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NEWSTALK TEXAS FAMILIES PROMOTE JUSTICE IN JUVENILE SYSTEM P3

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R. KELLY

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Viola Davis embraces acting Viola Davis is one of Hollywood’s most talented stars. She has received two Academy Award nominations, most recently for her role as a maid in “The Help.” She currently stars in a new film, “Won’t Back Down.” Hear what she has to say about the challenge as an actress. Learn about the film’s special message.

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Tim Flandersexcels at SHSUSam Houston State University has a top college football team, and running back Tim Flanders is one of the reasons why. Read about Flanders’ impressive accomplishments. Find out about his outstanding teammates. See what the team’s coach has to say about its tough schedule, talent pool and immediate goals.

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Serving up ‘Soul Food’

Tom Reiss takes a historical look at a little known Black history fact in the book, The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal and the Real Count

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Growing up in the White House

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Families promote justice in juvenile system


By ASWAD WALKERDefender

Advocates for incarcer-ated young people hope that a groundbreaking report will have an impact on the state’s

juvenile justice system. Texas Families of Incarcerated

Youth (TFIY) along with various community partners recently released “Families Unlocking Futures: Solu-tions to the Crisis in Juvenile Justice,” a fi rst-of-its kind analysis generated by parents directly affected by the system.

The report contends that the cur-rent system fails to deter or redirect young people from juvenile miscon-duct, and demonstrates the “incredible damage” the system causes to families and communities.

It is based on more than 1,000 surveys with par-ents and family members of incarcerated youth and 24 focus groups nationwide.

“Reports of this kind are traditionally produced by policy directors, but this one was co-produced by parents seeking to change the prevailing conversation that families of youth caught up in the justice system don’t care, or that these parents are unfi t,” said Tarsha Jackson, TFIY’s project director.

“Research shows these are predominantly hard-working, caring families whose kids simply got caught up.”

“What makes the ‘Families Unlocking Futures’ report unique is that instead of practitioners telling par-ents what ‘ya’ll need to do,’ this report is parents telling legislators and other policy makers this is what we need to strengthen our communities and keep our families together,” she said.

Jackson knows fi rsthand the pain of having a child incarcerated.

“My child at 10 years old was handcuffed and taken from school for delinquent conduct, not a crime,” Jackson recalled. “And no system stakeholder told me anything even though I thought they were there to help me. I didn’t know what rights my child had.”

Jackson said her son spent fi ve years incarcerated – from age 11 to 16 – for a class C misdemeanor. She views the report as a step toward empowering parents in her situation.

Jackson also advises parents to seek help from a family support group or child advocate to help them navigate the system and explain their rights.

The TFIY report presents data that has never been captured before, breaking the silence of families across the country by uncovering personal experiences.

“For all the history of the juvenile justice, families have been viewed as the problem,” said Grace Bauer, co-director of Justice for Families, a national alliance of family-focused organizations. “This document shows families as the solution, ready to do our part to strength-en the system.”

Bauer said the report was produced for a varied audience of policy-makers, judges, correction offi cers and fam-ily members whose children are in the system.

“The report shows we’re not lazy or don’t care, and says to families, ‘You’re not alone,’ because families in this situa-tion are isolated and stigmatized,” Bauer added.

Solutions to the juvenile justice crisis In “Families Unlocking Futures: Solutions to the Crisis in Juvenile Justice,” parents directly impacted by the system off er proposed changes. They include:• Replace school police offi cers with peace and intervention offi cers.• Stop criminalizing childish behavior by putting an end to the zero tolerance that ends up criminalizing minor cases of delinquency.• Invest more in the communities, particularly after-school programs. • Provide parents and children involved in the system with an advocate who can provide critical guidance.• Encourage your organization or place of worship to endorse the National Family Bill of Rights, which seeks to empower parents without placing them at odds with the juvenile justice system.• Make sure parents who have children in the criminal justice system know they are not alone. Knowing that help and support is available can make all the diff erence in the world.• Get involved with any of the member organizations of Justice for Families, a national alliance that serves as a hub for accessing information about the “school-to-prison pipeline.” • Read the “Families Unlocking Futures” report by visiting www.futures4families.org.

Tarsha Jackson (far right), TFIY’s project director, is joined by (from left) Mary Jane Martinez, Rick Luna, Diana Ramirez and Isela Gutierrez-Gunter.

Library renamed in Beulah Shepard’s honorDefender News Services

Houston City Council voted to change the name of the Acres Homes library to the Beulah Shepard-Acres Homes Neighborhood Library, in memory of the late community leader.

Mrs. Shepard died in 2010 at the age of 89. She was known as the “mayor” of Acres Homes and was instrumental in improving the community. She was active in such groups as the Harris County Council of Organizations and the Democratic Party.

She was known from Houston’s City Hall to the White House, and worked on numerous local and state campaigns. Mrs. Shepard also worked on the campaigns of Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and Jimmy Carter.

A native of Plain Dealing, La., she moved to Houston in 1948. She became a member of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church and a deacon’s wife. She worked as a community aide for Commissioner E.A. Squatty Lyons for 25 years.

The Acres Homes community was developed in the early 1940s in northwest Houston and was named for its one-acre home sites. The library opened in 1976. Beulah Shepard

4 DEFENDER | WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27| 2012 defendernetwork.com

national

VOLUME 81 • NUMBER 48WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Inc. Company (713-663-6996.. The Defender is audited by Certified Audited Circulation. (CAC). For subscription, send $60-1 year to: Defender, P.O. Box 8005, Houston TX 77288. Payment must accompany subscription request. All material covered by 2012 copyright. (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).

Art Director Tony Fernandez-Davila People EditorYvette ChargoisSports EditorsMax EdisonDarrell K. ArdisonContributing WriterAswad Walker

PublisherSonceria Messiah-JilesAdvertising/Client Relations Selma Dodson Tyler Print Editor Marilyn Marshall Online EditorReShonda Billingsley

U.S.briefs


Groups demand probe of death penalty cases

TAVIS SMILEY & CORNEL WEST recently concluded their Poverty Tour 2.0 in Alexandria, Va. The four-day tour covered three other battleground states – Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida – that could prove decisive for both President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney. Smiley, a radio personality, and West, a Princeton professor, said the tour was part of a moral crusade to make the eradication of poverty a top priority in America. “Basic needs such as living-wage jobs, food, clothing, medicine, and shelter cannot be ignored by the major parties during the upcoming political conventions, or by their respective nominees on the campaign trail,” West said……..PHI BETA SIGMA FRATERNITY has teamed with an ethnic relations consulting firm to offer sensitivity training to members of Greek organizations and high school and college students considering joining a fraternity or sorority. The training curriculum includes a 30-page facilitator guide, a 30-page participant guide and a 60-minute video. The program is part of a national anti-hazing initiative launched last May. “We no longer can treat pledging and hazing as a series of isolated and unrelated set of unfortunate incidences,” said Jimmy Hammock, president of Phi Beta Sigma…….. U.S. REP. MAXINE WATERS (D-Calif.) has been exonerated of allegations that she violated ethics codes in connection with her role in advocating for the inclusion of minority-owned banks in the federal government’s Troubled Asset Relief Program. Charges were filed against Waters with the House Ethics Committee when it was discovered that her husband, Sidney Williams, owned shares in OneUnited Bank, one of the Black-owned financial institutions that benefited from TARP funds. The House committee conducted an investigation that lasted more than 1,200 days. At issue was whether Waters was acting on behalf of OneUnited or seeking to protect her husband’s investment. Waters steadfastly declared her innocence throughout the ordeal.

