Sports Story - Eat, Play, Love
Hard News - A House is Not A Home
Editorial - A Destruction on a Culture
Hard News - A House is Not A Home
Editorial - A Destruction on a Culture
Eat, Play, Love
The Life of up and coming Basketball Star Ta'Shia Phillips
Leading Xavier University Women’s Basketball team to heights it has never seen, this 6-foot-6, twice named defensive player of the year and eighth overall picked player in the 2011 WNBA draft for the Washington Mystics, balls hard, but plays gently.
Aside from her domination on the court this female flame likes to garden and cook meals rich in nutrients. “I have really started to get into healthy eating and I have always loved food. Nutrition is part of my job, so I have been making that my life.” Almost leaving her 19 year long passion of playing ball right before her induction in the WNBA, for culinary arts school, Ta’Shia Phillips chose to stick with it and now plays for the New York Liberty.
You’ll catch this performer out back in the garden tending to her plants, cooking meals for friends and family or helping little girls understand the importance of exercising and eating healthy in her spare time. “I couldn’t ask for a better career, but after I’m done playing, there’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll come and go to culinary school,” said the all-star player.
Her love for the game started at age three after watching her father play with his pals every Saturday. “Basketball is in me. Even when I was small, I took it seriously,” said Phillips. Unquestionably one of the tallest collegiate players of her time, Phillips wasn’t always the center position on the court. She played for an AAU Team called the Family in Indianapolis under Coach Kevin Merriweather. As a pre-teen, ironically Phillips was one of the shortest players on the team. She credits those days to capitalizing on the valuable skills of footwork and passing.
That all changed when she hit high school. Not only was she one of the tallest players on the court, but in the hallways. “Being a 6-4, 17 year old, finding a prom dress wasn’t easy,” said Phillips. She spoke of the self-image difficulty she had as a high school student despite her great friendships, great parents, a great brother and a strong team she had to rely on when she was down. She turned around and thanked her mom for keeping her grounded and in the church. “I was the most comfortable on the court, that’s my element and you can tell when I’m playing.”
Her first year as a college player Phillips lit up the stage and brought all eyes to the Xavier Women’s basketball team. Earning Rookie of the Year in 2008 and player of the year in 2009, Phillips made the prestigious All-Atlantic 10 First Team. She kept that title her whole four years in school.
Going to college as the first in her family, Phillips tore up the court, but struggled academically. As an Entrepreneurial Studies Major, Phillips heart was in basketball and cooking. Almost ready to give it all up, Phillips reached her low her second year when she almost had to sit out due to her grades. “I just pushed academically like I do on the court, I was thinking about what I needed to do next for school every minute of the day.” Phillips put in hours at the library, on the bus, in the library. She was going to tutors and finishing every assignment. She pulled off the grades and started breaking records.
Already breaking her personal record of points scored, 29, her first year. From her second year on Phillips was the all-star defensive player of the next three seasons. Her second season she tied the University record for rebounds in a game, which is 25 in their game against North Carolina. She then went on and breaks the university record of rebounds in the season. 399 was the number of rebounds this player had; 200 of them were offensive.
Outside of her traveling and playing basketball Phillips was never the big partier. She was hostess with the mostess, serving fancy foods to her friends that came over. “That all started as a kid, my family loves to cook. We all do it together,” said Phillips. Acquiring these skills from her mom, Phillips can cook a mean lasagna with real vegetables in it. “I like playing with different combinations of taste,” Phillips says. Claiming the hardest part about gardening is getting down to the ground avoiding sharp knee pains, Phillips says that she loves to get away from being inside and enjoy nature.
No. 53 was getting noticed not only around the city of Cincinnati, but nationally. “People were coming to me asking me if I needed an agent everywhere I went, I just wanted to play and I was happy to have my mom’s help,” said the focused player. She kept working and earned more titles to her name. A few are 2010-2011 Championship most outstanding player, 2009-2011 Naismith Award Midseason Top-30 pick, 2009-2011 WBCA All-District I Selection and 2009-2011 Wooden Award Final Ballot.
