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VOL. 21 ISSUE 10

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~Roy Douglas Malonson, Publisher~

Celebrating Women’s History Month

“Working to Form a More Perfect Union: Honoring Women in Public Service and Government”

SEE PG 9

THE RAGGAE HUT

LIVING LEGEND

SEE PG 10 SEE PG 4

MR. ROY DEAN MOORE

African

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“DYLAN’S SONG”: IF I CAN JUST MAKE IT TO SUNDAY MORNING…”

Earlier this month, I attended the funeral of a former student of mine named Dylan Smart. He fought a courageous battle against cancer. Some people would have probably stated that Dylan “lost” his ﬁght against this deadly disease, but I just don’t see it that way. I guess I’ll have to tell you why… In 2011 doctors discovered a tumor on Dylan’s brain; it was something that no one saw coming. Here was a healthy, vibrant, young man who was on track to becoming valedictorian of his senior class. He was also a superb athlete, playing both pitcher and catcher for the Hempstead High School Bobcats. No, he didn’t play both positions at the same time,

Roy Douglas Malonson Chairman Shirley Ann Malonson President/C.E.O. Chandra Jarmon

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Contributing Writer

Mark Spivey

Contributing Writer

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General: news@aframnews.com Ads: sales@aframnews.com Website: www.aframnews.com African-American News&Issues is published by African-American News & Issues, Inc., 6130 Wheatley Street, Houston, Texas 77091, (713) 692-1892. Our ofﬁce hours are Monday-Friday, 9am - 5pm. The entire contents of the paper are copyrighted by African-American News & Issues, Inc. All rights reserved. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher. African-American News&Issues is not responsible for any claims made by advertisers. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reﬂect the publisher. African-American News&Issues assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other material, unless accompanied by a self-address stamped envelope.

Letter to the Editor

e welcome all original responses from our readers to content found in the African-American News&Issues. Letters to the Publisher may be sent via e-mail to news@aframnews. com. Please keep all letters under 300 words. Be sure to include the author’s name, area of residence. All letters and articles may be veriﬁed before they are published. All letters are subjected to editing or being cut for spacing purposes. Thank you in advance for your submission.

Dylan Smart & Coach Mark Spivey

but he loved the game so much that if it was any way possible to do so, he probably would have. That would have been something to see… I didn’t know Dylan initially; I was a girl’s basketball coach and he was a baseball player. I saw him several times walking the hallways with the other baseball players when the majority of them were sophomores. I didn’t pay too much attention to 10th graders because I taught juniors. Sophomores were also situated in different areas of the building away from the social studies hall, thereby making it a little difﬁcult to recognize them throughout the day. That was until it was time for them to attend their geography classes. I always wondered who this tall, lanky, kid was who always spoke to me with the politeness of a gentleman. He would greet me with a “Good morning, sir. How are you doing?” One day I just decided to ask the kids who this young man was and they told me he was “Dylan Smart”. “The baseball player, I asked?” “Yes sir, he’s the baseball player.” It was later that year when Dylan was diagnosed with brain cancer. At the beginning of his 11th grade year, I served as Dylan’s “home-school” teacher; meaning I was responsible for collecting and taking his class work to his home 3-4 times a week. I met Dylan’s mom, Carol, several times before journeying to their small ranch right outside of Hempstead. She was a kind, caring woman who made many trips to the Houston Medical Center, taking her son to chemotherapy and other life saving treatments against cancer. She’s one of the strongest

(willed) women I’ve ever met. I also met Dylan’s dad, Rusty, and his little brother, Weston, whom we called “Red” for his chrisom-colored hair. They welcomed me in their home and treated me like a brother. I could see where Dylan got all of his manners and politeness from. For months I watched Dylan lose his hair to chemo and watched it grow back. He called me his “baldbrother”. I also watched this young man whither down to nearly 100 pounds. He always told me he was gonna “kick cancer’s ass”. And, he did. Let me tell you how: The only way to get rid of cancer is to eradicate it from your body. As long as you’re breathing, cancer tends to “breathe” with you. You keep beating it, and it keeps beating you. In order to defeat it you gotta to stop it from breathing. Sometimes, it will cost you your life. I think Dylan knew this. He probably read the passage in the bible that said: “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord”. The only way to win is to die. Most people live their lives anyway they want to Monday through Saturday, hoping (and praying) to make it to Sunday. That’s the day when we can ask forgiveness for all the things we’ve done wrong or ask God for something special. Sunday is also the day when the majority of Christians believe that God hears and answers prayers. I certainly do. If I can just make it to Sunday morning, I know everything will be alright… Dylan Smart fought cancer with all of his might. So did his mom and the rest of his family. Each time they would knock cancer down, that evil bastard would bounce back up. But the Smarts kept on ﬁghting. Eventually, I believe that Dylan got tired of ﬁghting and he asked God for a little help. I think he knew if he could make it to Sunday morning, God would answer his prayers. On March 4th, 2016, I and hundreds of other people attended Dylan’s funeral. It was good seeing all of his former teachers and classmates. Continue reading visit us online @ aframnews.com By: Coach Mark Spivey, M. Ed.

TEXAS • MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2016

PRAIRIE VIEW A & M UNIVERSITY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACH FIRED FOR TITLE IX VIOLATION

In unexpected news, Prairie Particularly, disturbing to Brown is the View A & M fact that the University new rule was has relieved endorsed by women’s basketPrairie View ball coach Dawn A&M athletics Brown of her director Ashley duties for what Robinson and the Historically his Title IX Black College office. cites as a Coach violation of Title Brown was IX rules and aghast at regulations. Athletic As expected, Director Brown has cried Robinson asked Coach Dawn Brown foul regarding for her resignaher termination tion during a refor applying rules that she contends cent meeting. Brown refused to resign were directives from the school’s and chose to allow the University to administration. terminate her from her position, a deciA rapidly developing story is paint- sion that will allow for her to appeal ing University in a light that can be this very questionable decision. Brown considered nothing other than ‘a lack relates that she felt, “that the university of institutional control.’ Apparently, was going to take some form of action Coach Brown dismissed two of her for the misadvising that they've given. players from the team for a romantic I was thinking we were going to have relationship that was occurring bethe right to appeal before any decision, tween them, a direct violation of team before any punishment was going to and university rules that bars players be given. from having “a non-professional Continue reading online relationship with each other, coaches, Source: Aframnews.com Business Card for Paper 14_Layout 1 12/11/14 managers, trainers or any others affiliBy: Dan Freeman ated with the team.” In the wake of their dismissal, the aggrieved players issued a complaint against Coach Brown that alleges a violation of existing Title IX rules which bans discrimination based upon sexual orientation. The students allege that they were dismissed from the team because of their sexual orientation. Garry Rosenfield, Dawn Brown’s agent, has cried foul in regards to this 979-921-9908 28820 FM 1736 Road matter. According to Rosenfield, “The Hempstead, TX 77445 important thing to note is that the rule Waller County was not particular to women's basketBreeder of Trophy Whitetail Deer, ball players only. It was particular to High End Beef-Type Registered everybody that has a role within the Brahmans and Herefords Cattle. team which includes both women and Trophy Hunting men.” Whitetails, Axis and Blackbuck According to Coach Brown, the Nature Tours and Photography rule was created after an assistant www.rsdeerranch.com coach’s termination for an inapproprimalonson@rsdeerranch.com ate relationship with a student-athlete.

