for the First Quarter of 2012.

WEEKLY COFFEE HOURS

DATES & TIMES LOCATION

Beginning January 30, 2012

Every Fourth Monday Maine Street Deli, 11650 Joseph Campau,

9AM to 10AM Hamtramck

Beginning January 30, 2012

Every Fourth Monday McDonald’s, 14124 Woodward Avenue,

5:30PM to 6:30PM Highland Park

QUARTERLY COFFEE HOURS

DATES & TIMES

January 23, 2012

10AM-11AM Gabriel 14201 Second, Highland Park

February 6, 2012

10AM-11AM LaBelle Towers, 33 Labelle, Highland Park

February 13, 2012

10AM to 11AM Bishop Moore, 99 Manchester, Highland Park

February 20, 2012

9AM-10AM Downes Manor, 13725 John R, Highland Park

February 20, 2012

10:30AM-11:30AM Buena Vista, 2 E. Buena Vista,

Highland Park

March 5, 2012

10AM-11AM Belle-Vista Glen 369 Glendale, Highland Park

Black History Program, Guest Speaker

February 27, 2012

10AM     Park Geriatric, 111 Ford Street, Highland Park

By Samuel D. Abrams

On December 19, newly elected Highland Park City Councilwoman Mamie Posey-Moore was sworn into office. “The ceremony was an awesome experience,” stated Councilwoman Posey Moore. “It was a wonderful feeling, but it was also an awe-inspiring feeling because I made a promise to the people and to the employees of the City of Highland Park,” added Posey-Moore.

A lifelong Highland Park native, Posey-Moore is the youngest of 12 siblings and is a graduate of Highland Park Schools, Highland Park Community College, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Science and Technology from Eastern Michigan University.

A member of the Christian Tabernacle Church, Posey-Moore is a passionate and experienced community leader and was endorsed by the Michigan Coalition of Black Farmers, AFSME, the Wayne County Democratic Black Caucus, the American Civil Liberties Union, DCCC Field Organizers and several organizations affiliated with President Obama. She serves as a Senior Account Executive with Newton International, a Staffing/Payroll Service Company, and as an Ambassador for the Black United Fund and volunteers for the Michigan Coalition of Black Farmers/USDA.

With much work to be done to move the city forward, as a member of the city council, Posey-Moore wants to make sure that she works on neighborhood revitalization, job creation, and economic growth for the City of Highland.

Amidst tears of joy and optimism for a rebirth, Highland Park’s newly elected officials were inaugurated on Saturday January 7, 2012.   The oath of office was given by the Honorable Judge Bridget Officer to City Treasurer Janice Bibbs, City Clerk Brenda Green, City Council President Chris Woodard, City Council President Pro-Tem Norma Jean Lewis, City Council members Rodney Patrick, Titus McClary, Mamie Posey Moore, and Mayor DeAndre L. Windom.

Hundreds of neighbors, family members and friends were inspired by the Inaugural Prayer and Installation Service that was held at Soul Harvest Ministries, broadcast live on TV 33, and streamed online at www.uplifthighlandpark.com.  This inauguration made history as it was the first time the ceremony had ever been broadcast live.

“I don’t think there was a dry eye in the church from start to finish.” stated Highland Park resident, Marcia Cotton.  From Faith Tabernacle Church Choir’s soul stirring selection of “Walk into Your Season” to the prayers for Highland Park’s Rebirth, Unity, and Leadership, to Bishop Vann’s resounding uplifting challenge to “See Through See Nothing Days,” to young men singing “I Believe I Can Fly,” to the seniors led by Mother Ola Allen preparing a sumptuous repast for the reception, and the Mayor’s remarks, the spirit of love, unity, and cooperation was present at the service.

Mayor Windom told the audience that just 3 days after he was elected, and before he was officially sworn-in, he was alerted that Governor Snyder’s office was ready to appoint an emergency manager to Highland Park.  However he took quick action to avert a state take-over.  He presented a deficit elimination plan and included Mr. Woodard and Mrs. Lewis and others from his transition team in the meetings he held with Deputy Treasurer Frazier.   Never before had the state encountered such a forceful united front from a city!

Mayor Windom vowed to continue to work to prevent emergency financial management and announced his style of leadership is to work in partnership with all sectors of the community toward the rebirth of the city.

He expressed a heartfelt turning point for the city of Highland Park. Highland Parkers — current, new, and old; “With the help of God, let’s make it happen!”

I wish all of you a wonderful, prosperous, healthy and blessed New Year. I hope that your holidays were happy. I want all of you to know that I will continue to work diligently on the resolution that hopefully will be introduced as an ordinance regarding the Homeowners Protection and Neighborhood Preservation Act.

