WASHINGTON (NNPA) -Health Care. The issue has beenon the front burner ofWashington politics and evencivil rights advocacy for thenearly 10 months that PresidentBarack Obama has been in theWhite House.

Finally, a break throughcame when the Senate FinanceCommittee passed a $829billion bill, giving hope that anational health care programmay indeed become a reality.But, there are still monumentaltasks on the horizon – includingconvincing House Democrats toagree.

“I do think it will pass,”says U. S. Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) in an interview with theNNPA News Service.

As House Majority Whipand the highest ranking AfricanAmerican in Congress, it isClyburn’s responsibility to helppull together a Democraticmajority that is largelystratified on this issue.

For example, House SpeakerNancy Pelosi has advocated fora so-called “public option” thatcould be used by theunemployed or those unable topurchase health insurance ontheir own while Democraticconservatives, known as BlueDogs, have largely opposed theoption. Also, while theCongressional Black Caucus

has been staunch supporters ofthe public option, PresidentObama has said there could be“another means to that end,”

Chris Romano is executivedirector of Riverview EconomicDevelopment Association(REDA) the only communitydevelopment corporation (CDC)doing development work on SaintPaul’s Westside.

Romano hosted business andcivic leaders at the October 13thtaping of the Conversations withAl McFarlane public policybroadcast. The broadcast airs11am Tuesday, October 27, onKFAI FM 90.2 in Minneapolisand 106.3 in St. Paul. Theprogram originated at the historicCentennial Showboat at HarrietIsland and featured networkingand live music by WainMcFarlane & Jahz. The programpromoted engagement,opportunity, awareness andsupport for minority, women andsmall business development.

Romano said REDA servestwo functions for the Westsidecommunity. REDA is a businessassociation, a mini chamber ofcommerce with over 100members. “We hold training andnetworking sessions. We provideloans. Secondly we have acommunity developmentcorporation function. Ourresponsibility is to ensureWestside revitalizes in the bestway possible, from a business andcommunity perspective, he said.

“This is a difficult time, butalso the time of great opportunity.District Del Sol has morevacancies than ever before, morethan at any time in the last eightyears that I’ve been here,” he said.“But on the other hand, it is a timeof opportunity. For small businessowners that want to expand or getinto business, today is a very goodtime to do that. “

“REDA and the City of St.Paul are bringing many tools tothose businesses to help themsucceed. Our tools included loanand grant programs. You typicallyhear in the media that there are noloans available right now. Youhear that businesses are sufferingbecause they don’t have thecapital to expand or to cover theircash flow needs. But that couldn’tbe further from the truth in ourcommunity.” Romano said, “Oneof my goals is to make sure thatthat message gets across. Thereare community bankers here todayand there are folks at City Hallhere. And we have resources.”

“If you own a small businesson the Westside and if you needmoney to expand your business tobuy additional machinery and tobe successful we can providethose funds. We do that Inconnection with community banksand the city of St. Paul,” he said.

Romano said REDA alsoprovides small business grants.“One of the nice things about a

grant is that you don’t have to payit back.” He said the grants are forfaçade improvements, likesignage, windows, and entryways,things that improve the look of thebusiness. The grants require a 1 to1 match with a limit of $5,000from the grant. So a project couldcost up to $10,000 with thebusiness providing half of theproject cost.

Romano said this is aparticularly exciting time becauseof the federal stimulus programs.“We are still trying to figure outhow old gold funds work togetherand how we can get the moneydown to our neighborhoodbusinesses. But I think we will beable to figure out how to do that inconjunction with city and stategovernment.”

Romano praised St. PaulMayor Chris Coleman’sleadership in support of theneighborhood businessassociations. “To have the mayorof our city come here and spendtime with us shows thecommitment he has to ourcommunity and to ensuring thatcontinued success of Westsidebusinesses,” Romano said.

Tomas Sanchez, executivedirector of Invest St. Paul, said hehas worked in Saint Paul’s

Planning and EconomicDevelopment (PED) for over 35years. He said invest St. Paulcoordinates planning, zoning, andtraffic transit environments tosupport small businessdevelopment.

“We look at what regulatory

things we need to create anenvironment for economicdevelopment that will attract largebusinesses and small businesses toSt. Paul. We encourage thedevelopment of businesscorridors. We also encourageemployment. We used to do a lot

in that area but not as much today.But we do provide financing thatcreates jobs,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez said his department isresponsible for historicpreservation, and leverages cityresources to support housing

OOccttoobbeerr 2266 - NNoovveemmbbeerr 11,, 22000099 •• MMNN MMeettrroo VVooll.. 3355 NNoo.. 4433 •• TThhee JJoouurrnnaall FFoorr CCoommmmuunniittyy NNeewwss,, BBuussiinneessss && TThhee AArrttss •• wwwwww..iinnssiigghhttnneewwss..ccoomm

Partnerships create resiliency, growth

By Hazel Trice Edney NNPA Editor-in-Chief

As interviewingrevs up, candidateconcerns get back to the basics

9PAGE

6PAGE

Working withkids, crowds, meansincreased flu/coldsrisk

The reward for informationleading to the arrest orconviction of murder suspectWilliam Leon Lane has beenincreased to $1500. TheHennepin County Sheriff ’sOffice is urging people to callwith tips concerning thewhereabouts of the 23-year-old. Last week, the Sheriff’sOffice added Lane to HennepinCounty’s Most Wanted List. Itwas believed that Lane leftMinnesota for a time, but nowinvestigators believe that herecently returned to the TwinCities. Lane’s last known

address was Plymouth and hemay be in the northwestsuburbs.

Lane is accused of seconddegree murder. The victim hadbeen shot and was found deadinside a vehicle on August

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAIDMINNEAPOLIS MNPERMIT NO. 32468

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

The Twin Citiesproduce megastars,but need to providemore urbanrecognition

11PAGE

Big Brothers,Big Sisters, Comcastand KIPP: StandAcademy partner tohelp kids succeed

4PAGE

Activist scholarCornel West livesand loves out loud

5PAGE

Rewardincreased for suspect on“Most Wanted” list

Senate Finance health reform billprods House toward cooperation

7HEALTH TURN TO2SUSPECT TURN TO

Photos:Suluki FardanTom Gitaa, publisher, Mshale Newspaper

7COLEMAN TURN TO

Minnesotans with flu symptoms can call toll-free Minnesota FluLine (MNFluLine) at 1-866-259-4655 for informationand treatment options. Professionals available24 hrs/day, 7 days/week.

6TURN TO

NNPAHouse Majority Whip Jim

Clyburn (D-S.C.)

2 simple ways to avoid the flu

William Leon Lane

Readus Fletcher, deputy director, Human Rights and EqualEconomic Opportunity (HREEO)

Christopher Romano, executive director, Riverview EconomicDevelopment Association (REDA)

Tom Sanchez, Department of Planning and EconomicDevelopment (PED)

L-R David Glass, president, American Indian Economic Development Fund; Nghi Huynh, publisher,Asian American Press and President of MN Multicultural Media Consortium; Aldolpho Cardona,

publisher, Latino Midwest; and St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman.