Read us online @www.aframnews.com The #1 100% Black-owned Worldwide Digital News Source TX-2

TEXAS • MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2016

Edit rial & Opini n

NATIONAL REENTRY WEEK:

AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR MISSION Honorable Loretta Lynch Attorney General

nder the Obama administration, the Department of Justice has taken major steps to make our criminal justice system more fair, more efﬁcient, and more effective at reducing recidivism and helping formerly incarcerated individuals contribute to their communities. An important part of that task is preparing those who have paid their debt to society for substantive opportunities beyond the prison gates, and addressing obstacles to successful reentry that too many returning citizens encounter. Addressing the challenges that formerly incarcerated individuals experience is a vital and pressing task. Each year, more than 600,000 individuals return to our neighborhoods after serving time in federal and state prisons, and another 11.4 million individuals cycle through local jails. Nearly a quarter of Americans has had some sort of encounter with the criminal justice system — mostly for relatively minor, non-violent offenses, and sometimes from decades in the past. But whether an arrest occurred recently or long ago, individuals with criminal records, and particularly recently-incarcerated individuals, face serious and complex obstacles to successful reentry. The long-term impact of a criminal record prevents many motivated people from obtaining employment, housing, higher education, and credit — and these barriers affect returning individuals even if they have turned their lives around and are unlikely to reoffend. Ultimately, these barriers can contribute to a cycle of incarceration that makes it difﬁcult for even the most well-intentioned individuals to stay on the right path and stay out of the criminal justice system. At the Department of Justice, supporting successful reentry is an essential part of our mission to promote public safety — because by helping individuals return to produc-

tive, law-abiding lives, we can reduce crime across the country and make our neighborhoods better places to live. That’s why we have made more than $400 million in Second Chance Act funds available since 2009 to support comprehensive adult and juvenile reentry services. It’s why we have been working through the Federal Interagency Reentry Council — which I have the privilege of chairing — to reduce policy barriers to successful reentry, opening up opportunities in education, job placement, housing, and a host of other areas critical to successful reintegration. And it’s why we are raising awareness of the importance of reentry strategies that both increase public safety and fulfill our nation’s commitment to the promise of individual redemption. To encourage and highlight this important work, the Justice Department is designating the week of April 24-30, 2016, as National Reentry Week. During this week, we are asking the Bureau of Prisons to coordinate reentry events at their facilities across the country — from job fairs, to practice interviews, to mentorship programs, to events for children of incarcerated parents — designed to help prepare inmates for release. We have also asked each U.S. Attorney’s Office to coordinate reentry events, including meetings between local reentry stakeholders, reentry court proceedings, employer roundtables or other events designed to raise awareness about the importance of reentry work. We are encouraging federal partners and grantees to work closely with stakeholders like federal defenders, legal aid providers, and other partners across the country to increase the impact of this effort. And Justice Department leadership will travel during National Reentry Week in support of these events. I am proud of the great strides we have already made and excited about the work still to come. And I am certain that if we work together, we can reduce crime and protect our communities by preparing individuals for success outside prison walls. Continue reading online Source: Huffingtonpost.com

African

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! Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is ~ Calvin Coolidge full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION:

WHY BLACK HOUSTONIANS NEED TO TAKE REAL ESTATE CLASSSES IMMEDIATELY

Now I do not fashion myself as the most educated individual in the world, however, I do believe that I not only know a few things, but also I have been blessed by God with more than a normal dosage of common sense. I can tell you that it appears to me that the more “education” some people get, the less common sense that remains in their brains. I am certain that you are wondering why I am making such a statement that is bound to offend many within our community, the truth of the matter is that someone needs to say it to them. It appears that our educated class has actually not been educated at all; I believe that educated people examine a situation and make a decision that serves their best interests, it is always an additional plus if their best interests are the same as the entire community. However, now it appears as if our educated population has been brainwashed instead of educated to believe several things that are particularly disturbing to me and anyone else with a decent amount of common sense. They seem to think that the ultimate measure of success is how far they can get away from their indigenous community and ‘common Black folk’. In their minds, who would want to “go back” to their old community; such a move is in their minds a “step back”. What they fail to realize is that those so-called educators who have taught them that success is best measured by

how fast and how are they can get away from “the hood” have done them a mighty disservice. Dare I say that it is part of a larger scheme to have centralcity areas like the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Wards vacated so that their people can capture those lucrative areas? Now I already know the reasons that our ‘educated elite’ use to explain their motivation for ‘escaping’ historically Black communities, ‘they are crimeridden, run-down, and lack the amenities that suburban areas offer’. All of that is true, veriﬁable facts I might add. However, there is one thing that puzzles me about this line of thinking. If these ‘Ghetto’ areas are hopelessly lost, why are whites, Mexicans, and only God knows who else ﬁghting to capture each and every lot of land as soon as it becomes available? I am certain that you would agree that other groups, particularly rich whites, don’t want to live in the ‘Ghetto’ do they? Of course they do not!!!! And they are not going to either!!!!! We could learn a big lesson from such groups by understanding that the reasons that we claim to be making a hasty exit from the inner city are all correctable. I wish that the AfricanAmerican elite had learned a different lesson while sitting in Graduate School next to their White colleagues. That lesson which seemingly every race, except our own, holds at the top of their priority list is that

