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Y o u r H i s t o r y • Y o u r C o m m u n i t y • Y o u r N e w s

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SEPTEMBER 4, 2010 - SEPTEMBER 10, 2010

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National Bar Association NamesNew President A2Bowie BulldogsFall in SeasonOpenerB6D.C.’s ‘Bush v. Gore’ Redux A9

–Opinion–

Continued on A3

Army BidsRetiree Farewell

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Onthe Q.T. with T.I.

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By Dorothy Rowley

AFRO Staf Writer

A decision handed downby the District of Columbia’sBoard of Elections and Ethics(BOEE) stands in the way of more than 70,000 registeredindependent voters switchingafliations in order to voteas Democrats in the Sept. 14primary.As a result, the board’smandate has put a damperon Mayor Adrian Fenty’scampaign efforts, which hadhoped to win over the extravotes in his hotly contestedbid for re-election.BOEE spokeswomanAlysoun McLaughlin told the

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the board’s decisionhinged on the fact that priorto this year, voter rolls closed30 days before the elections.She said that no one whowas not already on the rollswas able to register as new,or to change their partyregistration.“We did allow votersto change their address onElection Day, but we did notallow them to change theirvoter registration or registerfor the rst time,” saidWASHINGTON (AP) — Conservative activists rallied Aug.28 in the nation’s capital on the anniversary and at the samesite of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have aDream’’ speech. Civil rights leaders countered the event andheld a 3-mile plus march from Dunbar High School to the siteof the planned King Memorial near the Tidal Basin.Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washington’s delegate toCongress, said she remembers being at King’s March onWashington, which she said prompted change and endedsegregation in public places. “Glenn Beck’s march will changenothing. But you can’t blame Glenn Beck for his March-on-Washington envy,” she said.The Rev. Al Sharpton, leading the civil rights march andrally, spoke to the assembled. “The folks who used to criticizeus for marching are trying to have a march themselves,’’ hesaid. “We come because the dream has not been achieved.We’ve made a lot of progress. But we still have a long way togo.’’He said he wasn’t seeking a confrontation with those at theBeck rally. During the march his group briey encounteredparticipants from a rally on the National Mall. “We wouldn’tdisgrace today by allowing you to provoke us,’’ he said.Marchers encountered the other crowds near the WashingtonMonument. Men in tri-cornered hats and people wearing teaparty T-shirts looked on as marchers chanted “Reclaim thedream’’ and “MLK, MLK.’’ Some marchers chanted “don’tdrink the tea’’ to people leaving Beck’s rally.In addition to Sharpton and Congresswoman Norton,speakers at the event included Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner,Wade Henderson, District councilman and candidate for mayorVincent Gray, Mayor Adrian Fenty, NAACP President BenJealous, National Urban League CEO and President MarcMorial, Tom Joyner, the Rev. Walter E. Fauntroy and others.

Thousands Crowd District to ‘Reclaim the Dream’

Photo by JD Howard

Thousands gathered at Dunbar High School and marched to the site of the planned Martin Luther King Jr. NationalMemorial on Aug. 28, in commemoration of the 47th anniversary of King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and the rst marchon Washington.

More photos on A6 and A7

Independent Voters Not Allowedto Swap Afliations

By Dorothy Rowley

AFRO Staf Writer

Like many people who live life on thefast track – working long hours and grabbingquick meals here and there—Karen WoolardFinley had come to know that lifestyle quitewell. “I’ve always been health conscious,but when you have a fast-paced life andyou’re moving back and forth as we all do,it’s hard to be healthy and on the go at thesame time,” Finley said of the lifestyle sheonce shared with her husband while living ina New York City apartment.“I was searching out something[different to eat] and I found an EnergyKitchen near our apartment and I just fell inlove with it,” she continued. “All their menuitems are 500 calories or less. There are eventhree items that are under 300 calories.”Founded in 2004, Energy Kitchen – aManhattan-based fast-casual chain witha health-centric menu – is backed byVitaminwater co-founder Mike Repole.Since March, business has skyrocketedand franchises have grown from sixlocations to 10 throughout New York City.Plans call for additions in South Florida,Boston and New Jersey, and over the nextdecade, founder Anthony Leone wants tohave established about 1,000 restaurantsnationwide.Finley, 58, who now lives in D.C., lovedthe restaurant’s fare so much when she wasin New York, that she eventually worked outan agreement with Leone to set up her ownfranchises in the D.C. area.By the end of the year she expects toopen her rst restaurant in downtown D.C.,and her later plans call for opening anotherin Chevy Chase as well as a Centric Kitchenin Georgetown.The Richmond, Va., native said the mealswill continue to be served up fast-food stylewith a focus on health and nutrition.“Everything’s steamed, baked, grilled orbroiled, and it’s all whole grain,” Finley said.

