PRESORTED STANDARD U.S POSTAGE PAID 95340 PERMIT NO. 990 REMEMBERING DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Community Calendar of Events visit us on cvvcalendar.com January 2015 A Unifying Factor In The Valley’s Community a monthly minority publication Valley Voice Central | to subscribe to this publication contact us at: [email protected] | website: centralvalleyvoice.com| stay connected: visit us on facebook • twitter • Pinterest ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Civil Rights Leader Julian Bond to Speak at The 21st Annual Martin Luther King Commemorationn Liberty Fellowship 6th Annual Black History Program February 22, 2015 @ 5:00 p.m. Guest Speaker: Minister Brandon Jackson 1900 Shaffer Road-Atwater, CA 95301-(209) 358-5701 Rev. Ron Richardson, Pastor Call Today (209) 385-3895 1030 W.15th Street Merced, CA 95340 Fax: (209) 385-3451 Complete Diagnosis Service & Repair of Motor Vehicles Electrical, Electronics, A/C, Emissions, etc. VP Auto Repair Open Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Rosendo Pacheco/Owner Julian Bond SEE PAGE> 6 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Modesto, CA) – Julian Bond, renowned leader and activ- ist in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, will present the keynote address for the 21st Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration on Sat- urday, February 7, 2015 in the Modesto Junior College Per- forming Arts and Media Cen- ter Auditorium, 435 College Avenue in Modesto. Bond will speak on “The Road to Freedom: From Alabama to Obama.” Doors open at 6 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m. The event is open to the public and admission is free. There will also be a free public reception for Bond from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the King-Kennedy Memorial Cen- ter, 601 S. Martin Luther King Dr., Modesto. From his civil rights and anti-war activism in the 1960s to his support for gay rights in the new millennium, Julian Bond has been on the cutting edge of social change. As an activist, he has faced jail for his convictions, most recently for protesting the Keystone Pipeline. Co-founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in 1960, Bond helped organize voting drives and sit-ins. An elected mem- ber of the Georgia House of Representatives, he was de- nied his seat by legislators until the intervention of the United States Supreme Court. Co-chairman of an insurgent delegation to the 1968 Demo- cratic Convention, he became the first African-American to be nominated for Vice Presi- dent of the United States. He served as Chairman of the NAACP from 1998 to 2010, and was the first President of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Bond has taught at Harvard, the University of Pennsylva- nia, and American University, and is a professor emeritus in the History Department at the University of Virginia.
Transcript
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
PRESORTEDSTANDARD
U.S POSTAGEPAID
95340PERMIT NO. 990
REMEMBERING DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
Community Calendar of Eventsvisit us on cvvcalendar.com
January 2015 A Unifying Factor In The Valley’s Community
a m o n t h l y m i n o r i t y p u b l i c a t i o n
Valley VoiceCen
tral| to subscribe to this publication contact us at: [email protected] | website: centralvalleyvoice.com|
stay connected: visit us on facebook • twitter • Pinterest
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Civil Rights Leader Julian Bond to Speak at The 21stAnnual Martin Luther King Commemorationn
Liberty Fellowship 6th Annual Black History ProgramFebruary 22, 2015 @ 5:00 p.m.Guest Speaker:Minister Brandon Jackson1900 Shaffer Road-Atwater, CA 95301-(209) 358-5701Rev. Ron Richardson, Pastor
Call Today(209) 385-3895
1030 W.15th StreetMerced, CA 95340Fax: (209) 385-3451
Complete Diagnosis Service & Repair of MotorVehicles Electrical, Electronics, A/C, Emissions, etc.
VP Auto RepairOpen Monday thru Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Rosendo Pacheco/Owner
Julian Bond
SEE PAGE> 6 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Modesto, CA) – Julian Bond, renowned leader and activ-ist in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, will present the keynote address for the 21st Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemoration on Sat-urday, February 7, 2015 in the Modesto Junior College Per-forming Arts and Media Cen-ter Auditorium, 435 College Avenue in Modesto. Bond
will speak on “The Road to Freedom: From Alabama to Obama.” Doors open at 6 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m. The event is open to the public and admission is free.
There will also be a free public reception for Bond from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the King-Kennedy Memorial Cen-ter, 601 S. Martin Luther King Dr., Modesto.
From his civil rights and anti-war activism in the 1960s to his support for gay rights in the new millennium, Julian Bond has been on the cutting edge of social change. As an activist, he has faced jail for his convictions, most recently for protesting the Keystone Pipeline.
Co-founder of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in 1960, Bond
helped organize voting drives and sit-ins. An elected mem-ber of the Georgia House of Representatives, he was de-nied his seat by legislators until the intervention of the United States Supreme Court. Co-chairman of an insurgent delegation to the 1968 Demo-cratic Convention, he became the first African-American to be nominated for Vice Presi-dent of the United States. He served as Chairman of the NAACP from 1998 to 2010, and was the first President of the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Bond has taught at Harvard, the University of Pennsylva-nia, and American University, and is a professor emeritus in the History Department at the University of Virginia.
2 JANUARY 2015
CENTRAL VALLEY VOICE.COM 3
PublisherFelicia D.Robertsis published monthlyCentral Valley Voice
Views expressed by writers, columnists and stories printed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of Central Valley Voice newspapers. Only when indicated as Central Valley Voice's or editorial views can it be interpreted as the views of this publication. The editorial team of Central Valley Voice reserves the right to edit, cut or piece any article, letter, statement, poem, report, ads, quotes and all other materials submitted before printing.
When Lawmakers Become Lawbreakers By Greg Allen In a speech given in Nash-
ville, Tennessee on December 9th, 2014, Barack Obama said: “I think the good book says don't throw stones in glass houses … the good book says those who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.”
The President was no doubt referring to the Bible. Howev-er, that quote can’t be found in the good book. It’s widely held that Geoffrey Chaucer, an Eng-lish poet of the Middle Ages, coined that phrase in the late 1300s.
It may be that Mr. Obama freely used the phrase for ora-torical pageantry because it sounds impressive in the ab-sence of attributing knowl-edge.
The President isn’t the first, and he most certainly won’t be the last, to misquote the good book and contribute some meaning to a phrase hypothet-ically nestled among Scripture that simply isn’t.
An elementary school teach-er of mine once claimed I han-dle the truth carelessly. I’ve spent my life trying to dispel that. However, journalists, as I,
have an ambiguous task when it comes to separating truth from fiction daily.
Politicians no doubt expe-rience that same plight, for nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it. A brush of honesty would no doubt help those suffering with truth decay. Videotape of the ar-chitect of Obamacare, an MIT professor and economist, re-cently surfaced in which he was enthusiastically bragging about how the law was passed in deceptive measure and that the American people were just too stupid to understand its importance. His cleverness eventually caught up with him for he had to undergo cross-examination on Capitol Hill from quite a few congressmen who had seen the tape and didn’t appreciate the Econo-mist’s braggadocious theatrics. According to him, those who were in charge of implement-ing the law had to lie because it would have never became law if the truth surfaced.
The President, many in his staff, and a host of politicians, made the claim if you like your medical insurance policy and doctor you can keep them. Ac-cording to that MIT professor it was all a fabrication to deceive the American people, and ironically he was quite proud of that.