31, 2009 in Minneapolis. Minneapolis Police

investigated this case that isbelieved to be gang-related.Lane is an African AmericanmaleHeight: 5’09”Weight: 138He has black hair and browneyesAge: 23

The Minnesota FugitiveTask Force, which includes the

members from the FBI, issearching for Lane. To beeligible for the reward, tipstersmay call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or tipsters maytext information or complete anonline form via their website(www.crimestoppersmn.org).All tips are anonymous.

The public is urged toprovide information about anyof the people on HennepinCounty’s Top Ten Most WantedList. The entire list may beviewed on the Sheriff’s Officewebsite atwww.hennepinsheriff.org.

For further information,contact CommunicationsDirector/PIO Lisa Kiava at612-919-5918 or lisa.kiava@co.hennepin.mn

Page 2 • October 26 - November 1, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

SuspectFrom 1

Reeves interpretations of Samuels comments out of contextResponse to guest commentary byMel Reeves (October 12 - October18, 2009) entitled “Don Samuelscan’t lead 5th Ward Blackresidents”:

Your campaign article is purefiction because your interpretationof Don Samuels’s comments arecompletely out of context. Nexttime do your homework and dealwith the truth.

There are challenges on the

North Side and the last thing weneed are candidates andcommentaries that divide ourcommunity. Don promotes valuesbuilt on mutual respect andresponsibility. He expects thesame from others. Don is truthfulabout his past and works 24/7 onbuilding a bright future for theresidents of the North Side.Change isn’t always easy toaccept but the results make “all”of us stronger. Don’s first term

made the North Side strong andhis second term will make ourNorth Side even stronger. Thepower of change is alive on theNorth Side.

Let’s get aboard Mr. Reevesand be part of the solution, notpart of the problem.

Jim Hingeley Resident of North Side forover 60 years

http://insightnews.com Insight News • October 26 - November 1, 2009 • Page 3

(NNPA) - October is BreastCancer Awareness month. If youflew Delta Airlines this month,you saw flight attendants withpink t-shirts, pink uniforms, aswell as the ever-present pinkribbons.

A number of departmentstores have breast cancerawareness “sales” or passes, withdollars raised being donated tobreast cancer research. InWashington, DC, women walkeda whopping 60 miles over a three-day period to raise money forbreast cancer awareness. Thereare billboards and public serviceannouncements about breastcancer awareness.

Why? Breast cancer is thesecond leading cause of cancerdeath among women, after lungcancer. African Americanwomen are more likely thanWhite women to die from breastcancer at every age. AlthoughBlack women are less likely tohave breast cancer after 40, we aremore likely to have breast cancerbefore 40. Since many health

plans don’t suggest or even allowa mammogram before 40, manyyoung Black women goundiagnosed with breast cancertoo long, which increases theirlikelihood of dying from breastcancer.

One of my personal sheroes isa woman named Zora Brown.She started a group, Rise, Sister,Rise, to educate African Americanwomen about breast cancer. A20-year survivor of breast cancer,Zora has authored books,produced television programs,and been a valuable resourcearound breast cancer awarenessand education.

She lived in Washington, DCdecades before she relocated toOklahoma City where shecontinues to work on health careissues. There are far too fewZora Browns in our world,agitators in the African Americancommunity around health careissues.

While I appreciate the peoplewearing pink ribbons to raiseawareness about breast cancer, weneed to do a lot more than justwear ribbons. We need to ensurethat women, especially youngBlack women, are doing

everything they can to take care oftheir bodies. Most doctors willshow women how to check theirbreasts for lumps, which is animportant way to detect cancerpossibilities early.

Mammograms aren’t painless,and some of us avoid them, butthey are an important way todetect cancers and to ensure breasthealth.

Concern about breast cancerought also be concern abouthealth care. Indeed, while breastcancer is a leading cause of deathamong women, more women diefrom heart attacks than breastcancer. An amazing number ofAmericans do not get annualcheckups, often because theysimply cannot afford them. Howmany of the people wearing pinkribbons are also opposing healthcare reform, as proposed byPresident Obama?

How many who say theyoppose a public role in health carewant to keep their Medicarebenefits? There is a lot ofhypocrisy in this health carereform debate. It makes no senseto wear a pink ribbon withoutacknowledging health care as abasic human right.

We in these United States areexperts at awareness. December1 is World AIDS Day, andattention then will be focused onHIV and AIDS. Easter Sealscampaigns have us focusing onpeople with disabilities. We raiseawareness about polio, diabetes,and any number of other illnesses,and perhaps that is a good thing.But awareness does not equaltreatment. Awareness does notequal access to health care. Iwish we had ribbons to wear forhealth care reform.

Maybe they should be greenribbons since some of the interestsopposing health care reform aremoneyed interests. Or maybethey should be black ribbons forthe number of folk who diebecause they don’t have access tohealth care. Maybe thereshouldn’t be ribbons at all, maybearmbands. Mostly, there shouldbe action, not just awareness.

The pink ribbons are betterthan nothing. They recognize theneed for women to be morehealth-aware, and the challenges

that young African Americanwomen face around breast healthand the early diagnosis of breastcancer. But it would beinteresting to ask some of the pinkribbon wearers where they standon health care reform. On thatquestion, we need people to do alot more than just wear ribbons.

Julianne Malveaux is President ofBennett College for Women inGreensboro, N.C.

Breast cancer awareness is more than just a pink ribbon

Response to article (October 12 -October 18, 2009) entitled“Mayor Coleman: Doing the rightthing”:

I picked up Insight Newsyesterday and was extremelysurprised you would run a head

line of “Mayor Coleman: Doingthe right thing” just several weeksbefore the election, with nothinglisted about Eva Ng, thechallenger in the upcomingelection. First of all, the headlinedidn’t reflect the story very well,and I couldn’t immediately tell

what it was about. It seemed like aunderhanded endorsement ofMayor Coleman, which is in poortaste of the newspaper.

Leslie RosedahlSt. Paul, MN

Letters to the editorFront page headline an underhanded Coleman endorsement

By Julianne MalveauxNNPA Columnist

Christian J. Savage, of SouthwestHigh School, was recently namedone of ten high school seniors inMinnesota named semifinalists inthe 2010 National AchievementScholarship program.

The National AchievementScholarship Program, conductedby National Merit ScholarshipCorporation (NMSC), is aprivately financed academiccompetition that operates withoutgovernment assistance. It wasinitiated in 1964 to recognizeacademically promising Blackstudents throughout the nationand to provide scholarships to asubstantial number of the mostoutstanding program participants.To date, over 29,500 young menand women have receivedAchievement Scholarship awardsworth $94 million.

More than 1,600 BlackAmerican high school seniorswho have been designatedsemifinalists in the 46th annualNational AchievementScholarship Program. Thesescholastically talented young menand women now have anopportunity to continue in thecompetition for approximately800 Achievement Scholarshipawards, worth $2.6 million, to beoffered next spring.

Approximately 1,300semifinalists are expected tofulfill additional requirementsand advance to the finalist level inthe 2010 program. AllAchievement Scholar awardeeswill be selected from the finalistgroup on the basis of their

abilities, accomplishments andpotential for success in rigorouscollege studies.

More than 160,000 highschool juniors from all parts ofthe United States requestedconsideration in the 2010National AchievementScholarship Program when theytook the 2008 PreliminarySAT/National Merit ScholarshipQualifying Test(PSAT/NMSQT®). Semifinalistswere designated withingeographic regions and are thehighest-scoring program entrantsin the states that make up eachregion.

