ASU FOOTBALL AMONG TEAMS RECEIVING VOTES IN FIRST FCS POLL

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August 6, 2014

(MONTGOMERY) The Alabama State University football team has been mentioned as a team receiving votes in the first NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Coaches Poll of the 2014 season.

There were 22 teams receiving votes following the top 25, with the Hornets six points garnering them their position in the poll. ASU has three opponents in the opening poll led by Sam Houston State who gathered 277 points and is ranked 14^th. The Bearkats are the Hornets season-opening opponent.

Things don’t get much easier in game two as the 2014 home-opening opponent Tennessee State received 237 points and is ranked 17^th. Both of the Hornets’ first two opponents made appearances in the 2013 FCS Playoffs with both teams making it into the quarterfinal round and finishing the season ranked 13^th (SHSU) and 17^th (TSU) respectively.

Fellow Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) member Alcorn State also received a mention with the other teams receiving votes with their 16 total points.

Local Sensation Houston Kendrick’s Single “Mine” is Released Worldwide on Audiostate 55 Entertainment/Warner Music Group

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Birmingham Times

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August 5, 2014

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“Mine” is the debut single release by the 18 year old on Audiostate 55 Entertainment/Warner Music Group. Available for purchase as a download worldwide, this heart-stirring performance is being received with great reception.

Houston brings a positive sound to the music industry with a refreshing vocal style. His influences include John Legend, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder.

With acceptance secured from elite music schools Berklee College of Music in Boston and Belmont College in Nashville, Houston is the 2014 1^st Place Winner of the Soloist Award at the statewide Capital City Classic Show Choir Competition in Montgomery, Alabama.

Houston Kendrick embodies all that is uplifting about being young. His goal is to enthrall his listeners with every note he sings. And if the debut of “Mine” is any indication of his future, Houston Kendrick will be enthralling listeners the world over for years to come.

Follow Houston:

Twitter: @ohheyitshouston

Instagram: @houstagram_

Facebook: Houston Kendrick

People, Places, Things..

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Birmingham Times

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July 31, 2014

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IT’S SUMMERTIME!!! What are you doing?ENJOY THE WATER with a cruise in Montgomery, the arts at the Birmingham Museum of Art and the happenings around the southeast!HAVE A GOOD TIME! Get outdoors, laugh and enjoy the time with family and friends! Check out our ‘What’s Happening Travel and Tourism Guide’… whenever you can.

Today, join all of Birmingham at the..

EAT UP: A TASTE OF UPTOWN. The Uptown District, next to the BJCC complex right at the Westin Hotel and the Sheraton hotel, will have seven restaurants offering tastings of their food, plus music by BELLE ADAIR, THE BEAR AND DONNIE FRITTS. You don’t want to miss this. Tell my good friend Garfield Campbell that Gwen sent you and that you read it in my column in the Birmingham Times.

CRUISING IN MONTGOMERY – If you love the water then the PARTY GRAS on the Cruise Part II Aboard the Harriott II Riverboat, Saturday, 9:45 p.m. in Montgomery, is for you. Call (256) 946-9655 ext. 813 for more. (Tell them Gwen sent you.)

JAPANESE FILM FESTIVAL AT BIRMNGHAM FILM FESTIVAL – In conjunction with the summertime exhibition Lethal Beauty Samurai Weapons and Armor, Birmingham Museum of Art is hosting a Japanese Film Festival featuring samurai movies of the time. The films are HARAKIRI August 7 at First Thursday, 7 p.m.; 47 RONIN, August 8, 6:30 p.m.; FROM UP ON POPPY HILL, August 9, 10:30 a.m.; TALES OF THE TAIRA CLAN, August 9 at 1:45 p.m. and SEVEN SAMURAI, on Sunday at 1 p.m. Check them out.

MILES COLLEGE MEDIA WORKSHOP FOR ADULTS – Miles Media in the Summer teaches how to improve your organization. Miles College is conducting media workshops for adults on Saturday, Aug. 9. The one-day workshop will be held from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuition is $100 for the seven-hour session. The workshop will help adults learn to promote their organizations, church communications, and small businesses. There are (4) workshops. Individuals would choose to study one of the following: (1) designing flyers, newsletters, and brochures; (2) producing digital video and still photography; (3) promoting using public relations and advertising; or (4) utilizing social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The workshop is designed to help attendees attract new members, reach out to the public, and better communicate within their organization. Small business owners will also learn how improve sales. Proceeds fund book scholarships for students majoring in Communications at Miles College. To register contact Ms. Lashonda Alexander at the Division of Communications at Miles College, at 929-1609 or lalexander@miles.edu.

