by Hollis Wormsby, Jr. Only a Shared Vision Will Truly Create Change in the Community
I think one of the reasons it is so difficult to find solutions to the challenges facing our community is that there is not a shared vision of what we want our community to be. Before you can solve a problem you must agree on what the problem is, and on what you want the solution to be. Otherwise you might be working really hard, and not accomplishing a thing.
The definition of work in physics is the energy expended times the distance moved in the desired direction. What this means is if I expend a lot of energy but do not move in the desired direction I still did no work. What do we want our community to look like, and what are the problems that stand between us and that vision? That is the discussion we need to have.
So let me begin the discussion by sharing the community I would like to see us working toward becoming. I would like to live in a community that believes in opportunity for all, and that invests first and foremost in creating opportunity for its citizens. In our town I think that new buildings are nice, but they do not address the problems that challenge our community. I worked for the United States Senate during the time the Tombigbee Waterway was being developed. One summer I spent a lot of time to talking to mayors on the proposed Waterway about what impact they hoped the Waterway would have on their community. One of the most interesting responses I got was from the mayor of a small town who said, “If this community does not get itself together and do the things to get ready to take advantage of the opportunities the improved Waterway will bring, the only difference we will see is in the speed the river passes us by at.”
I would say something similar about all of the wonderful development going on in the City’s Southside and Midtown communities, the only impact it is having on other communities is giving those residents something pretty to see as they ride through downtown and back to neighborhoods without all the shiny newness. Though I do understand that the increase in property tax from these successes could create resources to address needs in older communities, and this could be a vision that simply has not been shared with me.
But my hope for my community would still not be to build shiny new buildings. I would want to build shiny new people. My vision is a Birmingham that focuses on educating the citizens that live here into becoming a world class workforce. My vision is a Birmingham that can take an illiterate, unengaged 18 year old, who believes his future is in dealing drugs and wreaking havoc and convince him that an education and a job are a better future and then help him get the tools to get there.
My vision is a Birmingham where opportunity is so great that when someone creates a crime we do not look up and say well what else could they do, but we wonder in amazement that they would make that choice when so many better choices were readily available.
Building people costs money just like building buildings does, and it can yield a return on investment in much the same way. Building people reduces crime by making productive citizens out of potential thugs. Building people raises property values, because when crime drops the homes in Birmingham with some of the most extraordinary architecture I have ever experienced may double in value overnight. Building people improves the quality of life for all, as with crime reductions come the opportunities to enjoy the things that crime has taken away from us. We can let our children play outside with less concern. We will see businesses return to the community and bring the jobs that left when they did.
I don’t think this is a pipe dream. I believe it can be done and I believe we should do it. Things have not always been the way they are now, and they do not always have to be.
Or at least that’s the way I see it.
(Do you have a question or comment on this column? Look me up on Facebook/HollisWormsby or email me at hjwormsby@aol.com.)
Blacks and other non-white people constitute 80 percent plus of the population of Birmingham. Martin Luther King, Jr. and all the others that fought for the vote must be asking themselves, “Why did I bust my butt and get myself killed for nothing?” The less than 8 percent that vote simply mark the all black square on the ballot. Those that do not vote actually are voting to uphold the status quo. This means that their choice (their vote) is to live in a city that is ranked in the bottom of most lists that measure and rank “quality of life issues”.
Are we citizens of Birmingham simply that stupid? Do we choose to live as though the Emancipation Proclamation, the Constitution, the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts never existed? Do the blood soaked rights of freedom, equality and justice for all mean that all people in Birmingham live at the same level? Do our political, social, economic and political leaders live as we do? Absolutely not! So what’s the difference? How did they escape the status quo?
“United we stand, divided we fall” a signer of the Declaration of Independence stated. Mayoral candidate Rev. Paul Holman pointed out that there is no “Unity in the Community”. This state of our city is by design and is implemented by the white plantation system. Those with the ways and means totally control our leaders. They live well so long as they do not disturb the system, i.e. the status quo. The latest issue that clearly illustrates this system was the demolition of UAB Football. How weak and spineless can we be? We own UAB yet we, or more specifically our leaders, allow one man, Paul Bryant, Jr. and the boys to control our University, our City and State!
