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1 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2012Rochester, NYseptember 10 -16

www.MinorityReporter.nett

From Information to Understandingg


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MinorityReporter

VOL 5. NO. 45

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Status of World Trade Center Site

11 Years Later

Crea ng an Independent Civilian Review Board of the Police: Can We Put a 50 Year Old Demand to Bed?Guest Editorial by Ryan Acuff , p3

2 :: WWW.MINORITYREPORTER.NET - WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 10 - 16, 2012

Minority

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PHOTOGRAPHYTemple Boggs, Jr.Todd Elliott

COLUMNISTSGloria Winston Al-SaragC. Michael Tillman Rev. Michael Vaughn Vincent FelderDiane WatkinsMike DulaneyDavy VaraAyesha Kreutz

Minority Reporter, Inc. is a family of publications and other media formats committed to fostering self awareness, building community and empowering people of color to reach their greatest potential. Fur-ther, Minority Reporter, Inc. seeks to present a bal-anced view of relevant issues, utilizing its resources to build bridges among diverse populations; taking them from information to understanding.

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In This Issue:

COVER Pg 5

- 9/11: Status of World TradeCenter, 11 Years Later

FEATURE Pg 12

-Hip-hop Mogul Chris Lighty Dies in NYC at 44

LOCAL Pg 4

- The Genesee Brew House Opens its Doors- Gov. Andrew Cuomo Endorses Assemblyman Gantt-Schumer: Young Footbal Players Need Safe Helmets

HEALTH Pg 6

- Despite Growing Education, African Americans Still Not Getting Infl uenza Vaccines

STATE Pg 10

- Sabres’ Owner Sparks Development in Buffalo

COLUMNS: Pg 13-15

- Lest We Forgot to Vote

By Gloria Winston Al-Sarag

- Don’t Bite the Apple!

By Michael Vaughn

- Family Caregiving: Easy? Think Again

By AARP Edna Kane-Williams

- Why It Takes Poor & Middle-Class White Racists a long time to Figure out Rich & Wealthy White Racists?

By Chris Stevenson

Rochester, NYseptember 10 -16


From Information to Understandingg


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MinorityReporter

VOL 5. NO. 45

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We want to know what YOU think! Email

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LET YOUR VOICE MAKE A

DIFFERENCE!

to eligible owners of pre-1978 1-4 unit privately-held housing located in the City of Rochester to control lead based paint hazards.

painting, siding, window/door replacement and porch repair/replacement. Funding will be provided based on unit size (see below). Both owner-occupied and rental properties will be served. Owner-occupants must have a child or visiting age 6.

The City of Rochester

1 unit - $14,000 2- units - $20,0003-units - $26,000 4-units - $32,000

Call either agency listed below to receive an application.

Action for a Better Community 550 E. Main St. 325-5116

Neighborworks Rochester 571 South Ave. 325-4170

Questions? Call 311 or visit


President Obama’s Pro-Growth Solu ons by the Numbers[Original Op-Ed by Ayesha Kreutz: h p://www.minorityreporter.net/fullstory.php?id=1172]

Mr. Obama con nues to provide lip-service to the radical le , as he rules His Kingdom by execu ve privilege. America will not recover from this Socialist Dictator. Sad in America. Freedom is the price for what I worked my life to have. I saved so He can call me rich & pay for his social experiment- Gay rights & abor on. God help us- save us from ourselves!~Rich Rainey

Our income has dropped over $10,000 per year. We lost our re rement, and as we are close to re rement age, we will never be able to recover those funds. We had to sell our home and downsize considerably so we have a chance of surviving in our re rement. I count my blessings daily that my husband (although in not the greatest health) is s ll able to work. Yes we were lucky to sell our home but for $12,000 less than what it appraised for just 2 short years ago. I tell you my story, because I truly believe this administra on’s policies are not working, in actuality, they are crippling our economy and a chance at recovery! Please hold Pres Obama to his word. Vote him out!~Kat Crosby

I have experienced and improvement in my medical care capability and I have seen no private medical insurance companies go out of business. Hospitals and medical providers receive lower payments, but with more people having insurance the cost of providing medical services is also lower (due to a greater number of people being able to pay their bills).

It seems the research done for this wri ng was done completely on the internet and from Republican based infomercials. Government and its expenditures have go en smaller over President Obama’s term of offi ce. The stripping of government controls on fi nancial organiza ons during the eight years of the previous administra on allowed homeowners to get entangled in poor mortgages, re ree por olios to shrink to new lows or non-existence, and the jobs that workers depended upon to be shipped out of the country. Add to that the Republican mantra of doing everything in their power to make President Obama unsuccessful during his term of offi ce, then it becomes apparent why there is such a supposed “lack of predictability”.

Lastly Ayesha, if you believe the folks that treat our President with such disrespect and insolence will engage you any diff erently upon vo ng them in offi ce, your disappontment will be insurmountable.~T. Banister

No ma er how many hard facts and fi gures we cite, there will always be those who want to ignore them. The so-called Republican mantra of doing whatever it takes to make sure Obama is unsuccessful is actually just checks and balances. Without them, a socialist like Obama could push through whatever legisla on his li le heart desires, like he did in his fi rst two years when the Democrats had a super majority in both Houses of Congress. Republicans enjoyed perhaps the largest turnaround ever in 2010 because the American people got a glimpse of what Obama and the Democrats would do if le unchecked. The greatest Romney campaign commercials during the next two months will be Obama’s own words juxtaposed with the results that Ayesha men oned. ~Tim Al er

It’s ok to cri cize the president but let’s look at the non-par san facts. Mit Romney installed a very similar plan in Mass and now they have 98% of the people there insured. The only reason he’s running from his health insurance success there now is because it’s unpopular among na onwide polling.

This ar cle is not based on facts but based on republican and conserva ve ideology.~Greg Moore

29 New Homes to be Build in 19th Ward[News Story: h p://www.minorityreporter.net/fullstory.php?id=1164]

It bothers me that most of the new apartments, houses and condos being built within the city will not be aff ordable by the average city resident! Has anybody paid any a en on to that? The rents and mortgages will probably be at the least $1100 a month. I am a middle class person...I can’t aff ord those kinds of rents and mortagages. Will someone please build something that the average middle class working person can aff ord? Thank You!~LovaleeSam

LovaleeSam, You are right, but you need to put your thoughts into an email to all of the city offi cials listed in the ar cle above. By the way, it’s called gentrifi ca on. At least there are agencies in Rochester that help people learn about home ownership so that maybe they can buy their 2nd home in Brooks Court. I’m of the mindset that less is more anyway. We moved from an apartment in the city to a house in the suburbs (bigger than we need) and our next move is to the country where it’s quieter and more private and the taxes will be lower. Then we can use our extra money for to rent a lakeside co age or take vaca ons.

