**************** 3-DIGIT 326
Sll Pl
LIBRARY OF FLA. HISTORY
205 SMA UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
PO BOX 117007
CAINESVILLE FL 32611-7007


~PI~imeF


ta ami
Tempora Mutantur Et Nos Mutamur In Illis


VOLA S3, 3.UMB' rW 1 6..,M ,:.- ;... .-,- ::,. 1-I 20, *: 1.1 'I. cents


$3 million grant


to target diabetes
By D. Kevin McNeir
kmcneir@mniamitimesonline.com
The GE (General Electric) Foundation has part-
nered with the Health Care Network of Florida (HC-
NFL) and its seven participating health centers and
recently announced the rewarding of a $3 million
Please turn to GRANT 8A

The County leads the state of Florida with the
highest number of uninsured people ...


Miami-Dade County
Mayor Carlos Gimenez
(I-r), Florida Representa-
tives Daphne Campbell
and Barbara Watson, GE
Foundation President and
Chairman Bob Corcoran,
Florida Rep. Cynthia
A. Stafford and Florida
Senator Rene Garcia.
Photo courtesy Cory
Gittner.
-Photo courtesy Cory Gittner


HEALTH CENTERS FOCUS ON INCREASING CARE FOR UNINSURED


Elderly share


holiday reflections

By Kaila Heard
kieard@miamtitimesonliin J .o I


Black 'Generation X' gets


geared up for n019 election


Young & Powerful for Obama

kicks off Miami branch
By D. Kevin McNeir
kmcneir@miianitimnesonline.corm
Florida is one of 15 states that has changed its elec-
tion laws since GOP-dominated legislatures took over
in 2010. And while the rhetoric is that these laws were
necessary to avoid voter fraud, many critics say that the


changes only make it more difficult
for certain voters to exercise their
rights as U.S. citizens. These voters .
include minorities, senior citizens, '
those who have recently moved and .
college students people who helped
President Barack Obama secure vic-
tory.
Now a Generation X-led national
movement, Young & Powerful for OBAMA
Obama (YPO), geared at re-electing Obama in 2012,
Please turn to ELECTION 8A


One of the biggest pleasures
for the Christmas season is
being able to travel home and
visit friends and family Un-
fortunately, many people are
not able to take part in that
12" _- 1 -a, k )lj>id .. 0
diut to health restrici.nois .nd
challenges.
The Miami Times spoke with
residents of the Jackson Me-
morial Long Term Care Cen-
ter in Miami to find out some
alternative ways the holiday
will be celebrated. The facility
currently has approximately
180 residents of all ages and is
Please turn to ELDERLY 8A


Overtown youth have r

fun at tree lighting ..._
Children from Overtown were all smiles during the ..-.
annual tree lighting ceremony held last Thursday, .
Dec. 8 on NW 10th Street. The event was sponsored
by the Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA. Par-
ticipants enjoyed refreshments and sang Christmas /
carols. CRA Board Chair and City Commissioner
Michelle Spence-Jones said the lights on the tree
"should remind us of the children of Overtown who .
have been shot and killed." .... -
-Miani Tomes photo/Levy Matthews
............. ............... ........*.*. *.*.. . . 4 . . ...... 4..... ..... ..4 ..


Discrimination

lawsuit filed against

town of Palm Beach

Willie Gary says police face slurs
and harassment by superiors


By D. Kevin McNeir
kmcneir@miamitimesonline.com,
The town of Palm Beach
has recently come under
fire after members of its
police department claimed
that they have been targets
of anti-semitic, racial and
ethnic slurs and sexual ha-


rassment by their superior
officers. Prominent trial at-
torney Willie Gary, along
with his team of lawyers, has
filed a multi-million dollar
lawsuit on behalf of the of-
ficers. Individual complaints
have also been filed with the
Equal Employment Oppor-
tunities Commission.


S !, ,,


WILLIE GARY
Prominent trial attorney
"Litigation has already
begun and we believe this
is the kind of mission that
Dr. [Martin Luther] King
would have accepted," said
Gary, 63. "We have to make
sure that all citizens have a
Please turn to LAWSUIT 8A


FAMU band

members face

battery charges
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Florida A&M Univer-
sity (FAMU) band member Bria Shante Hunter had
tried to get out of going to a meeting. For that, au-
Sthorities say, fellow band members subjected her to
Hazing rituals so severe she was left with a broken
thigh.
Tallahassee police said that on Oct. 31 and Nov.
* 1, Hunter was beaten with fists and a metal ruler
to initiate her into the "Red Dawg Order" a band
clique for students from Georgia.
Three FAMU band members were charged Mon-
day in the beatings, which came about three weeks
before drum major Robert Champion died during a
Band trip to Orlando, police said. Police say hazing
Please turn to FAMU 8A


Bowles is


Dolphins

new coach
S On Monday afternoon Miami Dol-
phins owner Steve Ross fired head
Coach Tony Sparano with three games
Left in the regular season. The end
Same after three straight losing sea-
Ssons capped by Sunday's humiliat-
Sing 26-10 defeat by the Philadelphia
SEagles.
Todd Bowles, the Dolphins assistant
coach/secondary
Coach, will become
the team's interim
coach. Bowles, 48,
was a starting safety
for the 1987 Wash-
" ington Redskins '
team that won Super BOWLES
Bowl XXII 42-10 over
the Denver Broncos
and had an eight-year NFL career with
the Redskins and San Francisco 49ers.
He previously served as the assistant
head coach/secondary for the past
four seasons taking over in January
2008. Prior to joining the Dolphins he
spent the previous three years as the
secondary coach with the Dallas Cow-
Sboys. Bowles was born Nov. 18, 1963
in Elizabeth, N.J. and is a graduate of
Temple University.
He and his wife, Taneka, reside in
SParkland. Bowles has a daughter and
three sons.


II
imomnp
^^H^^^^^^^^^n~j^BiB


www.MIAMI I E1SONINEw
.. ... .. ...


8 90158 00100 0


Wayne Garvey


- I


- II- I--- ~-- --------














OPINION


BI.ACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY


2A THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


The time is right for a

"brother" to lead the Miami police
Before we are accused of being separatists, racists or
other like-minded foolish notions, it's important to
note that Blacks in Miami, in moments when we are
talking among ourselves, often vent frustrations over being
treated more like Third World visitors then natural born, U.S.
citizens. Take the recent Marlins debacle when they admitted
that the employees they preferred needed to speak Spanish.
Look at the top-ranking officials in both City and County offices
most have Latin surnames. It's rare that you will encounter
anyone named Raheem running City Hall at least not here in
Miami. But what would be so bad about that?
As the City of Miami pares down its list of candidates for po-
lice chief, we suggest that those making the decision give a seri-
ous look at the one sole Black who made the cut: Adam Burden
II. Burden comes from a family of law enforcement officials,
including his wife. And he's held almost every position possible
within the department. What's more, the brother is from Lib-
erty City and Brownsville which means he won't need anyone
to translate the issues and problems that continue to plague
these mostly-Black communities.
Interim Police Chief Manny Orosa has made some good calls
since taking over the seat formerly held by Miguel Exposito,
especially the decision to put more marked police cars back on
the streets. Orosa is also on the short list and would seem to
have the inside track to being promoted from interim status to
chief. But given the number of police-involved shootings that
we have witnessed over the past 16 months and with Blacks
feeling left back and left out, perhaps it's time that we allow for
a culture shift of sorts within the County's police department.
Rumor has it that Burden was not interviewed along with the
other nine candidates last week. We hope that is not true. From
what we can see, Burden would make an excellent chief as
long as the requirement for getting the job is not being able to
speak Spanish.

Hats off to those who

brought The Messiah to

Liberty City
If you missed The Messiah under the direction of Dr. Nelson
Hall last Sunday evening at the Church of the Incarnation
and the improvisational wizardry of hip-hop violinist Jeff
Hughes, then you slept through one of the best presentations of
music that has come to Liberty City in quite some time Fa! '
Crawford was in his element greeting members and guests in
a standing-room-only sanctuary while Dr. Enid Pinkney, the
driving force behind The Historic Hampton House Communi-
ty Trust, was so energized that she was able to put down her
walking stick and mount the podium. It was that kind of eve-
ning and it was that kind of electricity in the air.
The choir was beyond good and Hall did an outstanding job at
selecting and then preparing the young vocalists who sang the
solo portions of The Messiah.
And then there was Jeff Hughes who illustrated what hap-
pens when one practices hard at their craft even when it may
be something rarely done by brothers or sisters from the hood.
His family, many of whom live here in Miami, brought their own
rooting section as well they should Hughes has an amazing
gift and serves as a great role model for other Black youth who
are drawn to classical music. After his solo performance, he sat
down with the orchestra to play with them.
The truth of the matter is the evening was a success because
we all came together as patrons, sponsors and supporters of
the concert. Pinkney reminded us that the event was free to the
public because people responded and matched the grant that
was awarded to the Hampton House.
There are too many times when we allow the media to casti-
gate what happens in the Black community. This time, howev-
er, while no one showed up to tell our story our positive story
- many of us were there and witnessed the power that comes
when we work together for something that benefits us all.

The Abu-Jamal case
After nearly 30 years, prosecutors in Philadelphia decided
last week to end their fight to execute Mumia Abu-Jamal,
who was convicted in 1982 of the murder of Daniel Faulkner,
a police officer. Decades of legal proceedings have proved that
Pennsylvania's death penalty machinery is unconstitution-
ally flawed and should be stopped.
Seth Williams, the district attorney, maintains that Mr.
Abu-Jamal is guilty but says it is time to put the case to rest
and have Mr. Abu-Jamal spend his life in prison without pos-
sibility of parole.
In April, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third
Circuit ordered a new sentencing hearing for Mr. Abu-Jamal
because the judge's instructions to the jury during the case's
sentencing phase may have led jurors to believe incorrectly
that they could not consider mitigating evidence on Mr. Abu-
Jamal's behalf. Even before the defense counsel could make
a closing argument, the judge began his jury instructions:
"Members of the jury, you must now decide whether the de-
fendant is to be sentenced to death," he said. In October, the
Supreme Court chose not to review the appeals court ruling.
The problem for Pennsylvania, as a committee of the Ameri-
can Bar Association found in 2007, is that the state's system
for administering the death penalty is "plagued with errors"
like what the federal appeals court found. The panel reported
that "inadequate representation, the disturbing prospect of
executing an innocent person, racism, and geographic dis-
parities are undeniably present in our state's justice system."
Of the 207 convicts on Pennsylvania's death row, 50 were
sentenced 20 years ago or longer. The system is costly and
time-consuming as well as unjust. There is no convincing ar-
gument in favor of maintaining capital punishment in Penn-
sylvania or anywhere else. -New York Times


b)e Aliami Times,

IISStj 1739.-03191
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Phone 305-69.46210
H.E. SIGISMUND REEVES Founder 1923-1968
GARTH C. REEVES, JR., Editor 1972-19 82
GARTH C. REEVES, SR., PFuuisner Emrenlus
RACHEL J. REEVES, Publisher and Chairman


Member of National Nlewspaper Publisher Association
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CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS
The Black Press believes that America car best lead the
world from racial and national antagonism when it accords to
e'ery person, regardless ,1t race creed or color, his or her
human and legal rights Hating no person fearing no person,
the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief
that all persons are hurt as long as anyone is held back.


Ap


Audit Bureau
Audit Bureau of C.ur:.ji c'nl

&* A


- DR BY GEORGE E. CURRY, [JNPA COLUMNIST

Blacks lose clout in Southern statehouses


Although more Blacks live in
the South than any other re-
gion, Blacks elected to state
legislative bodies there have
become virtually powerless as
those bodies have shifted from
Democratic to Republican con-
trol.
That's the conclusion reached
in a Joint Center for Political
and Economic Studies research
brief titled, "Resegregation in
Southern Politics?" by David A.
Bositis.
"Following the election of
President Barack Obama, many
political observers especially
conservative ones suggested
that the United States is now
a post-racial society," Bositis
wrote in the introduction. "Three
years later, in the region of the
country where most Blacks live,
the South, there is strong sta-
tistical evidence that politics is
resegregating, with Blacks once
again excluded from power and
representation. Black voters
and elected officials have less
influence now than at any time
since the civil rights era."
Prior to the 1994 elections,
99.5 percent of southern Black


state legislators served in the
majority party. Following the
2011 elections, that percentage
has been dramatically reduced
to 4.8 percent. Most Black state
legislators serving outside the
South continue to be in the ma-
jority.
"In fact, more than 10 times
as many Black legislators out-


"And since conservative
whites control all the power in
the region, they are enacting
legislation both neglectful of the
needs of Blacks and other com-
munities of color (in health, in
education, in criminal justice
policy) as well as outright hos-
tile to them, as in the assault
on voting rights through photo


rom the Post-Reconstruction Era following the Civil War to
the 1990s, Republicans controlled only one state legisla-
tive body -Tennessee in the South. During that period,
Democrats were so anti-Black that they were known as Dixiecrats.


side the South serve in the ma-
jority compared to their south-
ern counterparts, 162 versus
15, or 54.4 percent versus 4.8
percent," the Joint Center re-
port found. "All Republican
state legislative caucuses are
predominantly white, while an
increasing number of south-
ern Democratic state legislative
caucuses are majority black."
Conservative Whites, now
firmly in control of state govern-
ing bodies, are exercising their
political power.


identification laws and other
measures," the report states.
The erosion of Black political
clout in state legislatures mir-
rors the decline in Democratic
power throughout the South, a
shift that began with the 1994
GOP landslide and became al-
most complete in the last elec-
tion.
From the Post-Reconstruction
Era following the Civil War to
the 1990s, Republicans con-
trolled only one state legislative
body -Tennessee,- in the South.


During that period, Democrats
were so anti-Black that they
were known as Dixiecrats.
"When southern Democrats in
the Old South first engaged in
diluting black votes (i.e., split-
ting them among multiple dis-
tricts), their aim was to diminish
black influence," the report ex-
plained. "However, as southern
whites began voting more Re-
publican, the Democrats found
themselves having to rely on
black votes to remain in office,
and growing numbers of them
accepted the goals of the civil
rights movement and became
'national' Democrats. Accord-
ingly, the purpose of black vote
dilution evolved from thwarting
black political aspirations to
protecting white Democrats and
Democratic majorities."
Georgia Democratic State
Rep. Tyrone Brooks, a Black
who has been in office for more
than three decades, told the As-
sociated Press: "The perception
across the state is the Demo-
cratic Party is the party of Black
folk. When you have a racially
polarized body politic, race be-
comes a major factor."


DR. BENJAMIN F. CHAVIS, JR., NNPA COLUMNIST


Best education: Key to Black empowerment


The best quality education is
one of the most important is-
sues that will determine ones
future life, prosperity and des-
tiny. But for Black parents and
students, this is the single most
important issue that will affect
not only our overall quality of
life but will also determine how
we will achieve to the fullest
extent actual freedom, justice,
equality and empowerment.
Excellence in education should
not be just a matter for national
political debate and dialogue; it
should be the cause for urgent
grassroots social action, protest
and demand.
As we prepare to fully enter
into the 2012 national political
arena with the coming primary
elections, in particular in states
where there are determina-
tive percentages of Black vot-
ers, we all must work hard to
make sure that the interests of
our children, families and com-
munities do not get triaged or
sidestepped. The truth is we


are not making enough noise
and clamor about what is hap-
pening to the majority of Black
youth in the public schools sys-
tems across the U.S. Why are 45
million Blacks so silent about
the failures of the primary and


low academic achievement and
persistent high school dropouts
as well as the direct correla-
tion between disproportionate
high unemployment and incar-
ceration. Income inequality is
directly related to educational


he high school dropout rate for Black students continues
to be double that of white students. This statistic has
become so common that in many school districts it no
longer serves as the subject or predicate for policy change at the
school board level.


secondary school systems when
it comes to the education of our
children?
The high school dropout rate
for Black students continues
to be double that of white stu-
dents. This statistic has become
so common that in many school
districts it no longer serves as
the subject or predicate for
policy change at the school
board level. Yet we know well
the direct correlation between


inequality. Poverty persists dis-
proportionately in the Black
community because of the ab-
sence of economic empower-
ment that would be fulfilled if
we would educate ourselves
more fervently and urgently
with excellence in every sub-
ject matter and discipline of
study. The future is in our own
hands to the extent to which we
demand and achieve the best
education in the world without


apology or excuse.
A recent statistical study
completed by Stanford Univer-
sity's Sean Reardon established
that income inequality also pre-
determines how well a student
will do in school. In other words,
students from "rich" families
potentially do better in school
than students from "poor" and
working-class families.
But it should not be shocking
that the academic achievement
gaps are determine both by
race and economic class status.
The question is what can we do
about these systemic inequali-
ties? I salute the involvement
and leadership of some the
outstanding performing artists
and young emerging leaders in
the Black community who have
taken a public stand on the
crucial education issue. The
movement is growing. Join us.
Let's make a difference for all
our children. Excellence in edu-
cation is the best key for future
progress and empowerment.


BY MARC H MORIAL. NNPA COLUMNIST


We are obligated to "occupy" the hood
The Black "Twittersphere" in the "hood" that there sim- Black children the chance she munity service
and "blogosphere" are abuzz ply isn't enough time or energy never had to attend the previ- 1h-ii'.., that have
with talk about ways to engage to join a rally. Or maybe with ously segregated university, at the heart of tth
more Blacks in the "Occupy" more of a focus on racism's Her actions inspired many ni.iit.. There i:
movement. There are even role in structural inequality and led President Clinton to could have survi'
social networks forming un- more people of color would award her the Presidential Cit- ships of slavery
der the banner: "Occupy the join. But then I thought about izens Medal. McCarty's only the Great Depres


Hood." From Zuccotti Park in
Manhattan to Westlake Park
in Seattle, the participants
in Occupy events tend to be
overwhelmingly young, white,
and middle class. This is the
case even though the ills the
Occupy Movement have iden-
tified income inequality and
the corrupt and predatory ac-
tions of big banks are hit-
ting communities of color the
hardest.
In pondering the potential
reasons for this disconnect, I
thought that maybe the stress
of unemployment and lack of
opportunities are so draining


n pondering the potential reasons for this disconnect, I
thought that maybe the stress of unemployment and lack of
opportunities are so draining in the "hood" that there simply
isn't enough time or energy to join a rally.


a woman named Oseola Mc-
Carty from Hattiesburg, Mis-
sissippi.
In 1995 at the age of 85, Mc-
Carty, a Black woman who
earned a living washing and
ironing other people's laundry,
donated her entire life- -., i. it :,
$150,000, to the Universilty of
Southern Mississippi to give


wish was that she be allowed
to attend the graduation of the
first recipient of the McCarty
Scholarship. She developed a
friendship with that student,
Stephanie Bullock, and died a
few months after Si pl .ii 's
graduation in 1999.
I tell thal story because it re-
nminds us of the legacy of com-


a nd pIltl.in-
always been
ie Black com-
s no way we
ved the hard-
y, Jim Crow,
ssion and the


Great Recession without lean-
ing on one another -whether
that meant assisting travelers
on the Underground Railroad,
or sharing food with an out-
of-work neighbor. Giving back
has always been front and
center in the Black experience.
As we enter the holiday sea-
son, we should draw strength
from that well-spring of com-
passion. You don't have to
be rich. You don't have to be
a college -i.hiL.ii. And giv-
ing back can be in the form
of time and talent as well as
money. Occupy the hood with
whatever gifts you have.


~ _-~__~
















OPINION


Bl.ACKS MlUST C' (ONTRO THEIR OWN DESTINY


3A THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


CORNER


.I IUll tlU I .l'nll
ith i,. I "I i*l"
.i id ioi t.
l.Slli ...


Has the tradition of hazing run its

course?


- BY HENRY CRESPO SR MIAMI TIMES CONTRIBUTOR, hcresposr@gnail.com

How do we lead and what is our agenda?


A Tea Party friend of mine
said to me that like it or not, as
a conservative Republican, he
believes in conservative values
and that his leadership reflects
those values. He then asked me
about my values? What follows
is a result of our conversation.
As a collective body of people
we have to invest in our leader-
ship, ourselves and our future.
But how do we do that during a
time when our dollar is declin-
ing, our military is spread thin,
our economy is weak and our
leadership is lethargic?
First, we need to invest in
our leadership. An investment
requires research, action and
monitoring. So, have we done
our due diligence before we cast
our ballots? Do we know the is-
sues and what candidates stand
for that are vying to represent
our communities? What is their
agenda is it their agenda or
the people's agenda? Even if we


didn't do our research before,
we can still act and hold the
present leadership accountable.
We do this by calling our com-
munity leaders and elected of-


stay active in the political pro-
cess and monitor the progress
being made on our behalf.
Second, we invest in ourselves
by becoming better informed


An investment requires research, action and monitoring.
So, have we done our due diligence before we cast our
ballots? Do we know the issues and what candidates
stand for that are vying to represent our communities?


ficials, going to their offices, or
attending community or public
meetings, all in good taste of
course. We have to put the peo-
ple's agenda back on the fore-
front. They need to hear what it
is we need and how we are ready
to act. Do leaders have a genu-
ine concern for the American
people? They probably do but it
is up to us to organize and mo-
bilize, invest our votes wisely,


about the issues in our fami-
lies, neighborhoods and great-
er community. We should do
our best to stay up on current
events. We have to read, go on
the internet and ask questions.
We don't have the luxury to get
caught up in catch phrases,
sound bytes and emotionalism.
The only way to be informed is
to get the information.
Finally, we invest in the col-


lective well-being of our com-
munities and our future by in-
vesting in our children. We need
to make sure they get to school
on time, we should join the PTA,
monitor our children's progress
reports and ask them to show
us their homework. Some of us
haven't been to school in awhile
so we ourselves may need to
meet with our children's coun-
selor, teacher or principal in or-
der to determine better ways to
support our children. At the end
of the day, our children are a
reflection of us and our society.
The future, just like our chil-
dren, is our responsibility. Look
folks, we can only make the
needed changes in our society
if we work together in our fami-
lies, in our neighborhoods and
in our communities. We can do
this! Listen to Henry Crespo on
Today's Truth of the Matter on
Sunday from 3 4 p.m. on 880
am the Biz.


BY ROGER CALDWELL, MIAMI TIMES CONTRIBUTOR


Scott's job creation plan appears to be working
New job creation and un- to last year. The governor is the next 10 years would be 1 in the state and more people
employment numbers were correct in his analysis of job million jobs. But many of the need to move to the state.
released for October 2011 creation in Florida and he governor's critics forget that Nevertheless, tourism was
and they are extremely en- should be commended. When the wrong plan and moves by a winner this year, because
couraging and positive. The he took office the unemploy- the administration can force last year there was nega-
state saw 9,500 new jobs ment rate was 12 percent things to go in the wrong di- tive information about the
created while unemployment oil spill that negatively im-
was down from 10.6 to 10.3 pacted vacation plans for
percent. Compared to last everyone in the state is concerned with the decline of jobs some to Florida. The state's
year, the state's numbers in the construction industry and the public sector. The tourism authority reported
are improving and Governor a 5.1 percent increase this
Rick Scott and his adminis- construction industry has lost 11,600 jobs and the gov- year in the entire state, and
tration can take credit for a ernment has lost 8,600 jobs this year. in certain resort areas the
good job. increase was in double-dig-
Based on the numbers it numbers. The Sunshine
in October, the state has in 10 months that rate reaction. State is beginning to perco-
reached a significant mile- has fallen to 10.3 percent. Everyone in the state is late as visitors come and are
stone in creating over He and his staff are moving concerned with the decline spending money.
100,000 jobs. For 13 months, things in the right direction. of jobs in the construction In October, the governor
the state of Florida has en- Many of the governor's crit- industry and the public sec- unveiled his job creation and
joyed positive job growth in ics refuse to acknowledge the tor. The construction indus- economic growth agenda -
the public sector. The tourist positive achievements of his try has lost 11,600 jobs and designed to streamline regu-
industry in 2011 has gener- administration because eco- the government has lost lations and create jobs need-
ated 40,000 new leisure and nomic forecasters predicted 8,600 jobs this year. There is ed to get Floridians back to
hospitality jobs, compared that Florida's job growth in a need for more development work. Let's see if it works.


FANNIE HUMES, 77
retired, Miami

I doubt it
will ever go
away, it will
probably be
able to be de-
creased with
more restric-
tions but th6re
will always be
people that will try to do it and I
don't approve of it.

ALLEN CROCKETT, 73
truck driver, Liberty City

I would say
yes because it
is not a good
thing and
it should go
away.


MARY REEVES, 55
retired, Bunche Park

It will not go
away because
it is a tradi-
tion and many
times the guys
don't realize
the ramifica-
tions of their
actions. And
even though
FAMU did all they could do to
prevent hazing, things still hap-
pen, you can't be everywhere all
the time.


JACKQUES HELEN, 48
house keeper, Miami

This will continue to go on if
they don't do anything about









WILLIE NEWKIRK ,70
retired, Liberty City



because they
are playing
dangerous
games. When
I was in school
it wasn't like
that. Hazing is
very, very dangerous and I don't
think it should be happening. I
really hope hazing will stop.

WILLIAM SEED, 73
retired, Liberty City

No because
it is a part of
history as far
as college is
concerned.
The young

aren't going to
let it go away,
they will continue to do it.


BY DR. BOYCE WATKINS, NNPA


Pride is the downfall of Cain and Long


Bishop Eddie Long and for-
mer Republican Presidential
Candidate Herman Cain were
once considered to be pillars of
their community. Long was the
lead pastor at one of the larg-
est churches in the South, the
New Birth Missionary Baptist
Church, where he remarkably
maintained power. Cain was
on his way to becoming the
frontrunner for the Republican
nomination for president of the
U.S.
Now both have been found
to be nothing more than self-
proclaimed men of God who
spent their spare time doing
the work of demons. Eventually
earning nicknames like Eddie
Long Stroke and Pee Wee Her-
man Cain, these men would be
the center of one sex scandal
after another, often accused of
waving their powerful penis-
es at every man, woman and
child who happened to want a


job, some financial support or
a little extra mentorship. Mind
you, Cain was not quite as bad
as Long, given that he at least
harassed grown women. While
Cain simply ruined careers of
women under his authority,


men of God from Atlanta, both
of these men also happen to be
conservatives. Remember that
photo of Long hugging George
W. Bush? Now, this doesn't
mean that liberals don't cheat
on their wives or live life on the


ain was not quite as bad as Long, given that he at least
harassed grown women. While Cain simply ruined careers
of women under his authority, Long appears to have gone
even further by taking advantage of young boys who once consid-
ered him to be a father.


Long appears to have gone even
further by taking advantage of
young boys who once consid-
ered him to be a father. In spite
of their differences, both Cain
and Long can be accused of
embarrassing themselves and
their families for living lives
that were nothing less than
entirely hypocritical. In addi-
tion to being powerful, wealthy,


down low, but it does remind us
of the risks of Bible thumping
condemnation of those who are
different from ourselves. Cain
spent years telling Black people
that we are brainwashed and
undisciplined, while Long spent
his time attacking the same
gay community where his boy-
friends reside. Only the blind-
ness caused by wealth and


power could make either man
think that their secrets would
never get out. This kind of hy-
pocrisy appears to have been
over the head, out of the view or
stuffed into the subconscious
of Mrs. Cain and Mrs. Long,
who ended up looking as silly
as their husbands, standing
next to these men as they con-
fessed to an undisciplined, un-
healthy and unethical lifestyle
that would put Tiger Woods to
shame. Mrs. Long seems to be
the most confused, given that
she filed for divorce, reversed
her filing hours later and then
changed her mind one again.
Mrs. Cain has at least been con-
sistent, seemingly convinced
that her husband is righteous,
while all those other women are
lying gold diggers. It's hard to
figure out whether these wom-
en are victims, heroes or dum-
mies; but then again, marriage
can make us into all three.


Dear Editor,

Next year the State of Florida
legislature will decide [wheth-
erl to officially bring gambling
to South florida in the form of
three destination resort casi-
nos. I am neither for or against
casinos. But like anyone else
who cares about the economic
vitality of Miami I would en-
joy seeing jobs created, ho-


tels filled to capacity and Mi-
ami as the number one stop
for sun and fun. However, on
the streets we have a saying,
"game recognize game." Miami
is about to get played. Due to
too many unkept promises by
business leaders and elected
officials, I have become jaded.
You will probably hear from
many of them how this desti-
nation casino gambling proj-


ect is the best thing since slice
bread. You will be mesmer-
ized at the huge revenue pro-
jections. You will get caught
up at the number of jobs that
will be created. Of course this
is all based on speculation
mixed in with fuzzy math.
The question is whether the
citizens of Miami-Dade County
will sit on the sidelines or get
on the field as players. Just


like the mind set that gave us
the Marlins stadium expect
the casino project to be green
lighted. Given the most recent
track record of these types of
deals I'm inclined to have my
doubts. Those who don't learn
from history are doomed to re-
peat it.

Dr. Robert Malone, Jr.
Miami


Vii 0ornw este w .Ma iim snin-o


I hat to low'

;I ..l .if .

1\


I iLeten to A th Eiorn

Destination casino or destination bust


~ I


TO ful'amt, Timtq
One Family Serving Dade and Broward Counties Since 1923
www.MiamiTimesOnline.com

Ilitence,
C __j











4A THE "-iAil TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


]Bi.A(K SL MUSl CONTROL I'llIR \OWN D)1SINY'


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I was
By Adam Bryant

This interview with Ruth J.
mons, president of Brown U
sity for the last 11 years, was
ducted and condensed by
Bryant. Dr. Simmons is ste
down at the end of this acac
year and will continue as a p
sor of comparative literature
Africana studies.
Q. Do you remember the
time you were somebody's bo


OLi. 1'II1:I O \\ \ Pt 'INMI _



impossib
learned to be very leery of people
asking me to perform in these
Sim- higher-level positions.
niver- Q. Because?
Scon- A. Because this is coming out of
Adam the civil rights movement. The idea
pping of taking somebody off their path to
demic do something that is useful to you,
rofes- as opposed to thinking long term
e and about what they might contribute
to the profession, was something I
first thought was a bit odd. When I was
ss? a Ph.D. student at Harvard, I was


le,
asked to drop (
gram and bece
member at Rac
all, the only b
Ph.D. program
me to drop thi
to become an
just thought t
and I always re
skeptical of le
that path for n
In the end,
there were so


5A THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011



but then I saw how to lead
out of my Ph.D. pro- can faculty at the time, I realized lessons? me thinking about what I would
mne a full-time staff that I would see very few minori- A. I had some bad experienc- want to be as a supervisor. That
Icliffe. I was, first of ties in my classes. And that the es, and I don't think we can say led me to think about the psy-
llack student in my only way I could influence what enough in leadership about what chology of the people I worked
i, and they wanted was happening with regard to mi- bad experiences contribute to our with. And, in some ways, because
e program in order norities was to take a central po- learning. I had exhibited behavior that was
administrator. So I sition. And that's why I ultimately Q. Can you elaborate? not the most positive in the work-
hat was very odd, did it. It never occurred to me that A. I worked for someone who place myself, it gave me a mirror
-member that. I was this would be a path that I would did not support me. And it was to what I might do that might be
tting others create stay on or that I would accomplish a very painful experience, and similarly undermining of others.
ne. anything at a significant level, in many ways a defining experi- So I think at that juncture that's
however, because Q. What do you consider some ence for me. So having a bad su- really when I started being much
few African-Ameri- of your most important leadership pervisor really probably started more successful.


RUTH J. SIMMONS
President of Brown University

A. Probably the first time I was
a boss was when I was associate
dean of the graduate school at the
University of Southern California.
I was in my early 30s.
Q. Was that an easy transition?
A. It was. If I had to ask myself
why, I would say it's because I'd
probably been building to the point
where I was capable of doing those
things without actually knowing
that I could. And if you ask me how
far back that went this assem-
blage of skills and experience I'd
probably say that it went back to
my childhood.
Q. How so?
A. I realized that I was an in-
veterate organizer from the ear-
liest age. I'm the youngest of 12
children. And although I was the
youngest, I tried to organize things
in my family. When there were
hi utes, I trItg"Yo'aeMf T n"~c'f
I intervened in school-as well to
tell teachers what they were doing
wrong, or at least to tell them what
I didn't like about what they were
doing. I intervened sometimes in
classes to take a leadership role.
By the time I got to college, I was
impossible.
Q. Why impossible?
A. I was impossible. I thought
that it was very important to take
a principled stance about vari-
ous things, and some of them had
meaning, and some of them prob-
ably didn't mean very much.
I think somehow this sense of
myself came from my mother, who
instilled in us very strong values
about who we were. And this was
quite essential at the time I grew
up, because in that environment,
in the Jim Crow South, everybody
told you that you were worth noth-
ing. Everybody told you that you
would never be anything. Every-
body told you that you couldn't go
here, you couldn't go there. She
would just constantly talk to us:
Never think of yourself as being
better than anybody else. Always
think for yourself. Don't follow the
crowd. So we grew up with a sense
of being independent in our think-
ing.
Q. And what about your sib-
lings? What did they think of their
confident youngest sister?
A. They didn't like it very much.
They thought I was not normal,
because I was very different from
everybody else in my family. My
oldest sister went to my mother
one day and said that she thought
there was something wrong with
me, and that something needed to
be done.
Q. But at some point, particu-
larly when you became a manager,
you realized you couldn't be so im-
possible.
A. It was living, frankly. And
the experience of understanding
that the ways in which I was try-
ing to solve problems and to in-
teract with people were getting in
the way of achieving what I want.
And that's what did it for me. Ulti-
mately, I came to understand that
I could achieve far more if I worked
amiably with people, if I support-
ed others' goals, if I didn't try to
embarrass people by pointing out
their deficiencies in a very public
way. So I think it was really expe-
rience that did it more than any-
thing else.
Q. When the college promoted
you into a management role, was it
something you wanted?
A. I was stunned, and a little
skeptical. In my early career, I


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A 6 THE MIAMI TIMES DECEMBER 14-20 2 1


m 1 RISO(N RA P

Misspelled words of love from grandmother


By Arthur Lee Hall, Jr.