We MUST Understand By Roy Douglas Malonson, Chairman

WE WILL CONTROL OUR NEIGHBORHOODS politically, socially, and economically. A major aspect of ‘controlling’ whatever area that they live in flows from joining local Homeowners Association governing boards, using their social and political resources to guarantee that their area is not a drug haven, and creating rules, where none previously existed, regarding what is, and more importantly what isn’t, permissible in the areas that they control and reside. Make no mistake about it; the residents of River Oaks would never stand for the criminal activities that happen not only in our communities, but also on our high school and collegiate campuses. I have a message for those who are hurrying to flee from the inner-city from Malcolm X. Malcolm once stated the following, “I ain’t worried about you living in a Black neighborhood, because you will always live in a Black neighborhood. As soon as you move in, the whites will move out.” Unfortunately for those who Blacks who have fled to suburban areas, they will soon discover something that is actually a bit humorous to white folk. The very lucrative innercity land that you have vacated is actually the area that they will soon be moving into as soon as they can afford it. They simply haven’t told you yet. Read more We MUST Understand online @ www.aframnews.com TX-3

TEXAS • MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2016

Edit rial & Opini n

NATIONAL REENTRY WEEK:

AN ESSENTIAL PART OF OUR MISSION Honorable Loretta Lynch Attorney General

African

American News&Issues

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION:

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We MUST Understand By Roy Douglas Malonson, Chairman

African

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America’s Most Wanted From pg. 1

As we sit in the midst of yet another ‘Women’s History Month’, it occurs to me that we are once again trotting out the same personalities and personas that we have always done in our community. Now tell me if these names sound familiar: Rosa Parks, Barbara Jordan, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and the newest edition, Michelle Obama. Considering that African-American News&Issues considers itself ‘the People’s paper’, we have decided to divert from the usual, and largely ineffectual, ‘Women’s History Month’ story and provide something that will hopefully lift the minds of our people and reveal an all too often ignored aspect of our history by presenting a portrait of Assata Olugbala Shakur. It is not difﬁcult to understand that for the vast majority of people, being Black in America causes a bit of paranoia. Put simply, paranoia is one of the many problems that AfricanAmericans deal with as a result of

ANGELA DAVIS

dealing with American racism for the past four-centuries. Such prolonged exposure to racism causes many African-Americans, and the members of any other politically marginalized population, to meticulously examine each and every statement and decision that American elected ofﬁcials’ and business leaders make. What are we hoping to discover in our never-ending searches? We are quite often attempting to gauge the impact that the alluded to legislation or

Angela Davis was born on January 26, 1944, in Birmingham, Alabama. Her both parents were college graduates and worked as school teachers. Her brother, named Ben Davis, played for the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions in the 60s and 70s. Young Angela chose to attend a small private school known as the 'Little Red School House' in Greenwich Village in New York City. There she got involved in studies of socialism and communism and befriended the children of the leaders of the Communist Party, including her lifelong friend, Bettina Aptheker. Angela Davis was awarded a full scholarship to Brandais University in Massachusette, where she met German-American philosopher Herbert Marcuse, later becoming his student at UCSD. Together with Herbert Marcuse she participated in a political rally during the Cuban Missile Crisis. At that time she studied Karl Marx, Albert TX- 4

Feature St ry

business dealings will have upon Black America. I admit to possessing quite a large dose of paranoia when it comes to racial matters, hence, it was only natural for my paranoia to ‘ﬂare up’ when U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama announced that he was pursuing a re-establishment of diplomatic relations with Cuba. I instantly wondered what such a move would mean for Assata Shakur; Black America’s most precious resource that has been exiled to Cuba for several decades. Unbeknownst to the vast majority of African-Americans and to the chagrin of American law enforcement agencies, Cuban President Fidel Castro granted former Black Panther Party for Self-Defense and Black Liberation Army leader Assata Shakur political asylum over thirty-years ago, she has been in Cuba ever since. To Castro’s credit, he has offered similar protection to many African-American political activists such as: Robert F. Williams, Huey P. Newton, William Lee Brent and Eldridge Cleaver. Despite the derisive statements that have been habitually propagated to the American public about the Cuban “dictator”, he has been steadfastly committed to offering refuge to African-Americans who were being unjustly persecuted by the American judicial system. From American politicians and law enforcement ofﬁcials perspective, the Cuban leader’s granting of a safe haven for African-American activists being per-

Camus, and Jean-Paul Sartre, and spent summer in Paris and Helsinki, where she participated in the World Festival of Youth and Students. There Davis met with the Cuban students and became a supporter of Fidel Castro and Cuba. Then she continued her studies at the University of Frankfurt, Germany for 2 years, from where she graduated in 1965. Davis returned to East Germany for her Ph. D. in philosophy from Humboldt University in East Berlin. Back in California she worked as a lecturer at UCLA during the 60s. At that time Davis was a radical feminist and a member of the Communist Party USA and was also associated with the Black Panther Party. She was ﬁred from University of California in 1969, in a controversial decision by the Board, pushed by then Governor Ronald Reagan. She was later rehired to her job. In 1970, Angela Davis appeared on the FBI's Most Wanted List. She was able to evade

TEXAS •Texas MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2016 • August 12-18, 2013

secuted for no other reason than their resistance to white world supremacy serves as a permanent and seemingly inexcusable blemish on his, and his nation’s, record. If nothing else, the pursuit of Assata Shakur undoubtedly displays the indomitable will of American law enforcement ofﬁcials and agencies at Federal, State, and local levels. There is no other way to view the U.S. pursuit of Assata than to call it relentless and unceasing. This alluded to will to capture and re-incarcerate Shakur has led the U.S. Government to place the now nearly seventy-year-old AfricanAmerican grandmother on its vaunted FBI’s Most Wanted List. ONE HAS TO WONDER WHY SUCH A FOCUS WAS PLACED UPON ASSATA SHAKUR? The answer to the above question is not only complex, but also found in the mid-1960s Black Power Era. Assata Shakur’s problems reached their height when she was present during a shootout between members of the Black Liberation Army and the New Jersey State Highway Patrol on May 2, 1973. Although there are conﬂicting stories regarding what occurred during the altercation, there are several things that are factual. Facts state that a New Jersey State Trooper stopped a vehicle carrying three members of the Black Liberation Army, Assata Shakur was a passenger in this vehicle and already wanted by law enforcement agencies for her ac-

the police for 2 months before being arrested. She spent 18 months in the Women's Detention Center in New York awaiting the trial. In 1972 John Lennon and Yoko Ono supported her with their song "Angela" and Rolling Stones recorded their song "Sweet Black Angel" advocating her release. She was tried and acquitted of all charges. During the Cold War she was hosted by the Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Her name and image were abused by the Soviet propaganda; she was taken to schools, factories, collective farms, where she was shown as a victim of "capitalism" to poor Russian victims of socialism. She was tightly controlled by the agents and interpreters, who were twisting the translation of her liberal words. Witty Russian dissidents also demanded equality and rights to travel to her country's prisons. Davis refused to meet with the real Russian political prisoners. Angela Davis ran for Vice President of the United States as a candidate from the Communist

