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TPATPATPATPATPATEXASPUBLISHERSASSOCIATION

Presorted StandardU.S. Postage Paid

Austin, TexasPermit No. 01949

INSIDEVol. 42 No.22 Phone: 512-476-0082 Email: vil3202@aol.com October 17, 2014

RAPPIN’RAPPIN’RAPPIN’RAPPIN’RAPPIN’Tommy WyattTommy WyattTommy WyattTommy WyattTommy Wyatt

TheAustinVillager.comTheAustinVillager.com

In 1971, Berl Handcoxbecame the first AfricanAmerican sinceReconstruction to serve onthe Austin City Council. Hewas re-elected in 1973, andresigned the post in 1975 inorder to head the Office ofEqual EmploymentOpportunity for the State ofTexas. Since his tenure,Place 6 on the Austin CityCouncil has traditionallybeen filled by an AfricanAmerican. Handcox was followed

African Americans on Austin City Council:1971 - 2014: Berl Handcox to Sheryl Cole

Berl Handcox (1971 - 1975) Sheryl Cole 2006 - PresentSee PLACE 6, page 2

AAYHFHost 2nd

AnnualChangingthe StoryLuncheon

Attending the AAYHF Luncheon were (L toR) Dorothy Madison, AdaAnderson and Sharon Alexander. Photo by Melissa Fontenette-Mitchell

AUSTIN, TX - The Af-rican American Youth Har-vest Foundation hostedthe 2nd Annual Changingthe Story Luncheon onWednesday. Oct 8th. TheLuncheon was held at theAT&T center at Universityof Texas in Austin. Theluncheon recognized com-munity leaders, corporatepartners and individualsfor their leadership. Theseindividuals share theAAYHF story, while raisingneeded funds for contin-ued success and outreachto youth, families andcommunities.

Special guest at theChanging the Story Lun-cheon is University of Texasalum Vince Young. Vinceled the UT Austin Footballteam to the 2006 BCS Na-tional Championship. TheHonorable Sam Biscoe,

Travis County Commission-ers Court, will be honoredwith the Legacy Changeraward for his distinguishedservice to youth familiesand the community. Alsobeing honored are eminentcommunity members: Ada

Anderson, MichaelMcDonald and Bill PowersJr..

The luncheon is afundraising event for AAYHF,which enriches the lives of8,500 high-risk youth of ev-ery ethnicity through special

programs, mentoring, tech-nology, school based con-ferences and other supportto low-income families inthe greater Austin Area.

Founded by MichaelLofton, community activist,the African American YouthHarvest Foundation startedas grass roots, community-based initiative in Austin;addressing huge commu-nity problems such asalarming drop-out and highincarceration rates and com-munity safety needs thatdisproportionately impactcommunities of color.

Grammy® Award Winners DorindaClark Cole and Jacky Clark Chisholm

Come to San Marcos, Texas

Dorinda Clark Cole (L) and Jacky Clark Chisholm. Photo by Naomi Richard

By Naomi RichardIn an unprecedented

move, Central Texas Inde-pendent Gospel Artist L.D. Johnson, III, set out ona mission over a year agoto bring Grammy® AwardWinners Dorinda ClarkCole and Jacky ClarkChisholm to San Marcos,Texas as part of their mo-bile Singers & MusiciansArts Conference (SMAC).With the backing of FirstBaptist Church of SanMarcos and the surround-ing area, Johnsonachieved his goal with apromise from the Clarksisters that they will re-turn next year!

LD Johnson lll is agospel artist, writer,teacher, motivationalspeaker, and graduate ofTexas State Universitywith a Bachelor of Sciencein Sound Recording Tech-nology. He is currently

See SMAC, page 2

LIBERTY!EQUALITY!

ANDFIREWORKS!

By Shirley A. Hammond

Pollyanna TheatreCompany is a dramatic artcompany. Producing Artis-tic Director JudyMatetzschk-Ca shares howshe always had a passionfor the creation of newplays for young audiences,so she founded her orga-nization to fulfill this de-sire. The plays are oftenfueled with hopeful mes-sages and the theme ofacceptance. She said shedidn’t want a child who

See LIBERTY!, page2

2,500 families toreceive federallyfunded housing.

See WAITLISTPage 7

Communty dignitary,enriching Austin’s

educational system.See MEANS

Page 3

Candidates expresstheir platform via

black media outlets.See SCREENING

Page 3

While we are putting a lot ofattention into the Austin CityCouncil 10-1 election, wemay be forgetting some othervery important races that areon the ballot. We will also beelecting representatives on theAustin School Board and theAustin Community CollegeBoard. These boards are alsovery important to the Austincommunity. It is also important that weinsure that there is diversity onthese boards. We must thankCheryl Bradley for herdedicated service on theAISD board for many years.She deserves a rest. We mustalso give some attention to theACC Board, because thatorganization plays a veryimportant role in thecommunity. For the AISD board werecommend: Edmond T.Gordon for District 1. For Austin CommunityCollege: Mark Williamsfor Place 1; Gigi EdwardsBryant for Place 2; andNam McRaven, who isrunning unopposed inPlace 3. Next week we will bemaking our endorsement in theAustin City Council race. Asyou know, there is only oneAfrican American Opportunitydistrict (the district that wouldhave the best chance of electingan African American) andseveral Hispanic Oppor-tunity districts. That does notmean that either will beelected, but they have a betterchance because of the largenumbers of African American/Hispanics in those districts. In order to help with theMayor’s race and District 1 TheAfrican American OpportunityDistrict, we will be holding acandidates forum on Monday(see announcement on page 3)that will be hosted by TheVillager, Nokoa and KAZI.We know that early voting willbegin Monday, but we willhave our endorsements in nextweeks paper. That will be intime to vote during the earlyvoting period that ends onOctober 31. We look forward to seeingyou on Monday.

VOTE AND THEDECISION IS YOURS!

DON’T VOTE AND THEDECISION IS THEIRS!

What aboutAISD/ACC?

Page 2 ~ October 17, 2014/THE VILLAGER www.theaustinvillager.com

THE COMMUNIQUÉ

by Jimmy G. Snell, aninsurance executive for theAtlanta Life InsuranceCompany. At that time,Atlanta Life was one of thelargest employers of AfricanAmericans owned by AfricanAmericans. Snell served onthe council from 1975 –1981 when he resigned torun for CountyCommissioner of Precinct 1in Travis County. Dr. Charles Urdyfollowed Snell on the council.From 1981 until 1994, Dr.Urdy held the Place 6 seaton the Austin City Council,an unprecedented five terms.Since retiring from theCouncil and Huston-Tillotson College, Dr. Urdyworked at the LowerColorado River Authority,where he served as Managerof the Environmental Scienceand Technology Division untilhis retirement. Place 6 continued to beheld by African Americanwith the election of Eric

PLACE 6: LEGACY OFAFRICAN AMERICANS ANDTHEIR COMMITTMENT TO

THE EAST AUSTINCOMMUNITY

Dr. Charles Urdy

Continued from page 1

Mitchell (1994-1997), WillieLewis (1997-2000), DannyThomas (2000 – 2006) andSheryl Cole 2006 –Present).Cole was the first AfricanAmerican female elected tothe Austin City Council andcurrently serves as MayorPro Tem of the council.During the 2012 elections,Austin Voters passed ameasure that would have thecouncil elected from Single-Member-Districts. What willhappen to the African andHispanic seats on the councilwill be determined by futureelections. The first electionunder the new system will beNovember 4, 2014.

pursuing his mastersat The University of Texasat Arlington in EducationLeadership and Policies.He is from Wortham,Texas, and he currentlyserves as minister of mu-sic at First Baptist Churchin San Marcos.

According to theirwebsite, the mission ofSMAC is to provide the ar-tistic community with highquality performers of allethnic background andperformance levels, and toconnect artists with di-verse creative abilities inthe performing arts, withmusic industry opportuni-ties. Through workshops,seminars, general ses-sions, and new artist

SMAC EncouragesGrowth, Inclusion andExpression continued from page 1

Dorinda Clark Cole. Photo by Naomi Richard

showcases, SMAC be-lieves that creative con-nections will grow and nur-ture those in attendance,giving lifelong craft devel-opment.

