Metro area CongressionalRepresentatives Keith Ellison(MN-5) and Betty McCollum(MN-4) early this month votedfor landmark health carelegislation that passed the U.S.House of Representatives.

Last week, Minnesota’sSenators, Amy Klobuchar and AlFranken voted to move the healthcare reform debate forward in theU.S. Senate.

Ellison said the House billaims at making health careaffordable for the middle class,provide security for seniors, andguaranteeing access to healthinsurance coverage for theuninsured – while responsiblyreducing the federal deficit overthe next decade and beyond.

“This is an historic moment inAmerica. For the first time in ournation’s history, we are makinghealth care a right of allAmericans, and not a privilegefor only those who can afford it,”Ellison said.

McCollum called the Housevote “a historic step towardmaking health care reform areality.” She urged the Senate tostay focused and committed so anequally strong bill that wouldmeet H.R. 3962 in conferencecommittee.

“I am committed to sending ahealth care bill to the President’sdesk that will bring meaningfulreform for American families,seniors and businesses. Withpassage of this legislation healthcare will no longer be a privilegefor those who can afford it,”McCollum said.

“Our goal is to achieveuniversal coverage so that every

Minnesotan and every Americanhas the ability to access quality,affordable health care. TheAffordable Health Care forAmerica Act (H.R. 3962) comescloser than ever before to

realizing that goal by extendinghealth insurance coverage toninety-six percent of Americans,”she said.

Speaking in support of themore recent Senate vote to move

debate on healthcare reformforward, Senator Al Frankensaid, “We are on the verge ofpassing historic legislation thatwill do more than any bill inrecent history to make our

country healthier, our economymore stable, and our workingfamilies more secure.

“Make no mistake. This bill

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Minnesota leading on health reform

5PAGE

New MoonInterview

Minneapolis legislators andseveral environmentalorganizations applauded theMinnesota Pollution ControlAgency’s denial of anadministrative amendment toexpand the Hennepin Countydowntown garbage incinerator.

This is the second timeHennepin County has beenblocked in their effort to expandthe burner capacity by 20%. In

June, the Minneapolis PlanningCommission rejected HennepinCounty’s application for aConditional Use Permit for theburner expansion. Covanta thenappealed the decision to the CityCouncil which has delayed actionon the matter until the MPCAclarifies permit requirements.

“This action by the MPCA

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Walmart linecutting case endswith misdemeanorguilty plea

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The NAACP, the country’s oldestand largest civil rightsorganization, announced Mondaythat acclaimed film director TylerPerry has donated $1 milliondollars, marking the largest giftever given by an artist. In addition,Perry purchased several NAACPcommissioned Jacob Lawrencelithographs and additionallithographs by celebrated artistsJonathan Green, Elizabeth Catlettand Sam Gilliam. The gift, whichwill be distributed over the nextfour years, was made tocommemorate the organization’sCentennial anniversary.

“We are honored that TylerPerry chose to support theNAACP,” said Julian Bond,Chairman of the NAACP. “Tyleris a courageous pioneer in bringingpositive images of AfricanAmerican culture and struggles tothe screen. His remarkable journeyfrom poverty and childhood abuseto become one of the world’s mostsuccessful filmmakers andentrepreneurs is an inspiration to usall,” Bond said.

“Tyler Perry exemplifies anunyielding commitment touplifting and bringing hope to thedisenfranchised and those lessfortunate,” stated Benjamin ToddJealous, President and CEO of theNAACP, “Both in his films and inhis life, he reflects an impressive

ethos of caring andconscientiousness. We are deeplygrateful for his support.

“I feel so honored and blessedto be in a position where I can giveto the NAACP.” Perry said.“Had it not been for theperseverance and vision of thethousands who came before me inthe 100 years of this legendaryorganization, I would not be in theposition I am in today. I continueto be thankful for the tireless workof the NAACP, and I am proud tobe able to help in their mission tofight for the equality of all people,and to work towards theelimination of discriminationagainst race.”

“This is a paradigm shiftingmoment in Black philanthropy.Here is a civil rights organizationthat is receiving a donation that isusually targeted only at educationor cultural institutions. Tyler

Perry is setting a high standard forothers to follow,” said MaximThorne, Senior Vice President ofthe NAACP.

“The generous gift by TylerPerry will be used to support ourSecond Century Society advocacyprograms on economic equality,education, health care and criminaljustice” stated Benjamin ToddJealous, President and CEO of theNAACP.

Since making his film debut in2005 with Lionsgate’s Diary of aMad Black Woman, Tyler Perry hasbecome a multimediaphenomenon. Eight of his ninefilms have debuted at #1 at theNorth American box office. Perry’sfirst book, Don’t Make a BlackWoman Take Off Her Earrings:Madea’s UninhibitedCommentaries on Life and Love,

TTyylleerr PPeerrrryy ggiivveess $$11 mmiilllliioonn ttoo NNAAAACCPP

Congressman Keith Ellison(MN-5)

3GARBAGE TURN TO

Washington, DC – US Rep. BettyMcCollum (MN-04), one of 10original co-sponsors of H.R.4130,explained the legislationintroduced by AppropriationsChairman David Obey that seeksto establish a temporary surtax tooffset the costs of the Afghanistanwar.

In a statement to the pressMonday McCollum said,“Achieving stability inAfghanistan and Pakistan is anational security priority thatdirectly impacts the safety of our

citizens. All additional fundingnecessary to achieve stability inthis region should not be put onAmerica’s credit card, but paid fortoday. In a time of economiccrisis, borrowing billions ofdollars from China to pay for warin Afghanistan actuallyundermines our national security.Shared sacrifice means not onlycommitting to fight a war but alsocommitting to pay for it.”

McCollum serves on theHouse Appropriations & BudgetCommittees.

McCollum seeks pay as yougo policy for Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (NNPA) –Mildred Muhammad soughtclosure for her children. “Theyneed closure and to see their dadone last time before he is placedin the ground.”

D.C. sniper John AllenMuhammad, and Mildred hadthree children John, 19; Salena,17; and Taalibah, 16.

Muhammad was executed bylethal injection at GreenvilleCorrectional Center in Jarratt,VA, for the murder of one of his10 victims, Dean Meyers, whowas gunned down at a gas

station. Muhammad’s death wasconfirmed at 9:11 pm November10.

Neither Ms. Muhammad northe children visited Muhammadthe day of his execution althoughhis first wife, Carol Williams,and son Lindbergh Williams, 26,did

“He didn’t put their names onthe visitor’s list, and he didn’tcall them,” Ms. Muhammadexplained. “His attorney said thatit was out of shame that he didn’twant to do that. He couldn’tmuster up the courage to see ourchildren.”

Ms. Muhammad was notsurprised by his actions. Thechildren had had no contact withhim while he was incarcerated.Even his silence before theexecution was what she

Seeking closure for childrenfollowing sniper’s execution

3SNIPER TURN TO

2HEALTH TURN TO

Congresswoman BettyMcCollum (MN-4)

U.S. Senator Al FrankenU.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar

By Sophia AdemSpecial to the NNPA fromthe Howard UniversityNews Service

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

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

nationalenquirer.com

Rep. Jim Davnie,DFL – Minneapolis

Rep. FrankHornstein, DFL-

Minneapolis

Rep. JeanWagenius, DFL-

Minneapolis

kaplinskyreport.com

2PERRY TURN TO

images.businessweek.comTyler Perry

www.topnews.inJulian Bond

dallassouthblog.comBenjamin Jealous

By Al McFarlane and B.P.Ford, The Editors

will change. There will beamendments to it that make it aneven better bill. And there maybe amendments that make it lessto my liking, and therefore a lessgood bill from my point of view.But the final bill will make healthcare available to tens of millionsmore Americans,” Franken said.

He said proposed healthreforms will make healthinsurance more secure for all

Americans who have it and it willput an end to the unsustainablecost trajectory. The reformmeasures avert an otherwiseinevitable catastrophe to ourhealth care system, and oureconomy, Franken said.

“The reality right now is thatwe are denying millions ofAmericans their shot at theAmerican Dream because of ourirrational health insurancesystem,” Franken said.

“This bill guarantees securecoverage that will be there forAmericans, and stay there whenthey need it. This isn’t going tohelp just individual Americans;it’s going to help smallbusinesses too. And there areurgently needed changes that willgo into effect the day we sign thisbill into law. The Senate bill alsorequires transparent reporting ofhow health insurance companies

are spending your money. Thistransparency is especiallyimportant as we cover anadditional 31 million Americansunder this bill. We know fromtheir profit margins that right

now, insurance companies areprice gouging. But clearreporting will help us hold themaccountable for every dollar weinvest in health insurance,”Franken said.

“Based on our experience inMinnesota, I know we can doeven more to reign in marketing,wasteful administrative costs,and profits in health insurance.In the coming weeks, we’lldebate this bill, amend it, andmake it even better. And I’ll bepushing to require that an evenhigher percentage of yourpremiums go toward actual care,”he said.

“The reason I believe we canprovide high quality care withoutexcessive profits is becauseMinnesota already does it. Weare distinguished by the fact that90 percent of Minnesotans areserved by a non-profit healthplan. These plans outperformtheir national peers and are ableto put an average of 91 cents ofevery premium dollar towardactual health care services,” hesaid.