tivities surrounding the liberation and salvation of her people, a dedication that led to her assuming a prominent role in the Black Liberation Army. Law enforcement agencies alleged that Assata was “the mother hen who kept them all shooting.” Evidence gathered from not only the scene, but also later at the hospital that Shakur was taken to after being shot by a New Jersey State Trooper, definitively prove several things: (a) she had not fired a weapon that night, (b) she had been shot while sitting in the vehicle that she was traveling in, (c) she was shot with her hands up, and (d) she was partially paralyzed along one side of her body as a result of nerve damage caused by the trooper’s bullets. However, little of that mattered as the State of New Jersey decided that Assata Shakur must pay for the death of a New Jersey state trooper who died during the altercation. Further aggravating American law enforcement agencies and government officials is not only the swell of support Assata Shakur received while she stood trial for the aforementioned incident, but also her subsequent escape from a maximum security facility after a murder conviction. Making matters worse for law enforcement officials was the reality that they were never able to re-capture Assata during the five years between her harrowing prison escape and her unceremonious arrival in Cuba. CONTINUE READING ON PG 11

Party USA in 1980 and 1984 along with the Communist Party leader Gus Hall. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, a survivor of the Stalin's Gulag prisons, commented: "Angela Davis was set free, as you know. Although she didn't have too difﬁcult a time in this country's jails, she came to recuperate in Soviet resorts. CONTINUE READING WWW.AFRAMNEWS.COM

TEXAS • MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2016

Education/ Youth

At-Risk Youth Gain Worksite-Based Training, Education

HCDE Adult Education math teacher Brigett Bentley works through order of operations problems with students Manurica Cheatham, Herbert Joseph and Hassan Ahmed. Vocational teacher Clifton Hypolite (not shown) provides training in hands-on tools, basic safety, employability skills and introduction to construction.

Unemployed, at-risk youth will be trained both vocationally and academically by Harris County Department of Education’s Adult Education division through a $148,000 community collaborative funded through Gulf Coast Workforce Board and the Texas Workforce Commission. The partnership provides workforce training through multiple local companies in high-need, designated geographic areas where the youth reside. The grant awarded and administered by Dynamic Educational Systems, Inc., a workforce service contractor for youth services. My Brother’s Keeper is leading the outreach campaign to recruit young candidates for the program. The Houston nonproﬁt’s mission is to provide emergency assistance, social services and training for individuals and families in crisis. The ﬁrst classes begin in late February in northeast Houston at Building Specialties, Inc., a contractor that provides mechanical, thermal and acoustical insulation in southeast Texas. As the project expands, other local companies will be recruited to join the collaboration, said Eduardo Honold, director of HCDE Adult Education. “Access to education and vocational training is challenging for these youth,” said Honold. The goal is to provide opportunities within their communities, he said. The project engages youth in immediate and extensive worksite-based training and employment along a high-skill, high-growth occupational pathway. HCDE will provide integrated vocational instruction which will lead

to National Center for Construction Education and Research certiﬁcation coupled with basic skill instruction in reading, writing and math at worksites. HCDE Adult Education provides classes to adult learners with a goal to “learn to earn,” including adult basic literacy and math skills, GED, English as a second language and vocational training. Classes are held in 35 community locations throughout Harris and Liberty counties. Communities include Baytown, Alief, Channelview, Cy-Fair, Deer Park, Galena Park, Goose Creek, Katy, Klein, Pasadena, Sheldon and Spring Branch and Liberty. Corporations also beneﬁt from HCDE services provided to English language learning employees aimed at improving productivity and safety in the workplace. For more information access www. hcde-texas.org/adulteducation . About Harris County Department of Education (HCDE): Serving students, teachers, schools and communities throughout Harris County, HCDE is a local governmental organization providing value for school districts while supporting educational opportunity. Partnering with Harris County school districts, HCDE maximizes local resources and respond to the needs of locally elected school boards and education leaders. HCDE services include school-based therapy for students, afterschool programs, Head Start, educator training, adult education and programs to promote safe schools. To learn more about how your county department of education can help you: www.hcde-texas.org .

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Open House for Prospective Students

HOUSTON - The best way to explore all that Lone Star College-North Harris has to offer is to see it in person. On Thursday, April 14, from 4 to 7 p.m., LSC-North Harris will host prospective students, their families and others interested in the college’s offerings at an on-campus open house located in the Student Services Building, 2700 W.W. Thorne Drive, Houston, TX 77073. Faculty from degree and certificate programs will be available to discuss educations options with students and their families, while representatives from Student Life will be on hand to talk about the social aspect of college including numerous clubs, intramural sports, on-campus events and other extra-curricular activities. For those interested in applying, or registering for classes, additional staff will be assisting with the application process. Campus tours will also be available throughout the evening, as well as free food and t-shirts on a first-come, first-served basis. Prospective students can register to win scholarships, which can be used during the upcoming summer or fall semesters. Other prizes

will also be given away during the event. The college provides more than 110 degree and certiﬁcate programs designed for university transfer or career building. LSC-North Harris also boasts the CHI LSC-North Harris School of Cosmetology. The school capitalizes on the world-renowned products and methods of Farouk Systems, along with LSC-North Harris’ faculty expertise in education and training. Additionally, the college’s Health Professions Building is home to many of the college’s medical programs including nursing, pharmacy technology and medical administrative services. For more information, call 281.765.7823 or visit LoneStar.edu/OpenHouse. Lone Star College-North Harris is located at 2700 W.W. Thorne Drive, one-half mile south of FM 1960 East, between Aldine-Westﬁeld and Hardy Roads. The college, which opened its doors in 1973, serves the residents of Aldine and Spring ISDs. Currently, more than 17,000 students attend class on the 200-acre main campus in addition to its two satellite centers.

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2016 ANNUAL ACTION PLAN PUBLIC HEARINGS Thursday, March 31, 2016 6 – 8 p.m.

