THE CASH STUFF FOR 5-21-15

NNPA STORIES -

http://nnpa.org/nnpa_newswire/myth-of-the-absent-black-dad-refuted-by-jazelle-hunt/?_sft_category=lead

http://nnpa.org/nnpa_newswire/black-leaders-push-for-nationwide-police-reform-by-freddie-allen/?_sft_category=lead
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CASH IN THE APPLE  5-21-15

By Cash Michaels

Editor

            SO WHAT ABOUT THEIR FATHERS? -  It is extremely hard to ignore how at least three predominately white motorcycle gangs clashed in Waco, Texas, both inside and outside a popular restaurant, get into a shootout with local police, end up with nine dead and several injured, approximately 170 arrested, reports that they want to now kill police officers, and none of them are called “thugs.”

            The news media have been calling them "bikers." Calling them gangs doesn't count because that's what they are.

            Many viewers on social media remarked how, in the aftermath of the civil disturbances in Ferguson and Baltimore in the wake alleged police abuse of black men, when it came to describing the folks involved in the savage events in Waco on Sunday, the TV commentators on Fox News and other outlets didn’t take the time to name call, or rhetorically ask of the gang members and murderers, ‘Well, well are their fathers? This is what happens when the family breaks down.”

            Neither did we get any dime store social analysis from Republican politicians who love, love, love to opine about how dysfunctional black families anytime there is a social disturbance.

            So let’s just call it what it is – racist. Let a poor community of color explode after decades of misery and abuse, brought about by biased social policies which deprived the community of wealth and opportunity, and the people there get labeled as misfits, leeches and moochers.

            But let gangs of predominately white violent renegades who try to outdo each other in the dress-stupid, act-stupid department, and all of a sudden all of the TV social commentators and conservative politicians have lost their voice.

            It’s the world we live in folks, and it’s no surprise. But it is a reminder of why you should wholeheartedly support your black newspaper. Ours is a perspective and truth you can trust. We’re not owned by some big corporation three or four states away, but rather by folks right here in our community who pay taxes, go to church, and raise children in the same neighborhoods as the rest of us.

            You want the right information and perspective on what is going on in and around your community, state, nation and world? Then support this black newspaper.

            Trust me, if we weren’t here, all of us would be catchin’ it more than we are.

OH GEORGE – In April 2008 when then-Sen. Barack Obama was running for president, and was in a New Hampshire primary debate with then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, one of the moderators, ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos, went after Obama with abandon about his relationship with Pastor Jeremiah Wright.

“Do you think Rev. Wright loves America as much as you do?” a cunning Stephanopoulos tried to trick Obama into answering about his controversial former pastor.

At least critic, Richard Kim of The Nation Magazine, called Stephanopoulos, “…a disgusting little rat snake” for asking such a loaded question, clearly designed to get Obama in serious trouble with white voters.

I clearly remember the question ticking me off. If ever I was a George Stephanopoulos fan, that ended right there, that night with that abominable question.

So fast forward now to recent revelations that the same George S. is now in serious hot water because he donated a reported $75,000 to the Clinton Foundation without fully disclosing such to his bosses, or hos viewers. The reason why it’s such a mess is because Steppy (can I call you that George) use to work for Bill and Hillary during Bill’s campaign for president, and then subsequently in the Clinton White House. The fact that he worked for the Clintons was certainly well-known by the time he started working for ABC News. But now that Hillary is running for president, as a newsman, George is required to either cut ALL ties with the Clintons, or disclose any and all dealings with them, even if it is a charitable donation to their foundation.

            In this case, George conducted a tough interview with the author of a book about the Clinton Foundation which alleges money from foreign governments coming in in return for special consideration from then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her time at the Obama White House.

            George hammered the authored about the allegations, but never disclosed that he personally had donated money to the foundation, something he should have done.

            So George S. is getting his come-uppance now. ABC News is caught, just like its competitor NBC, with its highest profile anchorman being caught in a web of deceit, and they don’t know exactly how to move forward with this now.

            Hey George, given all of the trouble you’re in, do you love America as much as Rev. Wright right now? Did you get the question, Steppy?

