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DOXEMS CARE ABOUT BLACKS?
STA 'REPRESENTATIVE ALLEN WEST DOESN'T THINK SO


iblican Congressman Allen West, who
its Flo de2nd District [West Palm
~NAiscussion on Capitol
Black Republicans
tf many conserva-
il, he says, is to
Sonnect conservative
SBlack community. In
interview with The Miami T7mes,
e said, "It's time to break down pub-
lic misconceptions about Blacks


and the monolithic nature of Black voters
and their tendency to vote for Democrats."
Does West think that the interests of Blacks
are being addressed within the Democratic
Party? Without hesitation, he replied, "No."
"In a survey taken last summer, 33 percent
of Blacks identify themselves as conserva-
tives but still vote in a block with Demo-
crats," he said. "Still Black unemployment is
almost at 17 percent with Black teens facing
a rate of 40 percent. Blacks are facing prob-
lems in the U.S. of biblical proportions. What
I am proposing is that Blacks need to
Please turn to WEST 10A


"If we want equality as it relates to
political capital, then we must diversify
- join the Republican Party so that
we remain relevant..."


A


-ALLEN WEST


721.1


FAMU faces new


hazing allegation
University the investigation of t
University remains silent incident," the states


Miami Times photo/Randy Grice
DISGRUNTLED EMPLOYEES: Jerome Mitchell, John Williams and Shack Shedrick have joined
in a lawsuit, charging Miami Dade College with racial discrimination.


Black custodians cry foul


in suit against MD College

Was friction between them and or forced to resign under du-
bious circumstances, only to
Hispanics fuel for discrimination? be replaced by white Hispanic
employees. Three of the four
By 0. Kevin McNeir Dade College at the Kendall men, Shack Shedrick, 39, Je-
kmcneir@miamitimesonline.com Campus, have filed a federal rome Mitchell, 48 and John
lawsuit against the College Williams, 64, are not affiliated
Four Black custodians, all and claim that they were ei- with any union and had been
formerly employed by Miami their fired, selectively laid off Please turn to FRICTION 10A


Trouble continues for Flor-
ida A&M University (FAMU).
According to school officials,
another reported hazing in-
cident has surfaced at the
University and is now un-
der investigation by its po-
lice. The alleged incident
was said to involve students
who were pledging the band
fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi
in the spring of 2011. The
report was filed by March-
ing 100 Band Director Ju-
lian White who remains on
paid leave. Dr. James H.
Ammons, 58, FAMU's presi-
dent, made trustees aware
of the incident during a
weekly teleconference. In a
statement posted on Kappa
Kappa Psi's website, the fra-
ternity said they would in-
vestigate the incident and


ROBERT CHAMPION
FAMU drum major


insisted that hazing was not
part of the organization's
policy.
"We intend to cooperate
with members of the Florida
A&M University community


his
ent


said. The national council
will be addressing the situ-
ation in a manner con-
sistent with fra-
ternity policy
and proce-
dures. The
mission
statement
of Kappa
ELDKappa Psi
states we
are an orga-
nization that
promotes the ad-
vancement of college and
university bands through
dedicated service and sup-
port to bands; comprehen-
sive education; leadership
opportunities and recogni-
tion for the benefit of its
members and society. Haz-
ing is not in line with our
Please turn to FAMU 10A


County to outsource Head Start


By D. Kevin McNeir
kmcneir@miamitimesonline.com


In efforts to save money and remove
themselves from the business of educa-
tion, the Miami-Dade County commis-
sioners voted last week to turn over the
Head Start program for pre-K children
to private, not-for-profit providers. This
issue has been on the floor since July
2011 when the commissioners agreed


with County Mayor Carlos Gimenez that
it was in the County's best interests to
eliminate County-run facilities. With
their recent decision to move forward,
the County will continue to disburse
federal funds to run Head Start but
will outsource county-operated sites to
selected agencies. The County spent an
additional $3.7 million from its general
fund to run the program last year and
Please turn to HEAD START 10A


During the summers of 1965
and 1966, two eight-week
comprehensive child
development programs, known as
Head Start, were launched in the
U.S. The goal was to help
communities meet the needs of
disadvantaged pre-school children.


4....................................................................


Duvalier to face

trail for corruption
But judge drops
abuse case for


Blacks losing
ground and lives .


Tuskegee Airmen

gain newfound recognition
Ret. Lieutenant Colonels Eldridge Williams, 94 and Leo Gray,
87 (1-r), documented original Tuskegee Airmen, during their trip
to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. Both men,
along with Ret. Judge Richard Rutledge [not pictured] were all
part of the original "Tuskegee Experiment" to see if Blacks could
fly and fight in combat at the outset of WW II.


'Baby Doc'
Earlier this week a Haitian
judge decided that former
dictator Jean-Claude Duva-
lier, 60, should face trial for
corruption, but not charges
of human rights violations
committed during his rule.
Investigative Magistrate
Carves Jean said the statute
of limitations had expired on
the human rights charges
but not on the accusations
of misusing public funds.
The infamous ruler known
as "Baby Doc' is widely be-
lieved to have taken money
from the Haitian treasury to


JEAN-CLAUDE DUVALIER
Former Haitian dictator
finance his life in exile. The
judge recommended that
the case be heard by a spe-
cial court that handles less-
er crimes. Duvalier, who has
Please turn to TRIAL 10A


0 U N:E^

WE,3BiiU


wwwNM


50 cents


S , '.',J'... ", :, l- A Y 1-7*- .....-7,















OPINION


2A THE MIAMI TIMES, JFEBRUARY 1-7, 2012


BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY


Norland High proves

that perseverance pays off
No one can deny that Miami Gardens has had its
share of tough times in recent years. The City's
leaders are fighting escalating crime, struggling to
find its identity as a relatively new municipality and reeling
from declining property values. Some even say that many
of the problems facing the "Gardens" come from neighbor-
ing towns. But all of that was forgotten for the students of
Norland Senior High School when they learned that their
football team, the 2011 Class 5A champions, had added
another significant distinction to its already stellar history.

The Vikings can now boast to be among the nation's top
high school football teams number 19 to be exact from
over 16,000 team nationwide. And from what we hear, the
boys who make up the varsity and junior varsity squads at
Norland, along with the cheerleaders that pump them up
when things are going great or not so great, were all very
excited.

There's nothing better than seeing our children with
smiles on their faces because of a job well done. It stands in
direct contrast to what we often see when we look upon the
visage of our boys and girls from the hood expressions of
fear, anxiety or hopelessness. But there was none of that in
the auditorium of Norland High as MaxPreps presented the
trophy to Coach Daryle Heidelburg and his talented team.

Sure, we have heard about the heated rivalries involving
Jackson, Booker T., Northwestern and Central. And yes,
we have given much love to Central as of late but then
they did bring home the gold last year from Orlando. But
now the attention must rightfully shift to Norland a team
that almost won the "big dance" last year but fell just a
little short. Next week well hear about the young men who
will sign letters of commitment and move on to college foot-
ball with scholarships. It will be another chance for us to
celebrate the achievements of our youth and to wish them
godspeed as they seek higher education and a chance to
continue their dreams of more gridiron success.

For now, we salute the players, coaches, cheerleaders,
teachers, staff and parents of Norland High. You have done
your part to make Miami Gardens shine just a little bit
brighter.


Firsts are great but

'making history' comes after


achieving results
Two "Black firsts" were recently made in Miami-Dade
and Broward Counties with the appointment of Pe-
nelope Townsley as supervisor of elections and Eu-
gene K. Pitts as president-elect of The Florida Bar. Towns-
ley becomes the first Black woman to direct the elections
process for Miami-Dade County while Pitts will become the
first Black to ever serve as the Bar's president. Both say
that they are honored to be given the opportunity to serve.
And we are certainly very proud of both of them.

But it's important to note that being the 'first' also
brings added pressure and a boatload of expectations.
Consider the uphill battle that Barack Obama has faced
since he was elected as the first Black president of the
United States. Even with three years under his belt, he
still faces disrespectful whites who put their fingers in his
face, speak to him with words that do not honor his office
or him as man and even lead efforts to end his four-year
term, simply because of the color of his skin.

We know that given the racially-charged environment of
Florida and the not-so-subtle battle for political and eco-
nomic power that continues to go on here in South Florida
between Blacks, Hispanics and even Haitians, that these
newest two 'first-timers' will have their hands full. But we
believe that given their past records of achievement, they
can prove all of the naysayers wrong. Well be watching
them as well and promise to do our part, as should all
of you, to hold them accountable not because they're
Black but because they have been chosen to serve and
lead our community.


WHEN THE NEWS MATTERS TO YOU

TURN TO YOUR NEWSPAPER
















One Family Serving Dade and Broward Counlies Since 1923


IV t liami imes

(ISSN 0739-0319)
Published Weekly at 900 NW 54th Street.
Miami, Florida 33127-1818
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Phone 305.694.6210

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GARTH C. REEVES. JR.. Edior 1972-1982


GARTH C. REEVES,
RACHEL J. REEVES


SR., Puthlisher Emeritus
, Publisher and Chairman


Former Massachusetts gov-
ernor Mitt Romney's recent
moves, from decrying the "poli-
tics of envy" to his revelation
that he pays a lower tax rate
than millions of Americans,
has created the potential for
a presidential election fought
over class and income inequal-
ity in a way unseen in the last
two decades.
Romney's aggressive defense
of capitalism, combined with
Obama's recent shift towards
more populist rhetoric, have il-
lustrated a fundamental divide
over the U.S.economy and how
it affects people's lives.
If Romney wins the GOP
nomination, this difference
could result in an election
shaped by two very different
visions of the country, as op-
posed to results determined in
part by scandals (2000), a war
far from U.S. shores (2004) or
a historic economic meltdown
(2008).
The gap is surprising; Rom-
ney is perhaps the most liberal
of the GOP presidential can-
didates and ran Massachu-
setts in a moderate style when
he was the governor there.
Obama is an unlikely populist;
he courted the backing of Wall


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CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS
The Black Press believes tina America can best lead the
world from racial and national antagonism when it accords to
every person, regardless of 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


-.u l urau or rculariaons
i ,,J, .ur_;.JO n^BSSSr


BY EUGENE ROBINSON, WASHINGTON POST COLUMNIST, eugenerobinson@washpost corn


Obama presents an argument he can win


If you heard a loud "gulp" last
Tuesday night after President
Obama's State of the Union ad-
dress, it probably came from Re-
publican political strategists as
they realized their party's odds of
capturing the White House this
fall are getting longer. Obama
may be no Ronald Reagan, but
he's no Jimmy Carter, either.
The obligatory list of accomplish-
ments and initiatives was em-
bellished with bits and pieces of
what will likely be Obama's stan-
dard campaign speech. At the
heart of his argument for a sec-
ond term is his assertion that the
American dream of upward mo-
bility has been hijacked that
the rich and the powerful have
rigged our economic and political
systems to favor their interests
over those of the average citi-
zen. Obama sounded this theme
several times, perhaps most ef-
fectively when he decried poli-
cies that allow billionaire Warren
Buffett to pay a lower income-tax


rate than does his longtime sec-
retary, Debbie Bosanek, who sat
with first lady Michelle Obama
in her box last week during his
speech.
There are some Republicans
who can't wait to take the issue


the rest of us, but also that their
money is better than our money.
Is this really an argument the
Republican presidential nominee
is going to make? Not in so many
words, surely. Newt Gingrich and
Rick Santorum seem to under-


Is this really an argument the Republican presidential nomi-
nee is going to make? Not in so many words, surely. Newt
Gingrich and Rick Santorum seem to understand.


of Buffett's tax rate vs. Bosanek's
head-on. They are eager to ar-
gue that one of the world's rich-
est men deserves to pay a lower
rate because his income derives
from job-creating investments.
These Republicans presumably
consider his secretary a mere sal-
aried employee who spends her
money on such fripperies as, you
know, food, shelter, clothing and
transportation. In other words,
they seem to suggest that it's not
just that the rich are better than


stand and Mitt Romney may get
it, too, but he has little room to
maneuver. Romney's wealth must
be very special, indeed, to deserve
vacations in Switzerland and the
Cayman Islands, where he likes
to park his money. But I digress.
Perhaps more of a political
problem, from the GOP's point of
view, is Obama's riff on shared
responsibility. Republicans seem
eager to double down on a "greed
is good" ethos that has more reso-
nance when the economy is boom-


ing, real estate values are so6arfig
and everybody feels rich. Obama,
by contrast, envisions a return to
an America where the success-
ful and fortunate lend a helping
hand to those down on their luck,
rather than coldly leave them be-
hind. This seems much more in
tune with the times.
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, de-
livering the Republican response,
offered an alternative that many
voters might find cogent and un-
threatening. He didn't provide
a lot of new ideas basically,
Daniels supports the same lais-
sez-faire policies that got us into
this crisis, but then then he isn't
running for president. The prag-
matic conservatism he described
- one that imagines a role for
government is out of touch
with the radicalism that domi-
nates his party. The Republicans
who are running the party laugh
at the concepts of fairness and
collective responsibility. Soon
they may find the joke's on them.


Street throughout his 2008
campaign and has spent much
of the last three years facing
criticism from liberals that he
is not on their side.
But increasingly Democrats,
including the Obama cam-


Harvard and all the opportuni-
ties that affords -- began his
career helping jobless work-
ers in the shadow of a closed-
down steel mill. Romney, on
the other hand, made millions
closing down steel mills," top


Over the last two weeks, Obama's campaign aides have
used personal, sharp language to attack Romney's work
at Bain Capita I, moving from the realm of public policy
to suggest essentially the whole idea of private equity firms is
counterproductive.


paign, are adopting the "1 Per-
cent" rhetoric of the Occupy
Wall Street movement, casting
Romney and other wealthy in-
dividuals as profiting while the
broader middle class suffers.
Over the last two weeks,
Obama's campaign aides have
used personal, sharp language
to attack Romney's work at
Bain Capital, moving from the
realm of public policy to sug-
gest essentially the whole idea
of private equity firms is coun-
terproductive. They are now
likely to attack Romney for
benefiting from lower tax rates
on investment income.
"President Obama who, like
Romney, earned a degree from


Obama aide Stephanie Cutter
wrote in a memo the campaign
released publicly last week.
Romney has strongly con-
demned this kind of rhetoric,
saying recently income in-
equality should be discussed
in"quiet moments" and slam-
ming former House Speaker
Newt Gingrich for his attacks
on Romney's record at Bain.
If he is nominated, Romney
is unlikely to adopt the even
more conservative rhetoric of
former Senator Rick Santorum
and Gingrich, who have both
suggested the poor suffer in
part because they are not ea-
ger to work. At the same time,
the former Massachusetts gov-


ernor seems ready to strong
defend conservative economic
views even as many Americans
worry that middle-class wages
have stagnated while the rich
are earning more.
This divide is already play-
ing out on issues; Romney's
tax plan gives huge cuts to
millionaires who he says help
create jobs; Obama would
raise their taxes. But what the
two campaigns are debating is
even more fundamental: does
every citizen currently have a
shot at getting to the middle
class and is something wrong
if the income gap between the
middle class and the wealthy
continues to grow? Is it wrong
for businesses to aggressively
seek higher profit margins,
even if it results in laid-off
workers?
This kind of election debate
could be more difficult than
the campaign Romney has
been running in which he es-
sentially attacks Obama on
every issue and says his busi-
ness experience is the solution
to every problem.
But it also could complicate
Obama's run; he has many
friends and allies among the "1
percent."


BY JULIANNE MALVEAUX, NNPA COLUMNIST


Boycott
Arizona Governor
Brewer has one hel
nerve. In an image tl
gone viral, she put he
in President Obama'
apparently lecturing
about something or
making her the pure
of arrogant disrespe
parently, she has I
from the best of thi
keters to increase s
her new book. At the
the day, I refuse to ei
woman who lacks su
sic disrespect that s
to finger wag and sti
not have the good se
apologize. Shame on 1
shame on Arizona. B
is not the first and pr
will not be the last to


Arizona and its racist governor
Jan spect Obama and the First detail, but I was appalled Chicks were
11 of a Family. Since his nominated, when Congressman James dent Bush,
iat has there has been a racial com- Sensenbrenner (R-WI) dared meted and
r finger ponent that only an ostrich discuss the first' lady's pos- vited to a n
's face, would deny. terior and was even more ap- opportunitii
g him Brewer is lucky that Obama palled when legions of people respectful ti
other, has such amazing self-re- did not rise and call him on her book s;
picture straint. Later she said she it. Similarly, South Carolina becomes a
ct. Ap- felt "threatened" by the presi- Congressman Joe Wilson oine. She
learned dent. Give me a break! This shouted "You lie" when the what so ma
e mar- is classic Birth of A Nation, president was speaking and have also
ales of with the fragile white woman went on to raise money in the put Oba
end of so threatened by the brutish wake of his disrespect. The But here's 1
nrich a Black man that she runs off examples continue. Rude- his place. HI
ich ba- a cliff. Ironically, Brewer's ness, however, seems to be White Hous
he has invocation of racial stereo- a marketing ploy these days, Write, call
ill does types sent her pathetic book and disrespecting the presi- er. If you m
ense to rising to the charts, just like dent seems to be even a bet- decisions o0
eier and Limbaugh's racial attacks on ter ploy still for the Republi- consider wh
kut she Obama keep his ratings up. cans who implicitly play the zona says ti
probably The insults to the Obaimas race card. And it. does not cut ful governor
) disre- have been too numerous to both ways. When the Dixie she represe'


e criticalT 7YoT i
their sales plum-
they were disin-
umber of concert
es. Brewer is dis-
o President Bush,
ales rise and she
conservative her-
attempted to do
any conservatives
attempted to do
ma in his place.
the deal. He is in
[is place is in the
e.
1, or e-mail Brew-
ake discretionary
n meeting places,
iat support of Ari-
o this disrespect-
r and the people
nts.


if
I' ~.




N
/ I,'


BY PERRY BACON, JR


Obama vs. Romney: Different visions for U.S.


i














LOCAL


OPINION


BLACKS MUSl' C'ONI'ROI. TRIlI'R O\\N O DIS) INY


3A THE MIAMI TIMES, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012


CORNER


"'Oh, niilI,,u il. I kmow who I "m s uimedf t
mfrl., , Bfuti wvtie, 'i mowhe iji',"


- BY REGINALD J. CLYNE, ESQ., MIAMI TIMES COLUMNIST, rjc@clynelegal.com


How Black Americans lost the right to vote
Prior to the Emancipation groups to get to the polls and tacks new voters and college fines by the Sta
Proclamation, Blacks were vote. For instance, Blacks students who voted in re- Ultimately, new.
not allowed to vote. After the usually vote en masse after cord numbers in support of cially young peoI
Civil War, former slaves voted church on the Sunday preced- Obama. The new law makes it and women, wh
and we saw Blacks elected ing the Tuesday election.The more difficult for students to sumably vote fo;
to federal office for the first loss of this key critical group vote because their voter reg- Democrats, will
time. The South struck back could cost Obama the election istration and home address register in large
with Jim Crow laws that made as well as many U.S. Senate do not match their college ad- Nelson is leadir
it difficult or impossible to and Congressional Democrat- dress. Requirements for regis- get rid of these la


vote and Blacks elected of-
ficials did not reappear until
the 1960s when the Voting
Rights Act was enacted and
the federal government began
cracking down on discrimina-
tory election laws. In 2008,
President Obama won the
election for the presidency.
He was supported by Blacks,
college students, new young
voters and working class
people who took advantage of
the early voting. In response,
several Republican governors
and legislators passed laws
that made it harder for these


The new legislation also attacks new voters and college
students who voted in record numbers in support of
Obama. The new law makes it more difficult for students
to vote because their voter registration and home address do not
match their college address.


ic candidates. In Florida, the
only Democrat in a state-wide
elected office is U.S. Senator
Nelson. Republicans want his
seat so they can turn the slim
Democratic majority in the
Senate to a Republican major-
ity.
The new legislation also at-


tering new voters has changed
so that new voter registration
cards must be turned in with-
in 48 hours. Under the old law,
you had 10 days to turn them
in. A high school teacher that
registered her students as part
of a civics lesson has run afoul
of this law and was subject to


ite of Florida
voters, espe-
ple, minorities
.o would pre-
r Obama and
not be able to
numbers.
ng a charge to
ws which only


serve to suppress the vote. The
bottom line is if the Republi-
cans can prevent this majority
from getting to the polls, then
they win. It is estimated that
some 5 million people will not
be allowed to vote as a result
of these changes. When you
realize that President Bush
won the election because of a
few thousand votes in Florida,
the loss of 5 million voices is
tremendous. The writing is on
the walls: we must play the
game better, despite thee ob-
stacles, until the new laws are
changed.


BY QUEEN BROWN, COMMUNITY ACTIVIST, Queenb202O@bellsouth.net


Don't believe the lies of Newt and Mitt


(e=Ar9SWARFARE


*I
6 fLLUON FkctM
nrEPC"r MAC!


GOP candidates Newt Gin-
grich and Mitt Romney are
doing a good job of attacking
each other's character in the
race to become president of
the U.S. The sad thing is that
most of what they. are saying
about each other is true. For
added humor, former GOP
candidate Herman Cain has
endorsed Gingrich. Birds of
a feather flock together; both
men are accused of having
multiple extramarital affairs.
Gingrich was having an af-
fair while leading the fight
to impeach former President
Clinton for his extramarital
affair. Hopefully, voters will
select a person with character.
If his former spouses couldn't
trust him then why should the
American voters?
Romney is the GOP's alter-
native to Gingrich and his bi-
ases are a lot more subtle and
reserved. Romney's attacks
are directed towards the work-
ing class and U.S. businesses,


since he states businesses are
people. He defends the wealth
he obtained while heading
Bain Capital where he bought
companies, sold assets and
laid off thousands of work-
ers. He was against President


was higher under President
George W. Bush. Factcheck.
org reports that under Bush,
14.7 million received food sub-
sidy compared to 14.2 million
under Obama. Keep in mind
that Bush inherited a healthy


R omney's attacks are directed towards the working class
and U.S. businesses, since he states businesses are
people.


Obama's decision to help Gen-
eral Motors save thousands
of jobs. Is this the business
model he intends taking to the
White House? We should be
suspicious of his money mak-
ing schemes and ventures.
The GOP candidates con-
tinue to attack one another
and to be critical of Obama.
Gingrich calls Obama the
"Food Stamp President." But
in fact, the number of peo-
ple eligible for food subsidies


economy and a huge surplus
from Clinton. In 2009, when
Obama took office, he inher-
ited a collapsed economy and
an estimated 1.3 trillion dol-
lar deficit from his predeces-
sor. Gingrich's comments
were not only offensive to the
president but were also con-
descending to the millions of
working poor and unemployed
Americans eligible to receive
the temporary assistance.
We understand the problems


we face. We also know that it
will require more than "new"
leader in the White House. We
will not be fooled into believ-
ing that simply changing the
executive in chief will fix this
country's financial woes. If
we allow the wrong person to
take over the U.S., the situ-
ation could get much worse.
It is unreasonable to expect
Obama to fix a economy in
four years that Bush took
eight years to destroy. As ex-
pected, since taking over con-
trol of Congress, the Repub-
licans in the Congress have
been unwilling to work with
the president, making his job
even more difficult.
Nonetheless, he has had sig-
nificant achievements includ-
ing ending the threat of Osa-
ma Bin Laden, passing health
care reform and improving
foreign relations with our al-
lies. Unlike the GOP candi-
dates, Obama has a record
that is clearly worth touting.


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


Collaboration needed to heal local economy
-^.J.iiA *'


Are you voting in the

upcoming presidential election?
DEREK KEMP, 52 HENRY MAE STORY, 63
Liberty City, local union 1175 worker Liberty City, unemployed

Yes, I do plan Yes I am go-
on voting. I ing to vote in '
plan on voting the next elec-
just to keep tion because
Obama in the 4 it is my civic
White House. duty.


YVETTE DOUGLAS, 46
Miami, medical biller

Yes I do plan
on voting be-
cause I love
what President
Obama stands
for. I think if
we work to-
gether we can
keep Obama
in office.

JOSEPH TAYLOR, 74
Liberty City, retired

I intend on
voting because
that is what
you are sup- ,
posed to do '
as a citizen;
this is what /
people have -
fought and
died for.


HESTER L. BUCKLEY, 62
Liberty City, unemployed


I would like:
to vote but I
can't because I
am an ex-con-
vict.


RANDY BLAKELEY, 66
Miami, entrepreneur

I vote in ev-
ery single elec-
tion no mat-
ter what. I am
voting in the ',
Presidential
election and in
the City of Miami Garden's spe-
cial election. I always vote. Vot-
ing is not only my right it is also
my obligation.


Once a year we have an epic
discussion about jobs and
the economy in Miami-Dade
County. However, the discus-
sion is always centered on lay-
offs, pink slips and the need
for more union concessions,
instead of implementing a fo-
cused economic initiative.
Besides the casino proposal,
we have yet to see any recom-
mendations for policies that
would create and attract new
businesses, particularly pub-
lic-private partnerships and
encourage joint ventures. It's a
well-known fact the economy
is weak and people have too
much debt while corporations
continue to close, downsize
and relocate. Government has
to step in with incentives and
make it attract for businesses
to invest in our local economy
- which would in turn help
our local government.


The business community purpose is to attract out-of-
narrative wants to suggest area businesses and encour-
that there is uncertainty in age expansion of existing local
our tax structure and too companies by providing cash
much government regulation. incentive awards. We prob-


Besides the casino proposal, we have yet to see any rec-
ommendations for policies that would create and attract
new businesses, particularly public-private partnerships


and encourage joint ventures.


Perhaps the business commu-
nity, labor and local govern-
ment should have a series of
meetings to discuss and lay
out an economic opportunity
policy aimed at creating lo-
cal jobs. We could start with
several that are already on
the books. For example, the
Targeted Jobs Incentive Fund
(TJIF) is a program whose


ably should expand the list of
industries. The Community
Development Revolving Loan
Fund (CDRLF) is another pro-
gram that was created to as-
sist businesses seeking finan-
cial assistance for start-ups
and expansions.
The loans are awarded up


to a maximum of $200,000
for working capital and fixed
assets. Maybe the amount of
the loan should be increased.
During this economic crisis
there can be no single solu-
tion obviously addressing
our local financial dilemma
should not be facilitated by
one group alone. It should be
a coordinated effort between
local government, organized
labor and the private sector.
The creation of innovative op-
portunities are within our
grasp. By proactively engag-
ing in new ideas thru a col-
lective conversation, imagina-
tion and modifying economic
strategies, we can open up a
new dialogue that will address
an economic policy in a sus-
tainable way even if it's only
temporary.


For 89 years

Black families

have welcomed us

into their homes so

we can share their

good news with

others I


lu


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ww.MAMTIISNLNE(oi I


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414A 111TLIV[MIAMITIMIFISI RIII Y 1-.21 M S ONRLTEIWLETI


With Cuba visit, Brazil's



president focuses on growth


(Reuters) Some forty years
ago, Dilma Rousseff was a
guerrilla fighter working clan-
destinely to bring a version of
Cuban leader Fidel Castro's
communist revolution to Bra-
zil.
How times change. When
Rousseff makes her first visit
to Cuba next week as Brazil's
president, shell have capital-
ism on her mind, specifically
the building of a container
terminal at the port of Mariel
aimed at future trade with the
United States when Washing-
ton one day lifts its 50-year-
old embargo on Cuba.
The $800 million modern-
ization of the natural harbor
west of Havana is being done
by Brazilian engineering firm
Odebrecht with funding from
Brazil's state development
bank BNDES. It is part of a
vast and growing constella-
tion of Brazilian-run projects
in Latin America, Africa and
elsewhere that has paralleled
Brazil's recent rise as an eco-
nomic power.
The business-focused nature
of Rousseffs Cuba trip high-
lights a shift in Brazil's foreign


-Photo by Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters
Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff speaks during a ceremony
commemorating the award of one million grants from the Univer-
sity for All Program (ProUni) at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia
January 23.


policy since she took office ear-
ly last year, with trade trump-
ing all other considerations.
Her predecessor Luiz Inacio
Lula da Silva valued commer-
cial ties too but also sought
more overtly political relations
with controversial leaders such
as Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadine-


Accusations of delay i
By Matthew L. Wald that there was no discernible
safety trend, and the inquiry
WASHINGTON House was closed.
Republicans accused the Na- The chairman and chief ex-
tional Highway Traffic Safety ecutive of General Motors,
Administration on Wednesday Daniel F. Akerson, told the
.of trying to keep secret a bat- hearing that the Volt had not
tery fire in a Chevy Volt out of been designed "to be a political
fear of damaging the value of punching bag, and, sadly, that
the government's investment is what it has become." G.M.
in the car's manufacturer, has begun a print and televi-
General Motors, and jeopar- sion campaign to emphasize
dizing President Obama's re- the vehicle's safety.
"*^'"t~. f fv
R&1 ^^< rJ..l*^ ^ll~ll~m*.*,r^,; jimlli


-Photo Daniel Rosenbaum
David L. Strickland, administrator of the National HighwayTraf-
fic Safety Administration, at the hearing on the Chevy Volt.


election prospects.
At a hearing of a House Com-
mittee on Oversight and Gov-
ernment Reform subcommit-
tee, members released a staff
report that argued that the ad-
ministration's bailout of Gen-
eral Motors created business
and political reasons for the
government to sacrifice public
safety.
The chairman of the regula-
tory affairs subcommittee, Jim
Jordan of Ohio, also criticized
Ray LaHood, the transporta-
tion secretary, for saying in
December that the car was
safe.
"You wait six months before
you start an investigation,
and two weeks after you start
an investigation the secretary
says it's fine, and you think
that's normal?" he asked Da-
vid L. Strickland, the adminis-
trator of the safety agency.
Strickland said it took time to
determine that the Volt's bat-
tery was responsible for the fire,
which occurred three weeks
after a side-impact crash test
in May and happened when no
one was around to see it. And
it took weeks to reproduce the
event, he said. If his agency
had to disclose every allegation
of safety problems, it would
make 40,000 such disclosures
a year, he said.
"It is irresponsible, and
frankly illegal, for us to tell
the public there is something
wrong with the car if we don't
know what it is," Mr. Strick-
land said. "I don't disclose to
the public anything we find
that we don't have proof is a
risk to safety."
The agency said last week


Darrell Issa, Republican of
California and chairman of
the full committee, has been
among the most aggressive
critics of President Obama on
questions of policy.
On Wednesday, Mr. Issa be-
rated Mr. Strickland for say-
ing his agency was still de-
veloping protocols for dealing
with battery-powered vehi-
cles. Mr. Issa showed a photo
of President Obama smiling
through the driver's side win-
dow of a Volt parked at an
event to introduce the car.
"How dare you tell us you're
still developing protocols
while the president is sitting
in an electric car?" he asked.
"You're behind the power
curve."
But Akerson, in his testi-
mony, questioned whether
the June fire represented a
highway hazard. He said the
fire could be reproduced only
by impaling a battery with a
steel rod, and even then the

General Motors
has sold more
than 8,000 Volts,
including 1,500 ,-'
in December,
its best month.
The company
had hoped
to sell 10,000 "
last year.


jad whom Rousseff has all
but ignored since taking office.
Rousseff's interest in busi-
ness ventures abroad has been
heightened by the global slow-
down that brought the boom-
ing economy of Latin America's
largest nation to a halt in the
third quarter of 2011, forc-


in disclosii
fire did not occur immedi-
ately; it took three weeks the
first time and one week the
second time.
The questioning showed a
marked split, by party, over
the wisdom of electric vehi-
cles and government help in
promoting them. Dennis J.
Kucinich, the Ohio Democrat
who is the ranking minority
member of the subcommittee,
accused Republicans of trying
to sabotage the car.
A 16-page report by the
Republican staff maintained
that, "like the case of Solyn-
dra, the president has closely
tied his reputation to the suc-
cess of the Volt." Solyndra was
a manufacturer of solar ener-
gy arrays that went bankrupt
after receiving a federal loan
guarantee of more than $500
million.
The report points out that
the government has given
Compact Power Inc., a manu-
facturer of lithium-ion batter-
ies for the Volt, $151.4 mil-
lion; it has also given General
Motors $105.9 million to build
factories to make electric drive
systems; and it has given
Delphi Automotive Systems,
which used to be part of G.M.,
$89.3 million to expand facto-
ries for making components.
The report also notes that Volt
buyers can get up to $7,500 in
tax credits for buying the car,
which is a plug-in hybrid.
Akerson said many of the
subsidies and tax credits
were set up during the Bush
administration. And the deci-
sion to make the Volt was an-
nounced in 2006, when the
price of gasoline hit $4 after
Hurricane Katrina and "was
not based on any clairvoyant
power to correctly predict the
2008 presidential election."
Strickland of the highway
traffic agency said most in-
vestigations were started after
calls to the agency's phone hot
line, warranty claims or acci-
dents, but there were none of
those in the case of the Volt's
battery. And the fire burned
three cars when no one was
around to see; it took time to
establish that the fire origi-
nated in the Volt and wasn't
arson, he said.


ing her to focus on restoring
growth.
Her first major trip abroad
after taking office in Janu-
ary 2011 was to China, which
dislodged the United States as
Brazil's top trading partner in
2009.
Rousseff's advisers say that
her focus in Cuba will be on
economic cooperation but that
she has also asked to meet
with Castro, who inspired a
generation of left-wing Latin
Americans.
Rousseff was a committed
leftist who joined an armed
group to fight military dicta-
torship in Brazil in the late
1960s. She was arrested in
1970, tortured and imprisoned
for three years.
After democracy was restored
in 1985, Rousseff evolved into
a pragmatic, left-leaning poli-
tician. A year ago she became
Brazil's first woman president,
running an economy that has
relied on foreign investment
and smart financial manage-
ment to lift tens of millions
of Brazilians out of poverty -
thus accomplishing one of the
dreams of her socialist youth.


ig Volt fire
The agency closed its inves-
tigation with an announce-
ment that said the car was no
more dangerous than an ordi-
nary car filled with gasoline.
The company has since re-
inforced the metal protecting
the battery.
"The Volt is safe," Akerson
said. "It's a marvelous ma-
chine."
General Motors has sold
more than 8,000 Volts, in-


cluding 1,500 in December,
its best month. The company
had hoped to sell 10,000 last
year.