Next to chow time, mail call
is probably the second most
highly anticipated part of a
prisoner's day; and much like
the joyful times I received gifts
from under the Christmas tree
during the Christmas holiday
as a young child, I am able to
experience that same elated
feeling within my heart right
now today whenever I receive
the special gift of a handwrit-
ten letter from my dear grand-
mother.
Gracefully approaching her
nineties, my maternal grand-
mother, Melean, is not highly
educated so it is never a sur-
prise for me to notice misspell-


ings and perhaps a
few half-spelled words
throughout the body of
her letters. It is also
worthy to note that her
letters are never lengthy,
probably including just
enough words to fill
up the front page of a H1
standard-sized writing pa-
per. After greeting me with the
words Dear Boo, an endearing
term given to me by my mother
in the earlier years of my life,
never would my grandmother
fail to include a quick prayer
and show of optimism always
hoping and praying that I'm
doing fine whenever her letter
reaches me. She would then go
on to inform me that the fam-


ily is doing well, even
if there're some seri-
ous issues currently at
hand', which at some
point I would later find
out from another fam-
ily member. Her positive
energy would continue
ALL to flow with instruc-
tions for me to be good,have
faith in God, and remember
to read my Bible. And always,
always I would be reminded
that I am still loved and missed
greatly.
For twenty years it has been
this way. Ironically, although
my grandmother would never
win a spelling bee at her age,
she has no problem with main-
taining lucidity. Writing the


english language correctly is
not important, what matters
the most is that ,without diffi-
culty, I am able to comprehend
the words she is communicat-
ing which allows me to picture
her strong African features and
imagine her kind, gentle voice
in my head,speaking to my
heart.
In responding to her letters,
before signing off with my un-
dying love, it is imperative
for me to say," I hope to hear
from you soon", because as
the pearly gates of heaven are
getting ready to open and the
angels are preparing to sing,
we never know when the hour
welcome for soon to not be soon
enough.


Lengthy Blagojevich sentence


meant to send others a message


By Judy Keen

CHICAGO The downfall
of former Illinois governor Rod
Blagojevich ended Wednesday
with a strikingly long 14-year
prison sentence that the judge
and prosecutors said reflected
the scope of his crimes and the
damage he inflicted on public
trust.
"When it is the governor who
goes bad, the fabric of Illinois is
torn and disfigured and not eas-
ily repaired," U.S. District Judge
James Zagel told Blagojevich.
"The harm is the erosion of pub-
lic trust in government."
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzger-
ald said at a news conference
that the sentence "sends a
strong message that the public
has had enough and judges have
had enough. This needs to stop."
Fitzgerald said the sentence is
the longest ever imposed on an
In s gove rnr.4 :.1l...p.ospect
or "a significant penalty should
deter other politicians who think
they can get away with corrup-
tion, he said.
His schemes were captured in
hours of conversations taped by


Federal prosecutors had asked the judge to sentence Blago-
jevich to 15 to 20 years in prison for his conviction on 18 felony
charges stemming from his efforts to sell the Senate seat once
held by President Obama, shaking people down for campaign con-
tributions and lying to federal agents.

investigators, impeached and removed from


HISTORY OF LEGAL PROBLEMS
Blagojevich, a Democrat who
turns 55 on Saturday, was ar-
rested three years ago. He was


office in January 2009. Since
then, he had insisted on his in-
nocence, wrote a memoir, host-
ed a radio show and was fired
by Donald Trump on Celebrity


Jordan supports Scott's hazing
In light of recent develop- _


ments with the Florida A&M
University (FAMU) Marching
100 Band, Miami-Dade County
Commissioner Barbara J. Jor-
dan is supporting Governor
Rick Scott's initiative to ensure
that all collegiate organizations
review their hazing policies and
mandate that they require a
"zero tolerance," stricter penal-
ties, greater enforcement and
additional education. This urg-
ing comes on the heels of the
death of Drum Major Robert
Champion, who allegedly lost
his life during a hazing incident
after the Florida Classic No-
vember 19th, in Orlando.
"When a parent sends their
child off to college, they expect
that child to return with a diplo-
ma, not with a severe degree of
injuries or death," Jordan said.
"I sympathize with the family
of Robert Champion, and the


BARBARA J. JORDAN
Miami-Dade County Commissioner
faculty and students at FAMU.
This alleged incident was avoid-
able and unnecessary. It should
never happen again."
Jordan's legislation also
urges the Florida Legislature


RICK SCOTT
Florida Governor
to require private colleges and
universities whose students
receive state student financial
assistance to adopt these more
robust anti-hazing policies. She
introduced her support through


FAMU band director and students


reinstated pending State probe


ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Dis-
missal procedures have been
put on hold against the long-
time director of Florida A&M
University's marching band
and four students who were
kicked out of the school after
the death of a drum major.
According to FAMU Attorney
David Self, band director Julian
White's status has changed to
administrative leave with pay
after he had faced termination
Dec. 22nd. The four students
are back on campus taking
classes, university officials told
board members.
The Florida Department of
Law Enforcement (FDLE) asked
the university to stop any dis-
ciplinary action until a crimi-
nal investigation into the death
of Robert Champion had been
completed. Detectives say haz-
ing played a role in his Nov.
19th death.


An attorney for that board
told trustees that Champion's
family had sent a letter indicat-
ing they plan to sue over his
death. The letter requested the
university's insurance informa-
tion but didn't make reference
to any individuals or legal theo-


ries that they may follow, said
attorney Rick Mitchell. Mitch-
ell said Florida law limits the
board's liability to $300,000,
although individuals could be
liable for a larger amount if they
were found to have acted in bad
faith, with malicious purpose
or exhibited wanton disregard
for safety.
Board members didn't ad-
dress the future of James
Ammons, the university's
president, but left open the
possibility it would be a topic of
discussion at their next meet-
ing.
"The university is much big-
ger than James Ammons," Am-
mons said. "I'm not focusing on
whether I have the support of
the board. My focus right now
is on this family who has lost
a son and on this university
and how we're going to move
forward and repair the image of


Apprentice.
Blagojevich took responsibility
for his crimes for the first time
Wednesday. He told the court
that he made "terrible mistakes"
and was "unbelievably sorry."
Under federal rules, Blagojev-
ich will serve 85%, or 12 years,
of his sentence. He reports to
prison Feb. 16.
Blagojevich's predecessor,
former Republican governor
George Ryan, was sentenced in
2006 to more than six years in
prison after being convicted on
corruption charges.
Steven Miller, a former special
prosecutions chief in the U.S.
attorney's office, says the sever-
ity of the sentence was no sur-
prise. Blagojevich took govern-
ment corruption "to a whole new
level," he says. "He was literally
selling state government."
Miller says Zagel might have
shaved time off the sentence
after Blagojevich took respon-
sibility. Judges must determine
whether a defendant has ac-
cepted responsibility, he says,
but if one "gets religion at the
last moment," leniency is less
likely



initiatives
a resolution during today's
Board of County Commission-
ers meeting in downtown Mi-
ami.
"I realize that there are some
traditions that run deep within
an educational institution, but
this is not one of those tradi-
tions that we want to uphold,"
Jordan said. "Florida A&M Uni-
versity is an institution that we
hold in high regard. We want
that university to be known for
its excellent business, pharma-
cy and engineering programs,
not this alleged incident."


Suspect shot following police chase
A two-county police chased ended in Broward County when a
Hollywood police officer shot a suspect who allegedly tried to
run over another officer.
According to Hollywood police officials, the chase started in
Miami-Dade County. When the pursuit crossed the county line,
Hollywood picked up the chase.
The chase ended near Monroe Street and 24th Avenue. At
that point, police say, the suspect's vehicle backed up and hit a
Hollywood officer's patrol car. The suspect, identified as Derrick
Harvey,charged the patrol car a second time after which the of-
ficer opened fire on Harvey.

No charges filed against driver who killed City of Miami firefighter
The widow of a City of Miami firefighter killed in a car crash
in April 2010 is angry that no charges will be filed against the
driver accused of killing him.
The Broward State Attorney's Office announced Thursday that
the case against Sherry Marks, the driver who hit and killed Les-
lie Luma, was "circumstantial as to any theory of impairment."
Tonika Luma called the decision unacceptable and says she plans
to pursue legal actions against Marks.

Miami-Dade cop arrested for DUI while in patrol car
A Miami-Dade Police officer and his supervisors are under an
internal affairs investigation after the officer, Fernando Villa,
was discovered passed out and drunk in his patrol car in the
middle of an intersection in West Kendall.
But unlike a normal drunk driver arrest, Villa was not placed
in handcuffs and booked into jail. Villa has been relieved of duty
with pay while the internal affairs investigation is underway. Vil-
la had been a member of the Miami-Dade Police Department's
Special Response Team at one point in his career.

Teen fakes kidnapping for dad's money
An Orlando teenager is facing charges for staging his own kid-
napping, to extort a ransom from his father, according to Del-
ray Beach police.The 17-year-old disappeared from the Chris
Evert/Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Tennis tournament in Del-
ray Beach and then called his father claiming his captors were
demanding $50,000 for his release, police said. Delray Beach
detectives and FBI agents tracked the teenager and suspect
Joshua Andre Pee, 23, to a Budget Inn on North Federal High-
way in Delray Beach. During questioning, Pee denied trying to
extort money from the teen's father. He was charged with the
burglary of an occupied dwelling and resisting arrest. The teen
was charged with grand theft.


Noriega flown home to be

punished once again
By Juan Zamorano France turned Noriega over to
Associated Press Panamanian officials on Sun-
nay in --- --'. -iicc ui._f-


PANAMA CITY, Panama
Former military strongmE
Manuel Antonio Noriega
flown home to Panama or
Sunday to be punished
once again for crimes
he committed dur-
ing a career that saw
him transformed from
a close Cold War ally
of Washington to the
vilified target of a U.S.
invasion.
Noriega left Orly
airport, south of Paris,
on a flight operated by
Spain's Iberia airlines. HE
delivered directly to the a
by a four-car convoy and
cycles that escorted him f
the French capital's La Se
prison.
The French Justice Min
in a one-line statement, s


a -
an
was
n


aay in accordance with extra-
dition proceedings. It was the
only official remark.
Noriega's return comes after
more than 20 years in U.S. and


French prisons for drug
trafficking and money
laundering. Panama
convicted him during
his captivity overseas
for the slayings of two
I U political opponents in
S the 1980s.
\ He was sentenced to
NORIEGA 20 years in each case,
and Panamanian of-
ficials say he will be
e was sent straight to a jail cell when
aircraft he lands. The ex-general, whose
motor- pockmarked face earned him
from the nickname "Pineapple Face,"
ante could eventually leave prison
under a law allowing prisoners
listry, over 70 to serve out their time
aid under house arrest.


UM 111L ,VIIMITII 111T L-


BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY


I


~tz


iL

i










S 7A THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


BI-.CK.S MNUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY


Legacies: Miami's former Black police chiefs


By Randy Grice
rgrice@miamitimesonline.com

Some may wonder if the City
of Miami is ready for a Black
police chief, but such a move
would not be without prece-
dence. There have already been
three Black police chiefs in our
city's history.
Clarence Dickson, the first
Black chief of the department,
was appointed in January 1985
and resigned in 1988. Later his
assistant, Perry Anderson, re-
placed him. Then in 1994, cur-
rent Florida A&M University Po-
lice Chief Calvin Ross took over
and remained in office for just
under four years.
Anderson, 67, recalls his ten-
ure as Miami's second Black
chief, from 1988-1991.
"I felt obligated to provide
the kind of service to the com-
munity that may have been
neglected by other chiefs that
weren't Black," he said. "I sort
of had that commitment to the
community to provide quality
service."
Anderson, who grew up in
Miami and went to school in
Coconut Grove. said it was an


honor to serve the community
in which he was raised.
"I basically felt that when I
came up and went to school,
the communities were basically
segregated," he said. "To grow
up going to an all-Black school
and end up being the chief of
police of a large city like Miami
was a great feeling. I think that
they [the Black community] de-
manded much more of me and
the previous chief, and right-
fully so. I think that there was


Florida A&M University's Assistant Chief of Police John Earst, Assistant Chief of Police James
Lockley, Chief of Police Calvin Ross were commended by Attorney General Bill McCollum for
FAM U's successful implantation of its student alert system.


a feeling of neglect in the Black
community as we had just come
off of a lot of civil disturbances
[Miami's race riots, often re-
ferred to as the McDuffie Ri-


ots, occurred in May 1980] and
there was a major concern about
equality and the treatment of
Blacks in the community."
After leaving the Miami Po-


lice Department, Anderson held
several other jobs including the
director of campus and com-
munity services at Miami-Dade
College.


Traylor honored for service to Miami Dade College


(Chattanooga, TN) -As part
of The University of Tennessee
at Chattanooga's 125th anni-
versary and The University of
Tennessee's 50th anniversary
of desegregation, Dr. Horace
Traylor recently received the
Lifetime Achievement Award
at the UTC African-American
Alumni Achievement Dinner
held in the Bessie Smith Hall
in Chattanooga.
Traylor, who retired as pres-
ident of the Miami Dade Com-
munity College Foundation


and district vice president for
Institutional Advancement
at Miami Dade Community
College, dedicated his life to
opening doors for others to
access education and em-
brace the opportunities that
follow.
He made history in 1953,
when he earned a bachelor of
arts degree from Zion College
and became the first Black to
earn a bachelor's degree in
Chattanooga. He served as
president of Zion College from


DR. HORACE TRAYLOR


1959 until 1964, at which
time the institution was reor-
ganized and renamed Chat-
tanooga City College, where
he continued as president
until 1969. He made history
again by becoming the first
Black to graduate from the
University of Chattanooga in
1965 with a master of educa-
tion degree.
When conversations be-
gan to surface about merg-
ing the University of Chat-
tanooga with the University


of Tennessee system, Traylor
saw an opportunity to truly
transform access to higher
education in this commu-
nity. He worked to include
Chattanooga City College in
the merger, and in 1969, the
three entities came together
to form The University of Ten-
nessee at Chattanooga cam-
pus.
Traylor later joined the ad-
ministration at Miami-Dade
Community College, where
he retired.


Three women's rights leaders accept Nobel Peace Prize


an president just days before the
election.
Karman, who for months has
lived out of a blue tent in a pro-
test camp in Sana, Yemen, has
been deemed "Mother of the Rev-
olution" in her country. In 2005,
she founded the advocacy group
Women Journalists Without
Chains.
She was by turns tearful and
fervent in her address, which cit-
ed the commandments of the To-
rah, the Bible and the Koran and
called upon Western nations to
lend further support to the upris-
ings in the region.
"The democratic world, which
has told us a lot about the virtues
of democracy and good gover-
nance, should not be indifferent
to what is happening in Yemen
and Syria, and happened before
that in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya,
and happens in every Arab and
non-Arab country aspiring for


freedom," Ms. Karman said. "All
of that is just hard labor during
the birth of democracy, which re-
quires support and assistance,
not fear and caution."
Gbowee is the founder of the
Ghana-based Women, Peace and
Security Network Africa. She is
best known for organizing a "sex
strike" in Liberia in 2002, when
women withheld sex from their
husbands until hostilities ended,
and for championing a women's
protest movement the next year.
In a statement announcing the
award winners on Oct. 7, the No-
bel committee said it hoped the
prize would "help to bring an end
to the suppression of women that
still occurs in many countries."
Jagland concluded his remarks
by citing the American writer
James Baldwin, saying: "The
people that once walked in dark-
ness are no longer prepared to do
so.


-AP Photo/John McConnico
Nobel Peace Prize winners Tawakkol Karman of Yemen, left, Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, center, and Liberian presi-
dent Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf display their diplomas and medals at City Hall in in Oslo, Norway Saturday Dec. 10, 2011.The peace prize
committee awarded the prize to Karman, Johnson-Sirleaf and Gbowee for championing women's rights in regions where oppression
is common and helping women participate in peace-building.,


Our website is back new and

improved. If you are looking

for top-notch local news

stories that feature
Miami's Black

community, look no

further.


By Scott Sayare

PARIS In a ceremony in Oslo
that repeatedly invoked gender
equality and the democratic striv-
ings of the Arab Spring, the 2011
Nobel Peace Prize was presented
to three female activists and po-
litical leaders for "their nonviolent
struggle for the safety of women
and for women's rights" as peace-
makers.
To spirited applause and at


least one ululating cry, diplomas
and gold medals were present-
ed to President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf of Liberia, 73; her compa-
triot Leymah Gbowee, 39, a so-
cial worker and a peace activist;
and Tawakkol Karman, a Yemeni
journalist and a political activist
who, at 32, is the youngest Peace
Prize laureate and the first Arab
woman to receive the award.
"The promising Arab Spring
will become a new winter if wom-


en are again left out," said Thorb-
jorn Jagland, the chairman of the
Norwegian Nobel Committee, who
presided over the ceremony.
In her address, Sirleaf said: "In
its selection this year, the No-
bel Committee has brought here
three women linked by their com-
mitment to change, and by their
efforts to promote the rule of law
and democracy in societies torn
apart by conflict."
Sirleaf, in 2005, became the


first woman in modern African
history to be elected head of state,
and she is widely credited with
ushering her country into a stable
peace after a brutal 14-year civil
war. She was re-elected president
in November, though that contest
was marred by violence and a
boycott by the opposition.
Commentators and Sirleaf's po-
litical opponents had criticized
the Nobel Committee's decision
to award the prize to the Liberi-


I mq]. me










BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY


U.S., Iraq poised for 'new chapter'
By Christi Parsons : ,

WASHINGTON With the last *,
U.S. troops set to depart Iraq, ,.'
President Obama on Monday
welcomed a new phase of "equal i E
partnership" with the Iraqi gov-


ernment, even as born sides au-
mit uncertainty about how that
will work.
"We're here to mark the end of
this war," Obama said, appearing
alongside Iraqi Prime Minister
Nouri Maliki at the White House,
and to "begin a new chapter in
the history between our coun-
tries a normal relationship be-
tween sovereign nations."
The Obama administration
faces a host of challenges in
postwar Iraq, where the role of
the U.S. military in providing fu-
ture training and assistance for
security forces has yet to be de-
fined, beyond both leaders say-
ing it was vital to Iraq's long-term
stability. Another uncertainty is
how the U.S. troop departure
will affect conditions between
Iraq and its neighbor Iran, which
could seek to fill the vacuum and
increase its influence. Without
mentioning Iran, Obama vowed
that the U.S. will keep a strong
presence in the Middle East even
after American combat troops
leave Iraq. Maliki has been ada-
mant that Iraq will not allow in-
terference as it charts its own
future.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a


-- .







JOHNNY WHITE, 74


I Memories of Christmas


-Carolyn Kaster, Associated Press / December 13
President Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, accompanied by Maj. Gen. Mark Brown,
second from right, arrive to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cem-
etery in Arlington, Va.


critic of the U.S. troop withdraw-
al, accused both Obama and Ma-
liki of having "failed in their re-
sponsibilities" to protect shared
interests.
"All of the progress that both
Iraqis and Americans have
made, at such painful and sub-
stantial cost, has now been put
at greater risk," said McCain,


who blamed domestic politics
in both countries for driving the
decisions.
The political importance for
Obama is considerable as he
gears up his reelection cam-
paign, as getting U.S. troops
out of Iraq fulfills one of the
signature pledges of his 2008
campaign. Obama's week is


filled with events to repeat that
message, including a trip to Ft.
Bragg, N.C., on Wednesday to
greet returning troops. On Mon-
day, Obama and Maliki placed
a wreath at Arlington National
Cemetery to honor the nearly
4,500 Americans killed in Iraq
since the U.S.-led invasion start-
ed in 2003.


Grant benefits those with chronic diabetes


GRANT
continued from 1A

grant that will help Miami-Dade
County's (M-DC) men, women and
children who struggle with chron-
ic diabetes and are uninsured.
The announcement was made in
Liberty City at the Jessie Trice
Corporate and Community Health
Complex, a member of the HCNFL
and a beneficiary of the grant.
"The GE Foundation has a long
history of helping underserved
communities, like Miami, where
the number of people living with
diabetes exceeds the national av-
erage," said Jeff Immelt, CEO and
chairman, GE. "With this grant,
we're proud to break down the
barriers to cost, quality and ac-
cess so we can reduce the suffer-
ing of families dealing with this
chronic and too often debilitating
disease."
According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Preven-
tion (CDC), 11.4 percent of M-DC
adults are living with diabetes,
compared to 8.3 percent in the
U.S. The County leads the state
of Florida with the highest num-
ber of uninsured people and sec-
ond highest percentage over
600,000 and 30.2 percent, ac-
cording to recent data from the
U.S. Census Bureau.
Dr. Deborah George, Commu-
nity Health of South Florida, says
the impact of the grant will be felt
immediately.
"There is no doubt that as we are
now able to expand our programs,
that they will bring health and
hope to thousands of patients liv-
ing with diabetes," she said. "We
have some 1,500 patients alone at
Jessie Trice facing the challenges
of diabetes but the numbers in


-Photo courtesy Cory Gittner
GE Foundation President and Chairman Bob Corcoran (I-r); Jessie Trice Community Health Cen-
ter Board Chair Paul Roberts; Deborah George, DDS; Community Health of South Florida CEO
Brodes H. Hartley, Jr.; Citrus Health Network, CEO Mario Jardon; Miami Beach Community Health
Center CEO Kathryn Abbate; Helen B. Bentley Community Health Center CEO Caleb A. Davis; and
Health Choice Network of Florida CEO Kevin Kearns.


the county are around 10,000. It's
essential that we find ways to pro-
vide direct care to these patients,
many of whom have no medical
insurance."
Dr. Edwin Boso-Osorio said
that those with chronic diabetes
must be careful to monitor their
health and have periodic check-
ups to avoid serious complica-
tions, including death.
"Diabetes often leads to eye
and vascular diseases and we see
many adults that require ampu-
tations if they don't see a physi-
cian regularly," he said. "Some
say diabetes is a 'Black' disease
and while the data doesn't sup-
port that view, we do see that
Type II diabetes runs in families
and is therefore related to genet-
ics. It also tends to manifest itself
in those who are obese.


The financial and human cost
of chronic diseases continues
to rise. According to the CDC,
chronic diseases account for $3
of every $4 spent on healthcare,
reaching close to $7,900 for ev-
ery U.S. citizen with a chronic
disease. Chronic diseases are the
cause of seven out of 10 deaths.
The grant will enable HCNFL
to provide a centralized model
staffed with medical profession-
als who will assist the centers
providing efficient care manage-
ment services that will decrease
costly hospitalizations and emer-
gency room visits. Not only will
the funding add new jobs but it
will leverage existing data and
electric medical records so that
patients and their care needs can
be more closely monitored.
"Preventive care, total care and


improved standards of medical
care that's what Jessie Trice
and our other six partners have
been offering to the communi-
ties we represent," George said.
"We are here for the insured, the
underinsured and uninsured.
Health care reform is on every-
one's minds these days. Grants
like this from GE Foundation
significantly help us keep our
people healthy."
The other federally-qualified
health centers participating in
the Care Management Medi-
cal Home Center are Borinquen
Medical Centers of Miami Dade,
Camillus Health Concern, Cit-
rus Health Network, Commu-
nity Health of South Florida,
Helen B. Bentley Family Health
Center and Miami Beach Com-
munity Health Center.


Hazing stories continue to unfold at FAMU


FAMU
continued from 1A

also was involved in that
death.
Champion's death and now
the arrests have exposed a
hazing tradition that has long
haunted the university. After
Champion died, the university
indefinitely suspend-
ed performances by .f'
the famed Marching r
100 and school Presi-
dent James Ammons
has vowed to break '
what he calls a "code t"
of silence" on the haz-
ing rituals.
In the incidents that AMM
happened in October
and November, Hunt-
er told police that days later
the pain became so unbear-
able she went to the hospi-
tal. Besides her broken thigh
bone, she had blood clots in
her legs.


p


Sean Hobson, 23, and Aar-
on Golson, 19, were charged
Monday with hazing and bat-
tery; James Harris, 22, was
charged with hazing. All three
remained jailed early Tuesday.
A university spokeswoman
confirmed they were students.
Police say the hazing hap-
pened at Harris' off-campus
apartment in Talla-
hassee and that at one
point he stopped Gol-
son and Hobson from
hitting Hunter further.
I,- In an interview
with Orlando station
WFTV-TV, Hunter was
asked why band mem-
bers take part in haz-
ONS ing.
"So we can be ac-
cepted," she said. "If you don't
do anything, then, it's like
you're lame."
Last week the Board of
Trustees reprimanded Am-
mons over his job perfor-


mance, including how the
university has dealt with haz-
ing. The panel that oversees
the state university system
has also called for a probe
into whether school officials
ignored past warnings about
hazing.


"The Board of Trustees and
President Ammons hope that
through these arrests all in-
volved in perpetuating this
culture will really begin to
view hazing as a serious mat-
ter," said university spokes-
woman Sharon Saunders.


Palm Beach faces racism charges


LAWSUIT
continued from 1A

level playing field and that we
m intain efforts to stamp out
segregation and racism. Dis-
crimination is faced by more
than just Blacks Hispanics
and Jews face the same thing
in the work force. That plays
out in discrimination in pro-
motions and evaluations that
are based solely on who people
are rather than the quality of
their job performance. It's the
way they do business in Palm
Beach. Some actually have
made statements like the Holo-


caust never happened and are
still using the "N" word. That's
simply unacceptable."
Gary is seeking monetary jus-
tice for his clients. He says the
litigation is an effort to "make
people whole again."
"There are those in this state
who would like to turn back the
hands of time we cannot al-
low that to happen," he said.
"For the moment we are in me-
diation and hope to pass the
peace pipe. But if that doesn't
work, this suit will proceed. We
can never forget that injustice
to anyone is injustice to every-
one."


ELDERLY
continued from 1A

designed to house people who
have chronic medical conditions
or require extensive rehabilita-
tion or recovery times.
For 74-year-old Johnny White,
one of his best Christmas memo-
ries is when he was about five-
years-old. Living in Georgia with
his family, White remembers
when he saw Santa Claus for the
first time.
"We went to the school house
and got to see Santa Claus. [He]
brought apples and he gave
them to us," he said. "But I ran
away and [hid] under the house
because he scared me," White
said with a laugh.
White has lived at the Care
Center for the past six years.
An automobile accident resulted
in him having limited strength
in his legs and the necessity
of utilizing a wheelchair to get
around. His expectations for the
holidays have changed.
"I really don't have a home to
go back to," said White. "I was
living with my sister, but I didn't
want to burden her with having
to take care of me."
Still he remains in good spir-
its and enjoys receiving regular
visits from former classmates
at Northwestern Senior High
School and a few family mem-
bers.
Masie Basiick, another resi-
dent of the Care Center, says
the Christmas season is a time
for celebrating with family and
friends.
"The family gets together,
drinks a lot of beer, wine and


it feels nice," said Basiick, who
plans to celebrate in the same
manner this year.
Other residents also expressed
similar [upbeat] feelings about
living in a care center during the
holidays.
"They treat us real, real good,"
said Wayne Garvey, who has
been living at the center for sev-
eral years. "I have no bad feel-
ings for this place."
Garvey, came to the facility
due to chronic high blood pres-
sure and a stroke that resulted
in limited use of his right arm
and a severely-weakened leg.
The 51-year-old receives a few
visits from friends and "that
makes me feel good."
But he has no special plans for
the holidays.
Nevertheless, Garvey keeps
busy by participating in the
Long Term Care Center activities
and is currently serving as the
vice-president on the Resident
Council.
"I have a couple of friends
around here [at the Jackson Me-
morial Long Term Care Center]
and that helps me get through
the days," he explained.
To help other clients get in
more festive spirits, the Jackson
Memorial Long Term Care Facil-
ity and the Jackson Memorial
Perdue Medical Center were cho-
sen within the Jackson Health
System where all residents will
receive gifts that include robes,
slippers and other toiletry items
on Dec. 20th.
"It [is] our way of giving back to
the community," explained Kev-
in Andrews, the vice-president of
quality and patient safety.


Young Blacks support Obama


ELECTION
continued from 1A

has established a Miami base.
Their members say that changes
in election laws and Republican
opposition at the state and na-
tional levels have only increased
their determination to keep
Obama in the White House.
"Young & Powerful for Obama
started in Chicago back in 2008
and in just four days we were
able to raise $150,000 in seven
cities," said Fabiola Fleuranvil,
chair for Miami's YPO. "Our goal
is to duplicate those efforts and
to begin to fan out into other
cities. We started in September
and there are now groups in LA,
New York City, Washington, D.C.,
Springfield (IL) and of course
Chicago. We will have the official
kickoff in Miami in February and
in Charlotte (NC) in March. This
is a movement founded by young
professionals who are civically-
minded."
Fleuranvil says one of the goals
of the group is to reduce voter
apathy.
"When the president was elect-
ed young people were excited -
we have to generate that same
kind of enthusiasm again," she
said. "We have to get grassroots
organizations to get busy now,
persuade young adults to volun-
teer their time and of course, do-
nate money. It's imperative that
we talk to our friends those
who are closest to us and get
them fired up about the 2012


election."

NEW MEDIA IS
KEY IN COMMUNICATION
Social media is one of the pri-
mary tools used by the members
of YOP. They employ Facebook,
Twitter and a host of other online
services to communicate with one
another. In addition, they focus
on peer-to-peer contact which
as one members says, makes for
more personal interactions.
Alex Casillas, 32, is another
co-chair for the Miami contin-
gency who says he is optimistic
about the 2012 election.
"This is all about making sure
President Obama gets another
term," he said. "He's doing the
right things. Now there are things
we must do as well like making
sure people know how to register
to vote and talking about the new
barriers that make it tougher for
people to vote."
LaTanya Casillas, 29, believes
that the mission of young voters
like her and the other YOP mem-
bers is to refocus citizens on the
real issues.
"We see a lot of propaganda
about the new voting laws and
the voting process we have to
share the truth with members
of our community and with our
friends," she said. "It's vital that
we make sure every vote counts."
"The president still needs us
and it will be more challeng-
ing this time around for him to
win that's why we are starting
now," Fleuranvil said.


Grand Opening of Club "Just Us"
Finally Miami has a nightclub for you and your loved one. Im-
age the perfect setting. Smooth music, deem lights, a candlelight,
and a beautiful rose waiting for you at your table. Dine and sing
along to an array of top 10 soulful love songs.
Starting Friday, December 30, Club "Just Us" at Pine Garden
will open its doors, Pine Gardens is located at 2700 NW 167 Street
in Miami Gardens,
You will have the option of reserving a table during one of our
two sessions. Headlining our grand opening will be Miami's own
Mr. 106 and Park AJ the RnB General, and host comedian Hatch-
erl Reserve your table now at 786-759-2497.


8A THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


7








'.I I S MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY


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9A THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


with your
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You may have heard. AT&T and T-Mobile are planning to come together.


What will that mean to you?


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10A THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY










tBl.AC\'K M CUST' CONTROL THEIR O\N DESTINY


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11A THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


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New Bahamas ferry



prepares to set sail


By Randy Grice
rgrice@m niamiitimesonline.com

The new ferry system linking
South Florida to the Bahamas
was set to open last Friday,
December 9th. However, Bale-
aria, the Spanish company
that owns and operates the
high-speed ferry, Bahamas
Express, has delayed its debut
until at least Tuesday, Dec.
13th. It's the second attempt
to connect Miami to the Ba-
hamas in a low-cost boating
adventure.
"We delayed our debut be-
cause of a lack of documenta-
tion," said Enrique Diaz, 28,
media relations/customer ser-
vice supervisor for Balearia.
"We have to complete. a few
specific documents with the
Coast Guard that will permit
us to travel the waters with
passengers. That is the only
thing that has held us up right
now. You may have seen our
ships leave the dock but with-


out that documentation we
can't have passengers."
The Bahamas Express is set
to begin its shuttles just two
months after Discovery Cruise
Line ended its service on the
same route.
"The new service will replace
the route run by Discovery
Cruise Line for nearly 20 years
before the company went out
of business in October," said
Phil Allen, port director, in a
previously released statement.
The ferry service which has
partnered with Miami-based
Capo Group, is operating the
shuttle that will sail from Fort
Lauderdale's Port Everglades
to Grand Bahama Island.
Trips, scheduled to last about
two-and-a-half hours in calm
seas, will be available everyday
except Wednesday. Despite the
delay, hopes are still high for
a successful shuttle that will
link the two countries.
"A new ferry service to the
Bahamas provides an op-


portunity for the overall eco-
nomic development in the
Bahamas," said Rhoda M.
Jackson, 51, consul general,
Bahamas Consulate General.
"The Bahamas and the U.S.
share historical ties. Because
we depend so heavily on tour-
ism, it is important to provide
a wonderful escape. The U.S.
remains an important partner
for economic development and
we have throughout the years
maintained friendly relations.
The new ferry provides greater
opportunities to strengthen
this relationship."
Johnson Sands, 55, former
counsel general of the Baha-
mas from 2008-2010 agrees.
"I'm sure that this is a cred-
ible service the Bahamian
government does their re-
search," she said. "I think that
any initiative that joins us to-
gether with South Florida will
be beneficial to both econo-
mies something like this
grows business."


President Barack Obama tours the Martin
2011.


-Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
Luther King Memorial in Washington, D.C., Oct. 14,


Haiti's coffee, once a flourishing cash crop, is hot again


By Jacqueline Charles

Haiti Connoisseur Osier
Jean steps into the sterile room,
pauses and clears his mind.
With notebook and flavor
wheel in hand, he quickly turns
to the task at hand: checking the
quality.
He sniffs, slurps and swirls,
allowing his senses to take in the
richness.
The liquid is not wine, but caf-
feine-rich Kafe Kreyol, Haitian
coffee. It is'the country's latest
effort to revive a once-flourishing
industry that has been crippled
by decades of deforestation, po-
litical chaos and crises.
For years, bitter poverty and
plummeting coffee prices around
the world have made it much
more profitable for farmers to
chop trees for charcoal and in-
vest in cash crops rather than
coffee cherries. Now, with coffee
consumption up and a shrinking


supply of beans worldwide driv-
ing up prices, Haitian coffee is
once again becoming a hot com-
modity.
But the coffee renaissance has
its critics who wonder whether
this revival, propped up by for-
eign aid, can sustain itself after
the money runs out.
"Our biggest resource is our
coffee," said Archange Mardi, 51,
a farmer in Thiotte, a mountain
valley in the southeastern Belle
Anse region, where the lush
landscape is lined with shaded
coffee trees growing in back-
yards, small gardens and fami-
ly-owned plots. "Before we didn't
understand; now we are begin-
ning to."
Farmers in Thiotte and other
coffee producing regions here
are gaining access to new global
markets, like Italy and Japan,
and fetching premium prices for
their exported sun-dried coffee.
Quality beans from Gwo Chw-


al, a nearby mountain commu-
nity known for producing one of
Haiti's best coffee beans, once
sold for 30 cents a pound. Today,
Japanese roasters are buying it
for $5.50.
"We have a demand that we
can never satisfy," said Robinson
Nelson, a local coffee grower and
manager of COOPCAB, a coop-
erative in Thiotte working with
more than 5,000 coffee farmers
in southeastern Haiti.
The success isn't just restrict-
ed to the southeast. Some 130
miles north, in the rural high-
land of Port-de-Paix, a smaller
but similar coffee cooperative
is also growing. This year, Cafe
COCANO farmers are expecting
to double exports of their organi-
cally grown coffee already
available on the Internet and
in Italian espresso shops to
high-end South Florida grocers.
"Haitian farmers can produce
great coffee as long as there is an


Abu-Jamal off death row, says he's innocent


By Kathy Matheson

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Con-
victed cop-killer Mumia Abu-
Jamal, 57, said Monday that he
was surprised and somewhat
disappointed that he did not
get a new sentencing hearing
in the racially charged mur-
der case that has kept him on
death row for nearly 30 years.
Last week's decision by pros-
ecutors to drop their bid for
capital punishment meant
he received an automatic life
term. He said in a phone call
to supporters that he had al-
ready been moved off death
row to a new cell in the west-
ern Pennsylvania prison where
he is incarcerated.
"Because there will not be
a hearing there is some dis-
appointment, because we
thought we could make some
things happen in that hearing
and really give a good fight,"
Abu-Jamal said, "but we'll
have to fight in other ways."
The call was broadcast Mon-
day on the news program De-
mocracy Now! Excerpts were
posted on prisonradio.org,
which frequently airs his com-
mentaries from behind bars.
Abu-Jamal is a former radio
journalist and Black Panther
who has been on death row
since 1982 for gunning down
white city police Officer Daniel


MUMIA ABU-JAMAL
Convicted cop-killer


Faulkner. He garnered world-
wide support for his claims
that he was the victim of a rac-
ist justice system. Despite de-
cades of appeals, Abu-Jamal's
conviction has never been
overturned. But in 2008, a fed-
eral appeals court threw out
his death sentence because of
flawed jury instructions. Pros-
ecutors then had to decide if
they wanted to hold another
penalty hearing, or agree to let
him serve a life term.
Abu-Jamal, who still has one
state appeal pending, remains
incarcerated at the state pris-
on in Waynesburg, about 40
miles south of Pittsburgh.


For 89 years

Black families

have welcomed us

into their homes so

we can share their

good news with

others


export chain that works and that St. Thomas University's Center
can get them a fair price," said for Justice and Peace, which has
Anthony Vinciguerra, director of been working with the 300 fami-


'7


lies who make up the northwest
Haiti coffee growers' co-op for
the last five years.


VARIETY
The Golden Dragon Acrobats; .. -
T I . .,1 .1 1. 1- ,, ,. . . I ,- '1" , .I . c - .
T I ;I Y .

r-, r,t : r,- q- "" -" ,.: .e "-
Black Violin '. .- -
Jazz, hip-hop Funk, and classical are musical genres, but to revolutionary
music ':.i.:, Black Violin, they're nothing but '-'
Step Afrika Sunday, January 15, 2012 7 p.m.
The celebration of Stepping, an original art form based on African 1 ..:!. -
intricate kicks, stomps and rhythms mixed with spoken word.
ArcAttack Sun.; January 29, 2012 1 p.m. & 4 p.m.
As seen on America's Got Talent, ArcAttack's six members use high tech
wizardry, Tesla coils and robotic drums to produce rock, electronic, indic
and punk music.
Eddie Levert Friday. February 10. 2012 8 p.m. On Sale soon.
Kim Wayans Friday, February 17, 2012 8 p.m.
TV, Film Actress From "In Living Color" stars in "A Handsome Woman Retreats" -
a one-woman comedy play.
Rhythmic Circus Feet Don't Fail Me Now! Saturday, March 24, 2012 8 p.m.
:'.! i i, hard-hitting tap, high spirited humor anrd finger-snapping tunes.
Rhythmic Circus transforms their tap shoes into instruments using everything
from sand to folding chairs to electric drums.
CeCe Winans Saturday, April 14, 2012 8 p.m.
One of the most recognizable and incomparable voices
in gospel music performs live.

OPERA INTERNATIONAL ,^, i.:::! '.i\
La Boheme Tuesday, January 24. 2012 8 p.m.
The story and sorg that inspired the musical '' I, ricoun.ts the joys and
sorrows of four impoverished artists on the Left Bank of Paris in the Coar
nineteenth century.
La Traviata Tuesday, Febiruary 21, 2012 8 p.m.
Verdi's tale of love between a young nobleman and a courtesan,
blended with tragedy.
Rigoletto Tuesday, M'arch 6, 2012 8 p.m.
The fateful steps taken by a court jester to avenge his daughter's honor
after his royal employer decides to seduce the girl in this .... '.... opera.

MASTER CLASSES
,, I ,. I '1 .

,I ...! ... . I .......... 954.602 4521
Black Violin
Rhythmic Circus
Step Afrika


Obama visits King Memorial


wwwMIMITMIONLNE(o


rL

^~ ^i '^K









The Miami Times








MIAMI, FLORIDA, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


:'1b


MIAMI TIMES


of fait


Famed gospel artist and minister, Reverend John P. Kee
spoke at New Birth Baptist Church in Miami Gardens recent-
ly during their anniversary. Kee, who is the pastor of the New
Life Fellowship Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, who
is known for merging traditional and contemporary gospel
.sounds is also known as the "prince of Gospel music."


Black Israelites


host Peace Summit

As a sect of Hebrew Israelites, the organization
subscribes to the view that they [people of color] are
descended from one of the 12 tribes of srael.


By Kaila Heard
kheard@miamitimesonline.com

The Celestial Federation of Yahweh (CFY), for-
merly known as the Nation of Yahweh, will host
a Peace Summit on Saturday, Dec. 17th at the
Hilton Miami Airport Hotel.
The Peace Summit consists of two com-
ponents: a "Holy Meet and Greet" session in


s-rdrwim f',W-i. -i *


the morning which allow for networking and
business education opportunities, follov.ed by
the actual "Peace Summit and Fellowship" in
the evening. The summit will close ', it CFY
Dance Party.
"We are expecting CFY family mr-embers to
come from California, Miami, Georgia. Caro-
lina, Chicago, New York and Philadelphia." said
Please turn to SUMMIT 14B


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Why is Afro-Caribbean religion viewed with suspicion?


Most people bring their re-
ligious views to work in some
form or fashion. Whether it be
in taking time out throughout
the day to pray, displaying re-
ligious icons or simply greeting
someone with positive bless-
ings, faith is expressed and
practiced in myriad ways in
the office.


However, if you are a member
of a minority religion that is of-
ten viewed with suspicion, reli-
gious expression can have un-
intended consequences as two
North Miami Beach employees
recently found out after they
allegedly used Santerian prac-
tices to save their jobs. One
employee was fired while the


other one's case is still under
review.
The Afro-Caribbean religion
of Santeria is often viewed in
a negative light by non-practi-
tioners, but is this view point
deserved?

THE WAY OF THE SAINTS
Santeria translates into "the


way of the saints" and is con-
sidered a largely Afro-Caribbe-
an religion created when slaves
merged their Yoruba beliefs and
traditions with some of the ele-
ments of Roman Catholicism.
For example, to maintain their
own religion, while appearing
to comply with the faith of the
New World, Santerians equated


ever spirit, whom they call the
Orisha, with a corresponding
Christian Saint. So the spirit
Babalz Ayi became St. Lazarus
(patron of the sick) and the ori-
sha Oshun became Our Lady
of Charity (controls money,
sensuality). Yet all orisha serve
Olodumare or Oluran, their
predominant God.


"In other words, they are
emissaries of God. Further-
more, each orisha possesses a
distinct personality. Commu-
nication between orishas and
humankind is accomplished
through ritual, prayer, divina-
tion and offerings (ebo)," ex-
plained Chris Leonidas in the
Please turn to RELIGION 14B


L


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t,,z
- U.-l.


'p


By Kaila Heard
Atl, e ir, lI'-'Uiaiil ,liiii 'il iilc' "in

When man', people see an R\'. theN
Instantl, imagine the many Ivle chang-
ing cross country road trips and camping
expeditions
But for Andrea hior', the I'jounder ol the
Women's Breast Health Intiitiive. the RV
she en. isloned could help save lives. The
vehicle v.ou ld prove ide on-the-spot marm-
lmo ra In screenings to arn' \\o iman v.ho
signed up
But for Ivor;, Ihe R\'. no\v. knownn simply
as the manmm-rgraphy .an. .as onl\ one
icoir ponrn:-tn u ih- \ vision that would later
evi-ol\e Il.o the Wo'men's Breast Health
InitlaLit e.
Diagnr:. ed .ilth breast cancer herself
se'.en ,'-ars go'. 52--.'ar old Ivory real-
Izet ho'.', fortiunae she \as in spite of her
prognosis
"I '..as blessed Ito ha e health insurance
awar ren'.ss and earl', detecrlno a'..are-
ne s "
she iec.i lled."Th roughout the recover',,
I thought about those v.umen \ho un-
forti.iniately did not have the awareness
[about breast cancer| or insulra.nce."
According to the Blacl-: Wormens' Health
Please turn to MAMMOGRAMS 14B


SECTION B


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THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


Does tithing buy happiness?


Whether for God or society or both,

giving to others is actually a bargain


By Laura Vanderkam

Come December, many Amer-
icans add this tradition to the
obvious trees and carols: the
annual digging out of the check-
book, as we respond to charity
solicitations. The average fam-
ily will give roughly three per-
cent of household income away
by the end of the year to myri-
ad causes that, in tight times,
seem more pressing than ever.
But about five percent do much
better, giving at least a tithe, or


10 percent, often for religious
reasons. Many people believe
that the Bible prescribes tith-
ing with the idea that the bulk
of this giving should go to one's
local church.
It's obvious why churches
see an upside to people loading
down the collection plate. But
new insights from happiness
research suggest that tithing
could benefit the giver too, even
if you don't believe it's a reli-
gious obligation. Indeed, given
how much money people spend


pursuing happiness, tithing
might be a relative bargain.

SECULAR BENEFITS
While 10 percent sounds like
a lot, tithing advocates note
that it's only a lot in the context
of giving. In the context of, say,
housing, 10 percent sounds
cheap. "I think 10 percent is
enough that it hurts every pay-
check but doesn't make me un-
able to live in the community,"
says Greg Rohlinger, pastor of
the Palm Valley Community
Church in Goodyear, Ariz. Af-
ter all, "God could have said 90
percent. He can have whatever
he wants. We can be thankful


he said 10." As for whether this
is 10 percent before or after
taxes, Rohlinger says "that's be-
tween you and the Lord," but he
asks "whether you want to be
blessed off the gross or the net."
This idea of framing giving in
terms of the blessing one re-
ceives from it sounds strange,
but some people take that idea
literally that if you tithe, God
will give back to you. As the
book of Malachi says, "Bring
the whole tithe into the store-
house . and see if I will not
throw open the floodgates of
heaven and pour out so much
blessing that you will not have
Please turn to TITHING 14B


Atheist scientists alongside believers at church


By Michael Gryboski

A recently published study
found that nearly one in
five scientists who consider
themselves atheists neverthe-
less bring their children to a
church service one or more
times a year.
Printed in the December
edition of the Journal for the
Scientific Study of Religion,
the survey had a sample of
275 university-level faculty
members.
"Our research shows just
how tightly linked religion and
family are in U.S. society,"
said Dr. Elaine Howard Eck-


lund of Rice University, lead
investigator for the study, in a
statement.
"[S]o much so that even
some of society's least reli-
gious people find religion to
be important in their private
lives."
The study stated that the
main reasons were related to
social and personal matters,
including attending at the be-
hest of a Christian spouse or
catching up with friends.
Roy Speckhardt, executive
director for the American Hu-
manist Association, told The
Christian Post that the study's
findings were not surprising


to him.
"Certainly many atheists do
attend church services and
according to a Pew Forum
survey, many a percentage
of people who identify with
nearly every faith are also
atheists and agnostics," said
Speckhardt.
"Like many who do believe
in a god, these folks likely at-
tend church for the communi-
ty experience, or the cultural
connection to the religion."
Regarding atheists who are
doing this, Speckhardt be-
lieved that "there is nothing
wrong with them exploring
those questions and learning


differing perspectives by at-
tending church services."
As the study listed a sense
of community as a major rea-
son, Speckhardt added that
atheists will attend places of
worship that are "very wel-
coming," listing Unitarian Uni-
versalist churches and secular
Jewish temples as examples.
Dr. Billy McCormack of the
Christian Coalition saw the
study as showing that athe-
ist academics see church as a
positive moral environment.
"Atheists understand that
people who attend church
are more likely to be persons
of high moral character and


would prefer their children
experience this more positive
environment," said McCor-
mack in an interview with CP.
"It is somewhat different
than taking them to the cir-
cus."
While Speckhardt believed
the percentage of atheist
academics who took their
children to church was likely
the same as the general athe-
ist population, McCormack
believed otherwise.
"Academics are dogmatic as
a rule. Their usual arrogance,
subtle or pronounced, makes
them less likely than the gen-
eral public atheists to allow


their children to be exposed to
truth with which they strongly
disagree," said McCormack.
McCormack also talked
about the issue of evangeliz-
ing those who are there for
secular reasons, like the 17
percent observed in the study.
"Since it is not possible
to know if there are athe-
ists present the preacher will
speak of the attributes of God
which will minister to believ-
ers and non-believers," said
McCormack.
"The quantity of his mate-
rial is not as important as the
quality of the spoken Word
and how it is delivered."


Black church leaders, HBCUs unite to end hazing


By Hazel Trice Edney

Following the death of Rob-
ert Champion, the Florida
A&M University Drum Major
who died Nov. 19, the religious
community of Tallahassee, Fla.
has called for community-wide
prayer followed by deliberate
action against hazing at HB-
CUs, according to a statement
released this week.
The clergy is not only calling
for an end to hazing, but has
also formed a task force with
presidents of historically Black
colleges and universities to deal
with the issue of hazing through
educational workshops during
the annual Dr. Martin Luther
King Day celebration in 2012.
"We all grieve and are sad-
dened by the untimely death of
this drum major. Also, we will
pray to God to strengthen and
help the Florida A&M Univer-
sity (FAMU) administration and
this community, to seek God's


guidance and wisdom in devel-
oping policies and programs to
truly and totally eradicate haz-
ing from the culture. Hazing is
never acceptable; hazing is il-
legal, immoral, and irresponsi-
ble," said Dr. R.B. Holmes, pas-
tor of Bethel Missionary Baptist
Church, in a statement.
Hazing, the practice of physi-
cal, emotional and/or psy-
chological abuse is most often
attributed to fraternities, soror-
ities and team sports. It is illegal
in many instances, but remains
an ingrained culture on some
college campuses. Parents of
the multi-award-winning FAMU
Band members say students
have recently complained about
the behavior.
The death of Champion has
renewed national attention to
the possibility that the activity
may be more prevalent than the
general public knows.
Following a community-wide
prayer service that was slated


Robert Champion, the Florida A&M University Drum Major,
loved music. He loved being in marching bands.


for Wednesday, Dec. 7, the re-
lease announced that a work-
shop and worship service will
be held on Monday, January
16, during the celebration of the
legacy and works of Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr.
Holmes, former president of
the National Baptist Congress
of Christian Education, listed
nearly a dozen clergy who will
participate in the workshop. He
says he has also "appointed a
national Historically Black Col-
leges and University task force
to develop a National Anti-Haz-
ing Conference."
The HBCU presidents who
will serve as co-chairs on this
historic committee are Dr. Larry
Rivers, of Fort Valley State Uni-
versity in Georgia; Dr. George
Cooper of South Carolina State
University who also leads the
Council of 1890 Universities,
land grant universities com-
prised of 18 Historically Black
Colleges and Universities; Na-


thaniel Glover of Edward Wa-
ters College in Jacksonville,
Florida, and Dr. Henry Lewis of
Florida Memorial University in
Miami.
He says he is also inviting
members of the more than
200-publisher National News-
paper Publishers Association
(NNPA) to sit on the committee.
Holmes, also an NNPA member,
is publisher of the Capital Out-
look newspaper.
"The purpose of this national
task force is to eradicate and
eliminate hazing on the cam-
puses of all historically black
colleges and universities," he
said in the statement. "We are
the pastors of many students,
faculty, and staff at FAMU. We
love the rich history and heri-
tage of the university. However,
we will not sit idly by and allow
anyone within or without the
university to use this unfor-
tunate incident to weaken the
school."


T.D. Jakes addresses Eddie Long issues


Says Bishop Long

is no demon

By Luiza Oleszczuk

Bishop T.D. Jakes of The
Potter's House in Dallas re-
cently addressed the impend-
ing divorce of Georgia tel-
evangelist Bishop Eddie Long,
saying his prayers are with
the couple.
"For people who are high-
profile, like yourself, like me,
him or others, it's very dif-
ficult to maintain a private
life when you are living in a
fishbowl all the time," Jakes
told CNN's Don Lemon on Sat-
urday. "Sometimes you need
to cut off all the lights and put
your priorities back into align-
ment. And my prayers are
that the Longs will use this
opportunity to get that done."
Long, the founding pastor of
New Birth Missionary Baptist
Church in Atlanta, Ga., an-
nounced on Dec. 4 that he is
leaving the pulpit for a while,
to focus on his personal life,
'after his wife made it public
news that she has filed for a
divorce.
Vanessa Long issued a
statement on Dec. 2, say-
ing that after "a great deal
of deliberation and prayer, I
have decided to terminate my
marriage to Bishop Eddie L.
Long."
The impending divorce
comes a year after Eddie Long
was accused of having had


BISHOP T.D. JAKES
sexual relations with four of
his male congregants, now in
their 20s. They claim the pas-
tor repeatedly coerced them
into sexual acts. The allega-
tions were joined by those
from another young man, who
was not a member of Long's
church.
Jakes commented on the
sexual misconduct allega-
tions, saying that "if there
was actually misconduct," the
young men involved in the
case were old enough to make
their own decisions. They are
not juveniles, he noted.
"I think it's a little different
from a 10-year-old who can't
speak for himself," Jakes said.
"When you take these older
boys, who can make deci-
sions, old enough to drive a
car, old enough to go to war,
if there is a deliberate action


BISHOP EDDIE LING
done here, we can't take a
cash settlement if we really
want justice done, because it
leaves the public wondering
what really happened."
The only people who know
what really happened between
the boys and the bishop are
the boys and the bishop,
Jakes said. And at this point,
the public might never find
out the truth. However, the
story could be used as a con-
versation starter for "how we
interact with leadership and
how we interact with people,
and what our expectations are
of people."
Jakes was also asked to
respond to the recent Penn
State and Syracuse University
sexual abuse scandals involv-
ing minors.
While stressing that he's
not downplaying the impor-


tance of the highly publicized
scandals, he pointed out that
a majority of the abuse cases
across the nation are not
brought to the national spot-
light and do not involve celeb-
rity figures. Nearly 50 percent
of molested boys are victims
at home, by people that they
know, Jakes lamented.
"I don't want us to demon-
ize these people [related to
publicized scandals] as the
epitome of evil, at the ex-
pense of overlooking people

"When you take these older
boys, who can make deci-
sions, old enough to drive
a car, old enough to go to
war, if there is a deliberate
action done here, we can't
take a cash settlement if we
really want justice done,
because it leaves the public
wondering what really hap-
pened." -TD JAKES

in our communities, and our
neighbors, and even our rela-
tives, who have access to our
children," the bishop said.
"It's time for parents to really
take a sharp wake-up call and
build the kind of communica-
tion mechanisms with their
children so that we can really
check to make sure that this
is not happening not only at
Penn State ... but also in our
own neighborhoods and com-
munities."


so soon about your departed

loved one? Keep them in

your memory with an

in memorial or a

happy birthday remembrances

in our obituary section.




Call classified 305-694-6225

classified@miamitimesonline.com



lbe jfuiami Time6


13B THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011









THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


B 41 THE MIAMI TIMES D 1


Ia' [U a8 n, .n


New Life Family Worship
Center's Women's Ministry in-
vites girls and women to their
seminar, "How Honest Am I
with Myself" on Dec. 17th at 1
p.m. 305-623-0054.

Titus Chapel invites ev-
eryone to their Fall Revival,
Dec. 14 16, 7:30 p.m. nightly.
786-295-5870.

New Christ Tabernacle
Baptist Church's Youth Mis-
sion is hosting their Christmas
Pageant on Dec. 18 at 3:30
p.m. 305-621-8126.

A Mission With A New
Beginning Church Youth De-
partment will be celebrating
their Christmas Program on


Dec. 25 at 11:15 a.m.

Holy Temple Missionary
Baptist Church is celebrating
their pastor's 22nd Anniver-
sary, Dec. 5-11.305-681-7883.

Mt. Claire Holiness
Church invites the communi-
ty to Revival Services Dec. 28
-31, 8 p.m. nightly and a spe-
cial Watch Night Service to be-
gin at 10 p.m. 305-633-2683.

Redemption Missionary
Baptist Church welcomes ev-
eryone to their Introduction
to the Computer' classes on
Tuesday, 11 a.m. 12:30 p.m.
and Thursdays, 4 p.m. 5:30
p.m. 305-770-7064, 786-312-
4260.


Running for Jesus Min-
istries is seeking ministers,
praise leaders and dancers for
their Youth Revival, Dec. 17 -18.
954-213-4332, 786-704-5216.

Brother Job Israel's Min-
istries invites the community to
their Peace Summit Fellowship
Celebration on Dec. 17. 954-
609-9447.

New Canaan Missionary
Baptist Church welcomes the
community to Sunday Bible
School at 9:30 a.m. followed by
Worship Services at 11 a.m. 954
981-1832.

New Beginning Church of
Deliverance hosts a Marriage
Counseling Workshop every
Wednesday at 5 p.m. Appoint-
ment necessary. 786-597-1515.

Mt. Claire Holiness


Church invites the community
to Sunday School at 10 a.m.
and worship service every week
at noon.

Christ's Kingdom Life
Center International invites
the community to their Sunday
Praise and Worship Service at
10:30 a.m.

Gamble Memorial Church
of God in Christ asks that ex-
perienced musicians apply to
fulfill their musician position.
305-821-3692, 305-409-1566.

Emmanuel Missionary
Baptist Church welcomes the
community to their Family and
Friends Worship Service every
Sunday at 7:30 a.m. and 11
a.m. 305-696-6545.

Glendale Baptist Church
of Brownsville invites everyone


to morning worship every Sun-
day at 11 a.m. and Bible Study
every Wednesday at 7 p.m. 305-
638-0857

Set Free Ministries
through Jesus Christ of the
Apostolic Faith Church, Inc.
will be starting a New Bereave-
ment Support Group beginning
on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays
of each month from 7 p.m.- 9
p.m. 786-488-2108.

Lifeline Outreach Minis-
tries invites everyone to their
roundtable to discuss the Bible
every Saturday, 6 p.m. 305-
345-8146.

Join Believers Faith
Breakthrough Ministries Int'l
every Friday at 7:30 p.m. for
Prophetic Breakthrough Ser-
vices. 561-929-1518, 954-237-
8196.


The Women's Department
of A Mission With A New Be-
ginning Church sponsors a
Community Feeding every sec-
ond Saturday of the month,
from 10 a.m. until all the food
has been given out. For location
and additional details, call 786-
371-3779.

New Mt. Sinai Missionary
Baptist Church welcomes the
community to their Sunday Bi-
ble School classes at 9:30 a.m.
and 11 a.m. Worship Service.
305-635-4100, 786-552-2528.

The Heart of the City
Ministries invites everyone to
morning worship every Sunday
at 9 a.m. 305-754-1462.

New Life Family Worship
Center welcomes everyone to
their Wednesday Bible Study at
7 p.m. 305-623-0054.


Assisting everyone is global mission of CFYSei

SUMMIT weh ben Yahweh ben Yahweh of The organization formally have been misunderstood. Semi:
continued from 12B the Third Day, whom the sect changed its name from the Na- "Even through we may be at th


Elder Ambassador Sharrie
Dean Collins, who helped orga-
nize the event.
The Celestial Federation of
Yahweh, a denomination of He-
brew Israelites, is headquar-
tered in Georgia. The current
number of members was not
available by press time.
However, Collins noted that
the Peace Summit is for every-
one regardless of their faith.
Throughout the day's session
there will be noted speakers
featured including CFY Su-
preme Chief Elder Yahweh Ben
B.; CFY Supreme Chief Advi-
sor Elder Yahweh Nathtali; and
CFY Chief of Production Elder
Yahweh Boaz. But the most an-
ticipated speaker will be Yah-


proclaims is the Holy Trinity
incarnate and the successor
to the founder of the Nation of
Yahweh.

EVOLVING FOR A NEW DAY
In its previous incarnation
as the Nation of Yahweh, the
sect found itself steeped in de-
cades of controversy. With ac-
cusations that it was a Black
supremacist organization, the
Nation of Yahweh faced fur-
ther negative scrutiny when its
founder, Yahweh ben Yahweh,
was convicted of federal con-
spiracy charges related to sev-
eral murders committed in the
1980s. He would go on to serve
11 years of his sentence before
dying of prostate cancer in May
2007.


tion of Yahweh to the Celestial
Foundation of Yahweh in Oc-
tober of this year, according to
Collins.
As a sect of Hebrew Israelites,
the organization subscribes
to the view that they [people
of color] are descended from
one of the 12 tribes of Israel.
They were later expelled in the
year 70 a.m. and emigrated to
West Africa before their ances-
tors were sold into slavery. Ac-
cording to their accounts, the
Blacks and Indians of North
America, Central America
South America and the Carib-
bean are the descendants of
this original tribe.
Members say that the church
has reformed many of its ways
and that many of their views


calling God by different names
we're still the same people,"
explained Brother Job Israel.
"Now it's not about skin color
-it's about morality."
"I know that the beliefs used
to be that it was just a militant
black thing, but this is a new
day a new time," Collins said.
And while the Peace Sum-
mit represents just one of the
handful times that members
formally gather for an event
during the year, sermons are
dispatched through video links
on their website daily, accord-
ing to Collins.
The organization is dedicated
to charity work and for mem-
bers to develop self-sufficiency.
"Our global mission is to as-
sist everyone," she said.


Shedding new light on Santeria religion


RELIGION
continued from 12B

essay, "Introduction to Sante-
ria." -
Santeria does not follow the
form of many of the more main-
stream and traditional faiths.
The traditions are passed
down by word of mouth, rath-
er than in book form such as
the Bible and the Koran.
The religion also has its own
hierarchy. Worshippers are
known as santeros. Mean-
while, the high priests of San-
teria known as babalawos -
who help figure out the will of
the mysterious dieties known


as Orishas.
In a previous interview, Se-
attle Santerian Babalu-Aye or
high priest Cameron Howard
explained, "When someone
comes to me for divination,
the Orishas declare what the
root of their problem is, and,
most importantly, what can
be done about it. Almost any
problem can be identified,
and, through Santeria's vast
repertoire of rituals, overcome
or prevented."
And yes, sacrifice does com-
prise an important part of the
religion's rituals. Yet practitio-
ners rarely see it as having ma-
levolent connotations. Jour-


nalist Adrian Ryan described
Santerian sacrifice as simply
"natural exchange of energy in
a dynamic universal plan."
Santerians also believe in
people being capable of being
possessed by spirits, orisha.
However, it tends to be for a be-
nevolent purpose and the spirit
leaves once a message has
been conveyed.
So, is the religion a vessel for
good or for evil?
Well, it depends upon the
person and their intentions.
According to a presentation
included in a 1995 Intelligence
review report by the Miami-
Dade County Police Depart-


ment, "Santeria does not have
a specific moral code such as
found in Judeo-Christian reli-
gion and, as such, is amenable
to enhancing the criminal en-
terprises of those who may use
Its magic for personal protec-
tion and good fortune. Drug
dealers, for example, are often
found with elaborate statues
and other depiction of San-
teria in their homes or hide-
aways. The god of hunting
and owner of traps (Ochosi),
for example, is often honored
by Latin criminals in order to
avoid incarceration or to ob-
tain release from jail, or ward
off the police."


Ambitious pastor has passion for learning


JACKSON
continued from 12B

he wanted to learn more.
So, while taking one or two
courses at a time while working
full time, he was able to receive
his associate's degree in six
years from Miami-Dade Com-
munity College in 1971.
Jackson was proud of his
accomplishment, while at the
same time, he "was discour-
aged because it was so slow"
to receive his degree. And the
ambitious reverend still had a
passion for learning.


To pursue his bachelor's de-
gree, he dedicated himself
wholly to his studies, taking a
leave of absence from his job as
a mail courier. At one time, he
tried to take 25 credits in one
semester, when a normal full
course load is considered 12
credits a semester. The hectic
pace paid off. He received his
bachelor degree in social work
from Florida International Uni-
versity in 1974.
"It was exciting it was like
a dream come true," he said.
He would in quick succession
go on to receive his masters in


pastoral counseling in 1983;
a master of divinity degree in
1985; and a doctorate of minis-
try degree in 1989.

GAMBLE MEMORIAL COGIC
CONTINUES TO GROW
Named after the previous
pastor, Rev. Willie Gamble,
Gamble Memorial COGIC cur-
rently has approximately 300
members.
The church also hosts sever-
al popular ministries including
Sunday School, Young People
Willing Workers Hour, Evange-
list Department and Mission-


ary Department.
Jackson himself can be
found behind the pulpit fre-
quent preaching about the im-
portance of unity.
"To me the key to the mis-
sion of Jesus Christ is to bring
many people together with dif-
ferent ideals into one body," he
said. "There's only one Heaven
so if we're going to live together
for all eternity we might as well
[practice] now."
The Gamble Memorial
Church of God in Christ is lo-
cated at 1898 NW 43rd Avenue
in Miami.


The promise and blessings in true giving


TITHING
continued from 13B

enough room for it."
Melanie Harvey of Columbus,
Ohio, has long given about 10
percent of her income to vari-
ous causes. Then, facing lower
child support payments this
year, she got a raise, "un-asked
for, unexpected, and really they
didn't even tell me. I had to fig-
ure it out from the overweight
paycheck," she says. Thanks to
that, "we have not suffered a bit
financially."
Nonetheless, as Rohlinger
says, "I don't think it's biblical to
say Publishers Clearing House
is going to show up at your
door with a $10 million check
because you tithed." The most
clear-cut benefit is a boosted
mood.
At least that's the implication
of a paper published in Science
in 2008. Researchers Elizabeth
Dunn, Lara Aknin and Michael


Norton ran experiments testing
the effects of "prosocial spend-
ing" that is, spending on
gifts or charity. For one, they
gave people $5 or $20, and as-
signed them to spend the money
by 5 p.m. on either themselves
or someone else. The size of
the windfall didn't matter, but
those in the group assigned
to give money away reported a
significant uptick in happiness
compared with where the day
started. The others did not. For
the same article, the researchers
also followed a group of employ-
ees who received an end-of-year
profit-sharing bonus. They mea-
sured their moods before and af-
ter. The only significant predic-
tor of happiness at the second
check-in was prosocial spending
- what chunk of the bonus was
spent on gifts and charitable do-
nations.
Though this doesn't make in-
tuitive sense (Wouldn't buying
yourself a DVD make you hap-


pier than buying someone else a
DVD?), humans are social crea-
tures. Giving establishes bonds
in a way that trumps rational-
ity. This is why smart charities
now showcase people who ben-
efit from your gifts. They know it
makes the giver happy.

A REAL SOCIAL NETWORK
This importance of social ties
brings us to the particular bril-
liance of tithing. Done as most
people envision it that is,
giving generously to your local
church tithing helps build the
ultimate social network: a thriv-
ing community of people who
will care for you, pray for you
and help you in tough times. As
Rohlinger says of his church, "In
our small groups, when there is
a financial need, we encourage
people to meet it."
People who have close-knit net-
works are happier and healthier
than others, too. Breast can-
cer patients, for instance, are


less likely to die or suffer a re-
lapse if they have strong social
ties. Other research has found
that spending money nurtur-
ing strong social ties which
for believers would include their
brothers and sisters in the faith
- produces greater happiness
than spending on weak ties (oth-
er random people).
Of course, most tithers don't
cite "happiness" as a reason for
their generosity. When I put it
that way to Jennie Aguirre, an
Arizona resident who tithes,
she said, "That's a weird word. I
think it makes me peaceful."
But both religious and non-
religious types spend a great
deal of money on the pursuit
of happiness buying bigger
houses, flashier cars, the latest
gadgets, even plastic surgery or
mind-altering drugs. If a tithe
comes with a high likelihood of
actually purchasing that elusive
state, it starts to sound pretty
cheap.


oncu C
Chur
Miarr
semii
be ea
For


ninary degree studies opportunity


:ksonville Theological
nary is offering courses
e Liberty City site at Sec-
Canaan Missionary Baptist
ch, 4343 N.W. 17 Avenue,
ii. JTS is a fully accredited
nary. Various degrees may
rned.
Additional information


contact Dr. Arnold J. Kelly,
305-633-4639 or 305-638-
1789. Courses are also offered
online at www.JTS.com.
Dr. Julius Ringling is the fa-
cilitator.
Classes meet three times
monthly and a new course is
taught each month.


Yahweh Ben Yahweh Ben Yahweh returns to Miami


Brother Job Israel Ministries
invites you to our Third Day Re-
turn to Miami Homecoming of
Yahweh Ben Yahweh Ben Yah-
weh Act 10, 40, 41 and 43.
Peace Summit Fellowship
Celebration on December
17th at the Miami Airport
Hilton Hotel, 5101 Blue La-
goon Drive, Miami, FL 33136,


1-800-445-8667.
Holy Meet and Greet, doors
open at 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Peace
Summit (Main Event) doors
open at 5 p.m.-2 a.m.
A beautiful dinner will be
served. Contact Brother Job
or call Elder Sharra at 954-
609-9447 for more information
about this great day.


