Washington Informer

Washington's quarterback Robert Griffin III (10) hands off to Washington's running back Alfred Morris (46) in the second quarter. The team honor the former Redskins legends in attendance, as well as the team's 80th anniversary, by wearing their new 2012 "anniversary" NFL Nike Elite 51 football uniforms. The uniforms are a modern interpretation of those worn back in 1937 - a year signifying the team's move from Boston to Washington, D.C., as well as their first National Championship.The Panthers defeated the Redskins 21-13 at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland on Sunday November 4./Photo by john E. De Freitas

Carolina Panthers CB Josh Norman (24) tries to block Redskins kicker Kai Forbath (2) who gave the Skins their first points in the first half of NFL action at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland on Sunday, Nov. 4.

The Washington Redskins welcomed the "10 for 80" honorees, along with more than 150 other Redskins greats, for the team's annual homecoming game on Sunday, Nov. 4 against the Carolina Panthers. In this photo some of the Redskins alumni enjoy a photo moment. The homecoming celebrations featured an alumni parade with the Redskins Marching Band and Cheerleaders .Redskins homecoming weekend is the culmination of the team's year-long 80th anniversary campaign to celebrate the Redskins' rich history and talented alumni.

Support Coach Greg Fuller!

I am writing this letter to express my full support for H.D. Woodson head football coach Greg Fuller, "Woodson Community Rallies behind Fired Coach," by Elton Hayes, November 1, 2012.

Coach Fuller's firing is just another example of DCPS and its administrators trying to rid the system of strong black male leadership. For years players at different District public schools have been found to be ineligible for some reason or another, but I can't remember when a coach has been fired for it.

Chancellor Kaya Henderson and her assistants have once again orchestrated the ouster of a strong black male with a history of making a difference in the lives of our young black men. Why is strong black male leadership in our school system discouraged? I think DCPS had to use these trumped-up charges against Coach Fuller because they were unable to explain the reasons for the dismissal of the principal of Phelps High School, another strong black male.

Michael Bryson

Washington, D.C.

Covering Issues that Impact the Nation

I recently moved to the Washington, D.C. area from the great city of Houston, Texas. The thing I find most interesting about D.C. is the wide-ranging coverage of both local and national news. After picking up several issues of your newspaper I would like to say how impressed I am with your coverage of issues that face not only District residents but also those who live throughout the nation.

Your reporters should be commended for what I believe to be very fair and unbiased reporting. It is very exciting to see an African-American newspaper cover such a wide range of topics. As a lifelong Republican I just loved reading your November 1, 2012 issue. In that issue you had articles where you interviewed African-American Republicans who were able to express their views on the political situation facing our nation quite eloquently. In addition, you interviewed a white Republican candidate running for the D.C. Council, and that shows me just how balanced your coverage is.

Calvin Washington

Silver Spring, Md.

As District voters flock to the polls today, they are reminded that the best time to casts their votes is between now and 2 p.m. They are also reminded that if they are in line in the District by 8 p.m., by law, they still have the right to vote.

With hundreds of people already having voted at every precinct across the city, the lines are expected to get much longer after people leave work this evening. In addition to voting for president, District voters are also voting for several members of the D.C. Council as well as responding to ballot questions that pertain to ethics of elected officials.

Meanwhile, in what has been tagged one of the closest and most expensive presidential races in history, President Barack Obama, who voted early, is spending his day in Chicago. His Republican contender Mitt Romney, cast his vote this morning in Massachusetts.

Nike has launched its first direct-to-consumer retail presence in the capital of the United States, bringing the company's multi-category brand experience to the historic Georgetown district of Washington, D.C. At Nike Georgetown, consumers will find the best Nike has to offer, including the pinnacle expression of Women's product, services and programming.

The new three-story, 31,000-square-foot store reflects the Nike brand retail concept, offering a premium assortment of Nike Running, Training, Basketball, Football, Soccer and Sportswear with footwear, apparel and equipment for men, women and young athletes.

The women's department is highlighted at Nike Georgetown on the entire first floor, combining footwear, apparel and accessories from training, running and sportswear. It also features services and programming specific for female athletes, including bra-fitting, pant-hemming, head-to-toe styling, weekly Nike Training Club workouts and a women's only Nike+ Run Club. Nike Georgetown will also welcome women to the inaugural Nike Women's DC Half Marathon on April 28.

"We are proud to partner with the Georgetown community," said Elliott Hill, Nike's North America vice president and general manager. "Washington, D.C. has a rich sports culture and we look forward to inspiring and serving athletes of all levels."

Vast Majority of Customers Restored within 30 Hours of Storm's Onset

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As of 9:12 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 31, Pepco fully restored power to all customers who lost electrical service as a result of Hurricane Sandy. In total, Pepco restored more than 130,000 outages since the storm struck the Washington region on Monday afternoon, Oct. 29. The vast majority of customers without power were restored by the following Tuesday evening—within 30 hours of the storm's onset.