Our leaders have allowed PBJ and the boys to destroy a billion dollar industry which we own! Our City, County and State are broke. Is this what Martin Luther King, Jr. died for?
This is morally and criminally wrong. Our leaders knowingly and willingly allow the crimes to happen. There are laws that allow the people to immediately take charge and remove those responsible. The 5th Amendment makes provision for a “citizens jury”. When our political system is failing, this group has subpoena power with firing and hiring authority.
The John Rogers chaired delegation knowingly and willingly allowed the destruction of UAB football! More importantly they have the power to reinstate the program immediately! The real losers are their constituents that live at or below the poverty level. Their psychopathic behavior warrants their immediate impeachment.
How stupid our city must look to the world. While we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and claim to champion all that it implies, we cannot deny our quality of life ranking.
Equally absurd is the insane destruction of UAB football. Birmingham and Legion Field are world renowned as the fanatical football capital of the world. How then do we explain having no comprehensive collegiate athletic program which includes football?
My prayers and sympathy go out to those that suffer the most. I also ask that God have mercy on those that live well on gain gotten from exploiting our criminal plantation system.
Unfortunately, many people still do not have a retirement savings plan such as a pension or 401 (k). As has been previously noted in this column, such does not bode well for future retirees, many of whom will not have sufficient funds for retirement.
If you are in this group, there is good news. And it comes courtesy of an unlikely source, the U.S. Treasury.
A new account, named myRA, is considered a starter savings plan. myRA is backed by the Treasury and does not charge any fees. Individuals can make direct payments into the account.
A pilot program began in December. But it is now open to anyone who has direct deposit capability for their paychecks.
The program is aimed at low-and middle-income people who currently do not have access to a retirement plan. This may be because they are working part-time and are not eligible for participation. Or they may be employed by a small firm that does not offer retirement plans to workers.
In many ways, myRA works like a Roth IRA. After-tax income is invested in the plan, and earnings can be withdrawn tax free at retirement. The amount that has been invested in the account can be withdrawn without penalty at any time.
To be eligible to invest in myRA, an individual can earn up to $129,000 and a married couple may earn no more than $191,000. And there is no risk of default since the account is backed by the U.S. government.
The major downside to myRA is that funds can be invested only in government bonds. While risk free, the returns are low. The account earns the same rate as the Thrift Savings Plan offered to federal workers. In 2013, the plan earned less than 2 percent.
Another disadvantage is a limitation on the amount that may be accumulated in the account. Savers can invest up to $5,000 per year. But the maximum amount that may be accumulated is $15,000. Once the total reaches this level, it must be rolled over into a private-sector Roth IRA.
This is a good starting point in providing an avenue for people to save for retirement. But a great deal more needs to be done to motivate Americans to provide for retirement.
Wayne Curtis, former superintendent of Alabama banks, is a retired Troy University business dean. Email him at wccurtis39@gmail.com.
There’s a saying in the insurance business: “Grow with those we know.” It means when you are out looking for new business, always think of your existing customers first. I think this is a good concept that we need to apply to job creation here in Alabama.
Many of our state’s leaders have been touting a declining unemployment rate, even though it really isn’t declining. While our unemployment rate has gone down some, we also have fewer people actively in the workforce now. When the labor force shrinks, so does the unemployment rate.
This point was made recently in an article on AL.com that noted how workers are leaving the workforce, while the jobs we are creating are low skill, low wage jobs that often cannot provide for a family. The jobs we are creating are mostly in the service sector at the lower end of the pay scale, primarily in the hospitality sector. While these kinds of jobs can drive down the unemployment rate, they will not grow our economy or relieve the financial burden on families.
Economists cited in the AL.com report are divided as to the cause of Alabamians leaving the workforce. But many argued it is because of an education deficit. Without a higher level of education, many Alabamians are having a difficult time finding work that pays a livable wage, much less begin a new career. Better education means workers will be more qualified. That, in turn, means more good-paying jobs for the people of Alabama.
But another problem is our strategy on job creation.
