Chris Rock / Courtesy photo reported by the Hollywood Reporter.

Sharpton made clear the protest is not about Black actors and actresses – it’s about the Academy, he said. He also said Rock isn’t the problem.

“He tells jokes; I tell the truth,” Sharpton said. “This is not about Chris Rock. This is about Hattie McDaniel.”

Hattie McDaniel, the first African-American Oscar winner, won

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 29

LIFESTYLE

Melissa Harris-Perry Fired from Talk Show MSNBC Host Says Race at Heart of Decision WI Staff Report MSNBC has fired talk show host Melissa Harris-Perry after she criticized preemptions of her weekend program suggesting that race played a factor in the decision.

She boycotted her own Saturday morning last weekend, saying in an email that she felt “worthless” to the NBC-owned network.

“I will not be used as a tool for their purposes,” wrote Harris-Perry. “I am not a token, mammy or little brown bobble head. I am not owned by [NBC executives] or MSNBC. I love our show. I want it back.”

MSNBC has undertaken a strategic transformation of several of its minority program hosts after recently finding itself far behind Fox News and CNN in cable-news ratings.

The new emphasis rests with

breaking-news coverage during daytime hours while maintaining a slate of liberal hosts during prime-time hours at night. But Harris-Perry found herself being bumped when MSNBC, like its competitors, preempted her in order to provide breaking campaign coverage.

The network earlier faced public criticism on social media over its irregular preemptions of Jose Diaz-Balart, who hosts a two-hour bloc from 9 to 11 a.m. weekdays. His hosting duties also appear to now be in question at the network.

Scenarios under review include extending the “Morning Joe” program into Diaz-Balart’s slot or creating a new program hosted by one of “Morning Joe’s” regular personalities.

Some wonder if MSNBC, seen as the most liberal among the three leading cable-news networks, has made an about

face in its policies and position.

In a statement, MSNBC spokesman Mark Kornblau said, “We are proud of the diverse backgrounds and viewpoints of our journalists, opinion hosts and analysts. We will gladly put that up against everyone else in the news business.”

MSNBC executives said Harris-Perry’s blast on Friday caught them by surprise and that it may have stemmed from her perception, incorrect at the time, but now a foregone conclusion due to her actions, that her weekend program faced cancellation.

“She’s a brilliant, intelligent but challenging and unpredictable personality,” one executive said. “There was no plan to cancel her.”

But fire her they did.

Harris-Perry, a professor at Wake Forest University, joined MSNBC four years ago at a time when the network was at-

tempting to merge its opinionated evening programs with its daytime schedule. But her firing continues a list of minorities who have either been dismissed or assigned to lesser roles in the past year including hosts Al Sharpton, Alex Wagner and Joy Reid and Black contributors including Michael Eric Dyson, Toure, Karen Finney and Goldie Taylor.

Prior to her boycotting of her own show and subsequent firing, Harris-Perry voiced her concerns in an email to her colleagues.

“Here is the reality: Our show was taken, without comment or discussion or notice, in the midst of an election season.

After four years of building an audience, developing a brand and developing trust with our viewers, we were effectively and utterly silenced.”

In a follow-up phone interview with the Times, Harris-Perry softened the racial aspects of her criticism, saying, “I

5 Melissa Harris-Perry / Courtesy photo

don’t know if there is a personal racial component. I don’t think anyone is doing something mean to me because I’m a Black person.”

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LIFESTYLE

In Play, Signs that Words Wound But Can Also Heal

By Rachel Sudduth WI Contributing Writer

“I don’t wanna be in the dark. I don’t wanna be dark!” he cries out as he faints, dropping to the floor.

The play uses the history of hip-hop to show the influence of rap lyrics on younger generations.

One example demonstrates rapper Dr. Dre’s love for women but disrespect toward “hoes,” drawing a parallel between the lyrics and how Black men struggle to distinguish what women to respect today.

From the rhymes with a hiphop spin to the soulful beat of Earth, Wind & Fire, “Words Become Flesh” keeps audiences grooving to colorful music.

The final scene gave way to chants of “Black Lives Matter” and “Hands Up. Don’t Shoot,” evoking the police-involved killings of unarmed Black men across America.

The play, appropriate for all ages, will run until March 26 at the Anacostia Playhouse in Southeast.

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5 Justin Weaks, Gary Perkins III, Chris Lane, Clayton Pelham, Jr., Louis E. Davis / Photo by C. Stanley Photograph

for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbowisenuf

February 25 – March 26, 2016

Five inspiring Black men take center stage in a play that mixes hip-hop culture, racism, discrimination and self-hate into a masterpiece for all age groups to enjoy.

“Word Becomes Flesh” teaches us that although the mental abuse may not be apparent until later, words can hurt just like punches.

“The play was definitely something you have to pay attention to because of the hidden message within broken African-American homes,” says audience member Keona Blunt.

The story leaves no issue facing Black men in America untouched, beginning with the dramatized sound effect of a young man’s heart racing when the sirens of police cars arrive in the neighborhood.

The scene of five men splitting ways at the first sound of police seemed so real, almost like

second nature.

“As the show unfolded, it was symbolic, political commentary, and all woven together for a very exhilarating evening,” said Michael Sainte-Andress, who at first did not know what to expect from the gripping theater production. “There was so much said that was powerful and meaningful, and it speaks for so much that is going on in our country.”

There is a hidden message that Black father-son relations correlate with the many ways young men view themselves as they interact with their loved ones, including their spouses.

“The nigga mentality” is described in “Word Becomes Flesh” as love for the slave master (provider) and no love for the carrier (father/mother).

The audience gets a realistic example of how Black men struggle with present-day slave mentality as a character struggles to find happiness with his darker skin tone.

by Ntozake Shange | Directed by Deidra Starnes

Word Becomes Flesh

by Marc Bamuthi Joseph | Directed by Psalmayene 24 I

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Anacostia Playhouse | 2020 Shannon Place, SE

5 Justin Weaks, Chris Lane, Louis E. Davis, Gary Perkins III, Clayton Pelham, Jr / Photo by C. Stanley Photograph WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

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LIFESTYLE

Urban Teachers Keep Black History in Curriculum Lessons Continue 365 Days a Year

By Stacy M. Brown WI Senior Writer When deciding on a Black history project for her fourth-grade class at Calvin and Rodman Elementary School, Naadir Billingsley took into account how the students would connect to the project and she used their background knowledge to enhance the learning experience.

When Se’Kayla Harrell spoke to her fifth-grade class at George Washington Elementary School, she was surprised that her students knew just the generalities of Black History Month, Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks.

“This was very shocking to me, but it only showed me how big of an opportunity we had this year to explore and introduce the students to new people and how great their history actually is,” Harrell said.

Both Billingsley and Harrell

said they’ve decided to make black history a part of their regular curriculum.

The two educators were trained through Urban Teachers, a teacher prep program in both Baltimore and Washington, D.C., that specifically supports teachers to enter into urban and low-income city schools.

“Urban Teachers helped me to prepare for teaching black history to my students because they emphasize the importance of making connections with students,” Billingsley said.

“When deciding on a Black History Month project … I let the students guide their project and what they wanted to learn about African-American history,” she said.

“I thought about the ‘why.’ It wasn’t just a project because it was February and its Black History Month. I thought about how the students can use the information

they learned from this research project in other classes and for the rest of their lives.”

Incorporating African-American history into the curriculum is extremely important because African-Americans were and they remain a large part of America’s history, Harrell said.

“African-Americans also aren’t represented nearly enough as they should be, and Black History Month is usually the only time that we would see them,” she said.

“I believe that working in urban schools gives us an even greater responsibility of letting our students see a reflection of themselves in what they learn and my students have been extremely receptive to this. They are excited to learn about some of the amazing accomplishments of African-Americans, and this unit has pushed then into inquiring and thinking about their history on their own.

The enthusiasm in the classroom

5 Naadir Billingsley is teaching her fourth-grade class about Black history. / Courtesy Photo is always at an all-time high.”

Formerly called Urban Teachers Center, Urban Teachers was founded in 2009 as a means to solve what officials called a critical challenge in urban education, the new teacher quality.

The organization built a breakthe-mold teacher preparation program from the ground up to ensure every teacher would get the experiences and support they need to produce results with students.