“So the first important changethat health reform will bring ischoice of plans for smallbusinesses. They will be ableto participate in the exchangewhich will offer a choice ofreliable plans. This coveragewill be less expensive andprovide better coverage thanwhat’s available today.

“Right now, if you’re abusiness with, say, 15 employees,and one of them gets sick ormaybe has a baby, yourpremiums are going to go updramatically. That’s becauseyour risk pool is 15 people. Butwhen you choose from policieson the exchange, your risk can bepooled with hundreds, eventhousands of other businesses.

That’s the point of insurance:to spread the risk over the

Marcus writes: I have been askedto prepare the 2010 budget for mynew purchasing department -mainly departmental salaries. Iwant to research what we shouldbe paying as I suspect we are ALLunderpaid because we were allhired during the down economy.My buyers are asking for more andI, too, feel underpaid.

Julie says: This is tough becauseour down economy still hasn’tcome around, and with so manytalented people available to work,employers have the upper hand oncompensation decisions. Still, youand those in your department

should always expect to be paidfairly. To find out what “fair”means, these days, research fromthree different angles:

Web sites such as salary.com,payscale.com and jobstar.org areeasy first places to start doingcompensation comparisons. TheBureau of Labor Statistics(bls.gov) also publishes wageinformation. Make sure yourresults are industry-and location-specific if possible.

After that, connect with anyprofessional organizations relatedto your positions, as theycommonly post member surveysrelated to salaries and benefits.Compare what you learned in stepone with what you hear from theseorganizations.

Finally, ask around. HR peoplefrom competing companiesprobably won’t give you salaryinfo, but peers, friends orLinkedIn/Facebook connectionswho do similar work in othercompanies or comparableindustries might be willing to giveyou ballpark numbers for eachposition if you explain why you’re

asking. You can also type your jobdescription into a search enginelike Indeed.com and see whatsalary parameters are mostcommon. Do a reverse search, too,typing in your expected salary tofind out how many othercompanies are hiring your positionat that comp level.

If you can’t secure all themoney you’re looking for, considerother negotiating chips (more daysoff, flexibility, training oreducation or more $$ toward yourhealth care, for example) or see ifyou can negotiate a six monthsalary agreement stating the budgetwill be revisited at the mid-2010mark. If you’re stuck with today’slowball salary until 2011, keep anear on the ground for otherpositions, and expect a bigger jumpin compensation in a year or so. Alot can change between now andthen.

Julie Desmond is Director ofCareer Planning Resources forHelp Wanted! Workshop. Sendyour career planning questions tojulie@insightnews.com.

Page 2 • November 30 - December 6, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

BUSINESS2010 salaries: Lucky to be working? You should still expect fair pay

By Julie Desmondjulie@insightnews.com

Planyour

career

www.assumptionla.com

INSIGHT NEWS

www.insightnews.com

Insight News is publishedweekly, every Monday byMcFarlane Media Interests.

Editor-In-ChiefAl McFarlane

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debuted at #1 on The New YorkTimes hardcover nonfictionbestseller list the week of April 30,2006, and was named both Book ofthe Year and Humor Book of theYear at the October 2006 QuillBook Awards. Last year, Perryunveiled Tyler Perry Studios, a200,000-square-foot studio createdfrom a former Delta Air Linesfacility in Atlanta, where his filmsand television shows are filmed.

This fall, Perry released hisninth film, I Can Do Bad All ByMyself, co-starring Taraji Henson

and Mary J. Blige. Along withOprah Winfrey and Lionsgate, healso helped release Lee Daniels’critically acclaimed film, Precious.Perry has a long history ofsupporting programs that help thehungry and the homeless.

Founded in 1909, the NAACPis the nation’s oldest and largestcivil rights organization. Its morethan half-million members andsupporters throughout the UnitedStates and the world are thepremier advocates for civil andhuman rights in their communities,conducting voter mobilization andadvocating for equal opportunity inthe public and private sectors.

PerryFrom 1

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4HEALTH TURN TO

According to 2009 WorldHealth Organizationfigures, America – the

richest country in the world –ranks 45th in the world for infantmortality – just behind Cuba,and just ahead of the FaroeIslands. We were 43rd last year,12th in 1960, and 21st in 1990.In an America without universalhealth care 6.3 infants die per1000 live births. Thirty thousandinfants die in an Americawithout health care each year. Life expectancy at birth in anAmerica without universalhealth care ranks only 47th in

highest total life expectancycompared to other countries. According to the Health Affairs2005 Journal, about half of thebankruptcy filings in the UnitedStates are due to medicalexpenses.

For all of that, the UnitedStates currently spends twice asmuch on health care per capita($7,129) than any othercountry…In 2005, according tothe National Center for HealthStatistics; the national healthcare expenditures totaled $2Trillion.

expected.“He stayed true to the person

that I knew,” she said. “He didn’t

want anybody to know how hefelt. He didn’t want anyone todissect his last words or givethem anything to hold on to. Itold my children before it evenhappened, ‘Your dad’s not goingto do that. So don’t look forthat.’”

No Hard FeelingsMs. Muhammad holds no hardfeelings toward her ex-husband.She said that she is at peace andhas found closure. She alsomakes sure that she doesn’tspeak negatively to her childrenwhen reflecting on her marriage.

“They have the facts,” shesaid. “I’m not going to distort it.I will never say anything badabout their father. They have aright to love him and it would bewrong for me to speak badly tothem about him.” Now an authorand national spokesperson ondomestic violence, Ms.Muhammad shares herexperiences with abuse in hermarriage as a way to empowerand help others who are insimilar relationships.

In mid-October, Ms.Muhammad released her firstbook, Scared Silent, a collectionof personal journals, acomprehensive safety plan forvictims to escape their abusersand resources. Published bySimon & Schuster/StreborBooks, Scared Silent talks of herrelationship with her ex-husbandand stresses that “you don’t haveto have physical scars to be avictim or survivor of domesticviolence.” She has also started anorganization called After theTrauma.

Domestic abuse, which is theverbal, psychological andeconomic degrading of one’spartner, is also a part of domesticviolence, Ms. Muhammad said.

“Unfortunately, the abusepart of domestic violence is notlooked upon as serious, becausethere are no physical scars toprove that type of victimization,”she said. “There have beenseveral men and women thathave approached me and told methey didn’t know that they were

victims until they heard mespeak, because they thought thatthey had to have a physical scar.”

‘I Didn’t Look Like a Victim’The domestic abuse survivor saidthat it was hard for her to getsupport when she sought it.

“He was in the community,”she said of her ex-husband. “Hewas charismatic, very wellspoken, well dressed, anattractive man. Nobody believedhe was doing those things that Isaid because he presentedhimself one way to the publicand he was a different way athome. [Secondly] I didn’t looklike a victim, by coming incrying. I was a professionalperson and I wasn’t going tobelittle myself to try to get thehelp that I needed,” said Ms.Muhammad.

This was her only experiencewith domestic abuse, but she saidthe first threat was enough tomake her leave

“Statistics said it takes seventimes for a woman to leave. I leftthe first time. I didn’t need to goback to find out if he was goingto kill me. He said he was goingto kill me. It was enough forme,” she said.

Changed by the Gulf WarAs she recalls her five-yearrelationship with Muhammad,she notes that he was not alwaysabusive.

“He was a person that wasalways talkative,” Ms.Muhammad said. “Even when hewoke up in the morning, he wasalways talking aboutsomething.”

However, she noticed achange after he came back fromthe Gulf War. “He was very quietand withdrawn,” she recalled.“He didn’t want anything to dowith anyone. He was just soreserved that I knew somethingwas going on.”

In addition to the custodybattle over the children and thedivorce, the lack of debriefingfrom the military aided little inJohn’s reign of terror, she said.

“I believe that had he haddebriefing and counseling for hisPTSD (Post-Traumatic StressDisorder) then perhaps he wouldnot have exploded the way hedid,” she said. “I will say thatthey had a part in it, but he was

still able to make decisions onhis own and I feel he knew whathe was doing.”

‘Stop Reacting and StartActing’

As a domestic abuse survivorwho had a hard time receivingresources, Ms. Muhammadmakes sure that her organization,After the Trauma, providesvictims with the courage, shelterand support that they needwhether they decide to stay in orleave the relationship.

“There are professionalpeople that I am helping rightnow that are trying to figure outhow to maneuver between homeand keeping their jobs becausethey are victims,” she said.“Some people were in themilitary and they’re saying, ‘myhusband is acting the same wayand he just came from a war zoneand nobody’s listening to me.’”

Ms. Muhammad said themost important advice she cangive victims is “to stop reactingand start acting...As long asyou’re reacting to what he’sdoing, he’s keeping you offbalance so that you don’t

recognize it, but when you startacting that’s when you take yourpower back.”

She stressed that planning isalso a key element in fightingagainst domestic abuse andviolence.

“If you’ve got the time toplan, then that’s what you needto do,” she said. “You need to bestrategic when leaving an abuser,because they’re always thinking

ahead of you. You always have tostay one step ahead of them inorder for you to save your ownlife. That’s what I had to do.”

A New LifeMs. Muhammad is content withher new occupation and isenjoying life with her newhusband of two years, ReubenMuhammad.

“He is a counselor forsubstance abuse teenagers,” shesaid. “We have a lot incommon.”

As of now, Ms. Muhammadhas no plans to rest in hercampaign against domesticviolence.

