Happily Divorced And After

Vanessa Williams and Blair Underwood will join Cicely Tyson in the critically acclaimed, Tony-nominated Broadway revival of Horton Foote’s American masterpiece “The Trip to Bountiful,” which will be presented in the exclusive Center Theatre Group engagement at the Ahmanson Theatre, September 17 through November 2, 2014. The opening is set for September 26.

Tyson and Williams appeared together in the 2013 Broadway production of “The Trip to Bountiful,” while Tyson, Williams and Underwood all starred in the Lifetime TV version that aired in March.

Directed by Michael Wilson, “The Trip to Bountiful” tells the story of Mother Watts, played by Tyson. She is an elderly woman forced to live with her overprotective son, played by Underwood, and domineering daughter-in-law (Williams). Mother Watts’ dream is to return for one last time to her small hometown of Bountiful, Texas. Her journey becomes a heartbreaking but ultimately life-affirming and inspiring tale that examines the fragility of memory and celebrates the enduring power of hope, faith and family.

Tyson, who received an Academy Award nomination for “Sounder” and two Emmy Awards for “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman,” returned to Broadway in 2013 for the first time in over 30 years to star in “The Trip to Bountiful.” She received every major theatrical award including the Tony Award for Best Actress, Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award for her tour-de-force performance as Carrie Watts. Vanessa Williams, one of the most multi-faceted performers in entertainment today, has achieved critical acclaim as an actress on stage, in film and on television, and she has sold millions of albums worldwide. In addition to “The Trip to Bountiful,” in which her performance Vanessa Williams and Blair Underwood Set for “The Trip to Bountiful” at Ahmanson as the bossy daughter-in-law was called “wickedly funny” by Entertainment Weekly, Williams’ other stage credits include Broadway’s “After Midnight,” “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” “Into the Woods” (for which she received a Tony Award nomination) and “Sondheim on Sondheim,” as well as “St. Louis Woman” for City Center’s Encores! As a recording artist, she has garnered 11 Grammy nominations, and she is also known for her three-time Emmy-nominated performance as Wilhelmina Slater in “Ugly Betty” and for her performance as Renee Perry in “Desperate Housewives.”

Award-winning actor, director and producer Blair Underwood, who will appear as Othello at The Old Globe in San Diego this summer, is equally at home in the worlds of theatre, film and television. He made his Broadway debut as Stanley in “A Streetcar Named Desire” for which he received a 2012 Drama League Distinguished Performance Award nomination. His many film and TV credits include “Just Cause,” “Deep Impact,” “Something New,” “The Event,” “Dirty Sexy Money,” “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” “Sex and the City,” “In Treatment” (Golden Globe nomination) and “L.A. Law” (Golden Globe nomination), among many others. He is a Grammy Award-winner for the audiobook of “An Inconvenient Truth.” He made his feature directorial debut with “Bridge to Nowhere.”

“The Trip to Bountiful” was lauded as one of the most distinguished productions on Broadway in 2013. Terry Teachout of the The Wall Street Journal said, “I’ve never been more deeply moved by a theatrical production of any kind. ‘The Trip to Bountiful’ is without flaw!” While Ben Brantley of The New York Times said, “Book the next bus to Bountiful! Cicely Tyson is remarkable.” David Cote from Time Out NY called the show “Soul-stirring and flawless. ‘The Trip to Bountiful’ seems as fresh and vibrant as the day Horton Foote finished it.”

“The Trip to Bountiful” is the first production in the CTG/Ahmanson Theatre’s 2014-2015 season. Tickets for the season are currently available by subscription only. For information and to charge season tickets by phone, call the Exclusive Season Ticket Hotline at (213) 972-4444.
To purchase subscriptions online, visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/Ahmanson. For information regarding audio description and Project D.A.T.E. (sign language interpreted, open caption and audio description performances) call TDD (213) 680-4017 or voice (213) 972-4444.

What it do I.E. and neighboring cities! Happy to be back again this week to let you know WHAT IT DO! Well, it’s about our young folks. Our community is saturated with talented youth and teens looking for events to showcase their skills. I’ve witnessed children on more than one occasion at several neighborhood events singing, dancing, and rapping. Come on let’s be honest, how many of you have given Lil’ Jon Jon or Sara a dollar or two to perform at the family function because they have amazing talent? I know I’m guilty of it.

