The Black Press of Americaconvenes this week in Minneapolisfor the National NewspaperPublishers Association AnnualConvention June 24 through June28 at the Radisson Plaza Hotel indowntown Minneapolis.

Publishers, editors and salesexecutives representing some 200newspapers will meet to discusspublic policy issues facing BlackAmerica, and, the economic andbusiness climate’s impact on theirnewspaper publishing industry andon the Black community.

The Black Press will payparticular attention the ObamaAdministration’s efforts to fix thenation’s economic woes. Black

newspapers say they have a specialduty to monitor and explain thePresident’s Stimulus spendinginitiatives, ensuring the revenuestreams created by stimulusspending reach Black workers,Black businesses, and Blackorganizations that serve ourcommunities.

The publishers’ convention alsopays special attention the healthdisparities and healthcare reform. Ahost publishers’ receptionWednesday evening introducesleaders in cultural diversity inMinnesota healthcare, setting thestage for the public highlight of the

Vocalist and musicianextraordinaire Fred Steele will becelebrated at a MusicalAppreciation Service, 4pmSunday, June 28, 2009 at theGreater Mount Vernon BaptistChurch, 1800 Dupont AvenueNorth, Minneapolis.

The service honors Steele forhis service and leadership asMount Vernon’s Minister ofMusic. The event is open to thepublic and free of charge.

Fred Steele is a musicalpioneer in Twin Cities. Along withhis brothers and sisters, who formthe intrepid Steele Family musicaljuggernaut, Steele has been ahighlight on Twin Cities andworld stages for 20 years. In astatement to the press, the MountVernon Church said, “We arepleased beyond measure to havehim as part of our music ministryand church family.”

In addition to the Steeles,those attending the celebrationcan expect to see Gary Hines,founder of the Sounds ofBlackness, the Progressive BaptistChurch Men’s Chorus, and otherMinnesota music legends.

In an interview on the“Conversations with AlMcFarlane” broadcast earlier this

month, Steele explored the sourceand strength of the music thatreigns in his life. “I don’t knowmuch about the Blues, though Ican appreciate all genres of Blackmusic,” he said. “But my life isinformed by and infused with theGospel of Jesus Christ. This musicis an expression of a deep andunending joy that dwells within.”

Steele described growing upin the nation’s largest Pentecostaldenomination, the Church of God

In Christ. “We used to have whatthey called a ‘Tarry Service’. Wewould come to church early in theevening and go down on our kneesbefore the alter. We would justgive praise and thanks to the Lord.

The repetition of givingthanks with all of our hearts andwith all of our minds would openthe door for the Spirit of God. Ingiving praise and thanks, webecame inundated, surrounded,embraced and lifted by the Holy

Spirit. That’s how I grew up andthat experience guides memoment by moment every day ofmy life,” he said.

Invited by Wain McFarlane,who’s band Wain McFarlane &Jahz, performs live as part of the“Conversations with AlMcFarlane” broadcast, Steeleimprovised on a theme of praiseand thanks that singer/guitaristWain McFarlane was creating asmusical testimony expressing

gratitude for two successful organtransplant surgeries that renewedhis lease on life.

Lifted by the moment and themusic, Steele sang, “Somebodyought to take note, this morning,this hour. Tomorrow is notpromised to you or me. We haveto take advantage of the time thatwe spend together here on earth.”

“Hear my prayer, O Lord,”Steele sang. “Anoint my soul.”

The Spirit responded.

JJuunnee 2222 - JJuunnee 2288,, 22000099 •• MMNN MMeettrroo VVooll.. 3355 NNoo.. 2255 •• TThhee JJoouurrnnaall FFoorr CCoommmmuunniittyy NNeewwss,, BBuussiinneessss && TThhee AArrttss •• wwwwww..iinnssiigghhttnneewwss..ccoomm

5PAGE

6PAGE

Maria IsaCD Release party

11PAGE

A whole lotof golfin’ goin’ on

Suluki FardanWain McFarlane and Fred Steele

Keeping schoolskills sharp insummer

TARRYING: Waiting for the SpiritBy Al McFarlane and B. P. Ford, The Editors

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – USRep. Barbara Lee (D-CA),chairwoman of the CongressionalBlack Caucus (CBC), is pressingthe White House and the president’scabinet on the apparent void infederal government advertising inBlack-owned newspapers and radio.

CBC spokesman Jioni Palmerlast week said the CBC anticipatesmore exchange on the issue incoming weeks as all White Housecabinet secretaries have been sentcopies of CBC letters on the issue.

The dialog started April 23 whenNational Newspaper PublishersAssociation Chairman John B.Smith, Sr. sent a letter to WhiteHouse Chief of Staff RahmEmmanuel; President Obama’sSpecial Advisor Valerie Jarrett, andLee. Smith’s letter asked why theBlack Press is not benefitting fromeconomic stimulus dollars to helpdisseminate information to theBlack community on how to applyfor and use the $787 billion ineconomic stimulus money.

A story, partially prompted bythe letter, was written by

Pelosi tours Indian jobs program

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Ladies no moreexcuses - time totake care ofourselves

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MPS offersinnovative summerschool activities

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Fighting againstethnic disparities

By Hazel Trice Edney NNPA Editor-in-Chief

Black Press: Buildingcoalitions for progress

Rahm Emanuel

9NNPA TURN TO

US Rep.Keith Ellison (D-Minneapolis), Speaker NancyPelosi (D-CA) and other electedofficials and tribal leaderstoured the American IndianOpportunities IndustrializationCenter (AIOIC) on Sunday,June 7, to witness firsthand theeconomic recovery package atwork. Pelosi met with studentsand employers of the AmericanIndian OIC Summer and YearRound Youth EmploymentProgram funded by the

economic recovery packagepassed by the Congress andsigned into law by thePresident.

“I am honored to haveSpeaker Pelosi join me today towitness the effectiveness ofrecovery package funds at work.These young people have anopportunity to gain invaluablecareer experience preciselybecause of the President’sstimulus package,” Ellison said.

The American Recovery and

Reinvestment Act provides atotal of $1.2 Billion for WorkInvestment Act programs withMinnesota receiving $17.8Million of these funds.

The American Indian OICSummer and Year Round YouthEmployment Program received$107,000 of recovery fundsproviding forty-threeMinneapolis youth with summeremployment in Minnesotabusinesses.

Courtesy of AANEWS(L-R) Nghi Huynh, Al McFarlane, Nancy Pelosi, Jonah I. Ogiamien

CBC presses White House for fairness in advertising

2009 NNPA National Convention: June 24-28, Radisson Hotel Downtown Minneapolis

3CBC TURN TO

www.myspace.comThe Steeles

Valerie JarrettChairman John B. Smith. Sr.

Barbara Lee (D-CA) Keith Ellison (D-MN) Donna Christensen (D-VI) Elijah Cummings (D-MD)

Page 2 • June 22 - June 28, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

Wilmington Journal reporter CashMichaels and syndicated by theNNPA News Service on April 27.Lee then followed up with a May 13letter to Vice President JosephBiden, who oversees the AmericanRecovery and Reinvestment Act,the formal name for the President’sstimulus activity. Lee followed upwith another letter to TimothyGeithner, secretary of the U. S.Treasury. Both letters were releasedto the NNPA News Service lastweek.