Is Google 'going evil'

on privacy?
Mat Honan, on Gizmodo: "In chies who cry foul over these
a privacy policy shift, Google new policies have also been
announced (Tuesday) that it pushing for the development
will begin tracking users uni- of the semantic Web to make it
versally across all its services easier to find what we actually
- Gmail, Search, YouTube and need in the trillions of Web
more and sharing data on pages floating around the In-
user activity across all of them. ternet. Guess what, folks? This
... Although it refers to provid- is the semantic Web. When our
ing users a better experience search engines know what we
(read: more highly tailored re- actually mean, when data on
sults), presumably it is so that the Web automatically be-
Google can deliver more highly comes information we can use
targeted ads. ... So why are easily and quickly, we've ar-
we calling this evil? Because rived. And the semantic Web
Google changed the rules that can't exist without 'the Web'
it defined itself. Google built its (whatever that is) knowing a
reputation, and its multibillion lot about us. It takes data for
dollar business, on the promise a computer to understand our
of its 'don't be evil' philosophy, needs and process natural
That's been largely interpreted language efficiently. Some of
as meaning that Google will those data will necessarily be
always put its users users first. ... It fairly personal."
has made billions of dollars in Kashmir Hill, on Forbes:
that effort to get us all under "What's changing is not
its feel-good tent. And now it's Google's privacy policies but
pulling the stakes out, collaps- its practices. By combining in-
ing it." formation from across all of its
Devin Coldewey, on Tech services, Google will be able to
Crunch: "Google going evil better target users with ads,
has become the Godwin's Law offer more innovative features
of tech commentary. What and, important for Google,
specifically is evil about this better compete with Facebook.
particular action? What is Fellow Forbes writer David
happening is a consolidation DiSalvo says Google is 'say-
of privacy policies across most ing goodbye to user privacy.' I
of the services Google offers. hate to tell you all, but Google
Other companies ... do this already knew all these things
already rather than maintain about you ... and already had
separate documents, agree- permission to combine that
ments and records across sev- info, they're just how actually
eral related sites. This way, going to do that. And kudos
there is a single privacy poli- to them for being so explicit
cy that applies across Google about that."
products. That is a good thing: Dan Tynan, on IT World:
It's simpler for users to un- "Y'all did realize that Google is
derstand, they don't have an enormous nuclear-powered
to sign multiple documents, data-sucking engine, right?
they know that certain things Just checking. The fact that it
are and aren't private across was sucking the data into 70
multiple services, and now separate buckets and is now
something like removing de- funneling all of that into one
mographic data from yourself very big bucket doesn't change
applies universally, not just on the type of data it was gath-
one service. Why shouldn't it ering or its degree of relative
be that way?" evilness. What it may change,
Christopher Dawson, on however, is how Google inter-
ZDNet: "Many of the same te- acts with law enforcement.
111V 1. I lt- It- I ,, 11 t -- w ,,.


As a FREE Community Service Program by North Shore Medical Center, we are
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I


BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY


' e4


A 4 THE MIAMI TIMES FEBRUARY 1-7 2012









5A THE MIAMI TIMES, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012


BLACKS MU'ST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY


Miramar music teacher hits high notes


By Cara Fitzpatrick

A Miramar High School music
teacher who pushes his students
to succeed academically has
been named one of four finalists
for 2012 National Teacher of the
Year.
Alvin Davis, 35, will find out in
April if he receives the prestigious
prize. It's the latest in a string of
accolades for the 11-year teach-
er. He also is the county and
state's Teacher of the Year.
"I'm grateful and I'm honored,"
Davis said Thursday at a press
conference at Miramar High,
where he was surrounded by his
students, other teachers and dis-
trict administrators.
"When it's done right, no mat-
ter where it is, it works, it works,
it works," he said of teaching.


Davis is known for pushing
his students in both music and
academics, requiring them to
take college-entrance exams and
prove they have applied to a uni-
versity. He personally reviews
their report cards and includes
study hall in his band rehears-
als.
For the past three years, every
student who was a regular mem-
ber of the Miramar High band
program has gone to college, ac-
cording to the Broward School
District.
"It's through his love of music
that he's taught his students to
love learning," said School Board
member Patricia Good.
Students said it's the way
Davis connects with them that
makes the difference.
Enmanuel Trabal, 18, credited


4 ~ ~"...



ww.~ 6'


ALVIN DAVIS
Miramar High Music Teacher
Davis with helping him get into
Florida International University
and Florida A&M University. He
said Davis also taught him about


pride and leadership, and was
there for him when, as a fresh-
man, his grandmother died.
"He has guided me through a
lot of troubles," he said.
Robert Gallimore, 17, de-
scribed Davis as a "role model"
who made students feel like
teaching was more than a job.
"He's like one of the best teach-
ers a person could ask for, hon-
estly," he said.
Superintendent Robert Run-
cie said it was fitting that Davis
comes from Miramar High, which
he said sets a standard for ur-
ban schools. The A-rated school
graduates more than 90 percent
of its students and was ranked in
the top 100 schools nationwide
for the performance of its Black
students on Advanced Placement
exams.


Bullying in USA: Are we defenseless?

If 1 teen suicide every 5 hours is ,

unacceptable then we must find a

way to save the children ...Vll=


By Bruce Kluger

Although I have lived in New
York City for 32 years, I have
never been to Staten Island. It
has been said, however, that
this southernmost of New
York's five boroughs is also its
most neighborly. With tree-
lined streets and a vibrant mix
of white- and blue-collar fami-
lies, it is even, some say, evoca-
tive of Middle America.
Tragically, last month Staten
Island took a giant step closer to
becoming like the rest of the na-
tion. On Dec. 27, a 15-year-old
high school sophomore named
Amanda Cummings walked
onto the main boulevard in her
neighborhood and, according to
witnesses, threw herself into the
path of an onrushing bus. She
died from her injuries six days
later. Police say that at the time
of the accident, she was carry-
ing a suicide note in her pocket.

A COMMON SCENARIO
Amanda's story is all too fa-
miliar: She had been bullied re-
lentlessly at her school, mostly
by other girls. She had suffered
a failed romance that brought
her into conflict with a female
classmate. She had reportedly
sunken into a fog of drugs and
alcohol. And most sickeningly,
even as she lay dying in the hos-
pital, the bullying continued on
her Facebook page.
To make matters worse, police
investigators have yet to rule
the suicide a result of bullying,
citing lack of evidence. Family
members say this is because
Amanda did not want to inflame
her anguish by forcing a public
confrontation. The investigation
is still open.
That this wrenchingly painful
story is now considered a text-
book example of today's teen
suicide scenarios speaks both
to theta depth of the crisis and
our fa4ed efforts to curb it.
This.is a problem without a
solution.
According to the Children's
Defense Fund, one child or
teen in America commits sui-
cide every five hours. Addition-
ally, says the Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention,
for every suicide among young
people, there are at least 100
attempts. And a review by Yale
University finds that victims of
bullying are two to nine times
more likely to consider suicide
than non-victims.
I first read about Amanda's
death just minutes before my
two girls barreled in the front
door from school. Bridgette, 16,
looked at me and asked why I
had tears in my eyes. I showed
her the story, and as she read
it, she grew enraged.
"It's not going to get better!"
she bellowed, paraphrasing the


name of the popular national
organization that wages war on
bullying. "Not unless somebody
does something. At this point,
Lady Gaga is the only one who
is making a difference."
I instantly understood what
Bridgette meant. Unlike the It
Gets Better and Trevor Proj-
ects both landmark and ad-
mirable organizations Lady
Gaga has stealthily used her
pop star prowess and signature
otherness to get into the heads
of youths. Even the title of her
anti-bullying foundation, Born
This Way (taken from the title
of her hit song), sends a potent
and uplifting message to kids,
signifying that it's OK to feel dif-
ferent.
And yet, even as Lady Gaga
continues these noble efforts,
we continue to lose children.
This is why Amanda's moth-
er felt compelled, even at the
depths of her grieving, to speak
out on national television, urg-
ing parents everywhere to moni-
tor their kids' lives more closely.
"If (the bullies) are doing this
to one person," she warned,
"they're doing it to others."
This is a problem without a
solution.
The more I thought about
the story from Staten Island,
the more I began to chan-
nel Bridgette's fury. In recent
months, I, like many Ameri-
cans, have been absorbed in the
presidential debates, listening
carefully to see whether any of
the candidates were addressing
issues that spoke to my family,
my kids, my life. And now I won-
der: Who is leading the charge
against the deadly epidemic of
teen bullying a scourge that
continues to lurk in the play-
grounds and hallways of all of
our kids' lives? Who is speak-
ing out on the issue with the
same urgency we routinely give
to. teen pregnancy, or childhood
obesity, or even standardized
testing?
Granted, our system of politi-
cal debate can't possibly accom-
modate every issue facing our
nation; and yet how many more
deaths must we witness before
bullying is elevated to the level
of national emergency? How
many more broken hearts must
parents and families endure?

'AROUND-THE-CLOCK
PROBLEM'
Last fall, I participated in an
online campaign against bul-
lying that was launched by my
friendMarlo Thomas on her
Huffington Post blog. At one
point, Marlo and I conducted a
telephone interview with a New
Yorker named Kevin Jacobsen,
who had lost his 14-year-old
son, Kameron, to a bullying-re-
lated suicide. Marlo asked most
of the questions as I listened in


L '.
- like any father would ach-
ing.
"Bullying is not the same old
issue it used to be," Kevin cau-
tioned. "With social networking
and computers and cellphones,
it's become an around-the-clock
problem. It's now a health is-
sue."
Not long before the interview,
Kevin had created an anti-
bullying website in memory of
his son. He called it Kindness


Above Malice and vowed to de-
vote the rest of his life to ensur-
ing that no parent experiences
the same crushing loss he and
his wife had suffered.
Then came this month's
shocking e-mail: On Jan. 7,
as the one-year anniversary of
Kameron's death approached,
Kevin took his own life. He has
now joined his son. And Aman-
da. And far, far too many chil-
dren in this country.


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Today's college


freshmen hitting books

harder, study says


By Mary Beth Marklein

This year's college freshmen are
more studious than their counter-
pans of the past few years, says an
annual survey released today on
their high school academic habits.
More of them took notes in class,
did homework and took more de-
manding coursework as high
school seniors, and fewer said they
drank alcohol, partied or showed
up late for class.
Those and other trends point to-
ward an entering college freshman
class that has a better chance of
succeeding academically, say re-
searchers who conducted the sur-
vey.
Some of the )ear-to-year chang-
es are shght, the study says. But
when coupled with continued
worries about college costs and
employment prospects, the over-
all portrait of today's traditional
first-year student may reflect "the
increased complexity of going to
college during a recession," says
John Pryor, director of UCLA's Co-
operative Institutional Research
Program, which has conducted the
study each year since 1966. "What
se're seeing, perhaps, is a little
more Iseriousness about) what
you're called to do in college."
The survey, conducted last fall.
is based on responses of nearly
204,000 first-time, full-time college
students at 270 colleges and uni-
versities nationwide. It found that


fewer students received scholar-
ships and that the number of those
receiving scholarships of $10,000
or more also dropped.
In each of the past three years,
increasing numbers of entering
students have said getting "a better
job" was their top reason for going
to college A desire "to learn more
about things that interest me," the
second-most-cited reason, held the
top spot for the first half of the past
decade.
The survey also corroborated
federal research showing declines
in alcohol use among high school
students. It also saw a drop, to
65.3%, in the proportion who said
they spent at least some time par-
tying cach week as high school se-
niors, down from 69.7% in 2009.
Respondents also were less likely
to say the', came to class late or
were frequently bored in class than
in recent years.
Among other promising changes:
71% said they had taken at
least one Advanced Placement
course, up from 67.9% in 2009,
and those who had taken five or
more AP courses increased from
18.7% to 21.7%''o in that period.
39.5% reported spending six
or more hours a week studying or
doing homework as high school se-
niors, up from 34.7% in 2009 and
37.3%, in 2010. That figure has
been inching upward since 2005,
when a record-low 31.9% said they
spent six or more hours studying.


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Making a Difference by Paving a Way.



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UA I [I M I AMI I II ,I RIMIX11-1, 202BLCKS Mus COrIO ilLEI OWIDE IN


--PRIS()N

After the smoke has clear


By Arthur Lee Hall, Jr.

Now that FDOC has made an
all-out effort to keep tobacco out
of sight, it seems as if they have
not been successful with the
die-hard tobacco users. Insti-
tutional canteens discontinued
selling cigarette lighters and
tobacco products on September
2, 2011 but the price of "rips",
( hand-rolled loose tobacco)
which is sold among inmates
in exchange for other canteen
items, has risen to one dollar for
a single "rip" from fifty cents for
three. Once the ban went into
effect, the price on the prison
black market has skyrocketed
to two dollars and cigarettes
sell for three dollars each and
a pack is thirty bucks. Tobacco
products are highly addictive
and withdrawal symptoms were


a common experience in
the first weeks following
the ban. Some inmates
became irritable and .
some developed fiend-
ish behavior. This really
gave hustlers an excel-
lent opportunity to make
a killing selling illegal Hi
tobacco products. Smokers soon
realized that they could not af-
ford to maintain their habit due
to high black market prices.
The official banning of tobacco
products by FDOC is an addi-
tion to a category of prohibited
items similar to marijuana, co-
caine and other illicit drugs.that
find a way to enter correctional
facilities. One major distinction
between tobacco products and
controlled substances is the
ramifications that inmates can
possibly face if they are found


in possession of these
items. For now, posses-
sion of lighters and any
form of tobacco is con-
sidered contraband and
carries a maximum pen-
alty of 15 days in dis-
ciplinary confinement,
ALL and 30 days loss of gain
time. Inmates in possession of
and testing positive for narcotic
use can spend a maximum of
60 days locked up in disciplin-
ary confinement, lose 180 days
of gain time, have their visita-
tion rights suspended for up to 2
years and possibly face criminal
charges. Not known is whether
those officers and other staff
members are punished when it
is discovered that they have vio-
lated the state's efforts to elimi-
nate tobacco products.
Sightings of staff members


RAP

ed
sneaking a few puffs or putting
tobacco in their mouths in dis-
creet areas indicate that they
are willing to take the risks of
being caught.
Sales of transdermal nicotine
patches have been poor and
most inmates who have decided
to quit smoking have shown no
interest in spending $35 to help
end their habit. All in all, the de-
partment has undoubtably suc-
ceeded at making it more diffi-
cult for prisoners to harm their
bodies with tobacco. The air
in the prisons is much cleaner
and inmates are generally lead-
ing more healthier lives. Maybe
sometime in the future those
prisoners who remain sulky
about not having the freedom to
use tobacco will come to appre-
ciate the many health benefits
of abstaining.


Shot-up image of Obama draws inquiry


By Marc Lacey

PHOENIX The Secret Ser-
vice said Thursday that it was
looking into a photograph post-
ed on the Internet that showed
a group of young Arizona men
posing in the desert with guns
while holding up what appeared
to be a bullet-riddled image of
President Obama's face.
The photograph showed
seven casually dressed young
men, four of whom clutched
weapons and one of whom held
up a T-shirt covered with small
holes and gashes and bearing
a likeness of Mr. Obama above
the word "HOPE." The weapons
held aloft appeared to be a re-
volver, a bolt-action rifle and
two assault rifles.
"We're aware of it, and we're
conducting the appropriate
follow-up steps," said Ed Dono-
van, a Secret Service spokes-
man in Washington.
The photo, along with the
remark "Another trip to the
ranch," was posted on Jan. 20


urb. The image was removed




after inquiries about it to the
on the Facebook page of Sgt.
Pat Shearer, a police officer in
Peoria, Ariz., a Phoenix sub-
urb. The image was removed
from Sergeant Shearer's page
pn Thursday afternoon shortly
after inquiries about it to the
Peoria Police Department. Ser-
geant Shearer, a decorated of-
ficer who was honored in 2007


-*SM'. - -
for helping to save a driver
trapped in a burning vehicle,
did not respond to a request for
comment on Thursday.
Jay A. Davies, a police
spokesman, said in an e-mail
that the department was con-
ducting "an administrative in-
vestigation into any possible
policy violations on the part of


our employee."
The photograph was also
posted on the Facebook page of
one of the young men holding a
gun in the image. He was iden-
tified as a student at Peoria's
Centennial High School.
Danielle Airey, a spokeswom-
an for the Peoria Unified School
District, said district officials
were conducting an investiga-
tion and working to identify
any students involved. "We will
also wait to hear from local and
federal authorities to cooperate
with their investigations," she
said in an e-mail.
The Secret Service has an In-
ternet Threat Desk that reviews
online comments and images
that raise potential threats to
protected officials, especially
the president. Mr. Obama made
a brief visit to the Phoenix area
on Wednesday.
"Individuals certainly have
a right to free speech, but we
certainly have a right to speak
to individuals to see what their
intent is," Donovan said.


3oo00 arrested in Occupy Oakland protests


By Terry Collins
Associated Press

OAKLAND, California Doz-
ens of police maintained a late-
night guard around City Hall in
Oakland, California, following
daylong protests that resulted
in 300 arrests. Earlier, Occupy
Oakland demonstrators broke
into the historic building and
burned a U.S. flag, and officers
earlier fired tear gas to disperse
people throwing rocks and
tearing down fencing at a con-
vention center.
Saturday's protests the
most turbulent since Oakland
police forcefully dismantled an
Occupy encampment in No-
vember came just days after
the group said it planned to
use a vacant building as a so-
cial center and political hub
and threatened to try to shut
down the port, occupy the air-
port and take over City Hall.
An exasperated Mayor Jean
Quan, who faced heavy criti-
cism for the police action last


fall, called on the Occupy
movement to "stop using Oak-
land as its playground."
"People in the communi-
ty and people in the Occupy
movement have to stop mak-
ing excuses for this behavior,"
Quan said.
Protesters clashed with po-
lice throughout the day, at
times throwing rocks, bottles
and other objects at officers.
Police responded by deploy-
ing smoke, tear gas and bean
bag rounds, City Administrator
Deanna Santanta said.
Interim Police Chief Howard
Jordan said about 300 arrests
were made.
"These demonstrators stated
their intention was to provoke
officers and engage in illegal
activity and that's exactly what
has occurred today," Santana
said.
The group assembled outside
City Hall late Saturday morn-
ing and marched through the
streets, disrupting traffic as
they threatened to take over


the vacant Henry Kaiser Con-
vention Center.
The protesters walked to
the vacant convention cen-
ter, where some started tear-
ing down perimeter fencing
and "destroying construction
equipment" shortly before 3
p.m., police said.
Police said they issued a dis-
persal order and used smoke
and tear gas after some pro-
testers pelted them with bot-
tles, rocks, burning flares and
other objects.
The number of demonstra-
tors swelled as the day wore on,
with afternoon estimates rang-
ing from about 1,000 to 2,000
people.
A majority of the arrests
came after police took scores of
protesters into custody as they
marched through the city's
downtown, with some entering
a YMCA building, said Sgt. Jeff
Thomason, a police spokes-
man.
Quan said that at one point,
many protesters forced their


-AP Photo/Beck Diefenbach
Occupy Oakland protesters burn an American flag found inside Oakland City Hall during an Occupy
Oakland protest on the steps of City Hall, Saturday, January 28, in Oakland, Calif.


way into City Hall, where they
burned flags, broke an electri-
cal box and damaged several
art structures, including a re-
cycled art exhibit created by
children.
She blamed the -destruction
on a small "very radical, vio-
lent" splinter group within Oc-
cupy Oakland.
"This is not a situation where
we had 1,000 peaceful people
and a few violent people. If you
look at what's happening today
in terms of destructing prop-
erty, throwing at and charg-
ing the police, it's almost like
they are begging for attention
and hoping that the police will
make an error."


Twist in 'toxic tush' case leads to restraining order
In the latest twist of events iii South Florida's'toxic tush'
case where women were injected with a nearly lethal con-
coction of household chemicals to enhance their buttocks,
a person involved has filed a restraining order against the
family of one of the victims. Corey Eubanks, 40, of Hol-
lywood, said he was attacked by the family of Shaquanda
Brown during a taping of the "Cristina Show" on Telemun-
do last week. Brown, who was present at the show with her
family, was a victim of an illegal "pumping party" where
investigators say a concoction including Fix-A-Flat and Su-
per Glue were injected for butt-enhancement.

Two accused gunmen
captured by U.S. Marshal's task force
Two violent fugitives linked to five shootings are off the
streets according to the U.S. Marshals Florida Regional
Fugitive Task Force. Darius Montrez Ings, 20, was wanted
by authorities in South Carolina on a murder charge for a
home invasion robbery last year. Ings was arrested shortly
before noon Thursday while working at a Marshalls store
in Deerfield Beach. In an unrelated case, Herbert Battle,
39, was arrested in a home in the 1100 block of Northwest
100th Street in Miami on Thursday. He was wanted by the
Charlotte County Sheriff's Office on four counts of attempt-
ed murder. In November, Battle wounded four people in a
shooting between two vehicles in Port Charlotte, marshals
said.

Youth pastor accused of
sexually abusing boy for 10 years
A Broward teenager is accusing a Fort Lauderdale youth
pastor of sexually molesting him for the past 10 years, ac-
cording to the Broward Sheriff's Office. Jeffery London,
48, was arrested Wednesday night at his home in Lauder-
dale Lakes after returning from conducting Bible study at
the Bible Church of God in Fort Lauderdale. The accuser,
now 18-years-old, recently told a friend from church that
he had been abused repeatedly over the decade he lived
with London. The alleged victim's mother had left him in
London's care when he was eight after she faced financial
difficulties, according to the investigative report.

Florida man allegedly ate a murdered man's brain
Tyree Lincoln Smith, a Florida man, has been arrested
in Lynn Haven, Florida, for allegedly beating a Connecti-
cut man to death with an axe and then eating his eyeball
and part of his brain in a nearby cemetery. According to a
warrant, Smith told his cousin that the man's eyeball tast-
ed like an oyster and that his brain tasted like "women's
come." Smith had formerly lived in Connecticut, but had
moved to Florida. In December he had returned to Con-
necticut and knocked on his female cousin's door to tell her
that he wanted to get blood on his hands. The cousin said
Smith was rambling on about Greek gods and repeatedly
addressed her as "Athena."

Drunk driver nabbed by Miami Beach cops
According to a police press release, Miami Beach Police
arrested and booked Aldon Smith, 22, into jail early Saturday
morning, where his bond was set at $1,000. He was charged
with driving while under the influence of alcohol (DUI).
Smith is also a star rookie with the San Francisco 49ers. He
led the team with 14 sacks and is a top candidate for NFL
Rookie of the Year. According to NFL policy, he could face
suspension and other forms of discipline including a fine as
high as $50,000.


BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY


A 6 THE MIAMI TIMES FEBRUARY 1-7 2012










7A THE MIAMI TIMES, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012


BLACKS MuST CONTROL THEIR OW\\'N DESTINY


John Levy, 99, talent manager of jazz greats


By Nate Chinen

John Levy, a bassist and pio-
neering talent manager whose
roster included some of the
biggest names in jazz, notably
Nancy Wilson, Joe Williams,
Cannonball Adderley and Wes
Montgomery, died on Jan. 23 at
his home in Altadena, Calif. He
was 99.
His death was confirmed by
his wife and business partner,
Devra Hall Levy.
Widely credited as the first
Black personal manager in jazz,
Mr. Levy entered that profes-
sion by happenstance: he was
a member of the original George
Shearing Quintet in the late
1940s, and by virtue of his dili-
gent practicality, he gradually
found himself entrusted with
most of the group's business de-
cisions. He established his man-
agement company, John Levy
Enterprises, in 1951; Shearing,
the British pianist then still rid-
ing the momentum of an inter-
national hit, "September in the
Rain," became his first client.

HANDLED THE GREATEST
He would go on to represent
singers like Betty Carter, Abbey
Lincoln and Shirley Horn; pace-
setting bandleaders like Ahmad
Jamal, Ramsey Lewis, Freddie
Hubbard and Herbie Hancock;
and crossover stars like Roberta
Flack and Les McCann.
Self-taught as a businessman,
Levy cultivated bonds of trust
with his clients, preferring a


-Jack Vartoogian/FrontRowPhotos


John Levy, left, with the pianist Billy Taylor in 1998.


handshake to a formal contract.
At a time when jazz musicians
were often at the mercy of ineq-
uitable deals with club owners,
record labels and publishing
houses, he earned a reputation
for clear-eyed tenacity.
In dealing with artists it didn't
hurt that Levy was an accom-
plished jazz musician himself.
In the handful of years before
he became a full-time manager,
he had accompanied Billie Holi-
day at Carnegie Hall; worked
with the tenor saxophonists Don


Byas and Lucky Thompson; and
recorded in a trio with the pia-
nist Lennie Tristano and the gui-
tarist Billy Bauer. He anchored
Shearing's modern but acces-
sible quintet, and he was on one
of the first recordings by the
pianist Erroll Garner.

MENTORED BY MILT HINTON
John Levy was born on April
11, 1912, in New Orleans. His
father, John, was a railroad en-
gine stoker; his mother, Laura,
a midwife and nurse. Levy said


he was largely reared by his
grandparents. When he was 5
his family moved to Chicago,
taking an apartment above the
Royal Gardens, a dance hall
that featured New Orleans jazz.
He became a bassist in his teens
after dabbling in piano and
violin; the bassist Milt Hinton,
though only a few years older,
was a mentor.
Levy found his foothold in the
Chicago jazz scene while work-
ing a day job at the post office,
running a small-time numbers


racket and starting a family
with his first wife, Gladys. He
bought a cheap plywood bass,
painted white, that would serve
him through most of his musi-
cal career. Through the Black
Musicians' Union he landed
a gig with the violinist Stuff
Smith, who ended up bringing
him to New York.

2006 JAZZ MASTER
The Stuff Smith Trio, also fea-
turing the pianist Jimmy Jones,
held a steady engagement at
the Onyx Club on 52nd Street,
beginning in 1944; from time to
time the tenor saxophonist Ben
Webster would join as a special
guest.
Levy had no problem finding
subsequent work, especially
once he formed a working part-
nership with the drummer Den-
zil Best, his band mate in the
Shearing Quintet. The two hired
themselves out as a rhythm sec-
tion.
Levy's first three marriages
ended in divorce. He is survived
by his wife; his son, Michael;
his daughters Pamela McRae,
Samara Levy and Jole Levy; 15
grandchildren and many great-
grandchildren. His second wife,
Gail Fisher, was among the
first Black actresses to have a
prominent role in a primetime
dramatic series, "Mannix." She
died in 2000.
In 2006, the National Endow-
ment for the Arts recognized
Levy .as a Jazz Master, the na-
tion's highest jazz honor.


New exhibit explores
Brett Zongker the Washington Monument.
Associated Press Bunch said museum officials
want to see how the public re-
WASHINGTON Thomas Jef- sponds to subjects, such as slav-
ferson wrote "all men are created ery, as they try to present history
equal" to declare U.S. indepen- for the widest possible audience.
dence from Britain, yet he was Slavery, he said, is still the
also a lifelong slave owner who "last great unmentionable" in
freed only nine of his more than public discourse but central in
600 slaves during his lifetime, shaping American history.
That contradiction between "This is a story we know we
ideals and reality is at the center have to tell, and this is a story we
of a new exhibit opening Friday know is going to be difficult and
as the Smithsonian Institution going to be challenging, but this
continues developing a national new museum has to tell the sto-
black history museum. It offers ry," he told The Associated Press.
a look at Jefferson's Monticello "In many ways, the Smithsonian
plantation in Virginia through is the great legitimizer, so if we
the lives of six slave families and can wrestle with slavery and Jef-
artifacts unearthed from where ferson, other people can."
they lived. A portion of the exhibit devoted


Jefferson's slave ownership


-. ~,


-AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta
Shannon Lanier points to the pictures on the cover of the book Jefferson's Children, Wednesday,
January 25th.


-AP Photo/Manuel Balce Cenela
Nineteenth century bilboes for a child, front, and an adult, typically
found on slave ships, are displayed at the Smithsonian's National Mu-


seum of American History new exhi

The exhibit, "Slavery at Jeffer-
son's Monticello: Paradox of Lib-
erty," was developed with Monti-
cello and will be on view at the
National Museum of American
History through mid-October. It
includes a look at the family of
Sally Hemings, a slave. Most his-
torians now believe she had an
intimate relationship with the
third president and that he fa-
thered her children.
Museum Director Lonnie
Bunch said his staff can test
ideas by building exhibits before
the National Museum of African
American History and Culture is
finished.
It will be the first museum
added to the National Mall
since 2004. A groundbreaking
is planned for Feb. 22, and it's
scheduled to open in 2015 near


to the Hemings-Jefferson story
marks the first time the subject
has been presented on the Na-
tional Mall.
Curators stopped short of mak-
ing a definitive statement in the
exhibit about the relationship,
but they wrote that it was likely
an intimate one, based on docu-
mentary and genetic evidence.
"On the one hand it's not a
breakthrough for scholars. We've
known this for a long time,"
Bunch said. "I think that the
public is still trying to under-
stand it."
Many artifacts, including tools
and kitchen ceramics, are on
public view for the first time,
exploring the work and lives of
slave families who lived on Jef-
ferson's plantation. Among the
pieces on display is a hand-craft-


ed chair built by John Hemings,
Sally Hemings' brother, to rep-
licate a set of French chairs at
Monticello.
While such items may have
been seen by 450,000 people a
year at Monticello, they are ac-
cessible to millions of visitors at
the Smithsonian, curators said.
In the exhibit, oral histories
from descendants of Jefferson's
slaves reveal stories passed down
through families for generations,
along with detailed records kept
by Jefferson.
For example, Jefferson bought
George and Ursula Granger and
their sons as slaves in 1773,
and Ursula became a "favorite
housewoman" of his wife. Jef-
ferson eventually made George
Granger the overseer of Mon-
ticello, the only slave to rise to
that position and receive an an-
nual wage.
Later, the first baby born in
the White House was the son of
Wormley and Ursula Hughes,
who belonged to Jefferson.
"We can begin to understand
slavery, not as an abstraction
but through the stories of indi-
viduals and families who were
surviving within a system that
denied their humanity," said
Leslie Green Bowman, president
of the Thomas Jefferson Foun-
dation that runs Monticello.
A related website will show-


case the "Getting Word" oral
history project.
Curators also explore the im-
portance of slavery in early U.S.
history and Jefferson's views on
enslavement, which he called an
"abominable crime."
The small laptop portable desk
he used to draft the Declaration
of Independence is placed front
and center in the exhibit, bor-
rowed from the Smithsonian's
permanent presidential gallery.
Shannon Lanier, 32, of New
York City, a ninth generation
descendant of Jefferson and
Hemings through their son
Madison Hemings, said he has
known about his ancestors for
years from stories told by his
mother and grandmother.
Having such an exhibit at the
Smithsonian is a breakthrough,
he said, because it's past time
for more people to know about
Jefferson's history with slavery.
"This is a great catalyst for
conversation," he said, stand-
ing near a bronze statue of
Jefferson. "It's really hard for
people to understand slavery
and Thomas Jefferson. He was
a president, why couldn't he set
them free?"
"This helps enlighten people
about ... how complex it was."
Bill Webb of New York City
learned only in 2006 that his
ancestor Brown Colbert was a


slave connected to Monticello
as the grandson of Elizabeth
Hemings, Sally Hemings' moth-
er a discovery he called "mind
blowing."
"On any research that you
do, I think it's exciting. But with
slavery, it's certainly disturb-
ing sometimes," he said. "But
it's fact. It's good to know from
whence one comes."
As for Jefferson, Webb said he
was "a product of his time."
Until the mid-1980s, Monti-
cello avoided the difficult topic
of slavery. But decades of re-
search and archaeology at the
site, along with an oral history
project begun in 1993 with de-
scendants of slaves, helped
piece together a fuller picture of
slave life, said Monticello Cura-
tor Elizabeth Chew.
"Twenty years ago, we could
not have done this show," she
said.
Smithsonian Curator Rex El-
lis said understanding Jeffer-
son's place in history requires
a deeper understanding of his
entanglement with 607 enslaved
men, women and children.
"We have to give voice to
them," Ellis said. "They rep-
resent the community who
brought him to his father on
a pillow when he was born to
those who adjusted the pillow
under his head when he died."


14


MIAMI'S COLORED WEEKLY


1~
-, A~


I T










A 8 THE MIAMI TIMES FEBR 2


BLAC(KS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY


I L TI [ I


More drones, fewer troops The Miami Times
In nJI r~ AT nnT + in -1


By Adam Entous

The Pentagon plans to expand
its global network of drones and
special-operations bases in a fun-
damental realignment meant to
project U.S. power even as it cuts
back conventional forces.
The plan, to be unveiled by De-
fense Secretary Leon Panetta on
Thursday and in budget docu-
ments next month, calls for a 30
percent increase in the U.S. fleet
of armed unmanned aircraft in
the coming years, defense officials
said. It also foresees the deploy-
ment of more special-operations
teams at a growing number of
small "lily pad" bases across the
globe where they can mentor local
allies and launch missions.
The utility of such tools was evi-
dent on Wednesday after an elite
team-including members of Navy
SEAL Team Six, the unit that
killed Osama bin Laden-para-
chuted into Somalia and freed
an American woman and Danish
man held hostage for months.
The strategy reflects the Obama
administration's increasing focus
on small, secret operations in
place of larger wars. The shift fol-
lows the U.S. troop pullout from
Iraq in December, and comes
alongside the gradual U.S. with-
drawal from Afghanistan, where a
troop-intensive strategy is giving
way to an emphasis on training
Afghan forces and on hunt-and-
kill missions.
Defense officials said the U.S.
Army plans to eliminate at least
eight brigades while reducing
the size of the active duty Army
from 570,000 to 490,000, cuts
that are likely to hit armored and
heavy infantry units the hardest.
But drone and special-operations
deployments would continue to
grow as they have in recent years.
At the same time, the Army
aims to accentuate the impor-
tance of special operations by pre-
serving light, rapidly deployable
units such as the 82nd and the


ISN S ewwTacmImT e mU lns oexpanddo ne i ns and specal-fourcesd o ment


Drone Combat Air
Patrols (CAPs) by year


One CAP 24.hour, 7-day.a.week presence
In the sky and three to four planes
10 40
Normal operations


2001 '10 PF


Special Operations
Command personnel
80 thousand............


MQ-9 REAPER ARMAMENT SPECS
The Reaper is the Combination of Helflre Wlngspan: 66 ft.
centerpiece of the missiles and Joint Direct Length: 36 ft.
expanding U.S. drone fleet. Attack Munitions Height 2.5 ft.
Souw~e De aitmet of Wfense: Note: CAPS Indludo Prodators, Rapoers and GloNtl Hawks;
,'ful fore is use of a11 available erovs and alr

In this 2008 photo, Beale Air Force Base airmen work on an RQ-4
Global Hawk Block-20 into its hangar at in Yuba County, Calif.


Pro~eded


CREW (REMOTE)
One pilot and
one sensor
operator
The W/all Street Journal


101st Airborne divisions.
"What we really want is to see
the Army adopt the mentality of
special forces," said a military offi-
cer who advises Pentagon leaders.
The new strategy would assign
specific U.S.-based Army brigades
and Marine Expeditionary units
to different regions of the world,
where they would travel regularly
for joint exercises and other mis-
sions, using permanent facilities
and the forward-staging bases
that some advisers call lily pads.
Marines, for example, will use
a new base in Darwin, Australia,
as a launch pad for Southeast
Asia, while the U.S. is in talks to
expand the U.S. presence in the
Philippines-potential signals to
China that the U.S. has quick-re-
sponse capability in its backyard,
defense officials said.


11U VV OJV LIe I CIW4kJ
If you are wondering what hot topics are
being reported in The Miami Times, you
now have another way of keeping abreast.
We will be coming to you on Mondays and
Wednesday, 10:50 and 11:50 a.m., respec-
tively, each week on HOT 105 FM. Popular
talk show host Jill Tracey, will be chatting
with us as part of her show, "LoveLifean -
dthe411. A longer version of the monthly'%
interview will be posted on her website as
well as ours [www.miamitimesonline.com]. .
Topics will include local news and politics
affecting Miami's Black community.


Terence Pinder ordered

by judge to pay hefty fine

Former Opa-locka' ics complaint of exploiting his
official position. To date the


vice mayor avoids

grand-theft charge
The former vice may-
or for the City of Opa- (
locka, Terence Pinder,
41, has recently agreed
to pay hundreds of dol-
lars in fines and to re-
imburse taxpayers for
the misuse of about
$5,000 in unauthor- PIN
ized charges to a City
credit card. County prosecu-
tors say they plan to drop the
grand-theft charge against
Pinder.
The Miami-Dade Commis-
sion on Ethics and Public
Trust announced last week
that Pinder won't fight an eth-


ex-vice mayor has reimbursed
$1,400 of the money he spent
between December 2004 and
June 2006, the commission
said.
Pinder is still facing
other serious charges.
The former official is
awaiting trial on rack-
eteering charges from
accusations that he
accepted cash, nights
DER at hotels and diapers
back in 2008 to sup-
port contracts for two compa-
nies that held City contracts.
In September, Emmanuel V.
Nwadlke, a businessman and
engineer who pled guilty to
money laundering and unlaw-
ful compensation, is slated to
testify against Pinder in court.