Urban Teachers started in what was identified as the highest-need districts in the nation, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and since 2010 it has welcomed more than 500 aspiring teachers, preparing them for the classroom and to become topnotch educators.

“I think the most important aspect I learned from Urban Teachers is that no teacher is perfect and teaching is a practice,” Billingsley said.

“Every lesson is not going to go UT O ED AB E !

K -SP ET AS GH RN I TE H N I

perfectly as planned, and that’s OK. You can be a great teacher, but there is always room for improvement and collaboration with your colleagues,” she said.

“This is the most important because the hard days will come when you feel like nothing went as planned. Those days you may feel defeated, but having this thought in the back of your mind, brings me to work the next day, with a clear mind, and ready to teach the best lesson I can for my students.”

For Harrell, the most important aspect of Urban Teachers is the support she receives and the ability to shadow a veteran teacher while having coaches to observe progress.

“Being able to constantly apply the teaching strategies and skills that we’ve learned in class in actual urban classroom setting is an irreplaceable benefit that has allowed me the most growth as a new teacher,” Harrell said.

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LIFESTYLE

WI Book Review A

Horoscopes

MAR. 3 - 9, 2016

ARIES Take the lead, especially in romantic matters. Throw modesty out the window. Be in shameless pursuit. You know that your need is great this week.

Seek to satisfy it. Your lover might be surprised, but you can make the surprise a pleasant one. Soul Affirmation: I hunt for love in all the right places. Lucky Numbers: 29, 34, 51

“How to Make Your Money Last: The Indispensable Retirement Guide”

TAURUS Heads or tails! Go or stay! What to do? This week you’ll find yourself pulled in two exactly opposite directions. There is no way to satisfy both pulls.

Let your friends decide. Take whatever suggestion comes first. Soul Affirmation: I let my friendships guide my way. Lucky Numbers: 41, 47, 50

by Jane Bryant Quinn c.2016, Simon & Schuster $28.00 / $37.00 Canada 366 pages

GEMINI Don’t waste time thinking about the past. Sure they were wrong, but what does it matter now. Enjoy the present. Find something good to do for the rest of the week. Avoid conflict. Nothing is so important that it needs to be resolved this week. Soul Affirmation: This week I forgive myself for everything that has happened. Lucky Numbers: 23, 28, 49 CANCER Stop thinking about work. Sure there are pressing matters, but

they’ll wait. Tap into the fun side of your personality. Get deep into that side and stay there. Don’t keep pulling back to think about things that need to be fixed.

Soul Affirmation: I give my mind a big vacation this week.

Lucky Numbers: 30, 37, 42

By Terri Schlichenmeyer WI Contributing Writer Your No-Plan plan stretches for miles.

You have no plans for alarm clocks, suit-and-tie combos, rush-hour commutes, cubicles, or boring meetings. You’re ready to retire and leave them all behind – but can you afford to avoid those things forever? With “How to Make Your Money Last” by Jane Bryant Quinn, you’ve got a working chance of it.

What will you do when you can finally do what you want?

That’s an important question, says Quinn. The routine you followed for 20, 30, even 40 years probably won’t be the same after retirement, and you may need some direction. You might be happy about not looking at a calendar all the time, but you won’t “want to look at a calendar that’s blank.”

The key to making the most of your retirement is to make the most of your money. You will particularly want to know how to “prudently parcel your money out” so you don’t take too much or too little of the funds available to you for the duration. There are also things to consider: tax issues, investment tools, tricks for bringing more to your bank account, and ways to protect your spouse.

On that latter point, says Quinn, “talk, talk, talk.” Before you retire, discuss expectations and concerns with your spouse, and bring all money matters to the table. It’s not easy, she admits, but it is necessary.

“It’s time for a financial scan” next, she says. Know how to “right-size,” consider housing needs, look at savings, and figure out how you’ll budget to trim expenses and still enjoy retirement. Know “Seven Special Situations” that “can’t be shoehorned neatly into the process” and learn when it’s perfectly acceptable to tell your children “no.”

Educate yourself on the ins and outs of Social Security, and how waiting to file may make a huge difference, long-term. See why Quinn says Social Security won’t “go bankrupt.” Learn to choose the best pension benefits and why buying a pension may be advantageous. Know how to get the right health insurance coverage. Learn about home equity loans and how to leverage your home’s value. And remember: “There’s no clean way of knowing whom to trust.”

Oh, so much to remember! So much to learn, too, but author Jane Bryant Quinn makes it easier in “How to Make Your Money Last.”

From the first pages filled with ideas for filling your time, to the choosing of a Power of Attorney, Quinn covers almost every kind of money matter a retiring Boomer might need to know – all presented with terms and formulas that are simplified, even for the most mathematically-challenged. I appreciated that Quinn starts most points with need-to-know information, offers other places to turn for help, and includes things of which readers should beware.

All that, and an informal tone make this book a pleasant, helpful read for current retirees, those about to retire, and younger readers who may want to retire someday. And since that’s you, no doubt, “How to Make Your Money Last” is a book you should plan to read.

WI WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LEO Let the pleasure principal win the battle with your sense of duty. Give your-

self up to the sunshine, the fresh air, the outdoors. Stop talking and get moving.

Your own motion will clear your mind of things that have been hanging on. Soul Affirmation: I celebrate freedom of mind this week.

Lucky Numbers: 12, 38, 39

VIRGO There are so many good things to do that the challenge will be in deciding what to do and what to not do. Great place to be. Count your blessings -all of them and flip a coin. What a time to be alive. Call someone. Let them decide what you should enjoy first. Soul Affirmation: I know that my life is full of good things. I enjoy! Lucky Numbers: 4, 29, 38 LIBRA Give yourself a chance to know yourself better. Let others reflect the beauty that is you and that will give you added knowledge of yourself this week.

Ask for opinions and listen closely, making something good out of whatever is said. Soul Affirmation: I spend the week celebrating me.

Lucky Numbers: 22, 27, 41 SCORPIO You’ll meet someone that you could come to adore. Make sure you’ve laid the groundwork because they might not be ready for all the adoration that you are ready to give. Make sure that you don’t adore a bird in the bush while neglecting a bird in hand. Soul Affirmation: I enjoy the act of adoring. Lucky Numbers: 16, 23, 40 SAGITTARIUS Being an artist doesn’t always mean painting a picture. This week apply your artistry to anything that you do. Look at life as an empty canvas upon which you have the skill to paint almost any wonderful thing that you want.

Soul Affirmation: My life itself is my greatest creation. Lucky Numbers: 19, 20, 27

CAPRICORN This week is better than last week for career goals. Think deeply about what you really want for a career. Clarity is easy to come by. Charm is an extremely effective tool for you this week. The smile is needed more than at any recent time. Soul Affirmation: I keep my smile shining, especially at home. Lucky Numbers: 3, 20, 30 AQUARIUS Believe that it is true when a friend or family member praises you this week. There is something good happening with you that you cannot see.

Expect good news about a publishing, educational or legal venture. Romance is in the air, revel in it. Soul Affirmation: All the good things said about me this week are absolutely true. Lucky Numbers: 1, 43, 50 PISCES This week let your nurturing spirit shines through. Your tremendous adaptability will make it possible for you to show kindness even where it is not deserved. Know that you kindness is appreciated. All week long you’ll find yourself in helpful conversations with friends or family members. Heed what is said.

Soul Affirmation: Everyone deserves kindness this week. Lucky Numbers: 11, 32, 39

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 33

SPORTS

Washington Wallops LeBron-less Cleveland, 113-99 4Wizards guard Ramon Sessions goes to the basket for two points in the second quarter of NBA action on Sunday, Feb. 28 at the Verizon Center in Northwest. The Wizards defeated the Cavaliers 113-99. / Photo by John E. De Freitas 6 Cavaliers guard uses his height to score two points in the third quarter of NBA action on Sunday, Feb. 28 at the Verizon Center in Northwest. The Wizards defeated the Cavaliers 11399. / Photo by John E. De Freitas

4 Wizards forward Otto Porter is defended by Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova in the first quarter of NBA action on Sunday, Feb. 28 at the Verizon Center in Northwest. Porter said: “It definitely felt good.

Just knocked down shots.

You know defense kind of got us started though. I know John got a couple of easy ones and he was just able to find everybody.”

