cny vision week of may 30 - june 5, 2013

7/28/2019 CNY Vision Week of May 30 - June 5, 2013

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1 www.cnyvision.com |may 30 - june 5| 2013syracuse nyvol. 4 no. 9 may 30 -june 5 2013

Contreras: I was disappointed that we

had so many schools in sanction statuS


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2 www.cnyvision.com |may 30 - june 5| 2013LocaL office:

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contributorsKo QuayeJames Haywood RollingEarl Ofari HutchinsonBoyce Watkins

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CALENDAR

june

{COVER P 6 - 8

Contreras: I was Disappointed that wehad so many Schools in Sanction Status

{local P 3 - 4

Violent Knock-Out Game a NationalPhenomenon SUNY Pays Ex- Professor $600K Miner Campaign Responds to

Hogan-Denno-Levine Ticket

Murdered Sister-in-laws Money

Used to Buy Prison Goods for NY

Man

{state P 5

NY Man Admits to Death Threats on

Facebook Against Politicians Cuomo Makes Big Push to StrengthenAbortion in NY Cuomo to Attend Meeting on his Tax-Free New York Plan Hearing on 11-Mile Electric Line in NY

{national P 8

National NAACP Applauds HistoricExpansion of Voting Rights

{OPINIONS/EDITORIAL P 8-11

Syracuse Success Story: Sikuru Tijaniof Tisko Taxes

By Kof Quaye

Man Allegedly Murdered 6 Month OldBaby Over Video Game

By Dr. Boyce Watkins

In This Issue:1 www.cnyvision.com|may30-june5| 2013syracusenyvol.4 no.9 may 30 -june 5 2013

Contreras: I was disappointed that wehad so many schools in sanction statuS

June

1, 8, 15, 22 and 29Sankofa Piecemakers Quilng GroupTime: 10:00 amBeauchamp Branch Library is thehome of Sankofa Piecemakerswhere they meet every Saturday ina friendly supporve atmosphere tolearn new quilng techniques and topracce tradional ones..3GED ClassesTime: 9:30am NoonLocaon: Beauchamp Branch LibraryFree study sessions designed tohelp those who are interested inobtaining their GED. Must Sign-Up.

Contact Pat Booker ( 435-6376).Monday-Thursday

4, 11, 18 and 25Job Resource Assistance Drop-inTime: 1:00-3:00 pmLocaon: 447 South Salina St.Receive help with online jobsearching, resumes, creangproles and more. No appointmentnecessary.Space is limited and available on arst come, rst seated basis.Call 315.435.1900 with any quesons

11Downtown Farmers MarketLocaon: Clinton SquareOpen-air market with fresh, seasonalvegetables, fruit, nuts, eggs, cheese,baked goods, owers, plants,handcraed items for sale. Visitwww.downtownsyracuse.com for moreinformaon or call 422-8284

15Movie - LincolnTime: 1:30 pmLocaon: The Galleries of SyracuseThis biographical saga reveals the

conicts within Lincolns cabinetregarding the war and abolion

starring Daniel Day-Lewis as UnitedStates President Abraham Lincolnand Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln.2012; Rated PG-13, FREE.

15Happy Fathers Day CraTime: 10:30 amLocaon: 1620 W. Genesee St.Make a gi for someone you love!Ages 5 and up.

17TASTE OF SYRACUSETime: 11:00amSat, June 8, 11pmLocaon: Clinton SquareBring your friends and your appetesto the AmeriCU Credit Union Taste ofSyracuse, presented by Tops, returns

to downtown, featuring live music,fabulous food, and of course $1samples. For more informaon, visitwww.tasteofsyracuse.com.. Sat, June8, 11pm

26Hoopnoca!Time: 2:00 pmLocaon: 1620 W. Genesee St.Hoop dancing is a fun, playful, andexpressive way to get t. Join us forthis introducon to hooping taughtby Cered Hoopnoca Instructor,Dena Beraa of Mandala Moon Yoga.Dena will supply the hoops for useduring the class. Casual, comfortabledress is recommended. Ages 13 andup.

27Summer Reading Kicko:The Twin MagiciansTime: 11:00 amLocaon: Bes Branch LibraryRegister for Summer Readingand sit back and enjoy the magicentertainment of Paul and DavidJackman, The Twin Magicians.

Let your voice be heard

Tell us what you think at:

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3 www.cnyvision.com |may 30 - june 5| 2013LOCAL

Violent knockout game a national phenomenonSYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) Knockout-- the

game a group of teenagers in Syracuseallegedly played that resulted in theviolent, random death of a 51-year-old man-- has been a naonalphenomenon for at least a decade.