WBHI moves to help

MAMMOGRAMS the screening that would save
continued from 12B their lives," she explained.
The Women's Breast Health
Imperative, uninsured women Initiative conducts its neigh-
are less likely to be screened for borhood drives in February,
breast cancer and are 30 to 50 March, April and October and
percent more likely to die from operates primarily in neighbor-
the disease, hoods in Miami-Dade and Bro-
Aware of the disparity, the ward counties.
breast cancer screening Ivory Since its first campaign, the
envisioned would have volun- initiative has knocked on an
teers go oodoor-to-door in neigh- estimated 40,000 doors and
borhoods chosen exactly be- provided 1000 mammograms,
cause the residents were least with the help of an army of
likely to have health insurance. 4000 volunteers, said Ivory,
"We target single home neigh- who had to hire a full time vol-
borhoods with a medium in- unteer coordinator to help with
come of 200 percent below the recruitment.
poverty level," Ivory explained. For her efforts, the founder of
During her first outreach the Women's Breast Health Ini-
campaign in April 2006, Ivory tiative was awarded the Rob-
and about 20 friends, man- ert Wood Johnson Foundation
aged to knock on 100 doors in Community Health Leaders
10 minutes, according to the Award on Nov. 9th.
Women's Breast Health Initia- The director of the Commu-
tive. nity Health Leaders National
Today, "we get all kinds of Program, Janice Ford Griffin,
reactions. People think we're praised initiative's efforts.
selling something, that we're "Andrea Ivory's determina-
asking for something. [They] tion and her creative use of
are quite shocked that in this proven marketing techniques
day and age, someone would have opened the door for ex-
come knock on their door and pending education about and
provide them with a life-saving prevention of breast cancer,
mammogram." as well as other health issues
Women are scheduled to re- that have a disproportion-
ceive a mammogram on the ate impact on people with the
spot. Once the door-to-door least access to health care,"
portion of the campaign is Griffin said.
completed, the Women's Breast With the help of the mon-
Health Initiative sends out its etary reward included with
mammography van so that the the Health Leaders Award,
women can receive screenings Ivory has plans to expand the
in their neighborhood. For the program's reach to West Palm
times when there are too many Beach and beyond.
women scheduled than the RV "We're working very hard to
can handle, the initiative pro- refine our model and prepare it
vides rides for clients to local for replication throughout the
partnering hospitals to con- country," she said.
duct their mammograms. For more information about
"What we try to do is break the Women's Breast Health
down every barrier that would Initiative, please visit www.
prevent women from getting b4pink.com.
----------

MISSING OBITUARIES

During the past several weeks, our readers might have no-
ticed that our obituary page has been shorter than usual.
The reason is not that the number of deaths in our commu-
nity have suddenly declined but because our newspaper is
not getting the information on all of the deaths.
For some reason, 14 of the 34 Black funeral homes have
informed The Miami Times that they will not submit any
more death notices to our newspaper for publication: Bain
Range, Gregg L. Mason, Range, D. Richardson, A. Richard-
son, Mitchell, Jay's, Hall-Ferguson-Hewitt, Kitchens, Wright
& Young, Pax Villa, Stevens, Carey, Royal & Rahming and
Royal.
This newspaper continues to publish all death notices
submitted to us as a public service free of charge as we have
been doing for the past 89 years.
If your funeral home does not submit the information to
us, you may submit it on your own. Please consult our obit-
uary page for further information or call 305-694-6210.


14D I nC IVIIAIII I 11VILa, LILIVIUr a 14 -4U VI I










THE NATION S #1


15B THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


BLACK NEWSPAPER


Top

names

of2011

Girls
1. Sophia
2. Emma
3. Isabella
4. Olivia
5. Ava
6. Lily
7. Chloe
8. Madison
9. Emily
10. Abigail

Boys
1. Aiden
2.Jackson
3. Mason
4. Liam
5.Jacob
6. Jayden
7. Ethan
8. Noah
9. Lucas
10. Logan
Source: BabyCentercom


What's in a



name choice"



Majorpressu

Parents can consult new list oftol

By Sharon Jayson

Miles Van Payne is only 20 months old, but his
parents, Ellin and Jeremy Payne of San Jose, did a
lot of Googling" to make sure their firstborn's name
wouldn't carry any baggage.
One they liked turned out to be a serial killer in
Nebraska," says Ellin Payne, 27.
The name they chose has a bonus: It gives him the
initials MVP, which we thought was really fun."
Many parents also want to steer clear of the most
common names, so they seek out lists like the one
being released today by the website BabyCenter.com,
where more than 300,000 new parents registered the
names they gave new babies in 2011. The site's 12th
annual top-100 survey finds Sophia and Aiden (with
various spellings) the most popular in 2011. New in
the top 10 are Mason and Liam for boys and Emily
for girls. The Social Security Administration releases
its list every May, based on applications for Social
Security cards for births in a particular year. Other
parenting sites develop similar lists; Parenting.com
just released its top-searched" list, led by Jacob and
Isabella, the site says.
New trends this year include naming kids after
children of celebrities; names from nature (Summer
or Clover for girls, Rain or River for boys); and names
with a Spanish influence, such as Xavier or Valentina,
says BabyCenter editor in chief Linda Murray.


By Larry Copeland

The USA could save 2,000
lives a year if all 50 states
instituted comprehensive
programs of phased-in driving
privileges for teens, according
to a report out today.
"We knew that when states
pass good laws. Hlvs are saved
and-alot of money is saved.
We'd just never done the
analysis," says John Ulczycki
of the National Safety Council,
which researched the issue for
the Allstate Foundation.
The report comes as Con-
gress prepares to consider a
multiyear highway and.tran-
sit-spending bill. Advocates
of graduated driver licensing
(GDL) laws are pushing to
include funding for about $25
million a year in incentives
for states to strengthen GDL
programs.
Motor-vehicle crashes are
the leading cause of death for
teens in the USA, according to
the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention. Per mile
driven, teen drivers ages 16 to
19 are four times more likely
than older drivers to crash,
the CDC says.
Every state has some form


Crash- Total antici-
fatalities pated lives
(2009) saved
1-Ages 15-20
Source: Allstate Foundation
and the National Safety Control

of GDL, which rewards novice
drivers with additional driving
privileges as they gain experi-
ence and maturity. Ulczycki
and other experts say the most
effective programs contain
seven key components; two
states, New York and Dela-
ware, have programs with all
seven.


Though not in the top 10, other popular names
include Harper (chosen by soccer star David Beckham
and singer wife Victoria for their daughter) and both
Anderson and Cooper (CNN's Anderson Cooper).
Heather Damron, 30, of Huntington, W.Va., says
name choices for her 4-year-old son were heavily
influenced by pop culture. Griffin Leland Grant
Damron is named for Griffin, son of her favorite
singer, Chris Daughtry (American Idol), and griffins
in Harry Potter. The two middle names are from TV:
Leland from Dog the Bounty Hunter and Grant from
Ghost Hunters.
Lindsey Brook of Silver Spring, Md., loved the name
Harper until the Beckhams used it. She and husband
Ryan Brook, 29, named their 12-week-old son Asher
Ellison Brook. Choices are tough: Some names remind
you of someone annoying in high school. You can't
lose that association no matter how much you like the
name."
Mandi and Lanson Oukrop, 29 and 32, of Richland,
Wash., named their 1-year-old Ryder Hall Oukrop;
she says they wanted to make sure it was something
he could put on a resume." They're expecting another
baby in June.
Many parents feel this big pressure" to make
the right choice, says Kirsten Larsen, 37, of Mount
Rainier, Md. You don't want to scar them for life
for having a name nobody can pronounce or spell or
they'll get made fun of."


The seven components:
minimum age 16 for a learn-
er's permit; six months be-
fore unsupervised driving;
minimum 30 hours supervised
driving during learner's stage;
intermediate licensing at 16/2
minimum; intermediate night-
time driving restriction begin-
ning no later than 10 p.m.; no
more than one non-family pas-
senger for intermediate license
holders; and minimum age 17
for a full license.
One component that could
draw staunch opposition
from lawmakers concerned
about states rights: raising
the minimum age for get-
ting a learner's permit. Also,
the 10,000-member National
Youth Rights Association op-
poses a national GDL law. "It's
discriminatory on its face,"
vice president Jeffrey Nadel
says.
Jim Portell, 48, of Daven-
port, Fla., knows the human
cost of a teen driving crash.
His daughter, Jamie, 15, was
killed in 2002 as she rode in
the passenger seat of a vehicle
with four other teenagers. All
five were ejected when the
16-year-old driver swerved
onto the median, overcor-


Free app helps you prepare for tests


BenchPrep offers

study aids for all

kinds of exams

By Marc Saltzman

Anyone who has studied for
a standardized test such as
the SAT, GRE, LSAT, GMAT
and MCAT knows all too
well it can be very stressful,
but a new app aims to help
students be more prepared,
even when on the go.
BenchPrep is billed as the
first cross-platform app for
test preparation, as the con-
tent can be accessed on the
iPad, iPhone, Android or Web.
The app itself, which is
free, resembles an online
bookstore, but BenchPrep
has partnered with leading
educational publishers to sell
prep content across dozens
of disciplines. You could start
studying on, say, an iPad,
take the practice test on an
iPhone, then review the an-
swers on the Web at a later
date.
Publishers include McGraw-
Hill, John Wiley (best-known
for CliffsNotes), Nova Press,
Cengage Learning and Learn-
ing Express. BenchPrep says


they will soon add resources
from Pearson, Wolfram Alpha,
the Associated Press and oth-
ers.
But these study materials
are more than just digitized
versions of paper books. Peo-
ple can use their fingertips to
partake in sample tests, tap
through flash cards to review
content, write notes or sketch
on the screen. They can also
access progress reports,
graphs and charts tailored to
a subject. There's also an op-
tional study schedule, which
lets users set key dates and
times and set up notifications
based on the upcoming test.
One of my favorite features
is the ability for users to text
chat with others, who are also
studying the same subject,


in real-time. Alternatively,
it's possible to post questions
based on the material. Soon,
students will be able to "like"
articles and videos.
Content typically costs be-
tween $100 and $200. For ex-
ample, here's a look at the top
in-app purchases: McGraw-
Hill Nursing School Entrance
Exam ($129.99); ACT by
McGraw-Hill ($99.99); GRE by
Nova Press ($99.99); McGraw-
Hill MCAT ($199.99); and
McGraw-Hill PCAT ($149.99).
People need an account to use
this app, and again, you can
access your paid content on a
variety of devices.
BenchPrep makes the grade
for its many partners, intui-
tive interface and cross-plat-
form approach.


rected, hit an embankment
and flipped five times. Jamie, a
cheerleader and member of the
Haines City High School dance
team, was the only one killed.
"I just truly believe my
daughter could be alive today
if we had the restriction that
you can only have one other
teen in the car unless there's
an adult present," Portell says.


Teens see



two sides of



social media

Many have seen meanness;

most have good experiences


By Maureen Linke

More than SO percent
of teens who use social-
media sites have witnessed
others being mean or crue.
on the sites and about
a quarter sa\ they have
had an interaction that
resulted in a face-to-face
confrontation later, a new
report finds
A substantial percentage
of teens 41 percent -
reported negative experi-
ences online, says a report
from the Pew Research
Center's Internet & Ameri-
can Life Project, which
surveyed 799 kids ages
12 to 17 and a parent or
guardian. But 65 percent
of teens say they also have
had an experience on a
site that made them feel
good about themselves,
and 58 percent say a site
has made them feel closer
to another person.
'For a lot of kids, mean,
cruel behavior does t
rise to the level of bully-
ing, says Pew's Amanda
Lenhart. Meanness and
bullying often overlap, but
the survey did not define
the terms.
"Online lives and offline
lives are now merging
more and more, and that's
something parents have
to be aware of," says Jim
Steyer, founder of Com-
mon Sense Media, a non-
profit that educates kids
and families about median


use. There is still so much
we don t know about how
(social media) affects teens
social and emotional devel-
opment.'
About 93'.. of teens
surveyed say they have an
account on Facebook, and
62".. sa\ the profile they
use most often is set to be
private so only their friends
can see what they post.
Among other findings.
86 percent of teens say
they have received advice
from parents about how to
be safe online.
five percent of teens
say they don t post content
that might reflect poorly on
them in the future.
two percent have had
an experience on social
media that ended a friend-
ship with someone.
'Sometimes parents want
to help their child, but
the\ don t know the most
effective way.' says Joanie
Gilhspie. author of Cyber
Rules: What You Really
Need to Know About the
Internet.
But if a teen seeks out
a parent's advice about
online abuse, take it seri-
ously. Steer advises.
First we have to speak
to ever' parent about this,
educate themselves on
cyber bullying and prevent
them from being bulliers,
Stever said. You have to
start young so by the time
they get to be teens, they
know how to handle it.


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Report backs graduated licensing

PHASED-IN PRIVILEGES FOR TEENS COULD SAVE 2,000


Saving lives

Estimated number of lives
saved if all states imple-
memnted graduated driver
licensing:


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Health care law

Medicarepatients save $1.5B on meds Rising saving


By Kelly Kennedy

WASHINGTON More than
2.65 million Medicare re-
cipients have saved more than
$1.5 billion on their prescrip-
tions this year, a $569-per-
person average, while premi-
ums have remained stable, the
government plans to announce
today.
That's because of the provi-
sion of the health care law
that put a 50 percent discount
on prescription drugs in the
"doughnut hole," the gap be-
tween traditional and cata-
strophic coverage in the drug


benefit, also known as Part D.
And, as of the end of No-
vember, more than 24 million
people, or about half of those
with traditional Medicare, have
gone in for a free annual physi-
cal or other screening exam
since the rules changed this
year because of the health care
law.
"We're very pleased with the
numbers," Jonathan Blum,
director of the Center for
Medicare, told USA TODAY.
"We found the Part D premi-
ums have also stayed constant,
despite predictions that they
would go up in 2012."


Better follow-up, new therapies help smokers kick habits


Programs work

evenfor those

who don't want

to quit
By Janice Lloyd

Better, prolonged therapy for
smokers helps them kick the
habit, even smokers who have
no desire to quit, according to
studies.
"What we found is if you
treat smoking like other health
conditions and diseases like
high blood pressure and dia-
betes, you're more likely to be
successful," says lead author
Anne Joseph, a physician and
director of the University of
Minnesota's applied clinical
research program. "With blood
pressure, you'll give medication
to get near target goals, change
diet and lifestyle and keep
monitoring."
Too often physicians do not
do enough to help smokers
who relapse, she says: We of-
ten y ai~wrelapse s fjil-ure aind
need to build in interim goals
until success is achieved."
Tobacco use remains the
leading cause of preventable
death in the United States, ac-
cording to the Centers for Dis-


ease Control, and is to blame
for about 85 percent of lung
cancers. Though smoking has
declined for several years, the
trend now has been mostly flat.
A report in September showed
nearly one in five adults (45.3
million) are smokers, down
three million from 2005.
Novel approaches are needed
to help people quit, the au-
thors eaij- l T a',,
Archives .Q;ntegNal ,:Mdicine.
"As you know, a vast majority
of the time people fail," Joseph
says. Her study of 443 smok-
ers compared success rates of
smokers who received the stan-


dard treatment (eight weeks
of counseling plus nicotine
therapy) with smokers who
had prolonged care (48 weeks
of continued counseling and
nicotine replacement).
The prolonged-care group
was about 75 percent more ef-
fective at quitting smoking for
the long term, Joseph said.
"Standard care is pretty
good, but longer counseling
and stepping in after a relapse
seems to be what's better. With
people who slipped or relapsed,
the counselors tried to hold
them to a pattern of smoking
that was less than at baseline


Nurse leads diabetes fight


By Kevin D. Thompson

Eugenia Millender knows the
pain diabetes can cause. Her
grandmother died from the
disease. Her mother is suffer-
ing from it.
As a girl; Millender saw how
difficult it was for her mother
to get the care she needed.
Those experiences led her to
become a nurse, so she could
provide the kind of compas-
sionate care her mother
struggled to find.
"It was degrading and embar-
rassing," said Millender, the
new clinical director of Florida
Atlantic University's Diabetes
Education and Research Cen-
ter. "I didn't know you could
treat another human being
who was in need like that."
Millender, who came to the
United States from Panama at
age 12, oversees the day-to-day
operation of the three-year-
old center, housed at the Palm


EUGENIA MILLENDER
Heathcare Pavilion in West
Palm Beach. It is managed by
FAU's College of Nursing in
collaboration with Palm Beach
Atlantic University's School of
Pharmacy, serving and sup-
porting people who either have
diabetes or may be at risk of it.
Up to 70 percent of Palm


Beach County residents are at
risk of getting diabetes because
of family history, weight issues
or an unhealthy diet, said Mil-
lender, who has a Master of
Science in nursing education
from FAU.
According to the Centers of
Disease Control and Preven-
tion, diabetes affected 25.8
million people or 8.3 percent
of the United States' popula-
tion in 2010. Of them, 18.8
million were diagnosed cases,
while 7 million went undiag-
nosed.
By 2030, those numbers will
increase significantly, Millen-
der said. More than 40 million
people are expected to be af-
fected by the disease, she said.
"It's really an epidemic," Mil-
lender said. "So many people
are walking around with diabe-
tes and don't even know it."
Patients who come to the
center meet with a nurse
Please turn to DIABETES 18B


Arsenic in rice raises concern


Study tracks levels

among U.S. women
By Elizabeth Weise

It has long been known that
rice takes up more arsenic from
soil than other crops, and now a
study is raising concerns about
the arsenic levels ingested by
women who eat as little as half
a cup of cooked rice in a day.
There are no limits on the
amount of allowable arsenic in
rice in the USA. But the Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency
has set arsenic limits in water of
10 parts per billion. Research-
ers in a paper in Monday's Pro-
ceedings of the National Acad-
emy of Sciences report that
women who consumed the na-
tional average of half a cup of
cooked rice a day in the two


days before urine collection
ingested an amount of arsenic
equivalent to drinking 4 cups of
water a day containing arsenic
at the maximum allowable level
set by the EPA.
The findings are worrisome
enough that researchers are
calling on the Food and Drug
Administration to regulate the
amount of allowable arsenic in
rice.
The scientists initially were
looking at arsenic exposure
from unregulated well water in
New Hampshire, where 40 per-
cent of the state's population
gets its water from wells, says
Margaret Karagas, a professor
at Dartmouth Medical School in
Lebanon, N.H.
The researchers did not mea-
sure the actual arsenic levels
of the rice consumed, and they
are not making any dietary rec-


commendations. They say, how-
ever, that the results highlight
the need for monitoring and
regulation of arsenic levels in
rice.
Arsenic occurs naturally in
soil worldwide. Most crops don't
take it up. But rice is grown in
flooded fields, which "dramati-
cally changes the (soil) chem-
istry," releasing arsenic locked
up in soil minerals so it can be
taken up by the rice, says Andy
Meharg, a professor of biogeo-
chemisty at the University of
Aberdeen in Scotland.
Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd of the
USA Rice Federation, a rice
industry trade group, says,
"There's never been a study that
showed that arsenic levels in
rice were at a level where con-
sumers should be concerned,
or where there would be any
cause to panic."


and gave them positive
reinforcement for progress
they'd made."
Joseph also noted that the
same counselor worked with
study participants, creating a
feeling of accountability to the
counselor."
A second study done at the
University of South Carolina's
medical school in Charleston
"elrined'the eltectiveness of


In House Services:

* Transportation
* 24 Hour Service

* On Site Laboratory

* Access to Hospitals

* Personalized Care


In House Care:

* Pacemaker Checks

* Wound Care

* Geriatric Care

* Routine Visits

* Urgent Visits


In House Therapy:

* Preventative Medicine

* Vaccines
* Diabetic Education

* Health Education


a quit-smoking intervention in
849 smokers who did not want
to quit. In the randomized
clinical trial, smokers were
assigned to a practice quit
attempt group or a practice
quit attempt and nicotine-
replacement-therapy group.
After 12 weeks of treatment,
the nicotine group had a higher
incidence of quit attempts, 32
percent, compared with the
other group's 23 percent. At


the final follow-up, the nicotine
group had a significantly"
higher incidence of quit
attempts (49 percent vs. 40
percent).
"Considering the stagnant
incidence of quit attempts in
the past decade, this novel
and easy-to-use cessation-
induction strategy holds
promise for translation to
primary-care settings," the
authors conclude.


Your neighborhood

Medical Office Specializing

in the Geriatric Population




305-8S35-984


We Speak English
Nous Parlons Francais
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Hablamos Esparol
American Sign Language

ACCESS DCF PARTNER OFFICE:
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Free Transportation Available


Amount Medicare perc
have saved on prescripl
drugs:
(In billions,
(Year-to-
date dollars
totals are
through the 0.7
end of each
month.)





Source: Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services.


SOBAMA KNOWS:


SQuitting can extend life

One of the most famous ex-smokers knows the drill.
"Quitting smoking is hard. Believe me, I know," President Obama said in a Nov. 17
video interview for the Great American Smokeout campaign.
Obama's physician declared him tobacco free" after his October physical, ending 30
years of use by the president.
His overall health will benefit in time. In a research letter published in Monday's
Archives of Internal Medicine, Yin Cao of Harvard School of Public Health concludes the
risk of death was significantly reduced among past smokers within 10 years of quitting
.compared with current smokers. By 20 years, the risk was reduced to the level of those
who had never smoked.
The White House would not confirm if Obama chews Nicorette but he does chew
some kind of gum. He said.the best way to prevent health problems that come from
smoking is to keep young people from getting hooked.


i BE HEALTHY LIVE BETTER

Alain Innocent, M.D. &
Alande Brezault, M.D.

BOARD CERTIFIED INTERNAL MEDICINE
MEDICAL Specialized in the treatment of Hypertension, Diabetes,
ASSOCIATES Asthma, Arthritis, Obesity, Cardiac diseases.
THE OFFICE ALSO PROVIDES:
We speak Engih Transportation Provided When Necessary
Creole, Spanish Auto Accident Therapy Prescriptions
and French. Delivered to Your Door
N Neaccepting
"eicare PHONE: 305-835-9264
1190 NW 95TH STREET, SUITE 405, MIAMI, FL 33150


-0




SPMC North Shore

1190 N.W. 95th Street, Suite 310, Miami, Florida 33150


NORTH DADE FOR


changing behavior

The Department of Health The prescription data are conservative think tank, said
S and Human Services an- through the end of October. the services may help catch
nounced in August that 2012 Seniors are becoming more diseases early. But it's too
ents Medicare prescription drug engaged in their care, Blum early to tell if the overall sav-
tion plan premiums would average said, citing the hundreds of fo- ings in Medicare will justify the
about $30 a month, compared rums Medicare has conducted costs of the preventive care.
1.5 to $30.76 in 2011. about the changes. "The senti- "This should prove to be a
Starting this year, seniors ment is that Medicare is trying worthwhile experiment."
who reach the doughnut hole to keep them healthy and out It's too early to determine if
in prescription benefits receive of the hospital," Blum said. the wellness exams are catch-
a 50 percent discount on name Preventive benefits aren't ing health problems early and
brand prescription drugs. Drug free, because taxpayers are therefore preventing hospital
companies must provide the paying for them, says Michael trips, Blum said. However, he
discount to participate in the Cannon, health policy studies said, insurance premiums have
prescription plan. Before the director for the Cato Institute, not risen as much as in previ-
health care law took effect, a libertarian think tank. "There ous years.
Medicare patients had to pay is no such thing as a free Medicare beneficiaries can
full price for their prescriptions lunch," he said. learn more about changing
once they reached the gap in Robert Moffit, a senior fellow their plans at www.medicare.
coverage, at the Heritage Foundation, a gov or 1-800-Medicare.


q















Health&


Sponsored by North Shore Medical Center
"Once You Know, It's Where To Go"


MIAMI, FLORIDA, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


-=M.


o you ever wish that ev-
'eryday could be a holiday?
S. 'All the delicious turkey,
-'.:- creamy mashed potatoes,
tasty green bean casserole, and
mouth-watering pecan pie. While your


<^/ '* mouth may
L, ^ .^ be saying
"Yes!", your
S waistline is call-
ing out "Whoal"
y- and for good
reason. Holiday
eating can be a real
challenge if you are
watching your weight. But
you don't have to sabotage
your diet. North Shore Medical Cen-
ter's executive chef Rudolph Poin-
dexter, better known as Chef Rudy,
suggests a few tips to help you navi-
gate the buffet tables and dinner par-
ties without depriving yourself.
Eat before you eat. This may
sound counterproductive, but if you


eat a wholesome breakfast /
and lunch you can avoid
overeating. That way you'll
have more control over your appe-
tite because we tend to eat too much
when hungry. Consider offering
smaller healthy bites to eat before a
big holiday dinner. "After all, offering
your guest healthy appetizer options
could prove to be a hit," said Chef
Rudy.
Go light on the calories. Many holi-
day goodies are loaded with extra
fat and sugar, including mashed po-
tatoes with all the butter and sweet
potatoes covered in marshmallows.
As Chef Rudy suggests, "Consider
a few substitutions, such as fat-free
chicken broth to make gravy or plain


yogurt in casseroles When possi-
ble, choose breast meat rather Ihan
leg meat and remember to remove ..
the high-calorie skin from your meat." .
One size doesn't fil all Just be-
cause certain dishes are offered
doesn't mean you have to sample
every one. Avoid the all-you-can-eat
mentality and limit yourself to smai .
portions if you cannot control the~ '
gredients used in a dish. Good s ,
ing sizes include about a baseball -
size serving of fruit, a deck of cards
size portion of meat, and a computer
mouse size helping of veggies
Don't cover your whole plate.
There's no need to pile your plate
high with every food that is offered. '. .
Please turn to HOLIDAYS 188,,


New look on prostate


cancer treatment


Are the side effects

worth it for low-
risk tumors?

By Rita Robin

The treatment may be worse
than the disease itself in a
growing percentage of men
diagnosed with prostate cancer,
so there is an "urgent need" for
more research into the role of
delaying treatment or avoiding
it altogether, a panel of ex-
perts convened by the National
Institutes of Health concluded
Wednesday.
Next to skin cancer, prostate
cancer is the most common
cancer in U.S. men. This year,
more than.240,000 are expected
to be diagnosed, and 33,000 are
expected to die from it. Surgery
or radiation can cure prostate
cancer, but the treatments leave
many men with erectile dys-
function and/or urinary incon-
tinence.
Before PSA screening was in-
troduced in 1987, most prostate
cancers were detected at a more
advanced stage. Men either
had symptoms from advanced
disease or their doctor felt a
growth in the gland during a
rectal exam.


BY THE

NUMBER


240,000
Number of U.S. men expected
to be diagnosed with prostate
chance this year.

33,000
Number of men expected to die
from prostate cancer this year.

5%
Percentage of men diagnosed
with low-risk prostate cancer
who die of the disease.

90%
Percentage of men with low-
risk prostate cancer who choose
to be treated immediately.

But PSA screening, a blood
test done routinely in men 50
and older, has increased detec-
tion of low-risk prostate tumors
that are unlikely to be fatal.
Today, many men with no
Please turn to PROSTATE 18B


Researchers and medi-
cal professionals have been
saying for years that healthy
lifestyle choices can reduce
the risks of developing Type II
diabetes. New studies by the
National Institutes of Health
demonstrate that various
individual healthy practices
may actually reduce the risk
even more significantly than
originally believed, and these
strategies can combine syner-
gistically in dramatic wa s.

SMOKING
It is common knowledge
that smoking is unhealthy,
but new research shows that
not smoking decreases your
risk of developing diabetes
by as much as 20 percent.


Many chemicals contained
in cigarettes cause inflam-
mation and can have a toxic
and unhealthy impact on the
pancreatic cells that pro-
duce insulin. Additionally,
it appears that much of the
damage from smoking can be
reversed in individuals who
adopt healthy lifestyles and
have not smoked for an inor-
dinately long period of time.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
A sedentary lifestyle greatly
increases the risk of diabe-
tes, and only twenty minutes
of sweat-inducing exercise
at least three or four times
per week can greatly re-
duce your potential for the
Please turn to DIABETES 18B


'- -





Medical assistant Paula Pena helps patient Mariam Breant put on a brace last
week at Concentra Medical Center in Capital Heights, Md. An estimated 3 million
patients visit urgent care centers each week.


Overcrowded ERs help


urgent care sites thrive


Medicalfacilities can offer fast,

varied service at lower prices


By Phil Galewitz

CAPITOL HEIGHTS, Md.
- After Dwayne Ducken-
field banged his right elbow
working around the house
on a recent Saturday, he
grew worried when the
swelling didn't go down and
the pain worsened.
Concerned he may have
broken a bone, the proj-
ect manager who lives in
Washington, D.C., didn't go
to the nearest emergency
room or wait until Mon-
day to call his physician
for an appointment. Like
an increasing number of
Americans looking for fast
and affordable health care,
he went to an urgent care
facility.
Duckenfield, 41, visited
Concentra Urgent Care
just inside the Washington
Beltway, a center that's part
of the nation's largest ur-
gent care chain. Within 75
minutes, he was examined,
had an X-ray and was pre-
scribed a pain medication.
"This was so convenient


and now I have peace of
mind," he said, after paying
his $25 insurance co-pay.
Across the U.S., an es-
timated 3 million patients
visit these centers each
week, according to the
Urgent Care Association
of America, a trade group
based in Chicago. To meet
demand, the number of
facilities has increased from
8,000 in 2008 to more than
9,200 this year, the associa-
tion said. About 600 urgent
centers opened this year.
Fueling that rise are two
longstanding trends -
crowded emergency rooms
and a lack of primary care
doctors. Urgent care opera-
tors say another factor is
helping to propel business:
the drive to lower costs.

SAVINGS DRAW
ATTENTION
Urgent care centers'
fees are at least half those
charged at a hospital emer-
gency department for the
same condition, although
they are similar to what


physicians charge for office
visits. Still, the savings in
ER costs are a big draw for
patients without insurance,
as well as insured patients
facing higher out-of-pocket
costs because of rising de-
ductibles. Those lower fees
have also drawn the atten-
tion of hospitals and insur-
ers both of which in-
creasingly see the facilities
as a way to hold down costs
and boost bottom lines.
Tom Charland, the CEO
of Merchant Medicine,
a Minnesota consulting
firm specializing in walk-
in clinics, said the urgent
care centers are poised
to attract more patients
in 2014 when the federal
health law begins to expand
health coverage to 32 mil-
lion Americans. Finding a
primary care doctor could
become more difficult then,
he said.
But some doctors' groups
worry that increased reli-
ance on urgent care may
hurt efforts to better coor-
dinate care and get patients
into so-called "medical
homes" where they have a
regular physician, strate-
gies promoted by the health
Please turn to ER 18B


OPT FORA
HEALTHY WEIGHT-
LOSS PLAN
Never skip meals, including break-
fast.
Eat a variety of nutritious foods,
rather than sticking to just a few foods.
Restrict consumption of sugar,
sodium, saturated fats and cholesterol.
Avoid beverages that are high in
calories.
Limit portion sizes.
Get plenty of regular exercise.
Increase daily physical activity in simple
ways, such as by parking further from
your destination.

HOLIDAY STRESS"
As the holiday season rolls in many
people begin to experience the telltale
signs of stress. The holidays can be a
very wonderful time of family, friends,
togetherness and enjoyment. On the flip
side they can also be intensely stress-
ful for those that have not found an
effective way to deal with everything.
If not managed properly, stress can
actually ruin the beauty of the holiday
season. With this being the case, it is
very important that people learn how
to effectively handle the various factors
that can cause stress during the holiday
season.
The reality is that the while the holi-
day season is highly anticipated it can
also be one of the most stressful times
of the year for many individuals.Taking
the necessary steps to prepare for the
hustle and bustle of the holidays will
ensure that any stressors encountered
are merely minor hurdles that can be
easily eliminated so that everyone can
enjoy the holidays to the fullest.
In order to combat stress that is
associated with the holidays it is always
best to have a plan. Now, things don't
always go as planned, and this is very
important to remember particularly dur-
ing the holiday season. However, people
that take the time to sit down and make
to do lists are better prepared than
those individuals that leave everything
up to chance. Everyone knows there is
so much to do during the holidays.
There are meals to be planned,
presents to buy, travel arrangements
to be made, cards to send out and
parties to plan. In order to reduce the
amount of stress that one incurs around
the holidays such activities have to be
planned ahead of time. Taking the time
to make a plan for holiday festivities is
highly recommended for surviving the
holiday season.
In addition to having a plan it is also
important to expect the unexpected.
People that are very rigid tend to have
the highest levels of stress because
they are not '.viiling to be flexible.


VtlJ tAC-vl -A"m l I la l Iw ii le a ,
^^^^miMtji H^w
r 0 1 i


Lifestyle choices can


reduce diabetes risk


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THE[ NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


B 81 THE MIAMI TIMES D 1


Go light on the calories, watch the goodies


HOLIDAYS
continued from 17B

Look over the buffet table first
and then make your selections.
Opt for reasonable-sized por-
tions of holiday favorites that
are served only once a year.
Save room for dessert by skip-
ping seconds. According to Chef
Rudy, "Opting for a smaller
plate can help with portion size;
however, one must remember
not to feel that small plate three
and four times!"
Eat s-l-o-w-l-y. By savoring


and chewing every bite thor-
oughly and putting your eat-
ing utensil down between bites
you can enjoy your meal and
be satisfied with one plate of
food. Leftovers are better the
next day anyway. Pace yourself
and eat only until you feel full.
Drink plenty of water and try
to keep alcohol down to a mini-
mum since calories from alco-
holic drinks can add up quickly.
"Chewing your food properly
also aids in proper digestion,"
said Chef Rudy. "This keeps one
from having the over-stuffed


bloated feeling we all experi-
enced after over indulging in a
tasty meal."
Put down your fork and go for
some fresh air. Spread out the
food and fun by going for a walk
after your main meal and then
having dessert later. It's a great
way to get in some exercise and
spend quality time with your
family.
If you are eating out for your
holiday meals, ask for food that
is steamed, grilled or broiled
rather than fried or sauteed. Re-
quest that sauces and dressing


be served on the side and watch
out for super-sized portions that
tempt you to eat too much. Try
not to be overly hard on yourself
if you overeat a few times. The
holidays are, after all, a time to
enjoy good food and fun in mod-
eration. If you overeat one day,
just be careful about what you
eat over the next few days and
then exercise enough to balance
your overindulgence. Chef Rudy
suggests exploring some great
healthy holiday recipes that can
be found at www.eatbetteramer-
ica.com.


Urgent care cheaper alternative than ER


ER
continued from 17B

law to improve quality and low-
er costs.
Urgent care is not as good
as having a regular physician,
says Glen Stream, president of
the American Academy of Fam-
ily Physicians. He is concerned
the surge in urgent care use
could lead to fewer patients
having a regular physician. 'No
one really gets to know them,
if they use a different urgent
care each time," he said. "One
of the best predictors of health


outcomes is having a usual
source of care where you can go
for acute and chronic illnesses
and develop a relationship with
a doctor."
Urgent care centers typi-
cally treat many injuries and
illnesses including colds,
broken bones, cuts and back
pain and do blood and urine
tests, X-rays and drug test-
ing. They see patients without
an appointment and often are
open evenings and weekends.
Unlike small retail clinics that
have opened in the past de-
cade in department stores and


pharmacies and mainly employ
nurse practitioners, urgent
care centers usually have phy-
sicians on site.
About half of the facilities are
owned by doctors, according to
the urgent care association and
28% are hospital-owned, the
American Hospital Association
reports.