“I’ve got a lot of work to do,”she said. “I’m not tired from it.I’m not running from it. I’mworking through it face forwardand trying to help as manypeople that I can.

“We concentrate on the 20percent; we forget totally about80 percent of us walking around.If you slit us down the middleand turned us inside out, thenyou will see all of the scars thatyou will need to see.”

(NNPA) - A woman who faced upto 15 years in jail for analtercation which began when sheallegedly cut the line at a MissouriWalmart has pled guilty tomisdemeanor charges.

Heather Ellis went on trialNovember 18, for two felonycharges of assault in Kennett, Mo.But just a few hours after the casewent to the jury on November 20,Ellis accepted a plea deal. The deal dropped the two felonycharges of assault in exchange forEllis pleading guilty to two

misdemeanor charges, disturbingthe peace and resisting arrest,according to reports in the DailyDunklin, a newspaper in Kennett,MO.

As part of her plea, Ellis willspend four days in jail before theend of the year. Then she willundergo an unsupervisedprobation for a year and she willhave to attend two hours in ananger management class. She isalso required to pay the costs ofher prosecution in the case. If shecomplies with the terms of thedeal, the incident will be sealedand her record expunged. The deal is similar to one whichEllis was offered by prosecutorsshortly after her arrest, a deal that

she refused several times.According to a report in theSoutheast Missourian, Ellis said ithad been worth it to go to trial,saying, “I still think it’s importantmy story got out.”

While the incident occurredalmost three years ago, Ellis’ casegained national attention in theweeks leading up to her trial,largely due to efforts of prominentadvocate Boyce Watkins and hisorganization, Your Black WorldCoalition. Watkins worked inconcert with the local NAACPchapter and the SoutheastMissouri ACLU to providesupport for Ellis and her family. In a statement onBlackVoices.com, where Watkins

is a regular contributor, he said hewas happy that this ordeal wasover for Ellis and her family.However, he expressed surprise atthe outcome of the case, and saidhe would urge the JusticeDepartment to investigate widerissues of prosecutor intimidation. In an interview before the trial,Ellis’ mother, Hester, told theAFRO that her daughter wasinnocent.

“I think the truth is a veryimportant element,” Hester Ellissaid. “There is nothing really toprove their story. She’s innocentand that’s her stand. Hopefully thetruth will come out.”

But after accepting the pleadeal, Heather Ellis told reporters,

“I was responsible for my actionsand I was able to say what I didwrong and I think it’s importantthat everyone else step up to the

plate and admit what they did waswrong, too.”

gives the public and policymakers the time to come up withother options for handlingHennepin County’s garbage inmore environmentally responsibleways,” said Rep. Jim Davnie,DFL – Minneapolis. “I hope thatall players are now willing tocome to the table in the publicinterest and with a broadervision.”

Earlier this month, Covanta,the incinerator operator, sought ararely used administrativeamendment from the MinnesotaPollution Control Agency(MPCA) to railroad the expansionthrough without further public

input. In a November 19 letter theMPCA told Covanta, “Theapplication [for an administrativeamendment] is being returned

because the requested changedoes not qualify for anadministrative amendment.” TheMPCA further stated that theapplication, “does not includeinformation needed for the MPCAto make a determination” on thepermit amendment. The stateagency also took the step ofwarning Covanta to comply with

existing laws stating, “MPCAstaff would like to caution you tocontinue to comply with existingpermit condition.”

“Hennepin County sought theadministrative permit amendmentto by-pass public input and properenvironmental study,” said Rep.Frank Hornstein, DFL-Minneapolis, a burner opponent.“Given the MPCA action, the CityCouncil should reject the burnerpermit once and for all anddemand that the County increaserecycling and composting insteadof its reliance on incineration.”

Rep. Jean Wagenius, DFL-Minneapolis, a key legislativeenvironmental leader added,“More burning is not aresponsible option when we allneed to help reduce greenhousegases. The responsible option ismore composting and recycling.”

Ten Minneapolis legislatorsauthored a letter in the summerurging the City Council andMayor to reject increasedincineration. Environmentalorganizations with extensivemembership in Minneapolis alsooppose the burner expansion.Clean Water Action, Sierra Club,Environment Minnesota,Neighbors Against the Burner,and Minneapolis Neighbors forClean Air, joined the legislators indemanding that Minneapolisoppose increased burning.

“Minneapolis and HennepinCounty should be role models forramping up the reuse, recyclingand composting practices thatprotect our air and water forgenerations to come,” saidMargaret Levin, State Director ofthe Sierra Club’s NorthstarChapter, with 3500 members inMinneapolis. “Burning moregarbage at the downtownincinerator would be a stepbackwards for our clean,renewable energy future. We cando better.”

A City Council panel isexpected to debate the burnerexpansion on December 10.

http://insightnews.com Insight News • November 30 - December 6, 2009 • Page 3

(AP Photo/Corey Noles, Dexter Daily Statesman, File)Heather Ellis, left, arm-in-arm with her mother, Hester Ellis,

exiting the Stoddard County Justice Center in Bloomfield, MO.

Walmart line cutting case ends with misdemeanor guilty plea

GarbageFrom 1

SniperFrom 1

“Statistics said it takes seven times for a womanto leave. I left the first time. I didn’t need to go

back to find out if he was going to kill me. He saidhe was going to kill me. It was enough for me,”

“This action by the MPCA gives the public andpolicy makers the time to come up with other

options for handling Hennepin County’s garbagein more environmentally responsible ways,”

By Special to the NNPAfrom the Afro-AmericanNewspaper

greatest number of people,”Franken said.

“The second key benefit forsmall businesses is tax credits tohelp business owners purchasecoverage. Effectiveimmediately, these credits willease the burden on small businessowners who offer coverage butare being squeezed in the currentmarket. For business ownerswho haven’t been able to offerinsurance, the tax credits willprovide a new incentive to begincovering their workers, keepingthe workforce healthy andproductive,” said Franken.

“The public option will bringmuch-needed competition, andthe incentives for high-qualitycare will make us all healthier.Taken together, these elementswill bring our country into a newera in which high-quality – andaffordable – health care is areality in this country.

“Passing national healthreform this year is my top prioritybecause I’ve listened toMinnesotans across the state.They’ve told me—loud andclear—that the current healthinsurance system isn’t workingfor them. And they’ve told methat they want access to care.And I’ve heard them,” Frankensaid.

Klobuchar, in statemens onher website, said, “Minnesotansare facing higher health carecosts than ever before — coststhat have far outpaced the growthin family incomes.

She said many businesses,particularly small businesses, canno longer afford the costs ofhealth insurance, even thoughthey want to cover theiremployees. Employees are forcedto pay a larger share of thepremiums - or they get no healthinsurance at all. And more andmore Minnesotans with healthinsurance struggle to payescalating deductibles and co-pays

“We need to keep what worksand fix what’s broken. Everescalating health spending nowaccounts for more than one-sixthof our economy. Unchecked, itwill increasingly choke our

family, local, state and federalbudgets. We must make thesystem cost-effective, proactiveand stable,” Klobuchar said

Klobuchar said health carediscussions should reflect thesepriorities

“First, we must reform oursystem to reward high-quality,efficient care. As it happens,

doctors and hospitals in manyregions of the country, includingMinnesota, practice exactly thiskind of medicine. However,Medicare does not currentlyreward them for it. The problemis that, despite periodic efforts atreform, Medicare pays forquantity not quality. States thathave historically delivered lowquality, inefficient care are stillrewarded for wasteful practices,while efficient states such asMinnesota are punished. Forexample, according to a study bythe Dartmouth Institute for

Health Policy and ClinicalPractice, if spending forchronically ill patientseverywhere in the countrymirrored the efficient level ofspending in the Mayo Clinic’shome region of Rochester, MN,Medicare could save $50 billionin taxpayer money over fiveyears. To rein in costs, we need to

have all states aiming for high-quality, cost-effective results likethose we have achieved inMinnesota.

“Second, America has aserious problem with health careinflation, runaway costs andwasteful spending,” saidKlobuchar. “Ever-rising drugprices are among the leadingcauses. The “non-interference”clause in Medicare Part Dexpressly prohibits Medicarefrom negotiating directly withdrug companies to obtain lowerdrug prices for seniors and lower

costs for taxpayers. To reduceprescription costs, health carereform legislation should allowthe government to negotiate thedrug prices for Medicare Part D. “Another way to incentivizemore affordable health care ingeneral is to better regulateinsurance and create meaningfulcompetition for health careservices,” she said.

“Third, I want to ensure thathealth care reform takes intoaccount the needs of ruralAmericans. People in rural areasare less likely to have access toemployer-provided healthinsurance, which means morepeople rely on the individualinsurance market or publicprograms like Medical Assistanceand, in Minnesota,MinnesotaCare,” Klobuchar said.“Finally, it is imperative thathealth care reform does notignore the importance of eldercare. Seniors want to be able tolive independently and stay intheir own homes as long aspossible. Family support is

essential to making that optionavailable.

However, elder careresponsibilities can result in highout-of-pocket health and long-term care expenses for familiesthat care for aging parents andrelatives,” Klobuchar said.

“This is the changeAmericans have asked for. Likethe landmark laws that camebefore it: Social Security, TheVoting Rights Act, and Medicare– the Affordable Health Care forAmerica Act will change the faceof America for the betterment ofall,” Ellison said.

