Washington Informer

Coach Randy Wittman's no-nonsense, straightforward approach resonated with Wizards' players after he took over as interim coach and ensured that he would have a chance to continue to lead the Washington Wizards through a crucial period in franchise history. The improvements and changes that the team underwent during the season, and in the offseason are no secret.

Now that Wittman no longer wears the interim tag around his neck, his assignment is to build on that process and teach his players what it will take to continue to improve.

"I don't want to surprise anybody," Wittman said. "I just want us to believe in ourselves. That's what we have to do. We have to believe we can do this, that we can make that next step. But I'm not worried about surprising or sneaking up on anybody else. I think teams saw the change in us."

Wittman didn't particularly like the situation but always wanted an opportunity to lead. He increased his chances when the Wizards won eight of their last 10 games, including the last six in a row, to finish 20-46. The addition of Nene up front after a deadline trade was crucial, as was the improvement of second-year players Kevin Seraphin and John Wall. Veterans (Martell Webster, Trevor Ariza, Emeka Okafor) and a top draft choice (Bradley Beal) have since been added, but Wittman's philosophy remains unchanged.

"It ain't going to change," Wittman said. "We're going to be an up tempo team with the ability to play inside out. I think all of our bigs have the ability to get up and down the floor. ...As long as we have John here, we have to take advantage. You know, I'm a firm believer in fitting what I want to the talent I have instead of sometimes the other way around."

The locker room has also been cleansed of the disruptive personalities of JaVale McGee, Nick Young, and Andray Blatche.

When training camp opened yesterday at George Mason University, Wittman was excited to get the 2012-13 Wizards journey underway as he implemented his self-professed old-school style.

"This team hasn't created any highlights is the way that I look at it," Wittman said. "Now it's up to us as a group. Let's create some highlights that maybe next year at this time I can have a highlight film for them to show to kick off training camp."

Local Artist can Win $1,000 and Design Mural for Shopping Center in Suitland

Upper Marlboro, MD – Prince George's County Art in Public Places program (APP) is partnering with CBS Radio/WPGC 95.5 FM for the "Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative Mural Contest." This contest is open to residents of the metropolitan Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC area. Qualifying contestants will have a chance to win a $1,000 grand prize plus the opportunity to design and lead the creation of a new mural for Suitland Shopping Center located at the corner of Silver Hill Road and Suitland Road in Suitland, Maryland, one of Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker's Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative (TNI) communities. Interested artists can enter this contest at http://wpgc.cbslocal.com/community-mural-initiative/.

"Our Transforming Neighborhood Initiative is designed to have every government, non-profit, and private sector resource provide opportunities and methods of revitalization to these six focus communities while improving public safety, education, health, and the local economy," said Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker.  "I want to thank CBS Radio, WPGC, the Prince George's Community Federal Credit Union, and the Prince George's County Health Department for working with the Art in Public Places program to provide this great opportunity for an artist and a new public art piece for the community to enjoy."

On Oct. 1, up to 50 potential qualifiers were chosen at random to submit an original artwork via email. Representatives from the Prince George's County's Art in Public Places program and WPGC will judge and select one Grand Prize winner to create the mural. The Grand Prize winner will receive guidelines, criteria, and materials for the mural creation and community participation. To listen to the promotional commercial for this contest, please click here.

"WPGC is excited to be a part of something that not only gives a local area artist the chance to show off their creativity, but also allows us to be a part of the continued beautification of Prince George's County," said Jason Kidd, WPGC program director.

At Pepco Edison Place Gallery - Oct. 5 to Oct. 30, 2012

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Pepco Edison Place Gallery presents "Courage on Canvas," a celebration of 16 years of remarkable artwork created by Life Pieces To Masterpieces' apprentices.

The month long exhibition, which opens Oct. 3 and runs through Nov.1, features 70 major paintings from the Life Pieces' catalog of over 1,000 masterpieces.

Founded in 1996, Life Pieces To Masterpieces is an arts-based, year-round, comprehensive youth development and character education organization for African-American males. It teaches integrity, character development, and leadership skills. The group takes its name from the unique, homegrown style of art that the apprentices collectively create. The art style was developed by Ward Seven native Larry Quick, co-founder of Life Pieces To Masterpieces, who grew up in public housing. Sixteen years later, this art process continues to help the young men connect with each other and reflect on their life experiences and challenges.