It would seem those in Wash-ington, D.C. have a dilemma on their hands. The American people no longer trust their elected officials for recent polls show that Congress has an ap-proval rating hovering around 7%. When does a lawmaker become a lawbreaker? It’s a fine line indeed.
Corruption is running rapid in the nation’s capital, yet, no one seems to be prosecuted or suffer any type of conse-quence concerning their in-dignant behavior.
A clever politician will often tap dance around the issue by saying all things are open to interpretation and reason it away with a convenient half-hearted truth.
The supreme law of the land,
the U.S. Constitution, means nothing to this President and many others who swear al-legiance to it when taking the oath of office. Given that fact, when they steer from that oath and stubbornly ig-nore the Constitution they’ve crossed that line and become lawbreakers and should be la-beled such.
Since this is the Dawn of a new year, and resolutions are often ceremoniously offered up, maybe our elected officials should be resolute in how they conduct themselves. A bold politician would introduce a bill that would ban lobbyists
and special interest groups from contaminating the sys-tem anymore. Introduced leg-islation would say a politician has to live on a fixed income in serving the people. “Politi-cal Contributions” will no lon-ger be referred to as such, but redefined as “Bribes” and out-lawed.
It’s inconceivable that no one in the bureaucracy has been prosecuted for the dis-crimination and targeting of American citizens who claim to be conservative, but in that case truth is sure stranger than fiction.
The President, and those in
his cabinet, continually refuse to implement and oftentimes simply ignore, existing laws and there’s no consequences suffered by them in those en-deavors.
Our first president, George Washington, had the oppor-tunity to wear fine linen and angelical type gowns, but he refused to because he didn’t want to be seen as imperialis-tic.
The American model has in-deed become tarnished by the indignant and that should be reiterated continuously for the truth can be endearing.
4 JANUARY 2015
Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister and social activist who played a key role in the American civil rights
History.com
Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)
movement from the mid-1950s until his assassination in 1968. Inspired by advo-cates of nonviolence such
as Mahatma Gandhi, King sought equality for African Americans, the economically disadvantaged and victims of injustice through peace-ful protest. He was the driv-ing force behind watershed events such as the Mont-gomery Bus Boycott and the March on Washington, which helped bring about such landmark legislation as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 and is re-membered each year on Mar-tin Luther King Jr. Day, a U.S. federal holiday since 1986.
Martin Luther King Day cel-ebrates the life and accom-plishment of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. MLK promoted Civil Rights through nonviolent civil disobedience. He is per-haps best known for his 'I have a dream...' speech in 1963. He was assassinated in 1968. Martin Luther King, Jr. day be-
came a federally recognized holiday in 1983. The first year this holiday was observed was 1986, and not by all states. In 2000 it became a nationally observed holiday in all states. Martin Luther King Jr. Day takes place on the third Mon-day of January each year.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HISTORY
"I HAVE A DREAM”
As we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr this year, remember that his cor-rect title is...Rev. Dr. He was a great civil rights leader....Noble Prize winner and much, much more. But, he was first a man of God and through the power of the Holy Spirit, he accomplished what he ac-complished! If your desire is to accomplish anything in life...tap into to the power of God, through Jesus Christ! If you have accomplished anything in life....give God the credit!
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.By Greg Savage
Chevron
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“We Celebrate and Honor the Dream
of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”
Peter Padilla - State Farm Insurance Agent
240 E. Yosemite Ave. Merced, CA 95340(209) 383-5843
Insurance, Auto Insurance, Homeowners Insurance, Life Insurance, Property & Casualty Insurance, Renters Insurance
website: http://www.peterpadilla.com
“Martin Luther King Jr.Remembering aCommitted Life”
CENTRAL VALLEY VOICE.COM 5
50thANNIVERSARYOF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT!
Join us for the 16th Anni-versary of the MLK Celebra-tion Event
Saturday, January 31, 2015 | Sheraton Hotel Sacramento
"We all should know that di-versity makes for a rich tapes-try, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.” —Maya Angelou.
The MLK 2015 Celebration event will honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Dr. King was among our nation's foremost leaders in combating racial inequal-ity through nonviolence. Dr. King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for his role in the Civil Rights Movement.
We invite you to join us for an exciting program that will commemorate the passage of the Civil Rights Act and pay tribute to Dr. King. Your spon-sorships will help support the event and provide funding to our grant recipient.
Day of Service- MLK DayWhat is the MLK Day of Service?
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persis-tent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for oth-ers?”
March on Washington:August 28,1963By Jess RighthandSMITHSONIAN.COM
I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest dem-onstration for freedom in the history of our nation. -Martin Luther King, Jr., August 28, 1963.
So began King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech, which he delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial 47 years ago tomorrow to a crowd of 250,000 marchers standing on the National Mall. The protest, known today as the March on Washington, was undeniably one of the most important milestones on the road to civil rights.
Several performers played before Dr. King's speech, in-cluding Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Mahalia Jackson, Peter, Paul and Mary and Marian Ander-son. Members of the sponsor-ing organizations each spoke, as did Catholic, Protestant and Jewish religious leaders. Last was Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
To commemorate that day, we thought we'd offer a selec-tion of works in the Smithso-nian collections related to Dr. King:
National Portrait Gallery: Photographer Jack Hiller cap-tured a pensive King in 1960 when he delivered a speech to the Virginia Teachers Asso-ciation in Richmond, Virginia. King had just been released from prison with help from presidential candidate John F. Kennedy to reverse a judge's sentence (King had been ar-rested during a sit-in in Atlan-ta earlier that year).
National Postal Museum: King's "I Have a Dream" stamp is in the collections of the Postal Museum. The 33-cent stamp issued in 1999 depicts him looking up to the sky, with the National Mall and the
Washington Monument in the background.
National Museum of Ameri-can History: A smattering of King photographs are avail-able in the collections that de-pict the Civil Rights leader at dinner with friends and giving speeches. One notable work from the Scurlock collection shows King standing next to Jackie Robinson at Howard Univeristy in academic dress. The Scurlock Studio captured many of the important people in Washington, D.C.'s vibrant and influential African-Ameri-can community.
American Art Museum: Among a group of artworks depicting Dr. King, one of the most vibrant is Washington, DC artist Lois Mailou Jones' 1988 watercolor, "We Shall Overcome," which shows King along with other renowned African Americans of the 20th century.
Prominent among the vast trove of works honoring King's legacy is a nearly 13-inch-high bronze sculpture crafted by Harlem Renaissance artist and teacher Charles Alston in 1970. The work (left) is held by the National Portrait Gallery and currently sits in the Oval Office, on loan to the White House along with many other works of art from the Smithso-nian collections.
Each year, Americans across the country answer that question by coming together on the King Holiday to serve their neighbors and commu-nities.
The MLK Day of Service is a part of United We Serve, the President's national call to service initiative. It calls for Americans from all walks of life to work together to pro-vide solutions to our most pressing national problems.
MLK Day is a chance to start the year off right by making an impact in your community.
To celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this year, take the MLK Day Challenge by making a commitment to serve not just on one day, but throughout the year. Fill out the form below to make your pledge to service to make your community - and the country - a better place.
