Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper, June 4, 2011

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June 4, 2011 - June 4, 2011, The Afro-American A1

By George Barnette

AFRO Staf Writer

State and local chapters of the NAACP are asking that a

St. Marys County judge be investigated over comments he

made at a hearing for Antonio Warren Gantt.

Gantt, who was convicted of two 2007 robberies, was

given life sentences as a result of those crimes. Those

convictions were overturned last year, however, because

Ganttwho represented himself at trialwasnt told about

the possible life sentences.

Judge C. Clarke Raley, who sentenced Gantt to prison,

was upset with the appeals court decision and according to

St. Marys CountysEnterprise newspaper called it a very

stupid decision.

Its obvious I hate him, Raley said, according to

theEnterprise. I think he should be hung. Go get me a

rope.

Gerald Stansbury, president of the Maryland State

Conference of the NAACP, is calling for the State

Commission on Judicial Disabilities to investigate Raleyscomments for what he called tempered and inammatory

remarks.

Judge Raley remarks crossed the line, Stansbury said

in a statement. His remarks not only are inappropriate

but raise the question as to whether he has the judicial

temperament that is necessary to continue to serve on the

bench.

Raley, a lifelong resident of St. Marys County, retired

after nearly 30 years on the bench in April. This incident

was not the rst time Raley made comments from the

bench that raised eyebrows.

www.afro.comVolume 119 No. 43

Copyright 2011 by the Afro-American Company

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JUNE 4, 2011 - JUNE 10, 2011

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B3 B7R&B Group Jagged Edge Offersa Remedy in New Album

The Battle for the Futureof Marylands HBCUs

Seth Mitchell PursuesHeavyweight Boxing Title

Riding Out the Heat Wave

the heat index could get up to 105.Temperatures were expected to remainin the lower-90s and 80s throughoutthe week.City re and rescue ofcials reported

that 12 people were taken onMay

Bishop Eddie Long Settles -Instead of Fighting As PromisedKing ends membership with New BirthBy Talibah Chikwendu

AFRO Executive Editor

The Atlanta pastor facing four civil

lawsuits accusing him of sexual coercion

settled the cases out-of-court, his church

announced May 26, but the agreement

leaves plenty of questions unanswered.

The lawsuits were led in September

2010 against Bishop Eddie Long, the

leader of the more than 25,000-member

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.

Four plaintiffs alleged that Long gave

them and others attention, money and

gifts, before and after they reached

the legal age of consent. Such actions

allegedly involved engaging them in

manipulation, oral sodomy and othersexual acts.

Addressing his

congregation and the world

regarding the charges

approximately eight months

ago, Long said that he had

never in my life portrayed

myself as a perfect man. But

I am not the man thats being

portrayed on the television.

Thats not me.

Ive been accused. I am

under attack, he said. This

thing, Im gonna ght.

After a series of

discussions, all parties

involved have decided to

resolve the civil cases out of court. The

decision was made to bring closure to

this matter and to allow us to move

forward with the plans God has for this

ministry, Art Franklin, spokesman

for Long and New Birth Missionary

Baptist Church, said in a statement. As

is usually the case when civil lawsuits

resolve out of court, we cannot discuss

any details regarding the resolution

or the resolution process, as they are

condential. This resolution is the most

reasonable road for everyone to travel.

B.J. Bernstein, the lawyer for

plaintiffs Maurice Robinson, Anthony

Flagg, Jamal Parris and Spencer

LeGrande, released a brief statement,

saying only that the matter has been

By Shernay Williams

AFRO Staf Writer

The Baltimore City Fire

Department and family

members say they are

concerned about a re recruit,

who has been missing since

Memorial Day weekend.

Rodney E. Goggins Jr., 20,

reportedly left his girlfriends

house near North Kenwood

in East Baltimore around

midnight May 29, but he

never made it home. Family

members say his cell phone

goes straight to voicemail.

Fire spokesman Kevin

Cartwright said Goggins

didnt show up for work May31. The cadet began training

in the re academy last March

and is expected to graduate in

September.

Family members have

created a Facebook page to

spread the word about his

disappearance. They say it

is unlike Goggins to leave

without contacting someone.

Goggins is 5-foot-6 and

150 pounds with brown

hair and eyes and a light

moustache. He bears several

tattoos that read family on

one wrist and rst on the

other, Established 1991

on his upper chest and neckand the names Rodney and

Young Man andPre-Teen Missing

Courtesy Photo

Georgia Solomon, 12, hasbeen missing since May 31.

Courtesy Photo

Rodney E. Goggins Jr., 20,

has been missing since May

29.

NAACP Calls forInvestigation after

Judges IncendiaryComments

Public Gets Involved in HBCULawsuit IssuesBy Talibah Chikwendu

AFRO Executive Editor

The defendants arguments in the May

11 motion hearing in a civil lawsuit brought

by the Coalition for Equity and Excellence

in Maryland Higher Education against the

Maryland Higher Education

Commission have nally gotten

the public engaged in this debate.

The response to hearing coverage

spilled onto the airways throughthe Larry Young Morning

Show on WOLB, a talk radio

station in Baltimore, Md.

Public comment and interest led former

state Sen. Young to plan a special event on

May 26, bringing in a variety of speakers

to air the history and facts on the subject

and to provide insight into the issues being

covered in the lawsuit and how it could impact

historically Black institutions.

Presenting some of the history of HBIs

in Maryland and the manifestation of issues

leading to the lawsuits were A. Dwight Pettit,

Esq. and Maryland Sen. Joan Carter Conway,

chair of the Senate Education Committee.

One thing Carter Conway stressed is that

whats going on with this lawsuit and the

continued disparity have nothing to do with

political parties and ideology. Carter Conway,

who has been ghting to eliminate duplicate

programs and to provide equity treatment for

HBIs since she entered the General Assembly,

mentioned several bills she sponsored

and fought for in Annapolis to address the

problems that were defeated. I will continue

to ght, she said.

Pettit, who served on the University of

If we didnt have HBCUs, we would have

to create them.

- Dr. Patricia Ramsey

By AFRO Staf

The National Weather Serviceon Monday issued a heat advisoryfor the Washington and Baltimoreareas, saying temperatures couldreach the lower to mid-90s, but

With temperatures soaring,

Baltimore residents willlikely take advantage o the

citys aquatic acilities in an

efort to cool of.

PhotobyTalibahChikwendu

Rev. Bernice King has endedher membership with New Birth

Missionary Baptist Church.

PhotobyRobRoberts


2/16

A2 The Afro-American, June 4, 2011 - June 10, 2011

CBCF Announces 41st Annual Legislative ConferenceiLead|iServe Theme Looks At Value and Impact of Involvement

WASHINGTON Around the country, citizens will be able

to explore issues surrounding leadership and service during the

Congressional Black Caucus Foundations (CBCF) 41st Annual

Legislative Conference (ALC). The conference will take place

from Sept. 21-24 at the Walter E. Washington Convention

Center in Washington, D.C. Registration for ALC is open now.

ALC provides an outlet to highlight the mission of CBCF to develop leaders, to inform policy and to educate the public

by providing more than 85 high-level, thought-provoking

forums to address the critical challenges facing the African-

American Diaspora. Also offered during the four-day event are

free health screenings, a job fair, interactive nancial sessions,

networking opportunities and cultural activities.

This year, the foundation is expecting thousands to reect

on the theme: iLead|iServe. ALC attendees will have many

opportunities to share their thoughts and experiences on leading

and serving how and why they do it, the value of each, and

the impact of each within their lives and their communities. The

conference will use social media, a town hall meeting, brain

trusts and personal interaction to further encourage discussions

and follow-up conversations among attendees.

ALC is recognized as one of the most important gatherings

of African-Americans in the nation, said Elsie L. Scott,

president and chief executive ofcer for CBCF. Every year,

we see regular attendees and new faces at ALC ready to join theconversation so that they too can return to their communities

and affect change.

Jazz Poet, Author Gil Scott-Heron Dies at 62Pioneering poet and musician Gil Scott-Heron died May

27 at St. Lukes Hospital in New York City. He was 62. Scott-

Heron became

ill after returning

from a European

trip, but the exact

cause of his death

was not released.