North Miami's breakdown

in communication


Should comments be
translated in to other
languages?
During meetings for the City
of North Miami comments by
.non-Engl.ish speaking .resi:
dents are translated to Eng-
lish, but the same courtesy
isn't extended the other way
around. In a recently held
four-hour meeting about a
controversial trash pickup
ordinance in the city, sev-
eral residents had their Cre-
ole comments translated to


English. When the question
was asked about translating
English comments to Creole,
North Miami Mayor Andre
Pierre's answer was no.
"If I had to get every word
translated from English to
Creole we would have been
there longer than we were,' he
said. "I listened to what every-
one had to say."
Pierre is fluent in both Eng-
lish and Creole. According to
city spokeswoman Pam Solo-
man, the mayor decides on
what gets translated during
city meetings.


By Richard Wolf

WASHINGTON President
Obama has reached the three-
year mark of his presidency
with a mixed record of historic
achievements and unfulfilled
promises. Whether his time in
office is three-eighths or three-
fourths over depends on which
part of the record gets voters'
attention in year No. 4.
At the White House and at
Obama re-election headquar-
ters in Chicago, the focus is on
what Obama got
done. That list in-
cludes jolting the
economy, clamping .'..
down on Wall Street
excesses, overhaul-
ing health care,
ending the Iraq War
and killing Osama
bin Laden.
The economy
- upon which
Obama's re-elec- OBA
tion hinges took
time to jolt. Obama
predicted from the start of his
administration that although
the first 100 days would be im-
portant, it would take more like
1,000 days to make a difference.
He was correct: The nation's
unemployment rate didn't drop
below 9% until last October.
On the Republican prima-
ry campaign trail and in the
boardrooms of big business,
more attention is paid to lost
jobs, new government regula-
tions, the lack of an energy pol-
icy, a soaring national debt and
a Middle East that remains in
tumult.
What's clear to both sides is
the disappearance of the great
expectations that accompanied
the president into office Jan.
20, 2009 -- replaced by lim-
ited goals and a political atmo-
sphere even more poisonous
than the one Obama decried in
his inaugural address.
"On this day, we come to pro-
claim an end to the petty griev-
ances and false promises, the
recriminations and worn-out
dogmas that for far too long
have strangled our politics," he
said from the west front of the
Capitol, his faithful stretching
past the Washington Monument


I
Al


toward the Lincoln Memorial.
"We remain a young nation. But
in the words of Scripture, the
time has come to set aside child-
ish things."

PARTISAN
DIVIDE STILL STANDS
Not, apparently, when Re-
publicans control the House of
Representatives and have veto
power in the Senate. Not when
the president abandons bipar-
tisanship after divisive deficit-
reduction talks and refuses to
meet with Republi-
cans for six months.
Obama's three
years in office have
been defined by the
S1 partisan politics he
sought to change.
".. In years one and
two, his Democrats
rammed through
$825 billion in eco-
nomic stimulus
and overhauled
MA the nation's health
care system and
its financial regulations. In year
three, Republicans blocked his
$447 billion jobs bill, and politi-
cal conflict nearly forced a gov-
ernment shutdown and national
default.
Along the way, Obama has
been forced to compromise on
some goals and delay others,
disappointing his political base
without winning over his oppo-
nents. He turned from stimu-
lating the economy to focusing
on budget deficits. He ditched
a "public option" that would
have expanded government-
run health care. He abandoned
efforts to establish "cap-and-
trade" emissions controls. He
failed to close the Guantanamo
Bay detention center.
"We went from hope to heart-
break," says Robert Borosage,
co-director of Campaign for
America's Future, a liberal
group. Even so, he says, pro-
gressives prefer Obama to his
GOP opponents. "He didn't meet
our dreams, but in comparison
to the alternative, he's rising in
our esteem," he says.
That same logic applies to
initiatives Obama had to forgo,
such as providing a path toward
citizenship for more than 1 1


million illegal immigrants. The
president didn't push the issue
even when he had a Democratic
Congress because of broad Re-
publican opposition.
"There wasn't enough leader-
ship early enough," says Clar-
issa Martinez, director of immi-
gration for the National Council
of La Raza, the nation's larg-
est Hispanic advocacy group.
"There certainly is disappoint-
ment on that."

TOO MUCH GIVE
OR TOO LITTLE?
Although liberals decry
Obama's penchant for modera-
tion and compromise, conser-
vatives and business leaders
complain he hasn't been flexible
enough.
Ronald Reagan worked with
Democrats to streamline the
tax code and preserve Social
Security, and Bill Clinton dealt
with Republicans to balance the
budget and overhaul the welfare
system, but Obama hasn't been
willing to ignore politics, says
Bruce Josten, an executive vice
president of the U.S. Chamber
of Commerce. He cites several
instances from the failure to
reach a deficit-reduction deal
with Republicans last year to
the rejection of a jobs-produc-
ing oil pipeline as examples
of Obama's refusal to compro-
mise. "I don't think we had a
lot of that," Josten says. "The
president didn't even endorse
his own deficit commission."
That's a sore spot for those
who say the $15.2 trillion debt is
the major domestic and foreign
threat facing the nation. Obama
came into office vowing to halve
the annual budget deficit in his
first term, but that won't hap-
pen unless taxes are allowed to
rise on the wealthy something
he couldn't make happen last
year.
Obama scores higher on for-
eign policy and national secu-
rity issues. He added troops in
Afghanistan even as he removed
them from Iraq, and he stepped
up drone attacks on terrorist tar-
gets in Pakistan and elsewhere.
"He's demonstrated a tough-
ness," says Aaron David Miller,
an adviser to six former secre-
taries of State and a Middle East


expert at the Woodrow Wilson In-
ternational Center for Scholars.
"There's no question he's run a
very competent foreign policy."


President Obama at three-year



mark: Big wins, much undone


Future proposed:
65 normal, 85 full force


r,








































































Martelly addresses economy to new investors
By Bobby Trenton "In the past, corruption drove away
foreign and domestic investors," he said.
The President of Haiti, Michel Martelly, "This is changing under my administration,
in his address to the 42nd World Economic corruption will not be tolerated, and fur-
Forum in Davos, Switzerland, has once thermore we have a zero tolerance policy on
again encouraged foreign investors to come corruption. I want to assure you that I will
to Haiti. In discussions focusing on busi- personally ensure that your investments in
ness opportunities in the country, the Head MARTELLY Haiti are and will be protected."


of State clearly explained to the potential inves-
tors that it is time to engage in the new Haiti,
noting that the challenges can also be favorable
opportunities to collaborate, innovate and invest
like never before.
President Martelly has renewed his determina-
tion to adopt significant measures to maintain a
stable security environment and facilitate invest-
ment in the country. He is convinced that the
potential investors will not be disappointed.




Haitian volunteer
By Joseph Andrews

A man who was shot and robbed while vol-
unteering in Haiti is now receiving treatment
at Jackson Memorial Hospital (JMH). Au-
thorities said 50-year-old Dave Bompart was
robbed and shot last week in Haiti. Bompart,
nicknamed Big Dave, was helping build a 40- BOM
bed orphanage in the country.
"Went to the bank to get money to feed the kids
at the orphanage and move on with the construc-
tion," said Dr. Barth Green of Project Medishare.
"He drove away from there, and probably, someone
saw that he took this money out for this purpose,
and they followed him on a motorcycle and just
sprayed his car and shot him."
Bompart was shot in the abdomen. He under-
went several surgeries in Haiti and was airlifted to
JMH in Miami where he remains in serious condi-
tion.
"[He] reached a point where he went into shock
several times, so Jackson Memorial Hospital


BIG NIGHT WELCOMES JOWEE OMICIL

Recently the latest instillation of Big Night in Little Haiti was held at the Little Haiti
Cultural Center, 212 NE 59th Terrace. Kreyol jazz star Jowee Omicil played a set in the
plaza of the center following a performance by Little Haiti's own Groove Relax. Art lov-
ers also had the opportunity to view the Art Basel featured Global Caribbean III exhibit:
Haiti, Kingdom of This World in the gallery. Jean Yves Jason, mayor of Port-au-Prince,
Haiti was also in attendance at Big Night's celebration.


In November 2011, over 1,000 entrepreneurs,
including 479 international investors from 30
countries were in Haiti in search of opportuni-
ties. New investments in different areas are
estimated at more than 200 million U.S. dollars.
Activities related to tourism, textiles, agriculture,
fisheries, livestock, construction and telecommu-
nications have been identified as the economic
sectors in which there are many opportunities
for investors.




shot and robbed
agreed to bring him up here, stabilize him,"
said Green.
Bompart is currently on life support and a
ventilator.
"It just kind of hit me in the past two hours
that my husband was shot," said the victim's
wife, Nicolle Bompart. "I never pictured my-
APART self saying that my husband was shot, and
he may not make it. But I will tell you this, with
100 percent conviction: if he doesn't make it, he's
going to a good place."
Originally from Columbus,Ohio, Bompart has
been in Haiti for years. He rushed to the island
nation after the devastating earthquake hit two
years ago and helped build the Project Medishare
hospital. "Right after the earthquake, Jackson Me-
morial, the University of Miami, created a 300-bed
field hospital," Green said, "air condition, ICUs,
outfitting rooms, the only one to treat the tens of
thousands of critically injured patients of Haiti,
and one of our leaders was her husband, Dave
Bompart."


New CEO for Di icel in Haiti
By Joan Perry e largest market, Haiti, which accounts for
about a quarter of its 11.1 million subscrib-
Haiti's biggest employer has named a new ers. Digicel, whose Irish CEO Denis O'Brien
chief executive to run Digicel Honduras, the I promoted development in Haiti before the
mobile phone company recently announced. 2010 quake, has invested $600 million in the
The Jamaica-based private company is bring- impoverished Caribbean nation since it began
ing in Damian Blackburn to replace Maarten work in 2006.
Boute, who will be leaving in March to spend BLACKBURN The company's foundation has also done
more time with his family, Digicel spokeswoman charitable work such as building schools and help-
Antonia Graham said. ing with other infrastructure projects. In recent
Boute added in an email message that he was months, the company erected street signs in the
going "to do a deep recharge of (his) batteries" as he capital and road signs in the countryside and last
and his wife await the birth of their second child, year spent $18 million to renovate the historic
The new head, Blackburrn, recently CEO for Digi- Iron Market damaged in the quake. In November,
cel Honduras, has more than 14 years of experi- Digicel and Marriott International announced plans
ence in the telecommunications industry, to build a $45 million, 173-room hotel in Port-au-
He will oversee operations for the company's Prince. The hotel is slated to open in 2014.














West says Blacks need to diversify interests


WEST
continued from 1A

do what folks do with their fi-
nancial investment. You don't
put all of your money in one
fund neither should all
Blacks continue to rely on the
Democratic Party. If we want
equality as it relates to politi-
cal capital, then we must diver-
sify join the Republican Party
- so that we remain relevant
and to ensure that our voices


are heard."

CRITICISMS OF POLITICAL
GRANDSTANDING
West wants more Blacks to
admit that they espouse con-
servative values and beliefs, but
even more, he says Blacks need
to take control of their own des-
tinies.
"I grew up in the inner city of
Atlanta but now represent one
of the highest per capital zip
codes in the country," he said.


"We have to start looking at our
values and interests and diver-
sify so that we can take advan-
tage of the opportunities that
currently exist for all of our citi-
zens. We are losing generations
and our inner cities look more
like war zones. That's because
no one is looking after our inter-
ests not even the Democrats."
West adds that there is a dif-
ference between the equality of
opportunity and the equality of
achievement.


"We all have access to the
ladder that we can climb to
achieve our personal goals, but
sometimes people fall off that
ladder," he said. "That's when
there needs to be a safety net
provided by the government.
But I strongly stand against al-
lowing someone to dictate what
is or how much is my fair share.
That only leads us down the
road of economic dependency.
The key is that the U.S. is still a
place that supports an equality


of opportunity. When I look at
some of our politicians, all I see
is a lot of grandstanding. They
aren't promoting the right kinds
of policies that would help us
reduce this country's exorbitant
debt while opening up oppor-
tunities for small businesses
that would infuse capital back
into people's pockets."
As for the ongoing battle be-
tween Democrats and Repub-
licans on Capitol Hill, West
says he is tired of the "politics


of demagoguery."
"I wasn't happy with the way
[John] Boehner [speaker of the
House] handled the whole pay-
roll tax thing," West said. "We
have to get together both
parties and we need to al-
low for bi-partisan legislation
that helps our citizens, espe-
cially homeowners who are
facing foreclosure. I'm tired
of good policy decisions being
trumped by political dema-
goguery."


Did race play role in Head Start vote?


HEAD START
continued from 1A

has long discussed using pri-
vate agencies to run Head Start.
However, as commissioners pre-
pared to vote, some expressed
their concerns that race rather
than revenue was what the
debate and subsequent deci-
sion was really all about. Sup-
porters of the 8-2 decision say
they will "require" agencies to
hire Miami-Dade's Head Start
personnel, the majority being
Black women who are the heads
of their households. But those
who opposed the plan question
how that can and will be done.

HOW THE BLACK COMMIS-
SIONERS VOTED AND WHY
Commissioners Dennis C.
Moss and Barbara Jordan voted
no while Jean Monestime sup-
ported the plan. Audrey Edmon-
son was not present for the vote
due to other county responsibil-
ities. However, she did respond
to our questions.
"We recently voted to save
the jobs of over 500 county em-
ployees including police officers
but that same emphasis sav-
ing jobs was not given in this
vote," Moss said. "That's why I
voted no. Unless there is some
mandate that requires the ser-
vice providers to hire [former]
Head Start employees, they will
inevitably lose their jobs. The
non-profits and agencies will


control who is hired and when
you look around the Black com-
munity, there simply aren't a lot
of Black organizations left in the
game who can even apply for
the slots. We talked about man-
dates but none are in place. We
are talking about Black women,
many of whom have done a fine
job for a number of years, that
are now faced with either los-
ing their jobs or being forced
to accept much lower salaries
and fewer benefits than they
currently receive as county em-
ployees."
Jordan de-
scribes herself
as an outspo- -
ken advocate for'
Head Start and ;
believes it should M
be modified, not
dismantled and .--
privatized.
"Nothing has '- *'
changed since /'.
this issue was
first raised," she said. "We can
only encourage private entities
to hire personnel we can-
not require or mandate their
hiring practices. I have been
fighting to save Head Start over
the past four years because of
how privatizing it could impact
women and Black employees.
Out of 333 employees, 288 are
women and 85 percent are the
heads of their households. Also,
256 of them are Black. While I
am concerned about all of the


people working in Miami-Dade
County, I cannot ignore the dis-
proportionate number of Black
women that would be affected
by this measure. My office has
received a number of calls, per-
sonal contacts and e-mails from
constituents encouraging me to
continue to fight for the employ-
ees of Head Start. My comments
during the discussion prior to
the vote were not meant to of-
fend anyone or to play the race
card. They were said to help
my colleagues understand the
ramifications of this decision on
one particular segment of the
I community. It boils down to a
"One of my concerns has
and still Is the county's Head
employees being laid off due t
changes In the structure."
-Commissioner Edmo

lack of sensitivity on the im-
pact such actions have on a
diverse community."
Monestime says he voted
against outsourcing Head Start
in July 2011 and then asked for
a transition plan that was sen-
sitive to the needs of current
county employees. He did not
vote in similar fashion this time
around.
"It has been made clear that
the agencies will be closely
monitored by me and and many
other commissioners," he said.
"Any agency providing Head


Start services should jump at
the opportunity to recruit such
talent and I suspect most of
them will."
Meanwhile, Edmonson, who
was attending to duties be-
cause of her membership on
the County's canvassing board,
said, "One of my concerns has
been and still is the county's
Head Start employees being
laid off due to the changes in
the structure."

HEAD START'S
ORIGINS DATE BACK TO 1965
During the summers of 1965
and 1966, two eight-week com-
been prehensive child de-
bee velopment programs,
Start known as Head Start,
o the were launched in the
U.S. The goal was to help
communities meet the
rnson needs .of disadvantaged
pre-school children. One
of the program's tenets was that
it should be culturally respon-
sive to the communities served
and that those communities
would invest in its success.
Since its inception, Head Start
has served nearly 30 million
children. Here in Miami-Dade
County it has been lauded as
one of the area's most signifi-
cant and successful means of
addressing the emotional, so-
cial, health, nutritional and
psychological needs of children
prior to their beginning kinder-
garten.


Former Haitian dictator's lawyers will appeal
TRIAL argued that the case should be lenge to Haiti since returning it suffered a devastating earth-
continued from 1A dismissed entirely because the home last year from a 25-year quake just over two years ago.
statute of limitations had ex- exile he spent in France. Haiti While a majority of Haitians
been free to roam about the Cap- pired on all the charges, said he has a relatively weak judicial are too young to have lived
ital since his unexpected return would appeal the decision, system with little history of under Duvalier's rule during
from exile last year, if convicted, "We're going to appeal that de- successfully prosecuting even which thousands were tortured
could face no more than five cision and throw it in the gar- simple crimes. The government or killed, more than 20 victims
years in prison. Duvalier's attor- bage can," Georges said. remains preoccupied in its ef- filed complaints shortly after his
nev. Reynolds Georges. who had Duvalier has posed a chal- forts to rebuild the country after return to the country.


FAMU's troubles continue amidst more charges
FAMIU 2011] death of Robert Cham- investigation. Some students incidents of hazing reported at
continued from 1A pion and this latest report of have been arrested and even FAMU. The board of trustees
alleged hazing by members expelled from college. FAMU approved an anti-hazing plan
mission, ritual or values and is of Kappa Kappa Psi, at least officials have vowed to rid the earlier this month; it will be im-
simply against the law." two other incidents of hazing college of its culture of hazing. plemented campus-wide on on
In addition to the [Nov. 19, in the famed band are under Since 2007, there have been 21 Feb. 9th.


College officials assert

discrimination disallowed


FRICTION
continued from 1A

with the College from nine to al-
most 20 years. All of the men are
from Miami. The fourth defen-
dant, Milton Davis, was unavail-
able for comment. According to
their attorney, Dale Morgado, the
case is still in its early stages and
he is now waiting for the court to
rule on certification which the
defendant has moved to oppose.
If the court rules in the plain-
tiff's behalf, other custodians
could join in and become part of
a class action lawsuit against the
college.

HAVING THEIR SAY
"I worked the third shift and
we had inadequate ventilation so
I asked for the proper equipment
and they retaliated," said Shed-
rick, a 17-year employee with the
College. "I began to receive nega-
tive comments on my employee
evaluations, and reprimands -d
three within a six-month period.
My face broke out from being ex-
posed to chemicals, I believe, and
I had to seek medical treatment.
Black employees were getting
the dirty jobs not the Hispanic
workers. Human resources was
not helpful even though they are
supposed to be and it seemed
like Blacks were getting treated


to change at the College in late
2005. There were several other
Hispanic female workers who
had just been hired but none of
them were laid off. I was."
Williams was with the College
for close to 20 years. He says his
case is different as he had been.
hospitalized due to heart prob-
lems and had surgery to implant
a pacemaker.
"I wanted to go back to work
and my doctor approved my
problem with some stipulations
on how much I could lift on the
job," he said. "After one day
back, I was fired. I heard there
was another employee, a Cuban,
who had a similar problem with
his health but was allowed to
stay. I don't know for sure. I was
given the option of resigning and
then seeking to be rehired after
30 days. But I had been there for
over 19 years I wasn't willing
to do that."
Dr. Joy Ruff, director of Equal
Opportunity Programs and
Americans with Disabilities Act
coordinator for Miami Dade Col-
lege, in response said, "I cannot
comment on active or ongoing
litigation,. but I can say that the
College maintains and promotes
adherence to fair and equitable
employment practices. We extend
opportunities for all employees
to be heard regarding their con-


Black/Non-Hispanic 77
Hispanic ; 27
White/Non-Hispanic 129
Asian 9
Unknown 4
American Indian/Alaskan 1


7
76
9


unfairly by many of our Hispanic
supervisors. I was eventually
forced to resign but it was not
voluntary and since then I have
suffered various stages of de-
pression."
Mitchell worked for the College
for nine years before being laid
off, he says, due to "budget rea-
sons." He has since found other
employment.
"I was given the Made Excellent
Award in 2004 and 2005 which
means I didn't miss one day of
work," he said. "But things began


16%
56%
26%
2%
.1 %
0%


cerns."
Ruff admits that cases citing
discrimination have been filed
in the past by current or former
employees of Miami Dade Col-
lege but was unable to provide
the exact number of cases.
"We have a no-tolerance pol-
icy on discrimination and our
managers are trained to es-
calate any complaints from
employees or students to the
Office of Equal Opportunity
Programs or to the dean of
students."


Cct~ft4~rn>1 h~c4/1~dA/z' I I (1/i -~ (4?
~'.-.- '.-,. /

/


There are few moments in a community's life that are as
memorable, inspirational and unifying as the inauguration
of a university president. On February 9, Dr Henry
Lewis III will be installed as the 1 2th president of Florida
Memorial University, South Florida's only historically black
university We invite you to celebrate this milestone in our
community's history!

Thursday, February 9, at 10 a.m.
James L. Knight International Center
400 Southeast 2nd Ave. Miami

For more information, visit FMUniv.edu or contact the
Office of Institutional Advancement at (305) 626-3609


FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC


I~ .'I( Ii


I III


"9


FLORIDA MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY

Lions for Life

,/t.e You,,,/ .20ed2
You're invited! //


<,,/4 s./
).WAN STRADER
CBS4 SS andhr


*1


Featuring
International Recording Artist
ROCHELLE LIGHTFOOT

Hosted by CBS 4's Jawan Strader
Thursday, February 9 at 7 p.m.
Doral Golf Resort & Spa
4400 N.W. 87th Ave Miami
$150 per person
Formal attire


V i, Mr mi u
I SI. 1 1 Of


,' ,, '



Featuring RecordingArtists
MEEK MILL AND AVANT

Friday, February 10 at 7 p.m.
FMU's A. Chester Robinson Athletic Center
15800 N.W. 42nd Ave Miami Gardens
$30 for students with ID (Advance)
$40 for alumni & general public (Advance)
$50 for alumni & general public (Door)


For more information, please contact the
fice of Alumni Affairs at (305) 626-3658.


Kendall Campus full time employees (total 496)
Race 'Number Percentage


BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY


A 01 THE MIAMI TIMES FEB 2012















A look behind president's words preopstcns
tO____ tf TFPT nantf


By Aamer Madhani ___ _
and Gregory Korte


President Obama continues
to battle high unemployment
and frosty relations with Con-
gress just as Americans begin
to weigh whether to give him a
second term. But the president
made the case that the country
has made notable progress on
several fronts under his stew-
ardship. Here's a look behind
the rhetoric:

Statement:
"We can either settle for a
country where a shrinking
number of people do really
well, while a growing number of
Americans barely get by. Or we
can restore an economy where
everyone gets a fair shot, every-
one does their fair share, and
everyone plays by the same set
of rules."
Reality check:(AT) This isn't
the first time Obama has framed
the defining societal challenge
as one of economic fairness.
But Obama is proposing the
more specific tax reforms to
deal with the income inequal-
ity: A 30(PERCENT) effective
income tax rate on millionaires
and billionaires in what has
been described as the "Buffett
Rule," and a limit to the number
of deductions that households
making more than $1 million
can take.
"It's interesting that what
counts as wealthy has gradually
moved upwards and upwards
and upwards," said Elizabeth
Jacobs, a fellow at the Brook-
ings Institution, a Washington
think tank. "During the cam-
paign it was $250,000, and now
it's a millionaire or a billionaire."
The prospects for significant
individual tax reform this year
are slim, which opens him up to
criticism that his tax proposals
are more of a campaign plat-


-EPA/SAUL LOEB / POOL
President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address before a joint session of Con-
gress on January 24, on Capitol Hill.


form than a legislative agenda.

Statement:
Let there be no doubt: Ameri-
ca is determined to prevent Iran
from getting a nuclear weapon,
and I will take no options off the
table to achieve that goal. But a
peaceful resolution of this issue
is still possible, and far better,
and if Iran changes course and
meets its obligations, it can re-
join the community of nations."
Reality check:(AT) Obama cer-
tainly has had his share of for-
eign policy successes over the
last year. He followed through
with a campaign promise to end
the war in Iraq, a team of U.S.
Navy SEALs hunted down and
killed Osama bin Laden in Ab-


bottabad, Pakistan, in May, and
the U.S. supported a NATO-led
operation in Libya that culmi-
nated with the ouster of Moam-
mar Gadhafi without putting
any U.S. boots on the ground.
But at least one potential na-
tional security landmine lies
ahead: Iran. GOP presiden-
tial hopefuls have hammered
Obama on his Iran policy, sug-
gesting his administration has
been feckless in thwarting Iran's
purported ambition to become a
nuclear-armed country and was
slow to embrace Iranian democ-
racy protests in 2009.
"Iran will loom large in months
ahead and the presidential elec-
tion as well," said James Phil-
lips, a Middle East analyst at


the conservative Heritage Foun-
dation. "This is where Obama's
foreign policy is most vulner-
able."

Statement:
"Nowhere is the promise of in-
novation greater than in Ameri-
can-made energy. Over the last
three years, we've opened mil-
lions of new acres for oil and gas
exploration, and tonight, I'm
directing my administration to
open more than 75(PERCENT)
of our potential offshore oil and
gas resources. Right now, Amer-
ican oil production is the high-
est that it's been in eight years.
That's right eight years. Not
only that last year, we relied
less on foreign oil than in any of


the past sixteen years."
Reality check: With his call
to increase efforts to increase
domestic oil and natural gas
production, Obama offered a
rebuttal to GOP criticism of his
energy security policy.
The president called for devel-
oping a "roadmap" for safe de-
velopment of shale gas, which
he said could support more
than 600,000 jobs by the end
of the decade and called for the
new incentives for the private
sector to upgrade equipment-
-which could save companies'
$100 billion over 10 years.
Republican lawmakers have
lashed out at his decision to
reject for now permitting
of the 1,700 mile Keystone XL
pipeline, which would bring tar
sands oil from Canada to Texas.
Backers of the Keystone project
contend the project would cre-
ate 20,000 jobs and would less-
en U.S. dependence on Middle
East oil.
Obama did not speak on the
Keystone controversy, but he
noted that the American oil pro-
duction is at an eight-year high.
Domestic crude oil production
is expected to jump more than
20(PERCENT) in the coming de-
cade, from 5.5 million barrels
per day in 2010 to 6.7 million
in 2020, according to the U.S.
Energy Information Administra-
tion. U.S. dependence on for-
eign oil isbelow 50 percent for
the first time in 13 years. Oil
industry experts quibble with
the notion that Obama should
get any credit for the declining
oil dependence. Lower imports
are the result of lower demand
caused by a sluggish economy,
and growth in production is
largely due comes from indus-
try's ability to extract tight oil
from shale rock in North Da-
kota's Bakken area, according
to Jack Gerard, president of the
American Petroleum Institute


UU,>.LbU I. 'L J S.J F JXII lU 1L
By Susan Salisbury
The millions of dollars that
customers of Florida Power
& Light Co. and Progress
Energy Florida have paid and
are continuing to pay in pre-
construction costs for nuclear
plants that may never be built
amounts to a "nuclear power
tax scam," the Southern
Alliance for Clean Energy's
executive director Stephen
Smith said today.
In December, the alliance
filed an appeal with the Flor-
ida Supreme Court challeng-
ing the Florida Public Service
Commission's approval late
last year of $196 million in
advanced cost recovery for
FPL and $86 million for Prog-
ress. The appeal also chal-
lenges the constitutionality of
the state's early cost recovery
statute.
"The bottom line is, this is
really a bad deal for consum-
ers in Florida when the econo-
my is so tough and people are
struggling," Smith said today
in a conference call.
Smith said the PSC has
applied a state law that al-
lows the early cost recovery
in an arbitrary and capricious
way, and the Florida Legisla-
ture needs to revisit the law
passed in 2006.
The alliance expects to have
briefs filed in the case by
March.
"The legislature has created
a sloppy law which is uncon-
stitutional," Smith said. "We
are hoping the judicial branch
will engage here and do what
they are supposed to do."
FPL officials said about 88
percent, or $172 million of the
fees the PSC approved on Oct.
24 were for upgrades at its
Turkey Point plant in Miami-
Dade County and its St. Lucie
plant on Hutchinson Island.


-- I


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BLACKS Must CONTRot THEIR OWN DESTINY


11A THE MIAMI TIMES, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012








The Miami Times




Faith


SECTION B


MIAMI, FLORIDA, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012


MIAMI TIMES


Blacks still

losing ground

and lives to

HIV/AIDS

Testing and treatment are :
key to 12th annual
Aft Awareness Day


By Kaila Heard
kheard,@miamitimesonline.comi
It may have started as a drive to
promote HIV testing and treatment
at the national level but now Black
HIV/AIDS Awareness Day has be-
come an annual event with all kinds
of activities taking place in Black com-
munities across the U.S. The 12th An-
nual Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
will be celebrated on Tuesday, Feb.
7th. The day focuses on four fo-
cal points: education, testing, in-
volvement and treatment. And
with each passing year, the
necessity of raising aware-
ness becomes more appar-
nt.
"The response to HIV/
AIDS in the Black com-
munity came late and
ease turn to HIV/AIDS 14B


F PHIL WILSON,
Founder/CEO of the Black AIDS Institute


Community pays

tribute to former

St. Matthews pastor
By Kaila Heard
kheard@miamitimesonline.com
On Saturday, Jan. 29th, worshippers and ad-
mirers of the late Rev. Philip Clarke, Jr., who led
the congregation of St. Matthews Missionary Bap-
tist Church in Liberty City with distinction for over
four decades, paused to remember his many con-
tributions. They gathered at the corner of NW 24th
Avenue and NW 61st Street to unveil the recently-
installed street sign named in their beloved minis-
ter's honor.
"After the many generations that [Clarke] nur-
tured spiritually and the many lives that he
Please turn to CLARKE 14B


Legalized U.S.




abortion turns 59


Sunday, Jan. 22nd marked the 39th anniver-
sary of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court deci-
sion, where the high court marked abortion as
legal in every state in the U.S. However, nearly
four decades after the landmark ruling was
given, the issue of abortion still remains contro-
versial.
Some religions take'a hardline -poppoanct
posf; g abortiet'. .- "' .
-,te...,.o te "^W- "'-'t-S


For example, the Rev. John J. Raphael from
the National Black Catholic Congress likened
abortion to being a "major crisis" in the Black
community and claims that abortion is the lead-
ing cause of death for Blacks.
On a nearly annual basis, new legislation has
been proposed to severely restrict access to
abortions in various states. In spite of the legal
and moral issues surrounding abortion, the
- acti.al Pr. remains a popular surgery for,. ;.-
nany..wo .ack womei'accomTnted for 40.-2.,:7
s. tur R!O.4 .


6 Abortion
is a stopgap, not
a solution, to the
real problems fac-
ing Black women,
... while standing
firm for abortion
rights, we must also
find ways to reduce
poverty and expand
access to prevention
services ... 9


CONFERENCE


TRANSFORMS PEOPLE


INTO LEADERS
By Kaila Heard
kheard@miamitimesonline.com
Prophetess Tawanda Sweeting thinks that everyone is a
leader.
"I believe that everybody has the leadership
potential on the inside, it's just that they
haven't tapped that vein yet," ex-
plained the co-pastor of Victory Res-
toration Tabernacle.
To help individuals tap into
their dormant abilities, the Dania
Beach-based church is hosting
a free leadership conference. Led
by Apostle Samuel Clark, the two-
part seminar will include sessions
on Saturday, Feb. 4th and Satur-
day, Feb. 18th.
According to Sweeting, the
goal of the seminars is to "in-
spire current and potential
leaders help them focus on
the kingdom and empower
people to utilize godly prin-
cipals that will work in the
church, the workplace, school,
Please turn to LEADERS 14B


Coconut Grove church

fights against crime
HELPING NEIGHBORHOOD 'JUST SAY NO' TO DRUGS


By Kaila Heard
kheard@miamitimnesonline.com
For 70-year-old Howard Siplin,
his progression into the minis-
try was unusually swift. In the
span of three years, he became a
member of the Beulah Mission-
ary Baptist Church, was selected
to be a deacon, then ordained as
a minister and finally was chosen
to be the pastor.
"It was a great transition, but
I was prepared and I'm still be-
ing prepared," he said. "In this
[church] business, I don't feel
you're ever perfect. You're always
preparing and striving to do bet-
ter."
For the last eight years during
which time he's led the church,
now at about 110 members, Rev.
Siplin has continued to expand
his own education, particularly in
the areas of psychology and hu-
man behavior.
"People are different but they're
very much the same -the same
individual can be one way today
and they'll be another way to-
morrow," he explained. "But I've
Please turn to SIPLIN 14B


Beulah Missionary Baptist Church is located on 3795 Frow
Avenue in Coconut Grove.


iK c illia h
111s5"nnonly" Ujlslt (hurch


~%


UtWl"


A










THE NA flONS #1 BLACK NE\V~PAP[ R 13B THE MIAMI TIMES, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012


Priests decry birth control order


Cathlic officials

urge parishoners

tofightfederal

rule
By Rick Jervis

NEW ORLEANS From
Maine to Phoenix to southern
Louisiana, Catholic churches
across the USA this weekend
echoed with scorn for a new
federal rule requiring faith-
based employers to include
birth control and other repro-
ductive services in their health
care coverage.
Dozens of priests took the
rare step of reading letters from
the pulpit urging parishioners
to reach out to Washington and
oppose the rule, enacted this
month.
The rule requires nearly all
employers to provide their em-
ployees access to health insur-
ance that covers artificial con-
traception, sterilization services
and the "morning after" birth
control pill.
The mandate exempts
churches but applies to Catho-
lic universities, Catholic-based
charities and to groups affili-
ated with Methodists, Baptists
and other denominations.
Roman Catholic leaders mor-


New Orleans-area churches read a letter from Archbishop Greg-
ory Aymond that directs churchgoers to contact Congress to re-


verse the ruling.
ally oppose artificial birth con-
trol and related services, and
they called the rule an infringe-
ment on their constitutional
rights. "This is the government
interfering in the workings of
the church," says Sister Mary
Ann Walsh, spokeswoman for
the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops.
Catholic Church actions in
opposition to the federal edict
included:
New Orleans-area churches
read a letter from Archbishop
Gregory Aymond at Saturday


and Sunday Masses, directing
churchgoers at the diocese's
108 parishes to denounce the
rule and contact Congress to
reverse the ruling. "This ruling
is an example of government
violating our rights," the letter
read.
The Roman Catholic Diocese
of Phoenix issued a similar let-
ter to its 92 parishes, saying it
plans to flout the law and urg-
ing churchgoers to write Con-
gress.
Church leaders in Maine
read a letter from Bishop Rich-


ard Malone protesting the rule
he called a violation of the
church's First Amendment right
to freedom of religious practices
and urging parishioners into
action.
It was not known exactly how
many churches addressed the
issue. About one-third of Amer-
ica's 50 million Roman Catho-
lics more than 15 million -
attend Mass once a week, says
William D'Antonio, a sociolo-
gist at the Catholic University
of America. However, in recent
polls, about 95 percent of Cath-
olics have said they use con-
traceptives and 89 percent say
the decision to use them should
be theirs, not the church's, he
says.
Judy Waxman of the Nation-
al Women's Law Center, says
easier access to contraceptives
could prevent unwanted preg-
nancies and cut down on the
number of abortions. "This is
such a major step forward for
women in this country," she
says.
Wesley and Lesley Sterling of
McComb, Miss., heard about
the rule for the first time while
attending Saturday Mass at St.
Louis Cathedral in New Orleans.
Both side with the church on
the debate. "It's wrong," Wesley
Sterling, 30, says of the rule. "It
should not be forced upon what
we believe in as Christians."