***The time is always right to do what is right. - Martin Luther King, Jr.
***
6 JANUARY 2015
LOVELADY’SBody & Paint Shop, Inc.
401 10th Street (Corner of “10th & D” Street)
www.loveladys.com
“We Can Handle It”
Kelli L. Bergstrom & Keith A. LoveladyThird Generation
Phone: (209) 527-0902 • Fax: (209) 527- 4045
“We CelebrationDr. Martin
Luther KingJr.”
Quality-Attitude-People
“RememberDr. Martin Luther King Jr.
WINTON HARDWARE
Gary & Corine DusinOwners
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Dr. King’s Unfulfilled Dream of School Integration for America’s Children
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. be-lieved in the transformative power of school integration. He would be dismayed by America’s present day para-dox: the rapidly expanding racial diversity of our society accompanied by the increas-ing segregation of our urban schools.
Dr. King’s commitment to school integration was ul-timately animated by the desire to transform this na-tion into a “beloved commu-nity.” His vision of the beloved community is often associ-ated with the elements of inclusivity, interrelatedness, love, justice, compassion, re-sponsibility, shared power, and a respect for all people. The concept of the beloved community was originally articulated by 19th century theologian-philosopher Jo-siah Royce. As opposed to “natural communities” which are ruled by selfishness and the destruction of others, Royce proposed that the ideal “beloved community” is ruled by loyalty and truth. Royce’s theory was prominent in the curriculum of Dr. King’s Alma Mater, the Boston University Theological Seminary.
In order to develop such a society, King argued that vari-ous elements within America needed to be deconstructed and altered. He once stated, “Our goal is to create a be-loved community and this will require a qualitative change in our souls as well as
a quantitative change in our lives.”
In Dr. King’s view, segrega-tion was diametrically op-posed to his ultimate goal of creating this beloved com-munity. He once asserted, “With every ounce of our en-ergy, we must continue to rid this nation of the incubus of segregation…This is the only way to create the beloved community.” Segregation is inconsistent with a beloved community because it short-
circuits any form of true inter-relatedness, fragmenting Dr. King’s vision of a “single gar-ment of destiny.”
Dr. King constantly talked about the evils of segrega-tion, both in the broader so-cial arena and in the context of K-12 education. The civil rights leader summarized his analysis of the harms of seg-regation in his writing, The Ethical Demands for Integra-tion.
In this essay, Dr. King first distinguishes between de-segregation and integra-tion. While desegregation, he says, is the elimination of a negative, integration is the affirmative acceptance and implementation of a posi-tive. In a desegregated soci-ety, people of different races could be physically near one another, yet spiritually oceans apart. He goes on to argue that segregation hinders hu-man connectivity, curbs lib-
By Greg Groves and Philip Tegeler America’s Wire Writers Group
***“I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
***
In order to host this free, public event, the organizers depend solely on generous donations of money or ser-vices from co-sponsors and donors. To sponsor or donate, make a tax-deductible check payable to “Modesto Peace/Life Center-MLK” and mail it to Jim Costello, 1849 Richard Way, Ceres, CA 95307-4504. For more information contact Costello at [email protected] or 209-402-9191, or Dan On-orato, MJC professor emeri-
tus, at [email protected], 209-526-5436. The Modesto Peace/Life Center is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization with the IRS tax identity num-ber 94-2800825.
Sponsors to date include the City of Modesto Parks, Recreation and Neighbor-hoods Department; Modesto Junior College; Modesto Peace/Life Center; California State University, Stanislaus; West Modesto King-Kennedy Neighborhood Collaborative, and College Avenue Congre-gational Church.
CENTRAL VALLEY VOICE.COM 7
Realizing the Dream erty, infringes upon the in-nate sacredness of humanity, and injures the spirit of both the segregated and segrega-tor. He states, “It scars the soul and distorts the personality. It inflicts the segregator with a false sense of superiority while instilling the segregat-ed with a false sense of infe-riority.”
Moreover, Dr. King also spoke of the evils of “de facto” school segregation because he saw the detrimental affect it had on the next genera-tion’s social interconnected-ness and educational and attainment. Concerning the issue of social interconnect-edness, when asked about the controversial issue of bus-ing in a 1963 interview, King answered:
I lean towards the view that it is a very tragic thing for young people, children to grow up in association, com-munication with only people of their own race. Prejudices develop from the very begin-ning because of this. Narrow provincial views emerge be-cause of this. I think the only way to break this kind of pro-vincialism is to bring people together on a level of genu-ine intergroup and interper-sonal living. I do not think we can afford to wait until all the problems of residential seg-regation are solved before we grapple with the problem of segregation in educational institutions. Therefore, I lean towards the idea that segre-gation must be removed from schools all over the country. For I do not think that the residential segregation must be used as an excuse for the perpetuation of segregation in educational institutions.
Dr. King also saw the aca-demic benefits provided by integrated schools. In a speech he gave in 1968 en-titled “The Other America,” he stated:
In this other America, thou-sands of young people are deprived of an opportunity to get an adequate educa-tion. Every year, thousands
finish high school reading at a 7th, 8th, and sometimes 9th grade reading level. Not be-cause they’re dumb. Not be-cause they do not have native intelligence. But, because the schools are so inadequate, so over-crowded, so devoid of quality, so segregated – if you will – that the best of these minds never come out.
Clearly, Dr. King saw seg-regation as one of the root causes of the unfulfilledintel-lectual/academic potential of so many black children. Now that over half a century has passed since Brown v Board, numerous studies have con-firmed that one of the best ways to improve the academ-ic outcomes of poor minority students is to provide them with a racially and socioeco-nomically diverse school set-ting.
As we reflect on Dr. King’s vision of the beloved com-munity and the current state of education in America, one cannot help but be filled with a spirit of dissatisfac-tion. Schools are almost as segregated now as they were back in Dr. King’s day. While accolades rightly go towards educational programs like the Harlem’s Children’s Zone and other reforms that im-prove educational outcomes for low income children in segregated schools, we imag-ine that Dr. King would have wanted to go further.
As groups like the National Coalition on School Diversity have demonstrated, school integration is still an achiev-able dream. Many school dis-tricts and inter-district pro-grams around the country are successfully implementing school integration programs, in spite of lukewarm federal support. On this anniversary of Dr. King’s birth, we should rededicate ourselves to this policy goal that was at the heart of his vision for an in-clusive and just society.
KING...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6
8 JANUARY 2015
University of the Pacific Presents Black History Month 2015: Lecture by Angela Davis
Author, scholar and political activist Dr. Angela Davis, will lecture at Faye Spanos Concert Hall at 7 p.m. Dr. Davis is internationally known for her ongoing work to combat all forms of oppression and is a strong advocate of gender equity and prison reform. This event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited.
Tuesday, February 17 at 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.Faye Spanos Concert Hall3601 Pacific Ave, Stockton, California 95204
Angela Davis
The Merced Community will hold a Celebration March January 19, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. Amtrak Train Station
Location: 324 West 24th Street, Merced
Celebration Service begins at 12:00 p.m. Merced County Fairground 1900 Martin Lu-ther King Jr. Way Merced, CA.
