February 2013

A Unifying Factor In The Valley’s Community

CENTRALVALLEYVOICE.COM • FEBRAURY 2013

Central Valley VoiceA Minority Publication

CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH The People in the Central Valley want to know "what's really going on"?

Antoine Hubbard (left) and Nap Washington at Merced College, Black History Celebration February 10, 2013.

n February 9, 2013, The 34th Annual Black Heri-tage Banquet in the cor-

nerstone Lodge #111 was held in Merced, California. The guest speaker, Rev. Patricia Charles-ton, from Pleasant Grove Bap-tist Church in Detroit, Michigan, a dynamic speaker. She and her church’s Business Manager, Shirley Cooper are remarkable

people.The next day, the United Meth-odist Women Winter Tea and Worship, started at 3:00 p.m. and was sponsored by Pastor Gregory Floyd at the Atwater United Methodist Church. Rev. Pat Charleston and her manag-er joined the service and had a quality time.

34th Annual BlackHeritage Banquet in theCornerstone Lodge #111

OPictured above (left-right) members of the Cornerstone Lodge #111, Greg Anderson, Agnew Mathis, Jonathan Pigg and Harold Goldman.

Central Valley ResidentsCelebrate Black History

SEE PAGE>7

John Ervin III (photo - left) receives proclamation from Modesto Mayor Garrad Marsh (right) proclaiming February 2013, as Black History Month in Modesto.

By Greg SavageJohn Ervin III received proc-

lamation from Modesto may-or Garrad Marsh proclaiming February 2013, as Black His-tory Month in Modesto. The proclamation also recognized Sankofa Theatre Company, the first African American Theatre company founded in Modesto, "as a vehicle committed to pro-viding our diverse community a history of African American life through a kaleidoscope of quality locally produced per-forming arts which will further build cultural bridges of under-standing and appreciation for the African American experi-ence."

Sankofa Theatre's first pro-duction of August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson", which was a collaboration between Sankofa and Gallo Center for the Arts,was a hugh success. Lisa Millegan Renner, writer for the Modesto Bee, gave it four stars (Excellent) in her review stating, "a soaring achieve-ment that shows this is a com-pany to be taken seriously." Sankofa Theatre Company was founded by John Ervin III, Cheryll Knox, Elizabeth Gar-mon and Greg Savage.

Photos by: Greg Savage

Black History Month in Modesto

50th Year Anniversary of the March on Washington

2 FEBRUARY 2013

Issues & Views

The White House and Con-gress must move quickly to en-act just and humane compre-hensive immigration reform.

In the wake of the 2012 elec-tions, both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have ex-pressed the need to act on the

issue. The window for biparti-san legislation is now open.

Ethnic media have a high stake in the future of immigra-tion policy in this country. That's why we are joining together to take an editorial stand to urge Congress and the White House: Make 2013 the year of immigra-tion reform.

This is not merely a question of politics. We are calling for comprehensive immigration reform because it is the morally right, economically wise and pragmatically sensible thing to do.

Our country is a nation of laws, and it is clear that U.S. immigration laws need to be overhauled. The immigration system is broken, not only for the 11 million undocumented immigrants, but for the thou-sands of immigrants who are unable to get visas to work in the United States; for American businesses that can’t hire the workers they need; for the fami-lies who wait for years to get vi-sas to join their relatives in the United States.

We need comprehensive im-migration reform that will re-unite families, reinvigorate the economy, and revive our identi-ty as a nation that thrives on the contributions of hard-working immigrants.

It’s clear that our federal im-migration laws are not working. Federal inaction on immigra-

tion has led states from Arizona to Alabama to write their own legislation. Even the recently announced Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) pro-gram is a temporary band-aid that does nothing to solve the larger problem of a broken im-migration system.

Immigration has been por-trayed as a divisive issue. In reality it’s not. All of us would benefit from an effective immi-gration system that responds to the needs of the market, protects all workers from abuse and exploitation and puts an end to the practice of separat-ing parents from their children.

We need an immigration sys-tem that reflects the best tradi-tions of our history -- our belief in justice, equality, and eco-nomic opportunity.

And as we look to the future, we must make sure that we remain competitive in an in-creasingly globalized world. We need to continue to attract the best and the brightest, to be the destination of the world’s most innovative workers.

We must act now. Our econo-my and our future depend on it.

New America Media, Editorial, Staff

Ethnic Media's Collective Messageto the White House: Do It Now

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Open Letter To America's Black Youth: "Brains Before Bullets, Think It Out, Don't Shoot It Out!"

Nationwide (BlackNews.com) -- Several years ago, I found myself at a crossroads in my life. If not for a helping hand at just the right time, I might not be here to offer these words of advice and encouragement. I definitely fit the description of an "at risk" youngster.

I was an inner-city tough guy. That was my life, my culture. It defined me. I wasn't worried about my future. Future? Ha! My future was today, tonight. To-morrow was never a sure thing.

So what happened? How did I escape? Why am I now preach-ing against the life that once looked so "cool"? For this col-umn, let's just say a very special teacher saw something in me that I didn't even see. He taught me the game of chess and with that simple act, he saved my life. I owe him so much and one way I'm paying him back is by living every day to save other young people who are in trouble or potentially stand to make poor decisions.

We are surrounded by so much pain and heartache. You

can't turn on the news with-out being faced with a litany of domestic violence, carjacking, robberies, and kidnappings. Vi-olence is something that has al-ways plagued this world. It is so important to learn that hostility gains you nothing in life. Peace-ful compromises are the way to solve your dilemmas. Why is the world so angry? Perhaps we will never know the answer to that.

Using the game of chess, I founded an organization sever-al years ago based upon a sim-

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CENTRAL VALLEY VOICE.COM 3

Brown’s Budget Gets Broad Support, and Majority Back Him on Paying Down DebtAs Obama Starts New Term, Job Approval Up In California—Two-Thirds Favor Assault Weapon Ban

SAN FRANCISCO,—Strong ma-jorities of Californians favor Gov-ernor Jerry Brown’s budget pro-posal and, specifically, his plan to direct extra money to school districts with more English Learn-er and lower-income students. Fewer—but still a majority of residents—back the governor’s plan to pay down the state’s debt and create a reserve, rather than restore funding for social services that has been cut in recent years. These are among the key findings of a statewide survey released to-day by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), with funding from The James Irvine Founda-tion.

When read a brief description of the governor’s overall plan, 69 percent of adults say they favor it and 22 percent are opposed. Across parties, 79 percent of Democrats, 72 percent of inde-pendents, and a slim majority of Republicans—51 percent—are in favor. Brown’s 2013–14 budget, which projects a small surplus for the first time in many years, proposes increasing spending on K–12 schools, higher education, and health and human services, as well as paying down the state’s debt and creating a reserve. Sup-port was far lower for Brown’s budget plan in January 2012 (50%).

Asked about the governor’s proposal to direct much of the increased public school funding

to districts with more English Learner and lower-income stu-dents, 75 percent of Californians are in favor and 21 percent are opposed. Overwhelming majori-ties of Democrats (81%) and in-dependents (75%) are in favor, as are 52 percent of Republicans.

Brown’s budget includes $4.2 billion to pay down state debt and creates a $1 billion reserve. Asked whether they support Brown’s plan or would prefer to restore some funding to social service programs, 55 percent choose the governor’s approach (38% prefer more spending on social services). Most Republicans (73%) and independents (62%) prefer to pay down the debt and build up the reserve, while Dem-ocrats are divided (47% pay down the debt, 48% more spending for social services).