Dorinda Clark Colefounded SMAC, and shealong with her sister JackyClark Chisholm are mem-bers of the legendary gos-pel group, The Clark Sis-ters.

Johnson had this tosay about the Conference,“The first ever DorindaClark Cole master classseries here in the Austinand San Antonio regionwas a complete success.I want to personally thankeveryone who came out tosupport Dr. Cole’s vision ofimparting into the heartsof individuals who have adesire and calling in mu-sic ministry. It was a greatopportunity to get one-on-one training from the liv-ing legends. We will dothis again.”

couldn’t pay for a ticket to miss out. Her company’smost recent undertaking is to do a theatrical produc-tion of the Civil Rights Movement entitled LIBERTY!EQUALITY! AND FIREWORKS! Two shows took place onSaturday and Sunday, October 11 at 2:00pm and 4:00pmand October 12 at 2:00pm. More productions take placeon Saturday, October 18 at 2:00pm and 4:00pm andSunday, October 19 at 2:00pm.

When asked why 4th graders were targeted for theplay’s characters, she said they are in a transition year– no longer lower elementary students, but not middleschoolers yet. “It’s a mark of growing up and maturing.And you start to mature personally and you start tounderstand much more about the world around you. SoI think it’s a perfect time to introduce some of the con-cepts that we discuss in the play.” The director creditsher own 4th grade teacher with taking them on fieldtrips which enabled them to explore the world beyondtheir neighborhoods. “And looking back on it now, I seehow that exposure really did shape how I think and howI work today.”

She stated that the production has been well-re-ceived. “People have been excited to see the charac-ters in the play discovering history.” Matetzschk-Campbell reported that the young actors have been toldthat their take on the dialogue of playwright GregoryPerrin has been spot on, with elements of humor andgreat emotion. “The play is very enjoyable while it isalso honest about some very difficult history.

“I had been wanting to address the Civil RightsMovement of the 1960’s in a play for young audiencesfor a long time, but had never had the space and re-

LIBERTY! EQUALITY! ANDFIREWORKS! PerformancesScheduled for the 18th & 19th

A scene from the Civil Rights play LIBERTY!EQUALITY! AND FIREWORKS!. Photo by ShirleyHammond

continued from page 1

See FREEDOM ISN’T FREE, page 7

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www.theaustinvillager.com THE VILLAGER/October 17, 2014 ~ Page 3

CHURCH & TOWN BULLETIN

Ebenezer Baptist Church1010 East 10th Street 512-478-1875 Fax 512-478-1892

WednesdayMidweek Prayer Service 7:00 P.M.Child Development CenterAges 0-5 years (Daily) 512-478-6709

Bus Ministry Call 512-478-1875

St. Peter’s United Methodist Church 4509 Springdale Road Austin, Tx 78723

Office 512- 926-1686 Fax 512-929-7281Christian Web Site-

stpetersaustintx.ning.comstpetersaustintx@att.net

THE PLACE WHERE WE STEP OUT ON FAITH.COME AND STEP OUT ON FAITH WITH US

Sunday School 8:45 a.m. Praise and Worship 10:15 a.m.

Wednesday Bible Study 12:00 p.m.and Praise /Bible Study 6:30 p.m.

(to include Children’s Choir Rehersaland Bible Study with age appropiate Activities)

Rev. Jack C. Gause Pastor

Agape Baptist ChurchIn “The Centre” Bldg. F-15 7801 N. Lamar Blvd. (SE Corner of N Lamar and 183)

AGAPE is a chuch for all people. “Where Jesus Christ is Magnified and the love Heexhibited is Exemplified.” Come, receive God’s unconditional lovefor you.

For there is no greater love!

Church ServicesSunday School 9:30 AMSunday Worship 11:00 AM

Mid-Week Service Thursday: Praise,Prayer and Bible Study 7:00 PMCall 454-1547 for Transporation

Website www.agapebcaustintx.comRev. H. Ed Calahan

Pastor

Imani Community ChurchDavis Elementray Auditorium 5214 West Duval Road

Sunday School 9:00 A.M.Worship Service 10:00 A.M.•Power Hour Bible Life Group 6:00 P.M.

Imani Complex & Office,11800 Mustang at Duval Austin, Texas 78727

Visit:imanichurch.comOffice: 512-343-9300Rev. Dr. Jacquelyn Donald-Mims

7801 N. Lamar Blvd,Suite D 102,

Austin, Texas 78752

Worship: Sunday--10:00 am - 12:30 pm

Tuesday Bible Studies--7:30pm - 9:00 pmFriday Prayers--7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

The Church of Pentecost, USA Inc,Austin offers a wide variety of opportuni-ties for children, youth, adults, and olderadults to be involved in worship, spiritualgrowth, education, community outreach,and making a tangible difference to thosein need in our community. You too, canmake a positive difference in our commu-nity through your prayers, your presence,your gifts, your service, and your witness.Tel: 512 302-1270

Leading People to Experience God’s Love, Know Jesus Christ & Grow in His Image

The Church of Pentecost

Olive Branch Fellowship of Austin / All Faith Chapel4110 Guadalupe St Bldg #639 Austin, TX 78751

Sunday MorningWorship @ 11: am

Romans 5:1 Therefore,having beenjustified by faith, we have peace

with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

This life, therefore, is not righteous-ness, but growth in righteousness; not health,but healing; not being, but becoming; not rest,but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be,but we are growing toward it. The process isnot yet finished, but it is going on. This is notthe end, but it is the road. All does not yetgleam in glory, but all is being purified.

--- Martin Luther

Kenneth Hill, Pastor

DOUBLE

GROCERY“R”

450l East Martin Luther King Blvd.

*We cash ALL Tax Refund*Checks *Check Out

1179 San Bernard Street,Austin, TX 78702, 512-478-7023

Sunday Morning Bible Study, 9:00 A.M.Sunday Morning Worship, 10:15 A.M.Visit our website @ www.obcaus.org

Globalizing the Gospel

A Ministry That Ministers

Edward M. Fleming,Sr. Pastor

OLIVET BAPTISTCHURCH

Felix Bamirin, Pastor

GRACEWAY CHRISTIAN CHURCHExperience Grace For Life

(By Parmer Lane Baptist Church building, behind Wells Fargo)

Call: 682.472.9073 l Email: gracewayaustin@aol.com lVisit: www.gracewaycca.org

JOIN US This SUNDAY / THURSDAY@ 12424 Scofield Farms Drive, Austin, TX 78758

SUNDAYS 10:30 A.M., THURSDAYS 7:30 P.M.

Mount Sinai Missionary Baptist Church 5900 Cameron Road Austin, Texas 78723-1843

(512) 451-0808 (512) 302-4575 Fax Web Site - www.themount.net

WORSHIP SERVICESSunday Worship - 7:45 a.m. & 11 a.m.Church School - 9:45 a.m.Bible Studies - Mon, 6:30 p.m. & Wed., 12 noonWednesday Night Worship - 7 p.m.

“Ministries For Mankind” Luke 4:18

A.W.. Anthony Mays, Senior Pastor

Worship Service 8:00 A.M.Sunday School 9:00 A.M.Discipleship Training 10:00 A.M.Worship Service 11:00 A.M.

Sunday Services

Dr. Ricky Freeman,Pastor

Country Boyz Fixin’s4140 E. 12th Street, Austin, TX 78721

Featuring Fish, Poboys, Hot Wings, Pork Chops,Homemade Gumbo, Shrimp and Alligator

DINE IN OR ORDER TO GOMon - Friday 11 am - 8 p.m.Saturday - 12 noon - 8 p.m.

Closed SundayCall (512) 928-5555

*Mention this ad and get a FREE 20 oz. Drink*

Huston-Tillotson

UniversityDay

At Wesley

UMC

Wesley United Meth-odist Church is honoringHuston- Tillotson Univer-sity and President andC.E.O. Dr. Larry L. Earvin ontheir annual UniversityDay, October 19, 2014 atthe 10:00 A.M. worshipservice.

Dr. Larry Earvin will bethe featured speaker andwill discuss new initiativesand plans for the future ofthe University. All alumni,former students, friendsand the community atlarge are invited.

