Celebrating 100 Years

g-unity 07-15-06
COPYRIGHT LJM 2006

GARY--Hundreds settled in for sausage, grits, eggs, biscuits and
gravy Saturday morning at the Gary Centennial Unity Breakfast held
inside the Genesis Center. There was a cheerful buzz in the room
about anything from the massive steel sculpture, the Fusion--which
would later be dedicated--to the glee at seeing old colleagues.
It was a time where many reflected on how far the city has come and
where it is heading.
"This day means strength, pride and accomplishments. We've been here
100 years and it's still going strong and we're looking forward to
growth and opportunity," Mirna Gonzalez said. She stood in line with
her husband, Naftali--a retired Gary fireman--in one of several
gigantic breakfast buffets spread around the open auditorium.
"I've been here since 1964", her husband, said.
They also brought their grandson.
"We wanted him to experience part of the history", Mirna Gonzalez said.
Many expressed curiosity about their city and wanted to get to know
Gary in another way.
"We have a great city here that very few people know anything about,"
Rufus Purnell said. He bought a 455 page hard-bound copy of "Gary
Indiana A Centennial Celebration" that was on sale at the event.
There was a mix of politician and average citizen at the breakfast
and everyone mingled.
"I believe the city of Gary has a very rich history and the history
is in the people," Gary City Clerk Suzette Raggs said.
Dharathula Millender, founder of the Gary Historical Society, stood
just ahead of Raggs with a member of the Gary Historical Society.
Millender was reconnecting with old friends.
"(I'm keeping) in contact with all ethnic groups, which is evident,"
Millender said, pointing to her friend and colleague, Carolyn Lisek,
whose father was a Gary business owner. Lisek is a member of the
Historical Society.
"I wanted to see what this was all about," Lisek said.
Dorthia Battle said she was glad to see the city come together for
the event. She sang with the Family Christian Center Choir, as a part
of the celebration.
The Rev. Dr. Stephan Munsey, pastor of Family Christian Center in
Munster, said his speech would span the past, present and future of
Gary. He also said Gary is an unusual city.
"Our society came in here 168,000 strong at the time of the
Industrial Revolution. No city or government can begin to understand
how to equip those many people. It was like fast money coming in one
day, going out the next," he said.
"We found ourselves in the 60s. The explosion began to come to a head
and we found we were really not ready as a city, when the winds of
the storm came. Many people disbanded and didn't know what to do. No
one is critical of the leadership--they did the best we could. I read
the history. We must do again what Mr. Gary did when nothing was here
and he said, 'something's going to happen.'" he said.
Some in attendance already had Mr. Gary's idea in mind. There were
vendors outside of the Genesis Center who had anything from snow
cones to memorabilia for sale. It seemed to show an appreciation for
the city's 100th birthday.
"I love Gary, Indiana. This is the start of something big. With the
influx of people we have from other communities such as
Chicago--that's generating a different kind of interest that people
thought we'd never have in this city. And I really love the Fusion,"
Eric Johnson, Public Affairs Director, WGVE 88.7 said.
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It Was Almost Like A Religious Experience

Frankie Beverly poses with fan, Leslie McCloud

I had never seen Frankie Beverly featuring Maze live before tonight. It was almost like a religious experience. It was like getting your first choice in anything. It was like falling in love over and over again. It was like getting exactly what you
want and having it work out all right.
It was like a sigh. It was like tears of joy. It was like a Baby's first smile. It was like all was right without the world. It was Frankie Beverly and Maze. These guys have been around for 40 years and they still got it going on. Frankie got some chops. He gives love to the audience and of course, the audience loves him back.
It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. And he's cute too.
I told Mr. Beverly that "I Can Tell By the Look in Your Eyes, That You're Falling In Love With Me." (ooh baby) He said, "Yeah" and nodded his head.
That is one of my favorite songs. He looked at me--I guess to see if he could judge my age or maybe that I noticed he didn't sing it or maybe that he sang everything else almost and I still mentioned that one. All of their songs are my favorites. People were at the outdoor concert Chicago Style Stepping and showing out with it and looking good too. Folks were doing the electric slide (a dance) in the grass--and doing it well.
But when they performed "Joy and Pain" Lawd we all lost it. He bongoed and keyborded and teased us with the intro. I wiped tears later, thinking about it. The crowd unleashed what ever they were holding back into one great big fury of Joy.

Support Our Troops

Click here to find out how to support troops fighting for our freedom.

Gary, Ind. invites you to their 100 year celebration!

This is for the ol' school in you.

Event:
2006 Centennial Independence Celebration Weekend

Location:
Throughout the City

Notes:

The Mayor's Office of Special Events
Presents
"100 Reasons to Come Home"

Weekend Celebration

Friday, June 30, 2006
Saturday July 1, 2006
Tuesday July 4, 2006

Performers include:

Cedric the Entertainer & surprise guest
Jesse Powell
Frankie Beverly & Maze
Tito Jackson & More
Chi-Lites
Denise Williams
Al Hudson & One Way

Call 219-881-1314 for more information.

Click here for a map and directions

Please read this horrifying story. You will laugh.

click on the title of this post, it is a link to laughter!

Vince moves on...

Brig. Gen. Vincent K. Brooks has been selected to become the deputy commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas.
The Army announced April 3 that Brig. Gen. Anthony Cucolo, who recently oversaw the Pentagon report on Iraqi decision making during Operation Iraqi Freedom, including the revelation that Russian officials may have supplied information on U.S. troop movements to Iraq, has been named to succeed Army public affairs chief Brig. Gen. Vincent Brooks.
Brooks, who has led the Army's public affairs operations since Dec. 2004, will become deputy commander of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas.

Cucolo is director of the Joint Center for Operational Analysis-Lessons Learned at the U.S. Joint Forces Command in Suffolk, Va.