Defender News Services

On the one-year anniversary of the execution of Troy Davis, Amnesty International USA and the NAACP called on U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate growing concerns over pros-ecutorial and police misconduct in capital cases.

Suzanne Nossel, executive director of Am-nesty International, said: “Troy was executed despite a mountain of doubt about his conviction and allegations that witnesses were coerced by police. A year later, the stain of injustice continues to spread, with the death penalty used despite substantial concerns over prosecutorial overreach, wrongful conviction or misapplication of the law.”

Nossel said the federal gov-ernment must take action as case after case corrodes the credibility of U.S. criminal justice.

“The death penalty is the ultimate, irreversible human rights violation; we reject it under all circumstances,” she said.

NAACP President and CEO Benja-

min Todd Jealous had been active in Davis’ case for more than a decade.

“Last year the state of Georgia killed Troy Davis, an innocent man,” Jealous said. “Though he is not here, his memory lives on with us and fuels our fight to abolish the death penalty. Troy’s wrongful execution has changed the hearts of minds of millions and public support for the death penalty is now at an all-time low.

“We have heeded Troy’s request to not have the struggle for justice end with him,” Jealous said. “In the last year, we ended the death penalty

in Connecticut and we are seeing momentum in Maryland and in California, where

ending the death penalty is on the bal-lot.”

Davis was executed on Sept. 21, 2011 for the death of police officer Mark Allen MacPhail. He maintained his innocence even with his final words.

Since 1973, 140 people have been released from death rows due to evi-

dence of wrongful convictions.

Obamas reveal plans after White HouseDefender News Services

President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle talked about life after the White House during a recent appearance on ABC’s “The View.”

Obama said he would enjoy working with kids when his term ends.

“I love teaching, I miss teaching,” he said. “I’m not sure it would necessarily be in a classroom, but the idea of being able to go around in various cities and helping to create mentorships, and apprenticeships, giv-ing young people the sense of possibility and opportunity, and using whatever spotlight I can shine to show how much incredible talent there is out there.”

Obama added that as president, he enjoys

meeting smart, energetic young people who have ideas for making the world a better place.

The president and first lady both reiterated that she would not run for public office.

Though he said she would be “terrific,” he doesn’t think she has the temperament.

“No, it’s absolutely true,” Michelle Obama said. “It takes a lot of patience to be the president of the

United States, and I’m not that patient.”’

The first lady said she would focus on projects she’s pas-sionate about, includ-ing helping veterans returning from war and their families.

Benjamin Todd Jealous

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have thoughts on their future.

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Texas Lottery revenue for public education grows

The Texas Lottery Commission recently reported record results for fiscal year 2012, gaining $133 million in rev-enue over last year for the state’s Foun-dation School Fund, an increase of 13.8 percent.

Record sales of $4.19 billion shat-tered the previous sales record of $3.81 billion set in 2011 and resulted in a total contribution of $1.096 billion to the school fund, which supports public education in Texas.

“With sales up 10 percent over last year, this is the ninth consecutive year that the Texas Lottery generated more than $1 billion in contributions to the state of Texas,” said Gary Grief, execu-tive director of the Texas Lottery.

“This is our largest transfer to the Foundation School Fund since 1998, and I want to thank all of our players, retailers, vendors and staff for this out-standing performance.”

The lottery saw sales increases across its game portfolio. Scratch-off ticket sales totaled more than $3.09 bil-lion and accounted for 73.6 percent of fiscal year 2012 sales, while sales for the lottery’s draw games totaled more than $1.10 billion and accounted for 26.4 percent of sales.

Sales of the Veterans Cash scratch-off game resulted in $4.7 million for the Fund for Veterans’ Assistance, which is administered by the Texas Veterans Commission.

Other lottery funds, including unclaimed prizes, resulted in a transfer of $46 million to the state’s General Revenue Fund.

In all, approximately 96 percent of the record $4.19 billion in sales was returned to the state in prizes, retailer commissions and bonuses, and transfers to various state funds.

Lottery players had a great year as well, with a record $2.68 billion col-lected in cash and merchandise prizes, easily surpassing the past record of $2.39 billion set in fiscal year 2011.

For the state’s more than 17,000 Texas Lottery retailers that collect a 5 percent commission on every lottery sale, those commissions amounted to a record $209.8 million in 2012. “We are extremely pleased with the results of the last fiscal year,” said Mary Ann Williamson, chair of the Texas Lottery Commission.

“The Texas Lottery continues to set new standards for success in its mis-sion to generate revenue for the state of Texas, and we’re looking forward to building on that success in the future.”

What’sup



entertainment

Viola Davis embraces acting challenges

CHRIS BROWN’S community service will be reviewed to determine if he violated the terms of his probation for the 2009 beating of RIHANNA. Brown appeared before a Los Angeles judge who attempted to examine his probation record and the impact of a positive marijuana result during a random drug screening. Brown produced a medicinal marijuana prescription so the drug test result might not have an impact on his probation. The judge scheduled another hearing for November to review Brown’s probation records. A report issued in August said Brown needed 120 hours to complete his community service, but his attorney said the singer had already completed 1,400 hours of service……..

VING RHAMES will portray a hospital trauma chief in “Monday Mornings,” a medical drama airing on TNT next season. Set at the fictional hospital in Portland, Ore., the series follows the lives of doctors as they push the limits of their abilities and confront their personal and professional failings……..R. KELLY is now the most nominated artist in Soul Train Awards history. Kelly is nominated for album of the year and the Ashford & Simpson songwriter’s award, bringing his career total to 21 nominations. USHER, meanwhile, leads all artists with five nominations this year. Rapper NAS garnered three nominations, while JOHN LEGEND, ESTELLE and TREY SONGZ received

three. The late WHITNEY HOUSTON and AMY WINEHOUSE each received a posthumous nomination. The awards will be presented Nov. 25, and CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER is the host……..British talk show host TRISHA GODDARD recently kicked off her self-titled American daytime program. Goddard promises to help everyday people and their families navigate through tough issues by using her “conflict resolution skills, honesty and common sense.” Goddard’s background includes working as a TV reporter in Australia, where she was the country’s first Black anchorwoman. Her show airs in Houston at 5 p.m. Monday-Friday on KUBE 57.