New Birth to reopen its academy

CHRISTIAN INSTITUTE ENTERS INTO COOPERATIVE


AGREEMENT WITH LO

By Fran Jeffries


New Birth Missionary Baptist
Church reopened its New Birth
Academy on last week, accord-
ing to Channel 2 Action News.
New Birth's announcement in
late December that the school
would close after 18 years sent
hundreds of students scram-
bling to find a new school. The
church said then it would have
to close the school due to the
sluggish economy and low en-
rollment.
New Birth spokesman Art
Franklin confirmed to Chan-
nel 2 that it was announced
at Sunday's worship services
that the academy will reopen
through a cooperative agree-
ment with Aurora Day School.


BISHOP EDDIE LONG


CAL


PRIVATE


Franklin declined to release
details on what role Aurora
Day School will play in New
Birth Academy operations,
saying the details would likely
be released during a news con-
ference later this week. Aurora
has campuses in Tucker and
Roswell.
Franklin told Channel 2
that all students, including
those previously enrolled at
New Birth, had to enroll on
Wednesday at New Birth be-
tween 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. He
said New Birth Academy plans
to reopen its doors this Thurs-
day, Jan. 19th.
The pre-K-12 school, found-
ed by new Birth's senior pas-
tor Bishop Eddie Long, had
an enrollment of 221, accord-


SCHOOL
ing to the Georgia Indepen-
dent School Association, and
employed 20 teachers. Just
a few years ago, the Lithonia
academy boasted of having
one teacher for every eight stu-
dents.
The news that it would close
capped a tumultuous year for
Long, who was back in the pul-
pit Sunday after a brief leave in
December to take some time off
from pastoral duties to tend to
"family business," he said. In
May, he settled a sexual coer-
cion suit filed against him by
four former New Birth mem-
bers. Earlier in December, his
wife of 21 years, Vanessa, filed
for divorce. Long returned New
Year's Eve and has continued
to do so at weekly services.


Favorite songs of Martin Luther King, Jr.


Beloved hymns

carried King

through

troubled times

By Adelle Banks

At 87, C.T. Vivian can still
recall the moment, decades af-
ter the height of the civil rights
movement.
As he stood to conclude a
meeting in his Atlanta home,
Martin Luther King Jr. joined
his activist colleagues in song,
his eyes closed, rocking back
and forth on his heels.
"There is a balm in Gilead,"
they sang, "to make the wound-
ed whole."
When the nation paused on
Jan. 16th to mark King's birth-
day, those who knew him say
hymns, spirituals and other re-
ligious songs helped carry him
through troubled times.
The spiritual fit King's unique
circumstances, said Vivian,


who recently was named vice
president of the Southern
Christian Leadership Confer-
ence, the civil rights organiza-
tion co-founded by King.
"The average Christian
doesn't have to pick up his
phone when it rings and think
about somebody killing him or
his children," said Vivian. "The
average Christian didn't have
any of that."
Although King had other fa-
vorites, his widow, Coretta
Scott King, wrote in her auto-
biography that it was Balm in
Gilead that "my husband quot-
ed when he needed a lift."
King also was comforted by
Precious Lord, Take My Hand,
a hymn sung by Mahalia Jack-
son at his 1968 funeral and by
Aretha Franklin at the dedica-
tion of the new King memo-
rial in Washington last year.
"Through the storm, through
the night," it goes, "lead me on
to the light."
Accounts of King's life say it
was the last song he requested,
moments before he was shot on
a motel balcony in Memphis,


When Martin Luther King
needed a lift, it was the hymn
"Balm in Gilead" that he
quoted, his widow, Coretta
Scott King, has written.

Tenn.
Lewis Baldwin, a religious
studies professor at Vander-
bilt University who has written
on King's cultural roots and
prayer life, said the song ad-
dressed some of the helpless-


ness the Baptist minister must
have felt as he constantly faced
threats and attacks.
"I think that song spoke of
that," said Baldwin. "Give me
courage, give me perseverance."
Beyond music that encour-
aged him, Baldwin said King
particularly appreciated songs
such as If I Can Help Somebody
that moved people toward the
goal of creating King's "beloved
community."
"He cherished the great
hymns of the church, particu-
larly those that spoke to the
ethic of service," he said, "and
to be involved in changing the
quality of life of human beings."
Music such as the move-
ment's iconic theme song, We
Shall Overcome, and others
that King favored incorporate
timeless values, Lewis said.
"Those are not songs that have
meaning confined to the 1950s
and '60s," he said.
King particularly enjoyed
Jackson's rendition of Amaz-
ing Grace, Vivian said. After
she sang the spiritual How I
Please turn to MLK 14B


Why are segregated churches still so popular?


By Alex Murashko


Two megachurch pastors
from the Dallas, Texas-area,
who both witnessed segrega-
tion between whites and Blacks
in the U.S. decades ago, took
a closer look at the racial di-
vide still existing today inside
the Church during a pastors'
conference Webcast from Har-
vest Studios in Aurora, Ill., on
Wednesday, Jan. 25th.
While taking part in the El-
ephant Room Round 2 a
gathering of seven prominent


church leaders in .. nearly 100 percent
the Christian com- Blacks and other
munity Pastors T.D. minorities, while
Jakes of the Potter's -- Prestonwood Bap-
House and Jack Gra- tist is nearly all
ham from Preston- whites.
wood Baptist Church Earlier in the
agreed that racial ha- discussion, Gra-
tred still exists both ham began by say-
inside and outside ing, "The way to
the Church. destroy the racial
Although both are divide is to get the
based in the Dallas JAKES roof off and the
area with thousands of mem- walls down."
bers attending, the Potter's Jakes said that church inte-
House congregation consists of gration begins within members'


own lives.
"I don't think you can suc-
cessfully integrate your church
until you integrate your life,"
he said. "If all your friends are
one color and you invite people
of other colors in, they feel like
props in a stage for your life."
Whites are no longer the
dominant race in Dallas as they
were 20 years ago, Jakes said.
"Today, over 50 percent of the
population is Hispanic and La-
tino. Either you evolve or your
church will diminish. Racism
Please turn to JAKES 14B


Community Outreach Coordinator Delores Sallette stands with
some of the students chosen to receive book bags in honor of Rev.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Students receive book


bags for King holiday

For demonstrating the characteristics and qualities of Rev. Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr., In recognition and in celebration of the
birthday of King and on behalf of State Representative Gwyn
Clarke-Reed, District 92, Delores Sallette, community outreach
coordinator, presented backpacks to students in third grade and
fourth grade from public schools in District 92.
Two students in third grade, and two students in fourth grade
level 4, were chosen from each school to receive a backpack filled
with school supplies. Wells Fargo Bank participated in this event
by donating the backpacks to be presented to these students.



'Hate religion, love


Jesus' video goes viral


Christians with no
religious affiliation
growing
By Dan Gilgoff

With so many atheists coming
out of the closet, it's not diffi-
cult to imagine a video decrying
religion racking up millions of
hits on YouTube.
But a video along those lines
has been viewed 15 million
times and liked more than a
quarter-million times since it
was posted on January 10, fea-
turing an enthusiastic young


"Why I hate religion but love Je-
sus, Muslim Version" and "Why
I Dislike Your Poem, But Love
God," which includes these
lines:
I see where you're coming
from but there's insanity in
your vision
You overlook the fact that
Christianity is religion
You're like the man who
claims to hate diets
Or astrophysicists who reject
laws of science.
That response video has itself
been viewed 390,000 times. Not
bad.
Many religious bloggers


Jefferson Bethke questions the validity of religion al-
though he considers himself to be a believer of Christ.


Christian from Washington
state.
"What if I told you Jesus came
to abolish religion?" 22-year-
old Jefferson Bethke says in the
video, reciting a spoken word
poem he wrote. "What if I told
you getting you to vote Republi-
can really wasn't his mission?"
"I mean if religion is so great,
why has it started so many
wars?" he says later. "Why does
it build huge churches but fail
to feed the poor?"
Bethke's video is emerging
as a symbol for many young
evangelical Christians who are
calling themselves "followers of
Jesus" rather than overtly iden-
tifying with institutional Chris-
tianity. Many of the country's
fastest-growing churches are
nondenominational.
"Religion is man-centered,"
Bethke writes in a post accom-
panying his YouTube video. "Je-
sus is God-centered."
In the video, Bethke talks
about what he calls his own
spiritual rebirth, saying he went
from being a self-righteous reli-
gious person to an admittedly
deeply broken believer.
The video has provoked an
avalanche of response, includ-
ing other YouTube videos, like


echoed that video's criticism on
Bethke, alleging he's trumpet-
ing tenets of Christianity while
purporting to blast organized
religion. Critics called Bethke's
take on religion overly simplis-
tic and dangerous.
"Anyone who does just a
little digging on Bethke's You-
Tube channel or on Google will
quickly learn that this young
poet is a conservative Chris-
tian and member of the Mars
Hill Church led by controversial
pastor Mark Driscoll," writes
Patheos blogger Brian Kirk, a
Missouri-based pastor. "All this
seems to me an odd r6sum6 for
one who lambastes organized
religion."
Yet Kirk marvels at the na-
tional conversation that Bethke
has provoked around deep
questions:
Certainly one can agree or
disagree with Bethke's take on
religion but it's difficult not to
admire the way he has stirred
up those of us who may have
been slumbering comfortably
in our own faith without really
thinking about why we do what
we do. Some times the best way
to wake up a sleeping giant is to
poke it with a stick and Bethke
has done just that.


Just follow these three easy steps

-Tor- 88 years as communfyi service, The Miaifh Times
has paid tribute to deceased members of the community
by publishing all funeral home obituaries free of charge.
That remains our policy today. We will continue to make the
process an easy one and extend this service to any and all
families that wish to place an obituary in The Miami Times.

1) Obituaries follow a simple format and must be in our of-
fice no later than 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. All of this is free.

2) Like most publications, obituaries can be tailored to meet
your specific needs, including photographs, a listing of sur-
vivors and extensive family information, all for additional
charges.

3) In order to make sure your information is posted cor-
rectly, you may hand deliver your obituary to one of our
representatives. Obituaries may also be sent to us by e-mail
(classified(Wmiamitimesonline.com) or fax (305-694-6211).

For additional questions or concerns, please call us at 305-
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THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


15B THE MIAMI TIMES, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012









THI l NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


B 41 THE MIAMI TIMES, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012


QMe-


Emmanuel Missionary
Baptist Church is hosting a
Family and Friends Day worship
service every Sunday at 7:30
a.m. and 11 a.m. 305-696-
6545.

Running for Jesus Out-
reach Youth Ministry is host-
ing a Youth Tent Evangelistic
Service on Feb. 19 at 4 p.m.
954-213-4332.

New Christ Tabernacle
Missionary Baptist Church is
hosting their pastor's Pre-An-
niversary services on Feb. 2 at
7:30 p.m.; Feb. 4 at 11 a.m.;
Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 15;
Feb. 19 at 11 a.m. and 3:30
p.m. 305-621-8126.

New Life Family Worship
Center's Let's Talk Women
Ministry is hosting a session
entitled, "Can God use a Wom-
an?" on Feb. 18 at 1 p.m. and
the church welcomes everyone
to their Family and Friends Day
service on Feb. 12 at 11 a.m.

Women in Transition
of South Florida will have its
Annual Spring Tea on March
17. There will be an informa-
tion meeting on Feb. 4 if you


or the women of your organi-
zation or ministry are inter-
ested In participating in this
event. Call 786-704-6817 to
RSVP.

Salters Chapel A.M.E.
Church will be celebrating it's
annual Jefferson County Day
on Feb. 19 at 11 a.m. 305-635-
4637.

N Set Free Ministries
through Jesus Christ of the
Apostolic Faith Church, Inc.
will be having a Prayer Meeting
at 8 p.m. on Feb. 7 for National
Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.
786-488-2108.

Christ Episcopal Church's
Youth Ministry welcomes ev-
eryone to join them on a trip
to the Holy Land Experience in
Orlando on Feb. 18. 305-607-
5553

Benny Hinn Ministries is
hosting a symposium on Feb.
23 24th. 1-800-742-7153.

Christ's Kingdom Life
Center International wel-
comes the community to their
Sunday worship service at 10:30
a.m. and their Bible study and


Prayer sessions on Tuesdays at
7 p.m.954-963-1355.

The Women Transition-
ing Program is hosting an-
other computer training session
for women and men. 786-343-
0314.

New Beginning Church
of Deliverance invites every-
one to their free weight loss
classes Saturdays at 10 a.m.,
but enrollment necessary. 786-
499-2896.

Memorial Temple Baptist
Church holds worship services
nightly at 7:30 p.m. 786-873-
5992.

God Word God Way
Women's Program will have
evangelists, sisters, elders,
missionary's and speaking all
week. 786-499-7548.

Emmanuel Missionary
Baptist Church invites every-
one to their Sunday Worship
Services at 7:30 a.m. and 11
a.m. 305-696-6545.

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


New Canaan Mission-
ary 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 and praise service on
Thursday at 8 p.m.

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

Glendale Baptist Church
of Brownsville invites every-
one to morning worship every
Sunday 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


Pastor brings drug awareness to community


SIPLIN
continued from 12B

learned that being in this posi-
tion and with the spirit of God
I have to keep loving them in
spite of what they say and do."
Loving other fellow human
beings is one of the most im-
portant tasks for Christians but
has even greater significance
for those who serve as minis-
ters, according to Siplin.
"It's my responsibility to love
them because I have to teach
them and if I'm teaching them I
have to exhibit myself as a true


Christian to them."
Beulah MBC reaches out to
its members in various ways be-
yond Siplin's weekly sermons.
Popular ministries include the
traditional ones like the deacon
and deaconess ministries -
but newer ones like the dance
and mime ministries continue
to gain greater participation
and acceptance.
The 58-year-old church also
attempts to address the issues
of the surrounding neighbor-
hood. At one time, the local
area had become a high drug
traffic zone. To combat the


problem, Beulah joined with
other churches that make up
the Coconut Grove Ministers
Alliance, and with funding from
the University of Miami, posted
signs throughout the commu-
nity. Their message was simple:
"Drug Dealers Destroy Commu-
nities." They also included a di-
rect number for the local police.
"We did it to make the people
aware of what they can do when
they see drug activity," Siplin
explained.
The decision to urge people
to rely on the police came nat-
urally as Siplin and his wife of


38 years both worked for and
retired from the police depart-
ment. Together, they were able
to balance lives that included
full time jobs, joint ownership
of both a laundry mat and
vending machine business and
the raising of four children.
Siplin says they guided their
children on the right path
"through strict discipline."
"I worked nights and [my wife]
worked days so that one of us
always had time to be with the
kids," he said. "Now that they're
all adults, they know what
they're supposed to do."


Blacks, poor women lead in abortion rates


ABORTION
continued from 12B

percent of women who had
abortions in 2008 or 472 abor-
tions for every 1,000 live births
in 2009 the most recent
year that the Centers for Dis-
ease Control (CDC) had data
available.
Young poor women make up
large percentage of those hav-
ing abortions
According to the CDC, the
high abortion rates among
Black women can be attribut-
ed to the higher rates of unin-
tended pregnancies. Women of
color who have abortions tend
to be between the ages of 18 to
24 and are either separated or
unmarried and make less than
$15,000 a year, according to


the Black Women's Health Proj-
ect.
Meanwhile, a 2004 Guttm-
acher Institute survey shows
that the top two reasons wom-
en gave for going through with
an abortion were: 1) "Having
a baby would dramatically
change my life;" and 2) "I can't
afford a baby now." Other rea-
sons included: relationship
problems; a desire not to be
single mother; not wanting to
have any more children; and
health problems.
How to lower the number
of abortions, in particular for
Black women, can be boiled
down to increasing access to
birth control to lower the rates
of unintended pregnancies, ac-
cording to the 2008 Guttmach-
er Policy Review.


"Geographic access to servic-
es is a factor for some women;
however, for many, it is more a
matter of being able to afford
the more effective usually
more expensive -prescription
[birth control] methods. Be-
yond geographic and financial
access, life events such as re-
lationship changes, moving or
personal crises can have a di-
rect impact on method continu-
ation," the review stated.
Veronica Byrd, the director of
Black media for Planned Par-
enthood Federation of America,
says she has heard similar rea-
sons as to why birth control is
neglected among Black women.
"Over the years, I've heard
many friends describe having
to choose between their birth.
control pills and paying their


bills," Byrd wrote in her article,
"Why African-Americans Sup-
port Abortion Rights."
To Byrd, the higher abortion
rates are not a moral failing or
a sign of conspiratorial geno-
cide, but a symptom of massive
health care disparities.
"Abortion is a stopgap, not a
solution, to the real problems
facing Black women," she said.
"While standing firm for abor-
tion rights, we must also find
ways to reduce poverty and ex-
pand access to prevention ser-
vices," she concluded.
Last Monday, Jan. 23rd,
a mass to pray for the end
of abortion was held at St.
Martha Church in Miami
Shores. Church officials de-
clined to make a formal state-
ment about the mass.


Street to be named for pastor on Feb. 2nd


CLARKE
continued from 12B

touched in this neighborhood, I
felt this was the least that could
be done to remember his lega-
cy," said Rev. Mark Trimmings,
who led the efforts to have the
street renamed.
For over 41 years, Clarke
served as the senior pastor of
the Brownsville church before
dying on Feb. 2, 2011 due to
complications from pancreatic
cancer, according to his son,
the Rev. Warren Clarke.
Now, the stretch of road along
NW 61st Street between NW


22nd and NW 27th Avenue -
a route that the late minister
traveled along on numerous oc-
casions will be known as Rev.
Dr. Philip Clarke, Jr. Street.
Warren, who is an associ-
ate minister at the church,
described his father as being
fully dedicated to St. Matthews
MBC.
"The church was his life -
my daddy didn't really exist
without the church," he said.
Clarke's list of accomplish-
ments at St. Matthews were
many from remodeling the
sanctuary to purchasing near-
by property to provide afford-


able housing. One of his last
efforts was establishing the Pa-
tricia Moss Scholarship Fund.
Even during his illness, "he
wasn't concerned about his
health, he was still reaching
out to the church, reaching
out to the youth and reaching
out to the community," said
Nathaniel Miller, the chairman
of St. Matthews MBC's trustee
board.
The 75-year-old Bahamian-
American was also a strong
proponent for education, serv-
ing as a substitute teacher for
the Miami-Dade County Pub-
lic School System for several


years. Clarke himself passion-
ately pursued education earn-
ing a bachelor's degree from
Florida Memorial University
[then College] in 1972 and later
receiving a doctorate of divinity
from Atlantic Theological Semi-
nary in 2003.
After the dedication service, a
Junkanoo band traveled along
the newly-renamed street while
members of the community
joined in the celebration. Aban-
quet was served at the church
afterwards.
Clarke is survived by his wife,
Marjorie, a daughter and two
sons.


Area churches joining in HIV/AIDS fight


HIV/AIDS
continued from 12B

we are suffering the conse-
quences," said Phil Wilson, the
founder and CEO of the Black
AIDS Institute.
The number of HIV infec-
tion rates among Blacks are
among the highest of any racial
groups. In 2009, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
reported that Blacks accounted
for an estimated 44 percent of
all new HIV cases. If this pat-
tern continues, the health re-
search organization warns that
1 in 16 Black men and 1 in 32
Black women will be diagnosed
with the immunodeficiency dis-
ease in their lifetime.


"The glass is half empty or
half full, depending on how you
look at it," explained Wilson.
"On the one hand Black Ameri-
cans continue to be dispropor-
tionately impacted by the AIDS
epidemic, [however], AIDS in-
fections are down in Black
communities from what it was
in the 1980s and Black AIDS
deaths are down."
Local grassroots organiza-
tions such as Empower "U,"
are among the local institu-
tions to offer services includ-
ing prevention information,
health seminars and rapid HIV
testing throughout the year.
In recent years, an increas-
ing number of Black churches
have begun to dedicate re-


sources and manpower in
order to address the rising
epidemic in their own com-
munities. In Miami, church-
es such as Bethel Apostolic
Church, Mt. Hermon African
Methodist Episcopal Church,
Ebenezer United Methodist
Church and Mt. Tabor Mis-
sionary Baptist Church have
joined in the fight by offering
ministries or services to those
impacted by the virus. One of
these churches also includes
Liberty City's Set Free Minis-
tries which is led by the Rev.
George Gibson.
The Brownsville-based
church, which also has its
own AIDS ministry, will host a
prayer service on Feb. 7th at 7


p.m. One of the goals will be
to illustrate the importance of
treating those infected with the
disease with compassion.
"Christ had compassion for
everyone when he went around
doing his evangelizing and if
we're Christians we should be
Christ-like and we should be
following his example," Gib-
son said. "I'm just praying that
more and more churches will
open their hearts and doors to
people with HIV and treat them
with that sort of compassion."
For more information about
Black HIV/AIDS Awareness
Day or special events, visit
www. blackaidsday.org; for in-
formation about Empower "U,"
Inc., call 786-318-2337.


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 Depart-
ment of A Mission With A
New Beginning Church spon-
sors a Community Feeding ev-
ery second 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 Mission-
ary Baptist Church welcomes
the community to their Sunday
Bible School classes at 9:30
a.m. and 11 a.m. Worship Ser-
vice. 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.


Jakes: Churches not racist


JAKES
conitnued from 13B

still does exist and is pervasive
in religion and politics, and the
way we think," he said.
Jakes insisted that although
most Americans are not racist,
it is their comfort zones that
keep them from integrating.
"The Body of Christ will nev-
er be what it needs to be un-
til others challenge her truths
with their experiences," he ex-
plained. "The embarrassing
thing is that we as churches are
not doing as well as the night-
clubs are at integrating. We
have to challenge that. There's
more to it than racism. It's com-
fort. It's the natural inclination
to be in environments where
people act like you, dress like
you, think like you."
To counter this apathy, Jakes
said that Christians need to ful-
fill the Great Commission by go-


ing out into the "whole world,"
not just within their own com-
munities.
"You can't pick the houses
you're going in. At a certain lev-
el, it's sin. But it's not always
easily identified. I don't want
to use terms that are coun-
terproductive. When you label
something as racist, they have
burning crosses in their mind
and think, 'They're not talking
about me.' But when you ask,
'Who's in your life? Who do you
run with?' then all of a sudden,
I have to come out of my safe-
ty zone and enter your atmo-
sphere," Jakes insisted.
In addition to the topic of
segregation within the Church,
the all-day conference included
five other topics of discussions
(and a "lightning round" of sev-
eral one-sentence answers to
questions) with pastors Steven
Furtick, Wayne Cordeiro, and
Crawford Lorritts.


MLK inspired by song lyrics


MLK
continued from 13B

Got Over at the 1963 March
on Washington, Baldwin said,
King later wrote her to say she
set the tone for his "I Have a
Dream" speech.
His love for a range of music
was reflected in his sermons,
where he sometimes recited
lines or whole stanzas of sa-
cred songs. In a 1957 ser-
mon, he said the Easter mes-
sage was reflected in such
hymns as All Hail the Power
of Jesus' Name and In Christ


There is No East or West as
well as words from the "Hal-
lelujah Chorus" of Handel's
Messiah.
In that way, lyrics became
more important than the mu-
sical notes that accompanied
them, helping King deliver
his message, said James Ab-
bington, who teaches church
music and worship at Emory
University's Candler School
of Theology.
"King was a trained theo-
logian," he said. "Music be-
comes the platter or the
handmaiden for theology."


Leadership needs vision


LEADERS
continued from 12B

community and even the world."
Since founding the Kingdom
Generation Ministries 17 years
ago, Clark has dedicated him-
self to evangelizing about equip-
ping people to become better
leaders.
This conference's theme is
'20/20 Focus' which was in-
spired by the chapter of Mark
in which Jesus restores sight to
a blind man.
"We're going to be dealing with
the two main components of
leadership which is vision and
focus," explained Clark, whose
ministry is based in Jackson-
ville and West Palm Beach.
"The vision component deals
with your plans, your goals and
your overall agenda, but when
we talk about focus we are talk
about remembering your origi-


nal purpose." Clarke gave the
example of pastors who are jug-
gling too many "side hustles"
besides pastoring.
"They become a jack-of-all-
trades and so the central pur-
pose of their ministry win-
ning souls for Jesus Christ
- moves away from their mis-
sion," Clark said.
Sweeting believes everyone
who participates will leave the
seminars having learned sev-
eral valuable lessons.
"In a nutshell, people should
learn how to impact others and
how to build up the commu-
nities in which they live," she
said.
Victory Restoration Taber-
nacles is located at 4293 Grif-
fin Road in Dania Beach. Both
sessions of the conference will
take place from 10 a.m. to 12
p.m. For information, call 954-
258-9608.


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.


.. .. .


I


Rl lil








THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


Members of the 5000 Role Models of Excellence at Holmes Elementary show off their new laptops.


Elementary


students


rewarded with new XO laptops


Initiative aims

to close digital

divide
By Randy Grice
rgrice@miamitiesonline.cotm

Last week students at Hol-
mes Elementary school were
given the gift of technology. In
an effort to close the digital di-
vide each of the school's more
than 525 students received
their own laptop.
"I am very excited about
getting my laptop today," said
Rodrick Altidor, a 10-year-old
Holmes fifth grader. "By getting
this computer I think that I will
learn a lot of different educa-
tional things. I like technology
a lot. My favorite part about
technology is that it helps me
to prepare for my future."
The XO laptops, specially
designed for primary school
children, were provided by the
One Laptop Per Child initia-
tive, with $245,000 in support
from the John S. and James L.
Knight Foundation.
"We believe that in today's
world if you don't have equal
access to technology and if
you're not connected to what
is happening you really get left
behind," said Jorge Martinez,
director of information systems
for the Knight Foundation. "We


saw this as a great opportunity
to make sure that the really
bright and eager minds here at
Holmes have the opportunity
to explore and be a part of the
21st century like everybody
else."
The digital divide refers
to any inequalities between
groups, in terms of access to,
use of, or knowledge of infor-
mation and communication
technologies. In addition to the
laptops, One Laptop Per Child
is providing in-house train-
ing at the school for parents,
teachers and students on how
to use the computers to ad-
vance students' learning. The
computers are equipped with
tools that allow students and
teachers to work more closely
together. In real-time, students
can follow their teacher's work
on their laptop or work collab-
oratively on projects.
"This was an issue of moral
equity for us," said Alberto
Carvalho, Miami-Dade County
Public Schools superinten-
dent. "It was imperative for us
to insure that these boys and
girls have the same access to
digital content and resources
as anyone else."

-Miami Times photo/Randy Grice
Rodrick Altidor, alO-year-old
Holmes fifth grader explores
his new personal computer.


-Credit: Courtesy of Paul Spalding


South Florida

Boy Scout

leaders earn

local award

Scoutmaster Paul Spald-
ing (1-r) and assistant, Rich-
ard Gray, of Troop 80 in the
Biscayne Bay District, were
awarded the highest Boy Scouts
of America local award, the
Silver Beaver, on January 24th
for their many years of dedi-
cated volunteer service to Boy
Scouts and Cub Scouts in the
South Florida Council.Troop
80 meets at 6:30p.m. every
Tuesday at the American Legion
Post #29, 6445 NE 7th Avenue.
To find a scouting unit near you
go to www.beascout.org or call
South Florida Council's District
Executive Jeremy Moore at
305-364-0020, ext. 239.


Truancy on the rise in

Miami-Dade County


Over 2,000

students skipped

school in 2011

By Randy Grice
rgrice@miiumiiiesoiilitie.com

Education is a crucial part
of the development of chil-
dren and by law kids must
attend school. But more kids
are now choosing to skip
classes, putting themselves
at risk of getting into trouble
or even dropping out all
together. Last year Miami-
Dade County Public Schools
documented over 2,000 tru-
ant students and the number
is climbing this year.
"Truancy is a systemic
problem not just here in
Miami-Dade but across the
nation," said Charles Hurley,
42, chief of the Miami-Dade
Public Schools Police Depart-
ment. "It is one of the great-
est contributors to juvenile
delinquency. Truancy is a
significant challenge for us
in Miami-Dade. We have a
truancy court program but
that isn't the only way to ap-
proach this issue."
Truancy is any intentional
unauthorized absence,from
school. The term typically
describes absences caused
by students skipping school
and it does not refer to a
legitimate excused absence,
like those related to medical
conditions. While truancy is
a problem in Miami-Dade the
school system's police depart-
ment is aggressively address-
ing the issue.
"Our police department
does truancy sweeps to try
and reconnect children with
school," Hurley said. "We do
these sweeps every month.
We target public transporta-
tion systems like bus depots
and the metro rail. We go to
the beaches, the parks and
the malls as well. We will go
everywhere that truants like
to congregate. We don't arrest
them, but we do bring them
back to school."


"1 .


CHARLES HURLEY
Chief of the Miami-Dode Public
Schools Polkce Department
As a parent himself, Hurley
warns that other parent have
to make their child's educa-
tion a non-negotiable in their
lives.
"Parents have got to make
their children's education
not a priority but the prior-
ity," Hurley said. "If a child's
health and welfare is I A
then their education is I B.
Education is very important
because that will determine
where that child goes when
they become an adult."
In the 2008-2009 school
year, 1,476 truancy packets
were processed. As of Janu-
ary 25th, 500 packets had
been processed. Kendra Wil-
liams who has a son that has
been truant said it is hard for
her to keep an eye on her son
as a single mother.
"I try to do the best for my
son but since my husband
passed away it seems like
he doesn't want to listen to
me," she said. "He is coming
around though. I think that
he was just going through a
phase in life."
According to statistics com-
piled by Miami-Dade County
Public Schools, approxi-
mately 160,000 students skip
school daily because they are
being bullied. And almost 30
percent of youth are estimat-
ed to be involved in bullying
as either a bully, a target of
bullying or both.


FAMU makes top 15



Florida A&M University yield of students who emr
(FAMU) has been named in a university after beinl
a one of the ton 1 most accerntfed Acconrdin tn th


popular universities in the
nation by U.S. News and
World Report. FAMU is the
only historically Black college
or university that is ranked
with other Ivy Lleague uni-
versities such as Harvard,
Stanford, Yale, Massachu-
setts Institute of Technology
and Princeton. The Univer-
sity of Florida is the only
other university in Florida
that was listed in the Top 20.
The list is compiled by the


oll
g
If*


report's website, one of the
best indicators of a school's
popularity among students
is the school's yield the
percentage of applicants ac-
cepted by a college who end
up enrolling at that institu-
tion in the fall. In fall 2010,
FAMU accepted 4,993 and
the first year enrollment was
2,815; therefore. 56 percent
of the students who were ac-
cepted were enrolled as part
of the fall 2010 class.


College prepay deadline

reached for 2012


The deadline for parents
to lock in this year's prices
and prepay for their child's
college education has just
passed. While the $49,
293 price tag of a standard
four-year university plan
may seem pricey, the cost is
likely to increase even more
next year. The prices in-
clude tuition and most of the
mandatory fees that colleges
charge. Cheaper plans for
state colleges are also avail-
able. If you bought a univer-


sity plan between February
2007 and January 2010, you
may also want to consider
adding a "tuition differen-
tial" plan to cover the extra
tuition that universities can
charge above the state rate.
It was sold as an optional
plan during that time period
and most people didn't buy
it. But without it, you may
be covered for less than half
the costs of tuition and fees.
In total the plan costs about
$21, 000.


Holmes


SUBSCRIBE TO

THE MIAMI TIMES

CALL 305-694-6214


15B THE MIAMI TIMES, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012


L^B" ,









THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


8 61 THE MIAMI TIMES FEB 2


SPut health screenings on this yeas schedule


Put health screenings on this year's schedule


By Molly Lyons

As your 2012 calendar
starts to fill, think about mak-
ing appointments for health
screenings you know family
members need this year.
"People get busy, and if they
feel well, they go about their
business thinking they are
healthy," says Glen Stream,
president of the American
Academy of Family Physi-
cians. "As a country, we have
too much focus on illness
treatment rather than on well-
ness and prevention, which
leads to people having prob-
lems that could be avoided."
But it's easy to get confused
about what screenings you
need, and how often to get
them, especially when recom-


mendations change or when
different medical groups have
conflicting guidelines. Your
first step: Find a doctor who
can help you sort it all out,
suggests Stream. "You really
need to have a coordinated
plan."
Miriam Alexander, presi-
dent of the American College
of Preventive Medicine, says
the "gold standard" of screen-
ing guidelines is set by the
U.S. Preventive Services Task
Force, an independent panel
of experts in preventive and
evidence-based medicine. The
group makes its population-
wide evaluations solely on the
basis of scientific evidence to
determine if a screening will be
more beneficial than harm-
ful to patients, says Virginia


Important tools to

Cervical cancer: If you are a If you're over 70 and have had
woman age 21 to 65 and have three or more normal tests in a
been sexually active, the task row, or haven't, had any abnQr-
-force strongly recommends mal tests In the last 10 years,
screening for cervical cancer with you'don't need to be screened.
a Pap smear every one to three Colorectal cancer: The task force
years. If you are older than 65 recommends screening using fe-
and recent Pap smears were nor- cal occult blood testing (once a
mal, you no longer need them. year), sigmoldoscopy (every 5
Nor do you need one if you have years) or colonoscopy (every 10
had a hysterectomy for a reason years) in adults, beginning at 50
other than cancer. The Ameri- and continuing until 75. But if
can Cancer Society's guidelines you have a family history, con-
are similar: All women should be suit your doctor about screenings
screened within. three years of more often.
becoming sexually active, but no Diabetes: If your blood pres-
later than 21. Screening is rec- sure (either treated or untreat-
ommended annually with a regu- ed) is greater than 135/80, the
lar Pap test or every two years task force recommends you get
using a newer iquid-based Pap. screened. The American Diabe-


-- 1--

:---nl
Diabetes
- 11


- ----


Moyer, the group's chair.
Other groups, such as the



help you

tes Association suggests if you
are overweight and over 45, or
are younger than 45, overweight
and have other risk factors (high
blood pressure, family history, a
history of gestational diabetes)
that you get checked for predia-
betes or diabetes at least every
three years. "People with type 2
diabetes often are without symp-
toms for many years," says Sue
Kirkman, senior vice president of
medical affairs at the American
Diabetes Association. "It's more
treatable when you find it early."
Eyes: Adults should get a base-
line eye screening at age 40,
which is when diseases and
changes in the eye may start to
occur, says the American Acad-


IuI w


American Cancer Society,
may differ with the task force


on some guidelines, such
as the age at which women
should start getting mam-
mograms. (ACS recommends
most screenings start at 40;
the task force at 50). "The
task force looks at the evi-
dence from 30,000 feet," says
Alexander, basing them on
the population as a whole,
not individuals with unique
family histories or situations.
Weighing all the recommenda-
tions along with your personal
needs is important. "Some-
times we have to make deci-
sions that are not based on
the best scientific evidence,
but on what's best for us,"
says Alexander.
Making those personal
evaluations with a doctor
is even more crucial in the


face of new findings, such
as recent research from the
National Cancer Institute that
showed no benefit, and pos-
sible harm, from annual PSA
screenings for prostate cancer.
"We're all still absorbing these
latest studies," says preven-
tive health physician Deborah
Rhodes of the Mayo Clinic's
Executive Health Program.
Rhodes also cautions that
an annual physical doesn't
screen for everything, so get-
ting an all-clear from your
doctor doesn't mean you're
bulletproof. Even if you've
just had a physical the day
before, if you notice something
strange or have a nagging
pain, don't ignore it. "You
have to be proactive," she
says.


take control over your health


emy of Ophthalmology. If you
have risk factors of eye disease
(family history, diabetes, high
blood pressure), consult an oph-
thalmologist to determine how
often you should go for check-
ups.
Heart: The task force recom-
mends a one-time screening
for abdominal aortic aneurysm
In men 65 to 75 who have ever
smoked. This test screens for a
bulging in the largest artery In
your body; if it bursts, it could
be fatal. If you're 18 or older,
get your blood pressure checked
every two years, says the task
force. While the American Heart
Association recommends every-
one 20 or older have cholesterol


screening every five years, the
task force's guidelines recom-
mend waiting to screen men at
35 and women 45 and older. If
you're at Increased risk for heart
disease (if you use tobacco, are
obese, have diabetes or high
blood pressure, have a history of
heart disease, or a man in your
family has had a heart attack be-
fore 50 or a woman before 60),
you should be screened starting
at age 20, the task force advises.
HIV: The task force strongly
recommends that anyone at in-
creased risk for HIV infection
be screened. Risks can include
unprotected sex with multiple
partners, injection drug use,
treatment for STDs or sex with a


partner with HIV.
Mammograms: The task force
recommends women 50 to 74
get a mammogram every two
years. If you are 40 to 49, the
group also advises you to talk to
your doctor about when and how
often you should be screened.
(The American Cancer Society
recommends high-quality mam-
mograms begin at 40 and con-
tinue as long as you are in good
health.) "The complexity of these
screening recommendations
have increased over time," says
Stream, who advises talking to
your physician about customiz-
ing your screening plan based on
personal risk factors.
Please turn to HEALTH 18B


Kids' health hints Study: Optimal heart health starts early


at parents' future


By Amy Norton

When children have high
cholesterol or blood pres-
sure, their parents may have
increased risks of type 2 dia-
betes and heart disease down
the road, a new study finds.
The study, of 519 Ohio fami-
lies, found that a 12-year-old's
weight, cholesterol and blood
pressure helped predict the
odds of a parent developing
heart disease, high blood pres-
sure or diabetes over the next
three decades.
Researchers say the find-
ings suggest that screening
kids could have the "bonus" of
spotting at-risk parents.
"Pediatric risk factors -
cholesterol, triglycerides, high
blood pressure identified
families where parents were
at increased risk," said Dr.
Charles J. Glueck of Jewish
Hospital of Cincinnati, one of
the researchers on the study.
One reason that's impor-
tant, he told Reuters Health,
is that many parents may not
get check-ups themselves, but
will regularly take their kids to
the doctor.
However, not everyone
agrees that children should
have numerous screening
tests.