SOUTHERN CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE NATIONAL CONVENTION – Top brass at the National Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) will unveil new initiatives focused on education, fiscal responsibility and entrepreneurship, at the 56th Annual National Convention. The conference is August 10-13 in Birmingham, Ala. at the Sheraton Hotel. The event will feature perspectives on modern-day Civil Rights challenges and the SCLC’s role in tackling those issues in the U.S. and abroad. It debuts with an inaugural mandate, 11 interactive sessions, global empowerment luncheon, film premiers, book signing and discussion, celebrity fashion show and a closing commemorative breakfast. Key sessions include Civil Rights Veterans Roundtable featuring Foot Soldiers of the Civil Rights Movement, Race and Racism in America, Global Achievement of Women Empowerment Luncheon honoring successful national women; discussion on State of Green Energy; discussion on the Stand Your Ground Law; The State of Black Males in America; dynamic Fashion Show with the Atlanta based Wilbourn Sisters Design, On the RISE Professional Mixer, and ending with a closing Memorial Prayer Breakfast. Special guests include actress Robin Givens, actor Dick Gregory, Alabama State University President Gwendolyn Boyd and national invited, regional and statewide dignitaries. To register, please visit www.nationalsclc.org.

MIDDLE EASTERN FOOD FESTIVAL – Saint George Celebrates its 33rd Annual Middle Eastern Food Festival, September 18-20. There will be kibbee, Mediterranean style chicken, (vegetarian foods such as spinach pies, falafel and hummos), rolled grape leaves, meat pies, vegetables, desserts and pastries, and plenty more that the ladies of the Saint George Melkite Catholic Church (425 16th Avenue South) will prepare and sell for ‘this’ fundraiser that everyone loves. It started out as an international festival because the descendents of immigrants are from Lebanon, Eastern Europe, Italy and Greece. After an influx of Middle Easterners from Lebanon and Palestine, it made a change to a Middle Eastern Festival. Food will be served all day, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Downtown delivery will be available for lunch on Thursday and Friday with a $75 minimum order. For takeout and delivery call 492-9621. (Oh… one more things…the desserts include Kaak, Mamoul, Zalabich and buttery Baklawa, my favorite.)

SHOAL CREEK HOSTS 2015 PGA TOUR – The 2015 Regions Tradition, a major championship on the Champions Tour, will be played at Shoal Creek from May 13-17 next year. The tournament, which began in 1989 in Scottsdale, Ariz., and first came to Birmingham, Ala., in 2011, will relocate just a few miles away to Greystone Golf & Country Club for 2016, ’17 and ’18.

NATURAL TREASURES CHALLENGE – Experiencing nature is closer and easier than you think! If you’re a resident of Alabama, Ohio or Indiana you’re invited to compete in our Natural Treasures Challenge for a chance to win a Honda Civic Hybrid. Participating is easy. Simply take a photo of yourself at a designated Natural Treasures location, and share it on our website for a chance to win. Accepting entries August 1, but you can start exploring now just log on to http://www.Nature.org/NaturalTreasure

(People, Places and Things by Gwen DeRu is a weekly column. Send comments to my emails: thelewisgroup@birminghamtimes.com or gwenderu@yahoo.com)

Stellar Award Winning Radio Veteran, Tracy Bethea Promoted to Head of Gospel Programming

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Birmingham Times

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July 31, 2014

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(MEMPHIS) The gospel music industry is excited about the promotion of Stellar Award winning radio announcer and WHAL 95.7 Hallelujah FM Assistant Program Director/Music Director Tracy Bethea to take the helm of Gospel Programming at Memphis’ #1 radio station. Over the last two decades, Bethea has observed and participated in the evolution of the gospel music genre from a programming perspective and has also been a catalyst to helping artists understand the unique art of programming. In her prior position, Bethea worked closely with and learned key programming strategies from her colleague and friend, Eileen Collier.