Scott-Heron

was best known for

collaborating with

pianist and utist

Brian Jackson

during the early1970s and his

melodiously voiced

performance

readings in the late 1970s and early 1980s. One of his most

famous compositions was 1970s The Revolution Will Not Be

Televised, an early anthem of Black militancy.

Scott-Heron was born in Chicago, Ill. on April 1, 1949, but

raised in Tennessee. His parents divorced when he was young

and he was sent to live with his maternal grandmother, nally

relocating after her death to the Bronx. After attending DeWitt

Clinton High School and then the Fieldston School, where

his writing talent was rst recognized, Scott-Heron enrolled

at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. While at Lincoln he

met Jackson and the two formed the band Black and Blues.

He subsequently left school to write two novels, The Vulture,

published in 1970, and The Nigger Factory. He eventuallyreceived a masters degree in creative writing from Johns

Hopkins University in Baltimore.

His recording career began in 1970 with Small Talk at 125th

and Lenox, followed by Pieces of A Man (1971) and Small Talk

(1972), where his distinctive spoken-word style began to fully

emerge. He created or collaborated on twelve other albums, the

most recent coming in 2010, 16 years after his last effort.

Gil Scott-Heron was married during the 1970s to the actress

Brenda Sykes.

Lawsuit Threatened over Malcolm X Biography

Columbia University, Viking Press and the estate of

Manning Marable face a potential lawsuit over assertions in

Marables posthumously-released biography of Malcolm X,

Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention. Lawyers representing a key

gure in the biography, in a cease and desist letter to the

publisher May 23, challenged the characterization of Linwood

Cathcart, a Malcolm X colleague in the Nation of Islam.

The letter from Cathcarts attorney Mark Fury threatened

legal efforts not by any means necessary, but by all available

means at law or equity. In the book, Marable implicates

former Nation of Islam Minister Linward X Cathcart in the

murder of Malcolm X. Cathcart and his lawyers strongly refute

the claim and said that New York police and FBI investigators

dismissed him as a potential suspect. Your author, Manning

Marable, knowingly printed false allegations, misleading

statements and made glaring omissions that clearly defame Mr.

Cathcart, injure him and his family, and even put him and them

at risk of physical harm, Fury wrote.

Fury said that Marable got several facts in the book wrong,

including the fact that the men shared a girlfriend named

Sharon Poole.

Marable said in the biography that Poole and Cathcart lived

together. Fury claimed that she rented an apartment in his

house for years with her husband, while Cathcart lived there

with his wife of 40 years. Fury said his client wants the books

removed from stores and corrections made immediately.

Despite these claims, Marable received many kind words

at his death. NAACP President and CEO Ben Jealous said

Marable was one of the keenest intellects of our age to the

contemporary conversation on race in America. Marables

good friend, Abdur-Rahman Muhammad, told theAFRO that

it was time that the world gave Marable his due and that a

giant has fallen.

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AFRO National Briefs

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Gil Scott-Heron


3/16


By Sean Yoes

Special to the AFRO

The State Center Project

placed in limbo by alawsuit led by some of the

citys most well-connected(see Orioles owner Peter

Angelos) business persons

has generated more hype,anticipation, hope, fear and

loathing than any other

Baltimore development dealin many years.

Yet, there is no clearindication if and/or when itsmassive 28-acre promise will

begin to manifest. As of now

only the State Center websitestands as a monument to that

promise and ironically isemblematic of a still anemic

U.S. economy with only the

promise of glittering days tocome.

The website tantalizes with

the claims of 5,439 permanentnew jobs upon the projects

completion (the third and nal

phase is scheduled to end in15 years) and $1.8 million

annually in tax revenue. But,

the website also reveals todaythat there are exactly zero

new jobs connected to thisprodigious project that has not

broken ground yet.

Still, many of the residentsof State Centers neighboring

communities have literally

invested years of time andenergy preparing for the

arrival of what could be a

mammoth boost on manylevels seen and unseen.

State Center is anincredibly important project to

the 13th District and the City

of Baltimore, said BaltimoreCity Councilman Bill Cole,

who represents the 13th

District. I represent a lot ofdiverse neighborhoods around

State Center and theyve been

at the table now for more thanve years. And the resounding

appeal for this project is clearthey all want it to happen.

As racially and

culturally diverse as thoseneighborhoods are, they may

be even more economically

diverse. And the great appeal

of State Center to the poorermembers of the community is

the prospect of thousands of

jobs over the course of severalyears.

As State Center is re-developed and as more jobs

come in and as more of those

buildings go on the tax rolls, itwill certainly enhance our tax

base, which is one thing we

need to be doing in a city thatcontinues to lose population,

Cole said.Perhaps, no single

individual has done more

to proactively prepare his

community for the pendingarrival of State Center and

all that entails than the Rev.Alvin Hathaway of Union

Baptist Church on Druid Hill

Avenue.Hathaway reports, I

was born in the 1200 block

of Druid Hill Avenue,a few doors down from

venerable Union Baptist.

And as a little boy growingup in West Baltimore in the

1950s he witnessed what the

rst coming of State Centerwrought upon his once proud

and prosperous community.That was historically

an African-American

community; African-American homeowners,

there were African-American

businesses and the statethrough public policy wiped

out an African-American

community, Hathawayexplains. It was literally

the rst Urban Renewalarea in the city, so they just

decimated a community and

now from my perspective itsthe opportunity to correct the

wrong.

Hathaway and a smallarmy of other like-minded

individuals have embarked on

a seemingly organic odysseyto rally their community so

they wont be victims of urbanrenewal, but instead contribute

meaningfully to it and reap the

rewards.To me this is an

opportunity, if we properly use

it to aim community to aima project, ... that will accrue

to the benet of indigenous

residents and there will also bean opportunity for the future,

Hathaway said.For the young kids who

are going to the Booker

Ts (Booker T. WashingtonMiddle in the 1300 block

of McCulloh Street) andthe Furman Templetons

(Furman L. Templeton

Elementary in the 1200 blockof Pennsylvania Avenue), can

now say, Hey, wait a minute

theres now opportunity in mylocal community. I can dream

I can plan, my uncle workedon the project, my relative

worked on the project. This

was something that was donefor us, Hathaway added.

Hathaways church, Union

Baptist, along with otherchurches, organizations and

individuals have implemented

a sustainable plan to putpeople from their community

to work who want to work foryears to come.

We have a database of

people in the community,some 2,700 people. Weve

trained over 600 people,


. . , . .

Identification StatementsBaltimore Afro-American (USPS 040-800) is published weekly by The Afro-AmericanNewspapers, 2519 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4602. Subscription Rate:Baltimore - 1 Year - $30.00 (Price includes tax.) Checks for subscriptions should be madepayable to: TheAfro-American Newspaper Company, 2519 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD21218-4602. Periodicals postage paid at Baltimore, MD.

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POSTMASTER: Send addresses changes to: The Washington Afro-American& Washington Tribune, 2519 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4602.

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J.P. Cusick (D)for U.S. SenateTo reform the

Child Support laws.

Talk to the candidate

and more online at:

www.VoteJP.Webs.com

By Authority,V. E. Eldridge, Treasurer.

State Center Promises Jobs and Tax

Revenue if it Could Get Started

Continued on A6

Photo by Bill Tabron

The Rev. Dr. Alvin Hathaway, pastor of Union Baptist

Church, has been a strong supporter of the StateCenter project for the last ve years, working with

the community to prepare them for the jobs theproject will bring.

State Center is an incredibly importantproject to the 13th District and the City ofBaltimore.

Baltimore City Councilman Bill Cole


4/16


resolved and adding thatneither she or her clients

would make any further

statements or give interviewsnow or in the future about the

case.

To me it looks likea cover up, the Rev. Dr.

Barbara Reynolds, a religious

and political commentator,said. It looks like he did

what the Catholic Churchhas been doing for decades.

I thought that [Longs initial

statements] meant he wouldgo to court and ght in court.