When it comes to job creation, Alabama is a beggar state. Our method of choice is to offer huge tax breaks to out-of-state businesses in order to lure them here. And so far, the only changes to that strategy that is being proposed involves the way we recruit out-of-state businesses to Alabama.
While I am all for using tax incentives to bring in new business, provided we do it the right way, we also need to focus on growing existing business and industry. We need to “grow with those we know.”
That means first focusing on keeping the jobs we have here by making our schools better. This will attract growth within the companies already invested in Alabama, which saves jobs and creates new ones.
But there is also work we can do to help existing industries grow, particularly in the field of medical research.
Many states that have booming industry also limit non-compete clauses. Non-compete clauses are meant to protect trade secrets. But they also have the unwanted effect of limiting growth. The law should protect trade secrets and proprietary knowledge. But employees should also be free to leave their current employer and form their own business in the same industry if they want to.
For example, why are so many technology companies based in Silicon Valley in California? It’s because people who started out working at places like Microsoft and Apple later left those companies to form their own businesses. Protecting employees from overly strict non-compete clauses allowed that industry to thrive. We can do the same here in Alabama. Our medical research industry, in particular, could benefit from similar protections.
There will always be a place for creating new industry and recruiting new business. It is extremely important to the function of our economy. But we also cannot lose sight of job retention. We need to focus on keeping the jobs that are already here, here. We need to create a culture for those companies and industries to expand, thus protecting and creating more jobs.
And if we continue to focus primarily on tax incentives that are only given to new industries and out-of-state businesses, then we need a system of checks and balances to make sure that we can recoup our money if they don’t meet a job creation requirement.
And we need to level the playing field so that out-of-state companies aren’t being taxed at a lower rate than in-state companies. For example, we must protect our independent pharmacies, they are small businesses born and bred here in the state of Alabama. However, right now, instead of protecting them, we protect the out-of-state large corporate pharmacies by giving them tax breaks to open locations, putting the mom and pop pharmacies out of business.
Yes, the state of Alabama needs to be “open for business.” We need to create more, lasting, quality jobs. But almost as importantly, we need to retain the jobs we currently have, grow the businesses and industries that are already here and protect our small business owners. We need to grow with the ones we already know.
Rep. Craig Ford is a Democrat from Gadsden and the Minority Leader in the Alabama House of Representatives.
Zoning planning tools can create vibrant destination places in cities. Planning is not accidental; it is intentional by using planning techniques. Slade has a background in urban planning. In the past, Slade assessed which flexible zoning options were the best, such as Conditional-Use or Special-Use Permits, Overlay Zoning Districts, Floating Zones, Planned Unit Development (PUD), Cluster Development or Conservation Design, Performance Standards, and Incentive Zoning to create revitalization within cities.
Let’s discuss PUD and TOD further. The easiest way to create a PUD is to look at areas that are gathering places in a municipality that has components of a PUD. Once the area is identified they should be developed into a completed PUD. Transit Oriented Development (TOD) is key to mobility for transit users. People want to live in urban cities that are walkable and have easy access to transportation. A city must have the density and amenities to create a TOD. Often- times, a place is called a TOD, but it is not.
Slade enjoys uses planning tools to increase economic development through Unified Development Codes and Inclusionary Zoning; Traditional Neighborhood Development and New Urbanism-Supportive Regulations; Form Based Zoning; and Transect-Based Code. These tools can transform a city. The key is to assess which tools is the best fit for each municipality. These tools are seen as “Innovations”. The Innovations in local development are reflective of new and increasingly accepted concepts about how neighborhoods and communities should be shaped and function.
Let’s make sure we leave our cities better than the way we found them in order to achieve true sustainability through planning techniques.
L’Tryce Slade, MRP, JD
Managing Director
www.sladellc.com
By Chiara Morrow
In what most consider innocent acts of child play, toy guns are taking a turn from the characters of “cops and robbers” that have evolved from a favorite past time. The bad guy versus good guy scene is subject to play out in real life circumstances, even at the death of a child.