Reports of the game have surfaced instates, such as Massachuses, NewJersey and Illinois. In Missouri, a specialpolice squad and prosecutor wereassigned to bale the problem. Thegame there has been characterized innews reports as almost contagious,with endings that mirror the incidentin Syracuse on May 23.

That night, a group of teenagersaempng to knock Michael Daniels

out with a single punch wound upbeang and stomping him to death,according to police. A 15-year-oldand a 13-year-old have been arrestedand charged with rst-degreemanslaughter, and Syracuse PoliceChief Frank Fowler said more arrestsmay come.

The 15-year-old will be prosecuted incriminal court. The 13-year-old will bedealt with during closed proceedingsin Onondaga County Family Court. TheAssociated Press is withholding thenames of the accused because theyare juveniles.

Fowler said his department was

currently invesgang at least fourother instances of people beingaacked in a similar manner.

While this appears to be the rstknockout game killing in Syracuse,other reports of the knockout gamephenomenon detail much of the same:The perpetrators are usually teens,the aacks are random, and the goalis to knock a vicm unconscious with asingle punch.

If one player doesnt succeed inknocking out the vicm, others join into nish the job.

An editorial in the St. Louis paper in2011 likened the game to behaviordescribed in A Clockwork Orange.

In 1992, police in Cambridge, Mass.,said three drunken teenagers decidedto play knockout and randomlytargeted an MIT student, according tonews reports. Aer the student wasknocked to the ground, a 16-year-oldstabbed the vicm to death as he triedto get up.

The defendant in that case, ShonMcHugh, was sentenced as a juvenileto 20 years in prison.

In another recent case involving the

knockout game, 20-year-old ElexMurphy was sentenced to 55 years inprison for the killing of a 72-year-oldman in St. Louis.

At a May 3 sentencing, Murphyslawyer asked a judge to consider thatthe knockout game had been playedfor years by countless teens before thedeadly instance involving Murphysvicm, according to an arcle in the St.Louis Post-Dispatch.

Another arcle from the St. Louispaper noted that at least half a dozenpeople in the city had been randomlytargeted and injured by players of thegame. There, the mayor happened

upon a vicm of the knockout gameand called for juveniles to be triedas adults. A special police squad wasassigned to invesgate the crimes anda prosecutor was designated to handlethe cases. The St. Louis police chiefwas quoted calling the crimes a trendof sub-human behavior.

In Syracuse, Mayor Stephanie Minerechoed the senment. At the newsconference Thursday, she saidrecent violence in the city had beengenerated by a lack of humanity aswe understand it.

SUNY Pays Ex-Professor $600KA federal jury has awarded $600,000in back pay to a former collegeprofessor in Central New York aerruling university ocials retaliatedagainst him for complaining aboutdiscriminaon.

The U.S. District Court jury in Syracusesided with Jason Zhou (ZOH) in thedispute with the State University ofNew York Instute of Technology inMarcy, where he worked as a nanceprofessor from 2005 unl he was

denied reappointment in late 2006.

Zhou claimed in a suit against the

state that he had been discriminatedagainst while working at the schoolbecause hes a nave of China and losthis job because of objecons aboutthe treatment.

The verdict was Thursday.

A spokeswoman for the state aorneygeneral said Tuesday she couldntcomment on a possible appeal.


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4 www.cnyvision.com |may 30 - june 5| 2013LOCAL

Check us out online!www.cnyvision.com

Murdered Sister In Laws Money Used to Buy Prison Goods for NY ManA central New York woman has

admied using $2,500 stolen fromher sister before she was killed lastyear to buy snacks and other prisoncommissary items for her husband,whos doing 25-years-to-life for theslaying.

The the the was revealed Thursday,

when 51-year-old Elizabeth Frankpleaded guilty to criminal possessionof stolen property and was orderedto pay the money back to her sistersestate.

Prosecutors said 50-year-old Larry

Frank forced his sister-in-law, Patricia

Gryczka, to write a $2,500 checkbefore strangling her in her suburbanSyracuse home in November. Frankpleaded guilty to second-degreemurder in April.

A judge said theres no evidence

Elizabeth Frank was involved in the

killing. Her criminal case will bedropped if she stays out of trouble forthree years.

ALBANY, N.Y. - (AP) -- Gov. Andrew

Cuomo will begin his big move tostrengthen aboron rights in NewYork state by trying to portray anyopponents to it as opposing the Roev. Wade court decision that madeaboron legal.