“We write to bring to yourattention the general concern amongAfrican American newspapers andradio station owners that they arenot being given a fair opportunity tocompete for federal advertisingdollars,” Lee and CBC leaderswrote to Biden. “Specifically, weseek your commitment that Black-owned media outlets are receivingtheir fair share of advertising dollarsin conjunction with the variousactivities associated with thedisbursement of federal dollars.”

The letter further states, “Weseek your additional commitmentthat Black-owned media are beingutilized by the federal governmentas it distributes the $787 billionrecovery package. Additionally, weseek the same assurance when it

comes to entities receiving moneyfrom the federal government…Werequest a meeting with you at yourearliest convenience to discuss thismatter in detail.”

A separate letter to Geithner,requests specific information ondollar amounts spent so far:

“Please advise me as to the totalamounts your department andfinancial institutions receivingTARP and TALF funds have spenton African American, Latino andAsian American owned newspapersand radio stations,” Lee wrote.“Also, please advise me on themeasures your department hastaken to insure that the minority-owned media outlets participateequitably in your department’sadvertising, marketing and outreachactivities.”

TARP, which stands forTroubled Asset Relief Program; andTALF, which stands for Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility, areboth financial relief programs forbusinesses and corporationsneeding help.

Palmer, CBC communicationsdirector, said the letter to TreasurySecretary Geithner was specificallya follow up to questions that Leeposed to him as he testified May 21before the House Financial Servicesand General GovernmentOperations Subcommittee of whichshe is a member.

“This is an issue that has greatimportance to the chairwoman of

the CBC and its members,” Palmersaid in an interview on Monday. Hesays the conversations are ongoingas the CBC presses for results.

“We have receivedacknowledgements of ourconcerns,” he said. “While we havenot settled on a specific course ofaction, a working conversation isongoing.”

In the April 27 story on Smith’sletter, which was widely circulatedby NNPA Newspapers, NNPAFoundation Chairwoman DorothyLeavell said it was ‘’unclear in theBlack community where to go andwhat is available to help Blackfamilies and Black businesses, thevery communities that we serve.”She added, ‘The Black Press hasparticipated in teleconferences andhave sought information locally, yetthere are no clear answers to these

two queries.’’Leavell vowed that the quest for

information would continue. ‘’We will continue to vigorouslyreach out to the ObamaAdministration to make sure thatour community and our industry is apart of this stimulus and avoid whathas been the norm - that we areoutside looking in and devoid ofstimuli,’’ she said.

Palmer credits Smith’s letter,the article and the conversations thatfollowed with stirring up interestand movement on the issue.

“I think it’s fair to say that Mr.Smith’s letter, as well as theongoing efforts of NNPA to bringattention to this economic justice,economic fairness, economic parityissue are very important and veryhelpful,” Palmer said. “Weencourage this type of civic

engagement and participation. Ithink it’s clear in our letters that yes,these are commercial enterprises,but they also serve a very importantcivic function.”

Both of Lee’s letters, alsosigned by CBC officers Reps.Maxine Waters (D-CA), GregoryMeeks (D-NY) and Keith Ellison(D-MN), pointed out the dualpurposes of the Black Press.

“African American ownednewspapers and radio stations havehistorically captured and chronicledthe hopes and history of the AfricanAmerican community when no oneelse cared. They remain uniquelypositioned to communicate directlywith segments of the population thatthe federal government must reachto achieve its mission,” they wroteBiden. “As implementation of theeconomic recovery package

continues, I strongly encourage youto include a review of AfricanAmerican-owned news outlets andtheir struggle to receive an equitabledistribution of taxpayer fundedadvertising dollars.”

CBCFrom 1

Minnesota 5th DistrictCongressman Keith Ellison thisweek condemned the rise in hatecrimes in the United States,including the Wednesday murderof Stephen T. John, a guard onduty at the U.S. HolocaustMemorial Museum, and therecent murder of physician Dr.George Tiller while he attend hisSunday church service.

“I join with millions ofAmericans to send mycondolences to the loved ones ofStephen T. John, who wasmurdered on duty yesterday inthe lobby of the U.S. HolocaustMemorial Museum. I commendthe security officers for theirquick response whichundoubtedly saved more lives.While the facts are still coming

in, I am appalled by reports thatthe gunman was motivated byracist views against Jews andAfrican Americans,” Ellisonsaid in a statement to the press.

“This is the third high-profile gun crime in the UnitedStates in recent weeks fueled byhatred and armed by lax gunlaws. The assassination ofDoctor George Tiller at his

church in Kansas shocked us allabout the dangers of extremistswho use violence and terror toadvance their causes. Then therewas the heartbreaking story ofthe military recruiter randomlymurdered in Little Rock by aman who said that he was angryabout the killing of Muslims inIraq and Afghanistan.Regardless of political views,

violent acts of hatred like theseare never justifiable,” Ellisonsaid.

Noting Department ofHomeland Security SecretaryJanet Napolitano’s recentlyissued warning about new signsof home grown terrorism,Ellison said, “I encourage lawenforcement to continue itseffort to focus on reasonable

suspicion and not demographicfactors like race, religion andother immutable considerations.They should instead do what’sprudent and reasonable —within the law — to protect thepublic by preventing thesehorrific acts of hatred fromhappening again.”

INSIGHT NEWS

www.insightnews.com

Insight News is publishedweekly, every Monday byMcFarlane Media Interests.

Editor-In-ChiefAl McFarlane

CFOAdrianne Hamilton-Butler

PublisherBatala-Ra McFarlane

Associate Editor &Associate PublisherB.P. Ford

Vice President of Sales & MarketingSelene White

Director of Content &ProductionPatricia Weaver

Sr. Content & ProductionCoordinatorElliot Stewart-Franzen

Web Design & ContentAssociateBen Williams

Distribution/FacilitiesManagerJamal Mohamed

ReceptionistLue B. Lampley

Contributing WritersBrenda ColstonJulie DesmondMarcia HumphreyMehgaan JonesAlaina L. LewisRashida McKenzieRyan T. Scott

PhotographySuluki FardanTobechi Tobechukwu

Contact Us:Insight News, Inc.Marcus Garvey House1815 Bryant Ave. N.MinneAPOlis., MN 55411Ph.: (612) 588-1313Fax: (612) 588-2031Member: MinnesotaMulticultural MediaConsortium (MMMC)Midwest Black PublishersCoalition, Inc. (MBPCI)National NewspaperPublishers Association(NNPA)

Postmaster: Send addresschanges to McFarlaneMedia Interests, MarcusGarvey House 1815 BryantAvenue North, Minneapolis,Minnesota, 55411.

Ellison condemns hate crimes, home grown terrorism

One of the most importantmilestones in anyone’s life is thepurchase of their own home.Throughout history,homeownership has served as thedefining symbol of prosperity andaccomplishment—yet it is a symbolthat has not always been equallyaccessible for all those seeking it.

Primed to FailOne answer to the problem of

home loan availability has been thederegulation and growth ofsubprime lending. The result hasbeen that prospective homebuyerswho wouldn’t normally qualify formortgage loans have found anopportunity to makehomeownership a reality. Theproblem is the opportunities they’reoffered, once influenced by unfairand biased loan practices, end upmore like traps. The roots of the current subprime

lending boom can be traced todecisions made by Congress morethan a decade ago. One inducementcame with the potential profit to bemade in sub-prime lending, whichballooned when Congressderegulated the home mortgagelending market. The deregulationeffectively removed the limits onhow much interest lenders couldcharge. “State usury caps don’tapply in first mortgagetransactions,” says Alys Cohen, anattorney at the National ConsumerLaw Center in Washington, D.C.“Which means basically lenders cancharge very, very high rates, andthey’re not subject to state law.”