It's standard for children to
have their weight and blood
pressure measured at "well-
child" visits to the pediatri-
cian. But only recently did
experts start recommending
cholesterol checks.
In November, the U.S. Na-
tional Institutes of Health is-
sued new guidelines saying
children should have their
cholesterol measured between
the ages of 9 and 11, and again
between the ages of 17 and 21.
The American Academy of Pe-
diatrics also endorsed the rec-
ommendation.
That was a shift from what
experts had traditionally rec-
ommended namely, screen-
ing cholesterol only in certain
at-risk kids, like those with
diabetes or a family history of
early heart disease.
And some critics questioned
the new guidelines, pointing
out that there's no hard data
showing that screening kids'
cholesterol helps their heart
health in the long run.
In 2007, the U.S. Preventive
Services Task Force (USPSTF)
- an expert panel with federal
support said there was "in-
sufficient" evidence to recom-
mend for or against routine
cholesterol tests for children
and teenagers.


By Steven Reinberg


People who reach midlife
without developing high blood
pressure, diabetes or other
risk factors for cardiovascular
disease are much less likely to
have a heart attack or stroke by
age 80 than their less healthy
peers, a new study suggests.
"If you make it to middle'"
age with an optimal profile,
it's really like the fountain
of youth for your heart," said
lead researcher Dr. Donald
Lloyd-Jones, chair of preven-
tive medicine at Northwestern
University Feinberg School of
Medicine in Chicago.
Besides diabetes and hyper-
tension, researchers looked at
the effects of two other cardio-
vascular risk factors high
cholesterol and smoking -
on long-term heart health. A
heart-healthy profile at midlife
"essentially abolished your re-
maining chance of developing
any heart disease over your re-
maining lifespan," Lloyd-Jones
added. These lifestyle-related
factors mattered more than
age, race or sex, the research-
ers found.
Cardiovascular disease re-
mains the leading cause of
death for U.S. adults.
The researchers found that a
45-year-old man with optimal
levels of those risk factors has
a 1.4 percent chance of having


a





For individuals 55-years-old having an optimal risk factor profile
- low blood pressure and cholesterol levels, not smoking and not
diabetic the chance of having cardiovascular problems through
age 80 was 4.7 percent for men and 6.4 percent for women.


a major heart event or stroke
during his remaining lifetime,
Lloyd-Jones said.
"Contrast that with a
45-year-old man who has two
or more major risk factors, his
lifetime risk would be 49.5 per-
cent," he said.
Similar numbers emerged for
women, blacks and whites, he
said.
But it's a lifetime of healthy
living that pays off, experts
said.
"We need to do a better job of
getting our children and young
adults off to a healthy start so
that more of them can make it


into middle age with optimal
risk factors," Lloyd-Jones said.
"All of these risk factors are
preventable, or at least modifi-
able, by lifestyle."
If you have some of these
risk factors, it is critically im-
portant to get with a doctor
and control them, and that's
likely to require medication
and lifestyle change, Lloyd-
Jones said.
But treatment only goes so
far, he said. "It mitigates the
risk, but it never really puts
the horse back in the barn. It's
important to get treated, but
it's better to have never devel-


oped these risk factors in the
first place," he said.
The report was published in
the Jan. 26 issue of the New
England Journal of Medicine.
For the study, Lloyd-Jones'
team reviewed 18 studies that
included a total of more than
250,000 people aged 44, 55,
65 and 75. They were look-
ing for-pattern. .that,.may, not
have been part of the original
findings, but could lead to new
conclusions.
Using the four cardiovascu-
lar risk factors, the research-
ers estimated the lifetime risks
of cardiovascular disease,
heart attack and stroke.
Those with two or more risk
factors had a much higher risk
of cardiovascular disease -
about 30 percent for men and
21 percent for women, the. re-
searchers found.
The risk for heart disease or
heart attack was 3.6 percent
for men and less than 1 per-
cent for women with optimal
profiles, compared to 37.5 per-
cent and 18.3 percent, respec-
tively, for those with two or
more risk factors, they noted.
For stroke, an optimal risk
profile reduced risk to 2.3 per-
cent for men and 5.3 percent
for women, compared with 8.3
percent for men and 10.7 per-
cent for women with two risk
factors, the researchers calcu-
lated.


Keep your brain young: Start now, stay mentally alert as you age


By Daria Carter

You've bellyached over your
saggy bottom, cursed your
crow's-feet, lamented your
love handles and gone to great
lengths to hide your muffin
top. But when's the last time
you gave serious thought to
your brain health?
"People need to constantly
be reminded," said Dr. Greg-
ory Jicha of the Sanders-
Brown Center on Aging at the
University of Kentucky. "Oth-
erwise, we do have a tendency
to just put our brain health on
a back burner."
Alzheimer's disease is one
of the ways brain health can
diminish as people age. More
than 5 million Americans have
it, and that number could jump
to 16 million by 2050, accord-
ing to the U.S. Centers for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention.
Though there's no guaran-
teed way to prevent Alzheimer's
or dementia, "we can be proac-
tive in maintaining our brain
health," said Jicha, an associ-
ate professor of neurology.
Why try?


Because "as we age, if we
start to lose brain health or
develop memory and think-
ing problems, in my opinion,
there's nothing that's going
to have a greater negative im-
pact on your quality of life" or
"your ability to engage in ac-
tivities across the board," Ji-
cha said.
Here are some suggestions
from Jicha and from Dr. Rob-
ert Friedland, the Rudd Pro-
fessor and Chair in the De-
partment of Neurology at the
University of Louisville.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
Take care of your heart:
"Everything that's good for the
heart is good for the brain as
well," Friedland said.
Don't smoke: It's a risk
factor for heart disease and
stroke, and some research
suggests it increases risk of Al-
zheimer's.
Stimulate your mind: "It's
important for the mind to be
active and for people to be in-
volved in activities that involve
learning at each stage of their
life," Friedland said. "They


"It's important for the mind to be active and for people to
be involved in activities that involve learning at each stage of
their life," Friedland said.


shouldn't stop learning when
they stop going to school, for
example, or they shouldn't
stop being involved in intel-
lectual tasks or mental tasks
when they stop working."
Choose activities that match
your interests, such as doing
crossword puzzles or learning


to play the piano, he said.
Schedule time for these
things, just as you would des-
ignate a time to work out, Ji-
cha said. That way, "we can
make sure we're not lapsing."
But don't stress out about it.
There is a wealth of data that
stress is bad for the brain, Ji-


cha said.
Take steps to avoid high
blood pressure and diabetes:
Also, if you have either, man-
age them properly, Friedland
said.
Watch your weight: Fried-
land suggests keeping your
weight in check for possible
brain-health benefits and to
reduce the risk of hyperten-
sion and diabetes.
Exercise: "It's important for
people to be physically active
throughout life," beginning
in childhood, said Friedland,
who called walking "an excel-
lent activity."
Jicha also promotes exer-
cise, saying it not only can
make people feel better and "a
little bit sharper, but actually
can improve the ability of the
brain to function in a healthier
way."
Avoid head injuries: The
Alzheimer's Association rec-
ommends wearing seat belts,
fall-proofing your home, and
wearing sport helmets. Also,
protect your kids, Friedland
said.
Eat right: Stay away from di-


ets high in "bad" fats, and con-
sume plenty of fresh fruits and
vegetables, Friedland said.
Avoid excessive use of alco-
hol or other dangerous drugs:
Excessive alcohol use is a risk
factor for damage to the brain
and seizures, Friedland said.
Also, alcohol abuse may put
you at risk for stroke.
Know your family health
history: More than 50 percent
of the risk of getting Alzheim-
er's is inherited, Friedland
said. "However, the hereditary
factors do not work in isolation,
so it does matter what lifestyle
choices you make," he said.
Report problems: Stay
alert to memory and thinking
changes. They might be dif-
ficult to recognize because of
their gradual, insidious na-
ture, Jicha said.
If you suspect a problem, get
evaluated by a physician who's
knowledgeable and experi-
enced in the subject as soon as
possible, Friedland said.
Don't ignore stroke signs.
A stroke can change your
brain function almost instan-
taneously, Jicha said.













I death


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


USDA guidelines: Healthier school meals
Morefruits, the menu. are part of the Healthy, Hun-
O1 IJIUlLSy In the first major changes to ger-Free Kids Act championed
ggi school breakfasts and lunches by first lady Michelle Obama.
Sgges n1 1 in more than 15 years, the President Barack Obama ap-
school lunch new USDA guidelines will af- proved the measure in late
fect nearly 32 million children 2010.
By lan Simpson who eat at school. They will The guidelines double the
.cost the federal government amounts of fruits and veg-
WASHINGTON School about $3.2 billion to imple- tables in school lunches and
meals for millions of children ment over the next five years. boost offerings of whole grain-
will be healthier under obesity- "Improving the quality of the rich foods. The new standards
fighting U.S. Department of school meals is a critical step set maximums for calories and
-Agriculture (USDA) standards to building a healthy future for cut sodium and trans fat, a
Unveiled on Wednesday that our kids," Agriculture Sec- contributor to high-cholesterol
double the fruits and vegeta- retary Tom Vilsack said in a levels.
..lgbles in cafeteria lunches but statement. Schools may offer only fat-
won't pull French fries from The new meal requirements free or low-fat milk and must
t-assure that children are get-
ting proper portion sizes, the
USDA said.
The new standards will be
largely phased in over a three-
year period, starting in the
2012-13 school year.
About 17 percent of U.S.
r children and teenagers are
obese, according to the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and
Prevention. About one-third of
S .U.S. adults are obese.
US First Lady Michelle Obama (C) and celebrity chef Rachael Ray (R) greet school children a
prior to eating lunch in the cafeteria at Parklawn.Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia, pFRIES WITH THAT?
January 25, 2012. Obama visited the school with Ray and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to Lawmakers altered the
highlight the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) new nutrition standards for school lunches, guidelines in November. They
as schools undertake new efforts to provide healthy food for children. bPlease turrred n he USDA from limiting 18B
as Please turn to MEALS 18B


Diabetic tester that talks

to iPhoneS and doctors
By Walter S; Mmsbherg a new diabetes meter it says
.-~-~ ~-. .is the first with wireless
While consumer tech' technology that instantly
nology advances by leaps transmits'a patient's read-
.,and bounds, the devices ings to. a private online
patients use to manage.. database ,.which can be
'lithiUBes- dftASlAill B.blti^ *tece e af tf'Irt -'?"
'. i the pas garirg' x~' !"' with*pe '.,.
"'bIplfe is th "e' uid ,',ithe Please turnto TE ft iiW -f
- instrument diabetics dse to ...
measure the sugar in their Telcare can indicate if a
blood -irnformation they treading was taken before
*use to adjust their diet, ex- ameal.
ercise and medication.
These meters, -which Ana-
' 'lyze drops of blo6d drawL,-
from fingertips, typically
resemble crudePDAs from
10 or 5i ears''go. They
Offer little feedback and
can't connect to the Internet
to show results to caregiv-
era. Most diabetics who
use them log their readings
on paper, which they hand
doctors weeks or months
later. "
But that is beginning to
change. Next week, a small
start-up will introduce aA


Heart-attack risk spikes

after losing a loved one


NSMC donates toys to the Jessie

Trice Community Health Center

The hospital collected toys and gifts for 25
Miami-Dade County families

North Shore Medical Center teamed-up with Jessie Trice
Community Health Center to sponsor 25 families in need this
past holiday season. Every department within the hospital
adopted a family and donated gifts to the children who oth-
erwise would not have had any gifts this Christmas. Several
North Shore Medical Center employees, directors and admin-
istrators went to the community health center to deliver the
gifts in person to the families.


By Katherine Hobson
One of the saddest times
in someone's life also ap-
pears be a period of in-
creased vulnerability to a
heart attack, new research'.
shows.
A study of 1,985 adult
heart attack survivors finds
that heart-attack risk rises
to 21 times higher than ndr-
mal within the very first day
after a loved one has died.
That sharp increase in risk
tapers off with each day,
but is still almost six times
higher than normal within
-the first week and stays
somewhat elevated for at
least a month.
The results suggest that
people mourning the loss of
someone important should
be sure to take care of them-
selves in the period right
after the death, and not to
dismiss physical symptoms
as purely signs of emotional
stress, says Elizabeth Mo-


stofsky, lead author of the
study and a postdoctoral
research fellow at Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical Center.
And they should be sure to
take medications as di-
rected, saysA ostofsky, even
though this study didn't
seem to point to missed dos-
ages of critically important
drugs as a reason for heart
attacks in the period right
after a loved one's death.
Previous research has
shown that people mourning
the death of a spouse had a
higher risk of death in sub-
sequent weeks and months,
but this was the first look
at heart attack risk in the
period immediately follow-
ing the death of a loved one.
The study was published in
Circulation: Journal of the
American Heart Association.
The study found that the
absolute risk of having a
heart attack within a week
of the death of a significant
Please turn to HEART 18B


Fighting fat begins


with your mirror


Poor eating habits
lead to rise in
nation's obese
By Bonnie Taub-Dix
Recently, journalists and scientists
have attempted to explain why Ameri-
cans are bursting at the seams. While
they movingly described the challeng-
es and issues in fighting fat, they may
have left out one of the critical compo-
nents of those who succeed.
In The New York Times Magazine
story, 'The Fat Trap,' Tara Parker-
Pope shared her heartfelt and per-
sonal account on the profound impact


genetics and the home environment
play. Parker-Pope conveyed her frus-
tration: "What is clear is that some
people appear to be prone to accumu-
lating extra fat while others seem to be
protected against it.
In other words, there is science
behind why obesity may run in the
family. If obese parents raised you and
their pantry was stocked with fat and
sugar-laden foods, there is a greater
chance that you too have struggled
with your weight. But there are people
who grew up in similar environments
and have managed, with difficulty and
diligence, to wear a trim frame.
She also noted the results of a study
that showed, "some people were more
likely to eat fatty foods, presumably
Please turn to FAT 18B


CLEAN A WOUND
CAREFULLY.
When you get a cut, scrape or minor
puncture wound, careful cleaning can help
prevent an infection.
The American Academy of Family Physi-
cians offers these suggestions for cleaning
a minor wound:
Run cool water over the wound, either
by pouring from a cup or holding the area
under running water.
Using a soft washcloth and soap, gently
clean the skin.
Avoid applying soap directly in the
wound.
Clean a pair of tweezers with isopropyl
alcohol, then use the tweezers to remove
any dirt or debris in and around the wound.
Avoid using strong cleansing solutions
such as hydrogen peroxide or iodine. Use
plain water unless otherwise directed by
a doctor.


Bl i I .... OwlI "-

a - law-oW-in*









THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


18B THE MIAMI TIMES, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012


Take more control of your health in 2012


HEALTH
continued from 168
Osteoperosis: Women 65 and
older should be screened rou-
tinely for osteoporosis; if you are
at increased risk for fractures re-
lated to bone loss, begin screen-
ings at 60, says the task force.
"But it also comes down to com-
mon sense," says Rhodes, who
feels there's a value in doing this
test earlier, when you have time
to intervene.
Prostate: According to the task
force, there is not enough evi-
dence to weigh the benefits vs.
harms of prostate cancer screen-
ing in men younger than 75.
However, the American Cancer
Society suggests that at 50,


men talk to their doctors about
the pros and cons and their own
personal risk factors. Black men,
or men whose father or brother
had prostate cancer before 65,
should start the conversation
at 45. "The fact that screening
harms men is clear," says Otis
Brawley, chief medical and scien-
tific officers at the American Can-
cer Society; more study is nec-
essary to determine how many
lives it may save.
Sexual health: If you're a non-
pregnant woman who is sexu-
ally active and under age 24,
or a woman who is at increased
risk, the task force recommends
screening for chlamydia. It also
recommends anyone at risk for
gonorrhea and syphilis be tested


for those sexually transmitted
diseases.
Skin cancer: There is no set
routine schedule," says Allison
Sitt of the American Academy of
Dermatology. "But factors like an
unusual amount of moles or rap-
id mole growth is something that
everyone should look out for." If
you notice moles that are asym-
metrical, have ragged or blurred
edges, pigmentation that is not
uniform, larger than 6mm in di-
ameter or changes in size, shape
or color, talk to your doctor.
Dental health: Schedule an ap-
pointment with your dentist at
least once a year and replace
your toothbrush every three to
four months, advises the Ameri-
can Dental Association. "The


mouth is a portal to the rest of
the body," says Alice Bogho-
slan, the group's consumer ad-
vice spokesperson. "We can get
a general sense of someone's
overall health based on what we
see in their mouth."
Vaccinations: They aren't just
for kids. "Immunizations are
one of the most important in-
terventions we can do," says
Rhodes. Adult immunizations
may include tetanus, diphthe-
ria and pertussis (Tdap), the
flu, and zoster, recommended
for those who are 60 or older to
ward off shingles. Find vaccina-
tion guidelines from the Centers
for Disease Control and Preven-
tion at cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/
schedules.


Study: Heart attacks rise after loved one's death


HEART
continued from 17B

person to be between one addi-
tional heart attack per 320 peo-
ple and one in 1,394, depend-
ing on an individual's baseline
risk for heart problems.
Why could the death of a
friend or spouse help trigger a
heart attack? The short-term
spike in risk is likely due to
higher heart rate, blood pres-
sure and increased blood clot-
ting that can result from in-


tense psychological stress, the
researchers report. Luckily
those changes are short-term,
which likely explains why the
risk drops off as the days pass,
says Mostofsky.
The WSJ has written about
so-called "broken heart syn-
drome," also known as stress-
induced cardiomyopathy, a rare
malady that mimics a heart at-
tack but doesn't seem to be
connected to coronary artery
disease. It's usually "triggered
by acute emotion or physical


trauma that releases a surge of
adrenaline that overwhelms the
heart," the WSJ wrote in 2010.
Grief, anger, anxiety and other
strong emotional responses can
trigger the problem.
The authors of the study write
that they can't rule out the pos-
sibility that some of the cases in
their analysis had this problem
rather than a true heart attack.
The next step, says Mostof-
sky, is to look at more com-
prehensive registry data that
can pinpoint whether a heart-


attack patient experienced the
loss of a first-degree relative
in the recent past, rather than
relying on people to recall their
losses. That study will also try
to identify specific factors asso-
ciated with a heart attack, such
as the relationship between the
patient and the deceased. And
it will be able to see if there's a
link between fatal heart attacks
- which obviously weren't in-
cluded in this interview-based
study and the loss of a loved
one.


Obesity causes are more habit than genetics


FAT
continued from 17B

because they thought being fat
was their genetic destiny and
saw no sense in fighting it."
That approach is like putting
out a welcome mat to hered-
ity-related diseases like dia-
betes and heart disease when
in fact, we may not be able to
pick our parents, but we can
pick what goes on our plates.
Dr. David Katz, Director of
Yale's Prevention Research
Center eloquently wrote that
he believes, "obesity is neither
a psychological nor a biologi-
cal disease, if it is a disease


at all it is a social disease."
Katz reminds us, "Since our
genes and hormones have not
changed appreciably in 50
years, we must attribute the
advent of epidemic obesity to
environmental change." Be-
coming more familiar with the
stove in your kitchen than the
drive-through restaurant in
your neighborhood, or remem-
bering to not leave cookies on
the counter or perhaps not
buying cookies at all, would
certainly cut the cues that
stimulate us to overeat. For
many, the answer may in fact
be an 'out of sight, out of mind'.
approach.


We do know that fad dieting
doesn't work. Jacqui Gingras
of the Ryerson School of Nutri-
tion and supporter of the Health
at Every Size Movement, tells
us that extreme dieting and
its resulting weight cycling, or
yo-yo syndrome, can actually
lead to conditions like insulin
resistance and hypertension.
She encourages ditching the
guilt that may result from ob-
sessing about the numbers on
the scale and instead, "eat ac-
cording to hunger and fullness
signals from inside your body."
I appreciate and encourage the
concept of maintaining a more
mindful approach, but most


of the people I counsel haven't
felt hungry in years. Even the
thought of that rumbling stom-
ach sensation makes them feel
uncomfortable, agitated and
insecure.
After counseling patients for
more than three decades and
battling the burden of an over-
weight body as a teen myself,
my response to the above ac-
counts is that an essential
component must be present to
promote healthier eating and
for long-term weight loss to oc-
cur. That is, the key may be an
internal dialogue with respect,
trust and compassion for one-
self.


Schools meals healthier


MEALS
conitnued from 17B

French fries and ensured that
pizza counted as a vegetable
because of its tomato paste.
Trade associations repre-
senting frozen pizza sellers
like ConAgra Foods Inc and
Schwan Food Co as well as
French fry sellers McCain
Foods Ltd and J.R. Simplot Co
were instrumental in block-
ing changes to rules affecting
those items.
Margo Wootan, nutrition
policy director for the non-
profit Center For Science in
the Public Interest, said that
the new standards were a big
improvement despite food in-
dustry lobbying and the con-
gressional revamp.
"The new school meal stan-
dards are one of the most
important advances in nutri-
tion in decades," she said in a
statement.
The Environmental Working
Group said the changes could
pack a financial punch since
they may help reduce medical
bills related to diabetes and
other obesity-related chronic
diseases.
"A healthier population will


save billions of dollars in fu-
ture health care costs," said
Dawn Undurraga, EWG's staff
nutritionist.
As an example of a new
meal, the USDA said an el-
ementary school lunch could
be whole wheat spaghetti with
meat sauce and a whole wheat
roll, green beans, broccoli,
cauliflower, kiwi, low-fat milk,
low-fat ranch dip and soft
margarine.
That lunch would replace
a meal of a hot dog on a bun
with ketchup, canned pears,
raw celery and carrots with
ranch dressing, and low-fat
chocolate milk.
As part of the new standards,
schools will receive another
6 cents a meal. The $3.2 bil-
lion needed to implement the
program for five years covers
the cost of food and increased
USDA inspections of school
menus.
Food and beverages sold in
vending machines and other
school sites "will also contrib-
ute to a healthy diet," the USDA
statement said.
The USDA gives school dis-
tricts funds for meals through
its National School Lunch and
School Breakfast programs.


Device talks to diabetics


TESTER
conitnued from 17B

doctor, caregiver or family
member. This system charts
the results to highlight trends
and spot problems, and can be
accessed via a Web browser or
an iPhone app. It automatically
transmits relevant feedback -
such as whether your readings
seem high or low and allows
doctors to respond.
I've been testing this new me-
ter and service, which is called
Telcare and comes from a
Bethesda, Md., company of the
same name. As a Type 2 diabet-
ic myself, I found the Telcare
meter a refreshing change, and
a significant step toward bring-


ing consumer medical devices
closer to the world of modern
technology.
Despite some drawbacks, in-
cluding a high price, I recom-
mend the Telcare be considered
by diabetics who want a better
substitute for paper logs, or
would benefit from real-time
sharing of their readings.
However, as with any medi-
cal decision, I urge people to
consult their doctors before
switching meters. Also, I eval-
uated this product as a con-
sumer technology. I am not a
physician or diabetes expert.
While I found the Telcare me-
ter convenient and accurate
for me, your situation might
differ.


Remember: see your


doctor for your


annual checkup!


Humana Family


HUMANA.


GHHH5UGHH 911













Winston Riley, Jamaican music producer, dies at 68


By Rob Kenner

Winston Riley, a record pro-
ducer and singer whose diverse,
influential work helped to pop-
ularize Jamaican music around
the world, died on Jan. 19 in
Kingston, Jamaica. He was 68.
His death was confirmed by
his eldest son, Kurt.
Riley was shot in the back of
the head at his home in Novem-
ber and remained hospitalized
until he died of complications,
Kurt Riley said. There have
been no arrests, and the motive
for the shooting is unclear.
Over the course of nearly half
a century, Riley constantly up-
dated his sound, releasing im-
portant, cutting-edge records
from the 1960s through the
70s, '80s and '90s as Jamaican
music underwent radical stylis-
tic changes.
"Despite being what we would


call an elder, he was always
up to date," said the drum-
mer Cleveland Browne of the
duo Steely & Clevie, who pro-
vided the instrumental tracks
for many of Riley's dancehall
productions. "I don't know how
he was able to connect with
the younger generation, but
he always knew exactly what
he wanted, and that would be
what they wanted. I can't recall
one song that we did with him
that didn't hit the charts."
Renowned for coaxing break-
through performances out of
unproven artists, Riley was a
studio perfectionist. Many of
the biggest hits on his Tech-
niques label Tenor Saw's
"Ring the Alarm," Super Cat's
"Boops," and Buju Banton's
"Stamina Daddy," to name a
few were the starting point
for major careers.
Born on May 14, 1943, in the


Denham Town section of West
Kingston, Winston Delano Ri-
ley never turned his back on
the tough streets where he was
raised. "Daddy grew up with the
baddest of the baddest dudes,"
said Kurt Riley, a producer and


disc jockey who worked with
his father. "He could have done
what they did, but he chose
music instead. He didn't study
music in school, and he could
not read music to save his life,
but you could hear his passion


Four things never to say to a grieving friend


How popular

platitudes do

more harm

than good

By Andrea Bonior

When a friend experiences a
loss, whether it be a death in
the family, a divorce, separa-
tion, miscarriage, or other stag-
gering event, it can often be
difficult to know what to say.
The tendency to simply repeat
the same platitudes ("You'll be
in my thoughts; I'm so sorry")
is understandably strong, but
can sometimes lead you down
the wrong path. Take a look at
the Facebook comments of any-
one who has posted something
sad, and they read like a broken
record. Want to know what's


not particularly helpful? Read
on for some common phrases
that surprisingly do more harm
than good.
"I know how you feel." Hon-
estly, you can't, you don't, and
you won't. Certainly, you can
empathize and talk about how
you relate to her. But don't
pretend you can get insider
her head: you'll come off like a
know-it-all who wants to make
her loss an excuse to talk about
yourself.


"This is God's plan." This can
be confusing, unhelpful, and at
worst, enraging ("Why do you
believe that God wants me to
experience Hell on Earth?") Cer-
tainly, if you share your friend's
faith, nudging them toward a
reminder of their beliefs can
help bring peace. But declaring
that you have their life's fate all
figured out can be downright
insensitive, especially if they
are understandably question-
ing their own beliefs when life
doesn't seem to make sense
anymore.
"If you need anything, give
me a call." Very common and
no doubt well-meaning, this is
the classic sign-off of sympa-
thetic friends everywhere. But
it's quite vague, and puts the
burden of effort on the griev-
ing person. Instead, get specific
and take away their work: Ask
when you can bring by some
takeout. Tell her you want to


do some laundry for her and
all she has to do is pick a time
this weekend. When someone is
emotionally paralyzed by a loss,
it's often the simple tasks of
everyday life that become over-
whelming: and saying you are
going to come by with some gro-
ceries this Thursday is going to
go a lot farther than some vague
and passive offer of helping.
"This, too, shall pass."
Though a good phrase to cross-
stitch into a throw pillow, or
reminding your own self when
you're sitting through a partic-
ularly bad episode of America's
Got Talent, this is rarely useful
coming from someone else, es-
pecially in the throes of a loss.
Being told that they'll feel better
soon seems like wishful think-
ing, and may come across of
totally invalidating of their cur-
rent pain. They need more time,
and to come to this conclusion
on their own.


Just follow these three easy steps

For 89 years as a community service, The Miami Times has
paid tribute to deceased members of the community by pub-
lishing all funeral home obituaries free of charge. That re-
mains our policy today. We will continue to make the process
an easy one and extend this service to any and all families
that wish to place an obituary in The Miami Times.

1) Obituaries follow a simple format and must be in our office
no later than 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. All of this is free.

2) Like most publications, obituaries can be tailored to meet
your specific needs, including photographs, a listing of sur-
vivors and extensive family information, all for additional
charges.

3) In order to make sure your information is posted correctly,
you may hand deliver your obituary to one of our representa-
tives. Obituaries may also be sent to us by e-mail (classified@
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For additional questions or concerns, please call us at 305-
694-6210 and we will be happy to provide you with quality
service.


Tc IV-Iinmi -Timpg


-T l tl.it. .1 11L


Apostolic
Revival Center
6702 N.W. 15th Avenue

S Order of Services
WeSunday Slol 9:45 .. i

Morning Sm e II a m.
S' t1 ie Wol,,h.p ) p0 ,
lu16 rPayer Meen,.g Q 0
l tFr.ay Bible Sludy 30 P



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

Order of Services



ed. Bible Sudy/Prye..6:30 p.m.
Inurs. Outreach Ministry....6:30 p.o.


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

Order of Services
M, o.ihu Fr. h ,N an [0, Paver
.11,r a v n,No'ur lip .n
S Surd, d woa,,,p 1 II a m






St. Mark Missionary
Baptist Church
1470 N.W. 87th Street
[,* I I'tSV4


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


Order of Services
Sunday Worship 7 a.m.,
11 a.m., 7 p.m.
Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Tuesday (Bible Study) 6:45p.m.
Wednesday Bible Study
10:45 a.m.


1 (800) 254-NBB(
305-685-3700
Fax: 305-685-07015
www.newbirthbaptistmiumi.org


Bis V:9c! o T..urri m...\\,I, i i. ,S .\i.orat


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

Order of Services
Sur.day Mo n.in-i 8 a m
,,Sunday hool u0 a
Sm,'day i.eir.g p ,
i lue 8Bble ble s. b 30 p,
It u, Fl ,r.. .p 10 a m




Jordan Grove Missionary
Baptist Church
5946 N.W. 12th Avenue

--- Order of Services
Early Worship 7 a.m.
Sunday Shool 9 a.m.
W NBC 10:05 a.m.
forsihip I a.m.Worship 4p.m.
Mission and Bible
(lass Tuesday 6:30 p.m.


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


Order of Services
SUNDAY: Worship Serki
Morning 10 o.m.
churchh S(hool 8:30 a.m.
WEDNESDAY
Feedi"g Min Minst 12 noon
Bible Study 7 p.m.



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

__ Order of Services



l ujtdy P.a'yl Mu r.n,'q 1 j i t',P
RIe M cal D S re en


Pembroke Park Church of Christ
3707 S.W. 56th Avenue Hollywood, FL 33023

Order of Services
S Sunday: Bible Study 9 a.m. Morning Worship 10 a.m.
Evening Worship 6 p.m.
Wednesday General Bible Study 7:30 p.m.
Television Progiam Sure Foundation
My33 WBFS (om(ast 3 Surday 7 30 am


l, .. . '*
^ 1 ;, 'L '.


Hosanna Community
Baptist Church
2171 N.W. 56th Street





UH~~ ~~ :- "" i) 1.1 r


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

Order of Services
a, da, dool I 30 a.
.O M oA n. ', Pro.. W or h.p Iia ni
B jf'.l.',i oi* .p ij1 ti p |T|p
Pr, Med V.ii & .blt uT ,
Rev.- Dr. W. EdwalurdMi t hel


Antioch Missionary Baptist
Church of Brownsville
2799 N.W. 46th Street


no


--- -a^ .. Order of Services










Baptist Church of Brownsville
4600 N 23rd Avenue


.._- Order of Services








93rd Street Community
Missionary Baptist Church
2330 N.W. 93rd Street


Oldei of Servierw
1 ILI 6 i., [ il M..Ti..Ii WiO. h.
II a n M ,, lo W..' Ip
fi .. t, r, ,,. i


AMM I Tii


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


-... Order of Services


',,', i ,,d i, l i


Bishop James Die Ad ams
^, ,',,,, WS r h ,-,f l I t : ,i ,




The Celestial Federation
Yahweh Male & Female
(Hebrew Isroellites) Dan. 2:44

A- And i,i .ti fl

P 0 ,, 1.1 1

11 I .i t o',' u prO'il .




JOIN THE
RELIGIOUS
ELITE


CHURCH I

DIRECTORY

._-t --:.-1t-,


C I


N )


19B THE MIAMI TIMES, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012


THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER :


Pastor Rev.: Carl Johnson


for Jamaican culture in every
song he released."
In 1962, while still in high
school, Riley organized a har-
mony group called the Tech-
niques. The group recorded
many popular records for leg-
endary Jamaican producers
like Byron Lee and Duke Reid
before Riley left to establish his
own record label in 1968.
After the success in Jamai-
ca of one of his first produc-
tions, "Come Back Darling"
by-Johnny Osbourne and the
Sensations, Riley, in 1971, re-
leased "Double Barrel" by Dave
and Ansell Collins, a rollicking
reggae instrumental punctu-
ated by boastful shouts ("I am
the magnificent!") that charted
across Europe and became only
the second Jamaican record to
reach No. 1 on the pop charts
in Britain. (The first was "Isra-
elites," by Desmond Dekker &


the Aces.)
When he did begin to reap the
rewards of his work largely
thanks to sample fees collected
in recent years he invested
the proceeds in building a re-
cording studio at his record
shop on Orange Street in down-
town Kingston, even as other
businesses there were clos-
ing because of economic hard
times. He also established a
small museum there, celebrat-
ing the history of Jamaican
music. When an unknown ar-
sonist firebombed the shop, he
rebuilt it, and he persisted even
after being shot, stabbed and
robbed in separate incidents.
In addition to Kurt, Riley's
survivors include another son,
Andre, who also worked with
him, and several other chil-
dren; two sisters, Pam Riley
and Beverly Riley; and a broth-
er, Frederick Riley.