MEADOWLARK’S BILL – OK, so let me get this straight. Former Harlem Globetrotters star Meadowlark Lemon, 83, is being sued for past child support by his  48-year-old son and ex-wife to the tune of $250,000.
            As you know, Meadowlark is not only a native of Wilmington, NC, but an alum of Williston Senior High School.

Lemon’s son’s name is Jonathan, and as indicated, he’s 48 years-old. Reportedly he’s had a hard life, and apparently blames his daddy for all of his troubles.

Meadowlark told a newspaper that his son, at 48, just needs to find himself a job.

Ya think?

Make sure you tune in every Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. for my talk radio show, ''Make It Happen'' on Power 750 WAUG-AM, or online at www.waug-network.com. And read more about my thoughts and opinions exclusively at my blog, ‘The Cash Roc” (http://thecashroc.blogspot.com/2011/01/cash-roc-begins.html).

           Cash in the Apple - honored as the Best Column Writing of 2006 by the National Newspaper Publishers Association. Columnist Cash Michaels was also honored by the NNPA for Best Feature Story Journalist of 2009, and was the recipient of the Raleigh-Apex NAACP’s President’s Award for Media Excellence in Sept. 2011.

          Until next week, keep a smile on your face, GOD in your heart, and The Carolinian in your life. Bye, bye.

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FAMILY OF DECEASED INMATE

SUES WAKE SHERIFF’S DEPT.

By Cash Michaels

Editor

            The sister of Wake County Detention Center inmate Shon Demetrius McClain, killed by a detention guard on June 4, 2013, has filed a federal wrongful death suit against the Wake County Sheriff’s Department, the guard, and the Ohio Casualty Insurance Company, claiming that Sheriff Donnie Harrison “…ignored clear warning signs that a detainee would be severely injured…or killed” because of “a history of disciplinary problems” and alleged inadequate training on the part of his guards.

            McClain, 40, was a pre-trial inmate being held at the Hammond Road Detention Center “on misdemeanor charges of drinking in public and failure to appear in court…” when he got into an argument with Detention Center Officer Markeith Council about an incident between the two earlier in the day.

            Officer Council, a former football player, was 6’ tall and weighed 290 lbs. Shon McClain was 5’6”, weighing just 145 lbs.

            “Mr. Council killed Mr. McClain when he struck Mr. McClain and picked him up and slammed his body to the ground twice,” the lawsuit maintains. “After the initial blow to Mr. McClain, he was rendered helpless and defenseless; nonetheless, in a gross use of excessive force, Mr. Council delivered successive body slams that caused blunt force trauma to Mr. McClain’s head and neck and eventually, his death.”

            McClain never regained consciousness after the severe injury, and died nine days later on June 13, 2013. Weeks later, a Wake grand jury indicted the detention guard for voluntary manslaughter.

            In December 2013 after a three-day trial, Officer Council, a detention guard since 2009, was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter by a jury after a surveillance video of the incident was shown in court during his trial. He was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended to 90 days in jail and three years on supervised probation.  He testified that he felt threatened because he was the only guard in a room with 55 other detainees, and felt the need to dispatch of Shon McClain quickly after the inmate got in his face, so that he wouldn’t be rushed by the others.

            In the wrongful death lawsuit filed this week against Wake Sheriff Donnie Harrison, Officer Council and the Ohio Casualty Insurance Company (which holds the surety bond at the Wake Detention Center), Marlene Gilbert, Shon McClain’s sister and administrator of his estate, further alleges that Officer Council’s violent acts  violated her brother’s constitutional rights “…to be free from excessive force and cruel and unusual punishment.”

            The suit, which calls for a jury trial, continued, “Those acts, which also violated North Carolina common law, statutory law, and federal law, combined with Sheriff Harrison’s failure to train and supervise Mr. Council, were the proximate cause of death of Mr. McClain.”

            The suit adds that Officer Council, who was detached from the Wake Sheriff’s Dept. after the incident, had a previous incident of alleged abuse, including pulling one inmate by the hair on Sept. 2012. The suit alleges Council was ordered to write a report about the incident and relocated to the detainee dormitory, “…but was not subjected to additional and necessary training.”

            The Wake Sheriff’s Dept. declined to comment on the lawsuit.

            The law firm of Blue, Stephens & Fellers LLP, along with attorney Jessie A. Jeffers, is representing McClain’s sister and the estate in this action.