Not letting the fame go to her head Phillips calls herself just a kid who can play ball, but has more to offer than just that. Phillips said that one day she wants to have a cookbook. One that is not boring, that has good food that African-American people eat and is healthy.
Aside from her goals of shining on her new team along side guard Lindsey Harding who also a first round draft pick from the Atlanta Dream and 10 year vet to the WNBA Kelly Miller, Phillips dreams of playing anywhere over seas. “That is what all player want to do, playing over seas is literally a whole different ball game.”
Supporting the urban gardening trend Phillips hopes to help young girls educated themselves about the importance of healthy eating. You can catch this player light up the court this season on the New York Liberty.
Leading Xavier University Women’s Basketball team to heights it has never seen, this 6-foot-6, twice named defensive player of the year and eighth overall picked player in the 2011 WNBA draft for the Washington Mystics, balls hard, but plays gently.
Aside from her domination on the court this female flame likes to garden and cook meals rich in nutrients. “I have really started to get into healthy eating and I have always loved food. Nutrition is part of my job, so I have been making that my life.” Almost leaving her 19 year long passion of playing ball right before her induction in the WNBA, for culinary arts school, Ta’Shia Phillips chose to stick with it and now plays for the New York Liberty.
You’ll catch this performer out back in the garden tending to her plants, cooking meals for friends and family or helping little girls understand the importance of exercising and eating healthy in her spare time. “I couldn’t ask for a better career, but after I’m done playing, there’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll come and go to culinary school,” said the all-star player.
Her love for the game started at age three after watching her father play with his pals every Saturday. “Basketball is in me. Even when I was small, I took it seriously,” said Phillips. Unquestionably one of the tallest collegiate players of her time, Phillips wasn’t always the center position on the court. She played for an AAU Team called the Family in Indianapolis under Coach Kevin Merriweather. As a pre-teen, ironically Phillips was one of the shortest players on the team. She credits those days to capitalizing on the valuable skills of footwork and passing.
That all changed when she hit high school. Not only was she one of the tallest players on the court, but in the hallways. “Being a 6-4, 17 year old, finding a prom dress wasn’t easy,” said Phillips. She spoke of the self-image difficulty she had as a high school student despite her great friendships, great parents, a great brother and a strong team she had to rely on when she was down. She turned around and thanked her mom for keeping her grounded and in the church. “I was the most comfortable on the court, that’s my element and you can tell when I’m playing.”
Her first year as a college player Phillips lit up the stage and brought all eyes to the Xavier Women’s basketball team. Earning Rookie of the Year in 2008 and player of the year in 2009, Phillips made the prestigious All-Atlantic 10 First Team. She kept that title her whole four years in school.
Going to college as the first in her family, Phillips tore up the court, but struggled academically. As an Entrepreneurial Studies Major, Phillips heart was in basketball and cooking. Almost ready to give it all up, Phillips reached her low her second year when she almost had to sit out due to her grades. “I just pushed academically like I do on the court, I was thinking about what I needed to do next for school every minute of the day.” Phillips put in hours at the library, on the bus, in the library. She was going to tutors and finishing every assignment. She pulled off the grades and started breaking records.
Already breaking her personal record of points scored, 29, her first year. From her second year on Phillips was the all-star defensive player of the next three seasons. Her second season she tied the University record for rebounds in a game, which is 25 in their game against North Carolina. She then went on and breaks the university record of rebounds in the season. 399 was the number of rebounds this player had; 200 of them were offensive.
Outside of her traveling and playing basketball Phillips was never the big partier. She was hostess with the mostess, serving fancy foods to her friends that came over. “That all started as a kid, my family loves to cook. We all do it together,” said Phillips. Acquiring these skills from her mom, Phillips can cook a mean lasagna with real vegetables in it. “I like playing with different combinations of taste,” Phillips says. Claiming the hardest part about gardening is getting down to the ground avoiding sharp knee pains, Phillips says that she loves to get away from being inside and enjoy nature.