To advance to the finalistlevel in the competition,semifinalists must present a

record of high academicperformance throughout highschool, be endorsed andrecommended by the high schoolprincipal, write an essay and earnSAT scores that confirm thePSAT/NMSQT performance.Also, the semifinalist and a highschool official must complete adetailed scholarship applicationin which they provideinformation about the student’sparticipation in school andcommunity activities,demonstrated leadership abilities,and educational goals. Thesubstantial amount of informationcollected about each finalist willbe used in the selection ofscholarship winners.

National AchievementScholarships provided in 2010will be supported bycorporations, professionalorganizations, foundations andNMSC’s own funds. Two types ofscholarships will be offered.Every finalist will compete forone of the 700 one-time NationalAchievement $2500Scholarships, which will beawarded on a regionalrepresentation basis. In addition,corporate and business sponsorswill underwrite about 100Achievement Scholarship awardsfor finalists who meet criteria set

by the grantor. Although somecorporate-sponsored awardsprovide a single payment, mostare renewable for up to four yearsof undergraduate study.

Big Brothers Big Sisters ofthe Greater Twin Cities andComcast have launched aninnovative partnership thatpromises to improve the oddsfor participating Twin Citiesfifth- and sixth-graders inorder for them to achieve

academically and succeed asadults.

Comcast has partneredwith Big Brothers Big Sistersof the Greater Twin Cities andKIPP: Stand Academy inMinneapolis to launchBeyond School Wallssm, a

program where fifth- andsixth-graders are matchedwith company employees forone-to-one mentoring.

Recently, students visitedComcast, where Comcast BigBrothers/Sisters met theirLittle Brothers/Sisters andwalked the Red Carpet,stopping for photos andinterviews. The LittlesBrothers and Sisters willspend time with their BigBrothers and Sisters at theComcast facility at least twicea month.

“We are committed tomaking a positive impact inthe lives of the children weserve and are extremelygrateful to Comcast for thispowerful partnership,” saidBig Brothers Big Sisters ofthe Greater Twin Cities’President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer Gloria C. Lewis.“Partnering with schools withsupport from public andprivate partners, as well asindividuals, is critical to oursuccess with helping childrengrow into confident,competent and caring adults.”

Beyond School Walls is aunique workplace mentoringprogram in which companiesgive back to theircommunities by hostingchildren from area schools attheir offices. Comcastlaunched its Beyond SchoolWalls program last year inPhiladelphia as part of a $10million national commitmentto support Big Brothers BigSisters, which includesairtime for public service

announcements, programsponsorships, national andlocal board member support,and Comcast leadershipdevelopment and trainingopportunities for theorganization’s staff leaders. Italso includes the sponsorshipof the Beyond School Wallsprogram in multiple cities.

“We couldn’t be happierabout this new partnershipwith Big Brothers Big Sistersand KIPP: Stand Academy,which allows us to make asignificant, direct impact inthe lives of many morechildren,” said Mary BethSchubert Vice President ofExternal Affairs at Comcast.“This effort is consistent withour commitment todeveloping tomorrow’sleaders by promotingcommunity service andworking with young people intheir pursuit of better livesand opportunities.”

Comcast Corporation(Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK)(www.comcast.com) is one ofthe nation’s leading providersof entertainment, informationand communication productsand services. With 23.9million cable customers, 15.3million high-speed Internetcustomers, and 7.0 millionComcast Digital Voicecustomers, Comcast isprincipally involved in thedevelopment, managementand operation of cablesystems and in the delivery ofprogramming content.

Page 4 • October 26 - November 1, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

EDUCATION

INSIGHT NEWS

www.insightnews.com

Insight News is publishedweekly, every Monday byMcFarlane Media Interests.

Editor-In-ChiefAl McFarlaneCFOAdrianne Hamilton-ButlerPublisherBatala-Ra McFarlaneAssociate Editor &Associate PublisherB.P. FordVice President of Sales & MarketingSelene WhiteDirector of Content &ProductionPatricia WeaverSr. Content & ProductionCoordinatorElliot Stewart-FranzenWeb Design & ContentAssociateBen WilliamsDistribution/FacilitiesManagerJamal MohamedReceptionistLue B. LampleyContributing WritersBrenda ColstonJulie DesmondMarcia HumphreyMehgaan JonesAlaina L. LewisRashida McKenzieBrandi D. PhillipsRyan T. ScottPhotographySuluki FardanTobechi TobechukwuContact Us:Insight News, Inc.Marcus Garvey House1815 Bryant Ave. N.MinneAPOlis., MN 55411Ph.: (612) 588-1313Fax: (612) 588-2031Member: MinnesotaMulticultural MediaConsortium (MMMC)Midwest Black PublishersCoalition, Inc. (MBPCI)National NewspaperPublishers Association(NNPA)

Postmaster: Send addresschanges to McFarlaneMedia Interests, MarcusGarvey House 1815 BryantAvenue North, Minneapolis,

Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Comcast and KIPP: Stand Academy partner to help kids succeed

Savage named National Achievement Scholarship semi-finalist

BIG Comcast employee James Randle of Brooklyn Park and his LITTLE Malik S

BIG Comcast employee Brad Randall of Isanti, Minn. and his LITTLE Antoine B.

MPSChristian J. Savage

Barack Like Me:The Chocolate-Covered Truthby David Alan Grier with Alan EisenstockHardcover, $24.99254 pages, illustrated ISBN: 978-1-4391-5492-2

“Ray Charles said the secret to lifeis timing. He was right on,especially when it comes towriting a book. When I handed inthis book back in April 2009,Barack Obama was riding highand I was a happily married man.Now, it’s more than six monthslater. Barack’s approval ratingshave fallen and so have mine.

Sadly, my wife and I are in theprocess of divorcing. Everything Iwrote in Barack Like Mehappened. Everything I said andfelt was the truth… at the time.“

Excerpted from the Preface (page xi)

It’s not a good sign when theauthor of a book is alreadymaking apologies in the prefacefor what you’re about to read.That’s what we have in the case ofBarack Like Me by David AlanGrier, a disjointed rise of Obamamemoir which might havesounded like a good idea a yearago, but which amounts to littlemore than the unfocusedramblings by a guy who probablydidn’t have any reason to sound sogiddy about Barack Obama oreven about his own life.

This ill-conceived tome’sproblems start with the front coverphoto, on which we find theauthor posed giving an “OK”hand signal while wearing a

powdered wig and a patriot’suniform from the RevolutionaryWar Era. Based on the title’s playon words, I supposed the picture issupposed to suggest that he’s aspatriotic as our new president.

Regardless, the content insidemakes it clear that Grier had everyintention of riding the wave ofObamania until it broke, given hisgushing on page one about how“We won!” and how the first thinghe does everyday (after kissing hiswife) is to pinch himself to provethat it isn’t just a dream that aBlack man won the historicelection. In chapter two, he’s stillmaking an “hourly reality check”asking, “Barack Obama is still

president, right?” Despite the fact that Grier has

an impressive pedigree includinga degree from Yale and a TonyAward nomination, thesophomoric level of the politicalanalysis here gets no deeper than,“Barack is president. Black is in.Black is cool. Everybody wants tobe Black now. But Obama Black.