"The magnitude of Hurricane Sandy was unprecedented as was Pepco's preparation," said Thomas H. Graham, President, Pepco Region. "Despite severe flooding that closed roads, tropical force winds that toppled trees and devastation to our electric system, we were able to restore the vast majority of customers who lost power within 30 hours of the onset of the storm. I want to thank our customers for their patience and understanding in these difficult conditions. Also, I want to thank the more than 2,000 employees, contractors and out-of-state mutual assistance personnel for their outstanding work and sacrifice, as well as the emergency management agencies, and government officials for their support."

Hurricane Sandy proved to be a massive, very dangerous storm that left millions of Americans without power and caused extensive damage to homes, businesses and property. In the Washington area, residents experienced severe flooding and tropical force winds that prompted extensive closings, including federal and local government, schools, public transportation and roads.

Preparation

Pepco closely monitored the path of Hurricane Sandy several days in advance of the storm hitting its service territory on Monday, Oct. 29. At the same time, the Company began executing the planning and preparation stages of its incident response plan—mobilizing employees, securing utility contractors working on our system, making calls for out-of-state utility assistance, checking materials inventories, identifying staging areas, reserving hotel rooms for incoming crews, retaining additional call center support, among other preparatory steps.

Pepco communicated with customers before the storm, including making automated calls to more than 1,500 customers enrolled in its emergency medical equipment program and the company's nearly 640,000 residential and small business customers, encouraging them to prepare for a severe storm and a potentially prolonged restoration period. In addition, senior executives conducted daily conference calls with government officials to provide updates and address their concerns and those of their constituents.

Restoration and Response

Power restoration activities began in full force on Monday, Oct. 29, when Sandy made its arrival in the Washington area. Repair work continued throughout the storm except for a short period Monday evening when sustained winds exceeded a safe limit. Pepco temporarily pulled its line crews at this time and when conditions were safe, the crews returned to the field to restore service.

At the peak of the restoration effort, Pepco mobilized more than 2,000 employees, contractors and restoration crews to support response:

• Nearly 600 internal and contract line and underground personnel

• 300 tree removal personnel

• About 400 customer call representatives to answer customer calls

• About 165 assessors to identify storm damage

• Around 635 support personnel who are working on special storm response roles

In addition, PHI, Pepco's parent company, secured over 2,500 out-of-state restoration personnel acquired through the mutual assistance process.

To keep customers informed, Pepco proactively updated Twitter, Facebook, the mobile outage reporting and tracking app, and the website; issued continual press updates; held daily press conferences and conducted numerous media interviews.

Pepco received more than 51,000 customer calls during the storm restoration effort with more than 99 percent of calls being answered in less than 30 seconds.

Source: Pepco

Your Vote Matters!

The front-page photograph of individuals voting early is a great reminder of how important it is for everyone to vote in this election. The presidential race has gotten most of the attention, but there are some very important local and state issues on the ballot that we need to pay close attention to. Everyone who has the right to vote must vote! This is our opportunity to have a say – in what happens in and around our communities. Vote for the candidates and the issues that will most positively affect you; that's what is called "an educated vote."

We cannot allow others to determine what our needs are; we can determine that for ourselves. Voting is the strongest way for us to support or reject an issue. As citizens, it is our right to vote. We need to exercise that right whenever we have the chance. Election Day is just about here and we need to be very excited because all of us are going to the polls in record numbers to vote.

James Patterson

Expand Gaming in Prince George's County

It has always been my belief that Milt Peterson developed National Harbor with the intent of bringing gambling to Prince George's County, but your article by D.R. Barnes, "Milt Peterson, Bets on Question 7" in the October 25th edition gave me some insight into the man and his beliefs.

I support Question 7, and firmly believe we should have gambling in Prince George's County. But when I read that Mr. Peterson had said "no" four times to bringing gambling to National Harbor, well it was kind of hard to believe. To me National Harbor is the perfect location for a casino with its close proximity to D.C., Virginia, and the Potomac River.

We need jobs in Prince George's County, and I hope the money from the casino helps our struggling schools. I am glad Mr. Peterson changed his mind on gambling at National Harbor, and I hope Question 7 passes.

Kenyon Bracket

Ft. Washington, Md.

The Oct. 28 main event lived up to its billing as a Beltway brawl as Northern Virginia's Jimmy Lange and Baltimore's Tony Jeter went toe-to-toe.

Despite scoring a 1st Round KO and earning four points on deductions to Jeter for low blows and holding against the ropes, Lange was upset by the aggressive Jeter. Lange failed to box and stick to his jab, while Jeter executed his game plan by brawling by completing his first 10-round bout. Jeter improved to 15-3-1, 10 KO's, while Lange lost for the first time in eight bouts, dropping to 38-5-2, 25 KO's.

Zain Shah vs. Harry Joe Yorgey – 6 Rounds – Middleweight

The co-main event ended quickly when "Lightning" Harry Joe Yorgey defeated Zain "Tiger" Shaw by TKO at 2:41 in the first round. The formerly undefeated Shaw took on the toughest opponent of his career in Yorgey, who is a former world championship contender. This bout was rescheduled from the last Patriot Center card, last February, when Shah had had to pull out because of illness. Midway through the first round, Yorgey scored a knockdown, and Shah never fully recovered.