The Annual Martin Luther King Event is a celebration of the life and legacy of the late Civil Rights leader, Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. His main legacy was to secure progress on civil rights in the United States and he is frequently referenced as a human rights icon today.
“Where They Would Not Be Judge By The Color of their Skin but by the content of their character”
For more information Con-tact: Dwight Amey (209) 261-4899 or Tamara Cobb (209) 722 - 7231.
1721 “M” Street •Merced, CA 95340(Located Downtown Meced)
Reflections
Annissa L. Fragoso Farmers Insurance Agent, celebrated in the Merced Christmas Parade.
Observe Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday on January 19The first year King’s holiday was observed was 1986, the third Monday in January - Martin Luther King, Jr., (1929-68)
Remembering the life, faith and dream of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Merced Mayor Stan Thurston Joined Rochelle Abril, left, and Kelly Turnee in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at McNamara Park Community Center, December 30, 2014. The Youth Center has been renovated by the City of Merced and opened for serving the Community Youth.
McNamara ParkCommunityCenter OpenedFor Youth
CENTRAL VALLEY VOICE.COM 9
Antioch Missionary Baptist Church
Rev. Dr. Sterling Kyle, Jr.
Pastor Study: (209) 722-9806Church: (209) 383-9758
WEDNESDAYMid-Week Bible Study...... Bible Study 7:00 p.m.
Welcome to the Services of the
Assemblies of God Leader Supports Church of God in Christ Black Lives Matter Sunday(Memphis, TN) The Assemblies of God, the nation’s largest historically white Pentecostal denomination in the country, is supporting the Church of God in Christ, the largest black Pentecostal denomination’s Black Lives Matter Sunday.
The two largest Pentecos-tal denominations are stand-ing united in solidarity to support Black Lives Matter Sunday, December 14, 2014. The Church of God in Christ (COGIC) and the Assemblies of God (AG) are unified in the effort that asks churches around the country to set aside the day to pray for Afri-can American men, because of the recent controversial grand jury decisions in Staten Island, New York and Fergu-son, Missouri not to return indictments against white police officers in the deaths of two black males, Eric Gar-ner and Michael Brown. Dr. George O. Wood, General Superintendent of the AG wrote a letter to all of the AG pastors saying in part, “First and foremost black lives mat-ter. The lives of all people are precious to God, of course, but at the present moment, our black brothers and sis-ters feel that their lives are not highly valued by white America.” He further states, “Because black lives matter, and because America needs the Church to heal its linger-ing racial divisions, I ask that Assemblies of God churches join the Church of God in Christ on Sunday, December 14, 2014, and pray.” COGIC Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. says, “I am grateful for this unprecedented letter and show of support from Dr. George O. Wood, General Su-perintendent of the Assem-blies of God. Dr. Wood and the AG demonstrate the love and healing power of Christ by standing with the Church of God in Christ to categori-cally say, black lives matter.”
The Church of God in Christ and the Assemblies of God share a rich heritage. Today, the two church’s leaders also share a great friendship.
The Church of God in Christ is the fifth largest Protestant
religious denomination and the largest African American church in the United States, with churches in 63 countries worldwide and an estimated membership of nearly 6.5 mil-lion members. -
George O. Wood, General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, left, with Church of God in Christ Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr.
10 JANUARY 2015
RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY“Valley Harvest ChurchPresents” 1st Annual Women’s Conference Luncheon
The Valley Harvest Church held 1st Annual Women’s Conference Luncheon on De-cember 6, 2014. The Theme was “Spiritual Intimacy Through Christ”
The program consisted of the topic: “What stops you from more Spiritual Intimacy with Christ?”
Act 1 Deliverance...Deliver Me From? by Tisha Turner & Kissy Ward (Psalm 107:6).
Act 2 Forgiveness...Forgive Who? by Melissa Herrera 1 John 1:9,
Act 3 LOVE...What Is Love? by Audryan Hoagland (Ephe-sians 2:8-9).
Act 4 Commitment...Why Commitment? by Shirley Brown & Gloria Morris,
Scene 1. “What Are the Steps in Your Journey? by Shirley Brown (Psalms 40:1-3)
Scene 2. “But I’m Old Now,
Pictured above: Valley Havest Christian Church 2014 Founding and Honorary Committee members at the Women Conference held December 6, 2014. The 2014 Founding Commitee Members are: Gloria J. Morris, First Lady, Tisha D. Turner, Chairwomen, Shirley Brown, Co-Chair & Treasurer, Kissy Ward, Recording Secretary, Melissa Herrera, Event Planner, Audryan Hoagland, Marketing & PR and Tish Boscolo, Peace Church, Ceres, CA. The Honorary Committee members are: Tracey Yoder, Mary-am Shabazz Chew, Betty J. Jackson-Yilma and Barbara J. Jackson.
Audryan HoaglandMistress of Ceremonies
Do I have a Future?” by Gloria Morris (Isaiah 41:13).
The Mistress of Ceremonies was Audryan Hoagland.
The Luncheon was held at Merced Community Senior Citizen Bldg 755 West 15th Street Merced CA. 95340.
Robert A. Morris is thepastor of Valley HavestChurch.
(Scriptural Foundation: Romans 8: 35 - 39)
CENTRAL VALLEY VOICE.COM 11
Central Valley Community
News From acrossthe Central Valley
(left-right) Marlene Ewey, Yvonne Davis and Mary Ellis at The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) Kwanzaa Celebration on December 5, 2014.
Workshop for High School Seniors andCalifornia Dream Act Studentsoffered at MJC
(Modesto, CA) – The Associ-ated Students of Modesto Ju-nior College (ASMJC) is team-ing up with Students United Reaching for Equality (SURE) and MJC’s International Stu-dent Program to host a work-shop for high school seniors and recent graduates on how to make college a reality, with an emphasis on assisting Cali-fornia Dream Act students and those who need informa-tion about financial aid. The California Dream Act allows undocumented and nonresi-dent documented students who meet certain provisions to apply for and receive com-munity college fee waivers, Cal Grants, state-adminis-tered financial aid, university grants, and private scholar-ships funded through public universities.
The free event is themed “Dream…possibilities are endless” and it will take place on Saturday, January 31, 2015, beginning at 8 a.m. in the Mary Stuart Rogers Stu-dent Learning Center on West Campus, 2201 Blue Gum Av-enue in Modesto. The work-shop will include information on financial aid, Extended Opportunities, Programs and Services (EOP&S), California Dream Act, and the applica-tion process at MJC.
“We want to assist the dreamers of our community who are interested in attend-ing Modesto Junior College,” said Luis Rebolledo, ASMJC president.
Reservations are requested. To sign-up for the workshop contact the MJC Internation-al Student Program at (209) 575-6463.
Cornerstone Lodge #111 will hold their Annual Black Heritage Program, February 15, 2015. Social Hour @ 6:00 p.m. - Dinner 7:00 p.m.
Mary Ellis a former Educator for Merced School District is the keynote speaker for the An-nual Black Heritage Program.