Placing the BlameAfrican Americans have historicallybeen underrepresented in bothhomeownership and the ability tosecure home mortgage loans. Therecent foreclosure and subprimelending crisis has amplified thedisproportion in availability of fairand reasonable loans. The disparity

is particularly evident with AfricanAmericans, who make up thegreatest percentage of those whohave applied for and receivedsubprime loans.

Why did they apply for theseloans if they were so awful? Didn’tthey read the fine print andunderstand what they were signing?The answers to these questionscontinue to be debated, making itclear that the only thing that is forcertain is that the truth isn’t alwaysobvious. The answers lie in the greyarea of our complicated history as acountry, and the persistentperceptions of success andstereotyping that havesystematically existed within oursociety.

Recent research seems tosupport what many people of colorhave long known from experience:when it comes to an equalopportunity at homeownership, a lotof the time what color your skin ismakes more of a difference than thesize of your wallet.

In a March, 2009 articlepublished by The Associated Press,Austin Tighe, the co-lead counselfor the NAACP, was quoted assaying, “Black homebuyers havebeen 3 ½ times more likely toreceive a subprime loan than whiteborrowers, and six times more likelyto get a subprime rate whenrefinancing Blacks weredisproportionately steered intosubprime loans when their creditscores, income and down paymentwere equal to those of whitehomebuyers.”So is the answer as simple as racistmortgage brokers and banks? Thetruth lies somewhere between thetwo extremes of racist banks ordumb and disserving Blacks. Thetruth isn’t clear until you start toexplore the roots of our country’shousing market and the devicesemployed way before the currentforeclosure crisis.

Red-lining or Black-lining? In June of 1933, FDR signed into

law an innovation of the new deal,the Home Owners LoanCorporation (HOLC). Its creationwas spurred by a rise inforeclosures, caused by theunworkable direct loan provisionsof the Hoover’s Federal Home LoanBank Act. Between July of 1933and June of 1935, about 40% of

eligible Americans sought HOLCassistance and HOLC suppliedmore than $3 billion for over 1million mortgages nationally. Moreimportantly, however, was thesystem of appraisal HOLCestablished—and the fact that its

Fighting against ethnic disparities in subprime lending

7LENDING TURN TO

www.execrealtor.com

http://insightnews.com Insight News • June 22 - June 28, 2009 • Page 3

By April Graves

EDUCATION

Signed amid controversy in 2001,the No Child Left Behind (NCLB)law shook up the nation’s publiceducation system. This legislationmade schools accountable forstudent achievement; if studentscontinually failed to meetminimum test scores, schoolswere placed on probation.Classroom instruction methodswere changed, too, with increasedfocus placed on ‘teaching to thetest’, taking away from more in-depth instruction. Several yearshave now gone by, giving analystsenough time to assess how thelaw, if at all, impacts studentperformance. According to the

Civil Rights Project, NCLB isn’tworking. At least not for minorityhigh school students.

The study looked at test scoresfor three groups of students. From1999 to 2004, elementary school-aged Black students made biggains in their standardized testscores. In 1999, the Black-whitegap in math scores for nine yearold students was 28 points. Blackstudents in that age group closedthe racial gap in math scores bynearly 50 percent just five yearslater while Black 13-year-oldsincreased their math score 11points over the same five yearperiod. Black 17-year-olds,however, only increased theirscore two points.

While the improvements made

by younger students should becelebrated, the continued gapbetween minority and white highschool students must not beignored. Graduation rates inBlack and Latino communitiesstill lag behind those of whitesand, in urban areas, the dropoutrates for students of color areastoundingly high. Moreimportant than meeting thestandards of NCLB should bepreparing these high schoolsstudents for life outside of theclassroom. Individuals with a highschool diploma will earn moremoney over their life time thansomeone without one and are lesslikely to live in poverty. The jobmarket is increasinglycompetitive; high school dropouts

have few options for employment.Instead of solely focusing on

test scores, the nation’s educationsystem needs to diversify the wayit helps students learn. Programsthat teach “outside of the box”must be developed. Dr. DanMote, the president of theUniversity of Maryland, oncecommented that supplementaleducation – extracurricularprograms that encourage studentsto read and solve problems – playa key role in high school studentlearning and achievement.Currently, American schoolsproduce test takers, not criticalthinkers or life-long learners.Supplemental programs are oneway to help develop more well-rounded students.

Provisions designed to closethe minority achievement gap inhigh schools should be added tothe NCLB act. Additionally, itshould be mandated that schoolsacross the nation either introduceor increase supplementaleducation offerings. A revampedNCLB should also designate otherways to measure student success;solely focusing on test scores isnot an accurate way to gaugewhether or not a student haslearned.

Part of our job as a nation is toensure all of our children receivethe best possible education we canprovide. Since NCLB sets thestandard by which all schools aremeasured, we must work to ensureit takes into account the learning

gap between minority and whitehigh school and creates a plan foraddressing it.

Judge Greg Mathis became theyoungest judge in Michigan’shistory and was elected aSuperior Court Judge forMichigan’s 36th District. He hasbeen called upon as a regularcontributor to national televisionprograms, including “Larry KingLive,” “Politically Incorrect,”CNN’s “Talk Back Live,”“Showbiz Tonight” and “Extra”to discuss his opinions on complexissues of the day, such as nationalsecurity, unique sentencing,affirmative action and celebrityscandals. He also offers his takeon high-profile legal cases.

Gap between minority and white high school students must not be ignored

MPS is striving to make summerschool fun and educational forsixth, seventh and eighth-gradestudents. The District’scurriculum will incorporateiPod touches, Moodle andVoiceThread technologies intomath and reading coursework.

Each program featureshands-on learning activities.The programs available are:

• Folwell Middle School:Students with outdoor andenvironmental interests have theopportunity to canoe theMississippi River withWilderness Inquiry. They willdiscover ways to improve andprotect the environment through

a unique project.

• Nellie Stone JohnsonCommunity School: Studentswill work with robotics, rockets,solar energy cars and windturbines.

• Northeast Middle School:Students will be introduced to anew language – Chinese, Frenchor Spanish. Students also willparticipate in a theaterproduction, cooking meals fromdifferent cultures and physicalfitness activities such asswimming.

• Ramsey International FineArts Center: Students will

participate in a theaterproduction, innovative danceclasses, and create pottery andpoetry.

• Camp MPS begins July 7and ends July 30. Campus daysare from 8:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.Breakfast and lunch areincluded free of charge for allstudents and transportation isprovided for students thatqualify.

Now is the time to enroll.Families may call 612-668-0440for enrollment information oraccess the form online at:http://alc.MinneAPolis.k12.mn.us/.

Minneapolis Public Schools

is participating in the SummerFood Service program June 15 –August 13. The program, whichprovides meals to children atselect school sites, is paid forwith federal dollars availablefrom the U.S. Department ofAgriculture.

Meals will be provided to allchildren ages 1-18 withoutcharge. Acceptance andparticipation requirements forthe program and all activitiesare the same for all regardless ofrace, color, national origin,gender, age or disability, andthere will be no discriminationin the course of the mealservice.

