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Sports: World Series Bound?

Eddie Castro
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By Eddie Castro

C.C. Sabathia is currently in his second stint on the disabled list

There is just a month and a half left in the baseball season, and the division races in the American and National leagues are heating up. As expected, the Yankees are right in the middle of things in the American League. With a five-game lead in the AL East, the Yankees must continue their phenomenal play as October is right around the corner. Captain Derek Jeter said “We like where we are right now but we know we can improve each and every game, there’s no reason for us to get too comfortable, we still have to go out and win these games.” The Yankees currently have the best record in the AL at 72-49, and the second best overall in the majors (Washington Nationals 75-46). History has always indicated that the Yankees are a very good August and September team, and with the success the Yankees have had they hope to make a strong playoff push this year.

It has been an up-and-down year for the Bombers health wise. On offense, they’ve lost the speedster Brett Gardner for the season due to an elbow injury, and Alex Rodriguez has been sidelined with a broken hand he suffered nearly 5 weeks ago after being hit by a pitch by Mariners pitcher Felix Hernandez. Gardner provides speed, and speed has been a need in the Yankee offense especially on the bases. As for A-Rod, even though he may not be the sensational superstar he once was a few years back, he still can play a solid third base, and his bat can still be a threat in the lineup come the postseason. He is expected back late this month.

With Gardner and Rodriguez out, the Yankee offense still has managed to do what they do best: hit homers. As a team they have hit 189 home runs, the best in baseball.  The pitching rotation hasn’t been too shabby of late either. Their ace C.C. Sabathia is currently in his 2nd stint on the disabled list, Andy Pettitte has been out since mid-July with a broken ankle. Not to worry, a pitcher has stepped up. Pitcher Hiroki Kuroda has been hotter than a fox in a forest fire since the all-star break, posting a 4-1 record with a 1.98 era in seven starts. During that time frame, opposing batters have hit just .213 against him. With Sabathia out, he has clearly been the Yankees’ best pitcher. At 37, he may not have prime years in him, but the Yankees love what he’s bringing to them now. Another player to highlight is Derek Jeter. At 38, he leads the league in hits. Curtis Granderson is using the “short porch” to his advantage as he is currently 2nd in baseball in home runs at 32.

With Sabathia and Pettitte on their way back, the role players must continue their roles. It is almost safe to say that the Yankees have the formula to make it to the World Series. They added speed now with Ichiro Suzuki in pinstripes, and Nick Swisher has been red-hot in the month of August. If all goes well it could be another parade this October in midtown. The Yankees have not made the World Series since 2009 when they won it all. In 2010 they were beat up by the Texas Rangers, and last year they were embarrassed in a first-round meeting against the Detroit Tigers. It will be no surprise on their way to the fall classic that those two teams will be right there waiting for them.

Sports Notes: (Football) The Giants and Jets continue to get their reps in during the pre-season. The Giants have shown signs of greatness and that there will be no championship hangover this year. Both Jets quarterbacks have struggled so far in the pre-season. Both Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow had long nights against a Giants defense who sacked them a combined 7 times. (Baseball); The Mets look to get it together as they wrap up a 4-game set against the Colorado Rockies, then welcome the Houston Astros. The Yankees Visit the Cleveland Indians today to open a 3-game set.

World Series Bound?

Shakespeare Comes to Bed-Stuy

Editor, Our Time Press
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The Brooklyn Summer Shakespeare-ience, a cultural organization founded this year by the wife and husband team of Tracy and Darrin Person, brought a talented ensemble to the Herbert Von King Cultural Arts Center’s Eubie Blake indoor amphitheater last weekend, where they performed a free presentation of William Shakespeare’s timeless classic, Romeo and Juliet.
Standing from left to right: Brandon Cunningham, Doneka Matheson, Ronshieca Trotman, (slightly behind)Dushane Jackson, Kurshana Augustin, Sade Lewis, Autasia Ramos, Saquan Mckeithan, and Brian CrearyKneeling and seated: Kaiya Primus, Jewell Person, Cameron Cook, Tracy Person and Darrin Person.  Mr. Person said the mission of  “Shakespeare-ience” is to  “teach, analyze and explore Shakespeare’s text through literature and in performance with high school and college youth from the community.”   Today at Von King Park, that mission as accomplished. DG Photo: Mark Stewart