Location: 4246 W. 140, Mer-ced, CA Cost is $35 per person. For info Call: (209) 384-1981-Cell: (209) 489-1893. Chairman: Percy Hill/Past Master
Cornerstone Lodge #111 Annual Black HeritageProgram
Alfonso Peterson owner of LPL Financial were among many who attended the Ebony Socialites Annual Black & White BallDecember 6, 2014 .
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Our Communiy
12 JANUARY 2015
Inside PAGE
Kierra Toney, scholarship recipient, is currently attending UC Berkeley.
Women’s Auxiliary Red, Black and Green Ball 2014
Photo Credit: Greg Savage
27TH ANNUAL CELEBRATION ON DECEMBER 5, 2015!Over the years, The Women's Auxiliary has given over $300,000 in scholarships and merit awards. Everyone had a great time, it is for a great cause! The event was at Double Tree Hotel Hilton in Modesto.
William and Gwendolyn Wall attended the Ebony Socialites Black & White Ball.
Ebony Socialites Annual Black & White Ball
Members of the Ebony Socialites at their annual Black & White Ball held December 6, 2014in Atwater. Back Row: Essie Gordon, LaVerne Davis, Wanda Howard, Mary C Jones, Eula Toca, Mildred Vassell, Ruby Fagan, Earnestine Portis, Patricia Mims, Barbara Wilhoit, and Lula Powell.Front Row: Sylvia Fuller, Fannie Mitchell, and Dolores Maples.
Greg Savage, right, with Erika Murphy Mc Daniel, Willie Mac Mc Daniel and Patricia Newman Nesbitt at the 2014 Red, Black and Green Ball, DoubleTree Hotel in Modesto.
•Gifts•Apparel•Unique Jewelry•Scarves•Purses •Not Your Mother's Jeans Valley Havest Christian Church honorary Committee member
Maryam Shabazz Chew at the Women Conference held December 6, 2014.Honorary Committee members were: Tracey Yoder, MaryamShabazz Chew, Betty J. Jackson-Yilma and Barbara J. Jackson.
Shirley Brown, Co-Chair & Treasurer at the Valley Harvest Women Conference held December 6, 2014.
Our Community
Tamara Cobb at the Ebony Socialites Black and White Ball.
The Merced City & County Continuum of Care(COC) will have its annual Point in time(PIT) street count on Jan-uary 22, 2015 between 6-9 a.m. The PIT street count is a requirement for HUD fund-ing and is part of our 10 year plan to eliminate homeless-ness in Merced County. We encourage all communities in Merced County to participate as this process will help each area get help to the ones that need it the most. A orienta-tion will be the night before, January 21st from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Sam Pipes Room at Merced City Hall 18th & N Streets Merced.
Please find info at http://www.mercedcoc.com or call Jeanette Garcia @209-628-4765.
Annual PointIn Time
14 JANUARY 2015
Education News
CSU Stanislaus is becoming a hot commodity.
Applications for admission to the University from prospec-tive first-time freshmen were up 13.4 percent this year, the largest percentage increase in the entire CSU system. The two-year increase was 22.8 percent, also the largest in the CSU. Fall 2015 freshmen appli-cations totaled 6,973, up from last year’s 6,148.
Applications from students seeking to transfer to the Uni-versity increased 5.7 percent from last year, the sixth-highest gain in the CSU.
“The University has signifi-cantly increased its outreach in the region in the past two years,” said Suzanne Espinoza, vice president for enrollment and student affairs. “More high school and transfer students are recognizing the value of a CSU Stanislaus education.”
Offers of admission for fall 2015 began in October and will continue into the new year.
Applicationsat CSUStanislausShow HighestPercentage Gain in CSU
MJC Art Gallery Hosts Ceramic SculptureExhibition
The Modesto Junior College Art Gallery presents Pictures of the Past, an exhibition of the ceramic work of Rebekah Bogard, an associate professor of ceramics at University of Ne-vada, Reno.
The display is open to the public from January 20 through February 12. The MJC Art Gallery is located on East Campus, 435 College Avenue and is open Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free.
A free public reception with SEE PAGE>16
CENTRAL VALLEY VOICE.COM 15
Health Corner
This is neither an obituary nor a walk down memory lane of the people we have lost in our lives. This is just a aha moment I had.
When someone passes away, the proper thing to do is to give our condolences. "Rest in peace" (Latin: Re-quiescat in pace) is a short epitaph or idiomatic expres-sion wishing eternal rest and peace to someone who has died. The expression typically appears on headstones, often abbreviated as "RIP" or "R.I.P.". The phrase dormit in pace (English: "he sleeps in peace") was found in the catacombs of the early Christians and in-dicated that "they died in the peace of the Church, which is, united in Christ."
But why can’t we RIP here on earth?
RIP Hermione L. WilliamsThere was a time when I
thought peace was a destina-tion, in much the same way I imagined I’d eventually arrive at happiness or success.
It seemed like something I needed to chase or find—def-initely not something I could experience without dramati-cally changing my life.
I needed to work less, relax more, and generally revamp my circumstances and re-lationships in order to be a peaceful person.
I’ve realized that peace is always available, and like any desirable state of mind, it re-quires effort, even if that ef-fort entails consciously choos-ing to be still. (Mark 4:39 NIV Bible)
Sure, our circumstances af-fect our mental state, but they don’t have to control them, not if we make tiny choices for our well-being.
Admittedly, it’s not easy to choose peace when we’re going through tough times. I still go through periods when I get caught up in worries and stresses, and it can feel like that’s the only available response to things that have happened.
But it’s not. There are count-less things we can do to cre-ate peace of mind—both in
response to events in our lives, and proactively, every-day. (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV Bible)
Meditation Take 5-10 minutes for a sim-
ple seated meditation.Communication Write down everything
that’s weighing you down mentally and then burn it as a form of letting go.
Write down everything you’ve learned from a difficult experience so you can see it as something useful and em-powering instead of some-thing to stress you out.
Tell someone how their ac-tions affected you instead of holding it in and building re-sentment.
Call someone you’ve denied forgiveness and tell them you forgive them.
Apologize for a mistake in-stead of rehashing it, and then choose to forgive yourself.
Creativity Engage in a little art thera-
py; grab some crayons, mark-ers, or paint and put all your feelings on the page.
Take a walk with the sole intention of photographing beautiful things that make you feel at peace, like a tree with colorful autumn leaves.
Activity Get up and dance to your
favorite song, focusing solely on the music and the move-ment. Get into your body and get out of your head!
Go for a bike ride in a scenic part of town, and immerse yourself in the calm of your environment.
Acceptance Muster compassion for
someone who hurt you, in-stead of wallowing in bitter-ness, which will make it easier to forgive them and set your-self free.
Create a list of things you love about yourself instead of dwelling on how you wish you were different.
Focus on what you ap-preciate about the people in
your life instead of wishing they would change (assum-ing you’re in healthy relation-ships).
Don't be jealous of others. Being jealous means that you have low self-esteem, and consider yourself inferior to others. Jealousy and low self esteem, often, lead to lack of peace of mind.
Recognize if you’re judg-ing yourself in your head with phrases like “I should have” or “I shouldn’t have.” Replace those thoughts with, “I do the best I can, my best is good enough, and I’m learning and growing every day.”