Reynolds added that there

is no way to be sure if Longwas guilty or innocent. If

thats his addiction, more

people will be violated ... Butwho will know for sure now,

because its been covered up.The New Birth

congregation rallied around

Long, supporting his call toght and continue to move

forward. And he assured them

that he would remain their

pastor, saying, Ive beencalled to be your shepherd

and as long as you receive meas your shepherd, Ill be your

shepherd.

But without a clearresolution of Longs guilt or

innocence, or the cost of the

settlements to the church,

many are wondering what

impact this will have onLongs ability to be effective

as a leader.

I think theyll go right onwith him, Reynolds said.

People have a special

relationship with theirpreacher and they are going to

believe Eddie Long and thingswill go on as usual.

There are some signs

to the contrary. Accordingto a special NewsOne/

Elev8 reports on My Praise

Atlanta, church revenue is

down signicantly, causinga reduction in staff and a

reduction of the work weekto four days. The article went

on to say the church had to go

into its reserves last year tocover operating expenses.

That reports also mentions

Rev. Bernice Kings departure

from the church as a negative

sign for the church. Rev.King, however, refuted

that assertion during a May31 interview on the Praise

102.5s Rhondell Lewis

Show.Im clarifying that

after eight years and eight

months ... my last Sundayas a member of New Birth

Missionary Baptist Church

was this past Sunday [May29], she said.

Explaining that she didntresign because she was never

an employee of the church

and that she didnt step downbecause elder was just a title

she held because she was anordained minister, she added,

I am just no longer a member

of New Birth.Rev. King stressed that

her decision to leave had

been discussed with BishopLong earlier in the year and

scheduled for the last Sunday

in May. Her reason: to pursuethe next assignment God

had for her. I have alwaysfollowed what I believe to be

the voice of God in my life

and Ive sought to be obedientto that voice, she said. I

know that I have a pastoralcalling on my life and I had to

accept it. ... This is the timing

that God gave me, at the endof May, and thats where

my mind has always been

focused.Bishop Long posted a

statement on the church

website, indicating acelebration is being planned

for Rev. King to honor hercontributions and celebrate

her endeavors.


Bishop Eddie Long Settles Instead of FightingContinued from A1

Public Gets InvolvedContinued from A1

JudgeContinued from A1

MissingContinued from A1

Tracey on either arm.

He was last seen drivinga black 2000 Buick LaSabre

with the Maryland licensetags 8FRT68, according to the

Facebook page.

Anyone with informationon his whereabouts is asked

to contact police at 410-887-1340 or 911.

In an unrelated case,

police ofcials say a 12-year-

old middle school girl hasbeen missing since May 31.

Georgia Solomon, a sixth-grader at Garrrison Middle

School, was last seen heading

towards Mondawmin Mallafter exiting the 91 bus

at the corner of Liberty

Heights Road and GarrisonBoulvevard.

Shes 5-foot-1, 134 pounds

and wears dark framed glassesand cornrows. She was last

seen wearing her school

uniform of khaki pants, awhite polo shirt, and gray

Nike tennis shoes.Those with information on

Solomon should call police at

443-984-7385 or 911.

By Shernay Williams

AFRO Staf Writer

Last January, a Prince Georges

County-based congregation

conceived of a plan to feed 5,000

homeless residents within oneyear. Five months later, the church

has already distributed over 4,000meals and catapulted the project,

coined Feed 5000, into a two-cityeffort to feed the needy.

Members of the Hear the Word

Bible Church in Upper Marlboro,Md., serve bag lunches and bottled

water to itinerants in D.C.s

homeless shelters. They purchasefood through donations and dole out

between 200 and 300 lunches every

other week.In light of the projects success,

the Rev. Jeffrey Allen and Deane

Akuffo, church member andmanager at the Baltimore-based

Mitchell Allen Management rm,

decided to expand the mission to

Baltimore City.

In a recent phone interviewwith theAFRO, Akuffo said, A

lot of people arent homeless like

you think, it could be that they

just lost their job, or got kickedout of ahouse and the shelter is

a temporary place for them ...A lot of them are well educated

they just dont have theopportunities.

Akuffo reached out to the

New Park Heights CDC, anon-prot based in Northwest

Baltimore, to execute the plot

in the city. With their help, thePark Heights CDC handed out

1,250 bag lunches in February

alone. CDC leaders walked thestreets of downtown Baltimore to

pass out their share.

Will J. Hanna II, president andCEO of the New Park Heights

CDC, said he plans to take a

different, more

holistic approach to feed Baltimoreresidents by connecting with

other community groups and

neighborhood associations

to identify needy families

instead of targeting homelesspeople in shelters. There are

families where the kids go to

school hungry, said Hanna.

And there are people in thesecommunities that know who these

families are.Hes still formulating the list

and plans to pinpoint the rst 40or 50 families within the next

month. Hanna and a staff of four

volunteers oversee the project,which will feed the entire

city, not just the Park Heights

community,The CDCs goal is to

aid residents before they

need shelter and providehomeownership counseling for

those already homeless. They

estimate they that they can surpass5,000 bag lunches in one month.

Baltimore, while it shares a lot

of things with PG County, including

its African-American population,

I think the nature of Baltimore isdifferent than any other city on the

East Coast, Hanna said. There

already are resources here but what

about the families that dont haveresources? They need help right

now.I think the city has made

(ending homelessness) a priority,and if you involve nonprots and

community organizations you can

reach your goals so much faster,you dont have to wait on the city to

do this.

The Feed 5000 initiatorsencourage those interested in

volunteering to contact them. We

expect nothing but greatness,said Akuffo, adding that he had

experienced hardships in life. Its

important to give back because Godgave to us. We want everyone to

have the same opportunity.

Maryland System Board of Regents, said he

cares deeply for the HBCUs in this country

but believes they suffer from benign neglectin appropriations of money for capital and

operating expenses. He said the mindset is,

we know theyre there, we know they need,but if we just ignore them, maybe they will go

away.He posited that much of the continued

pushback on the issues in this case is power

play by the University of Maryland System,and that when the Black institutions were

ignored, no one spoke up for them. I was the

lone voice, Pettit said.Maryland Legislative Black Caucus Chair

Catherine Pugh said the Caucus supported the

need for and mission of the HBCUs and thatthe organization would be sending a letter to

Marylands States Attorney Douglas Ganslerabout the issue. Sen. Pugh, a Morgan graduate,

said HBCUs have traditionally provided the

remedial training needed without additional

funding. What weve traditionally done is

more with less, she added.

Dr. Patricia Ramsey, professor of biologyat Bowie State University and former interim

president, reminded the listening audience that

Bowie was the oldest HBCU in the Marylandand has graduated the highest number of

students with masters degrees in computerscience in the country. If we didnt have

HBCUs, we would have to create them, she

saidShe also shared that alumni of HBCUs

have gone on to succeed in the best

universities in the country. We need to beproactive and put out the data ..., Ramsey

said.

Dr. Marvin Doc Cheatham, also inthe studio, and host Young encouraged the

audience to stay informed on the issuesinvolved in this case and to make their

voices heard. Young said the public has to be

unafraid and take action.

In 2005, an appeals

court questioned Raleys

understanding of the lawafter he incorrectly ruled

that Joseph Medley should

pay $1,000 to the jury, afterpleading guilty to marijuana

possession.It is clear, after reviewing

the statutory provisions

relevant to the present case,that the Circuit Court lacked

the authority to levy or set

a ne premised, in wholeor in part, on paying for or

reimbursing jury costs that

may have been incurredbecause Medley did not waive

his jury election until the day

of trial, Maryland Courtof Appeals Judge Glenn T.

Harrell wrote in his decision.

Feeding 5,000

To me it looks like a cover up. Rev. Dr. Barbara Reynolds


5/16


Community

TOWSON, MD. Sorour Refahi,

a junior at Woodlawn High School,was honored with the $1,000 rst

prize award in The Christophers 21st

Annual Poster Contest for High SchoolStudents.

Her work was selected from amongmore than 1,000 entries designed

by students from around the world

to explore the theme You CanMake a Difference. The award was

announced last week.