Tamir Rice was an innocent 12-year old playing in the snow at a public park not far from his Cleveland home. His mother watched from her window as he tossed an occasional snowball in the air. It wasn’t until he pulled out his plastic handcrafted toy, magnum look-alike pellet gun and playfully waived it in the air. What he didn’t know was that a stranger not too far away contacted police to investigate his playful gestures. When police arrived to find Tamir sitting in a gazebo setting in the park, shots were fired at the young boy. No questions asked. Presumption of danger rang out through shots that took the innocent life of a child who was simply imagining that same danger in his curious mind and childlike world.
According to the City of Birmingham Code Book Sec 11-6-39 Shooting Toy Weapons: “No person shall project or cause to be projected any gravel, marbles, shot or other missile by means of any Flobert rifle, air gun, slingshot, gravel shooter, blowgun, rubber sling or implement or device of like character; however, such projection shall not be unlawful if conducted as a part of a safety education program entirely within the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center with the permission of the civic center authority.”
This code signifies the protected measures that most should be aware of. However, at the expense of one losing their life, especially a child, these same measures should come equipped with common sense.
Councilor Seyram Selase from the Anniston City Council, recently spoke before the Birmingham City Council to address the case of Tamir Rice and sought to unite everyone on the topic that could save a future life. Councilor Steven Hoyt, chairman of the Public Safety Committee agreed to continue to push the topic and hold a forum and take proactive steps to let parents know the dangers of the appearance of toy guns.
“We have to be mindful of all incidents that could affect the safety of our youth,” Councilor Hoyt said. “The tragedies that could overwhelm families far outweigh the cost of being educated and mindful of the toys parents purchase for their children.”
Parents in Birmingham and all over the United States were outraged at the death of Tamir Rice. One local parent said she always wants her children to be mindful, even if they are away with friends.
“When they go outside and play, you just never know what could happen and I teach my children about safety, especially when they are away from home,” said Crystal King, a mother of three children in the Birmingham area. “I always like to supervise them because you never know where danger could be lurking.”
The story of Tamir Rice is one that we hope will be the final occurrence. Our measures of future prevention of a toy gun scenario should amplify a cry to our justice system to also enforce proper protocol to law enforcement when addressing children who may just be at play.
LET’S CELEBRATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH!
It’s February! Time for Valentine’s Day and ‘thoughts’ of love!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY…TO YOU… LEBOISE DERU!! …MANY MANY MORE!! “WISHING YOU THE BEST OF EVERYTHING!”
NEW CAPTAIN D’S RESTAURANT IN FIVE POINTS WEST – The Five Points West community got an economic boost with the Captain D’s opening recently. District 8 Councilor Steven Hoyt made a great impact in the Five Points West neighborhood when the new Captain D’s restaurant opened. It follows the success of the Applebee’s Restaurant and is just the start of more economic expansion for District 8 says Councilor Hoyt. The 2,789 square-foot restaurant opened its doors across from the Birmingham CrossPlex building. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Captain D’s owns, operates and franchises 520 restaurants in 25 states, plus military bases around the world. Captain D’s offers its customers great seafood at reasonable prices in a relaxed environment. The brand’s restaurants serve a widely varied seafood menu that includes freshly prepared entrees, and the company’s signature hand-battered fish which is prepared to order to ensure freshness. The restaurants also offer premium-quality, grilled fish, as well as shrimp, chicken, shrimp & beef kabobs, hushpuppies, desserts and freshly brewed, southern-style sweet tea, a Captain D’s favorite. The ribbon cutting ceremony was held the latter part of November. MIRRORS & MUSIC – THE BEING MARY JANE EXPERIENCE – The Mirrors and Music Invitation Only event is today in Birmingham. This is an advance screening and acoustic set by Grammy Nominated Singer and songwriter STACY BARTHE.
(Photo Credit: albanyherald.com)
32nd GEORGIA FARMERS CONFERENCE – The Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund’s 32nd Georgia Farmers Conference is today and tomorrow at the Hilton Garden Inn in Albany. The conference hosts over 200 farmers, ranchers, landowners and supporters from across the South to provide current information on cooperatives, USDA programs, marketing, legal, risk management, conservation, and other agricultural issues vital to farmers. There will also be updates on the Pigford II and the Women/Hispanic Lawsuits. Today there are workshops beginning at 3:30 p.m. and a reception at 6 p.m. Friday the conference begins at 8:30 a.m. with workshops and a USDA Panel discussion on various programs. Invited guests include U. S. Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-GA) and Mr. Don Koehler, Executive Director of the Georgia Peanut Commission. Ms. Krysta Harden, Deputy Secretary USDA, is the confirmed keynote speaker.