Please help us spread the word about our FREE YOUTH auditions. Let’s get them off the streets and on the STAGE! The “Youth Holiday Talent Showcase” is sponsored by LUE Productions, Westside Story Newspaper, Black Chamber of Commerce Inland Cities, Family First Entertainment, Pretty Pockets, Cold Cutz Barber Shop, and Blaim Society. The event will be held on Saturday, December 13th.

We are calling all Gospel acts, singers, singing groups, poets, dancers, rappers, comedians, and more, as well as youth hosts and models. Registration is free to sign up, and if you are selected you must sale tickets. All participants must be 19 and under. Auditions will be held on Sunday, September 14 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, September 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

You may send us an audition tape if unable to make the auditions. Please send it to Lue.info@yahoo.com. Please make sure that your footage is no longer than 3 minutes. All final contestants will be contacted by Monday, September 29.

BOTTOM LINE…PUBLISHER’S COMMENTARY BY WALLACE J. ALLEN

Dr. Ahmses Maat (left)

Preventing death from the Ebola virus is possible if it is true that the Ebola virus lives about 20 to 29 days, and if it is true, the virus must have high fever heat in order to achieve the deadly stage where the blood erupts from the capillaries. We are not sure the virus needs high fever heat in order to reach this stage, but we do know that high fever heat has been present in each case that death has occurred. Therefore we say “if” the patient can be cooled, MAYBE death will be prevented.

The concept is to ward off the high fever temperature associated with the bleeding out stage. If the patient’s body temperature is kept at 100 degrees Fahrenheit, well below the temperature that accompanies the bleeding out stage, the life-cycle of the virus can possibly complete without killing the patient.

How can patients prevent high fever temperature? We know that modern cooling methods require power and supplies that are not available, nor deliverable to where needed; however, we also know that there is a cooling method that is available to most victims and that it is basically free.

My friend and associate, Dr. Ahmses Maat, (Doctorate of Metaphysics,  Registered Respiratory Therapist, Certified Clinical Perfusionist, President of TaMeri Inc.),  is prescribing a  “Mud Bath Series” that allows the patient to cool as needed, either with the assistance of an aide or without. The ability to determine body temperature during the process is the one thing that may be a problem, thermometers are needed.

Dr. Maat suggests that a hole, two to three feet deep by four feet wide by six to seven feet long, be dug out from the ground. Half of the dirt should be placed back in the hole along with water to make the mud. A plastic liner can be used but is not necessary.  The patient should lay in the mud bath and cool him/her self as needed. This process should be repeated until the fever no longer returns.

We are aware of the social disruption that makes servicing the Ebola victims almost impossible.  It would be great to have 5000 doctors and 20,000 beds and the vaccine and “best practice” procedure to fight this battle, but until that occurs we must submit that reasonable care that does no harm should be afforded the victims.

As usual your comments are important; however, if you are able to communicate this concept to someone on the ground in West Africa, please do so.  We are not trying to “get paid,” we want to save lives.

Ray Rice and Janay Rice

By Jameelah Medina, PhD

We have all heard about (former) NFL player, Ray Rice, receiving a 2-game suspension for a domestic altercation with his former fiancée. Janay Rice, who is now his wife, explained that she was partially at fault for the violence that led to being unconscious in an elevator; however, most did not know the extent of the violence. We all know that it takes a serious amount of force to render someone unconscious, but the recent release of the entire surveillance video showing how she lost consciousness set off a storm. In short, the video shows Mr. Rice reaching for her before they enter the elevator. Once in the elevator, he strikes her. She responds by pushing him, and he hits her again hard enough to knock her to the floor. On her way down, her head hits a handle bar in the elevator. Once on the floor, she does not move; she is unconscious. He is forced to drag her seemingly lifeless body from the elevator and out of the building.

While many were appalled at his violent actions, many chose to focus on  Mrs. Rice. They asked questions like, “Why did she stay with him?” “How could she marry him?” “Why would she lie for him?” “How could she sit at that press conference and support him so publicly?” While it is very easy to judge an abused woman, her behavior and choices; it is actually better to try to understand the psychological nature of abuse and the psychology of the abused and battered.

Relationships hardly ever start out abusive. There is a process of breaking in and breaking down a victim. This process involves possessiveness, isolation, verbal and emotional abuse, and other tactics. Women who have experienced physical, emotional, sexual or other forms of abuse as girls are at greater risk for entering into an abusive relationship. For many, become accustomed to seeing violence as a way in which love is shown. Others may have low self-esteem in general or at least when it comes to romantic relationships. While others see potential in the abuser and believe that they can help the abuser change.