According to their website,The Christophers, a non-prot

organization founded in 1945,

Uses mass media to encourageall individuals to make a positive

difference in the world.

Woodlawn High Student Wins First Prize inInternational Poster Contest

Courtesy Photo

Woodlawn High School

student Sorour Refahis

award-winning poster.

Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) is warning

customers about scam artists posing as BGE employees to

steal money or gain entry into area homes and business.At least two similar cases were recently reported in the

Baltimore metropolitan area.

According to a statement issued by BGE, In additionto contacting customers in-person, occasionally, these scam

artists call customers seeking credit card or other personal

information. Many times, they indicate that theyre tryingto collect payment on a past due BGE bill and threaten to

suspend service if the payment isnt made.

The impostors may carry credentials that appear similarto ofcial BGE IDs, company ofcials said. They may also

threaten to turn off customers electric or gas service untilthey receive a cash payment.

BGE recommends customers take the following steps to

help ensure their safety against impostors: Do not open your door to someone you do not

recognize

Ask for a photo identication through the door orwindow, especially if you did not schedule a visit from BGE

Report suspicious activity to the police and BGE

NEVER give cash to someone claiming to becollecting a BGE payment

BGE reminds customers that employees carry photo

identication cards which should always be visible,

especially during rare instances when a BGE employeemust visit a customers home, said Jeannette M. Mills,

chief customer ofcer for BGE, in a prepared statement.

Customers can always call BGE to verify an individualvisiting their home is a BGE employee. As a reminder, BGE

no longer accepts cash payments in the eld and generally

only requires entry into a customers home in responseto gas or electric emergencies, to check BGE equipment,

read BGE meters or to start or stop service. Additionally,customers should never give personal information such as

credit card numbers to people claiming to represent BGE in

telephone calls.

For more information visit BGE.com.

BGE Gas AdvisesCustomers to Bewareof Utility Impostors

Scam artists may be misrepresenting themselves asBGE employees in order to steal cash or gain entry intocustomers homes

Special to the AFRO

Get ready to re up the backyard grill! Giant Food of

Landover, Md., wants to make sure customers barbecues are

safe and healthy by keeping food safety top of mind whengrilling.

When preparing meats for grilling, marinate foods in therefrigerator, not on the counter or outdoors. If the marinade

is to be used as a sauce on the cooked food, keep some of it

in a separate container before adding the raw meat, poultryor seafood. Sauce used to marinate raw meat should never be

reused.

The best way to know if meat is cooked thoroughly is to use

a meat thermometer and check that its the proper temperature.Before removing from the grill, insert a meat thermometer

halfway into the thickest part of the meat, making sure it doesnot go through to the other side. The reading takes about 15-20

seconds and should reach the following temperatures to avoidharmful bacteria:

All hamburgers made with ground beef need to be cookedto an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Ground beef can still

be pink inside and cooked to a safe 160 degrees, so color is not

always a true indicator.

Ground and whole poultry should be cooked to 165

degrees. Chops, steaks and roasts from beef, veal or lamb areproperly cooked at 145 degrees for medium rare, 160 degrees

for medium and 170 degrees for well done.

For pork, the meat thermometer should read 150 degrees

for chops and roast.

Dont forget to make room for veggies on the grill too! Theheat of the grill caramelizes the natural sugars in vegetables,

resulting in loads of avor without the need for added sugar,salt or fat. Try cutting romaine hearts in half lengthwise, brush

with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sear the cut

edge on a preheated grill for a unique smoky avor. Or skewermarinated vegetable chunks and grill. Make sure to use a

separate marinade from what the raw meat was in. Grill similar

items together. Some, like cherry tomatoes, will grill quickly,while peppers and onions will take longer to reach desired

doneness.

Also try grilling fruit. Grilled pineapple, peaches and plumsmake a great dessert when drizzled with honey and sprinkled

with cinnamon.Use a clean plate and utensils for serving. Cooked food

should not be placed on the same plate that previously held

raw food including meat, poultry or seafood. Refrigerate

any leftovers promptly after serving and within two hours of

Giant Food Oers Food Safety Tips &Healthy Ideas for Grilling Season

cooking. When in doubt, throw it out.

For additional grilling and food safety tips, stop by your

neighborhood Giant Food and speak with a meat department

associate or visit www.giantfood.com.

Stock Photo

Giant suggests using a

meat thermometer to

determine whether food isthoroughly cooked.

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Community Continued on B5


6/16



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M&T makes homebuying easy.Some of the most talked about challenges to homeownership are

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If you're interested in making homebuying easy and aordable,

you'll want to raise the green ag. M&T is here to help. Call M&T

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Owning a home can be morethan just a dream.

mtb.com Certain restrictions apply. 2011 M&T Bank.

Hathaway said. The people

are getting information,

theyre knowledgeable,they understand, they go to

meetings. You now get an

educated base of people aboutthis project.

Specically, Hathaway

explains, written agreements

have been made toensure people from the

neighborhoods connected to

State Center get rst crackat the myriad construction

jobs. What we advocated

for and we agreed to at least

50 percent of the work hourswill go to people who live

in 21201, 21202, 21217 [zip

codes], Hathaway said. Thesecond priority is people who

live in the city of Baltimore.

The third priority is thepeople who live in the state of

Maryland. We want to make

certain that we do not haveout of town license plates and

contractors shifting work force

to come work on this project.Further, Hathaway says

the organic employmentvision for State Center from

his perspective and the

community he representsgoes beyond construction

jobs. Not only will there be

opportunities for minoritybusinesses, but there will also

be career path and growthopportunities, he said. We

have people who can cater,

people who can provide foodon the construction site. My

young boys who stay on the

corner selling water, weregoing to organize them so

they will also be the beveragesuppliers on the site. So, itsgoing to be comprehensive

in terms of how we developbusiness.

State Center Promises Jobs

Riding Out the Heat Wave

Continued from A3

Continued from A1

By Shernay Williams

AFRO Staf Writer

Next week students from JohnsHopkins University will scour

Baltimore City as volunteers for local

agencies and nonprot organizationsin an effort, school leaders say, to

mend relationships with surroundingcommunities while affording studentspractical experience.

The Johns Hopkins CommunityImpact Internships Program will pay

25 students up to $5,000 to help out

in venues such as emergency shelters,health clinics and afterschool

program centers.

Funded by an anonymous $1.25million donation, the eight-week

program matches students with

organizations based on their interests,according to a press release.

Selected students will work 30hours a week beginning June 6. Next

summer, the internship program isexpected to fund an additional 25

students.

University spokesman DennisOShea calls the program a win-win

for everybody.

Certainly the students willget experience doing responsible

work, he said. The university has

a commitment to having a presencein the community and students are

our most talented resources ... Asfor the agencies, they are going to

get talented help for very specicprojects that they may not have in-

house.

The program comes at a criticaltime for nonprots, many of whom

are tracking the recessions snail-like

recovery. Inthis economy it

has been very

benecial for us

to partner with universities in order tosupplement our work and strengthen

our programming, said Tammy

Mayer, director of communityengagement for the Citizens Planning

and Housing Association.The citizen action organization

will host a student through JohnsHopkins internship program. This

was another opportunity to have an

intern that has a strong commitmentto Baltimore involved in the

organization, she said.

Other participating agenciesinclude the Baltimore City Health

Department, Parks and People

Foundation and My Sisters Place.

Johns Hopkins ofcials say theinternship falls in line with their two-

year presidents pledge to strengthen

partnerships with the Baltimorecommunity. Over the years, it is

hard to deny that, at times, a warinessemerged between our campuses and

our communities based sometimesin fact, other times on stubborn

misperception, Johns Hopkins

President Ron Daniels said in arecent faculty e-mail. Initiatives like

this program, he continued, seem

to be tempering that uneasiness,creating new bridges, and localizing

our calling to bring knowledge to the

world.

The university has a commitment to having a presence in the community and students are our most talented resources. Dennis OShea

Johns Hopkins Supports Student Social Outreach

30 to hospitals to be treated for heat-related

illnesses during the National Memorial Day

Parade in Washington. In Baltimore at theNCAA lacrosse national title game, the game-

time temperature was 96 degrees and it was

even hotter at eld level on a sun-scorchedafternoon.