February has many things going… It’s the Month of Love! THIS IS FOR THE LOVER IN YOU!
BIRMINGHAM CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE Events… in February…. BCRI BLACK HISTORY MONTH FILM FESTIVAL – The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute held its first film ‘Soundtrack to a Revolution’ recently. There will be a film weekly throughout the month of February in the Richard Arrington, Jr. Resources Gallery from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. The remaining films are: February 11 – FREEDOM SUMMER, February 18 – BLACK MAGIC, and February 25 – STAND. The films are free with admission to the BCRI.
BRCI RECEIVES CHINESE ARTIST SCULPTURE – Dr. Wen Zou, a renowned Chinese public artist, secretary general and deputy executive of National Sculpture Organization and professor of Tsinghua University Art Institute unveiled his statue ‘SUPPORT OF THE DREAM’ a gift to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. It is a statue he created of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It features Dr. King calling for civil rights with a raised arm with “I Have a Dream” projected on the Washington Monument behind him.
SYBARITE5 PERFORMS AT THE WRIGHT FINE ARTS CENTER – The Wright Center at Samford University will showcase the acclaimed string quintet Sybarite5, Friday, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. in the Jane H. Hollock Brock Recital Hall. SYBARITE5, the first string quintet to ever win the Concert Artists Guild International Competition, has made its name by blurring classical and rock motifs, earning praise from critics and audiences alike. Playing a repertoire that ranges from Mozart to Radiohead, SYBARITE5 utilizes exquisite musicality and a dynamic performance style to turn heads throughout the music world and break the boundaries of what a string ensemble can be. This performance is the capstone of a four day residency working with local music composers and students. The Friday concert is preceded by Samford’s New Music Idol Contest, which is free to the public, today at Samford’s Harry’s Coffeehouse. As part of the New Music Idol residency with SYBARITE5, eight Samford Students will have the opportunity to work with the string quintet and have their compositions performed live at the Feb. 5th Music Idol Concert. Similar to the famous TV show “American Idol,” the show will cbe omposed of a panel of four judges, including Alison Bolton, Director of Artistic Operations and Education for the Alabama Symphony Orchestra; Comedienne Joy “The Queen of Clean”; and Burgin Mathews from Birmingham Mountain Radio’s The Lost Child. The attending audience will text to vote for the piece they liked the most. The piece with the most votes will be performed at SYBARITE5’s main concert at Brock Hall, Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. Additionally, the quintet will be in Birmingham offering four days of outreach to the community including the YMCA of Greater Birmingham.
(Photo Credit: HipHopParlor.com) MERIENDA LOUNGE CELEBRATES VIP FRIDAYS THIRD ANNIVERSARY –PLIES AND YUNG DIL will perform at the Merienda Lounge VIP Fridays Third Anniversary with DJ DIRTY VEGAS mixing Live, Friday.
FOR THE NASCAR LOVERS OF WILD GAME…..AND MOTORSPORTS FANS….
10th ANNUAL AWF WILD GAME COOK-OFF – Before the greatest drivers in the world converge at Talladega Superspeedway in 2015, NASCAR’s Most Competitive track will play host to some of the best Backyard Chefs in Alabama during the 10th annual Alabama Wildlife Federation Wild Game Cook-Off on Saturday. More than 25 cook-off teams are expected to fire up their grills, smokers and fryers in hopes of showcasing their delicious recipes for a chance to be crowned Alabama’s Best! Everyone who attends can sample each mouth-watering dish! Winning delicacies in the past have included “Grilled Dove Breast,” “Smoked Venison with Cajun Wild Rice,” and “Flounder stuffed with Shrimp and Crab topped with a Butter Cream Sauce”. The AWF Wild Game Cook-off is a celebration of game animals, game birds and game fish that can be harvested and utilized for food. The event will be held inside the mammoth 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage, and will also feature live music, door prizes, raffles and a huge incredible auction (both silent & LIVE on the center aisle of the garage). Auction items include racing memorabilia, outdoor themed art prints and both University of Alabama and Auburn University treasure items.