A rally is scheduled Tuesday in Albany

to coincide with the Democratsnal eort to pass his proposal amidmounng opposion.

Cuomo says he simply wants to putfederal protecons under the Roe v.

Wade decision into state law in case

the U.S. Supreme Court overturns thelandmark decision that made aboronlegal.

But opponents say its unnecessaryand would expand aboron.

The aboron provision is part of

Cuomos 10-point agenda for womensrights, but the only one with signicantopposion. It threatens the enreagenda, which Cuomo says he wontaccept without the aboron piece.

Cuomo makes big push to strengthen abortion in NY

STATE

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ Gov. AndrewCuomo is geng together with collegepresidents and economic developmentocials from across New York todiscuss his plan to oer tax-free zonesfor high-tech businesses that moveonto or next to college campuses.

Cuomo is aending a meeng atnoon Monday with college ocialsand members of regional economicdevelopment councils at the Collegeof Nanoscale Science and Engineering,part of the University at Albany.

The governor unveiled his tax-freeNew York iniave last month. Hesays the plan would create jobs ina long-stagnant upstate economyby connecng academic researchcampuses with businesses that wouldreceive tax exempons.

Cuomos proposal has been cricizedby the Civil Service EmployeesAssociaon as ``another specialgiveaway to business.

Cuomo to attend meeting on his tax-free New York plan

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) _ Ulity regulatorsare taking public comment on plansfor en electricity transmission line ineastern New York.

The state Public Service Commissionsays it will accept comment by mailand email and during a hearing on NewYork State Electric and Gas Corp.s planfor the Columbia County TransmissionProject.

The ulity wants to build an 11-milestretch of 115 kilovolt transmissionline in the towns of Chatham, Ghent,and Stockport.

The June 14 hearing at the West GhentFire Company Staon in Ghent willbegin at 4 p.m. with a descripon ofthe project.

Hearing on 11-mile electric line in eastern NY

SYRACUSE, NY In response to anannouncement by Pat Hogan that hehas assembled an alternave slate ofcandidates for Septembers Primary

Elecon, along with Councilor LanceDenno and City Court candidate LouisLevine, Syracuse Mayor StephanieMiners campaign manager, KyleMadden, issued the followingstatement:

On May 4th, Democrac commieemembers overwhelmingly endorseda diverse and experienced slate ofcandidates for the fall elecons.The commiee rejected CouncilorDenno and Mr. Levine and Councilor

Hogan chose not to parcipate in theendorsement process. Todays newsthat the trio will seek to primary theendorsed candidates is a slap in the

face to city Democrats.

As these alternave candidatesbegin collecng peon signaturesand engaging with city Democrats, anoutstanding queson that all threehave failed to answer is whether or notthey will be the Republican candidatesthis fall. Mr. Hogan has not ruledout this possibility. There is a majordierence between Democrats andRepublicans and silence on this maeris not at all transparent and certainly

is not the leadership that Syracuseresidents expect and deserve.

Peon signatures are due on July

11th and nominated candidates haveunl July 15th to accept or declinetheir partys endorsement and thenunl July 19th to ll that vacancy. AsRepublicans begin passing peonswith placeholder candidates, cityDemocrats deserve to know ifthis alternave eld of candidateswill deceive them, pull a bait-and-switch at the last minute and run asRepublicans.

Mayor Miner

Miner Campaign Responds to Hogan-Denno-Levine Ticket


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5 www.cnyvision.com |may 30 - june 5| 2013PUZZLES

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22. CSI stu23. Bowling equipment27. Robin Hood weapon31. Fig Newton alternave32. Quill point34. Palm tree35. Powerful person out East37. Starts up the computer39. SW Missouri river41. Grasped42. Separate seed45. Ugly treatment (2 words)49. Thats a laugh!50. Markeng dept. concern52. Fraternity leers53. Temper54. Alpha opposite55. Troublemaker56. Calypso alternave57. Apple or pecan?58. Play (with)

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STATENY man admits to death threatson Facebook against politicians

A man who was turned in to police byhis landlady admied in court Tuesdaythat he made death threats onFacebook against top-er policians inNew York and Washington, predicnga dirt nap for them and wring, Icannot wait to start killing the scum.

Lawrence Mulqueen, 50, pleadedguilty to federal charges in exchangefor an agreement from prosecutorsto recommend a sentence of 12 to 18months.