Tiger Woods Black. Halle BerryBlack. Not Samuel L. JacksonBlack. Or OJ Black. Or MikeTyson Black.” Yet, in the verynext chapter, he talks abutattending the inauguration andhow Samuel L. Jackson wasinvited to the White House for

breakfast. Granted, he’s ostensibly

attempting to be funny, and whoknows to what extent hisghostwriter Alan Eisenstockdeserves the blame for this fiasco.

Sorry, I simply can’t in goodconscience recommend such

stream of consciousness drivelespecially when the author’sidyllic marriage has just fallenapart and the utopian Age ofObama he envisions hasn’tmaterialized.

A transparent take-the-money-and-run rip-off of no substance

designed simply to cash-in on thenew president’s popularity. Themost out of touch offering sinceShelby Steele’s pre-election opusexplaining why Obama couldn’twin.

Brother West: Living and LovingOut Loud A Memoir by CornelWest with David Ritz SmileyBooks Hardcover, $25.95288 pages, illustrated ISBN: 978-1-4019-2189-7

“My foundation consisted of threepowerful elements: family; theSocratic spirituality of seeking thetruth; and the Christian spiritualityof bearing witness to love andjustice... I also got the benefit ofliving in a Black community filledwith love and care. Today theycall it a ‘hood. But back then, itwas a sure-enough neighborhood,with ties of empathy and deepbonds of sympathy… Even at thisearly age, the question kicked in:is it possible to love oppressedpeople and not be a fanatic forfairness?”

Excerpted from Chapter 3 (pages 22-23)

Everybody knows Cornel West,the public intellectual, the popular Princeton University Professorand best-selling author who has

remained dedicated to the plightof the poor and underprivilegedover the course of his illustriouscareer. Yet few know anythingabout his private life, or aboutwhat has inspired him to remainon such a righteous path and intouch with his roots over theyears.

Now at 56, West has decidedto share his life story in a moving

memoir co-authored by DavidRitz. I’ll be the first to admit thatI’m suspicious of anyautobiography with a ghostwriter,because I’ve been bored to tearsby many an inauthentic mess,such as the infuriating insult to theintelligence by Johnny Cochran,which read like a 300-page longsales pitch for the late attorney’slaw firm and didn’t even sound

like it was written by a Blackperson, let alone a legal crusaderwho had championed the cause ofthe underprivileged.

Fortunately, Ritz has animpressive resume’, havingpreviously collaborated with suchAfrican American icons as TavisSmiley, Aretha Franklin, SmokeyRobinson, B.B. King, RayCharles, Sinbad, Etta James, andmost recently, convicted killer-turned actress Felicia SnoopPearson on a riveting,relentlessly-graphic, warts-and-allbio which this critic reviewed. Inthe case of Cornel West, Ritz hascrafted a remarkably intimateopus which somehow manages topreserve the colorful cadence ofhis subject’s distinctly-melodicvocal phrasings, so the wordsvirtually leap of the pages as if inTechnicolor.

More importantly, the talesrecounted here, reveal mostlyexperiences apt to resonate withthe average African American,West’s ivory-towered, academiccredentials notwithstanding. Forexample, this is how he recountsthe day he was arrested after beingprofile-stopped by a cop whilepassing through upstate NewYork.

“Get out of the car, boy.”

Policeman looked over mydriver’s license, looked me in theface, and then nodded his head.“Yup,” he said. “You’re the guy.”“What guy?”“Nigger we been looking for.”“For doing what?”“Selling cocaine.”“I don’t sell cocaine.” “What do you do?”“Teach philosophy and religion.I’m a professor.”“And I’m the Flying Nun… Wegot you down as a major dealer.”“Impossible.”“That’s what they all say.”

Then, the officer proceeded tohandcuff his “perp” and to drivehim down to the police station forbooking. The same thing hashappened to me and to hundredsof thousands, if not millions ofother innocent Black males. So, tohear of West’s nightmare is not somuch shocking, but rather anopportunity to feel gratitude forthe indictment of a nationaldisgrace by a brother with accessto the mass media. It’s frankvignettes like that arrest incidentwhich help explain exactly whatshaped Cornel West’s world view,and why he refuses to rest so longas there still remains any sufferingamong the least of his brethren.

The candid reflections of an

uncompromising, compassionateChristian with a functioningconscience and an open heart.

To order a copy of Living andLoving Out Loud, visit: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401921892?ie=UTF8&tag=thslfofire-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1401921892

AESTHETICShttp://insightnews.com Insight News • October 26 - November 1, 2009 • Page 5

By Kam WilliamsBook reviewkam@insightnews.com

Activist scholar Cornel West lives and loves out loud

David Grier’s unfocused ramblings don’t deserve book status

thedailyvoice.comBrother West: Living and

Loving Out Loud

By Kam WilliamsBook reviewkam@insightnews.com

innthebasement.comBarack Like Me:

The Chocolate-Covered Truth

southerneccentrik.files.wordpress.comCornel West

This year, the seasonal flu andH1N1 seem to be on everyone’smind. If you work with kids or in aheavily populated area, you are at ahigher risk of catching some formof the flu or common cold.Last year during the week of10/5/08, there were 30 cases of theflu reported nationwide. The weekof 10/5/09, the Center for DiseaseControl (CDC), reported 215 casesof the flu nationwide in elementaryschools.

As a teacher and therapist, I amconstantly surrounded by childrenwith running noses, who arecoughing, sniffling, and sneezing.This year, I have also been stricken

with a common cold that does notwant to go away. Below, are a fewideas for taking care of you duringthe cold and flu season.

Care for the flu or common cold

• Wash your hands after allcontact with someone sick. Whenyou don’t wash your hands, youspread germs to others. Most fluand cold germs are airborne andcan survive in the atmosphere forlong periods of time, so it is veryimportant to disinfect and sanitizeyou hands and other objects such asdoor handles and exerciseequipment.• Get plenty of exercise- Gettingexercise, can build up your immunesystem and your ability to fight freeradicals and other airborne

contaminants. When your immunesystem is healthy, bodily organsand processes are able to workefficiently.

• Eat properly – By eating staplesout of the food pyramid as site bythe USDA, you are giving yourbody the proper nutrients, to fightdisease and provide energy andbody warmth.

• Get proper sleep – By gettingenough sleep, you are giving yourbody enough time to recuperatefrom the previous day’s events.Getting at least six hours of sleepper day is ideal, but getting eighthours is preferred, thus giving yourbody more resting time.• Drink plenty of fluids – Beforeyou are sick and once you become

ill, it is very important to stayhydrated. Drinking plenty of water,as well as natural teas and juices,will help your body digest andmove toxins out of your bloodstream. The body is made up of70% water, so it is very importantto stay hydrated.

• Contact a qualified healthprofessional – If you have cold orflu symptoms that persist, you willwant to consult a healthprofessional, which can treat you ina multitude of ways includingpractice of traditional Chinesemedicine such as acupuncture orChinese herbs.

• BONUS TIP- A natural remedyto deal with a persistent cough: Eata pear or Asian pear, these fruits are

very beneficial in helpingcounteract a cough.

Brandi Phillips is a life coachtherapist, personal trainer and

professional dancer, who isinterested in cultivating healthychildren and sustaining healthyseniors.