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For additional information or to request special arrangements at the public hearings (interpreter, sign language, CART for the hearing impaired) contact Millie Walker at 832-394-6200 or millie.walker@houstontx.gov. Special arrangements must be requested by March 28, 2016. www.houstontx.gov/housing

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TEXAS • MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2016

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TEXAS • MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2016

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FAITH PRAISE CHRISTIAN CENTER

PASTOR MAURICE MCGARTHA

HOUSTON - Maurice McGartha has become a powerful and dynamic teaching and preaching machine. Born and raised in the Acres Home vicinity of Houston, he graduated from Booker T. Washington High School

in 1987. Afterwards, he attended Southern University. From as far back as he can remember, he was always in and around the church. During an interview, he shared that his grandmother instilled in him religious values and beliefs. He said, “She taught me to always respect the preacher.” “She wouldn’t let me talk about or discuss the preacher’s business, we had to respect him to the highest level, even if he was wrong”, he added. He was spiritually reared at the Mt. Ararat Baptist Church on West Montgomery, under the leadership of Pastor Ameal Jones. He later moved to Dallas, to attend school. He stayed there for three and a half years and joined the New St. Paul Baptist Church, where Rev. M.L. Curry served as Pastor. After returning home to Houston, he moved his membership to present-day Community of Faith, under the administration of

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Bishop James Dixon. At the time, that he attended it was, Northwest Community Baptist Church. He was there for ten years, when he was led to be the Assistant to Pastor Sammie Henderson at Mt. Olive Baptist Church. It was there that he received his call into the Ministry, in 2004. While at Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Acres Homes, he informed that was the Armor Bearer to Pastor Henderson for seven years. He was actively involved in the church and diligently served under Pastor Henderson until he passed. After which, Pastor Shannon T. Oliver became the Pastor of Mt. Olive B.C. As Rev. McGartha continued on, in doing the work of an evangelist and making full proof of the ministry, God’s divine hands stayed upon him. At a point in his life where he experienced what he refers to as, “church hurt” and “church pain”, God already had him in mind. At the time, he didn’t realize that the same place that he had been hurt, God would use that same platform to heal him and a sea of other believers through the same experience. He was going through the motions of just going to church, but not really wanting to go. He recalled even saying to himself, “I’m not going to church because I just really don’t want to be bothered with them people.” He explained that once a person is scorned at church, it is one of the most horrible feelings in the world. “The last place that a person would expect to be hurt at is church,” he exclaimed. Nevertheless, he was going through this stage. One Sunday morning, his vehicle was out of commission. While he and his mechanic were at a junk yard looking for a part for his car, he received a call from a dear friend. Pastor Jimmy Lee phoned him and told him that, The Lord was moving him to another church and asked him if he wanted to serve as Overseer, at his current church. Rev. McGartha told him that he would think and pray on it; and the rest he said is Faith Praise history. He took over the church the first Sunday in December and reminisced of how the church was packed from the front to the back. Originally, the church’s name was, The Oasis. In March of 2014, the name was changed to Faith Praise Christian Center. When Pastor McGartha first came to Faith Praise, the church had five

TEXAS • MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2016

OBITUARY

In Loving Memory of

Deanne Green Sunrise: September 23, 1978 Sunet: March 17, 2016

A Go Fund me account has been set up to assist with the cost of the funeral. In addition the Devon Meachum, II Scholarship Fund. Go to the below website below for more info https://www.gofundme. com/4hverd3d African-American News&Issues extends our deepest sympathy to her family and acquaintances. May she ever rest in peace.

members. Since that time, the church membership has multiplied on a large scale. In the process, the church has seen miracles performed, undergone a healing, forgiveness and restoration process. He has been able to identify with those who have experienced, “church hurt” and “church pain”. He said that the Lord has put him in a place to where everywhere he goes, he encounters someone who had either gone through or was going through what he had come out of. He always takes it upon himself to invite those who have been scorn by members of the church to come and worship with him. He says, “Many times I don’t even tell people who I am.” “Sometimes, we need to drop the uniform so that we can reach and touch people,” he said. The Faith Praise Christian Center subscribes to the motto, “Believing in a Christ that makes us a Christian.” The church strives to promote the value of being a family-centered ministry. Pastor McGartha informed that, Sunday is normally the only time that families come together. To that regard, everything that takes place at Faith Praise is to accommodate family. They have Family Prayer and Family Fellowship during worship services. The church is also one that is described as being, “down-to-earth”. The Pastor says, “We not the suit and tie kind and we don’t do no discriminating.” Within a couple of years the church has already seen much success. During

Pastor McGartha’s first year of stewardship, he went from having never baptized anyone to baptizing 25 people in one year. This became a major milestone for him and the church. Rewinding back to a former part in his life, through listening to his religious testimony; it could easily be concluded that, the hand of God had been molding him for a time such as this. He shared an experience of how technically he began preaching before he was ever a licensed or ordained minister. Some would call him a, “bootleg” preacher by trade at that time. But if God ordains it, man has to accept it! Nevertheless, Mira McDuffie of McDuffie’s Mortuary was in need of a preacher to do the eulogy on a funeral. She sent her son to McGartha’s house to tell him that he was needed. At this time, he had never performed a sermon, less known a funeral. Although initially hesitant, he was persuaded by McDuffie’s son who would not take, “No” for an answer. After heeding to the request, McGartha preached and remembers that the funeral was, “jam packed”. He also shared that people came and gave their life to Christ. Over a decade later, he is still performing funerals for McDuffie Mortuary. Just recently, he revealed that he was called upon to do a funeral of a 26-year-old woman and 26 people came to Christ. Needless to state, he has put in his fair share of work, as it To continue reading visit us online @ www.aframnews.com By: Rebecca S. Jones

TEXAS • MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2016 BLACK RESTAURANT WEEK FROM PG. 1

Davis Street Sliders are topped with caramelized onions, duck bacon and two types of cheese Photo: Syd Kearney, wwww.chron.com

HOUSTON - Black Restaurant Week in Houston starts off with a bang as we highlight some of the most breath-taking, thirst-quenching, rib-tickling, and afro centric morsel-tasting delicacies around the Greater Houston area. So, pull out your mobile devices and take note of some of the places that will make you “slap yo momma!” We’ll start with Flite Kitchen @ Unwine. This is not your traditional wine bar of food establishment. Founded by partners, Chef Chase Davis, Lawrence McQueen, and Bill Gibson, the restaurant focuses on a holistic approach type of menu that is healthy, high in ﬂavor, and has a unique “Wow on the plate” style of food presen-

tation. It opened in December, 2014 and features exotic dishes like the “The Orgasm” aka “The Big O”. Custom wines such as the “Pinot Noir” has customers sipping in delight as they enjoy the view of its two-level, rooftop dining experience. With smooth jazz music playing in the background, customers settled down to a relaxing atmosphere full of pleasure and ease. Out in Sugarland, a licensed professional engineer with a Masters in Infrastructure Engineering and Management came to Houston in search of a better life for his family. Demarco, founder of D’Marcos Pizzeria, followed his vision of becoming a pizza restaurant owner based upon