FYI, home ownership is not cheaper than ren ng unless the house has a new roof, furnace, hot water heater and is in a clean, safe, neighborhood with reasonable taxes, otherwise, keep paying rent! Don’t forget when you own a home you have to cut the grass, shovel the snow, buy your own washer and dryer (and maybe stove and fridge) and pay taxes on top of your mortgage. If you want to invest money their are other vehicles to do that--talk to a fi nancial planner and/or tax accountant before you buy a home.~Knowledge63

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•GUEST EDITORIAL•

As the old p r o v e r b goes the more things change the more they stay the same. This s t a t e m e n t couldn’t be more spot-on when it comes to the enduring p o l i c e -

c o m m u n i t y confl ict and the persistent calls for genuine and credible civilian oversight of the police in Rochester, NY. From 1962 to 2012, community groups have consistently fought for an independent Civilian Review Board (CRB) to handle, inves gate, and rule on allega ons of police brutality and misconduct.

In response to a number of police brutality cases and several protests at police headquarters in the early 1960s, the City of Rochester was one of the fi rst ci es in the country to ins tute an independent civilian review board. The reform was most notably a response to the Rufus Fairwell incident where Fairwell, a black gas sta on owner on South Plymouth, was “mistaken” for a burglar and brutally beaten by white police offi cers breaking mul ple vertebrae. From 1963-1970 the Police Advisory Board inves gated excessive force complaints and their fi ndings were made public if they diff ered with the police chief. In 1970 the Republicans retook control of City Council and defunded the board, eff ec vely dissolving this necessary ins tu on. Shortly a er it was defunded 22 people from 11 diff erent organiza ons spoke out before City Council demanding that the Police Advisory Board be reinstated. From that point forward, the chorus of the community groups has been consistent for 42 years: REINSTATE A GENUINE CRB.

Community groups, lead especially by outspoken black religious leaders Minister Franklin Florence and Reverend Raymond Graves, have called for an independent Civilian Review Board with inves ga ve and subpoena power for the last 42 years. Commission upon commission has met following instances of police brutality and misconduct. Nevertheless, the city has refused to heed the community’s demands for an independent review process.

In 1976, the “Crimi Commission” was convened in response to civil unrest and widespread calls for reform a er the police shot and killed 18 year old Denise Hawkins in 1975. In 1977 the City ins tuted a “Complaint Inves ga on Commi ee” (CIC) which had some civilian involvement in reviewing police inves ga ons of civilian complaints. However, the commi ee could not interview civilians or directly inves gate any claims, leaving what some cri cs called “the fox in charge of the hen house.” In 1983, the killing of Alecia McCuller, the daughter of prominent black leader James McCuller, by Rochester Police sparked another major reform process. However, the recommenda ons for a genuine CRB by the McCuller Commi ee, chaired by Minister Florence, were ignored. In 1984 one civilian was added to the CIC leaving the basic system intact.

In 1992, when former Rochester police chief Gordan Urlacher was sent to federal prison on corrup on charges and 5 vice squad offi cers were standing trial on 19 counts of police brutality, another push for genuine reform was led by the United Church Ministries, a coali on of mostly black churches. Despite the community support for the UCM proposal, the oversight process was simply renamed and reshuffl ed. The Complaint Inves ga on Commi ee became the “Civilian Review Board” (CRB) where a panel of three civilians would review internal police inves ga ons of police misconduct. However, as Reverend Graves remarked, it remained a “toothless ger” as the board had no inves ga ve or subpoena power. This CRB has been in eff ect for 19 years (with minor modifi ca ons in ‘95) with the same confl icts of interest in place (police inves ga ng themselves) and in defi ance of constant protests to fundamentally change the process and restore inves ga ve power to the Board as it had in the 1960s and similar to the January 2012 CRB reform just implemented in Syracuse.

In August 2011 a Commission to Reform the Civilian Review Board was convened by Rochester City Council, in response to the Emily Good and Willie Ligh oot incidents caught on video, and widespread allega ons of racial profi ling in the community. Chairman of the City Council Public Safety Commi ee Adam McFadden blasted the current oversight process saying that it was “badly damaged and has no credibility in the community.” Yet, a er another 11 month commission and despite a swell of support for a CRB with inves ga ve power (including support from Commission members) it appears the current process may simply be tweaked and reshuffl ed without fundamental changes.

What would it take for our poli cians to be foresighted enough to change course and fi nd the funding to implement genuine reform that is credible in the eyes of the community? If we don’t implement civilian review of police with inves ga ve and subpoena power this me around, Rochester may have to wait un l the next major police abuse incident that sparks the next police commission. Note that the current Rochester police reform commissions are running average every 10-15 years. Meanwhile we will be stuck with the reshuffl ing of the current civilian oversight process that s ll lacks credibility in the community, despite the hard work done by the most recent commission. The 50 year old demand for independent civilian oversight isn’t going away as long as racial and economic inequality plague our community and the Rochester Police refl ect the demographics of the suburbs, not the actual people they police.

-----------------------------------Ryan Acuff Community Commi ee, Commission to Reform the Civilian Review BoardBoard Member, New York Civil Liber es Union, Genesee Valley Chapter

Crea ng an Independent Civilian Review Board of the Police: Can We Put a 50 Year Old Demand to Bed?

RYAN ACUFF


The Genesee Brew House Opens its DoorsRochester, New York – The Genesee Brewery held a ribbon cu ng ceremony on Aug. 31 to unveil The Genesee Brew House and announce details of its grand opening.

The public grand opening celebra on was held on Sept. 8 at their St. Paul Street loca on on Rochester’s North East Side and featured a free concert, tours of the pilot brewery, beer tas ngs, food and more.

“The Genesee Brew House commemorates Genesee brewery employees and our loyal fans,” said Rich Lozyniak, CEO of North American Breweries, Genesee’s parent company. “It captures Genesee’s rich history while paying tribute to brewing in Rochester, New York.”

“For over 130 years, The Genesee Brewery has been a vital part of our local economy and has helped put Monroe County on the map. Today’s opening of the Brew House signifi es the many great things that are in store for our region. I applaud the public-private partnerships that made this investment possible and wish North American Breweries con nued success in revitalizing this historic jewel of our community,” said Monroe County

Execu ve Maggie Brooks.

In November of 2011, The Genesee Brewery announced plans to renovate the former packaging center in Rochester’s Northeast neighborhood. The majority of the development project is complete but the outdoor concert and event space will be completed in spring 2013. The company has invested nearly $3.9

million into the project.