For information about theSummer Food Service program,please visit the MPS Food

Service Department web site athttp://foodservice.MinneAPolis.k12.mn.us/

MPS offers innovative summer school activities

PYC Arts&Technology HighSchool change policy for servingstudent meals

Plymouth Youth Center Artsand Technology High Schoolannounced an amendment to its

policy for serving meals tostudents under the NationalSchool Lunch/BreakfastPrograms for the ’09-’10 schoolyear. All students will be servedbreakfast and lunch at no charge

at the following site: PYC 2210Oliver Ave N. Minneapolis.

For additional informationplease contact: PYC Arts andTechnology High School,Attention: Chrislee Jacobs,2210

Oliver Ave North, Minneapolisor via phone at (612) 522-6501or via e-mail at cjacobs@pcyc-MinneAPolis.org

In accordance with thefederal law and U.S. Department

of Agriculture policy, PYC Artsand Technology High School isprohibited from discriminatingon the basis of race, color,national origin, sex, age ordisability. To file a complaint of

discrimination, write USDA,Director, Office of CivilRights,1400 Independence Ave.,SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 or(202) 720-6382 (TTY).

PYC Arts & Technology High School changes policy for serving student meals

www.playbooks.com/blasts/January08/kids-line.jpg

By Judge Greg Mathis

Page 4 • June 22 - June 28, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

The recession has forced peopleto re-evaluate their spendinghabits; some have decided to takesizable steps back from the worldof entertainment in pursuit of themore economically fetchingBlock Buster Night. Yet as rare asit is to find a four leaf clover, itwas a night of good fortune foranyone lucky enough to partakein the unmatchable events thatoccurred in the Main Room ofFirst Avenue on Friday, June 5.For merely the cost of $6 andenough money left over to a paya thirsty parking meter at the endthe affair, you got a taste of someof Minnesota’s finest entertainerswho came together under oneroof to musically extend theirlove and their pride for theproprietor of SotaRico, MariaIsa.

From the moment the hourstruck 8, the stage at the MariaIsa CD Release Show for hercurrent album Street Politics, waslike a floor to ceiling threshold ofnothing shy of good music. Thetalent that the songstress broughtwith her to celebrate her latestoffering to her hometown crowdwas a mixed bag of entertainersthat covered the best in everygenre of music that cultivateswithin the growing scale of theMinnesota Sound. From HipHop, to Ska, to a bit of Rock N’Roll, the easily sold out crowdwent crazy with support for everyopening act that set foot on thestage.

The crowd trickled in slowlyas the night began, but as HipHop favorites like St. Paul Slimand I Self Devine hit the stage,mixed in with the musical treatsoffered by Mayda, Kill theVultures and the kings of “geekfunk” Dance Band, it was clear toeveryone who appreciates goodmusic that this was a gem of anevent that had a priceless lineup.The MC of the evening was noneother than Muja Messiah, who

just moments prior to the lady ofthe night emergence unto hermuch deserved spotlight, took abreak from making theannouncements to serve the eagercrowd with his lick of Hip Hopheat.

As the evening went byeffortlessly, the countdown toMaria Isa and her Bakers Dozen’ssought after performance beganas a white screen came downfrom the ceiling with a narrativevideo of her journey to StreetPolitics. The five-minute filmportrayed a message of pride andquite like her diverse openingacts, that phenomenal spirittranscended throughout thecolorful crowd who bondedtogether under the arch ofSotaRico to supportMinneapolis’ princess of LatinHip Hop and Soul.

As the screen lifted and theinfectious sounds of her newsong “Derechos” came driftingeffortlessly from 22-year-oldMaria Isa’s vocals, the nighthaving begun several hours prior,had now finally arrived at itshour of heightened fascination.

The hour plus set was filledwith a mix of everything: Latin,Hip Hop, and even a bit of Rockand Pop. The audience had theopportunity to get a raw taste ofIsa’s new album. Throughout thenight there was a constantdelivery of foundation shakingrhythms. At one point in the showshe was accompanied on stage bytwo of her featured artists onStreet Politics, Muja Messiah andKilla Capone when theyperformed the sexy song NeverLet Go and the title track StreetPolitics. As if she could top thealready roof shattering evening,she then offered the crowd areason to fear the dentist whenshe sweetened the musical dealby performing her first single offthe new album, Caramelo.

Quite like the flowersadorned in her hair throughouther performance, Isa’s music wasa lush garden of effortlessmelodies that interchanged intheir sound, but never disruptedin its beauty. Her live band thatresounded her unrivaled vocalinstrument added that touch ofauthenticity that easily couldmake them America’s next GwenStefani and No Doubt.

As the evening drew to anend there was a silent hum ofsadness that swept through theroom as the crowd reluctantlyfiled towards the door wishingthe show didn’t have to end. It issaid that reliving a night ofperfection is something permittedsolely to the owner of fictitioustime machines or make believe

time travelers, but nowadaysthere is a way to repeat thatincomparable magic. If you’re asintelligent as I was after I heardthe last melodic note fall from theFirst Avenue stage, you didn’thesitate to cop Street Politics. Atleast in your disk player therotation of good music never hasto end.

AESTHETICS

Courtesy of the artistMaria Isa

Columnist

By Alaina L.. Lewis

Maria Isa establishes SotaRico brand

http://insightnews.com Insight News • June 22 - June 28, 2009 • Page 5

A celebration to honor theoldest existing primarilyAfrican-American church inMinnesota is to be observed onJune 27 and 28.

In1863, shortly after theEmancipation Proclamationwas issued, a group of formerslaves escaped from BooneCounty Missouri and traveled

north on a raft in search of workand a new way of life. RobertThomas Hickman, who laterbecame the first minister ofPilgrim Baptist Church, led thisgroup. There are severalaccounts of assistance receivedby the former slaves along theway. However, since they didnot know where they were

going they called themselvespilgrims. It is thought thatperhaps they landed at thepresent site of Harriet Island.

Pilgrim Baptist Church wasformally organized onNovember 15, 1866, in St. Paul,MN. This act was celebrated bya baptismal service on theshores of the Mississippi River,climaxing years of frustrationand hard work.

In addition to PastorHickman and Mrs. RobertHickman, additional chartermembers were Fielding Combs,Henry Moffitt, John Trotter,Giles Crenshaw and members

of their families. This grouppetitioned trustees of FirstBaptist to intercede andpurchase a lot for $200. Thefirst Pilgrim facility was builton the lot at Sibley near MorrisStreet in St. Paul.

In 1928 work wascompleted on the currentSanctuary and Fellowship Hallduring the administration of Dr.L. W. Harris. In 1949 duringthe administration of PastorFloyd Massey, the educationalunit was completed. Under theleadership of its many capableleaders, Pilgrim has been adominant force in making

changes in the community.Over the years, its variedministries and outreachprograms have touched the livesof both members and non-members alike. These outreachand community programs haveincluded:

NAACP; Urban League;Bailey Morris Plaza HousingDevelopment; Senior Outreach;Alcoholic’s Anonymous;Foreign Missions; My Sister’sKeeper; Directions for Youth;Prison Ministry; YoungMothers; Social Services:Boy/Girl Scouts; Food/ClothingShelf, housing assistance, andother referral services.

Educational Outreachefforts include: SummerEnrichment,. After SchoolTutoring, Benjamin MaysElementary School, EarlyChildhood Education, Day Care

Program and ScholarshipPrograms.

The Rev. Charles L. Gill, Jr.Senior Pastor, invites thecommunity to celebrate thechurch’s Founder’s Day of 146years. A celebratory banquetwill be held Sat., June 27, 2009at the downtown St. Paul CrownPlaza Hotel at 5 pm. Ticketsare required to attend this event.For more information and topurchase a ticket, call thechurch at (651) 227-3220. TheSunday Service will be held at9:45 am and the guest speakerfor both events is the Rev. Dr.Cleophus J. LaRue, whocurrently serves on staff atPrinceton University in theDepartment of PracticalTheology.