Wesley United Meth-odist Church is located at1164 San Bernard Street,Austin, Texas.

Rev. Sylvester E.Chase Jr., Pastor.

Dr. Larry L. Earvin

Austin, TXThe EbenezerBaptist Church Mu-

sic Ministry presents itsAnnual Musicale, “Singingunto the Lord with Joy andGladness”; Scripture:Psalm 100:1-2, on Sunday,October 26, 2014, 4:00p.m. in the church sanctu-ary, 1010 East 10th Street.The event will feature se-lections from all units ofthe worship ministry, un-der the direction of Dr.Gloria Quinlan, Minister ofMusic. The Reverend Doc-tor Ricky Freeman is Pas-tor. The public is cordiallyinvited to attend the ser-vice. For additional infor-mation, please call thechurch office at 512: 478-1875.

“Singingunto the

Lord withJoy and

Gladness”

Honoring the Contributions of Mrs.Bertha Sadler Means By U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett

Mrs. Bertha Sadler Means and U.S. Rep Lloyd Doggettat the Mrs. Bertha Means Academy dedication.

[AUSTIN, TX] At the opening of the Means YoungWomen’s Leadership Academy, Austin leaders in educa-tion gathered to celebrate community and opportunity, bothof which are embodied by Mrs. Bertha Means. It is nocoincidence that both words end in “unity”-- since one ofher great abilities is to bring people together. She con-fronted segregation, protested against injustice, chal-lenged discrimination, achieved hard-won accomplish-ments for our community, all while maintaining a greatfamily and leading a small business.

I first met Mrs. Means and her late husband Dr.James Means, when I was a UT student. I am still hon-ored to speak for a generation of young white men in-cluding former Travis County District Attorney, RonnieEarle, and ACC’s Director of the Center for Public Policyand Political Studies, Robert “Peck” Young, who Berthahas frequently referred to as “her boys,” as we sat inher kitchen working on voter registration. I learned fromher not only about registering voters but about somehistory of my hometown that was not taught in school.She worked to tear down the barriers of segregation atthe Ice Palace skating rink on Burnet, with her daugh-ter Joan at Barton Springs and Zilker Park, in schools,taxis, and restaurants, and even at church.

In a time that held limited options for women, es-pecially women of color, she was able to succeed. Andnow her name inspires other young women to succeedat the Means Young Leadership Academy. It takes selfdiscipline to stick with doing homework or seeking af-ter school assistance, while friends are out having agood time. And sometimes it is a matter of just saying“no” to things that can only obstruct the path to edu-cational success. Mrs. Bertha Means knew how to say“no” at some important times.

When Mrs. Means saw something wrong, shedidn’t just sit idly and hope the problem would resolveitself-- she demanded change. So often students areconfronted with situations, big and small, where “it’sjust not fair.” That is what Bertha faced again and again.For decades, she has really been in the lemonade busi-ness, as she tells her own daughters: “Whenever lifegives you lemons, you just go ahead and make lemon-ade.” Throughout her long life, she has been handed alot of lemons, but she has made a lot of lemonade.

One of my favorite stories about Mrs. Means isthe story of her last successful sit in. She was the old-est delegate to the National Democratic Convention inDenver. I recall sitting near her one night at the mov-ing acceptance speech of then Senator Barack Obama.After our eventual election victory, she naturally wantedto attend the Inauguration. And so did a whole lot ofpeople—far more people than I had chairs available inWashington. One day just after the election, while Iwas in Washington, I got a call from my Austin officetelling me that there was a woman there who wantedinaugural tickets. I already had many times the num-ber of requests as I had tickets. Well my aide says sheis sitting in the office and she will not leave until she isguaranteed some tickets. And that is how I came togive my first inaugural tickets to Mrs. Bertha Means.

We owe Mrs. Bertha Means thanks for enriching oureducational community as a Head Start Director, a teacher,a college instructor, and AISD’s first reading instructioncoordinator, for leading on the Human Relations Commis-sion, Austin Parks Commission, NAACP, the Urban League,and so many more. She made Austin a better place wheremore of our neighbors can achieve their full God-givenpotential. She is an inspiration to all.

Austin Black Media Screening –

Monday, October 20, 2014 – 5-9 p.m.Publishers of NOKOA The Observer and The Villager

Newspapers will be joined by a representative from KAZI-FM radio to question the candidates at Wesley UnitedMethodist Church located at 1164 San Bernard Street. Thescreening will begin at 5:00 p.m. with candidates for mayorbeing screened first. Because of the number of candidatesin the race (8) two hours have been allotted for each race.

One candidate has informed the Black media lead-ers that they are scheduled to participate in another May-oral forum beginning at 6:30 p.m. so the screeners agreedto end the screening when all the candidates have left.Some are expected to leave earlier than 6:30 p.m. to makethe other meeting. The screening of District 1 candidateswill begin shortly after the Mayoral screening ends. Dis-trict 1 candidates will be given up to two hours to expressthey view and share their platform. There are nine candi-dates running to be the first Austinite to represent Dis-trict 1 in the new 10-1 single-member district council nextyear. District 1 includes much of Central East Austin. Themayor will be elected at large.

The Black media candidate screening will take placein the church’s chapel so there will be room for more thana hundred citizens to participate in the forum. For moreinformation on the Austin African American Media CityCouncil Screening please contact Akwasi Evans atakwasievans2013@gmail.com.

Page 4 ~ October 17, 2014/THE VILLAGER www.theaustinvillager.com

YOUTH BRIGADEYouth of Today

Hope of Tomorrow Black RegistryBlack RegistryBlack RegistryBlack RegistryBlack Registry

At school we finishedour project on the 13 colo-nies and science in thekitchen. My team got a re-ally good grade. We got a

SaNaya WhiteCedars Int’l Academy

Kevin ParishPark Crest M.S.

Damon Luckett IIHays High School

95! So after all the teamsfinished doing theirprojects, the next day wegot new teams. This timeour teachers put us ingroups of people who workthe way we do. The peoplewho don't do a lot of workare in a group and thepeople who do a lot of workare in a group and then thepeople who are in themiddle are in a group.

My group and I fig-ured out that we're thegroup who does a lot bylooking at who's in ourgroup. I hope everyoneworks good in their groupsbecause I know my groupwill! This will ultimatelytest all of us on how wellwe work with others.

New GroupsMusic

I am starting to make a

career out of music. Musichas been a big thing for methese past couple of years.I’m in a rap group called TheTexas Apostles and we’vebeen making music for 3 to4 years. Since we are gain-ing knowledge from music,I found my way in the pro-duction side. I think musicis going to take me far if Idon’t stop believing in my-self. Music is what I love todo the most and I think it isa gate way from stress. Itbrings out a different per-son in myself. Music is mydefinition of happiness.

School Day

In Texas history classwe have been learningabout Native Americans.Some of them live in houseslike tipis, permanent 60 feethouses and pueblos. Also inLanguage Arts, we havebeen working on our per-sonal narrative. Soon wewill be writing our final

draft. My 4th period is Sci-ence class; it is all about thecells that are in our body,plants bodies (leaves) andin animal bodies. Next is my5th period which is math. Wehave been learningPEMDAS which is Parenthe-ses, Exponents, Multiplica-tion, Division, and Additionand last but not least is Sub-traction. My 6th period isstudy skill; it is for reading.We do stations every daybut we switch every weekwith the computers. Tech inAction is my 7th period class.Instead of technology, Techin Action focuses on yourcareer as a grown up. ThisTuesday we don’t have agame so that means we

have a bye week this week.

Kiara MyersVista Ridge H. S.

Homecoming Week

This week is V istaRidge High School’s home-coming week. Each day ofthe week correspondswith a theme to increaseschool spirit and preparefor the big game on Fridaynight. Monday is Americaday, Tuesday is Tacky Tour-ist day, Wednesday is Sa-fari day, Thursday is Twinday and Friday is Spirit day.This is my senior year so Ican’t wait to dress up forthe last time.