The PPIC survey—which began the week after Brown released his budget and ended the day after President Barack Obama’s inau-guration events—shows rising optimism among Californians after years of recession and state fiscal problems. The proportion of residents who say things in the state are going in the right direc-tion—51 percent—is over 50 per-cent for the first time since Janu-ary 2007 (55%). And 49 percent expect good economic times in the next year—not a majority, but a higher percentage than at any time since January 2007 (50%).

Most (57%) say that Brown and the state legislature will be able to work together and accomplish a lot in the next year, up 13 points since last January.

Californians give the governor a record-high 51 percent job ap-proval rating (28% disapprove, 21% don’t know). His approval rating was 46 percent in January 2012 and 41 percent when he be-gan his term in January 2011. The approval rating of the legislature is less positive but improved: 41 percent of Californians approve and 42 percent disapprove (17% don’t know). Approval of the leg-islature is the highest it has been since December 2007 (41%). Asked how they feel about the Democratic supermajority in the legislature, 40 percent say it is a good thing, 27 percent say it is a bad thing, and 29 percent say it makes no difference. As the legis-lative session begins, Californians’ approval of their individual state legislators is at 45 percent (34% disapprove, 20% don’t know). A year ago, 36 percent expressed approval (47% disapproved).

"Governor Brown’s approval rating and the legislature’s are rising as the outlook on the state economy is improving,” says Mark Baldassare, PPIC president and CEO. "Still, many Californians are expressing concerns about the direction of the economy and the state budget situation.”

Californians say the most im-

portant issues for the governor and legislature to work on this year are jobs and the economy (31%), the state budget (17%), and education (17%). Despite an improved fiscal picture, a large majority (63%) continue to char-acterize the state budget situ-ation as a big problem. And 63 percent say their local govern-ment services have been affected a lot by recent state budget cuts. When asked which of the four largest areas of state spending they most want to protect from cuts, most (55%) name K–12 pub-lic education, while others name higher education (18%), health and human services (17%), and prisons and corrections (6%).

Strong Support for Cigarette Tax, Opposition to Extending Sales Tax

In the wake of passage of Prop-osition 30, what is the public’s appetite for more tax increases? The survey asked about three po-tential taxes to address the state budget situation. With a tobacco tax initiative being discussed for the 2014 ballot, 70 percent of Californians support a cigarette tax increase. A small majority of Californians (54%) favor raising

the state taxes paid by California corporations. Only 32 percent fa-vor extending the state sales tax to services not currently taxed.

Asked about specific fiscal re-forms, 71 percent support shift-ing some funding and responsi-bility for certain programs from the state to local governments. A high-profile example of this shift began in fall 2011, when some lower-risk offenders were shifted from state prisons to county jails. About half of Californians today are confident (9% very confident, 40% somewhat confident) that their local governments can han-dle this responsibility. They ex-press more confidence that local government can handle another aspect of state-local realignment: giving school districts more say in how state money is spent. Most residents are confident (23% very, 48% somewhat) that districts would use the money wisely.

A majority of Californians (57%) say it would be a good idea to lower the voting requirement to pass parcel taxes for local pub-lic schools from two-thirds to 55 percent. A third reform—a strict limit on state spending—has the

SEE PAGE >23

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Honoring Black History MonthHappy Birthday Rosa Parks

The Postal Service launched a new set of civil rights stamps on January 1 with the Emanci-pation Proclamation Forever Stamp, issued at The National Archives in Washington, DC. The series includes a stamp honor-ing civil rights icon Rosa Parks. Her refusal to sit in the back of a Montgomery, AL, bus Decem-ber 1, 1955 ignited a movement that ultimately challenged ra-cial segregation and inspired others to similar actions. In Au-gust, the series will culminate with the dedication of a stamp recognizing the 50th anniver-sary of the historic March on

Washington. The Rosa Parks Forever Stamp will go on sale nationwide Feb. 4, which would have been her 100th birthday, at local Post Offices.

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Honoring Black History Month

Background Information:In the 1930s, thousands of

formerly enslaved African-American elders dictated their full life stories during interviews that were conducted by the US federal government. These transcripts were stored in six ar-chives in the United States.

Donna Wyant Howell, widely recognized expert of the tran-scripts and historian for PBS, started research in 1988 and

began full-time in 1994. How-ell began publishing the only series of books in which the former slaves’ words are cat-egorized by subject matter. The text of the books remains com-pletely in their unedited words. Included are their photographs that were taken during the in-terviews and others that were taken during slavery.

The title of each book is I WAS A SLAVE. The subtitles of

the first six books of the series are Descriptions of Plantation Life, The Lives of Slave Men, The Lives of Slave Women, The Breeding of Slaves, The Lives of Slave Children, and Slave Auc-tions.

The I WAS A SLAVE Book Col-lection and Howell have been featured on NBC, FOX, CBS, ABC, CNN, C-SPAN, BET, NPR, Voice of America, and PBS, and in other broadcast and print media. (See below* for new unpublicized book.) The book series is being used as supple-mental textbooks in libraries, special history classes, and seminars in high schools and universities, including Howard, Georgetown, Cornell, Vander-bilt, Notre Dame, and many more. It’s in hundreds of book-stores in America and abroad.

Anna Miller: We keeps full on what we gits, such as beans, co’nmeal, and molasses. We seldom gits meat. We gits ’bout all de milk we wants ’cause dey puts it in de trough and we helps ourselves. Dere was a trough for de slaves and one for de hogs. More: www.iwasaslave.com

The ancestors are final-ly on www.Facebook.com/iwasaslave and www.Twitter.com/iwasaslave to Like and Fol-low.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH: FREE ARTICLESIN FORMER SLAVES’ OWN WORDS- Interview the Historian or Choose from 44 Articles with Photographs --

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(NAPSI)—It’s never been so easy and convenient to explore and share the inspirational, educational and entertaining Black History Month program-ming On Demand on cable. Whether viewed on a small screen such as a laptop, tab-let or smartphone or on a big screen in the comfort of the liv-

ing room, opportunities to cel-ebrate Black History Month are taking a decidedly 21st century turn. It’s all available, instantly, to digital cable subscribers with a push on the remote control or with a quick download.

Multiethnic shows and mov-ies available On Demand in February and beyond include:

Milestones In Black History There are several offerings

that examine the history of the struggles and strife, the trag-edies and the triumphs of Afri-can Americans in the U.S., from the time of Lincoln to the Civil Rights era, including “Lincoln:

An Exciting Look AtBeing Black In America

SEE PAGE 6>

Your family can enjoy great entertainment centered around African-American life.

OUR HERITAGE

6 FEBRAURY 2013

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Honoring Black History Month

American Mastermind.” For chil-dren and adults alike, there’s “The Tuskegee Airmen,” which recounts the true story of how a group of African-American WWII pilots overcame racist opposition to become one of the finest U.S. fighter groups in history, and “First to Fight: The Black Tankers of WWII.”

Profiles In Courage The biographies of influential

African Americans come to life in dramatic profiles and stories of individuals who may be less known but perhaps should be more so, such as legendary baseball great Curt Flood in the documentary “The Curious

Case of Curt Flood” and the five wrongly imprisoned teens in “The Central Park Five.” Drama movies like “Flight” starring Denzel Washington and “The Help” starring Viola Davis, and TV programs such as “House of Lies” starring Don Chea-dle, showcase award-worthy performances from notable African-American A-list actors. Viewers can also get a close look at what it’s like living in the crossfire of America’s drug war in the Emmy Award-winning miniseries “The Corner.”

Pride, Passion and Pain For sports buffs, there are im-

portant shows that exemplify

the contributions and struggles of athletes, such as “Joe Louis: America’s Hero...Betrayed,” and “Breaking the Huddle: The Inte-gration of College Football.”