HEALTHWorking with kids, crowds, means increased flu/colds risk

Page 6 • October 26 - November 1, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

By Brandi D. PhillipsContributing Writer

graphics8.nytimes.com

implying possible compromise.All of the political jargon

has appeared to indicateregressive disunity within theDemocratic Party on whichBlacks largely depend toadvance their interests.Pertaining to the health carelegislation, Clyburn stillassures, “We’re going to getthere.” But, how?

“Like we always do,” hesaid. “This Caucus of ours, I tryto tell people that it ought notbe looked upon with anycomparison with theRepublican Caucus.”

Clyburn described theRepublican Caucus asappearing so cohesive becausethey do not reflect “the broadexperiences of our country”because the Republicans haveno African-Americans inCongress. “And so, if you’vegot a conference or a group ofpeople that doesn’t have asingle African-American in it,where does that perspective getdiscussed?”

On the other hand theDemocrats are so diverse intheir views because they are areflection America, he explains.

“I hope people will look atus like a microcosm of thecountry ... We’re going to get

there because we’re going tohonor those experiences andwe’re going to put together apiece of legislation that’s goingto take all of that into account,”Clyburn said.

Americans have made itclear that health care reform isneeded and wanted.

A recent CBS news pollreports that more than eight in10 people believe the healthcare system needs to undergofundamental changes. The pollalso states that 62 percent ofAmericans support the publicoption in the health insurancereform legislation.

The Senate FinanceCommittee last week was thefifth and final congressionalcommittee to report out a healthinsurance reform bill. Sen.Olympia Snowe (R-ME), wasthe only Republican to breakranks with her party to vote forthe bill. She noted the urgencyof history as her reason fordoing so. “When history calls,history calls,” she said.

Clyburn said instead ofcalling it “public option”; theymay need to simply change thename.

“What is beginning tohappen now is ‘public option’ issounding like a newgovernment program to somany people. Maybe we oughtto find another title forMedicare,” he said. “We mayneed to rebrand it because

people understand Medicare.”Regardless of the strategy, it

will be daunting. PresidentObama has acknowledged thatas well.

“This is not the time to patourselves on the back. This isnot the time to growcomplacent. There are stillsignificant details anddisagreements to be worked outin the coming weeks,” Obamasaid as he hailed the SenateFinance Committee’s passageof the bill. “And there are stillthose who would try to killreform at any cost. The historyis clear. For decades risinghealth care costs haveunleashed havoc on families,

businesses, and the economy.And for decades, whenever wehave tried to reform the system,the insurance companies havedone everything in theirconsiderable power to stop us.”

Clyburn agreed that theweeks ahead will be difficult.But he is optimistic.

“Is it easy? No it’s noteasy,” Clyburn said. He citedthe Blue Dogs, the CBC, theProgressive Caucus, the Asian-Pacific Islander Caucus, allDemocrats with stratifiedviews. “But, we’re going to getthere,” he assured. “We’regoing to have a public option.”

http://insightnews.com Insight News • October 26 - November 1, 2009 • Page 7

HealthFrom 1

development.Adolfo Cardona, publisher of

Latino Midwest, joined fellowpublishers, Nghi Huynh, of AsianAmerican Press, and Tom Gitaa,of Mshale, and David Glass,executive director of theAmerican Indian EconomicDevelopment Fund, in raisingMeet-the-Press style questions offorum presenters.

Cardona, whose newspaper isa member of REDA, asked, “Howdo REDA and the City helpentrepreneurs not only ‘seize ifthe opportunity at hand’ but alsohelp in finding, identifying theright opportunity?”

Romano said sometimes thebest advice business counselorscan give to the micro entrepreneurwho says he wants to start abusiness is “Don’t do it!”

He said, “We joke about thatfrom time to time, but in truth, it isbetter to convince someone thattheir idea is not a good investmentin today’s economy. So we mayadvise them against sinking the$20,000 that they have scrimped

and saved over the past 10 yearsinto a business that won’t work.”

On the other hand he said,“We have a support division thathelps folks put together cash flowanalyses. We help folks look atfinancial statements and create

business plans. That is animportant part of our work. It isthe reason we have such strongrelationships with the local banks.

They know if REDA isinvolved, there is somebody onthe ground floor doing a lot of

outreach and connecting with thebusiness.”

Romano said there are anumber of organizations andagencies across the city thatprovide counseling and trainingservices to small businesses.

“You participate in the trainingprograms you are often eligiblefor reduced rates on otherbusiness services includingaccounting legal and marketingservices,” he said.

David Glass said typicallyminority and American Indiancommunities are “communities ofpoverty.”

“We come forward and try toobtain business loans, but we’realready saddled with bad credit.People from communities ofpoverty come to the table with badcredit. We find it somewhatchallenging to work with lenders,even community lenders andbanks, in obtaining loans. It iseven difficult working with theSBA (Small BusinessAdministration).” Glass asked,“How does your organization helpus if that navigate through theseproblems?”

“In the Latino community we

ColemanFrom 1

9COLEMAN TURN TO

Larry Zang, project facilitator, Department of Safety andInspection (DSI)

Robert Kessler, director, Department of Safety and Inspection(DSI)

I want to know if your mama isanything like my mama. Seemy sixty-something-year-oldmama (who would ’whup me ifI gave her actual age), doesn’tbelieve in being wasteful.This means when she buystoothpaste, she is able tosqueeze out every last dropfrom the tube. Her bathroomis always filled with upside-

down lotion and shampoobottles lining the sink. I recall needing facialmoisturizer and asking mamaif she had some.

“Oh sure,” she called tome. “Just look in the Cliniquebottle on the left. The onlyproblem was that the bottle shedirected me to was empty.“No it’s not,” she persisted, asshe came into the bathroomand took the jar off the shelf.I couldn’t believe it, but aftermama got finished with thatjar, I had moisturizer to spare.Mama has always been thisway. As a kid, I found itirritating to have empty-looking bottles throughout thehouse just waiting to bescraped, rubbed and rinsed.

Well it turns out that all of

the extra scraping andsqueezing has saved mama bigmoney. Do you want to get themost out of the products youbuy, here are a few suggestionsthat Mama Bobbie would giveyou.

If you want to use all thetoothpaste that comes in thetube, simply pick up atoothpaste squeezer. TheDollar Tree sells them for onlya buck! Or you could just cutthe tube in half and dig it out.(Always keep scissors handyto use on any soft plasticcontainer.)

Soap and detergentcontainers can be emptiedfully by adding a bit of waterand/or poking a small hole inthe container’s bottom corner.Allow the remaining soap todrain into a bowl.

Peanut butter and mayo canbe easily retrieved usingrubber spatulas of varioussizes.

If you love honey, and wantto get the last of it, simplyplace the jar into hot water. Itwill melt and glide out easily.

Rather than abandon thelast little bit of olive oil, makea healthy salad dressing rightin the bottle by addingingredients like vinegar andherbs. Give it a shake to mix itup, and then pour right ontoyour salad.

Is your lipstick nearlygone? Use chopsticks to scoopout the remaining amount.

While emptying peanutbutter jars won’t necessarilymake you a millionaire, theuse-it-all-up strategy will saveyou money over time. Thinkabout it; you would neverleave 10-20% of yourpaycheck at work because itfell behind your desk. Whenyou throw away your food andother household products whenthey are only 80-90% empty, itamounts to the same thing.Ouch!