FILLING A NICHE
Humana last year became the
first major insurer to get into
the urgent care business when
it bought Concentra, which has
more than 300 centers in 40


states. "We want to make sure
we have access to providers in
key areas," said Paul Kusse-
row, Humana's chief strategy
and corporate development of-
ficer.
As Humana and other insur-
ers shift to using smaller net-
works of doctors and hospitals
to hold down premiums, urgent
care will be a vital outlet when
doctors' offices are too busy, he
said. Humana and other insur-
ers have expanded the number
of urgent care centers in their
provider networks to reduce
unnecessary ER use.


ACHIEVE puts out diabetes risks message


DIABETES
cotninued from 16B

practitioner, a pharmacist, a
certified diabetes educator and
a nutritionist for about 90 min-
utes to go over the disease and
how it can be prevented and
managed.
The team also gathers infor-
mation on what the patient
does for a living and the kinds
of foods he or she eats to create
what Millender calls a health
behavior model.
"We really look at how a per-
son lives and works," said Mil-
lender, who said the center
takes all patients, regardless
of whether they're insured. "We


try to get to know them."
When Kathleen Valentine, the
center's director, was looking to
fill the position of clinical direc-
tor, she immediately turned to
Millender, who spent more than
10 years as a critical care nurse
at St. Mary's Medical Center in
West Palm Beach.
"She has a vision and a clar-
ity about how to achieve her
vision," Valentine said. "She's
joyful about what she does and
she conveys that to others."
Millender, named Nurse of the
Year by the Palm Healthcare
Foundation in June, said the
most challenging part of her job
is getting the word out about
the center. She calls it one of


the county's best kept health
care secrets.
The Center, she said, is part
of the ACHIEVE short for ac-
tion communities for health,
innovation and environmental
change Initiative, a county-
wide program to prevent chron-
ic diseases.
"One of the problems is the
community doesn't know we're
here," Millender said. "Every
time I go speak to a group,
they're surprised."
Millender has dedicated her
life to helping others. A six-
year Army veteran and mar-
ried mother of two sons, she is
pursuing her doctoral degree in
nursing from FAU.


When Haiti was rocked by a
massive earthquake in January
2010, Millender was on a plane
to help. She worked in a hos-
pital, helped deliver a baby and
even buried someone to give a
family closure.
"It was such a travesty," Mil-
lender said. "There were thou-
sands of people walking around
with nowhere to go."
Millender spends what little
spare time she has volunteering
at the El Sol resource center in
Jupiter and as vice president of
her Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
To Millender, it's fun, not work
or a chore.
Md. community," she said, "is
my hobby."


Steps to avoid diabetes


DIABETES
continued from 17B

disease. Exercise is also good
for reducing stress, improv-
ing cardiovascular health and
circulation, so it is always a
win-win situation.

HEALTHY DIET
Eating a heart-healthy and
sensible diet can reduce the
risk of diabetes by approximate-
ly fifteen percent. Emphasize
fresh fruits, vegetables, whole
grains and lean proteins while
avoiding processed, fried and
fatty foods, and this is the basic
building blocks of a healthy diet
and lifestyle, not to mention the
avoidance of diabetes.

ALCOHOL
Drinking more than one drink
a day (for women) and two
drinks a day (for men) definitely


New look at diagnosis


PROSTATE
continued from 17B


symptoms are being diagnosed
with these slow-growing tu-
mors, says panel chairwoman
Patricia Ganz, director of pre-
vention and control research at
University of California-Los An-
geles' Jonsson Comprehensive
Cancer Center.
More than half of prostate
cancers diagnosed today are
low-risk, panelists say; 20-year
follow-ups show that only five
percent of men with low-risk
prostate cancer die of it. "These
are tumors that probably never
would have been discovered" in
the man's lifetime, Ganz says.
Low-risk cancers probably
shouldn't even be called cancer,
say panelists. "Strong consid-
eration should be given to re-
moving the anxiety-provoking
term" for this condition, they
say. Yet cancer is a scary word,
spurring more than 90% of men
with low-risk prostate cancer to
choose to be treated immediate-
ly, they add. The rest opt for an


"observational strategy."
There are two main observa-
tional approaches: "active sur-
veillance," delaying treatment
until there are signs the disease
has progressed, and "watchful
waiting," forgoing treatment to
cure the disease and, instead,
using therapy only to relieve
symptoms when they arise.
To examine why few candi-
dates opt for active surveillance,
researchers at Georgetown Uni-
versity in Washington and Kai-
ser Permanente in Northern
California in September began
enrolling 1,500 newly diag-
nosed low-risk cancer patients
into an NIH-funded study.
"Not all cancers are created
equal," notes Kathryn Taylor of
Georgetown, who is co-directing
the study. "Some are deadly,
but in the case of prostate can-
cer, many are not." That's dif-
ficult for many Americans to
grasp. "In this culture the mes-
sage has been received loud
and clear that early detection
and early treatment is what you
do for cancer."


Remember: see your


doctor for your


annual checkup!


Humana Famil


HU iMANA.


GHHH5UGHH 911


IOU I i 1c IVIIAI I I IllVIL J, "m _-__V- - _


boosts the probability of devel-
oping diabetes. While red wine
has been shown to have ben-
efits for cardiovascular health,
even those who do not drink al-
cohol are still at risk of diabetes
in terms of other lifestyle areas.
Overall, moderate alcohol con-
sumption is the safest route to
take if you choose to drink at
all.

OBESITY
Much has been written about
weight control and the risks
posed by obesity, and recent
studies do indeed bear out the
notion that even being slightly
overweight makes diabetes a
much more significant possi-
bility. Carrying extra weight in-
creases inflammation through-
out the body, reducing cells'
sensitivity to insulin, the hor-
mone most crucial for the con-
trol of blood sugar.








19B THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


Another honor for Essie 'Big Mama' Reed


FBI honors Fort

Lauderdale civic

activist

By Anthony Man

FORT LAUDERDALE Es-
sie Reed, widely known as
"Big Mama," is once again be-
ing honored for her mentoring
and charitable initiatives.
She's the president and
founder of Team of Life Inc., a
nonprofit charitable organiza-
tion based in Fort Lauderdale.
The organization aids children
who come from homes affect-
ed by drugs, alcohol, poverty
and violence.
Reed, 56, a resident of
northwest Fort Lauderdale,
will get one of the FBI direc-
tor's 2011 Community Leader-
ship awards.


City Commissioner Bobby
DuBose said Reed is a signifi-
cant force in the community.
"Ev\eryone knows Big
Manma," he said. "She's con-
stantly giving back to the
community."
DuBose said she exempli-
fies the philosophy that to
whom much is given, much is
required.
Her activities include feeding
the homeless and mentoring
students at New River Middle
School where she provides
meals, clothing and trans-
portation to students in her
program. She links nonprofit
groups with local businesses
for collaboration on social and
economic needs in the com-
munity.
And she collects and dis-
tributes thousands of turkeys
and gifts each year during the
holiday season.
Reed said she went to Mi-


i- .

. ti. '.


"-.". .. '..". .. :,,
1, \
, ..:' .,, .


John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI I
Field Office stands with Essie "Big Mama" Reed.


ami where she was honored
by John V. Gillies, special
agent in charge of the FBI's


Miami Division, who an-
nounced she was the Soi
Florida nominee. In Marc


she'll be between 50 and 60
people from around the coun-
try who will get their awards
in Washington from FBI Di-
rector John Mueller.
Noe its, it was back to work
on her annual Christmas toy
drive. "Our goal is 50,000 toys
in Broward County alone,"
Reed said. "We're a long ways
off. We've probably now got
15,000 or 20,000. We need
lots of help. We need lots of
help for the older kids."
7" She said the FBI recognition
was different than most of the
honors she has received in
the past. It started when some
S FBI agents showed up one day
at her door asking questions.
She ultimately learned about
liami the honor, which she termed
"awesome."
Reed has received many
awards. In 2009, she was
uth named a "point of light" by
ch, then-Gov. Charlie Crist. Later


that year, Fort Lauderdale
named the resident of the
city's northwest section, its
"citizen of the year."
DuBose was responsible
for the city award presenta-
tion, which he said generated
television news attention. He
said his own family, including
his grandmother, was excited
to see him on TV, but they
told him they were even more
impressed that he was on the
news with Big Mama.
DuBose said Reed isn't
motivated by the awards and
other attention she receives.
"It's the work. She's a God-
fearing woman and she's
always giving praise to God for
the blessing she has received,"
he said. "I doubt that a plaque
or anything like that quanti-
fies the amount of time or
sacrifice that she gives. It's
definitely coming from the
heart."


Hubert Sumlin, master of blues guitar, dies at 80


By Bill Friskics-Warren

Hubert Sumlin, the guitarist
whose slashing solos and in-
novative ideas galvanized the
blues of Howlin' Wolf and in-
spired rock guitar players like
Jimmy Page, Robbie Robertson
and Eric Clapton, died on Sun-
day in Wayne, N.J. He was 80.
His death was announced on
his official Web site, hubert-
sumlinblues.com. No cause
was specified.
Sumlin began appearing on
Howlin' Wolfs recordings in
1953, first as a rhythm guitar-
ist and then, beginning in 1955,
on lead guitar. Mr. Sumlin's ee-
rie guitar counterpart to How-
lin' Wolfs unearthly moaning


on the 1956 hit "Smokestack
Lightnin' has lately been fea-
tured in a television commercial
for Viagra. He also played lead
on "Back Door Man," "Spoon-
ful" and "The Red Rooster," all
written and arranged by the
Chicago blues trailblazer Willie
Dixon.
"Back Door Man," "Spoonful"
and "The Red Rooster" were
later made even more famous
in versions released, respec-
tively, by the Doors, Cream and
the Rolling Stones. All three
originally appeared on Howlin'
Wolfs 1962 LP "Howlin' Wolf,"
which the critic Greil Marcus
called "the finest of all Chicago
blues albums," largely because
of Sumlin's contribution.


Though at times tempes-
tuous, Sumlin's partnership
with Howlin' Wolf lasted un-
til the singer's death in 1976.
Mr. Sumlin's intuitive, empa-
thetic accompaniment typically
spurred his mentor to unpre-
dictable and frenzied heights.
Hubert Charles Sumlin was
born on Nov. 16, 1931, in
Greenwood, Miss. Raised in
Hughes, Ark., he received his
first guitar at 6 and, as a child,
aspired to be a jazz guitarist.
He met Howlin' Wolf while still
a teenager, when Sumlin was
performing in and around West
Helena, Ark., with the blues
harmonica player James Cot-
ton, and first recorded with
him, under the supervision of


Hubert Sumlin at Jazz Standard in 2008. In addition to his
work with Howlin' Wolf, he also recorded under his own name.


Sam Phillips, at Sun Studios in
1953.
Sumlin was inducted into the
Blues Foundation Hall of Fame
in 2008. Rolling Stone maga-
zine recently included him on a
list of the 100 greatest guitar-
ists of all time.
As understated a singer as
his mentor was an exuberant
one, Sumlin also made more
than a dozen albums under
his own name; the first was re-
corded in Europe in 1964, and
the last, "Treblemaker," was re-
leased in 2007. His 2004 collec-
tion, "About Them Shoes," fea-
tured guest appearances from
musical admirers including Mr.
Clapton, Keith Richards, David
Johansen and Levon Helm.




:3.-

: - -


I~


rThe iam Timne es




ChurOchDirectory--,


Apostolic
Revival Center
6702 N.W. 15th Avenue

Order of Services
Wed. Intercessory Prayer
Morning Service 11 a.m.
Sun.-Eve. Worship 7:30 p.m.
Tues. Prayer Meeting 7:30 p.m.
Fri. Bible Study 7:30 p.m.




Temple Missionary
Baptist Church
1723 N.W. 3rd Avenue


i iiiTiillHi, M I t 'II 1 ltlI.l% I t l l
Order of Servi e

h .drIM ,'. ,,
,Rv Dllrll.llhlllleI D. Ii
W SlS li'hh I'Hl ) i',,,,, I., 'l Ti,'
: . .r, ..^:-


Mt. Calvary Missionary
Baptist Church
1140 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

Order of Services
I,,,, ;,, N, N,,, I I ,,

e'.,D,,,r,, Bih-,,,,r a g Inni n, r





St. Mark Missionary
Baptist Church
1470 N.W. 87th Street


Liberty City Church
of Christ
1263 N.W. 67th Street
mmmmmf


UIUr I il ervlce

Dr.,, F.,-,,.nT. ,W t, S a,






Jordan Grove Missionary
Baptist Church
5946 N.W. 12th Avenue
1I,1 mi


Order of Services
r,,,I, w ,,, ,;(, ,, n,
NIi 111n l ii.
, ,,, u ,, I.


Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church
15250 N.W. 22nd Avenue


WI,"WMB lI


5/ 'S,*


Order of Services
SUNDAY: Worship Service
Morning 10 a.m.
(huach School 8:30 a.m.
WEDNESDAY
r,lhl, ,h,,,f ,,,


New Vision For Christ
Ministries
13650 N.E. 10th Avenue

Order of Services

',,,,,,, l,, ,,,I III ,,,,,



Mc eD'e
mm : ",I"l ,[. a iI Ul,. n


Zion Hope
Missionary Baptist
5129 N.W. 17th Avenue


I I ~ i I I


- Order of Services
Sinrlo'a C, h,rt 'ni n mQ f
,.i i I .n ,i Wi,, hi. I I 11 ni,
.. i ,,. . ,, ,
.1 h .j1 T


Antioch Missionary Baptist
Church of Brownsville
2799 N.W. 46th Street
ii',l rt ii tIS~O~[ k~~


Order of Services
(huarh/Sunday School 8:30 a.m.
Sunday Worship Service 10 a.m
Mid-Week Service Wednesday's
Hour of Power-Noon Day Prayer
i",,,, I v,,,


Brownsville
Church of Christ
4561 N.W. 33rd Court


k I I W.g1 c 1, T 1,,l*,l lMIiV


5'--: .


Order of Services
l., u, '. llduo ., ,, i l' ia,
' .iiil j M ,, "i'. u I' i' II u ,'

I ,,,1',f ,,,, W ,, ,,j pa'.


St. John Baptist Church
1328 N.W. 3rd Avenue


__ -- Order of Services


1, .1,,,1, |, !,
. ,' I I.. t III u T

;HI T


New Birth Baptist Church, The Cathedral of Faith International
2300 N.W. 135th Street


Order ,,f Sr ,l(',
Sundl Wu .hip i u a
11]m i pm
ISu ,dij y 'ihi.l jAI rla
lu',- sly (Blblr Sludy) tb 15p ,I
Widnr.dJov Bit Slid,
10 6l a ni


1 (800) 254 NBB(
J05 685 3700
Fa. ih bliS85 0/05
w i. newhibrlhbaphi iiiiam, org


Per
3707 S.W. 56


broke Park Church of Christ
th Avenue Hollywood, FL 33023

Order rd Sirvil:.
Sunday Bible Slud' qd a m ,* Mriinin Wr'.hi IIl 1 iii
E n. nqi Wnr l i t, p iii
Wrdm-.davy "tii l Bi, LI. Slud', 1 3i1 11 n1
llr.,..,l ProgrBln 'iIur- Fi.ii.r id' i,,nii
Myj] WBFS, (iTi i.io 1 i oii.rdi] 1 7 il ii i1i
mIa.. )i rlbn')l I"]' l hh I .. .... l" I-,r,,I,, p, ,,I ,II I I ,,,11. I


I


First Baptist Missionary The Celestial Federation
Baptist Church of Brownsville Yahweh Male & Female
4600 N.W. 23rd Avenue (Hebrew Israellites) Dan. 2:44

Order of Services -- Angels of Freedom
I' I I,, 1 Prison Ministries
..... I. .I. ,1 ........ . ',.~. P. 0. Box 26513
S,,,,,, ,,, Jacksonville, FL 32226
i'" *"i .. .. .. ... ,. \ 1 '.Write for personal
S i appearance and Bible
Si' Studies oat your prison


Bishop VictorT. jlf .lin.ll.b.JaI iHIastor/Teacher


Hosanna Community 93rd Street Community
Baptist Church Missionary Baptist Church
2171 N.W. 56th Street 2330 N.W. 93rd Street

i Or l ut i ; I ,, I




i . ...........
A ,'.'. .
)., i~~~-. ".... "'


Adams Tabernacle of
Faith A.M.E. Church
20851 Johnson St. #115 Pembroke Pines

.-- [)rde-It derii[ ,.r.,


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0BdiaB


a' &O,
'a i )


Avi


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I'lII X .\II( N' Irl I .1 C'K N I S: \.S I'n R


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''


^7*ijTni Harrell L. ii L^I


I t Douglas


[I Rev. L-,, i M. Lov tt .'",!:.- i 111


flail.o Ja e Dea ANda. ms _[111/


['~ev-Anre Foy, r


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E.F: -WIPM.
q..,. r; 1
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20B THE MIAMI TIMES. DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


1THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER
-. ,..--, L--t !',:; .


. . . .. .,I


Hadley Davis


ELOISE "ANNIE" FORREST,
90, housewife,
died December
7 at Memorial
Sheridan Hos-
pital. Service 11
a.m., Saturday '
at New Birth
Baptist Church. .


MAE C. JONES, 83, housewife,
died Decem-
ber 8 at North
Shore Hospital.
Service 12 p.m.,
Saturday in the
chapel.


WALTER PETTY, 84, cook, died
November 25 at
home. Service 2 '.
p.m., Friday.







WIILIE LEGGETT, 36, laborer,
died December
10. Arrange-
ments are in-
complete.






Roberts Poitier


ALBERT
maintenance
worker, died
December 7 at
home. Service
11 a.m.,
Saturday in the
chapel.


GREEN, 87,
1 1


ROBERT UNDERWOOD, 83,
longshoremen,
died December
8. Service 6
p.m., Wednes- '-
day in the cha-
pel.




ROBERT CHARLES HARRIS,
JR., 67, skycap, died December 11
at University of Miami Medical
Center. Arrangements are
incomplete.

BABY DAVARIS MCKENZIE,
died December 11 at Jackson
Memorial Hospital. Services were
held.


Wright and Young
EDDIE W. GERVIN, 80, retired
truck driver, I
died December
6 at Aventura
Medical Center,
Survivors
include: wife,
Mary Neal-
Gervin; sons, .
Eddie W. Gervin
(Margaret), Otis K. Gervin, Marion
Gervin (Margurite); niece, Delorris
Gervin; grandchildren, great-
grandchildren, a host of family,
friends and neighbors. Service
10 a.m., Saturday at Mt. Hermon
A.M.E. Church.

Paradise
CHARLIE CHAPMAN, died
December 12. Services are
incomplete.


Richardson
GWENDOLYN COCHRAN, 59,
self-employed,
died Dec. 3 at
Claridge House
Skilled and
Rehabilitation
Center. Service
1 p.m. Saturday ..
at First Baptist
of Brownsville,
4600 NW 23rd
Ave. Interment at Southern Memo-
rial, 15000 W. Dixie Highway. Sur-
vivors: mother, Evelyn Screen; sib-
lings, Ruby Peterson of Bainbridge,
GA, Elouise Hines of Havana, FL,
Irvin Baulkman, Albert Floyd of
Bainbridge, FL, Leonard Screen,
Geraldine Fambro, Jacqueline
Cochran, Geraldine Fambro, Cur-
tis Hayes of Bainbridge, GA, Ar-
thur Fambro, Carl Hayes of Bain-
bridge, GA, Walter Fambro; chil-
dren, Lamar Eady, Francina Eady,
Jacquetta Pitts, Jamaris Cochran
and Jarvin Cochran; 20 grandchil-
dren and four great grandchildren.
Gwendolyn is preceded in death
by one child, Norman Eady; and a
brother, Theodore Cochran.

PEARL SNEED known as MA
PEARL, 84,
child care work-
er provider for
JESCA, died
December 8
at North Shore
Hospital. She
was known for
keeping chil-
dren around
50th Street and 17th Avenue and a
longtime member at St. Matthews
Freewill Baptist Church. Survivors
include: daughters, Runae and
Joyce; son, Curby. Service 11 a.m.,
Saturday at St. Matthews Freewill
Baptist Church, 6700 NW 2nd Av-
enue. For additional information,
contact Joyce at 786-318-7243.

JUANITA BENDROSS, 77, do-
mestic, died
December 4 at
home. Service 2
p.m., Saturday
at Jordan Grove
M.B. Church. .\ -,
'.,.;y.; e ,t'



ETTA MAE JACKSON, 85, fos-
ter grandparent,
died December
6 at Jackson
Memorial Hos-
pital. Service 1
p.m., today at
Mt. Calvary Mis-
sionary Baptist ,
Church.

SAMUEL K. JOHNSON, 58, ex-
ecutive director
of Liberty City
Optimist Club, .
died Dec. 11. .
Viewing/wake .
1-9 p.m., Mon-
day, Dec. 19 at .J -
Charles Hadley
Park, 1350 NW
50 St. Celebration of Life 1 p.m.,
Tuesday, Dec. 20. Location to be
determined. For further informa-
tion, call 305-635-9239.

Grace
ELLA DENNARD, 75, retired
mail clerk, died
December 7.
Service 10 a.m.,
Thursday at
Jordan Grove
MBC. Final rites
entrusted to -"
Perkins Funeral
Home, Cuth- ---
bert, Georgia.

GUITANNIE RANDOLPH, 57,


retired postal
worker, died
December 8.
Service 11 a.m.,
Saturday at
Highway Holi-
ness Church.


Royal


DEBORAH F.
59, teacher,
died December
6. Viewing 3-9
p.m., Friday
in the chapel.
Service 11 a.m.,
Saturday at
Universal Truth
Center, 21310
N.W. 37 Avenue.


SHARPERSON,






~R.. .


Gregg L. Mason
FRED DELOACH, JR., 80, bus


operator, died
December 7
at Memorial
South. Viewing
2-9 p.m., Friday
in the chapel.
Service 11 a.m.,
Saturday at
Antioch of Carol


- ..


, r ^ --


City. Entombment at Hollywood
Memorial Gardens, Taft Street in
Hollywood.

NATHANIEL LEE HOLMES, 80,
died December
7 at Jackson
Memorial
e m o r i a l

Survivors
include: his wife, "
Lois Gilbert
Holmes. Service
2 p.m., Friday
in the chapel. Interment at Dade
Memorial.

NANCY YVONNE JOHNSON,
64, bank teller,

9 at Aventura
Ho s p i t a I .
Survivors
include :d e
husband, Ivin;
son, Howard,
sisters, Iristine
Edwards and Glenease Glynn.
Viewing 2-9 p.m., Friday in the
chapel. Service 2 p.m., Saturday
at Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church.
Final rites and burial on Tuesday,
December 20 at Greenwood
Cemetery in Brunswick, Georgia.



Hall Ferguson Hewitt
REV. SAMMIE DAVIS, 83,
minister, died
December 9 at .
home. Viewing
4-8 p.m., ""
Friday at Rock
of Ages M.B. .
Church, 2722
N.W. 55 Street. -
Seiice .1 *.


Saturday at Antioch M.B
Brownsville, 2799 N.W.


Emmanue


GWENDOLYN
52, died
December 6 at
UM Hospital.
Viewing 4-8
p.m., Friday.
Service 1 p.m.,
Saturday in the
chapel.


Jay's
REV. R. M. BELL, 91, of Mt.
Sinai Missionary
B a p t i s t
Church, died
December 10 at
Jackson South
Community '"
Ho s p i t a I
Viewing 6-8
p.m., Friday
at Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist
Church. Service 11 a.m., Saturday
at Sweet Home Missionary Baptist
Church.


Manker
ROOSEVELT FROST, 78, labor-
er, died Dec. 10 at home. Remains
shipped to Waynesboro, MS for fi-
nal rites.

INFANT DANIELLA ISABELLA
CAMACHO, died Nov. 26 at North
Shore Medical Center. Service 1
p.m., Friday in the chapel.


Nakia Ingraham
PRIESTLEY, SEVILLE,
83, construction worker, died
November 25 at Aventura Hospital.
Service 11 a.m., Thursday at
Harvest Time Church of Jesus


Card of Thanks

The falnll. of the late,



4. +


4


HATTIE HILL MCGHEE


3. Church of would like to thank everyone
46 Street. for their lovely floral arrange-
;nents, covered dishes, kind
words of comfort, sympathy
|l cards, and all other acts of
kindness during our time of


Allen and Shaw
WILLIAM E. DEUTER, 74, re-
tired, died Dec. 6 at home. Private
services.

EDGAR MARTY, 38, ambulance
driver, died Dec. 5 at home. Private
services.

JACK D. WOLFENSON, 83, re-
tired, died Dec. 7 at Metropolitan
Hospital. Private services

NINON CHINEA, 86, hospital ad-
ministrator, died Dec. 8, at Aven-
tura Hospital. Private services.

JORGE L. ABRAHAM-FUNDO-
RA, 70, custodian, died Dec. 7 at
home. Private services.

DORA E. BLANCO, 85, retired,
died Dec. 9 at St. Catherine's West
Hospice. Private services.

JOSE A. PUGA, 76, mechanic,
died Dec. 9 at Hialeah Hospital.
Private services.

GLORIA PROENZA, 89, banker,
died Dec. 10 at Hialeah Hospital.
Private services.

ARMANDO A. HERNANDEZ,
72, retired, died Dec. 11 at Metro-
politan Hospital. Private services.

JORGE D. MARTINEZ, 71,
teacher, died Dec. 11 at Berkshire
Manor Nursing Home. Private ser-
vices.

RICARDO LAZO, 85, service
station manager, died Dec. 12 at
home. Private services.

S Place your
I OBITUARY TODAY
Call 305-694-6210


bereavement.
The family would also like
to extend a special thanks
to Gregg L. Mason and staff
of Gregg L. Mason Funeral
Home, Pastor Dwayne S.
Fudge, the members and ex-
traordinary choir of St. Mary
Missionary Baptist Church,
Soloist Eric Stanley, the
Washington Park neighbors
and Washington Park Com-
munity Center and staff.
Larry McGhee, son and
grandchildren, Tressa,
Chacon, Lawrence, India, and
Erica.


Happy Birthday

In loving memory of,


ARTHUR EDWARDS
12/12/1955 07/07/2010

Happy birthday you will al-
ways be in our heart, you will
never be forgotten.
We love and miss you.
Your family.


In Memoriam

In loving memory of,
. -' "MMMINNIN"


GERTRUDE R. FRAZIER
04/11/1930- 12/16/2010

We miss you so much but,
we find solace in knowing you
are at peace with the Lord.
Always in our hearts, your
loving family.


Death Notice


HORACE MORRIS, former
director of the Model Cities
program 1968-1974, died in
Willingboro, New Jersey on
December 9.
After leaving the Model City
program he moved to New
York City where he was the
executive director of the NYC
Urban League and later be-
came the director of the Unit-

Since his retirement in
1998 from the United Way he
was very involved in his com-
munity of Willingboro.
Service Friday, December
16 in Willingboro, NJ.


HONOR YOUR

LOVED ONE

WITH AN

IN MEMORIAL

IN THE

MIAMI TIMES




Our website is bah


Happy Birthday

In loving memory of,


ANDRE JAME HART
12/13/76 05/22/03


Your family love and miss


In Memoriam


MARY ALICE DAVIS
01/16/1941 12/13/2002


Nine years has gone and I
continue to cry. My heart still
aches as the time passes by.
Missing you mother very,
very much. Your smile, your
words, your loving touch.
Rest in peace, children:
Robin and Kenny, family and
f!'rends.

PUBLIC NOTICE

As a public service to our
community, The Miami Times
prints weekly obituary notic-
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L iesti s

Lifestyle


FASHION HIP HoP MUSIC FOOD DINING ARTS & CULTURE PEOPLE


SECTION C MIAMI, FLORIDA, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011 THE MIAMI TIMES


RING IN C H I S T MA S


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-garnering two Grammy
Awards and landing in the top
ten on Billboard and contem-
porary Christian charts.
Thirty years later they are
seasoned veterans and con-
sidered one of it not the best a
cappella groups around. They
have embraced the rich tradi-
tion of doo-wop and gospel
groups of the 1950s and have
led the way in the wave of jazz
and pop vocal groups that
emerged in the 1990s. But
what can we expect on Sun-
day? McKnight explains.
"The repertoire will consist of
a Christmas segment of seven
to nine songs songs from
all three of our holiday CDs
as well as selections from
Please turn to TAKE 6 2C


A cappella sextet returns to Miami

for holiday performance


By D. Kevin McNeir
kmcneir@miamitimesonline.com

Miami is preparing for the
return of Take 6 the tal-
ented a cappella group of six
men that have now doing their
thing for 30 years. And while
their roster has changed over
the years, one thing that has
remained the same is the su-
perb vocal showmanship that
the group brings to the stage
in every performance.
In 1980 on the campus of
Oakwood College in Hunts-
ville, Alabama, then freshman


Claude V. McKnight III [that's
right, he's the brother of Brian
McKnight], formed a quartet
known as the Gentlemen's Es-
tate Club. Mark Kibble heard
the brothers rehearsing in one
of the best places for a cap-
pella sounds the restroom.
The group would add and lose
members, change their name
to Alliance and perform on
campus and in local churches
until 1987 when they signed
with Warner Brothers and
became Take 6. One year later
they released their first album
and took the industry by storm


eer


3~ULY VI


Three "sistas" open stage door


for super-talented Black youth


By D. Kevin McNeir
kmcneir@miamitimesonline.com

What happens when a young
couple in love is able to rise
from the streets and open
their own successful night
club? Happy ending? Not
when changes in priorities,
individual goals and all kinds
of secrets threaten to destroy
their love and lives. That's
just a taste of what audiences
can expect at "The Um-Hmm
Chronicles" which comes
to the Caleb Auditorium on
Friday, Dec. 16th at 8 p.m.
The play was written by Do-
lores Gray who is one of three
friends that formed Thr3e
Sista's Enterprises in October
2010. She says the play is a
fundraiser for the company,
adding that they have great
plans for the youth of South
Florida.
"We are three Black women
all in our 50s and we've been
friends for almost two de-
cades," she said. [Barbara Bo-
swell and Warnor Land round
out the trio]. "We live in Rich-
mond Heights, Homestead and
Cutler Bay and saw the same
Please turn to SISTAS 2C


-Photo courtesy Dolores Gray
Angelica Fonseca (Tisha) and Mildred Washington
(Chantrell) take time out during rehearsal.


-Photo courtesy Tony Brooks
O'Jays still belting out the hits
Eddie Levert, Eric Grant and Walter Williams were recently in Miami at the BankAtlantic Cen-
ter where they brought that old school magic to the stage with hits that included "Back Stabbers,
"Love Train" and "For the Love of Money." They were part of Hot 105's Love Train show.


'Christmas in Washington' bops along with Bieber


The Obamas and

music stars align
By Cindy Clark

WASHINGTON Justin
Bieber made his return to
Christmas in Washington
older, wiser and with a new
hairstyle.
Sasha and Malia Obama
were no doubt the envy of
many teenage girls Sunday as
they sat front and center to
listen to the 17-year-old heart-
throb sing his Christmas hit,
Mistletoe.
In 2009, a floppy-haired
Bieber, then a budding singer
on the verge of stardom, was
part of the concert lineup.
President Obama, at the time
unfamiliar with the singer,
mispronounced his name.


REMEMBER YOU, TOO:
Cee Lo Green and Justin
Bieber get into the holiday
spirit.
But this year, he is cer-
tainly familiar with the Biebs.
Obama and first lady Michelle
Obama joined their daughters
at Sunday night's 30th anni-
versary of Christmas in Wash-
ington. The holiday concert


Dickens' tale appeals to people of all colors and ages


By D. Kevin McNeir
kmcneir@miamitimesonline.com

There are some things that
many of us anticipate each
year as the Christmas season
unfolds: last-minute shopping,
family reunions, Handel's
"Messiah," egg nog concoc-
tions and of course, Charles
Dickens' classic "A Christ-


mas Carol." In fact, Dick-
ens' story is to theater what
Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" is
to ballet an ageless classic
that transcends race, creed
or culture. The story, first
published in 1843, tells of
the sour and stingy Ebenezer
Scrooge who undergoes a life-
changing transformation after
the supernatural visits of his


former business partner, Ja-
cob Marley and the Ghosts of
Christmas Past, Present and
Future. It shows how we can
all be changed for the good.
As the novel made its way
to staged versions, it earned
the reputation for restoring
the holiday to one of mer-
riment and joy for those in
England and the U.S. after


_____________________ U I > '
JOY TO THE WORLD: President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, along
Sasha, greet children dressed as elves.


a long period of somberness
and difficult times. Here in
South Florida, the play made
its way to the Broward Center
for the Performing Arts last
week in a high-energy musi-
cal version that delighted
children and adults alike. A
solo show that took a fresh
look at the story ends on Dec.
14th at the Actors' Playhouse.
And of course there will be
opportunities to see the many


with daughter,


televised versions of the play,
starring everyone from the
Scottish actor Alistair Sims,
who is considered the "best"
of all Scrooge's [from the 1951
black and white film] to other
Scrooges played by the likes
of Mister Magoo and even
Mickey Mouse.
Two classic lines from "A
Christmas Carol" are worth
the price of admission:
Scrooge ,, in'i "Bah humbug"


special will air at 8 p.m. ET/PT
on Friday on TNT.
Conan O'Brien was on hand
to host the event at the Nation-
al Building Museum.
"It's especially exciting to be
here during this joyous season,
when we celebrate the arrival
of a miracle child, worshiped
by millions around the world.
Of course I'm talking about
Justin Bieber," O'Brien said.
"My 8-year-old daughter loves
him. Or at least that's what I
tell people when they ask why
I'm carrying a lock of his hair
in my pocket."
The late-night talk-show
host pointed out that he was
pleased to be at an event that
supports such a good cause,
the Children's National Medi-
cal Center.
"The last event I hosted was
Please turn to BIEBER 2C

O htristmas

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Thanksgiv.ng has come and \Winston Salem
gone and Anthony Simons is N C Erden
still re ering and reminiscing Holilan. San
about spending Thanksgiving Antonia, TX,
weekend with his close- sister Beverly
knit family. He and his wife, Burns, brother
Carolyn planned the entire Winston Simons, retired
event at their palatial foreman of FPL, while
home in Miramar. activities continued
Family members began with dinner on
to arrive on Monday, .I Thanksgiving Day,
while brother Gary a fish fry on Friday;
Simons took advantage shopping on Saturday;
of Tuesday and played and church on Sunday.
a game of golf with After church on
older brother, Anthony. I Sunday, The Simon
Other family members GIBSON family surprised Ruth
trickled in such as sister Walker with a 95 year
Gwennette who took time off birthday party at an exclusive
from her manager's position in restaurant on Miami Beach.