That’s Entertainment Music aficionados can cel-

ebrate the true artistry of en-tertainer and civil rights ac-tivist Harry Belafonte in “Sing Your Song,” then laugh along with “Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy.” Viewers everywhere can share their passion for Black History Month programming and see what’s waiting for them On De-mand at www.facebook.com/DiversityOnDemand.

OUR HERITAGE... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

Pictured above: Theresa Pul-liams and Antioch Baptist Church youth, celebrated their Black History Program February 10, 2013 in Merced. The theme, “Past, Present and Future.”

Community Activist Tamara Cobbs (left) and Mariana Pereida at Merced College Black Heritage Program on February 10, 2013

Did you know? In 1990 L. Doug-las Wilder became the first African American to be elected governor of a state.


he Merced Community celebrated the 17th an-nual Rev. Martin Luther

King Jr. Day Unity Celebration on Monday, January 21, 2013.The event began with a march at 11 A.M. from Amtrak Sta-tion, 324 W. 24th Street and ended at the Merced County Fairgrounds, 900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. The event was sponsored by the Martin Lu-ther King, Jr. Committee, City of Merced Office of Recreation and the Boys and Girls Club of Merced County.

Inside the Exhibit Building at the fairgrounds the celebration continued with a multi-ethnic Unity program featuring enter-tainment by local school chil-dren, youth groups, choirs and speakers.

Wil Dean, Bishop Dwight Amey and Sheriff Mark Pazin, was the grand marshals of the 17th annual Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Unity Celebration.

Wil Dean is the new owner of Merced Chevrolet, a full-service Chevrolet dealer with a body shop, serving the county and surrounding areas.

Prior to acquiring Merced Chevrolet, Dean spent the last 10 years in leadership roles within General Motors fran-chise, including owning Saturn

of Elk Grove. Before entering the GM Minority Dealer Devel-opment Program in 2002, Dean worked as Director of Business Development for RightWorks, a leading provider of e-pro-curement software. He has also served as Director of Business Development for Internet Pro-curement at Oracle, Inc.

Bishop Dwight Walter Amey, Sr. has been Pastor of New Faith Tabernacle Christian Church of Merced for 36 years. He has conducted revivals and mar-riage seminars across the coun-try and in Germany, Japan and Turkey.

He is a past member of the Merced City Council, Officer of the Courts, Lions Club, Kiwanis Club, member of the Merced Citizen Advisory, Redevelop-ment Agency, City of Merced Parks and Recreation Commis-sion and president of Friends of Merced Parks and Recreation.

Bishop Amey also is the chair-man for the annual Martin Lu-ther King Celebration. The City Council recently honored him by naming the Dwight Amey Neighborhood Park after him.

Community Celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.T

The United Methodist Women’s WinterTea

From the left Iris & Ed Jackson, Geannie, Dolin, Gail, Shirley, Rev. Pat Charleston, & Percy Hill, at Atwater United Methodist Church, Women’s Winter Tea, February 10th, 2013.

Bishop Amey

Contributed Courtesyof City of Merced

Pictured above: Felicia Roberts left, publisher of Central Valley Voice posed with Rosemary Duran (right) before marching in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade, January 21, 2013 in Merced.

WINTER TEA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

8 FEBRAURY 2013

BEAUTY CORNER

On February 9th, a capacity crowd listened to Congress-man John Lewis give a dynam-ic civil rights history lesson on the west campus of Modesto Jr College - all from memory. He also spent an hour talking

to a group of young people (Project Uplift) at the King-Ken-nedy Memorial Center prior to speaking at the college. He re-membered being beaten as a 21 year old Freedom Rider, "We didn't become bitter...didn't become hostile...we kept our

eyes on the prize because of what Dr. King had taught us." He continued by saying, "If it were not for Dr. King's spirit and his teaching, I don't know where we would be as a nation and as a people." During the question and answer period, Congressman Lewis was asked how he felt about the use of the "n" word. His response, "there is no place for it in soci-ety today!" He was also asked if there was one bill he could get passed through Congress...what would it be. He thought a moment and replied, "free education for everybody." Mr. Lewis concluded his message by stating, "people that say nothing has changed need to walk awhile in my shoes!"

Congressman John Lewis Visits Modesto

Congressman John Lewis talking to Keiauna ErvinPhotos By : Greg Savage

John Lewis with Modesto Project Uplift

Congressman John Lewis at Modesto JC on February 09, 2013.

By Greg Savage

The Merced College Board of Trustees approved a resolu-tion during its regular meet-ing on February 5 proclaiming February 2013 as “Black History Month.”

The resolution, which passed unanimously, recognizes the immense contributions made to American life and culture by African-Americans. The month of February has been recognized across the nation

as a time to learn, honor, and celebrate the achievements of African-Americans.

The Board noted that Febru-ary holds great significance for the many milestones achieved, including the birth of civil rights leader and author W.E.B. DuBois on February 23, 1868, and the passage of the 15th Amend-ment, which provide voting rights to black Americans, on February 3, 1870. Additionally,

the national NAACP was cre-ated on February 12, 1909.

During the meeting, Lisa Maples, representing the local chapter of the National Coun-cil of Negro Women, presented the College with two books on African-American culture to be housed in the library.For more information on Black History Month activities at Mer-ced College, contact the Public Affairs office at 209.381.6470.

Merced College Declares February 2013 As ‘Black History Month’


Black History Month Celebration

Clemon Howell member of Cornerstone Lodge.

Otis Morris member of Cornerstone Lodge.

Lula Powell a member of Ebony Socialites attended the Cornerstone Lodge Black History event.

More than 17,000 applied to fill about 1,600undergraduate spots and graduate student applications increased 41 percent, reflectingimmense demand for a UC Merced education

MERCED, Calif. — In the face of declining high school atten-dance in California, more stu-dents than ever are showing strong interest in attending the University of California, Merced.

Undergraduate applications for Fall 2013 reached 17,191 — a 14.2 percent jump over last year — according to admis-sions data released today by the UC Office of the President. Graduate-student applications were 41 percent ahead of last year’s total, based on prelimi-nary data.

“Student applications for admission continue to grow sharply,” said Chancellor Doro-thy Leland. “This is a testament to the stunning achievements of faculty and staff in making UC Merced a campus of choice.”

Undergraduate demandFreshman applicants totaled

14,966, which represents 16.6 percent more than Fall 2012, the largest growth in the sys-tem at 16 percent. . Transfer applications remained steady with 2,225 this year compared to 2,216 last year.

California students continue to make up the vast majority of UC Merced’s undergraduate ap-plicants at about 94 percent.

“Our focus remains to cre-ate opportunity and access for California residents, and we are pleased by the outstanding re-sults we’ve garnered from our efforts,” Assistant Vice Chancel-lor for Enrollment Management J. Michael Thompson said. “We have 10 applications for every seat available, demonstrating that we are increasingly attrac-tive to students and their fami-lies.”

Freshman and transfer appli-cations from the San Joaquin Valley increased 27 percent while the greater Los Angeles

area and the San Francisco Bay Area rose 18.5 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively.

Even though the campus continues to see strong growth in freshman applications, space constraints will limit the pro-jected enrollment increase to about 300 additional students, for a total student body of 6,000 next school year. As announced last year, the campus is mod-erating undergraduate enroll-ment growth to keep pace with construction of new classrooms, laboratories and housing.

The university’s near-term en-rollment goal is 10,000 students within the next 10 years.

Graduate boostBased on applications re-

ceived to date, the 2013-14 graduate-student pool rose from 256 in 2012 to 362, in-creasing by 41percent.

The university has entered a stage of development where its faculty and research have begun to build a reputation for excellence in the academic community, said Chris Kello, the acting dean for the campus's graduate division.