Ellison and McCollum wereamong the prevailing Memberswho voted 220-215 in support ofthe measure.

Ellison said the AffordableHealth Care for America Actwill:• Improve employer-basedcoverage for 358,000 residents. Provide credits to help pay forcoverage for up to 159,000households.

• Improve Medicare for 76,000beneficiaries, including closingthe prescription drug donut holefor 8,600 seniors. • Allow 21,100 smallbusinesses to obtain affordablehealth care coverage and providetax credits to help reduce healthinsurance costs for up to 18,400small businesses. • Provide coverage for 45,000uninsured residents. • Protect up to 900 familiesfrom bankruptcy due tounaffordable health care costs. • Reduce the cost ofuncompensated care for hospitalsand health care providers by $184million.”

McCollum said, “Thislegislation will make qualityhealth care more affordable andmore accessible for every patient.It will protect families fromfalling into bankruptcy due tounaffordable costs by limitingout-of-pocket costs, liftinglifetime limits on coverage, andlowering premiums.”

Enrollment of new students fromgroups traditionallyunderrepresented in highereducation increased by 22percent this fall at the 32Minnesota State Colleges andUniversities, according to a newreport presented to the Board ofTrustees. These groups includestudents of color, low-incomestudents and students whoseparents did not attend college.

The state colleges anduniversities system enrolled7,300 new underrepresentedstudents. In addition, 8,000 moreunderrepresented studentsreturned to the system’sinstitutions this fall, a 15 percentincrease over a year ago. Thetotal number ofunderrepresented students this

fall is 94,302, an increase of 18percent.

“These increases areimportant for the state ofMinnesota,” said ChancellorJames H. McCormick. “Thenumbers show we have madesubstantial progress in recruitingand retaining moreunderrepresented students,although the economy alsoplayed a role in the increase.”

To help the state’s employersmaintain their competitive edgein the global marketplace,Minnesota needs more studentsfrom these groups to completepostsecondary programs asaging baby boomers retire andthe state’s population growsmore diverse, McCormick said.The system produces 33,500

graduates each year. Eightypercent of them stay inMinnesota to work or continuetheir education.

Though the state colleges

and universities have beenworking to improve recruitmentand retention ofunderrepresented students foryears, a system initiative called“Access, Opportunity andSuccess” began in the fall of2007. The Board of Trusteesallocated $11 million a year forthe initiative.

The system provided fundsto every college and universityto expand programs and servicesthat have proven to be effective.The best practices include

programs to help new studentssucceed in the transition fromhigh school, advisors whoroutinely initiate contact withstudents, learning communitiesof students, summer programsand tutoring.

Brochures, posters and aWeb site in nine languages alsoreached out to students from

non-English speakingbackgrounds in the 8th through10th grades to explain thebenefits of attending college andto encourage them to prepare forcollege.

“Underrepresented studentsoften face barriers to enteringcollege and succeeding oncethey get there,” McCormicksaid. “The Legislature and thegovernor have supported thisinitiative, and we are grateful fortheir interest. It is gratifyingthat we are making some notableprogress, but we still are a longway from eliminating theachievement gap that separateslow-income and minoritystudents from others.”

Enrollment was up in nearlyall subgroups. The number of

new students of color this fallgrew by 16 percent, new first-generation college studentsincreased by 21 percent and newstudents eligible for Pell grantsincreased by 37 percent. Pellgrant eligibility is typically usedby higher education institutionsas an indication of familyincome.

The Minnesota StateColleges and Universitiessystem comprises 32 stateuniversities and community andtechnical colleges serving thehigher education needs ofMinnesota. The system servesabout 250,000 students per yearin credit-based courses and anadditional 140,000 students innon-credit courses.

Page 4 • November 30 - December 6, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

EDUCATIONRecruitment and retention initiatives boost state university enrollments

HealthFrom 2

We need to keep what works and fixwhat’s broken. Ever escalating healthspending now accounts for more than

one-sixth of our economy.

The state colleges and universitiessystem enrolled 7,300 new

underrepresented students.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon,the second installment from achildren’s book series that hasfound major success in the worldof motion pictures, next to theunstoppable Harry Potter, hasalready shattered a box officerecord that was previously set bylast summer’s smash hit The DarkKnight. The film raked in over$72 Million in its first day attheatres and $140 Million gross inits opening weekend. Those arepretty incredible stats for ateenage thriller about Vampires.

Adapted from StephanieMeyer’s Twilight book series, thestory follows the life of a teenagegirl named Bella Swan, who aftermoving to Forks, WA to live withher father, falls in love with a 104-year-old vampire named EdwardCullen, who’s posing as a 17-year-old highschool student.

Reminiscent of the story ofRomeo and Juliet, their forbiddenlove is met by many challengesand struggles, that go further thanEdward’s initial fear of notwanting to, as the saying goes,“suck her blood.” With a tribe ofwerewolves watching their everymove, and a plethora of otherindividuals —both human andvampire— who are standing in theway of their forbidden love, theyencounter many moons ofexcitement that take them on anamazing journey past the firstTwilight, into a New Moon, thenonto an Eclipse of adventure, untilthe moment when they findthemselves finally BreakingDawn.

The series has become anaddiction with fans from everygeneration, and quite like theconsequence of a vampire bite, itappears to have an immortalpresence that is continuallyprogressing within its growingfranchise and following of faithful“Twi-Hards.”

Insight News caught up withtwo of the New Moon stars, whilethey were on a promotional visitto Minneapolis’ Mall of America.Kenyan born actor Edi Gathegi,who plays the vampire Laurent,and British native Jamie CampbellBower, who slides into the role ofCaius, gave us the scoop on thisWinter’s hottest film, and clued usinto the idea as to why the worldcan’t stop screaming for theseincredible vampires.

Insight News: How’s your daygoing guys?Jamie Campbell Bower: That’s atoughy.

IN: Oh no, it’s a toughy? Wellthen tell me why it’s tough. JCB: Just kidding, it’s goinggood, that was just a toughquestion.

IN: [Laughs] Nice, nice, you gotme on that one. Edi Gathegi: I love those hardhitting questions all early in themorning. But Jamie, how is yourmorning, I didn’t even get to talkto you before this interview? JCB: It’s pretty good, I went for awalk. EG: Well I went to the gym.JCB: How was that?EG: The gym was nice. I hadacupuncture last night. IN: What’s going on Edi? Are youalright?EG: It’s my neck, I think I mighthave pinched a nerve in it. I got itreleased, and I actually slept forthe first time last night.

IN: So you two are just doinginterviews all day and then you’llrush to the Mall of America andhear all the screaming fans. Areyou both excited about all of that?JCB: Yeah, I’m excited, I eventhink Anya Marina is playingthere tonight. So that will be cool,we’ll get to hang out with her fora bit.

IN: Now Jamie, this is your firsttime in the Twilight Series, whatmade you want to be in the secondinstallment of the film/bookseries?JCB: I read the script for the firstone, and I really enjoyed the firstfilm and the reading of the firstscript. I really wanted to be apartof that, but unfortunately it hadcome during a time in my lifewhen I wasn’t able to be seen forit. I was just very busy, so whenthey approached me about beingin the second one —here I am— Itook the chance.

IN: Edi, were you a fan of thebook series before you started themovie or how did you getapproached by Twilight andbecome apart of this film?EG: I think because I was on theground floor as it were, very fewof us even knew what this was or

had any idea how big this was.The books had sold very well, butyou couldn’t really find anyonewho had read it, so it was underthe radar. After I got the part,that’s when I finally picked up thebooks and read them and fell inlove with the books. I said tomyself, ‘Okay, this is somethinghere.’ The first time we as a castcollectively understood how bigthis could be was at Comic Conwhen the fans camped outovernight, 6,000 of them, andachieved the highest decibel levelthe convention had ever had. Theyscreamed like we were theBeatles. We felt like we were theBeatles.

IN: You are one of the onlyAfrican American cast membersin the film series, how does thatmake you feel and how do youthink you’re reaching the AfricanAmerican audience?EG: I think I’m reaching AfricanAmerican audiences everywhereby virtue of me just being in it.They can look at the screen andgo, ‘Thank you, I’m represented.’But honestly, the character wasn’toriginally written as being AfricanAmerican. He was described asbeing olive-toned, so when I gotcast, there was a lot of fanbacklash and they were prettyupset about it, and made a fussabout it online. JCB: Really?EG: This was very early on, so Ijust decided to address the issuehead on. I did an interview withone of the websites and theymentioned it, and I said, ‘Listenone of the reasons why I’m cast inthis movie is because Stephanie[Meyer] was very genius in thedescription of my character. Shedescribed Laurent as being olivetoned. Now there are manydifferent types of olives and blackolives are one of them.’ALL: [Laughs]EG: So I won them over withhumor.

IN: Well you’ve definitely goneinto the role well and made it yourown. Is this your last time in itEdi, or are you going to makesome appearances in the next film,Eclipse, that’s due out nextsummer? I’ve read the books, thisis like the end of the road for thecharacter Laurent, correct? EG: [Singing] I know we’vecome, to the end of the road, butLaurent must go. ALL: [Laughs] EG: I don’t have any scheduledshoot days as of now, but whoknows, they may need someflashback images of Laurent fromthe previous two films, if they dothat. But yeah, this is the end ofthe road, and I’m not upset by anystretch of the imagination. I’mhappy that I was in two of themand I think that it was a greatcareer move and I’ve had a greattime and will always rememberthese experiences.