On Wednesday, al l9th-11th graders will takethe PSAT so we will have

an early release. At 6 p.m.the annual V ista RidgeHomecoming Parade andPep Rally will be held atGupton Stadium. Manyathletic teams, clubs, andorganizations march in theparade to represent theunity of “Ranger Pride”. Itis really an awesomeevent for students, fac-ulty, and the communityto rally support and showschool spirit.

On Friday, the VistaRidge football team willplay Dripping Springs Highand try to defend their 6-0record. It should be a com-petitive game, but I thinkwe will come out on toplike always. The Home-coming queen and kingwill be announced at halftime and many alumni willbe back to support theiralma mater. Of course onSaturday there will be adance in the cafeteria, butmy favorite event will al-ways be Friday night foot-

ball!

Maze Runner Review

Ira “T.J.” WilliamsRidgeview M. S.

The film The MazeRunner is about a boynamed Thomas who wakesup without a memory in aplace called the Glade. TheGlade is surrounded by aseries of mazes crawlingwith creatures called Griev-ers. Thomas’s job is to runthrough the maze to helpfind a way of escape.

I thought the movieThe Maze Runner was an

excellent take on the best-selling book by JamesDashner. It was full of sus-pense, drama, and epic fightscenes. The movie also hadgreat special effects and adiverse young cast. Being aPG-13 film, it had some vio-lent content and vulgar lan-guage, which may not beappropriate for some chil-dren.

I would recom-mend this movie for peoplewho like a good action/ad-venture film. Before theywatch the movie however,they should read the bookso that they can comparethe two renditions. Themovie was very similar tothe book besides a few mi-nor details.

I really enjoyed TheMaze Runner and think thenext three movies of theseries will be just as good if

not better than the first.

Lanette DempsDel Valle High School

We are already in thesecond week of school. Iknew that I was going tohave trouble in geometry soI went to tutorials when Icould. I hardly understandsome of the stuff be I getmost of it. I just wish that itwould be much easier. Iknow some of the reasons

why I have trouble are be-cause of the students in myclass. They like to talk andmess around which makesmy teacher stop her lessonand deal with the studentswho are disrupting herclass. I wish she did morethan just send them out ofclass because hardly dothey know they are mess-ing up other people’s learn-ing and I know they don’tcare because of their atti-tudes towards the teacher.Sometimes I just want to gochange my schedule but Idon’t want to go through notrouble so I just be quite. Ilike my teacher don’t getme wrong I know she can domore than just to tell them

to be quite.

Geometry

This week school wasgood and we get a 3 dayweekend. I’m so ready to bedone with school now. Atfirst I was ready to be atschool now I just want tograduate. I know it’s time

Imani DempsDel Valle High School

for me to figure out whatI’m going to do because I’vetalked to a lot of people thathave graduated and theysaid they wish they did notwait so long to figure outwhat they were going to dobecause they missed dead-lines. They were not pre-pared and I don’t want to besaying that. So before theend of this year I want tohave it figured out, one daya week I’m going to setaside just so I can thinkabout what I’m going to do.I’m going to list the goodthings and the bad thingsand see what best fits me.I’m going to talk to my coun-selor to get the help I needalso. I hope I find the bestschool for me.

Ready

School Dance

The back to school

Erika LipscombManor Elementary

dance for our school waslast Thursday. It was so awe-some. It had to be awesomefor me because I am in thefifth grade and it was my lastyear in the elementary. Ibought a lot of things fromthe concession stand.

They played all kindsof new songs. Some peoplestarted the train. It is likethe cango line but differ-ent. I had a lot of fun.Maybe one more dance be-fore the end of the schoolyear.

Latrice LipscombManor High School

W ithin the wor ldthat we live in, it is verysimple to catch an illnessboth mild and ser ious.However, just by keepingup good hyg iene andmaking smart decisions,prevents your chance ofcoming encounter withcertain i l lnesses. We asthe people of the UnitedStates t ry our best tokeep our country cleanand safe to live in. Un-fortunate ly, there arethose who don' t have

the same way of thinkingand instead of pushingfor good sanitation, carrythemselves with poorhygiene. This is a situa-tion to be aware of.

Ebola i s a d iseasethat has been around fora while but is just nowcoming into the latestconversations as a "hottopic". Before this dis-ease esca lated, therewere certain things thatdid not concern me. Yet,Ebola has been a hugeeye-opening c i rcum-stance. It has brought meto realize how easy it isto be on the receiv ingside of an illness.

It is very important tobe aware of your sur-roundings. Make it a habitof washing your hands,being careful what youtouch and definitely noteating or drinking afterpeople. Your health is im-portant, protect it.

Be Aware

Montrae NelsonRiverplace Elementary

Do you know what agray wolf is? Gray wolvesbelong to the canidaefamily they l ive in verycold places like the arcticcircle female wolves staywith their young to keepthem safe from predatorsuntil they grow big enoughto take care of them-selves. The females wayup to 79 to 85 lbs andmales weigh 95 to 99 lbs,They have really sharpteeth that are used to kill

Wolvesand eat their prey.

Wolves can live in thesnow because of they havewarm bushy fur that pro-tects from the cold,Wolves eat deer,birds,penguins and otheranimals. Wolves are veryfast their speed helpsthem catch their prey,Wolves think humans andtigers are a threat but itsreal enemy is the ox.Wolves will kill bigger ani-mals but the ox travel inherds and their strengthare scary to wolves.

Breeding season oc-curs once a year late Janu-ary though march babiesare born blind and de-fenseless. The pack caresfor the babies until 10months of age when theycan hunt on their own,once on their own they canhunt traveling 50 to 500miles. If you ever see agray wolf run away fastand hide!

www.theaustinvillager.com THE VILLAGER/October 17, 2014 ~ Page 5

YOUTH BRIGADE

Aubri Allen-BrentDel Valle High School

This week we took thebig W this week in footballagainst Lehman , I don’t re-ally remember the score .But I know we won . Thetheme was pink outLehman last week. A Can-cer survivor I know JessicaEasley this is her story ;

So after finding alump in my breast I madean appointment to see mygynecologist, she informsent me to the St. David’sBreast Center where theydid a mammogram and ul-tra sound of the area, asfate would have it the lumpI found was not the infectedarea, I always say it wasGod’s way of sending me to

get checked out. I did how-ever have a tumor that wasfound in my left breast butnot in the area I thought, itwas in the upper party ofmy breast and I was diag-nosed with stage II breastcancer on January 14, 2012 Iwas 38 years old. In Marchof that same year I enduredtwo surgeries(lumpectomy) to removethe tumor and in April I be-gan chemo taking my lasttreatment in May of 2012,then I began 30 treatmentsof radiation finishing theday before my 39th birth-day august 16. Currently Iget mammograms everyyear in October and I visitthe oncologist every 6months. My message toothers is take care of your-self, eat right, exercise andgo to the doctor regularlybut most importantly whenyou think our feel there issomething wrong getchecked out, in most casespeople ignore the warningsigns and if you just take amoment to see if there ussomething wrong you cancatch abd fix most ailments.

until next time GOO CARDS

Cancer Survivor

Trenton LearyHornsby Dunlap Elem.

Rained Out

On Saturday October11, 2014 Capital City BearcatsJuniors was going to play Aus-tin Raiders Juniors at TravisHigh School, but due to theweather, the game was can-

celled. This will be the sec-ond game that had to be can-celled due to storming con-ditions.

We are not allowed toplay or practice when it isthundering and lightning. Ifit had of been just rain wemight have played depend-ing on the condition of thefield.

I look forward to thegame this week. We will beat our home field. I am hop-ing that we will get to playand we are not rained out. Ilove football this is one of myfavorite sports.

Until next time be blessand keep safe!

Genesis StiggersElgin Middle School

Sometimes I don’t getgood grades. It is very com-mon for people to get badgrades. What isn’t fair isthat some times there is noextra credit to make up forthe grade. That is why thereis extra credit. If you don’tget a make up or retakethen students need someway to get their grades up

right? That way is called ex-tra credit.

Some people are lazyand feel like they don’tneed extra credit when theyknow that they do. I am notone of those people. I workhard so I can play hard.Though sometimes I workhard without playing hardand still get a bad grade. Ifthat grade affects my reportcard then I need extracredit to get it up. That iswhy I think extra credit is soimportant.

