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*********************3-DICIT 326 516 PI LIBRARY OF FLA. HISTORY 205 SMA UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA PO BOX 117007 CAIHESVILLE FL 32611-7007 Tempora Mutantur Et Nos Mutamur In lllis VOLUME 90 NUMBER 44 MIAMI, FLORIDA, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 50 cents E By D. Kevin McNeir kmll. t ir, '.' lli ill'llr. 'I'Hllt r'lt The prosecution ,and the defense paint- ed two ver- different pictures of what happened during that rra.iv eeninri on Febrnuarv 2u. 2012 ,vhen a self--pp,.,inted neighborhood watchman-. George Zim- rrmermari,. then 28 and in possession of a concealed 9mm semiautomatic pistol. confronted unarmed 1 7-, ear -old T ra,-' on NMa.rtin who \,,as retturning fr,-'m i q:ui:k run.i to a, nearb,, ,:,:,riventenrre .stre Assis- ta-,t Starite Artcrnt,- ..Jlohn Gu-, de-crib'd Ziln-iLrne--i-r.: as a igilanrte determiried to rid his coninrunir, of "i--hol- like Trav- \on in stark contrast. Don \'est. :one o f the att,:rnevs for th-- deiefe--, laiined that Zimmerma-.n a'5s for:r,-d irint- a situ- atLrIn th.art he '., 'uld ha,. rather a-.oided sh'oroing the teenr after beine atta,:'ked, all Please tuLrrn tr TRIAL I1A -- " -r' r . .. -* J -'-B:E W - ...._- "-:'.- .-?: > i,. -;,-5 "- -. -' .- .--.- V.,-" ;t. er- r -" TRAYVON . MARTIN - Supreme court voids key part of Voting Rights Act Black activists say ruling is a "blow to democracy" By Mark Sherman The Supreme Court ruled last Tuesday that a key pro- vision of the landmark Voting Rights Act cannot be enforced unless Congress comes up with an up-to-date formula for deciding which states and lo- calities still need federal moni- toring. The justices said in 5-4 vote that the law Congress most recently renewed in 2006 relies on 40-year-old data that does not reflect racial progress and changes in U.S. society. The court did not strike down the ad- vance ap- REV. AL SHARPTON Activist proval requirement of the law that has been used, mainly in the South, to open up polling Supreme Court Justice places to minority voters in the nearly half century since it was first enacted in 1965. But the justices did say lawmakers must update the formula for Please turn to RIGHTS 10A Florida Bar gets its first Black leader Eugene Pettis to assume the hein at group's annual convention By D. Kevin McNeir tin',lctirt n'ihnuDiiii i Onthinih' .crin The Florida Bar will make his- tory on Friday, June 28th when Eugene K Pettis, Esq.. be- | comes the first Black to head the 63-year-old Organization He will bi become the Bar's 65th president during a swearing-mn ceremony at its annual conven- tion at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. Pettis, a founding partner of Haliczer Pettis &. Schwamm and native of Fort Lauderdale, was sworn in as president-elect at the Bar's annual convention last June Please turn to PETTIS IOA The Miami Times goes for gold at NNPA convention EVERYONE Miami Times staff report The publisher of The Mi- ami Times, Rachel J. Reeves, boarded a plane this week en route to Nashville, Tennes- see and the National News- paper Publishers Association [NNPA] 2013 annual conven- tion. Founded in 1940, the NNPA is composed of more than 200 Black newspapers in the U.S. and the Virgin Is- lands with Cloves Campbell currently serving as its chair- man. This year's convention runs from June 26-29. Be- sides informative workshops focusing on issues related to the Black press, one of the highlights of the convention is the NNPA Legacy/Merit Awards Dinner during which time NNPA members receive awards in various categories for newspaper excellence. In 2011, The Miami Times won five national awards from the NNPA: The Russwurm Award, presented to the nation's REEVES CAMPBELL best Black newspaper; the John H. Sengstacke Award for General Excellence, first place; the Ida B. Wells Award for Best News Story, first Please turn to NNPA 10A Forgive Paula Deen for epithet, but not butter Why fire her for telling truth under oath? Pushingfattyfoods was the real crime By DeWayne Wickham Paula Deen's foul mouth should have gotten her sacked long before now. If bad talk really matters to the folks who run the Food Network, it shouldn't have taken the leak- ing of a deposition, in which Deen admits having uttered the n-word in private conver- sations, to kick the celebrity cook off of TV. Her repeated use of the word "butter" should have gotten her fired long ago. But her de- parture is being pinned instead to the revela- tion that she once used a racial pejorative that many Blacks find offen- sive. For this, the Food Network announced it is dropping Deen's show when its contract runs out on June 30. "During a deposition WICKI where she swore to tell the S truth, Deen recounted having used a racial epithet in the past," a statement released by her company said of Deen's use of the n-word. That was in a time "when America's South had schools that HAM were segregated, dif- ferent bathrooms, dif- ferent restaurants and Ameri- cans rode in different parts of the bus. This is not today." Deen, in essence, is being punished for telling the truth under oath about the rac- ist word she spoke in private years ago and which she now disavows. There ought to be a statute of limitation on the privately spoken, bigoted ban- ter of someone who was born in the Jim Crow South era and has come to regret it. The 66-year-old Deen grew up in rural Georgia at a time when the n-word was com- monly and widely used by whites to demean Blacks. That's no longer acceptable, at least in most public set- tings. And just as times have changed, Deen says she has changed, too. Please turn to DEEN 10A I INTERN89018E010T OPINION 2A THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY ITRI&(QToe~ Positive results come from community support hen longtime businessman, husband, father and all- around-good-guy, Errold Peart, was shot and killed outside of his Miami Gardens car wash after inter- vening in an attempted robbery, the cry went out for anyone with information to come forward. However, more often than not, such requests for citizens to share tips about suspected criminals or illegal activities with the police tend to go ignored. That's because there seems to be an unwritten law in the Black community that frowns on "snitching," no matter how heinous the crime may be. But in this case, after six months of an ongoing investigation, Miami Gardens investigators were able to apprehend the al- leged murderer of Peart, Jamere Hanna, without incident. Their spokesperson, Miami Gardens Detective Mike Wright attributes their success to the cooperation of members of the commu- nity who knew the identity of the alleged shooter and shared that information with law enforcement. He adds that Hanna, though only 19-years-old, had already racked up quite a crimi- nal record and was clearly a dangerous young man with sev- eral outstanding arrest warrants to his name. Peart's family, including both his wife, Dawn Barrett and her son, Dameion, say they can now rest easier because someone did the right thing and contacted the police. Their pastor, the Rev. Eric Re- adon of New Beginning MBC, is a second-generation minister with long-established ties to the community. He commends the police for aggressively pursuing the case and even offered a re- ward for information leading to the arrest of Peart's assailant. We don't need superheroes to make our community safer. All we need are more people committed to doing the right thing, speaking up when they see crimes occurring and working with the police. We have lost far too many innocent men, women and children to drive-by shooters, armed robbers and thugs. This is our community let's take it back. A Second Chance for Ex-Offenders aoe federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission took on an important issue last year when it reaffirmed .1and updated a ruling that barred employers from au- tomatically denying people jobs based on arrest or conviction records. The guidance made clear that an arrest alone was not proof of illegal conduct or grounds for exclusion. It also explained that, when considering an applicant with a criminal conviction, the employer must take into account the seriousness of the of- fense, the time lapsed since the offense and the relevance of the crime to the specific job being sought. The point is to eliminate unfair obstacles to employment for the 65 million Americans who have criminal records, including those based on minor convictions that might have occurred in the distant past. Last week, the E.E.O.C. stepped up enforcement in this area by filing discrimination lawsuits against two companies the retail chain Dollar General, which operates more than 10,000 stores in 40 states, and the automaker BMW. The suits charge the companies with violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by using discriminatory background-check poli- cies that had disparate impacts on minority employees and ap- plicants. The E.E.O.C. alleges that Dollar General disqualifies job applicants for a variety of crimes, including reckless driv- ing or possessing drug paraphernalia, without considering the relevance of the offense to the job, as the commissions's guide- lines require. According to the complaint, about 10 percent of conditionally hired Black employees were discharged for failing background checks between 2004 and 2007 versus about seven percent of others. A contractor for BMW dismissed 88 employees for having criminal records. The two companies said they would fight the lawsuits. The wiser approach would be to bring the screening policies in line with federal civil rights law. -The New York Times Racially biased arrests for pot possession Researchers have long known that Blacks are more like- ly to be arrested for marijuana possession than whites, even though studies have repeatedly shown that the two groups use the drug at similar rates. New federal data, included in a study by the American Civil Lib- erties Union, now shows that the problem of racially biased ar- rests is far more extensive that was previously known and is getting worse. The costly, ill-advised "war on marijuana" might fairly be described as a tool of racial oppression. The study, based on law enforcement data from 50 states and the District of Columbia, is the most detailed of its kind so far. Marijuana arrests have risen sharply over the last two decades and now make up about half of all drug arrests in the U.S. Of the more than eight million marijuana arrests made between 2001 and 2010, nearly 90 percent were for possession. There were near- ly 900,000 marijuana arrests in 2010 300,000 more than for all violent crimes combined. As the report notes, police officers who are targeting Black citi- zens and Black neighborhoods are turning "a comparatively blind eye to the same conduct occurring at the same rates in many white communities." Paradoxically, this is happening at a time when polls show grow- ing public support for full legalization. The mindless push to make low-level possession arrests distracts the police from serious crime, wastes billions of dollars and alienates minority citizens from the law. It also brings disastrous consequences for young people, as convictions can lead to fines, jail time and temporary loss of federal student financial aid not to mention criminal re- cords that make it difficult for them to find housing or work. Beyond that, law enforcement agencies need to put an end to what is obviously a widespread practice of racial profiling. -The New York Times mbe jfliami Times Publ,:Ne 'heel'v s it900 rJ 54;r, Sireel, Miari, Flor.a 33127.1810 P ,,si O11 ce B.:,> -c':'Ic, Buena Viia Siation Miamiri Flon.ra 33127 Ph-.one ;'0. -64210 H.E. SIGISMUND REEVES. F.:,-urijer 1923-.19. GARTH C. REEVES. JR.. Edlior 1972 1982' GARTH C. REEVES, SR., Fuo.lih-er Ernrilu. RACHEL J. REEVES. Pubish.hr and Cr, jirmar, Mernrer o rl Naiionai Newvspaper Publisher Association Member oft hi Newrspaper Associatio:n cl America Su.'sc.rpiion Ratl-s One 'ear $45 00 Six Munths $30.00 Foreign $60 00 .. 7 pe-rceni aIes ia,, lor Florinda residents Period,,i:als Postage Paid al r..iarni. Florida Postmaster. Send address changes iu The Miami Times, PO Box 270200 Buena Vista Siation. Miami. FL 33127-0200 305-694-6210 CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS The Blac Press believes lhat America can best lead Ihe 'cirild irorm racal anci national antagonism when it accords to ever, person. regardless ':1 race, creed or color, his or her human arid legal rignhits Hating n.o person fearing no person. Ihe Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief rhat all persons are hurl a loona as anyone is held tack. Ap .. A" ; -- .f [' : B'i EUGENE ROBINSON. eLiugenerobinson@washlngtonpost corn Hang up on citizen phone-tracking: NSA From the evidence so far, there's no good reason to let the National Security Agency contin- ue its massively intrusive prac- tice of logging our private phone calls. Congress should pull the plug. I'm not ignoring all the officials, including President Obama, who swear that the NSA's electronic snooping has foiled dozens of terrorist plots and saved untold lives. I'm just listening carefully, and what we're getting is a lot of doublespeak and precious little clarity. It's important to keep in mind that Edward Snowden, the for- mer NSA contractor who ab- sconded to Hong Kong and start- ed blabbing the spy agency's secrets, has thus far disclosed the existence of two separate clandestine programs. One, known internally as PRISM, in- volves the international harvest- ing of emails and other electronic communications. The other in- volves the domestic collection of phone call "metadata" a vast, pointillist record of our contacts and movements. The NSA's defenders have con- sistently and, I believe, delib- erately blurred the distinction between the two. When they talk about the would-be terrorists who have been nabbed and the potential devastation that has been prevented, they lump the programs together. Obama did so in his interview with Charlie Rose. "We are in- creasing our chances of prevent- ing a catastrophe . through these programs," he said. But it is becoming clear that we should consider "these pro- grams" separately. Privacy con- cerns aside, PRISM at least seems to produce results. Unless we're fiat-out being lied to, PRISM - which does not target Ameri- cans has produced substantial quantities of useful information about bad people overseas who seek to do us harm. The phone-call tracking, on the other hand, is a huge in- fringement on Americans' privacy that has not been shown to have much investigative value, if any. At a hearing Wednesday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., pressed FBI Director Robert Mueller to give an example of a terrorist plot that was discovered solely because of the stockpiled phone data. Mueller offered just one: The NSA knew of a phone number in East Africa that was associated with terrorists, so analysts ran the number against the phone log database and saw calls to or from a number in California. This con- nection led authorities to several men in San Diego who allegedly had sent about $-.,500 r:, ,J-.Sha- bab, a terrorist group in Somalia. Mueller said that, overall, thefe had been "10 to 12" cases in which the phone data was "im- portant," but he could name no others in which it was "instru- mental." As Obama has said, we need to find the right balance between privacy and security; more of one implies less of the other. Is keeping petty cash from reach- ing al-Shabab important enough to justify letting the government snatch and hoard so much of our private information? . I would say no. And I would also question whether, in this case, the NSA database was even necessary. Eugene Robinson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper col- umnist and the former assistant managing editor of The Washing- ton Post. BY CHARLES RANGEL Douglass: No progress without struggle The recent unveiling of the his talent overcame the ob- condemn Lincoln who did not that outlawe Frederick Douglass statue in stacles. He was the epitome of endorse the issue... .ments in Ar Emancipation Hall illustrated the American spirit and is one Like Douglass, we have to, ent with the how far we have come as a na- of my greatest inspirations, realize a perpetual battle for gay marriage tion. As a civil rights pioneer, Douglass worked closely with equality is ahead of us. Lin- continues an Douglass dedicated his life for President Abraham Lincoln to coin may have called for the gether. equality in the U.S. and the help organize the emancipa- end of slavery, but slavery I admire abolition of slavery. This stat- tion of slaves throughout the continued. The Civil Rights has the abil ue will remain a testament to South. He knew that the strug- Movement may have. ended in faults and v his heroic efforts from a for- gle for equality was far from the 1960s, but we. 'continue ress. mer slave to a great American Frederick writer and orator. We must izes how a c remember the struggles that e was persistent in his efforts to fight for equality before and ual can scu shaped our country inta o what after the end of slavery. He tried to escape from slavery two of our cou: it is today. We must also recog- Hslvr ment may i nize that there is still work to ,times before finally succeeding, but it is the be done and continue to stand it. It is the p, for liberty as those like Dou- it. It is the p< glass, being over. He believed that to strive for civil rights and our liberties He was persistent in his ef- since Black men were fighting equality. Unfortunately dis- education, forts to fight for equality be- in the American Civil War, they crimination in many forms individual i fore and after the end of slav- deserved the right to vote. still exists in our country, proactive ro ery. He tried to escape from Douglass once stated, "If Though the battle for equality country. slavery two times before finally there is no struggle, there is is continuous, we do have the Rep. Char succeeding. As a former slave no progress," worked for the power to make a more perfect resenting Up he was not taken seriously suffrage of Black freemen and union. This is evident with the part of the B as an orator or a writer, but had the courage to publicly recent Supreme Court ruling Congress sir .d -oter r6 require- izona.,. It-is appar- e ongoing 'fight for e. The struggle still ad we must act to- that our country ity to recognize its work towards prog- Douglass symbol- ourageous individ- .lpt the conscience ntry. The govern- mplement change, e people who ignite people who embrace people who reinforce s. The power is in voting, expressing ideas and taking 'le in shaping the les B. Rangel, rep- per Manhattan and ronrx, has served in ice 1971. B' AMANDA HESS We don't understand female politicians In 2012, the number of wom- 90 percent of respondents de- would be a defining character- centage of en serving in the U.S. Senate scribed women as feminine, istic for any politician, but only female, the: reached a historic high: 20 out emotional, motherly and beau- 39 percent of participants de- enough wor of 100. And so we continue to tiful, they were far less likely scribed female politicians with ers to form debate about the low represen- to associate female politicians that term; 93 percent of them reotypical q station of women in political of- with those traits. Eighty-four described male politicians that We don't fice, and the debate continues percent of participants de- way. Women in politics were, politicians to hinge on the differences be- scribed women as "gorgeous." however, more likely to be de- able to gen tween men and women: Some argue that women are unsuit- ed for political office because they're naturally less assertive and dominant than men; oth- ers claim that women are bet- ter suited for modern leader- ship roles because they're more compassionate than their male peers. But a new study suggests that the public doesn't associ- ate female politicians with ste- reotypically feminine qualities at all. When women enter politi- cal office, we stop seeing them like women everywhere else. In "Measuring Stereotypes of Female Politicians," published in Political Psychology this month, political scientists Mon- ica Schneider and Angela Bos surveyed a group of students about the traits they associate with women in general, and the characteristics they ascribe to female politicians specifically. They found that while over We might be OK with letting 20 women serve in the U.S. Senate, as long as their political representation doesn't threaten our conception of most women, who are still expected to fulfill their feminine duties of raising chil- dren and looking pretty. None of them said the same of female politicians. Female politicians didn't even benefit from those stereotypes - like compassion and sensi- tivity that are often cited as potential advantages for women in office. Ninety-one percent of people described women in gen- eral as "compassionate," but only 21 percent described fe- male politicians that way. And female politicians weren't associated with stereotypically masculine traits like leader- ship, competence, confidence, assertiveness and charisma - either. You'd think that "leader" scribed as "uptight" and "dicta- torial." Meanwhile, stereotypes of male politicians generally fall in line with stereotypes about men in general. The students saw men as competitive, driven leaders, and they said the same of male pols. Only when it came to stereotypically masculine physical traits like "muscu- lar" and "athletic" did the perception of male politicians fail to conform to the wider male type. What is going on here? Schneider and Bos suggest that "despite gains in the per- lF,:,hlti.:jn'; v'ho. a-re re may still not be nen in office for vot- a consensus of ste- ualities." know what female ire like we aren't eralize them be- cause we don't know enough of them. But the utter mismatch between stereotypes of women in general and stereotypes of women in office also speaks to Americans' begrudging accep- tance of this very low level of women in power. We might be OK with letting 20 women serve in the U.S. Senate, as long as their political representation doesn't threaten our conception of most women, who are still expected to fulfill their feminine duties of rais- ing children and looking pretty. At some point, you'd hope that the growing representation of women in political office would start to influence the stereotyp- ical traits we associate with all women. But that would require us to actually see female lead- ers as . leaders. Amanda Hess is a writer and editor in Los Angeles. She blogs for DoubleX on sex, science, and health OPINION BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY 3A THE ,!MS I i lriS,% JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 CORNER E | B' ROGER CALDWELL, Miami Times contributor, |et3B@bellsouth net Scott sides with big business again Eighty percent of Floridians are eliminating workers and would hurt their profits, drive bor and activist groups uqr support paid sick leave, but making their employees work off new businesses, and de- ing him to veto the bill. Their our governor finds himself on harder. Many of these large stroy job creation, were also 1,000 phone calls de the wrong side of the major- corporate giants are sitting on In 2012 more than 50,000 manding that Scott reject th ity and refuses to listen. It is the largest profits in their his- Orange County voters tried to bill, but he left a small windo a fact that our governor lost tory, but they refuse to share place the sick time measure open by putting together a tas the lawsuit for the Affordable their profits with their employ- on the November ballot, but force to investigate the benefit Care Art and now he is refus- ees. it was blocked by the County and problems with the new bil ing $51 billion from the federal government to expand Medic- aid and set up the healthcare exchange. When Governor Rick Scott was asked to approve the construction of the speed rail, he refused, and now there are four lawsuits in the court that he is fighting. With the U.S. being the most overworked industrialized country -in the world, it would seem that corporate leader- ship would work to improve the working conditions in the workplace. But instead of mak- ing it easier for workers, they In Florida last week, Scott Commission. After the sick In 2012 more than 50,000 Orange County voters tried to place the sick time measure on the November ballot, but it was blocked by the County Commission. signed a bill that would block local governments from enact- ing paid sick leave laws. He sided with Walt Disney World, Darden Restaurants, the Flori- da Chamber of Commerce and a broad array of other power- ful corporations. These cor- porations argued that the law time was blocked by the com- mission, a three-judge panel ordered the board to put it on the 2014 ballot. Even if the sick time measure is passed in Or- ange County, Scott's bill would make the County's bill invalid. Before he signed the bill there were protests from several la- -re e- he w sk its 11. The bill, HR 655, will go into ef- fect on July 1, 2013, but the fight is not over. Many progressive. organiza- tions that oppose the bill will inevitably file lawsuits in the courts and in Orange County there are allegations that deals were made between corrupt commissioners and lobbyists. These allegations have led to a criminal investigation and a civil lawsuit that is still pend- ing. Roger Caldwell is the CEO of On Point Media Group in Orlan- do. G1Y~~A~AT~ i' A I* *J I REP. MIKE ROGERS Rep. Mike Rogers: NSA keeps America safe The gross distortion of two It doesn't include any names or proval. an inspector general and gen- vital National Security Agency the content of calls. It doesn't create a "back door" eral counsels who ensure that [NSA] programs is dangerous These records can only be ac- to any company's server, and these authorities are exercised and unfortunate, cessed when NSA is investigat- doesn't authorize monitoring of in accordance with the law. The Neither program authorizes ing a foreign terrorist. If a for- U.S. citizens. No U.S. person House and Senate each have In- NSA to read e-mails or listen eign terrorist is found linked to anywhere in the world can be telligence Committees charged to phone calls of American citi- an American, the tip is passed intentionally monitored without with overseeing these authori- zens. Both are constitutional with numerous checks and bal- ances by all three branches of government. They have been authorized and overseen by Congress and presidents of both parties. And they have produced vital intelli- gence, preventing dozens of ter- rorist attacks around the world, including plots against New York City subways and the New York Stock Exchange. The first program allows NSA to preserve a limited category of business records. It preserves only phone numbers and the date, time and duration of calls. Additionally, electronic surveillance for foreign intelli- gence purposes occurs with approval of the Foreign In- Stelligence Surveillance Court. None of these structures and protections was in place in the 1950s, '60s or '70s. to the FBI and requires a court order before additional action can be taken. This is a critical tool for connecting the dots be- tween foreign terrorists plotting attacks in the U.S. The second program allows the NSA to target foreigners overseas to collect certain for- eign intelligence with court ap- a specific order. Any comparison to govern- ment abuses in decades past is highly misleading. Today's pro- grams are authorized in law, with a thorough system of over- sight and checks and balances in place, and a court review not present in the past. Now each of the agencies has ties. Additionally, electronic sur- veillance for foreign intelligence purposes occurs with approval of the Foreign Intelligence Sur- veillance Court. None of these structures and protections was in place in the 1950s, '60s or '70s. These narrowly targeted pro- grams are legal, do not invade Americans' privacy, and are es- sential to detecting and disrupt- ing future terrorist attacks. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., is chairman of the House Perma- nent Select Committee on Intel- ligence. L6 D i T 1 - (~yLam- BY NORMAN AUGUSTINE AND DAVID SKORTON Does Zimmerman's lawyer's joke The humanities and social sciences are critical in his opening statement indicate Once again, in our conten- know the expectations for suc- second-language study in the that virtually every other na- disrespect for the trial? tious Congress, the sideshow cess and have the resources earliest years, encourage inter- tion is seeking to emulate, is unstaaing the circus. While necessary to meet them? With- national experiences for under- stabilize the funding for such ALICIARAGIN,29 Liberty City, home health aide "Yes. He T^ doesn't even think Zim- merman is i going to get charged ei- ther." JONI POITIER, 33 Jacksonville, attorney "It did. -It -r wasn't the -'. right time for I that; maybe during jury selection as JE some sort of commentary, but not in a opening statement." BOBBY JACKSON, 48 L.ihprtv City. maintenance man SHEILET GREEN, 42 Liberty City, cosmetologist "I think it was [disrespectful]. Why would you joke when so me o one's] child is dead?" QUEEN PERKINS, 58 Allapattah, social worker "It was absurd, trifling and low-down. He showed disre- spect for the law and [Tray- von's] par- ents." KARL LOVE, 50 Miami. chef .. .-^ .. -^ o( our representatives are busy defining what kind of political science research the National Science Foundation is allowed to fund, they are overlooking the big picture that the hu- manities and social sciences, not just the physical and life sciences, are also vital to the future of this country. Can there really be any seri- ous disagreement that strong skills in English language arts and mathematics, as outlined in the "Common Core" stan- dards that have been adopted by 45 states for their K-12 pro- grams, are a'powerful starting point for preparing students for college, careers and effec- tive citizenship?,Or that teach- ers, like their students, need to out literacy and numeracy, our young people aren't going to make it in school, in 21st cen-' tury life or in the working world. graduates, and continue the federal programs that further language study and cultural immersion. Such investments We need to protect America's peer-reviewed, idea- driven research that virtually every other nation is seeking to emulate, stabilize the funding for such work, and prepare a new generation of graduate students who can take this knowledge into careers within and beyond academia. Let's not shortchange them in the name of overstated local autonomy or states' rights. The Common Core standards were developed with the leadership of governors, not Washington. While we're at it, let's make it a nationwide goal to begin Black politicians must ^.^..... -J V ----................... b e t t er, . "Yes, it was "That lawyer owes [Trayvon's] communicate better disrespectful an i saw in The Miami Times that district, she sent me Thouiscase a he needs to be Congressman Frederica Wilson the time telling me young man disbarred." had a meeting for her district happening in Tallaha young his li. at the 93rd Street Community bills passed, what bill lost his life." Baptist Church. About 200 peo- feated, what was com: 1pie turned out which is very low. how she voted. Black -- A lot more would have attended only contact me whe U had we known. How was this up for re-election. Do meeting advertised? By the time I found out the meeting was al- ready over. I would have told Ms. Wilson that I am against il- legals being given green cards, thus taking more jobs away from Blacks. I am Black and when I lived in Gwen Margolis' e- n' -- Is all what was ssee, what Ils were de- ing up and politicians n they are they really want to hear from Black voters. What are they doing for the dis- trict, does anybody know? Black politicians simply aren't doing a good job of communicating. Linda Simmons North Miami enhance our competitiveness and security. Let's continue to enlarge our knowledge of ethics, civics, ge- ography, history and society through research. We need to protect America's peer-re- viewed, idea-driven research work, and prepare a new gen- eration of graduate students who can take this knowledge into careers within and beyond academia. Colleges need to make a more compelling case for liberal arts education and then make sure they are deliv- ering what they promise. To realize their potential, ex- panded public-private collabo- ration is the critical element for success. We need to make this model a reality. Science is essential but science alone cannot make the tough deci- sions that impact us as hu- mans. Norman Augustine is former CEO of Lockheed Martin. Da- vid Skorton is president of Cor- nell University. The Miami Times welcomes and encourages letters on its editorial commentaries as well as all other material in the newspaper. Such feedback makes for a healthy dialogue among our readership and the community. Letters must, however, be 150 words or less, brief and to the point, and may be edited for grammar, style and clarity. All letters must be signed and must include the name, address and telephone number of the writer for purposes of confirming authorship. Send letters to: Letters to the Editor, The Miami Times, 900 N.W. 54th Street, Miami, FL 33127, or fax them to 305-757-5770; Email: kmcneir@miamitimesonline.com. VII U W.MAIIMSNINEHBHcloHmI t i ILIPOOT,- 4A THiF MIAMI TIMFS. IIINF 26-JULY 2. 2013 1 BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY INTRNAIO AL Turkey's deputy PM gives 'standing man' protest his nod of approval By Associated Press Turkey's deputy prime min- ister gave a nod of approval last Wednesday to a new form of peaceful resistance that is spreading through Turkey. Although police dispersed pockets of protesters who set up barricades in two Turkish cities overnight, the sometimes violent anti-government demonstrations have largely given way to a pas- sive form of resistance, with peo- ple standing motionless. Hundreds of demonstrators stood still for hours in squares on main streets in several cities, mimicking a lone protester who started the trend last Monday on Istanbul's Taksim Square and has been dubbed the "standing man." In the first direct government comment on the new style of pro- test, Deputy Prime Minister Bu- lent Arinc told reporters that such standing protests are peaceful and "pleasing to the eye." How- ever, he also urged demonstrators to avoid obstructing traffic and endangering their own health. "This is not an act of violence," Arinc said. "We cannot condemn it." However, Hasan Kilic of the Istanbul Bar Association said as many as 68 people who have taken part in the widespread pro- tests were in custody for alleged links to "terror" groups, while 33 people were being questioned by authorities and faced possible or- ganized crime charges. More than 3,000 people have been detained then released since the anti-government demonstra- -REUTERS/Marko Djurica People stand during a silent protest atTaksim Square in Istanbul June 17.Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said on Monday the armed forces could be called up if needed to help quell popular protests that have swept Turkish cities in the last two weeks, the first time the possibility of a military role has been raised. tions began late last month, said the Human Rights Association. Last Monday night, police dis- persed hundreds of standing pro- testers at Taksim Square, but are now allowing such demonstra- tions to continue unhindered. But not everyone is in favor of them. Last Wednesday, eight people, wearing T-shirts that read: "man standing against the standing man" stood in front of "standing man" protesters in an apparent pro-government demonstration. They stayed for half an hour be- fore departing Taksim in taxis. Turkey's widespread anti-gov- ernment protests erupted across Turkey on May 31, when riot police brutally cracked down on peaceful environmental activists who opposed plans to remove trees and develop 'Gezi Park, which lies next to Istanbul's famed Taksim Square. The protesters also have ex- pressed discontent with what they say is the gradual erosion of freedoms and secular values dur- ing Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's 10 years in office. Last Tuesday night, police used water cannons to scatter hundreds of protesters who had set up barricades in Ankara, the capital, and in Eskisehir, 140 miles west, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. South Africans: Leave Nelson Mandela alone By Zaheer Cassim and Catherine Featherston JOHANNESBURG, South Africa Will native son and national hero Nelson Mandela survive his latest bout with ill- ness? That is the single question dominating headlines, speeches. Twkitter and conversation throughout South Afnca. It's an unusual situation in a country where death is an off-limits topic due to local culture. But as locals brace them- selves, anxious and hopeful, they remain stoic and protecute, insisting on Mandela's privacy as he battles a lung infection. And they say he has a right to be left alone. "This is a man who gave so much of himself to this coun- try," said Roseline Wilson, 30, an. insurance company repre- sentative in Johannesburg. "He must rest. He has suffered too much in his old age." Mandela last Thursday spent a slxth day in the hospi- tal where he is being treated for a recurring lung infection. President Jacob Zuma said last Thursday he is improving but remains in serious condition. Mandela, 94. is revered in this country and throughout Africa for his dedication to the freedom of South Africans. He spent 27 years in prison for leading civil disobedience cam- paigns and for his role in acts of sabotage to violently oter- throw the government. But when he emerged from prison in 1990, he led a cam- paign of reconciliation with the repressive white regime that had institutionalized racism in a system known as apartheid. He and the white president at the time. Fredenrik Willem de Klerk, received the Nobel Peace Prize for shepherding demo- cratic reforms and the peaceful abolishing of apartheid. The reforms led to free and fair elections in which Mandela became the country's first Black president in 1994. "He saved a bloodbath in the making." said Sam rOmar. 72, a doctor in the small town of' Vereneeging. "Most importantly. he forgave. This is a message for the country." Over the past few months. Mandela has been repeatedly hospitalized for respiratory problems originating from tuber- culosis he contracted during his captiuvity. Last week. Mandela was readmitted to the hospital for fluid in his lungs. Locals are skeptical about reports that Mandela's health is improving. Mandela's family has been a constant presence at the hospital, and wife Graca Machel and his grandson Man- dela arrived at the Pretoria facility Wednesday afternoon. Omar said that many of his patients don't talk about Man- dela being sick but focus on the man himself and the future. Talk on the street is not about his illness but about "letting him go." According to lsintu a Zulu word for traditional South African culture the ver sick can't let go from life unless the family "releases" them, or gives them permission. If they do, the famthily is essentially telling their loved one that they will be able to survive their passing. Then the dying can find peace and surrender to death. African culture also holds that people do not talk about a person's death until they die. This is called "ubuntu" or respect. Tunisia rapper sentenced for police song By Associated Press A Tunisian court convicted last Thursday a rap artist for in- sulting police with a song calling them dogs and sentenced him to two years in prison, his lawyer said. The verdict comes as Tunisia's justice system is under increas- ing scrutiny after a series of con- troversial decisions, including sentencing women's rights ac- tivists to four months in prison for demonstrating topless while releasing suspects in last year's attack on the U.S. Embassy. Lawyer Ghazi Mrabet de- scribed the sentence as overly severe and said he would ap- peal the verdict against his cli- ent Alaa Yacoub, 24, known by his rapper name Weld El 15, or "Son of 15." Yacoub's song "Boulicia Kleb," or "the police are dogs," was re- leased on YouTube. He was originally tried and convicted in absentia for incit- ing violence against officials and insulting police back in March. He turned himself in and was retried, but given the same two- year sentence. His supporters were outraged by the verdict and struggled with police outside the court- room. Four people, including a journalist, another rapper and two friends of the artist were ar- rested, according to Mrabet. Yacoub's case is remarkably similar to that of Moroccan rap- per Mouad Belghouat, who last year served a year in prison for insulting police with his song "Dogs of the State." Tunisia under former Presi- dent Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was a police state in which security forces were widely reviled. Tunisians overthrew the gov- ernment in January 2011 in an uprising that sparked off pro- democracy movements around the region. Hussein Gallo, 7, stands by a mural of Nelson Mandela in the Soweto township in Johannesburg. The former South African president. Marines, Army form quick-strike forces for Africa tao ffcasknwo heatc By Tom Vanden Brook WASHINGTON The Marine Corps and Army have developed quick-reaction forces to respond to attacks such as the one in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador. The Marines will base 500 troops at Moron Air Force Base in Spain, about 35 miles southeast of Seville, said Capt. Eric Flana- gan, a Marine Corps spokesman. They can be flown on short no- tice to African crises aboard six Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. Those aircraft can take off and land like a helicopter and cruise at more than 300 mph. Two KC- 130 tanker aircraft have been dedicated to refuel them in flight, which will expand their reach. The unit is known as the Spe- cial Purpose Marine Air-Ground' Task Force for Crisis Response. It will act as a first responder to U.S. embassies in the region on behalf of U.S. Africa Command, Flanagan said. It will be on standby to help evacuate Ameri- cans from hot spots and to pro- vide disaster relief and humani- tarian missions. The Army has developed the East Africa Response Force, which operates under the Com- bined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. Its headquarters are at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti. The 1 The U.S. Marines' Osprey tilt-rotor vertical aircraft will be used to fly the rapid reaction force from Spain to trouble spots in Africa. company-size unit is equipped with aircraft to conduct evacua- tions and rescue missions in the region. "Soldiers have been on the ground in Djibouti to support this mission since April and have the capabilities they need to conduct it," said. Brig. Gen. Kimberly Field, deputy director of strategy, plans and policy for the Army. The soldiers for the force come from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Divisiofn based at Fort Riley, Kan. The Benghazi attack on Sept. 11, 2012, exposed the vulner- ability of U.S. outposts in dan- gerous countries. Although Pen- tagon officials knew of the attack as it was happening, they lacked forces in the region capable of responding fast enough to help. The consulate was overrun by Is- lamist militants, killing Ambas- sador Christopher Stephens. A nearby U.S. facility was also at- tacked. The light, quick forces de- ployed by the Marines and Army are designed to fill that gap in north and east Africa. "Benghazi really throttled things up," Flanagan said. "Ev- erybody has looked at the threat and decided this is the new nor- mal. We need something more responsive in the North Africa area." I+M i JIL IWIIMITII I JITIL-J, JVIVL LW-JL;Ll f VSV BLCSMS OTO TERONDSIYIATEMAITMS JNI6JL ,21 ^^^^^^^^^^ *EHi .fli 1 4 -Miami Times photos/D. Kevin McNeir. Members of the South Florida drug and alcohol free coalitions express their thanks.to the media. The Miami Times honored by -Molly Riley I McCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid greets Nettie Wash- ington Douglass, a descendant of Frederick Douglass, after a statue was unveiled in the U.S. Capitol of the former slave who hpbecamp a nrominent voice of abolitionism. anti-drug groups at luncheon Statue unveiled, Miami Ti -d .r u.. .. The South Florida Coalition Alliance was the lead sponsor for a recent event that recog- nized the impact and power of media partnerships to prevent substance abuse in our com- munity. Speakers at the Fifth Annual Media Leaders Lun- cheon included: Kathleen Can- non, CEO/president, United Way of Broward; Major Gen- eral Arthur Dean, CEO/chair- man, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America [CADCA]; Bobby Henry, publisher, The Westside Gazette; Dr. Peter DeBenedittis, media literacy and prevention specialist; Pat Castillo, vice-president, United Way of Broward County Com- mission on Substance Abuse; and Dr. Doug Hughes, The Miami Coalition for a Safe, Healthy arid Drug-Free Com- munity. Abdias Armenteros, 14, blows a mellow tune on his sax. ' "' ') i t, , The senior editor of The Miami Times, D. Kevin McNeir, ac- cepts the award for outstanding media leadership on behalf of the 90-year-old newspaper. Other sponsors included: The Miami Heat Charitable Fund, Palm Beach County Substance Awareness Com- mission, Florida Department of Children and Families and The Miami Coalition. Awards were presented to local media, print, radio and television, for their active participation and leadership in promoting drug- free living among the youth in their respective communities. Award were presented to: The Miami Times; The Westside Ga- zette; WFOR CBS4; Univision 23; Clear Channel Radio (Total Traffic Network); WSRF Radio 1580; Island Television and Haitian Digital Television. I . * I Major General Arthur Dean addresses the audience. -Miami Times photos/Tony Brooks Marie Woodson, along with her son and daughter, Kelly, who sang at the program and Advisory Board Executive Director Retha Boone-Fye. 2013 Pillars Awards Ceremony honors local leaders and youth Miami Times staff report The Miami-Dade County Of- fice of Community Advocacy rec- ognized community leaders and young pillars at the 2013 Pillars Awards Ceremony hosted by the Black Affairs Advisory Board's Heritage Planning Committee. The honorees were selected for their support of programs or businesses which positively im- pact the community and com- mitment to public service. The 2013 Community Pillars were: Penelope Townsley (Public Ser- vice); Jacques Laroche (Busi- ness); Melton Shakir Mustafa (The Arts); Rodney Baltimore The community leaders chosen as this year's community pillars with members of the Advisory Board. (Media), Rev. Darryl K. Baxter (Religion); Minister Willie Harris (Humanitarian); and Dr. Vincent Omachonu (Education). Schol- arships were also awarded to "Young Pillars" students who are enrolled in a post-secondary institution and involved in vari- ous civic-oriented activities. The recipients were: Jahnisha Wil- liams (Bethune-Cookman Uni- versity); Jamesha Hail (Florida A&M University); Chevon Wil- liams (University of Florida); Amani Jackson (FAMU); Kiara Moyer (FAMU); and Ashley Bud- hu (Florida Memorial Univer- sity). Douglass hailed for equality fight By Ashley Southall Frederick Douglass, the slave turned abolitionist, believed in freedom and equality for "all of us, regardless of our race, gen- der, religion or sexual orientation," his great-great-granddaugh- ter said last Wednesday at the unveiling of a statue of Douglass in the Capitol. The descendant, Nettie Washington Douglass, spoke beneath the bronze statue of Douglass in Emancipation Hall on the day known as Jurneteenth, or Emancipation Day, before a crowd of 600 visitors that included Congressional leaders, relatives, cur- rent and former city officials, rights activists and historians. Douglass's nod to her ancestor's support of equality came as the Supreme Court, in chambers just across the street, was pre- paring to decide cases involving same-sex marriage, affirmative action and voting rights. Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. joined Douglass and other leaders in hailing Douglass's rise from slavery to prominence as a writer and orator who helped pioneer the abolitionist move- ment. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, said Douglass was the "consummate self-made man," while Biden said he was "one of my favorite Republicans." Douglass is one of four Blacks who have been honored with a statue or a bust in the Capitol. The others are the Rev. Dr. Mar- tin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and Sojourner Truth. Douglass was born into slavery in Talbot, Md., sometime around FebruarN 1818. After teaching himself to read, he escaped at age 20 and fled to New York, where he founded the abolitionist ne\ spaper The North Star and advocated women's suffrage. He spent the last 23 years of his life in Washington, where he died at age 77 He w as buried in Rochester, where he lived for 25 years. Douglass also pushed for self-governance and Voting rights for the residents of Washington. Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat who is Washington's non- voting delegate to Congress, has taken up that mantle, repeated- ly introducing legislation in Congress that would grant statehood to Washington. The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, has thrown his weight behind the latest effort. He announced that last Tuesday he had signed on as a sponsor of legislation that would grant statehood to Washington. Afghan president angered TALKS continued from 4A the government would stop participating in the security talks because of a "contradic- tion" between U.S. words and deeds on the peace process. In a second statement a few hours later, it said Afghan officials wouldn't attend the separate negotiations with the Taliban planned in the Persian Gulf nation of Qatar until they were "fully Afgha- nized" and that the opening of a Taliban political office Monday in Doha, the Qatari capital, undermined earlier assurances from the U.S. The statement didn't say what those assurances were or how long the suspension would last. The security talks are aimed at defining the U.S.-Afghan relationship af- ter American-led foreign forc- es' departure from Afghani- stan, scheduled for the end of next year. Obama said misunder- standings aren't surprising given the enormous mistrust between the Afghan govern- ment and the Taliban, but it was still important to explore opportunities for a political reconciliation. "Not only have the Taliban and the Afghan government been fighting for a long time, they're fighting as we speak," he said at a news conference in Berlin with German Chan- cellor Angela Merkel. "We're in the middle of a war. And Afghans are still being killed and, by the way, members of the international forces there are still being killed. And that's not abating as we speak." Underscoring his point, four Americans were killed in a Taliban rocket attack on Ba- gram air base in eastern Af- ghanistan late Tuesday just as Obarna was announcing negotiations with the insur- gent group in an "important first step" toward reconcili- ation. The Taliban said in a statement that its fighters fired two missiles. Honoree the Rev. Darryl K. Baxter with Apostle Gail Harris, wife of honoree Willie Harris. 17 BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY 5A THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2015 m ,,iamt^. ilzmesv stf repor 6A THE MIAMI TIMES. JUNE 26-JULY 2. 2013 BLACKS MUST CONTROl THEIR OWN DESTINY -1PRIS()N RAP Over-incarceration is not justice being served By Arthur Lee Hall, Jr. If you commit a crime and wind up slumped in the back- seat of a squad car, its a pret- ty good chance that even if a judge does not ultimately issue an order for the department of corrections to lock you up and throw away the key, you could still end up missing in action for so long that everyone in the free world will begin to won- der if you will ever return back home again. By now, its no ancient Chi- nese secret that because of harsh sentencing practices on behalf of the justice system, Florida prisoners particu- larly those of African descent - are being held in prison for a lengthy period of time, many of them much longer than nec- essary. Rehabilitation has taken a backseat to warehousing, and prisoners have become akin to stacks of dirty dishes that have been left sit- ting in the kitchen sink for years without ever being washed 'clean. No one seems to care about why they have ' been dragged from camp to camp, unchal- Hi lenged mentally and spiritu- ally year in and year out. The justice system would explain its position as simply carrying out the intent of the Florida legislature in imposing stiff punishment to convicted fel- ons, and the Florida Depart- ment of Corrections is truly grateful for the opportunity to be able to provide people with jobs, mostly to folks living in predominantly white rural ar- eas across the state, locations where prisons are the lifeblood of their economy. For those of you in the free world who are determined to engage in criminal activity, the message being deliv- ered here is that you're putting yourself in a ;position to risk facing a two-headed jugger- naut. The justice sys- tem and penal system are working in cahoots ALL to not only ensure that non-violent offenders vanish from society for an allotted period of no less than 85 per- cent of their time, but also to cause offenders who have been convicted of crimes that are deemed violent by definition of the law to remain in prison for the same amount of time given to a cold-blooded murderer in spite of the fact that no actual violence had occurred during their crimes, crimes involving relatively no victim injury or bodily harm. For these prison- ers in particular, even if their sentences are statutorily le- gal, at what point does it be- come morally appropriate to conclude that a man has been well-punished for crime? And if his error was made at a ten- der age out of his crime prone years? After 15 ... 20 ... or 25 years have gone by? Perhaps the goal, systematically, is to keep him incarcerated for as long as possible the longer he is kept, the better it is for business. Since nothing is being done about the widespread impo- sition of heavy-handed sen- tences sentences that don't fit the crimes that were com- mitted you can't help but wonder if the powers that be are getting away with murder themselves, overkilling a large number of Florida prisoners with over-incarceration. For now, no amount of won- dering is going to stop the bleeding what will, though, is a conscious decision to avoid doing the crime in order to avoid doing the time. Case dropped against teen who fatally shot burglar By David Ovalle In what was another test of the state's controversial Stand Your Ground self-defense law, Miami-Dade authorities an- nounced last Wednesday they won't charge a teen who waited outside an apartment building and fatally shot an unarmed burglar as he tried to escape. Jordan Beswick, 19, had faced second-degree murder charges for the death of Bryan Antonio DeJesus, 22, in Janu- ary. But prosecutors concluded they could not prove his guilt under Florida's self-defense law. The development came one day after prosecutors, in an unrelated case, announced they would not charge a Miami Shores teen who shot an un- '; .. .. , *." *. ;: ^ .,, ."-, ,p' . .... ;':. .,. . "g 3 .;.-.. ?. *:. ;. *, ? .' JORDAN BESWICK armed thief who stole a Wave- Runner from his family's back- yard. In deciding against criminal charges in each of the high-pro- file cases, Miami-Dade prosecu- tors cited Florida's self-defense law, which critics say encour- ages an atmosphere of shoot- first vigilante justice. Before 2005, a Florida citizen had a "duty to retreat" before using lethal force to counter a threat. The law is under national scrutiny in Sanford, where neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman is on trial, accused of murdering 17-year- old Trayvon Martin, of Miami Gardens. Zimmerman, 29, is claiming self-defense in fatal- ly shooting the unarmed teen during a scuffle inside a gated Sanford community just north of Orlando. Lawmakers in 2005 also beefed up the law's existing "Castle Doctrine" to give a resi- dent a "presumption" that any intruder, armed or not, poses a threat of "death or great bodily harm." Trial opens in Boynton Beach gas st By Marc Freeman " Because there's a gas sta- tion surveillance video, Palm Beach County jurors this week, watched Naomie Breton become engulfed in flames and try to fend off a machete-wielding at- tacker. Prosecutors say the horrify- ing footage from the early hours of June 11, 2012, proves Roos- evelt Mondesir, 53, of Lantana, tried to murder his former girl- friend and mother of their then- 4-year-old son. "He came in there with gas in that gas can, he came there with that machete," Chief As- sistant State Attorney Adrienne Ellis said during opening argu- ments Monday. "He came there fully prepared to kill her." The 3 a.m. confrontation outside the 7-Eleven at 7044 Lawrence Road in Boynton Beach left Breton, 35, with sec- ond- and third-degree burns on portions of her upper body. It followed a series of disputes be- tween the couple over infidelity ROOSEVELT MONDESIR claims. "If I can't have her, nobody else can that's what this case is about," Ellis said of the com- bustible end of their eight-year relationship. Mondesir is charged with at- tempted first-degree murder with a deadly weapon and do- mestic aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He faces a maximum sentence of life in NAOMIE BRETON prison if convicted of the first count, and up to five years if found guilty of the assault charge. Defense attorney Ade Griffin told the jury her client is guilty of aggravated assault but not attempted murder because he "never had the conscious at- tempt" to kill Breton. "This case is about a battered man and a tortured father," Archdiocese faces sexual abuse suit By David Noriega A new lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Miami claims that the head pastor at Coral Springs St. Andrew Catho- lic School covered up sexual abuse by a music teacher over several years. The alleged abuser, Miguel Cala, currently is serving a 23-year-term for several cases in which he molested children during music lessons at their homes. The new suit alleges that Cala repeatedly raped a boy at school between 2006 and 2010, starting when the boy was six. According to the lawsuit, Fa- ther George Puthusseril saw Cala abusing the boy but did not report the misconduct. In- stead, he urged the boy not to tell his parents, allowing Cala to continue the abuse. Puthusseril was promoted to the rank of monsignor at the Archdiocese of Miami in Janu- MIGUEL CALA 'ary. "There were opportunities for the archdiocese and St. An- drew School to protect children from Cala, but they chose not to make the safer choice," said Jeff Herman, the lawyer rep- resenting the boy and his par- ents. The victim and his family are not identified in the lawsuit. Mary Ross Agosta, an archdi- GEORGE PUTHUSSERIL ocese spokesperson, issued a response last Tuesday stating that, "As in any lawsuit, the Archdiocese of Miami and its church personnel have fully cooperated with the Broward Sheriffs Office in its investiga- tion of allegations against Mr. Cala." Moreover, Father Puthus- seril "has testified under oath that he had no knowledge of any sexual abuse by Cala dur- ing the teacher's tenure at St. Andrew's." In Beswick's case, pros- ecutors concluded that even though the teen left the apart- ment, it could'not be disproved that he feared for his life when he opened fire. "Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' Law made it impossible for us to prosecute Jordan Beswick," said Ed Griffith, a State Attor- ney's Office spokesman. "The very nature of the break-in gave his deadly actions legal justifi- cation. Like it or not, that's the 'Stand Your Ground' law." Beswick's attorney hailed the decision, saying the teen and his family "are eager to move forward with their lives." "There is 'no win' in this mat- ter. A life was lost; this is not something we celebrate," said lawyer Sasha Berdeguer. ition attack Griffin said of Mondesir, while the attorney accused the victim of being promiscuous and ruin- ing their relationship. The single mother of three lat- er testified Monday she wasn't ,unfaithful. In his motion, Mondesir wrote, "there was no intent to commit such crime, and, exist- ing evidence proves that, even had defendant initially sought to murder the victim, he had the means to do so but, in fact, discontinued that effort." After the jurors were excused for the night, the attorneys re- viewed the surveillance video. Mondesir held his hands tight to his ears and looked down as Breton's screams played through speakers. Man sentenced to 11 years in prison for investment fraud A Fort Lauderdale mutual fund executive, accused of blowing investors' money on lu.ur. iter-ri. iih'e expensive cars iand ie,.eh, hi;:. been sentenced in New York to ll >-,ejr; in Ori ,'ori. ..hihn iMaterr.. q; ,-,i senienied by Judge Richard Sullivan last Friday in a federal court ,,, r,.ia,-,iatt 3n. Mttera i, i.u3c u ed cl pri,'iing ,i n e;,i r-. e.arlr,' i.lrir ,1 Fa,:eb_',:b ,3iiid Groir'udn I't:: claiming he ,.'.'.ned more t an rrillion .ri h re: :,i'l ti-th. i[,-I 3,ad re -j:enri tthe iTiOney l,j ,.,rih luup r'. itirr,. for io iri ell 3 lrid hi lamhis hil, e item, i ,i ,l e.. ,er,_ie l'eelrv. ri..ate iels. a oat and lu-ury car.... Tle Feirl 1 3uderdale maria, 'as 3rresterd in rf oemrner ?0l 1 Hi ',3": a':,:u;Cd01 dlucinQ pieopi. ...ro r.e.ted millions ,if doIll3r_ o.%ith I hi Eriti:,h ",'iri 13,ind. ib. 'e, Praetorianr Gi. m.i6aI Fund Limited Man uses Bible to light SUV on fire urveilir,,i':e c.e- r3as ,,utSide 3 We.t 'Kn.-ridall himlE ,:apturEd .-i bljrglir uSinog 3 Bil.k. to ;.et 3 :port utility, .'ehii,:e- ion fire it. happered in trhie Encore neigritb'irroo, nejr S.;itrjr.,eei.t !-Il a.en-,je aM ` Qi th Street irn th ieio ,,J, Ire t'urglajr got inside 0 nrel P',irigue. i mjnhi b .:i ,1j 4,:ijr, FIte *it; i. i rvn, ie uuse 3 Ightter t,: ,t I-riu .i3 ri, ,me hllh i -i nere ,jiJ % dri. lue: 'He 'lidln't ,irir I:, ,Iu I i,., burr rih id, entriti j y luring ,rn the li.lit The .,dell,' how td thit t ur.lar i.lnhinuCiutily' SI:3rl njg [hri Igrter .i.' h,- eari:hed the 1c ,:.r 31u3blei . i thinl' he g l .t d up i r u 'p ;, [hh t he ,-i::iul rJn'[ hrin d ,i th i. '.' .,,i rth 13 -ri S o', i h e d eP , .0 to li.irs, ignite the :ar 0on tire,' : 3ld P dri'gue 'I I i c[ii %i ',' had i:,rrie o.-,,'qen ,lelini elI; ni w ulijl 've tilelel lth re ir nd [h-rj .hi .g ,i:.ulhl'e gi:,' .en u ig '.' Trie lire burrid] hi Lijcsengrer'S ide troit 'i l -e ,nd iriij Ilji h OIl the r,::i ','.u :ari tell he'- being i;neal'' He Closer the iJ,:,r rc l quiea l, He ',.'3H rn't mriak'. g a Irl I rinoie, aided PRodrigue.. "We a,:tuai.i lo:k. tile di r, 311 all the tinie We luSI a r13a- ocnue d I: d:' gr,.'c re th i gh. v there h L i hr gi'm tO t LIu'.. the dcur.;,. ji I ni .j, nirid it IiOb riei, ' The burgl.ir the ric lole 3 rnegitiiibr's BlaOO 2'Iil Hciid3 PilOt With- 3 Fl,,rlda 130 tq IAL -DS. Woman caught driving drunk without pants u l. t ?le lielga3 o rt.j3 i:c ught driving drurni .ilth ,3 irS,, pi "l.i.i', A '?O-'earold drui7 en drivin i uspeiS EC 'lot c ught iq ljith her ronot; dO,,,n liter 3ll, aitalie Delrgadi-, ..'a;in't '.earirig rv ijnioat hen i '..he oI [ pulled .' er ,:,ri Su 'pi or, in:t DLll orI in e iri tri e 5 jlas.t W'edilnecdda, "n 3rr .il refurl ij : Itr a:, the P,,l-anori 6e..a:h ."::irn,,n' s.i.,roi O I .trre.tl iii:e F-ebrjarv. Atlhed 31 there inidei age drinl-er.'; driving re .l.'rd ar i 3ied ei rei-n ie t beha,ior, iri.- i. 'rd lijini', Judge John ",la, Huirle, 3. l,',e.trdi-i .J-; ;.,e ltelgado' butnd al I.'],LIIJ, . I;lgado' ; ".' tra veil'ling in the *;.'riyo,. direi:t.ii:n ji-d jn [he .'.r' -ii *idr oi [he i 03d- 3,'.." rhen t-ie *..,3; pulled ,o',.er btiouI 2 4i5 ni ori ba;tboljd [15 near 'lrI te Poad - in [3ia ie, the report s,3.,' Wh'ei 3, l. Florrrda Hlhri.'a'.' Par troltr.per apprr a,;ihed lhe dr,,er'c Jidl- oif [Celado'z en i lle, s got oui .. nt;i. e the, report ..id The report proide.s ri e.- l3n3ti',ri about Delgado': 13,l: o -ittire OLel' Jo toldd the trooper ;.he .-i hedidiri hiTie itroim '."oit'. :here sls e 'aj3 emn- pi0ied 3 3 bartiendier nd iri lialli denied 9 ing 3rt[hlriig ':, drink: Sh ? later 3dniitted drinl nog orin shot of tequila. EelgAdo sTmellEd of 031)rol, the report s3', ;. ind filee uderiigoirig 3 sobrietv test. she tl.ailed t:. tou:h heel t: toe and repeptedl, raied her 3rmn; t,:' gain' her b.al,)nre. Miami cop sentenced to 14 months for taking bribes By Glenn Garvin ting rifig that operated out of the Player's Choice Barber Shop at Noting that one of the toughest 6301 NW Sixth Avenue parts of her job is deciding what Dauphin's sentence also in- to do "when otherwise good peo- cludes three years of probation pie do bad and stupid things," as well as forfeiture of $5,000 he U.S. District Court Judge Mar- was paid for protecting the gam- cia Cooke last Wednesday sen- bling parlor. tenced a Miami police officer to Dauphin is one of 11 Miami 14 months in prison 'for taking police officers facing criminal bribes to protect an illegal Liberty charges or internal disciplinary City gambling parlor, measures related to the gambling But Nathaniel Dauphin, who ring. Another cop, 29-year-old has been cooperating with an FBI Harold James, got a 15-month investigation of police corruption prison sentence in April after his surrounding the gambling opera- conviction in federal court. tion for more than a year, could Dauphin's sentence was lower have his sentence reduced fur- than the 18-to-24 months called their before he reports to prison for in federal guidelines. Assis- on Sept. 3. The judge called his tant U.S. Attorney Robin Waugh help in the FBI probe "admira- had argued though not very ble." strenuously for a sentence at The 42-year-old Dauphin pled "the low end" of the guidelines, guilty in February to a single -while Dauphin's lawyer David charge of extortion conspiracy for Howard asked the judge to let his his role in guarding a sports bet- client off without jail time. BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY 7A THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 Dads and their kids host Father's Day picnic at Arcola Lakes Park BIG T IME BO S SPO SRSEENTFO T IR YA Miami Times staff report Over 100 attended the BIG TIME BOYS [BTB] third annual Father's Day Family Picnic last Sunday at Arcola Lakes Park sponsored by Casting Couch Productions, LLC and the Miami Kappa Foundation. Keith Harrell, a founding member of BTB and the event's organizer said, "This picnic is just one small effort that groups like BTB should be organizing to make certain that fathers get closer to their children each day." The picnic was fun- filled with games, bounce houses and great food; two talented high school gradu- ates, Don Domeus of Hia- leah High School and Alain Jesulus of Turner Technical High School, were presented with brand new Dell laptops. Domeus graduated with a GPA of 3.6 and will be at- tending Miami Dade College. Jesulus graduated with a GPA score of 5.4 and will be attending Morehouse College in Atlanta. For more infor- mation about BTB and other events, go to www.thecast- ingcouchtv.com. -Miami Times photo/D. Kevin McNeir Raising the banner for Black fathers National and local leaders and activists participated in panel discussions during Fa- ther's Day weekend on topics that included teen fatherhood, building stronger communi- ties, ways to live healthier, do- ing right by our children and silencing the violence. The two-day event was sponsored by Fatherz in the Hood, Inc. Pictured are: Ac Atlanta, fit- ness/motivational coach; a representative from lead spon- sor 100 Black Men of South Florida; Christopher Ben- jamin, Esq., attorney; Nate Jones, president/founder, Fatherz in the Hood, Inc.; Cal- vin Hughes, anchor, WPLG, Channel 10; Dr. Wilbert "Tee" Holloway, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, board mem- ber; T. Willard Fair, president/ CEO, Urban League of Greater Miami; Dr. Waldo E. Johnson, Jr., associate professor, The University of Chicago; and Etan Thomas, NBA veteran and author. C^ 1 IA ^ -MiamiTimes photo/D. Kevin McNeir Miamri's motorcycle clubs ride out in support of dads About 60 members of various motorcycles clubs from Miami-Dade County hopped on their bikes on the Saturday before Father's Day, riding from Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens to Liberty City, Overtown and other locations to salute the fathers of South Florida. Riders represented the following clubs: Buffalo Soldiers, The Green Knights, Level Up, Onyx Riders, Freelance, Glamourous Girls, Born Free, Miami Cruisers, Down 'N' Dirty MC and A Ride to God's House. League honors women in the judiciary at annual meeting By Melissa R. Hunsberger The League of Women Voters of Miami-Dade County celebrated 93 years at its annual meeting at the Coral Gables Country Club. Nearly 70 members, friends and supporters of the League gath- ered on June 12th, to honor those women who were recently elected as judges. The League fully appreciates the rigors of running for elected office and the exceptional challenges of be- ing elected to a judicial position. Keynote speaker, chief judge of the 11th Judicial Circuit, Bertila Soto expressed how valuable the League's work has been over its nearly 100 year history. Over the past year alone the League engaged the commu- nity and was more visible than ever before. Some of the high- lights include a forum on ex- treme weather with the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, an expert panel on the horrors of human trafficking, conversa- tions around climate change, absentee ballots and equal pay. The League also registered new voters throughout Miami-Dade County and answered residents questions related to voting and the amendments. The organiza- tion's membership grew by 10 percent and it received the Best Website Award at the state con- vention. As one of the most respected and recognized organizations in the country the League's non- partisan participation in the democratic process will con- tinue to focus on encouraging reasoned debate and fairness in voting. If you'd like to learn more about becoming a member of the League, please visit www. lwvmiamidade.org or call 305- 666-0186. All-female George Zimmerman jury chosen for trial By Yamiche Alcindor After nine days of question- ing, a jury has been chosen for the trial of George Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin. The jury of six women will de- cide whether Zimmerman, 29, is guilty of murdering Trayvon, 17, in a case that captured the nation's attention last year. "This is probably as critical if not more critical than the evi- dence," Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, said Thursday about settling on the jurors. Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to second- degree murder. The neighborhood watch volunteer says he killed the teen in self- defense after " being attacked. Prosecutors say he profiled and <, murdered Martin. ;.. After jury selec- tion, Circuit Judge ZIMM Debra Nelson re- convened a hearing on whether voice experts will be allowed to testify about who was heard during a neighbor's 911 call screaming that night. O'Mara said Zimmerman was pleased that a jury had been selected. "He's been waiting to clear his name for 15 to 16 months," he said. "It's been a long time coming." An attorney for Trayvon's parents said the family also was pleased with the jury being seated. "This case is about equal justice and equal justice is not a Black value, it's not a white value, it's an American value," said Natalie Jackson. "As long as the jury does their duty, which is basing their verdict on the evidence presented in trial, then we feel good about this case. We believe the evidence is overwhelming that George Zim- merman should be convicted." O'Mara and Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda E both said they wanted to make sure someone who had already reached a conclusion about Zimmerman's guilt or inno- cence would not make the cut. Such a "stealth juror," they said, would hurt both sides. "It's devastating to the case to have a juror who has an agenda," O'Mara said. Such a rogue juror, he said, would cause people to lose faith in the system. O'Mara told the prospective jurors that they could niot make a decision out of sympathy and would have to be comfortable find- ing Zimmerman not guilty despite the loss to Tray- von's family. Legal experts > have said that the i racial makeup of 44 the jury would be a key factor for both sides. Five of the six women are white. They RMAN also said people's views on law enforcement, -self-defense and the use of firearms would be important. "With the jury being all women, the defense may have a difficult time having the jurors truly understand their defense, that George Zimmerman was truly in fear for his life," said Florida criminal defense attor- ney Elizabeth Parker, a former prosecutor. "Women are gentler than men by nature and don't have the instinct to confront trouble head-on." She added that women are more emotional than men and that could benefit the prosecu- tion. The alternates are two men and two women. She said, "Trayvon Martin's mother and father will be sit- ting in the courtroom, and these jurors will see them every day, knowing that their son was shot and killed, knowing that the decision rests in their hands." u -m . Obama to call for carbon cuts at power plants Climate change likely to take along, global view By David Jackson President Obama announced new rules Tuesday to restrict carbon pollution at new and existing power plants, part of a comprehensive plan to combat climate change that he can put in place through executive ac- tion. In a speech at Georgetown University, Obama also directed the Interior Department to per- mit new wind, solar, and other renewable energy projects on public lands, enough to power more than six million homes by 2020. New energy-efficiency proj- ects are also part of the climate change plan, according to a blueprint provided by the White House. Although "no single step" can reverse the existing effects of cli- mate change, Obama said that "when it comes to the world we leave our children, we owe it to them to do what we can." In addition to carbon pollution cuts, Obama will use his speech to outline plans to prepare the nation for the impact of global warming and seek new interna- tional agreements to address cli- mate change on a global scale, the blueprint says. Most of the climate change plan involves executive actions that Obama can do without con- gressional approval. The president could have a difficult time getting other parts of his environmental agenda through Congress, given a U.S. House run by Republicans and a Senate in which the GOP has enough members to mount effec- tive filibusters. Republicans and members of the energy industry criticized Obama's climate change plan, saying it will lead to higher util- ity bills and less development of reliable energy. Brendan Buck, a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said the president's plan would "limit low-cost energy op- tions, hike costs for consumers, and destroy good-paying jobs." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Obama's plan amounts to a "war on coal" that translates to a "war on jobs." Said McConnell: "It's tanta- mount to kicking the ladder out from beneath the feet of many Americans struggling in today's economy." BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY *I- 7A THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 RA ITILlE MIAMI IJTIMES. JUNE 2-JUwLY .203BLCSUTfOTRLTHI ONDTN RACIAL UNREST AND VIOLENCE TAINTED CELEBRATION FOR THE OLDEST CITY IN THE U.S. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wipes perpiration from his neck at a news conference in which he announced future plans for the integration move in St. Augustine, Fla., June 17, 1964. King remarked, "It's hotter in more ways than one in St. Augustine." Miami Times staff report Despite the 1954 Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education, which ruled that the "separate but equal" legal status of U.S. pub- lic schools made those schools inherently unequal, the City of St. Augustine, Florida re- mained thoroughly segregat- ed. By the early 60s, only six Black children had been ad- mitted into white schools. The homes of two of the families of these children were burned down while other families were forced to move out of the coun- ty because the parents had been fired from their jobs. In 1963 a sit-in protest at the local Woolworth's lunch coun- ter ended in the arrest and im- prisonment of 16 young Black protesters and seven juveniles. Four of the children, two of whom were 16-year-old girls, were sent to "reform" school and retained for six months. The St. Augustine Four, as they came to be known, JoeAnn An- derson, Audrey Nell Edwards, Willie Carl Singleton and Sam- uel White, had their case pub- licized as an egregious injus- tice by Jackie Robinson, the national NAACP, the Pittsburgh Courier, The Miami Times and others. Finally, a special action of the governor and cabinet of Florida freed them in January 1964. KU KLUX KLAN RALLIES TURN VIOLENT In September 1963, the Ku Klux Klan staged a rally of sev- eral hundred Klansmen on the outskirts of town. They seized NAACP leader and a local den- tist, Dr. Robert Hayling, and three other NAACP activists (Clyde Jenkins, James Jack- son and James Hauser) whom they beat with fists, chains and -Associated Press Civil Rights demonstrations around the "slave market," St. Augustine, Florida, 1964. clubs. The four men were res- cued by Florida Highway Pa- trol officers. St. John's County Sheriff arrested four white men for the beating and also arrest- ed the four unarmed Blacks for "assaulting" the large crowd of armed Klansmen. Charges against the Klansmen were dismissed, but Hayling was convicted of "criminal assault" against the KKK mob. BLACKS EXERCISE THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS In the spring of 1964, Hay- ling put out a call to northern college students to come to St. Augustine for spring break - not to go to the beach but to take part in civil rights ac- tivities. Accompanying them were four prominent Boston women: three wives of Epis- copal bishops and the fourth, the wife of the vice-president of the John Hancock Insurance Company. The arrest' on April 1, 1964 of Mary Parkman Pea- body, the 72-year-old mother of the governor of Massachu- setts in an integrated group at the Ponce de Leon Motor Lodge made the front page news. That event brought the movement in St. Augustine to interna- tional attention. Over the next few months, the city got more publicity than it ever had in its many centuries of existence. A massive non-violent direct action campaign was led by Hayling and Southern Chris- tian Leadership Conference [SCLC] staff including: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rev. C.T. Vivian, Rev. Ralph Aber- nathy, Rev. Hosea Williams, DR. ROBERT HAYLING Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, An- drew Young, Dorothy Cotton and others. From May until July 1964, protesters endured abuse, beatings and verbal as- saults without any retaliation. By absorbing the violence and -AP Photo hate instead of striking back the protesters gained national sympathy and were a factor in passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The movement engaged in nightly marches down King Street. The protesters were met by white segregationists who violently assaulted them. Hundreds of the marchers were arrested and incarcerat- ed. The jail was filled, so sub- sequent detainees were kept in an uncovered stockade in the hot sun. When attempts were made to integrate the beaches of Anastasia Island, demonstrators were beaten and driven into the water by segregationists. Some of the protesters could not swim and had to be saved from possible drowning by other demon- strators. The demonstrations came to a climax when a group of Black and white protesters jumped into the swimming pool at the Monson Motor Lodge. In response to the pro- test the manager of the motel, James Brock, who was the president of the Florida Hotel & Motel Association, was pho- tographed pouring what he claimed to be acid into the pool to get the protesters out. Pho- tos of this and of a policeman jumping into the pool to arrest them, were broadcast around the world and became some of the most famous images of the entire civil rights move- ment. The motel and pool were demolished in March 2003, despite five years of protests, thus eliminating one of the na- tion's important landmarks of the Civil Rights Movement. The St. Augustine Riots re- main one of the darkest mo- ments in our country's history and also one of the most sig- nificant in the quest for equal rights for Blacks. Early Black church in Maine makes it on endangered list PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - The Abyssinian Meeting House is the nation's third-oldest -standing Black meeting house, used for religious, social, edu- cational and cultural events until its closing in 1917. Last Wednesday, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named the wood-frame building to its 2013 list of American's most-endangered places. The church was built in 1828 on a hill a few blocks from Portland Harbor, and its members and preachers were leaders of the Underground Railroad movement who ac- tively concealed, supplied and transported runaway slaves. Portland was a northern hub of the Underground Railroad, where Black and white activists provided refuge for slaves and helped organize escape routes to England and Canada. After closing, the church was converted to tenement apart- ments in 1924 and eventually abandoned and taken over by the city of Portland for back tax- es in 1991. The Committee to Restore the Abyssinian, a non- profit that was formed to pur- chase and preserve the struc- ture, bought the building from the city in 1998. The property has since undergone extensive work to preserve the original character, but an estimated $1 million or more is needed to fin- ish the job. In naming it to its list of most- endangered places, the Nation- al Trust for Historic Preserva- tion said the building is at risk because of the high restoration costs. It says increased aware- ness will facilitate fundraising needed to complete the resto- ration and ultimately provide public access to the building. / / - -- ---- -- : --- - --:-- .2.----------_.. ..............------ --- -_ME: ....U..-,. . . .. .. .. . . .. . ----: --- ----- == -...... ..----- -- -a-- -- -= - -Photo: The National Trust For Historic Preservation, Katie Uffelman This image shows the Abysinian Meeting House in Portland, Maine. The trust put the house on its 2013 list of 11 Most En- dangered Historic Places. For generations of Blacks, the Abyssin- ian Meeting House was a spiritual center in Portland, but now it needs funding to be preserved for the future. Poet Dunbar remembered Paul Laurence Dunbar [1872-1906] was the first Black man to gain national eminence as a poet. Born in Dayton,, Ohio, he was the son of ex-slaves and classmate to Orville Wnght of aviation fame. Although he lived to be only 33 years old, Dunbar was prolific, writing short stories, novels, librettos, plays, songs and essays as well as the po- etry for which he became well known. He was popular with Black and white readers of his day, and his works are cel- ebrated today by scholars and school children alike. W9*p rF fl ..*;-',- r.. J I -- ,c.. AL S -& I. . i.-;'. .. .-- f-- mffm- BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY I I BA THE MIAMI TIMES. JUNE 26-JULY 2. 2013 I Senate nears border-security plan for immigration bill . ... A I. Nk U hill nvassin2. y .an IuI ,pI. WASHINGTON A deal struck last Thursday on border security may overcome the final hurdle to passage of a sweeping overhaul of immigration laws in the Senate. A pair of Senate Republi- cans rolled out a "border surge" amendment that would provide more manpower, fencing and technology on the border with Mexico. Worries that the bill will not lock down illegal immigra- tion fueled opposition to the bill, which would allow the 11 mil- lion people living in the country illegally to apply for U.S. citizen- ship. Senate Majority Leader Har- ry Reid, D-Nev., described the amendment last Thursday as a breakthrough. Sen. Charles Schumer, D- N.Y., part of the group of sena- tors who wrote the immigration measure, agreed: "If you don't think this solves border secu- rity, I don't know what will." The amendment by Sens. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and John Ho- even, R-N.D., would devote $30 CHARLES SCHUMER billion to nearly double the size of the Border Patrol to more than 40,000 agents; add $3.2 billion in drones, radars, sen- sors and planes to help detect people trying to cross the bor- der; and complete 700 miles of fencing. The border surge requires new border agents to be on patrol, and surveillance technology op- erational before unauthorized immigrants can apply for per- manent legal status or citizen- ship. Opponents said the amend- ment ignores what they consider In this June 13, picture, U.S. looks to the north near where rates Tijuana, Mexico, left, and the bill's main problem: It offers citizenship to millions of people before it is proven, or certified by Congress, that the porous bor- der is truly secure so that mil- lions more will not follow them. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said more Border Patrol agents won't deal with people who ar- rive in the country legally but -AP Photo/Gregory Bull Border Patrol agent Jerry Conlin the border wall ends as is sepa- San Diego, right. overstay their visas, a segment that makes up close to half of unauthorized immigrants. "We believe in immigration. We want to be compassionate and helpful to people who have been here a long time," Sessions said. "But we have got to have a sys- tem we can count on in the fu- ture." JOHN CORNYN Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, called the bill more "empty prom- ises" from a government that vowed to beef up security the last time an immigration overhaul was passed in 1986, and yet mil- lions more people crossed the border illegally. The current bill sets goals for the Department of Homeland Security to monitor 100 percent of the border and apprehend or turn back 90 percent of those trying to cross it illegally. Unau- thorized immigrants would be able to apply for temporary legal status within six months of the Grassley and others want the goals to be made requirements. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, proposed that the goals too must be met before unauthorized im- migrants could qualify for U.S. citizenship. "I don't think it's too much to ask," he said on the Senate floor Thursday. The amendment was voted down. The amendment was also criti- cized by some who say it is too heavy on law enforcement. "We should not waste public dollars on an extreme and un- accountable border enforcement regime, especially at a time when the government is cutting its budget elsewhere," said Chris- tian Ramirez of the Southern Border Communities Coalition, a group that supports legalization of unauthorized immigrants. Corker said the surge of Bor- der Patrol agents should elimi- nate the lingering border se- curity complaint his fellow Republicans have expressed. Because, as he said on the Sen- ate floor, "We've addressed it in spades." Eyewitness rules ignored, wrongful convictions result By Kevin Johnson tion DNA testing. unreliable, according to Police agencies reported the tent in small agencies. But even would be," Scheck said, adding The report, which was the NIJ report. Some of lack of standardization despite in large agencies with 500 or that at a minimum, law enforce- WASHINGTON More than produced for the Justice the problems have been 1999 National Institute of Jus- more officers 25 percent re- ment agencies should ensure four out of five police agencies in Department's research associated with faulty tice guidelines that urged law ported no policies for conduct- that lineups are being admin- the U.S. have no written policies arm by the Police Exec- memories of specific in- enforcement to improve policies ing photo lineup presentations, istered by officers who do not for handling eyewitness identi- utive Research Forum, cidents and unwitting for how witnesses are used to and fully half of the responding know the identity of the suspect fications despite long-standing is the first national as- or undue influence ex- identify suspects, agencies had no policies for live to guard against intentional or federal guidelines, according to a sessment of eyewitness erted by authorities in- The guidelines emphasized lineups, unintentional influence. report obtained by USA TODAY. identification standards. SCHECK vestigating the crimes, the benefit of "blind" testing in "It is important for police and "When you don't know who The findings in the National In it, 84 percent of po- "When the credibility lineups- that is, lineups con- other justice system officials the suspect is, you are going to Institute of Justice report, come lice agencies reported of the criminal justice ducted by administrators who to exercise caution when us- get a better answer," he said. as flaws in eyewitness identifica- that they had no written policy system is being subject to legiti- do not know the identities of the ing eyewitness identification "All of the major police organi- tion represent the single great- for conducting live suspect line- mate questions, this is one is- suspects, avoiding improper in- evidence, particularly in cases zations have agreed that these est cause of wrongful conviction, ups, and slightly more than 64 sue we really need to get right," fluence. But the report found were an eyewitness identifi- best practices not only protect contributing to 75 percent of percent said they had no formal said Chuck Wexler, executive that nearly 70 percent of police cation is the sole evidence of the wrongfully convicted, but convictions overturned through standard for administering pho- director of the research forum agencies still use officers with guilt," the report concluded, they also protect the police." DNA testing, according to the to displays of potential suspects, whose group compiled data knowledge of the suspects in Barry Scheck, co-director of For lineup standards advo- Innocence Project, which uses Though witnesses always have from 619 police agencies over photo lineups, and 90 percent the Innocence Project, char- cates, David Wiggins' wrongful DNA testing to challenge crimi- been an integral part of criminal 15 months. "The procedure (for of agencies use "non-blind" ad- acterized the findings as "ex- conviction in 1989 in the sexual nal convictions. More than 300 investigations, there has been eyewitness identification) clear- ministrators in live lineups, tremely disturbing." assault of a 14-year-old child people have been exonerated "growing recognition" that eye- ly hasn't received the rigorous The problems, according to "These findings are actually represents a real-life casualty since 1989 through post-convic- witness identifications are often study that it needs." the report, are especially persis- worse than we thought they of a flawed system. Obama is not guilty of 'court packing' charge Anyone familiar with the his- tory of Depression-era America knows what "court packing" means. Frustrated that the Su- preme Court was striking down some of his New Deal programs, President Frankin Roosevelt pro- posed adding six seats to the nine-member court, which he would fill with his own justices. Even Roosevelt's fellow Dem- ocrats in the Senate couldn't stomach such obvious abuse, and in 1937 they overwhelmingly killed the plan. Seventy-six years later, in an outbreak of Orwellian word- twisting, at least three leading Senate Republicans are accus- ing President Obama of trying to "pack" the nation's second most important court, the federal Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Obama's supposed offense? This month, he nominated three people to fill open seats on the D.C. Circuit. Which is what pres- idents are supposed to do. The ludicrous "court packing" charge made by Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the top Republi- can on the Judiciary Committee, and others who ought to know better has provoked mostly bemused mockery. But Grass- ley and his fellow Republicans are deadly serious about us- ing filibusters to block Obama's nominees. Not because they're unqualified in any way, but be- cause the stakes at the D.C. Circuit are so high, and Repub- licans are determined to hang on to the advantage they have there. The D.C. Circuit is important not just because it's a spring- board to the Supreme Court (Ruth Bader Ginsburg, John Roberts, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas all served there), but also because the court makes crucial decisions on federal regulations and a presi- dent's powers. With their court-packing argu- ment drawing derision, Repub- licans now say they won't ap- prove Obama's three nominees because the court's workload - measured by the number of cas- es is too light to justify them. -USA Today As a FREE Community Service Program by North Shore Medical Center, we are pleased to offer the following informative event: Court sends UT-Austin policy back for review By Ryan Rellly By a 7-1 vote, the Su- preme Court told an appeals court that it misinterpreted the justices' precedent when reviewing the University of Texas at Austin's affirmative action policy. The decision is a provisional victory for Abigail Fisher, a white woman who claimed that UT-Austin un- constitutionally discriminated against her after the state's flagship university rejected her application in 2008 under its race-conscious admissions program. UT-Austin will now have a much more difficult job of proving its program constitu- tional under the standard the Supreme Court clarified last Monday. Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the majority, en- dorsed the Supreme Court's prior decisions establishing affirmative action as constitu- tional to further states' com- pelling interest in fostering a diverse student body. But the majority maintained that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit did not give a hard enough look at UT-Austin's race-conscious admissions program. "The University must prove that the means chosen by the University to attain diversity are narrowly tailored to that goal. On this point, the Uni- versity receives no deference," Kennedy wrote. "Strict scruti- ny must not be strict in theory but feeble in fact." Kennedy's opinion is largely a reiteration of his dissent in the landmark 2003 Supreme Court case. Grutter v. Bol- linger. In that decision, Jus- tice Sandra Day O'Connor sided with the court's four lib- erals to uphold the University of Michigan Law School's af- firmative action policy and, in so doing, reaffirm the consti- tutionality of race-conscious university admissions. Justice Ruth Bader Gins- burg, the lone justice dissent- ing from Monday's decision, maintained that the appeals court faithfully applied Grut- ter. Justice Elena Kagan, the former dean of Harvard Law School, recused herself, pre- sumably due to her involve- ment with the case while she served as President Barack Obama's first solicitor general. By joining Kennedy's opin- ion in full, Roberts and Alito laid to rest any speculation that they would subscribe to the more hard-line antago- nism to affirmative action that Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas have long held and voiced again on Mon- day in separate opinions. "[A] State's use of race in higher education admissions decisions is categorically pro- hibited by the Equal Protec- tion Clause," Thomas wrote. "The University's professed good intentions cannot ex- cuse its outright racial dis- crimination any more than such intentions justified the now-denounced arguments of slaveholders and segregation- ists." RT P FOR T DIAB B TC When you have diabetes, your feet need extra care and attention. Diabetes can damage the nerve endings and blood vessels in your feet, making you less likely to notice when your feet are injured. Diabetes can also interfere with your body's ability to fight infection. If you develop a minor foot injury, it could become an ulcer or develop into a serious infection. With good foot care, you can prevent most of these problems. ( Join Dr. Davis for a FREE lecture as she discusses foot care and the steps you can take to help keep your feet healthy. IMAZE MARIAN DAVIS, DPM, MBA Medical Director, Wound Care Center Thursday, Ju[1 255 6:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. North Shore Medical Center Auditorium (Off the main lobby area) To register pleas al 1-800-984-3434 NORTH SHORE Medical Center BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY I 9A THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 10A THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 | BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY Allen West mulls 2016 primary By Anthony Man Former U.S. Rep. Al- len West mused Wednes- day about the possibility of challenging U.S. Sen. Marco ,Rubio, R-Fla., in the 2016 primary. That assumes, of :course, that Rubio is a candi- date for a second term in the U.S. Senate instead of run- ning for president, something the senator is contemplating. West, who was elected in the same 2010 tea party wave that sent Rubio to Washing- ton, represented Broward and Palm Beach counties for two years. He lost his bid for a second term last year, and now hosts an Internet talk show and is a Fox News com- mentator. In a new Quinnipiac Uni- versity Poll released last Wednesday, 51 percent of Florida voters approved of Rubio's performance in office and 35 percent disapproved. Among Republicans, his rat- ing is 81 percent favorable and only five percent unfa- vorable. In an interview with radio station WMAL in Washing- ton, D.C., West acknowl- ALLEN WEST Former U.S. Rep. edged it wouldn't be easy. "That's a pretty heavy lift, because you're talking about running against a sitting senator, and then, of course, that creates that schism that the other side would love to see happen," he said. But West added that he might run, "If I see people that are not taking our country down the right path, if I see people that are not standing up for the right type of prin- ciples and putting their own party politics before what is best for the United States of America." Is Voting Rights Act now in jeopardy? RIGHTS continued from 1A determining which parts of the country must seek Washington's approval, in advance, for election changes. The decision means that a host of state and local laws that have not received Justice Department approval or have not yet been submitted will be able to take ef- fect. Prominent among those are voter identification laws in Ala- bama and Mississippi. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, joined by her three liberal colleagues, dis- sented from Tuesday's ruling. She said no one doubts that vot- ing discrimination still exists. "But the court today terminates the remedy that proved to be best suited to block that discrimina- tion," she said in her dissent. Ginsburg said the law contin- ues to be necessary to protect against what she called subtler, "second-generation" barriers to voting. She identified one such effort as the switch to at-large voting from a district-by-district approach in a city with a sizable Black minority. The at-large system allows the majority to "control the election of each city council member, ef- fectively eliminating the potency of the minority's votes," she said. Justice Clarence Thomas was part of the majority, but wrote separately to say again that he would have struck down the ad- vance approval requirement it- self. CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYERS CONDEMN THE RULING "The Supreme Court has effec- tively gutted one of the nation's most important and effective civil rights laws," said Jon Green- baum, chief counsel for the Law- yers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. The group repre- sented a Black resident of the Alabama County that challenged the law. "Minority voters in plac- es with a record of discrimination SHERRILYN IFILL are now at greater risk of being disenfranchised than they have been in decades. Today's deci- sion is a blow to democracy. Ju- risdictions will be able to enact policies which prevent minorities from voting and the only recourse these citizens will have will be ex- pensive and time-consuming liti- gation." Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Edu- cational Fund, said, "This is like letting you keep your car, but taking away the keys." The Rev. Al Sharpton, President of National Action Network [NAN] and an ardent civil rights activ- ist, said, "This is a devastating blow to Americans, particularly Blacks, who are now at the mer- cy of state governments. Given last year's attempts by states to change voting rules, it is absurd to say that we do not need these protections. NAN and I will mo- bilize nationwide to put the pres- sure on Congress to come with stricter voter protection laws." He added that the recently an- nounced National Action to Real- ize the Dream march scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C. for the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, will now be centered around the protec- tion and restoring of voter pro- tection. Update from South Africa: Mandela condition critical MANDELA continued from 1A crews and broadcast vans. Man- dela's daughter, Makaziwe Man- dela, left the hospital last Mon- day night; other family members, including ex-wife Winnie Ma- dikizela-Mandela and daughters Zindzi Mandela-Motlhajwa and Zenani Mandela-Dlamini, left earlier in the day. Government officials paid visits as well. Mandela's wife, Graca Machel, spends every night at the hospi- tal, where the former president has been since June 8th for a re- curring lung infection. Previous- ly, authorities had described his condition as serious but stable. But over the weekend, his health took a turn for the worse, with reports indicating that he was in critical condition. However, according to White House officials, Mandela's health will not affect U.S. President Barack Obama's planned visit to South Africa later this week. Mandela, 94, has become in- creasingly frail over the years and has not appeared in public since South Africa hosted the World Cup in 2010. For Mandela's family, these are very personal times times to be cherished as the end nears. "I believe he is at peace," said Makaziwe Mandela, who was born in 1953 to Mandela's first wife, Evelyn. "All we do every day is take one day at a time and pray to the good Lord," she said. "All I pray for as a daughter is that the transition is smooth. . He is at peace with himself. He has given so much to the world." Mandela's lung problems date to when he was a political pris- oner on Robben Island during the apartheid era, and he has battled respiratory infections since. Considered the founding father of South Africa's democ- racy, Mandela became an inter- national figure while enduring 27 years in prison for fighting against apartheid, the country's system of racial segregation. South Africa's governing Af- rican National Congress noted "with concern" last Sunday the change in Mandela's health. "The African National Con- gress joins the presidency in calling upon all of us to keep President Mandela, his fam- ily and his medical team in our thoughts and prayers during this trying time," it said. Word of his worsening health drew global expressions of con- cern. "We have seen the latest re- ports from the South African government that former Presi- dent Mandela is in critical con- dition," said Caitlin Hayden, a U.S. National Security Council spokeswoman. "Our thoughts and prayers are with him, his family and the people of South Africa." Broward homeless center adds 30 beds By Larry Barszewski FORT LAUDERDALE - Broward County's central homeless assistance center will soon add 30 beds to ac- commodate more women and children, the center's first in- crease since opening in 1999. The center won't have to build an addition to make room for the extra beds, but will remodel underutilized space at the shelter. "We have had 100 percent occupancy since the day we opened," said Frances Esposi- to, chief executive officer for the Broward Partnership for the Homeless. "Women and children are recognized as be- ing the fastest growing home- less population at the local, state and federal levels." The 200-bed center current- ly has 120 beds for men, 40 beds for women, and 40 beds for families ten units with four beds each. The new 30- bed space will have modular dividers that can be shifted depending on the size of each family staying there, Esposito said. Officials expect to put the construction work out to bid in July, but have no firm date for when the work will be completed. Broward County already has committed the estimated $260,000 cost for the remod- el. TD Bank is contributing $100,000 toward the first- year operating cost to handle the additional clients, Esposi- to said. The center last year had a $5.6 million budget, with $3 million covered by govern- ment grants and contracts. The rest comes through fund- raising, grants and special events. The City Commission re- cently approved the change needed to allow the extra beds at the assistance center at Northwest Seventh Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard. "We're trying to direct the homeless to the resources and facilities where they can turn their lives around," May- or Jack Seiler said. "People that go there end up getting the health care they need, the resources they need, the training they need. They're actually getting jobs." The center does not take walk-in clients. Homeless families are referred through the 2-1-1 county help line and individuals through the Task Force to End Homelessness. It is a short-term facility, where individuals spend an average of 60 days and fami- lies average 90 days. The cen- ter provides a range of ser- vices, including vocational education and job training, and dental, medical and men- tal-health services. It has proven to be a good neighbor to nearby communi- ties that were apprehensive when it was first proposed. "It's run so professionally inside that we don't have any negative things to say about it," said Sal Gatanio, presi- dent of the nearby South Mid- dle River Civic Association. "It's pretty impressive." Deen's recipes a bigger crime DEEN continued from 1A I'm willing to give Deen a pass on something she confessed to saying years ago. What I have a problem with is not the rac- ist talk for which she has apolo- gized. It's her years of hawking of unhealthy eating such as her recipe for two glazed doughnuts wrapped around a cheeseburg- er patty. That should , have pushed Food Net- work executives to give her the boot before her n-word scandal broke." - The time Deen spent on television publicly urging people to eat - gooey butter cakes, 4 fried butter balls and - skillet fried apple pie was an attack on the DE health of millions of Americans that the Food Net- work condoned. Even after discovering she has Type 2 diabetes a disease fu- eled by the obesity that springs from the high-fat, high-calorie recipes she extoled on her TV show Deen waited three years before telling her audience. Dur- ing that time, she cut back on her meal portions and lost 30 pounds, but she gave her view- ers little warning that the food she pushed on TV could shorten their lives. "I wanted to bring something to the table when I came for- ward, and I've always been one to think that I bring hope, be- cause I've had lots of obstacles in my life," Deen said during a January 2012 appearance on NBC's Today show. What she brought to the table was a paid gig to be the com- mercial face of a phar- maceutical company that sells a treatment for Type 2 diabetes. i-S Of course, Deen could ,- have pushed the pre- - vention of diabetes through a healthier S diet, but instead she .. took the money to shill -- .. a drug to treat the vic EEN tims of the kind of bad eating she promotes. This month, the American Medical Association declared obesity a disease that threatens both the physical and financial health of the nation. Deen's longtime advocacy of gluttonous consumption of fat- ty foods has helped spawn this growing national disaster. And it is for this reason that she should be run off of TV. DeWayne Wickham writes on Tuesday for USA TODAY. Eugene Pettis first Black president of the Florida Bar PETTIS continued from 1A In an earlier interview with The Miami Times, Pettis shared his views about being elected to the highest office of the Florida Bar the coun- try's second-largest bar with a membership of just over 95,000 lawyers. "It is an honor and privilege to lead this organization and to be recognized by my col- leagues the 95,000 lawyers in the state that are members of the Florida Bar," he said. "I am proud that we have finally broken the race barrier as it is clear that we have waited way too long and ignored quality people of color who were able and worthy to serve but were not allowed. I am glad we are on the brink of removing one of the barriers but there are many others that must follow like gender." GETTING ON TRACK WITH HELP FROM HIS MOTHER Pettis earned his bach- elor's degree in political sci- ence from the University of Florida [UF] in 1982 and then received his Juris Doctorate from UF's Levin College of Law in 1985. But his future could have gone in more negative di- rection. When he was a sixth grader, he was beaten by two white male teachers who hit him 67 times with a leather strap. The incident, he says, was psychologically damag- ing and extremely difficult to overcome. "It put me on an incline of racial discrimination and ha- tred," he said. As he entered high school, he faced possible suspen- sion after getting into several fisticuffs just two weeks into his freshman year. According to Pettis, it was his mother's prayers that were instrumental in getting him back on the right track. He began doing better in his classes, became captain of the basketball team and even- tually made his way to college. "Education is the great equal- izer," he said. "What you gain with it, no one can take from you." But Pettis has done more than just talk about the im- portance of education. He has become a respected leader in Broward County, serving on a host of boards and working with several non-profit orga- nizations. Along with his wife, Sheila, he has donated more than $1 million to his alma mater. Their most recent gift was an endowment for the Black Law Student Associa- tion. He says that as president of the Bar, he plans to address several tasks that are riot spe- cifically part of his job de- scription including mentoring young attorneys and advocat- ing for a better public educa- tion system. "I grew up in Fort Lauder- dale and when I visit the jails, I often run into old friends or classmates," he said. "When we allow young boys to fail and not complete school, we are providing the perfect pipe- line to the prison system. It's time that Black professionals commit themselves to ending this cycle." NNPA annual convention NNPA continued from 1A place, D. Kevin McNeir; Best Church Page, first place, Kaila Heard and Stangetz Caine; and Best Entertainment Page, sec- ond place, D. Kevin McNeir and Mitzi Williams. In 2012, The Miami Times won in the following catego- ries: The Leon H. Washington Best Special Edition Award, second place; Best Church Page Award, first place; and Best Youth Section Award, first place. Look for pictures from the convention and a summary of how The Miami Times stacked up this year against the com- petition in next week's edition. Our 43IUAlh1-. Get in on This !! : Vacation & Summer Prices! Get Your "New Look" Now !! &P A New Attitude ! WFrom Party Girl Beauty Salon . k t Dare to be different . ^0AA with our 0 A "So Sexy Eyelashes" S 0 o L<\ b Look Beautiful Every Day M. . 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"A lot of people don't realize that if you mess with a federal employee, then it's a federal crime and you could do some serious prison time." Among the cases prosecuted in federal court in recent years were a father and son from Oakland Park, Donald and Kevin Lincks, now 64 and 31, who were sentenced to a year in prison for beating a postal worker in June 2009 after he refused to give them their mail on the street because he didn't know them. A Palm Beach County man, David Jason Agosto, 36, is carriers serving 8 1/2 years in federal prison for assaulting a postal worker who he believed was flirting with his girlfriend while delivering mail at her work- place, the state Department of Children & Families in Lake Worth in 2008. And three men are serving lengthy federal prison terms for their roles in the December 2010 murder of postal worker Bruce Parton, 60, of Pembroke Pines, who was shot while be- ing robbed of a master key in north Miami-Dade. The U.S. Postal Service said it does not keep statistics on such crimes, but trains work- ers on how to stay safe and pursues criminal charges against offenders. Assaulting postal employees can have serious consequences it is a federal crime that is prosecuted under the same law -Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images increase as assaulting an FBI agent. Attacking a federal employee while they're carrying out their duties carries punishments that range from one to 20 years in prison. Ramirez said the downturn in the economy and the preva- lence of identity thieves, who sometimes target letter carriers because they want to rob mas- ter keys that open community mailboxes, have coincided with more attacks on carriers. Court records show that at least seven people have faced federal prosecution for assault- ing and injuring letter carriers in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties since 2008. Those numbers don't tell the whole story, officials said, because assailants are also 3 prosecuted for related crimes, like fraud or robbery, and can also face state charges. Will justice be served in case against George Zimmerman? TRIAL JURY: F continued from 1A AN Given th the while attempting to protect six-membe his quiet, gated community. and one n With Zimmerman's second- as a Hispa degree murder trial beginning we asked last Monday with opening statements i- given by attorneys from both sides and presented to the jury, one can ma ginue-b-mnthe naio' aten JBak fully expect to hear - minute-by minute o descriptions of how things played out the night of Tray- von's murder that FRANKS could aptly be seen as a tale of two cit- ies. Since the shooting, the case fact that T has gained the nation's atten- Black while, ton unlike any trial since the cial Zimme days of O.J. Simpson. It has titles as Hi also put the spotlight on this Attorney country's centuries-old problem Director,T with race relations. cacy Prog. By the end of the day, last "The cri Monday, four witnesses had tes- against 2 tified, including the 911 opera- is laced tor who took the initial phone overtones. call from Zimmerman. Both portable wo sides are expected to tackle par- if you wer ticular moments from the night a case [lik that Trayvon was killed includ- tried in a ing the screams that were heard with a sha on the 911 recordings and the injustice ar extent of Zimmerman's fight son was on with the teen. to have an As the trial continued last jury in F Tuesday, the jury was sched- However, d uled to hear from a teenaged girl is not very known first as Witness # 8, then which side later as Rachel Trayvon's is more in friend from Miami. It is believed that she is the young woman fo ,, with whom Trayvon n ' was speaking when h- -I he first noticed Zim- merman watching - and then following .- him in the Retreat I. ' at Twin Lakes com- -- - munity that Trayvon A _--,- .. .. - was visiting with his SMITH father. In a previous- ly written testimony, Rachel described Trayvon as scared and trying to get away from the man. She urged him to run. She last heard Trayvon say, "why are you following me,' after which she said she heard what sounded like him falling. After that, the phone went dead. person gets I am absol the reaction man is aci in mind t McDuffie cases had ries either IVE WHITE WOMEN ID NO BLACKS e racial makeup of the .r jury five white minority, later clarified anic and all fernmale, several local legal ex- perts what we can ex- pect as the trial contin- ues. Our most pressing question was whether they believe the fam- ily of Trayvon Martin could be assured that justice will be served, given the venue of the trial [Seminole County where Zimmerman re- sides], the jury's racial makeup and the rayvon was A e the bi-ra- rman iden- ispanic. . H.T. Smith, Trial Advo- yam, FlU: ninal case Zimmerman with racial CURRY How com- uld you be e Black and you had e this] that was being southern community meful history of racial nd not one Black per- Sthe jury? It's unusual all-female or all-male lorida's jury system. he gender of the jurors Instructive regarding they might favor. What instructive is how they feel about critical is- sues like race, guns, self-defense, profiling, vigilantes, hoodies, crime watch, etc. The Stand Your Ground law is a 'get out of jail free card' for crimi- nals. Moreover, it in- sulates the killer from civil liability and mon- ey damages. The stan- dard of proof is not high enough before a s the benefit of the law. utely concerned about n of Blacks if Zimmer- quitted. It's still fresh hat both the Arthur mand the Rodney King no Blacks on those ju- and . ." r Attorney Larry Handfield, own- er, Law Offices of Larry Handfield: "The jury is more reflective of the kind that the defense would prefer and it's unfortunate that it's not more diverse. But people tend to confuse the requirements of the U.S. Constitution. A jury of your peers does not mean a sitting jury of your peers. It means the pool of jurors must come from a diverse group. Zimmerman's attorney did everything he could to keep a Black [person] from being chosen for the jury and because Seminole County has a small Black popula- tion, that wasn't too difficult. We have to deal with that. Without a living witness to counter Zim- merman's story, the prosecution has the burden of showing that no reasonable person would have acted in the manner That Zimmerman did. We'll have to see if -^ the jurors allow their emotions to come into Play or not. I don't be- SMITH lieve Zimmerman will be found guilty nor do I believe that Blacks will respond in a negative manner. I give our community more credit than that." Attorney Kymber- lee Curry Smith, past - president, Gwen S. Cherry Black Women . Lawyers' Association: "I think the lack of the male and minority S perspective harms the 41S prosecution because of the lack of compas- a sion that may be felt by a man or a minor- HANI ity for Trayvon. You might think having all women would mean they would see Trayvon as their own son. But you can't tell what a juror may think or feel. Stereotyping a juror is just as dangerous as stereotyp- ing anyone else. I think the facts of this case should reflect that Zimmerman is guilty. I think the community at-large is watching, especially in light of the gun laws being at center court, to see the outcome. So many ideals Ameri- cans hold dear are hinging on it: gun rights, self-defense, freedom to not be considered suspicious because of your color or gender, etc. If Zimmerman is acquit- ted I worry about my own reac- tion. I have children two Black boys. No one wants to be taught or teach someone else to believe in justice and the fairness of the criminal justice system and watch all of it contorted when it comes to protecting the lives of innocent people, especially children." Attorney Mary Anne Franks, As- sociate Professor of Law, Univer- sity of Miami Law School: "For better or worse, the right to a jury of one's peers belongs to the de- fendant, not the victim. No state allowed women to serve on a jury until 1919 and Florida did not allow female jurors until 1967. Far more relevant are the jurors' beliefs about self-defense, crime, racism and whether they are able to identify more with Zimmerman or Trayvon. Without knowing what other evidence the parties will present at trial, demonstrat- ing beyond a reasonable doubt that Zimmerman acted 'with a de- praved mind' in shooting Trayvon, as opposed to recklessly or negli- gently, will be difficult. Of course, the jury could always find Zim- merman guilty of a lesser offense. There is likely going to be public unrest following either acquittal or conviction. If Zimmerman is acquitted, the gender of the jurors or the fact that there 7 were no Black jurors Smay be blamed. Steps will certainly need to be taken to assure the safety and security of the jurors." Jasmine Rand, an attorney that is part of the team headed by Ben Crump that is FIELD representing the fam- ily of Trayvon Martin said she believes "the reaction to the jury's decision will be peaceful just as it has been over the past 18 months. Tracy [Martin] and Sybrina [Fulton]'s call' for justice has always been to ensure that Zimmerman is held accountable in a court of law. People often forget that citi- zens have the right to lawful dis- sent and conscientious objection. If one asks this question about the Black community, one needs to ask how other communities will react if George Zimmerman is convicted. Everyone needs to respect the rule of law when the verdict comes down." -Joe Burbank/Getty Images George Zimmerman waits for court to start on the eighth day of his trial in Seminole circuit court, June 19 in Sanford. Judge bars audio experts from George Zimmerman trial By Rene Stutzman and Jeff Weiner In a major victory for murder suspect George Zimmerman, a judge Saturday ruled that prosecutors may not put on the witness stand two state audio experts who say the voice heard screaming for help on a 911 call was someone other than Zim- merman. Those screams, recorded while Zimmerman was fighting with 17-year-old Trayvon Mar- tin, are the most dramatic piece of evidence in the high-profile murder case. Zimmerman, a former Neigh- borhood Watch volunteer, says they came from him, that he was calling for help after Trayvon attacked him. Tray- von's parents say they are from their son and are his last words before Zimmerman shot him in the chest. Circuit Judge Debra S. Nelson had heard three days of testi- mony about the science used by the state's experts. Last Satur- day she ruled that it failed to meet Florida's legal standard. Jurors can expect prosecutors to still play the audio. They'll also likely hear testimony from Trayvon's mother and perhaps father that the screams came from their son. Zimmerman's father, Robert Zimmerman Sr., has testified that the voice is his son's. Trial testimony is to begin Monday. One of the state's experts, Alan R. Reich, had concluded the voice he identified as Tray- von is heard yelling, "I'm beg- ging you," and "stop." The other, Tom Owen, ruled Zimmerman out as the screamer, in part, after using voice-recognition software. Both witnesses are now banned from Zimmerman's trial, which began two weeks ago with jury selection. The judge barred both experts, she wrote, because prosecutors failed to present competent evidence that the techniques used by Reich and Owen were generally accepted in the scientific field. The state presented no evi- dence except Reich and Owen themselves, who defended their findings, she wrote. She gave special attention to Reich. None of the five other experts who testified heard the words and phrases that he did, she wrote. His testimony, she wrote, "would confuse issues, mislead the jury and, therefore, should be excluded from trial." The recording is that of a neighbor who had called 911 to report the fight. The screams and gunshot can be heard in the background. Four defense experts had challenged Reich's,and Owen's findings, testifying that using screams to identify someone's voice is impossible. Valid voice comparisons can only be made if someone is speaking in a nor- mal voice, they said. The judge noted that three of the defense experts, including FBI analyst Hirotaka Nakasone, said they were "disturbed" by the state experts' conclusions. Assistant State Attorney Richard Mantei urged the judge Thursday to admit the testimo- ny anyway. "The evidence should be heard by the jury, and let them decide," he said. Defense attorney Don West TRAYVON MARTIN had lambasted the state ex- perts: Owen is using the case to promote new voice-identification software in which he has a financial stake, West said. As for Reich's report, West mocked it, saying it "should begin, It was a dark and stormy night.'" West had characterized the experts' testimony Thursday as the most important of the trial. Defense attorney Mark O'Mara earlier said that if it were admitted, it would add a week to the trial, which is projected to continue an ad- ditional two to four weeks. Zimmerman says he shot Trayvon, a black high-school junior from Miami Gardens, in self-defense Feb. 26, 2012, in Sanford after the teenager at- tacked him. Prosecutors allege that Zim- merman had spotted Trayvon, called police and described him as suspicious, then followed, confronted and murdered him. WHEN THE NEWS MATTERS TO YOU TURN TO YOUR NEWSPAPER -L: The flRtiami rtmee One Fmly Serving Da d and rowrd Counie Snce 923 The Miami Times Faith SECTION B MIAMI, FLORIDA, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 MIAMI TIMES ~4 -4- - -~ U -~ U .