Business

his relationship with a mom and pop pizzeria called “Mama Rigettas” in Chicago, IL. As destiny would have it, “Mama Rigettas” closed their doors and after months of searching, Demarco caught up with them and discussed his plans to open up his own pizzeria. The owners gifted him with secret recipes passed down through several generations, including the unique pizza and marinara sauces that would make their pizzas famous. You will ﬁnd garden salads, spaghetti and meatballs, and chicken parme-

san along the items featured on his menu. Chicago-style pizza has come to the Houston area! For those of you who delight in the finest, authentic Nigerian cuisine in all of Houston, Café Abuja is definitely the place for you. All main courses are served with pounded yam, oatmeal, eba, or amala. The menu offers Ogbono, with a choice of Tilapia, Ground Mango seed with a choice of Tilapia, catfish, goat meat or assorted meats prepared with rich authentic seasonings along with Egusi,

Read us online! w w w. aframnew s. com

another choice of Tilapia and assorted meets. Café Abuja provides a warm and friendly environment that exceeds customer expectations and

food to salads. If it turns out to be anything like The Breakfast Klub, long lines of people will be waiting to enter…. Lucy Ethiopian

Photo: Brett Coomer

A brisket plate at Ray's BBQ Shack.

Holley's Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar's new brunch menu includes fried quail with sweet potato wafﬂe, fried quail egg, creamed mustard greens and Photo: Julie Soefer, www.chron.com sorghum-persimmon syrup.

whose goal is to deliver the best service to each customer. The Reggae Hut Café is the brainchild of The Breakfast Klub founder, Marcus Davis. It serves as a tempting amalgamation of Caribbean cuisines for more than nine years before operational challenges almost forced its door to close. But to the delight of its customers, The Reggae Hut Café is alive and kicking! It offers a wide range of delicacies ranging from sea-

Restaurant and Lounge is African cuisine at its ﬁnest. You will ﬁnd great food, an art gallery, and other festivities reminiscent of the roots of humanity in Ethiopian society. They are family owned and operated with a friendly staff, delicious food and drink, along with a great atmosphere. Please stop by to enjoy them. Please go out and enjoy all of what Houston’s Black Restaurant Week offers… By Mark Spivey, M.Ed.

“SUPERFOOD VILLAGE!”: MEET MR. LOU THOMAS

HOUSTON – All the way from the golden state of California, Mr. Lou Thomas has migrated to Texas; at a plight to target the African-American community as well as others, to become more health conscientious. He has roots that were originated in the state of Texas, however his collegiate educational background hails from San Diego State University. Early in life, Thomas earned a degree in Computer Science. After operating in the field for some years, he soon found that Computer Science was not his first love. Accordingly, he became a Pantry Chef for Mason Jaussaud, a five-star restaurant. He worked and oversaw the kitchen there for several years. During an interview he expressed, “In a restaurant what we do is make all of the ingredients. We don’t buy salad dressings or marinades; we make all of it from scratch, even sauces”. While operating as a Pantry Chef he shared that his experience served to enable him to gain a greater respect for the ingredients that go into making foods. Originally, he had hopes for proceeding to become a Master Chef. But, “I had a lot of friends around me who were doing some pretty impressive things, so I figured I’d better do something better than cooking,” he said. Hence the creation of, Superfood Village! Superfood Village is a company that Thomas founded seven years ago. It was engineered by his having dealt with natural foods

and ingredients as a Pantry Chef. While doing research in the industry, he found that varying elements proved to be beneﬁcial for the African-American community. Furthermore, his studies concluded that there were a lot of deﬁciencies in foods. In instances where he saw that people lacked highly-nutritional foods, he compiled ingredients to counteract the harmful effects. As a result, he began to distribute these ingredients throughout the community and found that the people and customers that patronaged him had a wider range of needs and a greater interest in the products that he had begun to sell. Factors such as these assisted with shaping and molding Superfood Village into a company that African-Americans have now come to love. Thomas initiated his idea by working vending events and ultimately setting up a retail location, which sits at 3903 Almeda Road, 77004. Currently, he also distributes his ingredients to other retail locations such as: Natural and Whole Food stores, Smoothie bars and stores that operate in the same spectrum as Superfood Village. In establishing Superfood Village as a concept, Thomas continuously researched ingredients that would serve to help those of his community. He informed, “We operate on a premise that a lot of what we are seeing in terms of certain chronic illnesses and conditions is associated with malnutrition.” Therefore, Superfood

Lou Thomas

Village seeks to provide high-density broad spectrum nutrition that can help people have a wide range of nutrients. These nutrients have the tendency to produce better health and overall mental health, in those that use the products. Superfood Village carries: fresh water algae, three primary botanicals, Barley and Wheat grass as its basic proﬁle. “We do three seeds for our community and also offer very high-nutritious grains,” said Thomas. To continue reading visit us online @www.aframnews.com By: Rebecca S. Jones TX-9

Read us online! www.a f r a m n e ws .c om MOORE FROM PG. 1

HOUSTON - “Somebody planted a tree years ago, where we can be sitting in the shade today”. Roy Dean Moore has this inscription sketched in stone at the cemetery of his family inheritance, which was established in 1903. It was purchased by his great grandfather, Samuel “Pomp” Moore and two others. To this day, Roy D. Moore holds the Peaceful Rest Cemetery as one of significant sentimental value. As it is so, he holds the thought that he has engraved at the cemetery, true and dear to his heart. Not only is he aware of those of yesterday, who existed to pave the way for us today; but Moore has been insistent upon implanting trees that have blossomed, for residents throughout the city of Houston for decades. For this cause, African-American News & Issues has deemed him as one of our noted, “Living Legends”. His birthing ground hails from Gause, in Robertson County. He was the seventh of nine children born to Bob and Ollie Moore. He spent his early years with his family in West Texas picking and pulling cotton. While he and his siblings were subjected to working in the fields as a lad, it would often make for him missing semesters from school. Although, his missing instruction in class resulted in a sense of insecurity within himself; Moore never gave up on his desire to be educated. He attended Elementary School in Robertson County until the fifth grade, when his family relocated to Houston. There he attended, E.O. Smith Jr. High and for his first two years of high school, he attended, Wheatley High School. Ultimately, he received his High School diploma from Kashmere High School. After high school, not really being sure of the path that he wanted to pursue professionally, he became a breakfast cook at Hermann Hospital. A year later, he was drafted into the United States military. Early in his military service, he was given aptitude tests, in which he would always rank in the top 5-10%. This factor served as one that transformed certain insecurity issues that he dealt with from his childhood years. While serving in the military he was stationed in: Fort Polk, Louisiana, Fort Knox, Kentucky and Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Eventually, he received the order to go to Vietnam, where he