I









20B THE MIAMI TIMES. FEBRUARY 1-7. 2012


Hadley Davis Wright and Young Range


THE NATIONS #1appy BirthdLACK NEWSPAPER






Roberts Poitier Happy Birthday Happy Birthday


BETTY CARSWELL, 73, nurse's
aide, died Janu-
ary 24. Services
will be held.







MYRTIE DATES, 70, homemak-
er, died January
20. Service was
held.







TERESA CORDERO, 66,
housewife, died
January 28 at
Aventura Hos- "
pital. Service 6 ,- /
p.m.,Tuesday, in
the chapel. '




KEVIN FULLER, 29, laborer,
died January 21
in Atlanta, Ga.
Service 1 p.m.,
Saturday in the
chapel.





DARRYL DAVIS, 48, self em-
ployed, died
January 26, at
Jackson Memo-
rial Hospital
Service 10 a.m.,
Saturday in the
chapel. I



MICHAEL DANIELS, 52, self
employed, d,
died January
28 in Albany,
Ga. Service 12
p.m., Friday at
New Fellowship a
Christian Cen-[
ter.


Royal
BERTHA L. GLOSTER, 66,
retired, died
January 25
at Aventura

(Hospice).
Service 11
a.m., Saturday,
February 4
at Apostolic
Revival Center.

JOHN RAHMINGS, born May
7, 1942, retired
Metro Bus
Driver, died
Saturday,
January 28,
2012 at home.
Viewing 4-9
p.m., Friday,
February 3,
2012 at Royal Funeral Home.
Service 11 a.m., Saturday,
February 4, 2012 at Friendship
Missionary Baptist Church, 620
NW 2nd Avenue, Hallandale, FL
33009.


Marcel's
MAX URUETA, 87, salesperson,
died January 21 at Jackson South.
Private service.

JOHN WILLIE GODBOLT, 63,


security guard, died Jar
North Shore Hospital. P
vice.

LOUISE MARIE EXP(
dental hygienist, died Ja
Kindred Hospital. Arr
are incomplete.

Manker
MS. WILLIE YVONN
61, postal worker, died
at Mt. Sinai Medical C
vice 11 a.m., Saturda
Corinth Baptist Church.


A.J. Manut


God called home "Ma
PAUL BLAKE,
59, formerly
from Buffalo,
NY, on January
27 2012 at .
Jackson North. '
Wake 10 a.m.-
8 p.m., Friday
at Wright and
Young Funeral Home.
a.m., Saturday at Beth
Temple,1855 NW 119th


CYNTHIA
DIEUBON,
25, student,
died January
24 at Jackson
Memorial
Hospital .


aster Barber"
Jm = ]


JINNIE DELORIS COOPER, 66,
paraprofession- i1


al, died January
25. Survivors in-
clude her hus-
g band, Pastor -
Emeritus Rev. "
SJohnnie W.
Cooper; daugh-
ter, Latravia
Service 11 Jackson; sister, Robbie Anderson;
el Apostolic brother, Joseph Harrell, James
Street. Harrell, and Daniel Harrell; one
grandson, Travon Early; a host of
HAYWARD nieces, nephews, other relatives
and friends.
Memorial service 6-8 p.m., Fri-
day at Christian Fellowship M.B.
Church, 8100 NW 17 Avenue. Ser-
vice 1 p.m., Saturday at New Birth
Baptist Church Cathedral of Faith.


S u rv iv o rs v:o r
include: parents,
J e a n e t t e
Hayward and Charleton Smith,
husband, Jean Dieubon, children,
Jaleah and Jaquan, and a host
of sisters, brothers, family, and
friends. Service 11 a.m., Saturday
at Brownsville Missionary Baptist
Church.

TOMMIE "SLIM" LEE, JR.,
70, sanitation
worker, died
January 25
at Memorial
Pembroke
Hospital.
Survive ors
include: ex-
wife, Florrie
T. Lee; daughters, Kenya T.
Lee and Sherry Lee Snowden;
step-daughters, JoeAnn Pierce,
Priscilla Pierce, Terry Pierce-Wiley,
Deniece Pierce and Stepanie;
grandchildren, Tyquan K. Roberts
and Madonna Snowden and a host
of other family, friends, and loved
ones. Viewing 10 a.m. 8 p.m.,
Friday at Wright and Young Funeral
Home. Service 2:30 p.m., Saturday
in the chapel.

MYRTICE IRENE GRAY, 72,
nurse, died
January 27 at
Palm Gardens
Nursing Home.
Survivors
include: Diane
Gray, Bobby
Gray, Patricia
Gray, Gloria
Bruce, Nathaniel
Gray, and Priscilla Gray. Viewing
10 a.m. 8 p.m., Friday at Wright
and Young Funeral Home, 15332
NW 7 Avenue, Miami, FL 33169.
Service 11 a.m., Saturday at
Antioch Missionary Baptist Church,
21311 NW 34 Avenue, Opa Locka,
FL 33056.


Jay's
ANITA FERGUSON,
with Lord on
January 26. She
was the wife of
Rev. John A.
Ferguson, Pas-
tor Emeritus of
Second Baptist
Church, Rich-
mond Heights,


Fla. Leaving to walk
through separation arE
band, Rev. John A. Fer
children, Javan, Keith, K
(Marvin), Verna, and
grandchildren and th
granddaughters.
The family visitation
day. The funeral 11 a.m
Both services will be at
Baptist Church in
Heights. Interment at D
rial Gardens.


Mitchell


wuary 20 at WESLEY MAE CC
privatee ser- d o m e s t i c
worker, died at
home January
OSITO, 91, 28. Services
nuary 23 at will be held 11
angements a.m. Saturday,
February 4
at Walker
Memorial
E FORDC.O.G.I.C.
NE FORD, C
January 27
enter. Ser- Boyd
y at New
JEROME MADISON,
died January -
15 at North
Shore Hospital.
el Services were
&,, ,,,,-PPQ held.


IERUY nIHrDRIB T OAUINIUDRO,
87, died January 26 in Hollywood,
FL. Service 11 a.m., Saturday at
Church of God Restoration.


S City of Miami .r I
employee
died January


the path
e her hus-
rnusonn five


Gregg L. Mason
BEATRICE SCOTT LOMAX, 88,
died January
27. Survivors


include:
Willie
Scott


sons,
Furman
(Sara),


James Lomax .' i
Jr., (Gloria), l .
Pastor Calvin
Lomax (Valarie) --
and Charles Lomax; daughters,
Betty Lee, Robin Lomax Collazo
(Ruben) and Jane Lomax;
grandchildren; brothers, George,
Furman, Jr., and Mackey Scott;
sister, Lorraine Bryant( William);
and a host of other relatives and
friends. Viewing 2-9 p.m., Friday.
Service 2 p.m., Saturday at Saint
Matthews Freewill Baptist Church,
6700 NW 2nd Avenue. Intermentat
Dade Memorial Park.

ANNIE JOYCE BRYANT, 47,
school bus
driver, Miami-
Dade Public
Schools, died

Survivors s

son, Derrick;
daughter,
Dericka; parents, Elisha Mike, Jr.
and Alice Mike; four grandchildren;
brothers, Jerome Mike (Mary) and
Lorenzo Mike (Susan); sisters,
Sandra Rainey-Perry (Robert),
Jackie Marrero (Herman) and
Aleycia Mike; and a host of other
relatives and friends. Viewing 2-9
p.m., Friday Family hour, 6-8 p.m.
Service 11 a.m., Saturday at Bible
Baptist Church. Interment at Dade
Memorial Park.


Hall Ferguson Hewitt
MARY ALICE SMITH. 73. retired


24th. Viewing '
Thursday, WO
February 2,
3-8 p.m. atr
Hall-Ferguson-
Hewitt. Service
11 a.m. Friday February 3rd at St.
Luke MBC, 1790 NW 55th Street.


MARY ELIZABETH
WILCOX,0X
82, educator, t'w


PIEZE


Baren Webb 26 at home.
Bryan; six Survivors,
wree great daughters, Mary
Rolle and Karen
6 p.m., Fri- Lewis (Vincent);
., Saturday. s -
the Second son Robert
Richmon Milton (Juanita). Visitation Friday
ade Memo- February 3rd, 12-4 p.m. & 5-7:45
p.m. at Hall-Ferguson-Hewitt.
Service, 11 a.m Saturday, February
S 4th, Broadmoor Baptist Church.


DLEY, 81,
Southern Memorial
MICHAEL WILLIAMS aka "BIG

brother, uncle
and friend died
January 23.,,
Visitation 6-9
p.m., Friday
at Southern
Memorial
Funeral Home.
Service 2:30 p.m., Saturday in the
58, retired, chapel.


Obituaries are due

by 4:30 p.m.,

Tuesday

Call 305-694-6210


AZALEE BERNICE BROWN,
82, domestic
worker, died
January 23, at
Miami Jewish
Home. Services
10 a.m., Satur-
day at Mount
Tabor Mission-
ary Baptistj
Church.


WILLIAM HENRY
51, Plumber,
died January 25 ,
at home. Servic- r
es 10 a.m., Sat-
urday at Cen-
turion Apostolic
International
Ministries.


MAXWELL,


K.~.


EULA FOSTER, 85, cook, died
January 24 at home. Service 11
a.m., Saturday at The Church of
God of Prophecy.

APHONSA LEMON, 61, laborer,
died January 23 at Jackson Me-
morial Hospital. Services 11 a.m.,
Tuesday in the Chapel.

MONIQUE BRUN, 83, teller,
died January 25, at Northshore
Medical Center. Service 11 a.m.,
Wednesday, February 8.

Jay's
ROY WOODROW BENTLEY,
SR. was born
November ,
22, 1923 in





was a retired 0 1
United States Postal service and
Miami Dade county public school
employee. Roy was preceded in
death by his ten siblings as well as
his son, LeRoy Bell (Mary). Roy
leaves to cherish his memories
his devoted wife of forty one years
Lucille, his children Gwendolyn,
Kristal, Roy Jr (Karen), Beverly
(Jerry),and Marie. He also leaves
to mourn his passing numerous
grandchildren, great grandchildren,
nieces, nephews, cousins, and a
host of friends and relatives. Jay's
funeral home will be officiating.
Service will he held, 1 p.m.
Saturday February 4 at Macedonia
Missionary Baptist Church.


Nakia Ingraham
LEONARD BAILEY, 51, died
January 24 at Memorial Hospital.
Service 11 a.m., Friday at Friend-
ship Baptist Church.

CAROLYN THOMAS, 62, bus
driver, died January 25 at Memorial
Hospital. Service 11 a.m., Saturday
at Saint Ann's Episcopal Church.

LARRY JAMES DARLINGTON,
JR., 18, died January 21. Service
10 a.m., Saturday at New Macedo-
nia Baptist Church.


HONOR YOUR

LOVED ONE

WITH AN

IN MEMORIAL

IN THE MIAMI

TIMES


ARVESTA M. KELLY
02/03/33 09/16/06


Today is a celebration of
your loveliness, your kind-
ness, your uniqueness, and
your life.
Your family.


In loving memory of,


CAROL J. TAYLOR
02/03/48 10/06/07

I am truly blessed to have
you as my wife.
We miss you.
Lawrence and Tiffany
Taylor.


In Memoriam


In loving memory of,


SGT. JOHNICE ADDERLY
CANADY
02/06/80 11/30/07

You're still in my heart ev-
eryday. My love for you will
never fade away.
Happy Birthday, Doll Baby!
Love mom, Janice Chain


Happy Birthday

In loving memory of,


ROSA LEE SAMUELS
"TOOTIE"
02/2/1936 05/23/2011

Gone but not forgotten.
We Love You, Your Family.


PUBLIC NOTICE
As a public service to our community,The MiamiTimes prints week-
ly obituary notices submitted by area funeral homes at no charge.
These notices include: name of the deceased, age, place of death,
employment, and date, location, and time of service.
Additional information and photo may be included for a nominal
charge. The deadline is Monday, 2:30 p.m. For families the deadline
is Tuesday, 5 p.m.



Our website is back... view your


Obituaries Card of Thanks *


In Memoriams Happy Birthdays




www. MIAMITIMESONNE.i .

For 89 years as a community service, The Miami
Times has paid tribute to deceased members of
the community by publishing all funeral home obit-
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day. In addition, your obituaries, Card of Thanks,


in Memoriam and Happy Birthdays will be

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Lifestyle e


* .


FASHION HIP Hop Music FOOD DINING ARTS & CULTURE PEOPLE


S-.. 2THE MIAM- TIMES


Original legend
Duke Fakir still
leads quartet to
stages worldwide

By D. Kevin McNeir
kmcneir@miainitimesonline.com

Levi Stubbs had that dis-
tinctive baritone voice that
made women swoon, leading
the Four Tops, first known as
The Four Aims, to stardom. He
was surrounded by a family', "
that included


T I N b



Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Law-
rence Payton and Abdul "Duke"
Fakir a lineup that would
remain intact for over four de-
cades [from 1953 to 1997]. And
they, like the Temptations with
whom they shared the stage
on Wednesday, Feb. 1st here in
South Florida, are mainstays
of the quintessential Motown
sound. Fakir is the last living
member of the group that origi-
nated in Detroit during their
high school years.
"It doesn't surprise me that
the group is still popular after
Please turn to FOUR TOPS 4C


Otis Willias shar me ...ries of
Williams s memories of


THE


* . .


Last living member of group still "solid gold"

By D. Kevin McNeir mark for any group under
kmcneir@miamitimnesonline.com the Motown Records ban-
ner. Now, 51 years and
They started in Detroit, many Grammy Awards
Michigan in 1960 as The later, only Otis Williams,
Elgins but went through 70, remains as the sole liv-
several other names along the ing original member of the
way. Their classic lineup of "tempting Temptations" ....
five male vocalists and danc- and he's still performing .
ers became known for their loving every minute.
distinct harmonies, elaborate "When we started we just
choreography and the "soul" wanted to sing we had no !
that would become the trade- Please turn to OTIS 2C


'A


,1i 6 !


11I


A


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,.:* 1.y *' .


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-1.11


Rocawear brand struggles

for mogul's support


While Jay-Z is on cloud
nine with daughter Blue Ivy
Carter, his former pride and
joy, Rocawear, seems to be
on the verge of chap-
ter 11.
According to the
New York Post,
the hip-hop cloth-
ing brand, which
Jay-Z founded in
1999 with producer
Damon Dash, laid .......
off half the staff of its JAY
men's and boys ap-
parel division on January 6,
one day before Jay-Z's wife,
Beyonce Knowles, gave birth
to the couple's baby girl.
The company cited "eco-
nomic reasons" for the layoffs
in documents filed with the
New York State Department


of Labor, the Post reports.
Jay-Z sold the Rocawear
brand in 2007 for $204 mil-
lion in cash to Iconix Group,
-- a licensing com-
pany that also owns
brands such as Can-
die's, Ed Hardy and
Signature Apparel
Group LLC, owned
by "Real Housewife of
New Jersey" Jacque-
line Laurita.
-Z In November, the
Wall Street Jour-
nal reported that Laurita's
Signature Apparel, which de-
signed, made and distributed
Rocawear-branded juniors'
apparel had gone belly up
two years prior, was being hit
with a lawsuit seeing some
Please turn to JAY-Z 2C


Oprah still the talk of the talk show world
New shows try gest push to move into the gap the fray, and Drs. Phil and Oz series compete for scarce
N created by Winfrey's exit. Katie as well as Ellen DeGeneres late-afternoon slots on strong
tofill gap left by Couric, Survivor host Jeff jockeyed for ratings by inherit- stations. Oprah's decorator
gap Probst, comedian Steve Har- j ; ing some of Winfrey's key time protege Nate Berkus is ending
Winfrey's exit vey and Ricki Lake, returning periods or no longer having his run after two seasons, and
after an eight-year break, all to compete with her. ex-Real Housewife Bethenny
By Gary Levin will unveil shows, the biggest I 'IS Most are "doing well, but Frankel failed to sell her own


MIAMI BEACH Eight
months' after she quit her talk
show, Oprah Winfrey still
dominates the daytime conver-
sation.
The major networks are bus-
ily canceling soap operas, re-
placing them with panel-style
clones of ABC's The View at
about one-third the cost. But
the lucrative syndication mar-
ket is the focus of a convention
here this week designed to
sell programming to help local
stations fill their non-network
hours.
September marks the big-


crowd of newcomers in years.
The talkers all promise to
reveal themselves, counting on
their personal triumphs, loss-
es and experiences as spouses
and parents, to connect with
the increasingly fragmented
daytime audience.
"I don't know if you have to
divulge every deep dark secret
you have to be successful,"
Couric says of her New York-
based show. "It shouldn't be
all about you. But to relate to
people sometimes you have
to share. The fact that I dealt
with a lot of things loss,
cancer (her husband and sis-


ter), being a single mom of two
teenagers, dating at 55 a lot
of women are in my situation."
Viewers are "ready for an-
other Oprah-like show," Lake
says, but "we're all different
personalities. We can never
duplicate what (she) did."


w


Still, "there's a tremendous
void that her departure has
left, and I think that's why you
see so much interest in this
genre again," says Couric's
producer, Jeff Zucker.
Last fall, Anderson Cooper
and Brit Jeremy Kyle entered


none have achieved the pre-
dominant position Oprah had,"
says Bill Carroll, a veteran
analyst at Katz Television
Group, which advises stations
on syndicated programming.
"Everyone says, 'We can take a
shot at that.' Queen Latifah,
another former talk host, is
gearing up for a 2013 return.
Still, fame is no guarantee of
success. Just ask Jane Pauley,
Tony Danza, Megan Mullally
or Sharon Osbourne (who's
now part of a quintet on CBS'
The Talk). Unlike network
shows, which air in every city
at the same time, syndicated


daily show for fall, though a
handful of Fox-owned stations
will give it a six-week summer
tryout.
The convention, known as
NATPE, is a pale shadow of its
former glory. "It was a bazaar
and it was bizarre," Carroll
says. Wrestlers, costumed
characters and huge conven-
tion booths decked out as the
Starship Enterprise or a Dis-
ney castle were the norm, and
"you couldn't help but bump
into a TV star." Now, fewer,
larger station owners have
pushed much of the deal-mak-
ing to weeks ahead of time.


,.,


00












2C THE MIAMI TIMES, FERBUARY 1-7, 2012 [HE NATIONS #1 BLACK NI:WSPAPER


Congratulations to Pastor
Elder Oliver Gordon, Sr.,
officers and members of
The Church of Jesus Christ
on their 22nd anniversary,
January 15th. In 1990,
Gordon was not asked to
return as pastor Ebenezer
UMC. But the members
rallied behind him and
convinced him to start
his own church and be
followed their wishes.
Further mo re,
18 adults/young
adults came forward
as candidates to
include, Margaret RC
Clark, Minister
Shirley Bradshawam,
Minister Kyla Manns, Lillie
M. Cohen, Ethel Cohen,
Laroe Waters, Rutha M.
Curtis, Iva Bullard, Oralene
Gordon, Oliver Gordon,
Jr., Nicole Mitchell, Yvette
Mitchell, Kevin Cooper,
Dawane Mitchell, Yolanda
Mitchell, Myranetta
Cooper, Lunston Dennis,
Christopher Dennis, Andre
Oliver, Robert Lee and
Timecca Lee.
By the end of February, 100
members had joined the new
church many of them came
from Ebenezer. Christina
Eve believed in Gordon and
wanted him to grow in the
ministry. She asked Dr.
Richard J. Strachan to apply
for the minister of music
position. He had just retired
from the Dade County School


System and he
enjoyed the new
atmosphere.
The church
formed a board
of directors,
including Gordon as
chairperson; Ethel M. Cohen,
treasurer; Dr. Kyla
Manns, financial
secretary; Bernice
Carey, secretary;
Shirley Bradshawam,
Margaret Clark,
James Mobley, Iva
Bullard, Rhonda
Gillard and Tillie
XLLE Stibbins. The rest is
history.
Two celebrations
were held: 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
with highlights being provided
by the choir, Ruby Allen
(Singing Angel), Elder Henry
McKelly, Gracie Edwards,
New Born Faith Deliverance
Choir, Rev. James and Gloria
Pacley, Rhonda 0.
Gillard, Eunice Davis,
Oralene J. Gordon,
Martha A.Whisby and
Gordon opening and
closing the programs.
Kudos go out to
winners of personal
giving: Eunice Davis,
1t place; Oralene J. HANI
Gordon, 2nd place,
Tilliie Stibbins; 3rd place;
souvenir book winners:
Eunice Davis, 1st place; Ceola
Adams, 2nd place; and Millie
Davis, 3rd place; and children
and youth: Alexus Edwards,


. . . .. ...
t
L4.
Chatter I'lli'Lit ill"'Lit Crs
P!, Rchvd Stracholl


Daija Edwards,
Jeanbaptiste, and
Jeanbaptiste, all 1
awards.
Kudos go out to sup
Letitia Bowden,
Joseph, Mr. and
Williams Robinson,
Stubbs, Henry
Samuel Williams,
Bell, Virginia
Mamie Ivory, Henry
Williams, Sybel
Johnson, Nettie
Murphy, Rev. &
Mrs. James Pacley
54m1 Street Medical
Plaza, Howard
McKnight P.A. and
Hall-Ferguson-Hewitt
Mortuary.
Willard Hart, 85,
retired educator,
died on January
Miami, surrounded
loving family member
supported by 110
members that filled
AME with leaders
Reddy and Samuel
along with brothers o
Alpha Psi Fraternity.
Family members
to testimony
Hart includinE
from: his wife
Rivers-Hart,
Hart-Luckie, C
Hart-Richa:
Allyson
(Fredrick),
South Carolina
FIELD Thompson,
Cooper, (
Theresa Thompson,
Hart, Atlanta GA.,
and Stephanie Hart, I
Colorado: sister
Hart Roberts (Della
grandchildren LaRon


Rutledge, Steve who is also a member
Rodriguez, Horace of the Psi Phi Band,
Roberts, Anthony grandmother, wife and
Brooks, Lt. Colonel mother of eight.
Ferguson, Thomas When Annette
Jones (KKP), Aubrey received her pin for
Brunson, Alvin 32 years of service,
Robinson, Mayor her family of 15 stood
Tomas Regalado, and cheered. It was
Commissioner MINDINGALL not dance time, but


Taliyah Hart, Woodrow Richardson,
Duce Christine Forbes, Caleb,
, place Zachary, Joshua, and Angelo
Amari.
)porters, Resolutions were read by:
Dorothy Dr. Dorothy Fields, founder,
I Mrs. Black Archives; Dr. Dorothy
James Bendross- Mindingall,
Small, Miami-Dade County school
Anton board member; Pat Range,
Smiley, Range Funeral Home; and
r & Mrs. St. Paul AME Church. The
resolution entered
by ,JCongresswoman
Frederick S. Wilson
become part of the
Congressional Record.
Other testimonies
came from: Lona
Brown Mathis, Carlton
Jerkins, Greg Wright,
SPENCE-JONES former Commissioner
Dorrin Rolle, Robert
14, in Edwards, Alice Harrell,
by his Pernella Burke, a request for
ers and the Morehouse Foundation
lodge Scholarship Fund, Kim
St. Paul Bullard, Carnell White and
Antonio Nancy
Lamar, The service started on time
f Kappa while Willard Hart emulated
his father with the same glib
listened expression and assuredness
es to of success. More music came
g those from Pernella Burke singing,
, Irene "Too God Be The Glory" and
Beverly the Clark quartet singihg two
Collette of Willard's favorite songs.
rdso n, However, the choir received
Hart an "A+" on their rendition of
Bryant, "Total Praise" with Burke's
, Darrel voice being added to the
Elaine climax.
Tampa), Other recognition came
Betty from New Providence Blue
Willard Lodge #365, F&AM, P.H.A.
Denver, BTW Class of 1944, Kazah
Delores Court #117, Daughters of Isis,
Reese), Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., Clark
Nakea Atlanta U. Alumni, Pierre


Michelle Spence-
Jones, Vice-Chairperson,
Audrey Edmonson and
Senator Oscar Braynon II.
Rev. Robert Jackson, III,
followed with the topic "Do
You Love God?" Coordinator
Veronica Rahming received
responses from an article in
The Miami Times' "Chatter
That Matters" appealing for
more 11th grade boys. Parents
continue to call her because it's
not too late. Some of the boys
are Claudel Cooper, Jabril S.
Ivory, Wesley Levros, Leroy
Parker, Koran Robinson,
Maxwell Sampson, Melvin
Tooks, II, Bakari J. Wilder,
Michael J. Williams and
Paris C. Webb, II. At the last
meeting, officers were elected'
by the membership with
Michael Williams, president,
Bakari J.Wilder, James
McKinney, chaplain; and
Antonio Harden, reporter.
Next activities will include and
audition of talent, Jan. 19 and
complete essay on Jan: 26 at
the Caleb Center.
Unity and Wilton Manors
in North Beach celebrated its
Employee Recognition Gala
at Aventura Cultural Arts
Center, January 12th where
employees were cited for
10 or more years of service.
Among the 100 recognized
were Annette Harrell, CNA,


Wedding anniversary greet-
ings go out to our "Love Birds"
of the week! Shedrick E. and
(Wilma W.) Gilbert, Jan. 22nd,
their 651h; Thomas (Agnator)
Nottage, Jan. 22nd. their 56th;
Linzy and (Paulette S.) Hayes,
Jan. 24th, their 22nd; Matthew
and (Sandra Barry) Williams,
II, Jan. 24*, their 32nd.
Welcome home Allen
Symonette, a corporate
attorney who now lives
in Philadelphia. Elaine
Symonette held a fish fry
for Allen at her home last
Thursday evening so that he
could get reacquainted with her
husband's family members and
friends. A very happy belated
birthday to Athenia P. Barry-
Kelley (my deceased mother's
Friend) on her 90th. She is the
mother of our beloved rector
(Father Barry). Get well wishes
to "all" of you! All sick and
shut-ins, Rev. Canon, Nelson


W. Pinder, Lillian Newbold-
Thurston, Wilhelmina
Stirrup-Welch, Grace Heastie-
Patterson, Patricia Allen-
Ebron, Sue Francis, Franckie
Rolle, Chauncey Edgecomb,
Claranda Sergeant, Mildred
Ashley.
Come join the gang as
we travel to New Orleans,
Louisiana during Memorial
Day Weekend. We will leave on
Thursday, May 24h and return
on Monday, May 28th. The trip
will include: tours of the city,
shopping, Saturday evening
activities and Sunday evening
(free meals). Contact one of the
following persons: Elizabeth
Blue, Louise Cromartie,
Florence Moncur or Leome
Culmer.
Most of us in Miami probably
don't know that on January 22,
1912, Henry Flagler, for whom
downtown (main street) Flagler
is named, had men begin


construction on the Florida
East Coast Railway Extension
that ran from Homestead/
Florida City to Key West. It
took six years to complete.
The 1935 hurricane (on Labor
Day) partially destroyed the
tracks and no one bothered
to attempt to relay the tracks
again or build a train strictly
for the trip to the island by rail
That's why we travel by car
or bus along that seven-mile
bridge.
Elva Heastie-Gamble
and her husband Vance are
down from Detroit to visit
her family, long-time friends
and classmates. Old-time
Miamians were sad to hear of
the death of Virginia (Virgie)
Wilkerson-Tresvant, a
graduate of "Not the largest,
but the best" in 1940. Virgie's
husband was the first "Black"
mayor of Opa-Locka. Virgie's
brother is George Wilkerson
of New York City. Hansel Higgs
finished from "the best" in
1946. They both will be greatly
missed by their family and
friends. Rest in peace friends
and forever Tornadoesl


No Oscar nomination for Mary J. Blige


By Chris Witherspoon

Mary J. Blige is upset she did
not receive an Oscar nomina-
tion for her original song "The
Living Proof," from The Help.
The Academy Award nomi-
nations were .announced on
Saturday. Prior to the nomi-
nations being read live, Blige
tweeted a message to her fans
to pray that she was nominat-
ed:
"Ok Fam let's all pray The


Oscar nominations are about
to be announced.."The Help"
all of the nods in the categories
deserved a nomination
After seeing that she was not
nominated, Blige tweeted in
frustration to her over 2 mil-
lion followers:
"I'm so thankful for true fans
like you all. It saddens me &
feels like the Academy is being
mean. 2 only nominate 2 of the
5 slots is......."
Later in the afternoon the


Grammy Award winning sing-
er tweeted an article from Hit-
Fix.com titled "What do Oscar
voters have against music?"
Along with a link to the article
Blige wrote:
"Hey Fam pls areas this. So
unfair. I still don't see how
they justify the action."
Although Mary J. Blige did
not get nominated for an Os-
car, her song "The Living Proof"
was nominated by the Golden
Globes for best original song.


Motown legends come to S. Florida


OTIS
continued from 1C

idea that we would have the
kind of opportunities and the
level of success that came our
way," he said. "It's always been
about the music because that
was our way of communicat-
ing with the world. Nowwe use
that voice to tell young people
to stay in school and to stay
out of trouble and they look to
us as a source of inspiration.
That's what this ride and life
has been about."
The Temptations have gone
through a long series of chang-
es in their lineup but most fans
remember Williams, along with
Eddie Kendricks, David Ruf-
fin, Paul Williams and Melvin
Franklin. One of their more
popular lead singers from the
1970s, Dennis Edwards, has
formed his own version of the
group. He and Williams re-


main friends. Williams says he
often thinks about the "good
old days."
"I have mixed emotions
about those days I wish we
could have stayed together
forever but like anything else,
the group is made up of people
and people all handle success
differently," he said. "I think
that our fans actually loved
us more than some of us loved
ourselves. We didn't always ap-
preciate the blessings that God
afforded us. Still I think about
the early days and I smile.
Then I think about the crazi-
ness and say 'wow.' It's a dou-
ble-edged sword sometimes
there's a lot of happiness and
then there's sadness. I guess
that's my testimony about my
life."
What are his favorite songs?
Williams says "My Girl" is at
the top of his list of Tempta-
tion's classics.


"If we don't sing 'My Girl,'
we are subject to be called ev-
erything but a child of God,"
he said. "We learned once to
never leave the stage without
performing that. My other fa-
vorites are 'Treat Her Like a
Lady,' 'Ball of Confusion,' and
'I Wish It Would Rain.'"
Otis Williams has carried
the torch for The Temptations
and through their music, they
have healed broken hearts,
inspired lovers and even chal-
lenged America's involvement
in war. He says it's a mission
that he accepted many years
ago.
"I carry the yoke as the last
original Temptation and I don't
mind at all that's the way it
should be," he said. "I am hon-
ored and blessed to have these.
other brothers helping me as
we continue to share the mes-
sage and music of The Tempta-
tions."


Trouble for Jay-Z's Rocawear


JAY-Z
continued from 1C

$2.8 million in damages from
one of its Rocawear licensees,
ROC Fashions.
The same month, Rocawear
announced that it would
start selling $22-a-pop "Oc-
cupy All Streets" T-shirts in
response to the Occupy Wall


Street protests in New York's
Zucotti park, though none of
the proceeds would go to sup-
port the occupiers. The com-
pany reportedly ceased sale of
the shirts the following week
amid harsh criticism.
Jay-Z has retained an in-
terest in Rocawear as part
of his 2007 deal, according
to the Post, but his contrac-


tual obligations to the brand
have expired and the rapper
has since refused to promote
it amid steady, double-digit
sales drops.
"Jay-Z doesn't do anything
without getting paid a lot of
money a lot more than
Rocawear is generating," a
source reportedly said to the
paper.


ISTARTS I ERIDYEBRUAR 3 "T CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR
STARTS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3 THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES


Annette turned
the gala into one as she
demonstrated her electric slide
move others joined her.
When you pass on 951
Street and gaze at the new
Miami Central High School,
all alumni will experience
a real sense of pride. Those
uniform lights emulate it as a
"wonder" of the world. Yet, the
news media reported recently
that academically, the Central
students are not scoring
high enough to convince
the state educational team
of its capability. When Vice
Principal LeNair Dawkins was
asked about the differences
between students at Turner
Tech High School and Miami
Central, he responded, "I do
not have to conduct a study;
Turner Tech students are
selected and Central's are
grandfathered in."
It is now official regarding
the resignation of former
President Dr. Trudie Kibbe
Reed, who has served at
Bethune-Cookman University
since 2004. Dr. Larry
Handfield, Trustee Board
chairman, named a committee
of board members, faculty
and Student Government
Association members who
will begin to look for a
replacement. Stay tuned for
more information.


THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


2C THE MIAMI TIMES, FERBUARY 1-7, 2012


t. .'.,r i
" ^ '


D!









rHlE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWAI'ER


&%,i5 : ,1
. . . ....'. V


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. i e .

P.P-


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FIX


We're always thinking of new ways for you to

This week, we make it easier than ever. Simply spen


save at Publix.

id $100 on groceries.


Bring this coupon to checkout for your free $10 Publix gift card.


FREE $10 PUBLIC GIFT CARD
WITH YOUR PURCHASE OF $100 OR MORE
Coupon required to receive gift card. Gift card valid on future puIchases.
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Excluding all gift cards, tobacco, alcohol, lottery items, money services,
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SL------- J


53C THE MIAMI TIMES, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012











4C THE MIAMI TIMES, FERBUARY 1-7, 2012 Ill NAllON'~ ~1 131 ACK NFW~PAI~FR


The National Coalition
of 100 Black Women- Great-
er Miami Chapter is accepting
applications for girls ages 12-
18 to participate in Just Us Girls
Mentoring Program. Monthly
sessions will be held every
3rd Saturday 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Jan. June at the Carrie Meek
Center at Hadley Park, 1350
N.W. 50th Street. Call 1-800-
658-1292, for information.

The Booker T.
Washington 1962 Alumni
Class will resume meetings
on Saturday, February 4 ,
2011 at the African Cultural
Heritage Center, 6161 NW
22 Avenue at 4 p.m.Plans for
our 50th Reunion are being
made. For more information
please contact Helen Tharpes
Boneparte 305-691-1333 or
Lonzie Nichols 305-835-6588

National Black HIV/
AIDS Awareness Day at
TACOLCY host a mini-fair
on Feb. 7 2012 from 3-8
p.m. including free testing,
workshops, a bounce house,
snow cones, a kids corner with
free refreshments, a movie
screening and more. TACOLCY
is located at 6161 NW 9th Ave.
For more details, call Denise
Rainey at 305-751-1295 ext
115 or email drainey@tacolcy.
org. To volunteer, call Isheka
Harrison at 305-751-1295 ext.
139 or email iharrison@tacolcy.
org.

Miami Jazz Society
and Community Cultural
Discovery Exchange will
present free viewing of"Eyes on
the Prize: America's CivilRights
Years,1954 1965" every
Tuesday during the month of
February at 6 p.m. and 8:15
p.m. at the Miami Tower, 100


S.E. 2nd Street.


The Miami Jazz Society
will offer a free jazz concert
featuring students from the
University of Miami Jazz Band
on Feb. 8th, 7-10 p.m. at the
Miami Tower, 100 S.E. 2nd
Street, 19th floor auditorium.
Reception, 5-6 p.m. Contact
Keith Clarke at 305-684-4564
or www.miamijazzsociety.com.