“The personal attention UC Merced has become known for is even more impressive at the graduate level,” he said. “Stu-dents are discovering that our graduate programs offer op-portunities for innovation with which larger schools cannot compete.”

Creating opportunitiesUndergraduate admissions

representatives have already begun the process of evaluat-ing the field of qualified appli-cants.

Leslie Miranda, a first-gener-ation student who is one of the select 1,495 freshmen that en-rolled last fall, cited close inter-

Undergraduate Applications to UC Merced Surge 14 Percent

SEE PAGE >15

William Wall (right) member of Cornerstone Lodge present, Reverend Patricia Charleston (right) flow-ers after speaking at the Lodge’s Annual Black His-tory program. Reverend Charleston is Associate Minister of the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Detroit MI.

Black History Fact

In 1884, Judy W. Reed became the first African-American woman to receive a patent for a hand-operated machine used to knead and roll dough.

10 FEBRUARY 2013

Church NewsSecond Baptist ChurchCelebrates 91 Years

Lauretta Spence (left) and Shirley Winzer members of Second Baptist Church.

Pictures (left-right) are: Lafayette Wiggins, Almetres Huddleston and Rosevelt Edwards members of Second Baptist Church in Merced. The church celebrated their 91st Church Anniversary on February 10, 2013. They are long time members at Second Baptist.

THE AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCEAfrican American Soldiers during the Civil War

In 1862, President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation opened the door for African Americans to enlist in the Union Army. Although many had wanted to join the war ef-fort earlier, they were prohib-ited from enlisting by a federal law dating back to 1792. Presi-dent Lincoln had also feared that if he authorized their re-cruitment, border states would secede from the Union. By the end of the war, approximately 180,000 African-American sol-diers had joined the fight.

In addition to the problems of war faced by all soldiers, Af-rican-American soldiers faced additional difficulties created by racial prejudice. Although many served in the infantry and artillery, discriminatory prac-tices resulted in large numbers of African-American soldiers being assigned to perform non-combat, support duties as cooks, laborers, and team-sters. African-American sol-diers were paid $10 per month, from which $3 was deducted for clothing. White soldiers were paid $13 per month, from which no clothing allowance was deducted. If captured by the Confederate Army, African-American soldiers confronted a much greater threat than did their white counterparts.

In spite of their many hard-ships, African-American soldiers served the Union Army well and

distinguished themselves in many battles. Of their service to the nation Frederick Douglass said, "Once let the black man get upon his person the brass letters U.S., let him get an eagle on his button, and a musket on his shoulder and bullets in his pockets, and there is no power on earth which can deny that he has earned the right of citi-zenship in the United States." African-American soldiers com-prised about 10 percent of the Union Army, It is estimated that one-third of all African Ameri-cans who enlisted lost their lives. --Selected

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Fireballs of high-speed air action explode off the screen in this exciting story of the "Fighting 99th" - the first squadron of black American pilots to be allowed to fight for their country.

It is 1943 and the Germans are winning the Second World War as the U.S. suffers huge losses on the ground and in the air. Four newly recruited pilots are united by a desire to serve their country, at a time

THETUSKEGEEAIRMENBased On TheTrue StoryOf The 332nd Fighter Squadron

SEE PAGE 15>


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The Church of The Living God, Merced will be hosting a Revival on March 17-23, 2013. If you looking for a spirit-filled and bible teaching revival, you don’t want to miss it. The church is located at 334 E. Child Ave. For more information call: (209) 230-3427.

Church of The LivingGod Holds Revival

I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free ....

With these words in the Emancipation Proc-lamation, issued on January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared more than three million African-American slaves to be free.

According to many historians, only the Dec-laration of Independence and the Constitu-tion of the United States have had as great an impact on human life and

liberty for so many. Lincoln himself believed the proclamation was the “central act of my administration, and the great event of the nineteenth century.”

The Emancipation Proclamation wasn’t a perfect solution. Written two years into the Civil War, the document left slavery intact in the four slave states still loyal to

the Union, and actual freedom for slaves in the rebellious states depended entirely on fu-ture Union victories. Still, in the words of abo-

litionist and ex-slave Frederick Douglass, the proclamation was “the first step on the part of the nation in its departure from the thralldom of the ages.”

With the Emancipation Proclamation, Lin-coln made freedom for slaves an explicit goal of the Civil War. In addition, the document au-thorized the recruitment of black soldiers into the Union army. Their courage in battle and contributions to the

Union’s ultimate victory greatly influenced the nation to adopt the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865, outlawing slavery forever.

“In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free,” Lincoln wrote in

a message to congress one month before signing the Emancipation-Proclamation.

A nation “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” at last began the journey toward true liberty and justice for all.

FREEDOM Submitted By: Edsel Thomas

Pastor Allen Hewett-Senior Pastor of Church of The Living God

By Gayle Oler"Aw, everybody else is doing

it." Have you ever given that as a reason to do somthing that others did not think you should do? Perhaps you did not really believe that it was the right thing to do, but only wanted to be with the crowd. If all the other boys are throwing snowballs, or stealing apples, or shooting birds, you may find it hard to resist following the crowd.

Most of us find it hard to be different.

It is easy to swim with the current and hard to swim against it. It is easy to follow,

but hard to be a leader, or to resist when you know the crowd is in the wrong.

Perhaps it will help you at times like that to remember the eagle. He is a great, majes-tic bird. He suggests strength and nobility just by his appear-ance.

Young People, Remember:Eagles Don't Fly in Flocks!

But eagles do not follow the crowd.

They do not fly in flocks .. The eagle will go his own course, the one his instinct tells him is right, regardless of what others are doing.

So when in doubt about what others are. doing, and wonder-ing if you should

follow them, remember the

eagle. When it would be more pleasant to follow the lead of others, but you reel it is wrong, be an eagle.

Learn and obey God's word (the Bible) no matter how many people urge you not to by cry-ing, "Everybody else is drinking alcohol, taking drugs, smokingcigarettes .. . !" (Revelation 2:10).

12 FEBRUARY 2013

Black History Month

National Negro League of Women, The Guest speaker was Joann Galion, Author of “From the House of Suber.”

Bill and wife Ella Pritchard at the Cornerstone Lodge Black History Event, February 9, 2013 in Merced.

Pictured (Left-right) Yvonne Davis, Lois Cordova and Nadine Wash-ington at the Black History Program held at Merced College.

Black History Monthis observed every February in the United States•February 23, 1868:W. E. B. DuBois, important civil rights leader and co-founder of the NAACP, was born. •February 3, 1870:The 15th Amendment was passed, granting blacks the right to vote.

•February 25, 1870:The first black U.S. senator, Hiram R. Revels (1822-1901), took his oath of office.

•February 12, 1909:The National Association for the Advancement of Col-ored People (NAACP) was founded by a group of con-cerned black and white citi-zens in New York City.

•February 1, 1960:In what would become a civil-rights movement milestone, a group of black Greensboro, N.C., college students began a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter.

•February 21, 1965:Malcolm X, the militant lead-er who promoted Black Na-tionalism, was shot to death by three Black Muslims.

Estella Dunn, president of the National Negro League of Women at their Black Heritage Program, February 07, 2013.

Chevalla Dobbins displayed her Art work at Merced College, Black History program, February 10, 2013.


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America’s Twentieth Century SlaveryThe horrifying, little-known story of how hundreds of thousands of blacks worked in brutal bond-age right up until World War II.By Douglas A. Blackmon

A cry for help: Having ex-hausted all other options, a des-perate young woman named Carrie Kinsey wrote this letter directly to President Theodore Roosevelt asking him to help her brother, who had been taken to a forced labor camp nearby. “Let me have him,” she writes. “He have not don noth-ing for them to hase him in chanes.”