By KAM WILLIAMSSpecial to the Defender

Viola Davis was born in 1965 on her grandmother’s farm in St. Matthews, S.C., but reared by her parents in Cen-tral Falls, R.I. After earning a degree in theater from Rhode Island College

in 1988, she went on to do post-graduate work at the prestigious Juilliard School prior to em-barking on a critically-acclaimed profes-sional career.

Davis made a memorable mark on Broadway, winning Tonys for stellar per-formances as Tonya in “King Hedley II” and as Rose in the revival of “Fences.” She has been nominated twice for an Acad-emy Award, for her powerful portrayal of stoic Aibileen in “The Help” and for her equally-sterling interpretation of Mrs. Miller in “Doubt.”

Here, she talks about her new film, “Won’t Back Down,” a female empower-ment saga where she plays Nona Alberts, a jaded teacher who joins forces with a frustrated single-mom to turn around an underperforming public school.

KW: What interested you in “Won’t Back Down?”

VD: My interests in the film were two-fold: the backdrop of education and also the human story within it about a woman who, when she was in her twenties, had all these high ideals and hopes of taking the world by storm as a great teacher and also as a great mother.

But all of that was just blown to bits, and we find her at a low point where she’s totally disillusioned.

For me, the movie is about her story of coming back to life again. And that journey is a very human one. It intrigued me, and I saw it as a very interesting chal-lenge as an actor.

KW: What was it like working with such a top-flight cast, such as Academy-Award-winner Holly Hunter and fellow Oscar-nominees Maggie Gyllen-haal and Rosie Perez?

VD: You forgot another Oscar-nominee, Marianne

Jean-Baptiste. It was fabulous. To me, it’s always a luxury to be able to work with the best of the best because they make it easier for you to do what you do. It’s harder to work with people who are not as dedi-cated to their craft. It also leaves you a better actor when you finish the project, since you always feel like

you’ve learned something. KW: What would you say is the movie’s message? VD: The movie really emphasizes that we’re all

in the position to be the change that we want to see in this country. And I think there’s no better time to bring that message home. What’s interesting is that that theme is a common thread in the film, even in terms of the two main characters taking control of their own personal lives.

The world is very good at encouraging you to go along with the status quo and at basking in your successes. But when you hit a wall in your personal life, and you screw up, people don’t give you a chance to navi-gate your way through it and tap into what’s extraordinary about you. I think this movie tackles that subject in a beautiful way, and I think it’s the best message you could give to a child.

KW: How much of the strength that we see on the screen is you and how much of it is great acting?

VD: Well, I’d like to say that it’s all great acting, but I suppose I do have that same quality in real life…When you’re re-ally passionate, you’re going to grab hold of every rope you see, and wrap them around your arms and legs to claw your way out. And that’s the way I’ve felt in my life.

KW: Will you be playing Barbara Jor-dan in an upcoming biopic about the late

congresswoman?VD: Yes, my husband [Julius Tennon] and I

started a production company out of necessity, the need for great narratives for actors of color, and we are currently developing that script with some great producers.

Viola Davis portrays a teacher and Maggie Gyllenhaal is a single mother in the film “Won’t Back Down.”

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7defendernetwork.com WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27 | 2012 | DEFENDER

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The new digital divideWhen the digital divide was first introduced as

a concept in the 1990s, it referred to a gap between those who had access to computers and the Internet and those who did not.

There were concerns that minorities and low-income Americans were being left behind in cyberspace, while wealthier and predominantly white Americans flourished.

These days, the old digital divide – mere access to the world-wide web – has somewhat closed. The new digital divide between the technology haves and have-nots is now high-speed Internet access versus restricted wireless access.

With each passing day, urban and suburban-dwelling, upper-income households enjoy high-speed Internet access while the poor and working class can only afford a much slower level of access that in turn limits access to critical quality of life factors.

The recent emergence of online education, video-on-demand, and Internet-ordered medicine requiring reliable, high-speed connections, has meant many Americans don’t earn enough to acquire those services – cre-ating a very real virtual apartheid.

“When we talk about the Internet we often don’t realize that today, we’re really talking about two Internets – separate and unequal,” said Joyce Johnson, a technology professional with over 20 years of experience.

“Racial, geographic and income factors create a very real dividing line between those who can enjoy the amenities of high-speed access and those left with their noses pressed against the proverbial window, on the outside look-ing in.”

Just over 200 million Americans have high-speed, wired Internet access at home. Millions, however, are still completely offline, while others can only afford web access via phone lines or wireless smartphones that don’t allow for the full complement of online offerings.

The result – technology have-nots can expect lower-quality health services, career opportunities, education and entertainment options than they already receive if something is not done immedi-ately to bridge the divide.

Statistics tell the story of the new digital divide: • According to the Department of Commerce, only four

out of every 10 households with annual household incomes below $25,000 in 2010 reported having wired Internet access at home, compared with the vast majority — 93 percent — of households with incomes exceeding $100,000.

• Only slightly more than half of all Black and Latino households have wired Internet access at home, compared with 72

HCC gets students connected Houston Community College is making every effort to bridge the digital divide in higher education. Using an array of approaches and programs, HCC has moved beyond discussing the problem by adopting a “by any means necessary” approach to getting its students connected. According to HCC’s Vice Chancellor of Information Technology, William “Bill” Carter, the institution is ahead of the curve when it comes to offering solutions for students experiencing online access issues. “Only about 50 to 60 percent of our students have technology at home available to be successful,” said Carter. “Thus, we’re trying to figure out how to get the necessary devices into our students’ hands, and to better communicate with students via with the devices they already have in hand.” Thanks in part to an $800,000 Broadband Telecommunications Grant won by the school, HCC will soon have over 300 wireless-capable notebook computers available for its students to check out from its library. Thus, as a completely wireless campus, students who check out these computers can access the Internet in any

campus study space, or use the devises from home, or any other desired location. For students who would rather own a computer, HCC has reached agreements with Dell and Apple Computers allowing HCC students to purchase computers from those companies receiving the same discount as the institution—a move that can save students hundreds of dollars. “HCC is also part of the WeCAN initiative,” said Carter, referring to the program established under former Houston Mayor Bill White’s administration to bridge the digital divide. WeCAN was White’s citywide wireless project that is currently being implemented by the Houston Public Library with the assistance of HCC. The program seeks to provide Houstonians with digital literacy focused on drop-out prevention/GED recovery and job/workforce readiness.

percent of whites.• According to a 2010 Pew Poll, 51 percent ofHispanics and 46 percent of African-Americans use their

cell phones to access the Internet, compared with 33 percent ofwhite Americans. Forty-seven percent of Latinos and41 percent of African-Americans use their phones for e-

mail, compared with 30 percent of white Americans.Dr. Onimi Wilcox, associate dean of Prairie View A&M

University’s College of Arts and Sciences, acknowledges that the divide has been closed some, especially for Millennials (those born between 1980 and 2000) and women, but believes more needs to be done if today’s technology poor will enjoy 21st century success.