“The Genesee Brew House will be a des na on for Rochester residents and visitors alike,” said Mayor Thomas S. Richards. “We look forward to the vibrancy that people will bring here as they come to dine, see the exhibits, sample the brew and take in the newly opened vistas of the High Falls and Genesee River gorge.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo Endorses Assemblyman Gan (ROCHESTER, NY--) The Commi ee to Re-Elect David Gan announced today that Assemblyman Gan has been endorsed by Governor Andrew Cuomo in the primary elec on for the Democra c seat in the 137th Assembly District – the seat which has been held by Assemblyman Gan since the district was fi rst created as the result of an historic federal Voter’s Rights lawsuit brought by Gan in 1983.

“I am proud to endorse Assemblyman David Gan to con nue to serve the 137th Assembly District,” said Governor Cuomo. “He is a man of courage and passion who is an outstanding advocate for the people

of Rochester and Gates. We have many challenges ahead of us -- and we need experienced leaders like David Gan in Albany to help New York and its people soar into a new era of prosperity, equality and excellence.”

“I thank Governor Cuomo for his support. From his work to create job opportuni es for our inner-city youth to his fi ght to bring accountability to our schools, Andrew Cuomo understands the challenges we face,” said Assemblyman Gan . “I am proud to have his endorsement and his friendship, and look forward to con nue working with him to move Rochester forward.”

David Gan is the fi rst African American from this area to be elected to statewide offi ce and is the Dean of the Rochester State Legisla ve Delega on and a senior leader in the New York State Assembly. He currently serves as Chairman of the Assembly Standing Commi ee on Transporta on. He also chairs both the Assembly Subcommi ee on Aff ordable Housing and the Subcommi ee on Voter Registra on, and he is a member of the Assembly Standing Commi ees on: Economic Development, Corpora ons, Rules, Local Governments; and Ways and Means.

Schumer: Young Football Players Need Safe HelmetsROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) -- U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer wants to make sure young football players wear safe helmets.

Schumer is visi ng Gates Chili High School football fi eld Monday to announce his support for new legisla on designed to improve standards for youth and high school football helmets.

Schumer says the current voluntary

safety standards for football helmets do not specifi cally address concussion risk or youth-size helmets. The proposed legisla on would establish a process for new, youth-focused safety standards.

Concerns about the long-term health eff ects of repeated concussions have increased in recent years and many parents are reconsidering whether football is safe enough for their children.


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NEW YORK — Eleven years a er terrorists a acked the World Trade Center, the new mul billion-dollar World Trade Center once again dominates the lower Manha an skyline. Hundreds of construc on workers are at the 16-acre site every day, and tourists snap thousands of photos of the two towers that are nearing comple on.

Here is a look at the status of the trade center’s major components, according to its developers:

>> Most of the 8-acre memorial quadrangle at the World Trade Center opened last year on the 10th anniversary of the a acks. Since then, some 4.5 million people have visited the memorial, with its twin refl ec ng pools where the towers stood. But a museum being built in a cavern beneath the plaza is s ll incomplete. Work all but stopped last fall because of a funding dispute between the memorial founda on and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Joseph Daniels, president of the Na onal Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum, said that once construc on resumes it will take more than a year to fi nish the job, meaning the museum might not open un l 2014.

>> One World Trade Center, formerly known as the Freedom Tower, will open in 2014 on the northwest corner of the trade center site with 3 million square feet of offi ce space. Tenants so far include magazine publisher Conde Nast and the federal government’s General Services Administra on. The spire atop the 104-story building will reach the symbolic height of 1,776 feet. There will be observa on decks on the 100th, 101st and 102nd fl oors. The building without the spire has reached its full height of 1,368 feet. It

is expected to cost $3.9 billion by the me it is fi nished.

>> The fi rst offi ce building to open will be the 72-story 4 World Trade Center at the southeast corner of the site. It has reached its full height of 977 feet and is scheduled to open in October 2013. Tenants will include the Port Authority, the bistate agency that owns the trade center site and lost its headquarters when the twin towers were a acked.

>> Just north of 4 World Trade Center is 3 World Trade Center, which is now an eight-story stub but will reach 80 stories and 1,150 feet when it’s complete. Developer Larry Silverstein is required to lease at least 400,000 square feet of space before fi nishing the building. Silverstein’s team is projec ng a comple on date of 2015 or 2016.

>> At the site’s northeast corner, 2 World Trade Center is up only to street level. The building is planned as an 88-story skyscraper but will not be built un l the commercial real estate market picks up enough to fi ll it.

>> The new transporta on hub at the trade center will connect 13 subway lines and PATH trains to New Jersey when it opens in 2015. It will replace the temporary PATH sta on that was built a er the Sept. 11 a acks. Designed by Spanish architect San ago Calatrava, the sta on will serve 250,000 travelers a day. There will be two levels of retail space. None of the tenants has been announced yet. The cost of the transporta on hub, originally pegged at $2.2 billion, is now expected to exceed $3.5 billion.

>> A performing arts center planned for the site has been in limbo for years. A board of directors was named this year and was given the task of raising money to build the center, which is to include a 1,000-seat theater.

>> An underground vehicle security center and bus parking facility just south of the main trade center site will open in 2013.

9/11: Status of World Trade Center Site, 11 Years Later

One World Trade Center rises April 17, 2012, above the lower Manha an skyline and the Na onal September 11 Memorial and Museum, in New York. Eleven years a er terrorists a acked the World Trade Center, the new World Trade Center now dominates the lower Manha an skyline. / AP Photo / Mark Lennihan


Although federal, state, and county offi ces con nue to increase eff orts providing educa on and awareness about infl uenza, the sta s cs do not seem to be changing. Despite Healthy People 2020 Targets for Infl uenza vaccina on coverage are 80% for six months to 64 years of age and 90% for 65 years and older, most people do not receive the vaccine. This is par cularly true among the African American Popula on, especially in the high risk groups of elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic illnesses.

Coverage for the 2010-2011 season (September 2010 – June 2011) for adults (age 18 and older) for non-Hispanic Blacks was 34.2% (compared to non-Hispanic Whites at 43.2%). 56.1% of non-Hispanic Blacks, age 65 years and older received the vaccine; which is about 7,957 people total in the United States. Despite increased educa onal eff orts; increased access through pharmacies, work places, and schools; and even the 2009 H1N1 Pandemic; most African Americans, including the elderly popula on, seem to be avoiding the infl uenza vaccine.

The Flu Can Be Prevented!

The low percentages of immuniza ons indicate barriers that prevent African Americans from receiving vaccina on. One of the biggest barriers – common among other groups as well – are the misconcep ons and misinforma on about infl uenza and its vaccine.

The fl u can be prevented by ge ng the fl u vaccine each year. You can get the fl u vaccine at your physician’s

offi ce, health care clinics, and many pharmacies; and the vaccine is usually covered by insurance. The vaccine off ers protec on against mul ple strains of the virus.