On July 31, 1903, a letter ad-dressed to President Theodore Roosevelt arrived at the White House. It had been mailed from the town of Bainbridge, Geor-gia, the prosperous seat of a cotton county perched on the Florida state line.

The sender was a barely lit-erate African American woman named Carrie Kinsey. With little punctuation and few capital let-ters, she penned the bare facts of the abduction of her four-teen-year-old brother, James

Robinson, who a year earlier had been sold into involuntary servitude.

Kinsey had already asked for help from the powerful white people in her world. She knew where her brother had been taken—a vast plantation not far away called Kinderlou. There, hundreds of black men and

boys were held in chains and forced to labor in the fields or in one of several factories owned by the McRee family, one of the wealthiest and most powerful in Georgia. No white official in this corner of the state would take an interest in the abduc-tion and enslavement of a black teenager.

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UC MERCEDCONTINED FROM PAGE 9action with faculty members as her reason for selecting the campus.

“I knew I would have an op-portunity to create and con-tribute something unique to this school, and (UC Merced) would give me the ability to be involved in research rela-tively quickly compared to other schools,” said Miranda, a biological sciences major from Watsonville. “The professors are great and the people are always eager to help. You don’t feel left out even though you’re a new member to the commu-nity.”

UC Merced is continuing its trend of attracting and sup-porting the largest percentage of first-generation, low-income and minority students within the University of California sys-tem.

This year, the campus leads the system in applicants who come from low-income house-holds, 55.9 percent, and whose parents didn’t receive a four-year degree, 59.4 percent.

Applications to the UC sys-tem as a whole were up 8.6 percent over last year with 174,767 high school seniors and transfer students showing interest. This number includes a 10 percent increase in appli-cations from students in the Central Valley region. UC Mer-ced has a special mission to increase the college-going rate through programs such as the Center for Educational Partner-ships.

Black History Fact~ In 2004, the Army named

its first ship after an African-American, Robert Smalls. He was born to a slave mother and a white father in Beaufort, S.C. He eventually learned to be a seaman, and then how to pilot a ship. Smalls was also sent to Washington, DC to persuade President Lincoln to permit black men to fight for the Union. He was successful. 5,000 African-American men were allowed to enlist in the Union forces at Port Royal as the 1st South Carolina Volun-teers.

when black flyers are not wel-comed in the Air Force. Now, through the brutal demands of their training, to the perils of flying over nations at war, the men they call "The Tuske-gee Airmen" must undertake the riskiest mission of their lives - to prove to America

that courage knows no color. Their success could earn them respect, save lives and help win a terrible war. Their failure could destroy more hopes and dreams than their own. They Were Our Country's Best De-fense...And Its Greatest Glory. ---DVD Video

AFRICAN AMERICA SOLDIERSCONTINED FROM PAGE 10

***********Delta Sigma Theta Sorority founded

at Howard University-1913

16 FEBRUARY 2013

SAN FRANCISCO -- The one thing Arthur Yu worried about since he lost his health insur-ance five years ago was what he would do if he ended up in a hospital due to a serious illness or accident.

“If something major hap-pened to me, my savings would get wiped out,” the 56-year-old Hong Kong native said.

Yu lost his health insurance when he lost his job and his benefits ran out through “CO-BRA,” the federal law allowing recently unemployed people to continue their employer health plan at their own cost for a lim-ited period.

No Insurer Would Cover HimNo private insurer would cov-

er Yu because he was diabetic and had high cholesterol. He was deemed a high-risk patient.

In January 2012, he enrolled in California’s Pre-Existing Con-dition Insurance Plan (PCIP), paying about $520 a month.

“The peace of mind alone is worth it,” said Yu, who is cur-rently in business for himself in a community south of San Fran-cisco as an engineering consul-tant.

As many as 25 million Ameri-cans with pre-existing health conditions lack health insur-ance, according to the U.S. De-partment of Health and Human Services.

Under Obamacare (offi-cially know as the Affordable Care Act, or ACA), California launched its PCIP program in September 2010, becoming the first state to do so. The program provides health insurance to people like Yu, who were locked out of the individual health in-surance market because of a pre-existing health condition. Other states have had slow starts but every state currently offers a version of PCIP.

PCIP is a temporary program and is considered a “bridge” to Jan. 1, 2014. That’s when ACA will go into full effect. At that point, health insurance com-panies will be banned from de-

nying coverage to people with pre-existing health conditions.

In the meantime, any U.S. citi-zen with a pre-existing condi-tion can enroll in the program, provided he or she has been without health insurance for at least six months.

Highest Enrollment in Califor-nia

There are currently 15,263 en-rolled in California’s PCIP, mak-ing it the state with the highest enrollment.

The Golden State’s health ad-ministrators first estimated that California’s $761 million federal allotment for the plan through 2013 would allow enrollment of 23,000 people with pre-existing health conditions. This federal subsidy helped to keep the pre-miums enrollees must pay af-fordable.

But low initial enrollment in the plan forced the state to re-quest federal approval to lower the monthly rates for benefi-ciaries. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) approved that change in 2011, and enrollment grew.

That’s because the cost of claims for care under the initial

plan turned out to be $3,100 -- almost triple the original esti-mate of $1,100. Currently, Cali-fornians enrolled in PCIP pay an average of $565 per month. Depending on the individual, the current monthly premiums could be as low as $127 or as high as $652 per month (re-duced from the original high of $1,003).

Of those currently enrolled, more than half are white. Of the rest, 9.2 percent are Asian or Pa-cific Islander, 8.3 percent Latino, 2.8 percent African American, and 0.3 percent Native Ameri-can or Alaska Natives. The re-maining 22 percent are of un-known ethnicity.

Nationwide, PCIP enrollees are older, visit the emergency room more often and file costly claims. Cancer alone accounts for 27 percent of the PCIP’s to-tal costs, according to a HHS report.

California operates a sec-ond high-risk health insurance program called the Major Risk Medical Insurance Program (MRMIP), which was set up long before health care reform.

Prior to his enrollment in

PCIP, Yu was paying about $50 a month for the generic medica-tions he was taking to control his diabetes and cholesterol.

Children Benefit, TooYu’s children are benefiting

from Obamacare, as well. Two of his college-age children, who are 23 and 20, have been on his wife’s employer-sponsored in-surance plan, under a provision in ACA allowing young adults to stay on their parent’s insurance plan until they turn 26, two years longer than under previ-ous rules.

“Even though they are healthy, having health insur-ance gives us a feeling of secu-rity,” Yu said.

Ever since he got on the PCIP program, Yu has stopped wor-rying about losing his “nest egg,” the modest savings he had carefully built up for a rainy day over the years.

“That could be gone if I get a serious illness and had no PCIP," he observed.

This report was made pos-sible by funding from The Cali-fornia Endowment and is part of New America Media's series on Obamacare.

New America Media, News Feature, Viji Sundaram

Diabetes patient Arthur Yu was able to get insured under Obam-acare.

(NAPSI)—While colon cancer is the third-leading cancer killer in the United States, it is also a pre-ventable and treatable disease—if diagnosed in its early stages.

If you are turning 50, don’t put off colon cancer screening. While March is officially National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, any time is a good time to learn the facts about colon can-cer prevention.

Silent KillerColon cancer, also known as

colorectal cancer, takes the lives of more than 50,000 Americans each year. It’s a silent killer be-cause often there are no symp-

toms until it is too late to treat. Age is the single largest risk fac-tor for the disease. Most colon cancers arise from precancerous growths in the colon called pol-yps, which can be found during a screening exam and removed before they turn into cancer.