The Wizards defeated the Cavaliers 113-99. / Photo

by John E. De Freitas

5 Wizards forward Nene drives past Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov in the second quarter of NBA action on Sunday, Feb. 28 at the Verizon Center in Northwest. The Wizards defeated the Cavaliers 113-99. / Photo by John E. De Freitas 3Wizards guard John Wall goes to the basket for two points in the first quarter of National Basketball Association (NBA) action on Sunday, Feb.28 at the Verizon Center in Northwest.

Wall said: “They’re still a tough team to play with, even without LeBron [James]. LeBron is a big key to his team, but they have guys, Kevin, Kyrie and J.R. that can get hot. We did a great job pressuring them, moving the ball and making the shots.” The Wizards defeated the Cavaliers 113-99. / Photo by John E. De Freitas 34 MAR. 3 - 9, 2016

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SPORTS

Butler Stops Georgetown in Overtime, 90-87 3 Butler guard Sean McDermott is closely defended in the first half of Big East Basketball action on Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Verizon Center in Northwest. Butler defeated Georgetown 90-87 (OT). / Photo by John E. De Freitas

6 Georgetown forward D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera playing his last home game drives past Butler forward Riyan Williams in the second half of Big East Basketball action on Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Verizon Center in Northwest.

Butler defeated Georgetown 90-87 (OT). / Photo by John E. De Freitas

5 Butler forward

Andrew Chrabascz goes over the extended hands of Georgetown guard Kaleb Johnson in the first half of Big East Basketball action on Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Verizon Center in Northwest. Butler defeated Georgetown 90-87 (OT). / Photo

by John E. De Freitas

3Georgetown forward Isaac Copeland takes on Butler forward Tyler Wideman in the second half of Big East Basketball action on Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Verizon Center in Northwest. Butler defeated Georgetown 90-87 (OT). / Photo by John E. De Freitas

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MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 35

CAPTURE THE MOMENT

6Charles Cobb signs copies of his latest book, This Nonviolent Stuff’ll Get You Killed, at the Potters House in Northwest, February 27th. / Photo by Nancy Shia

5First Lady Michelle Obama greets more than 150 high school students during the White House annual music series honoring the legacy of Ray Charles, with moderator Robert Santelli, and recording artists Yolanda Adams, Leon Bridges, Andra Day, Demi Lovato and Jussie Smollett on February 24. / Photo by Patricia Little 3Hundreds gathered at the intersection of 13th and H Streets Northeast to join DC’s mayor Muriel Bowser, District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and other District officials in the launch of the DC Streetcar on February 27. / Photo by Travis Riddick

6The Rev. Jamal Bryant, pastor of Empowerment Temple Church in Baltimore, leads a ‘Praying for Supreme Justice’ rally at the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court along with clergy from across the nation on Tue., March 1. / Photo by Patricia Little

5Monumental Sports & Entertainment Founder, Chairman, Majority Owner and CEO Ted Leonsis was honored by U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus (left) on February 23 at the Verizon Center in Northwest. / Photo by John E. De Freitas 36 MAR. 3 - 9, 2016

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CAPTURE THE MOMENT

3Stephen Rosenberg, a member of Montgomery Country for Bernie displays his handmade sign before marching. He is an avid Bernie supporter and has been to many rallies. / Photo by Diandra Bolton, HU News Service

5Teenagers at the march were just as vocal in their support as their older counterparts. / Photo by Diandra Bolton, HU News Service 3Marchers gather in McPherson Square in preparation to hit the streets. The “Feel the Bern” banner was a beacon leading the way. / Photo by Diandra Bolton, HU News Service

3Supporters march down Vermont Street chanting “Feel the Bern” and “This is what democracy looks like.” Their enthusiasm was unflagging during the 30 minute march. / Photo by Diandra Bolton, HU News Service

5Colorful and cleverly written signs dotted the mass of marchers. / Photo by Diandra Bolton, HU News Service

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MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 37

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WHITTINGTON from Page 16 into a computer-aided dispatch system that’s reviewed by a dispatcher who handles fire, emergency medical services, police, or sheriff.

The dispatcher relays the information to the proper authorities.

Charlynn Flaherty, associate director for Public Safety Communications, said an annual salary for a call-taker starts at $33,000; $36,000 for a dispatcher. After the first year, workers could receive a 5 percent increase.

“This is not a dead-end job,” she said. “You can have a career here and save lives every day.”

‘GET A REAL JOB’

Whittington credits her grandfather for joining the county.

After graduating from Bladensburg High School in 1988, she

CHESS from Page 8 ed his knowledge on young Black men seeking mentorship.

“I often see students who don’t

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worked at Higear Auto Sales and had a car.

“He just told me, ‘Get a real job.

The county is hiring.’ I told him I had a job,” she recalled. “He just told me, ‘The county is hiring.’ I drove up to the H.R. department and (the county sought) a civilian police clerk.

I have no experience doing nothing, so why not apply?”

Whittington has worked for the county since October 1989.

After working as a police clerk, she walked the streets from 1993 to 2003 with her last assignment in the K-9 unit.

For the next 13 years, she rose in the police department’s ranks.

While deputy police chief for bureau of administration, which dealt with training, fiscal management and other duties, she received an online bachelor’s degree in 2012 in organizational leadership from

Mountain State University in Beckley, West Virginia.

She’s pursuing an online master’s degree from Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, and scheduled to graduate in May 2017.

In the meantime, she wants to visit schools, nonprofit organizations and churches to educate residents on what specifically public safety entails and the roles of each agency. A brief description can be found at www. princegeorgescountymd.gov. Go the “My government” tab and click on “Homeland Security.”

She’s also looking to expand volunteer services and connect with local colleges on internship opportunities.

“We all have special gifts to offer,” said Whittington, who’s married with two children ages 3 and 8. “We can all make the county a much safer place to be.” WI

want to play sports but love chess.

Some of them get proactive, picking up books from the library. They get excited about the game and don’t want to lose,” said Doc, a chess coach at Eagle Academy Charter School in Congress Heights and Washington Yu Ying Charter School, a Chinese immersion center near the National Cathedral in Northwest.

“In this game, they get the mental challenge they don’t receive in school. This is where they learn life lessons including outlining and contingency planning. I see what the game does and the type of people it attracts. It takes a lot of mental fortitude to play an hour and a half of chess,” Doc added.

Anthony Womack, a chess player of eight years and organizer, shared similar thoughts. He revealed his plans to introduce chess to his students after watching “Life of King,”

a movie about Brown starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. On Saturday afternoon, he played several games of chess and chatted with elders about their life experiences.

“I just wanted to feel the spirit and ambiance of being around other chess players. This game is a meeting of the minds,” said Womack, founder of MisUnderstood, a Halifax, Virginia-based life skills training program for young men.

“No matter what’s going on in life, amazing things happen when you push those pieces on the board.

Folks say Black people don’t play chess and it’s a challenge but I learned a lot from the game. After playing, I understood that you have to be prepared to move with life’s changes and pick up a new strategy,” Womack said. WI This article originally appeared on AllEyesOnDC.com.

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38 MAR. 3 - 9, 2016

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RELIGION THE RELIGION CORNER

The Griffin Firm, PLLC

To Find, You Must Diligently Seek Finding is a principle reserved only for those who have worked and thus have planted, and you’re now ready to reap from what you’ve sown.

But did you ask, seek and knock, or are you only thinking about these wonderful dreams of yours someday becoming a reality. No, you’ve got to ask through your prayers. No one is a mind reader, except our Heavenly Father. Each day, as we move forward toward our goals, those things we see a need for and we wish and hope for are where this principle comes into play. Ask. Those of you like me, who’ve worked helping others, giving in your community and in your church, have even done good deeds in your family, yet you can’t seem to wrap your hands around what it is you want.

Picture this. A farmer is planting hundreds of acres of crop. He tends the it until it is ready to produce an outstanding crop. Yet now that the crop is ready for harvest, he sits down and says, “I’m done.” No! That’s not how its’ done. The farmer has got to now execute his dream by working his harvest. He’s got to go out there and get every leaf from the tobacco stalk; he’s got to pick every bundle of cotton from each stalk. He’s got to pull every ear of corn from the thousands of stalks of corn now ready for harvest in his hundreds of acres with men or machines, but he’s Turning Hearts Church

got to harvest his crops.