Last April I introduced this resolution to my fellow Commissioners. I would like to give Commissioner Bernard Parker a heartfelt thanks for partnering with me and introducing the resolution under the Ways and Means Committee that he chairs. I would also like to thank Detroit City Councilman Kwame Kenyatta for partnering with me and together we held a hearing for the public to attend at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center. We had a good turnout and people gave great testimonies regarding what has happened to them because of the rampant foreclosures.

I met with Sheriff Benny Napoleon about the issue of giving families a reprieve on this devastating act and will continue to work with him and other elected officials to resolve this issue. This has truly been a crisis for families as they struggle to make ends meet along with all of the other changes that have happened in our state.

Please know that I will continue to speak on your behalf as I did every day in the State Legislature to make  insurance affordable for both home and auto owners. Please work with me as we fight to make sure that all citizens are treated fairly with dignity and respect.

Again, please don’t hesitate to call my office for any assistance that we can give. We can be reached at 313 224-0878.  Thank You for allowing me to represent you and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Martha G. Scott is the District 3 Wayne County Commissioner

By Sen. Carl Levin

Over ten years ago, December of 2010, Enron collapsed, bankrupting the seventh largest U.S. corporation at the time and ripping away the mask from a massive and damaging corporate fraud.

This is a good time to reflect on what happened a decade ago and how many of the misdeeds that led to Enron’s collapse are still far too prevalent today. We shouldn’t forget how the culture of Enron – built on

outsized corporate pay, conflicts of interest, tax evasion, financial engineering, and hidden debt – did so much harm to so many, and nearly brought the global economy to its knees. That culture is still too big a

part of our financial system.

The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which I chair, released reports on the failure of Enron’s board members to safeguard shareholder interests; actions taken by major financial institutions to

help Enron cook its books; and Enron’s use of financial engineering to make its financial results look better than they were, while evading taxes.

The findings we reached in the aftermath of Enron’s demise are worth keeping in mind as we consider our economic future. Why should we remember Enron?

Runaway executive pay. Enron paid its CEO Ken Lay $140 million in 2000, including $123 million in stock options. Enron set the standard for outrageous CEO pay, and demonstrated how, in search of ever-

larger paychecks, CEOs can lead companies into ever-riskier schemes that endanger not just shareholders, but the economy as a whole.

Tax evasion. Despite reporting huge profits, Enron paid no taxes in four of its last five years and used tax scams and offshore shell entities to dodge paying its fair share. Today, dozens of U.S. corporations

use similar tactics not only to dodge Uncle Sam, but claim huge tax rebates. Enron was a catalyst for today’s corporate tax cheats.

Corporate conflicts of interest. Enron’s chief financial officer profited by using his own company, LJM, to do deals with Enron to cook its books. Heedless of Enron’s example, banks such as Goldman Sachs and Citi later set up synthetic securities, sold shares to clients, and profited by betting against their own clients. Enron helped create a culture of corporations failing to do right by their clients.

Accounting conflicts. Enron’s accounting firm, Arthur Andersen, approved financial statements loaded up with fraud. Despite Enron’s cautionary tale, so did accountants for Madoff Securities, Olympus, and

other firms that have collapsed in years since, damaging investors, consumers, and market stability. Enron showed how accountants reliant on revenues from clients can be convinced to look the other way. It’s still

happening today.

Credit rating conflicts. Credit rating agencies gave Enron AAA ratings until it collapsed. They have given the same AAA ratings to toxic securities, failing corporations, and deadbeat banks, often because

issuing tougher ratings would cost them business. Enron exposed the unreliability of credit rating agencies that place the search for market share above the need for objective analysis.

Excessive speculation. Enron speculated and manipulated electricity prices for big profits. Today, speculators whipsaw the American economy with roller coaster energy, metal, and food prices. Enron jacked up the commodity business to everyone’s detriment but the speculators; and without tough enforcement of anti-speculation laws, the damage will continue.

Financial engineering. Enron designed countless financial engineering gimmicks that served its financial interests but endangered clients and investors. Today, financial firms rave about financial “innovations,”

while pushing toxic products like auction securities, naked credit default swaps, and worse. Enron showed how financial engineering creates weapons of mass destruction; a decade later, exotic financial

products helped bring the U.S. economy to its knees.

The need for regulators to stop the madness. In response to Enron, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act banned multimillion-dollar corporate loans to corporate insiders, forced CEOs to certify their internal financial

controls, and created new accounting oversight. Those changes helped curb Enron-style abuses. Congress continued the cleanup in 2010 with Wall Street reform legislation, but much more needs to be done. All

of us should keep Enron in mind as financial regulators work to turn the law we passed into strong rules that can build new protections for consumers and the economy.