Authories said Mulqueen, usinga pseudonym, ranted online that

he wanted to kill Senate MajorityLeader Harry Reid, House MinorityLeader Nancy Pelosi, Gov. AndrewCuomo, New York City Mayor MichaelBloomberg, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer,U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey and members ofthe Congressional Black Caucus.

Mulqueen was arrested in Februarywhen his landlady complained he washarassing her. Police said she ppedthem about the Facebook page, whichwas under a pseudonym and has beentaken down.

The federal complaint aributeddirt nap and scum statements toMulqueen as well as several racist and

obscene statements.

The rst wave to protect against isthe inner city scum, do all you can towaste these lowlifes but be mindful ofyour ammo, Mulqueen was quoted asposng. Use blades when you can toconserve bullets.

He also allegedly said he wanted all ofPresident Barack Obamas followersdead, calling them traitor scum.

Death to them all, he said, accordingto a police report.

Police found two ries and otherweapons in his Nanuet apartment. But

Mulqueen indicated in court Tuesdaythat he didnt intend to follow through

on his threats, telling the judge, Inever meant any harm to anybody.

I posted threats that I shouldnthave made, he admied. He saidhe was angry because the policianswere proposing legislaon I foundto be unconstuonal. He did notelaborate.

Police said the weapons were illegalbecause Mulqueen had drunken-driving convicons.

The federal indictment did not nameMulqueens targets, but police listed

the policians names when Mulqueenwas arrested last month.

It was disclosed in court Tuesday thata polical acvist who was not anoceholder was also on Mulqueenslist. Neither defense aorney JasonSer nor prosecutor Ilan Gra wouldidenfy that person.

Judge Kenneth Karas said that inthe plea agreement, the defenseand prosecuon agreed that federalguidelines call for a sentence of 12to 18 months. The judge warnedMulqueen, however, that he couldsentence him to as much as 15 years,the maximum he would have faced if

convicted at trial.

Sentencing was set for Oct. 16.Mulqueen is being held without bail.

Mulqueen sll faces a charge in statecourt concerning the illegal weapons.His lawyer said Tuesday that a dealmay be in the works there as well.Mulqueen was also charged a monthago with food stamp fraud. He pleadednot guilty.

LET US KNOW WHATYOU THINK!

Leave us a comment!facebook.com/cnyvision


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7 www.cnyvision.com |may 30 - june 5| 2013COVER STORY

thats the vision of the school district. But far toomany students are not meeng that goal and thats,you know, where we havent been successful...andwhere many urban school districts have not beensuccessful.

Thus, in order to reach its objecves, SCSD hasrecently been awarded $31.5 million in New Yorkstate compeve grants to turn around seven ofits struggling schools, otherwise known as theInnovaon Zone, and will use the money to extendthe school day for students as well as provideprofessional development for teachers, Contrerassaid.

In addion, she said she expects to see a request forproposal from the state soon for the expansion ofpre-Kindergarten classrooms, and would like to focuson early literacy in an eort to increase graduaonrates.

They have to be reading on grade level by thirdgrade, she stated. If we can make sure theyrereading on grade level by third grade, and thatwe keep them on track during their middle schoolexperience through ninth grade, they will graduate.But we see that far too many are not reading bythe end of third grade. Theyre o track in middleschool, and theyve essenally dropped out, evenif not technically, by the end of ninth grade. Thatpresents a huge problem for us with graduaonrates. So were pung a lot of emphasis on earlyliteracy. Theres been a huge community push forpre-Kindergarten, and weve been able to expandsome pre-Kindergarten classrooms. We currentlyhave about 1,400 students parcipang, but we want

universal pre-Kindergarten for all four year olds and,quite frankly, I want universal pre-Kindergarten forall three year olds. I think the younger the beer. So,it is imperave that we are serving our students well,that we have small class sizes in grades K throughthree, that we have teaching assistants, and that wehave small group instrucon. It is also imperavethat we have reading instrucon, reading specialistsand math specialists to support these students.

Contreras said the Say Yes to Educaon program andtutors from Syracuse University are also importantresources for students, and that these programs,coupled with state funding for the seven iZoneschools, will allow the district to see substanalimprovement in schools over the next three years.

I think that the iZone, now with the extended day,that is going to be very powerful to extend the schoolday for one hour for 100 percent of the students inthose schools, she stated. Also, knowing that wereproviding professional development for teachers,and marrying that with the extended day, we expectto see growth in our students.

Addionally, though it had been rumored sheplanned to turn several public schools into charterschools, Contreras said thats not the case.