What if he sits there and does nothing? What do you think will happen? He will lose his rewards. His crops could produce more money than he can spend. But load after load must be harvested first. He’s got to go out to his fields and bring in his money. He and his crew must work and take the harvest to market to collect the rewards his crops have generated. It’s a process.

Does that remind you of your own dream? Can this help you by reminding you how much you must do in order to reap those rewards you so deserve?

Helping others has earned you enough to last the rest of your life. Don’t allow your rewards to die on the vines!

It is now time for you to get busy asking everyone you know or come in contact with if they can use your services; it’s time to seek those companies or persons who need what you have to offer, and it’s time for you to knock on every door.

This is an epiphany for even me. I was listening to one of my motivational speakers, the late Jim Rohn, and though I’ve listened to that four-hour video numerous times, today, I heard Rohn state clearly, “Finding is reserved only for those who seek.” It is not likely that someone will find what they’re not looking for. This is a simple message, but I pray it will be a blessing to you, as it was to me.

The Reverend Lyndon Shakespeare Interim Priest

4275 4th Street, S.E. Washington, DC 20034 Phone: 202-746-0113 Fax: 301-843-2445

Foggy Bottom - Founded in 1867 728 23rd Street, NW - Washington, DC 20037 Church office: 202-333-3985 - Fax : 202-338-4958

Motto : “A Great Commitment to the Great Commandment” Website: www.turningheartschurchdc.org Email: faithdefender@verizon.net

• • • • •

Estate planning and probate Medicaid planning Elder law Business and succession planning/ coaching Workshops and seminars on legacy creation for economic strength

Aimee D. Griffin, Esq., The Griffin Firm, PLLC 5335 Wisconsin Ave NW Suite 440 Washington DC 20015 www.thegriffinfirm-PLLC.com

with Lyndia Grant How many times have we heard this scripture? “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you?” Matthew: 7:7.

The purpose of this column is to share what God is giving to me in the way of teaching a lesson. We set goals and make some effort toward obtaining those goals, yet those goals appear out of reach. I’m teaching this week on the subject of finding what it is you seek, but most importantly action is required on your part. Scripture says, “Seek and ye shall find.

WI Lyndia Grant is an author, inspirational and motivational speaker, radio talk show host and columnist. Visit her new website at www.lyndiagrant.com, or call 202-558-2107. Tune in Fridays at 6 p.m. to the radio talk show on 1340 AM, WYCB, a Radio One Station.

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Historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

Virgil K. Thomas, Sr. Senior Pastor/ Teacher

Service and Times Sunday School 8 – 9 AM Worship Service 9 – 11 AM Tuesday Night Bible Study 6:30 – 8:00 PM Wednesday Daytime Bible Study 11 AM – 12:30 PM

Committed to providing services and supports to increase the capacity of individuals, businesses, and communities.

Service and Times Sundays: 10 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music and Hymns Wednesdays: 12:10 p.m. - Holy Eucharist www.stmarysfoggybottom.org Email: stmarysoffice@stmarysfoggybottom.org All are welcome to St. Mary’s to Learn, Worship, and Grow.

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RELIGION The Miracle Center of Faith Missionary Baptist Church Bishop Michael C. Turner, Sr. Senior Pastor 9161 Hampton Overlook Capitol Heights, MD 20743 Phone: 301-350-2200 Fax: 301-499-8724

Service and Times Sunday Worship Times : 7:30 a.m. 7 10:00 a.m.

Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:00 a.m.

Bible Study: Wednesday, 12 Noon Bible Study in homes: Tuesday 7:00 p.m.

Website: www.themiraclecenterFMBC.com Email: Miraclecenterfmbs@gmail.com Motto: “We Walk by Faith, Not by Sight”

Pilgrim Baptist Church

Church of Living Waters

Rev. Louis B. Jones II Pastor 700 I Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20002 (202) 547-8849 Service and Times Worship Sundays: 7:30 & 11:00am 5th Sundays: 9:30am 3rd Sundays: Baptism & Holy Communion Prayer & Praise: Wednesdays @ Noon & 6:30pm

Crusader Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Michael E. Bell, Sr., Pastor

Rev. Dr. Alton W. Jordan Pastor

Reverend Dr. Calvin L. Matthews Senior Pastor

Harold Andrew Assistant Pastor

2498 Alabama Ave., SE - Washington D.C. 20020 Office: (202) 889-7296 Fax: (202) 889-2198 - www.acamec.org

800 I Street, NE - Washington, DC 20002 202-548-0707 - Fax No. 202-548-0703

4915 Wheeler Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-894-6464

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 8:00am and 11:00am Sunday Church School - 9:15am & Sunday Adult Forum Bible Study - 10:30am 2nd & 4th Monday Women’s Bible Study: 6:30pm Tuesday Jr./Sr. Bible Study: 10:00am Tuesday Topical Bible Study: 6:30pm Tuesday New Beginnings Bible Study: 6:30pm Wednesday Pastoral Bible Study: 6:30pm Wednesday Children’s Bible Study: 6:30pm Thursday Men’s Bible Study: 6:30pm Friday before 1st Sunday Praise & Worship Service: 6:30pm Saturday Adult Bible Study: 10:00am “The Amazing, Awesome, Audacious Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church”

Service and Times Sunday Morning Worship: 11:00am Holy Communion: 1st Sunday Sunday School: 9:45am Men’s Monday Bible Study: 7:00pm Wednesday Night Bible Study: 7:00pm Women’s Ministry Bible Study: 3rd Friday -7:00pm Computer Classes: Announced Family and Marital Counseling by appointment

1200 Isle of Patmos Plaza, Northeast Washington, DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-6767 - Fax: (202) 526-1661

www.livingwatersmd.org

E-mail: Crusadersbaptistchurch@verizon.net www.CrusadersBaptistChurch.org “God is Love”

Covenant Baptist United Church of Christ

St. Stephen Baptist Church

Third Street Church of God

Dr. Dekontee L. & Dr. Ayele A. Johnson Pastors

Drs. Dennis W. & Christine Y. Wiley Pastors

Bishop Lanier C. Twyman, Sr. Senior Pastor

Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders, Th.D. Senior Pastor

Bishop Alfred A. Owens, Jr.; Senior Bishop & Evangelist Susie C. Owens – Co-Pastor

4001 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011 (202) 265-6147 Office 1-800 576-1047 Voicemail/Fax

3845 South Capitol Street Washington, DC 20032 (202) 562-5576 (Office) (202) 562-4219 (Fax)

5757 Temple Hill Road, Temple Hills, MD 20748 Office 301-899-8885 – fax 301-899-2555

1204 Third Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 202-347-5889 office 202-638-1803 fax

610 Rhode Island Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 529-4547 office • (202) 529-4495 fax

Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Morning Worship Service: 11:00am Communion Service: First Sunday Prayer Service/Bible Study: Tuesday, 6:30pm

Services and Times Sundays: 10:00am Worship Services Bible Study: Wonderful Wednesdays in Worship and the Word Bible Study Wednesdays 12:00 Noon; 6:30pm (dinner @ 5:30pm) Sunday School: 9:00am – Hour of Power

Blessed Word of Life Church

www.blessedwordoflifechurch.org E-mail: church@blessedwordoflifechurch.org

Campbell AME Church Rev. Dr. Henry Y. White 2562 MLK Jr. Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Adm. Office 202-678-2263 Email: Campbell@mycame.org Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 am Sunday Church School: 8:45 am Bible Study Wednesday: 12:00 Noon Wednesday: 7:00 pm Thursday: 7: pm “Reaching Up To Reach Out” Mailing Address Campbell AME Church 2502 Stanton Road SE - Washington, DC 20020

Mt. Zion Baptist Church

“An inclusive ministry where all are welcomed and affirmed.” www.covenantbaptistdc.org

Services and Times Sunday Early Morning Worship: 7:45am Church School: 9:30am Sunday Morning Worship: 10:45am Tuesday: 7:00pm/Kingdom Building Bible Institute Wednesday: Prayer/Praise/Bible Study-7:30 pm Baptism & Communion Service: 4th Sunday – 10:30am

Services and Times Sunday School: 9:30am Sunday Worship: 11:00am Prayer Meeting and Bible Study: Wed. 7:30pm

“We are one in the Spirit” www.ssbc5757.org E-mail: ssbc5757@verizon.net

www.thirdstreet.org

“Ambassadors for Christ to the Nation’s Capital”

Greater Mt. Calvary Holy Church

Sunday Worship Service: 8 AM and 10:45am Sunday Youth Worship Services: 1st & 4th 10:45am; 804 R.I. Ave., NE 5th 8 AM & 10:45am; Main Church Prayer Services Tuesday – Noon, Wednesday 6am & 6:30pm Calvary Bible Institute: Year-Round Contact Church Communion Every 3rd Sunday The Church in The Hood that will do you Good! www.gmchc.org

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Holy Communion: 2nd Sunday at 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

Sunday Church School: 9:20 a.m.