“It’s essential that everybody is at least on the same playing field,” Wilcox said. “If not, we can’t understand what is going on in various fields which affects access to jobs, college applica-tions, online classes, and global knowledge. Without the skills, infrastructure, and access we need, we’re being left behind. This does not just impact minorities, it impacts the future,” said Wilcox.

Johnson is also concerned about the future.“I’m not being over-dramatic when I say if we don’t bridge

this digital divide we are consigning our communities to death – if not physical death, the death of opportunity; the death of critical exposures to new ideas; the death of potential and pos-sibilities,” Johnson said.

Social forecasters are predicting that within a decade,

people will be able to speak with their doctors online thus ac-cessing lower-cost, higher-quality care, and monitor their energy use via smart-grid technology to keep costs down.

Presently, thousands are earning high school and college degrees via virtual classrooms thanks to high-speed connections.

Cognizant of these realities, the 2012 National Urban League Annual Conference addressed the issue of increasing broadband adoption in Black communities.

“I say without hesitation today, that broadband is the great equalizer,” said FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, who spoke at the conference. “People should not have to choose be-tween feeding their families and paying for the transformational benefits of broadband,” she added.

Johnson sees some efforts to bridge the present divide.“We have some incredible minds who are not only using

technology, but creating the technologies that the world uses. That’s the untold story; but it’s a story that needs to grow; that needs more of us using technology for productive, program-matic efforts.”

Wilcox points to the requirements of college professors that students check their grades online, and the growing number of employers only accepting online applications as vehicles forcing more people to get online.

“The assumption the government is making is that the gap is closed,” Wilcox said. “The digital divide is not getting smaller; it’s actually getting larger because the world continues to move onto the next thing.”


Learn more about what HCC is doing to bridge the digital divide at www.defendernetwork.com.

Joyce Johnson

Dr. Onimi Wilcox

9

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Comcast works to bridge divide While America has increasingly become a digital nation, many low-income families are left at a disadvantage because they do not have Internet service at home. Cable provider Comcast is doing its part to bridge the digital divide currently hindering these families from accessing the world of ideas and opportunities available online. Through its Internet Essentials Program, the cable provider addresses three primary barriers to broadband adoption: a lack of understanding of how the Internet is relevant and useful, the cost of a home computer, and the cost of Internet service. Nearly 4,500 families or 18,000 individuals throughout the Greater Houston area have enrolled in the Internet Essentials Program. During its first full year of availability, the program has helped more than 100,000 families or 400,000 Americans get online nationwide. Recently, Filemon Lopez, Comcast senior vice president of Strategic Operations, announced year two of the program during an Internet Essentials Community Connections Summit held at the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans (AAMA) Learning Center.

The Houston Area Urban League (HAUL), AAMA and Crime Stoppers of Houston were among several community partners involved in the event. Workshops included Using the Internet to Find a Job, Helping Your Child Apply for College and Keeping Kids Safe on the Internet. “I’m proud to stand here today and say the city of Houston is helping the nation close the digital divide,”

said Doug Guthrie, senior vice president for Comcast in Houston. “But we still have work to do. There are still too many low-income families in Houston who can benefit from getting online at home.” Program participants receive residential Internet service for $9.95 a month plus applicable taxes while avoiding price increases, activation fees, and equipment rental fees. Participants also receive a voucher to purchase a low-cost computer for $149.99, and access to free digital literacy training in print, online and in-person. To qualify for the program a household must be located where Comcast offers Internet service, and have at least one child who is eligible to receive a free or reduced school lunch under the National School Lunch Program. Additionally, qualifying households cannot have subscribed to Comcast within the last 90 days, or have an overdue bill or unreturned equipment. Along with HAUL and AAMA, Comcast works with Neighborhood Centers and

Change Happens to provide digital literacy training and spread the word about Internet Essentials. For more information about the program visit www.internetessentials.com for English or www.internetbasico.com for Spanish. Or, call 1-855-846-8376 (English) or 1-855-765-6995 (Spanish).

Caption here

Doug Guthrie, senior vice president of Comcast Houston, addresses participants at the Comcast Community Connections Forum.

DEFENDER | WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27 | 2012 | defendernetwork.com10

Highlights from African-American consumers: Still vital, still growing 2012 Report

The following information con-tains excerpts from a full 26-page report produced collaboratively by Nielsen, the global information and measurement company that measures what consumers watch and what consumers buy, and the National Newspaper Publishers Associa-tion (NNPA), a 72-year old federation of more than 200 Black community newspa-pers. To download the full report, go to

www.nielsen.com/africanamerican. Executive summary

In 2012, the African-American consumer population continues to be a vibrant and dynamic market segment, pro-viding both emerging and mature market attributes. Still the largest racial minority group in America, with a projected buying power of $1.1 trillion by 2015, Black con-sumers remain at the forefront of social trends and media consumption.

Companies that seek to better un-derstand the unique lifestyles, habits and shopping patterns highlighted within can enhance their chances of creating better connectivity with Black consumers. Simi-larly, African-American consumers and entrepreneurs will find information that can be helpful in making informed deci-sions about which products or services to buy and have a better understanding about the companies that provide them.

The disparity in advertising dollars spent with African-American media is mapped out, suggesting a need for more fair methods of administering advertising spending to better reflect and align with Blacks’ preferences and the media envi-ronments most trusted by Black consum-ers. • Black households are 127% more likely to include a single parent, most often a woman. • 48% of Black grandparents who live in the same household with their grandchil-dren serve as their primary caregivers. • 10% of African-American households earn $100,000 or more. • 35% of African-American households earn $50,000 or more.

Blacks’ perceptions of Black media

Many companies assume that because there are no language barriers, there is no need to advertise to Black audiences through African-American media outlets.