Agencies across the region opened cooling

centers to provide relief to heat-swampedresidents. In Baltimores Centers, open on

Code Red Heat Alert days, there is cool air andfree water.

There are 11 centers around the city, ve

operated by the Community Action Programfrom 9 a.m. 7 p.m. at 5225 York Road,

606 Cherry Hill Road, second oor, 3939

Reisterstown Road, 3411 Bank St., and 1400 E.

Federal St. The Health Departments Ofce of

Aging and CARE Services operates six from 9

a.m. 7 p.m. at 1000 Cathedral St., 1700 GaySt., 1601 Baker St., 2825 Fait Ave., 229 S.

Eaton St., and 4501 Reisterstown Road.

During extended periods of extreme heat,its important to drink plenty of water and limit

the intake of alcohol and caffeinated beverages.

If you must be outdoors, take frequent waterbreaks in the shade, said Commissioner of

Health Dr. Oxiris Barbot. Seniors and thosewith underlying chronic conditions should be

especially careful not to overexert themselves.

On a Code Red Heat Alert day, theBaltimore City Health Department

recommends drinking plenty of water or juice

and avoiding alcohol and caffeine.

By Shernay WilliamsAFRO Staf Writer

Former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., was

called to testify before a grand jury recently

in connection with the controversial robocallsconducted during the 2010 gubernatorial

election, according to WJZ TV.

Ehrlich and several others, includinga former aid and the former chairman of

the Baltimore County Republican Party,came before the jury, which is investigating

whether the automated messages violated

election laws by attempting to suppress voterturnout.

The grand jury, whose proceedings are

secret, has centered the probe on politicalconsultant Julius Henson who admitted to

coordinating the calls. Ehrlich was called

as a witness and is not a target in theinvestigation, although Henson was paid to

assist with Ehrlichs campaign, the TV stationreported.

The State Prosecutors Ofce would not

conrm whether Ehrlich was a witness, citingofce policy to withhold information unless

there is an indictment. We dont conrm

or deny witnesses in an investigation, said

Jim Cabezas, chief investigator in the State

Prosecutors Ofce.Prior to the polls closing on Election

Day last fall, thousands of calls were made

to Baltimore and Prince Georges Countyhomeowners in Democratic precincts urging

them to remain home because Ehrlichs

competitor, current Gov. Martin OMalley,had already won the election.

Ehrlich Testifes as Witness inRobocall Trial

Candidate Robert Ehrlich and his advisor,Julius Henson, met with the AFRO

during the 2010 Maryland gubernatorial

campaign. The grand jury is hearingevidence to determine whether or not

to indict Henson for robocalls made to

discourage voter turn out on electionday.

Photo by Talibah Chikwendu


7/16


Correcting the Record on HBCUs

Ensuring equity in Marylands institutions of higher education

is an issue of fundamental importance. For far too much of thestates history, its Historically Black Colleges and Universities

(HBCUs) were unfairly deprived of badly needed state resources

and generally treated as inferior institutions.

Given the states historically poor track record with HBCUs,

each new battle over higher education equity in Maryland raises

deep concern, as it should. But when these disputes occur,

we must strive to avoid letting our rightful concern cloud our

perception of the facts.

Unfortunately, in a recent story in this newspaper about

one such dispute, the facts were seriously clouded. The story

concerned a recent hearing in The Coalition for Equity and

Excellence in Maryland Higher Education, et al. v. Maryland

Higher Education Commission, et al. (Coalition v. MHEC),

a federal lawsuit brought against the state in 2006 that alleges

that the state is currently running a segregated higher education

system.

As your readers know, the Attorney Generals Ofce

represents the state and its entities, such as MHEC and the states

HBCUs. We have a proud and successful record of defendingthe states HBCUs in litigation, and we work hard to provide

them sound counsel; we owe that to all of our state clients.

When Attorney General Gansler took ofce in 2007, we were

tasked with continuing to defend the state in Coalition v. MHEC.

Our personal beliefs aside, our job is to defend the state in this

litigation to the best of our ability. This includes defending the

state at hearings such as the one reported on by this newspaper.

While we generally do not comment on ongoing litigation, we

felt the need, after reading this story, to correct what we believe

to be a number of serious inaccuracies, misrepresentations, and

speculations in its depiction of that hearing.

First and most troubling, the story falsely claims that the

state told the court that HBCUs have little value. The story was

headlined, State Argues HBCUs Not Needed, and reported

with no support that the s tate made veiled statements that

seemed to question the need for HBCUs. T his is simply not true.

Nowhere in the hearing record does the state make statements

that question the need for HBCUs. Indeed, its lings, the state has

written that Maryland is proud of its four HBCUs.Second, the story takes a comment made by the state

completely out of context. It begins by quoting the state as saying,

in tones of disgust: If you create a ballpark in a corneld, it

doesnt mean the baseball players will come, referring to the

impact allocating additional funding to HBCUs would have on

their enrollment rates. The unwarranted editorializing about the

states tone aside, the story fails to mention that this comment

was made in reply to the plaintiffs assertion that, on the issue

of HBCU enrollment, Its as simple as if you build it, they will

come. The states comment was a response to a claim made by

the plaintiffs.

Third, the story offers outright speculations about the case. For

example, it discusses what the state implied and it even states at

one point that Insiders speculate that the federal agency decided

against aligning with the plaintiffs for political reasons, offering

no source and no further explanation.

Finally, the story misrepresents the states telling of the history

of discrimination in higher education. The story only quotesthe state as saying that Maryland has diligently performed its

obligations and should be commended for its work with

HBCUs, yet fails to quote the states opening words: [W]e begin

rst with an apology for the fact that it is indisputable that in the

distant past Maryland operated a program that was wrong, that

was morally reprehensible, and that was unconstitutional with

respect to HBCUs.

All of these inaccuracies and misrepresentations do a great

disservice to your readers. Taken together, they suggest that the

state has little regard for HBCUs and their historic struggle for

equity, when in fact the state holds them in the highest regard

and is committed to their success. The Attorney Generals Ofce,

for its part, has demonstrated this commitment in multiple ways,

for example through our recent comprehensive report advising

colleges and universities of the ways in which they legally can and

should invigorate their admissions and hiring practices in order to

ensure robust diversity in their student bodies and faculties. More

broadly, our ofce has demonstrated its commitment through its

efforts to ght against instances of discrimination wherever theyexist in this State.

We understand that higher education equity is a matter of great

concern; we share that concern. In the current federal litigation

over higher education equity, we are pleased that the issues

HBCUs face have been brought to the attention of the court. To

defend the state, we have done our best to provide the court with

an accurate factual record, so that it can weigh the issues fairly.

We implore those who report on the case to do the same, so that

the court of public opinion can weigh them fairly as well.

Raquel M. Guillory

Director of Communications

Maryland Ofce of the Attorney General

Celebrating 40 years of the Congressional Black Caucus

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Congressional

Black Caucus. In 1971, 13 Black members of the U.S. Congress

made a radical move by organizing as the Congressional Black

Caucus and eventually bringing political empowerment to theAfrican-American community.

In spite of the refusal of President Richard Nixon to meet with

them, the CBC members moved forward to organize the founding

dinner on June 18, 1971, attended by an overwhelming crowd of

2,800, to hear an electrifying speech by author/orator Ossie Davis.

In that speech, Davis said, It not the man, its the plan; its for the

rap, its the map.

This week, the Library of Congress sponsored a special

reception to honor the founders of the CBC.

We encourage the readers of the Afro-American Newspapers

to give special recognition and praise to the historic legislative

accomplishments of the Congressional Black Caucus over the

past 40 years as it has grown from the original 13 to a now 43

members. I am pleased to have been there to work with then CBC

Chairman Charles C. Diggs Jr., who provided the leadership in the

establishment of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Oeld Dukes

President, Oeld Dukes & Associates

Bishop Eddie Long Settled so He Didnt Have to Go on

Record, Says Lawyer

You can interpret that any way you want, but usually people

do not settle cases unless there is some reason to do so, said

former DeKalb County Prosecutor J. Tom Morgan.