Now, Bethea has a new leadership role that will undoubtedly bring new luster to the Clear Channel Communications brand in the gospel arena. “Besides being the epitome of class, kindness and inspiration Tracy Bethea is the epitome of radio,” says Grammy Award winning artist and producer Donald Lawrence. “There are programmers and then there are programmers,” Vashawn Mitchell, a gospel artist noted for his #1 hit “Nobody Greater,” adds. “Tracy Bethea falls into the then there are programmers category.”

“The art of radio is creating palatable sound that attracts listeners to tune in,” says Cheryl Jackson, Midday Host at WPRS Praise 104.1 FM in Washington, D.C. “This is Tracy Bethea! Her voice tone and love of community mixed with experience and knowledge of this format makes her an ultimate professional in the business.” Neily Dickerson of the ND co. agrees and adds that “Tracy’s preserving the sound of gospel music” and artist Ricky Dillard (Currently #1 with his hit “Amazing”) simply calls Bethea an innovator.

Bethea has become adept at juggling her professional position with her love of traveling and her private roles as a wife, daughter and active member of New Olivet Baptist Church. “She was one of the first announcers to play my music,” gospel legend Kurt Carr says. “We’ve both grown significantly over the years, but her professional and kindness have been unwavering. She’s by far one of the best in the business.” That’s worth a hallelujah!

Historically Black Colleges Face Uncertain Future

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Birmingham Times

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July 31, 2014

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For generations, Historically Black Colleges and Universities have played a key role in educating young African-Americans.

But as enrollment and funding have declined for many of these institutions, the challenges of remaining open have increased. Five such schools have shut down in the last 20 years and about a dozen have had accreditation issues.

South Carolina State University, that state’s only public historically Black higher education institution, had its accreditation placed on probation last month after the school was cited for financial problems. Last year North Carolina officials considered merging Elizabeth City State University, a public historically Black college, with another institution after its enrollment dropped drastically. Marybeth Gasman, an expert on historically Black colleges, says these schools remain important, serving many students who otherwise might not go to college.

by Jerome Bailey Jr.  Associated Press

Returning to Our Innocence

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Birmingham Times

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July 31, 2014

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A minister was walking down the street when he came upon a group of children who had surrounded a small dog. Concerned that the children were hurting the dog, he went over and asked “What are you doing with that dog kids?” One of the kids replied, “This dog is just an old neighborhood stray. We all want him, but only one of us can take him home. So we’ve decided that whichever one of us can tell the biggest lie will get to keep the dog.” Of course, the reverend was taken aback. “You children shouldn’t be telling lies!” he exclaimed and with that he launched into a 10 minute sermon against lying, beginning, “Don’t you children know it’s a sin to lie,” and ending with, “Why, when I was your age, I never told a lie.” There was dead silence for about a minute. Just as the reverend was beginning to think he’d gotten through to them, the smallest child gave a deep sigh and said, “All right everybody, give him the dog.”
Even ministers, who live in the mind, can never be innocent – and only in innocence does the Divine descend into us, or we can ascend to the God. This message is one of the deepest sayings of Jesus, and one of the most basic that must be understood if we are to follow Him. We have heard this saying many times. Jesus says, in Matthew 18: 3, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Again he says in Matthew 19:14, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” In Luke 18: 15-17, “People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth; anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
What does Jesus mean? Not only is this a hard saying to understand, it is even harder to do. If we continue to live in our head we can never be innocent enough to be born again. We will never be virgin enough for God to descend into us and for us to ascend to God. Innocence is the door to the Divine and our mind is the barrier. Our mind as such is cunning, calculating and clever. It is because of this cleverness that we miss God. Many of us think we are being saved but we never have really given ourselves to Christ completely and totally, and unless we do, we will miss the Kingdom of Heaven.
Many of us have obtained the kingdom of this world through our mind, energy and hard work. To become rich and successful in this world requires a certain amount of cunningness: the more cunning, the more successful; the more calculating, the more efficient in the ways of the world. But the ways of this world are not the ways of God. To fully find God we must be born again. To be born again we must return to our innocence. There are two ways to do that. First we return to our innocence through humility. Jesus says, “Whoever humbles himself like this child….”
What is the humility of a child? The humility of a child is found in the heart of the child, not the head. A child’s mind is undeveloped. All that exists is the heart. Have you noticed how naturally loving, trusting and giving an innocent child is? These are the ingredients required for God to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. These attributes do not come from the mind. They cannot be learned, taught, transmitted or found. We are born with them and along the way we lose them; therefore, to find God again, we must be born again and return to the innocence of a child.