It was the best day
of her life, especially
when they sang HAPPV
BIRTHDAY to the .
smiling grardnmother
Now, Anthony is free '
to handle his Iratc- ri r,
responsibilities ,-I
collecting rimonles
and paying the bills DEM
throughout the year.
Hats off to Queen Lillie Dukes
Odom, alumni president,
North Dade Jr.-Sr. High class
of 1961, and her committee
members Dr. John Johnson,
Dr. Raymond Dunn, Bernard
Thomas, Flora Wilson, and
Mayor Shirley Gibson, City of
Miami Gardens, for planning
their 50-year Anniversary
prom Saturday, Dec.3 at
Calder Race Track & Casino's
Turf Club. The classmates
were introduced by former
teacher, Richard J. Strachan


El


S as they walked on the
S red carpet and were
photographed. They
included Rev. Lionel
D a and Marie Reckley,
Dr. Raymond and
Mrs. Dunn, Dr. John
Johnson his mother
and sister, William
RITTE E. Harden, Bernard
Thomas and Janie
Williams, Deacon Kenneth and
Gwendolyn Sims, Christine


Duhart


Charles and Irene
Sweeting, Donahue
and Annette Stevens,
Deotis Tucker, who
flew in front Plant,
MI., Carolyn and Mr.
Moore, who also flew
in from Philadelphia,
PA. Also, Everette and CL
Patricia Moncur, David
and Sadie Williams, Thomas
Harrison, Charles and Juanita


JF


Stafford, Cora Joiner, Flora
Wilson, Kirkland S. Oliver,
Edward Bethel, Clyde and
Mrs. Johnson, John McCan,
Johnnie Davis, Brenda
Freeman, William Kelley, and
Ester Martin. Former teachers
in attendance were Winifred C.
Beacham, Juanita Matthews,
Dr. Edwin T., Demeritte,
Agnes and Charles McCoy.
Agnes was PTA President who
stated, despite using two
walking canes, that "
she would be present
when the ribbon on
the NEW North Dade
is cut." The program
included Mayor
Gibson bringing
Greetings with side
Sbars from Odom
IRY who orchestrated the
evening while her
granddaughters directed the
classmates to the buffet lines


and passed out special gifts
to those persons sitting in
specially marked seats. They
were gifted with the center
piece at their table. Kudos go
out to the Sound Byte Band
that brought the gang to the
dance floor executing the many
line dances. Further, coming
all the way from Washington
D.C. after performing for
Congresswoman Frederica
S. Wilson were the trio of
Marie Broomfield, Docie
Williams and Wanda Williams
replicating the Supremes as
they entertained the class of
'61 with songs they understood.
Included in their list of songs
was "Stop In The Name of
Love". The Trio gets better and
better at each performance.
You can imagine the wonderful
reception they received in D.C.
It was truly a beautiful evening
enjoyed by all.


By Anna - n


Corrections for the
information I reported about
the Calendar Tea held at The
Historic St.Agnes' Episcopal
Church on Sunday, Nov. 13.
First prize was the fall
season months September,
October and November
Second prize was the winter
season months of December,
January and February
Third place was the summer
season months of June,
July and August and fourth
place was the spring season
months of March, April and
May. Again, congratulations


to all of you
and remember
everyone is a
,%inner for the '
work and service that you do.
Get well wishes and
blessings are sent to
Wilhelmina Stirrup Welch,
Melanie Clarke, David
Wilson, Ernestine Ross-
Collins, Sue Francis, Ella
Mae McKinney, Frankie
Rolle, Mildred "PI" Ashley,
Ebenezer Scrooge"
Edwards, Inez McK.
Dean Johnson, Jackie
Finley Livingston, Louise


Hutcheson Cleare and
Ernest Knowles. May all of
you return to good health
soon.
Wedding anniversary
greetings go out to "love
birds", Theodore and
Gladys Moss, Dec.8th, their
55th, John F. and Kimberly
Jackson, Jr., Dec. 10th their
17th.
Hearty congratulations
also to state Senator and
Mrs. Oscar ( Melissa)
Braynon on the birth of their
second son tagged Brandon
Glen, born Nov.10th, which
coincidentally is the same
birthdate as his deceased
paternal grandfather.
Receiving the Living Legacy
Award from the Sigma Alpha
Chapter of the Omega Psi


Phi fraternity on Nov.13
was my soror Dorothy
Bendross Mindingall. Our
congratulations to you from
all of your Delta sorors.
Gayle Sweeting-Gee was
elated to have a visit from
LaCory and Antoinette
Patterson, and their three
sons ; Shalisa G.Williams
and her two children ArliSa
and Cameron. They are
my sister's Gayle children
and grandchildren who now
make Atlanta their home.
Returning home to attend
the 60th birthday party of
an old friend was C-Etter
Sneed, who currently 'is
in Jacksonville, Fla. Her
parents Doil and Bertha
Sneed were elated to see her.
More congratulations to


the super president ,class
of 49 ,Percy Oliver, from
the school known as "not
the largest but the best ",
who was honored and given
a surprise celebration for
his community service. The
event took place on Dec.5th
at Picadilly Cafeteria in
Hialeah. Oldtimers will
remember Percy as a star
football player who was the
first Black player on the all
ten football squad at the
University of Illinois and the
first Black football player
to play in the North-South
Shriners game. Other firsts
for Percy include being
the first Black principal to
become president of the
Greater Miami Athletic
Conference. At one time


drafted by the Green Bay
Packers, Percy declined
the offer. A real great and
talented guy you are Percy
and all of your native
Miamians and friends salute
you.
In UNITY ( UMOJA ) with
members from Delta Sigma
Theta Miami Alumnae
Chapter Zeta Phi Beta
Sorority, Phi Beta Sigma
Fraternity, Inc., and Sigma
Gamma RhoSorority,Inc.,
came together on Nov.
12th. to support Camillus
House. The group served
food and helped to prepare
food. Kudos go out to Aisha
Brooks, Keitta Givens,
Daphne Kinng, Marcia
Samuel and Simona
Waters- Smith.


Ring in Christmas with Take 6 concert


TAKE 6
continued from 1C

our regular set-list to round
out the performance," he said.
"Mark Kibble is our primary
arranger; he's incredibly gifted
in harmonies and never lets us
down when it comes to creativ-
ity and newness. Dr. Cedric
Dent [who once sang with the
group] has been arranging for
us for many years and is right.


up there with Mark as far as
working that Take 6 sound."
Take 6 has shared the stage
with some of the best in music
from Ella Fitzgerald and Quin-
cy Jones tO' Stevie Wonder.
McKnight says the best things
about the group's incredible ca-
reer has been "getting to meet
and befriend people of different
walks, ethnicities and faiths."
"We have always felt that we
have been truly blessed indi-


vidually and collectively and
we enjoy giving back. We've
done things for music schools
and the United Way, among
others. We all need help from
time to time and we feel 'cdiii-
pelled to help."
Take 6 will round out the
Free Gospel Sunday concert
series for 2011 at the Adrienne
Arsht Center downtown. "A
Soulful Christmas" starts at 4
p.m.


Playwright says cast full of natural talent


SISTAS
continued from 1C

thing in each of our commu-
nities a void in terms of the
arts especially as it relates to
opportunities for young peo-
ple to develop and showcase
their talents. We wanted to
create a platform so their
voices could be heard."
The all-Black cast ranges
in age from 19 to 30. Gray
notes that all of the actors
are equally brilliant in their
potential. However, when
pressed to put the spotlight


on one or two of her cast she
mentioned Adrian Bell and
Loraine Tomlin.
"Adrian uses his natu-
ral talent and emotions to
put on a stunning perfor-
mance," she said. "He is tru-
ly a diamond in the rough.
Loraine has the toughest
role because she plays a
young woman who has been
abused throughout her life.
She shows a diversity that is
multi-level she peeled the
onion for her character in a
way that very few actors can
do."


The New York-born play-
wright says that she and her
partners are concerned that
too many young people from
the Miami area leave once
they are 18, either for col-
lege or to find their fortune
in the entertainment indus-
try because "there's nothing
here." She wants them to re-
turn and hopes to provide a
venue that encourages them
to come back home.
"There's so much natural
talent within our midst that
just needs to be fine tuned.
That's our mission."


Teenage heart throb brings joy and new hairstyle


BIEBER
continued from 1C

Kim Kardashian's bridal show-
er," O'Brien quipped. "I had a
bad feeling about that one."
Bieber, Cee Lo Green, Jen-
nifer Hudson, the Band Perry
and Nickelodeon star Victo-
ria Justice took turns singing
holiday classics and new fa-
vorites. Before Bieber took to
the stage, Green kicked off the
evening's performances with
his renditions of This Christ-
mas and Santa Claus Is Com-
ing to Town.
During Sunday's rehearsal,
Green said the holidays are
"a time for tradition, and the
appreciation of tradition is al-
ways special ... family, friends,
food, football."
Singing I'll Be Home for
Christmas, the Band Perry
was accompanied by the men


of the United States Naval
Academy Glee Club. Justice
sang Winter Wonderland and
Let It Snow.
Finally it was Hudson's turn.
The singer belted out Do You
Hear What I Hear- she says
her favorite is Whitney Hous-
ton's version with the help
of the American Family Choir.
"I don't know how many times
I've sang for the president, but
every time feels like the first
time. "
Hudson's 2-year old son, Da-
vid, "was supposed to come,
but his trip got cut short, so
he's back at home with his
grandma, but hopefully we'll
get to watch this together.
"I recorded O Holy Night,
and he just says, 'Mommy,
play it again!' and he tries to
sing it. It's the cutest."
With two movies, a book and
a new album in the works,


Hudson is in for another busy
year in 2012. "But I'm always
Mommy first"
The talent gathered onstage
for the closing medley, which
included Mary Did You Know
(the Band Perry), Away in a
Manger (Bieber), It Came Upon
a Midnight Clear (Justice), Si-
lent Night (Green) and O Holy
Night (Hudson).
President Obama expressed
his gratitude for the evening,
offering a special thanks to
O'Brien, "host of the best late-
night show on TBS."
Obama called this the "sea-
son to celebrate miracles." He
emphasized "service to oth-
ers, compassion to all, treat-
ing others as we wish to be
treated."
To end the evening, the first
family gathered with the per-
formers to sing Hark! the Her-
ald Angels Sing.


As a FREE Community Service Program by North Shore Medical Center, we are
pleased to offer the following informative event:


- *;..'*,


* *... .


Lecture Series

Rudy Poindexter I Executive Chef
As much as we look forward to holiday parties and dinners, many of us fear enjoying it
too much and packing on the pounds. Learn how to trim calories wherever you can
without compromising -ri..:1 .ii. or flavor with some of your favorite Holiday foods.

Join Chef Rudy for a cooking d, rmi:,II:Ir .iiin. He'll show you how to shave calories with
simple swaps of lower-fat ingr. 1-l.- r .iihi,: compromising the taste.


WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14TH

5:30pm 7:00pm

North Shore Medical Center
Auditorium (off the main lobby area)
1100 N. W. 95 Street I Miami, FL 33150

Rudy Poindexter Executive Chef


A healthy dinner will be served.
Reservations Required.

TO REGISTER, PLEASE CALL

800.984.3434


NORTH SHORE
Medical Center


MR1RM, Su9bscribers We Want You B^^^^Eack^^



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One ^^^^Famly Sering Since 1923 Cal^K~ng~g^gl '30-6946214 wwfiamitimsnfliicom


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NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


2C THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


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Kennedy Center honors five in performing arts


By Cindy Clark
I.- - --- ------
WASHINGTON The nation's
capital was glittering with stars
who came out on Sunday night
to salute this year's Kennedy
Center honorees: actress Meryl
Streep, 62; singer and actress
Barbara Cook, 84; singer and
songwriter Neil Diamond, 70;
jazz saxophonist and composer
Sonny Rollins, 81; and cellist
Yo-Yo Ma, 56.
The five artists, who received
their medals Saturday at a
State Department dinner, were
treated to tributes by friends
and colleagues, including Anne
Hathaway, Robert De Niro, Bill
Cosby, Glenn Close and Smokey
Robinson. The 34th annual cel-
ebration also lured politicians,
such as GOP presidential can-
didate Newt Gingrich and U.S.
Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.
Award winner Rollins talked
about why the evening was so
special. "It's very nice to be rec-
ognized here in our country,


And love was in the air as
crooner Diamond shared that
he and his companion, fiancee
Katie McNeil, will marry "some-
time in the spring, before I go
out on tour again." The Song
Sung Blue and Sweet Caro-
line singer said just before the
show, "There's nothing better
than to have your kids meet the
president who is honoring you."
Cellist Ma said he was look-
ing forward to "being surprised"
during the tributes. The musi-
cian was seven years old when
he played at a concert to raise
money to build the John F. Ken-
nedy Center for the Performing
Arts, so it was "really meaning-
ful to be standing in this build-
ing" and be honored.


REFLECTION: Mr. Obama
personally thanked each of the
honorees in a speech that was
both humble and humorous of
their achievements.


ARRIVING IN STYLE: Ms. Barbara Cook was escorted to the
ceremony on the arm of an obliging man in uniform.


which is the birthplace of jazz,"
he said. "It's where we started
jazz, and people love jazz all


over the world. It's a peaceful
expression of the spirit, of love,
of everything."


CELEBRATION: The First
lady takes her seat in the up-
per balcony.

Singer and actress Cook
called the evening ahead "mind-
blowing."
Among her fans: Sarah Jes-
sica Parker, who wore a black
dress by Olivier Theyskens. She
and husband Matthew Broder-
ick were paying tribute to Cook.
"We spent a better part of our
courtship going to the Cafe
Carlyle to see her," Parker said.
"I'm very flattered to be includ-
ed in a small way."
Once inside honorees were
seated with President Obama
and wife Michelle, who wore a
strapless cobalt dress.


MINGLING: Musician Sonny Rollins and actress Meryl Streep mingle beside one another during


the Kennedy Center Honors recer
Tracey Ullman, first up to
honor Streep, said there's some-
thing special about the actress.
"Looking around, I see Caroline
Kennedy, first lady Michelle
Obama, the president ... an il-
lustrious group to be sure, but
with no disrespect to you guys,
we have Meryl-bloody-Streep in
the room!"
And the laughs continued:
After the audience watched
a video with highlights from
Streep's film career, 2009 hon-
oree De Niro said, "My first
thought was, I was amazing in
Deer Hunter." Then he got seri-
ous and said, "Meryl, you are
the very best. ... I love you."
When it was Rollins' turn for
tributes, Bill Cosby, a 1998 Ken-
nedy Center honoree, remarked
on how, during his travels, he
heard and saw how his music
transcended borders and re-
vealed that he was often mis-
taken for Rollins himself. "All
over the world, Sonny Rollins.
And Sonny, tonight, welcome
home," said Cpsby, And then,


Sonny Rollins' all-star trio be-
gan to play: Billy Drummond
on drums, Joe Lovano on tenor
sax and Christian McBride on
bass.
The evening turned to Cook,
with Parker and Broderick ex-
pressing admiration. "She nev-
er ceases to amaze," said Brod-
erick. "You are unique, you are
wondrous," said Parker. The
couple were followed by the
performance tribute, including
Glenn Close singing Losing My
Mind and Patti LuPone sing-
ing a medley of Loving You and
Come Rain or Come Shine.
The music continued as John
Lithgow began his speech on
Diamond by singing the open-
ing notes to Sweet Caroline.
"His music all seems to be tai-
lored to his unique persona ...
but that hasn't stopped The
Monkees or Barbra Streisand
from making hits of his songs."
Referencing the hit I'm a Be-
liever, Lithgow added, "When it
comes to Neil Diamond, I am a
believer. We,all are belie. rs A


lineup of stars performed Dia-
mond songs: Sugarland's Jen-
nifer Nettles shared her spin of
Hello Again; Lionel Richie took
on I Am ... I Said. It was 2006
Kennedy Center honoree Rob-
inson who got the crowd to its
feet with Sweet Caroline. And
yes, Kennedy herself appeared
onstage.
Finally, the show turned to
Ma. Among those paying trib-
ute: his famous red Muppet
friend, Elmo. When asked ear-
lier in the evening what he liked
about the cellist, Elmo replied,
"Everything!" Then he added,
"He's a very, very nice man."
During the show, Stephen Col-
bert spoke about Ma. "We are
here to cello-brate," said Col-
bert, who described the cellist
as "passionate and fearless."
When it comes to his cello, the
actor added, Ma has "done ev-
erything but climb inside and
ride it down Niagara Falls."
The gala will be broadcast
at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Dec. 27 on
CBS.


Publix is the real deal.






With all the claims of low prices and great values,


which grocery store really does offer you the most?


Bottom line, it's Publix. No gimmicks. No come-ons.


Just straight-up savings that will help keep your


grocery budget in check. Go to publix.com/save


right now to make plans to save this week.












*e1rto save here.


.....'.' ,.......' ",- r ..., ..",


THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NI'EWVSPAPER


3C THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011









4C THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


Miami's Betty


By Jon Pareles

One mission isn't enough for
the Roots, who have released
two albums almost simultane-
ously. "Undun" (DefJam), the
Roots' own 13th studio album,
arrived along with a collabora-
tion with the soul singer Betty
Wright, "Betty Wright: The
Movie" (Ms. B/S-Curve) came
out on Nov. 15.
The Roots, led by Ahmir
(Questlove) Thompson on
drums and the rapper Black
Thought, are determined to
focus attention on the bleak
prospects of poor urban youth.
They uphold pre-gangsta ide-
als of hip-hop as a history and
outcry, while they reinvent
hip-hop as music for a live
band rather than for D.J.'s
and programmers. They delve
thoroughly into an African-
American heritage of funk
and soul, and they apply a
fan's and a curator's curiosity
to genres from indie-rock to
Afro-beat. They mingle per-
sonal and political messages,
reach out to older generations,
reverse-engineer vintage songs
and fearlessly experiment in
their own music. Not every
project is a masterpiece, but
the ambition runs deep and
true.
And then there's the day job:
as the house band on "Late
Night With Jimmy Fallon,"
backing guests with the kind
of adaptability that takes a
lot of homework for granted,
and applying record-collector
savvy to the walk-on music for
guests including, recently,
a funk connoisseur's inside-
joke "snark" (as Questlove put


* Get Informed, a
Community Health Fair,
will be held on Satur-
day, Dec. 17 et .~emorial
Temple Missionary Baptist
Church 16600 NW 44th
Court.

The Northwestern
Class of 1967 will meet
for brunch on Dec. 17 at
the Golden Corral at 1p.m.
Contact Elaine at 786-
227-7397

Free homebuyer's ed-
ucation workshop by Opa-
locka CDC will be held on
Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011
from 9 a.m. to 5 p. m. at
New Generations Baptist
Church. Get your certifi-
cate for attending the eight
hour course and hear about
NSP2 properties, guidelines
and subsidies. Reserve
your seat today. For addi-
tional information and lo-
cations, call 305-687-3545
ext. 238 or ext. 236.

Miami Jackson Class
of 1976 will be having its
First Annual Christmas par-
ty Dec.17th 8 p.m 2 a.m.
at the Bahamian Connec-
tion Grill Restaurant 4400
N.W. 2nd Avenue. For more
information contact Kevin
at 305-519-8790 or Ivan at
305-903-7268

P.H.I.R.S.T. Impres-
sionz, a dinner poetry
event, returns at Oasis
Cafe in North Miami. It will
be held on Sunday, Dec. 18
at 7 p.m. For more infor-
mation, call 786-273-5115.

St. Mary's Wesleyan
Methodist Church Mass
Choir will present a Christ-
mas Cantata on Sunday,
Dec.18 at 4 p.m. at 4798
NW 8th Avenue. Admission
is free.

Revelation Commu-
nity Education Center
will offer a holiday camp
beginning Mon. Dec. 19
thru Friday, Dec. 30 from
8 a.m. to p.m. Location is
17901 NW 37th Avenue.
For more information con-
tact Joyce Reid at 305-
623-0565.


The Roots, fea
tain Kirk Dougla
Young tribute in
Carnegie Hall.
it beforehand) at R
tive Michele Bachr
walked on to a wo:
tion of a derogator


Wright featured in
Te Roots have released an
iPhone app to accompany "Un-
dun," with videos and photos
depicting a short, violent, un-
glamorous life, but the album
is complete in itself. It's just
S39 minutes, made brief to be
listened to as a whole.
The raps by Black
Thought and regular Roots
collaborators including Dice
Raw, Greg Porn and Phonte,
i with occasional neo-soul
vocal choruses from Bilal
Olver are about desperate
conditions, material tempta-
tions and futile gratifications.
They're grimly matter-of-fact
testimony, with no glory and
fleeting bravado: "He never
had enough and got confused
when they asked why/ Life is
only a moment in time and
it passed by," Black Thought
raps in "The Other Side."
The music is framed not by
turning Cap- booming bass lines bass
IS, at a Neil parts are rare but by key-
February at boards, often high and fragile
little shards that are far closer verse gospel, pray'
to Radiohead's productions hope of redemptio
Zepresenta- on "Kid A" than to the plush face down in the c
nann, who fanfares of current best-selling no one's there in t
rdless rendi- hip-hop. Echoes of old-school house," goes one c
y Fishbone soul appear as a kind of in- melodies do arrive


song. (Apologies were demand-
ed and regrets were proffered.)
Given the constant activity on
Questlove's Twitter account, it
is unclear when or whether he
sleeps.
In both words and mu-
sic "Undun" is a ghost of an
album: a memoir from the
afterlife of a character named
Redford Stephens, who is dy-
ing at 25 as the album begins:
"There I go from a man to a
memory," Black Thought raps.


Registration for Mi-
ami-Dade County Parks
Winter Break Camps has
:begun. Camps will be held
Dec. 19, 2011-Jan. 2, 2012
from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. For
more information, contact
Miami-Dade County Infor-
mation Hotline at 3-1-1
or the Miami-Dade County
Parks, Recreation & Open
Spaces Department at 305-
755-7842.

The College of Arts
and Science Art and Art
History Department at
UM presents the Fourth
Cane Fair featuring artwork
of UM students. The exhi-
bition will run from Nov.
29, 2011 to Jan. 27, 2012
at the Wynwood Project
Space. For more informa-
tion, call 305-284-3161.

The Booker T. Wash-
ington Class of 1965,
Inc. will worship together
on Sun. Dec. 18 at 10 a.m.
at St. Paul AME Church.
For additional information,
contact Lebbie Lee at 305-
213-0188.

The Northwestern
Class of 1967 will not
meet during the month of
Dec. Meetings will resume
on Jan. 11, 2012, 7 p. m.
at the home of Ms. Queen
Hall 870 NW 168th Dr.

Jonathan Spikes,
Inc. presents the "Let's
Talk It Out" conflict reso-
lution workshop on Fri-
day, Jan. 20, 2012 at the
Joseph Caleb Auditorium
from 8:30 a.m.- 2 p.m. For
more information, email
info@jonathanspikes.com.

The College of Arts
and Science Art and Art
History Department at
UM presents the Fourth
Cane Fair featuring artwork
of UM students. The exhi-
bition will run from Nov.
29, 2011 to Jan. 27, 2012
at the Wynwood Project
Space. For more informa-
tion, call 305-284-3161.

Chai Community
Services food program is
taking applications from


undun



... 1
n i~

. .- I
"KAJ- I


grandparents raising their
grandchildren. All services
are free. For applications
or to schedule an appoint-
ment, call 786-657-2072.

Dad's for Justice, a
program under Chai Com-
munity Services assists
non-custodial parents with
child inquiries. For more
information, or to schedule
an appointment, call 786-
657-2071.

Jewels Baton Twirl-
ing Academy is now ac-
cepting registration for the
2012 season. This is a fun
way to keep your child oc-
cupied outside of school.
Open to those who attend
any elementary schools
within the 33147, 33142,
33150 zip codes and ac-
tively attend church. Con-
tact Elder Tanya Jackson at
786-357-4939 to sign up.

The Miami-Dade
Community Action Agen-
cy's (CAA) Head Start
Program has immediate
openings for comprehen-
sive child care at the South
Miami Head Start Center
for children ages 3-5 only.
For more information, call
at 305-665-4684.

Looking for all Ev-
ans County High School
Alumni to create a South
Florida Alumni Contact
Roster. If you attended
or graduated from Ev-
ans County High School in
Claxton, Georgia, contact
at 305-829-1345 or 786-
514-4912.

S.A.V. (Survivors
Against Violence) is a
bible-based program for
young people and meets at
Betty T. Ferguson Center in
Miami Gardens each week.
For information, contact
Minister Eric Robinson at
954-548-4323 or www.
savingfamilies.webs.com.

Empowerment Tu-
toring in Miami Gardens
offers free tutoring with
trained teachers. For more
information, call 305-654-
7251.

Booker T. Washington
Class of 1967 meets the 3rd
Saturday of each month at
the African Heritage Cul-


A new Roots collaboration.


ers without
n: "You're
ocean/ And
he light-
:horus. When
e, they are


bittersweet at best, like the
one that arises in "Make My,"
a deathbed reflection. Amid
hints of Marvin Gaye's "What's
Going On" and Stevie Won-
der's analog synthesizers, the
chorus reflects, "They told me
that the ends would justify the
means," and, "Maybe I'll throw
in the towel and make my de-
parture from the world."
The album has an instru-
mental coda, a suite based on
a piano elegy by Sufjan Ste-


tural Arts Center. For more
information, contact Agnes
Morton at 305-333-7128.

Merry Poppins Day-
care/Kindergarten in
Miami has free open en-
rollment for VPK, all day
program. For information,
contact Lakeysha Ander-
son at 305-693-1008.

Calling healthy ladies
50+ to start a softball team
for fun and laughs. Be apart
of this historical adventure.
Twenty-four start-up play-
ers needed. For more infor-
mation, call Coach Rozier
at 305-389-0288.

The Miami North-
western Class of 1962
meets on the second Sat-
urday of each month at 4
p.m. at the African Heri-
tage Cultural Arts Center.
We are beginning to make
plans for our 50th Reunion.
For more information, con-
tact Evelyn at 305-621-
8431.

Looking for all former
Montanari employees to
get reacquainted. Meet-
ings are held on the last
Saturday of each month at
9 a.m. For more informa-
tion, contact Loletta Forbes
at 786-593-9687 or Elijah
Lewis.at 305-469-7735.

Great Crowd Min-
istries presents South
Florida Gospel Festival at
Amelia Earhart Park on
Saturday, March 10, 2012
from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. For
more information, contact
Constance Koon-Johnson
at 786-290-3258.

Liberty City Farm-
ers Market will be held
Thursday, 12-5 p.m. and
Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
at TACOLCY Park until May
2012. For more informa-
tion, call 954-235-2601 or
305-751-1295 ext. 107.

The Eta Phi Beta
Sorority, Inc. Alpha
Gamma Chapter and
SHAD Club #25 invites
7th Grade Girls and Boys
to our 2011-2012 Bee/Ette
and Senords Mentoring
Program Orientation. For
further information, please
contact Mrs. Miller at 305
898-1701.


phens that's included on the
album: "Redford (For Yia Yia
& Pappou)." It goes through
short variations, including
a crashing free-jazz duet of
Questlove's drums and D. D.
Jackson hurling two-fisted
piano clusters, followed by an
elegiac string quartet and a
last dissonant piano chord, an
unpeaceful final rest.
With "Undun" representing
the Roots' experimental side,
"Betty Wright: The Movie,"
billed to Betty Wright & the
Roots, is the band's latest
connection with its beloved
1970s soul. (Questlove pro-
duced Al Green's 2008 album,
"Lay It Down.") Ms. Wright


is best known for her 1971
hit, "Clean Up Woman," and
her 1978 song "Tonight Is the
Night, Pts. 1 and 2 (live)" and,
more recently, as a mentor to
the British soul singer Joss
Stone (who's a guest on one
song) and as a vocal coach on
the reality series "Making the
Band." Here she hasn't lost a
bit of her gospelly grain, flirta-
tious cooing or hortatory fer-
vor. "Like every woman who's
been through the fire as well/
We all got a story half afraid to
tell," she declaims in "Grapes
on a Vine," a rock-soul decla-
ration of long-haul loyalty with
a sympathetic cameo rap from
Lil Wayne.
The Roots revive 1970s
grooves, including the lightly
scrubbing guitars of Ms.
Wright's early Miami soul,
but they're not pure vintage
style; there's a hint of hip-
hop's hypnotic repetition. Ms.
Wright collaborated on all the
album's songs, most of them
about embattled romance: "I
could write a thesis on how we
fell to pieces/ I pray the pain
decreases, ceases," she sings
in "Baby Come Back," a bitter
breakup duet with Lenny Wil-
liams of Tower of Power. She's
a grown-up now, and proud
of it, and she has plenty of
advice: keep treating a partner
right, hold on, face down eco-
nomic woes, but stand up for
yourself. The album ends with
"Go!," an explicit song about
domestic abuse in a tearful,
preaching, raging nine-minute
live performance. That deter-
mination to tell unvarnished
stories is a mission she proud-
ly shares with the Roots.


Your Itraordinary Love
There's a man. Lost in the past, broken in spirit, hurting within. There's
a woman. I see her, crying, broken in tears. She is hurting, within, from
her past and lost, in those broken tears. There's a Love that restores
life again. It's the gift of love that revolves in the atmosphere. It's the
glory of God's love. There's an extraordinary Love that comes from
heavenly heaven above.The glory of love restores all broken spirits. With
his extraordinary love, there is no remembrance of the broken past. His
love takes me to a secret place. Within his arms, I'm held with mercy,
loved forever with his grace.The extraordinary love tells me that his love
dwells within me. There's something extraordinary that fills my heart.
You're the extraordinary that shines upon my life. You're the answer
to all my prayers. You're the extraordinary love my heart desires. Rain
down upon me more of that extraordinary love. That's all I'll ever need.
Your extraordinary love. By Darryl L. Jenkins
Miami, FL

Oprah's OWN network shifting focus
Executives at OWN last January is that
think they may have it's performing par-
found a way to salvage ticularly well among
Oprah Winfrey's strug- its Black audience
gling network: By catering members--especially
more to a Black audience. with a reality show
That may help ratings, called Sweetie Pies
but it would mean a dra- : that premiered in Oc-
matic shift, and one that tober.
could put the channel at odds "Anytime you have a program
with Winfrey's own brand. that pops like Sweetie Pies did,
According to OWN president you start looking at what drove
Erik Logan and Discovery Com- it," Logan tells Adweek. "And we
munications CEO David Zaslav, saw that the Black audience re-
the silver lining in an otherwise ally had a connection with that
bleak performance record for show .. We're going to look at
the network since its launch ways to nurture and grow that."


The Roots two albums










IIFI NAFIION'IS #1 BLACK NI'\VSPAPF.R


Sneak peek: Steve Harvey's 'Think Like a Man'


In a man's world,

there are rules

By Brian Truitt

Steve Harvey jokes that
he can easily count all the
money he has made in the
movie business. It's his self-
help book for women, howev-
er, that might be his biggest
big-screen splash.
Scheduled to open March 9,
the ensemble comedy/drama
Think Like a Man is based on
Harvey's 2009 book, Act Like
a Lady, Think Like a Man,
which topped USA TODAY's
Best-Selling Books list.
"The idea of my first au-


thoring endeavor being
turned into a movie that's
a big jump, man. I don't know
anybody who can plan that,"
Harvey says.
In Think Like a Man,
directed by Tim Story (Bar-
bershop), characters played
by Taraji P. Henson, Michael
Ealy, Gabrielle Union, Jerry
Ferrara, Meagan Good and
others depict Harvey's prin-
ciples in different situations.
"A lot of the rules they go
by, a lot of the ideologies and
their personalities and opin-
ions are shaped by the book,"
Story says. (Some of Harvey's
highlights: how to deal with
"mama's boys," how many
dates should there be before
a guy is invited to a woman's


1~


Dominic (Michael Ealy, left), Cedric (Kevin Hart), Bennett
(Gary Owen), Michael (Terrence J), Zeke (Romany Malco)
and Jeremy (Jerry Ferrara) try to turn the tables on women.


place, and five questions to
ask to see whether your man
is serious.)
The comedian-turned-
author is the narrator, the
omnipresent voice of reason,
Story says. "You always know
these are the words of Steve."
Harvey, who also has a role
in the movie, filmed all of his
on-screen work in one day. "I
think I'm Oscar-worthy my-
self. And I probably have the
smallest role in the movie!"
he says with a laugh.
Kevin Hart plays a re-
cently divorced man who has
soured on the idea of mar-
riage and makes it known
to his friends. "I'm the voice
for men in this movie," Hart
says.


Adds Story: "Guys are guys,
and guys and girls fall in love
and fall in like. He's trying to
keep them from going down
the same disastrous road he
has gone down."
A divorced man himself,
Hart has taken Harvey's ad-
vice to heart as he negotiates
the dating scene.
"What I learned was what
you give out is what you
receive. I think a lot of men
don't understand that. In my
first marriage, I wasn't aware
of that," Hart says.
"Now that I'm a man, I've
learned that the way you
treat a woman is the way
you'll be treated back if
you're dealing with a quality
woman."