Lets get real out-of-court sexual civil suit settlements! Most

of the Black community knew deep down inside he was guilty

(just another O.J. type).

Many of the Black pastors such as Eddie Long with their

mega-church status have sold out under the Bush faith-based

initiatives, which are African-American ministers in action, whose

goal is mixing religion with public policy. The religious right is

winning the war of separation of church and state because they

practice politics from the pulpit and use their religion to cloak

their political aims. The pulpits are more about politics, money

and fame today. The right wing has found a way to dupe the

middle class and mega-churches are a way to dupe many AfricanAmericans.

If there is lots of money available to settle sexual suits,

perhaps they can drop their tax exemption status and start paying

some taxes.

Walt Hill

Petersburg, Va.

Cornel West Not Rooted in Reality

So, Cornel West calls President Obama a Black mascot and

puppet to you-know-who, cautious to the point of ignoring the

plight of African Americans.

When will we acknowledge that he is not OUR president,

but, THE president of all these United States, including ALL

Americans, not, just US? Whether we want to believe it or not, he

cant free the economic, political and social slaves with the stroke

of his pen. Does Dr. West really believe we elected him all by

ourselves? America is not insulated nor isolated; there are issues,

both domestic and foreign, that persist, keeping in mind thatRome wasnt built or destroyed, in a day.

Our racial struggles were and are a combination of laws,

historical events and personal and group resolves.

His afro may rise to the roof tops, but his rhetoric is not rooted

in reality.

McNair Taylor

Baltimore, Md.

Opinion

Letters to the Editor

In 2006, a group (the Coalition) consisting of friends

and supporters, alumni and students of some of the areas

historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) organized

to initiate action they individually and collectively believed

needed to be taken to address inequities which the State has for

too long failed to correct. At issue was a concern that policies

and practices in the State of Maryland relating to HBCUs were

impeding the growth and development of these institutions and

otherwise undermining the efforts of HBCUs to educate and

graduate adequate numbers of students who choose to pursue

their higher education goals at these institutions.

They were also concerned that recent specic practices by

the State of Maryland impeded the HBCUs from enhancing

certain unique courses offered at these institutions by allowing

such courses to be introduced and duplicated at competing

traditional White institutions (TWI). The frequency of theserecent duplications was apparently a high concern of the

Coalition in light of similar duplications having been deemed

illegal by the Supreme Court in a landmark 1992 case entitled

United States vs. Fordice, a case which many in the Black

community deem to be on the same level of importance as the

historic,Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court case.

Following certain actions taken by the State of Maryland

in 2006, a lawsuit was led by the Coalition to seek a full and

fair hearing as to the legality of these questionable policies

and practices relating to the Maryland HBCUs and to obtain

necessary judicial relief. In order to thwart the Coalitions

efforts to get a fair hearing, the State of Maryland moved to

have the case dismissed. On May 11, a hearing was held in

federal court to receive the State of Marylands arguments as to

why the Coalitions lawsuit should not proceed.

AnAFRO reporter attended the hearing and in the May

21 edition of the BaltimoreAFRO, an article was published

entitled State Argues HBCUs Not Needed. That article has

generated considerable discussion and concern in the Baltimore

Black community as to how and why the State is taking such

a position against its own HBCUs. In response to the AFRO

article, a letter from the Ofce of the Maryland Attorney

General objecting to the title and various portions of the AFRO

article appears in the Letters to Editors in this edition. At the

AFRO web site, afro.com, you will also nd a letter to Attorney

General Douglas Gansler from the Legislative Black Caucus

of Maryland, outlining its objections to the States arguments

presented at the hearing.

We appreciate the fact that the Ofce of the Attorney

General represents the State and its entities in legal matters,

including litigation, and that the ofce has often

defended the HBCUs in litigation. This is a given.

However, in the present case, the interests and

future welfare of the HBCUs are represented by

the Coalition, which consists entirely of private

plaintiffs and private counsel. Therefore the lawsuit

represents a legal matchup between the Coalition

versus the power and clout of the Ofce of the

Attorney General, the States law rm.

With so much at stake in the Coalition lawsuit,

we are not persuaded by the Attorney Generals

response and criticism of this papers reporting

of the States arguments at the recent hearing on the States

motions for summary judgment. In light of our presence at the

hearing and our subsequent review of the hearing transcript,

we stand by our article and its headline as a fair interpretationof the States position. The States statements of pride for

the four HBCUs neither shield nor mask its written and oral

argument that despite continuing inequities, the State has fully

performed and need do no more to right the wrongs of its past

discriminatory system. Instead, as if time heals everything, it

asks How long is long enough before the presumption is that

the State is right?

The Attorney General takes issue with the representation

that the States argument responded to the plaintiffs assertions

in tones of disgust. We disagree. At every turn during the

hearing, the State argues that it has done all that it is required to

do on behalf of HBCUs and the students who attend them:

* The plaintiffs claim that increases in needed resources

to these institutions will enhance them to the point of making

them viable alternatives for students choosing a place for

higher learning.

* The States response to this was indeed disparaging:

The State is supposed to allocate its scarce resources [to

HBCUs] on some sort of eld of dreams idea . . .? Come

on. Thats ridiculous. After all, the State asserted, most

African Americans students go to non-HBCUs anyway and

Maryland is not Mississippi or Alabama and if plaintiffs

believe that, then they are drinking some sort of Kool-Aid.

We see nothing inappropriately implied or speculative

with respect to such statements. Taken in the context of the

States argument as a whole, the disturbing tone toward HBCUs

is quite evident. Our reading of the words and tone of the

hearing transcript is that:

* The State is appalled at the notion that it must do

more, and

Our Voice

The Battle for the Future of

Marylands HBCUs

* Since more African Americans are now allegedly going

to non-HBCUs better supported by the State, the HBCUs

are not needed.

We understand the public relations ramications to theOfce of the Attorney General in its defense of this lawsuit.

That, however, is not our concern. Decades of horrendous

discriminatory and segregative practices are not undone by

apologies followed by arguments that the State has diligently

performed its obligations and should be commended.

The Attorney Generals rhetorical assertions that the State

is committed to [the HBCUs] success followed by claims

that we are pleased that the issues HBCUs face have been

brought to the attention of the court with an accurate factual

record, so that it can weigh the issues fairly do not square

with the States arguments. In fact, we nd them astoundingly

hypocritical and embarrassing.

The State cannot credibly apologize for its conduct and

then, in disparaging tones, move to dismiss in their entirety all

claims made by the Coalition to remedy that conduct followed

by a press release and public letter claiming that it holds the

HBCUs in the highest regard and is committed to their success.

The days of expecting this community to cave-in with a

benign pat on the head have long since expired. This paper will

call-out the State when it attempts to double talk its way out

of what we view to be an injustice. TheAFRO will continue to

fairly and accurately report what is happening in federal district

court in this case.

We believe the Coalitions cause to be a just one. The

vestiges of the legislatively required segregation of the past

have indeed not been completely and nally removed from

the higher education practices and policies of the State of

Maryland, and the duplication actions taken by the State in our

opinion are blatant illegal violations of the clear holding of the

Supreme Court.

See open letter to Mayor Stephanie

Rawlings-Blake regarding summer jobs

for Baltimores youth on afro.com


8/16


June 3

Floetic FridaysThe Reginald F. Lewis

Museum, 830 E. Pratt St.,Baltimore. 7 p.m. Join youth

volunteers The Travelers for

an evening of music, spoken

word and the works of youngemerging artists. $6-$8. For

more information: 443-263-

1875.

Art With Noise ExhibitEubie Blake Historical

Jazz & Cultural Institute, 847

N. Howard St., Baltimore.

7-9 p.m. Stomp ManagementArtist will host an opening

reception for their Art

With Noise exhibit. Formore information: www.

eubieblake.org.

June 4

Spring Festival

Mt. Ararat Baptist Church,3008 Gwynns Falls Parkway,

Baltimore, Md. 11 a.m.-4:30

p.m. Come out for a fun-flled day at Mt. Ararat. For

more information: www.vickiemccoy.com.