Bed-Stuy-based Not Another Child Anti-Violence Group to Host 6TH Playing 4 Change Tournament in Memory of Beloved Village Son and Others

Bernice Elizabeth Green
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 By Char-lai Newkirk

Oresa Napper-Williams, founder of Not Another Child, her personal response to violence in the neighborhood as a result of the death of one of her sons, Andrell Napper, encouraged Bedford-Stuyvesant hoopsters (some scene in the photo left) at Banneker Playground last Saturday, with her second son, Justin Napper, NAC’s co-chair, seen with her in the photo far left. Photo: Bernice Green

In an effort to unite our community in saving its future and its greatest treasure, Not Another Child (NAC), a Bedford-Stuyvesant –based nonprofit group, will host the King Ron Playing 4 Change Tournament, Saturday, August 25, 2012  (12:00noon – 7pm) at Banneker Playground on Lafayette and Marcy Aves. in BK, NY.  The public is welcome to come out and cheerin-the-neighborhood “dream team” athletes who are encouraging our youth to shoot for the hoops – to pick up a ball instead of a gun.

Now in its 6th year, the event is one of the most popular community advocacy initiatives in the Bedford-Stuyvesant community. “The goal this year for P4C is to give youth and young adults a safe haven within a wholesome environment to play sports and send a positive message about peace and unity to the community,” says NAC founder Oresa Napper-Williams, whose Olympic-sized heart overlooks the wealth of media attention given to celebrity athletes and the dearth of coverage for her beyond-noble campaign.

In addition to the playoffs, the daylong sports showcase will offer:  a panel discussion focusing on community involvement; a back-to-school supplies giveaway; health and employment resources and information; the wares of local vendors, food, fun and games for the entire family.

Oresa Napper-Williams with son, Justin Napper

Mrs. Napper –Williams founded the youth advocacy organization after the untimely death of her son Andrell Napper, an innocent bystander who was gunned down at the Marcy Projects.

“The organization’s missions are to support grieving families who have had similar experiences work together to develop strategies for violence intervention and  establish meaningful partnerships and collaborations with schools, families and other community organizations,” says Mrs. Napper-Williams.

Each year, community youth play together on different sports teams while enjoying live entertainment. Several schools, businesses and community organizations are present to offer their support and services.

For more information, call 718-635-0013.

Pro charter school group backs Romney big time

Editor, Our Time Press
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New report shows StudentsFirst NY contributed over $2 million to defeat Obama