I have truly enjoyed my firstcouple of weeks of summervacation —the sleeping in, theslower pace, and no homework. Ifeel like I did nearly as muchhomework as my children thispast school year (although theyprobably wouldn’t agree). Ourbiggest challenge was math. Mydaughter struggled and myhusband and I (mainly myhusband) spent a lot of timehelping her. I can’t really say if itwas my daughter or the teacher. Ihave concluded that sometimesthe learning and teaching stylesdon’t mesh well and the result is amajor disconnect. Because we

don’t want one bumpy year inmath to negatively impact herconfidence or interest inarithmetic, we are setting up a fewsessions with a math tutor. In fact,whether or not your child isstruggling in school, a littlesummer brainwork is alwaysbeneficial. It helps to keepchildren confident in the skillsthey have learned throughout theyear and it prevents “brain-rust.”Here are a few simple suggestionson how to keep their brains “well-lubed.”

Ready, Set, Read!One of the best ways to help keepyour child’s brain keen is bypicking up a book. Whether youare reading to your child or yourchild is reading to you, it is a greatway to use the imagination andexpand the vocabulary. Makereading fun by visiting the libraryat least once weekly. Even takeadvantage of the various storytimes and the book clubs for allages. Fun ways to help withreading, writing and

comprehension is by having thechildren write a book report orwrite letters to relatives (makesure you select the kin folk whowill write your baby back!).

Summer Practice PacketsAt the end of the year, someschools and teachers distributepractice packets designed toreinforce the year’s learning. Ifyour child received one make it apriority to have him work on itevery day. If you did not get one,simply head out to the library forfree resources or to a localbookstore or teacher resourcestore which has summer practiceworkbooks for every grade leveland every subject. (I also snaggedsome great new workbooks at oneof my favorite thrift stores, Arc’sValue Villagewww.arcsvaluevillage.org ) At ourhouse we call this daily studyBrainwork Time. Just like wewant strong bodies, we wantstrong brains and they both mustbe exercised!

Find A TutorAs a high schooler, my very firstjob outside of babysitting mycousin was tutoring a middle-schooler in math. It was a win-winbecause her grade improved andso did my confidence! If you andyour child are overwhelmed by acertain school subject, get a tutor,even if you do it for a fewsessions, it may be all your childneeds to get on track. The mathtutor we selected for our daughteris a retired teacher from the schoolshe attends. My husband and I feelthis is a worthwhile investment inher future. Still, our strategy is toget started with the former teacherand if we need further help,transition to a college student whowe know that is majoring in math(and whose fee will be much less).

As parents our goal is to helpour children to “get on the goodfoot” educationally speaking, thatis. One of the ways we can assistthem is by insisting that they keepexercising their brainpower-evenwhen school is not in session-(useit or lose it). Encourage the love of

learning by helping your child tosee the relationship between thethree r’s (reading, writing, andarithmetic) and everyday life. Goto the library and get a freescience museum pass and explainto your daughter how science andmath intersect. Who knows, youmight have the next Einstein on

your hands. Enjoy!

Marcia Humphrey is an interiordecorator and home stager whospecializes in achieving high styleat a low cost. A native ofMichigan, she and her husband,Lonnie, have three children.

LIFESTYLEReady, Set, Read! Keeping school skills sharp in summer

By Marcia Humphrey

Style on a dime

http://www.physics.umt.edu/phys121-1/homework/homework.jpg

Pilgrim Baptist Church celebrates 146 years

Page 6 • June 22 - June 28, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

continued implementation insuccessive programs like theFederal Housing Administrationand the nation’s banking industryaffects people’s lives to this day .

The system of appraisalconsisted of a ranking ofneighborhoods that determinedwhether or not to approve loans forindividuals living in specific areas.The First category—also known asA or Green neighborhoods—wasdescribed as “new, homogeneousand in demand as residentiallocations in good times and bad.”Conversely Fourth, D or Redneighborhoods were defined asareas “characterized by poormaintenance, vandalism and theundesirable element.” Second andThird neighborhoods wereconsidered a step down or uprespectively from First or Forthneighborhoods. Invariably, Blackneighborhoods were always rated asFourth grade areas, making it almostimpossible for blacks to attain loansfor homes or refinancing.

Closing the Homeownership GapWith few other options forhomeownership, Blacks and otherpeople of color are often forced bycircumstances to seek loans that aresubprime. Once accepted for thoseloans, however, they are more likelythan whites to have stricterguidelines and restrictions applied

to them. A study completed in 2006by the Center for ResponsibleLending found that “for most typesof subprime home loans, AfricanAmerican and Latino borrowers areat greater risk of receiving higher-rate loans than white borrowers…For many types of loans, borrowersof color in our database were morethan 30 percent more likely toreceive a higher-rate loan than whiteborrowers, even after accounting fordifferences in risk.”

Being able to own a home isabout more than just a place to live.Homeownership has been directlylinked to the level of educationalachievement a child is able toaccomplish, as well as the level ofeconomic earnings they’re able toattain as adults. Children whoseparents owned their homes are alsomore likely to achievehomeownership as adults thanchildren whose parents only rented.Homeownership is a hugeeconomic advantage to obtain, notonly for that specific family, but forgenerations of that family yet tocome.

Ensuring that all families havean equal shot at homeownership is anoble and worthwhile cause, even ifthat means totally revamping ournation’s mortgage loan system tomake sure that no one isintentionally or unintentionallybeing unjustly excluded. With allthe economic hurtles Americanfamilies already face in today’seconomy, unequal access to theAmerican Dream should not be oneof them.

Sources• The City of Minneapolis,Minnesota Website. “Statistics andmaps of mortgage foreclosures inMinneapolis Archives.” Departmentof Community Planning and

Economic Development<http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cped/• The Center for ResponsibleLending. “Unfair Lending: TheEffect of Race and Ethnicity on the

Price of Subprime Mortgages.”6/31/2006<http://www.responsiblelending.org• Jackson, Kenneth. “CrabgrassFrontier: The Suburbanization ofthe United States New York: Oxford

University Press, 1985• Washington, Jesse. “NAACPsays bank giants steered blacks tobad loans.” The Associated Press.13 March. 2009 <http://www.ap.org

Already there are signs that theeconomy is turning around.

Anyone who has settled forwhatever work he can get, or hasbeen looking for work withoutresults is looking forward tosome positive news. While thereis no telling when it will happen,this financial crisis will end atsome point. Make sure thatwhen your career has a chance torebound, you are ready to helpmake it happen. Working or not,improving your education,presentation and leadership skillswill pay off when companiesreturn to hiring and promoting

great people.Education is about more than

just going back to school.Expanding your knowledge basecan be as effective as adding adegree to your resume. Seek outopportunities to add to your skillset; attend workshops andseminars, read trade magazines.Stay in touch with your field soyour know-how will be currentwhen you return to work.

If you do choose to go backto school, proposed increases inFederal financial aid dollars can

make that easier financially. Askfor financial aid informationeven if you think you don’tqualify. You might be surprisedat what’s out there for you.