His most recent encounter with reporters came March 24 when he briefed Pentagon journalists about the "Iraq Perspective Project," a study by the operational analysis center into the views of Iraq's leaders and military in the months leading up to the March 2003 invasion of Iraq and the command influences on the Iraqi military during the "major combat phase."

Jesse Jackson Gives Back!

We should all take a look at what this man has done and congratulate him, then emulate him--as much as we can.
I never thought I'd see the day--Operation Push refunded a $40,000 corporate donation.
Donations are used to help fund Operation Push and their huge yearly convention so money is important to their survival. However, a sacrifice was made and they put principles before payments.

No Child Left Behind Helps Public Education

(Please excuse the previous title. The report got me all revvved up!)

A just released report by the Education Trust states that by the end of high school, Latino and African-American 17-year-old students, on average, have been taught to the same level as White 13-year-old students.

Students in high-poverty and high minority schools also are shortchanged when it comes to getting teachers with a strong background in the subjects they are teaching.

Classes in high-poverty and high minority secondary schools are more likely
to be taught by out-of-field teacher--those without a major or minor in the subject they teach.

The report, "Teaching Inequality: How Poor and Minority Students Are Shortchanged on Teacher Quality," comes as states prepare their plans to ensure that low-income students and students of color receive their fair share of experienced, qualified teachers.

Those equity plans must be delivered to the U.S. Secretary of Education by July 7 -- and mark the first time that the federal government has demanded that states confront and fix the unfair distribution of teacher talent in their states.

The report also points out that school districts, not teacher unions, are responsible for balancing competing interests among stakeholders.
It would appear that pleasing powerful constituents has sometimes forced equity to take a back seat.

The simple truth is that public education cannot fulfill its mission if students growing up in
poverty, students of color and low-performing students continue to be disproportionately taught by
inexperienced, under-qualified teachers.

The report goes on to say that these manifestly unequal opportunities make a mockery of our commitment to equal opportunity
and undermine genuine social mobility. What we have is a caste system of public education that
metes out educational opportunity based on wealth and privilege, rather than on student or community needs.
Young people learn as much or more by watching what adults do as they learn from any classroom curriculum. Right now, they are learning that where you are born and how much money your parents make determine educational opportunity. Nowhere is this clearer -- or more destructive --than in access to effective teachers.
Education leaders and policymakers must confront this legacy more openly and honestly than ever before. If Americans truly value equality of opportunity, it is time to teach by example.

Senator Barack Obama said these students don't just score lower on tests, they are less prepared for college and the workplace as well.

What does all of this mean? (in my opinion)
If you are poor and dumb chances are you will remain poor and dumb
or
if you are poor and dumb you will get teachers that are poor and dumb
or
there is a problem with teacher retention and assignment when it comes to minority communities.

New teachers cannot stay new for long. At some point, experience is gained. Then what? Teachers who gain experience move to better situated schools?
I believe this report was mean as a wake-up call to those interested in improving public education for poor and minority students--which translates into a better society as those students grow up and take their places in the world.

Minority Affairs

g-naacp 06-08-06
copyright2006 LJM


GARY--Wrapping up a series of meetings in the area, a representative from Governor Mitch Daniels met with constituents Thursday at the Barbara Leak Wesson Center to hear from the local branch of the NAACP.
Tony Kirkland, Senior Advisor, Minority Affairs of the
Intergovernmental Affairs Department said it's important that the
Governor's office is in touch with the needs of local residents.
"I wanted to let the members of NAACP know that I am in the office
and I want to get some of the Governor's initiatives out. We want
to make sure we are being inclusive to minorities. (Business)
opportunities do exist and (residents) should take advantage of all
of them," he said.
Mentioned were the "Major Moves" initiative and the "Indiana Plan".
Major Moves is a comprehensive ten-year investment plan in IndianaÂ’s infrastructure to improve the economy and create job opportunities for Hoosiers. Major Moves eliminates the stateÂ’s transportation budget deficit and invests in the stateÂ’s future through public-private partnerships to complete over 200 vital transportation projects.
The Indiana Plan is a unique approach to preparing people for careers in the construction industry. The Indiana Plan accepts all people, regardless of educational background, work experience, age, gender or race. Opportunities for good-paying, skilled positions are available for people who are trained for the task. The construction building trades are one of the fastest growing areas of our nation's economy.
Specifically, officials were in the area this week talking about some of the programs that involve starting adult day cares and training programs that instruct in the building trades and road work construction.
Kirkland found that some qualified business aren't certified as minority
or woman owned due to mistrust of big government by minority and woman business
owners.
Sometimes not registering is due to lack of knowledge. The
state wants to protect itself from being scammed by front companies,
where businesses are minority or woman owned in name only.
In spite of this, to be considered for contracts with local and state
government designated for minority and women businesses, those
businesses must be registered as such, Kirkland said.
"They think they will miss out on funds coming to the area. There are
problems communicating the (details) of how to operate their own
business. Companies need to come to the table prepared," Kirkland
said.
Money from the state for repairing roads and other infrastructure
improvements is in the works. Each county in the state could see up
$150 million.
"Northwest Indiana stands to get money after the Toll Road is
leased," Kirkland said.
The money may be administrated by local city government, he said. He
guessed possibly from $2 to $6 million could be seen in the area,
however, "it's not etched in stone". Workforce Development may be a
sponsor of a training program where people are trained on completing
roadwork and construction jobs.
Tammi Davis, president of the NAACP said it's important that
information like this gets around.
"We invited Tony Kirkland to come here so that we can have someone
who represents the minority community to the Governor's office. We
thought it was time we had a conversation with him--not about
anything in particular but in general. We want our voices to be heard
and taken seriously all the way downstate," she said.
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