-. :,' : ... .. :* ... L ^- L. ''T" ^ - *. . . -. .- ".- *f. --.iiTi',Teu. Pnoto '0. tevin M.Neir Pastor Joretha Capers of Ebenezer UMC is photographed with Dr. James H. Salley, the associate vice-chancellor for institutional advancement for Africa University. UMC celebrates Africa University Ebenezer to endow $10,000ooo, scholarship to University By Malika A. Wright mwright@miamitimesonline.com Recently, Dr. James H. Salley, the associate vice-chancellor for institutional advancement for Africa University, visited Ebene- zer United Methodist Church (UMC) to discuss the success of Africa University an Unit- ed Methodist-related university which educates about 2,000 students from 22 countries. The university was founded and is funded partly by the Unit- ed Methodist churches and also by the money the University re- ceives from tuition. The United Methodist Church has established more than 600 churches around the world and 124 in the U.S. The development of Africa Uni- versity is a consequence of the growth of United Methodism in Please turn to AFRICA 14B Pastor brings hope to homeless group CHURCH BELIEVES IN THE GREAT COMMISSION By Malika A. Wright -, B -- --. mwright@miamitimesonline.com When Rev. George McKain, 63, first visited the Miami Rescue Mis- sion in 1992, he heard the spirit of God say to him, "you're going to do some work here." On that same day, he started working at the rescue mission's' center for men -which offers a spiritually-challenging residential program for men who suffered from various life-controlling prob- lems such as homelessness, chemical abuse or addiction, medical Please turn to MCKAIN 14B -: :-: _- ,- . _ -^.:-/..' i-^ :2_ .:- . 7 - ,."-' -- -_ -, - ^:: :. "w 1 Photo courtesy Rev. George McKain Pictured are some of Tacolcy's staff: Lionel Lightbourne (1-r), Assistant Care Coordinator specialist; Eddie Jones, As- sistant Care Coordinator Specialist; Ben Smith,Assistant Care Coordinator Specialist; Sharline Turner, P/T Assistant Care Coordinator; Marsha Banks, Site Coordinator-Freedom School; and Quinetta Naylor, Freedom School volunteer. TACOLCY STRIVES TO STRENGTHEN AND CONTINUE ITS SERVICES By Malika A. Wright and strength- r -P W '. . mwright@miamitimesonline.com It's a new day at the Be- lafonte Tacolcy Center. For the past three months, Taj Brown, who currently serves as the interim CEO of the pro- gram, and staff have focused on expanding and strengthen- ing it. - "Tacolcy has been a strong program and under Alison Austin- the former CEO's leadership, it remained strong," Brown said. "I think my top priorities were so- lidifying our strong areas ening some areas that were not quite as . strong." According to Brown, the center is striv- ing to increase T B ROWN O their assis- tance of the most \-ulnerable youth, especially those who are dealing with violence. The staff are also being trained in running behavioral health groups. In addition, he has been discussing new programming options with city and county representatives. Last month, Tacolcy intro- duced a free soccer program. in which the Center had part- nered with the U.S. Soccer Foundation. Tacolcy will also Please turn to TACOLCY 14B Liberty City artist balances family, passion and work Maha: "This unexplainable joy takes over me" By Malika A. Wright mwright@miamitimesonline.com Maha Adachi Earth, a professional spoken word and music artist from Liberty City, wakes up at 5 a.m. after going to sleep three hours before. [She spent the night writing.] She then makes breakfast for her family her husband, Christopher and two children, Khari, 13, and Brooklyn, 2. After dropping her chil- dren off to school, Maha gets to work at 7 a.m. and strives to leave at 4 p.m. After work, she picks up her chil- dren and makes a quick stop at the mall to grab her "show clothes." At a Spoken Word or open mic event, Maha may perform anything from her Spoken Word pieces, to her Hip-Hop or Soul songs. After the event and networking. Maha would more than likely return home at 2 or 3 a.m. This is a day where Maha has had Please turn to MAHA 14B -M Im-1T"';oh .l.'' kVavi Mr-.Ntir _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ City of Miami Police Department Officer Michaell Bell was honored for her contributions to the Black community. She is pictured here Talented vocalist Angee Griffin (1-r) and the sizzling (center) with some of the youth who are learning about the law en- sax man Jon Saxx were part of the entertainment line forcement field as members of the City's Police Explorers program, up at Miami's recent Juneteenth celebration. Youth are pictured while reading with their instructor at Tacolcy. Embrace Girls have tea with UTD president Lenora B. Smith Elementary. Ingram, who grew up in pov- erty in Miami's inner city, point- ed out the importance of having I,^ " .~. -"-... w Fedrick Ingram, UTD President, a big hit with Embrace Girls. recently met up with the Em- brace Girls Foundation, Inc., at one of their tea parties held at values and being obedient, es- pecially at home. He also en- couraged the girls to overcome Photos courtesy of Embrace Girls Foun Embrace Girls are poised for tea. Miami Times Staff Report. Fredrick Ingram, president of the United Teachers of Dade, Karen Clark Sheard helps a hardworking single mother -Photo by Denise Adams Pastor's 5th Anniversary Valley Grove Missionary Baptist Church recently celebrated Elder Johnnie L. Robinson's 5th Pastoral Anniversary. Pictured are Elder Robinson (1-r), First Lady Patricia Robinson, and guest speaker, Elder Michael Roan of Day Springs Missionary Baptist Church. Gospel songstress does good deed By EEI. IIf ,i ()n a recent episode of BET's "The Sheard's," First Lady. Karen Clark Sheard showed off what it really means to do the work of the Lord. She stripped off the makeup, glamorous at- tire and went undercover to do a good deed. Posing as someone working on a documentaryr on hard- working mothers, just seeing what it feels like." the award- winning singer arnd member of the Legendary Clark Sisters, concealed her plan to be a blessing to a community vol- unteer worker, Erica, who was going through her own fair share or personal struggles. During the interview portion of the mock interview, an in- cognito Sheard listened to the young lady as she described her duties and roles as a min- istry volunteerr "1 help people in our c nmmnu- nity [getl employ- ment, educa- uion. affordable housing, mental health services and transpor- tation," slit ex- plained Remarkably,. all SHEARD this volunteer work was done, while she, herself, was str-ug- ghing to get her life together. The mother of tw.o daughters. who beean crying while reveal- ing her deep desire to plant seeds in others arid be of help to them. also revealed that, her oldest, had been exposed to a great deal- of h-irdship "My oldest daughter has seen so much. 'he-ltrs, slepmng in my car. |nel being pregnant and homeless ,ith my second daughter, i mean. I wv.ant her to see that I d:,n't give up " After hearing her story, Sheard told the emotional do- gooder, "I admire ",ou for your strong faJith. inspiration, de- termination, and let me tell you a little bit about who I am,'" finally re- vealing her true identity. "I am Karen Clark Sheard. and God has opened up a way for me to bless y'ou," she said, as Erica covered her mouth, muffling shocked screams. She gave Erica a check to cover three months-worth of payments for her rent and car, and also blessed the single mom's daughters, Imani and Alise. with new clothes. "Amongst All of the things that 1 have done in my life, this has been one of the ones that really have really made me go to that next phase in minis- try. and inspired mne said a be-am'ing Shea-rd. This is the kind of ministry work that pleases God. As Je- sus said in Matthew 25-40. "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." Bishop T.D. Jakes and family overcame extreme poverty Bishop shares his testimony in recent sermon By EEW News Recently, while encouraging dads to stand in the gap for their families and don't give up, Bishop T.D. Jakes, shared the hardships that he faced. Thirty-two years ago, back in 1981, at the age of 24, Jakes married the love of his life, Ser- ita Ann. "I made a conscious decision. I said, 'I want to marry this wom- an I can do this. I got a brand new car. I got a good job I been on for 5 years. I can take care of her. I can take care of our kids. I'm good. I work for Union Car- bide. I got a dental plan, health plan, retirement, life insurance. I can handle this." Initially, everything went great. "We got married. I han- dled it. Whatever came up, I handled it. Insurance, I han- died it. Bills, I handled it the first year."' ,... But then, .an unexpected lay- off changed everything. "I didn't know, when I signed up for the job of being a husband and a fa- ther, that I would end up being laid off from myjob, lose my car, her ankle would be crushed. She wouldn't walk for 2 years. Our lights would be cut off. We would go down to nothing. And I had to stand there with no job. I had to stand with no lights. I had to stand with no water." It was tremendously difficult time for the Jakes family. "When they cut the lights off, and we got down to where we were gathering apples to feed the kids and we got paper tow- els and duct tape to cover for no diapers, I jumped on a lawn mower and started cutting the grass to get money so we could go to the grocery store." Trying to discover any and ev- ery way possible to ensure that his family had enough income for survival, Jakes began work- ing with his brother to make some extra change. "My brother worked for the gas company and he used to install gas lines on the side, so I dug ditches," said Jakes. "We would lay PVC pipe through gas lines, and I'd take that hundred dollars I got and buy groceries." The road was a lot rockier than he had bargained for then. "When I said 'I do,' I didn't know I was gone have to do that. But I kept on going. Cora [his daughter] came. We didn't own a house. Sarah [another daughter] came. We was on WIC [Women Infants and Children Food and Nutrition service for low-income families]," and yet, he said, "We didn't quit. I didn't know what WIC was. I went down to apply for it. I didn't know how people talked to poor people. They might provide ser- vices for you, but they talk to you like you a dog. 'Get over there. We'll get to you when we get to you!" he reenacted. "Our credit was wack," Jakes continued. "My life was crazy. I was pastoring a church had BISHOP T.D. JAKES about 30 people in it. They gave us $10 a Sunday to feed the kids and $300 a month was what we had to live on. But I came home every night." He couldn't afford to pur- chase his own home, so "Wher- ever my brother moved out of, I moved into," he explained with a chuckle. "[The] house was in his name. I was making the payments. I didn't have no credit. But I was still Daddy." But one day, while driving down the road on the West Side of Charleston, he said, he told his sister, "I'm not gone be broke no more. I told Jackie I wasn't go be broke. Jackie was bringing me groceries every second Friday. She would get off work, get her paycheck and go to the grocery store and split her groceries with us so we'd have something to eat." But after barely making it for so long, the husband and father had all he could take of being impoverished. "I don't like the vulnerability of being at the mercy of people. I don't-- I don't like it," he add- ed. "And I made a conscious de- cision to get up." According to Jakes, he asked the Lord to help him "get up" out of poverty before his sons became men, so they wouldn't "think that this is all there is to life." Jakes told the congregation, "God answered. Little, by little, by little, God answered. And through my willingness to obey Him and do crazy stuff-one day He said something so crazy to me. I'd worked like a dog to save up a little bit of money and He said, Take all that money you got saved and put it in this idea." Though he had been saving for a house, he obeyed God's voice and published a book no publisher would publish with- out a significant monetary con- tribution from Jakes' own cof- fers. "I emptied out our savings ac- count and published the book that no publisher would pub- lish without my money. I got 5,000 copies. I got out in the street. I was selling copies like popcorn at a movie," he said. "I had to get that money back. I didn't want to go home and tell Serita that I had blew that money. I sold 5,000 books and got 5,000 more. I sold 10,000 - got a 10,000 order next time - sold 10,000 more. That book sold five million copies." Michelle Williams gets soulful with new inspirational single By EEW music the lenses of the One who cre- find the new music refreshing. - -a-A, 1 T l(- ; T -- ---.--_. T y C1-, After dealing with lots of criti- cism from both sides of the mu- sical aisle secular and gospel - Destiny Child's Michelle Wil- liams has just released the first urban inspirational track from her forthcoming album, "If We Had Your Eyes." The soulful melody with a throwback sound muses about how we would be different were we all viewing the world through area us. For Williams; the message rings true as one performing and building a career under the un- forgiving microscope of society that picks apart every move - good or bad. While the laid-back sound may take some getting used to from listeners who know and love Wil- liams for her more dance-friend- ly tunes, fans of that old school flavor and reflective sound, may "Go f, 1I h naa your eyes, i could love better and have more com- passion," says Williams over the top of the beat near the end of the track. "I would understand what I'm going through while I'm going through it. I'd be more pa- tient." Finally, summing it all up in a prayer, Williams simply says, "God help me see things the way you the way you see things . . Give us your eyes God." their obstacles by sharing his story. Ingram said it was difficult for him growing up, he was once a shy kid, largely because he stuttered throughout his el- ementary school years. "It was hard, but I overcame. I had parents who gave me one of their greatest gifts, their love and their belief in me and that whis what I see here in this room, with this organization," Ingram said. Ingram is the first member of his family to graduate with S, a post-secondary degree. He "<" shared that he also attended Lenora B. Smith, the school where the tea party was held. "This is one of the greatest J highlights of my job, to wit- Sness, personally, the results .," of positive parenting, school :' 4. -engagement and community -'-. -- organizations coming together nation, Inc. to empower and uplift our kids especially our girls," Ingram said. -"XldI! l ] Pll ENloD THE~].illl iINCOVEIENCE O~lF il] EMPTY NllEWSPAPER i BOXE, FIHTIN THIEAHR N THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER 13B THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2,.2013 Get moving: Christian guru mixes faith and fitness By Jeanine Hamilton I used to be a lazy couch po- tato. I didn't like to exercise, which meant sweating out my hair. And I didn't even think of giving up my favorite greasy favorites. My casual approach to fitness, in some ways, was inherited from my mother. No matter what her doctor told her she needed to do, she would listen for about five minutes before reverting back to her old ways. Whenever I'd say, "Mom, you know you're not supposed to be eating that!" she would reply in between chews. "Child, I'm grown and we all gone die of something' or other." Her "some- thin' or other" was complica- tions from diabetes. She was 63 and I miss her like crazy. After my initial mourning period fol- lowing her death, I noticed that I was on the same path that ended her life too soon. Some- how, some way, I would find an excuse to keep up my pattern of inactivity and over-indulgence in everything bad for me. But I would be the first one running to the altar for prayer whenever health issues surfaced result- ing from my personal abuse of my body. One day, when my very blunt physician told me, "God helps those who help themselves," it wasn't that his statement was profound or new (I'd heard it before.), it just struck me differ- ently. I knew the excuses had to go if I didn't want to go to an early grave. As a busy woman, working out and taking care of your body may seem next to im- possible some days. Constant demands: work, business, min- istry, family, errands and ap- ~ ~ :*" "* "** "'; -" *"^i':i? ... .J .-..; ..^ ': : *h.' ''* .... ,.'..?l^ ^ *h. "'' aSB t e ".2.' DONNA RICHARDSON-JOYNER Christian fitness guru and author pointments, make it hard to find down time, let alone free space for cardio and strength training. When you're already doing so much, cooking often feels like just another chore. So, millions of wives, moms and working women grab takeout and satisfy their hunger with foods high in sugar, fat, and cholesterol. The constant cycle of busyness, makes regular exercise feel like just another impossible-to-do chore. In our churches, prayer requests pour in from those needing healing for their bodies. While God is a prayer-an- swering, miracle-working and yolk-destroying God, breaking cycles of bad habits, irrespon- sible choices, and self-destruc- tive behaviors is something we are responsible for doing. Thus, God helps those who help themselves. Christian fitness guru and author of Witness to Fitness, Donna Richardson Joyner, tells EEW Magazine, when it comes to praying sick- ness and extra pounds away, "The Bible says faith without works is dead. Yes, I'm gonna pray with you," she says, but no one can do the work for you. Richardson-Joyner, who is a member of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN), shares a time when a woman said to her, "Donna can we pray for these cottage cheese thighs to go away? The 55-year-old tells EEW, "I said, look y'all, we gone pray. But y'all gotta get rid of that fried fish and fried chicken, and gotta put on your sneakers, and y'all gotta do [more than] praise and worship a little lon- ger than 4 minutes or 5 min- utes. And, yeah, we gone pray, but you all got to take action." Richardson-Joyner's message is simple. I always say, 'You have to treasure your temple, not trash it." Put down the junk food so you can drop down a few dress sizes. Religious group apologizes to gays for 'undue suffering' Exodus Int'l, once boasted services to 'The church has waged the culture war, and it's time to repress homosexualityput the weapons down," Alan repress homosexuality Chambers told The Associated By David Crary gized to the gay community for Press on Thursday, hours af- inflicting "years of undue suf- ter announcing his decision at The leader of Exodus Interna- fering." He plans to close the Exodus' annual conference and tional, a Christian ministry that organization while launching a posting his apology online. worked to help people repress new effort to promote reconcili- "While there has been so same-sex attraction, has apolo- ation. much good at Exodus, there has also been bad," Chambers said at the conference. "We've hurt people." Based in Orlando, Fla., Exo- dus was founded 37 years ago and claimed 260 member min- istries around the U.S. and abroad. It offered to help con- flicted Christians rid them- selves of unwanted homosexual Spoken word artist balances home and music MAHA continued from 12B to balance it all: her family life, her art and her job. And al- though managing everything is difficult, she believes that it is all worth it. Not only has the artist's spo- ken word and music allowed her to cope and overcome hard- ships since she was a child, but her poetry has also been nationally recognized. The art- ist who returned last year to the performing arts scene af- ter a hiatus, she was selected to perform on her poem called "Liberty City" on BET's 106 & Park in 2003. Maha has also graced stages across the U.S. performing at universities and other venues spreading her inspirational words in a sultry crooner man- ner. The artist continues to be invited to events outside of Miami, but now as a wife and mother she only commits to one out of town performance per month. She tries to per- form locally whenever she is available. The artist describes herself as a blend of sweet and strong. According to her biography, Maha, who sometimes rap has received comparisons to rap- pers such as: Tupac, Andre 3000 and even Trick Daddy. While her music has been com- pared to Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu and jazz legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday. "My Hip Hop alter-ego is more of the aggressive side and my singing is more of a sweet side," she said. One of Maha's main messag- es is that "love is free, so give it out and receive it," she said. She added that she did not only mean eros love, but "love of all kinds." "I have to be about that as an artist because that's what I'm about as a woman," Maha said. "Love for God, self, fam- ily, mankind and eros. Indulging in muddy puddles of love." Maha, who released an al- bum entitled Mahagani in March, is in the recording phase of her second album called Blossom. Some of her goals are to be- come a songwriter, to collabo- rate more with local artists, become a part of a cultural community in South Florida and help upcoming music and spoken word artists under- stand the business. Although Maha admits that balancing it all can be very dif- ficult. "There is this unexplainable joy and rush that takes over me," Maha explained about performing. She said she feels connected to her ancestors, who always encouraged her to use her gifts like her grandmother and her father, who died of HIV when she was 15 years old. She compared her love for performing and writing as an addiction, saying it is more powerful than money. She also enjoys connecting with oth- er souls when she performs, she said. She sometimes receive calls or e-mails from people who say they were touched by her mu- sic or poetry. "Being able to leave a drop of hope everywhere I go is amaz- ing," she said. Maha expressed gratitude to her family and friends for as- sisting her in balancing every- thing. "My husband's cooperation is impeccable," she said. "If it were not for him being understanding and binding his schedule every which way, I don't know how it would be possible." She explained that both her husband and her son's father are there for their children. "Sometimes I cannot imagine how I'm going to get from Sun- day to Saturday, but it always seems to happen. We come together, and we work it out," she said. "I kind of lean on the beautiful, won- derful people around me to help keep this machine going." Ebenezer UMC allocates University with $1oK AFRICA continued from 12B Africa. The growth in member- ship and the emerging socio- economic and political needs in their countries led the African bishops of the UMC to call on their church to invest in higher education provision in Africa. The University's goal has been to educate African peo- ple from an African perspec- tive. Africa