FOR SPOKEN WORD, BOOK AND ART LOVERS…. REAL TALK: AN EVENING OF SPOKEN WORD AND ART – The Jefferson County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority presents Real Talk on Saturday, 7 – 11 p.m. at the Legends. This is an evening of spoken word, art and more. AUTHORS EXPO AND BOOK FAIR AT THE LIBRARY – The Authors Expo and Book Fair is where more than 100 authors will present and sell their works Saturday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. At 1 p.m., author Marie A. Sutton will discuss her new book on the A.G. Gaston Motel, a historic landmark that served as a major meeting location for leaders of the civil rights movement. The Birmingham City Council recently voted to approve $10 million to help redevelop the motel, which opened in the 1950s and closed in the 1980s.
BOOK – LIFE IS YOUR SONG – Author Tonya H. Ware’s powerful book, LIFE IS YOUR SONG – DISCOVER YOUR VOICE is a story everyone struggling with reclaiming their life must read. Tonya shares how to reset your inner compass, understand who you really are and how to find your place in this world. People everywhere are standing at the threshold of decision, asking this question – What is the answer for MY life? Having experienced a life-changing event where she actually died, and was miraculously revived, Tonya transitioned from a corporate million dollar producer who recorded her debut album Tonya Ware – The Voice, to life as a virtual shut in – spending more than six years trying to reclaim her health and her life. FEBRUARY AT THE BOTANICAL GARDENS – American Girl: Girls Just Like Me – Baking from the Heart – As students explore the story of the 2015 American Girl of the Year, Grace Thomas, an enthusiastic young baker, girls will learn a little about French culture and bake a delicious treat in honor of Heart Day. February 8. 2 – 4 p.m. For more information and to register online, visit www.bbgardens.org/classes.
FOR MUSIC LOVERS…AND DANCE… HERE ARE A FEW THINGS GOING ON…
WEDNESDAY…YOUNG BUFFALO at the Bottletree Café. Hailing from the hometown of William Faulkner, Oxford Mississippi, the rock five piece Young Buffalo pride themselves on creating music as unique as the city they come from. Combining lyrical prowess and melodic earworms, Young Buffalo are here to give new life to their genre. Although the group’s songwriters Ben Yarbrough and Jim Barrett didn’t begin playing under the Young Buffalo moniker until 2009, they started writing music together as teenagers and never ceased evolving. The band—which now also features drummer Tim Burkhead, bassist Andrew Guinn and keyboardist Will Eubanks—couldn’t be more excited to share House, an 11-track album produced by Dave Schiffman (Haim, Weezer) that establishes the five-piece act as a band that’s as unique as the town where they were conceived.
THIS WEEKEND… TODAY…
**ASHLEY AND THE KEEPERS at Ona’s Music Room.
**JEZEBEL DOGS at The Nick. FRIDAY…
**HALLELUJAH JUNCTION at Ona’s Music Room.
**FIVE SHOT JACK, THE TWIN HEART TRAP, ELYSE THEROSE, HANNAH THOMAS BAND w/ K RYYLEE & SYLVIA ROSE at The Nick on southside. SATURDAY…
**ONA WATSON AND CHAMPAGNE at Ona’s Music Room.
**TIDE AND TIGER LOUNGE, 8 p.m. on Graymont Avenue across the street from Legion Field. Open Tuesday through Sunday.
**J.D. WILLKES AND THE DIRT DAUBERS, BLACKFOOT GYPSIES at The Nick. WEDNESDAY…
**YOUNG BUFFALO at the Bottletree Café. Hailing from the hometown of William Faulkner, Oxford Mississippi, the rock five-piece Young Buffalo pride themselves on creating music as unique as the city they come from. Combining lyrical prowess and melodic earworms, Young Buffalo are here to give new life to their genre. Their debut full length album House is due out in March.