Seniors Bible Study: Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Noon Day Prayer Service: Tuesdays at Noon Bible Study: Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

Motto: “A Ministry of Reconciliation Where Everybody is Somebody!”

Website: http://isleofpatmosbc.org Church Email: ipbcsecretary@verizon.net

St Marks Baptist Come Worship with us...

Dr. Raymond T. Matthews Pastor and First Lady Marcia Matthews St. Mark's Baptist Church 624 Underwood Street, NW Washington, dc 20011 Services and Times Sunday School: 9:00am Worship Service: 10:00am Wed. Noon Day prayer service Thur. Prayer service: 6:45pm Thur. Bible Study: 7:15pm

Twelfth Street Christian Church Reverend Dr. Paul H. Saddler Senior Pastor (Disciples of Christ) 1812 12th Street, NW - Washington, DC 20009 Phone: 202-265-4494 Fax: 202 265 4340 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 am Communion every Sunday: 11:00 am Sunday School: 10:00 am Bible Study Tuesday: 12 Noon Pastor’s Bible Study Tuesday: 6:30 pm Motto: “Discover Something Wonderful” Website: 12thscc.org Email: Twelfthstcc@aol.com

Mount Carmel Baptist Church

Rev. John W. Davis Pastor

Joseph N. Evans, Ph.D Senior Pastor

5101 14th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20011 202-726-2220/ 202-726-9089

901 Third Street N.W. Washington, DC. 20001 Phone (202) 842-3411 Fax (202) 682-9423

Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 8:00am and 11:00am Sunday School: 9:15am Holy Communion 4th Sunday 10:00am Prayer and Bible Study Wednesday 7:00pm TV Ministry –Channel 6 Wednesday 10:00pm

Isle of Patmos Baptist Church

Rev. Paul Carrette Senior Pastor

Service and Times Sunday Service: 8:30am& 11:00am Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30pm Communion Service: First Sunday

www.pilgrimbaptistdc.org

Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church

Service and Times Sunday Church School : 9:00am Sunday Morning Worship: 10:10am Bible Study Tuesday: 6: 00pm Prayer Service Tuesday: 7:00pm Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday 10:10am themcbc.org

gsccm.administration@verizon.net

40 MAR. 3 - 9, 2016

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RELIGION Shabbath Commandment Church

All Nations Baptist Church

King Emmanuel Baptist Church

Bishop Adrian A. Taylor, Sr. Pastor

Rev. Dr. James Coleman Pastor

Rev. Daryl F. Bell Pastor

7801 Livingston Road Oxon Hill, MD 20745 301-534-5471

2001 North Capitol St, N.E. - Washington, DC 20002 Phone (202) 832-9591

2324 Ontario Road, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232-1730

Service and Times Sabbath School 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Service 11:00 a.m. Praise & Worship Preaching 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Motto: “A Church Keeping It Real for Real.”

Website: Shabbathcommandmentchruch.org Email: Praisebetoyhwh@gmail.com

Zion Baptist Church Rev. Keith W. Byrd, Sr. Pastor 4850 Blagdon Ave, NW - Washington D.C 20011 Phone (202) 722-4940 - Fax (202) 291-3773 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:15AM Sunday School: 9:00am Monday: Noon Bible School Wednesday: Noon & 7PM: Pastor’s Bible Study Ordinance of Baptism 2nd Holy Communion 4th Sunday Mission Zion Baptist Church Shall; Enlist Sinners, Educate Students, Empower the Suffering, Encourage the Saints, and Exalt Our Savior. (Acts 2:41-47) www.zionbaptistchurchdc.org

St. Luke Baptist Church Rev. Aubrey C. Lewis Pastor 1415 Gallatin Street, NW Washington, DC 20011-3851 P: (202) 726-5940 Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11:00 a.m.

Sunday School: 9:15 a.m.

Holy Communion: 11:00 a.m., 3rd Sun. Bible Institute: Wednesday - 1:30 pm Prayer Meeting: Wednesday - 12:00 Noon

Service and Times Sunday Church School – 9:30 AM Sunday Worship Service – 11:00 AM Holy Communion – 1st Sunday at 11:00 AM Prayer – Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Bible Study – Wednesdays, 7:00 PM Christian Education School of Biblical Knowledge Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM, Call for Registration Website: www.allnationsbaptistchurch.com All Nations Baptist Church – A Church of Standards

Israel Baptist Church

Dr. Earl D. Trent Senior Pastor

Rev. Dr. George C. Gilbert Senior Pastor

2409 Ainger Pl.,SE – WDC 20020 (202) 678-0884 – Office - (202) 678-0885 – Fax “Come Grow With Us and Establish a Blessed Family”

623 Florida Ave.. NW - WDC. 20001 Church (202) 667-3409 Study (202) 265-0836 Home Study (301) 464-8211 Fax (202) 483-4009

4504 Gault Place, N.E. Washington, D.C 20019 202-397-7775 – 7184

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 7:30am & 10:45am Baptism/Holy Communion: 3rd Sunday Family Bible Study Tuesdays – 6:30pm Prayer Service: Tuesdays – 8:00pm www.emmanuelbaptistchurchdc.org

“Where Jesus is the King”

Lincoln Park United Methodist Church

Sermon On The Mount Temple Of Joy Apostolic Faith

Rev. Dr. Diane Dixon Proctor Pastor

Elder Herman L. Simms Pastor

1251 Saratoga Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 269-0288

1301 North Carolina Ave. N E Washington, D C 20002 202 543 1318 - lpumconthegrow@gmail.com www.lpumcdc.org

5606 Marlboro Pike District Heights, MD 20747 301-735-6005

Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 A.M. Sunday School: 8:30 A.M. Holy Communion1st Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Prayer Service: Wednesday at 6:30 P.M. Bible Study: Wednesday at 7:00 P.M.

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 10: am Holy Communion: First Sunday 10: am Sunday School: 9: am Bible Study: Wednesday @ 12 noon and 6:30pm Motto: “A CHURCH ON THE GROW”.

Mount Moriah Baptist Church

Eastern Community Baptist Church

Service and Times Sunday Apostolic Worship Services 11:00 A.M and 5:00 P.M Communion and Feet Wash 4th Sunday at 5:00 P.M Prayer/Seeking: Wednesday at 8:00 P.M. Apostolic in Doctrine, Pentecostal in Experience, Holiness in Living, Uncompromised and Unchanged.

The Apostolic Faith is still alive –Acts 2:42

New Commandment Baptist Church

Dr. Lucius M. Dalton Senior Pastor

Damion M. Briggs Pastor

Rev. Stephen E. Tucker Senior Pastor

1636 East Capitol Street, NE Washington, DC 20003 Telephone: 202-544-5588 - Fax: 202-544-2964

8213 Manson Street Landover, MD 20785 Tel: (301) 322-9787 Fax: (301) 322-9240

13701 Old Jericho Park Road Bowie, MD. 20720 (301) 262-0560

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:45 am and 10:45 am Holy Communion: 1st Sundays at 7:45 am & 10:45 am Sunday School: 9:30 am Prayer & Praise Service: Tuesdays at 12 noon & 6:30 pm Bible Study: Tuesdays at 1 pm and 7 pm Youth Bible Study: Fridays at 7 pm

Service and Times Early Morning Message: 7:30 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 AM Sunday Church School: 9:00 AM Holy Communion: 1st Sunday 7:30 AM & 10:00 AM Prayer, Praise and Testimony: Wednesday 7:00 PM Bible Study: Wednesday 7:30 PM

Service and Times Sunday Worship: 11 AM Sunday School: 10 AM Wednesday Mid-Week Worship, Prayer & Bible Study: Wed. 7 PM

Rehoboth Baptist Church

“Real Worship for Real People” Website: www.easterncommunity.org Email: ecc@easterncommunity.org

Salem Baptist Church

Holy Trinity United Baptist Church

Florida Avenue Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Clinton W. Austin Pastor

Rev. Dr. Morris L Shearin, Sr. Pastor

Web: www.mountmoriahchurch.org Email: mtmoriah@mountmoriahchurch.org

St. Matthews Baptist Church

Service and Times Sunday School: 9:30 am Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 am Baptismal Service: 1st Sunday – 9:30 am Holy Communion: 1st Sunday – 11:00 am Prayer Meeting & Bible Study: Wednesday -7:30 pm

Emmanuel Baptist Church

“A Church Where Love Is Essential and Praise is Intentional”

Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 a.m.