Second, to return to our innocence we must repent. To repent means to return to God; to return to God means to begin living in our heart and not our head. The heart IS the source of our being. Repentance means to renounce our former self. We call it sin. We must make a 360 degree turn. We must turn completely around and become who God intended us to be. The purpose of Jesus coming was to give us the opportunity to repent, turn around, return to God and become who God intended us to be. Repentance leads to rebirth and to be reborn is to return to the original loving, trust and giving person we once were. To return to our innocence is to understand who we are and whose we are. Dimly at first we see our being but through our rebirth, we see God face to face.

Charles Barkley Offers to Pay for Funerals of 3 Kids Killed in Alleged Philly Carjacking

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Birmingham Times

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July 31, 2014

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Former Philadelphia 76ers great and TNT NBA commentator Charles Barkley has offered to pay for the funerals of three children killed in an automobile accident following an alleged sexual assault and carjacking in North Philadelphia last week.

The children — Keiearra Williams, 15; Thomas Joseph Reed, 10; and Terrence Moore, 7 — were struck and killed on the morning of July 25 by a Toyota 4Runner that “lurched out of control and into a family selling fruit at Allegheny and Germantown Avenues,” according to Aubrey Whelan and Mike Newall of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Their mother, Keisha Williams, 34, was also injured, and remained hospitalized in critical condition as of Monday night. The car belonged to a female real estate agent who had allegedly been “carjacked [and] forced to perform oral sex on [two] men after they forced their way into her car,” taking $3,000 from the woman in the process. Shortly thereafter, “the car went out of control, blew a tire, and careened into Williams and her children, who had been selling fruit to raise money for a neighborhood playground, police said.

The real estate agent, 45, suffered broken ribs, cuts and bruises in the crash, and remained hospitalized in stable condition on Monday, while another woman — 69-year-old Thelma Brown — who had been working with Williams and her family at the church-run fruit stand remained hospitalized after suffering a broken ankle and bruised sternum.
After a weekend of searching for the two suspects, Philadelphia law enforcement officials announced Monday that “the city has charged Jonathan Rosa, 19, and Cornelius Crawford, 23, each with three counts of second-degree murder and additional counts of robbery, sexual assault, kidnapping, and carjacking,” and will seek “mandatory life sentences” against both of them, according to Victor Fiorillo of Philadelphia magazine. U.S. Marshals and homicide detectives captured Crawford on Sunday night, while Rosa “surrendered to authorities [Sunday] alongside his mother and a pastor,” according to David Gambacorta and Dylan Segelbaum of the Philadelphia Daily News. Rosa and Crawford were arraigned early Tuesday morning and ordered held without bail, according to the Inquirer.

The tragic nature of a senseless, reckless incident that claimed three young lives has led to a national outpouring of support and, in this case, an offer of aid from Barkley, who spent the first eight years of his Hall of Fame NBA career with the 76ers and still maintains ties to the city. “Like most Philadelphians, many Americans, and people across the world that heard about this and were moved, [Barkley] wanted me to know that he wanted to pay for the funeral for these three children, and I put him in touch with the family so he can do that,” District Attorney Seth Williams said during a Monday press conference, according to Brian X. McCrone of Philly.com. Barkley confirmed the offer to NBC10.com on Tuesday, but “declined to comment further, saying he did not want to take attention away from the victims.” A vigil will be held at the crash site at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday evening, according to Syma Chowdhry of Philadelphia CBS affiliate KYW-TV. A preliminary hearing for Rosa and Crawford has been scheduled for Aug. 13.

EURweb.com

NeNe Leakes Dishes on Being ‘Blindsided’ by Ex-Friend Cynthia Bailey

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Birmingham Times

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July 31, 2014

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NeNe Leakes made herself clear that she and Cynthia Bailey are not going to make up and be friends again… ever!