Continued on Page 12

DEFENDER | WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27 | 2012 | defendernetwork.com 11defendernetwork.com WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27 | 2012 | DEFENDER

Local NAACP wants election investigated


In response to the ever-changing saga involving letters sent to local residents erroneously declaring them dead as well as other voting irregularities, the Houston Branch of the NAACP is seeking help from the U.S. Justice Department.

In a letter addressed to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, local branch president Rev. Reginald Lillie asked the DOJ to conduct an investigation of the elec-tion administration process in Harris County and send election monitors to the county and surrounding areas for the Nov. 6 election.

Lillie named three causes for concern: improper voting lines in the recent county Department of Education election, improper counting of votes in the primary run-off and improper purging of voters from the rolls.

The NAACP is joined in its request by the Greater Houston Coalition for Justice and the Houston Area Urban League.

“The NAACP is taking this action to honor our mission of ensuring that the right to vote is protected for all citizens, especially in light of the recent blatant and egregious acts of voter suppression taking place in Harris County and across the country,” said NAACP Houston’s Executive Director, Yolanda Smith.

Smith said they are still waiting for a response from Holder’s office regarding their request, and have lodged their concerns with lawmak-ers at both the state and national levels.

Countless living Black senior citizens received letters from the office of Harris County’s Tax Asses-sor-Collector & Voter Registrar, Don Sumner, stating that they were deceased and thus removed from the voter roll.

Recently, to the delight of those fighting to main-tain their right to vote, a Travis County judge tempo-rarily barred Texas election officials from removing thousands of “suspected” dead people from voting rolls after four living voters in that county complained that they had been improperly identified as “poten-tially deceased.”

Sumner’s office received several hundreds of similar complaints from Harris County residents.

State District Judge Tim Sulak is-sued the temporary restraining or-

der and directed all sides to find an acceptable hearing date within two weeks to determine if the order should be made permanent.

However, lawyers for Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott told Sulak that they intend to move the case into federal court, where a three-judge panel would determine how the lawsuit proceeds.

The legal wrangling revolves around the directive given to county voting registrars by Secretary of State Hope Andrade, to send letters asking roughly 80,000 voters to verify that they are alive. Those who do not respond within 30 days would have their voter regis-trations canceled.

Numerous community leaders and organizations joined the NAACP in charging voter suppression.

“I was in shock, especially since I just re-ceived my new voter registration card, making

sure all my ducks were in a row to vote,” said Terri Collins, an avid voter who was in-formed she

was dead. Collins did not take the erroneous news lying

down, calling others and finding she was one of over 9,000 Harris County residents to receive such letters.

“When I found out that others my age were taken off, I was really upset because it’s my group that votes. I’m 53, and I’ve been voting since I was 18,” she said.

Collins went to Sumner’s office, where she was assured she would be able to vote on Nov. 6. Collins also demanded Sumner’s office generate new correspondence informing letter recipients that they would be able to vote. Collins has yet to receive such notification.

Register to vote by Oct. 9Texas voters have until Tuesday,

Oct. 9, to register to vote for the Nov. 6 election. According to the Texas Secretary of State, you are eligible to register to vote if:• You are a United States citizen• You are a resident of the county where you submit the application• You are at least 18 years old on Election Day• You are not a convicted felon (you may be eligible to vote if you have

completed your sentence, probation, and parole)• You have not been declared by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be either totally mentally incapaci-tated or partially mentally incapaci-tated without the right to vote

To find out if you are already registered to vote or for more infor-mation, call 713.755.6965. Or, visit www.harrisvotes.com or www.sos.state.tx.us.

Photo ID laws could exclude young Blacks

NNPA

Nearly half a million young Blacks face a tough choice as the Nov. 6 presidential election approaches – either get a new, government-issued photo iden-tification or don’t vote.

In “Turning Back the Clock on Voting Rights,” the Black Youth Project, a group that fosters political and civil en-gagement among young Afri-can-Americans, outlined how the lack of government-issued photo IDs threatens to disen-franchise young minorities ages 18 to 29, particularly in swing states such as Florida.

According to the report,

photo ID requirements could prevent 170,000 to 475,000 young Blacks from casting a vote in the upcoming presiden-tial election.

In Florida alone, photo ID laws could block more than 76,000 young Blacks from casting a ballot in November, more than enough to turn the tide in the battleground state, where Barack Obama beat John McCain by less than 3 percent in 2008.

The Brennan Center for Justice found that 25 percent of Blacks nationwide do no possess photo identification compared to just 9 percent of whites.

Rev. Reginald Lillie

DEFENDER | WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27 | 2012 | defendernetwork.com12

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PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING NOTICE NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), will hold a second public scoping meeting regarding the North Houston Highway Im-provement Project. The project limits are from the interchange of US 59 and SH 288 to the interchange of IH 45 and Beltway 8 North, a distance of approximately 16 miles. The study area includes portions of IH 10, US 59, and SH 288 near downtown Houston; Hardy Toll Road from north of downtown Houston to Beltway 8 North; and IH 610 and Beltway 8 North between IH 45 and Hardy Toll Road. TxDOT is preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, to analyze potential direct, indirect, and cumulative effects to the human and natural environment that may occur from the construction and operation of proposed transportation improvements in the project area. Two identical public scoping meetings will be held in the project area. An open house meeting format will allow the public to come and go at their convenience. Project team members will be available to discuss issues and answer questions regarding the proposed improvements and the EIS process. A short video regarding the project will be pre-sented throughout the meeting. Maps of the study area and exhibits of the preliminary alternatives will be on display. The same information will be presented at both meetings. The public is encouraged to attend anytime between the hours of 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the most convenient meeting location. Tuesday, October 9, 2012 Thursday, October 11, 2012 Jefferson Davis High School Aldine Ninth Grade School 1101 Quitman Street 10650 North Freeway Houston, TX 77009 Houston, TX 77037 The purpose of this public scoping meeting is to present information about, and receive public feedback on, preliminary alternatives for highway improvements in the North Houston corridor, the process being used to evaluate these alternatives, and how community feed-back has been incorporated to date in the planning process. The revised Need and Purpose Statement and Project Coordination Plan documents will be available for review. After the scoping meetings, the information presented at the meetings will be available for review and reproduction on the project website www.IH45NorthandMore.com, and at the TxDOT Houston District Office, 7600 Washington Avenue, Houston, Texas 77007. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding state holidays. The public will have the opportunity to provide written comments during and after the meeting. If you are unable to attend one of the public scoping meetings, you may view project information and submit comments on the project website www.IH45NorthandMore.com, or you can mail comments to: Director of Project Development, Texas Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 1386, Houston, Texas 77251-1386. You may also email comments to the address: [email protected]. Comments received by email or post-marked by Friday, October 26, 2012, will be included in the public meeting record. Your participation is encouraged in this important step of the EIS process. We appreciate your interest in the proposed project and hope you will attend this second public scoping meeting. Meeting materials will be presented in English, with some materials also in Spanish. Spanish-speaking project team members will be available to assist with translation of other materials. Persons interested in attend-ing the public meeting who have special communication or accommo-dation needs are encouraged to contact TxDOT’s District Public Infor-mation Office at (713) 802-5072 by Friday October 5, 2012. TxDOT will make every reasonable effort to accommodate special needs. For more information regarding the North Houston Highway Improvement Project, please visit the project website www.IH45NorthandMore.com.