Improving your presentationskills is important because notworking or working in a dead-end job can rob you of thechallenges that give youconfidence. Hone yourpresentation skills by readingaloud or volunteering to speak atchurch or at a networking event.Candidate Bob was feeling

isolated while looking for work.He tried introducing himself toone stranger every day. It forcedhim to come out of his shell andconnect with people, and beingcomfortable talking to almostanyone has helped him ininterviews.

Good leaders lead even whentheir titles say otherwise.Missed out on a greatpromotion? Lead from whereyou are. Be an example of hardwork, ingenuity and integrity tothose around you. Answer

questions, encourage others,make your company’s successyour ultimate goal, and soon youwill be seen as a leader.When new opportunities foremployment open up, be ready.Earn the right qualifications,develop your presentation andleadership skills, and soonsuccess will be yours.

Please send your careermanagement questions toJulie@insightnews.com.

Economic turnaround may be in sight: Prepare for your career comeback

BUSINESS

By Julie Desmondjulie@insightnews.com

Planyour

career

LendingFrom 3

http://insightnews.com Insight News • June 22 - June 28, 2009 • Page 7

The Minneapolis Urban Leaguewill observe National HIV TestingDay Friday, June 26, 2009 byoffering free, rapid, confidentialHIV testing from 9 am until 2 pmat its North Minneapolis location,the Glover-Sudduth Center 2100Plymouth Avenue North. Everyninth person tested will receive a

gift card and light refreshmentswill be served. There will also bea prize drawing at the end of theday.

According to recent statistics,the number of Minnesotans livingwith HIV is approximately 2,500.However, the Minneapolis UrbanLeague estimates that this number

is much higher, and isdisproportionate among theAfrican American and African-born communities in Minnesota.

According to MinnesotaDepartment of Health there were326 per 100,000 people inMinnesota living with HIV/AIDS.For African/African American

women this number was 105 per100, 000 and for African/AfricanAmerican males it was 54 per100,000. African/AfricanAmerican women have the fastestrate of infection, more than anyother population being infected bythis disease (for more informationon these statistics visitwww.health.state.mn.us and clickon HIV Statistics).

The Minneapolis Urban

League reports that thoseindividuals who know their HIVstatus, are better able to protectthemselves and any person thatthey are having sexual relationswith. “If the individual is apregnant woman, she can protecther unborn child,” says KrisHammes, another HIV/AIDS casemanager with the Minneapolisbased non-profit.

For more information or toschedule an appointment, call(612) 302-3134. Walk-ins areencouraged.

For information about theMinneapolis Urban League anddirections, please visit our website at www.mul.org.

I find it very disturbing how manyAfrican American women decidenot to take care of themselves inan appropriate and healthymanner. It seems that the womenin our community find it a choreto workout, even if it is just for 20minutes three times a week, whichliterally adds up to an hour perweek.

In my personal opinion, I seeour women, on a daily and weeklybasis, going to the club, gettingtheir hair and nails done,shopping, and chasing men. Thistype of beautifying is good, butnot necessarily good enough. Weas a community of strong womenneed to take care of ourselves withweekly cardio and strengthtraining exercises.

Try this- take a walk aroundone of Minnesota’s beautiful10,000 lakes and see thepopulation of white women whoare walking, running, biking,rollerblading, walking their dog,playing volleyball and evenswimming. A popular argument isthese women want to be skinny

and cannot stand the thought ofbeing “thick”.

I am the person to tell you thisis not true. There are plenty ofwhite women who date African-American, Hispanic and othermen who find “thick” womenattractive. These women want thebig butt, small waists and amplebosom, just like the rest of us, butthey continue to work outeveryday or at least every otherday to get the bodies they want.

I also hear the dispute “I donot have enough time toworkout”. I have to ask, whatkind of excuse is that? If we aswomen do not take time to makeourselves happy and healthy, whois going to do it for us? If we donot take care of ourselves, weabsolutely will not be able to takecare of our families.

Being healthy should not be achore, but rather a natural part ofyour lives. Exercising should beas much a part of our lives asbreathing, eating, showering andbrushing our teeth. Ladies weneed to be physically healthy sothat our children can grow up tobe healthy adults.

We must teach our girls thatthere is a difference betweenbeing “thick and healthy” andbeing “fat and sloppy”. Yes I saidit “fat and sloppy”. I think manyof our girls who think they are“thick”, are actually very out ofshape and sloppy.

I firmly believe, what ourchildren do in the early stages oftheir lives, they will continue todo into their adult years. If they

do not continue to workout, theywill at least have the desire.

This is my thought because asa youth my father would run 7miles per day around LakeCalhoun, and let my brothers andI ride our bikes while he ran. Tothis day I continue to workouteither dancing, yoga, Qi Gong (aform of Tai Chi), running, powerwalking and more. Although mybrothers do not work out asconsistently as I do, they continueto be avid bike riders.

I was raised in a family thattook being physically healthy veryseriously. I will admit that I dosometimes fall off the exercisehorse, but when I do, I get back onand start over. My goal is not tobe skinny, but healthy andwishfully on the “thicker” side.

Working out can be simpleand enjoyable. Instead ofwatching TV with or without aplate of food, take your family fora walk, a bike ride, swimming,dance with them at home, or do anexercise DVD in the comfort ofyour own home.

I would like to encourage allyou beautiful women to try toworkout more and to createfamilies that value beingphysically healthy. I promise youthis is something you will notregret.

By exercising, you will feelbetter, look better and thus behappier. When you are happier,your families will be happier. Asthe saying goes, “If mama isn’thappy (healthy), nobody is happy(healthy)”!

So to the new you ladies, I say“Salud”, which means “to yourhealth” in Spanish.

Brandi Patterson Phillips is afreelance health and wellnessreporter with an extensivebackground in mental andphysical health training and

education. She is also a Life SkillsCoach, fitness trainer andprofessional dancer. She iscurrently studying for her M.B.A.at St. Mary’s University inMinneapolis. Brandi currentlyteaches @ Creative Arts HighSchool in St. Paul, MN, SummitEarly Learning Center in

Minneapolis, and is president ofthe Minnesota Fit Club forWomen. Please direct all healthand wellness questions tobodybybrandiva@gmail.com.Answers will be chosen to appearin subsequent Insight Newseditions.

HEALTHLadies, no more excuses! Time to take care of ourselves

Health &Wellness

By Brandi Patterson-Phillips

Minneapolis Urban League observes National HIV Testing Day

www.thirdpower-fitness.com

Page 8 • June 22 - June 28, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

convention, the Saturday morningHealth Disparities and HealthcareReform Town Hall Meeting.

Healthcare professionals,managers, and educators and peoplein the healthcare industry mayattend the 7-9pm Wednesdayreception at the Radisson byregistering in advance at InsightNews, 612-588-1313 or by sendinga RSVP email toNNPA@insightnews.com.

The Saturday Town HallMeeting features members of theCongressional Black Caucus, led byUS Rep. Donna Christiansen, whoheads the CBC HealthcareBraintrust. Joining theCongresswoman are MinnesotaCongressman Keith Ellison, CBCChair, Barbara Lee, of California,and Congressman Elijah Cummings(D-MD). Register in advance atInsight News, 612-588-1313 or bysending a RSVP email toNNPA@insightnews.com.

The Convention formally opensThursday morning with a BlackPress Black Church PrayerBreakfast. The Rev. AlfredBabington Johnson, the founder ofthe Stairstep Initiative will discussstrategies to build community at theintersection of the Black Churchand the Neighborhood. The Rev.