TX-10

served for one tour with a combat unit. With an honorable discharge from the service, he returned to Houston and began to seek employment. He was personally interviewed and hired by W. H. Curtin to work for W.H. Curtin Chemical Company and was the first Black to work in the office area there. After a year or so, he took an exam and was offered employment with the United State Post Office. While there, he was very active in the union and was one of a group who started an adopt-a-family program for Christmas. He also served on the federal campaign advisory board for United Way. For a number of years, he worked both jobs at the same time. During an interview, Moore shared that his drive came from his mother. "She taught us to own something; even though she didn't graduate high school, she taught us if you make money, buy something you can see," he said. As such, he would also buy real estate throughout the city, as he worked. At the age of 27, he was able to go into business for himself, by purchasing his uncle’s trucking company along with his brothers, (Cesar and the late Charles Moore) in the late 1960’s. This action resulted in the establishment of Triple M Transfer. It was a commercialized transportation venture which provided local hauling for every major warehouse in the Houston area. Eventually, the trucking business paved the way for the acquisition of a storage facility which received direct train delivery of Royal Oak charcoal and Scot tissues and from which it was distributed throughout the city. They effectively operated their business for a number of years. Within the same time period, they bought a Phillip 66 and an Exxon service station. Later on him and his brother, Charles established R& C Diners/nightclubs. Struck by illness, he retired from the post office and his businesses. However, the decision that he made early on to buy real estate and never sell it, proved to be beneficial for him. Therefore, by the age of 32, he turned all of his real estate into a blind trust as he wanted to make sure that his children were secure. After doing so, he went back to work. This time, he secured employment with the Mental Health Mental Retardation Authority (MHMRA) of Harris

Community

County. He initiated his career at the entry-level status. During his tenure there he made major milestones. He was able to teach training lessons instituted by the MHMRA to all stateagencies employees and other officers. He was promoted from that position to, Director of Staff Development, a subsidy of Human Resources. In his role as Director he became one of the founding members of the “Adopt-A-Family” program and chaired the committee. This program received input from staff social workers in selecting families to receive “wish list” gifts for the holidays. During this dispensation, he became the founding chair of the MHMRA in-house furniture bank. Phone banks were set up in MHMRA administrative buildings on weekends; friends and family were recruited to maintain the phone bank, and receive donations. This eventually evolved into the Houston Furniture Bank, headed currently by a former colleague and mentee, Oli Mohammed. The bank was implemented to serve patients who were transitioning out of mental health facilities, and has seen much success to this day. Moore noted that MHMRA had several in-house conferences targeting individual groups, such as Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, etc. Upon the arrival of Steven Schnee, Director/ President of MHMRA of Harris County, Moore proposed that these conferences be combined, saving time, money, effort, and fostering collaboration between groups. He received approval. Within three years, this conference went from a local in-house conference to a five-state conference with co-sponsorship with the office of the commissioner of mental health for the State of Texas. This conference became a multi-cultural effort and event, attended by people from a multitude of places and appropriately called, “Multicultural Conference”. Over the years, Moore became a part of every ethnic chamber of commerce in Houston. He would work with all of the chambers and soon found that none of the others knew about each other. From this insight, he and Carol Cochier formed what is known as the Alliances of Chambers. During this formation, representatives from each culture of the various chambers met monthly and shared in-

formation, educating each other. Later, Moore was promoted to Executive Director of Community Engagement. This position was one where he would lobby all around the city and state talking about mental health, his experience as a business owner and his trucking industry background. After he retired, he was asked by Edward Banks (known as the mayor of Third Ward), to come to the Third Ward Multi-Service Center to help do some things within the community. He later became the Board Chair of Sunnyside and Third Ward community center, working closely with Donna Travis, the top manager of these centers. Until early adulthood, Moore did not realize that his family was actually poor, as they never received public assistance and primarily, because his mother, Ollie, found a way to feed anyone/anyone hungry who came to their house. In his mother's honor, he built an organization known as the DeAnne Group. The DeAnne Group caters to feeding the needy and clothing the less fortunate. The name is comprised with the first two letters of his middle name, in addition to his significant others' first name, Anne. Every year, the organization honors with awards, several unsung individuals who are involved in community works. DeAnne Group also awards scholarships each year. Unlike many other scholarships, the recipient is chosen from the bottom half of the graduating class. This is in remembrance of Moore’s early school experiences. Another facet of the DeAnne Group is the annual "Dinner with Dean" luncheon. This event is one where he invites many who may not have a place to eat for Christmas. There, he offers them the opportunity to come and have dinner. To date, the DeAnne Group has fed at least 4,000 residents. Their vision is to be able to fed at least 1,000 people during Mother’s Day and Christmas seasons’. Tentatively, the group is hosting a Mother’s Day Dinner 9:30am, on May 6 at the Third Ward Multi-Service Center located at 3611 Ennis, 77004. In this effort, Moore does not seek donations of any kind. The DeAnne Group pays for everything out of pocket. He said, “When you think that something is important enough, you pay for it

Texas • March 28 - April 3, 2016

Roy Dean Moore

yourself.” With founding partner, Clara Shynett, he also created Roy Inc., which is an acronym for Real Option for Youths. It is a volunteer organization created to support youth that come from high-risk environments, experiencing both low self-esteem and inconsistent parenting, as well as the economically challenged that are missed by mainstream programs. Roy Inc. is devoted to recruiting and training adult volunteers who are motivated and committed to providing citizenship, leadership, social skills training, economic education and opportunities for at risk youth, ages 6-18 years of age. Roy Inc. aggressively seeks alliances with churches, chambers of commerce, public and private entities as part of its ongoing commitment to creating additional access, and providing opportunities to build relationships within the community. He recruits speakers such as the Rev. Frederick Ponder, Attorney Brian Banes, and Dr. Tuan Nguyen to make presentations to all ethnicities in various communities, in support of Roy Inc... Moore’s philosophy is, “to try to leave a place better than I found it”. His commitment to himself is to look back over his day at the end of the day to see if he helped somebody in some way. He acknowledges his two sons, Belton and Roy Dean Moore, Jr. and grandson, Waymon. In AfricanAmerican News & Issues book, Roy Dean Moore is a, “Living Legend” and we honor him for all of his hard work and dedication that he does to the Black community of Houston. By: Rebecca S. Jones