SolitudeSchedule a date with your-
self—a time when you don’t need to meet anyone else’s requests—and do something that feeds your mind and spirit. Go to a museum or take yourself to your favorite res-taurant and simply enjoy your own company.
Be your own best friend. Tell yourself what’s on your mind, and then give yourself the ad-vice you’d give a good friend who had the same issue.
ConnectionTell the truth in your rela-
tionships. When we hold in our true feelings, we create stress for ourselves. Be kind but honest and share what you really feel.
Catch critical, blaming, or self-victimizing thoughts. In-stead of ruminating on what someone else did wrong, ex-press yourself and ask your-self what you can do to create
the change you’re seeking.Have fun with someone you
love. Forget about everything that feels like a problem and do something silly and child-like.
Contribution Volunteer your time to help
a charity you believe in. Put all your energy into helping someone else and you will in-advertently help yourself.
Do something kind for someone else without expect-ing anything in return. If they ask what they can do for you, tell them to pay it forward.
Leverage your passion to help someone else (i.e.: if you’re an aspiring designer, design a logo for a friend). You get to get in the zone doing something you love; some-one else gets support they need. A win/win!
Peace of mind is a state of mental and emotional calm-ness, with no worries, fears or stress. In Inner peace eventu-ally, leads to external peace. By creating peace in your in-ner world, in your mind, you bring it into your external world, and into other people's lives.
I wish you all PEACE… DisclaimerThe topic discussed in this
article is based on research, knowledge, and experiences from the health community. Please keep in mind that I am not a Doctor or other health professional so please consult the appropriate professional for further help.
the artist will be held on Thurs-day, January 29, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Gallery. Re-freshments will be served.
Bogard employs fictional animals in her artwork to ex-plore the narrative of her life and personal history, provid-ing both anonymity and secu-rity to the secrets she reveals. She utilizes animals because they are beautiful and myste-rious creatures, vulnerable to relations with humans.
Bogard has received numer-ous awards including being named an Emerging Artist by
MJC ART... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14
both the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts and Ceramics Monthly Maga-zine. She has been awarded a residency at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. In ad-dition, Bogard is a two-time re-cipient of the Nevada Fine Arts Council Fellowship, as well as receiving the Best of Show in several national art competi-tions.
Her work has shown in sev-eral solo and group exhibi-tions nationwide and has been reviewed in publications such as Art in America, LA Times,
Sculpture Magazine, Artweek, Ceramics Monthly Magazine and Clay Times Magazine.
Bogard holds a Master of Fine Arts in Ceramics from Uni-versity of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from University of Wyoming. Additional information on the artist and her work is available online at http://www.rebekah-bogard.com/.
For more information on the Pictures of the Past exhibit contact the MJC Art Gallery at (209) 575-6819.
Modesto Unplugged Music FestivalA 21-gun salute to Americana, bluegrass, country, folk and all
things acoustic!This intimate listening festival returns for its fourth year
on April 10-12, 2015, in various venues around downtown Modesto, CA.
Gold Passes to the festival will be available for $50 - granting you access to all five showcases and over twenty accomplished bands and songwriters from across the country and right here in our backyard. Email [email protected] to or-der your all-access pass.
Prospect Theater Project 1214 K St., Modesto CA 1214 K St., Modesto CA, Modesto, California 95354
Beanie and the Bamboozling Horror MachineFriday, January 23, 2015 - 7:00 p.m. Place: Mainstage Theatre
7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2311 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 242 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25Join us for our annual chil-dren’s production! This year, Beanie is once again trying to win the science fair, but this time with his new and improved book machine! But something nasty is a foot in Bookworld and an evil mas-termind wants to turn every-one there into zombies! Not only are the original fairy
tale characters (Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, Dorothy) released, but also villains like Dracula, Frankenstein's Mon-ster, and, once again, the Wicked Witch of the West! Can Beanie save the day, and
who is the mastermind be-hind this evil plot?For tickets visit:https://www.csustan.edu/event/arts/beanie-and-bam-boozling-horror-machine1513 Main Street-Merced
(209) 349-8333Open Mon-Sat. 11a.m.-10 p.m.
SOUL FOOD IN MERCEDIt’s Our Kitchen
CENTRAL VALLEY VOICE.COM 17
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SMART SNACKINGWholesome, Portable Fun
(NAPSI)—If you’re like most Americans, you’ll enjoy a snack today. According to a recent Nielsen survey, nine out of 10 Americans snack daily—and a quarter of them snack three to five times a day.
That can be a good thing. As Temple University points out, “Snacks provide an important energy source throughout the day.” The Center for Science in the Public Interest adds that snacks are especially crucial for children for increased en-
ergy and their ability to focus.That said, those snacks
should consist of “real” food such as cheese, nuts and whole grains. Fortunately, you can fuel yourself and your family on the go with a number of sweet and savory cracker sandwiches that are portable, wholesome and made by a company that’s been creating such snacks for over 100 years.
In fact, Lance® recently improved its line of Whole
Whether as a sweet or savory way to end a meal or a quick pick-me-up at any time, sandwich cracker snacks can be a great way to grab a little wholesome goodness.
Grain Cracker Sandwiches to include 11 grams of whole grains in each package, in such varieties as Real Peanut Butter, Real Cheddar Cheese and Real Sharp Cheddar Cheese.
If you’re looking for a more extreme burst of flavor, there are Bolds. These baked crack-ers come in Buffalo Wing Blue Cheese, Pizza, and Bacon Cheddar. Each has up to 3 grams of protein per serving to fuel fun and adventure.
When hunger strikes, you may care to consider Xtra Fulls. These have an extra helping of freshly ground peanut butter and up to 6 grams of fueling protein.
Alternatively, you can go classic with the company’s iconic Toasty™, Toastchee® or Captain’s Wafers® sandwiches. With a wide range of flavor combinations, there is a crack-er sandwich for everyone.
All these snacks have no high-fructose corn syrup, no preservatives and 0 grams of trans fat.
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Sports NewsSupport Your Local Sports
18 JANUARY 2015
Modesto JC Basketball Tourney
Photo: Greg Savage
Sacramento to Host 2017 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament Games
Sacramento, Calif. – The Na-tional Collegiate Athletic As-sociation (NCAA) announced Sacramento as a host city for the first and second rounds of the 2017 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament on March 17 and 19, 2017. The announcement marks the first major event scheduled to
be held in the new downtown Entertainment and Sports Center (ESC).
“The announcement marks another significant moment in our effort to make Sacra-mento a global destination for sports, civic and entertain-ment events,” said Sacramen-to Kings Owner Vivek Ranad-
ivé. “In the past, the NCAA determined Sacramento was not equipped for a tourna-ment, but today we know that March Madness will thrive in our city. I can promise you that in 2017, March Madness fans will experience some-thing totally unique and ex-
First Major Event Scheduled for New Downtown Entertainment and Sports Center
SEE PAGE>19
The Men’s Basketball Tournament won by Fresno City College 86 - 73 over Cosumnes River College.
CENTRAL VALLEY VOICE.COM 19
NCAA TOURNAMENT ... CONTINUED FROM 18citing in Sacramento.”