Circle of Champions: Speak

With ImpactThe Renaissance

Baltimore Harbor Hotel, 202

E. Pratt St., Baltimore. 10a.m.-3 p.m. At this workshop,

learn how to effectivelycommunicate to achieve

your goals and speak with

confdence. $47. For more

information: 301-218-8200.

Black Renaissance Book

ClubEnoch Pratt Free Library,

Pennsylvania AvenueBranch, 1531 W. North

Ave., Baltimore. 2:30 p.m.

The Pennsylvania Avenue

Branchs book club willdiscuss a variety of insightful

selections. For moreinformation: 410-396-0399.

Sister SouljahEnoch Pratt Free Library,

Pennsylvania AvenueBranch, 1531 W. North Ave.,

Baltimore. 3 p.m. Sister

Souljah, author, politicalactivist and educator will read

and discuss her new novel,

Midnight and the Meaning of

Love. For more information:

410-396-0399.

June 4-5

Charles Village FestivalWyman Park Dell,

29th amd Charles streets,

Baltimore. 11 a.m. Kickoff the summer and

enjoy continuous live

entertainment, beer/wineand food vendors. There will

also be plenty activities for

the kids including gamesand face painting. For

more information: www.

charlesvillagefestival.com.

June 5

Federal Hill Jazz & BluesFestival 2011

Charles and Cross streets,

Baltimore, Md. 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Listen to live jazz

from many local artists andalso enjoy arts and crafts,

food and more. For more

information: 410-727-4500.

Sex Appeal Fashion ShowConfettis Event Center,

802 Glen Eagles Court,

Towson, Md. 7-10 p.m. Learnhow to dress sexy without

compromising your character

at this unique fashion show.$20. For more information:

elitefemalementoring.com.

June 10-25

Columbia Festival of theArts 2011

Many locations.

Various times. Enjoy galaperformances, exhibitions,

free concerts, family

activities, workshops andmore at this annual event.

For more information: www.

columbiafestival.com.

June 11

Arts in the ParkHanlon Park, Gwynns

Falls Parkway and N.Longwood Street, Baltimore.

12-5 p.m. Hanlon Park will

be the site of this exciting

festival of music, familyentertainment, games and

much more. For moreinformation: 410-947-0084.

Great Grapes, Wine, Arts &Food Festival

Oregon Ridge Park,Cockeysville, Md. 12 p.m.

Celebrate Maryland wine

with tastings from localwineries and enjoy culinary

favorites from neighborhood

restaurants and caterers. $20-$25. For more information:

uncorkthefun.com.

Community Calendar

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9/16

June 4, 2011 - June 10, 2011, The Afro-American B1

Fifty friends and family members gathered for an elegant luncheon at the historic Maryland landmark The Milton Inn

to celebrate the 90th birthday of Baltimore native Elise Harris Clarke. Clarke is the eldest daughter of prominent Baltimore

physician, the late Dr. Bernard Harris Sr. (Ethel Travers) and wife of the late Jesse Clarke Jr., formerAFRO employee and owner

of the Clarke Press.

Always a charming lady of style and g race, Clarke, outtted in a soft mint-green dress, arrived at the venue

in a classic black limousine along with her daug hter, great-grand daughter, Sophie Due , and siblings.

The guests enjoyed owing champagne and three amazingly delicious courses specially

prepared by award-winning and world-renowned chef, Brian Boston.

Between courses, friends and family oered toasts and reections

highlighting the achievements of the honoree.

Clarke was born, May 11, 1921, in East Baltimore. She is agraduateof Frederick Douglass High Sc hool, Morgan State

College (now University) and Loyola College. A member of

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, she is a retired elementary

school teacher with the Baltimore City Public School System.

Clarke has been a member of numerous social clubs, including

Jack and Jill of America, National Epicureans and AGNNs and

is a life member of Saint Cecilia Roman Catholic Church. She

has one daughter, Brenda Clarke Blount, three grandchildren

and ve great-grandchildren.

Photos by George Parrish

Cousins Dr. Walter and Beverly HillLomax of Hilltown, Pa.

The honorees grandchildren, Jennifer Blount,

Monica Hart-Blount and Robert Blount with

cousin Anne Shervington Davis

Gasson Bradford

and friendQuianna M. Cooke

Gwendolyn Seaborne, Elise

Jude Mason, Priscilla Lansey

and Gaines Lansey Jr.

Paul Beckham, Marilyn Harris

Davis, Gwendolyn Seaborne andBlanche Beckham

Juanita ClarkHarris Simon,

sister-in-law

Mildred S.

Harris, sister-

in-law

Wayne Hart

(grandson) and

Martha Hall

Elise HarrisClarke and

daughterBrendaClarke-

Blount

Dr. Miles G. Harrison Jr. (nephew)

with wife Wanda Vails Harrison anddaughter Kia Harrison

Carol Shervington

Wright (cousin) andGloria Henderson of

Washington, D.C.

Anita Harris Watson andJames Dickie Harris

share a moment with theirsister

James Dickie Harris and

Robert Wilson Jr. share a laugh

Photos by John Moore

On May 13, Delta Sigma Theta Sororitys Columbia,Md. Alumnae Chapter celebrated 40 years of service

and sisterly bonds at the Tremont Grand Hotel in

Baltimore. The event, themed 40 Years of Stepping in

the Name of Serviceand Still Stepping, was a black

tie aair and featured remarks from Howard County

Councilman Calvin Ball, Dist. 2.

The chapter was chartered in 1971 and was the rst

African-American Greek-letter organization established

in Howard County. Melinda Pope and Dr. Windy Wilson-

Lee are the chapter president and vice-president,

respectively.

Cheryl Queen andShelley Lowman

Rosalyn and Kim

Scarbourough

Walter and LaVerneVance; Grayce

and Dr. George

Simmons

Dwight and

Linda Dorsey

Contella Crawford, Carmesha Young,

Joyce Boyd and Carol Ann Leal

Alison Murray,Karen Battle and

Gabrielle BattleAnthony and Lisa Watkins

Alice Haskins, Willia Golston, Hazel Braxton,Harriett Tootle and Roslyn Scarbourough

A band entertainsthe crowd.

Cathy Bell

and JoanneSellers

Shirley Vauls, Joan

Lane and VergiePope

Howard CountyCouncilman Calvin

Ball, Dist. 2

Melina Pope

Steve and Dara Williams; Sam and Ruth Williams

Sharon andJerald Kerr

Patricia Thomas and Vashti-Jasmine Saint-Jean

Shamieka Belser, SherriThomas, Brittney Bell and

Tanya Sellers Hannibal


10/16

B2 The Afro-American, June 4, 2011 - June 10, 2011

The 4.75% rate is based on a 30-year fixed mortgage up to $499,999. For example, at an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 4.812% for a 30-year $200,000 loan amount with a 20% down payment and 1/2 point, the estimated monthly payment for 360 months would be $5.22 per $1,000 borrowed. This example does

not include amounts for taxes and insurance premiums, if applicable. APR is an estimate and may be more or less with applicable fees to the loan. Closing costs apply. For loans $500,000 or more, please call for terms and conditions. Advertising of this rate does not constitute a commitment to lend. All loans are subject

to credit approval. Commitments on purchases are made for settlement within 90 days. Terms and conditions apply. See branch for complete details. This is a limited time offer. This offer may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice.

Proudly named Marylands highest-rated savings bank for safety by independent analysts IDC.

Visit us at rosedalefederal.com or call 410-668-4400.

Buying a home? Theres never been a better time to check out Rosedale Federal. Were offering some of our lowest mortgage rates

in years. And you can rest assured, your loan will stay right here, because well never sell your loan to out-of-town lenders.

So call or visit us today and let us be the first to say, Welcome home.

Your neighbor.

Your guide.Your bank.

OverleaPerry Hall

White Marsh

RosedaleAbingdonForest Hill

Bel AirKenwood

Business

By Blake BrysonSpecial to the AFRO

To say that Eddie Brown has beaten the

odds is an understatement. He owns andoperates the second- oldest, Black-owned

investment rm in the nation, Brown Capital

Management, based in Baltimore. Andalthough he may not claim to be the richest

man in the world, he knows his values and

morals make him appear to be rich in a vastnumber of areas.