You cannot get the fl u from the fl u vaccine! The viruses contained within the fl u shot are inac vated or killed, so that they cannot cause an infec on. As the virus is made, fl u vaccine manufacturers kill the virus and conduct tests to ensure the vaccine is safe and will not cause the infec on.¬ If a person develops the fl u or fl u like symptoms a er ge ng the vaccina on, it is usually because they have already been exposed to the disease prior to receiving the shot. It can take two weeks for the vaccina on to take full eff ect. If you have been

exposed during this me period, your body may not have created all the an bodies it needs to successfully defeat the infec on.

Flu viruses constantly change and a person’s immune protec on from the vaccina ons can decline over me. So, it is important to get a fl u vaccine every year for the best protec on. The CDC and federal government suggest ge ng the vaccine as soon as it is available. The fl u vaccine usually becomes available in early fall, approximately in September.Protect your family, friends, and co-workers by ge ng vaccinated this fl u season!

Mary Pat Adams is a Director of Nursing at HCR Home Care, whose purpose is reducing dispari es in health outcomes of African Americans and other minority groups. HCR provides nursing, therapy, home health aide service, and companion care to older adults in the comfort of their homes. It is the only home care agency in our region to be designated a fi ve- me winner of the na onal Top 100 Home Care Elite Award, and is a valued partner of Minority Reporter and the Perspec ves TV show. To learn more call us at 585-295-6590, or visit www.hcrhealth.com.

www.hcrhealth.com

25% of the US population gets the flu

each year!

The flu vaccine is the best way to protect

yourself and your loved ones from the flu!

Peak flu activity is usually from February to May.

Prevention: • Get Vaccinated • Cover your cough & sneeze • Wash your hands

Symptoms: • Sore throat • Aches & pains • Fever

Despite Growing Education, African Americans Still Not Getting Infl uenza VaccineBy: Mary Pat Adams, RN, BSN, Director of Nursing at HCR Home Care

44,000 seniors die from flu and complications

from the flu each year.



For more information on table purchases and individual ticket sales, please contact Cherise Jordan at 585-325-5116 x4554 or [email protected]. Register at www.abcinfo.org.

2012 Honorees

Gloria Langston, Signature Citizen of the Year Award

Bryan Hetherington, James M. McCuller Award for Excellence

Joel Cummings, Lena M. Gantt Distinguished Community Service Award

Action for a Better Community, Inc’s., premier celebration honors citizens in the Rochester community for their outstanding service, volunteerism and advocacy on behalf of low-income and economically disadvantaged people.

Thanks to our 2012 sponsors!

John & Jayne Summers Foundation:

Sponsor of our Keynote Speaker

Jeff Johnson MSNBC contributor

White House correspondent for theGrio.com

Action for a Better Community, Inc.

9th Annual Signature Luncheon October 30, 2012 | Hyatt Regency

12:00—1:30 p.m. Registration at 11 a.m.

•


We Know We Can Really Count on Him!

David FGantt

David FGantt

Vote for Your Assemblyman|DEMOCRATICPRIMARY

VOTE1A &4A ONLY

THURSDAYSEPT.13

Prescription drug abuse is on the rise. Being informed is your best defense.

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence – Rochester Area

www.ncadd-ra.orgwww.ncadd-ra.org

What's in your medicine cabinet?What's in your medicine cabinet?

To learn more or to schedule a presentation, contact NCADD-RA at (585) 719-3489.

• Don’t share your prescriptions.

• Know the signs and symptoms of abuse.

• Properly conceal and dispose of old or unused medications. For dates and locations of pharmaceutical waste collection sites located near you, visit www.monroecounty.gov/hhw.

Prescription Drug Abuse Ad - Minority Report 7.12.indd 1 7/19/2012 9:44:58 AM

12th Annual DiversityConference

Building Community through DiversitySpirituality, State and Politics

Thursday, September 20, 2012 8 am – 4:45 pm

Seymour College Union

Educational SessionsPanel DiscussionsMulticultural Food TastingCultural Showcase

For more information: (585) 395-5876

www.brockport.edu/divconf

FREE to pre-registered Brockport students,faculty and staff.

$20 for pre-registered non-Brockport students$50 for pre-registered general public

Pre-registration deadline is September 14, 2012.

Keynote Speaker

Arsalan Iftikhar

Sponsored By

The College at Brockport Diversity CommitteeBarnes & Noble Bookstore

BROCKPORT STUDENT GOVERNMENT


BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - Byron Brown is fi ne with either tle, mayor of Buff alo or “Pegulaville,’’ which is what Sabres fans have begun aff ec onately referring to their city in tribute to the NHL franchise’s owner Terry Pegula.

It works either way, because Brown knows all too well that this rustbelt, hard-luck town with a reputa on for chicken wings, harsh winters and two professional sports teams without a championship between them has been called far worse.

“I absolutely get a kick out of it,’’ Brown said, referring to the nickname “because it’s another posi ve way the community is being branded.’’

He’s more impressed with the man behind the name, because of what Pegula has done for Buff alo in the 18 months since the Pennsylvania billionaire purchased the Sabres.

“He’s a person of ac on. He’s someone that gets things done,’’ Brown said. “One of the fi rst conversa ons I had a er he came to town is that he said, `I want to help you build Buff alo.’’’

That vow is turning into reality because Pegulaville is in for an expansion.

The Pegula-backed and fully privately funded $123-million development proposal to build a mul -purpose complex on a downtown block across the street from the Sabres arena received the green light last week.

Construc on is set to start in March on a 614,000 square-foot building that is designed to feature a 200-room hotel, two ice rinks (including one with an 1,800-sea ng capacity), retail/restaurant space and parking garage.

For Buff alo, it’s the latest in a string of under-construc on and proposed developments set to be built on prime land along the newly redeveloped Canalside harbor front district.

For Pegula, who made his fortune in the natural gas industry and whose worth has been es mated at $3 billion, it’s his latest $100-million-plus endeavor.

Over the past two years, Pegula has

commi ed more than $100 million to his alma mater Penn State to fund the construc on of a hockey arena and elevate the school’s hockey program to Division I. He then spent nearly $200 million to purchase the Sabres and their minor league affi liate in Rochester.

And that doesn’t include the $8 million he spent on renova ng the Sabres locker room or the some $140 million the team has commi ed in salary to sign free agents and secure its own stars.

Now he is turning his a en on to the city itself.

“I’ve always been what you call a Northeasterner, and it just happens that my favorite hockey team resided in Buff alo,’’ said Pegula, who previously lived in western New York and now makes his home in Florida. “And I see where the city needs some assistance.’’