No. 53 was getting noticed not only around the city of Cincinnati, but nationally. “People were coming to me asking me if I needed an agent everywhere I went, I just wanted to play and I was happy to have my mom’s help,” said the focused player. She kept working and earned more titles to her name. A few are 2010-2011 Championship most outstanding player, 2009-2011 Naismith Award Midseason Top-30 pick, 2009-2011 WBCA All-District I Selection and 2009-2011 Wooden Award Final Ballot.
Not letting the fame go to her head Phillips calls herself just a kid who can play ball, but has more to offer than just that. Phillips said that one day she wants to have a cookbook. One that is not boring, that has good food that African-American people eat and is healthy.
Aside from her goals of shining on her new team along side guard Lindsey Harding who also a first round draft pick from the Atlanta Dream and 10 year vet to the WNBA Kelly Miller, Phillips dreams of playing anywhere over seas. “That is what all player want to do, playing over seas is literally a whole different ball game.”
Supporting the urban gardening trend Phillips hopes to help young girls educated themselves about the importance of healthy eating. You can catch this player light up the court this season on the New York Liberty.
A House is Not A Home
Muncie Blight Watch
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Boards replace the window panes, the paint is cracked and walls pierced from old age. The back end might be charcoaled from an accidental or intentional fire. The only people who dare go in there are either kids playing around or drug addicts hiding their products.
Abandoned homes are unsafe. They decrease the property values of surrounding homes and have an unkempt stance. Neighbors tend to worry because crime, drug activity, prostitution and fires are common in these decrepit eyesores.\
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"Most of the houses are victim of forecloses," Says Jerry Dishman, who is the Vice President of the Muncie's City Council. "Many people were scammed and couldn't afford to live in their homes after taxes went up. I know a lady who was paying $500 one month and the next she had to pay $1,000."
Muncie was hit hard after the market crashed. Ranked in the top three cities of the State, Muncie is suffering not only economically, but more people are moving out than moving in. Several houses have been left idle for the government to take care of.
"The code enforcer came out here and tagged all of these houses, but the tags stay there for months," says local resident Rick Miller, 48, who is from the Whitely area. Miller's house is completely surrounded by abandoned homes and lots. "Once the house is demolished they leave the lot there, they don't come out here and check on it or cut the grass."
The grass is tall and there are bottles, glasses and trash in the yard. "All kinds of animals live in there, I don't want to pay to have the grass cut because it's not my property," Miller explained.
Mary Jo Barton, who represents City Council Representative of District 3, the a southern district that is was hit hardest by the crash of the housing market, explained that the South side is an issue. "There are a lot of abandoned homes there because most people who live on the south side don't have any money." When asked if she had any advice for Mayor Sharon McShurley about fixing the abandoned homes issue, she explained that the only solution would be federal help.
"The City of Muncie needs to tear these houses down, but the only way we could afford that would be through federal funding," said Barton
Heather Williams, assistant administrator of Muncie's Community Development, explains that abandoned hoses are cited after being called into the Building Commissioners Office. "They typically have doors or windows that are broken or open, they are health hazardous and don't meet the state code."
She explains how the Building Commissioners Office contacts the owner and offers them the opportunity to rehabilitate the home, tear the home down themselves or pay the city to tear down the house.
According to the Muncie Sanitary District Code Enforcement, owners must maintain their lots and bordering sidewalks. This includes having all windows and doors covered, the sidewalks must be free of litter and dead trees, the grass must be below 12 inches and more regulations similar to those. Not only must the house be torn down, but the land must be taken care of afterwards.
This is a problem leaders in the City of Muncie are trying to figure out. For governmental intervention in tearing a house down the cost is between $2,000 and $7,000 when an owner does not take responsibility for the house. This happens in many cases like if the owner is not capable of rehabbing the house or has passed away with no family to take over the property.