                                                            -30-

RALEIGH TO HOLD FIRST TOWN HALL 
MEETING ON RACE & RACIAL ATTITUDES
Special to The Carolinian Newspaper

The Raleigh Martin Luther King Committee in conjunction with the City's Human Relations Commission and the Raleigh-Wake Citizen's Association are jointly sponsoring a public town hall meeting on race and racial attitudes, Wednesday, June 3, 7:00 pm at Martin Street Baptist Church's Family Life Auditorium.  The event is fee and open to the public. 

Bruce Lightner, chief organizer of the meeting said , "for about a year now civic leaders have been saying that Raleigh needs to have a open discussion about race"  Across the Nation many communities are having such discussions.

Lightner added, "Our country is in a sensitive place right now, as this year, Black men have died at the hands of police departments in Ferguson, Missouri; Queens, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Charleston, South Carolina; and more recently, Baltimore, Maryland and tensions are running high across the county.  We feel that there are enough White people, Hispanic People in Raleigh to have a frank, respectful and civil discussion about race with Black people".  Additionally there is widespread interest in the income inequality issue and education disparity issues. A listing of questionable deaths of Black people at the hands of local police departments is at the bottom of this release.  

Panelists for the town hall reads like an all-star line up of area civic leaders including, Senator Dan Blue, N.C. Senate; Horace McCormick, Director, INC Kenna-Lager School of Business; Ned Barnett, Editorial Editor, News & Observer; Cassandra Deck-Brown, Raleigh Police Chief; Daniel Coleman, President, South Central Citizens Council; Donnie Harrison, Wake County Sheriff; Abe Jones, Wake County Superior Court Judge; Michael Leach, Chairman, Raleigh Human Relations Commission; Norma Marti, Vice President, Hispanic LAPSE, Portia Rochelle, President, Raleigh-Apex Chapter NAACP; Jeanne Tedrow, Passage Home Community Development Corporation; Brad Thompson, President, Thompson Public Relations Associates; Greg Warren, Director, Downtown Raleigh Housing Authority; and Frank White, President, Raleigh Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance.

Although the event is free, the public is encouraged to per register by sending an email to info@king-raleigh.org or calling 919-834-6264.  
 
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Hearts for Barry Event Unites Gospel Music Community

In the United States, cardiovascular diseases claim more lives than all forms of cancer combined. Someone has a heart attack every 34 seconds. Every 60 seconds, someone in the United States dies from a heart disease-related event according to theheartfoundation.org.

Garner resident, Barry Batts knows first-hand having endured eight heart related health scares over the past few years. Batts’ heart is pumping at 20% with another procedure scheduled for early June. If the procedure is unsuccessful, Batts will be placed on the heart transplant list. Unable to work due to his condition and his doctor’s advice, his family is in hardship trying to making ends meet each month. The family’s plight caught the attention of We Care Promotions.

We Care Promotions, a local radio ministry, is presenting “Big Hearts for Barry”, a benefit concert, featuring performances by North Carolina based singing quartets and , to raise funds to aid Barry and his family during this trying time. The event will be held Saturday May 30, 2015 at the Alliance Medical Ministry Center located at 101 Donald Ross Rd. in Raleigh beginning at 5:00pm. Admission is free and there will be a love offering for the Batts family.

“it makes me feel good inside that We Care and the gospel community recognized my need and is coming together to help” said Batts “ I am truly grateful We Care, the participating groups and this community for their willingness to go beyond to show compassion” He added “This is special”

Scheduled to appear at the event are The Christian Angels of Raleigh, Lamanuel Boykin & Compnay, of Clinton, Spiritual Travelers of Zebulon, New Creations, of Hillsborough, Tam Johnson and God’s Favor of Wilson and Renewed of the Carolinas.

Barry is a long time, listener of We Care radio and supporter of its events. “There was no problem getting groups to donate their talent to support Barry” said We Care owner, Millicent Haywood, “Barry has a big heart let’s mend it”     

“We CARE” Promotions is a gospel music ministry. Their mission is to preserve Quartet and Traditional Gospel Music, so that it will remain fruitful and continue to bless lives as people grow in God’s grace and glory. 