University, which started off with 40 students, recently held a graduation for 400 students, according to Salley. Salley who travels to Af- rica University's campus in Mutare, Zimbabwe, once every two months and sometimes more said the school offers the same courses and pro- grams that you would receive at universities anywhere in the world. He said some of the popular courses are: adminis- tration, business and informa- tional technology. According to Salley, when he speaks to churches about Af- rica University, they respond enthusiastically, because some are unaware of the university and they know that education is needed in Africa. Africa University celebrated it's 20th anniversary in March. "In 20 years, we have signifi- cant, phenomenal growth from the United Methodist Church and beyond," Salley said. "We look for the same kind of growth within the next 20 years." While visiting Ebenezer, Pas- tor Joretha Capers surprised Salley by donating $1,000 of the $10,000 scholarship that the church endowed in memory of the church's former pastor and his wife. "It was quite a surprise and a much welcomed surprise," Salley said. "I didn't go to raise money, but to thank the church for their support." Capers, who was a colleague of Salley's when she worked with the UMC Black College Fund, said that the University has broken many trends that occur on the continent. For example, in most African universities women attendance is only about 25 percent while women make up 52 percent of the student body at Africa Uni- versity. In addition, Capers said the university brings dif- ferent tribes, who normally don't speak with each other, together for "a common good" and they "build a brighter and better Africa." Capers said the University has developed leaders for all aspects, such as: preserva- tion of the Earth, environmen- tal protection and government and health services, "which are desperately needed [on the continent.]" "I think Africa University is one of God's greatest gifts to the UMC, to the world [and] es- pecially to persons on the Afri- can continent." Rev. McKain counsels victims ofhomelessness MCKAIN continued from 12B and mental issues and other is- sues. Since then McKain, who presently serves as the faith manager at the center, has dis- cipled hundreds of men in the program. At the center, he ministers, counsels and teaches. McKain is proud to acknowl- edge that many great men have come out of the program. In fact,' the head deacon of his church, a couple of pas- tors, other Christian leaders and even the current president of the rescue mission are grad- uates of the program. He believes the rescue mis- sion opened the door to the fulfillment of his calling to be a full-time minister. "I got that calling when I was 17 years old," McKain said. In 1979, McKain, a Jamai- can-native, moved to New York with his wife, Doreen. As an evangelist, he preached the Gospel in both Jamaica and New York. After obtaining a scholarship to Miami Christian University, which is now Trinity Evangeli- cal University, he moved to Mi- ami and eventually graduated. Through counseling at the rescue mission and pastoring at Hallelujah Worship Center of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, which he founded in 1995, he has been able to fulfill his calling of being a full-time minister. MCKAIN AS A PASTOR When he first started the church, 14 of the founding members were homeless. "We went to the streets, we picked up the people and we started a church with 17 mem- bers at that time," he said, while mentioning Luke 14: 23. Since then, the church's membership has grown both spiritually. Their top priorities are teaching the Gospel and discipline men for the kingdom of God. The church has an active youth group that meets every Friday. In addition, the church evangelizes on both Sundays and Mondays and has "deep- er Pife" Bible studies every Wednesday. In other efforts, they hold an annual baby dedi- cation ceremony for the babies of residents at Miami Rescue Mission's Center for women and children. The church con- ducts a ministry at the rescue mission every first Sunday. Anthony Boykins, who is be- ing trained to be a deacon at the church and is also a gradu- ate of the rescue mission, en- joys going back to the rescue mission center to minister to the residents with his church family. He describes McKain as "a strong man of God." Boykins said McKain trained him and others to be leaders and men of God. "He gave me an opportunity to come and join his church about three years ago, and I've been here ever since," he said. inclinations through counseling and prayer, a stance that infuri- ated gay rights activists. Exodus had seen its influ- ence wane in recent years as mainstream associations rep- resenting psychiatrists and psychologists rejected its ap- proach. However, the idea that gays could be converted to het- erosexuality through prayer persists among some evangeli- cals and fundamentalists. The announcement that Exodus would close was not a total surprise. Last year, Chambers - who is married to a woman but has spoken openly about his own sexual attraction to men said he was trying to dis- tance his ministry from the idea that gays' sexual orientation can be permanently changed or "cured." In his statement Thursday, Chambers said the board had decided to close Exodus and form a new ministry, which he referred to as reducefear.org. He told the AP that the new initiative would seek to promote dialogue among those who've been on opposite sides in the debate over gay rights. "We want to see bridges built, we want peace to be at the fore- front of anything we do in the future," he said. ~&~Tk ~-rnj1~-P Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ will hold an ap- preciation program. Call 786- 447-6956. Pentecostal Church of God will host its annual news conference on June 26-28 at 7:30p.m. Call 786-234- 2917. R Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church will hold a "survival revival" for young adults on June 28-30, ages 18-40. Friday is military night S New Beginnings Church of Deliverance of All Nations will host a Matters of the Heart Tea Party on June 29 at 12 noon. Call 786-312-5205. Christian Fellowship Worship Center will celebrate its choir anniversary June 27-28 at 7:30 p.m. A music worship will be held June 29 at 9 a.m. Mt. Carmel MBC will host Survival Revival" for young adults June 28-30. Call 786-3121450. I Second Chance Ministries to host a Bible study meeting. Call 305-747- 8495. i A Mission With A New Beginning Church Women's Department provides community feeding. Call 786-371-3779. Bethany Seventh Day Adventist Church will host a bereavement sharing group at 3 p.m. 4:30 p.m. every 2nd Sunday. Call 305-634- 2993. 0 Running for Jesus Outreach Youth Ministry will host a "Youth Summer Seminar." Call 954-213- 4332. Center enhances with CEO TACOLCY continued from 12B offer girls indoor volleyball in the fall, and are considering starting a tennis team in addi- tion to the other sports that the Center offers such as: football, basketball, baseball and track and field. Brown also explained that the Center is doing a great job with artistic development, by having events such as poetry slams, but he also wants to create ad- vocacy and service groups so that the youth can become in- volved in that, also. Brown has implemented a management infrastructure for staff that empowers them and gives them the opportuni- ty to grow. Over the past three months, the program has hired three new employees and pro- moted another. It is also work- ing with the city's park and recreation department to make sure that the Center is secure and does not have any breach- es. Brown explained that in the past, the Center has been robbed. They are proactively working to prevent break-ins in the fu- ture but they will be prepared if it happens again, according to Brown. Also, Tacolcy has built new partnerships and revisited old partnerships, which spoke to their priority areas. The Center has recently had new security doors installed and they will soon have an alarm system installed. Brown said he has gotten positive responses while serv- ing as CEO. "I try to lead in a way that suggest that the most impor- tant thing is about helping families and helping children," Brown said. "The staff is overwhelmingly committed, focused and are working very, very hard." Brown said that they not only want to expand the program, but they also want to serve the community in new ways, through new programming. The community can continue to expect to see engaging events from Tacolcy, such as it's up- coming HIV testing event. "Tacolcy will continue to be an open door where members of the Liberty City community, even greater Miami-Dade can come to find help and get assis- tance." Three years from now, the Center will celebrate its 50th anniversary, and Brown ex- plained that he is working with that anniversary in mind. Brown and the staffs goal is for Tacolcy to be strong and vi- able, and here for the families of Liberty City for another 50 years." THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER 14B THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER 15B THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 Too much unnecessary surgery STUDY: SOME DOCTORS TOO UNTRAINED TO AVOID PROCEDURES Aim 'By Peter Eisler and Barbara Hansen Tens of thousands of times each year, patients are wheeled into the nation's op- erating rooms for surgery that isn't necessary, a USA TODAY review of government records and medical databases finds. Some fall victim to preda- tors who enrich themselves by bilking insurers for opera- tions that are not medically justified. Even more turn to doctors who simply lack the competence or training to rec- ognize when a surgical proce- dure can be avoided, either be- cause the medical facts don't warrant it or because there are non-surgical treatments that would better serve the patient. In fact, 'unnecessary sur- geries might account for 10 percent to 20 percent of all operations in some special- ties, including a wide range of cardiac procedures stents, angioplasty and pacemaker implants as well as many spinal surgeries. Knee replace- ments, hysterectomies and cesarean sections are among the other surgical procedures performed more often than needed, according to a review of in-depth studies and data- generated by both government and academic sources. The costs of unnecessary surgeries touch consumers and taxpayers in ways most never imagine. Medicare, Medicaid and their private insurance counter- parts spend billions of dollars on operations that shouldn't be done, draining health care -zr I " 0"T0lOpr1 ;TY, A 20 I .tu V <;;$ ;l anyi5opias'i'. ;:::r <{..;-!:irey ol sten.s, l cases whes act'{e n art ;aitacK sy p;oiTrs, I he p.odujre nas be6i pfovod to x il !A peoi . to hear athac,;. in MIDw, esI--&,1 appex.!ts only to ease angird F;?ier, the pr<'.e d.ufe as' ; . iheoQ anack. st ,ot O- deat," - Consum -1, Reports, 2005 dollars that could go to far bet- ter use. A MATTER OF MONEY, MOSTLY There are three broad cate- gories of unnecessary surgery: the immoral, the incompetent and the indifferent. Doctors who perform need- less operations to enrich themselves are the public face of the problem. Lured by the millions of dollars that can be made by billing Medicare, Medicaid and private insur- ers for expensive procedures that aren't necessary, they've become a top target of inves- tigators who consider this type of health care fraud to be par- ticularly insidious. In most cases of unneces- sary surgery, there is no sin- ister character or criminal intent. The driving factors are more complex and more sub- tle. "I think there are a very small percent of doctors who are crooked, maybe one or two percent," says John Santa, a physician and director of the Consumer Reports Health Rat- ings Center. "I think there's a higher percentage who are not well trained or not competent" to determine when surgery is necessary, Santa says. "Then you have a big group who are more businessmen than medi- cal professionals doctors who look at those gray cases and say, 'Well, I have enough here to justify surgery, so I'm going to do it." The pressures are real. Doc- tors' income can hinge largely on the number of surgeries they do and the revenue those procedures generate. The fee-for-service nature of U.S. health care, where the hospitals and doctors get more money for every operation they perform, essentially rewards those that put more patients under the knife. The 2010 health care law, still being implemented, prom- ises changes in the payment system that may pressure health care providers to, cut unnecessary surgeries, says Lucian Leape, a former sur- geon and professor at the Har- vard School of Public Health. But the key, he says, is to re- define the doctor-patient rela- tionship. Informed or shared decision- making, in which doctors help patients play active roles in choosing their treatment, is the mantra of many patient advocates and a number of surgeons themselves.. 33% women suffer partner abuse WHO: Add- screening to all levels of health care for women By Maria Cheng AP Medical Writer In the first major global re- view of violence against wom- en, a series of reports released Thursday found that about a third of women have been physically or sexually assault- ed by a former or current part- ner. The head of the World Health Organization [WHO], Dr. Mar- garet Chan, called it "a global health problem of epidemic proportions," and other ex- perts said screening for domes- tic violence should be added to all levels of health care. Among the findings: 40 per- cent of women killed worldwide were slain by an intimate part- ner, and being assaulted by a partner was the most common kind of violence experienced by women. Researchers used a broad definition of domestic violence, and in cases where country data was incomplete, estimates were used to fill in the gaps. 7)k 41V2 ." 1'& -AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda Candles for the victims of domestic violence burn during a protest in Bucharest, Romania. About a third of women worldwide have been physically or sexually assaulted by a former or current partner, according to the first major review of violence against women. In a series of papers released June 20, by the World Health Organization and others, experts estimated nearly 40 percent of women killed worldwide were slain by an intimate partner and that be- ing assaulted by a partner was the most common kind of violence experienced by women. ,+ '^ W+i A Sri Lankan woman shouts slogans during a protest to mark International Women's Day in Colombo. Protesters de- manded government action for domestic violence and rape issues in the country. WHO defined physical violence as being slapped, pushed, punched, choked or attacked with a weapon. Sexual violence was defined as being physi- cally forced to have sex, having sex for fear of what the partner , i..1,1 do and being compelled to do something sexual that was humiliating or degrading. The report also examined rates of sexual violence against women by someone other than a partner and found about sev- en percent of women worldwide had previously been a victim. In conjunction with the re- port, WHO issued guidelines for authorities to spot prob- lems earlier and said all health workers should be trained to recognize when women may be at risk and how to respond ap- propriately. Globally, the WHO review found 30 percent of women are affected by domestic or sexual violence by a partner. The re- port was based largely on stud- ies from 1983 to 2010. Accord- ing to the United Nations, more than 600 million women live in countries where domestic vio- lence is not considered a crime. The rate of domestic vio- lence against women was high- est in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, where 37 percent of women experienced physical or sexual violence from a partner at some point in their lifetimes. The rate was 30 percent in Latin America and 23 percent in North America. In Europe and Asia, it was 25 percent. Some experts said screening for domestic violence should be added to all levels of health care, such as obstetric clinics. "It's unlikely that someone would walk into an ER and dis- close they've been assaulted," said Sheila Sprague of McMas- ter University in Canada, who has researched domestic vio- lence in women at orthopedic clinics. She was not connected to the WHO report. However, "over time, if wom- en are coming into a fracture clinic or a pre-natal clinic, they may tell you they are suffering abuse if you ask," she said. For domestic violence figures, scientists analyzed information from 86 countries focusing on women and teens over the age of 15. They also assessed studies from 56 countries on sexual violence by someone other than a partner, though they had no data from the Middle East. WHO experts then used modeling techniques to come up with global estimates for the percentage of women who are victims of violence. Accurate numbers on women and violence are notoriously hard to pin down. A US government survey reported almost two years ago that one in four American women said they were violently attacked by their husbands or boyfriends, and one in five said they were victims of rape or attempted rape, with about half those cases involving intimate partners. o -ld * -* . -a June is Child Vision Awareness Month By Oretha Winston The purr.oJser of this rrionth is "t'., better e-ducrate .-i-nd ,rouns-.l hi.. publli': on children n s .isin problerns .ri-nd detection ':of e' e disetse- in children and in- fants. to rincre.l,,se the num- ber f .r o chol:.d-a-d children who ho\i -rLe ,.-- y^ri bl, 3n eve doctor, and to incie,'ise- the nunibe-r ,f .:hildreri 'Ath leadrnrig dissbihues who have , developmental \qs iri exarn to rule o'ut sicrion problems ' Children's-, v-e health be- gin t- e the rin'\born rnurser, aind should continLiue thr':ugh- ,:.ut childh,:.,:,d. says5 Michael Repkli. MD, professor :.f oph- thalmolog, and pediatnc-:. at Johns H.:.pkjns Uni'.':.rsit,- School ofl Medicine. "F':,r mar,.. children an evduati':'n by o pediatricia-in ma', be ei'.:ugh But if a. child has a family. his- ior'. of vision or ey.' problems or has s'n-j:'tomris hc .or hhe mari, n'ed tLo hay.e .ar, official eve exam." he says If v'..ur child ht-i s:n' r- p- L'jrri-I 01 I ,i' pTiI)h ]eITj5. .-,I- has l ,-mil- mernrber. i ho iear. glasses, she'he ma' need to visit an eye caie professir-nad fr.r e x_.nriin:A r.'.,n. Thei e tire three v rype of e.': specialist'V \Vho can pro'.ide children's c',e and k vision care Ophlth~l-iologist An oph- thahnologisisis a nicdical do,.:- tor '.vwIo Ipr-,iidu's e coIre. such as complete eve c-iexjrrms presci-ibing coneui'e .lenses, diagno.irig and treating eye, disi-see and perfnlrmin- eye surgery. ',Jptietns t .An uptuom- etrist is a health -',Irc T .'.ro:fes- sional \vho can pru\ide. coum- plete eye exam.ns. prescribe ,otTective lenses, drIr,,nIse corinioIn eye disri'ders, .n.l treat selectri evC diseCs\es. Opt.imetrlsts d. e not tre.o-b t more complex eye problems or perlorni sLireer',. ,- ,ti.a An ',pticix- as- sernbles.~t fit.. .ell. anjd fills prescrinptions f.r e lasses I h- s; he.i:dih care providers .:'ari b fou-ind in nic.t cnom- n-er'ciaJ and residential .i-reas orme- mav be I,:,cated in shop- ping malls diid elen larger comrnercl'-d cha-ins Eve-n if there de no- risk factors or fa-rriily, hi t':n'o,- .f eve problems. children need their isic2n 'ehe':k--d ,- t sLX months, three -:ars.r and riL'',-,re first grade. Children's, e,. exams should include the follo.in corrmpo- nents. Inspection of the eye: The health car'- pr':'ider in- spects the eves and eelids. -:an-TS the Van'rious cl,\ muscle mr:,cr-r nts, .ind e.a-rriinez the pupils .n.: I.the reflection of hgl-t from th- back: of the reye Ophthalmoscope: In older childreI, th,. e'- are prL es- sjonaJ exarin'-s the ba,:k of the eyVe Corneal light reflex test- ing: LUsing. r-ll iai-hlieht I he "t alth *a: r,: pr_-'. ,, Ier I,'okal at spot wh'.re- the hliht i re- flected Iron) ithe front surface of the eve. called the cornea Thi-. lihr rneiit,_d should be in sharp oI. u5 and cenc-tered on -boti.h pupils The test result is abnorn.-d if ithe cornema l light rcfl-e:: is nri crisp -aird .I':,r, or if it is off-'enter. Cover testing: This teist detects n-isalignmrri ent :f Lihe eyes While the child focuses on ci targetr, the ex.-miner ,:o%- ers each eve 'r- ..It a timc- to, lI,ok for a "shift' in the e'.es Age appropriate visual acuity testing: LUsig ain ece chart, the examninei atsks the ihild to, re,id niunimeious lirnrs .f characters It s ripO'rt.MnT tL' test c.':ch ee sepa-utely arid to be r-ire th.at rrh, childd is not "peckirig" ,.th the other eye. Health issues faced by Blacks Blacks are affected by and die of many diseases, often- times more than other Ameri- can groups. It is empowering to know that it does not have to be your destiny. It is possible to take your health into your own hanrlds. Following are some of the issues that top the list. 1. DIABETES Diabetes is a metabolic disor- der and affects the way our bod- ies digest food for energy. Basi- cally, it is a disease that allows blood sugar levels to get too high and cause problems in many ar- eas of the body, including skin, mouth, kidneys, -heart, nerves, eyes and feet. It can even cause death. An estimated one in four Black women over the age of 55 has diabetes. It is easily con- trolled by maintaining a healthy weight and proper diet, regular physical activity, and limiting al- cohol intake. 2. ASTHMA This is a chronic disease of the lung and airways that makes breathing difficult. Severe cas- es can be fatal. It also gives its victims a higher risk for osteo- porosis. More than 2.3 million African Americans are reported to have asthma and are three times more likely to die from it than other Americans. Control- ling it can be as simple as lim- iting exposure to second-hand smoke, dust mites, mold and cockroaches. 3. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure increases the risk for heart disease and stroke. Smoking, too much al- cohol, salt, diabetes and obesity can aggravate this condition. The best way to prevent it is to avoid or quit smoking, limit salt and alcohol intake, and main- tain a healthy weight. 4. HIV/AIDS HIV is the leading cause of death for Black women in sever- al age groups. They are 15 times more likely to become infected than white women. Still, one in four new cases in the U.S. are women. Poverty, promiscuity and sexually transmitted dis- eases are all risk factors. Latex condoms are one way to prevent this disease. 5. OBESITY The obesity rate is high in the Black community. Black wom- en have the highest rate com- pared to other groups in the U.S. Although they cherish their uniquely curvy shapes, trying to find a balance between "thick" and fat is not that difficult. Los- ing weight lowers the risks of sleep apnca, arthritis and gall- bladder disease, among others. c~4 THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER 1AR THIF MIAMI TIMFS .lJlll 9A-JlillY 2 9f11 Obamacare unlikely to start on time Health law hits a major snag due to many delays By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar WASHINGTON (AP) There's no guarantee that President Barack Obama's health care law will launch smoothly and on time, congressional investi- gators say in the first in-depth independent look at its prog- ress. But in a report to be released this week, the congressional Government Accountability Of- fice also sees positive signs as the Oct. 1 deadline approaches for new health insurance mar- kets called exchanges to open in each state in many cases over the objections of Republi- can governors. Additionally, the report dis- closes that the administration had spent nearly $400 million as of March to set up the infra- structure of a sprawling system involving major federal agen- cies, every state, hundreds of insurance companies, and mil- lions of citizens, among them many individuals seeking cov- erage for the first time. "Whether (the administra- tion's) contingency planning will assure the timely and smooth implementation of the exchanges by Oct. 2013 cannot yet be determined," the report concluded. A copy was provided to The Associated Press. The administration is taking the lead in setting up the mar- kets in 34 states, the report said - a heavy lift unforeseen when the law was passed. The com- puterized clearinghouse for the entire system a federal "data hub" designed to deliver real- time eligibility rulings has only undergone initial testing. And states have yet to complete many of their assignments. "Much progress has been made in establishing the regu- latory framework and guidance required for this undertak- ing, and (the administration) is currently taking steps to implement key activities of the (exchanges)," the report said. "Nevertheless, much remains to be accomplished within a rela- tively short period of time." Translation: most of the specs have been written, but all wir- ing hasn't been laid, and what will happen when they flip the switch nobody really knows. And remember, Oct. 1 is less than four months away. GAO also issued a similar as- sessment for small-business health insurance markets scheduled to open concurrent- ly. The study shows "this law isn't ready for prime time, and come October millions of Ameri- cans and small businesses are I :' I -- IB .