The games are expected to draw tens of thousands of visi-tors with a multi-million dollar economic impact.
“Being selected to host the NCAA Basketball Tournament is a testament to all the hard work of our city and region,” said Sacramento Sports Com-mission Director Mike Sophia. “NCAA officials, student-ath-letes and fans from across the country will enjoy an unparal-leled experience at the new world-class arena and will witness our vibrant city at its best.”
Sacramento State will serve as the host institution, and this will be the first time Sacra-mento has hosted NCAA tour-nament games since 2007. Many have attributed the re-gion’s inability to land the ma-jor sporting event due to the absence of a modern arena.
The ESC, scheduled to open in the fall of 2016, will be a multi-use facility designed to accommodate sporting and top entertainment events such as professional and col-legiate sports, headline con-certs, ice shows, indoor rodeo, trade shows, large gradu-ations, family shows, and
other indoor entertainment. The project also includes a state-of-the-art practice facil-ity, administrative offices, and up to 1.5 million square feet of ancillary development. It’s estimated that the ESC and surrounding development will generate 4,000 perma-nent jobs, 1.6 million new an-nual visitors to downtown and $11.5 billion in regional eco-nomic impact over the next 35 years.
For more information, visit www.Kings.com.
San Francisco Giants World ChampionshipTrophy Tour presented by Bank of America Visits Modesto Center Plaza on February 17, 2015
The San Francisco Giants World Championship Tro-phy Tour presented by Bank of America will continue its public tour and visit Modesto Center Plaza in Modesto, CA. on February 17, 2015. The 2010, 2012 and 2014 Major League Baseball’s Commis-sioner’s Trophies, crafted by Tiffany & Co., will be on dis-play to help celebrate the World Series Champions with devoted Giants fans in Junior Giants communities through-out northern and central Cali-fornia, Oregon and Nevada, and help raise funds and awareness for the Junior Gi-ants program.
The viewing of the trophies is free to the public but a vol-untary contribution of $2 per person is suggested to sup-port the local Junior Giants program. This will be the third public trophy tour held in the past five years.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome back the Giants World Series Trophies for a third time to Modesto, this is a great opportunity for local fans to come out and sup-
port the Giants as well as their community!” said Andy John-son, Acting Director of the Parks, Recreation, and Neigh-bors Department. In 2014, the Modesto Junior Giants served nearly 700 children who live in the area. By coming out to view the trophies, our com-munity members are also supporting our Junior Giants League and their support is much appreciated!
Junior Giants is the flagship program of the Giants Com-munity Fund, which serves more than 22,000 boys and girls in 87 underserved com-munities throughout north-ern and central California and southern Oregon. It is a free and non-competitive base-ball program that has served
as a model for MLB youth ini-tiatives. Using baseball, the Junior Giants provides oppor-tunities for youth to connect with adult mentors and learn about the program’s Four Bas-es of Character Development: Confidence, Integrity, Leader-ship and Teamwork. Locally, the Junior Giants program has been running in Modesto for 7 years and many of its participants would not nor-mally have the opportunity or means to play baseball.
Volunteer coaches are need-ed for the upcoming eight-week Modesto Junior Giants season that begins this sum-mer. To learn more about vol-unteer opportunities, please contact Stephanie Smith at [email protected] or (209) 577-5450.
When: February 17, 2015 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Where: Modesto Center Plaza, 1000 L St. Modesto, CA. 95354
To learn more: Please visit sfgiants.com/trophy. You can also follow @SFGiants on Twitter and tag Tweets and photos with #SFGTrophy.
Register NOW for City of Modesto Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Depart-ment Winter/Spring session of Aquatic programs! The next session of classes begins Monday, February 9 or Tues-day, February 10.
All classes are held at Su-san Burris Indoor/Heated Pool, 1325 Sonoma Avenue, Modesto:
· Swim lessons: Adult & Child, Preschool, Levels 1 and 2, Private, and Semi-private classes are available. Lessons will be offered on Monday and Wednesday evenings OR Tuesday and Thursday eve-nings. Must pre-register.
· Adult Water Aerobics is a fun way to stretch and tone your muscles using water re-sistance, which makes you work harder while supporting the body and helping prevent the aches and pain of dry land training. Class offered Mon-day and Wednesday evenings from 7:30-8:15 p.m. Must pre-register.
· Senior/Disabled Swim is on-going and available as a drop in program designed for seniors and disabled par-ticipants to get moving in an indoor/heated Therapeutic pool. Program runs Monday-Thursday 3:30-5:00 p.m. until June 5. Swim card is required,
no cash accepted at pool.First session is February
9-March 9, the next session is March 16-April 9
All sessions offer either Monday/Wednesday or Tues-day/Thursday Classes.
Register in person at the Parks, Recreation and Neigh-borhoods Department of-fice, 1010 Tenth Street, Suite 4400, or online at www.m o d e s t o g o v. c o m / e c o n -nect. For more information, refer to the Winter/Spring 2015 Activity Guide at www.modestogov.com/prnd/ac-tivityguide or call (209) 577-5344.
Register now for Indoor Winter/Spring Swim Classes
Golf Tournament Breaks Fundrais-ing Record
The 18th annual Ma Kelley Memorial Shoot-Out and the fifth annual Building Future Champions Dinner, presented by Merced Honda in October at the Stevinson Ranch Golf Course, netted more than $56,000 for UC Merced Athlet-ics.
The funds raised set a new single-year record for the tour-nament, which has now raised $275,000 since its inception in 2005. Nearly 135 golfers par-ticipated in this year's tourna-ment.
COMMUNITY BUSINESS SERVICEEnrolled Agents
• Tax Service • Bookkeeping • Payroll • Individuals • Business Tax Service
2687 Alabama St. Atwater, CA
(209) 357-1199
20 JANUARY 2015
Business News
*FORMER CLAIMS ADJUSTER *FORMER DEFENSE ATTORNEY FOR INSURANCE COMPANY
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ACCIDENT AND INJURY ATTORNEY
• Personal Injury (Car Accidents, Slip and Falls)• Medical Malpractice/Wrongful Death• Nursing Home Neglect
County AdministrationBldg2222 M StreetMerced, CA 95340(209) 385-7682Jobline (209) 385-7516
Hearing Impaired (800) 725-2929For a complete job listing and to apply visit:
www.co.merced.ca.usEQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
MINORITIES, WOMEN AND DISABLED ENCOURAGED TO APPLY
HELP WANTED
FINANCIAL CORNERHow To Purchase Your First Home In 2015
Homeownership is still attainable to qualified buyers.
SEE PAGE > 21
(NAPSI)—The American dream of homeownership may not be as hard to attain as many people seem to fear. A few intriguing facts and hints can help.
The FactsWhile existing home sales
have risen recently, the Na-tional Association of Realtors’ annual Profile of Home Buy-ers and Sellers found that the share of first-time buyers re-cently fell to its lowest level (33 percent) in nearly three decades.
Many first-time buyers ex-perience obstacles on the path to homeownership, in-cluding difficulty saving for a down payment and tight
credit conditions. The HintsConsider these tips:• Find and work with an ex-
pert Realtor who knows the neighborhood. Nothing can replace the local knowledge and real insight that profes-sional Realtors can provide to first-time buyers as they navi-gate the complex home buy-ing process.