Im curious as to why anyone would say I was tryingto change the district into charter schools, shestated. I havent put forth a single charter schoolproposal, and I just had the opportunity to turnseven schools into charters; and I did not. So, Im justwondering where something like that would evercome from. Its like an urban legend. Nevertheless,

I just want to be clear, charter schools are publicschools. And it is an opon for some parents. I willnot demonize charter schools in any way. If parentschoose charter schools, thats wonderful. They arepublic schools, and they serve many students well.But I didnt need to turn our seven schools in theInnovaon Zone into charter schools because Ihave a great working relaonship with our unionpresident, and Kevin Ohearn and the SyracuseTeachers Associaon. And we sat down and cameup with a way to give those schools exibility and

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE...


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8 www.cnyvision.com |may 30 - june 5| 2013

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resources, and the state supported us and said wehad a good plan, and gave us $31.5 million dollars.So, its unfortunate that people just make up theserumors, and these stories, because theyre damagingto the district.

Ulmately, Contreras said her goal is to bring thecommunity together, and aer a recent schoolboard meeng where parents voiced their concernsregarding data that apparently showed a higher rateof suspensions for black and Hispanic students, shesaid she and the board took swi acon.

I have not looked at the reasons at all, Ive onlylooked at the numbers of out-of-school suspensionsand the percentages, she said. But the board didpass a contract the same night. Most people hadle by that me. Aer they spoke, they le, so theymissed an important piece. The board passed acontract and brought in UCLAs Civil Rights Projectto come in and examine the data to conduct anevaluaon. Its actually a contract with Dan Losen,who is a principle evaluator with UCLAs Civil Rights

Project, and he said this was groundbreaking. Wewere the rst district to actually ask for their help.Usually, they just go out and look at this data and thedistricts arent asking for this. He said we were therst district to actually reach out to them.

The process could take a few months, statedContreras, but, in the longrun, she said shescondent the district will have enough informaonto address the issue accordingly.

I know that theyve done a lot of work in lookingat out-of-school suspensions, parcularly of African-American male students, she said. And I know theyalso have done a lot of work on the intervenonsyou can use, and strategies to prevent the out of

school suspensions. Theyve also done work onintervenons to help you to start decreasing out ofschool suspensions, while at the same me keepingyour school safe. So, I felt like they would do a goodjob of evaluang the data, and helping us reallyunderstand what the data means.

You know, everyone keeps saying the students arebeing disproporonately suspended. Well, were notsure about that yet, and when people ask me that Isay, I dont know if its disproporonate because wehave not had an evaluator look at it. Certainly it looksvery high, but Im not sure if its disproporonate.So they will help us with this, and then we can, as acommunity, come together and talk about how weare going to resolve the problems.

Yet, although she iniated this strategy, Contreras

said most others in the district had been mandatedby the state, including the direcve that, only 50percent of current sta may remain at iZone schools,and they must now teach a standard Common Corecurriculum. As a result, she said the impendingteacher transfers and change in programs couldcreate addional pressure for schools.

I mean thats a lot on a person, Contreras stated.And, theyre also trying to teach a totally newcurriculum with the Common Core state standards.

Even though were highly supporve of the CommonCore standards, its just all at one me. I think,over me, teachers will see theyre not going tobe red with the new teacher evaluaon system;and it really is designed to help them develop and

grow as professionals. And that their students willlearn more as a result of the Common Core, but itsjust a dicult me for us all, for all of this to cometogether at once. And our job as leaders, not justme, but the building leaders, and other leaders andunion leaders, is to try to help people work throughthis. Our job is to try to help them focus, and to helpthe students to connue to focus in the midst of allof this.

In the end, Contreras said the soluon to solving thedistricts problems will be dependent on whetherpeople are willing to work together, in collaboraonwith the district.

I just wish we could, you know, throw out our magicwands and x everything, but it doesnt work likethat, she stated. Its going to take all of us coming

together. But I tell you, I say it all the me; I amliving my passion, and I am incredibly opmisc thatthe school district will improve, because there areenough people who want it to improve. We may notalways know exactly what to do, but when we cometogether, I think we will nd the soluon. And, forthat, I am grateful.

COVER STORYSHARON CONTRERAS...FROm PRVIOuS PaGe

NATIONAL

National NAACP Applauds Historic Expansion of Voting Rights(TriceEdneyWire.com) - This is a great step forVirginia and we look forward to working with theCommonwealth on expanding the vote,

stated Benjamin Todd Jealous, naonal presidentand CEO of the NAACP. Anyone who has madea mistake, done their me and paid their debt tosociety should be able to join their neighbors at thevong booth.