THERE IS THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER….IN THE ‘HAM… AT THE STARDOME AND IN DA HOOD AT TIDE AND TIGER LOUNGE…LAUGHTER FOR THE NEW YEAR… **AT THE STARDOME…, TODAY… MIKE MERRYFIELD… Mike Merryfield is a comedic ninja, a highly-trained humorous assassin who never lets on how deadly he is until he pounces. And when he does, everyone better be on their toes. Actually, I take that back. The guys are totally fine; they’re not in any danger at all. It’s the women who’d better be on their guard. His new album, Cupcakes and Potpourri, starts off innocently enough, with some solid material about Vicodin and how he got his hands on his own little stash and the audience is none the wiser about what they’ve gotten themselves into
(Photo Credit: Biography.com) DON’T MISS…D.L. HUGHLEY, this weekend… D.L. Hughley spent four successful years as the co-creator, star and executive producer of his own sitcom “THE HUGHLEYS.” Hughley’s success continued from there. With his quick wit and affable personality, he has now become a favorite guest on such shows as “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Late Night with David Letterman,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “Politically Incorrect” and “Live with Regis and Kelly.” D.L. is also one of the original “Kings Of Comedy”
COMING SOON…, FINIS HENDERSON – February 13-15, SHERYL UNDERWOOD – February 20-21, MIRANDA SINGS – February 7-8 (Tell Bruce that Gwen sent you.) Enjoy some good laughter and fun times while you eat some great food with your friends. For more, call (205) 444-0008. **MORE LAUGHTER…COMEDY IN DA HOOD at the New Tide and Tiger on Graymont Avenue. Comedians are invited! Call (205) 503-3880 for more.
Look for more. **February 17-18 – A. G. GASTON CONFERENCE – Economic Empowerment through Enterprise Development AT THE BJCC. **MARCH 5-9 – BRIDGE CROSSING JUBLIEE in Selma, Alabama.
NOW…. BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUTS! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU… LEBOISE DERU, JR., LEKAMEREN DERU, JACARYS BRAXTON, LEKOTA DERU, CASSANDRA GRIFFEN MCINTYRE, PHYLLIS CONNELL, BETTINA BYRD GILES, MICHAEL GOULD, EVERETT SPRUILL, DR. CAROLYN BOLIVAR HAMEEN AND TO ALL CELEBRATING!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL YOU BIRTHDAY BALLERS…MANY, MANY MORE HAPPY BIRTHDAYS!! ENJOY!! Celebrate ‘your’ month…I do…all 30 days ‘and’ some!
Well, that’s it. Tell you more ‘next’ time.
(People, Places and Things by Gwen DeRu is a weekly column. Send comments to my emails: thelewisgroup@birminghamtimes.com or gwenderu@yahoo.com.)
The family of 21-year-old Bobbi Kristina Brown, who was found unresponsive in a bathtub on Saturday, has been told there is nothing more doctors can do to save her, multiple media outlets are reporting.
Brown was reportedly placed on life support after she was rushed to the hospital and People.com reports her family has gathered to say their good-byes to the only child of the late Whitney Houston.
“Everyone is coming to the hospital to say good-bye,” an unnamed family member told People.
TMZ reported that Brown’s father, Bobby Brown, was told by doctors it is time to withdraw life support but he is reluctant do so and may wait until after the weekend to make a decision.
Today is Bobby Brown’s 46th birthday.
“Bobby has been crying nonstop since yesterday,” a source told People. “We are grieving.”
Bobbi Kristina Brown was found after drowning in the tub almost three years to the day after her superstar mother drowned in a bathtub on the eve of the 2012 Grammys, sending shockwaves through the music industry.
Bobbi Kristina inherited her mother’s estate, reportedly worth more than $100 million.
The new reworked track is available on iTunes today! Stream the complete song exclusively on BET.com
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. – R&B/Pop group Immature has re-released a remake of their smash hit “Never Lie,” which the original version reached #1 in the R&B, Pop, and Crossover charts in 1994. The new version appropriately title “Never Lie 2015” is now available on iTunes. The new reworked track was produced by Immanuel Rich and Marques Houston, which gave the record a more mature sound.