Extra credit is a smartthing to do even if youdon’t have bad grades be-cause you can get a evenbetter grade or it can raiseyour grade if you do get one.Extra credit is a smart wayto spend your time which iswhy I think all schools

should have it.

Extra Credit

B.C Awareness Month

Think about it we allknow October is BreastCancer Awareness month.You see people wearingthe ribbon to createawareness, You seepeople running mara-thons in honor of BreastCancer Awareness. Yousee poeple doing all ofthis stuff but do you reallyunderstand what BreastCancer is, how it happensand why it's so important?Let me tell you why.

Breast Cancer is

Zachariah WashingtonCedars Academy

caused by malignant cellthat form in the breast tis-sue. 200,000 women arediagnosed with Breas Can-cer yearly, and more than400,000 women have diedof it. Surprisingly men areafflicted by Breast Cancertoo with 1,700 cases and450 deaths have been re-ported. The purpose of B.Cawareness month is thesupport programs devel-oped by several organiza-tions that take part in thefight against Breast Can-cer. In the 80s Susan GColeman was the founderof Breast Cancer aware-ness month. Last but notleast this year we cel-ebrate the 30th anniver-sary of of National BreastCancer Awareness Month.

It is very importantthat we celebrate BreastCancer patience beacuasetheir lives are at stakewith this disease so letsmake them feel loved andcelebrated while they arealive.

Sarah RobertsonAthlos Leadership Acad.

Piano Festival

This past Saturdaythere was a piano festivalheld at Concordia Univer-sity. This year ’s festivaltheme was Jazz and Blues.This year at the festival, Iwas so nervous whether Iwould do good or not but

I didn’t let that stop mefrom giving my best.

We had to go into aseparate room to play twomusical pieces for thejudges. The songs I playedwere Skyfall from themovie Skyfall, and DixieBlues by Phil Hamm. WhenI went in the room I took adeep breath and started toplay my first song. I feltreally good and I was notas nervous when I startedplaying my second song.

After, the festival mypiano teacher Ms. Hill toldme that I got a Superiorwhich is the highest score.This was not my first festi-val and hopefully I will beable to perform in this fes-

tival again.

Hannah RobertsonConnally High School

Playoffs

For our ConnallyLady Cougars Volleyballteam district play is com-ing to a close. We are onour second round of Dis-

trict 17-5A play. However,Volleyball playoffs arecoming soon. We sti l lhave a couple of gamesthat we need to overcomewhich will be a major chal-lenge to winning our dis-trict.

Our major goal ismaking a statement in play-offs. Usually, the Lady Cou-gars Volleyball teams havelost in the first round inplayoffs. In 2012, the teamwent to the second round,which was the furthestsince 2003.

We are ready to breakall the records because webelieve that this is our year.

Aaron WilliamsKealing M.S.

This week was home-coming at Kealing MiddleSchool and our footballteam played FulmoreMiddle School. Fulmore’steam was fast, but theycould not get by our de-fense. I was able to play

offense and defense thisgame and I had so muchfun. Playing defense I wasable to get through theiroffensive line every time.On the offensive side ofour team, we could not betouched.

The game ended inour favor with a score of36-0. After the game mostof the football, playerswent to the dance becausewe won our game andwere proud.

In my life skills classwe have a project comingup where the studentswill be taking a baby homefor a week. I do not knoweverything about what wewill have to do yet, but assoon as I find out, I will be

letting you know. Be safe.

Football and Babies

Zyon HillReagan High School

De’Ja HillLamar Middle School

Baking Club

Hello Readers,Friday I had my

first club meeting. Club is

when the students aregiven a sheet with differ-ent types of activities tochoose from such ascheer, baking, and art. Ichose baking because Iwould like to be a pastrychef. After working as achef, I would like to ownmy own bakery one day.

Unfortunately, I didnot turn in my paper intime so I was assigned tocheer. Even though I didnot get the club of mychoice, cheer is prettycool and it is better thanhaving no club at all.

Until next time.

Hello Readers,This week at

Reagan High School, theRaiders’ football team

played Bastrop Bears. Thejunior varsity team playedand lost by a score of 21-6while the varsity teamplayed and lost by of scoreor 46-20, which is hard forme to report..The Raidersare also began our annualfood drive. Each grade col-lects can goods to be do-nated to people who areless fortunate and may notbe able to afford food allthe time. The grade thatcollects the most cangoods will win a prize. Thefreshmen are currently infirst place on the road to

victory. Until next time.

Raiders Food Drive

Malakhi WashingtonCedars Int’l Academy

Jaylon KnightenDel Valle High School

My Art Skills

Since I was three yearsold I wanted to be an artistbecause they have great artwork and portraits. PabloPicasso was a great artist.He was the artist that in-spired me the most.

Some of the art piecesthat Pablo is known for isThe Old Guitarist and theWeeping Woman. Theseare great portraits. I am anabstract artist. Do you knowwhat an abstract artist is?An Abstract artist is an art-ist that will draw any typeof art. I like to draw por-traits of the beach and fam-ily members, special occa-sion pieces and I like to mixdifferent pastel colors to-gether.

I love art because itcalms me and sooths mymind. I love it because it isfun. I want to be a great art-

ist when I grow up!

Shout out to all theCardinals Football teams forwinning their game on lastweek against the LehmanLobos High School. The re-sults from the two band

competitions the ProudCardinal band competed inthe last week were we re-ceived all one’s in each di-visions at the BastropMarching Festival and wereceived eleventh place atthe Westlake competitionwhich cut us short of mak-ing the finals. The ProudCardinals Band next compe-tition is UIL which will beheld October 21st. Wish usluck

This past week we alsoheld our 5th Annual Band ORama it went great all theMiddle School students dida good job playing and danc-ing during our halftimeshow.

Cardinals Win

The Varsity golfteams competed in theHays CISD tournament to-day at Plum Creek. Theboys’ team placed 5th witha score of 324 and CarterBrown’s 70 won him the2nd place medalist award

Audio / Video Class

Alon RodgersHendrickson Highschool

out of over 70 golfers.The HHS audio/video

class has a playlist of 10videos that are a great dis-play of everything at ourschool including the tal-ent show. You can see theentire playlist on YouTube.Just Google HendricksonHigh School Audio/VideoProduction.

The football teamlost a district game for thefirst time since moving upto the top UIL classificationlast week. Stony Pointhanded the Hawks a 38-35defeat at home. This weekwe face cross town rivalsPflugerville Panthers.

The HendricksonHawk Volleyball team is 9-0 in district.

www.TheAustinVillager.com

@TheVillagerATX

Page 6 ~ October 17, 2014/THE VILLAGER www.theaustinvillager.com

CITY ~ STATE ~ NATIONAL ~ WORLDChris Osborn for Texas House District 52

As the elections getnear, so does the activi-ties of Chris Osborn, theDemocratic Party nomi-nee for Texas House Dis-trict 52 (WilliamsonCounty). Just recently,Chris Osborn held a“Greet and Meet”fundraiser. In this comingweek, Chris Osborn plansto hold a women’sevent.This is due to thefact that women make upa significant voting blockwithin the DemocraticParty. Moreover, TexasHouse District 52 con-sists of cities like RoundRock, Hutto, Taylor, andsmall parts of North Aus-tin.

Chris Osborn is run-ning on several issuesthat can better help thepeople of Texas HouseDistrict 52 and Texans.

by Tsoke (Chuch) Adjavon

Some of the issues that Chris is running on in-

clude education, healthcare, and repealing thecurrent ID laws. Chrisstrongly believes that thecurrent voter ID law is,"Un-American and notacceptable to decent Tex-ans". In addition, ChrisOsborn believes, “Texasshould use federal fundingto make sure Texaswomen have access topreventative healthcare.”

Prior to running forTexas House District 52,Chris Osborn served as aCouncil Member of Tay-lor from 2010 to 2013. So,for three years he helpedto shape the future ofTaylor. In addition, heserved as a board mem-ber of the Capital AreaCouncil of Governmentsand the Taylor EconomicDevelopment Corpora-tion.