The National Coalition
of 100 Black Women, Inc.,
Greater Miami Chapter
presents the Alvin Ailey
Modern Dance Workshop on
Wednesday, February 8th from
6-7 p.m. at the African Heritage
Cultural Arts Center. The class
is open to all level dancers
ages 16 and older. Advance
registration is required because
space is limited. Deadline is
Monday, February 8th. You may
call 1-800-658-1291 or visit
www.ncbwl00miami.org, for
more information.

BestBuy is awarding up
to 1.2million in scholarships
for students in grades 9-12.
Students need solid grades
plus community service or
work experience. Deadline is
Feb. 15th. To see details and/
or to apply visit www.bestbuy-
communityrelations.com or
www.atl5.com.

The Booker
T.Washington Class of 1965,
Inc. will meet on Saturday,
Feb. 18th, 4:30p.m. at the
African Heritage CulturalArts
Center.For information contact
Lebbie Lee at 305-213-0188.

Liberty City Farmers
Market will be open each
Thursday, 12-5 p.m. and
Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at


TACOLCY Park until May 2012.
For information call 954-235-
2601 or 305-751-1295 ext.
107.

Opa-locka Farmers
Market at Nathan B. Young
Elementary is now open on
Wednesday afternoons from
2-5 p.m. through March 7th.
The address is 14120 N.W.
24th Ave. For information, call
305-685-0973.

Chai Community
Services food program is
taking applications from
grandparents raising their
grandchildren. All services are
free. For applications, call 786-
273-0294.

Dad's for Justice,
a program under Chai
Community Services assists
non-custodial parents through
Miami-Dade State Attorney's
Office with child support
modifications and visitation
rights. For information or to
schedule .an appointment call
786-273-0294.

Jewels Baton Twirling
Academy is now accepting
registration for the 2012
season. Open to those who
attend any elementary schools
within the 33147, 33142,
33150 zip codes and actively
attend church. Contact Elder
Tanya Jackson at 786-357-
4939, to sign up.

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

Looking for all Evans
County High School Alumni
to create a South Florida
Alumni Contact Roster. If you


attended or graduated from
Evans County High School in
Claxton, Georgia, contact 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 Tutoring
in Miami Gardens offers free
tutoring with trained teachers.
For information, call 305-654-
7251.

Booker T. Washington
Class of 1967 meets the 3rd
Saturday of each month at the
African Heritage Cultural Arts
Center. For information contact
Lucius King at 305-333-7128.

Merry Poppins Daycare/
Kindergarten in Miami has
free open enrollment for
VPK, all day program. For
information contact Lakeysha
Anderson at 305-693-1008.

Calling healthy ladies
50+ to start a softball team
for fun and laughs. Be a part
of this historical adventure.
Twenty-four start-up players
needed. For information call
Coach Rozier at 305-389-0288.

lThe Miami Northwestern
Class of 1962 meets on
the second Saturday of each
month at 4 p.m. at the African
Heritage Cultural Arts Center.
We are beginning to make
plans for our 50th Reunion. For
information, contact Evelyn at
305-621-8431.

N Looking for all former
Montanari employees to
get reacquainted. Meetings
are held on the last Saturday


of each month at 9 a.m. For
information, contact Loletta
Forbes at 786-593-9687 or
Elijah Lewis at 305-469-7735.

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

Xcel Family Enrichment
Center, Inc. a not for-profit
community based charitable
organization will be celebrating
it's 2nd Annual Black Marriage
Day Walk on March 24th at
Miami Carol City Park 3201
N.W. 185th St. Registration/
walk begins and ends 8-9:30
a.m. Entertainment, speeches


and testimonials 10 a.m.-
2p.m. For information, contact
Ms.Gilbert at 786-267-4544.

Miami Jackson and
Miami Northwestern Alumni
Associations are calling all
former basketball players
and cheerleaders for the
upcoming 2012 Alumni Charity
Basketball game. Generals call
786-419-5805, Bulls call 786-
873-5992, for information.

Miami Jackson Senior
High class of 92 is currently
planning a 20th year reunion.
If you are a 92 graduate,
please contact the committee
president, Herbert Roach at
hollywud3@hotmail.com or the
secretary, Ronatta Jones, at
ms.netta@rocketmail.com.


ARTIST Bow Wow OWES IRS $91K
Bow Wow is all grown up now, but just because he's a lil older doesn't mean
he's learned how to pay off Uncle Sam. He owes almost six figures in back
taxes according to court documents. A tax lien filed in Florida by the federal
government says the rapper, real name Shad Gregory Moss, owes the govern-
ment $91,105.61 for unpaid taxes from 2006. Calls to Bow Wow's rep were not
returned.

CHILD SERVICES PAYS HALLE BERRY A VISIT OVER ABUSE
ALLEGATIONS
The L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services is investigating
Halle Berry about claims from her nanny that her daughter's father, Gabriel
Aubry, had put 3-year-old Nahla in harm's way. Law enforcement sources say
the visit to Berry is routine whenever there's a claim of abuse or neglect; DCFS
will interview both parents.

JENNIFER HUDSON FAMILY MURDER TRIAL MAY BE TELEVISED
The tragic 2008 murder of Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother and nephew is
finally going to trial, but could it be coming to a TV screen near you? After the
Illinois Supreme Court decided that cameras and microphones can be allowed
in court rooms, many are wondering if this will open the door to televising the
Hudson family murder trial. If the Hudson murder trial is televised it will be sure
to garner huge headlines and media coverage. Jennifer Hudson may be called to
testify against her former brother-in-law William Balfour, who has been charged
with murder.


2 Live Crew reunion in works for summer


By Sandy Cohen

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) The
rap group that created con-
troversy in the early 1990s
with songs like "Me So Horny"
is reuniting and hitting the
road.
Luther Campbell said
Saturday that 2 Live Crew is
back together and will tour
this summer.
The rapper and producer
made the announcement at
the Sundance Film Festival,


where he is promoting his
appearance in the short film
"The Life and Freaky Times of
Uncle Luke."
The 51-year-old entertainer
describes the offbeat film as
"an art piece" that he did to
help young filmmakers who
were inspired by his hip-hop
work. But his mind was on
getting back with the old crew.
"I just can't wait to just start
practicing," he said. "That's
going to be a blast."
So will they be "As Nasty As


They Wanna Be" (the title of
the group's 1989 album that
a judge deemed obscene, a
ruling later overturned by the
United States Court of Ap-
peals)?
Not really, Campbell said.
"We're going to perform the
songs and everybody's going
to be excited," he said. "Some
of the older people of our gen-
eration will be able to tell their
kids, 'You're staying home to-
night, we're going to see 2 Live
Crew and shake our booty!'"


Ronnie McNeir talks about journey as a Top


FOUR TOPS
continued from 1C

all these years," said Ronnie
McNeir, 62, who is now a mem-
ber of the Four Tops, along with
Payton's son, Roquel, and lead
singer Theo Peoples, III. "The
Four Tops have had so many
hits and enormous success -
it's all about the music and so
the name carries on."
The Four Tops will be head-
ing to Europe in March for
their always-popular tour of
the United Kingdom. McNeir
says they do it every two years
and the group loves it.
"Seeing other places and
meeting so many people who
seem to really appreciate our
music is something that's


hard to describe," he said.
"They just love soul music over
there sometimes it feels like
they long for it more than folks
back home."
Family is the word that kept
coming back to Ronnie during
the interview. [Ironically, as
the name may suggest, he is
part of this writer's own fam-
ily and was not only the first
of the grandchildren but this
writer's first role model.]
"Obie brought all of the
newer members of the group
in almost 30 years ago so we
are really one big family," Mc-
Neir said. "I started as their
pianist and began to fill in for
Levi from time to time after he
got sick. Theo and I both sang
lead for awhile but he eventu-


ally took the lead because he
has the stronger voice. By the
time Levi retired in 2001, he
had enough confidence in me
to make me an official mem-
ber. But like I said, I've been
part of The Four Tops for a
long time."
McNeir, who has solo projects
and produces other groups,
says he still gets excited when
they perform hits like "Baby, I
Need Your Loving" or "Sugar
Pie, Honey Bunch."
"Duke keeps us focused
and reminds us that the Tops
are like a well-oiled machine
- our music has a positive
message and our fans have re-
mained loyal to that sound,"
he said. "There nothing better
than being a Four Top."


STARTS FRIDAY FEBRUARY 10
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5C THE MIAMI TIMES FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012


Obama's a




fan of Macy's




style star

Designer Doo-Ri Chung

unveils looks for spring
By Arienne Thompson

On-the-rise designer Doo-Ri Chung is not a household
name yet.
But the Korean-American designer will get a shot at noteri-
ety when she unveils her doo.ri capsule collection for Macy's
Feb. 15.
Chung stepped into the mainstream fashion spotlight in
October when Michelle Obama wore a one-shouldered doo.
ri stunner to the White House state dinner honoring South
Korean President Lee Myung-bak. Hollywood stars, includ-
ing Jessica Chastain, Kristen Stewart and
Jessica Alba, also are fond of her frocks.
Chung follows in the footsteps of well-
known designers like Giambattista Valli,
Matthew Williamson and Chanel creative
director Karl Lagerfeld, who have brought
their eye for style to Macy's Impulse depart-
ment.
"To be able to have that reach was really
CHUNG the pull for me," Chung says of being front
and center in the retailer's 185 stores nation-
wide and online at macys.com. "In thinking about my brand,
I'm definitely a niche designer, and someone in middle America
would have no idea who I am. Doing collaborations like this re-
ally allows you to have a broader reach."
Chung adds that democratizing fashion is important, because
she's interested in dressing a broad spectrum of women, from
the affluent to the average.
"(The customer) may be the same woman, but with a different
salary. I think that there's a great alchemy that great cloth-
ing can do to you. It makes you walk better, it makes you feel
great, and I think that great clothes should do that, no matter
how expensive or not."
The 30-piece collection of dresses, jackets, blouses, skirts
and leggings will be priced at $39 to $159 and features fresh
geometric patterns, crisp neutrals and splashes of tropical col-
ors that are perfect for warm-weather months.
"It's technically a spring collection, so we really wanted some
of the lighter color palettes to come through," she explains.
"Predominately, it's neutrals, which is what I love. Then you
have these pops of corals and these beautiful blue-greens."


Freeman's Globes


honor is nice, but

He's nowhere near ready to retire yet


* 0 0


By Arienne Thompson


i t here's one person you want to talk
Cmo\ ies with, it's a silver-screen legend
II kc Morgan Freeman.
I just saw Hanna. ... The movie is
so well-made. The music, the pho-
tography, the acting; it's all great,"
he says of the Saoirse Ronan
movie. "That director (Joe Wright),
he did a fantastic job -- fantastic!
He did this amazing job, and it's
like, -'I want to see what else he's
going to do!'"
Such enthusiasm for an action
film about a butt-kicking teen
seems counter to the fatherly
public image of Freeman, but a
deep current of wisdom belies
his fanboy gushing -- which
continues.
"Have you seen Anonymous?
Oh, don't miss that one. Do. Not.
Miss. Anonymous. Another well-
made movie -- very well-done,"
he says of the Shakespeare-in-
spired flick.
So how does a man, who seem-
.ingly never stops working, find the
time to watch so many movies?
"The academy sends them out,
Sand I get a chance to sit and watch
them. Sometimes I do a marathon,
and I'll watch three movies in one
day."
On Sunday, the movies in his
prolific body of work will be the
topic of conversation when he's
presented the Cecil B. DeMille
Lifetime Achievement Award at
the Golden Globe Awards (NBC, 8
p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).
Aida Talka-O'Reilly, president
of the Hollywood Foreign Press
Association, calls Freeman
"magnificent beyond words both
as a human being and as an
actor."
"When you see his name
flash across the screen in a


17/ /
LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT:
But Morgan Freeman sees lots more
to do.
film's opening credits, you know you are
about to watch something remarkable.
His career has inspired so many people
in our industry."
Freeman's pleased with the award but
says he still has much to achieve.
"I'm getting a lot of end-of-the-career
awards, that lifetime-achievement stuff.
I'm beginning to feel like I'm being told,
'OK, time to hang up your cleats and
sit down.' Once you start getting them,
it's like, 'What do you -- what?! What is
this lifetime achievement? Have I done
it already? There's no more achieving
for you?'... You just ask, you know? You
have to get up when they give these
things to you and say, 'Now, wait a min-
ute; I don't consider myself done yet.'"
Not by a long shot.
There aren't many 74-year-olds with
a slew of movies lined up, including the
highly anticipated conclusion to Chris-
topher Nolan's Batman franchise, The
Dark Knight Rises. But don't expect
Freeman to reveal any details about the
super-secretive production, due this
summer.


Jesse Jackson enters dispute over Grammys


By James C. Mckinley Jr.

The Rev. Jesse L. Jack-
son has demanded a meet-
ing with the head of the
Recording Academy to talk
about deep cuts to Gram-
my Award categories this
year that some musicians
have complained discrimi-
nate against certain ethnic
groups.
With the awards ceremony
two weeks away, Jackson
expressed his dismay over
the cutbacks in a letter to
Neil Portnow, the president
of the National Academy of
Recording Arts and Scienc-
es, and raised the possibil-
ity of protests.
Portnow released a state-
ment on Friday saying he
was willing to meet with
Jackson. "We are receptive
to meeting with the Rev.
Jackson to explain how our
nomination process works
and to show the resulting
diverse group of nominees it
produced for the 54th Gram-
mys," the statement said.
Last April the academy
slashed the categories from
109 to 78, consolidating
many categories, eliminat-
ing separate awards for
male and female performers
and eliminating individual
awards for small genres like
Latin jazz, Hawaiian mu-
sic, zydeco and American
Indian music. Portnow has
said the cuts were intended
to make the awards more
competitive and meaning-
ful. Some Latin jazz players
have filed a lawsuit claim-
ing the reductions did them
irreparable harm. A few,
like the drummer Bobby
Sanabria, have also called
the changes racist, a charge
Portnow vehemently denies.
Recently night Jackson
told The Associated Press
that he wanted "coopera-
tion, not confrontation" with
the recording academy, but
he also said he would or-
ganize a protest of the Feb.
12 ceremony, to be held at
the Staples Center in Los
Angeles, if talks failed. "We
are prepared to work with


New World Symphony
AmeiaS Orihesrl AAudmn-
Michael rtsoi, Th mas. Arlm.c Oirec-or


THIS WEEK!

SYMPHONY WITH A SPLASH:


"We are prepared to work with artists and ministers and activ-
ists to occupy at the Grammys so our appeal of consideration of
mercy really might be heard." -Jesse Jackson


artists and ministers and
activists to occupy at the
Grammys so our appeal of


consideration of mercy real-
ly might be heard," he said
in the statement.


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Business


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Mortgage giants to alter practices in settlement
The Associated Press A draft settlement between efit much financially from the $1,800 each. America, JPMorgan Chase, agreement publicly.
the banks and U.S. states has settlement, even though the The agreement also could re- Wells Fargo, Citibank and Ally The settlement would only
WASHINGTON The na- been sent to state officials for banks may have to pay as shape longstanding mortgage- Financial and U.S. state at- apply to privately held mort-
tion's five largest mortgage review. It would be the biggest much as $25 billion in total to lending guidelines and make torneys general could adopt gages issued from 2008 to
lenders have agreed to over- settlement with a single indus- settle with the government, it easier for those at risk of the agreement within weeks, 2011, not those held by govern-
haul their industry after de- try since the 1998 multistate About 750,000 Americans foreclosure to restructure their according to two officials ment-controlled Fannie Mae or
ceptive foreclosure practices tobacco deal. about half the households who loans. Roughly one million ho- briefed on the discussions. Freddie Mac. They own about
unfairly evicted homeowners, Those who lost their homes might be eligible for assistance meowners could see the size of They spoke on condition of half of all U.S. mortgages,
government officials said Mon- to foreclosure are unlikely to under the deal would likely their mortgages reduced, anonymity because they are roughly about 31 million U.S.
day. get their homes back or ben- receive checks for about Five major banks Bank of not authorized to discuss the home loans.


More workers


moving out of


state for jobs

Fewer anchored to one area by

homes they can't sell

By Paul Davidson

A modestly growing number of Americans are moving
out of state to get a job, a development that could cut
unemployment and better match workers with posi-
tions, staffing officials and reports say.
Since the recession began four years ago, many
Americans, including the unemployed, have been un-
able to move because they can't sell homes that have
fallen in value and are worth less than their mortgages.
And employers have been reluctant to pay relocation
costs in an era of tighter corporate budgets.
A lack of mobility helps keep unemployment high,


since laid-off factory
workers in Indiana, for
example, can't seek open
jobs in North Dakota oil
fields. In a Manpower
survey last year, 26 per-
cent of U.S. workers said
the recession made them
more willing to move,
vs. 19 percent who were
less willing. Obstacles
to mobility still exist,
but they're slightly less
daunting, officials say.
"We're starting to see
(candidates) open up the
job search to make sure


Some states gain
The five top gainers of
movers from over states
from July 1, 2010, to
July 1, 2011.
Texas
Florida
North Carolina
Washington
Colorado
Source: U.S. Census Bureau


they find the right position," says Janette Marx of staff-
ing firm Adecco.
In the 12 months ended in March, 4.8 million, or
1.6 percent of Americans, moved to a different state,
up from 4.3 million the previous 12 months, the U.S.
Census Bureau says. That's still a meager total: In
2002, 7.6 million people moved between states. But the
number had been falling since 2005. Most interstate
relocations are likely job-related, says Mark Zandi,
chief economist of Moody's Analytics.
Atlas Van lines said this month that its interstate
residential shipments in 2011 jumped 7.7 percent from
Please turn to WORKERS 8D


Making fashion fun and profitable

Andrea Knight balances being a sht aare beievesthat her tore has
mother and busqualitiesesswoman m thatmake her
mother and businesswoman s tadouAn t from nthenr' non


By Randy Grice
rgrice@miianitiniesonline.corn

No matter what the state of
the economy, launching a new
business and then succeeding is
a task that very few achieve. But
after dreaming about opening
her own clothing store for many
years, Andrea Knight, 36, finally
found the nerve and the capital
to open Andrea's Boutique a
business that specializes in
accessories, including hats and
jewelry, for men, women and
children. As she says, "we have
something for everyone."
"I went into business because
I love fashion and I had a dream


to create a specialized boutique,"
she said. "I hope that people will
see my business as a chic and
trendy shopping favorite that
provides value and uniqueness
to customers. So far my great-
est challenge has been one that
is self-inflicted I overanalyze
everything and that causes me
to doubt my decisions which cre-
ates an inability for me to move
forward. But I've learned to
relax and have more fun."
Knight, who grew up in Miami,
has been in business since
early December and is now ap-
proaching her second month of
operation. Although she is one
of thousands of entrepreneurs


ANDREA KNIGHT


"What makes my business
unique is that I offer a fresh and
chic venue for men, women and
kids to shop for trendy accesso-
ries," she said. "My store nour-
ishes the masculine side of men,
the girly side of women and the
fun side of kids."
Knight's store specializes
in earrings, bracelets, rings,
necklaces, handbags, hats and
beauty products for men and
women. In mid-March, she plans
to launch a new T-shirt line
called, "Conceited."
Knight is more than just a
businesswoman she is also a
mother. She says success would
Please turn to KNIGHT 8D


Workplaces expand smoking bans


By Wendy Koch -

More job-seekers are facing an
added requirement: no smoking
- at work or anytime.
As bans on smoking sweep
the USA, an increasing number
of employers primarily hospi-
tals are also imposing bans
on smokers. They won't hire ap-
plicants whose urine tests posi-
tive for nicotine use, whether
cigarettes, smokeless tobacco or
even patches.
Such tobacco-free hiring poli-
cies, designed to promote health
and reduce insurance premi-
ums, took effect this month at T
the Baylor Health Care System
in Texas and will apply at the
Hollywood Casino in Toledo,
Ohio, when it opens this year.


"We have to walk the walk if
w\e talk the talk. says Date
Fotsch of idahos Central Dis-
trict Health Department, which
voted last month to stop hiring
smokers.
Each year, smoking or ex-


An increasing number of
employers won't hire applicants
whose urine tests positive for
nicotine use, whether from
cigarettes, smokeless tobacco or
:even patches. -


posure to secondhand smoke
causes 443,000 premature
deaths and costs the nation
$193 billion in health bills and


lost productivity, according to
the Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention. The CDC
says 19.3 percent of U.S. adults
smoked last year, down from
42.4 percent in 1965.
"We're trying to promote a
complete culture of wellness,"
says Marcy Marshall of the Geis-
inger Health System in Danville,
Pa., which begins its nicotine-
free hiring next month. "We're
not denying smokers their right
to tobacco products. We're just
choosing not to hire them."
The policies stir outrage, even
in the public health community.
"These policies represent em-
ployment discrimination. It's
a very dangerous precedent,"
says Michael Siegel, a professor
Please turn to SMOKING 8D


More CEOs rake in $5oM


Firms 'tone deaf

to spirit of times

By Gary Strauss

2011 is shaping up as the
year of the $50-million-plus
CEO.
Huge employment con-
tracts, retention deals, stock-
option gains, bonuses and
golden parachutes are creat-
ing big windfalls for incom-
ing executives, current CEOs
and even those on their way


out, according to a USA TO-
DAY analysis of company fil-
ings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
The latest: Walt Disney's
Robert Iger, whose 2011
compensation is valued at
over $52 million, according
to a Monday filing. That in-
cludes $31.4 million in pay
and perks and $21.4 million
from stock options and vest-
ed shares.
Mega-pay packages aren't
unprecedented. But at a
time when executive pay is a
sore point among rank-and-


$52M: Disney CEO
ROBERT IGER


[ and up

file workers, politicians and
movements such as Occupy
Wall Street, corporate gov-
ernance experts say most
aren't warranted.
"Corporate boards are tone
deaf to the times, as are
CEOs who justify this much
compensation," says Uni-
versity of Toronto business
school dean Roger Martin,
author of Fixing the Game:
Bubbles, Crashes, and What
Capitalism Can Learn from
the NFL. "Companies are
fooling themselves if they say
Please turn to CEO 8D


Requiring large mortgage down payments would hurt economy


75 percent of Black families could be

denied homeownership


By Charlene Crowell
NNPA Columnist


As the nation continues to
grapple with a weak hous-
ing market, policymakers are
seeking safeguards to ensure
that American families will
never again face such massive
foreclosures and billion-dollar
losses of wealth. Some have
suggested that the best guar-
antee against future hous-


ing crises would be to require
down payment for many home
purchases to be 10 or even 20
percent.
But after the Center for Com-
munity Capital and the Center
for Responsible Lending ana-
lyzed nearly 20 million loans
originated between 2000 and
2008, researchers found that
while high down payment re-
quirements might lower fore-
closure rates somewhat, these


larger down pay-
ment requirements
would prevent a
much greater share
of credit-worthy
borrowers from
getting lower-cost
mortgages. If man-
dated down pay-
ments were at 20
percent of a home's
purchase price,
that requirement


ier





CRI OW
CROWE


alone would exclude 75 percent
of qualified Black and 70 per-
cent of Latino borrowers from
lower-priced loans, or from be-


coming homeowners
altogether.
By CRL's estimates,
i the average American
household earning
$50,000 a year would
need more than 10
years to save for a 10
percent down payment
on a home. For Black
households, averag-
ing $32,000 a year,
ELL the years needed to
save would rise to more than
14 years to save for that same
down payment.
The new research also found


that it was dangerous loan fea-
tures and the lack of mortgage
underwriting standards not
low down payments that
caused the current housing
crisis. Lenders that never con-
sidered a borrower's ability to
repay a loan, broker kickbacks
for steering mortgage appli-
cants into high-cost loans, and
prepayment penalties were far
more responsible for the fore-
closure tsunami than down
payments.
The Dodd-Frank Financial
Reform Act already elimi-
nated many of these risky


loan terms.
If the American Dream is to
be real for this and future gen-
erations, it must be accessible
- especially for those who
have historically been locked
out homeownership.
Right now, without govern-
ment-mandated high-down
payments, minority homeown-
ership already lags behind
that of white families.
Last year in a related study,
the Harvard-based Joint Cen-
ter for Housing Studies also
found that low wealth levels
Please turn to MORTGAGE 8D














Unemployment claims and goods orders rise

WASHINGTON (AP) to factories for du- percent since Oct. 1. to signal that hiring is cided with other signs expects the economy U.S. factory activity fifth of U.S. exports.
The number of people rable manufactured But the week ending strong enough tolower of improvement in to expand 2.5 percent has been lifted a surge Durable good or-
seeking unemploy- goods increased three Jan. 21, initial claims the unemployment the economy. Factory at an annual rate this in exports but econo- ders have climbed
ment benefits rose last percent in December, increased 21,000, the rate. output jumped in De- year. mists are worried that more than 45 percent
week to a seasonally the second straight Labor Department Hiring improved cember and consumer The job market has the growth in exports since hitting a reces-
adjusted 377,000, af- monthly gain. said Thursday. The in the second half of confidence and spend- a long way to go be- could falter if overseas sion low in April 2009.
ter a nearly four-year Perhaps the best four-week average, a last year. In Decem- ing have risen. Even fore it fully recovers markets, such as Eu- That has kept facto-
low the previous week. evidence of that was a less volatile measure, ber, employers added the battered housing from the damage of rope, show signs of ries busy and helped
The long-term trend is 2.9 percent increase in fell to 377,500, the 200,000 jobs, and market has shown the Great Recession, slowing. Europe ac- the economy grow at a
pointing to a healthier so-called core capital which wiped out 8.7 counts for about one- slow but steady ace.


job market. goods, such as com-
And two other re- puters and machinery.
ports gave cause for That pushed total or-
some optimism: ders for the category to
A gauge of future a record $68.9 billion.
economic activity Economists pay most
posted an increase for attention to so-called
December, providing core capital goods be-
evidence the economy cause they are often
was gaining strength viewed as a good way
as the year ended. of gauging business
The Conference Board investment plans.
says its index of lead- Applications for un-
ing economic indica- employment benefits
tors rose 0.4 percent have been trending
last month following downward the past few
a revised 0.2 percent months. Just two week
increase in November ago, applications had
and a revised 0.6 per- plummeted to their
cent gain in October. lowest level since April
The Commerce De- 2008. And the average
apartment said orders has fallen about nine


Carnival stock drops


Cruise line take
a major blow
By Douglas Hanks

Carnival Corp. suf-
fered its worst stock
drop since September
2001 as the Miami-
based cruise giant
grapples with the fall-
out of an Italian ship-
wreck.
Analysts predicted
big hits to Carnival's
profits, thanks largely
to lost bookings from
its Costa Concordia,
an ocean liner that
nearly sank after
striking ground off
a Tuscan island Fri-
day, January January


MICKY ARISON
13th night. Company
and Italian authorities
continued to blame
the ship's captain
for the accident that
killed at least 11 peo-
ple.
After January 16th
market holiday, Tues-
day brought the finan-
cial damage more into


The job market has a long way to go before it fully recov-
ers from the damage of the Great Recession, which wiped
out 8.7 million jobs.


government added.
Unemployment ap-
plications have been
particularly volatile
this month because
employers have cut
temporary workers
hired for the holi-
days. The department
adjusts for seasonal
trends. But doing so
accurately can be dif-
ficult.
Applications gener-
ally need to fall consis-
tently below 375,000


14 percent
view. Carnival stock
plunged just under
14 percent to $29.60,
wiping out $2.7 bil-
lion in value within
seven hours. Carnival
Chairman Micky Ari-
son's holdings alone
dropped $515 million.
Royal Caribbean,
the second-largest
cruise company next
to Carnival, also took
a hit from its rival's
catastrophe. The Mi-
ami-based company's
stock dropped six per-
cent to $26.97 a share
as analysts warned
of broader damage to
the popularity of vaca-
tioning at sea.
"With the tragedy
Please turn to STOCK 8D


the unemployment
rate fell to 8.5 percent
- the lowest level in
nearly three years.
Economists forecast
that the nation will
gain about 160,000
jobs per month in
2012, according to a
survey of economists
by the Associated
Press. That's up from
an average of about
135,000 last year.
A better outlook for
job growth has coin-


some signs of slight
improvement.
Still, the Federal Re-
serve said Wednesday
that it expects growth
to remain modest this
year. And it forecasts
only gradual declines
in the unemployment
rate.
The Fed predicts the
unemployment rate
could fall as low as
8.2 percent by the end
of 2012. Growth will
be modest: The Fed


million jobs. More
than 13 million people
remain unemployed.
Millions more have
given up looking for
work and so are no
longer counted as un-
employed.
Growth could slow
this year. Europe is
almost certain to fall
into recession because
of its financial trou-
bles. And wages aren't
keeping up with in-
flation. That makes it
harder for consumers
to spend more, poten-
tially limiting growth.
Manufacturing has
been a bright spot in
the current recovery.


CITY OF MIAMI
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

Sealed proposals will be received by the City of Miami City Clerk at her office
located at City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, FL 33133 for the follow-
ing:


RFP NO. 287252


CLOSING DATEITIME: 2:00 P.M., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2012

Deadline for Request for Additional Information/Clarification: 2/3/2012 at 3:00
P.M.

Detail for this Proposal (RFP) is available at the City of Miami, Purchasing De-
partment, website at www.miamigov.com/procurement, Telephone No. (305)
416-1917.

THIS SOLICITATION IS SUBJECT TO THE "CONE OF SILENCE" IN AC-
CORDANCE WITH CITY OF MIAMI CODE SECTION 18-74 ORDINANCE
NO. 12271. ."

Johnny Martinez iii i-i
AD NO. 10489 City Manager


REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE
PROVISION OF TOWING SERVICES -CITYWIDE


Driver's Education Safety
Trust Fund
Miami-Dade County is announcing the availability of Driver's
Education Safety Trust Funds for eligible organizations and
activities.
Any public school system, or not-for-profit private school, located
in Miami-Dade County that offers the opportunity to learn to
drive may submit a letter of interest. Private driving schools
established principally for the purpose of driver education are
not eligible.
Additional grant requirements include: 1) curriculum must
include behind the wheel experience; 2) the driver's education
must be offered to private, as well as public school students,
in Miami-Dade County; 3) funds must not be used for
administrative/overhead expenses; and 4) the grantee(s) must
agree to provide appropriate accountability/reporting.
The deadline for submission of letters of interest is 5:00 P.M.,
Friday, February 17, 2012, at the Miami-Dade County Office
of Management and Budget, Grants Coordination, 111 NW 1st
Street, 19th Floor, Miami, Florida 33128. The contact person for
the Driver's Education Safety Trust Fund, Theresa Fiaho, may
be reached at 305-375-4742.
Miami-Dade County is not liable for any cost incurred by the
applicant in responding to this solicitation, and it reserves
the right to modify or amend the deadline schedule for letters
of interest, if it is deemed necessary and in the best interest
of Miami-Dade County. The County also reserves the right
to accept or reject any orall all applications, to waive any minor
technicalities or irregularities, and to award grants in the best
interest of Miami-Dade County, in the County's sole discretion.
Funds are subject to the approval by the Board of County
Commissioners and the availability of funding in the
County's sole discretion.
Miami-Dade County is an equal opportunity employer and does
not discriminate based on age, gender, race, or disability.
To request materials in accessible format, sign language in-
terpreters, and/or any accommodation to participate in any
County-sponsored program or meeting related to the Driver's
Education Safety Trust Fund please contactAlphermelia Martin
at 305-375-4503, five days in advance, to initiate your request
TTY users may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service).
Fo legl dsonine, goIto http:/,leaadiam idadeIo


UL


Honoring service that goes above and beyond

The Tuskegee Airmen soared to new heights when they became the first African American pilots to serve in the U.S. armed forces. They were known for their heroism,
teamwork and honorable conduct in the air and on the ground. Following decades of distinguished military service, Tuskegee Airmen Col. George S. Roberts and Lt. Col.
James A. Walker continued their commitment to service as two of the original personal banking officers at Wells Fargo.

Wells Fargo is proud to celebrate Black History as we honor the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and the contributions that African Americans have made in enriching our company
and encouraging us all to reach new heights.

To learn more about the heroism of the Tuskegee Airmen,
check out Red Tails in theaters now.
Together we'll go far


wellsfargo.com


0 2012 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC.


THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER\


70 THE MIAMI TIMES, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012


I ff-










THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


8D THE MIAMI TIMES, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012


Cruise line takes dive after disaster


STOCK
continued from 7D
still fresh, it is difficult to know
what the impact on future
bookings will be," UBS analyst
Robin Farley wrote in a note to
clients. Farley's report knocked
20 percent of Carnival's profit
forecast for 2012 and another
13 percent for 2013. UBS also
dropped its RCL profit forecast
by 11 percent this year and
seven percent next year.
The report concluded it
would take the cruise-line in-
dustry two years to fully re-
cover from revenue lost in the
Concordia aftermath.
Arison and other top execu-


tives have remained in Miami,
managing the response from
corporate headquarters, the
company has said, while top
Costa executives addressed re-
porters and met with survivors
in Italy. That could change.
"Carnival's management has
already offered to come here if
we believe it's appropriate for
them to come," Costa CEO Pier
Luigi Foschi said at a weekend
press conference in Genoa.
"We'll decide together."
So far, Arison, who owns
the Miami Heat, has commu-
nicated through statements
expressing sympathy for the
victims and Carnival's com-
mitment to safety.


Early Tuesday evening, he
posted a message on his Twit-
ter account that read: "Since
Friday night, I've been focused
on the response to this trag-
edy. I want to thank you all for
your support this week."
Foschi, the Costa CEO, held
a press conference Tuesday
near the shipwreck scene on
the island of Giglio, where he
met with some survivors and
rescue workers.
"Our ships are safe just as
they were on Friday," he said.
"It has nothing to do with se-
curity at sea nor does it have
anything to do with our policy,
training or the quality of our
personnel."


Smokers have fewer places at work sites


SMOKING
continued from 6D
at Boston University's School
of Public Health. He says the
restrictions punish smokers
rather than helping them quit.
"What's next? Are you not go-
ing to hire overly-caffeinated
people?" asks Nate Shelman, a
smoker and Boise's KBOI radio
talk show host whose listeners
debated the topic last month.
"I'm tired of people seeing
smokers as an easy pifiata."
After several companies, in-
cluding Alaska Airlines, adopt-
ed smoker-hiring bans a couple
of decades ago, the tobacco in-


dustry and the American Civ-
il Liberties Union lobbied for
smoker rights. As a result, 29
states and the District of Co-
lumbia passed smoker-protec-
tion laws.
Some laws exempt non-profit
groups and the health care in-
dustry, and 21 states have no
rules against nicotine-free hir-
ing.
Federal laws allow nicotine-
free hiring because they don't
recognize smokers as a protect-
ed class, says Chris Kuzynski
with the U.S. Equal Employ-
ment Opportunity Commis-
sion.
There's no data on how many


U.S. businesses won't hire
smokers, but the trend appears
strongest with hospitals, says
Lewis Maltby, president of the
National Workrights Institute, a
non-profit offshoot of the ACLU
that opposes the hiring bans.
Many of the new policies ex-
pand on smoke-free workplace
rules.
At Bon Secours Virginia
Health System, more than 300
employees have kicked the
habit since its campuses went
smoke-free in 2009, and one
applicant did so since, it began
nicotine-free hiring Nov. 30,
says administrative director
Kim Coleman.