Many women, especially in the African American community, also have an aversion to involving the authorities in domestic disputes; they would rather take the abuse than offer their abusive partner up to the criminal justice system. Within the African American community, there is also the stigma of being seen as weak and the stereotype of “the strong, black woman.” This often keeps African American women silent about the abuse they suffer.

Over 85 percent of domestic violence (DV) or intimate partner violence (IPV) is against women, and one in every three women will experience IPV in her lifetime. More than 33% of teenage girls already report experiencing violence in a dating relationship. Abused women are often killed by their abusive partners, and the most dangerous time is when she is leaving or has just left the relationship. Roughly 72% of all murder-suicides are the result of IPV. It also takes roughly 7-8 attempts at leaving before the woman leave for the final time. Many often wonder why these women stay and judge them harshly for doing so. Just because a woman stays with her abuser does not mean that she does not want to end the abuse or leave the relationship. Most times, she has carefully weighed her options and the safest one is remaining where she is. She may remain in hopes of changing the abuser or simply to buy herself more time to plan a safe exit. Most people think of leaving as a one-time event. However, leaving an abusive relationship is a process. Once a woman is committed to leaving the relationship, it may take her months or even years before the process is finalized. And, until the very end, she runs the risk of losing her life to the abuser. If there are children involved, the leaving process is further complicated.

I do not particularly care for the NFL nor do I think they deserve applause for ending Ray Rice’s contract. However, I believe that this case represents an excellent time for our community to openly and honestly discuss DV and IPV, especially with our pre-teen and teen population.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

In this life, if you choose to follow God’s assignment and God’s call on your life, know that it won’t be easy. It will not be a bed of roses. The reality is, there will come times in your life, rather than whining about how bad things are, you have to develop the resolve to square your shoulders and look the devil square in the eye and tell him, “It’s going to take more than that.”

In the Scripture, Paul tells about all the things he went through. It is a litany of experiences from one extreme to the next. Out of the context of this crisis, he talks about how he went through it all to help us understand that our assignment in the earth realm has to be GREATER than our assault in the earth realm. The Apostle Paul had to face all sorts of threats and dangers. The detailed plots on his life, angry crowds, and storms at sea, shipwrecks, all the forces of hell seemed to have been intensifying their efforts to keep him from reaching Rome.  But after two weeks of hurricane storm at sea, he survived the storm; he made it through the shipwreck; he made it through the rain. He survived the snake attack unharmed, and then he turned around and healed a number of sick people on the island. What the devil intended for evil, God turned into good.Tell the Devil, “It’s going to take more than that!”

What makes us who we are is our resolve to tell the Devil that we are not rookies at this thing. That it’s going to take more that that to break us.That it’s going to take more than that to make us walk away. That it’s going to take more than that to uproot us. For we have been at this thing too long and we have seen God turn situations around and we believe in our Spirit that God is able to sustain us. Tell him that you have chosen to look to the hills from which comes your help. The Preservation of God. He preserved Noah and his family. He preserved Abraham when he went down to Egypt. He preserved the children of Israel in Egypt and in the wilderness. He preserved Jonah in the fish’s belly. He preserved Joseph in prison and made him prince in the palace of Egypt. He preserved Peter in prison and from death and He will preserve me. I tell you, “It’s going to take more than that!”

Can I testify for a moment. The devil tried to take me out and the crowd was watching and waiting happily to see me drop dead so they could get a kick out of it and throw themselves a devil’s party. But God kept me; He preserved me, and I’M STILL HERE. I refuse to die! I’m never going to quit! “It’s going to take more than that!”

What’s the point of all this?  Don’t be ignorant. Make no mistake about it; the Devil wants to deprive you of love and of life. He wants to destroy and do away with the very reason you were created. He wants to muffle and neutralize your glory unto God the Father. He wants to get you to neglect your purpose by allowing things and situations in your life to become distractions. He will speak lies and say you have no purpose here. He will begin to make you feel as if your life is useless, that everything you do is ineffective. I tell you, The Devil is a liar!  Even though he is powerful and he is out to kill our purpose, by trying everything in his power to get us to neglect and turn away from our purpose, “It’s going to take more than that!” “Greater is He that is in us, than He that is in the world.”