IN: That’s good to know. You’rein Harry Potter’s Deathly Hallowsthat comes out next summer,Jamie.JCB: I am, but I’m also in NewMoon, too. [Laughs]

IN: Working on one big film andthen immediately another —howdid that work out? Was SweeneyTodd your first movie?JCB: Yes, yes it was.

IN: Did it take a lot for you to getinto the roles, or was it easy tostep into each character?JCB: Well the thing is there are

books, so it’s not like with otherfilms where you’re going in withjust the script where you have tosit down at a round table andreally discuss this character. Allwe really had to do was read thebooks and everything is there. Asactors we all bring our own flavorto what we do. That’s all we cando. We just take what Stephanie[Meyer] has written and do whatwe do. EG: She’s written this blue print,and the rules are very specific andif you read the books, she tells youwhat it is to be a vampire and youas a human being, what you bringto the table is just going to beunique if you follow the rules.You will be your unique vampire.

IN: So what do you want to leavethe readers of Insight News with?Maybe a special message. JCB: Just hold out for BreakingDawn, because the Volturi come

back with a vengeance. [Laughs].

IN: So have they confirmedthey’re going to adapt the fourthbook into a film yet?JCB: Well we haven’t confirmedit yet, but they’re definitelylooking into it, but I still can’t sayyay or nay on it.

IN: But you do have hopes thatthey will. JCB: I would love to be back forBreaking Dawn. EG: I would like to say this.Stephanie Meyers did somethingphenomenal. She wrotesomething that is just as addictiveas a drug is. People cannot put thisdown. I’ve heard stories ofMothers leaving their kids in thebathtub —which is not good—because they were reading thebooks. The books are highlyaddictive and people are able toread them in just a matter of days.

The good thing is, it has gottenkids excited about reading again -this series. There are many booksout there that will bring you towonderful worlds, so I want thekids to take their love for thisseries and continue to just bepassionate about books. JCB: Nice.

IN: Before you go Edi, where canwe see you next?

EG: Well I’m working on anotherjob right now. I have somethingelse in the can right now too, but itwill probably never see the lightof day.

IN: Well I’m glad to know yougot something on the rise becausefans would love to see you againsoon. Thank you both for yourtime.

AESTHETICShttp://insightnews.com Insight News • November 30 - December 6, 2009 • Page 5

New Moon rakes in over $72 million on opening dayBy Alaina L. LewisContributing Writer

Brenda J KingEdi Gathegi (left) and Jamie Campbell Bower

The U.S. Preventive ServicesTask Force (USPSTF) has madenew recommendations onmammography screening forwomen. It now advocates thatmammography screeningshould begin at age 50. Therecommendations are based ona model that focuses on thebalance of risks and benefits ofwomen having their firstmammogram at the age 40 orthe age 50; and the need to havea mammogram and annuallyversus every two years.

The National Black NursesAssociation (NBNA) isrecommending that womencontinue to follow the “goldstandard” of breast healthscreening as detailed by theAmerican Cancer Society, that awoman begins an annualmammogram screening at age40. NBNA also recommendsthat all women continue to useself breast exams as explainedby their health care provider.

NBNA is concerned thatthousands of women arediagnosed with breast cancerannually. Only half of breast

cancer diagnosed in AfricanAmerican women is found inthe earliest stages, compared to62% in white women. Themajor reason for the differenceis a lack of mammograms andinadequate screenings. Therecontinues to be a health care

disparity gap among AfricanAmerican women who arediagnosed at later stages ofbreast cancer; and who die at anearlier age and more frequentlywith breast cancer.

The NBNA will continue torely on evidenced basedguidelines and will advocateand educate women as wealways have. Mammogramshave always been an importantlifesaving tool in the fightagainst breast cancer and ourstrategy for saving the lives ofall women will not change.

Therefore, NBNA recommendsto its membership and to allwomen that you keep doingwhat you are doing, get amammogram starting at age 40,have an annual mammogramand continue self breast exams.These are the first line of

defense tools that save lives.The mission of the National

Black Nurses Association is toprovide a forum for collectiveaction by Black nurses toinvestigate, define and advocatefor the health care needs ofAfrican Americans and toimplement strategies thatensure access to health care,equal to, or above health carestandards of the larger society..said Debra Toney, president ofthe association.

HEALTHPage 6 • November 30 - December 6, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebeliusannounced the release of a newreport highlighting the benefits ofhealth insurance reform forMinnesota.

“Families, seniors andbusinesses are all suffering underthe health care status quo,” saidSebelius. “Our new reportsdemonstrate how health insurancereform will improve health carefor all Americans.”

Under health insurance reformin Minnesota:

• 519,000 residents who do notcurrently have insurance and • •

• 356,000 residents who havenongroup insurance could getaffordable coverage through thehealth insurance exchange. • 282,000 residents couldqualify for premium tax credits tohelp them purchase healthcoverage. • 747,000 seniors would receivefree preventive services. • 133,000 seniors would havetheir brand-name drug costs in theMedicare Part D “doughnut hole”halved. • 72,400 small businesses couldbe helped by a small business taxcredit to make premiums moreaffordable.

The report also cites:• Health Insurance ReformProvides Early Relief and HealthSecurity.• Proposals implemented in2010 and 2011 will produce realbenefits for:• Families:The 5.2 millionresidents of Minnesota willbenefit as reform: • Ensures consumer protectionsin the insurance market. • Creates immediate options forpeople who can’t get insurancetoday. • Ensures free preventiveservices. • Supports health coverage for

early retirees. • Seniors: Minnesota’s 747,000Medicare beneficiaries6 willbenefit as reform: • Lowers premiums by reducingMedicare’s overpayments toprivate plans• Reduces prescription drugspending.• Covers free preventiveservices.

Small businesses:While small businesses make up76 percent of Minnesota’sbusinesses, only 40 percent ofthem offered health coveragebenefits in 2008.11 72,400 small

businesses in Minnesota could behelped by a small businesses taxcredit proposal that makespremiums more affordable.12And these small businesses wouldbe exempt from any employerresponsibility provisions.

States:State budgets will be relievedfrom rising health care costs asreform: • Reduces state employeepremiums. • Reduces uncompensated care.

The report also notes that if we donothing, by 2019 the number of

uninsured people will grow bymore than 30 percent in 29 statesand by at least 10 percent in everystate. Without reform, the amountof uncompensated care providedwill more than double in 45 states.Additionally, businesses in 27states will see their premiumsmore than double and fewerpeople will have coverage throughan employer if the status quocontinues.

To read the complete report andlearn more about healthinsurance reform visitwww.HealthReform.gov.

Report makes case for health insurance reform in Minnesota

Black nurses recommend “goldstandard” for mammography

Only half of breast cancer diagnosed in AfricanAmerican women is found in the earliest stages,

compared to 62% in white women.

(NNPA) - After winning thisyear’s American League EasternDivision championship, theNew York Yankees faced agauntlet of 11 more gamesbefore they could claim their27th World Series title. Eachplayoff victory took the team

closer to its final goal, but asYankee legend, Yogi Berra oncesaid, “It ain’t over till it’s over.”The same can be said abouthealth care reform. OnNovember 7, the Americanpeople won the first round of

their health care championshipseries when the U.S. House ofRepresentatives passed theAffordable Health Care forAmerica Act, which wouldextend health care coverage to96% of Americans andguarantee stability, lower costs,and higher quality whilestrengthening efforts to addressracial and ethnic healthdisparities.

It was an historicachievement, marking the firsttime that any chamber ofCongress has ever passedcomprehensive health reform.And it could not have happened

without the tenacious leadershipof Speaker Nancy Pelosi, thestrategic genius of MajorityWhip, James Clyburn or theprincipled participation of theCongressional Black Caucus ledby its dynamic chairman,Congresswoman Barbara Lee ofCalifornia. Passage of theHouse bill was also assisted byan unprecedented Civil RightsHealth Care War Room effort.

This is a grassrootscampaign to mobilize publicsupport led by the joint effortsof the National Urban League,the NAACP and the BlackLeadership Forum. As reportedin the Afro Newspapers, “The‘war room’ includes phonebanks, cross-country rallies andthe mobilization of Black radiostations to marshal the votesneeded…” for real health carereform with a public option.

These efforts wereinstrumental in securing thepassage of the House bill, but

this was just a first roundvictory. The second roundinvolves passage by the Senateand the opposition promises tobe even tougher. PresidentObama has said that he wants tosign a final bill before the end ofthis year. But opponents arealready gearing up to delay andultimately defeat a Senate bill.That is why we are keeping theCivil Rights Health Care WarRoom in operation until weachieve a final victory. I urgeyou to call the war room hotlineat 1-866-783-2462 to speak toyour Senator and make yourvoice heard. Health care reformis especially critical to ourcommunities. People of colorare more likely to suffer and diefrom chronic diseases likecancer, diabetes and heartdisease. At that same time, theyare less likely to have healthinsurance and on average spendmore of their income on healthcare.

As Congresswoman BarbaraLee has said, “Grassrootsmobilization helped elect thefirst African American to thepresidency of the United Statesof America. Grassroots activismwill help us pass a health care

reform with a strong publicoption.”