The head of the naons oldest and largest civilrights organizaon issued the statement in responseto Republican Gov. Bob McDonnells historic andunprecedented plan to streamline the voter rightsrestoraon process for people with nonviolent

felony convicons. In a news conference at CedarStreet Bapst Church of God in Richmonds mostlyblack Church Hill community, the governor saidnonviolent felons who nish serving their sentencesand maintain, aer that, a clean record will regaintheir right to vote and other civil rights on anindividual basis without having to apply.

The governor also is eliminang a two-year

waing period for former felons convicted ofnonviolent crimes to have their civil rights restored.Previously, they also had to apply. Cases will now beautomacally considered without an applicaon.

It really is a personal thing, Gov. McDonnell said. Ibelieve in an America of second chances.

The governor was joined on stage at the newsconference by civil rights advocates and legislatorsfrom both pares, including members of the VirginiaLegislave Black Caucus, who have pressed for yearsto reform the states strict process for restoring ex-felons rights.

In Virginia, only the governor can restore theserights. Gov. McDonnell already has streamlined theprocess and has restored the rights of more than4,800 former felons more than any previousadministraon. But the Sentencing Project saysabout 350,000 Virginians who have completedtheir sentences remained disenfranchised in2010. Thousands of those residents could becomeregistered voters in me for the November elecon

as a result of Gov. McDonnells new policy. Violentfelons will sll have to wait ve years and apply toregain their rights to vote, hold public oce, serveon a jury or become a notary public.

The announcement came a day aer RepublicanAorney General Ken Cuccinelli released a reportby an advisory commiee he appointed in Marchto study restoraon of rights. The panel concludedthat the process could be improved by designangan execuve branch agency to do all the legwork,working with religious and community groups tosolicit and process applicaons for the governorsconsideraon.

The aorney general said he liked the idea ofoutside help but preferred to keep the program inthe Secretary of the Commonwealths oce. TheCuccinelli task force said the Virginia Constuondoes not allow the governor to issue an execuveorder restoring all felons rights, and Gov.McDonnells new policy stops short of that byconnuing to handle each case individually.

I wanted to use the maximum authority I had, Gov.McDonnell told reporters. An execuve order isprobably beyond the scope of my authority.

He said the new process will el iminate subjecvity.

Your civil rights in this country should not bedependent on the whims of one person, he said.

The change was welcome news for Darrell Goodenof Richmond, who was convicted of marijuana andcocaine possession in 2002. He said he applied toregain his rights in 2008, when Democrat Tim Kainewas governor, but was turned down because of a


9/12


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speeding cket. He hasnt reapplied,and now he wont have to.

I want my children to see that theAmerican dream is not just a dream,the 40-year-old father of three said.

Aempts to amend the constuonto allow the blanket automacrestoraon of nonviolent felons rightshave failed repeatedly, most recently

in the 2013 General Assembly.The constuonal amendment,historically championed by Democrats,was backed by the Republican governorand aorney general this year but was

rejected by the heavily GOP House ofDelegates. The ACLU of Virginia praisedGov. McDonnell for further expedingthe rights restoraon process.

The governor will be giving voice tothousands of Virginians who havebeen denied parcipaon in eleconsdue to an anquated and regressivevong law in the commonwealth,ACLU of Virginia board president Jayne

Barnard said in a news release.Virginia New Majority, an advocacygroup, said it would follow up Gov.McDonnells policy change whichis eecve July 15 with a voter

registraon drive.

Were going to celebrate today, butwe have to get right back to worktomorrow, said Jon Liss, the groupsexecuve director. Were makingplans to ensure that people withnonviolent felony convicons will beregistered in me for the Novemberelecons.

Aorney General Cuccinelli, theRepublican candidate for governor,lauded Gov. McDonnell for pushinghis own reforms even further.

We needed to simplify the process

for those who want to regain theircivil rights so they can return to fullparcipaon in society, he said.

Democrac gubernatorial candidateTerry McAulie called the change animportant step forward on an issue ofjusce for Virginians who have paidtheir debt to society.

Gov. McDonnell said he expects the

next governor to keep his new policy.The Associated Press contributed tothis story.