Screening Saves LivesThe American Society for Gas-

trointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), representing the experts in colon cancer screening, recommends screening begin at age 50. A per-son at average risk with normal screening results won’t need an-other exam for 10 years. If polyps

or cancer is found, screening in-tervals should be more frequent. Colon cancer runs in families, so screening should begin sooner if there is a family history of pol-yps or colon cancer or if other

risk factors are present. Some ex-perts suggest African-Americans should begin screening at age 45.

Screening methods include colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy,

Don’t Put Off Colon Cancer Screening

Obamacare Helps Uninsured DiabeticEngineer Get Health Coverage

Even people who lead a healthy lifestyle can develop colon can-cer-but screening saves lives.

SEE PAGE >17


COLON SCREENING....CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

African AmericanWomen’s Health Forum

Field Poll: Ethnic Voters Support Soda Tax, Obesity Prevention

SAN FRANCISCO -- A major-ity of California voters support taxing sugar-sweetened bever-ages if those taxes are used for school nutrition and physical education programs, according to the results of a new Field Poll. The survey also revealed that obesity prevention measures like this have greater support among ethnic voters.

When initially asked if they would support taxing sugary drinks, 53 percent of all voters stated that they would oppose such a tax. But when asked if they would support a soda tax if the revenues would go to obesity prevention programs in schools, a larger majority – 68 percent – stated that they would support the tax.

The percentage of those in favor of a soda tax is higher among ethnic voters than among white non-Hispanics. 79 percent of Latino voters would support the tax, as would 73 percent of Asian Americans, 70 percent of African Americans, and, at the lower end of the spectrum, 62 percent of white non-Hispanics.

A majority of Latino voters (54 percent) stated that they would support the tax even without the condition that the revenues be spent in schools, which was not true of any other ethnic subgroup.

The survey, administered by Field Poll on behalf of The Cali-fornia Endowment, was con-ducted over landlines and cell phones in October of last year.

Approximately 1,200 registered voters were polled in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean and Vietnamese.

Awareness of link between sugary beverages and obesity

75 percent of California vot-ers believe that drinking soda can increase a person’s risk for obesity. This number is 85 per-cent among Latino voters.

However, only 42 percent of voters think that energy drinks like Red Bull contribute to obe-sity, and just 26 percent think this is true of sports drinks like Gatorade, despite the high sugar content of these types of beverages.

“Even though these drinks have quite a bit of sugar, there’s much less voter aware-ness of the health hazards that go along with drinking these sports and energy drinks,” says Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll. “The spokespersons for sports drinks are usually well-known athletes … and the implication is that this is kind of a healthy beverage.”

“This is something that needs to be made known … We’re documenting the lack of aware-ness and playing it back to the public,” he says.

Conditional support for soda tax

A tax on sugary beverages finds broad support among Cal-ifornia voters, especially ethnic voters, provided that the rev-enue is used to improve school programs that prevent obesity.

“Support for these efforts is even greater in communities that carry the greatest burden of illness and costs from obesi-ty-related conditions. As a state we need to support creative approaches to fighting obesity in California,” stated Dr. Rob-ert Ross, President and CEO of The California Endowment, in a press release this week.

DiCamillo echoes this sen-timent. “I think there may be a view that obesity poses a greater threat to ethnic popula-tions and to the extent to which

these populations want to pre-vent that from spreading … they’re more willing to take ac-tions against it than white non-Hispanics who may themselves feel less threatened,” he says. “If you look at the demography of California, ethnic populations are younger and I’m certain they are more likely to have kids.”

“When you go to the public to try to raise taxes, if you can demonstrate that money isn’t just going into the govern-ment’s general fund … but it’s being devoted to a specific pur-pose that the public supports, I think that’s really the histori-cal movement,” says DiCamillo. “You’re seeing more and more tax measures taking on that set of characteristics and it im-proves their chances for pas-sage.”

He cites the example of First 5 California, which was created through a tax on cigarettes ap-proved by voters in 1998. First 5 provides education, health care and childcare services to fami-lies with young children.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if there are more kinds of these soda tax measures in California in the future,” he says.

Other obesity prevention measures

A large majority of voters are supportive of public policies that work to prevent obesity within their communities.

Over 70 percent of voters would be supportive of policies and funding that would attract farmers markets and produce stands to low-income neigh-borhoods, as well as funding for community gardens and urban farms.

Additionally, over 70 percent of voters are in favor of limiting the types of unhealthy foods and drinks provided to children in childcare centers and pre-schools, and of limiting the sale of unhealthy foods and drinks on school grounds and in youth centers.

New America Media reporter Malcolm Marshall contribut-ed to this article.

stool blood tests such as fecal occult blood test (FOBT) or fecal immunochemical test (FIT), stool DNA, CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy) and barium en-ema.

ColonoscopyColonoscopy is considered

the preferred screening method because it is a preventive exam: It is the only test that both finds and removes precancerous pol-yps during the same exam. With other methods, if a polyp or other abnormality is found, the test must often be followed by a colonoscopy. Colonoscopy is a safe, effective and well-tolerated exam.

“ASGE encourages patients to get screened at intervals rec-ommended by their doctor, to find a qualified endoscopist for their colonoscopy who has had specialized training in the pro-

cedure, and to carefully follow preparation instructions to en-sure that the colon is thoroughly cleaned so that no polyps or cancers are missed during the procedure,” said ASGE President Thomas M. Deas, Jr., MD, MMM, FASGE. “A quality colonoscopy and appropriate follow-up ex-ams save lives.”

Colon Cancer FactsBegin screening at age 50;

family history/other risk fac-tors—screen before age 50; colonoscopy finds and removes polyps before they turn into can-cer; highly treatable if caught early; bleeding or unexplained abdominal pain? Talk to your doctor immediately.

Learn MoreFind more information on co-

lon cancer prevention, including where to find a doctor, at www.screen4coloncancer.org.

Keynote speaker, Dr. Sandra Davis, Ph.D., R.N. (left) with Local Busi-nessman Garland Barnes at the African American Women’s Health Forum, February 2, 2013 in Merced.

Yvette Brisco (left) and Rev. Nailah Hubbard (right) at the African American Women’s Health Forum held in Merced. Yvette and Rev, Hubbard served on the Planning Committee for the event.

18 FEBRUARY 2013

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Chaka Khan celebrates 40 years in the music business with iKhan Project and new single

Ten-time GRAMMY Award winner Chaka Khan announced the release of two versions of her first single, “It’s Not Over,” featuring GRAMMY Award-win-ning recording artist LeCrae, now available on iTunes and other digital retailers. Produced by Theron “Neffu” Feemster, “It’s Not Over” includes an urban version and the Papercha$er pop dance remix. Both ver-sions of “It’s Not Over” will be included on The iKhan Project: Commemorative Limited Edi-tion, which will be available in stores on April 30, 2013. This CD is the first installment of Chaka’s iKhan Project series.

This year, 2013, marks the 40th anniversary of Chaka’s career in music and entertain-ment. The year-long celebra-tion will include the release of a series of new albums, titled the iKhan Project. The iKhan Proj-ect series will include recorded music in eight genres, includ-ing R&B, jazz, pop, rock, gospel, country, classical and dance music. Currently, Chaka is in the studio recording her jazz album, which is scheduled for release Summer 2013 on Blue Note Records.

Chaka recently recorded “Keep Walkin’ (Find My Shoes),”

an inspirational song for the end credits for the upcoming Lifetime movie premiere of Pas-tor Brown, airing Saturday, Feb-ruary 16 at 8:00 p.m. ET. “Keep Walkin’ (Find My Shoes)” was produced by Mano Hanes and written by Marvin Winans, Jr.

