Friday, February 22, 2013

FAMILY & FRIENDS CELEBRATE EVANGELIST DORETHA STAFFORD’S 80th BIRTHDAY


HOPEWELL PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH CHOIR CELEBRATES 76th ANNIVERSARY




The Hopewell Choir in concert. (Photo by Marilyn Hampton)


Pastor Torrence Ivy of Thompson Hopewell Primitive Baptist Church enjoying the concert. (Photo by Marilyn Hampton)


On January 1, 1937, the Hopewell Gospel Chorus was organized under the pastorate of Elder Robert Jordan. In October 2010, Hopewell moved to its new Church home at 1400 South Kolin Avenue. On Sunday, February 3, the Hopewell Choir celebrated its 76th Anniversary with a festive concert. 
Guest churches participating in the celebration were: True Faith Primitive Baptist, Mt. Pilgrim Primitive Baptist, Traveling Zion Primitive Baptist, Hopewell U.P. Baptist Church, God Will Provide, Canaan M.B. Church, Greater Star M.B. Church, New Life Holiness, and Temple of Deliverance.
Bishop D.W. Patton, Jr., is Senior Pastor; Elder Archie Randle III is Executive Pastor; Gerald Pittman & Marcus Williams are Ministers of Hopewell Primitive Baptist Church.
Sister Stacy Mills-Johnson of Mt. Pilgrim Primitive Baptist Church is Mistress of Ceremonies for the Hopewell Choir 76th Anniversary Concert. (Photo by Marilyn Hampton)




Brother Brian McIntosh of True Faith Primitive Baptist Church congratulates the Hopewell Choir on carrying God’s joyful message in music for 76 years. (Photo by Marilyn Hampton)

LINDA McWRIGHT HONORED BY HSI SENIOR RESIDENTS

Barbara Carrington & Mary Alice Atkins present Linda McWright an award of appreciation for bringing her popular aerobic exercise class to the senior residents of the Habilitative Systems, Inc. apartments. (Photo by Walter Tidwell)


Seniors gather in the Enola Dew Apartments Activity Room to thank Linda McWright for directing the popular aerobic exercise class for them. (Photo by Walter Tidwell)


Residents of the Habilitative Systems, Inc. Elois McCoy and Enola Dew Apartments for seniors thanked Clark Park Program Director Linda McWright for bringing exercise classes to them at their apartment complexes. They presented an award to McWright, who teaches a popular aerobics class for seniors. For information on Clark Park senior programs and classes, call 773/287-7794.

COMMANDER NAVARRO DECLARES NORTH AVENUE A HIGH THREAT LEVEL GANG CONFLICT AREA





In response to increasing violence along North Avenue in Austin, including at least one recent murder and several shootings, plus demands from businesses and residents for police to clear gang members and drug dealers from the commercial strip, 25th District Commander Kevin B. Navarro has designated the 5400 & 5500 blocks of North Avenue as a High Threat Level Gang Conflict Area.


This empowers officers to disperse individuals who are loitering and engaging in narcotics sales or are criminal street gang members. If the offenders are in possession of illegal drugs or weapons, of course, they will be arrested. But, the high-crime designation also allows police to stop and arrest lookouts and hawkers for the drug dealers. If people return to North Avenue after being dispersed by police, they are subject to arrest if they fail to obey the police order promptly or return within sight or hearing of the location where the order was issued and engage in further gang loitering within 12 hours.
Commander Navarro announced that he has assigned additional patrol officers to the North Avenue Corridor emphasizing enforcement to set the tone for the coming summer season. Police are issuing citations for lesser offenses and expanding enforcement to arrests when the same subjects are observed repeating the offenses.

Police are focusing specifically on gang gathering sites at Leamington & North Avenues, the gas station and McDonald’s at Laramie & North, the 5400 & 5500 blocks of North Avenue, and North Avenue from Mayfield to Austin Boulevard.
In addition, vice officers are conducting license investigations of problem businesses along North Avenue. Cases of violators are currently pending in court. Commander Navarro says the goal is to ensure compliance and make sure that businesses operate responsibly.
“We want businesses in the district,” Navarro says, “but responsible ones. My goal is to see a noticeable difference on North Avenue, so that the neighborhood residents and businesses can return a great avenue to what it should be.”

“DON’T CLOSE OUR SCHOOLS” WEST SIDERS DEMAND AT LAWNDALE PUBLIC HEARING