MENTAL HEALTH MENTAL RETARDATION AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY

will be accepting Request for Proposal for the following:

MHMRA’S PHARMACY INVENTORY Specifications may be secured from MHMRA, Harris County, Purchasing Department located at 7011 Southwest Freeway, Suite 100 in Houston, Texas 77074, Telephone number, 713-970-7300, and/or via MHMRA website www.mhmraharris.org beginning Monday, October 1, 2012. The Request for Proposal (RFP) must be submitted to Purchasing Department, Suite 100, 7011 Southwest Freeway, Houston, Texas 77074 by, Wednesday, October 17, 2012 @ 10:00am . All responses, and any questions pertaining to this RFP should be addressed in writing to Joycie Sheba, Buyer II / Sharon Brauner, Senior Purchasing Coordinator via fax (713) 970-7682 or email questions to [email protected], cc: [email protected]. MHMRA reserves the rights to reject any and/or all offers it deems to be in its best interests, to waive formalities and reasonable irregularities in submitted documents and is not obligated to accept the lowest proposal.

MENTAL HEALTH MENTAL RETARDATION AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY

will be accepting Request for Proposal for the following:

MHMRA’S INTRUSION DETECTION AND PREVENTION Specifications may be secured from MHMRA, Harris County, Purchasing Department located at 7011 Southwest Freeway, Suite 100 in Houston, Texas 77074, Telephone number, 713-970-7300, and/or via MHMRA website www.mhmraharris.org beginning Monday, October 1, 2012. The Request for Proposal (RFP) must be submitted to Purchasing Department, Suite 100, 7011 Southwest Freeway, Houston, Texas 77074 by, Wednesday, October 17, 2012 @ 2:00 pm. All responses, and any questions pertaining to this RFP should be addressed in writing to Joycie Sheba, Buyer II / Sharon Brauner, Senior Purchasing Coordinator via fax (713) 970-7682 or email questions to [email protected], cc: [email protected]. MHMRA reserves the rights to reject any and/or all offers it deems to be in its best interests, to waive formalities and reasonable irregularities in submitted documents and is not obligated to accept the lowest proposal.

This is a missed opportunity for companies, who can use such outlets to reach Black consumers in trusted environments where Blacks see themselves most of-ten reflected. Consider the following facts on Blacks’ perceptions on advertising.

The Black population is not a homogeneous group. A deeper understanding of the unique life-styles, viewing habits and shopping patterns can help companies create better connectivity with Black consumers.

We are optimistic that this report will empower you to value your role in the economic infrastruc-ture of the United States. Each purchasing decision, viewing opportunity, mobile phone activity and digital experience you have impacts a company’s bottom line.

We encourage you to use that power wisely and with care. Whether you are a single mother, Baby Boomer or Millenial, your consumer dollars matter. You matter!

Consumers.... ...Continued from page 10

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DEFENDER | WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27 | 2012 | defendernetwork.com 13defendernetwork.com WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27 | 2012 | DEFENDER

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LEGAL NOTICE

For detailed odds and game information, visit txlottery.org or call 1-800-37LOTTO. Must be 18 or older to purchase a ticket. The Texas Lottery supports Texas Education. © 2012 Texas Lottery Commission. All rights reserved.

Game # Game Name / Odds $ Official Close of Game

End ValidationsDate

1355 Weekly Grand – Overall Odds are 1 in 3.91 $2 10/05/12 04/03/13

1403 Black Pearls – Overall Odds are 1 in 3.83 $5 10/27/12 04/25/13

1350 Bingo Multi-Prize – Overall Odds are 1 in 3.53 $5 11/28/12 05/27/13

1407 Hot Numbers® – Overall Odds are 1 in 4.73 $2 11/28/12 05/27/13

1408 20th Anniversary – Overall Odds are 1 in 3.52 $5 11/28/12 05/27/13

1445 The Avengers™ – Overall Odds are 1 in 4.30 $1 11/28/12 05/27/13

These Texas Lottery Commission Scratch-Off games will be closing soon:

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Entrepreneurs over 50 can receive adviceDefender New Services

AARP and the U.S. Small Business Adminis-tration (SBA) will team up to host the first Na-tional Encore Entrepre-neur Mentor Day targeted at entrepreneurs age 50 and older.

It takes place on Tuesday, Oct. 2, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 5330 Griggs Road. The goal is to match “encore entre-preneurs” with experi-enced business owners

and community leaders for advice and assis-tance, and to link them to the resources they need to successfully start and grow business-es and create jobs.

National Encore En-trepreneur Mentor Day is part of a larger effort by AARP and SBA to promote entrepreneur-ship among individuals 50 and older. They have partnered with SCORE (formerly the Service Corps of Retired Ex-

ecutives) to provide a workshop designed to help small businesses not only survive but thrive in the current economy.

The luncheon workshop will address pressing business needs, whether they be money or customer attraction and conversion, and ex-amine who and what is available to assist small business owners in any way possible.

With one in four

Americans ages 44 to 70 interested in becom-ing entrepreneurs, and a large majority planning

to work during retire-ment, small business ownership is a good option.

For more informa-tion about encore entre-preneurship visit www.aarp.org/startabusiness.

HUD funds will assist public housing job-seekers

The U.S. Department of Hous-ing and Urban Development recently awarded Texas $5,015,817 in grants to help public and assisted housing residents connect with local services to obtain education and training to find jobs.

The funding allows local grantees to retain or hire 98 service coordinators in Texas to work directly with HUD-assist-ed families to connect them to the sup-portive services that meet their individual needs to become gainfully employed.

The Houston Housing Authority received $366,352 in funding. Nearby, the Housing Authority of the City of Galveston received $59,151, while the Montgomery County Housing Authority received $43,122

“This funding ultimately links indi-viduals to childcare, computer access, job training and other basic skills individu-als need to compete for jobs that pay a living wage,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan.

“To continue to grow America’s economy, we must see to it that every American has the skills and resources they need to become gainfully em-ployed.”