Be like the millionaire-next-door (you know, thoseseemingly regular people who

live just like us, but areloaded!)-she buys used cars,picks up pennies off thesidewalk, and uses every dropof her toothpaste. My prayerfor you is that you will beinspired with ideas of your

own ideas on how to use-it-all-up. Consider applying thissame principle as it relates toyour natural talents andabilities. You were placed onthe earth by God to make asignificant contribution tothose around you. Don’t allowfear (or laziness) prevent youfrom using all of your talentsand abilities to their fullest.Pour out every ounce ofpotential that is inside of youand you will surely experience

the joy and satisfaction ofhaving emptied yourself for agreater good. Enjoy!

Marcia Humphrey is aninterior decorator and homestager who specializes inachieving high style at lowcosts. A native of Michigan,she and her husband, Lonnie,have three children.

Page 8 • October 26 - November 1, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

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have the same issues. We strugglewith that all that time,” Romanosaid. “We can’t sit here and saywe have the answer to the folks inour community to get them thecredit we would like to see themget.”

“We also deal withimmigration issues. That ends upbeing a huge roadblock for manyof our financial partners. I havenothing against the large banksthat we work with, but I havefound that some of the communitybanks are going more willing tolook outside the box when itcomes to some of these issueswhether its credit score orbusiness financials or what haveyou,” Romano said.

“Often times we say we willhelp with the loan servicing, thetraining, and with one and onemeetings with the entrepreneurevery month. That takes a hugeburden off the lender. But it helpsensure that their loans are going toget paid back.”

Romano said the grantsavailable, from the STAR (SalesTax Area Revitalization) Program.

St. Paul takes an extra ½% salestax to fund and the STARProgram. “It allows us to makegrants of up to us $5,000specifically for business facadeprojects,” he said.

Asked how the city CDC’swork together, Sanchez said, “Werecognize that we don’t alwayshave to lead. So we look two thecommunity developmentcorporations to provide input andto tell us what is they need. Whatare the things we can do tosupport their mission? Sometimesit is a matter of getting the city ofthe way and letting them do whatthey do.”

“If its money they needed, wecan try to provide funds so loanamounts needed are smaller andinvolve less risk,” Sanchez said.

In a second panel, ReadusFletcher, Deputy Director, HumanRights and Equal EconomicOpportunity (HREEO,) whoheads St. Paul’s MinorityBusiness Development andRetention initiative, said “the cityof St. Paul generates businessopportunities to the tune ofseveral hundred million dollars ayear. The department seeks toensure business and employmentopportunities are equally availableto all communities.”

“We do human rightscomplaint investigations. That’simportant because mostinvestigations are employment-related and that means theindividual’s economicopportunity. But the biggerinitiative is procurement. We doall the contract bidding andcontract compliance. We managecontracts that go out forpurchasing for housing and otherbusiness services purchased bythe City of St. Paul. We setexpectations for minority andwomen employment and forbusiness participation. We docapacity building to enable smalland minority businesses toparticipate. We work withcommunity developmentcorporations like REDA andSelby CDC. We provide workingcapital, loans, and grants. Aprimary function is to get funds tothe community,” Fletcher said.

Bob Kessler is director,department of safety inspections(DSI). He said his department andthe newly created each are Iooerepresent the biggestreorganization of city governmentsince the seventies. “We believewe can provide good informationand efficient services. That iswhat we want to do.”

Larry Zang, the DSI projectfacilitator, said the Department ofSafety and Inspections is aregulatory department “but thatis not the whole story or thebiggest part.”

“We are proactive insupporting business. We outlinefor owners what requirementsthey must meet and how they canshape their business plan to helpthem succeed. We tried to work

with businesses to make themmore successful and guide themthrough business processes,” hesaid.

Wendy has an interview Thursday,and can’t stop obsessing overdetails. It was there on herresume, detail-oriented, but whoknew how accurate that could be?As the economy brightens andcompanies gear up to hire, morecandidates are finding themselvesin a quandary about interviewing.

It’s been so long, they say. Andeverything has changed since thelast time I looked, they say.

The most important factor inan interview is comfort level.Stay in your professional comfortzone or you will bomb theinterview the minute you walk inthe door. Candidates should keepthis in mind, along with a fewother basics:

Do I need to bring a copy ofmy resume? Yes, on good paperlabeled as resume weight (usually28 lb). Ask the interviewer if heor she would like a copy of yourresume. If you see they alreadyhave a printed copy, don’t bring itup.

Should I bring a list ofreferences? Yes, printed on the

same good paper. But do not offerthe references. Giving theinterviewer too many pieces ofpaper creates noise and takes timethat you would rather spenddiscussing the job. Providereferences only if asked to do so.

I don’t know how many otherpeople are interviewing. One,you, is all that matters. Wouldyou interview differently if no oneelse were competing for theposition? Of course not.Competition is noise, too. Ignoreit.

Pants or skirt? Tie or no tie?Heels or flats? Are tennis shoesokay? Pants are fine, ties are stilla good idea, low heels of about aninch or two look good women,and no, never wear tennis shoes to

an interview. If you areinterviewing for a job as a coachor fitness trainer, bring a gym bagalong in case you need to make aquick change.

Piercings okay? Ears only, formen and women. Err on theconservative side for everythingelse. If your interviewer isbejeweled, you can comment thatyou have the same nose ring athome, but were not sure if itwould be allowed at work. Thisway, you fit in without standingout.

Should I write down questionsto ask in the interview? Yes, butdon’t read them word for wordunless you are completely nervousand cannot think without them.Should I take notes in the

interview? Always. But keep eyecontact with your interviewer asmuch as possible.

Should I follow up with ahand-written thank you note, or isemail okay? Email is okay andfaster, as long as you do it thesame day, and professionally.

Finally, glasses or contacts?Wendy swears her glasses makeher look smarter. Then, sheshould wear them. But no onewears glasses anymore. Then gowith contacts. Stay confident bystaying within your professionalcomfort zone. Sometimes theonly right answer is the one thatfelt right all along.

Julie Desmond is Director ofCareer Planning Resources for

Help Wanted! Workshop inMinneapolis. Send your careerplanning questions tojulie@insightnews.com.

BUSINESShttp://insightnews.com Insight News • October 26 - November 1, 2009 • Page 9

Glasses or contacts? As interviewing revs up, candidate concerns get back to the basics

By Julie Desmondjulie@insightnews.com

Planyour

career

www.talksuccess.info

ColemanFrom 7

Page 10 • October 26 - November 1, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

Send Community Calendarinformation to us by: email,ben@insightnews.com, by fax:612-588-2031, by phone: (612)588-1313 or by mail: 1815Bryant Ave. N. Minneapolis,MN 55411, Attn: Ben Williams.Free or low cost eventspreferred.

Events

‘Family Feuds: How We DealWith Difference’ - Ongoing

7 to 9 p.m. on five consecutiveMondays from Oct. 19 to Nov.16. Locations are: Oct. 19,Gloria Dei Lutheran Church;Oct. 26, Islamic Center ofMinnesota; Nov. 2, Klas Center,Hamline University; Nov. 9,Temple of Aaron; Nov. 16,Central Baptist Church. Foraddresses and directions go tothe SPIN Website at:http://www.spacc.org/spin.