After a charity event gone wrong and some name calling, their friendship has since been no more. Leakes admitted she thought they moved past their issues, but Bailey “blindsided” her by reliving their drama during the “RHOA” reunion show.“There’s no friendship and there will not be. I am so done with her. I don’t even have words for her. We had a real friendship and I don’t play those games,” Leakes revealed on “Watch What Happens Live.”

The women even spent time together off camera, and Leakes found it funny after so much time had passed Bailey would have an issue with her. Leakes added, “I really loved her and I feel like if she had an issue with me, I don’t understand somebody waiting six months to have an issue with you.” Leakes preferred if Bailey would have talked with her in private instead of blasting her during the reunion show. “How dare you be my good friend and I be there for you and you wait six months to tell me I did something wrong in front of people who don’t give a damn about our friendship,” she said. “Why would you bring this up in front of people who don’t care about our friendship one way or the other?” She said she had forgiven Bailey, but their friendship will never be fixed. “I can forgive her, but I don’t want to have a friendship with her,” NeNe said. “I can’t hear that b!tc# out.”

Eurweb.com

Unique Program for troubled youth to honor contributors at special dinner, entertainment, and award show in Chicago

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Birmingham Times

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July 30, 2014

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(Chicago) Probation Challenge, the first court-mandated program of its kind in the country where clients are forced to help themselves via education (School or Jail!), will be presenting their 35-year “Portrait of Achievers” Awards, Entertainment, and Dinner show on Friday, August 15th at 7pm at Condesa del Mar in Chicago/Alsip, Illinois.

Featured on the R&B stage will be Marshall Thompson and the world famous Chi-Lites, who will sing many of their hits, including Have You Seen Her?, Oh Girl, and many others. On the Gospel Stage will be Pastor Mitty Collier, best known for her hit song I Had A Talk With My Man Last Night. The Mistress of Ceremony will be Enid Spotser of Chicago’s Gospel Express/WBGN Radio 1540 AM.

Honorees will include Marshall Thompson, who will receive a tribute for his 35 years of service to the Probation Challenge organization; Mother Christine Moore, president of the ‘Oh Glory Ministries’, for her 35-years-plus services rendered in the program; and Clarence McMillan, engineer supervisor, who will be saluted for his 20-years-plus service to the PCC Network.

The presenters of the awards will be Chinta Strausberg, editor in chief of 3:16 Magazine; and Juanita Bratcher, editor and publisher of Copyline News Magazine.

Those expected in attendance include: Mother Christine Moore, Cincinnati, Ohio; Pastor Lottie Woods Hall, Greenville, South Carolina; Pastor Lucinda Rich, Ft. Pierce, Florida; Dr. Genevia Boyd, Clewiston, Florida; Evangelist Brenda Carter, Ft. Pierce, Florida and Minister Melvin Taylor, Ft. Pierce, Florida; and many others from across the country.

Rev. Harold E. Bailey, founder and president of Probation Challenge and The PCC Network, comments, “All are invited to attend this wonderful event and support our organization, which aims to re-unite families and help troubled youth who are filtering through the criminal justice system.”

Aaliyah’s Family Vows to Derail Lifetime Biopic, Block Use of Her Music

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Birmingham Times

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July 25, 2014

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(Eurweb.com) Aaliyah’s family is not happy with the planned Lifetime movie about her life, and has vowed to derail production on the film, or at least block any attempt to use her music, according to TMZ. Disney Channel star Zendaya, 17, has been cast to play the late singer, who died in a 2001 plane crash. Lifetime plans to start filming on “Aaliyah: Princess of R&B” this summer, but not if Aaliyah’s uncle and former manager, Barry Hankerson, has anything to do with it. He tells TMZ the family is upset that no one from the network contacted them about the movie. Hankerson says the family will block any attempt on Lifetime’s part to use any of Aaliyah’s music. He says the family has hired a lawyer and will do everything they can to block release of the flick.

The family is not opposed to a big, theatrical film, but thinks a TV movie is too small for someone as big as Aaliyah. This was the same response Whitney Houston’s family had when Lifetime announced her biopic, to be helmed by Angela Bassett and star Yaya DeCosta.