Sunday Church School: 8:45 – 9:45 a.m.

Holy Communion: Every First Sunday Intercessory Prayer: Monday – 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Pastor’s Bible Study: Wednesday –7:45 p.m.

Midweek Prayer: Wednesday – 7:00 p.m.

Noonday Prayer Every Thursday

Matthews Memorial Baptist Church Dr. C. Matthew Hudson, Jr, Pastor 2616 MLK Ave., SE - Washington, DC 20020 Office 202-889-3709 - Fax 202-678-3304 Service and Times Early Worship Service: 7:30a.m Worship Service: 10:45a.m.

New Members Class: 9:30a.m.

Holy Communion : 1st Sunday -10:45a.m Church School: 9:30a.m.

Prayer, Praise and Bible Study: Wednesday 7p.m Bible Study : Saturday: 11a.m.

Baptism: 4th Sunday – 10:45a.m “Empowered to love and Challenged to Lead a Multitude of Souls to Christ”

Peace Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Michael T. Bell 712 18th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone 202-399-3450/ Fax 202-398-8836 Service and Times Sunday Morning Worship Service: 7:15 am & 10:50 am Sunday School: 9:30am Wednesday Prayer & Testimonies Service: 7:30pm Wednesday School of the Bible: 8:00pm Wednesday - Midweek Prayer Service: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Service and Times 9:30AM. Sunday Church School 11:00 Am. Sunday Worship Service The Lord’s Supper 1st Sunday Wednesday 7:00pm Prayer & Praise Services 7:30pm. Bible Study Saturday before 4th Sunday Men, Women, Youth Discipleship Ministries 10:30am A Christ Centered Church htubc@comcast.net

Christ Embassy DC

Kelechi Ajieren Coordinator 6839 Eastern Avenue, R1 Takoma Park, MD 20912 (202) 556-7065 Service and Times Sunday Worship Service: 10:00 A.M. Wednesday Bible Study: 7:00 P.M. Friday Evening Service: 7:00 P.M. ; Last Friday “…Giving Your Life a Meaning” www.Christembassydc.org Christ.embassy.dc@hotmail.com

Pennsylvania Ave. Baptist Church Rev. Dr. Kendrick E. Curry Pastor 3000 Pennsylvania Ave.. S.E Washington, DC 20020 202 581-1500 Service and Times Sunday Church School: 9:30 A.M. Sunday Worship Service: 11:00 A.M. Monday Adult Bible Study: 7:00 P.M. Wednesday Youth & Adult Activities: 6:30 P.M. Prayer Service Bible Study

“The Loving Church of the living lord “ Email Address pbcexec@verizon.net

Shiloh Baptist Church

First Rising Mt. Zion Baptist Church

Mt. Horeb Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Maxwell M. Washington Pastor

Rev. Curtis l. Staley Pastor

Rev. Alonzo Hart Pastor

Rev. Dr. Wallace Charles Smith Pastor

Rev. Reginald M. Green, Sr. Interim Pastor

Rev. Dr. H. B. Sampson, III Pastor

Worshiping Location Knights of Columbus - 1633 Tucker Road Fort Washington, MD 20744 (240) 838-7074

621 Alabama Ave., S.E.- Washington, D.C. 20032 P: (202) 561-1111 - F: (202) 561-1112

917 N St. NW - Washington, DC 20001 (202) 232-4294

9th & P Street, N.W. - W. D.C. 20001 (202) 232-4200

Service and Times Sunday Service: 10 am Sunday School for all ages: 8:30 am 1st Sunday Baptism: 10: am 2nd Sunday Holy Communion:10 am Tuesday: Bible Study: 6:30 pm Prayer Meeting: 7:45 pm

Service and Times Sunday Morning Prayer Service: 8:00 a.m.

Sunday Church School: 9:15 a.m.

Sunday Morning Worship: 10:40 a.m.

Third Sunday Baptismal & Holy Communion:10:30 a.m.

Tuesday Church At Study Prayer & Praise: 6:30 p.m.

Service and Times Sunrise Prayer Services - Sunday 7:00 a.m.

Morning Worship: 8:00 a.m Church School : 9:30 a.m.

Morning Worship: 10:55 a.m.

Bible Study, Thursday: 6:30 p.m.

Prayer Meeting,Thursday : 7:30 p.m.

602 N Street NW - Washington, D.C. 20001 Office:(202) 289-4480 Fax: (202) 289-4595

2914 Bladensburg Road, NE Wash., DC 20018 Office: (202) 529-3180 - Fax: (202) 529-7738 Service and Times Worship Service: 7:30 a.m.

Sunday School: 9:00 a.m.

Worship Service: 10:30 a.m.

Holy Communion: 4th Sunday 7:30 a.m. & 10:30a.m.

Prayer Services:Tuesday 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday 12 Noon

Motto: “Where God is First and Where Friendly People Worship”

The Church Where GOD Is Working....

And We Are Working With GOD

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Service and Times Sunday Worship Services: 7:45am & 11:00am Sunday School For All Ages: 9:30am Prayer Services: Wednesday 11:30am & 6:45pm Bible Institute: Wednesday at Noon & 7:45pm Email: Froffice@firstrising.org Website: www.firstrising.org “Changing Lives On Purpose “

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MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 41

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Administration No. 2015 ADM 1168

Administration No. 2016 ADM 88

Administration No. 2015 ADM 1474

Sylvia Ross aka Sylvia M. Ross Decedent

Lillian Louise Hall aka Lillian L. Hall Decedent

Alonzo F. Smith Decedent

Gerald R. Belton, Esquire 1101 L Street, NW, Suite 806 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney

Jacqueline Jones Moore 7605 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20012 Attorney

Edward M. Biggin 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 405 Rockville, MD 20852 Attorney

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Gerald R. Belton, Esquire, whose address is 1101 L Street, NW, Suite 806, Washington, DC 20005, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Sylvia Ross aka Sylvia M. Ross who died on May 13,2011 without a Will, and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before August 18, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before August 18, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Jeffrey E. Hall, whose address is 14 Princess Lane #2, Sausalito, CA 94965, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Lillian Louise Hall aka Lillian L. Hall who died on June 9, 2014 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before August 18, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before August 18, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Gerri Cherry, whose address is 2302 Good Hope Rd., Apt. #103, SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Alonzo F. Smith who died on November 1, 2015 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before August 18, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before August 18, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: February 18, 2016

Date of first publication: February 18, 2016

Gerald R. Belton, Esquire Personal Representative TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

COLUMBIA

Probate Division

Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration Number 2016 ADM 34 Estate of

E.P. Hallman aka E. Patricia Hallman aka Emma Patricia Hallman Deceased

NOTICE OF STANDARD PROBATE Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in this Court by Aimee D. Griffin, Esq. for

standard probate, including the appointment of one or more personal representative. Unless

a complaint or an objection in accordance with Superior Court Probate Division Rule 407 is

filed in this Court within 30 days from the date

of first publication of this notice, the Court may take the action hereinafter set forth.

Admit to probate the will date August 26,

2015 exhibited with the petition upon proof

satisfactory to the Court of due execution by affidavit of witnesses.

Date of first publication: February 25, 2016

Aimee D. Griffin, Esq. Attorney

TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister

Register of Wills Washington Informer

42 MAR. 3 - 9, 2016

Felicisa R. Jackson Decedent Edward M. Biggin 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 405 Rockville, MD 20852 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Rollen F. Jackson, whose address is 4110 Norcross St., Temple Hills, MD 20748, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Felicisa R. Jackson who died on July 28, 2015 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before August 25, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before August 25, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: February 25, 2016 Rollen F. Jackson Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Administration No. 2016 ADM 110

Administration No. 2016 ADM 98

Flora L. Brown Decedent

Vernon Otho Jackson Decedent

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Robilyn S. Brown, whose address is 1710 T St., SE, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Flora L. Brown who died on January 14, 2016 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before August 18, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before August 18, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Sharron J. Jackson, whose address is 2030 Ft. Davis St., SE, Apt. 201, Washington, DC 20020, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate Vernon Otho Jackson of who died on December 27, 2015 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before August 18, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before August 18, 2016, or be forever barred.

Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: February 18, 2016

Date of first publication: February 18, 2016

Gerri Cherry Personal Representative

Robilyn S. Brown Personal Representative

Sharron J. Jackson Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Washington Informer

Administration No. 2016 ADM 130

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Date of first publication: February 18, 2016

Jeffrey E. Hall Personal Representative

LEGAL NOTICES

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131 Administration No. 2016 ADM 109 Marjorie Irene Carey Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Linda E. Carey, whose address is 3015 M Street SE, Washington, DC 20019, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Marjorie Irene Carey who died on October 13, 2015 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before August 25, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before August 25, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: February 25, 2016 Linda E. Carey Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

Administration No. 2016 ADM 121 Jane G. Fitts Decedent Francis E. Fenwick 4910 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 215 Washington, DC 20016 Attorney NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Victoria Wohlsen, whose address is 507 Beechwood Drive, Kennett Square, PA 19348, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Jane G. Fitts who died on May 27, 2015 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before August 25, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before August 25, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: February 25, 2016 Victoria Wohlsen Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Administration No. 2016 ADM 103 Rebecca Wright Decedent NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Sylvia Ford, whose address is 1365 Half Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Rebecca Wright who died on April 3, 2014 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before August 25, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before August 25, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: February 25, 2016 Sylvia Ford Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

CL ASSIFIEDS

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

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Administration No. 2016 ADM 134

Administration No. 2015 ADM 1436

Administration No. 2016 ADM 132

Algernon E. Christian, Jr. Decedent

Samuel F. Howard Decedent

Emma T. Harris aka Emma R. Harris Decedent

Johnny M. Howard Houston & Howard 1001 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 402 Washington, DC 20036 Attorney

Matthew F. Shannon, Esquire 1420 N Street, NW Suite 102 Washington, DC 20005 Attorney

Deborah D. Boddie, Esq. 1308 Ninth Street, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001 Attorney

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NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

Wilmon A. Christian, Jr., whose address is 2816 Evergreen Road, Providence Forge, VA 23140, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Algernon E. Christian, Jr. who died on December 1, 2015 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before August 25, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before August 25, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Beverly Franklin, whose address is 11503 Accolade Court, Clinton, MD 20735, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Samuel F. Howard who died on October 23, 2015 with a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding.

Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before August 25, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before August 25, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Elaine C. Myrick, whose address is 11760 Sunrise Valley Drive, Unit 201, Reston, VA 20191, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Emma T. Harris aka Emma R. Harris who died on December 13, 1995 with a Will, and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 3, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 3, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: February 25, 2016

Date of first publication: February 25, 2016

Date of first publication: March 3, 2016

Wilmon A. Christian, Jr. Personal Representative

Beverly Franklin Personal Representative

Elaine C. Myrick Personal Representative

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

TRUE TEST COPY

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Probate Division Washington, D.C. 20001-2131

Administration No. 2016 ADM 115

Administration No. 2016 ADM 146

Administration No. 2015 ADM 1021

Fred Bethea Decedent

Mary E. Jinks aka Mary Elizabeth Jinks Decedent

John F. Walker aka John Francis Walker aka John F. Walker, Jr. Decedent

Anne Meister Register of Wills Washington Informer

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Ella R. Stephens and Linda B. Mask, whose addresses are 9060 Cherry Ln., Laurel MD 20708 & 2320 Anderson Hill St., Marriottsville, MD 21104, were appointed Personal Representatives of the estate of Fred Bethea who died on January 19, 2015 without a Will, and will serve without Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 3, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 3, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: March 3, 2016 Ella R. Stephens Linda B. Mask Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Barbara Ware, whose address is 3110 Walnut St., NE, Washington, DC 20018, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of Mary E. Jinks aka Mary Elizabeth Jinks who died on April 4, 2006 with a Will, and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 3, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 3, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

Date of first publication: March 3, 2016 Barbara Ware Personal Representative

TRUE TEST COPY Anne Meister Register of Wills

Washington Informer

Washington Informer

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT, NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND NOTICE TO UNKNOWN HEIRS Carole F. George, whose address is 5913 Pope Court, Camp Springs, MD 20746, was appointed Personal Representative of the estate of John F. Walker aka John Francis Walker aka John F. Walker, Jr. who died on July 20, 2015 with a Will, and will serve with Court supervision. All unknown heirs and heirs whose whereabouts are unknown shall enter their appearance in this proceeding. Objections to such appointment (or to the probate of decedent’s Will) shall be filed with the Register of Wills, D.C., 515 5th Street, N.W., Building A, Third Floor Washington, D.C. 20001, on or before September 3, 2016. Claims against the decedent shall be presented to the undersigned with a copy to the Register of Wills or filed with the Register of Wills with a copy to the undersigned, on or before September 3, 2016, or be forever barred. Persons believed to be heirs or legatees of the decedent who do not receive a copy of this notice by mail within 25 days of its first publication shall so inform the Register of Wills, including name, address and relationship.

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TRUE TEST COPY

Washington Informer

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Date of first publication: March 3, 2016

Anne Meister Register of Wills

CL ASSIFIEDS

rburke@washingtoninformer.com

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

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FLETCHER from Page 24 than the chance of being hit by lightning, the Republicans have met with success in moving various onerous steps to restrict voting times and days, as well as eligibility. These efforts gained renewed Republican vigor in the aftermath of the 2008 election of President

JACKSON from Page 24 the financial collapse in 2008.

Millions have dropped out of the work force. Some 17 million are still in need of fulltime work. We pay to imprison too many and educate and employ too few.

In these circumstances, a bold plan to rebuild the country will put people to work, generate demand, and boost a flagging economy. Modernizing our infrastructure would help us compete in the global economy. With interest rates near zero, reputable economists argue that this will pay for itself in increased productivity, employment, wages and tax revenue. If not, we can eas-

CRAIG from Page 24 linguistic skills, is one reason why educators prize IB so highly. Such proficiency also helps build awareness of different cultures and communities globally and here at home and also is learned by experiencing diversity at school.

Studies from some of the most highly respected universities and research institutions in the world attest to the many benefits of this world-class education. Among these are: strong writing and English language skills; critical thinking ability; and inquiry and problem-solving strengths.

At our school, nurturing these academic attributes is intended to set the stage for when our young scholars enter high school and then continue into further education. Typically, IB-educated college students complete their undergraduate degrees at higher rates than their peers, often in less time. They also are more likely to contribute to college life and participate in community service.

The benefits of a strong preparation for adult life that begins in the early years provide insurance against tragic wastes of potential. More than rewarding career opportunities and potential lifetime dollar earnings unprepared or unfocused students can forgo, the opportunities that

Barack Obama.

What a coincidence!

Here we are in the 2016, and this suppression of democracy has received almost no attention from the candidates.

While I would not expect the Republicans to highlight their own authoritarian moves, it is curious that this has not been a central theme for either Sen.

Bernie Sanders or former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Apparently, the conclusion is that we, the voters, will have to make this central to the 2016 election cycle. WI Bill Fletcher Jr. is a talk-show host, writer and activist. Follow him on Twitter at @BillFletcherJr, Facebook and at www.billfletcherjr.com.

ily afford it by requiring the wealthy and the corporations to pay their fair share of taxes.

This is not and should not be a partisan question. Republican Abraham Lincoln built the railroads and the land grant colleges even in the midst of the Civil War. Republican Dwight Eisenhower built the interstate highway system in the 1950s. The conservative Chamber of Commerce joins with the AFL-CIO to endorse a major infrastructure plan.

Yet, to date, the presidential candidates haven’t stepped up.

Republican talk about infrastructure is focused on Trump’s promise to build a wall on the border and get the Mexicans to pay for it. Marco Rubio

promises to spend $1 trillion more — but on the military, not on rebuilding America.