Jerry McAfee will deliver the BlackPress Black Church keynoteaddress. The event is open to thepublic but requires a RSVP tonnpa@insightnews.com or byphone to 612-588-1313.The Prayer breakfast features musicby The Steeles.

Following the Saturday Town

Hall Meeting, the publishers bringbusiness to the community byhosting Blues ‘n’ Jazz AfternoonParty at Favor Café, on Lake Streetfeaturing Wain McFarlane & Jahz.Leaders of Minnesota music andinformation institutions will interactwith the nation’s Black Press leadersexploring how we protect and grow

the creative spirit, public policy andcivic engagement, in ways thatharness the economic power of ourconsumer purchasing power. Theevent is by invitation only. Forinformation call Selene White at612-588-1313 or email tonnpa@insightnews.com

Minnesotans need to prepare forsignificant property tax increasesand major cuts to public safety,libraries, parks, and other cityservices, mayors said in responseto the announcement thatGovernor Tim Pawlenty willunallot $192 million of funding toMinnesota cities.

“Minnesota communitieswere critically hurt today by thegovernor’s action, and nearlyevery Minnesotan will personally

be affected. It could be in the formof no cop in their kid’s school,higher property taxes, or a locallibrary that is no longer open,”said St. Paul Mayor ChrisColeman. “Many Minnesotanswill think in the coming year thatthis is not the state they knew, orthe state they want it to be.”

Over the past six years,Minnesota cities have lost $750million in local government aid,and as a result property taxes have

increased over 65% statewide.This increase in property taxes,however, has fallen short ofreplacing the lost aid; so essentialcity services have also been cutback.

“The effects of cutting aidfrom Minnesota communities areas predictable as a Minnesotawinter—every year we see higherproperty taxes and cuts to criticalservices,” said Wadena MayorWayne Wolden, who is also

president of the Coalition ofGreater Minnesota Cities.

Responding to the governor’sconstant calls for cities to do morewith less, the mayors shot backciting evidence that cities havebeen more fiscally conservativethan the state over the past sixyears. While funding for stateprograms has actually increased3.2% since 2002, the revenuesavailable for local spending havedecreased 13.7%. Furthermore,

cities shrunk their workforce by6% between 2003 and 2008, whilethe state’s workforce ballooned by10% in the same period.

“Minnesotans see rightthrough this blame game and willhold state lawmakers responsiblefor the community cuts andproperty tax increases that emergefrom the governor’s actions,”

Wolden said. “The governor’scuts are wrong, and it’s time forstate leaders—both Republicansand Democrats—to put theirresidents first and prioritizefunding for safe, affordablecommunities. They need to speakout against the governor’s cutsnow.”

Mayors: Brace for deep cuts and significant property tax increases

Doris departed from our liveson June 10, 2009. Proceeded indeath by; her grandmother,Molly Stone Powell, parentsVanderbilt White, Weller StoneWhite, brothers, Van White,Hardy White, sister, DoloresWhite Runnels, and son, BrianJohnson. Survived by her sixchildren; Donjia “Dohnny”,Adeyemi (Marlene), Dorris“Jahina”, Ernest III, Krisannand Weller, sister Weller WhiteChase, grand children, great-grand children, great-greatgrand children, a host of nieces,nephews and friends.

Service was held last Friday,June 19 at St. James A.M.E.Church in St. Paul.

Doris Elizabeth White JohnsonDecember 22. 1928 - June 10, 2009NNPA

From 1

http://insightnews.com Insight News • June 22 - June 28, 2009 • Page 9

Mollie BeltSecretary

Lenora CarterTreasurer

Christopher B. BennettSecond Vice Chairman

Karen LoveFirst Vice Chairwoman

Page 10 • June 22 - June 28, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

Twin Cities Northside residentand Master Storyteller,Nothando Zulu has been invitedto perform her storytellingmagic at the SmithsonianInstitution in Washington, DCJune 24 through July 5. TheSmithsonian is the world’slargest museum complex andresearch organization composedof 19 museums, nine researchcenters, and the National Zoo.

Zulu will tell stories duringthe 2009 Smithsonian FolklifeFestival, “Giving Voice: ThePower of Words in AfricanAmerican Culture.” Theprogram explores andcelebrates the role that AfricanAmerican oral traditions haveplayed in the shaping ofAmerican culture. This programis sponsored by the NationalMuseum of African AmericanHistory and Culture. Lonnie G.

Bunch III, the founding directorof the National Museum ofAfrican American History and

Culture said: “Words have thepower to connect people, toconvey ideas, to give comfort,to make us laugh and to call usto action”. Our recentPresidential election is one ofthe best examples of the truth ofthis.

The Folklife Festival startsWednesday, June 24, throughSunday, June 28, andWednesday, July 1, throughSunday, July 5. All of the eventsare outdoors on the NationalMall. Festival hours are from 11am to 5:30 pm each day, withspecial evening eventsbeginning at 6 pm

Zulu proudly adds theSmithsonian to her list ofstorytelling sites that includeCape Town, South Africa;Accra, Ghana; St. Thomas, USVirgin Islands and throughoutthe continental United States. “I

am truly honored to be a part ofthis particular festival. I amtruly excited to have theopportunity to work on the setsthat include re-creations of abarbershop, a beauty shop, aporch stoop and a radio station– all in the African Americanspirit!” said Zulu.

She said she is happy to bein the company of legendaryMaster Storytellers like BabaJamal Koram, Charlotte Blake-Alston, Valerie Tutson andMitch Capel aka “Gran Daddy‘JuneBug” - especially sinceBaba Jamal, Valerie and “GranDaddy” have all been featuredtellers for the Annual BlackMaster Storytellers Festival,“Signifyin’ & Testifyin’” thatshe co-produces in the TwinCities.

Zulu is the President ofBlack Storytellers Alliance that

presents the Annual three-dayfestival “Signifyin’ &

Testifyin’” - now in the 18thyear of production.

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Noted Master Storyteller, Nothando Zulu to perform in the Folklife Festival

Assumed Name1. State the exact assumed name underwhich the business is or will be conducted: Longest Yard Lawn Care

2. State the address of the principal place ofbusiness: 3201 Humboldt Ave. N,Minneapolis, MN 55412

3. List the name and complete street addressof all persons conducting business under theabove Assumed Name: Raymond Traylor,3201 Humboldt Ave. N, Minneapolis, MN55412

4. I certify that I am authorized to sign thiscertificate and I further certify that Iunderstand that by signing this certificate, Iam subject to the penalties of perjury as setforth in Minnesota Statues section 609.48 asif I had signed this certificate under oath.

Signed by: Raymond TraylorDate Filed: 5/04/2009

Insight News 6/15/2009, 6/22/2009

Grants ManagerUniversity of Minnesota

Extension/St. Paul CampusUniversity of Minnesota Extension is a majoroutreach arm of the University of Minnesota.Extension supports sponsored funding andresearch programs throughout its partnershipswithin U of M collegiate units as well as throughits presence at 18 Regional Offices in the state ofMinnesota. The primary responsibilities of theGrants Manager position are to develop,implement and give ongoing oversight to grantsmanagement operations at U of M Extension.The Grants Manager will work closely across allprogramming areas as well as with all Extensionfaculty and personnel involved with grants ininitiating and facilitating grant activities she/he willoffer guidance and training on the writing andsubmission of proposals for external funding.The grants manager will increase the number ofgrant proposals Extension submits, and willincrease the number of grants ultimatelyreceived. The Grants Manager will provideleadership through the development of systemsthat make grantsmanship a stronger part ofExtension.