Carl Levin is the senior U.S. senator from Michigan.

By Rufus Gaston

Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Metropolitan Detroit

Soon, the world’s most famous groundhog will be getting a lot of attention. On Groundhog Day, the world’s furriest weather reporter, Punxsutawney Phil, will pop out of his home to forecast one of two possibilities: an early spring or six more weeks of winter.

Regardless of what Punxsutawney Phil predicts, there’s no reason for you to wait six weeks to do business with Social Security. Whatever the weather, you can visit our online office from the convenience and comfort of your warm and cozy home or office. Just go to www.socialsecurity.gov.

You can do so many things online. And it’s so easy, even a groundhog could do it … if eligible. Below are a few of the things you can do at www.socialsecurity.gov.

* Get an instant, personalized estimate of future retirement benefits with the Retirement Estimator at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator;

* Apply for Social Security retirement, spouse’s,  or disability benefits at www.socialsecurity.gov/applyonline;

* Apply for Medicare at www.socialsecurity.gov/medicareonly;

* Request a replacement Medicare card at www.socialsecurity.gov/medicarecard/, and

* Learn about Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs at www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp, where you can find a link to apply.

Punxsutawney Phil has called for six more weeks of winter 87 percent of the time. We suspect that’s because he just likes to stay in his comfortable home. You can too, on Groundhog Day or any day, by going online.

Whatever the weather, learn all about the things you can do online at www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices.

By Rufus Gaston

Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Metropolitan Detroit

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, making this a popular time of year for proclamations of love. Such displays of affection can be as simple and sweet as a heart with a “be mine” message, or as life altering as a vow before the altar.

If you happen to be a newlywed who is head over heels in love, you may not be focused on things such as taxes or Social Security, but you should be. If you plan to exchange your maiden name for a married name — including hyphenated names such as Smith-Jones — be sure you let us know.

Telling us about your name change shortly after your marriage will help us accurately keep track of your earnings and will ensure that you and your family get the Social Security retirement, disability, and survivors coverage you’re entitled to. Also, if the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security records do not show the same name and Social Security number, your Federal income tax refund could be delayed.

If you continue to use your maiden name consistently throughout your working years, you do not need to contact us. However, if you decide to change your name at a later time, you should let us know so that we can update your Social Security record and send you a Social Security card with your new name.

There’s no need to pay someone else to mail in the information for you. Changing your name with Social Security is a quick, easy, and free service. Just go online to www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber, learn what documents you need, and click on “Fill Out and Print an application (Form SS-5).” You also can call us at 1-800-772-1213 to obtain the form. We will need the completed application along with a marriage certificate or divorce decree verifying your old and new names. If you were born outside the United States, you also need proof of your U.S. citizenship or proof that you are lawfully living in the U.S. You can bring or mail these documents to us.

You may be focused on the one you love, and we don’t blame you. But if you like us (we hope you do) please click on the Facebook icon at our homepage and “like” us on Facebook. Also, you can follow us  on Twitter too.  Look for our Facebook and Twitter icons at www.socialsecurity.gov.  We share information daily that can help you and all your Valentines.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Social Security.

Return To Ma’at Movement 2011 Schedule

The Redford Branch

Detroit Public Library

21200 Grand River Avenue

Detroit MI 48219

January 14, 1pm – 3pm: Sankofa Study Party #1,

February 4, 1pm – 3pm: Wesley Snipe’s Film “A Great And Mighty Walk,” (the life of Dr. John Henrik Clarke)

March 10, 1pm – 3pm: Knosh & Knowledge, “How To Prepare Healthy Meals,” 1pm-3pm

April 14, 1pm – 3pm: The Seven Hermetic Principles of Ancient Egypt (Seven distinguished speakers)

Highland Park Community High School students took a huge step forward in diversifying educational opportunities for students with the announcement of the new Green Economy Leadership Center. Students will have a chance to experience an interactive outdoor educational facility that will include an urban farm, solar energy lab, and permaculture urban food forest as early as next spring, as part of the launch of the Green Economy Leadership Center being built on the school’s campus. District officials, parents, and students gathered at the high school in December to break ground on the center, which is expected to be completed in March. The center will be housed in a large greenhouse and will include an urban agriculture training center, a passive solar hoop house, raised beds, a solar photovoltaic lab, and an outdoor classroom that will catch rainwater. The Highland Park School District and Distributed Power, a sustainable development company, are working together to create the program. The center will be built with a $100,000 grant. “Nothing like this has been built,” said Scott Meloeny, founder of Distributed Power. MODERN LEGACY A CERTAIN SHADE OF GREEN: State of the Art Green Facility to be Built at Highland Park Community High School