In the past week, wehave heard from thethree major candidatesrunning for mayor. In themayoral race, there are atleast four other candi-dates who have very little

Austin, TexasMayoral Race

by Tsoke (Chuch) Adjavon

TX House District Candidate ChrisOsborn, son and Sen. Wendy Davis.

Candidate Forum

In a couple of weeks, the polls will be open forpeople to vote for various candidates running for theAustin City Council. Therefore, several groups havebeen "vetting" the various candidates by holding com-munity forums. During the weekend, a couple ofLatino organizations came together to hold a candi-date forum. It was for the Mayoral race and all thoserunning for the Austin City Council.

At this forum, candidates were asked a myriadof questions that dealt with the future of the city ofAustin. Currently, the city of Austin is at a crossroadthat can go both ways. Some of the important issues

by Tsoke (Chuch) Adjavon

that face all Austinites, include affordable housing,transportation, and economic prosperity for all of itsresidents.

Currently, Austin has become less affordable andharder to move around which have caused a decreas-ing middle class. According to a census report, “Forevery 120 people who move to Austin in a month,another 40 people move out”. Moreover, families aremoving out of Austin because they can no longer af-ford to pay their mortgage due to a rapidly increas-ing property tax. According to the Austin Indepen-dent School District, “About 2000 students have leftthe district”. Moreover, this is to confirm that it isthe families who are leaving to find more affordablehousing in the suburbs, including Pflugerville, RoundRock, Cedar Park and Leander.

David Orshalick

recognition. Yet, they dohave some great ideasthat can help Austin moveforward.

Some of these candi-dates are Ronald Culver,Todd Phelps, and David

Orshalick. First of allRonald Culver is a retiredelectrical engineer and alongtime resident of Aus-tin Texas. According toRonald Culver, “Austinresidents are paying a lotmore but are receivingfewer services”. Also hebelieves that the people,rather than developers,should be considered first.In other words, Ronald Cul-ver believes that the cur-rent Austin City Councilmembers are a part of theproblems that the city isnow facing.

Secondly, DavidOrshalick is also a retiredtech worker who has livedin Austin for a longtime.David has been very activein the Allandale Neighbor-hood Association. Further-more, he decided to run atthe last moment due tothe fact that the othermajor candidates did nothave a solution for "fix-ing Austin". Finally, ToddPhelps was born andraised in Austin. More-over, Todd is a business-owner and a musician.Todd is running becausehe has seen the city thathe grew up in becomeless affordable.Todd Phelps

www.theaustinvillager.com THE VILLAGER/October 17, 2014 ~ Page 7

CLASSIFIEDS ~ PUBLIC INFORMATION

City of AustinPurchasing Office

EMPLOYMENT / PROPOSALS/ PUBLIC INFORMATION

FOR SALE / FOR RENT / BIDSMISCELLANEOUS

We wantYOU!

AdvertiseWith The

VILLAGER

The City of Austin Purchasing Office invitesyou to view current bid solicitations at https://www.c i . au s t i n . t x . u s / f i nanceon l ine /vendor_connection/solicitation/solicitations.cfm.Vendors are encouraged to register on-line in theCity’s Vendor Self Service System. Once yourcompany is registered, you will receive notifica-tions about new bid opportunities. For addi-tional information regarding current bid opportu-nities or Vendor Registration, please call the Pur-chasing Office at 512-974-2500.

For information on the City of Austin’s Mi-nority Owned and Women-Owned ProcurementProgram and the certification process, pleasecontact the Small & Minority Business ResourcesDepartment at 512-974-7600 or visit their websiteat http://www.austintexas.gov/smbr.

City of Austin Featured Job Opportunities

The City of Austin is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Please visit the City of Austin employment website atwww.austincityjobs.org to view requirements andapply for these and other job opportunities. Weencourage you to check the employment websiteoften as new job opportunities are posted daily.If you have any questions or need assistance,

please call 512-974-3210 or email us atemployment.services@austintexas.gov.

The City of Austin is currently seeking qualifiedapplicants for the following positions:• Archivist II• Pipeline Technician Coordinator• 911 Call Taker Trainee- Multiple Positions(Temp. – Fulltime• Street & Bridge Operations Technician III DrainageOps & Maint III• Irrigation Specialist• Drainage Ops & Maint II (3 Positions) MuniProg,Paraprof - Activity Specialist I, II or III (5 TempPositions)• Activity Specialist I, II or III (5 TempPositions)System Support Technician• Business Systems Analyst Supervisor• Public Information Specialist Senior• Regional Branch Operations Manager• Scheduler Analyst• IT Security Analyst

CITATION BY PUBLICATIONTHE STATE OF TEXASTO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF JOAN ATCHLEY Deceased,No.C-1-PB-14-001814 in Probate Court Number One of TravisCounty,Texas. CHEYANNE ATCHLEY and allThe alleged heir(s)at law in the above numbered and entitledestate,filed in Probate Court No. 1,Heman Marion Sweatt Travis CountyCourthouse, 1000 Guadalupe, Austin, Texas, on October 07, 2014,an Application to Determine Heirship in the said estate andrequest(s) that said Court determine who are the heirs and onlyheirs of the said JOAN ATCHLEY, Deceased, and their respectiveshares and interests in such estate. Said application will be heard and acted on by said Court at10:00 o’clock a.m. on the first Monday next after the expirationof ten days from date of publication of this citation, at theCounty Courthouse in Travis County, Texas. All persons interested in said estate are hereby cited toappear before said Honorable Court at said above mentioned timeand place by filing a written answer contesting such applicationshould they desire to do so. If this citation is not served within 90 days after date ofits issuance, it shall be returned unserved. GIVEN UNDER MY HANDAND THE SEAL OF SAID COURT at office in Travis County, Texas, onOctober 07, 2014.

Dana DeBeauvoirCounty Clerk, Travis County, Texas

P.O. BOX 149325 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78714-9325By Deputy:0. RUIZ

C-1-PB-14-00181428P - 000001641

 

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sources needed toreally dig into the project.With the anniversary ofthe Civil Rights Act com-ing up, I knew that the timewas right to begin workingon this project.”

Since the word fire-work seemed incongrousfor this play, she explainedhow it ended up in thetitle. She said playwrightGregory Perrin wantediconic images of the move-ment to be included; im-ages that captured thespirit and struggle. As shedetails it, that led to anexploration of symbols forthe nation. She said fire-works evoke images of cel-ebration and struggle,bravery and fiction, theexplosive energy ofchange.”Freedom isn’tfree. So “fireworks” as aword became important tothe play because of all ofits various meanings.”

She described theplay as a teaching tool fora new generation ofAmericans. She also de-scribed it as an invitationto young people to probedeep into the nation’s his-tory and question how farwe’ve come and still haveto go. She said she thinksit will evoke some elemen-tal questions, like - Wheredo they see true equalityin their world? Where dothey see injustice? Andhow can they be agentsfor positive change in theirworld? Why does it matterwho we treat each otheron a daily basis? And howdo small acts of accep-tance and understandingtranslate to social justice.She said she foresees thatthe production will also bea catalyst for some engag-ing family dialogue aboutthis subject and this pe-riod in history.

The play takes placeat the Rollins Studio The-atre in the Long Center.Tickets are $10.

For more information,please visit us atpollyannatheatrecompany.org

continued from page 2

FREEDOMISN’TFREE

CITATION BY PUBLICATIONTHE STATE OF TEXAS

TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF NADIA GOZDIFF BICE Deceased,No. C-1-PB-14-001802 in Probate Court Number One of Travis County, Texas. MICHAELGOZDIFF AND ALL.

The alleged heir (s) at law in the above numbered and entitled estate, filed in Probate CourtNo. 1, Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse, 1000 Guadalupe, Austin, Texas, on Octo-ber 08, 2014, an Application to Determine Heirship and for Letters of Independent Administrationin the said estate and request (s) that said Court determine who are the heirs and only heirs of thesaid NADIA GOZDIFF BICE, Deceased, and their respective shares and interests in such estate.

Said application will be heard and acted on by said Court at 10:00 o’clock a.m. on the firstMonday next after the expiration of ten days from date of publication of this citation, at the CountyCourthouse in Travis County, Texas.