Buff alo is but a shadow of the bustling manufacturing-driven and Erie Canal Great Lakes shipping gateway it was in its heyday.

It now ranks as the na on’s third-poorest city with 250,000 or more residents, behind only Detroit and Cleveland. And its popula on of 260,000 is half of what it was in the 1950s.

It was while Pegula was nego a ng to purchase the Sabres that he informed his closest advisers that his presence in the city wouldn’t stop at hockey. Whether it was glancing at the undeveloped land around the city’s waterfront or seeing the aging grain mills just south of the Sabres arena, Pegula began considering ideas of how he could contribute.

That is when the opportunity to redevelop the former Webster Block parking lot was proposed.

“We’re excited to bring this thing

together,’’ Pegula said. “When we get this thing done, hopefully, we’ll make Buff alo part of a hockey des na on in the U.S. It’ll be a magnet and it’ll help everybody in the area.’’

The Sabres es mate the new facility will annually a ract 500,000 visitors. The ice rinks will be open to the public and double as the team’s prac ce facility. With an addi onal two rinks downtown, the Sabres also see this as an opportunity to lure na onal and interna onal hockey tournaments.

Buff alo drew more than 330,000 fans to the 11-day 2011 World Junior hockey championship, making it the second-best a ended tournament. The Sabres also hosted the 2003 NCAA Frozen Four.

Canisius College, whose hockey team plays at a rink off campus, is also in nego a ons with the Sabres to relocate to the downtown facility.

Canisius athle c director Bill Maher is impressed with what Pegula has accomplished in such a short me.

“Terry came in and created a tremendous amount of excitement when he purchased the Sabres. And he’s backed that excitement up with ac on,’’ Maher said. “Buff alo has always been searching for a silver bullet, and I think there’s any one silver bullet. It’s going to take a lot of hard work and dedica on. I think that’s one of the things that Terry Pegula’s done.’’

Read more: h p://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/hockey/nhl/wires/09/06/2040.ap.hkn.buff alo.expanding.pegulaville.1st.ld.writethru.1020/index.html#ixzz25n5LOlU8

Sabres Owner Sparks Development in Buff alo

Buff alo Mayor Byron BrownSabres Owner Terry Pegula

How manyyouth needmentors?

Just one…the one whoneeds you.

A message from the Boomer Mentor Project of Rochester Mentors at Lifespan.

You’ve got what it takesto make a difference in

the life of a child.

Call 271-4050 or visit www.RochesterMentors.org


13-212012 J/24 World Championship Time: 8:00amLoca on: Come make history at the 2012 J/24 Worlds hosted by the Rochester Yacht Club. Challenge some of the best sailing compe tors in the world at a world class venue. Compe tors and their guests are welcome to use all Rochester Yacht Club facili es. The Club has extensive food and bar facili es along with a swimming pool, tennis courts, playground, cabana and laundry equipment. The pool will be closed, however, at the me of this event. Dress code is “sailing”. No swim suits are permi ed in the Club House. Please visit h p://www.2012j24worlds.com/index.shtml for more informa on surrounding the event

13Employment Alliance Job FairTime: 9:00 AMLoca on: Diplomat at 1 Diplomat WayJob fair featuring an array of local businesses. This event is free and open to the public. Any businesses that are interested in a ending are encouraged to contact Marianne Barton at: mbarton@heritagechris anservices.org. The registra on fee for businesses has been waived thanks to the generosity of the McGowan Founda on. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to fi nd great staff free of charge!

13Bu erfl y Beltway ProjectTime: 4:00 PMLoca on: Helmer Nature Center, 154 Pinegrove Ave. in IrondequoitJoin us, rain or shine, as we release bu erfl ies in our bu erfl y garden! Learn about the life cyce and

migra on of Monarch Bu erfl ies from Seneca Park Zoo staff and par cipate in a special bu erfl y release. Free and open to the public

14Food Truck RodeoTime: 5:00 PM to 9:00PMLoca on: Damascus Shrine Center, 979 Bay Road, WebsterFood trucks from all around Rochester will descend on the Damascus Shrine Center, 979 Bay Road, to help raise money to rebuild the Bay View YMCA Climbing Tower. There will be live music by Webster-based Irish duo Barry’s Crossing. Kids ac vi es include a bounce house, dunk tank and face pain ng. There will also be prizes and raffl es. For more info, please visit h p://www.facebook.com/TrucksForTheTowerFoodTruckRodeo

15North Winton Village Fes val of the ArtsTime: 10:00AM-5:00 PMLoca on: 2299 E. Main St.One-day North Winton Village Fes val of the Arts, from Linear Park to the Gazebo Garden Park on North Winton Road, that off ers residents and visitors alike music, art, and an opportunity to mingle and learn more about the vibrant city neighborhood always on the move to improve. Contact: 585-234-6029

15Immigrants Connect 2012Time: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PMLoca on: Rochester Public Market, 280 N. Union St.Government and Community Resources for Immigrants and Small Businesses. For more informa on, please contact: Joseph Hamm 585-258-8857

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NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Lighty, a hip-hop mogul who helped the likes of Sean “Diddy” Combs, 50 Cent and Mariah Carey a ain not only hit records, but also lucra ve careers outside music, was found dead in his New York City apartment Thursday in an apparent suicide. He was 44.

He was found at his home in the Bronx with a gunshot to the head and was pronounced dead there, police said. No note was recovered, but a 9 mm handgun was found and there was no sign of forced entry, said Paul Browne, New York police spokesman. The shoo ng appears to be self-infl icted, authori es said.

Lighty had been a part of the scene for decades, working with pioneers like LL Cool J before star ng his own management company, Violator. But he was in the midst of a divorce and had been having recent fi nancial and personal troubles.

Twi er was abuzz with condolences just hours a er the body was found around 11:30 a.m.

“R.I.P. Chris Lighty,” Fat Joe posted on his account. “The man that saved my life!” Diddy wrote: “In shock.” Rihanna posted: “Rest peacefully Chris Lighty, my prayers go out to family and loved ones! Dear God please have mercy.” And Mary J. Blige wrote: “U never know what can send a person over the edge or make them want 2 keep living. take it easy on people.”

50 Cent said in a statement issued through his publicist that he was deeply saddened by the loss.

“Chris has been an important part of my business and personal growth for a decade,” he said. “He was a good friend and advisor who helped me develop as an ar st and businessman. My prayers are with his family. He will be greatly missed.”

Lighty was raised by his mother in the Bronx as one of six children. He ran with a group called The Violators, the inspira on for the name of his

management company, according to the company website. He was a player in the hip-hop game since he was a kid DJ. He rose through the ranks at Rush Management — mogul Russell Simmons’ fi rst company — before eventually founding Violator Management in the late 1990s.