“Last minute or not, I should be able to changethe way I want to vote. Otherwise, it’s like [the government] telling me what to do.” –Cuteva Chambers

Photo by Dorothy Rowley Photo courtesy of Energy Kitchen

Karen Finley expects to open her rstrestaurant in downtown D.C., then ChevyChase, Md., and Georgetown.

Resident BringsEnergy KitchenFare to District

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Hispanic Civil RightsPioneer Dies at 78

Dr. Mario G. Obledo,founder and president of the National Coalition of Hispanic Organizations andformer California Secretaryof Health and Welfare, died of a heart attack at his home inSacramento, Calif., on Aug.18. He was 78.Often deemed the“godfather of HispanicCivil Rights,” Obledoworked to bring justice tothe Latin community. Inaddition to co-founding theMexican American LegalDefense and EducationalFund (MALDEF), he alsoco-founded the HispanicNational Bar Association.Additionally, Obledo servedas national president of theLeague of United LatinAmerican Citizens. “WithMario’s passing, we havelost a pioneer, a visionary,a pathnder,” AntoniaHernandez, former MALDEFpresident and currentpresident of the CaliforniaCommunity Foundation,said in a statement. “MarioG. Obledo touched the livesof countless individuals, myown life included…MALDEFand the community has lost agentle giant.”While serving as a pastchairman of the NationalRainbow Coalition, he aspiredto politically unite the nation’sethnic, racial and religiousgroups. However, his primaryaccomplishment was bringingthousands of Hispanics intostate government duringhis tenure as Secretary of Health and Welfare under theleadership of California Gov.Jerry Brown.

National Bar AssociationNames New President

Demetrius D. Sheltonwas named 68th president of the National Bar Association(NBA) at the organization’sannual convention Aug. 12. Inhis inaugural address, Sheltonstated that one of his goals wasto “expand the pipeline intothe legal eld” for minorities.“We will build up the pool of leaders, future Supreme Courtnominees and future membersof the NBA who will help usto maintain our rightful placeas the conscious of the nation,”he said.Since 1998, Shelton hasserved on the NBA’s board of directors. Prior to becomingpresident, he served as vicepresident of the NBA overregions and afliates. Hehas also previously servedthe association as specialadvisor to the president, boardmember-at-large, memberof the executive committee,regional (IX) director,sergeant at arms and chairof the government lawyersdivision. In 2005-2006, healso served as vice presidentof the California State BarAssociation.

Former FAMU BandDirector Dies at 91

William P. Foster, theformer Florida A&MUniversity (FAMU) bandleader dubbed the “Dean of America’s Band Directors,”died Aug. 28 at 91. Fosterwas noted for creating theFAMU Marching “100” anddeveloping the “high step”performance style now usedat high schools and collegesacross the nation.James H. Ammons, theschool’s president, calledFoster a “visionary leader”and lauded his unconventionalperformance techniques.“We are deeply saddened bythe loss of Dr. Foster,” saidAmmons in a press statement.“…He built America’sgreatest band by departingfrom the standard routinesand maneuvers to showcaseband pageantry. I can attest tothe fact that what he createdwas magical. It was themarching band, at an OrangeBlossom Classic in Miami,that sparked my interest inattending FAMU. The bandwas dynamic, larger than lifeand something that I wantedto have access to even thoughI was not a musician.”Foster, who was alsocalled “The Law” and “TheMaestro,” served as the band’sdirector from 1946 to 1998.His funeral is scheduledfor Sept. 4 at 11 a.m. onFAMU’s campus. In lieu of owers, his family requeststhat donations are made to the“William P. and Mary AnnFoster Endowed ScholarshipFund” at FAMU in support of FAMU band scholarships.