The single will also be released on The iKhan Project: Com-memorative Limited Edition and serviced to gospel and ur-ban radio later this month.

As Chaka’s year-long celebra-tion continues, Billboard maga-

SEE PAGE>19

Chaka

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Sign up today for City of Modesto Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Department’s Winter/Spring Aquatic Pro-grams. Aquatic sessions run for approximately 4 week sessions, 8 total classes. Choose one or all of the sessions available!

Swim lessons: Levels 1 and 2, Preschool, Adult & Child, Semi-Private and Private (adult and youth) Lessons are available. Lessons will be offered Mon-days and Wednesdays OR Tues-days and Thursdays.

Adult Water Exercise: adults 18 and over come workout in the indoor pool! Water exercise enables you to work out hard-er while supporting the body and helping prevent aches and pains that can be experi-enced when exercising on dry land. (Only available Monday & Wednesday evenings).

• Session 2 Monday and Wednesday,

February 25-March 20 Tuesday and Thursday, Feb-

ruary 26-March 21 • Session 3 Monday and Wednesday,

March 25-April 24Tuesday and Thursday, March

26-April 25 All Winter/Spring Aquatic

classes are held at the Indoor/Heated Susan Burris Pool, locat-ed on the Sonoma Elementary school grounds, 1325 Sonoma Ave.

Register in person at the Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Department office, 1010 10th, Suite 4400, or online at www.modestogov.com/econnect For more information, refer to the Winter/Spring 2012 Activ-ity Guide at www.modestogov.com/prnd/activityguide or call (209) 577-5344.

Swimming Lessonsand AdultAquatic Classes

On Saturday, March 2nd, the AMAZING cyclists will be rac-ing through Downtown Mer-ced during the McDonald’s Downtown Grand Prix.

This is a wonderful event and a GREAT time to network with people in the city of Merced!

Please consider signing up for the 2013 MERCO Cycling Classic as a vendor during the 2013 MERCO Cycling Classic Downtown Grand Prix! The event is FREE for Nonprofits!

Everyone is invited & encour-aged to attend! Please do!

There is also an AWESOME opportunity to host a cycling team or a couple of their mem-bers!

Check out the website at: http://www.topsportcycling.com/

MERCO Cycling Classic

Merced College Basketball WINTON HARDWARE

Cynthia Huddleston singing the National Athem at a Merced Col-lege Basketball game on February 6, 2013. Mereced College Men fell to Reedley in the first game 54 - 94 . The Lady Blue Devil de-feated Reedley 60 - 52 Win the second game.

zine will produce a Stars Trib-ute issue, dated March 23, to coincide with the music icon’s 60th birthday. The issue hits newsstands on March 16.

Chaka is a recipient of a BET Honors award along with honorees Halle Berry, Bishop T.D Jakes, Clarence Avant and Lisa Leslie. Currently plans are underway for the Chaka Khan I’m Every Women World Tour, which will feature other top fe-male artists, to be announced in the coming weeks.

CHAKA KHANCONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

20 JANUARY 2013

The time is alwaysright to do what isright. ~Martin Luther King, Jr

Business News

COMMUNITY BUSINESS SERVICE

“WE CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH.”

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TAX FACTSMistakes Not To Make On

Your Tax Return (NAPSI)—Errors on your tax

return can delay your refund. Fortunately, many of the most common mistakes are easy to avoid.

To help you file an error-free tax return, consider these com-mon mistakes and why they matter:

• Misspelled names and incorrect Social Security Num-bers (SSN) are among the top reasons returns are rejected by the IRS. When processing your return, the IRS verifies names and SSNs with the Social Secu-rity Administration’s database.

• Don’t forget your credits and deductions. An easy way to make sure you’re getting all your tax breaks is to use a tax

preparation solution like Tax-ACT at www.taxact.com. The program walks you through hundreds of credits and deduc-tions by asking you simple questions.

• If you forget to include income on your return, the IRS is likely to find out. It can easily check how much income was deposited into your bank and investment accounts based on your SSN and 1099 forms that financial institutions have to submit to the IRS. You could owe penalties and interest on the unreported earnings.

• The IRS has strict qualify-ing criteria for each of the five filing statuses. IRS Publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction, and Filing Informa-tion, has detailed information about filing statuses.

• If you have your refund

direct deposited, check the routing and account numbers on your return. An incorrect number can mean several extra weeks of waiting for your refund, someone else getting your money or the refund go-ing back to the IRS.

• File on time. If you can’t, file Form 4868 by April 15 for an automatic six-month filing ex-tension. Just remember to pay the taxes owed by April 15 to avoid late-filing penalties and interest fees. If you can’t afford to pay what you owe, call the IRS to discuss installment plans, payment options, extended time to pay and other assis-tance.

Another all too common mis-take is paying too much to do your taxes. Fortunately, taxpay-ers can prepare, print and e-file federal tax returns free at www.

taxact.com—no restrictions, no bait and switch.

TaxACT Free Federal Edition includes all e-fileable forms for simple and complicated tax returns. You can import data from last year’s return. Instant, personalized help is available every step of the way in the Answer Center, online at taxact.com and with Audit Assistant. You can also e-mail questions to TaxPayer Support Specialists for free answers.For more tax tips and to start your free federal return, go to www.taxact.com.

PG&E Receives Corporate Social Responsibility Award for Sum-mer Jobs Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Pacific Gas and Electric Company's (PG&E) Summer Jobs program received an Honorable Mention award in the Corporate Com-munity Partnership Category during Monday's PR News Cor-porate Social Responsibility Awards ceremony in Washing-ton, D.C.

Last summer, 150 under-served teens from Fresno County received valuable ca-

SEE PAGE 21

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For a complete job listing and to apply visit:www.co.merced.ca.us

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EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYERMINORITIES, WOMEN AND DISABLED ENCOURAGED TO APPLY


PG&E...CONTINUED PAGE 20

reer-training, such as resume writing and lessons on how to conduct job interviews, as part of a first-time partnership between PG&E and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fresno County. In addition to the training, the program helped 55 of those teens find paid summer jobs in their community. PG&E funds fully covered the wages these teens earned, so the program was no-cost for participating businesses. The program also supplied students with busi-ness-appropriate attire and bus tokens for transportation.

Funded by a $200,000 grant from the utility and the PG&E Foundation, Fresno County was the first community selected for this pilot summer jobs program due largely to its high unemployment rate of around

17 percent compared to a rate of nearly 11 percent through-out the state of California. PG&E plans to introduce this successful program to other communities in its service area for summer 2013.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with 20,000 em-ployees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to 15 million people in Northern and Central Califor-nia. For more information, visit http://www.pge.com/about/newsroom/ and www.pgecur-rents.com

BUSINESS NEWS AND NOTES(NAPSI)—Experts agree that

communication is key to suc-cess, no matter what your line of work. One of the first steps to becoming a better communica-tor is being more self-aware so that you can better understand the situation, your audience and your role in the conversa-tion.

That’s the word according to Dr. Annie Shibata, faculty mem-ber in Walden University’s B.S. in Communication program. In order to become more con-scious of what you are trying to communicate and how you are going about it, Dr. Shibata sug-gests reflecting on the follow-ing questions:

• What is my communication goal? Consider your short- and long-term goals as well as what action, information or com-mitment you want as a result of your communication--both

now and in the future.• Am I deliberate and con-

scious in how I communicate? Be conscious of both your oral and written communication. Remember, when speaking, it’s estimated that the total impact of a message is about 7 percent verbal (words only), 38 percent vocal (including tone of voice,

inflection and other sounds) and 55 percent nonverbal.