All persons interested in the said estate are hereby cited to appear before said HonorableCourt at said above mentioned time and place by filing a written answer contesting such applicationshould they desire to do so.

C-1-PB-14-00180228P - 000001642

If this citation is not served within 90 days after date of its issuance, it shall be returnedunserved.

GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND THE SEAL OF SAID COURT at office in Travis County,Texas, on October 09, 2014.

Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) Opens WaitingList for Housing Choice Voucher / Section 8 Program

Waiting List to accept applications for eight days this fall: October 22 – 29, 2014Austin, Texas – For

eight days this October(October 22-29, 2014), theHousing Authority of theCity of Austin (HACA) isopening the Waiting Listfor the Section 8 / Hous-ing Choice Voucher (HCV)rent assistance program.The Section 8 Program isa federally funded, HACAmanaged initiative thatprovides rent assistance toqualified persons. Duringthis eight day period, pre-applications for the Sec-tion 8 Program will be ac-cepted online only ath t t p s : / /austin.apply4housing.com.Those that apply duringthe eight day period will beentered into a random lot-

tery for one of the 2,500available spots on theWaiting List.

The application pro-cess for HACA’s Section 8vouchers is drastically dif-ferent from that of yearspast. Historically, the ap-plication process requiredstanding in line for hoursat a physical location to fillout an application. Due tothe high demand for af-fordable housing in Austinand the large influx of an-ticipated applicants,which ranges from 20,000to 40,000, HACA hasmoved the application pro-cess completely online.With the new system, allapplicants have an equalopportunity to be ran-domly selected in the lot-tery; thus, it does not mat-ter whether an applicantapplies the first day or thelast day. Applicants canapply online 24 hours aday during the eight-dayperiod using any devicewith Internet access: ahome computer, laptop,smart phone, tablet or acomputer center located atone of a number of HACAcommunity partner loca-tions. Since applicationsare only accepted onlineduring this pre-applicationperiod, HACA haspartnered with a number

of groups, businesses andcommunity organizationsacross the Austin area toprovide applicants withequal access to computersand the Internet. As a rea-sonable accommodation,disabled or elderly personswho cannot get to a part-ner location to apply cancall for assistance via 1-888-262-3949.

HACA’s Section 8 pro-gram is the largest rentalassistance program in Aus-tin, helping more than5,600 households. Hous-ing in Austin continues tobe less affordable and westrongly encourage anyonewho lacks the ability to payrent to apply during theOctober 22 - October 29waitlist opening,” saysMichael Gerber, HACAPresident and CEO. “In or-der to make the applica-tion process as convenientas possible, and to ensurethe safety of everyone whomay sign up, we havemoved the process fullyonline. HACA is grateful toour many community part-ners who will be assistingthose who cannot easilyaccess the Internet to ap-ply.”

Once the pre-applica-tion period has closed at11:59 p.m. on October 29,2014, HACA will begin the

process of reviewing allsubmitted pre-applica-tions. Every complete,unduplicated pre-applica-tion will have an equalopportunity in the lottery,and will be randomly as-signed a number, of which1 through 2,500 will moveforward. These 2,500 pre-applications will be re-

viewed to determine ifthey meet the preliminaryeligibility requirements,and if they do they will beplaced on the Waiting List.Final program eligibilitywill be determined whenan applicant’s namereaches the top of theWaiting List. A full list ofeligibility requirements

and the current incomelimits is available on theHACA website. After plac-ing the eligible pre-appli-cations onto the WaitingList, HACA will apply thepreferences claimed bythese families, which willdetermine the order offamilies on the WaitingList.

Page 8 ~ October 17, 2014/THE VILLAGER www.theaustinvillager.com

PROGRAMS ~ AWARENESS

AUSTIN, Texas – Capi-tal Metro will soon begindistributing 59 vehicles re-tired from its RideShare pro-gram to 22 local communityorganizations, recipients ofthe agency’s new Commu-nity Mobility Vehicle GrantProgram.

Organizations receiv-ing the vans include Aus-tin Children’s Shelter (Aus-tin Children’s Services);Austin Clubhouse, Inc.;Austin Travis County Inte-gral Care; Austin Youth &Community Farm, Inc. (Ur-ban Roots); AVANCE Aus-tin, Inc.; Burnet County VetRides; Christian Women’sJob Corps of Austin (River

CapitalMetroto DonateRetiredRideShareVans toLocalGroups

City Hope Street); Drive ASenior Easter Seals CentralTexas, Inc.; Front Steps,Inc.; and Helping the Ag-ing, Needy and Disabled,Inc. (H.A.N.D.).

Also receiving ve-hicles are Highland LakesFamily Crisis Center;Huston-Tillotson Univer-sity; Keep Austin Beauti-ful, Inc.; Marbridge Foun-dation, Inc.; Mary LeeFoundation; Phoenix Aris-ing, Inc.; South Asians’ In-ternational Volunteer As-sociation (SAIVA); TravisAssociation for the Blind;Travis County DomesticViolence and Sexual As-sault Survival Center (SafePlace); Wholly CommittedMinistries, Inc.; and theWilliamson County CrisisCenter (Hope Alliance).

The goal of the pro-gram is to provide retiredvehicles from CapitalMetro’s RideShare fleet tocommunity and govern-ment agencies to helpthem fulfill unmet trans-portation needs. The ve-hicles must be used tosupport Capital Metro’sMetroAccess service byproviding paratransit tripsor addressing similarneeds, such as providingtransportation to seniors,veterans, people with dis-abilities or low incomeresidents.

“Capital Metro un-derstands that there are

many people in the com-munity in dire need of ac-cess to basic transporta-tion,” said Linda S.Watson, President andCEO of Capital Metro. “Werecognized that our retiredvehicles could have awhole new second life,and developed the grantprogram to help agenciesin the area better addressthis essential concern.”

Non-profits and gov-ernment agencies submit-ted applications from June1 to July 25 this year aspart of this first-time pro-gram. Capital Metro re-ceived 30 proposals duringthe application period.

Applicants had todemonstrate they had thefinancial and managementcapacity to operate, main-tain and insure the ve-hicles. The grant stipu-lates that vehicles cannotbe used to provide trans-portation to the generalpublic for a fee or fare, orfor political purposes.

Each recipient willassume ownership of thevehicles through officialtitle transfers. In exchangefor receiving a vehicle, re-cipients must show com-pliance with the grant’sintent by documenting thenumber of passenger tripsthey provide, hours oper-ated and miles of serviceon a quarterly basis fortwo years.

Section 8 HousinWaiting List

By Shirley A. HammondVillager Columnist

AUSTIN - There isa window, a small win-dow of opportunity. It’sa chance to pre-applyfor 2,500 spots on theHousing ChoiceVoucher Program(HCV.For eight day,those with low incomequalifications can get ona lottery list to pre-ap-ply for public housingvouchers. This programis an initiative of theHousing Authority ofthe City of Austin(HACA). For eight days,from October 22through October 29,2014, online pre-appli-cations can be submit-ted for consideration.

HACA cautionsthat the pre-applicationscan’t be submitted anyother way, so takingthem to the Central Of-fice is not an option.They also caution thatthe pre-application pro-cess does not guaranteea spot on the waitinglist.

HACA’s officialwebsite indicates thatthey serve close to20,000 Austinites, andthat their communitiesrange from high-risewaterfront units toneighborhood commu-nity duplexes. Oneproperty, the

Thurmond Heightscomplex, is about to geta facelift, thanks to agrant from the U.S. De-partment of Housingand Urban Develop-ment.

A September 30press release indicatesthat Austin AffordableHousing Corporationwill expand the avail-able properties for pub-lic housing. Once com-pleted, the properties inSouth Austin (ThePointe at Ben White andThe Villages at BenWhite) will providehousing for veterans,those 55 and older;along with other quali-fying candidates. Aus-tin Affordable HousingCorporation is listed asa subsidiary of HACAand has established agoal of 2,020 affordablehousing units by 2020.