Kelsey Scott

Feature film star Kelsey Scott has just joined the star-studded line up at the 12th Annual 168 Film festival, a red carpet awards show designed as an international celebration of faith in film. The event takes place Saturday, September 13, at the Aratani Japanese Theater in Downtown L.A., located at 244 S. San Pedro Street. (Red Carpet, 5:30pm-7pm; Awards Show: 7:30pm-9pm.)

Highlighting the power of story to change culture, the 168 Film Festival showcases the work of worldwide filmmakers competing for top honors and more than $25,000 in cash and prizes. The event is presented annually by 168 Film, an organization founded in 2003 to train and equip filmmakers in the how-to’s of making God-honoring films. The talented Scott will take the stage as a Presenter this year.

Before starring opposite Chiwetel Ejiofor as “Anne Northrop” in director Steve McQueen’s Academy Award-winning 12 Years A Slave, Scott’s credits spanned a wide range of projects, including; True Detective, Grey’s Anatomy, House M.D., NCIS, Treme, Army Wives, and The Young and the Restless.  On working with McQueen, Scott says: ”Up to that point, I don’t believe I’d ever felt so trusted as an actor. He has a way of placing the scene into your hands, folding your fingers around it, and stepping back.”

This year’s festival takes on additional importance as the press declared 2014 as “The Year of Christian Film” following a host of box-office hits that grossed record numbers while dealing with faith-based themes (“God’s Not Dead,” “Heaven Is For Real,” “Son of God,” “Noah”).

According to 168 Film Founder and Executive Director John David Ware, “We in the media are in the culture-changing business. With ten amazing scripts, we could sell them all in the current climate.”

Scott joins an already all-star line-up including four-time Emmy winner Michael Learned (The Waltons); Nathan Kress (iCarly, Into the Storm); this year’s Host, comedian Kerri Pomarolli (The Tonight Show, Comedy Central, Lifetime); Vincent Irizarry (All My Children, Heartbreak Ridge, Homeland); twice Emmy nominated actor Max Gail (Barney Miller); Writer, Director Sean McNamara (Soul Surfer); Melissa Biggs (Baywatch, Dreamz: The Movie); Allie McCulloch (Homeland, Finding Amanda); Kim Estes (NCIS, Law & Order: L.A.; The Closer, The Matador, Rake, How I Met Your Mother); Melissa Disney (As Told By Ginger; Superman: Unbound); and Bryan E. Miller (film composer America, American Idol, Dancing With the Stars, Next Top Model, Access Hollywood.)

The “168 Film Festival” is a two-day affair, Sept. 12-13. Special programming for Saturday, September 13, includes “168KIDS!,” where kids ages 5-15 are invited to walk the red carpet and mingle with celebrities including Nathan Kress (iCarly), Carmina Garay (React To That), Nay Nay Kirby (Who’s Watching the Kids), Noah Dahl (Mr. & Mrs. Smith), Mandalynn Carlson (Machine Gun Preacher), Kiana Lyz Rivera (Immigrant) and Tara-Nicole Azarian (It’s Supernatural). The “Pastors & Producers Media Forum,” will bring Southern California pastors together with Hollywood leaders to discuss “Capitalizing On The Year of Christian Film,” from 3pm-4pm.

For interviews with actors, filmmakers or 168 Film Founder, John David Ware; or to obtain press kits, B-roll, stills or film clips, contact the 168 Film offices at 818-557-8507. For the full schedule or more info, visit www.168film.com.

HIGH DESERT, CA- There is a part-time position available as an Administrative Assistant for a marketing company. Potential candidate must be willing to work weekends and have reliable transportation and flexibility. Duties may require some traveling of up to approximately a 60 miles radius. Computer skills are a plus. Candidate must be personable and have a professional appearance. The salary is negotiable. For more information and those that are interested, please call (760) 298-1787

2014 Miss Inland Empire Rita Garabet, 21, of Redlands (right) and Miss Inland Empire Outstanding Teen Sophia Torres, 14, of Apple Valley, visit with Aubrey Olivas, 2, of Rancho Cucamonga, during the title holders’ stop at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital on Wednesday, Sept. 10.

LOMA LINDA, CA  – Representatives from Miss Inland Empire spent time on Wednesday (Sept. 10) catching up with the young patients at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital.