We won round one, but weneed your help to achieve a finalvictory. Remember, “It ain’tover till it’s over.”

http://insightnews.com Insight News • November 30 - December 6, 2009 • Page 7

Historic Health Care Bill passed in House, now Senate must actBy Marc H. MorialNNPA Columnist

“The ‘war room’ includes phonebanks, cross-country rallies and the

mobilization of Black radio stations tomarshal the votes needed…”

When the weather outside isfrightful, your cozy kitchen canbecome a delightful retreat fromthe holiday hustle and bustle. ,Tisthe season, after all, to create newtraditions and yummy yuletidecomfort foods that will makefriends and family think you’vefinally found grandma’s secretrecipes!

And speaking of hiddensecrets, these easy-to-make, easy-to-bake holiday recipes share oneof their own: all rely on quick andconvenient frozen dough fromyour grocer’s freezer.

Using readily-available frozencinnamon rolls, these FrostyFriends can be made in justminutes. Kids of all ages shouldlove helping with this silly-fun,creative and extra tasty project.

Consider this smart recipe for

Christmas-cheery Cherry KolachyRolls. They’re surprisingly fastand simple. But they lookfantastic and are sure to please.Whoever you have over will relishthe flavor and gooey goodness ofthese better-than-store-boughtbakery treats.

For all you candy cane fans,go ahead and pair what you lovewith frozen dough to makedeliciously-sweet PeppermintTwists. Of course they’re goodfun, and you can fill up a basketfull for a neighbor or friend in notime.

Holidays get busy. And hectic.The convenience of frozen doughhelps you bake up a wonderlandof scrumptious recipes that maybecome new little traditionsaround your house.

Cherry Kolachy Rolls• 6 Rhodes Texas™ Rolls or 12

Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold

• cherry pie filling • 1 cup powdered sugar• 1 tablespoon butter, melted• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla• 2-3 tablespoons milk• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Flatten each Texas roll or 2 dinnerrolls combined into a 3-inchcircle. Place circles on a largesprayed baking sheet. Cover withsprayed plastic wrap and let riseuntil double. Remove wrap. Withfingertips press indentation in thecenter of each roll. Spoon in 1tablespoon of pie filling or jam.Bake immediately at 350°F for15-20 minutes (during bakingcycle add more filling if desired).Remove from pan to cooling rack.Combine powdered sugar, butter,vanilla, milk and lemon extract.Mix well. Brush each roll lightlywith icing while still warm. Afterthey have cooled, drizzle withremaining icing.

I am embarrassed to confess thatthere is one aspect of the holidayseason that makes me feel a bitanxious, and I know that it willbegin happening any day now. Iam talking about receiving that firstholiday greeting card in the mailfrom a friend or family member.While I thoroughly enjoy hearingfrom my loved ones, my anxietylevel usually increases slightly with

each greeting card that our familyreceives. Sounds crazy, right? (Iagree-Help me Lord!)

You see, I am much moreorganized in my mind than I am inreality, and walking out to the curbto pick up yet another envelopecontaining a Christmas card, is anagging reminder that I have notyet sent my own cards out. Well, Idecided that this year would bedifferent; no more stress for me.Rather than buying expensivegreeting cards for those on our list,I am adopting a new low-stress,low- budget, procrastination-proofHoliday Shout-Out letter. Yes, I’mgoing back to the old-school way ofwriting (read: typing) a short year-end letter to my loved ones.

Why do a shout-out letter??Simple, you have been blessed thisyear! Your friends and family want

to know that you are okay and thatyou survived 2009 —bumpy roadsand all— and you should wantthem to know that you are thinkingof them and praying for theirprosperity in 2010.

Where do i get supplies??You probably have everything youneed at home; paper, pen, orcomputer. If you want to upgradefrom plain white paper, two of myfavorite places to find pretty,colored paper on the cheap are atDollar Tree ($1) and Big Lots(around $1-$2). If you own aprinter you can make copies ofyour letter yourself, otherwise,Office Max, Kinko’s, and OfficeDepot are good options.

What should i talk about??Remember the K.I.S.S.S. rule(keep it simple and short, smarty-

pants!). In your letter, talk aboutsomething meaningful to you,something uplifting andencouraging. Start your letter withsomething like: “The mostimportant thing I learned this yearwas…” or “One of my favoritememories for 2009 was…” or even“One of the ways I made a positiveimpact on someone this yearwas…” or “I was faced with a largechallenge in ’09 and this is how Iovercame it…” In short, think ofhow you were impacted deeply in’09 and share your experience.Most likely your sharing willinspire your loved ones to do thesame. Don’t bore your friends withtwo pages of endless details aboutyour extremely perfect (orextremely imperfect) kids anddon’t go on and on about what’sgoing wrong with your life. Takethis time to focus on your blessings

of the year. Let your kiddoscontribute to the letter, too. Letthem complete one of the abovesentences, or write a poem or drawa picture to include in the letter.Finally, if you have a family picturethat you’d like included in theletter, it’s easy to reduce the sizeand copy it right onto the letter.

When should I write the shout-out??For those severe procrastinators,this concept should work for you!Anywhere between now andJanuary you can write a shortShout-Out. Because you create acustomized letter on your computer(or on the public library computer)you can celebrate Christmas,Kwanza, New Years, etc., and thereis not the stress of getting it out byDecember 25th!

What do you do with the holidaygreeting cards that you receivewhen the season is over? Have youbeen saving them year after year,creating excess clutter or do youtoss them after one or two weeks?

If you want to cut expenses thisseason, save some trees, and addthat personal touch that has gonemissing from our modern-daysociety, consider making your owncustom Holiday Shout-Out. Yourfriends will appreciate yourcreativity and you will appreciatethe value! Enjoy!

Marcia Humphrey is an interiordecorator and home stager whospecializes in achieving high styleat low costs. A native of Michigan,she and her husband, Lonnie, havethree children.

Page 8 • November 30 - December 6, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

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(NNPA) - For decades now, I havetraveled across this nation tolisten, learn and absorb theconcerns and frustrations of thecommunity. I’ve marched withvictims of police brutality,consoled families who haveviciously lost loved ones andcalled for transparency and properjudicial proceedings for those thathave been wrongfully victimizedby our system.

But after years of civil rightsactivism, and after years ofcountless troubling incidents,never before have I been asoutraged as I am today. OnNovember 16, a 15-year-old girlin the Bronx, NY was walkinghome from school when a stray

bullet struck her in the back of thehead. The alleged shooter,described by mainstream media asa “baby-faced 16-year-old” is nowheld without bail, along with fourothers – all 23 and younger – whoauthorities say coerced the youngshooter to pull the trigger.Last month, a Decatur HighSchool junior football varsityplayer in Atlanta was laid to restafter falling victim to a drive-byshooting. In Baton Rouge, LA, a16-year-old was shot and killed astwo ‘men’ struggled over ahandgun in early October. Theshooter in this case – a 22-year-old - is now charged withnegligent homicide. And a fewweeks ago, a Spelman Collegesophomore was hit and killed by astray bullet while walking oncampus. Sadly, the list ofinnocent victims appears to haveno end in sight.

The level of gun usage and theepidemic of violence incommunities across the countryhas hit an astronomical level.According to the Violence Policy

Center, firearms are the secondmost frequent cause of deathoverall for Americans aged 15-24.

If we are not fed up andoutraged already, the time to standup and do something is NOW.We cannot sit idly by and watchour innocent children die sosenselessly. Nor can we run fromthe underlying issues that leadsome young people to pick up agun in the first place, and in turn,

ruin their own lives.On November 23, National

Action Network, along withcommunity members from aroundthe nation will led a first ever

National Day of Outrage. Wesimultaneously convened at 2 PMEST in cities like Los Angeles,New York, Chicago, Atlanta,Philadelphia and many inbetween. As parents, aunts,uncles, cousins and more jointogether to honor their lost lovedones, concerned citizens, electedofficials and community activistswill call for an end to theunprecedented and frightening

national epidemic.We all watched the graphic

videotape of the beating death of16-year-old Chicago Fenger HighSchool honor student DerrionAlbert. But what many may notrealize is that this high schoolremains a ‘war zone’ wherechildren simply seeking aneducation to advance themselvesdo not feel secure even in aclassroom. How can we urge ourkids to strive for higherachievement when we fail toprovide them with the basic toolsof development? And what canwe expect for the future of theUnited States when our mostprecious citizens are armingthemselves and engaging inwarfare on streets in virtuallyevery state.

Unfortunately, the excessiveand exponentially growingoutburst of violence is not

confined to children andteenagers. Last month, a 92-year-old grandmother waswatching TV inside her Bronxhome when a stray bullet endedher fruitful life. The plight ofviolence in urban communities ishorrendous, worrisome andsimply out of control. It is ourbabies, sons, daughters,grandparents and loved ones thatare losing in every sense of theword. I am outraged; thecommunity is outraged. Buttogether we can work to find asustainable solution so that noneof us will have to watch anotherhorrific video, witness anothertragic shooting or lose anotherprecious soul. We must reclaimthe value of life for the sake of ourown lives.

http://insightnews.com Insight News • November 30 - December 6, 2009 • Page 9

COMMENTARYWe cannot sit idly by and watch our innocent children die

(NNPA) - The last five weeks ofthe year, the days beginning withThanksgiving and movingthrough the New Year, are dayswhen we all wind down. Someof us don’t want to admit it,citing business as usual. But thefact is that from the firstthanksgiving party to the lastholiday gift exchange, we havecollectively decided that the yearis over and we can’t do muchabout it.