“Today, we lost a hip-hop hero and one of its greatest architects,” Simmons tweeted.

Lighty’s roster ranged from Academy Award-winners Three 6 Mafi a to maverick Missy Ellio to up-and-comer Papoose and perpetual star Carey. He made it his mission not so much to make musical superstars, but rather mul faceted entertainers who could be marketed in an array of ways: a sneaker deal here, a so drink partnership there, a movie role down the road.

In a 2007 interview with The Associated Press, Lighty talked about

crea ng opportuni es for his stars — a Chaps ck deal for LL Cool J, known for licking his lips, and a vitamin supplement deal for 50 Cent.

“As music sales go down because kids are stealing it off the Internet and trading it and iPod sales con nue to rise, you can’t rely on just the income that you would make off of being an ar st,” he said at the me.

Survivors include his two children. He and his wife, Veronica, had been in the process of divorcing. The case was s ll listed as ac ve, but electronic records show an agreement to end it was fi led in June.

He was also having fi nancial trouble. City Na onal Bank sued Lighty, whose given name is Darrell, in April, saying he had overdrawn his account by $53,584 and then refused to pay the balance. The case was s ll pending.

He also owed more than $330,000

in state and federal taxes, according to legal fi lings. His tax problems were much steeper a year ago, but he cleared away millions of dollars in earlier IRS liens last October, a er selling his Manha an apartment for $5.6 million.

Larry Mestel, the CEO of Primary Wave Music, the entertainment company that created the joint venture Primary Violator management last fall with Violator Management, said: “We are extremely shocked and sadden by this tragic news. Chris was a friend, business partner and most of all, an icon, role model and true legend of the music and entertainment industry. He will be missed by many and we send love and support to his family.”___

Associated Press writers Jennifer Peltz, David B. Caruso and Mesfi n Fekadu contributed to this report.

Hip-hop Mogul Chris Lighty Dies in NYC at 44

LL Cool J, Russell Simmons, 50 Cent and Grandmaster Flash are among the mourners at the Manha an funeral of hip-hop mogul Chris Lighty.

Speaking outside the chapel, Grandmaster Flash said he wished Lighty had reached out to him for help. He says Lighty must have been under “tremendous pressure,” adding, “it’s

really sad.”

Before the service, mourners fi led past his open casket. Lighty was laid out in a dark suit, surrounded by arrangements of white fl owers. A slide show depic ng his life appeared on a screen.

Stars A end NYC Funeral of Hip-hop Mogul Lighty

(R) LL Cool J, foreground right, shares an embrace with another as he leaves the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel following the service for hip-hop mogul Chris Lighty,

Wednesday Sept. 5, 2012 in New York. Mourners in the packed chapel Wednesday included Sean “Diddy” Combs, Missy Ellio , Q-Tip, LL Cool J, Russell Simmons, 50

Cent and Grandmaster Flash. Lighty, the 44-year-old hip-hop mogul was found dead in his Bronx apartment last week with a gunshot wound to the head. (AP Photo/Tina

Fineberg)


Lest We Forget To VoteThe me has come for my annual public service a n n o u n c e m e n t , reminder, and plea to the irresponsible ci zens who fail to take the me to vote. Specifi cally, this message goes to the ones who are so apathe c, uneducated and

ill-informed that they think their vote does not ma er: Nothing could be further from the truth!

All votes count and historically there are races that have been determined by just one vote. They say in a presiden al elec on which occurs every four years, that voters are prone to take more of an interest and par cipate as opposed to other elec on years.

That may be true in some communi es but my major concern is always what transpires in my community.

Depending on who is reading this, that may make me a concerned ci zen or a racist. Whatever.

The bo om line is, in my community apathy is running rampant. The beat downs and false starts we have had collec vely are no excuse, but they are used eff ec vely to not par cipate in the poli cal arena.

I don’t expect every voter to become the poli cal animal that I am, but any self-respec ng black person aware of their history and the trials and tribula ons that brought us this far, will fi nd nothing more important to do on elec on day than VOTE.

Some say that barber’s kids need haircuts, beau cian’s kids need a hair do, preacher’s kids are wild, chef’s kids can’t cook, mechanic’s kids drive cars that break down, and poli cal animal’s kids don’t vote.

Their is some truth to the aforemen oned.

I just had this conversa on with my eldest son, who un l recently, would not miss an opportunity to vote.

On August 28, a new mayor, David Grissom, was elected in Russellville, Alabama.

It was a hotly contested race. The outcome was predictable according to those I ini ally spoke with. And those I spoke with prior to the outcome followed through on elec on day by heading to the polls.

However, what shocked me was when I asked my son if he voted and he said no. That “no” came across as too uncaring for me. I sat him down and gave him the lecture and the reminder of the awesome responsibility all blacks folks inherited from their ancestors.

I reminded him of the Fannie Lou Hamer story and those, both black and white, who died in Mississippi, Alabama, and elsewhere, to assure him the right to vote.

I took him there and hopefully come November he will remember to exercise his right to vote because there was a me it as not a given.

We’ve had to fi ght for ours. Lest we forget that lots of blood was shed via murders and lynchings; sweat was pouring and tears shed got us here.

Historically speaking, I’m one of the conspiracy theorists who do not support many of the theories proposed surrounding the assassina on of President John F. Kennedy. The ming of his assassina on occurred not long a er he proposed a strong Civil Rights Bill with language taken form a bill proposed by Dwight D. Eisenhower some years before. Most historians will recall it was the Birmingham, Ala., riots that possibly mo vated JFK into introducing the bill.

But, his assassina on caused the bill to stall. It would take two more years (1965) and the leadership of President Lyndon B. Johnson for the Vo ng Rights Act to fi nally become law.

We needed a law because our status as ci zens with certain “unalienable rights” was never a considera on or a given. These days, the only local race that interests me this year is the one occurring in the 137th Assembly District.

The seat currently being held by my friend of over 50 years, David F. Gan , is being challenged, and a primary will take place Thursday, Sept. 13.

David’s challengers don’t hold a candle to his record of achievement, accomplishments and what he has delivered to this community.

What concerns me are the people, who like me are staunch loyal supporters, who may stay home on primary day assuming he has nothing to worry about.

Quiet as it is kept, David does not have anything to worry about. His record is solid. But, we will all be remiss if we fail to follow through and turn our lip service into a vote for him.

The same will hold true for those who support the re-elec on of President Barack Obama. If we truly feel he is deserving of a second-term in offi ce then we will need to be out in full force on Nov. 6.

We can no longer sit on our laurels and assume anything, especially the fact that it is someone else’s responsibility to par cipate and not ours.

If you can’t fi nd the me to par cipate and vote then you have nothing to complain about.

Anyone that knows me well knows how I feel about folks who don’t vote at some point fi nding a need for a poli cian to help them do anything.