In their housing re-port for years 2013-2014,HACA refers to them-selves as a safety net. Anindependent review byPHAS, Public HousingAssessment System,shows HACA at a 99%rating when evaluatingtheir resident assess-ment, management,physical and financialoverview. In June theywere also designated a

high performer for itsvoucher program.

Until October 22 at12:00am, the waiting listis closed. When itopens, applicants willhave until 11:59pm onOctober 29 to get theironline applicationthrough. When the wait-ing list closes, pre-appli-cants can look on thewebsite to check theirapplication status. In-structions detailing howto do this will also beposted on the site.

Eligibility require-ments for such assis-tance is also available onthe website.

HACA is using alottery system due tothe tremendous interestin the voucher program.Some eligible partici-pants be eligible for aconstellation of servicesonce they are awardeda voucher.

For more informa-tion, please visit HACAat www.hacanet.org/apply/hcv.php.LeVar

BurtonComing

toBookpeopleBy Shirley A. Hammond

Villager Columnist

AUSTIN, TX - As ifbeing a top-billed actor onthe series “Roots”, a char-acter in the long-runningStar Trek: The Next Gen-eration series and a fixtureon Reading Rainbow isn’tenough, LeVar Burton haswritten a book of venture-some creativity. Burton willbe at Bookpeople with hispublication, “The RhinoWho Swallowed a Storm,”on Friday October 24 at

6:00pm. Bookpeople is lo-cated at 603 North LamarBlvd., near 6th Street.

PBS’s Reading Rain-bow, for which Burton washost and executive direc-tor, garnered five EmmyAwards and a PeabodyAward. Burton gained 12personal Emmys and anNAACP Image Award forhis role on the literacy-themed show. The goal ofthe show was to teachyoung children to read. Ithad a life-span of over 20years.Burton’s father wasa photographer and hismother was an Englishteacher. His mother iscredited with instilling agreat love for reading inher childen.

An addition in his lit-eracy projects was his2011 launch of RRKidz,which teamed digital de-vices and literacy. Hestated that reading itselfwould thrive into perpetu-

ity, but the devices used todo it would evolve.

Burton’s book waswritten with co-author Su-san S. Bernardo, withCourtenay Fletcher servingas illustrator. The booklaunched on October 7.Described on Amazon.comas a book-within-a-book,this

poetic title falls justshy of a 5-star rating. Onereviewer indicated thatthey saw the story as alaunching pad that parentscould use to discuss situ-ational emotions withtheir children

It tells the story of amouse during a storm whoreceives comfort when his

father shares a story abouta storm-swallowing rhinowho meets a motley crewof characters who boostshis confidence in thegoodness that can befound in the sometimesstormy world. ReadingRainbow is listed as thepublisher of record. By allaccounts it’s an explora-tion of emotions andfriendship. The book isgeared toward childrenages 5-7 years old.

There is a hint ofpost-traumatic stress syn-drome here, as the mouseis frightened by the cur-rent storm due to the factthat his family home waspreviously destroyed by ahurricane.With stronghints of comfort, it seemsan ideal read for childrencaught up in fear of vari-ous origins.

LeVar Burton

www.theaustinvillager.com THE VILLAGER/October 17, 2014 ~ Page 9

COLLECTED PRÉCIS#BrandedbyRachel Robinson

Q: How did you getstarted in the hair industry?

A: “I became inter-ested in the hair industrywhen I was younger around9 or 10 , I watched my great-est influence, my auntRachel Stokes, she always

by Angela WyattVillager Columnist

had people over doing theirhair, the styles she special-ized in were ocean waves,French rolls, bobs but morethan anything else she didbraids. This is where I gotinto the braiding atmo-sphere and doing cornrows,once I got that skill down patmy aunt would have me sether clients hair, braiding thebase to prepare for a certainstyle. The experiencesparked my interest for hair,from there I learned how todo quick weaves andcrowshay braids. Over theyears I gained a lot of expe-rience and exposure by do-ing hair for prom. Recently Iwas presented with the op-portunity to go back tobeauty school. I am a proud

graduate of AVEDA Insti-tute, the Harvard of Hair!”

Q: What styles do youspecialize in?

A: “I specialize in updo’s, wedding hair, bobs,photo shoots as well as hairloss, meaning if a personhas super fine and thin hair,I can fill out those areas andcreate a thick and fuller il-lusion.”

Q: Has becoming abeautician always beenyour passion?

A: “Yes, this has beenmy passion for a long time,I found something that I amtruly good at and I fit in. Ihave a creative background,being a beautician gives methe outlet and opportunity

to explore that artistry, fromcostume designs, sketch upfresh hair styles to choreo-graphing dances numbersfor platform models andeverything in between.”

Q: Is your cliental di-verse?

A: “My cliental is var-ied, I have many differentcustomers from all walk oflife come in to the shop, Ienjoy being diverse, I don’tlike structured for just onemarket.”

Q: What are you likes

and dislikes as a stylist?A: “My dislikes within

the hair industry is, some-time other stylist will judgea book by it ’s cover, I’vebeen on interviews wheresalons automatically as-sume I only can do and knowblack hair, until I present myresume and this is a big is-sue that I fall into. Anotherdown side of the businessis, having unhappy custom-ers. I am thankful to say Ihaven’t had many unsatis-fied patrons through myjourney, however, I amaware when I’m at fault, inthe past I have kept myreputation in tact and heldmy brand in a wonderful

spotlight by fixing or com-pensating dissatisfied cli-ents and everything hasworked out well. I am fairat all cost, my clients are mynumber one priority, I wantthem to be happy, feel com-fortable and come back.

I love participating inphoto shoots and hairbattle competitions, theseevents allow a platform forme to showcase my skills, Imaintain 10 ladies with 3different styles each, YES,30 looks! As a beautician Iadmire the amazing atmo-sphere where I can be my-self, I’m open to teachingand leaning opportunitieseveryday second of every-day. Being a stylist, I lookinto the future and the busi-ness aspect of hair, there areso many doors of prospectto make money and buildyour name and brand, I canhave my own boutique,own a salon, design and be-come a merchant. For ex-ample most stylists have alicense but choose to spe-cialize in running the busi-ness and this is one of the

many things the industryhas to offer, there are end-less options and I appreci-ate that, I need those op-tions because I am a parentand it allows flexibility inmy life. I love the peoplepart of the business andbeing a beautician allowsme the roll of being a bigsister and mentor, which Ienjoy. I go to work happy,thrilled and excited andmany people can’t say that,I enjoy what I do!”

Q: How are you able tokeep up with the latesttrends?

A: “I watch countlessYouTube tutorials and Istudy different magazinessuch as, Modern Salon,American Salon, Black Hair,INSPIRE.

Q: What skills / at-tributes can you offer thesalon biz?

A: “I have a fantasticpersonality, enjoy upliftingpeople, making them laughand smile. On the businessside, not only can I workwith diversity, I am teach-able. If I don’t know or am

unfamiliar with something,I have no problem asking forassistance. I also have a ex-perience in styling the wed-ding party hair, photoshoots. Hairstyling is a gift,it can be passed along andshared, I am a humanitar-ian, one way that I give backis, every school year duringprom three young ladies arechosen through a processand I will do their hair andmake-up free of charge. Inaddition to Back-2-SchoolHair Outreach, this is a spe-cial project that is dear to myheart.”

Q: What does the fu-ture hold for you?

A: “The future ofBrandedbyRachel, now thatmy business and up andrunning, I want to have myown mobile salon. This is adream of mine, I havelearned that many clientsappreciate the catering ser-vice, most prefer you cometo their home becausethat’s where they are mostcomfortable. I would loveto be in the lime light ofcourse. After winning aBeacon competition whilein school, I was treated toattend NAHA (North Ameri-can Hairstyling Awards)which is the Grammy’s forhair, this opportunityopened my eyes up to manybreaks. Once a dream, I an-ticipate to make a reality,being a nominee and orwinner at the NAHA nextyear!

FMI: You can reachRachel @ 512-573-0327 by e-mail @brandedbyrachel@hotmail.comand @www.facebook.com/

Brandedbyrachel

Ms. Rachel Robinson.Photos courtesy of BrandedbyRachel

www.theaustinvillager.comTHE VILLAGER/October 17, 2014 ~ Page 10