According to the Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, while most home buyers in the past year began their home search online, 90 percent ended up purchasing their home through an agent. Re-altors are not only the source
CENTRAL VALLEY VOICE.COM 21
(209) 537- 4066
1325 ANGIE AVE Modesto, CA 95351
Automobile Diagnostic Service
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THE SAW SHOPHOMEBUYERSCONTINUED FROM PAGE 20
of online real estate data, they also use their unparalleled lo-cal market knowledge and re-sources to help close the deal for buyers and sellers.
• Meet with a lender to de-termine how much you can afford. Last year, the median price a first-time buyer spent on a home was $169,000. Chances are, you don’t have that amount of cash lying around. That’s why 95 per-cent of first-time buyers who
bought a home in the past year financed their purchase.
Find out what you can af-ford with a preapproval from a lender. A lender will check your credit history, current debt obligations and other expenses to determine the amount of money you’re qualified to borrow at a spe-cific interest rate. Don’t forget to consider the other costs of homeownership, such as tax-es, insurance and utilities.
• Identify your housing wish list. Although 46 percent of first-time buyers got a single-
family home in the suburbs, you may prefer a condo in an urban environment near pub-lic transportation.
Regardless of your prefer-ences, identifying and shar-ing your wish list can help your Realtor focus on the right home for you, scan listings and connect with those who represent sellers to zero in on homes for sale that meet your budget and criteria.
Keep this advice in mind and you may soon find your-self waking up in the home of your dreams.
22 JANUARY 2015
Automotive Services CornerHarris Electric Service
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Main Street GarageAuto Repair & Smog
“Pass or free retest”
Bus. 209-349-8307Fax. 209-349-8314
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Central Valley Voice
A Little Knowledge Can MakeA BigDifference
It’s a good idea to write down your vehicle’s symptoms be-fore visiting a repair shop, in-cluding noises—and whether these occur when the engine is hot or cold.
SEE PAGE 24
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(NAPSI)—When it comes to pinpointing potentially seri-ous issues with your vehicle, your nose may know more than you realize. For example, the smell of burnt toast might be a sign of an electrical short. The smell of rotten eggs may signal trouble with the emis-sions system, which includes the catalytic converter.
These and other tips are in-cluded in “Knowledge Is Pow-er,” a booklet that’s part of a car-care and maintenance clinic developed by ACDelco. It gives vehicle owners easy-to-understand information about their vehicles so they can be informed and make the right choices when they visit an independent auto service center.
Here are some things you may not know about your ve-hicle:
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“Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”
Successful Modesto Women's February Networking Mixer!
Time to network and mingle! Finally we can all get together and have a great evening get-ting to know one another.
WHO:Remember, this is all about
the WHOLE you, so you do not need to have a business, be in business, etc.. to be a suc-cessful Modesto Woman! This is a great time to celebrate YOU and meet other amazing women in our community.
INVITATIONS:The privacy settings have
been set in such a way that you can invite a friend wheth-er they are a member of this group or not. Let's all get to know one another!
MENU:
Upon arrival you will be giv-en a menu card to select your dinner preference of either Tri-tip, chicken, salmon, or veg-etarian cuisine. Dinner is $20.
DRESS: Business, business casual, or
just plain casual attire. Come as you are, as this group is all about making connections with whole women. Our focus is not just business, but as a whole person, so come com-fortably!
FUN STUFF:We will have an opportunity
drawing (raffle), so feel free to bring a few dollars for that if you wish to participate in win-ning some prizes. We are very excited about the evening and
cannot wait to meet you!BRING:Your smile, business cards
if you would like to promote your business life, photos if you want to share your per-sonal life, flyers if you want to share information about class-es, sports, events, happenings, health information, etc., $20 for dinner, and a few dollars if you would like to participate in the opportunity drawing.RSVP at https://www.face-book.com/events/16221...
HOT & TASTY! Fried Chicken
Your Neighborhood Grocery & MarketShop N Save
Hot & Cold Deli
(209) 384-2807
“Mexican Food
To Go”
1055 Child Ave • Merced, CA 95340
Much More...
espanol
24 JANUARY 2015
• C o m p l e t e C o o l i n g & E x h a u s t• C a t a l y t i c C o n v e r t e r s • H i t c h e s
“ S e r v i n g a l l y o u r R a d i a t o r a n d M u f f l e r n e e d s ”Hours: Open Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00 p.m.
775 Atwater Blvd. • Atwater, CA 95301(209) 358-2638
E&J
2675$SMOG CHECK COUPON
+ CERTIFICATE
AUTO REPAIRMonday-Friday 8 a.m.-6 p.m.Saturda 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
(209)725-0185710 W. 14th St Merced, CA 95340
MORE THAN15YEARS OFEXPERIENCE
Gas&Deisel
PASSOR FREERE-TEST
1330 N. Lander, Stevinson, CA (209) 667-0191
2136 Daubenberger Rd., Turlock, CA (209) 632-7500
• TOWING • REPAIR SERVICES
Used Auto PartsDiscount Used Auto Parts
• Motors • Transmissions • Rear Ends Starters • Body Parts • Brake Rotors and MUCH MORE.....
(BEHIND THE MALL)
• Hand Washing• Complete Detailing
MERCED MALLCAR WASH
“Put A Shine on Your Car”
Hours of OperationsWinter Hours
Monday-Saturday8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Summer HoursMonday-Sunday
(209) 723-7900
(Please call for an appointment)
KNOWLEDGE ... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22• Reddish stains on the
driveway can be a sign of a transmission oil leak.
• If your technician asks if your vehicle’s brakes are “grabbing,” he wants to know if the brakes engage sud-denly when you apply steady pressure to the brake pedal.
• You should pull over im-mediately if your tempera-ture light reads in the hot zone. That probably means your vehicle’s coolant is too hot to cool your engine.
• Many brake pads have
wear indicators. If your ve-hicle has them, they will emit loud squeals when they de-tect wear.
• It’s a good idea to write down your vehicle’s symp-toms before visiting a repair shop, including noises—and whether these occur when the engine is hot or cold.
• Air bags work with your safety belts, not as a replace-ment for them.
• Children under 13 should ride properly secured in the rear seat.
• Always keep at least a half tank of gas in your vehicle to avoid potential damage to your fuel filter or fuel line.
• Check your tire pressure frequently for safety and fuel
economy. Hot and cold out-side temperatures affect the pressure in your tires.
• Avoid oil and fuel addi-tives unless recommended by your ser-vice consultant.
• Don’t use dish detergent to wash your car; it can hurt clearcoat finishes.
The “Knowledge Is Power” booklet is part of a presenta-tion kit available to shops at no charge. Consumers can download the free booklet at www.acdelco.com/pdf/
For more than 100 years, ACDelco has been supplying parts, technical training and business expertise to inde-pendent auto ser-vice cen-ters. To find out if a service center in your neighborhood is sponsoring a Knowledge Is Power clinic, visit ACDelco.com and click on “Find a Ser-vice Center.”
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