Poli cians who are on their jobs know they are there to serve all cons tuents. I admire those with a true commitment to do so. They are all be er than me.

One reason I don’t hold poli cal offi ce is because if someone called my offi ce for help, I would fi rst pull their vo ng record at the Board of Elec ons – not only to see if the were registered voters, but to also see when they last voted.

And guess what? If I could not fi nd their name on the rolls (regardless of party affi lia on) having taken the me to exercise their right to vote, they would not have to worry about me helping them do anything.

I guess that is why I choose to hold poli cians accountable as opposed to being one. Exercising our right to vote is part of it, lest we forget.

GLORIA WINSTONAL-SARAG

----------------------------------Gloria Winston Al-Sarag is a Community Activist, Writer, Communicator, Political Activist. She is a native Roches-terian and has been involved with numerous community orgainzations in Rochester. Contact Gloria at: [email protected]

The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not

necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of Minority Reporter.

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In the Old Testament there is the story of Adam and Eve who disobeyed the command of God and took from the tree in the midst of the garden and bit the fruit (Genesis 2). This act represented Adam and Eve believing the lie of the serpent (who

was infl uenced by Satan). They believe the lie more than the truth and were severely punished for it. As I write this le er the Democra c Na onal Conven on is going on and the Republican Na onal Conven on has ended. As we move through this poli cal campaign season leading up to elec on day, I want to admonish you not to bite the apple.

There are untruths being told and we are expected to believe them so that our votes will be infl uenced. One of them is that the president has not had the proper support to get his agenda across and that is why he has been unsuccessful.

That is a lie, what president really has had

everyone suppor ng them?

It takes leadership in order to get people on board with your plan and you do not play the blame game when your plan does not work. It is too easy to blame the other person instead of taking responsibility for your own ac ons. This type of mentality only helps to promote a vic m mindset and keeps people bound.

Too many people in our country do not want to accept the responsibility for their ac ons. Do not bite the apple and be one of them.

Another lie that is being told is centered on how we should deal with taxes in America. People always want to talk about not giving tax breaks to the wealthy but they never want to talk about the millions of Americans that do not pay taxes at all. And worst yet, are able to get thousands of dollars in a tax refund. If the truth about taxes were told, it would be shown that the top 1% of the wealthiest Americans pay more than half of all taxes in America. And that about one-third of Americans do not pay taxes at all.

True tax reform would mean people who do not pay into the system, should not get

anything back.

People that receive a tax refund who pay nothing in, where do they think that money comes from? How come there is not discussion on that issue?

Everyone should pay taxes. Those that currently do not pay taxes need to pay some type of tax as their duty and obliga on as an American ci zen.

We as an electorate have to look at the issues that the candidates provide to us and remove the emo on and look directly at what they stand for and what they want to do. We have to stop vo ng against someone and instead vote for someone. All too o en the Democra c Party has tried to pit African-Americans against Republicans and paint the Republican Party as evil. That is working on one’s emo on and not allowing them to use their reason. The ideas that the democrats espouse do not lend themselves to helping us achieve the American dream. Instead they cause one to want to run away from being successful. It is a sad day in America when someone that has made their money successfully and legally is demonized for being too rich. That philosophy goes against the basic

tenets of our American ideology.

President Obama, the fi rst black president, has had the opportunity to lead by example and show African-Americans that hard work indeed will pay off in the end. However, he has reverted to the “crab-in-the-barrel” idea. He got his, now you cannot get yours! He should have used his offi ce to encourage people to stop relying on government to meet their needs and use their God given gi s to meet their needs. He is a successful black man and we should be able to look at him as a model. However, his policies and his party help to keep African-Americans in their place, always looking for the government to help them out.

African-Americans are a strong people and this elec on year, look closely at whom you support and what they stand for. As you go into the vo ng booth, “don’t bite the apple!”

Don’t Bite the Apple!

Family Caregiving: Easy? Think AgainM u l t i c u l t u r a l MarketsMy 90 year-old mother moved in with me a er suff ering a massive heart a ack. Doctors weren’t hopeful. They r e c o m m e n d e d hospice. A er two weeks, I knew she’d do be er in my

home. Eighteen months later, she’s done tremendously well, but our lives have changed completely.

I wasn’t prepared. I’d been an indirect caregiver, helping my mother move to assisted living near her home in Philadelphia; then later to a senior building near my home in Maryland. A er her near death health crisis, it made sense she’d live with me.

Not even working for AARP prepared me to care for my mom 24/7. I was clueless. The fi rst six months were hardest:• Who do I call?• What’s the cost?• Why aren’t services covered?• No, I don’t need help. Really.• Help!

For me, being a caregiver means my mom doesn’t lie awake worrying. She knows I’ll take care of her. That’s the most important thing.

Each day brings us joy, anxiety, frustra on, guilt, smiles and tears. I work full- me, so someone always has to be with Mom. Business travel means making arrangements well in advance. Mom needs help standing, walking and managing personal needs. And almost monthly, her health prompts a hospital trip.

My fi ercely independent mother now relies on someone for all her needs. That’s hard for her. And I’ve gone from an empty nest to looking a er someone again and learning important lessons, like checking on Mom at night.

Once, she slipped off the bed. I found her sleeping on the fl oor the next morning. She didn’t have the strength to get back in bed. Finding her like that broke my heart. Acknowledging her physical limita ons broke hers.

As a family caregiver, I join about one in four adults caring for adult rela ves or friends – typically 50+ with chronic condi ons or disabili es. Sixty-fi ve percent of caregivers are women. The ‘average caregiver’ is 49, female, employed and caring for her mother nearly 20 hours weekly without compensa on. About 53 percent of African Americans are family caregivers or have been.

Growing up, no one called themselves caregivers or thought about their personal sacrifi ces. If a family member needed help, you helped. When I was li le, my grandmother always lived with one of my aunts. And my uncle, disabled a er a stroke, eventually lived with his sisters.

Today, more people recognize the importance of family caregivers, their need for relief, and how much their care is worth. In 2009, family caregivers provided $450 billion in care – just $59 billion less than Medicare spending that year.

Family caregiving is intense. At work, Mom’s on my mind, then I’m rushing home to relieve the caretaker. I’m constantly in prayer, because faith keeps me strengthened and focused.

Family caregiving also equals spending. That’s just the reality. I’m grateful Mom gets Social Security and a pension from years of factory work, but those checks don’t cover everything. I balance Mom’s care, my son’s college tui on, living expenses and everything else. Some mes, something falls through the cracks. It’s challenging, but now I can’t imagine things any other way.

Caregivers also need lots of love, support and help. Ini ally, I turned down help. I thought, “My brother’s across the country, so it’s all my responsibility.”