National NAACP Applauds...FROm PReVIOuS PaGe


10/12

10 www.cnyvision.com |may 30 - june 5| 2013OPINION/EDITORIAL The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do notnecessarily represent the position or viewpoint of MRMG or CNY Vision

Four years ago,Sikiru Tijani wasen route to New

York City on thesouthbound busfrom Canadawhen it made ascheduled stopin Syracuse.On impulse, hestepped out ofthe bus; he haddecided to check

out the city, for what, he had no idea.

That decision turned out to beof immense signicance to whathappened later. It marked thebeginning of a new life in a new city.He liked what he saw about the city ofSyracuse.

It appeared to project the image of aquintessenal American city that wastransioning from an era of industrial

boom to the age of the computerdominated world of informaontechnology.

He made what may be described as alife changing decision and relocated toSyracuse and start a taxi business.It was a combinaon of insnct andinsight that led him to focus on the taxibusiness in Syracuse.He saw the potenal of makingan impact in a city that had theright mix of what makes a businesssucceed; a strong industrial base,a thriving nancial infrastructure,great educaonal instuons, and apopulaon that reected the globalimmigraon trend.

I knew it was the right me forsomeone like me to establish a

business here. This city just struck meas the place to be and to start a newbusiness. I just knew it would work

out, said Tijani.

He was right. Today, Tisko Taxi is a major

player in the taxi and transportaonbusiness in Syracuse. The cars andvans bearing the Tisko Taxis insigniaof big white leers and numberscan be spoed all over metropolitanSyracuse.

Tisko Taxis has emerged to becomethe favorite of Syracuse Universitystudents who seem to be fascinatedby a name they can easily recalland pronounce. So did the generalpopulaon. It didnt take long for TiskoTaxis to develop a city wide reputaonfor prompt service, courteous driversand reasonable rates.He had accomplished his mission toset up a business that would be known

for providing professional service.

The students loved it. My recordspeaks for itself, he said.

His record has no parallel, at least notin the African immigrant communityin terms of the role he has played asan individual entrepreneur in creanga business that has become animportant part of the transportaonand taxi industry in Central New York.And most importantly, the relavelyshort me it took to create and sustaina thriving business in the midst oferce compeon from rivals whohave been in the business for decades.

How did he do it? By applying hisknowledge of business principles hestudied in college, his experience inmanaging a shipping company andinsight into the global economy, hesaid.

He realized right from the beginningthat small businesses face bigchallenges, parcularly if youre thefounder, CEO, and (some days, itseems) just about everything else. Hehad operated a successful shippingbusiness in New York City and knewabout the interminable hours, thenancial frustraons, the learningthat comes only from doing and theuncertainty. He also knew that most

new small businesses dont survivemore than a few years.

But he saw an opportunity and had thedesire, drive, and the right mix of hard-nosed realism and hope-against-hopeopmism to turn that opportunity intoa story of success. According to Tijani,his goal was to set up a successfulbusiness and to make it possible forothers who aspire to go into the taxibusiness to accomplish their objecveby creang jobs for African immigrants

and others who want to get into thebusiness.

It has not been smooth sailing all theway, he said. A couple of mes, hehad to deal with what he describes asnegave stu from competors aswell as other African taxi operators heconsidered as colleagues.Once had to chase down one of hisdrivers and call the cops to arrest adriver who refused to surrender thekeys to a taxi aer a disagreement.

I just want to work with and helpother people do what I have beenable to do. At the same me, I haveto protect my business. Its nothingpersonal, he said.

According to Tijani, the high

demand for taxi service from thestudent populaon of the Syracusemetropolitan area makes up asignicant poron of the taxi business.

The students are one of our mainsupport bases; without the students,it wont be easy, he said.

He also gives credit to the licensingdepartment of the Syracuse PoliceDepartment for having in place asystem that works eecvely in termsof issuing permits, mediang disputesand generally making sure that taxiservice in the city is up to par in allaspects.He cites Sgt. Long in parcular for

doing a wonderful job that helped himimmensely as he built his business.He was doing his job, of course, buthe did a very good job with me and mytaxi business, he said.

Having aained his goal in the taxibusiness, Tijani has now set his sightson making a foray into other areas inCentral New York. He is mulling theidea of reviving his shipping business.Can he do it again?

Why not? he said. Syracuse is agreat city. If you know what youredoing and have what it takes, you cando anything you want in this city. Ihave done it before and look forward

to the challenge of doing it again.

--------------------------Ko Quaye has been a Syracuse residentfor more than 30 years. He is a writer,author and publisher. Over the years, hehas been involved with the publicationof several African American focused

newspapers in Syracuse.