Undefeated Alexandria middleweight Brandon Quarles had his hands full with veteran John "No Mercy" Mackey. After being knocked down in the first round, Quarles came back to knock down Mackey at the very end of the sixth and final round, leading to a majority draw.

The Beltway battle between Washington, D.C., fighters Lawrence Jones and Ivan "King Shango" Ziglar ended as a no-contest when Jones suffered an accidental head butt at 1:49 in the second round.

Two undefeated super middleweights faced off in Immanuwel Aleem vs. Mark "The Honorable" Baltimore. Aleem, who along with his brother Moshea, comprise the "fighting Aleem," was a decorated amateur before turning pro three months ago. He fought a spirited Baltimore, and prevailed on all three judges' cards.

Super middleweights Jerry "The King's Son" Odom and Darryl Fields faced off in a battle of debut fighters. It didn't last long, as Odom won by TKO at 1:11 in the first round. It wasn't a surprise, however, as Odom had a stellar amateur career, capturing the 2012 National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions.

In the first upset of the evening 1-8 David Warren Huffman of Milwaukee, WI, (now 2-8) scored a TKO victory over junior welterweight prospect Joseph "Raw Talent" Rector. Rector was a two-time regional Golden Gloves champion who won the Mayor's Cup Championship four times as an amateur.

In one of the most heralded deubuts of the evening, USA Boxing National Championship 2011 bronze medalist Antoine "Action" Dougles faced off against Valdez Eason. It didn't last long, as Dougles cornered Eason with a flurry of punches that drove him to the canvas, where the referee stopped the fight at 1:30 in the first round.

Two new D.C. cruiserweights faced off when Andrew Ward met Mario "Bazooka" Flores. Ward is a US Army Staff Sargent stationed in at Ft. Meade in Maryland, and Flores was a 2007 MD/DC/VA Golden Gloves Champion. Flores came on strong at the end of the fourth round, appearing to be on the verge of a knockout before the bell sounded, but it wasn't enough and the judges ruled the bout a majority draw.

The evening began with two of the evenings most experienced boxers, with more than 80 fights between the two of them, Shakir "The Assassin" Ashanti vs. David Antoine. They fought a spirited four rounds, with both fighters taking control at various times. But Antonine prevailed on all three judge's cards to win the unanimous decision.

Main Event -- 10 Rounds Middleweight -- Tony "Mo Better" Jeter (15-3-1, 10 KO's), Stevensville, MD won by majority decision (94-91, 93-92, 91-94) Jimmy Lange (38-5-2, 25 KO's), Great Falls, VA.

Co-Feature -- Six Rounds Middleweight -- "Lightning" Harry Joe Yorgey (25-1-1, 12 KO's), Bridgeport, PA, won by TKO (2:48 Round 1) over Zain "Tiger" Shah (5-1, 3 KO's, 1 NC), Chantilly, VA

Six Rounds Middleweight -- Brandon Quarles (9-0-1, 2 KO's), Alexandria, fought to a majority draw (57-55 Mackey, 56-56, 56-56) with John "No Mercy" Mackey, (13-8-4, six KO's), Washington, DC.

Six Rounds Middleweight -- Ivan "King Shango" Ziglar (7-2-1, four KO's), Washington, DC,and Lawrence Jones (4-6-2, one KO), Washington, DC, had a NC declared at 1:49 in the second round due to Jones' receiving an accidental head butt.

Four Rounds Super Middleweight -- Immanuwel Aleem (3-0, 2 KO's), Richmond, VA, won by UD (30-37, 40-46, 40-36) over "The Honorable" Mark Baltimore (1-1, 1 KO), Washington, DC.

Four Rounds Super Middleweight -- "The King's Son" Jerry Odom, Washington, D.C., (1-0, 1 KO) won by TKO at 1:11 in the first round over Darryl Fields (0-1), Akron, OH

Four Rounds Junior Welterweight--David Warren Huffman (2-8, 1KO), Milwaukee, WI, won by TKO at 1:08 in the first round over Joseph "Raw Talent" Rector (1-1, 1 KO), Fairfax, Va.

Four Rounds Super Middleweight -- Antoine "Action" Douglas, Washington, D.C., (1-0, 1 KO) won by TKO in the first round over Valdez Eason (0-7), Cincinnati, OH.

Four Rounds Cruiserweight -- Mario "Bazooka" Flores (1-1-1, 1 KO), Washington D.C,. fought to a majority draw (39-37 Flores, 38-38, 38-38) against Andre Ward (1-1-2, 1 KO), Washington, D.C.

Four Rounds Middleweight-- David Antoine (11-42-1, 5 KO's) Akron, OH won by UD (35-40, 35-40, 36-40) over Shakir "The Assassin" Ashanti (16-14, 4 KO's), Greensboro, N.C.