“These grants are a win for both the grantee and Texas families who partici-pate in HUD rental assistance programs,” said Mark Brezina, acting regional direc-tor. The grantee can keep or can hire an employee whose job is to help hundreds of individuals here find employment.”

The HUD funding is part of $75 million awarded to agencies across the

U.S. to hire or retain jobs. It includes $15 million through the Public Housing-Family Self-Sufficiency Program and $60 million through the Housing Choice Voucher-Family Self-Sufficiency Pro-gram.

Service coordinators hired through both programs work directly with residents to connect them with local orga-nizations that provide education and job training and placement opportunities, as well as childcare, counseling, transporta-tion and computer and financial literacy services available in their community.

Both programs encourage innova-tive strategies that link public housing and Housing Choice Voucher assistance with other resources to enable par-ticipating families to find employment, increase earned income, reduce or elimi-nate the need for rental and/or welfare assistance, and make progress toward achieving economic independence and housing self-sufficiency.

Participants in both programs sign a five-year contract that requires the head of the household to obtain employment and no longer receive welfare assistance at the end of the five-year term.

As the family’s income rises, a por-tion of the increased income is deposited in an interest-bearing escrow account. If the family successfully completes its FSS contract, the family receives the escrow funds that it can use for any purpose, including paying educational expenses, starting a business or paying debts.


sportsSam Houston State UniversityBearkats football program on the rise

He’s a 330-pound nose tackle that can dominate the line of scrim-mage.”

By MAX EDISONDefender

Don’t look now, but one of the nation’s top Division IAA/FCS football pro-grams is quietly being assembled just 71 miles due north of Houston in Hunts-ville.

The Sam Houston State University Bearkats were 14-1 in 2011 and lost in the FCS championship game to North Dakota State. In just his third season at the helm of the ‘Kats, head coach Willie Fritz has resur-rected the Sam Houston program.

The Bearkats return 18 starters, including 2011 Southland Conference Player of the Year in running back Tim Flanders, the Offensive Player of the Year in wide receiver Richard Sincere, and the Defensive Player of the Year in safety Darnell Taylor.

The 2012 squad is nationally ranked and prepared to play back- to-back contests in Houston. They play Texas Southern University at BBVA Compass Stadium in a nationally televised game. The following week they play Stephen F. Austin in the Battle of the Piney Woods at Reliant Stadium on Oc. 6.

With such amazing success in 2011, Coach Fritz realizes the bar has been raised and expectations are heightened.

“We’ve got arguably the toughest schedule in FCS football,” Fritz said. “We’ve played a team from the Big 12 (Baylor). We play a team from the SEC (Texas A&M) at the end of the year and we’ve only got three home games, one of which we’ve already played. With our schedule we’ve got to be better than last year.”

After going undefeated in Southland Conference play in 2011, the Bearkats know that they have a bull’s eye painted squarely on their backs.

“We’ve got to bring our A game every week,” Fritz contin-ued. “We started to stress that back in March, and we carried that over to fall workouts before school started. I think with the experience we had last year the returning players un-derstand that and are focused

on the task at hand. “We want to be a team that makes the playoffs

every year and competes for a championship. We’re on the verge of that. We don’t want to be a one-hit wonder.”

Coach Fritz believes that a major key to the Bear-kats success now and in the future will be their ability to recruit players from the greater Houston area.

“Recruiting Houston is huge for us,” Fritz said. “The talent in the area is outstanding. For some reason the previous staff had not made Houston a priority, but we certainly have.

“We try to encourage students to stay in state, stay local,” Fritz said. “We think our location, an hour north of Houston, is ideal. Students are out of town, but still close enough for their parents to come and see them play.”

Sam Houston boasts one of the most explosive teams in the nation. They return 2011 starter Brian Bell (junior) at quarterback. Most importantly they re-turn All-American running back Tim Flanders (junior), the school’s all-time leading rusher. Flanders scored 24 touchdowns and rushed for 1644 yards in 2011, both conference records.

He will team up with another All-American, versatile wide receiver/QB Richard Sincere (junior). Speedy

Michigan transfer, wide receiver Terrance Robinson (senior), will add additional fire power. Up front the Bearkats boast two of the Southland Conference’s best offensive linemen in Caleb Hopson (senior) and Dan Jenkins (senior).

Defensively the Bearkats are loaded with tal-ent, starting with All-American safety Darnell Taylor (senior), the 2011 Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Combine him with All-American cornerback Dax Swanson and All-Conference safety Kenneth Jenkins (senior) and you have one of the na-tion’s best secondaries.

The defensive front is solid with J.T. Cleveland (senior), Andrew Weaver (junior) and Gary Lorance (junior) boasting first team All-Conference pedigrees.

There has been a growing trend among mid-major universities that were once FCS schools to take the step up to Division I status. Count former Southland conference foes Texas State and UTSA among that group. Despite a student enrollment of some 19,000, Fritz believes the FCS suits Sam Houston best.

“We’ve looked at it and we’ll have dialogue with people, but our goal is to dominate at this level,” Fritz

said. “We want to be the top team in the Southland Conference, not just in football, but in all

sports. We still have a way to go for that,

but that’s our im-mediate goal.”

Bearkat playmakers include (l. to r.) Tim Flanders, Darnell Taylor and Richard Sincere.

Third-year head coach Willie Fritz has the Sam Houston State football program headed in the right direction.


h.s.zone15defendernetwork.com WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 27 | 2012 DEFENDER

sportsbriefs

Reagan continues to make school history


Two schools ranked in top 10Katy is the state’s top-ranked Class 5A school even though the Tigers sat out a bye week. Former No. 1 Lake Travis lost 30-28 to A&M Consolidated opening the way for idle Katy, which was ranked No. 2. The 3-0 Tigers will begin their District 19-5A ledger against unbeaten Mayde Creek (3-0) at Rhodes Stadium. State-ranked North Shore improved to 4-0 with a 56-8 victory over Madison. The Mustangs face Channelview in the District 21-5A lid lifter for both schools. Pearland Dawson is the state’s top-ranked Class 4A school after dispos-ing of Clear Falls (55-24).

Hammon rushes for 459 yards Former Sugar Land Dulles running back Ken Hall still owns the Houston area’s top high school rushing mark with a 520-yard game in 1953. Yet Dickinson running back Krystn Hammon turned in a performance for the ages in a recent 52-49 loss to South Houston. The junior ran 31 times for 459 yards, averaging nearly 15 yards per carry. Ham-mon scored five touchdowns on runs of 80, 11, 8, 34 and 69 yards.