Councilmen Dishman believed this will be an issue brought up in this year's municipal election. "Our budget is in shambles, money is tight right now," Dishman said. "You might see reduction in the police department, the fire department, EMTs. We don't have enough money coming into the city, we have to ask people what services do they need."
The City of Muncie is set to demolish 39 homes, spending about $200,000 from the Neighborhood Stabilization grant from the United States Housing and Urban Development project. This will lower the more than two hundred abandoned homes in the city. It seems like demolition is not the best route for citizens living in these areas, but convenient for the government.
For more information about what you can do or ideas that you have contact Muncie's Building Commissioner's Office.
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Boards replace the window panes, the paint is cracked and walls pierced from old age. The back end might be charcoaled from an accidental or intentional fire. The only people who dare go in there are either kids playing around or drug addicts hiding their products.
Abandoned homes are unsafe. They decrease the property values of surrounding homes and have an unkempt stance. Neighbors tend to worry because crime, drug activity, prostitution and fires are common in these decrepit eyesores.\
Proficient
"Most of the houses are victim of forecloses," Says Jerry Dishman, who is the Vice President of the Muncie's City Council. "Many people were scammed and couldn't afford to live in their homes after taxes went up. I know a lady who was paying $500 one month and the next she had to pay $1,000."
Muncie was hit hard after the market crashed. Ranked in the top three cities of the State, Muncie is suffering not only economically, but more people are moving out than moving in. Several houses have been left idle for the government to take care of.
"The code enforcer came out here and tagged all of these houses, but the tags stay there for months," says local resident Rick Miller, 48, who is from the Whitely area. Miller's house is completely surrounded by abandoned homes and lots. "Once the house is demolished they leave the lot there, they don't come out here and check on it or cut the grass."
The grass is tall and there are bottles, glasses and trash in the yard. "All kinds of animals live in there, I don't want to pay to have the grass cut because it's not my property," Miller explained.
Mary Jo Barton, who represents City Council Representative of District 3, the a southern district that is was hit hardest by the crash of the housing market, explained that the South side is an issue. "There are a lot of abandoned homes there because most people who live on the south side don't have any money." When asked if she had any advice for Mayor Sharon McShurley about fixing the abandoned homes issue, she explained that the only solution would be federal help.
"The City of Muncie needs to tear these houses down, but the only way we could afford that would be through federal funding," said Barton
Heather Williams, assistant administrator of Muncie's Community Development, explains that abandoned hoses are cited after being called into the Building Commissioners Office. "They typically have doors or windows that are broken or open, they are health hazardous and don't meet the state code."
She explains how the Building Commissioners Office contacts the owner and offers them the opportunity to rehabilitate the home, tear the home down themselves or pay the city to tear down the house.
According to the Muncie Sanitary District Code Enforcement, owners must maintain their lots and bordering sidewalks. This includes having all windows and doors covered, the sidewalks must be free of litter and dead trees, the grass must be below 12 inches and more regulations similar to those. Not only must the house be torn down, but the land must be taken care of afterwards.
This is a problem leaders in the City of Muncie are trying to figure out. For governmental intervention in tearing a house down the cost is between $2,000 and $7,000 when an owner does not take responsibility for the house. This happens in many cases like if the owner is not capable of rehabbing the house or has passed away with no family to take over the property.
Councilmen Dishman believed this will be an issue brought up in this year's municipal election. "Our budget is in shambles, money is tight right now," Dishman said. "You might see reduction in the police department, the fire department, EMTs. We don't have enough money coming into the city, we have to ask people what services do they need."
The City of Muncie is set to demolish 39 homes, spending about $200,000 from the Neighborhood Stabilization grant from the United States Housing and Urban Development project. This will lower the more than two hundred abandoned homes in the city. It seems like demolition is not the best route for citizens living in these areas, but convenient for the government.