Old & New School SteppersJams - Oct. 24 “Come out ready to step itout” at a fundraiser for theKenya McKnight for citycouncil campaignSaturday, Oct. 24 at6:00pm - Oct. 25 at2:00am at the Favor Cafe,913 W Lake Street

(between Bryant & ColfaxAvenue So). Dinner, Salad &desert from 6:30- 7:30pmSharp. Fundraiser Speaker at7pm. Networking from 7:30-8:30pm. Registration forStepping contest 8:30-10pm.Stepping Party 9pm until close.Cash Prize contest 11pm. $25ADMISSION.

Breaking Free’s 7th AnnualCandle Light Vigil – Oct. 27Tues., October 27, 6:00 PM at770 University Ave, St. Paul.http://breakingfree.net/

It’s That Easy: The CaringAdult’s Guide to RaisingSexually Healthy Children –Oct. 27, 288:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at theMinneapolis Urban League,

2100 Plymouth Ave

North, Minneapolis. For moreinformation contact JocelynBroyles at 651-644-1447 x19,j o c e l y n @ m o a p p p . o r g .Scholarships are available.

African Film Director TwinCities Premiere – Oct. 29Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 7:30pmat Oak Street Cinema, 309 OakSt. SE. ,Minneapolis. 612-331-3134 Oak Street Cinema: 309Oak Street SE, Minneapolis,55414. This Screening is Free tothe Public.

16th Annual Mayor’s PrayerBreakfast - Oct. 29Mayor Steve Lampi will be theMaster of Ceremonies at thisevent hosted by the BrooklynPark Mayor’s Prayer BreakfastCommittee on Thursday,October 29, at the NorthlandInn, 7025 Northland Drive inBrooklyn Park. The Mayor’sPrayer Breakfast will be held

from 7:00-9:00 a.m. Tickets canbe ordered by calling 763-561-8769.

Irish Ceili Dance - Oct. 31Saturday. October 31, 7:30 - 11pm. Admission: $9 ($7members/students). 3748Minnehaha Avenue, Mpls.www.tapestryfolkdance.org.www.lomamor.org.

5th Ward Candidates Fairand Issues Platform – Nov. 1Sunday, Nov. 1, 3:00 pm until5:00 pm at the MinneapolisUrban League, 2100 PlymouthAvenue North in Minneapolis.For more information call 612-302-3100.

Moon Walk at Lake Nokomis– Nov. 3Tuesday, Nov. 3, 4:30 - 6:30p.m. Evening tour of the Park.To register, go tominneapolisparks.org or call612-313-7725. Meet at the LakeNokomis Beach parking lot. $5fee.

Art fundraiser for ConflictResolution Center – Nov. 6 Friday, Nov., 6, from 3-8 p.m.,and Saturday, Nov. 7, from 9:30a.m.- 1 p.m., the ConflictResolution Center will host afundraiser entitled Art Affair,selling a variety of art for $5and up. The Art Affair will takeplace at Colonial Church inEdina, 6200 Colonial Way.Contact 612- 822-9883 forinformation.

Breaking The Siege of Gazawith Cynthia McKinney -Nov. 6Fri., November 6, 7:00pm atWalker Methodist Church, 310416th Ave. S, Minneapolis. Freeand open to the public.Donations accepted. Sponsoredby the Middle East Committeeof WAMM. 612.827.5364http://mec.worldwidewamm.org /http://www.worldwidewamm.org

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

5th Ward Candidates Fairand Issues PlatformOn Sunday, November 1, 2009, The Minneapolis Urban League,The Council on Black Minnesotans and the African AmericanLeadership Summit & the Black Church Coalition will sponsor a5th Ward Candidates Fair and Issues Platform. This event will beheld from 3:00 pm until 5:00 pm at the Minneapolis UrbanLeague. The Minneapolis Urban League is located at 2100Plymouth Avenue North in Minneapolis. The purpose of thisevent is to provide 5th Ward Voters with an opportunity to meeteach of the candidates, learn why they are running for this office,and how they plan to serve the needs of the 5th Ward if they areelected to the Minneapolis City Council. For more informationcall 612-302-3100.

Election Day is November 3, 2009!!!!Remember to Vote on November 3, 2009!!!!

AUDITIONSSt e p p i n g St o n eTheatre is seekingstudent actors,ages 13-19, for ourproduction ofHenry's FreedomBox. AuditionsMonday, 11/2 &Tuesday, 11/3.Call 651-225-9265for more info or toset up an auditionappt.

Grants and Appeals Coordinator Summit Academy OIC is seeking a highlyskilled and experienced grant and appealswriter to coordinate and develop long-term,expanded constituency for grants, and giftsfor support of vocational educationprograms of the Summit Academy OIC. Theideal candidates must have a four-yearcollege degree and at least four yearsproven grant writing experience anddevelopment work in the non-profit sector.Candidates must also possess expert levelskills in word processing, spreadsheets anddatabase management programs. Salary iscommensurate with education andexperience. Valid Driver's license required.EEO/AA Employer. Position open until filled.Women and minorities encouraged to apply.Submit all resumes to cbennett@saoic.org.No phone inquiries, please.

Minnesota Blizzards Basketball We are looking for college students majoring inSports Management, Business, PublicRelations, Marketing Sales, Broadcasting,Event Planning etc. to become Interns for TheMinnesota Blizzards ABA Basketball Team.Interns will gain valuable experience, and inmost cases college credits.

Interested Parties please send resume to:Minnesota Blizzards Attn: Internship Program1161 Vierling Drive, Ste 161Shakopee, MN 55379Ph: 612-242-1909Fax: 480-302-5813ben@minnesotaBlizzards.comhttp://www.minnesotablizzards.com

POLITICAL WRITER -FREELANCE

Insight News is looking for an enthusiasticand experienced political writer for a beatthat includes covering high profile electedofficials and the community events theysponsor — or a not so-well attendedneighborhood or block club meeting. Thisis a freelance position. The perfectcandidate is someone who is a self-starterwho can work in a fast-paced environmentas well as produce news features, andjump on breaking stories when needed.Strong writing skills are a must, as well as aproven track record connectinglocal/neighborhood issues tonational/federal policy. Interestedapplicants should send a cover letter,resume and three to five writing samples to:Patricia Weaver, Director of Content,Insight News, PO BOX 581367,Minneapolis, MN 55411 or emailpatricia@insightnews. Please note"POLITICAL WRITER" in the subject line.No phone calls or walk-ins, please.

Information Services SpecialistThe U.S. District Court of Minnesota is seeking a customer serviceoriented professional for its Information Services Department in theClerk's Office in Minneapolis. This position requires excellent customerservice skills. Position duties include help desk support by answering,tracking and responding to requests regarding hardware and softwareproblems. Conducts help desk analysis and reporting relative to thetimeliness and quality of performance. The ability to assist advancedusers with application questions and problems is also critical. Athorough working knowledge of the Windows XP operating system andthe ability to assess and troubleshoot system and hardware errors ispreferred. Additional skills should include a working knowledge ofLAN/WAN network interfaces and the ability to troubleshoot basicnetwork access issues. A strong working literacy should include theWindows XP operating system, MS Office, Internet Explorer, Firefox,Lotus Notes email, basic systems security, and other desktop utilitiesas required. Preference will be given to candidates with an Associate'sdegree in communications and/or computer-related program, orBachelor's degree. Starting salary range is $47,701 to $59,134.Position range to $77,526. We offer a comprehensive benefitspackage. All employees are subject to a background check. For acomplete job description please visit our web site,www.mnd.uscourts.gov To apply please forward cover letter, resume,and salary requirements by Monday, November 2, 2009 to HRManager, U.S. Courthouse, 300 S. 4th St., Suite 202, Minneapolis, MN55415. E-mail: hr-usdc@mnd.uscourts.gov. An Equal Opportunity Employer.