Required Education: A Bachelor's degree infields closely related to Extension, UniversityOutreach, or scholarship areas within Extension(e.g., agriculture, community development,family development, natural resources or youthdevelopment) and three years of professionalexperience in performing administrative,budgetary, or grants duties.

Application Deadline: June 30, 2009; positionwill remain open until filled.

The full position description, applicationprocedure and information about Extension areavailable on the Extension website athttp://www.extension.umn.edu/units/director/hr/positions.html or call 612/624-3717.

The U of M is an equal opportunity educator andemployer.

file photoNothando Zulu

Assistant to the Department Head The University of Minnesota, Department ofHorticultural Science, is currently acceptingapplications for their new Assistant to theDepartment Head position. For further informationabout this opportunity and to apply on please go to:employment.umn.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=80906

If you have any questions about this position or theapplication process, please contact Lori Loberg attheis020@umn.edu.

The University of Minnesota is committed to thepolicy that all persons shall have equal access to itsprograms, facilities, and employment without regardto race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex,age, marital status, disability, public assistancestatus, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

The Tiger Woods Effect is in fullswing. Everybody is playinggolf. On top of the many local,older and younger, faces andevents that are dominating thegolf scene, we have a bigpunctuation to this year’s golfseason when Tiger Woods comesto town for the final majorchampionship of the professional

golfing year. The PGAChampionship is that event, andit will be held at the acclaimedHazeltine National Golf Club inChaska, Minnesota during theweek of August 10-16 this year.

The PGA Championship isthe fourth of four majorchampionship tournaments of theprofessional golf year. The PGAChampionship does not havequite the history and pageantry ofthe other three large events —The Masters in Augusta, GA (theonly event that does not rotatevenues) The U.S. Open, and theBritish Open. But to our benefit,the PGA Championship is themost fan-friendly major golf

event of the year. If you haveever thought of going to one ofthose big golf events you see ontelevision, then I wouldn’t missthis chance.

Considering that there is onlyone person in this world who hasactually mastered golf, we willstart off talking about him. TigerWoods…Nevermind, I’ve writtenenough about Tiger Woods.Look in the Archives atInsightnews.com (Lol). He’sgreat. He’s the bomb, and he iscoming to a course near you.

I am a terrible fortuneteller insports, but it seems to me thatTiger is about to be very Tigerishfor the remainder of this golfseason, and that is must see stuff.I mean, the man was hurt forabout a year and itching to come

back on the circuit and kick somebutt on the course. When youfind the sport that is really foryou, as golf is for him and trackis for me, you get pretty addictedto finding out how much you canreally win and for how long.Wouldn’t want to waste any buttkickings. Note: Kicking butt insports is fun (tell a childtoday…if I see one more emptybasketball court I’m gonnaexplode!). Anyway, watch TigerWoods. I think he’s going to losehis mind up in here (in a goodway).

Ok, so back to the youth.Though I certainly need to domore in depth reporting on them,

the Fairway Foundation isobviously up to its usual greattricks. The fact that their tricksteach children the sport of golfand its application towards anoverall successful life makesthem just the magicians you wantto have perform with your child.They recently held their majorFairway Foundation ScholarshipFundraiser Tournament atPrestwick Golf Club inWoodberry. During the briefsecond I stopped by what Icertainly saw was an extensivenetwork and potent mixture ofgreat people in the community.Golf is an international sport, andhas an aura of class about it likeno other. That is obviously agreat mix of elements to presentto a child, and I would encouragelooking at the website: fairwayfoundation.org

Other than that, everybody isgolfing. If you keep up with (orcan keep up with) Q-Bear ofKMOJ, then you’re quite awareof his golfing exploits. Otherbrothers and sisters who work inthose stiff office environmentshave a natural magnet drawingthem to the golf course as well.There really is no greatermedicine for the “Office WallPrison Blues” than a cool stroll inthe park (which is what a golfcourse basically is) with a littlebit of exercise to boot. Mostcertainly the golf course is asanctuary for trash talking, whichis always fun if you ask me. Andwhen it comes down to it, whodoesn’t want to swing a metalclub and whack the mess out of alittle hard ball? Naturally one ofthe keys to the game is to not tryand swing too hard. That’s a hardlesson to learn of testosterone

laden men, so take that tip and Ijust saved you the purchase of alot of extra balls and possible

tossing of your golf club in thenearest lake. You can learn a lotfrom a dummy, and you and the

kids can get a lot out of golf.Next rounds on you.

SPORTS

By Ryan T. Scottryan@insightnews.com

Mr T’sSportsReport

A whole lot of golfin’ goin’ on

redriverautographs.wordpress.comTiger Woods comes to town for the final major championship of the professional golfing year. ThePGA Championship is that event, and it will be held at the acclaimed Hazeltine National Golf Club

in Chaska

I think Tiger Woods is going to lose hismind up in here (in a good way)

http://insightnews.com Insight News • June 22 - June 28, 2009 • Page 11

NBA and NFL professionals making history in 2009What a year 2009 has been sofar for professional sports —especially among our talentedblack professionals. First, inFebruary we had the PittsburghSteelers defeat the ArizonaCardinals in the Super Bowl towin their sixth title. History wasmade when Steelers head coachMike Tomlin became theyoungest African-Americancoach to win a Super Bowl andthe third black coach ever tocoach in the big game. Then hisstar wide receiver SantonioHolmes captured the game-winning pass and was selected

as the Super Bowl MVP.A couple of months later,

the Los Angeles Lakers, led bytheir star player Kobe Bryant,defeated the Orlando Magic tocapture their 15th NBAchampionship ring. Bryant alsowon his first NBA finals MVPaward and is the first player toreceive the award since beingrenamed the Bill Russell NBAFinals Most Valuable PlayerAward back in February.

These professional athleteshave shown that when talent iscombined with determination,just about anything can be

achieved, both individually andcollectively as a team. It isprofessionals like SantonioHolmes, Mike Tomlin and KobeBryant that motivate youngblack athletes to never give upon their dreams regardless ofwhat obstacles may stand in theway.

With the Women’s NationalBasketball Association(WNBA) season just beginningand NFL training camp a monthaway, there may be even morehistory-making momentsamong our black athletes. www.nextgengop.com

Mike Tomlin

Page 12 • June 22 - June 28, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

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LIMIT 2

279Roundy's Organic

MilkSelected 64 Oz. VarietiesSAVE UP TO 50¢

SAVE UP TO

$1.11

SAVE UP TO

$8.00 999

No NameOriginal, Petite or

Salmon SteaksSelected 20-28 Oz. Varieties

Frozen

LIMIT 1

that’sLess Than

2¢ per wipe

YESTERYEAR Coupons !!

SAVE UP TO

$68.00WHEN YOU PURCHASE THESE

ADVERTISED SPECIALS

See store for

199

Roundy'sCereal or

Granola BarsSelected 4.86-24 Oz. Box Varieties

SAVE UP TO

$1.70

38 VARIETIES

Cereal or Granola Bars

SAVE UP TO

$3.02 177

Pepsi,Mountain Dewor Sierra Mist

And Other Selected 12 Pack 12 Oz. Can or 6 Pack 24 Oz. Varieties

WHEN YOU BUY 5 WITH SEPARATE $25 PURCHASE

LIMIT 5 • ALL OTHER PURCHASES $3.99

SAVE UP TO

81¢ LB.

Sold only in

3 Lb. bagsFor $5.97