For the last six years, 100 percent of Life Pieces' apprentices have graduated high-school and have gone onto post-secondary education, the work force, and/or the military.

The Edison Place Gallery exhibition will begin with an evening on the red carpet 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday. Most paintings in Life Pieces' catalog are available for purchase or lease through the Corporate Art by Life Pieces program.

The Pepco Edison Place Gallery is located in Pepco's Edison Place headquarters at 702 8th Street, NW, Washington, DC. The entrance to the Edison Place Gallery is on Eighth Street between G and H streets, directly behind the Pepco headquarters entrance. Regular gallery hours are noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.

Don't Be Deterred, Vote!

Barrington Salmon's front-page article "Panelist Decry GOP Voter Suppression Efforts," September 27, 2012 was one of the most important pieces of political news I've read in the Informer so far this election year.

This story shows just how fragile our so-called democracy is. Voting is the basis of this political system, and to be able to change the rules just because you don't like the outcome of an election is very dangerous, and should be looked at as being outright treason. You will find those who believe in this outrageous activity as being fair and just, and they are the very ones who will stand before the world and wave the American flag and say, "the whole world should be free like us." It's hypocrisy and they don't care. To them, it's all about power and they want it at any price.

So we must do as the article says: whatever it takes to vote. Too many people sacrificed their lives for us to be able to vote. We must not let anybody or anything deter us from voting!

Sherry Boston

Arlington, Va.

Worth More than Words

The photographs in this week's Informer were "simply stunning." Let me first start with the front-page photograph by Shevry Lassiter of President Barack Obama and Sen. Mark Warner. That was downright inspiring.

I just loved the CTM photos on the inside cover. They show a wide range of subjects by your photographers, Roy Lewis, Lafayette Barnes and Khalid Naji-Allah. The photos of the fashion show by Roy Lewis were my favorites. I wanted to see more of those beautiful models in the paper. Keep doing what you're doing, Washington Informer. Our city needs you.

Lawrence Johnson

Washington, D.C.

Concerned Black Men, Inc., Washington, D.C. Chapter [CBM-DC] was founded in 1982 by African American men who are motivated by cultural pride, love for our youth, and dedicated to improving their growth and development in our community. Over the past 30 years, Concerned Black Men has upheld its vision of Caring for Our Youth through a variety of youth development programs such as the Adopt-A-School Program, African Son Rise Rites of Passage Program, Annual Youth Recognition Awards Banquet, International Awareness Committee, Project 2000 Program, MLK Jr. Oratorical Contest, and many others.

On October 13th, CBM-DC will celebrate 30 years of Caring for Our Youth during its 30th Anniversary Scholarship Gala at the Holiday Inn Capitol located at 550 C Street, SW, Washington, D.C. Please support this historic celebration by attending CBM-DC's 30th Anniversary Scholarship Gala. For more information, contact CBM-DC at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 202-797-7444.

Jackson family patriarch Joe Jackson reportedly has a new girlfirend who's 51 years younger, and happens to be wealthy and Indonesian.

Lavinia Iskandar, 33, has been spotted hanging with the 84-year-old father of the late Michael Jackson for a couple of years now.

While she's been a familiar face, the couple's relationship has been pretty much a secret until now.

A source told the Daily Star that the pair has been seeing each other for some time and that she stays in Joe's Las Vegas condo.

"He hasn't seen his wife Katherine in weeks, and simply wasn't around during the recent drama about Michael's estate when she was spirited away to a spa in Arizona, ­leaving his children home alone."

But the source also said Katherine is numb to the whole union.

Meanwhile, Papa Joe's spokesman says Lavinia is simply a business associate he is working with for a new product to market in Asia.

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Members of the Prince George's County House Delegation recently elected Delegate Jolene Ivey, D-Dist. 47 as the new chair of the delegation, succeeding Delegate Melony G. Griffith, D-District 25.

The transition continues a tradition among the 23-member group of having its leaders serve no more than two terms. The delegation holds elections every two years, and no person has chaired the group for more than two terms in its 60-year history.

Ivey was elected in a unanimous vote among members present at a meeting, held in Annapolis on Sept. 26. Delegates Benjamin S. Barnes, D-Dist. 21 and Veronica Turner, D-Dist. 26 were elected 1st and 2nd vice chairs of the group.

The new leaders will take office formally on Dec. 1, when the delegation holds its annual public hearing on local legislation at Prince George's Community College in Largo.