Community

Texas • March 28 - april 3, 2016

Understanding the Law: Security Deposits

A security deposit is money given to a landlord to provide some protection to a landlord in case of damage to the rental property or for some other failure of the tenant. Not many renters know that there are speciﬁc provisions in the Texas Property Code that govern security deposits. Under most circumstances, landlords are required to return security deposits to tenants unless there are speciﬁc provisions in the rental agreement that allow landlords to make deductions for make ready expenses, the tenant has damaged the property beyond normal wear and tear, or the tenant has failed to provide a forwarding address upon moving out. HOW TO PROTECT YOUR SECURITY DEPOSIT? Give notice of your intent to move-out and provide a forwarding address: Before moving out provide written notice of your intent to move-out. Check your lease to determine how many days in advance you must provide notice and keep a copy of the notice you send to the landlord. You should also provide the landlord with written notice of your forwarding address as soon as possible (the forwarding address can be any place that you can be sent mail). By law, a landlord must be given a forwarding address before you are entitled to recover your security deposit. Do a walk through and take pictures: Be sure to do this before moving in and when moving out (preferably with AMERICA’S MOST WANTED

FROM

PG 4

This failure has served as a consistent irritant to Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies. The greatest indicator that American law enforcement agencies, as well as this nation’s elected ofﬁcials, are still riled by Assata Shakur’s escape has been their repeated

the landlord or one of their representatives present). Clean all rooms, bathrooms, kitchen, and appliances, including ﬂoors and walls. By law, you are not responsible for damage caused by normal wear and tear, but the better condition you leave the rental unit in; the less likely the landlord will deduct maintenance expenses from your security deposit. Normal Wear and Tear: The landlord cannot charge for damage caused by normal wear and tear. For example expenses for: replacing carpet because it has been worn over time, repainting cracked or old walls, or replacing old appliances or old light ﬁxtures are repairs that cannot be deducted from your security deposit. Waiting Period: Within thirty days of moving out and providing written notice of your forwarding address, the landlord is required to return your security deposit. If you do not receive your security deposit in full, the landlord is required by law to provide you with an accounting of your security deposit (an itemized list of deductions the landlord took from the deposit). Demand Letter: If you have waited thirty days from the date you moved out and provided a forwarding address, but you still have not received your security deposit or an itemized list of deductions, or you have received an itemized list of deductions that include deductions for normal and tear, write a demand letter attempts to recapture Shakur. For example, • In 1998, the United States House of Representatives passed Concurrent Resolution 254 that requested that the Cuban Castro-led Government expeditiously return Assata Shakur to America. The measure passed with

Krystin Collins Attorney at Law

either asking for the return of your security deposit or write a demand letter disputing any deductions that were taken from the deposit for normal wear and tear. File a Lawsuit: If the landlord does not respond to your demand letter or challenges that the deductions made were outside of normal wear and tear, you have the option of ﬁling a lawsuit to recover three times your security deposit and court costs. Additionally, if you have to employ an attorney to represent you, attorney’s fees may be recovered as well. If you have recently moved out of a rental property and the landlord has failed to return your security deposit. Consult with an attorney to explore your options and insure that your rights are being protected. Attorney Krystin Collins is a native of the Acres Homes Community. She is a graduate of Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law and has been a licensed attorney since 2009. Her primary practice areas are criminal defense, civil litigation, personal injury, estate planning, and divorce. She may be contacted at 713-775-0332 or krystin.collins@gmail.com

Read more “Understanding the Law” online @ www.aframnews.com

•

a 371 (yea) – 0 (Nay) vote. In the same year, the United States Senate passed the same piece of legislation, Concurrent Resolution 254, by a unanimous vote.

TO CONTINUE READING VISIT WWW.AFRAMNEWS.COM BY: DR. JAMES THOMAS JONES III

African

American News&Issues

NOTICE

of Public Hearing Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, TX

(METRO)

Notice is hereby given that the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, TX (METRO), will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, March 29, 2016, at 12 noon to receive public comment regarding proposed May / June 2016 service changes. The proposed service changes include: Route changes to Routes 20, 28, 41, 56, 70 and 79, and schedule changes to Routes 4, 20, 27, 30, 32, 44, 46, 47, 49, 54, 60, 68, 73, 82, 84, 99, 151, 217, 221, 222, 228, 246, 265 and 298, and Route 311, a new route. Copies of proposed route maps and timetables will be available Monday, March 21, 2016, for public review online and at the following location: METRO Administration Building - 1900 Main Street, Houston, TX, 77002 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM weekdays. The public hearing will be held in the 2nd floor Board Room at 1900 Main Street, Houston, TX (served by METRO routes 6, 11, 32, 44, 51, 52, 54, 82, 85, 102, 137, 160, 161, 162, 249 and METRORail). HOW TO COMMENT ABOUT THE SERVICE CHANGES · Attend the public hearing on March 29, 2016. · Write us at METRO, ATTN: May / June 2016 Service Change, 1900 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002. · Fax comments with a subject line referencing “May / June 2016 Service Change” to (713) 652-7956. · Call METRO’s Customer Care Line at (713) 635-4000. · Submit comments at METRO’s website - RideMETRO.org. Comments should be received by METRO no later than the date and time of the public hearing. HELP FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES For individuals with disabilities, assistive services or copies of public documents in an alternate format can be provided. Please call (713) 750-4271 or (713) 635-6993 (for persons with a hearing impairment) a minimum of five (5) working days prior to the public hearing. LANGUAGE INTERPRETATION Any person who requires language interpretation or special communication accommodations is encouraged to contact METRO Community Outreach at (713) 739-4018, or via email at tm10@ridemetro.org. Every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate your needs. 1. This Public Hearing conforms to requirements described in the Federal Transit Administration’s Circular 9030.1D, published May 1, 2010, page IV-13. 2. METRO does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or in treatment or employment in, its services, programs, and activities. 3. METRO is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, its transit services on the basis of race, color, or national origin, as protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

RideMETRO.org • 713.635.4000 TX-11

Community

TEXAS • MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2016

Understanding the Law: Security Deposits

FROM

PG 4

Krystin Collins Attorney at Law

Read more “Understanding the Law” online @ www.aframnews.com

•

a 371 (yea) – 0 (Nay) vote. In the same year, the United States Senate passed the same piece of legislation, Concurrent Resolution 254, by a unanimous vote.

TO CONTINUE READING VISIT WWW.AFRAMNEWS.COM BY: DR. JAMES THOMAS JONES III

African

American News&Issues

NOTICE

of Public Hearing Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, TX

(METRO)

RideMETRO.org • 713.635.4000 TX-11

African

American News&Issues

TEXAS • MARCH 28 -

APRIL

3, 2016

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