Incomes rising for corporate execs


CEO
continued om 6D

this is what's required to retain
or attract talent."
Among other big paydays:
Apple's Tim Cook $378
million, including $376 mil-
lion in restricted stock after
replacing the late Steve Jobs.
Qualcomm's Paul Jacobs
- $50.6 million, including
$28.9 million from stock op-
tions.
Tyco International's Ed
Breen $68.9 million, in-
cluding stock and option gains
worth $52.4 million.
J.C. Penney's Ron John-
son $51.5 million, includ-


ing $50 million in restricted
shares after signing on in No-
vember.
Exit packages are even more
lucrative. Nabors Industries
will pay Chairman Gene Is-
enberg $126 million when he
steps down, while Motorola
Mobility CEO Sanjay Jha and
Temple-Inlad CEO Doyle Si-
mons are due more than $60
million once merger deals are
finalized.
Compensation experts say
corporate directors are wres-
tling with oversized pay plans,
but many are hampered by
deals hatched by other boards
seeking new talent.
"Compensation committees


are being more careful and
saying they better have a good
reason for doing things," says
Paul Dorf of board consultant
Compensation Resources.
Eleanor Bloxham, head of
corporate watchdog The Value
Alliance, says advisory share-
holder measures are doing lit-
tle to brake rising pay. "These
kinds of things go on because
too few people, especially in-
stitutional shareholders, are
saying no."
Iger, for one, stands to make
a lot more. Under a new con-
tract, Disney is paying him
at least $30 million annually
through 2015, up 43(percent)
from his old base.


New boutique brings flair to Miami
KNIGHT a mother is keeping my family time with my family, it's like my
continued from 6D life balanced," she said. "After other job begins as soon as I get
many hours of work I still have home."
be great but her first priority to remain energetic when I ar- The Boutique, located at
remains with her family. rive home to my little angels. 12204 Miramar Parkway Suite
"The most difficult part of Between homework, dinner, 131, inside The Beauty Mall,
being a businesswoman and bathing and spending quality she is getting out her dreams.


Blacks have a tough time finding homes


MORTGAGE
continued from 6D

make down payments a major
barrier to homeownership es-
pecially for minorities. "At last
measure in 2007" cited the
Harvard report, "the median
minority renter had only $300
in cash savings and $2,700 in
net worth, while the median
white renter had roughly three
times those amounts."
No one wants or needs an-


other housing crisis. So govern-
ment has an important role to
play in developing safeguards
against the billion-dollar losses
of recent years. That would be a
good thing.
But we also know that gov-
ernment policies work best
when they level the playing field
and expand opportunities for
everyone. Working families who
pay their bills on time and keep
debt to modest levels should not
have to wait 10 years or longer


just to amass down payments
for modest homes. High, gov-
ernment-mandated down pay-
ments would do just that.
If as a country we believe in
the pride of homeownership
and the ability for every family
to own a home, let government
reforms reflect that basic value.
A balance between fair access
to homeownership and safety
in mortgage markets would
help everyone consumers of
all colors and businesses alike.


Unemployed look for jobs out of state

WORKERS six months, many more firms freeing borrowers to take jc
continued from 6D are paying most relocation elsewhere. In October, 8.9 p


2010, vs. a 4.3 percent rise the
previous year and steep drops
in 2008 and 2009. "You're
(turning a strong economic
headwind) into a tailwind,"
Zandi says.
Americans are moving a bit
more freely due to a strength-
ening job market that offers
more out-of-state opportuni-
ties, he says. Also, in the past


costs after refusing to do so in
the downturn, says CEO Ryan
Carfley of recruiting firm Per-
sonify.
Housing is still dismal, with
22.1 percent of borrowers un-
derwater, owing more on loans
than the homes are worth as of
Sept. 30, CoreLogic says. But
more lenders and borrowers
are agreeing to sell homes for
less than the mortgage debt,


)bs
er-


cent of sales were short sales,
up from 6.7 percent a year ear-
lier.
Deborah Melbinger, 33, quit
an interior-designing job in
Fort Myers, Fla., amid that
state's real estate crash and
sold her townhouse last year
for a third of what she paid.
That let her take a similar job
in Wausau, Wis., which she
says had more openings.


Woman takes over as Sam's Club CEO


BREWER
continued from 6D
Brewer, who will also be pres-
ident of Sam's Club, was previ-
ously president of the retailer's
U.S. division. She will report
to CEO Mike Duke. The moves
are effective Feb. 1st. Wal-Mart
has in recent years been bat-
tered by a combination of the
slow-growing economy and its
own decisions that caused U.S.
customers to flee to competi-
tors. But it has refocused on
offering the lowest prices and
shoppers' favorite goods and
that strategy has been paying


off. In its third fiscal quarter
ended Oct. 28, its net income
fell 2.9 percent but it reversed
a slump in U.S. namesake
business.
Its Sam's Club warehouse
club business has outper-
formed its namesake stores.
Revenue in stores open at least
one year rose 5.7 percent at
Sam's Club and 1.3 percent
at Walmart U.S. stores in its
third quarter. The measure is
a key gauge of a retailer's fi-
nancial health.
Prior to joining Wal-Mart,
Brewer held a number of ex-
ecutive positions at Kimberly-


Clark Corp.
Wal-Mart also said Friday
that it is promoting Gisel Ruiz,
41, to executive vice president
and chief operating officer for
its U.S. operations. Ruiz has
been an executive vice presi-
dent working on human re-
lations and store innovation
issues. Wal-Mart is also pro-
moting Rollin Ford, 49, to chief
administrative officer. Ford
was chief information officer.
He will be replaced as CIO by
Karenann Terrell, 50. Wal-
Mart shares rose 55 cents to
$61.16 in morning trading Fri-
day.


TAKE A SEP FORWARD y spp ou local comm ties


We're inspired by those who stand up to make things better
in our communities. Chase celebrates the businesses and
individuals who are dedicated to preserving and growing our
local neighborhoods. Future viability and success requires
a strong, unwavering commitment from us all. And we look
forward to being a good neighbor for many years to come.


Visit us in your neighborhood or at chase.com,


C. BRIAN HART

INSURANCE CORP.

We do Auto, Homeowners




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Fax: 305-696-8634
email: info@cbrianhart.cop
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7954 NW 22ND AVE., MIAMI FL, 33147
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a xes All Schedules


Apartments
1 NORTHEAST AREA
Section 8 special. One and
two bedrooms. Furnished
units available. $199. Total
move in. 786-488-5225
10 Avenue NW 107 Street
One bdrm, air, appliances,
electric and water. $750 mth-
ly, first, last and security.
305-962-2666
1150 NW 1 Place
One bedroom, one bath,
$425. Mr. Willie #6
1192 NW 65 Street
Two bedrooms, one bath,
$600 monthly. 305-751-3381
1210 NW 2 Avenue
One bdrm., one bath, $400.
Appliances. 305-642-7080.

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.

1250 NW 60 Street
One bedroom, one bath
$500. Free water.
305-642-7080

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

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

135 NW 18 Street
MOVE IN SPECIAL
Two bedrooms, one bath.
$450 month. $700 move
in. All appliances included.
Free 19 inch LDC TV.
Call Joel
786-355-7578
140 NW 13 Street
Two bedrooms, one bath
$500, 786-236-1144 or
305-642-7080

1400 NW 61 Street
One bedroom, appliances,.
air, water. $450 monthly.
305-758-3979
1435 NW 60 Street
One bedroom, appliances,
air, water and gas, $450
monthly. 305-758-3979.
14370 NW 22 Avenue
One bdrm, one bath $425.
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.

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 1st Court
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

1801 NW 2 Court
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

1815 NW1 Court #4
Two bedrooms and efficien-
cies, Morris, 305-200-9103.
186 NW 13 Street
One bdrm, one bath. $475.
305-642-7080

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


2295 NW 46 Street
One and two bedrooms. Call
Tony 305-213-5013.
2416 NW 22 Court
One beroom.one bath"'
.$6S.fre ,.watetr. 30 ,-642r. ,
., ( ', : ;'7080 .,... :.
2571 E. Superior Street
Two bedrooms, $640 month-
ly. 786-389-1686.
3330 NW 48 Terrace
One bdrm, one bath.
$550 monthly. 305-213-5013
411 NW 37 Street
Studios $395 monthly.
All appliances included. Call
Joel 786-355-7578

415 NW 9 Street
One bdrm., one bath, $495.
Appliances. 305-642-7080
458 NW 7 STREET
One bedroom, very nice $450
a month. Call 305-557-1750.
467 NW 8 Street
Efficiency, one bath, $425.
Appliances, free water.
305-642-7080

48 NW 77 Street
Beautiful one bedroom, $585
monthly. Call after 6 p.m.
305-753-7738
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.
5130 NW 8 Avenue
SECTION 8 WELCOME
Three bedrooms, one bath,
$1,000 per month, all appli-
ances included. Call Joel
786-355-7578.

5200 NW 26 Avenue
Two bdrms, one bath. Free
gift for Section 8 tenants.
$675 moves you in.
Jenny 786-663-8862

5600 NW 7 Court
Large one bedroom, appli-
ances included. $600 month-
ly plus security. Section 8
Welcome. 786-361-9146
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

7526 N.E. Miami Court
One bedroom. $625 monthly,
free water. $1450 to move
in.786-277-0302
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
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.
Free water. 305-642-7080
www.capitalrentalagency.
com
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
LIBERTY CITY
NEW YEAR SPECIAL
No security deposit re-
quired. One or two bdrm,
water included. 305-603-
9592, 305-600-7280 or
305-458-1791

LIBERTY CITY AREA
One bedroom, one bath,
$450 monthly. 305-717-6084
N. MIAMI BEACH AREA
Remodeled one bedroom,
one bath, 305-753-0544.
North Miami
One bedroom. Central A/C,
new appliances, quiet area.
$750 monthly. 786-356-1722
NORTH MIAMI AREA
Move in Special $1000. Re-
modeled One bedroom, one
bath, private parking, plus
visitor parking. $650 monthly.
Call 305-308-9889.

PLACE YOUR


CLASSIFIED TODAY

305-694-6225


INCOME TAX

AND ACCOUNTING SERVICES

786-953-7381
With over 20 years experience we also provide
ffordable business services to small businesses;
business plans, bookkeeping, payroll tax,
and business start up.
'N!
15 -1
125 Street North Miami 3--l
nfxt to My Pizzarta


OVERTOWN NEW YEAR
RESOLUTION
Limited time move in
special! Gated and secure
building. One bedroom,
$400 and two bedrooms
$550 only! Water included.
55 and older get additional
discount. Call 305-603-
9592, 305-600-7280 and
305-458-1791.

CondosfTownhouses
20022 SW 123 Drive
Section 8, no deposit, four
bedrooms, two baths, tiled
floors, central air, washer/dry-
er, gated community, $1200,
786-208-0521.
9462 Palm Circle South
Two bedroom, two and half
bath, beautiful pembroke
pines on the lake.
954-483-5283
MIRAMAR AREA
Two bedroom, two bath con-
do. Will accept Section 8.
305-877-0951
Duplexes

1150 NW 76 Street
Available nowl Three bed-
rooms, two baths, new ap-
pliances with washer/dryer,
tile, blinds, large closets,
central air. No Section 8.
Call 786-357-5000.
1174 NW 64 STREET
Two bedrooms, one bath,
appliances included. Utility
room in rear. Near schools
and transportation. Section 8
Welcome. 305-624-7664
1187 NW 63 St. #2
Two bedrooms, one bath,
air. $800 mthly, $1600 and
$ 200 security to move in.
305-389-8414
1197 NW 100 Terr
Two bedroom, one bath, new
appliances, new tile, $1050
monthly, first and last to move
in. Will take Section 8.
954-638-2816
131 NW 32 Street
Two bdrms, one bath $595.
305-642-7080

1330 NW 46 Street
Two bdrms., one bath, tile,
$900 mthly, 305-219-2571.
1410 NW 38 Street
Two bedrooms, one bath,
plus office, includes water,
$900 monthly, 305-662-5505.
1612 NW 55 Street
Two bedrooms, one bath,
central air, appliances.
Section 8 OK! 786-953-8935
16159 NW 39 Court
Two bdrms, one bath, $1000
monthly. 305-751-3381
1877 NW 43 Street
Two bedrooms, one bath.
Central air, $900 monthly.
Section 8 Welcome. 305-331 -
2431 or 786-419-0438.
1890 NW 49 Street
Two bedrooms, one bath.
Central air. Section 8 Wel-
come. 786-486-9507
1986 NW 56 STREET
One bedroom, one bath, ap-
pliances. Section 8 Ok. 305-
335-5544 or 305-624-6953
209-211 NW 41 Street
Three bedrooms, one bath
and two bedrooms, one bath,
conveniently located, new
renovation. Section 8 Only!
Open house Saturday 10-12
p.m. 305-926-8660 or 305-
975-1987
2285 NW 101 Street
One bedroom, tile, air, water,
bars. $700, No Section 8.
Terry Dellerson, Broker
305-891-6776
2587 NW 165 STREET
Near N. Dade Health Clinic.
Three bedrooms, one bath,
central air and heat. $1200
monthly. Section 8 welcome.
305-542-0810
271 NW 46 Street
Two bedrooms, one
bath, $875; three bdrms.,
two baths, $1275. Free
water and electricity,
305-642-7080.
3051 NW 134 Street
Section 8 Ok! Newly remod-
eled, two large bdrms, one
bath, air, $925 monthly.
Call 954-557-4567
3075 NW 91 Street #2
One bdrm, one bath. Section
8 preferred. 305-299-3142
417 NE 140 Street
Two bedroom, two bath, air,
tile, no utilities $950 month-
ly.786-230-0257 or
305-606-1687
4320 NW 23 Court #1
Two bedrooms, air, applianc-
es. $700 monthly. First, last,
and security. 305-962-2666.
4425 NW 23 Court
Two bedrooms, one bath,
$600, four bedrooms, two
baths, $900. Appliances,
305-642-7080

5509 NW Miami Court
One bdrm, one bath. Newly
renovated $650 mthly, first,
last, security. 305-751-6232
5903 NW 30 Ave
One bdrm, one bath, air, $625
a month, 786-356-1457.


wnfl.


6920 NW 6th Court
Three bdrms., one bath, wa-
ter, $900, 786-486-8669
775 NW 47 Street
Spacious two bedrooms, one
bath units. Family neighbor-
hood. Completely renovated,
new appliances. Section 8
Only. Open house Saturday
12-2 p.m. 305-926-8660 or
305-975-1987.
8201 NW 6 Avenue
Newly remodeled two bed-
rooms, one bath, central air,
laundry room, free water.
$875 monthly. 954-695-7784
92 94 NE 59 Terrace
Two bdrms, one bath, central
air, bars, $950 mthly Section
8 only. 305-490-9284.
LIBERTY CITY AREA
Two bdrms, one bath, first,
and security. 305-244-6845
MIAMI GARDENS AREA
Two bedrooms, one bath,
$1100, 754-423-2748.

Efficiencies
1612 NW 51 Terrace
$475 moves you in. Utilities
included 786-389-1686.
1756 All Baba Avenue
One bedroom, one bath. Sec-
tion 8 OK. 305-305-2474
1756 NW 85 Street
$425 move in 786-389-1686.
2106 NW 70 Street
Furnished, no utilities, $1000
to move in, $900 monthly.
305-836-8262
2478 N.W. 92nd Street
$500 a month, $1000 to move
in, all utilities paid,
786-277-0302
3153 NW 53 Street
Starting at $450 monthly.
First, last and security.
305-751-6232
4320 NW 173 Drive
Very nice and spacious.
786-447-5734 305-620-1710
47 N.E. 80th Terr #3
One person, $400 monthly,
$1200 to move in.
Call 305-621-4383
MIRAMAR AREA
Small but nice, furnished, free
utilities, 954-478-7089.
NORTHWEST AREA
Reduced! Private entrance,
cable, air. Call 305-758-6013

Furnished Rooms
1010 NW 180 Terrace
Free cable, air, appliances
and use of kitchen.
305-835-2728
13377 NW 30 Avenue
Extra large, $95 weekly, free
utilities, one person.
305-474-8186, 305-987-9710
1358 NW 71 Street
Air, cable. $300 to move in,
$150 weekly. 786-286-7455.
1541 NW 69 Terrace
Clean room, $350 a month.
Call 305-479-3632.
15810 NW 38 Place
$85 weekly. Free utilities,
bath, kitchen, one person.
305-474-8186, 305-987-9710
1775 NW 151 Street
New management. Micro-
wave, refrigerator, color TV,
free cable, air, and use of
kitchen. Call 305-835-2728.
1822 NW 66 Street
$300 monthly. 305-244-2528
for appointment.
1823 NW 68 Terrace
Clean room, $450 monthly.
702-448-0148.
1887 NW 44 Street
$450 monthly. $650 moves
you in. 305-303-0156.
1973 NW 49 Street
Clean room, $475 monthly.
702-448-0148
2169 NW 49 Street
$100 weekly, cable, air. Call
786-234-5683
2315 NW 81 Street
Two small rooms, $300
monthly, no deposit, air, free
cable, phone. Free washer
and dryer. 786-227-7016.
335 NW 203 Terrace
Gated community, refrigera-
tor, microwave, TV, free ca-
ble, air and private entrance.
Call 954-678-8996.
6601 NW 24 Court
Microwave, refrigerator, color
TV, free cable, air, and use of
kitchen. Call 305-835-2728
7000 NW 21 Avenue
Utilities included, $395 mthly.
786-953-8935.
77 St and 15 Avenue
Kitchen, utilities, air, cable.
$400 mthly. 305-218-4746
MIAMI AREA
Bed, bath and meal $20 a
day, 305-305-7765. ___
MIAMI GARDENS
Furnished room in a private
home. Light kitchen privileg-
es. 305-621-1017,
305-965-9616
MIAMI GARDENS AREA
Nice rooms, $115-$135
weekly. 786-290-1268, 305-
467-0882, 305-974-2914.
MIRAMAR
Large bedroom. Weekly or
$400 monthly. 954-292-5058.
Near 27 Avenue, 183 Street
One bdrm in my home, $400
a month, shared bathroom
with one other man. Move in
with $400. Leave message,
786-213-1779
OPA LOCKA AREA
2170 Washington Avenue
Clean rooms, $90-110


,; : .... " '"-0-I I
'n: "- "':Fax: 305-835- 6712


WYNWOOD SOBER LIVING
Now offering shared apart-
ment everything included no
deposit. Call 786-468-6239.
2162 NW 5 Avenue, Miami
Houses
1287 NW 50 Street
Renovated two bedrooms,
one bath, tile floor, central air.
Section 8 Ok! $995 monthly,
305-454-7767.
15755 NW 158 Street Rd
Updated three bdrms, one
bath, tile, central air, $1175
mthly. 305-662-5505.
1743 NW 42 Street
Lovely small one bedroom
rear house with full kitchen,
full bath. All utilities included
for $680 a month.
Call 786-356-7056
1771 NW 81 Terrace
Beautiful and spacious two
bedrooms, one bath, with
large yard. 305-409-3950
1776 NW 53 Street
Move in special, two bed-
rooms, one bath. $795
monthly. Call 954-625-5901.
1782 NW 63 Street
Newly remodeled, wood
floors, two bdrms, one bath.
$1095. 305-642-7080

1851 NW 67 Street
Four bdrms, two baths.
$1100. Stove, refrigerator,
air, 305-642-7080
2015 NW 81 Terrace
Must see! Large two bed-
rooms, two baths, air, fenced
and more. $1350 monthly,
deposit negotiable. Section
8 welcome. Call for appoint-
ment, 305-624-5070.
2246 Rutland Street
Nicely renovated, two bdrms,
one bath, tile/carpet, air,
fence. $1095 monthly. Sec-
tion 8 OK! Call Kenny
540-729-6634
2330 NW 97 Street
One bdrm, small private
house, $760. 305-693-0620
2441 NW 104 Street
Three bedrooms, one bath.
Section 8 Welcomel
Call 404-403-5550
2914 NW 49 Street
Three bedrooms, one bath,
air, Section 8 Ok! Call
305-793-5518
2930 NW 65 Street
Section 8 Welcome
Three bedrooms, one bath,
$1300 monthly. All Appli-
ances included. Free 19"
LCD TV.
Call Joel 786-355-7578

3051 N.W. 204 Lane
Three bedrooms, two
bathrooms, bars, central air,
Section 8. $1300 monthly.
Call 305-474-9234
3531 NW 209 Terrace
Four bedrooms, two baths,
tile, air, two car garage,
fenced, bars, $1,400, No
Section 8. Terry Dellerson,
Broker 305-891-6776.
4621 NW 15 Ave (Rear)
Cottage, one bdrm, one bath,
$550 mthly. 305-759-2280
480 NW 109 Street
Three bedrooms, two baths,
tile floor, 786-237-1292.
5551 NW 15 Avenue
Three bedrooms, two
baths,$1200 per month,
all appliances included.
Section 8 welcome. Free
19 inch LCD TV. Call Joel
786-355-7578
5690 NW 5th Ave
Three bedrooms, two bath.
Newly remodeled, section 8
okay. $1350 monthly. Call
786-301-0933
5700 NW 6 Avenue
Two bedrooms, tile, central
air, $800, No Section 8.
Terry Dellerson Broker 305-
891-6776
6951 NW 3 Avenue
Two bedrooms, one bath,
tiled, fresh paint, $995 mthly,
305-662-5505
7753 NW 2 Court
Two bedrooms, one bath
house, $700 monthly,
central air, all appliances
included. Free 19 inch LCD
TV.
Call Joel 786-355-7578.

8231 NW 14 Court
SECTION 8 Only!
Four bedrooms, 2 baths, cen-
tral air, newly renovated, near
Arcola Park. Open House
Saturday 2-4 p.m. 305-926-
8660 or 305-975-1987
9012 NW 22 Avenue
Small two bedrooms, appli-
ances included, water.
305-693-9486
944 NW 81 Street B
Three small bedrooms, one
bath, $750 mthly. Security
$600. Water included. Call
786-488-2264
MIAMI GARDENS
Four bdrms, three baths. Will
accept Section 8.
305-877-0951
MOVE IN SPECIAL
North West Dade
Huge house, Section 8
house, everything newly
renovated with wood floors,


6800 NW 6 Court
One bedrooms, one bath,
$525. Free water/electric.
305-642-7080


NORTHWEST AREA
Two bedrooms, one bath, ap-
pliances. $800 monthly. No
Section 8. 305-836-7306
STOPI!!
Behind in Your Rent? 24
Hour notice. Behind in Your
Mortgage? 786-326-7916.


MIAMI GARDENS AREA
UNFURNISHED
305-300-7783 786-277-9369



15115 NW 18 AVE
Four bedrooms, two baths,
remodeled. Try only $2500
down and $499 monthly. P&I.
Come by for list of others.
NDI Realtors 290 NW 183
St. 305-655-1700
NW 19 AVE AND 186 ST
Three bedrooms, two baths,
remodeled. Try only $2900
down, $599 monthly. P&I.
Come by for list of others
NDI Realtors 290 NW 183
St. 305-655-1700.



Exp. Housekeeper
Driver's license. Cleaning,
wash/dry, iron and cooking.
Six days, 8-5 p.m. North
Miami area. 305-915-7377,
call 12-5 p.m. daily.

ROUTE DRIVERS
We are seeking drivers to
deliver newspaper to retail
outlets in South Dade, Bro-
ward and Miami Dade.
Wednesday Only
You must be available be-
tween the hours of 6 a.m.
and 1 p.m. Must have reli-
able, insured vehicle and
current Driver License.
Apply in person at:
The Miami Times
900 N.W. 54th Street



YARD SALE
Grace Bible Way, Friday
February 3 and 4 at 7 a.m.
17100 NW 27 Avenue


BE A SECURITY OFFICER
Be a security officer. No wait-
ing. Traffic school first time
driver $35. 786-333-2084.



CREDIT REPAIR $49
NON-PROFIT CREDIT
CONSOLIDATION
NO UP-FRONT FEES
1305-899-9393
GENE AND SONS, INC.
Custom-made cabinets for
kitchens and bathrooms at
affordable prices.
14130 N.W. 22nd Avenue.
Call 305-685-3565
General Home Repairs
Plumbing, electric, dryer,
washer. Call King,
786-273-1130.

Richard Faison


I. SHARRVETA RAHMING
;t Independent Product Ccnsultant

305-496-1302
. IPCtt 2495807
1-800-445-2969
|LAW1SR.BEBIOACTIVE.COM
Lawlsr c aolcorn

S VWWW.TNI.COM/2495807
TNI. Used with permission. All rights reserved.


ABORTIONS
Up to 10 weeks with Anesthia $180


custom kitchens, central air
and more. Move-in condition.
Please call 305-321-4077.


A GYN DIAGNOSTIC CENTER
267 E. 49 St., Hialeah, FL.
I ~ (same as 103 St.)
(Please mention ad)

S305-824-8816

305-362-4611





PROFESSIONAL CARE CERTIFIED
LOW COST SERVICE ly SERVICE UP TO 8 WEEKS
*Abortion without surgery w/COUPON


weekly, $476 monthly.
786-277-3434,786-298-4383


Abortion SerVices
Providing Option to Women
for over 16 years
Professional, Confidential &
Gentle Services

ABORTION PROCEDURES
Up to 22 Wk's.
200.00 for up to 10wks
[M IWREWit INA with coupon only




GUARANTEED CASINO BAGS
DO YOU NEED TO WIN MONEY?

Doctor Raymond
P. 0. Box 55568
Atlanta, GA 30308
404-917-4197 404-991-8446

I help in all affairs in life. Court Cases
Love, Gambling, Boyfriend, Girlfriend
and Husband problems. Call Today.



SThe Georgia
Witch Doctor

& Root Doctor

"Powerful Magic"
I Remove evil spells, court and jail cases return mate
Sex spirit & love spirit. Are you lonely? Order potion now,

Call or write 229-888-7144 Rev. Doc Brown
P.O, Box 50964 Albany GA, 31705



^ '-. The Miami Children's Initiative has
S,- scheduled the following meeting:
S* Youth Advisory Board, on Sat-
0 urday, February 18. 2012 to be held
at Girl Power 6015 NW 7th Avenue,
Miami, Florida 33127at 10:00 am.


Advanced Gyn Clinic
Professional, Safe & Confidential Services

Termination Up to 22 Weel.s
Individual Counseling Services
Board Certified OB GYN's
Complete GYN Services

ABORTION START $180 AND UP

305-621-1399


Sonogram
included.


and office visit after 14 days


Lejune Plaza Shopping Center
697 East.9th St. 305
Hialeah, FL 33010
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lOD THE MIAMI TIMES, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012 II IL NAI IONS #1 13! ACK NLWSP\I~FR


JA~5~N..


Not perfe


By Jason uay


Football days like Sunday
are why the skeptics like to say
baseball has no chance any-
more in America. This is not to
pick on old friend baseball-
and how can you pick on base-
ball, with that staggering World
Series Game 6 gut-churner be-
tween St. Louis and Texas-but
only to point out that when foot-
ball, a game almost perfectly
tailored to television, ratchets
and personalizes the tension
in the final moments, there is
nothing that similarly stirs the
sports fan in this country.
And then it happens twice,
as if for emphasis, on a long
conference championship af-
ternoon, in both New England
and San Francisco. A pair of
games, with a Super Bowl on
the line, come down to the final
seconds, inches and mistakes.
The Patriots escape by a foot.
The New York Giants are saved
by a knee in regulation, then a
fumble in overtime. The pain-
ful replays will be scoped and
picked apart, maybe for years,
but the resolution is final.
On the heels of a dramatic
weekend of postseason play,
WSJ sports reporter Reed Al-
bergotti stops by Mean Street to
discuss the magic and lure of
the NFL, which has registered
television ratings not seen in 25


years. Photo: Getty Images.
New England will meet the
Giants at the Super Bowl in
Indianapolis, an improbable re-
match in an unlikely title game
town.
For the Patriots, the date
represents unfinished busi-
ness. Four years ago, the Gi-
ants ruined New England's
perfect season with a stunning
upset in the Arizona desert.
That game is a brutal memory
in Boston-maybe not as scar-
ring as Mookie's grounder past
Buckner, but as nauseating as
they've had there in a genera-
tion.
The Patriots have ached to re-
turn ever since. Following con-
secutive, early-round playoff
exits in the last two seasons,
they are back after an anxious
23-20 victory over the Balti-
more Ravens. With the game on
the verge of overtime, Ravens
kicker Billy Cundiff hooked a
tying 32-yard field goal wide
left.
A sliver of luck, so absent in
that Super Bowl loss to the Gi-
ants, finally returned to shine
on Bill Belichick's stern-faced
empire. The Patriots team that
will come to Indianapolis is a
far different outfit than that
18-1 2007 team. After an un-
impressive 5-3 start, the Patri-
ots won their final eight games
to finish 13-3.


Lt a suoer rematch


For New England's Tom Brady, Super Bowl XLVI represents unfinished business against


the Giants.
Tom Brady remains the
steady leader, passing for more
than 5,200 yards in the regu-
lar season, but there are fresh
targets, including a pair of
second-year tight ends, Aaron
Hernandez and Rob Gronkows-
ki. Hernandez can double as a
running back, and Gronkowski
is 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds,
and barrels down the field like


a Sub-Zero fridge with legs.
But against Baltimore, the
Patriots weren't. saved by a
marquee player. A defensive
back named Sterling Moore, an
undrafted rookie signed to the
practice squad in October, then
dumped and reinvited back in
December, slapped a season-
ending touchdown reception
out of the hands of Baltimore


receiver Lee Evans with 22 sec-
onds left. Moore also broke up
the next Ravens pass. The next
play, Cundiff missed.
It was a narrow, defense-
minded win, for an offense-
crazed team that had previ-
ously relied on outscoring its
opponents rather than stopping
them. Brady had a pedestrian
passing day (22 of 36 for 236


yards, 2 interceptions), though
it was the quarterback's daring
fourth down, one-yard plunge
that provided the winning mar-
gin.
"I sucked pretty bad today,
but our defense saved us,"
Brady said in the postgame cel-
ebration.
It was a candid admission
from an all-timer. The Patriots,
hungry and humbled, are back
in the only football game they
want to win.
The 2011 Giants, meanwhile,
cannot be dismissed as an in-
convenient speed bump, as they
were in the buildup four years
ago. Once more Tom Coughlin's
team stumbled over the regular
campaign, dropping four in a
row, and five out of six. Playoff
hopes began to fade until a pair
of confidence-pumping victo-
ries against the Jets and Cow-
boys sealed the postseason in
the closing weeks.
The Giants had already
knocked off one powerhouse in
these playoffs, outplaying the
Packers in cold Green Bay the
week before. But on a wet day
in San Francisco, the Niners
would prove to be sturdier op-
position. After an NFL season
that celebrated highflying of-
fenses and cartoonish statis-
tics, this would be a day of de-
fense, and hoping for a sudden
opportunity.


Tigers get Fielder

for princely sum:

$214 million

By Bob Nightengale

Prince Fielder, who grew up hanging out
with his famous father at Tiger Stadium, is
coming home again. This time he's a whole lot
richer.
Fielder agreed Tuesday to a nine-year, $214
million contract with the Detroit Tigers, the
fourth-richest contract in baseball history,
and he'll play for his
father's former team.
"He's going to come
full circle," Cecil Fielder
told MLB Radio on .. a
SiriusXM at a charity
dinner Tuesday in New
York. "He's been there
in Detroit most of his -
young life, so I think
he'll be comfortable
in that place. I know FIELDER
(owner Mike) Ilitch is
probably pretty excited, because he's been
wanting that kid since he was a little kid."
The Tigers hadn't expressed interest in
signing Fielder all offseason, but everything
changed dramatically last week. Designated
hitter Victor Martinez suffered a season-
ending knee injury during workouts. Fielder,
represented by Scott Boras, had been courted
by several teams, including the Washington
Nationals and Texas Rangers, but no team
was willing to meet Fielder's price tag until
the Tigers jumped into the fray.
Fielder, who hit .299 last season with 38
homers and 120 RBI for the Milwaukee Brew-
ers, likely will share first-base and DH duties
with All-Star first baseman Miguel Cabrera.
Cabrera also will be used at third base,
where he once was an everyday player.
Fielder tagged along for years with his
father, who played for the Tigers from 1990 to
1996. Cecil Fielder was a three-time All-Star
first baseman in Detroit, hitting 245 homers.
They are the first father-son combination to
hit 50 homers in a season. Yet the two have
an estranged relationship.
"Time heals all wounds, man," Cecil Fielder
said. "Everybody has to come back together
at some point."

Former NFL receiver Hurd indicted
A federal grand jury indicted former NFL
wide receiver Sam Hurd on drug conspiracy
and possession charges after he and another
man were accused of trying to
establish a drug dealing net-
work. The indictment recently
accuses Hurd and co-defendant
Toby Lujan on single counts of
cociane. It also seeks forfeiture of HURD
$88,000 in cash by Lujan and a
2010 Cadillac Escalade by Hurd. If convicted
both could be sentenced to 10 years to life in
prison. Hurd was arrested Dec. 14 in Chicago
after authorities said he agreed to buy a kilo-
gram of cocaine from an undercover agent.


Norland selected among nation's elite football teams


All roads continue to point
towards Norland Senior High
School and their football team -
the recently-crowned 2011 Class
5A football champions. The play-
ers, coaching staff, cheerleaders
and junior varsity team, along
with students who are part of
the school's JROTC program, cel-


ebrated another honor last Mon-
day. Norland has been chosen by
MaxPreps, presented by the U.S.
National Guard, as one of the top
football teams in the country. The
team is ranked # 19 from among
16,000 teams based on a comput-
er composite.
Head Coach Daryle Heidelburg,


37, now in his third season, said,
"It is truly an honor to be recog-
nized by someone that follows
high school football so closely.
Our boys are very excited."
Assistant Coach William
Neloms, III, said, "After losing in
the state championship game last
year, nothing was going to satisfy


us this season except to win it all.
Anything less would have been
equivalent to failure."
Congratulations to the team,
coaching staff and cheerleaders
for their hard work and dedica-
tion. Ira Fluitt is the athletic di-
rector for Norland Senior High
School.


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By Paul White

Losing a marquee player to free
agency and possibly another to a
lengthy suspension isn't a typical
formula to sell tickets.
That hasn't put a damper on the
Milwaukee Brewers' offseason,
however.
Despite the departure of Prince
Fielder, anticipated for years be-
cause of the club's inability to af-
ford him, and the looming spec-
ter of a 50-game suspension for
reigning National League MVP
Ryan Braun, the Brewers say they
anticipate setting a single-season
record for tickets sold.
That's no small feat, given they
topped 3.07 million in attendance
last season, when they won the NL
Central Division while realizing
Fielder likely was a goner.
After ESPN reported Braun
faced a 50-game ban for failing
a drug test -- he is appealing the
result -- the outlook was all the
gloomier in Milwaukee. Fielder
and Braun combined to hit 71


home runs and drive in 231 runs
last season.
The ticket-buying public ap-
pears undaunted.
"There has been no decline or
plateau, even after the announce-
ment Braun was under investiga-
tion," Brewers chief operating of-
ficer Rick Schlesinger told MLB.
com at the club's preseason Fan
Fest on Sunday. "We are well
ahead of last year."
But it doesn't hurt to add a su-
perstar, either.
Detroit Tigers vice president Ron
Colangelo said that in the three
days after signing Fielder to a
nine-year, $214 million deal, the
club's ticket office received an av-
erage of 4,000 calls a day; about
200 calls is normal for this time
of year.
And in the five weeks after they
signed slugger Albert Pujols to a
$240 million deal, the Los Angeles
Angels sold 3,000 season-ticket
packages and 2,300 equivalent
season tickets in the form of mini-
plans.


Brewers are box-office


hit despite distractions


THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER


10D THE MIAMI TIMES, FEBRUARY 1-7, 2012


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