Meadowlark Townhomes is located 30 minutes

south of St. Paul in Lakeville on Holiday Avenue

and 210th Street West. Forty townhomes includ-

ing six one-bedrooms, 24 two BR (two accessible)

and 10 three BR units will be available by summer

2010. A/C, DW, one car attached garage and

washer/dryer hook-ups. Current program rents

are $555/mo. for a 1 BR, $605-$625/mo. for a 2

BR and $655-$675/mo. for a 3 BR. Min. income

of $14,856/yr. req. for a 1 BR, $16,704/yr. for 2

BR and $18,408/yr. for 3 BR. Max. income limits

are 60% of area median income adjusted for family

size. Good rental and criminal history required.

Credit references also required.

Applications are available at the Dakota County

CDA’s office (1228 Town Centre Drive in Eagan)

weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Driving directions

call (651) 675-4440 or visit www.dakotacda.org.

Applications received by 10/30/09 will be

included in a random drawing for place-

ment on the waiting list.

Questions?

Call 651-675-4504 or visit

www.dakotacda.org

Applications Available for

Affordable Rental

Townhomes in Lakeville

Receptionist/Clerical SupportThe Capitol Region Watershed District isseeking a is seeking a part time (12-20hrs/wk) Receptionist/Clerical Support staff.Ideal candidate will be highly organized,detail-oriented and reliable. Must effectivelycommunicate and interact with the public.This position will provide main receptionistand clerical support duties for the office. Musthave the ability to balance multiple projectsand be self-motivated while working in a smalloffice environment. Must be proficient in avariety of software including Excel, Word,Access, PowerPoint. Compensation $12.12-$18.17 DOQ and experience. Interestedcandidates must send a cover letter andresume (no faxes or emails) by November 13,2009 to: Dawn Nelson, AdministrativeAssistant, Capitol Region Watershed District,1410 Energy Park Drive, Suite 4, St. Paul, MN55108, (651) 644-8888. For a full descriptioncontact our office or visit our website atwww.capitolregionwd.org.

When the Baltimore Ravens cameto town to play the Vikings, theybrought a big piece of the TwinCities back with them. TerrellSuggs is a megastar linebacker forthe Ravens, and is widelybecoming known as the bestdefensive player in the NFL.Many may not be aware of thisfact, but if you trace back throughthe path of Suggs rise to greatness,you will find a birth certificategenerated right here in ourMinnesota backyard. That’s right,the best defensive player intoday’s NFL began his childhoodin the Twin Cities before latershuffling off to Arizona for highschool. Suggs is now in hisseventh year in the NFL and thetraining that he has received fromHall of Fame, Ravens linebackerRay Lewis may give him theinside track towards an eventualHall of Fame bid for himself. Hallof Fame talent is right here in

Minnesota, and more acutely formy message, here in the TwinCities.

When I first came toMinnesota from California in themid 90s, my impression was muchdifferent from what it is now ofMinnesota sports. Now I thinkMinnesota talent is a hidden jewel,then wished I had attended highschool in Minnesota so I couldhave stuck out a lot more than I didin talent-rich Southern California.I was wrong to think that becauseeven my little scrappy high schoolin California did a better job ofpromoting its talent than what canbe seen in the Twin Cities. Myhigh school team featured somebig prospects, one of which (JuanRoque) went on to star at the samecollege Suggs did, Arizona State.Roque was drafted as first roundtalent by the Detroit Lions.

I mention my background,which also included some youthfootball in Texas, and boy doesthat experience teach you about asystem of producing youngathletic talent, because I don’t feelthe same broad concern forpromoting young athletes; at leastin the city setting. There areparents who care, fewer coacheswho care and understand how topromote their players, and an utterdisrespect for Minnesota’s urbanperformers on the part of largerstate athletic organizations. It just

simply feels like the urban athletictalent in the Twin Cities doesn’tget enough support outside of acertain few privileged schools whoconsistently produce; another caseof “have’s and have nots.” On amore positive note, it seems thatthere is a huge opportunity to fixthat problem, available right now.

Larry Fitzgerald, Jr. isconsidered by most to be one ofthe best offensive players in theNFL. So, the Twin Cities hasproduced Suggs, perhaps the bestdefensive player in the NFL, andFitzgerald, perhaps the bestoffensive player in the NFL (I’msort of sticking to the NFL becauseit’s football season and itsimplifies the message).Fitzgerald took his abilities to oneof the upper echelon privateschools, Academy of Holy Angels,where he was likely to havereceived better training, and betterrecognition, and thus a betterfuture. Suggs simply took hisshow on the road to Arizona. Andthough there may have been fornumerous reasons for his move, Ican say with fair certainty that hisopportunities increased by playinghigh school football in Arizona.

Though those players movedaway to get recognized, they are

also the leadership examples of thetalent that is available should themany components of parents,coaches, schools, andorganizations work in greatercohesion to promote those talentedplayers. Parents should supportthe coaches; coaches shouldrecognize that it ain’t supposed tobe easy, and it is wise to seek asmuch outside assistance as youcan find. Schools just need topipe-up and say: “look at mykids.”

There are many more names tomention on the marquee ofMinnesota football, and sportssuccess overall, but the names areattached to the usual suspects asfar as schools go: Cretin DurhamHall, Holy Angels, and De LaSalle, the current urban sportsgrooming experts. If more of thecommon urban schools andleagues worked together, andmade greater use of resources(mostly human, because money istight all around) that are available,a new day in Minnesota sportsrecognition awaits. With all that isgoing on, sports-wise, inMinnesota these days, the light inthe kitchen is on: Sing, and don’tscatter, when the light is on.

By Ryan T. Scottryan@insightnews.com

Mr T’sSportsReport

The Twin Cities produce megastars, but need to provide more urban recognition

http://insightnews.com Insight News • October 26 - November 1, 2009 • Page 11

SPORTS

api.ning.comDowntown Minneapolis

www.everyjoe.comTerrell Suggs

Page 12 • October 26 - November 1, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

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Proud Grocer of the Minnesota

Gorton's ValuePak Fish FilletsSelected 14-24.5 Oz. VarietiesFrozen

SAVE UP TO $2.00

$4.99

Edy's Ice Cream,Frozen Yogurt orSherbetSelected 48 Oz.Varieties

SAVE UP TO $5.78LIMIT 2

2/$6

Boneless Center Cut Pork Loin Roast, Chops or Rib Eye Chops

SAVE UP TO $2.00 LB.

$1.99 lb.

BOOOGOBuy one get one FREE

BOOOGOSALE

Quilted NorthernBath Tissue orBrawny PaperTowelsSelected 6-24 RollVarieties

SAVE UP TO $3.56LIMIT 2

$5.99

Chef’s Grill Fresh 75% LeanGround Beef Patties16 Oz.

SAVE UP TO $1.10

$2.49

WHEN YOU PURCHASE THESE FRONT PAGEADVERTISED SPECIALS

$67.00SAVE UP TO