For more information about what you can do or ideas that you have contact Muncie's Building Commissioner's Office.
A Destruction of a Culture
Collard greens, macaroni and cheese, corn on the cob with a square of butter melting off the side, baby back ribs doused in barbecue sauce, chitlins, hot watered cornbread, green beans, fried chicken with an extra crispy casing, a side of mashed potatoes drowned in gravy all downed with a cold glass of sugar laced sweet tea. Is your mouth watering?
Soul food is more than just a physical combination of flavors and nutrients, it is the essence of comfort and family ties. It is cooked for major events like weddings and holidays. It is cooked for weekly events, like Sunday dinner after church when the whole family reunites and makes sense of the world. It is the ultimate of comfort foods; it has the sugar, sodium, the fat, the grease, everything that you are not supposed to eat.
As the token food of a culture, is soul food a way for African Americans to connect with their family? Our Ancestors? Well, these eating habits has lead us to obesity, diabetes and even death.
The center for Disease control defines obesity as having a Body Mass Index more than 30. The average woman’s BMI is 18-25. Studies show that African Americans have the highest percentage of obese people than any other race in the United States. According to the Office of Minority Health from years 2005-2008, 78 percent of African American women were considered obsess. Obesity is not solely caused by the food itself, but lifestyle choices such as lack of exercising and failure to eat the right amount of food.
Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in African Americans. According to the American Diabetes Association, 3.7 million African Americans over the age of 20 live with this disease. Diabetes deals with the body’s inability to use or produce insulin effectively to convert sugar into energy.
Unhealthy eating needs to stop. Our culture is going to self-destruct from an unhealthy spiral of poor dieting passed down from generation to generation. Although important to individuality of a culture, food itself does not define the culture. It is evident that food should complement the culture.
We can change this! We can help our children become more aware of what they choose to put in their bodies when they are at home or at school. We can change the way we cook our food. Substitute the unhealthy ingredients for healthier ingredients. It must be realized that this food is torturing our bodies; it is toxic. We need to educate ourselves and our children about healthy eating and leading an active lifestyle. We have to break through what we have always known and learned over the years. We have to realize that food can still have soul without destroying us.
Soul food is more than just a physical combination of flavors and nutrients, it is the essence of comfort and family ties. It is cooked for major events like weddings and holidays. It is cooked for weekly events, like Sunday dinner after church when the whole family reunites and makes sense of the world. It is the ultimate of comfort foods; it has the sugar, sodium, the fat, the grease, everything that you are not supposed to eat.
As the token food of a culture, is soul food a way for African Americans to connect with their family? Our Ancestors? Well, these eating habits has lead us to obesity, diabetes and even death.
The center for Disease control defines obesity as having a Body Mass Index more than 30. The average woman’s BMI is 18-25. Studies show that African Americans have the highest percentage of obese people than any other race in the United States. According to the Office of Minority Health from years 2005-2008, 78 percent of African American women were considered obsess. Obesity is not solely caused by the food itself, but lifestyle choices such as lack of exercising and failure to eat the right amount of food.
Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death in African Americans. According to the American Diabetes Association, 3.7 million African Americans over the age of 20 live with this disease. Diabetes deals with the body’s inability to use or produce insulin effectively to convert sugar into energy.
Unhealthy eating needs to stop. Our culture is going to self-destruct from an unhealthy spiral of poor dieting passed down from generation to generation. Although important to individuality of a culture, food itself does not define the culture. It is evident that food should complement the culture.
We can change this! We can help our children become more aware of what they choose to put in their bodies when they are at home or at school. We can change the way we cook our food. Substitute the unhealthy ingredients for healthier ingredients. It must be realized that this food is torturing our bodies; it is toxic. We need to educate ourselves and our children about healthy eating and leading an active lifestyle. We have to break through what we have always known and learned over the years. We have to realize that food can still have soul without destroying us.