This year is different frommany others. One in sixAmericans does not have a job.One in four African Americans isunemployed. This means thatour holiday parties must bemuted by the challenge ofacknowledging and supportingthose who are impaired in ourmidst. It also means lifting upthose who deserve the lift up,

those who have done suchphenomenal things this year thatthey need a shout out.

I will lift up my sister friendSusan Taylor for her NationalMentoring Cares Movement adfor the phenomenal love she sowsinto African American people aswe grow, develop, and learn toheal from our hurt. As shecrosses the country, she infusesher gentle spirit into the manyways we can embrace ourfutures. She is a force that mustbe loved, respected andappreciated.

I will lift up Dr. BoyceWatkins for his embrace ofHeather Ellis, the young sisterfrom Missouri who faced 15years in jail for cutting a line.Heather Ellis did what so manyof us do – went to the store witha friend (cousin), took separatelines, and decided that whoevergot up first would hook the otherup. How did this turn into a racialfarce of utter insanity? It would

take the people in Kenneth, MOto tell us. Here is what I know –Boyce Watkins spent time, effort,energy and money in rallyingpeople around Heather Ellis. Iam grateful for his activism andlift him up for his work.

I will lift up DonnaRichardson Joyner, who has bothembraced Bennett College forwomen and Black women aroundthe globe in her positive andjoyful commitment to healthyliving. Thanks to Donna, we aredoing work on growing a healthygarden and embracing healthyhabits at Bennett, but moreimportantly, thanks to Donna, weall have a model of how to liveand how to be.

I will lift up BlancheWilliams and the National BlackWomen’s Town Hall and themany ways that Blanche is intohooking sisters up. Blanche’smantra is “Embracing Greatness”and she is unselfish about thatembrace. She is a blessing and a

lesson, a joy and a leader. I amso very excited about their work.

There are so very many morewho deserve the lift up. And,there are so many who must beacknowledged as they strugglethrough these times. I amespecially concerned by thosewho are marginalized by thenotion of these holidaycelebrations, marginalized by the

reality that they have not much tocelebrate. What do we celebratethrough the storm? Mostly wecelebrate that we are still here.Still here? Still navigating,functioning, managing, holding itup. And we celebrate the factthat in the middle of the wind-down, we are indeed winding

down.I always find the end of the

year poignant. We always havemuch to reflect on, much tocelebrate. We lift up those whohave assisted, accomplished, andmoved us more aggressively to abetter world. And, at the sametime, we acknowledge those whohave been tousled by oureconomy. We ask that all of us

do the work we must do toprovide analysis as we moveforward. We wonder if we sufferfrom the paralysis of analysis.At the end of the day, we knowthat the end-year act of windingdown offer us an amazingpossibility to lift up and respectour past and yet be challenged by

our present. We know that thereare those whose contribution hasbeen stellar; we know we all wantto do more. We inhale thismoment called the end of theyear, appreciating theopportunity to wind down,looking forward to the challengeof winding back up.

As long as there are racialeconomic gaps, there is cause towork, challenge, and focus.When the Black unemploymentrate is nearly twice the white rate,when Black wealth is a tenth ofwhite wealth, there is work to do.For many the end of the yearshould be nothing more than amomentary respite. There is,still, much work to do.

Julianne Malveaux is Presidentof Bennett College for Women inGreensboro, N.C. She can bereached atpresbennett@bennett.edu.

Thanksgiving means lifting up each other

By Rev. Al SharptonNNPA Columnist

By Julianne MalveauxNNPA Columnist

As long as there are racialeconomic gaps, there is cause to

work, challenge, and focus.

The plight of violence in urbancommunities is horrendous,

worrisome and simply out of control.

Page 10 • November 30 - December 6, 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, MN55411, Attn: Ben Williams. Freeor low cost events preferred.

Events

2009 IBEW Holiday Lights inthe Park – Now through Dec. 31Daily Nov. 24 through Dec. 31.Hours of Operation: 5:30 pm to10:00 pm each day. Phalen Parkin Saint Paul at 1615 PhalenDrive East.

Benjamin Franklin: In Searchof a Better World – Nowthrough Jul 4Minnesota History Center, 345Kellogg Blvd W., St. Paul. Nov.27, 2009 through July 4, 2010.http://events.mnhs.org

Minneapolis North BoysBasketball LeagueA 10 to 12 week program forboys and girls in grades K-6There will be separate boys andgirls teams in each grade level ifthere are significant registrations.Games are scheduled to beplayed primarily on Sundays,1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., startingDecember 8, 2009. It may benecessary to also schedule anoccasional evening or Sundaygame. The season will end onFebruary 28, 2010. For moreinformation, registration orvolunteering, contact Bo PowellBasketball, 1500 James Ave N.,Minneapolis. 612-668-1717.

Holiday Art Sale - OngoingDec. 5, 6, 12 & 13. Saturdays:10am – 4pm. Sundays: 1pm –4pm. All Nations Church, 1515East 23rd St. Mpls. Originalbeadwork, jewelry, leatherwork,

fabric, soaps, perfumes & muchmore. Free to the public. Formore info, call (715) 386-3100.

Exhibit Reception, ‘InventiveWomen: Portraits of Scientistsand Engineers fromthe University of Minnesota’ –Dec. 1Minnesota History Center, 345Kellogg Blvd W., St. Paul. Time:5 to 8 p.m. Free. Phone: 651-259-3000. This exhibit is offered inconjunction with “Ben Franklin:In Search of a Better World” onview concurrently through July 4,2010, at the Minnesota HistoryCenter.

Planning your website – Dec. 2Weds., Dec. 2., 9 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.at University Bank, 200University Ave. W., St. Paul.Learn the basics of doingbusiness on the internet includingthe purpose of the website,graphics design, system securityand Search Engine Optimization.To register go to the SCOREwebsite www.score-stpaul.org orcall 651-261-1429 for more info.

Free introductory classes onlegal guardianship – Dec. 2Weds., Dec. 2, 5 to 7 p.m., atEastside Services, 1700 2nd St.N.E., Room 111, Mpls. Call 612-781-6011 for directions. Mon.,Dec. 7, 10 a.m. to noon, at theHennepin County Library – EdenPrairie, 565 Prairie Center Drive,Eden Prairie. Call 952-847-5375for directions.To register, call 612-596-6631.Sponsored by HennepinCounty’s Human Services andPublic Health Department.

A Morning at Blake – Dec. 3Thurs., December 3, 9 – 11:30a.m., Pre-kindergarten – Grade 5.Wayzata Campus, 301 PeaveyLane, Wayzata All admissionsand financial aid applicationsmust be received by January 31,2010. Prospective families arealso invited to attend a financialaid workshop on Saturday,January 9 at 9 a.m. on Blake’s

Hopkins campus. Moreinformation: www.blakeschool.org, (952)988-3420.

Stories of Faith andOrganizational Life – Dec. 3Dec. 3, 6:00 - 9:00 pm. Theinterfaith program will include alight supper, a panel oforganizational leaders talkingabout their personal experiencethe tensions between their faithand organizational pressures, andgroup discussion of the topic.Reell Precision Manufacturing(1259 Willow Lake Blvd, StPaul, MN). RSVP required(http://faithandorganizations.eventbrite.com/ or 612-234-1122).Free. Donations accepted.

Healthcare & Public Option:Cuba and the US Healthdebate - Dec. 3Dec. 3, 6-9pm at Carlson Schoolof Management, Rm. 1-147,West Bank Campus, U of MN(Address: 321 19th Ave. S, Mpls)www.minnesotacubacommittee.org

Lake Wobegon Brass Band toPerform at Colonial Church ofEdina – Dec. 4Friday, Dec. 4, 2009, from 7 p.m.– 9 p.m. at Colonial Church ofEdina which is located at 6200Colonial Way in Edina. Log on towww.familiesmovingforward.org for more information.

Mn/DOT – 20 Class ACommercial Driving LicenseScholarshipsImportant dates: ApplicationDeadline: December 11, 2009Selected candidates notified:December 30, 2009 Class dates:January 6, 2010 – Feb 3, 2010.Location/Time for CDL Classes:Century College TransportationTraining Center, 14386 HudsonRd S, Afton, MN 55001. Monday– Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Formore info, contact, forMinneapolis: Roosevelt Gaines,Minneapolis Urban League,2100 Plymouth Avenue North,

Minneapolis, MN 55411. Tel:612-302-3117; Fax: 612-521-1444; EMAIL: rgaines@mul.org. And for StPaul: Abe Hassan, MerrickCommunity Services, 715Edgerton Street, Saint Paul, MN55130. Tel: 651-771-9339, Ext.1004; Fax: 651-771-8465;EMAIL: ahassan@merrickcs.org.

ART AT RAMSEY - Dec. 5Sat., Dec. 5, 2009, 10 a.m. - 5p.m., Ramsey Junior HighGymnasiums, 1700 SummitAvenue, St. Paul. For online info:http://www.artistscircle.org

Krewe de Walleye Presents:Dennis Stroughmatt andMorris Ardoin - Dec. 6Zydeco Lesson with Flory Katzat 7:30 p.m.; Dance begins at8:00 p.m. Half Time Rec,1013Front Ave., St. Paul. 651-488-8245. www.halftimecajun.com,www.krewedewalleye.org.