Discovered in the ’90s by entertainment mogul Chris Stokes, Immature sold over 20 million albums, singles and soundtracks. Now the group is poised for a comeback with all its original members including Jerome “Romeo” Jones (33) Kelton “LDB” Kessee (34), and Marques “Batman” Houston (33), Houston, who after 13 years, six solo albums of his own and over 3million albums and singles sold, rejoins the group. Now in their early 30s, Immature’s new sound is sexier than ever.
“We’re more than excited to give our fans new music. The amazing response from the people out there was more than humbling. We’ve been gone for so long, it’s good to know we still have loyal fans out there who support us.” “We feel like we have what it takes to be contenders of this generation of music, like our peers who also started young and are still going strong like Usher, Justin Timberlake and Trey Songz.”
Immature recently released “Let Me Find Out,” which was very well received by the media and fans alike. Both Vibe and Global Grind featured the song.
Immature is busy finishing their seventh studio album, “Forever,” which will be released on May 2 and will mark the first full-length project for the group in over a decade. Additionally, Immature will go on a national headlining tour with AEG later this year in support of the project. More details about the tour are coming soon.
Immature, also known as IMX, released four albums under the Immature moniker including On Our Worst Behavior in 1992, which included former member Don “Half Pint” Santos, later replaced by Kessee, Playtyme Is Over in 1994, then We Got It in 1995 and finally in 1997 released the album, The Journey.
In 1999, the group changed their name to IMx marking 10 years of being a group and released two studio albums Introducing IMx and IMx, and then released a Greatest Hits album in 2001. The group also branched out into film (such as House Party 3 & House Party 4: Down to the Last Minute) and television (such as A Different World, Sister, Sister, Family Matters and All That) before disbanding in 2002. For more on Immature and their upcoming album and tour please visit http://immatureofficial.com.
LOS ANGELES — Former hip-hop music mogul Marion “Suge” Knight was charged Monday with murder and attempted murder after he struck two men with his pickup truck last week.
Prosecutors allege that Knight intended to run down a friend and another man after an argument on a movie set. One of the men was killed.
Attorney James Blatt says Knight accidentally ran over the men on Thursday as he tried to escape a vicious attack. He turned himself in to police on Friday.
Knight’s initial bail of $2 million was revoked Monday after a court commissioner agreed with authorities that he was a potential flight risk and could intimidate witnesses.
He is scheduled to appear in court in Compton on Tuesday.
The bail ruling came after detectives told a judge the 49-year-old founder of Death Row Records could face a lengthy prison sentence because of a violent criminal past and had the potential to intimidate witnesses, Los Angeles County sheriff’s spokeswoman Nicole Nishida said.
Knight was at the center of one of the most notorious rap conflicts of the 1990s, pitting Tupac Shakur against Biggie Smalls in an East Coast-West Coast rivalry.
Knight was sent to prison for nearly five years for badly beating a rival with Shakur at a Las Vegas hotel, just hours before Shakur was fatally shot while riding in Knight’s car just east of the Strip.
In the current case, Knight struck two men with his pickup truck in a parking lot. The collision killed his friend, Terry Carter, 55, and injured Cle “Bone” Sloan, 51, an actor and film consultant.
Authorities have said Knight argued with Sloan earlier at a location for the film “Straight Outta Compton” about the rise of the rap group N.W.A. and then was told by sheriff’s deputies providing security to leave.
The argument resumed in the parking lot where Knight and Sloan exchanged punches through a window of the pickup truck before the two men were run down, authorities said. Blatt has said Knight was attacked by four people, including Sloan, and that Knight hit the gas and fled in fear.
The incident came less than six months after Knight was shot six times at a West Hollywood nightclub in August — the second shooting he has survived. No arrests have been made in that case.
At 6-foot-4 and weighing 325 pounds, Knight is an imposing figure who is credited, in part, with helping create Death Row Records when he strong-armed another label to release Dr. Dre from his contract, said Chuck Creekmur, CEO of allhiphop.com.
Knight and Dre later had a falling out, and Dre left the record company that eventually declared bankruptcy and was auctioned off.
In November, Knight pleaded not guilty to a robbery charge filed after a celebrity photographer accused him of stealing her camera in Beverly Hills. Because of prior convictions, he could face up to 30 years in prison in that case.