By Nico Simino

A new report released this month shows that the pro-charter school group, StudentsFirst NY, is not only backing Mitt Romney for president, but that the group also contributes more campaign funds towards Republicans candidates than Democratic ones.
The report, done by the advocacy group, New Yorkers for Great Public Schools (NYGPS), alleges that StudentsFirst NY are “advocating actions that will treat public schools the way Romney’s Bain Capital treated companies.”
The report documents that StudentsFirst NY board members and donors have contributed over $2 million towards defeating President Obama, and that 68 percent of the candidates StudentsFirst supports nationally have been Republicans.
“Our eyes are wide open we can see clearly by following the money that StudentsFirst NY and Romney are in bed together,” said Zakiyah Ansari, Advocacy Director for the Alliance for Quality Education.
“The vow of the Super PAC, StudentsFirst NY, to raise $50 million is an attempt to buy our NYC public schools, like a corporate takeover.”
“The last thing our city needs is a group like StudentsFirstNY, run by hedge fund managers who have no idea what life is like for New York City parents and students, interfering in our schools,” said Juan Pagan, parent leader of New York Communities for Change.
The report also details a list of activities StudentsFirst is engaged in, including supporting market-driven restructuring and privatization of schools that Mayor Bloomberg has been trying to implement throughout the last ten years.
Members of StudentsFirst’s board include Former NYC schools Chancellor, Joel Klein. While Klein was chancellor, he approved a school data collection program called Aris, which was partially developed by News Corp, whose CEO Rupert Murdoch is a big money donor to StudentsFirst NY.  Klein eventually moved on to head News Corp’s education division, which recently re-branded itself as ‘Amplify’.
Amplify is seeking to offer digital learning tools to kindergarten through 12th grade students, which is part of the News Corp’s strategy to tap into the multibillion-dollar public education market.
“Parents and students and communities need our schools to succeed. StudentsFirstNY is not prioritizing the needs of our students. We shouldn’t have to struggle to make our voices heard over all of the money that the people behind StudentsFirstNY are planning to pump into elections,” said Elizabeth Lee, Program Manager for the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families.
Part of the NYGPS report compares efforts of closing struggling schools and firing unsuccessful teachers to Bain’s practice of closing factories and outsourcing labor “as a way of reducing costs to maximize short term profit.”
StudentsFirst NY, which was formed this April, is the New York state chapter of the national StudentsFirst organization headed by former Washington D.C. education Chancellor Michelle Rhee. According to their website, Students First’s mission is:  “to build a national movement to defend the interests of children in public education and pursue transformative reform, so that America has the best education system in the world.”
NYGPS is a coalition of dozens of community organizations, unions, civil rights groups, immigrant organizations, student organizations, parent groups, education advocates and political advocacy organizations that are committed to turning around the direction of school reform in New York City schools.

News Briefs 8/23/12

Stephen Witt
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Robinson to meet with local banks
In preparation for a larger community meeting, Assemblywoman Annette Robinson has scheduled a closed door meeting with branch managers at the five banks in her district covering Bedford-Stuyvesant.
The banks invited to the meeting include Carver, Chase and Citibank, which all have branches in Bed-Stuy’s Restoration Plaza, along with Amalgamated Bank on Fulton Street in the neighborhood’s commercial core and New York Community Bank on Broadway and Greene Place.
Also invited are selected community stakeholder organizations and various individuals that represent large constituencies in the district.
The meeting will go over concerns of the local branch managers as well as community concerns regarding overall service at local branches.
Robinson, who chairs the State Assembly Banking Committee, will hold the meeting on Thursday, Sept. 20.

Brooklyn unemployment remains high
For the second month in a row, the unemployment rate in Kings County is at 11 percent, according to the state Department of Labor.
A year ago, in July 2011, Brooklyn’s unemployment rate was 10.2 percent. Overall, the city’s unemployment rate was 10.2 percent up from 9.3 percent in July 2011.
According to the report, the overall unemployment rate for the state is 9.1 percent up from 8.3 percent in July 2011.
Meanwhile, the countries unemployment rate dropped to 8.6 percent as compared to a year earlier when it was 9.3 percent in July 2011.

Clarke holds legal clinic immigration policy
Flatbush Congresswoman Yvette Clarke will hold an appointment-only legal clinic in conjunction with the New York Immigration Coalition and several other nonprofit organizations on September 7.
The clinic follows a recent public forum she held to inform constituents about the immigration policy that will allow eligible youth to obtain employment authorization and deferred action – which provides relief from removal or removal proceedings.
An estimated 1.7 million young, undocumented immigrants could apply for deferred action and employment authorization under the policy, which was announced on June 15 by President Barack Obama and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.
While appointments for the clinic are already filled up, Clarke’s office advised interested applicants to be wary of scams calling for fees to apply.
Should any interested applicants needs assistance with filing the application for deferred action of childhood arrivals, they should reach out to the CUNY Immigration Project which has centers offering  free immigration services across the city, the Caribbean Women’s Health Association, or the New York Immigration Coalition.

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