Occupation 101 – Dec. 6Sunday December 6, 2009, 4:00pm at Hennepin MethodistChurch, 511 Groveland Ave.Mpls. Following the film therewill be a panel discussionfeaturing local experts. For moreinformation e-mailmn.to.gaza@gmail.com.

Joyous Jazz and ScrumptiousSinging Christmas Concert –Dec. 6Dec. 6, 3 pm, at MinnehahaUCC, 4001 38th Ave S, Mpls.Tickets at the door: $15 adults, $8children under 12. Canned fooddonations to the Minnehaha FoodShelf are welcome.

Scrooge in Tha Hood “AClassic Folk Tale with anUrban Twist - Ongoing12/07, 12/08, 12/09, 12/10,12/11, 12/12, 12/13 (all 7:00pm;December 12th 2:00pm &7:00pm) at Christ ChurchInternational 3015 13th AvenueS. Mpls. For more information,visit

www.scroogeinthehood.com

Christmas Lunch for Seniors –Dec. 1011:00 am - 2:30 pm at SalemCovenant Church, 2655 - 5thStreet NW (just south of 694 onSilver Lake Road), NewBrighton. Free, but must RSVPby December 3 to attend. Afteryou eat, you will enjoy a concertby DeCantus, an a capella choralgroup who will be dressed inVictorian costumes while theysing. RSVP to Becky Cole, 612-781-3630 or email OutreachNE@yahoo.com

Holiday train event supportsEastside food shelves – Dec. 12Sat., Dec. 12, 8 p.m. at ShorehamYards, 2800 Central Ave. NE,Mpls. For more informationabout the 2009 Holiday TrainEvent supporting food shelves atEast Side Neighborhood Servicescall 612.787.4019 or visitwww.esns.org.

2009 Holiday Train eventsupports EastsideNeighborhood Services –Dec. 12Sat., Dec. 12, 8 p.m. at ShorehamYard, 2800 Central Ave. NE,Minneapolis. This event is freeand open to the public. For moreinformation about the 2009Holiday Train, call 612.787.4019or visit www.esns.org.

5th Annual Camden MusicSchool Holiday Concert, Sing-Along and Bake Sale – Dec. 12Saturday, December 12, 3-4pm,Luther Memorial LutheranChurch, 3751 Sheridan Ave. N.,Minneapolis. Free. Moreinformation: 612-618-0219 orwww.camdenmusicschool.com.

Where’s Claudia? / ?DondeEsta Claudia? - Dec. 12Show times: 10 AM & Noon.Make-n-Take workshops: 11AM. Heart of the Beast Puppetand Mask Theatre, 1500 E. LakeStreet, Mpls, 612-721-2535,www.hobt.org.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

POLITICAL WRITER -FREELANCE

Insight News is looking for an enthusiastic andexperienced political writer for a beat thatincludes covering high profile elected officialsand the community events they sponsor — or anot so-well attended neighborhood or block clubmeeting. This is a freelance position. Theperfect candidate is someone who is a self-starter who can work in a fast-pacedenvironment as well as produce news features,and jump on breaking stories when needed.Strong writing skills are a must, as well as aproven track record connectinglocal/neighborhood issues to national/federalpolicy. Interested applicants should send a coverletter, resume and three to five writing samplesto: Patricia Weaver, Director of Content, InsightNews, PO BOX 581367, Minneapolis, MN55411 or email patricia@insightnews. Pleasenote "POLITICAL WRITER" in the subject line.No phone calls or walk-ins, please.

ABAMinnesota Blizzards Basketball

The Minnesota Blizzards ABA Basketball Teamis announcing a program for college Internshipsfor the fall and winter. The program will consist offive teams of 5 interns each in the followingareas: (1) Sales, (2) Basketball Operations. (3)Marketing (4) Public Relations (5) Businessadministration. Each team will have a leader andbe given challenging assignments.

We are looking for college students majoring inSports Management, Business, PublicRelations, Marketing Sales, Broadcasting andEvent Planning. We need 20 or 25 internsworking with us for a (minimum of 8 hours aweek) on a part-time basis. Interns will gainvaluable experience, and in most cases collegecredits.

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

Thank you foradvertising with us!Grants and Appeals Coordinator

Summit Academy OIC is seeking a highly skilledand experienced grant and appeals writer tocoordinate and develop long-term, expandedconstituency for grants, and gifts for support ofvocational education programs of the SummitAcademy OIC. The ideal candidates must havea four-year college degree and at least fouryears proven grant writing experience anddevelopment work in the non-profit sector.Candidates must also possess expert level skillsin word processing, spreadsheets and databasemanagement programs. Salary iscommensurate with education and experience.Valid Driver's license required. EEO/AAEmployer. Position open until filled. Women andminorities encouraged to apply. Submit allresumes to cbennett@saoic.org. No phoneinquiries, please.

The University of Notre Damefootball program has beentreated as an entity that is aboveits gridiron peers. With 11national championships in theirhistory, seven before 1950,Notre Dame has earned theirplace for consideration ofgreatness in a college footballprogram. But whereas mostcollege football programs playwithin a set division (i.e. theGophers belong to the Big TenDivision), Notre Dame is one ofthe few teams listed as anIndependent. Over theirstadium sits an impressive,polished gold dome andreligious likeness referred to as

“Touchdown Jesus”. And ifyou haven’t noticed, NotreDame is the only team to haveits own television networkdedicated to broadcasting theirhome games; the little networkthey broadcast through is calledNBC.

Yes, indeed, the FightingIrish (Notre Dames mascot)have a special place in theannals of collegiate football.Yet over the last decade theFighting Irish have lost a lot oftheir scrap. Last week atelevision pundit suggested thattheir religious image above thestadium should be referred to as“Field Goal Jesus” tocompliment the school’s lessaccomplished recentperformances on the footballfield.

Notre Dame has had three

permanent coaches since theirlast great coach, Lou Holtz, leftin 1997. Each of those coacheshas achieved a winning recordthat falls somewhere in the .500range. Two of those coacheswere allowed to continue theirquest for national collegiategreatness for a fair and full fiveyears. After five years a coachhas clearly accumulated enoughof his own chosen high schoolrecruits to where the product onthe field fully represents whatthat particular coach hasbrought to the institution. BobDavie and Charlie Weis are thetwo coaches who were affordedthose five year stints.

Sandwiched in-betweenDavie and Weis was head coachTyrone Willingham. I’ll goahead and mention now thatTyrone Willingham was the firstAfrican American head coach inthe history of this storiedUniversity. Willingham was

fired after three seasons whiletoting a winning percentageequal to that of his predecessorBob Davie. Weis, whocurrently sits terminallyattached to the proverbialchopping block, has a winningpercentage of .574 over his fiveyears as head coach. The caseagainst Davie felt like “Well,it’s just time.” The case againstWillingham was that he lost bigin a few games against rivals,though his record shows that hisNotre Dame team did at leastbeat the teams that Notre Dametraditionally beats, like Navy.The case against Charlie Weisseems more like “darnit wetried coach, but I don’t knowwhat else we can do…we’d loveto keep you.”…and they meanthat.

Both Weis and Willinghamcame out of the gates withimpressive 1st seasons. Weisuniquely, and oddly, was

immediately offered a contractextension on his 6-year contractmaking it a 10-year contract.The supremely odd thing aboutit was that this extension wasgiven far before the first seasonwas near completion. Perhapsthe University wanted to helpWeis by comforting recruitswith the issue of coachingstability (a typical strategy ofUniversities looking to comfortrecruits that their coach won’tleave soon). Weis’ first seasonwas 9-3; Willingham’s firstseason was 10-2. No contractextension for Willingham.

Willingham suffered fivebrutal defeats of over 30 pointsduring his three years, though itshould be mentioned that threeof those loses came at the handsof the University of SouthernCalifornia (USC) during one oftheir most historic stretches ofdominance. USC hosted quite afew beat downs like that duringthat period of time, some ofwhich came in nationalchampionship games, so theNotre Dame losses werecommonplace for most teamsfacing USC in those days. Asfor Weis, he managed to breakthe string of 43 victories overNavy and post the University’sall time worst record of 3-9;these losses came during Weis’3rd year…the same yearWillingham was fired.

All three of Notre Dame’srecent head coaches did a prettypoor job by Notre Damestandards of success.Obviously, two of the threewere given a little more wiggleroom than the other. Perhaps“wiggle room” is a bad term;we’ll go with “freedom”instead. In the words of DaMayor from the movie Do theRight Thing “Always do theright thing.”

By Ryan T. Scottryan@insightnews.com

Mr T’sSportsReport

Notre Dame still paying for wrongdoing

http://insightnews.com Insight News • November 30 - December 6, 2009 • Page 11

SPORTS

api.ning.com“...over the last decade the Fighting Irish have lost

a lot of their scrap”

liberalevangelical.org“Last week a television pundit suggested that their religiousimage above the stadium should be referred to as “Field goalJesus” to compliment the schools less accomplished recent

performances on the football field.”

Page 12 • November 30 - December 6, 2009 • Insight News http://insightnews.com

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