The We Care Gospel Affair Radio Broadcast airs on 750AM WAUG and online at their website; www.programsinthecarolinas.com every Saturday Morning 8-10:00. Follow on Facebook-We Care Promotions and on twitter @wecarewhat

A go fund me page has been set up to accept donations for the Batts’ family. Visit: gofundme.com/udb3jxg8

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TRIANGLE NEWS BRIEFS 5-21-15

DUKE PROFESSOR STANDS BY STATEMENTS ABOUT BLACKS, ASIANS

            A white Duke University Political Science Professor Jerry Hough is standing by comments he made online in the New York Times editorial section where he said, “ Virtually every black has a strange new name that symbolizes their lack of desire for integration,” while adding that Asian-Americans “…didn’t feel sorry for themselves [despite discrimination, and]…worked doubly hard.” Hough, 80, says he doesn’t think it’s racist to say that Asian-American academic performance is better than black. Hough’s colleagues at Duke have blasted him, and a spokesman for the school says while Hough has the freedom to express himself, the school does not agree with his views.

PROPOSED WAKE COUNTY BUDGET RAISES TAXES, INCREASES SCHOOL SPENDING

            The Democrat-led Wake County Board of Commissioners was presented this week with a $1.13 billion budget for the 2015-16 fiscal year, which begins July 1. If passed, the proposed spending plan give Wake County Schools almost $35 million more than last fiscal year, the largest one-year hike ever to the system. Overall, the total county budget is $67 million more than the 2014-15 budget, meaning that the county property tax rate must increase by 2.9 percent, from 57.8 cents per $100 valuation to 60.7 cents, adding $58.00 annually to property taxes paid on a $200,000 home.

NO PROPERTY TAX HIKE IN DURHAM CITY’S BUDGET PROPOSAL

            While homeowners in Wake County may be looking at a bigger property tax bill, the same cannot be said in the city of Durham, where the city manager has proposed a new $386.5 million budget for the coming fiscal year that holds the line on property taxes, while making allotments for new city vehicles, street resurfacing, and funding for public arts and culture. Public comment will be held on June 1.

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STATE NEWS BRIEFS 5-21-15

ACLU UNVEILS “MOBILE JUSTICE NC” SMARTPHONE APP TO RECORD POLICE

            [CHARLOTTE] While local police departments continue to debate the need for body cameras for their officers, the American Civil Liberties Union has weighed in with its own solution. This week, the progressive social action organization released the “Mobile Justice NC” for smartphones that allows users to tape encounters with the police, and then instantly send the video to the ACLU of North Carolina for safekeeping in case their phones get confiscated. Police advocates warn that users should not get directly involved with police officers while they are involved in official business, and should tell officers that they are reaching for their phone so that they are not perceived as a threat.

DEMOCRATS CRY FOUL THAT ALLEGED ABUSER ALLOWED TO KEEP OFFICE

            [RALEIGH]  North Carolina Democrats who clearly remember how moderate party members moved quickly to prevent civil rights activist Rev. Benjamin Chavis from becoming executive director of the NC Democratic Party in 2014 because of past legal allegations, are now questioning why little is being said about criminal charges reportedly being leveled against the new Eighth Congressional District Democratic Party chairman, Dylan Nash Frick.  According to published reports, Frick, 20, was arrested in Greensboro on April 12 and charged with an alleged assault on a female, classified as domestic violence. Grace L. Galloway, former NCDP 8^th District chair, questions why there is no uproar. “Now I’m going to sit back and watch as all of those who raced to condemn Ben Chavis now twist themselves around in a little ball to defend Dylan Frick,” she said. At press time, there was no word from NCDP Chairwoman Patsy Keever.

NC HOUSE CONSIDERS $22.1 BILLION BUDGET, WHILE SENATE STANDS READY TO COUNTER

            [RALEIGH] If the Republican-led NC House has its way, all state employees would get a two percent raise, tax deductions for medical expenses would be put back, and tax credits would be granted for solar energy and research. Plus, the secretary of state Health and Human Services would be granted unprecedented power to fully manage the state’s Medicaid program. Those budget items were being debated in committee this week as the House prepared to vote on the budget and send over to the state Senate. Republican Senate leaders, however, have already made it clear that they’re against tax credits, against returning the medical expense deduction, and would prefer to lower taxes again for individuals and businesses.

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