Michelle Obama's "American Grown" to be released in April


First lady writing

book about White

House garden

By Lynn Sweet

WASHINGTON First
Lady Michelle Obama's book
about her garden will be
titled American Grown: How
the White House Kitchen
Garden Inspires Families,
Schools, and Communi-
ties and will be published
in April, I'm told. The cover
of the book features Mrs.
Obama in her garden, in
front of a trestle of beans
holding a basketful of pro-
duce grown on the South
Lawn of the White House.
The garden, in its third
year, quickly became a
signature project for Mrs.
Obama, who has said she
found herself answering
questions about her crops in
her global travels. The suc-
cess of the message of the
garden--healthy et rn --cou-
pled with exercise--paved the
way for Mrs. Obama's "Let's
Move" campaign against
childhood obesity, launched
on Feb. 9, 2010.
The book project was an-
nounced last March, on
the day of the spring, 2011


ters Sasha and Malia were
catalysts for change in her
own family's eating behavior,
which inspired Mrs. Obama
to plant an edible garden on
the South Lawn the first
since Eleanor Roosevelt's
"Victory Garden" planted
during World War II. The


planting and is expected to
reflect a year in the garden-
,,Whiqh hasp plantings each
season--even hoop houses in
the winter. The book will be
published in print and digital
editions by Crown Publish-
ers, an imprint of Random
House, Inc.'s Crown Publish-
ing Group. Mrs. Obama will
donate all earnings from the
book to charity.


book will be inspirational
and instructive and will pro-
vide ideas and resources for
readers to get involved in the
movement to create commu-
nity, school, and urban gar-
dens, support local farmers'
markets, and make small
lifestyle changes to achieve


big health results."
I asked about Mrs. Obama
taking a tour to publicize the
book and was told by Ran-
dom House spokesman David
Drake, "details of the book
launch will be forthcoming
a little closer to publication
date."


) --





We'll help you stay
.. ..w 'in cottr6l of


-- c-

Random said in a state-
ment, "Through telling the
story of the White Hpuse -,_
kitchen garden, Mrs. Obama
will explore in American
Grown how increased access
to healthy, affordable food
can promote better eating
habits and improve health
of families and communities
across America. Mrs. Obama
will describe how her daugh-


your money.

Even when life

doesn't stay still.


In 'Couple's Retirement Puzzle,'


authors say money isn't everything


By Kerry Hannon

How many times have you
been asked, are you saving
enough to retire?
In The Couple's Retirement
Puzzle: 10 Must-Have Conver-
sations for Transitioning to
The Second Half of Life ($17.95,
LincolnStreet Press), Roberta
K. Taylor and Dorian Mintzer,
both therapists specializing in
life transitions, don't overlook
this essential question, but
money isn't everything when













^i





it comes to planning for retire-
ment.
A "myth about retirement is
that as long as you're finan-
cially secure, everything else
will fall into place," they write.
"But money, in and of itself,
does not buy love, companion-
ship, friendship, respect, self-
esteem, joy or a sense of being
part of something greater than
oneself. This essential life les-
son, once learned, can bring a
great deal of comfort and joy in
the second half of life."
That's hard to argue with.
How do you prepare for a happy
retirement?
If you're part of a couple, you


start by talking about it. It be-
gins with a frank conversation
about how you want to live the
next part of your life, they write.
"It does not necessarily mean
not working," they say. They're
spot on there. Many "retirees"
will start a second act, or en-
core career. Others will keep
working part-time either for the
money, the mental engagement,
to give back in some way or all
of the above.
But you need to begin to pri-
oritize and make decisions. You


may not have a choice about
whether to work well into your
seventies, but "there may be
creative options for how to work
and what you can do, given
your interests, experience and
skills," according to the au-
thors.
That's precisely why you need
to be on the same page. Hav-
ing someone to grow old with is
great and helps defray stress.
It frequently provides financial
support, and, of course, a hu-
man bond that's priceless. But
unless you have a general road-
map that you're both following,
it can get pretty complicated.
Taylor and Mintzer hit on


some key concerns:
How do dual-career couples
make decisions about when to
retire, whether to retire togeth-
er or separately, or if they can
afford to retire at all?
What if you're out of sync?
A woman who has put her ca-
reer on hold until children are
grown might be re-entering
the job force as her husband
is thinking about leaving his
job and winding down or tran-
sitioning into something less
demanding.
What do you do if you're
used to working out of your
home office as a freelancer,
and suddenly, your spouse is
underfoot 24-7? Resentments
can build.
How can you successful-
ly meld two individuals' in-
nermost needs, desires and
dreams for the next chapter?
You want to live in the country,
say, with your dogs and hors-
es. He's a city boy and enjoys
being able to walk to the gro-
cery store, slip into a theater
for the latest movie and has a
hankering for public transpor-
tation.
Taylor and Mintzer's mission
is to present a strategy to start
the conversations that help
couples tackle some pieces of
the puzzle. Most couples aren't
going to agree on everything.
But if you can communicate,
you can find solutions, they
write.
They provide practical ques-
tions to get you started:
What are my goals for the
next stage of life? Have you al-
ways wanted to learn Italian or
buy a vacation home in Maine?
What are my options if I de-
cide to continue working?
How do financial decisions
get made in our relationship?
Do I want that to change?


I


A .

Y


.
.. ,I .. ... .'1 1
?c i .'i '-4 .


: .: J.'


5C THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011


=" :"' :4-
; ,' ""i.: d ;'.















Business


0


Liberty City



targets



internet



shoppers


Stylish shoe store goes global

By Randy Grice
rgrice@miamititnesonline.com

The fashion business is an industry that requires
dedication and determination, one Liberty City na-
tive is bringing just that. For women searching for the
perfect heel, Dee Baker is giving the globe a perfect
solution with her online store, alteregoheels.com
"The idea of Alter Ego Heels (AEH) was birthed back
Please turn to SHOPPERS 8D


HEELS











^.^w^^Oi AMfw^Mw~te


Lack of public jobs
By Tomothy Williams

Don Buckley lost his job driving a Chicago Transit
Authority bus almost two years ago and has been look-
ing for work ever since, even as other municipal bus
drivers around the country are being laid off. At 34,
Buckley, his two daughters and his fiance have moved
into the basement of his mother's house. He has had to
delay his marriage and his entire savings, $27,000, is
gone.
Buckley is one of tens of thousands of once solidly
middle-class Black government workers bus drivers
in Chicago, police officers and firefighters in Cleveland,
nurses and doctors in Florida who have been laid
off since the recession ended in June 2009. Such job
losses have blunted gains made in employment and
wealth during the previous decade and undermined the
stability of neighborhoods where there are now fewer
Black professionals who own homes or who get up ev-
ery morning to go to work. Though the recession and
continuing economic downturn have been devastating
to the American middle class as a whole, the two-and-
a-half years since the declared end of the recession
have been singularly harmful to middle-class Blacks
in terms of layoffs and unemployment, according to
economists and recent government data. About one-in-
five Black workers have public-sector jobs and Black
workers are one-third more likely than white ones to be
employed in the public sector.
Please turn to JOBS 8D


Miranda Doe, of Fort Lauderdale, talks to her two-year-old son Jevon, while on hold
during a call to get her unemployment benefits reinstated.



More are denied jobless



benefits under new law


By Marcia Heroux Pounds

The tough overhaul of un-
employment benefits is saving
the state millions.
Benefits have been denied
more than twice as often in
the first three months of the
new law, compared with the
same period in 2010, accord-
ing to data from the Florida
Department of Economic Op-
portunity.
The three months of denials
will save the state $10.85 mil-
lion, the agency said.
Florida's tougher unem-
ployment law requires those
claiming benefits to report
weekly online five jobs they've
applied for or to meet with a
state jobs counselor. The law
also aims to keep workers
with job performance issues
from claiming benefits.
Some unemployed Florid-
ians and advocates for the
unemployed say the rising


number of denials proves it's
too easy for the state to turn
down claims with the new
rules. Claims and job-search
information must be submit-
ted online; there's no tele-

"They discourage you
from collecting. It's
very frustrating.

DOMINICK DEIUCCIA, a West
Panl Beach resident who lost his job

phone option.
"They discourage you from
collecting," said Dominick
DeLui(C a', a WeSt Palm.Beach
resident who recently lost his
job as a driver and says he
doesn't have the computer
skills to file online. "It's very
frustrating," he said.
Gov. Rick Scott said the
law is meeting its goals. "The
intention of the law is to


Gift cards remain


high on holiday list
By Jessica Dickler

NEW YORK Gift cards continue to be the most popular holiday
gift, despite the fact that many recipients turn around and trade
them in for cash.
The majority, or 57.7 percent, of shoppers say they'd like to re-
ceive a gift card this holiday season, according to the
National Retail Federation. And most prob-
ably will. Eighty-percent of people
will buy gift cards this hol-
iday, up from 77 percent
last year, according to the
NRF's report.
Holiday shoppers are ex-
pected to spend an average
of $155.43 on gift cards, up
from $145.61 last year and the
highest amount since 2007.
This season, total spending on
gift cards will reach $27.8 bil-
lion, the NRF said.
The value of an individual gift f.
card is rising, too. This year.
Please turn to GIFT CARDS 8D


help people
get jobs by
encouraging ,
them to ac- F O
tively look for .
work," said -'
Lane Wright,
spokesman
for Scott. "We
would rather cr
have them SC
getting a
paycheck than a benefit."
Nearly 140,000 Floridians,
or 65 percent of those filing
claims, were denied unem-
ployment benefits between
Aug. 1, when the law took
effect, and Oct. 31, according
to the state. -
During the same three
months a year ago, 62,023
people or 21 percent of the
303,000 people filing ini-
tial claims, were denied, the
agency said.
Failing to meet online
Please turn to LAW 8D


How the gas


Grinch stole


Christmas

By Craig Wilson

We've all heard the reports of gas
prices putting a damper this year on
the old "over the river and through
the woods" journey home for Christ-
mas.
Nonetheless, most of us will take
out a second mortgage, fill up the
tank and head out for the holidays. I
mean, what am I supposed to say to
my 92-year-old mother? Can't make
it this year? Gas too expensive? Have
a nice time? Hope prices drop by next
year? Present on the way? Have a
martini on me?
As her son, I suppose I could ask
her for some travel money since
things are so bad this year. It's not
as if offspring aren't relying on the
kindness of their parents these days.
Or am I too old to play that game? It's
not as if I want to go home to live in
my old bedroom. It's only gas money
I'm asking for. I think she should
consider herself lucky that I'm not
asking for her to pay off my Visa bill.
All I need is $200. Max.
I was pondering the high price
of everything the other day when I
heard about that charter plane, en
route to England from India, that
stopped to refuel in Vienna when the
crew announced passengers had to
cough up even more money for fuel.
Some $31,000 in fact. They literally
passed the hat.
Film footage of the incident showed
people standing in the aisle and
reaching for their wallets. Those who
didn't have anything to offer to the
fuel fund were asked to get off the
plane and go to the nearest ATM.
. As my father used to say, "Now I've.
heard everything."
Maybe this is the wave of the
future, although it's not really that
new.
I remember driving home from col-
lege and passing hitchikers with who
held up signs that read "Will help pay
Please turn to GAS 8D


Commissioners look at

extending boundaries

By Oscar Pedro Musibay nity council for a hearing.
A second application,
Miami-Dade County com- submitted by the Ferro
rnissioners approved two Investment Group, proposes
applications to move the changing an agricultural
urban development bound- designation to allow for com-
ary, testing for the first time mercial uses at the southeast
the efficiency of a cost-cut- corner of Southwest 167th
ting consolidation plan that Avenue and 104th Street. In a
reduced county departments 7-5 vote, commissioners de-
from 42 to 25. One applica- cided to modify the county's
tion would move the line to comprehensive development
accommodate a commercial master plan for this request,
project at the northwest cor- sending it to Tallahassee to
ner of Northwest 103rd Street get feedback fro-m state of-
and 32nd Court. The newly- officials.
approved use was for busi- Commissioners will later
ness and office (previously have the opportunity to factor
residential). The commission the state's response into its
voted 11 -0 in favor of moving decision-making in April. The
the boundary on one applica- proposals will need a super-
tion; the request will now go majority of nine votes to win
to the neighborhood commu- final approval.
E


New efforts to identify discriminatory mortgage lending begins


CFPB solicits
public complaints
on mortgages

By Charlene Crowell
NNPA Columnist

Many times consumers
question whether complain-
ing about a financial problem
will ever do any good. Now,
thanks to a new initiative by
the federal Consumer Finan-
cial Protection Bureau (CFPB),
no one needs to wonder any-
more. Beginning December 1,


the consumer watch-
dog agency is ask-
ing consumers to tell
them about unfair or
illegal practices that
occurred before, dur-
ing or after getting a
mortgage loan. The
agency promises to
give every complaint
a fair review, and it
will also use the in-
formation gathered


. R^. .



CROWELL


as a guide when considering
new consumer protections.
The CFPB should expect to
get an earful. A wealth of re-
search documents how com-


munities of color
have borne the brunt
of predatory lend-
ing and the foreclo-
sures that followed.
Too many African-
American and Latino
borrowers received
high-cost, risky
mortgages when they
could have quali-
fied for lower-cost
and more sustain-


able loans. Now foreclosures
are happening more quickly
in communities of color than
anywhere else-a curious
phenomenon when one con-


siders that white homeowners
hold far more of troubled home
loans. By one estimate, Black
and Brown communities have
lost $350 billion of wealth dur-
ing this Great Recession, ac-
cording to the Center for Re-
sponsible Lending (CRL). Even
worse -- these communities
already had the least to lose.
During the subprime boom
and long before the CFPB
was formed, there was no
shortage of mortgage-related
complaints-but very few re-
ceived serious consideration.
Responsibility for mortgage
protections was parceled out


among at least half a dozen
regulatory agencies, some of
whom were very friendly to the
lenders they were supposed
to be monitoring. Now, with
the CFPB on the job, we can
expect a much sharper focus
on consumer complaints and
a stronger commitment to re-
solving them.
For any doubting Thomas
that remains cynical about
progress on consumer com-
plaints, consider what hap-
pened when the CFPB asked
the public to share their prob-
lems with credit cards. Be-
tween July 21 and October 21


this year, the Bureau received
5,074 complaints. Of these
complaints, 74 percent have
now been resolved. Issues
raised involved billing dis-
putes, identity theft and other
fraud.
We now know that 397,000
African-American families
lost their homes on mortgag-
es made between 2004 and
2008. Some opponents of re-
form try to blame affordable
housing programs, but the
facts don't support that posi-
tion. Wall Street became rav-
enous for the most dangerous
Please turn to CFPB 8D


I .













Keep it together in stressful situations


By Andrea Kay

Nate Owens, Florida Today
You don't have to sweat bul-
lets or stick your foot in
your mouth when you hit
a snag at work or in an inter-
view.
Out loud or to yourself, you
react to stress many times in
a day at work or in a job hunt.
In that moment it's stress city,
hard to think straight. As a re-
sult, you say or do something
you will regret.
What if you could keep
yourself from being your own
worst enemy and not become
unglued in crisis situations?
The first and most important
rule for taking control is to get
yourself under control first,
says Mark Goulston, author
of Just Listen: Discover the
Secret to Getting through to
Absolutely Anyone.
"But I already know how to
handle a tense situation," you


may be saying. Most likely, you
don't know how to do it quickly
enough, says Goulston, a psy-
chiatrist and consultant to FBI
agents and hostage negotia-
tors.
A few minutes after a stress-
ful encounter, you usually
calm down a bit. Your pulse
slows and you breath more
slowly. Then minutes or hours
later you gain enough self-
control to think through your
options when it's too late.
"You've already lost a sale,
alienated a boss or co-worker.
Or you've missed the moment
to make a perfect comment or
a great first impression," he
says.
In his book, Goulston says
in a moment of a big crisis we
go through a five-step process.
This includes the:
"Oh, f#@&" reaction
phase. ("I'm screwed; it's all
over.)
"Oh, God" release phase.


MI e. / "A \
You don't have to sweat bullets -- or stick your foot in
your mouth -- when you hit a snag at work or in an inter-


view.
("This stuff always happens to
mIe.")
"Oh, jeez" recenter phase.
("All right, I can fix this...")


"Oh, well" refocus stage.
("I'm not going to let this ruin
my career. ... Here's what I
need to do to make it better.")


"OK" re-engage phase.
("I'm ready to fix this.")
The secret is becoming con-
sciously aware of these stages
so you can "manipulate your
emotional response at each
stage" and then speed up the
steps from start to end in min-
utes, Goulston says.
He's not suggesting that you
can solve a crisis in minutes.
He is saying that you can
think your way through to the
possible solution that quickly.
So the first step to move your
brain from panic to logic "is to
put words to what you're feel-
ing at each stage" silently or
out loud.
When first reacting to a
stressful situation, you don't
want to "lie to yourself and say,
'I'm cool. I'm calm. It's fine.' It's
time to say at first, anyway
- I'm scared as hell," he says.
SAfter acknowledging your
feelings, breathe deeply and
slowly through your nose until


you let go of the powerful emo-
tion.
Relax.
It might help to say the
words of each stage: "Oh, jeez.
... Oh, well." Then start to
think of what you can do to
control the damage, and do
what you need to do.
This is also an invaluable
tool if you tend to cry when
feeling attacked by someone.
"By actively acknowledging
the urge to cry 'OK, this
is the Oh, God stage, and I
feel like crying at this point'
- rather than trying to fight
it, you'll be in the powerful
position of observing that op-
tion and deciding against it,"
Goulston says.
Dozens of things can and
will go wrong in your day.
Rehearse these steps in your
mind so that next time you're
bubbling over with anxiety,
your brain will go from panic
to logic much more quickly.


Ready to go? Leave your workplace in a smart way
By Laura Petrecca can Psychological Association's of the TV, he says. Healthier to express their dissatisfac- should also take constructive human resources consultant
healthy workplace program. choices, such as taking short tion." steps, such as networking and Peter Ronza. Think, "Tonight,
Hitting the send button on Instead, shoot for a middle workday breaks, exercising and Refocus: Those without a creating an exceptional Linke- I'm going to that art exhibit or
scathing, company-wide e-mail ground. Some tips: staying socially connected," will new job opportunity should dIn profile, he says. I'm going to play with my son
is far from the best wav to re- Tame the tension: "Know help you manage things better." explore alternate exits, such Unhappy workers should also in the backyard," he says. "You


sign. But going quietly isn't
ideal, either. It's not particu-
larly productive (to quit with
fanfare), but neither is waiting
it out, saying nothing at all and
keeping that dissatisfaction to
yourself," says psychologist Da-
vid Ballard, head of the Ameri-


your own stress level so it
doesn't creep up on you," Bal-
lard says."Often, there are low-
level signs before it gets to a
boiling point."
Many overwrought workers
eat junk food, drink excessive
alcohol or zone out in front


Sometimes, talking issues
through with a boss or co-work-
ers can help, as can speaking
up in meetings.
Many folks who go out big
"feel they haven't been heard,"
says Ballard." They haven't had
the opportunities or channels


Four factors that determine value


How much is your

home worth?
By Ann Brown

If you are trying to sell your
home, there are many factors
to keep in mind when looking
at your home's value. Believe it
or notT'Y ie in't juWthe Ibeltibh
and condition of your home
that can figure into its value.
Even such details as the color
of your house can cause the
value to go up or down. Factors
such as a great neighborhood,
a good school district and a
good street will obviously add
value to your home. But other
factors also play into the value
of your house.
These things can bring down
the value: 1) The style of your


house does not match the
rest of those on your block;
2) You have painted the inte-
rior of your house a color that
makes your house stand apart
too much from those of your
neighbors; 3) Is your home
much bigger or smaller than
the others in the area? Up-
grading and adding rooms can
ad 'f ilue to your home. but
don't go overboard so much
that your home is dramatically
different than the others on
the block; and 4) Your renova-
tions are odd or just not up to
snuff.
"Some improvements that
home owners make that do not
improve or may hurt the value
of the house are, for example,
installing an expensive fence
around the property," said
Carl Agard, a licensed real es-


tate broker in New York and
Atlanta for over 13 years and
author of two books on real es-
tate investing.
There are things you can
do to improve the value, says
Agard. He lists things like up-
grading the kitchen, the bath-
room or finishing the base-
ment area as ways to increase
the vahlue ofone's hdmet And he
adds that the best way to find
out the current value of your
home and also how to increase
that value is by contacting a
professional.
"The best way right now with
the uncertainty in the real
estate market and values not
being consistent with the in-
crease in foreclosures is to get
a professional appraisal from a
licensed appraiser or realtor,'
Agard said.


Cost for groceries continue to soar


By Allison Linn

The percentage of people who
say they had enough money to
buy food in the last 12 months
fell to its lowest level in three
years, according to a Gallup
poll released this month. The
vast majority of Americans
surveyed 79.4 percent -
said they have been able to
buy the food they need. But
that doesn't mean it's easy.
Nearly one-third of Ameri-
cans say rising food and gas
prices are making it difficult
to save money, according to
a recent poll from Country
Financial.
Ricky Volpe, a research
economist with the USDA's
Economic Service, said there
are many reasons food prices


BX, IGHTING THE

WEATH ER AN


are rising.
Some crops have been hurt
by bad weather and a surge in
fuel prices has made it more
expensive to produce and
transport food. In addition, he
says the weak dollar and grow-
ing overseas demand for meat
are pushing up the prices of
beef, pork and dairy products.
For many food producers, it's a
combination of things.
"Companies can usu-
ally handle one or two of their
commodities ticking up," said
Ryland Maltsbarger, senior
economist with the agriculture
service at IHS Global Insight.
"But when you get labor costs
on top of transportation costs
on top of commodity costs on
top of a few other costs ... it all
plays into it."


But Volpe says there are
ways to save money. For
example, while the price of
fresh fruits and vegetables has
gone up considerably, prices
for canned or frozen produce
haven't risen as much. Also,
while beef prices have gone up
substantially, chicken farm-
ers have been able to respond
more quickly to increased
demand, so poultry prices
aren't expected to rise as fast.
Poultry prices were up three
percent in September over a
year ago. As families prepare
their holiday meals, food costs
add another challenge for
people on a budget. The Ameri-
can Farm Bureau is projecting
that a turkey dinner will cost
13 percent more this year than
last year.


as asking for a sabbatical or a
new assignment, says execu-
tive search consultant Charley
Polachi. Frustrated workers


focus on things that bring en-
joyment. "Try to concentrate as
much as possible on (aspects)
other than your work life,"says


have to find a focus, an anchor
to get you through those bad
times."
Please turn to WORKPLACE 8D


CITY OF MIAMI
) l^ ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Sealed bids will be received by the City of Miami, Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, 1st Floor, 3500 Pan
American Drive, Miami, Florida 33133-5504, until Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 10:00 a.m., for the project
entitled:

Dr. MLK Jr. BOULEVARD LANDSCAPING CONTRACT, M-0090

Scope of Work: The project consists of complete landscaping services for the Dr. MLK Jr. Boulevard locat-
ed along N.W. 62 Street between N.W. 5th Place to N.W. 12th Avenue, the east and west embankments of
1-95 ramps intersecting N.W. 62nd Street, and the Butterfly Gardens located east and west of 1-95 and N.W.
54th Street. The work consists of mowing, weed trimming, litter pick up (cups, paper trash, bags, bottles,
etc.), mulching, planting shrubs (3 gal.) trees and palms (30 gal.), herbicide and insect spraying, etc. In addi-
.tioi, furnishing all labor material and equipment for bi-weekly inspection and repair services.to the waltion,
system at the Butterfly Gardens. NOTE: Additional locations for landscaping and .rrtgation ser ices mgay be
added to this contract as the maintenance responsibilities are transferred to the Pubtie'Works0)epartment.

Sealed bids will be received by the City of Miami, Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, 1st Floor, 3500
Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida 33133-5504, until Tuesday. January 10. 2012 at 11:00 a.m., for the
project entitled:

CITY LOTS AND RIGHTS OF WAY LANDSCAPING CONTRACT, M-0082

Scope of Work: The project consists of complete landscaping maintenance services for the existing city
lots and rights of ways under the jurisdiction of the Public Works Department. The work consists of mowing
the grassed areas, weed trimming, litter pick up, lot clearance with heavy equipment, mulching, planting
shrubs (3 gal.) and trees and palms (30 gal., 10'-12' o.a.), herbicide and insect spraying, erecting fallen
trees, branch trimming, and any landscaping work required in the right of way, installation of top soil (50/50
mix) and installation of fine sand to fill depressed, eroded swale areas (including the water spraying for dust
control and incidental chain link fence repairs at miscellaneous location as directed by the Engineer. This
project excludes the parcels owned by CRA and Asset Management Department. The contract term is for a
two (2) year period with the option to renew for three (3) one (1) year additional periods. NOTE: Additional
locations for city lots and rights of way will be added or deleted to this contract as maintenance responsibili-
ties are transfer to/from the Public Works Department.

Minimum Requirements for projects M-0090 and M-0082: The prospective bidder must have a current
Certified Contractor's License from the State of Florida Construction Industry License Board for the class
of work to be performed or the appropriate certificate of competency or the state's contractors certificate of
registration as issued by Miami-Dade County code, which authorizes the bidder to perform the proposed
work. The selected contractor shall hold a Miami-Dade County municipal occupational license issued by
Miami-Dade County in the appropriate trade (landscaping).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sealed bids will be received by the City of Miami, Office of the City Clerk, City Hall, 1st Floor, 3500 Pan
American Drive, Miami, Florida 33133-5504, until Wednesday. January 11, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.., for the
project entitled:

BISCAYNE BOULEVARD MAINTENANCE CONTRACT FROM
NE 5TH STREET TO NE 87TH STREET, M-0039

Scope of Work: The project consists of complete bi-weekly landscaping maintenance and monthly electri-
cal and irrigation inspection and repair services for the existing medians, swales and sidewalk areas along
Biscayne Boulevard between NE 5th and NE 87th Streets (433,101 sq.ft.). The scope of work includes
mowing, weeding, trimming of palms, shade trees and plants, edging and pruning, mulching as per plan, re-
installing root guards, providing and planting palms, shade trees and shrubbery (1 and 3 gal.) per plan, insect
spraying, herbicide spraying, fertilizing, removal of all undesirable plants and invasive exotic plant materials
and litter/debris pick up (bi-weekly) and watering the landscaped areas. The scope of work also includes the
monthly inspection and repair, if necessary, of the irrigation and electrical systems located in the medians,
swales and sidewalk areas. The contract term is for a two (2) years period with the option to renew for three
(3) additional one (1) year periods.

Minimum Requirements for project M-0039: Prospective Bidder shall hold a current certified license as
a General Contractor from the State of Florida or a Miami-Dade County Business Occupational License in
the appropriate trade(landscaping, irrigation and electrical). Proof of experience for landscaping projects
with irrigation and landscaping lighting is required for three (3) separate projects of similar size, scope, and
complexity, supported by references within the past three (3) years. The work performed by the subcontrac-
tors cannot be more than 10% of the total work specified in this contract.

A 100% Performance and Payment Bond for Total Bid (Twice the Base Bid) is required for these
Projects. A 5% Bid Bond of Total Bid (Twice the Base Bid) is required.

Bid packages containing complete instructions, plans and specifications may be obtained at the Public
Works Department, 444 S.W. 2nd Avenue, 8th Floor, Miami, Florida 33130, Telephone (305) 416-1200 on
or after December 12, 2011. Bid packages will be available in hard copy form and a non-refundable fee
of $20.00 each will be required. A bid package can also be mailed to bidders upon written request to the
Department, and shall include the appropriate non-refundable fee plus $10 for shipping and handling using
regular U.S. Mail.

YOU ARE HEREBY ADVISED THAT THIS INVITATION TO BID IS SUBJECT TO THE "CONE OF SI-
LENCE" IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 18-74 OF THE CITY OF MIAMI ORDINANCE NO. 12271.

ADD. No DP-12439


NOTICE OF OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE WAITING
LIST FOR BLACKSTONE APARTMENTS

On Tuesday, December 20, 2011, Blackstone Apartments a building desig-
nated for elderly persons 62 years of age or older and disable will open its wait-
ing list for 1 br. & 2bd. for only one day and until the last application is given out.
250 pre-applications for 1br. & 100 for 2bd. will be available on December 20,
2011 starting from 9am until the last application is distributed at Blackstone
Apartments located at 800 Washington Ave. Miami Beach, Florida 33139.
You must bring an identification or driver license card in order to get an
application.
Pre-application must be fully completed before mailed via U.S. Postal Service
regular or Certified mail to: Blackstone Apts. leasing Office located at 800
Washington Ave. Miami Beach, Florida 33139.
Mailed pre-applications must be postmarked by the waiting list closing date
December 22, 2011.
Pre-application may be submitted in person at our leasing office located at 800
Washington Ave. Miami Beach, 33139 from December 20, 2011 to December
22, 2011 during the hours of 8am to 4pm.
Any Application postmarked or brought to the leasing office after December 22,
2011 will not be accepted and will be considered void.


p-
mm*L *: ';


THE NATION\ #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


7D THE MIAMI TIMES, DECEMBER 14-20, 2011









THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


D THE MIAMI TIMES D 1


Talking








TECH i"


Zoe Saldanc

By Jefferson Graham

Actress Zoe Saldana
co-starred in the biggest-
grossing film ever, Avatar,
as well as Star Trek, Pirates
of the Caribbean: The Curse
of the Black Pearl and indie
favorite Colombiana. Her lat-
est film, The Words, kicks off
at the Sundance Festival in
January, and in 2012 she'll
begin production on Star
Trek 2.
Off screen, Saldana co-
founded the MyFDB fashion
information website with
former fiance Keith Britton,
which she describes as a
fashion version of the popu-


lar IMDB movie website.
She's also a huge tech fan,
carrying two smartphones
and piping digital music into
many rooms of her home,
including the bathroom.
We caught up with Sal-
dana at a recent Hollywood
movie premiere, where she
sat down with us to discuss
her website and tech fix.

MYFDB
"There's very little we
know about fashion, besides
just editorial and brands
and bling. We don't know
the backgrounds of stylists
and which designer started
in what fashion house and


moved to the other." MyFDB
provides that information,
she says.

A MYFDB PERK
Consumers can see models
and celebrities on magazine
covers, click on their images
and get redirected to buy the
attire worn online.

DIGITAL MUSIC
Pandora online radio is
piped into her kitchen and
bathroom through her Sonos
music system, which picks
up streams from the com-
puter. "As a woman, you
spend so much time either
cooking or getting ready to


go somewhere. I like to have
music when I'm doing either
of these things. Music is a
very big participant in every-
thing I do, from the moment
I wake up to the moment I go
to bed. "

HER PANDORA PICKS
She arises every morning
to a Pandora Disney mix.
"You wake up so light-
spirited and happy," she
says. While in the kitchen,
it's classic jazz and soul
with Nina Simone and Otis
Redding. Her other Pan-
dora stations feature Drake,
Adele, Juan Luis Guerra,
Reggaeton, Jarabe De Palo,
Robyn, Rodriguez, and The
Shirelles.
She likes creating personal
stations based on her likes
that "give me a masala of so
many artists ... and Pandora
does just that."

TWO PHONES
"The BlackBerry is more
of a work phone, and the
iPhone is a pleasure (phone).
You can download tons of
games; I have all my photos
and music there."
Favorite apps
MyFDB, IMDB, Yelp, game
Plants vs.Zombies.


Think twice before burning workplace bridges


WORKPLACE
continued from 7D

Think twice: When the
time come to resign," do not
send an e-mail or a let-
ter without letting it sit on
your desk for 24 hours,"
says Polachi. Reread it, and
also have a level-headed
friend or family member
review it.
Also consider how a role
model would feel about
your resignation strategy,
advises Travis Gregory,


Imperial Valley College
Dean of Human Resources.
"How would the people that
you care most about react
if they saw the way you've
resigned?" he says.
Consider the end game:
For those who want to
foster change, going out
in fury can have the op-
posite effect. Management
"is more likely to hear those
points if they don't think
of you as a disgruntled
worker," says Ballard.'
With big, showy behavior,


it's a lot easier for them to
discount the issue versus if
you brought it up in a seri-
ous tone."
Pick your parting words.
Take advantage of exit
interviews, and diplomati-
cally explain your stance.
It's OK to say," The reason
I'm leaving is because I feel
my supervisor lacks these
skills," says Ronza." But
keep it professional. Don't
make it personal."
Another option is to con-
tact a higher level." Write


a letter to the board and/
or the CEO," says Gregory."
Keep the theme positive and
focused on the organiza-
tion versus a tantrum about
personal dissatisfaction."
Know your value: Often,
the best revenge is having
a manager miss you once
you're gone. "Look, you got
them by handing in your
resignation especially if
they did rely on you," says
Ronza." Then they are go-
ing to realize that you were
critical."


More bad news ahead for the nations' unemployed


LAW
continued from 6D

job-search reporting require-
ments is the primary cause
for the rise, said Robby
Cunningham, an agency
spokesman. Denials can
include all benefits or just a
certain week when require-
ments weren't met, he said.
Earlier this week, a bill
to give free training to the
unemployed who score low


on the state's skills evalua-
tion was proposed by Rep.
Doug Holder, R-Sarasota,
who sponsored the tougher
unemployment benefits law.
The legislation also would
deny benefits for any week
the unemployed person
doesn't comply to improve
skills. The bill has excep-
tions for those unable to
complete the skills evalu-
ation due to illiteracy or a
language "impediment."


"I believe these changes
will build upon the efforts
we began last year and
address some of the short-
comings we have experi-
enced over the past several
months," Holder said.
Valory Greenfield, a
lawyer for Florida Legal
Services, said the system
is "denying people who are
otherwise eligible for ben-
efits. She represents the
Miami Workers Center, a


workers rights group that
has asked the U.S. Depart-
ment of Labor to investigate
the state benefits system,
alleging it is "inaccessible
to persons with disabilities,
limited literacy, or lack of
English proficiency."
Florida's unemployment
benefits agency said in-
terpreters are available,
and it is adding Creole to
its online filing system by
January.


AEH shoes definitely for the inner youth in you

SHOPPERS Atlanta in 1986 at 10-years- cycle of most of my genera- "In the fashion industry,
continued from 6D old. Right now AEH is tion; I got a college degree so being a female is not the


in 2007," said the 35-year-
old." After four years of
planning, sketching and
strategizing AEH made it's
online debut in September of
this year. I created AEH as a
vehicle of personal transfor-
mation for women. Perfectly
named, we all have that
other persona resting inside
of us."
Baker was raised in Lib-
erty City until she moved to


exclusively based online but
has been featured in a store
front boutique in Chicago.
The fashion connoisseur
says that she was forced to
go into business for herself
after realizing what could
become of her life if she
didn't.
"I had never even consid-
ered starting my own busi-
ness mainly because I had
no idea what it would be,"
she said. "I followed the


that I could land a stable job
where I could earn a 401K
and pension. Then after six
years in college, two degrees,
monthly financial aid debt
[payments] and eight years
on a stable job with no ambi-
tion for advancement I asked
myself one question, security
or passion?"
She adds that she was first
drawn into the fashion in-
dustry after joining a fashion
troupe in college.


challenge, she said. -Being
a rookie is the challenge. I
have a corporate background
and no formal fashion train-
ing or experience. I still
currently maintain a day job
at a Fortune 500 company
while building my shoe line.
So the challenge is learning
as I go, finding my place and
making the right connec-
tions at the right time all
while buying my bills from
nine to five."