In his new book,Beating the Odds:

Eddie Browns Investing and Life Strategies,Brown describes his trials and tribulations on

the road to success. Despite growing up inthe Jim Crow era in the deep south, Brown

never saw his race as a hindrance. From an

early age, Brown knew he wanted to be anentrepreneur after seeing men wear suits and

working for themselves.I knew at an early age, around 10 or 11,that I wanted to be independent and my own

boss, Brown said. What stuck out to me was

doing whatever was necessary so that I couldbe successful and be successful in running my

own business.Brown attributes his success to his

upbringing in Apopka, Fla., a close-knit

family and experiences at the renownedHoward University. After moving to

Allentown, Pa., with his mother, Browns 10th grade English teacher encouraged him to apply

to the historically Black university.Howard is the only school I submitted an application to, Brown said. It never occurred

to me to apply to other schools as a back up plan, just in case I get rejected. But fortunately for

me, Howard accepted me.InBeating the Odds, which was co-written with Blair S. Walker, Brown says the book is

not a Black story, but a business story.

I did not want this book to be put in the black African-American literature section becausethis story is for people who are simply interested in a good story and business. This book deals

with a young man who went from very little to something. It gives lessons for entrepreneurs,and inspires younger people to keep their head up and know that anything is possible.

Beating the Odds is available in book stores now.

(Photo by Bill Tabron)

Eddie Brown, owner of Baltimore-based

Brown Capital Management, speaks at

a lecture series detailing his new book,Beating the Odds: Eddie Browns Investing

and Life Strategies.

Eddie Browns Beating the Odds Not

a Black Story, but a Business Story

By Stephen D. RileyAFRO Staf Writer

Beautiful, bold and bonded together, Toni Hall and

Natalie Prather never stray from their ambitious goals. Thepair of 20-somethings have been playing off each othersideas since their days of strutting the halls together atMagruder High School in Gaithersburg, Md. Ironically, it

was there that the design for their latest endeavor was drawnout. But it took a pair of separate post-graduate journeysbefore they were joined back at the hip with Size 12, a shoeand accessory retailer that specializes in womens shoesfrom sizes 10 to 14 in Gaithersburgs Lakeforest Mall.

For Hall, a size 12 in shoes since high school, shoppingfor designer shoewear was everything but easy for the5-foot-11 interior design major. The absence of affordablebut still attering footwear forced the purchase of a $230pair of senior prom shoes that still prompts her to shakeher head to this day. Rather than continuing to investin just shoes, Hall decided to invest her money into theshoe business, leaving the connes of her interior designcompany to open the rst Size 12 in the summer of 2010 ina separate location. Slow trafc and leasing issues propelleda move to Lakeforest Mall where Hall would then share herstore with another retailer. But after about a month of slowbusiness, Hall had reached her limit. I was about to giveup, she admits.

With her nerves frying and patience thinning, a familiarand friendly voice pumped some new life into her systemand gave her budding business one last push. She wasntalways my partner in business but she was always there,Hall says about Prather. She [Prather used to say, Dontworry about it; well gure something out and we did.

What the 14-year friends gured out together was that Hall should relocate from the bottomoor of the mall to the top, then hire Prather, a stout musician and motivator, as an ofcial businesspartner to lighten some of Halls workload. Since the relocation to their own store in January andrefocusing on the wants of their clientele, Size 12 has been growing into its own. Now, werereally starting to branch out and have something for everybody, Hall says. You can keep doing ityour way or adapt to change, like [rapper] Jay-Z says. You got to give the people what they want.

Despite a frustrating recession, going into business for themselves was both a risk and a wantthe two friends and nance partners had to take. I cant even imagine being afraid of that, saysPrather about the fear of entrepreneurship. Honestly, Im afraid of sitting at someones deskforever.

The freedom of being an entrepreneur is incredible. Behind their new business tag team, Size12 is own the rise. The company was recently awarded $10,000 by rap mogul Sean Diddy Combsas part of a contest promoted by 100 Urban Entrepreneurs, a nonprot organization which supportsyoung business owners.

Since their award, media coverage and a spike in business has followed. From CNN to a slewof newspapers and online sites, people just cant stop talking about Size 12. People just got to getwith it, Hall says.

The young and edgy duo like to liken their tandem to some of Americas other trendy tag teams.

The LeBron James and Dwyane Wade of the shoe game or the Lil Wayne and Drake of the fashionindustry, Hall and Prather have several designs on what this partnership can do for them and itdoesnt just stop at shoes. Bigger and better, were going to the top, Prather says. Individuallywere strong. I know who I am, I know what I bring to the table and its the same with her (Hall).So when we come together...Wow!

For more on Size 12 visit mysize12.com

Sole Sisters: Lifelong Friends Go anExtra Inch with Sizzling New Shoe Store

(Courtesy Photo)

Lifelong friends Natalie Prather (left)

and Toni Hall (right) celebrate thesuccess of their new store, Size 12,a shoe and accessory retailer that

specializes in womens shoes fromsizes 10 to 14.


11/16

June 4, 2011 - June 10, 2011, The Afro-American B3

www.aro.com

Singer Sean Kingston, 21, Recovers rom Horrifc Jet Ski Accident on aro.com

By Brandi Forte

Special to the AFRO

Timeless, soulful, classic and simply

good music is what Grammy-nominated

Jagged Edge (JE) has delivered for more than

a decade. A breath of fresh air and a positive

replenishment of what has been missing in

the world of R&B, Wingo, Kyle and twins

Brandon and Brian are back with their golden

seventh album, The Remedy, to be released in

June.

With a medley of ingredients that are

reminiscent of their hits Lets Get Married,

and Walked Outta Heaven, Jagged Edge

unapologetically sings about love, life and the

truths of relationships. The vintage project

offers a sexy and mature sound produced by

Brian Michael Cox, Cool and Dre, Drummer

Boy, Lamb, and Jim Johnsen. The album also

features collaborations with rappers Gucci

Mane and Trina.

Jagged Edges new single, Tip of my

Tongue, is just an appetizer of what the

album uncovers. They are gentle, down-home

southern brothers that poetically talk to the

AFRO about The Remedy. Grab a seat.

AFRO: Hi fellas, you know your fans miss

you.

JE: We miss them, too. How are you?

(They speak in unison.)

AFRO: All is well and we are so glad that

you are back. How long has JE been gone

from the music scene?

Wingo:About four years.

AFRO: So talk to us about The Remedy.

Wingo: We are the remedy! We are

bringing good music, heartfelt songs with a

blend of the old and new.

Brian: This is the take over. This album is

like vintage Jagged Edge. Its trendy, classic

and at the same time, it is what is happening

now.

Kyle: Its all about love at the end of the

day.

AFRO: Does JE write their own songs?

Wingo: We write all of our songs.

Kyle: We write 100 percent of our songs.

We vibe off of each other.

AFRO: Wow. As you may see and hear the

music of today, it seems to be missing a lot of

love and is somewhat over-sexualized. What

do you think?

Kyle: God is love. Without God you have

nothing. The music is missing God and as a

result it is missing love.

Brandon: You must have respect and love

for the craft. All music and singers must have

balance. Balance is the key to everything.

AFRO: Wow. How could you not love

Lets Get Married, Promises, Walked

Outta of Heaven, and Keys to the Range?

How do you think this album will make the

connection with this generation?

Brandon: As a group we struck that chord

along time ago. We are a real group. And I

believe this generation wants the realness and

real music. We are real and we give love.

Brian: When youre young its all about

being cool and down-to-Earth. To be honest

we want to spread a message to this

generation that there is nothing uncool

about singing about love or being in

love. Love is cool.

AFRO: Speaking of cool and

uncool, the controversy of how Black

women are degraded and negatively

portrayed in both music lyrics, music

videos and media is an issue that

comes up all the time. Most recently,

in Psycholo

Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper, June 4, 2011

Documents

Transcript of Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper, June 4, 2011