Black Advocacy Group:‘Turn Of FOX’

ColorOfChange.org, thecommunity activist groupthat successfully urgeddozens of advertisers to pullaway from Glenn Beck’sFOX news show, recentlyannounced a new initiativedirected at discouragingpublic establishments acrossthe country from airing FNC.The campaign, dubbed “Turnoff Fox,” attempts to exposewhat the group’s leaderscall, “divisive rhetoric anddishonest smear campaigns”while reducing the number of TVs broadcasting the networkin public venues like airportsand gyms.Colorofchange.org began aphone and online campaign toits more than 600,000 membersasking businesses and otherpublic establishments not to bea “conduit for the race-baitingand distortions put forth byFox News Channel.” “The caseagainst Fox News Channel iseasy to make - no legitimatenews organization consistentlywages smear campaigns basedon lies and race-baiting,”said James Rucker, executivedirector of ColorOfChange.org,in a press release.

AFRO National Briefs

C o u r t e s y P h o t o / D a r r y l e A . C a r t e r

Demetrius D. Shelton (center) being sworn in as the68th President o the National Bar Association, withShelton’s mother Virginia Gulley Shelton (let) and Judge Horace Wheatley (right).

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September 4, 2010 - September 10, 2010, The Afro-American

Continued from A1

Independent Voters

Continued from A1

Energy Kitchen Fare

McLaughlin.“When the CityCouncil passedthe OmnibusElection Reform[Act of 2009]theend of last year,they elected tocreate a systemfor voters toregister for therst time at thepolls on ElectionDay,” shecontinued, “butthey explicitlydecided toretain the factthat previouslyregistered voters‘ party afliationis locked in.”The OmnibusElection Reformof 2009 (OERA) became law this past February, and during amarkup session the previous fall, At-large Councilman DavidCatania moved two amendments related to party afliations.Catania was not immediately available for comment, butaccording to the rule-making petition in which Fenty’s concernswere attached, an amendment was moved that would haveallowed voters to change their party afliation during a 30-dayperiod. Secondly, Catania offered an amendment that wouldhave allowed unafliated voters to participate in any politicalparty’s primary election with the group’s consent.McLaughlin further stated that the Council had opted tomaintain the closed primary system in the District and becausesuch was the language used in the Omnibus format. Voterscould not change their party afliations at the last minute inorder to vote for a candidate aligned with another party.In its petition, Fenty’s campaign sought BOEE’sclarication on new legislation that allows voters to register onthe day of the primary and that nothing in the city’s electionstatutes prohibits independent voters from registering with aparty during the aforementioned 30-day period.But following a hearing, the petition was denied.“There was a petition that was delivered to our ofce tochange that interpretation,” McLaughlin said, “but we didn’tdo so. It was repealed and another vote was held by the boardto afrm thatwas in fact thecase –that [theFenty campaignassessment]was not ourinterpretation of the law.”Accordingto a recentGallup Poll,about one inve independentregistered votersis undecidedor prefers acandidate fromoutside the twomajor parties.Thenationwide pollwhich queriedmore than 6,000 respondents on a monthly basis, also revealedthat since March, an average of 92 percent of Democrats and94 percent of Republicans have said they would vote for theirparty’s candidate if the election were held today.Meanwhile, Washingtonians have been mixed in theirassessments of the matter.“I believe it’s a ploy to persuade or con some voters intocoming over to the Democratic side just to get the votes,” saidDontike Miller, 26. “And if that’s the case, then that voterwould not have been totally committed to their belief in the rstplace.” Miller added that voters should be required to vote theparty they signed on for, and remain committed until after theelections.Others like Anthony Cambrel, 54, and Cuteva Chambers,45, reasoned that if voters have a change of mind, they have theright to exerciseit.“If I wantto change mymind, I think Ishould be ableto do that,”Cambrel said.“That should beabout anything-- even if I wasRepublican anddecided at thelast minute Iwanted to voteas a Democrat. If I haven’t signedanything, Ishouldn’t be heldas committed.”SaidChambers: “Lastminute or not, Ishould be able tochange the wayI want to vote. Otherwise, it’s like [the government] telling mewhat to do.”Thomas Jenkins, 66, shared sentiments with Marvin Little.“I think the board’s decision was a good one because it wasa last-ditch act of desperation by Fenty’s people who tried topull a deed in his favor,” said Jenkins, 66. “Fenty was upsetbecause he appointed Togo West [to BOEE] thinking he wouldgo along with it, but things backred.”Little, 74, said while he partially agrees with BOEE, peopleshould still go early and vote. Otherwise, “It can be a toughdecision if you’re not sure — so people should stick to theirinitial choice in these matters.”