Losses create woes for Blacks


JOBS
continued from 6D

"The reliance on
these jobs has provid-
ed African Americans
a path upward," said
Robert H. Zieger, emer-
itus professor of histo-


ry at the University of
Florida and the author
of a book on race and
labor. "But it is also a
vulnerability."
Jobless rates among
Blacks have consis-
tently been about
double those of whites.


In October, the Black
unemployment rate
was 15.1 percent, com-
pared with eight per-
cent for whites. Last
summer, the Black
unemployment rate hit
16.7 percent, its high-
est level since 1984.


Christmases past: Cheaper gas


GAS
continued from 6D

for gasl" We picked up
more than our share
of these holiday hobos.
Then again, gas was
only 30 cents a gallon
back then. Three dol-
lars got you from Syra-
cuse to Rochester with
more than just fumes
to spare.
Asking people to pay


for jet fuel is anoth-
er matter, of course.
We're talking a plane,
not a VW Beetle.
I used to get upset
there were no longer
free peanuts on flights.
Or the fact that air-
lines were threatening
to charge for pillows,
extra luggage, extra
legroom. What's next?
Evidently what's next
is paying for fuel to get


you where you're go-
ing.
Once again we'll
make our journey
home by car later
this month. If anyone
wants to help pay for
gas, I'd be more than
happy to accept the
kindness of strangers.
No cash? No prob-
lem. I'm sure we can
find an ATM right
around the corner.


Minorities face riskier loans


CFPB
continued from 6D

types of loans, and
lenders obliged by ag-
gressively marketing
them without both-
ering to underwrite.
Moreover, CRL's
most recent research
shows that borrowers
of color with higher
incomes and good
credit scores received
riskier loans than
similar white borrow-
ers.
The result has been
tragic for the fami-


lies involved and also
crippling to the entire
economy. The CFPB
represents a genuine
effort to make sure
this doesn't happen
again. The Bureau
is now open for busi-
ness, and it wants
to hear consumers'
side of the story. Indi-
viduals may file com-
plaints related to any
part of the mortgage
process, including
the wrongful denial
of a loan, overcharg-
es on lending fees,
problems with the


way mortgage pay-
ments are collected,
and abuses related to
foreclosures.
For more informa-
tion, visit the CFPB
website at http://
www.consumerfi-
nance.gov/. Specific
mortgage complaints
may be filed at: http://
rspnsb.li/uTxRb5.
To learn more about
what's at stake for
everyday Americans
and how CFPB can
help protect consum-
er financial interests,
visit.


Gift cards: Time saving, cheaper

GIFT CARDS swapped, Klier said. ary market, mostly
continued frm 6D Alternately, luxury because the offerings


consumers will spend
an -average of $43.23
per card, up from
$41.48 in 2010.
But along with the
rise in popularity of
gift cards has come
a growing number
of sites dedicated to
selling those cards
for plain old cash in-
stead.
"You can't use a gift
card to pay for your
mortgage or pay for
your rent," said Elliot
Klier, director of mar-
keting and business
development for Card-
Cash.
CardCash.com,
PlasticJungle.com,
Cardpool.com, Card-
Woo.com and Gift-
Cards.com are just
some of the gift-card
exchange sites where
consumers can either
hawk their gift cards
for roughly 90 per-
cent of the face value
or buy gift cards at 10
percent to 15 percent
off.
Easily accessible
and all-encompassing
retailers like Ama-
zon, Wal-Mart and
Target always make
for the most coveted
gift cards and least
T .*: ;-


stores like Brooks
Brothers and Coach
or spa gift, certificates
are unloaded more
often in the second-


at these spots often
require recipients to
pay- extra in. addition
to the gift card value,
Klier said.


The Public is advised that a Public Workshop will be
held on Monday, December 19,2011 at 5:30 P.M., by the
Northwest 7th Avenue Community Redevelopment
Agency (CRA) at the Arcola Lakes Library located
at 8240 NW 7th Avenue Miami, Fl. 33150 at which
time the CRA will have PMG Associates present a
proposed revised redevelopment plan of the 7th Avenue
Corridor to include the new area along 7th Avenue
between NW 80th Street and NW 119th Street and
the proposed expansion area from NW 135th Street to
State Road 9.
This meeting will be the public's opportunity to help
define the goals and vision for the redevelopment of this
important corridor.
All interested parties may appear and be heard at the
time and place specified above. Copies of the ordinance
and resolution may be obtained from the Clerk, Board of
County Commissioners, 17th Floor of the Miami-Dade
County Stephen P. Clark Center.
A person who decides to appeal any decision made by the Board.
Agency or Commission with respect to any matter considered at
this meeting or hearing will need a record of the proceedings. Such
person nma need to ensure a verbatim record of the proceedings is
made, including the testimony mad evidence upon which appeal is
to be based A iami-Dade County provides equal access and equal
opportunity in the employment andservices and does not discriminate
on the basis of handicap. Sign Language Interpreters are available
upon request.


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Apartments

1 NORTHEAST AREA
Section 8 special. One and
two bedrooms. Furnished
units available. $199. Total
move in. 786-488-5225
1150 NW 1 Place
One bedroom, one bath,
$425. Mr. Willie #6
1150 NW 100 Street
One bedrooms, one bath,
Section 8 available,
954-687-8457
1229 NW 1 Court
One bedroom, one bath,
$450. Appliances, free
water.
305-642-7080

1231 NW 58 Terrace
MOVE IN SPECIAL!
One bedroom, one bath.
$450 monthly, $750 move
in. Two bdrms, one bath.
$550 monthly, $850 move
in. Call Joel 786-355-7578.

1245 NW 58th Street
MOVE IN SPECIAL!
Studio $395 per month. All
appliances included. Free
19 inch LCD TV.
Call Joel 786-355-7578

1250 NW 60 Street
One bedroom, one bath
$525. Free water.
305-642-7080

1261 NW 59 Street
One bedroom, one bath.
$550. 305-642-7080

1317 NW 2Avenue
One bedroom, one bath,
$425. Ms. Shorty in #1.

1348 NW 1 Avenue
One bdrm, one bath $425.
Two bdrms, one bath $500.
305-642-7080

140 NW 13 Street
Two bedrooms, one bath
$500, 786-236-1144 or
305-642-7080

1425 NW 60 Street
Nice one bedroom, one bath,
$570 mthly. Includes refriger-
ator, stove, central air, water.
$725 move in. 786-290-5498
1. 437QIW.22 Avenue,
One bdrm, one bath $425.
Two bdrms, one bath $525.
Ms. Jackson 786-267-1646.

14460 NW 22 Avenue
Two bedrooms, one bath
$595. Appliances, free
water.
305-642-7080

1450 NW 1 Avenue
One bdrm, one bath $425
Two bdrms, one bath $525
305-642-7080

1500 NW 65th Street
MOVE IN SPECIAL
One bedroom, one
bathroom apt. $395 per
month, $600 move in. All
appliances included. Free
19 inch LCD TV. Call Joel
786-355-7578.

1525 NW 1 Place
MOVE IN SPECIAL
One bdrm, one bath, $350
monthly. $575 move in. All
appliances included. Free
19 inch LCD TV. Call Joel
786-355-7578

1542 NW 35 Street
Really nice, two bdrms, air
and some utilities, $850
monthly. 786-488-0599
1600 NW 59 Street
Two bdrms, one bath, $575.
Appliances, 305-642-7080.

1718 NW 2 Court
One bdrm, one bath, $425.
Mr. Gaiter in #1


1744 NW 1 Court
One bedroom, one bath,
$450. Two bedrooms, one
bath $550. Appliances,
305-642-7080

1801 NW 2 Avenue
MOVE IN SPECIAL!
Two bedrooms, one bath.
$550 monthly. $850 to
move in. All appliances
included. Free 19 inch LCD
TV. Call:
Joel 786-355-7578

1803 NW 1 Court
Two bedrooms, one bath
apt. $595 per month. All
appliances included. Free
19 inch LCD TV. Joel 786-
355-7578.

186 NW 13 Street
One bdrm, one bath. $495.
305-642-7080

190 NW 51 Street
One bedroom. $775 to move
in. 786-389-1686
1969 NW 2 Court


One bedroom, one bath
$425. Appliances, free gas.
786-236-1144


200 NW 13 Street
One bdrm, one bath $425.
Ms. Shorty 786-290-1438

2330 NW 97 Street
One bdrm, security and move
in $1,200. 305-693-0620
2401 NW 52 Street # 1
One bedroom, central air,
tiled, appliances, $550
monthly, 954-522-4645.

2416 NW 22 Court
One bedroom one bath
$650, free water. 305-642-
7080
2751 NW 46 Street
One bedroom, remote gate,
$650 monthly. 786-402-8403
3301 NW 51 Street
$595 move in, utilities in-
cluded. 786-389-1686.
411 NW 37 Street
Studios $395 monthly.
All appliances included. Call
Joel 786-355-7578

467 NW 8 Street
Efficiency, one bath, $425.
Appliances, free water.
305-642-7080

50 Street Heights
Walking distance from
Brownsville Metrorail. Free
water, gas, window bars,
iron gate doors. One and two
bdrms from $490-$580 mthly!
Apply at 2651 NW 50 Street,
call 305-638-3699.
6020 APARTMENTS
Two bedrooms, one bath,
$520-$530 monthly. One
bedroom, $485 monthly, win-
dow bars and iron gate doors.
Free water and gas. Apply at:
2651 NW 50 Street or call.
305-638-3699
65 NW 27 Street
(1st Ave. and 27th St.)
Five bedrooms, three baths.
$1000 monthly, all appli-
ances included. Free 19
inch LCD TV! Call Joel
786-355-7578

7155 N.W. 17 Avenue
One bedroom, one bath. First
and last. $500 monthly. $500
deposit. 305-303-2383
7752 NW 2 Court
Four bedrooms, two baths,
$1,535 monthly. Section 8
Welcome. 305-582-8210.
-- -800 NW 67-Street
Large one bedroom, utilities
included. $675 moves you in.
786-389-1686
8475 NE 2 Avenue
Two bdrms. Section 8 OK.
305-754-7776
ALBERTA HEIGHTS APTS
One and two bedrooms, from
$495-$585 monthly. Free
water, window bars and iron
gate doors. Apply at: 2651
NW 50 Street or call.
305-638-3699
ALLAPATTAH AREA
One bdrm, tile, central air,
water included. Section 8
OKAY! 786-355-5665
ARENA GARDEN
Move in with first month rent
FREE BASIC CABLE
Remodeled efficiency, one,
two, three bdrms, air, appli-
ances, laundry, gate. From
$400. 100 NW 11 St.
305-374-4412.
CAPITAL RENTAL
AGENCY
305-642-7080
Overtown, Liberty City,
Opa-Locka, Brownsville.
Apartments, Duplexes,
Houses. One, Two and
Three Bedrooms. Same day
approval. Call for specials.
capitalrentalagency.com

GOOD CLEAN APTS.
Plus water! Spacious, one,
two bdrms. Special for se-
niors 786-486-2895
GRAND OPENING
NEW ARENA SQUARE
Walking distance to school
from $400. Remodeled
efficiencies, one, two, three
bdrms; two baths. Central air,
laundry, gated. Office 1023
NW 3 Ave. 305-372-1383
HOLIDAY SPECIAL
One and two bedrooms avail-
able. Move in special $1,000
with approval. 786-488-5225
L & G APARTMENTS
Beautiful one bedroom, $594
monthly, apartment in gated
community on bus lines. Ap-
ply at: 2651 NW 50 Street or
call 305-638-3699.
LIBERTY CITY
HOLIDAY SPECIAL
Move in before the New
Year with $0 down. One
and two bdrm, water
included. 305-603-9592,
305-600-7280 or 305-458-
1791.

MIAMI 9150 NW 7 Avenue
One bdrm, one bath $650. On
site laundry and manager.
305-756-7002
MIAMI RIVERFRONT
One bedroom, gated. $625
to $675. NE 78 Street
305-895-5480
MIRAMAR AREA
Studio plus two bedrooms,
$500/$850 monthly,
786-295-4848


NW/NORTH MIAMI
One bdrm, one bath, $675
and two bdrms, two baths
$825. Gated security, central
air, on site laundry and man-
ager. 305-685-7048.
OVERTOWN
HOLIDAY SPECIAL
Move in by New Year with
$0 down. One and two
bedrooms, water included.
305-603-9592, 305-600-
7280 or
305-458-1791

SANFORD APTS.
1907 NW 2 Court
Nice two bedrooms, air
condition, appliances. Free
HOT water, window shades,
$470 monthly, plus $200
deposit. 305-665-4938,
305-498-8811.

Business Rentals
COMMERCIAL
RENTAL PROPERTY
4801 NW 27 Avenue
Freestanding store available,
completely renovated. Air
conditioned. Roll-down
security doors. Outside
lighting. $950 monthly, $950
Security Deposit. Call
305-638-3699.

Condos/Townhouses
140 NW 70 Street
Four bedrooms, two baths,
$1600 mthly, 404-509-0614.

Duplexes

10100 NW 26 Avenue
Two beui,.. one bath,
central air, fenced yard.
First, last and security. $900
monthly. 305-986-8395.
1287 NW 56 Street
Two bedrooms, one bath,
appliances, no water. $825
monthly. Call Frank Cooper
305-758-7022
1290 NW 44 Street
Newly remodeled, two bdrms,
one bath, central a/c. $800
monthly. 954-348-2108
1291 NW 57 Street
Two bdrms, one bath, tiled,
appliances included. Section
8 only. 786-277-4395
131 NW 32 Street
Two bdrims,' bne'bath'$895,''
free water. 305-642-7080
1393 NW 55 Street
Three bedrooms, two baths.
$1,350 monthly. New Con-
struction. Section 8 Ok. Ron
786-355-1791, 305-318-8861
1420 NW 51 Terr.
Huge two bedrooms, one
bath. Totally remodeled, new
appliances, security bars,
central air. $850. Section 8
OK!
305-490-7033
1526 NW 1 Avenue
One bedroom, one bath,
$475, free water,
305-642-7080

15812 NW 38 Court
Section 8 ready, extra big and
beautiful, four bedrooms, two
baths, utility room, applianc-
es, security bars, tile, fenced.
$1400 monthly.
Call now 305-788-0000
1813 NW 44 Street
Efficiency, one bath $525.
Four bdrms, two baths
$1195. Free water, electric-
ity.
305-642-7080

1896 NW 94th Street
Fenced one bedroom, $750
mthly. Section 8 OK.
954-430-0849
209-211 NW 41 Street
Three bdrms, one bath and
two bdrms, one bath, conve-
niently located, new renova-
tion. Section 8 Only!
305-975-1987
21301 NW 37 Avenue
Two bdrms, air, remodeled.
$795. Call 786-306-4839.
2285 NW 101 Street
One bedroom, tile, water, air,
bars. $700, No Section 8.
Terry Dellerson, Broker
305-891-6776
2397 N.W. 104 Street
Three bdrms, two baths.
$1325 mthly. 305-525-0619,
305-331-3899.
2490 NW 55 Terrace
Two bedrooms, tile, air,
305-763-5574
2530 NW 97 Street
Two bdrms., one bath, $900
mthly. Call 786-985-1624.
271 NW 46 Street
Two bedrooms, one bath,
$895, free water and elec-
tricity, 305-642-7080.

4425 NW 23 Court
Two bedrooms, one bath,
$675, appliances, 305-642-
7080
5619 NW 5 Avenue
Two bedrooms, one bath,
$750. Second floor in the
back. 305-970-1721.
5629 Fillmore Street
Hollywood
Three bedrooms, one bath,
$1150 monthly, first, and se-
curity. 786-370-0832.


58 St and 11 Avenue
Two bedrooms. $775 mthly,
first and last, $775 deposit.
786-236-6573
6960 NW 2 Court
Two bedrooms, one bath,
Section 8 welcome. Call Mr.
Coats at 305-345-7833.
7749 NW 2 Court
Two bedrooms, one bath,
$700 monthly, central air, all
appliances included. Free
19 LCD TV.
Call Joel 786-355-7578

775 NW 47 Street
Spacious two bedrooms, one
bath units. Family neighbor-
hood. Completely renovated,
new appliances. Section 8
Only. 305-975-1987
7808 NW 9 Avenue
Three bedrooms, two baths,
$1050 monthly. $1250 de-
posit. Section 8 Welcome.
Call Deborah 305-336-0740.
812 NW 70 Street
Four bedrooms, two baths,
Section 8 accepted, call 305-
467-3344 for more informa-
tion.
815 NW 70 Street
Four bedrooms, two baths,
built in 2008, Section 8 wel-
come, $1000 deposit, call
Morris 305-588-0205.
KINGSWAY APTS
3737 Charles Terrace
Two bdrms, one bath duplex
located in Coconut Grove.
Near schools and buses.
$650 mthly, $650 security de-
posit, $1300 total to move in.
305-448-4225 or apply at:
3737 Charles Terrace

Efficiencies
18102 NW 8 Avenue
Nice unit for rent.
786-955-6213, 305-407-9220
783 NW 80 Street
Utilities included call
786-295-9961
LITTLE RIVER AREA
Furnished or Unfurnished
$150 weekly, cable, air.
786-277-2790

Furnished Rooms
1541 NW 69 Terrace
Clean room, $350 a month.
Call 305-479-3632.
1600 NW 56 Street
Microwave, refrigerator, color
TV, free cable, air, and use of
kitchen. Call 305-835-2728..
1775 NW 151 Street
Microwave, refrigerator, color
TV, free cable, air, and use of
kitchen. Call 305-835-2728
1815 or 1820 Ali Baba Ave.
Clean rooms, $400 monthly.
305-754-6556, 305-788-
6038.
1822 NW 66 Street
$300 monthly. 305-244-2528
for appointment.
2352 NW 97 STREET
$380 monthly.
Call 786-515-3020
2352 NW 97 STREET
$75 weekly.
Call 786-515-3020
2915 NW 156 Street
Free utilities. $135 weekly,
$300 move in. 305-624-3966
335 NW 203 Terrace
Gated community, refrig-
erator, microwave, TV, free
cable, air and use of kitchen.
Call 954-678-8996.
6257 NW 18 Avenue
$100 down, $100 weekly, air.
Prestige Investment
786-252-0245
6800 NW 5 Place
Clean $360 monthly
786-359-7279
6835 NW 15 Avenue
Holiday special, $300 month-
ly, $400 to move in, air and
utilities included.
Call 786-558-8096
7000 NW 21 Avenue
Utilities included, $395 mthly.
786-953-8935.
83 Street NW 18 Avenue
AREA
305-754-7776
MIAMI GARDENS AREA
$130 weekly. Free utilities.
754-423-2748
NORTHWEST AREA
Clean, nice, air and cable.
$100 weekly. 786-426-6263
NORTHWEST MIAMI AREA
Rooms with home privileg-
es. Prices range from $90
to $125 weekly. Males pre-
ferred. 305-696-2451.
OPA LOCKA AREA
2170 Washington Avenue
Clean rooms, $90-110
weekly, $476 monthly.
786-277-3434,786-298-4383

Houses
1090 NW 91 Street
Three beds, one bath, nice
neighborhood. Section 8 wel-
come. Call Florence 919-356-
9587
12845 NW 17 Ct (ERPD)
Three bedrooms, new bath,
air, tile, $1,100. No Section 8!
Terry Dellerson, Broker,
305-891-6776
133 Street and NW 18 Ave.
Three bedrooms, two baths.
Call 305-754-7776
15421 NW 27 Place
Two bedrooms, rear, Section
8 Only. Call Low 786-356-
0486 or GiGi 786-356-0487


15925 NW 22 AVENUE
Three bedrooms, one bath,
tile, central air, $1,175 mthly.
Call 305-662-5505.
1851 NW 67 Street
Four bdrms, two baths.
$1095. Appliances, 305-
642-7080
189 Street NW 43 Avenue
Four bedrooms, two baths,
den, Section 8, HOPWA.
954-392-0070
19322 NW 23rd Ct.
Three bedrooms, two baths,
central air, tiled floors, bars,
fenced yard, $1450 monthly,
$2900 to move in. No Section
8. Call 305-625-4515.
1941 NW 163 ST ROAD
Two bedrooms, one bath,
air, fence, appliances. $950
monthly.
786-356-3144
2 NW 69 Street
Three bdrms, one bath
$1200. Appliances, free
water. 305-642-7080.
2071 WILMINGTON ST
Three bdrms, one bath, heat
and air, $895. 305-796-1967
2130 Wilmington Street
Four bedrooms, one bath,
Section 8 Accepted.
CALL Gigi 786-356-0487 or
Lo 786-356-0486
2300 NW 53 Street
Three bedrooms, one bath,
central air, security bars, tile,
Section 8 preferred.
305-206-0500
2401 NW 170 Street
Three bedrooms, two baths,
den, tile, air, $1,300, No Sec-
tion 8, Terry Dellerson, Broker
305-891-6776
310 NE 58 Terrace
Five bedrooms, 3 baths,
$1200 monthly, all appli-
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inch LCD TV. Call Joel 786-
355-7578.
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Spacious five bedrooms, two
baths, tiled, central air, $1700
monthly, 305-662-5505.
3411 NW 172 Terrace
Four bedrooms, two baths,
tile, air, $1,400, No Section 8,
Terry Dellerson, Broker
305-891-6776
440 NE 74 Street
Three bdrms, two baths,
$1200, central air. 305-642-
7080
4740 NW 19 Aveune
Three bedrooms, one bath.
Section 8 OK. 305-751-7151
66 NW 166 Street
N. Miami Beach twnshe, new
four bedrooms, two baths.
$1600. Section 8 Preferred.
305-528-9964
7504 NW 21 PLACE
Four bedrooms, two baths,
Section 8 accepted.
CALL Gee 786-356-0487 or
Lo 786-356-0486
9012 NW 22 Avenue
Small two bedrooms, utilities
305-693-9486
HOLLYWOOD AREA
Three bedrooms, central air,
Section 8, 954-392-0070.
MIAMI AREA
Three bedrooms, two baths.
786-234-1621.
MIAMI GARDENS AREA
Great property, big yard,
three bdrms, two baths, fam-
ily room, near college, quiet,
305-829-2818.
MIAMI GARDENS AREA
Spacious four bdrms, two
baths, plasma TV included.
No credit check, Section 8
Welcome! Others available.
305-834-4440
NORTH DADE AREA
$500 move. in special, three
bedroom and up, Section
8 homes, everything newly
renovated. Move in condition.
Must call and see:
561-727-0974
NORTHWEST SECTION
Two bedrooms starting at
$750 and up. Three bed-
rooms $1300. 305-757-7067
Design Realty
STOPIII
Behind in Your Rent? 24
Hour notice. Behind in Your
Mortgage? 786-326-7916.






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Six bedrooms, three baths,
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by only. Try FHA $2900 down
and $499 P&l monthly. NDI
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937 NW 137 Street
No credit check, owner fi-
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THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


P0.11) -rt IAM .,- -C % L


B-ball players fight wrong battle


In case you missed it and
haven't heard, college basket-
ball is in full swing at hun-
dreds of campuses across the
country. So far we've seen some
memorable match-ups. Duke
vs. Michigan was an NBA all-
stars second generation show-
case where Austin Rivers (son


of Doc), Seth Curry (son of Dell
and brother of Stephen) and
Tim Hardaway Jr. (no expla-
nation needed) battled on the
court. We saw the #1 team in
the nation Kentucky go down
with a last second three-point-
er to an unranked Indiana.
Down here in Miami the Hur-


ricanes got off to a fast start
by winning four-in-a row, but
have stumbled to win just one
more in their last four games.
Then we saw the ugly of col-
lege basketball as Xavier Uni-
versity and the University of
Cincinnati ended their yearly
rivalry in a brawl that was ug-
lier off the court than it was on.
In summary, players from Cin-
cinnati called out players from
Xavier via Twitter before the
game -yes, via Twitter. Dur-
ing the game players stared
each other down after dunks.
Trash talking came from both
teams' benches. A minor push
or shove took place here and


there. And then with 10 sec-
onds left it all boiled over, end-
ing with a mean right hook.
It's good to be competitive
but it should never lead to
fighting. But that wasn't the
part that bothered me the
most. What left me writhing
in my seat was seeing the post
game conference with Tu Hol-
loway and Mark Lyons sit there
clearly still emotional from the
fight and talk about how they
wouldn't be disrespected and
they have to protect them-
selves from players wanting to
beat their faces in. "If some-
body puts their hands on you
or tries to do something to you,


where we from we gonna do
something back .. you know
what I'm saying? We gangstas
over here."
Huh? Not only does this
show a total disrespect to
your team, coach and uni-
versity but to your mother,
grandmother, father and fam-
ily. These young Black men,
on a national stage (for all the
wrong reasons) were put on a
pedestal to answer questions
when clearly they were not in
the right mind frame of mind
to do so. It showed a complete
lack of judgement on the uni-
versity (in this case Xavier).
Why not cancel the press


conference? Why not release
a statement on behalf of the
coach and players apologizing
for the event and looking for-
ward to the next opponent? In-
stead, Xavier did their athletes
a complete disservice by letting
them address the media. To be
clear, I'm not blaming the uni-
versity for the players' actions.
They are totally culpable for
their own. But this isn't box-
ing. This isn't MMA. It's college
basketball. The players have
since been suspended. Good.
Now Xavier University should
suspend its sports public rela-
tions personnel for a bad deci-
sion.


-.BI )I


Lockett encourages his crew.


ORLA


MOVE ON TO STATE FINALS


Columbus stopped

by Miramar

in semis
By D. Kevin McNeir
kmcneir@miamitimesonline.com

It's been a banner year for
local high school football here
in Miami-Dade County. Of
course, not all roads have lead
to victory at the "big dance."
Columbus's dreams of cap-
turing a state title ended last
Friday night in a tight Class
8A semi-final matchup against
nationally-ranked and unde-
feated Miramar, 14-6. It was
a game in which Columbus's
offense was held to a mere 90
yards while Miramar's senior
quarterback Cameron Hudge
threw for 244 yards on 22 of
25 passes. Columbus ended
the season with an 11-3 re-


cord, making it to the state
semi-final game for the first
time since 1982.
Norland advanced to the
Class 5A state final game
which takes place in the
Citrus Bowl on Friday, Dec.
16 in a 1 p.m. match between
Crawfordville Wakulla. It
was Norland's super tailback
Duke Johnson who made the
difference in their dramatic
35-27 come-from-behind
victory. At one point Norland
was down 20-0 but when the
dust settled, Johnson had run
for 375 yards on 27 carries,
scored three touchdowns and
even played defense late in the
fourth quarter. Johnson says
he never worried about the
score, even when his team was
trailing and remarked that he
"could have played all night."
Finally, an estimated 6,000
fans went wild as the clock
ran out with Central lead-


ing Daytona Mainland, 17-7.
Fans and players are hoping it
will be a repeat performance
for Lockette's Rockets as
they seek to win their second
straight Class 6A state title.
But it won't be easy. Central,
ranked No. 2 in Class 6A will
play Seffner Armwood, ranked
No. 1 in the Orlando Citrus
Bowl this coming Saturday,
Dec. 17.
Sophomore running back
Joseph Yearby ran for a game-
high 160 yards had two touch-
downs, carried the ball 25
times and even scorched the
defense with a 77-yard touch-
down run at the beginning of
the fourth quarter. Lockette's
players turned the water cool-
er on their coach at the end of
the game and it was high-fives
and hugs for everyone.
"We're going back to the big
dance," Lockette said with a
smile.


Winston-Salem, Norfolk State HBCU champions


Fuquay-Varina, NC The
Winston-Salem State Rams
and the Norfolk State Spartans
were voted HBCU football na-
tional champions in the final
Boxtorow National HBCU foot-
ball media and coaches polls.
In the final media poll CIAA
champion Winston-Salem State
received 16-of-19 first place
votes. The Rams made it all the
way to the NCAA
Division II national champi-
onship semi-finals before fall-
ing to Wayne State 21-14 on
Saturday.
MEAC champions Norfolk
State received two first place


votes from the media and fin-
ished the season #2. The Spar-
tans won the MEAC and made
it to the FCS national playoffs
for the first time in school his-
tory. The Jackson State Tigers
received the other first place
vote and finished #3, followed
by Bethune-Cookman at #4.
The Grambling State Tigers,
who defeated Alabama A&M
16-15 in the SWAC champion-
ship game on Saturday finished
the season at #5. The afore-
mentioned Bulldogs finished
#6, while South Carolina State
finished #7. Alabama State
was #8 followed by Morehouse


at #9 and Florida A&M at #10.
The teams will be recognized
at the Boxtorow HBCU All-Star
Gala Banquet on Friday, Dec.
16 at the Westin Peachtree Ho-
tel in downtown Atlanta. The
HBCU All-Star Bowl takes
place on Sunday, Dec. 16 at the
Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The
top 100 draft eligible seniors
will square off in an East vs.
West format, with teams from
the MEAC and the CIAA rep-
resenting the East and teams
from the SWAC and SIAC rep-
resenting the West. The game
will be broadcast nationally on
Classics Sports Radio Network.


Booker T.


Tornadoes lose


their cool and state final

Miscues mar a great season in 25-33 defeat


By Akilah Laster
akilahlaster3@aol.com
Miami Times writer

The Booker T. Washington
Tornados were unable to claim
the gold last Saturday night,
leaving the Citrus Bowl in Or-
lando and heading back to Mi-
ami after a disappointing loss
to The Bolles School (Jackson-
ville) for the Class 4A state ti-
tle. The Tornados had the mo-
mentum to win it all, boasting
the same 12-1 record as Bolles
and suffering only one previous
loss to Class 6A reigning state
champs the Central Rockets.
On the road to the finals they
decisively beat the former reign-
ing three-time state champion-
ship team Cocoa High School
in the state semi-finals. Bolles
has captured eight state titles
since 1990, under head coach
Charles "Corky" Rogers, a 40-
year varsity head coach.
Despite being ahead the ma-
jority of the game, the Tornados
were eventually bogged down
by miscues, bad play calls and
ill-timed penalties to end the
game as the state-runner ups.
"We failed to capitalize on
opportunities," said Booker T.
Head Coach Tim "Ice" Harris.
"We had a good plan going in
but we didn't successfully ex-
ecute it."
The incipient stages of the
game were marked by the Tor-
nado offense's failure to score
after a huge 15-yard holding


-Miami Tiimes photo/Akilah Laster
The Tornados of Booker T. Washington accept their sec-
ond place trophy at the state finals.


penalty, giving Bolles posses-
sion after only a minute of play.
Bolles' kicker, Brooks Abbo af-
ter the team rushed 42-yards,
made a 35-yard field goal to put
the Bulldogs ahead 3-0. The
Tornados responded after a 23-
yard run by senior receiver La-
mar Parker, led to a touchdown
pass from sophomore quarter-
back Treon Harris to junior
running back Dvon Ballard,
putting Booker T. ahead 7-3.
The game continued to see-
saw from that point on and it
was the Booker T. defense that
continued to hold the Bulldogs
at bay. Booker T. led, 25-12,
and shutdown Bolles in the
third quarter but then the tide
began to change. Bolles started
the fourth quarter with a quick
touchdown and scored again
with 3:52 left in the game.
Then at the worst of possible
moment, a fumble on a kick
return at Booker T.'s six-yard
line by sophomore cornerback


Nigel Patton was recovered and
run in for another Bolles touch-
down six; suddenly the Torna-
dos trailed, 25-33. Booker T.
would be unable to score again.
"It's bittersweet to have a
great season and you don't win
it all," Harris said finishing his
sixth year as head coach. "It
was an excellent journey and
hopefully it makes us better."
Harris says he is proud of the
impact that the team's success
has had on the Overtown com-
munity.
"We've been making some
good stories this season," Har-
ris said. "It's wonderful how
the kids came through; bring-
ing something positive from
a community that is often re-
ferred to in negative terms.
Hopefully this loss will help us
dig deeper. In life we can learn
from disappointments help-
ing prepare these boys to deal
with adversity in life is one of
our goals."


Second Black QB takes Heisman


Baylor quarter-

back captures

trophy

By Stefen Lovelace

Andrew Luck is the best NFL
prospect since John Elway. In
April, he'll be the No. 1 pick in
the NFL draft. And he has just
been awarded the Heisman
trophy, given each year to the
most outstanding college foot-
ball player who is most vital to
his team's success in a given
year. Luck is the best NFL play-
er playing college football. But
he didn't deserve to win the
Heisman. that honor was given
to Robert Griffin III.
Griffin, a junior quarterback
from Baylor, meant more to his
team that Luck or any other
player did this year. Luck had
all the hype and deservedly
so -but from a pure produc-
tion standpoint, Griffin made
Baylor relevant and is the first
player from Baylor ever to win
the Heisman.
What Griffin's done this sea-
son is nothing short of remark-
able. He's turned a routinely
unmemorable Baylor team into
a dangerous team capable of
beating any team in the coun-
try on a given day. He eclipsed
387 yards per game, good for
second in the nation. He threw
36 touchdowns, passed for
3,998 yards and added nine
touchdowns and 644 yards
rushing on the ground. In con-


Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III poses with the Heis-
man Trophy after becoming the 77th recipient of the award


Saturday in New York City.

trast, Luck, the most pro-ready
quarterback in college football
had 35 touchdowns and 3,170
yards.
This year Griffin joined Tim
Tebow, the Denver Broncos
quarterback who is currently
the biggest story in the NFL,
in -.ili inL at least 9,000 yards
passing and 2,000 yards rush-
ing in a career. Tebow won the
Heisman in 2008. Griffin's win
makes him the second straight
Black quarterback to win col-
lege football's most prestigious
title (Auburn QB and current
Carolina Panther Cam Newton
won last year). More impor-
tantly, Griffin was a "nontradi-
tional" Black quarterback this
year.


While most, fairly or not, ste-
reotype Black quarterbacks as
players capable of making more
plays with their feet than their
arm, Griffin shattered that
myth this year. While Back
quarterbacks have routinely
been questioned for their de-
cil.icn -rinkini and down field
throwing, Griffin proved those
skeptics v.\. i.g in a big way
this year. His decision-making
was superb, and he set a new
NCAA record for passing effi-
ciency this year with a 192.31
rating. And he maintained the
threat of running, using his
legs when plays broke down.
He turned 1.1 i. that should've
resulted in negative yards into
game-breaking ones.


inn Tlu MLIAMII TIMF nFrFMRFBR 14-.9f ?n11


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~a


-Photos by Doaly Athoy
-Photos by Donalyn Anthony