• Do I know who my audience is? Try to be aware of various factors, such as cultural differ-ences, that may exist within your audience and can play a role in how the message is re-ceived.

• Am I aware of my emotions when I communicate? Think about your emotions and how appropriate they are for the situation to determine if you’re prepared. In situations such as asking for a raise from your supervisor, it’s important to be clear and unemotional and fo-cus on communicating what you’ve been doing well.

• What nonverbal message am I communicating? Consider how you sit or stand, your facial expressions and how you’re dressed. Most of the messages we send other people when

communicating are nonverbal.• Am I an honest commu-

nicator? Do you state your needs and desires clearly? Do

you communicate with integ-rity? The answer to all of these should be “yes.”

• Am I listener focused? Do you often use slang, idioms, acronyms or technical jargon? Such language can exclude some or all of your audience. Be clear and concise in your com-munication and consider how the listener is following and un-derstanding your message.

For more tips on becoming an effective communicator, visit www.WaldenU.edu/success.

Tips On Improving Your Communication Skills

Photo Credit: Peter Howard

Experts say people with strong communication skills are aware of their goals and are conscious of how they’re communicating.

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ple premise: Be someone, not something. Your actions speak louder than your words, and that is often forgotten. There is no reason in this world why two people cannot sit down with a game of chess or something similar and use their mind pow-er to put hostility and sore feel-ings behind them. Use creativ-ity and your mind in a unique way to solve your differences. Violence gets you nowhere but behind bars.

Taking someone else's life is one of the most unholy sins a person can commit. Consider what that family has to go through and what yours will go through knowing that you did this. Did you see the recent

story in Chicago? A beautiful young lady who had re-cently performed at President Obama's inauguration in Wash-ington was shot and killed by gang members firing weapons indiscriminately. Think of the-pain and heartbreak.

Remember this simple state-ment, "Brains before bullets, think it out, don't shoot it out!" I teach this and my students are

hearing me but I need to reach more young people than those I'm able to meet in my classes.

Everyday lives are taken for no reason at all or for some-thing menial. No matter what it is, a gun is never the answer to solving your problems.

I have dedicated my life to teaching young people that they can succeed. They can make the right choices that will lead them places they have only dreamed of going if some-one can reach them. I believe God gave me that ability and capability.

This is my message to young people: Learn how to take charge of your life. I want to help you do that. I have guided and mentored many young people who others have given up on. I offer a calm voice and a steady hand that has weath-ered numerous tests.

I believe every child has the potential to succeed. That's what guides my presenta-tions and my classes. Take my

instruction, and use it con-structively in your everyday life to become that upstanding citizen that you desire to be. Be a success, not a casualty. You can be productive in life, you can go places, and you do have support to help you get there.

So many young people for-get that life is beautiful, and if your chance to take advantage of all it has to offer is taken away either by your own hand

or another's; you will live with many regrets. Let's have more successes and challenge your mind, put the guns away!

Orrin "Checkmate" Hudson was an at-risk young person growing up in Birmingham, AL, when a teacher taught him the game of chess demonstrating

to him that for every move - either on the game board or in the game of life - there are consequences. It changed his life. He went on to become an Alabama State Trooper and later founded Be Someone, Inc., an organization devoted to teaching young people there are consequences for their ac-tions and that they can choose to succeed in life. He not only teaches classes, but delivers motivational speeches around the country. Please invite au-thor and international speaker Orrin Checkmate Hudson to energize your next event by visiting www.besomeone.org.

OPEN LETTER.....CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

support of 68 percent of adults. Optimism Also Grows About

Direction of Nation A majority (56%) say the U.S.

is headed in the right direction, the highest level since May 2009 (57%). The president’s inaugura-tion speech influenced Califor-nians’ views: 54 percent inter-viewed before the speech said things in the U.S. are generally going in the right direction, and 63 percent responded this way afterward. Obama’s approval rat-ing among Californians is 65 per-cent, the highest since July 2009. Approval of Congress is at 34 per-cent, the highest since January 2010 (36%). Californians continue to give their own representa-tives in the U.S. House favorable ratings (56%), matching the re-cord high reached in September 2009. California’s two senators have higher job approval ratings than they did a year ago: Dianne Feinstein is at 54 percent, up from 47 percent in January 2012, and Barbara Boxer is at 52 percent, up from 46 percent.

Will the president and Con-gress be able to work together and accomplish a lot in the next year? About half (51%) think so, and 44 percent do not. In the PPIC survey—conducted after the fiscal cliff negotiations and as lawmakers started focusing on the federal debt limit—most Californians (56%) approve of the way Obama is handling the fed-

eral deficit and debt ceiling. Most (63%) disapprove of the way con-gressional Republicans are han-dling these issues.

Two-Thirds Say Government Falls Short in Regulating Guns

In the aftermath of the New-town school shooting, Obama has made gun control a key issue. Two-thirds of Californians (65%) say the government does not do enough to regulate access to guns, and a third (31%) say the government goes too far in re-stricting the rights of citizens to own guns. Two-thirds (65%) sup-port a nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons. Democrats (79%) and independents (55%) are in favor, while Republicans are more divided (45% support, 52% oppose). Majorities across regions and demographic groups support a ban. Latinos and wom-en (75% each) are much more likely than whites (59%) and men (55%) to favor it. Among adults with guns, rifles, or pistols in their homes, less than half (47%) sup-port an assault weapon ban, and 50 percent are opposed.

Baldassare notes: "Strong ma-jorities of Californians want the government to do more about regulating guns, and many worry that a mass shooting could hap-pen in their own communities.”

A majority of residents wor-ry—35 percent a great deal and 26 percent somewhat—that a mass shooting could take place

in their communities. Fewer say they do not worry much (20%) or at all (18%). Latinos (79%) and women (70%) are much more likely to be worried than whites (44%) and men (52%).

Support for Federal Health Care Reform Rises to New High

With federal health care reform scheduled to be fully implement-ed in a year, a record-high 55 per-cent of Californians support the changes that have been enacted by Congress and the Obama ad-ministration, while 37 percent are opposed. Support has in-creased 8 points since last March (47%). There is a partisan divide: Democrats (76%) are supportive, independents are divided (44% support, 47% oppose), and Re-publicans are opposed (78%). When asked how they think their families will fare under health care reform, nearly half (48%) say it will not make a difference, 25 percent say they will be better off, and 23 percent say they will be worse off. Immigration Reform: Record-high Support for Path to Legal Status

The president says compre-hensive immigration reform is a priority for his second term. Among Californians, a record-high 63 percent say immigrants are a benefit to the state because of their hard work and job skills. A record-low 31 percent say immi-grants are a burden because they use public services. The survey

also asked what should happen to most illegal immigrants who have lived and worked in the U.S. for at least two years. A record-high 76 percent say these immi-grants should be given a chance to keep their jobs and eventu-ally apply for legal status, and 21 percent—a new low—say they should be deported to their na-tive countries. Slim Majority Favor Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

Now that several states have legalized same-sex marriage, what are Californians’ views? Slightly more than half (53%) fa-vor allowing gay and lesbian cou-ples to legally marry and 41 per-cent are opposed. Support was

similar last March (52%) and May (54%). Support is highest among residents of the San Francisco Bay Area (65%), and there is major-ity support in Los Angeles (54%) and Orange/San Diego Counties (51%). Majorities are opposed in the Central Valley (53%) and the Inland Empire (56%). As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to take up the constitutionality of Propo-sition 8—which banned same-sex marriage—a solid major-ity of Californians say the court’s decision is important (38% very important, 26% somewhat im-portant). Opponents of same-sex marriage are more likely to say it is very important (46%) than pro-ponents (36%).

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24 FEBRUARY 2013

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