Syracuse Success Story: Sikuru Tijani of Tisko Taxis

KOFI QUAYE

www.cnyvision.comFacebook:search cnyvision


11/12

11 www.cnyvision.com |may 30 - june 5| 2013OPINION/EDITORIALThe views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do notnecessarily represent the position or viewpoint of MRMG or CNY Vision

Let your voice

be heardTell us what you think at:EDITOR@

cnyvision.com

Road to nowhere

The killing in Chicago is sadenough, and its even sadderwhen people are killing babies.But thats what its come to inquite a few urban areas acrossAmerica. The death of asmall child in Chicago, JonylahWatkins, has rocked the city,and Koman Willis has beencharged with the murder. Hellbe headed to prison for killingthe lile girl, who was shot vemes as her father changed

her diaper.

The girls father, Jonathan Watkins, was the realtarget. The 33-year old alleged killer shot the girlsfather over a stolen video game system. Chicago

Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy says thatWatkins stole a video game console from Willisapartment and sold it to someone else. The personwho bought it saw that Willis was the real owner.

Since the person knew that Willis was a known felonand dangerous menace, he returned the console tohim and gave the name of the person who sold itto him. Thats when Willis went to shoot Watkinsin order to retaliate. On March 11, Willis allegedlyopened re on the man and his daughter as hechanged her diaper in the front seat. The fathersurvived, but the baby did not.

This case says a few things to me. My rst and mostobvious thoughts are with the lile girl, who hadher life ended aer being caught up in a cycle ofviolence that leaves parts of Chicago in the midst of a

perpetual storm cloud. Guns are everywhere (whichare not made by black people and deliberatelyprovided), but what is missing from this community

are educaonal and economic opportunies. Giventhat Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is closing schoolsin black neighborhoods while simultaneouslyplanning to invest over $100 million dollars into anew stadium on the citys more auent north side,its clear where the governments priories lie.

My second thought goes to the perpetrator. Ipresume that Koman Willis wasnt always a menaceor a killer. He actually began life like the rest ofus: A sweet, innocent, loving baby with a worldof potenal in front of him. Then, like a hoard ofmaggots eang their way through a fresh piece offruit, the world turned him into a cold-heartedmonster with gallons of poison in his soul. It mayhave started in the home, with improper guidancefrom a non-structured household. It probablyexpanded to the school system, where his brain was

le to rot and remain undeveloped by a city thatchooses to spend its money on fancy stadiums forwhite college students. It then expanded to theworld around him, where jobs are missing, but gunsand prisons are provided instead.

Then, the same way you mix the ingredients to bakea cake, a thug is born. You put a gun in his hand,remove the hope from his heart, maybe throw ina pound of liquor and chronic, and sprinkle it withhomicidal messages from nearly every corporate-funded rapper on the radio, and you have a deadbaby 33-years later. There is a formula to all of his,and most mass murderers are MADE IN AMERICA.

I spoke this week to Dr. Jawanza Kunjufu, one ofthe greatest black men of our me, about his newbook, Changing School Culture for Black Males.

One of the things this conversaon reminded me ofis a quote from Frederick Douglas which states thatIts easier to build strong boys than to repair broken

men. Its clear that this lile girl died due to theacons of two broken men, and similar to this child,many of us nd our lives destroyed by the brokenmen of our society.

We must be clear though, that the War on Drugs andmass incarceraon are a large part of the reason thatso many men are broken. Young men today didnthave men in the home to teach them to becomemen, so rather than protecng our children, we arenow killing them. So, what is perceived as some sortof cultural inadequacy on the part of black males isactually the result of a systemac eort to destroyblack men. An even sadder truth is that some of usare complicit in this eort.

Its me for a new paradigm of thought in blackAmerica. We have to understand how these systems

work, how they impact us all and how we can worktogether to annihilate them. When it comes toprotecng young children, all enes which protfrom the destrucon of our communies must beconfronted. Policians who arent acvely workingto help alleviate these problems should not besupported, record labels that push toxic messagesmust be confronted, gun makers who convenientlylose track of their guns should be shut down, andprisons that make money from slave labor must beput on our most wanted list. To get a dierent result,we must use a dierent set of taccs. And when itcomes to protecng our children, we must be willingto GO TO WAR.

We must no longer accept this nonsense.

------------------------

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the author of the lecture series,The 8 Principles of Black Male Empowerment.

Man Allegedly Murdered 6-Month Old Baby Over a Video Game

FROM THE BoYce BLOG

DR. BOYCE ATKINS


12/12


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