2014 Miss Inland Empire Rita Garabet, 21, of Redlands, and 2014 Miss Inland Empire Outstanding Teen Sophia Torres, 14, of Apple Valley, spent time playing and interacting with the children at the hospital. They also toured some of the units at the hospital, including the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Unit and the Stem Cell Transplant Unit.

“I absolutely love visiting Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital; it’s a great place where children get the best care,” Garabet said. “I’m honored to visit the children, to interact with them, and hopefully help make their day,” she said.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- On Friday, September 12, the San Bernardino Black Cultural Foundation is proud to be celebrating 25 years of honoring unsung heroes. The Black Rose was the brainstorm of Dr. Juanita Scott, Jim King and Jeffrey Hill.  It was evident to them and to us that many individuals, companies and organizations were doing exceptional volunteer work in the Inland Empire but were not getting recognition.  These are, indeed, our unsung heroes because these volunteers do not look for compensation or recognition.

This year’s honorees include Tim Evans, founder of the Unforgettables Foundation; Dwaine Radden, Sr., newly appointed CEO of The PAL Center and PAL Academy High School; and The California Gas Company. Other long time sponsors being recognized include  The City of San Bernardino; Edison International; Arrowhead Credit Union; San Bernardino Unified School District; Dameron Communications; Derrick Vasquez; Community Hospital of San Bernardino; San Manuel Band of Mission Indians; and Adeola Davies-Aiyeloja. The Black Rose winners are as follows:  Arthur & Fredda Davis Foundation, Angela Brantley, Keynasia Buffong, C.O.P.E., Walter Hawkins, Patricia Nelson, and Dr. Gary Thomas.

The Awards Banquet will be held at the National Orange Show Valencia Room, 689 South E Street (entrance on Arrowhead Avenue). Social hour is at 6 p.m. with dinner and program beginning at 7 p.m. The cost for this event is $60 per person or $600 for a table of ten. Contact Margaret Hill at (909) 864-3267 or (909) 991-6422 for tickets.

WHO: All county departments, community and faith based organizations, and community members interested in learning about suicide prevention. Suicide Prevention Week is September 8 through September 14 and World Suicide Prevention Day is September 10.

WHAT: September 8 through 14 marks the 40^th Annual National Suicide Prevention Week and September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day. The purpose of Suicide Prevention Week and World Suicide Prevention Day is to create awareness and provide information and education about the warning signs of suicide as well as reduce the stigma surrounding the topic of suicide.  The warning signs of emotional pain or suicidal thoughts aren’t always obvious.

WHY: Suicide is real, but can also be preventable.  According to the International Association for Suicide, the number of lives lost each year through suicide exceeds the number of deaths due to homicide and war combined.  Knowing what to look for and finding the words to show concern and support may be a life-saving act.

Here are some warning signs:

• Talking about wanting to die or suicide
• Increased drug or alcohol use
• Feeling hopeless, desperate, trapped
• Withdrawal
• Giving Away possessions
• Anxiety or agitation
• Putting affairs in order
• Changes in sleep
• Reckless behavior
• Sudden mood changes
• Anger
• No sense of purpose

WHEN:  National Suicide Prevention Week is the week of September 8 through 14, 2014. World Suicide Prevention Day is September 10, 2014.

WHERE: More information on the warning signs and ways to help can be found at www.suicideispreventable.org.  The national suicide prevention lifeline phone number is 1 (800) 273-TALK (8255).

CONTACT: For more information regarding Suicide Prevention please contact Erica Porteous at (909) 252-4050.

For County of San Bernardino residents in need of a Crisis Walk-in Clinic (CWIC) the following CWICs are available:

CWIC Rialto: 850 E. Foothill Blvd. Rialto, CA 92376 (909) 421-9495. Open Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

CWIC High Desert: 16460 Victor Street, Victorville, CA 92395. (760) 245-8837. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

CWIC Morongo Basin: 55475 Santa Fe Trail, Yucca Valley, CA 92284 (entrance to Inca Trail). (855) 365-6558. Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

For residents who are experiencing a mental health related emergency the Community Crisis Response Team (CCRT) is available for assistance 24 hours a day, 365 days a year:

East Valley: Office (909) 421-9233 Pager- (909) 420-0560

West Valley: Pager- (909) 535-1316

High Desert: Office- (760) 956-2345 Pager- (760) 734-8093

Morongo Basin: (855) 365-6558

For all numbers listed, TTY users may dial 711.