Wrong! You can’t do a good job caring for someone else if you don’t take care

C. MICHAEL VAUGHN

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT...

-------------------------------Tell me what you think; e-mail me at [email protected]

EDNA KANE-WILLIAMSVP, AARP

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The sooner you fi gure out why Mi rhymes with s**t, the be er off you’ll be. Not only that, Bain is a bane to humanity, and Paul Ryan is ripe for failure. Those are lines you must learn and repeat to yourself before this elec on of

what is looking more and more like good vs. evil. You see, Governor Mi Romney (MA) is a problem-creator not worth your a en on, much less your vote. By all evidence he has secretly been on a mission to turn the rest of the country into another Detroit. This will pre y much be the result if what he has been allowed to do in Bain Capital LLC crosses over into how he plans to run aff airs in the White House, and his new vice-presiden al pick Ryan could make it that much worse.

Before last week’s Republican Na onal Conven on, and before the Democra c Na onal Conven on, it seems a major missile has been fi red by the former republican candidate called Newt in what is a 30-minute a ack ad called “When Mi Romney Came to Town.” This is really nothing new but been in the works since late 2011 at least and produced by a former Romney supporter named Jason Killian Meath and a PAC closely aligned with Newt Gingrich called Winning Our Future. Based on or originally called “King of Bain: When Mi Romney Came to Town,” The Daily Caller considers it a Michael Moore-style a ack ad. Actually that puts this fi lm in good company. It’s also a response to Mi ’s ad against Newt (I’m sure we all remember that one. The one about... well, you remember).

The parts of this ad that are worth remembering and free of exaggera on is that 1-Mi Romney became CEO of Bain the day the company was formed. 2-Yes Bain’s mission is to reap massive fi nancial rewards for himself and his investors. 3-Bain, like much of Corporate America is decisively an -American in their foreign business dealings and investors, frivolously fi ring employees, cu ng employee benefi ts, and selling assets. 4-The four companies focused-on in this docu-expose; KayBee Toys, UniMac, AmPad, and DDi really did get taken over, run into the ground, and are now closed down due to their “cash rampage” and deliberate fi nancially-unstable decision-making that only Bain could profi t from. One of the AmPad branches was located just outside my hometown of Buff alo several months ago; they are now closed, pu ng over 180 people out of work. 5-Such an a tude does start with what was called a “high disdain for American workers.” 6-Mi has an even worse disdain for American voter-intelligence when he gives his explana on for his fi rm’s economic atroci es, authoring a ridiculous phrase called “crea ve destruc on” when responding to his cri cs. He gave a similar explana on a er he gave himself credit for Detroit’s auto industry comeback as a result of Obama’s s mulus package, even though he was well-known to have said beforehand “let Detroit go bankrupt” by using another BSplana on called “managed bankruptcy.” WTF.

These four companies weren’t just some mismanaged start-up plants that were now in need of fi nancial overhaul; KB was 80-years-old. Bain purchased them in 2000 and by 2004 365 stores were closed a er implemen ng Romney’s crea ve destruc on by reportedly forcing them to go deep into debt by millions, and

then using the money to repurchase Bain stock. From KB Romney and his partners made $120 million (evidently these guys were experts at bloa ng stocks, and fi nancial ra ngs, with some Wall Street banks covering for them. They made a 900% return on their investment with KayBee). The stories of the other companies featured in the broadcast have similar endings. What seems to be clear is a pa ern by Bain of hi ng small towns in America’s heartlands and sucking the life out of-oddly enough-key plants that seem to be the lifeblood of those towns, and their mostly white working class factory laborers, and then blowing town. There’s a certain detached cowardice to this that isn’t really focused on.

Much of this has to do with the history of Bain from day one. In their beginning they went a er foreign investors according to an ar cle in the Los Angeles Times. Though the venture capitalist company was an off shoot of Bain & Co., founded by Bill Bain, established American families like the Rothschilds stayed away from the young Romney and his fellow upstarts fresh out of Harvard Business School. Thus began a trend of searching for foreign investors, some of them were on the suspect side. Among the fi rst was Sir Jacks Lyons of London (Jean Overseas) who invested $2.5 million. Lyons was later convicted of stock fraud and died some me a er. Another Brit; publisher Robert Maxwell gave them $2 million; he was later accused of stealing money from pension funds. Bain also received $9 million from La n American Salvadorans; suspicions are that some of them were Miami exiles who were already funding right wing death squads.

One of the Bain partners introduced them to some La n American coff ee growers like Miguel Duenos, Francisco

R.R. de Sola, Herbert Arturo de Sola, Ricardo Pama, Frank Kardonski, and Diego Ribadeneira.

Li le-known to some is the deal where Romney bought an Italian telecom company through Bain, then sold it for 25 mes what he paid for it. A er which he funneled the money through Luxembourg to circumvent taxes. In spite of his claims that he wasn’t with Bain during the me of some of these deals, it’s a safe bet to believe he oversaw all of them, Marion IN, Holyoke MA, Buff alo NY, and many other states and townships.

Beneath the smokescreen of lies put forth to the public by Paul Ryan about President Obama being responsible for a plant shutdown in his home state of Missouri even before he took offi ce, and his cri cism of Obama’s s mulus even though he supported Bush’s s mulus, some serious fact-fi nding and personal soul searching needs to be undertaken by many armchair CPAs before they draw any conclusions before elec on day. Because what’s le of their own race-based blind trust stands to be as under a ack as their bank accounts if they pull the lever for Romney, and at his pace it could happen overnight.

Chris Stevenson is a syndicated columnist, his ar cles also appear on his blog; the Buff alo Bullet, www.thebuff alobullet.com Blackcommentator www.blackcommentator.com Poli cal Aff airs Magazine, www.poli calaff airs.net Follow him on Twi er( h p://twi er.com/pointblank009 )and Facebook ( h p://www.facebook.com/pointblank009 ) Sign his Pe on to Abolish the Death Penalty. Contact him at [email protected]

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of yourself. When trusted family and friends off er help, take it! Let people “spell” you, prepare meals or take you out. Rest and relaxa on are cri cal for caregivers.

I’m grateful when my brother visits from Minnesota, my children show up, rela ves come by or friends stage an interven on and send me out for the day. It’s great for me and for Mom.

Don’t go it alone. Here’s what I’ve learned:• Plan ahead before launching into caregiving;

• Research informa on and resources;• Communicate your needs;• Establish a team of helpers;• Don’t get mad – everyone doesn’t have the temperament to help out;• Don’t beat yourself up; there’s enough stress.

Visit www.aarp.org/blackcommunity. Learn about AARP’s caregiving campaign, resources, online caregiver groups and more. Caregivers and loved ones deserve all the help they can get!

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