Hillary Clinton’s proposal on infrastructure — $275 billion over five years — is below what President Barack Obama has called for. Bernie Sanders’ proposal — $1 trillion over five years — is still far short of the ASCE accounting.

As Flint has shown, the human costs and risks of allowing our infrastructure to decline are immense. The economic costs are far greater in lost productivity than the price tag of making the investment. Consider this a simple measure of our future.

America’s decline will continue for as long as we fail to rebuild the country. WI

a high-quality education offers go beyond the students it prepares for adulthood, and touches their communities and society — and perhaps others around the world. Additionally, ensuring that our children are highly educated is an investment that benefits not only them but also their children and future generations.

I have seen the difference that commitment can make not only in the District, which is changing rapidly, growing fast if unevenly, and becoming ever more diverse but also where I grew up, in Tennessee. There, among my peers, I have seen the connection first hand between the quality of ed-

ucation an individual was able to obtain and the life trajectories that followed.

I have witnessed the pride of my family and friends in the career that I have chosen. I am a school principal because I want all of our children to achieve their potential as educated citizens. But I don’t see myself as only a school principal. I want to change lives. And in my job, I am affecting the lives not only of our students, but also those of our teachers and the students in their classrooms and others still upon whom they will in turn have an impact.

Join us to help build the future.

WI

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CLINGMAN from Page 25 political powerlessness. The idea that the African-American community can exercise effective power, political or otherwise, without simultaneously exercising economic power, is a fantasy … ” There are several “Black specific” issues, but let’s look at just two: internal and external reparations.

When asked about the “R” word, Hillary Clinton said we need “investments in our neighborhoods” instead of reparations. Investment is great, but the folks in the neighborhoods must have a say in who gets the development contracts and the jobs that come along with investment. Internally, Black folks must start and grow more businesses and support them with our dollars.

MARYLAND from Page 25 to an effort to reclaim Black health and wellness.

On the part of individual members of the Black community, that means not only taking advantage of the coverage opportunities provided by the Affordable Care Act, but also taking a hands-on approach to health – one that seeks out care in a timely and accountable fashion and works to nurture a positive culture of health in our families, churches, neighborhoods and cities.

On the part of healthcare providers, this work will require a new standard of care that recognizes the unique needs of minority populations and designs a care strategy

ASKIA from Page 25

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46 MAR. 3 - 9, 2016

Brother Malcolm X — to be assassinated, making it easy to blame disaffected followers or rivals for the murders.

After Muhammad left in 1975, his son Emam Warithudeen Muhammad succeeded him, leading the movement away from Muhammad’s race-first message until Minister Louis Farrakhan — who succeeded Malcolm X as NOI National spokesman — revived the Nation in strict accordance with Muhammad’s original message.

Muslims once again got the cold shoulder treatment, until the Rev. Jesse Jackson ran for president of the United States in 1984 and Farrakhan stepped in to provide security, and went with Jackson to Syria, to help free a captured Navy pilot.

Because of a misquote taken out of context, Farrakhan was condemned as an anti-Semite for something he never said. And that sobriquet remains a part of his “rap sheet” to this very day. Believe me. Louis Farrakhan is not an anti-Semite. He is not a race hater.

THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

Bernie Sanders says Blacks “need jobs,” not reparations. In an interview in Iowa Bernie said, “(Reparations) likelihood of getting through Congress is nil; second of all, I think it would be very divisive.” Japanese, Filipino, and Jewish reparations were not divisive? Feeling “Berned,” y’all?

What we “need” is to be paid for the jobs Blacks used to have, as we talk about creating more jobs. After enslavement, Black people were laid off with no severance package, 401(k) or extended benefits. We “need” our well-deserved “back pay.” Reparatory justice is not a panacea, but it sure would give us a boost. Internally, Black people must circulate our own $1.2 trillion aggregate income among ourselves and stop exchanging it for everything someone else makes. We must

produce more and consume less.

Have you ever been sent to someone else’s job to pick up their check because that person was unable to do so? It’s the same thing with reparations. Malcolm said, “If you are the son of a man who had a wealthy estate and you inherit your father’s estate, you have to pay off the debts that your father incurred before he died. The only reason that the present generation of White Americans is in a position of economic strength … is because their fathers worked our fathers for over 400 years with no pay. Your father isn’t here to pay. My father isn’t here to collect. But I’m here to collect, and you’re here to pay.”

In this silly season, confront candidates with substantive issues rather than symbolic gestures.

WI

around what works for each individual patient. Working with physicians at our facilities, we are learning that when we actively engage the patient in his or her care, we’re better able to build meaningful, long-term relationships that lead to better health outcomes. This personalized care approach is proving vital in earning trust and improving the health of the African-American community.

Representation also matters when it comes to building confidence in healthcare among minority communities. Black Americans make up 13 percent of the population, yet they account for barely 4 percent of practicing physicians nationwide.

What’s more, studies show relation-

ships between patients and physicians of the same race or ethnic background also are characterized by higher levels of trust, respect and patient satisfaction. It’s clear that more needs to be done to encourage African-Americans to pursue medical professions – and ensure the proper supports are in place to nurture diversity in the field.

As we remember and reflect on Black history – the bad and the good, the darkness and the light – there is no better time than now to commit to actions that will make our community healthier and stronger. And it begins by working together to break down barriers, real and perceived, to the care we need and deserve. WI

A little more than 10 years later, Farrakhan rose from the ashes again to international prominence when he convened the Million Man March and when 2 million Black men heeded his call and came to Washington on Oct. 16, 1995 … a weekday. He overcame the stiff opposition. He overcame the ridicule.

And he rose from obscurity.

In the 20 years since the MMM and especially in the eight years since a Black man was elected President, Farrakhan has again been placed on a back burner. He hasn’t said or done anything for which he could be roundly condemned, so he’s been ignored.

In October, despite hardly any media coverage at all, the 20th anniversary of the MMM was observed with nearly 1 million people on the mall. He called for a Black spending boycott over the Christmas holidays, and there was a decrease in overall holiday spending when merchants expected an increase.

Wal-Mart announced the closing of more than 150 stores, and other retailers also scaled back their 2016 plans because of flat holiday sales.

Of course, no credit was given to the boycott movement.

Again in February, Farrakhan spoke to 16,000 people at the NOI annual convention in Detroit, and one television station’s lead news story that night was about a woman and a girl stealing $100 worth of hair extensions from a beauty supply store, and there was absolutely no mention of the Muslim gathering.

So we’ve seen the punishing opposition to the NOI and now to Farrakhan. We see a new group of Muslims — immigrants to this country — becoming the victims of the ridicule and Islamophobia, receiving the same mistreatment members of the NOI have undergone for more than 80 years. And now we see Farrakhan practically disappearing from public notice, except from social media he generates himself.

So that must mean he’s about to be victorious.

He says watch the weather and for major calamities — earthquakes and the like. We’ll all see. That’s why I say: Be sure to factor in Farrakhan.

His time to win must be soon. WI

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

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Offer ends 3/13/16, and is limited to new residential customers. Not available in all areas. Requires subscription to Starter XF Double Play with Digital Starter TV and Performance Internet. Early termination fee applies. Equipment, installation, taxes and fees, including Broadcast TV Fee (up to $5.00/mo.), Regional Sports Network Fee (up to $3.00/mo.) and other applicable charges extra, and subject to change during and after the promo. After promo, or if any service is cancelled or downgraded, regular rates apply. Comcast’s service charge for Starter XF Double Play is $126.90/mo. and for upgrading to Blast! service is $13.00 more/mo. (pricing subject to change). Service limited to a single outlet. May not be combined with other offers. TV: Limited Basic service subscription required to receive other levels of service. XFINITY On Demand selections subject to charge indicated at time of purchase. Internet: America’s fastest Internet based on report at Speedtest.net/awards/us. Speedtest is a trademark of Ookla, LLC. Used under license. Money-Back Guarantee applies to one month’s recurring service charge and standard installation charges up to $500. © 2016 Comcast. All rights reserved. © ABC. All rights reserved.

NPA177809-0004 DIV16-1-203-AA-$79DP-A3

48111475_NPA177809-0004 MAR. 3 - 9, 2016 Rocket Science ad_A3_9.5x12.375.indd

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THE WASHINGTON INFORMER

WWW.WASHINGTONINFORMER.COM

2/16/16 6:07 PM