Marble Falls QB sets recordMike Richardson of Marble Falls passed for 715 yards to break the state’s single-game record in a 62-55 victory over Boerne Champion. Rich-ardson threw seven touchdown passes and ran for another, completing 35-of-44 attempts and fell nine yards shy of the national record. The old state record was 683 yards by Dylan Sheffield of Wichita Falls set in 2011.

Astros announce All-Time 25As part of the 50-year anniversary of the franchise, the Astros have announced their All-Time 25 man roster, selected by a combination of online fan voting and the voting of a panel of 12 expe-rienced baseball writers and broadcasters. The roster, which consists of 12 pitchers, 13 position players and a manager, includes starters at each position, a five-man starting pitching rotation, a seven-man bullpen with a designated closer and five utility players. All five utility players were everyday players in their Astros careers while five of the seven members selected for the bullpen were starting pitchers while with Houston. Starting position players: C Alan Ashby, 1B Jeff Bagwell, 2B Craig Biggio, SS Craig Reynolds, 3B Doug Rader, OF Lance Berkman, OF Cesar Cedeno, OF Jose Cruz Starting pitching rotation: RHP Larry Dierker, RHP Joe Niekro, RHP Nolan Ryan, RHP Roy Oswalt, RHP Mike Scott, RHP Don Wilson Utility players: OF Jimmy Wynn, 1B Bob Watson, 2B Joe Morgan, 2B Bill Doran, 3B Ken Caminiti Bullpen: RHP J.R. Richard, RHP Shane Reyn-olds, LHP Mike Hampton, RHP Roger Clemens, RHP Dave Smith Closer: Billy Wagner Manager: Larry Dierker

By DARRELL K. ARDISONDefender

After a long period of futility, the Reagan High School varsity football program is continuing to experience success and make history.

Last November, Reagan defeated Worthing 35-6 in a first-round playoff matchup for the school’s first postsea-son triumph in nearly five decades.

A week ago, the Bull-dogs accomplished some-thing they’d never done before.

“We beat Wheatley in football for the first time in school history,” said Reagan junior quarterback Tyron Wash-ington, who threw touchdown passes of 12 yards to Malcolm LaFleur and 34 yards to Joseph Dehn in the Bulldogs’ 41-21 victory over Wheatley at Barnett Stadium.

“It’s always good to jump on an opponent from the start and continue to build on your momentum,” Washington said.

The Bulldogs led 14-13 at halftime on the strength of two Tavon Dodd three-yard touchdown runs and broke the game open in the second half by scoring the first four TDs after intermission.

The victory evened Reagan’s overall record at 2-2 during the 2012 season and 1-1 in District 21-4A.

“My offensive line did a good job and I believe in them,” Dodd said. “Our coach emphasized that this was going to be a big game for us. We went out and got the W.”

A junior two-way starter at run-ning back and safety, Dodd believes the Bulldogs have benefitted from playing a tough early-season schedule.

“Playing good competition like Westside and North Forest has helped gets us ready for dis-trict games,” he said. “It builds our confidence and helps makes us a better team. After

those losses, we just had to regroup and play hard.”

Although Dodd is a three-year var-sity letterman, this is the first season he has started on both offense and defense.

“Going both ways I know I have to be a playmaker on both sides of the ball. During the offseason, I wanted to outwork everybody in our facility and become the best football player I can be.”

Washington believes the Bulldogs’ formula for success against Wheatley can be revisited as the team enjoys a bye week before getting into the teeth of its schedule beginning Oct. 5 at Dyer Stadium against Milby.

“It’s good having a back like Tavon Dodd, who can find holes and make it easier on the offense and the offensive line,” Washington said. “When the of-fensive line does a good job of blocking, we can make the plays.

“It’s golden having Joseph Dehn as a receiver. He’s strong and very smart. I know when I put the ball in the air, he’s going to come down with it,” Washington said. “It’s good to have him on the Bull-dogs after he came from Florida.”

Washington added he has confidence that all of his receivers will catch the ball and that the team is feeling good about itself right now.

“Tyron is tall and has good athletic ability,” Dehn

said. “He’s got more trust in himself than he did last year. It’s always good to have a good quarterback when you’re a receiver. “

Reagan head coach Stephen Dixon believes he has enough experienced players to make this another successful season for the Bulldogs.

“We lost our first district game to North Forest and I wouldn’t be surprised if they finish the regular season unde-feated. But it was big for us to rebound and defeat a team that’s been going to the playoffs regularly like Wheatley,” he said. “We’ve got some things to clean up before we take on Milby.

“Tyron is in his third year starting at quarterback. He’s starting to round into form after missing most of the two-a-day practices. “I believe Joseph is a kid that’s going to play receiver in college. Having those kids along with some other experi-enced personnel is going to loom big for us going forward.

The Reagan defense will also be counted on heavily over the next six weeks. Dixon cited the play of Dodd at safety along with linebackers Trevor O’Reilly and Jalen Wells.

“I think the biggest reason our defense played so well against

Wheatley was nose tackle Jaaron Thomas,” Dixon said. “He

pretty much controlled the center and allowed every-

body else to roam free.

Tavon Dodd, Joseph Dehn and Tyron Washington (l. to r.) play hard for Reagan.

Coach Stephen Dixon


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Houston Defender

None

10.75” x 14”

9.75” x 13”

100

Studio Artist

Size Fold Color Print

Issue

Scale

Art Director

Copy Writer

Production Mgr.

Traffi c

Last Modifi ed

PERS

ONN

EL

CONT

ENT

Fonts

Placed Graphics

Location

Inks

Antenna (Light, Regular, Bold, Medium; Type 1)

Ford_Beach_rearEscape_Vert_PG_fl at4CNEWS.psd (389 ppi; CMYK), Sprd_phone_BLCK-calloutLine.eps, BeachPhone_NoType_Circle_v2_SJ_OTL.ai, FGBR_12GoFurther_4C_VtHt_R01.ai

Cyan Magenta Yellow Black

HMussonStudio

8-20-2012 3:12 PM

Page 4/C

Sept.13, 2012

None

J. Carethers

C. Curry/D. Hill

H. Musson

J. Hecht

hmusson / hmusson

This Ad Prepared By UniWorld Group, Inc.

* EPA-estimated 33 hwy mpg, FWD. Class is Small Utilities vs. 2012/2013 competitors. ** Hands-free liftgate and active park assist are available features. © 2012 Ford Motor Company

Best-in-class automatic highway fuel effi ciency,* automated hands-free liftgate and active park assist.** Introducing the incredibly fun and fuel-effi cient ALL-NEW 2013 ESCAPE. It’ll make a brand-new you.

Visit ford.com/brandnew

S:9.75”S:13”

T:10.75”T:14”

september 27, 2012

Documents

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houston area

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