Photos by Dorothy Rowley

“I believe it’s a ploy to persuade or con some voters into coming over to theDemocratic side just to get the votes...” – Dontike Miller, 26“It can be a tough decision if you’renot sure — so people should stick totheir initial choice in these matters.” – Marvin Little“If I want to change my mind, I think I should be able to do that.” – Anthony Cambrel

By Jamaal Abdul-Alim

Special to the AFRO

In a Sunday sermon dealingwith how God can set things aright,the pastor at Rock Creek BaptistChurch had a practical example atthe ready: He told parishioners thechurch had been released from alldebts stemming from an allegedscheme ofcials say was meant totrick the church and several othersthroughout D.C. into paying foroverpriced informational kiosks.“We were relieved,” the Rev.Jeffrey L. Mitchell Sr. told hiscongregants this past Sunday at thechurch, located at 4201 N. EighthSt., N.W. “They stopped all actionson payments.”Rock Creek Baptist Churchis one of ve predominantlyAfrican-American D.C. churchesbeing released from debts througha settlement reached betweenthe District of Columbia and theIrvine, Calif.-based Balboa CapitalCorporation.The development waswelcome news to the Rock Creekcongregants who pool theirresources to take care of morepressing needs, such as schoolsupplies as the 2010-2011 schoolyear kicks into gear.“We want to thank God that wewere released from everything,”Rev. Mitchell said.The settlement blocks Balboafrom collecting tens of thousandsin lease payments from Rock CreekBaptist Church and four otherchurches: House of Help/City of Hope, 2322 16th St., S.E.; LaneMemorial Christian MethodistEpiscopal, 1423 C. St., N.E.; MilesMemorial Colored MethodistEpiscopal Church, 501 N. St., N.W.;and The Way of the Cross Churchof Christ.In the case of Rock CreekBaptist Church and Lane MemorialChristian Methodist EpiscopalChurch, Balboa is being orderedto pay the churches $2,000 each inrestitution, court records show.Though the District of ColumbiaAttorney General’s Ofce hadaccused Balboa and local vendorsTelevision Broadcast Online(TVBO) and Urban InterfaithNetwork of “tricking” the churchesinto paying for overpricedkiosks, the settlement states thatBalboa denies the allegationsand maintains that it was notcomplicit in a scheme. Throughthe alleged scheme, TVBO, UrbanInterfaith Network and Balboa, aswell as three leasing companies“deceptively marketed” computerequipment leases to dozens of predominantly African-Americanchurches in D.C., according to theAttorney General’s ofce.Efforts to reach ofcials atBalboa, TVBO and Urban InterfaithNetwork were not successful.According to the District’scomplaint, TVBO and UrbanInterfaith Network promised to givethe churches somefree “informational kiosks” topublicize church and communityevents, as well as job listings andcoupons for local businesses.By telling the churches thatsponsors had already agreed toadvertising that would cover thecost, TVBO and Urban InterfaithNetwork convinced church leadersto sign leases for the kiosks,according to the Attorney General.But after the sponsorships failed totake shape, many of the churcheswere being hounded by the leasingcompanies for tens of thousands of dollars.“These leases were the productof deceptive marketing practicesand should not be enforced againstthe churches,” Attorney GeneralPeter Nickles said.The District is continuing toprosecute its action against theremaining defendants, includingChesapeake Industrial Leasingbased in Baltimore, and UnitedLeasing Associates of Americabased in Wisconsin.

Church Released from Debt Stemming from Scam

“Nothing is fried and everything’s made to order right on thespot,” she continued. “There is meat, but it’s chicken, bison andostrich – things that are low in fat.”According to the research organization, Franchise Mall,in addition to a $30,000 franchise fee, it typically costs about$750,000 to launch such business ventures.While Finley declined to go into specics over set-up costs,she said however, that she has had great support from Leone.Finley also said that as a result of her restaurants, over the nextthree years she expects to have created 40 to 45 new jobs inthe District.“We really need this [kind of restaurant fare], especiallyamong the African-American community,” said Finley, whichhas long been susceptible to greater incidences of life-threatening conditions that include obesity and high bloodpressure.“The obesity epidemic in our country has hit our communityespecially hard,” Finley said. “I’ve looked at statistics whichstate that 71 percent of men and 79 percent of women are overweight or obese in our community and I think we just need tofocus on the harm that brings.”Leone said through a company statement that, “It’s anexciting time for us as we build momentum and take big stepstowards our national expansion goal.”He added that as more consumers begin to realize that fastfood doesn’t have to be fat food, his franchises look forwardto providing them with healthy and delicious alternatives todining.

“We really need this [kind of restaurant fare], especially among the African- American community...”