- ' (, ? .. i / The study shows "this law isn't ready for prime time, and come October millions of Americans and small businesses are going to be the ones suffering the consequences," Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. going to be the ones suffering the consequences," Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said in a state- ment. Hatch is the ranking Re- publican on the Senate com- mittee that oversees health care financing. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has steadfastly maintained the new insurance markets will open on schedule in all 50 states and Washington, DC. Middle-class people with no access to job-based coverage will be able to buy private in- surance, in most cases with new tax credits to help pay pre- miums. Low-income people will be steered to public programs like Medicaid in states that opt to accept an expansion offered under the law. Coverage starts Jan. 1. An estimated seven million individuals are expected to sign up through the exchang- es next year, while Medicaid rolls will grow by nine million. Those numbers are projected to steadily increase as Ameri- cans get more familiar with the law and its benefits. Exchang- es are supposed to deliver the same basic service, connecting consumers with new coverage, whether they're run by states or by the federal government. Most people currently covered by employers are not expected to see major changes, although some companies with many low-wage workers may decide it's better for their bottom lines to drop their plans. The GAO report did not ad- dress one of the major obstacles to the rollout of the health care law entrenched opposition from Republicans in Congress and from many GOP state lead- ers. Having failed to get the Su- preme Court to strike down "Obamacare" last year, Repub- licans in Congress have kept trying to repeal it, managing to block administration requests for additional implementation funds. In the states with some notable exceptions Re- publican governors and legisla- tures have generally refused to set up state-run exchanges or expand Medicaid. However, the report found that some states where the law has run into resistance also seem to be simultaneously try- ing to accommodate it. GAO said that of the 34 states in which the federal government is taking the lead in setting up the new markets, 15 are expected to carry out at least some func- tions of the exchanges. That could be a stepping stone to full state control later. The report also included a breakdown of spending on the Michelle Obama 'wraps' healthy recipe contest By Jennifer SteinhauerThe three were among the ''* in preparing healthy meals," Judges on a panel evaluating t said Kass, who runsObama's e .. A I.t's Move program and is also WASHINGTON The tables, which stretched the length of a full city block, were covered with pork lettuce wraps, cat- fish, spring rolls, all manner of vegetable soup and some- thing called lunchtime waffles. Sam Kass, Michelle Obama's senior policy adviser on nutri- tion, leaned over a pork dish, stabbed it with a fork, then delivered his approbation. "Fantastic." Robert C. Post, an associate executive director at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, seemed less moved by flavors. He carved into a small chicken potpie like an entomologist vivisecting an arthropod and studied the recipe for its nutri- tional content. "Yes, creative, O.K.," he said. Sabrina Burton bypassed it all. "I'm going for the pizza," she announced, perhaps be- cause she is 10. the 108 recipe tinalists among scores entered in a recent East Wing healthy recipe contest. Their task was to whittle the entries from every state and four U.S. territories to 54 win- ners, whose authors will join Michelle Obama at the White House for a "state dinner" next month. The two-year-old contest, the brainchild of Tanya Steel, editor of the food Web site Epicurious, is part of Obama's continuing agenda to improve the eating habits of America's children. While much of her focus has been on exercise and improv- ing school lunches, the cam- paign this year is trying to get people to cook better and more nutritionally. "This is an incredible oppor- tunity to utilize the platform -we have in the White House to incentivize kids to get engaged .-. -..... "^/w T ~. ',It- Q& ri Ho V 7 .-U- .U 1 -Brendan Smialowski/Agence France-Presse Michelle Obama was joined by students last month as they picked vegetables from the kitch- en garden on the South Lawn of the White House. an assistant White House chef. (Perhaps you heard he was furloughed. It was one day. Relax.) "We see these young kids who have worked with their families to come up with these recipes be treated as heroes as they go back to their cities and towns," Kass said. "We are try- ing to give families recipes and tools to help make it easier for people to eat well." More than 1,300 families with children ages eight reci- pes that adhered to the latest U.S.D.A. nutritional guidelines and contained each of the food groups with fruits and vegeta- bles making up half the plate. Recipes, which were required to be original, were judged 50 percent on their nutritional value, 25 percent on taste and 25 percent on creativity. Please turn to HEALTHY 18B Red-meat intake linked to increased risk of diabetes Experts still looking at what other factors contribute to disease By Nancy Hellmich The latest nutritiron news may put a damper on "our desire to. grill hot does. pork chops and T-bonie steaks this summer Increasing your intake of red meat over time is associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, savs a large. long-term studv,' out last Mon- day. ,Other research has linked consumption of both utnpro- cessed and processed r,-d meat to diabetes, but this study tracked the risk of developing the disease over a long time because people s eating behav- iors olten change through the years "This is stronger evidence that red meat consumption contributes to an increased risk of diabetes." says the study's senior author Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Har- vard School of Public Health. For the latest study, re- searchers analyzed data from three Harvard studies that tracked 149.,000 health-care professionals who completed questionnaires about their di- ets even,- four years The men and women were followed for 12 to 16 y-ears Red meat con- sumption varied widely, but on average people ate 1 '., servings a day The findings. published un- line in JAMA JI-ournal of the American Medic al Associationl Internal Mledicine, show. People who increased their intake of red meat by as little as a half a serving a day (about 1 5 ounces) had a 4S percent increased nsk of developing type 2 diabetes o-. er a four-year period, compared with people who did not change their red- meat intake Eating more red meat was associated with weight gain. and that weight gain account- ed for some but not all of the increased risk of developing the disease. People who decreased their red-meat intake by half a serv- ing a day over four years did not have a short-term reduced risk of developing the disease in the next four years. but they had a reduced risk of de\elop- ing the disease by 14 percent over the next 10 years or so, suggesting a long-term effect The findings apply to both processed red meat. such as lunch meat and hot dogs. and unprocessed red meat, such as hamburger, steak and pork. but the association '.as stron- ger for processed meat. says lead author An Pan of the Na- tional University of Singapore who worked on the study v.'while he was at Harvard Diabetes afflicts almost 26 million adults and children in the U.S. Most have type 2 dia- betes. About 79 million Ameri- cans have prediabetes The long-term complications ol the disease include heart attacks. stroke, blindness, kidney fail- uire, nerve damage and ampu- tations. Hu says the high amount of sodium and nitrites in pro- cessed meats are possible fac- tors contributing to diabetes The heme iron in red meat also may be one of the contributing factors he says. Although iron helps present anemia, man- people in this country have iron overload, v.hich is a nrisk factor for diabetes, he say's He advises reducing the crnsump- tion of these types of meats and incorporating more nuts, low-fat dairy and whole grains into meals. Saturated fat causes the in- flamrimation in the body which increases the risk uf bad things like heart disease and diabetes. Antibacterial soap bad? By Nick Tate Early exposure to a comminon antibacterial chemical found in many soaps and consumer products has been found to shorten lifespan, according to new research involving rats. The study, presented at the Endocrine Society's 95th annu- al meeting in San Francisco this week, determined a mother's exposure to triclocarban while nursing her babies shortens the life of her female offspring. "Our study provides support- ing evidence for the potential adverse effects of triclocarban exposure during early life, spe- cifically during the lactation period," said lead researcher Rebekah Kennedy, a graduate student in the Department of Public Health at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. "The results indicate that a mother's long-term use of this compound might affect the ear- ly development of her offspring, at least according to our animal model." Past studies have shown tric- locarban can affect the growth of sex organs in adult male rats. For the new study, the re- searchers sought to learn if ex- posure to the compound, either in the womb or during lacta- tion,, would affect rat pups. SDuring pregnancy and con- tinuing until 21 days after giv- ing birth, female rats were di- vided into two groups one fed regular rat chow and the other food supplemented with triclo- carban. federal exchanges and the data hub, which the administration had not previously provided, despite ongoing requests by media organizations. As of March, the administra- tion had spent almost $394 mil- lion, mostly through payments to 55 different contractors. That figure does not include the sala- ries of hundreds of government officials dedicated to the mas- sive project. That project is for- ever linked to Obama's legacy. The largest single ledger item: $84 million for the federal ex- change computer infrastruc- ture, being designed and built by CGI Federal, Inc., a Virginia- based government contractor. The contractor building the data hub, Maryland-based Quality Software Services, Inc., received $55 million. Third on the contracting to- tem pole was Booz Allen Ham- ilton, which received nearly $38 million to provide technical as- sistance for enrollment and eli- gibility. The report said the adminis- tration will need another $2 bil- lion in the next fiscal year to es- tablish and operate the federal exchanges. Of that, Congress would have to provide $1.5 bil- lion, while user fees paid by in- surers account for the remain- der. It's unclear if congressional Republicans will sign off on the funding. Hea th Sponsored by North Shore Medical Center "Once You Know, It's Where To Go" SECTION B MIAMI, FLORIDA, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 TES I DA urges 13-64 to get tested Ensure people get tested support, effective care for those infected By Ryan Jaslow Tomorrow is National HIV Testing Day, a day to raise awareness to let Americans know how and how often to get an HIV Test. In the U.S. about 1.2 million people are living with HIV but only about one in five of them don't know they're infected. That's why the Centers for Disease Control and Preven- tion [CDC] encourages every- one ages 13-64 to get tested for HIV at least once. The agency also urges high-risk individuals including gay and bisexual men, injection drug users or people with multiple sex partners to get tested once a year. Sexually active gay and bi- sexual men may benefit from more frequent testing every three to six months, the CDC said. Pregnant women should get tested early in their preg- nancy so doctors can take steps to prevent HIV from transmitting to the baby. National HIV Testing Day was first founded in 1995 by the National Association of People with AIDS [NAPWA], which continues to lead the charge with support from the CDC and Aids.gov. "To achieve the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strat- egy, we must ensure that people get tested and that those who are HIV-positive are linked to timely and ef- fective care," CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden, said in a blog on AIDS. gov "To do Please turn to HIV 12B ow -By Samantha Radecki /The State News Kathy Nigro, left, a registered nurse at the Ingham County Health Department talks with Vennishia Smith, right, HIV/ STD prevention coordinator for Ingham County Health Depart- ment, while volunteering at the health department, 5303 S. Ce- dar St. in Lansing, on National HIV Testing Day. On Wednesday morning, the health department offered free and confidential STD and HTV testing. Pill prevents HIV among risk groups By Donald G.Mcneil, Jr. Drug-injecting addicts who took a daily antiretroviral pill were half as likely to become infected with HIV. as those who did not, a major new study has found, providing the final piece of evidence that such treatments can prevent AIDS in every group at risk. The accumulating evidence from clini- cal trials means antiretroviral drugs are increasingly seen as another in the arsenal- of weapons to prevent AIDS, along with condoms, abstinence and fidelity; early antiretroviral treatment; male circumcision in Africa; microbi- cide gels; and other options. The formal results of the study, which involved 2,400 drug users in Please turn to PILL 12B Vaccine cuts HPV in girls by 56% CDC: More teens need to be inoculated By Mike Stobbe ATLANTA (AP) A vaccine against a cervical cancer virus cut infections in teen girls by half in the first study to measure the shot's impact since it came on the market. The results impressed health experts and a top government top health official called them striking. The research released Wednesday echoes studies done before the HPV vaccine became available in 2006. But the new study is the first evidence of just how well it works now that it is in general use. Only about half of teen girls in the U.S. have gotten at least one dose of the expensive vaccine, and just a third of teen girls have had all three shots, according to the latest govern- ment figures. "These are striking results and I think they should be a wake-up call The groundbreaking vaccine that prevents cervical cancer in girls is gaining a reputation as the most painful of childhood shots. that we need to increase vaccination rates," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, di- rector of the Centers for Disease Con- trol and Prevention. Cervical cancer is caused by certain types of the common sexually trans- mitted virus called HPV, for human papillomavirus. The vaccine, which costs about $130 per dose, protects against a few of those strains, includ- ing two blamed for 70 percent of cer- vical cancers. The shots work best if given before someone is sexually ac- tive so the emphasis has been on giv- ing the shots to 11- and 12-year olds. The CDC study compared infection rates in girls ages 14 to 19 before and after the vaccine became available. The proportion infected with the tar- geted HPV strains dropped 56 per- cent, from about 12 percent before the vaccine was sold to five percent. That result was for all teens after it was on the market, whether or not they were vaccinated. Among girls who had gotten the vaccine, the drop in HPV infections was higher 88 percent. There are two vaccines against HPV, but the study mainly reflects the im- pact of Gardasil, the Merck & Co. vac- cine that came on the market in 2006. A second vaccine approved in 2009 - GlaxoSmithKline's Cervarix prob- ably had relatively little bearing on the results, said the CDC's Dr. Lauri Markowitz, the study's lead author. Both vaccines are approved for use in males and females in ages nine to 26 for females, and nine to 21 in males. The vaccine was only recom- mended for boys in late 2011, and the CDC has not yet reported data on how many boys have gotten the shot since then. HPV vaccination requires three shots over six months. A.M.A. now recognizes obesity as a disease May push physicians to pay more attention and spur insurers to pay for and cover treatments JA V * By Andrew Pollack The American Medical Asso- ciation has officially recognized obesity as a disease, a move that could induce physicians to pay more attention to the condition and spur more in- surers to pay for treatments. In making the decision, dele- gates at the association's annu- al meeting in Chicago overrode a recommendation against do- ing so by a committee that had studied the matter "Recognizing obesity as a dis- ease will help change the way the medical community tackles this complex issue that affects *approximately one in three Americans," Dr. Patrice Harris, a member of the association's board, said in a statement'. She suggested the new definition would help in the fight against Type 2 diabetes and heart dis- ease, which are linked to obe- sity. To some extent, the question of whether obesity is a disease or not is a semantic one, since there is not even a universally agreed upon definition of what constitutes a disease. And the A.M.A.'s decision has no legal authority. Still, some doctors and obe- sity advocates said that having the nation's largest physician group make the declaration would focus more attention on obesity. And it could help im- prove reimbursement for obe- sity drugs, surgery and coun- seling. "I think you will probably see from this physicians taking obesity more seriously, coun- seling their patients about it," said Morgan Downey, an ad- vocate for obese people and publisher of the online Downey Obesity Report. "Companies marketing the products will be able to take this to physicians and point to it and say, 'Look, the mother ship has now rec- ognized obesity as a disease.'" Two new obesity drugs - Qsymia from Vivus, and Belviq from Arena Pharmaceuticals and Eisai have entered the Please tur to OBESITY 12B -Ted Grudzinski/A.M.A. Dr. Patrice Harris said the obesity definition would help in the fight against heart dis- ease. Sugary diets and weight issue. .01 1. ,.L1. 1.. 1 1 jaTEa . If "L'vjisi-' gJim lp"' am, - 18B THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER AMA calls attention to the obese OBESITY continued from 17B market in the last year. Qsymia has not sold well for a variety of reasons, including poor reimbursement and dis- tribution restrictions imposed because of concerns that the drug can cause birth defects. Those restrictions are now be- ing relaxed. Belviq went on sale only about a week ago, so it is too early to tell how it is doing. Whether obesity should be called a disease has long been debated. The Obesity Society official- ly issued its support for clas- sifying obesity as a disease in 2008, with Downey as one of the authors of the paper. The Internal Revenue Service has said that obesity treat- ments can qualify for tax de- ductions. In 2004, Medicare removed language from its coverage manual saying obesity was not a disease. Still, Medicare Part D, the prescription drug benefit, in- cludes weight loss drugs among those it will not pay for, along with drugs for hair growth and erectile dysfunction. The vote of the A.M.A. House of Delegates went against the conclusions of the associa- tion's Council on Science and Public Health, which had stud- ied the issue over the last year. The council said that obe- sity should not be considered a disease mainly because the measure usually used to define obesity, the body mass index, is simplistic and flawed. Some people, with a B.M.I. above the level that usually defines obesity are perfectly healthy while others below it can have dangerous levels of body fat and metabolic prob- lems associated with obesity. "Given the existing limita- tions of B.M.I. to diagnose obe- sity in clinical practice, it is unclear that recognizing obe- sity as a disease, as opposed to a 'condition' or 'disorder,' will result in improved health out- comes," the council wrote. The council summarized the arguments for and against call- ing obesity a disease. Pill joins arsenal of HIV weapons PILL continued from 17B Thailand, showed that tak- ing tenofovir pills a therapy known as pre-exposure prophy- laxis, or PrEP reduced infec- tions by 49 percent. Addicts who took the pills regularly, based on measures of tenofovir in their blood, did much better: They were 74 percent less likely to become infected. "This is an exciting day," said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of HIV prevention for the Cen- ters for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. "This cul- minates a decade of PrEP research." Prophylaxis usually involves taking a daily pill of tenofovir or tenofovir plus another drug, but can also include antiretro- viral-laced vaginal gels used be- fore sex and the use of various antiretroviral drugs by infected mothers just before they give birth. The potential impact of the treatment for drug addicts is greatest in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where they ac- count for up to 80 percent of infections. Many countries in those regions, for religious and political reasons, outlaw proven tactics like handing out clean needles or offering methadone or other needle-free opioid sub- stitutes. About 10 percent of the new infections in the world and about eight percent of those in the United States are thought to result from needle sharing. The new five-year study was run by Thai researchers with CDC. support through 17 Bangkok drug-treatment clin- ics. Winners will dine at White House HEALTHY continued from 16B Some hit the mark on calo- ries, but were sadly uninspir- ing on the plate fish with no verve, chili devoid of any sea- soning. "You don't need salt!" insisted Kass. Well, yes you do. "Last year it was all about quinoa and strawberries," said Steel. "This year, lots of salmon and Greek yogurt. It seems like every plate has a message." Last Thursday Obama will announce the winners, who will attend a lunch at the White House on July 9, during which they will chow down on healthy food including a selection of the winning recipes and visit the White House kitchen gar- den. "Our Kids' State Dinner is one of my favorite events of the year," Obama said in a state- ment. "And the kid chefs who come from around the country never cease to impress and in- spire me with their creativity and ingenuity." The simple act of creating the meals for the judges was some- thing to behold. Each recipe, scaled to a serving, was pre- pared in the Washington Con- vention Center by cooks from D.C. Central Kitchen, a com- munity kitchen that trains un- employed adults to cook. "It's a herculean task," Steel said, noting the sprawl of tables cov- ered with "bodacious banana muffins," "nummy no-noodle lasagna" and the like. Judges moved along the tables like so many guests on a cruise ship, tasting and then discarding their forks into a basket for washing. It was a feel-good situation, but since it was also Washing- ton, some controversy arose. CDC to make tests more accessible HIV continued from 17B this, it is imperative that we in- crease the number of people who are routinely tested for HIV in health care settings, and also make it easier for people to get tested in com- munity settings." The national strategy, released in July 2010, serves as an "ambitious" road- map for the federal government and other groups to fight HIV/ AIDS. An example of an approach the CDC is trying to get more people tested is a $1.2 million initiative to train pharmacists and other staff at 12 rural and 12 urban pharmacies to pro- vide free rapid HIV testing. "We know that getting people tested, diagnosed and linked to care are critical steps in re- ducing new HIV infections," Dr. Kevin Fenton, director of CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, said in a news re- lease. "By bringing HIV testing into pharmacies, we believe we can reach more people by mak- ing testing more accessible and also reduce the stigma associ- ated with HIV." 4 S'-- ---------------------------------- Wade In Memoriam Wade EARNEST WARE, SR., 89 * retired construction worker, died In loving memory of, | June 19 at home. Service 10 BENTJAMIN LEWIS '- l" a.m., Friday at Greater Mt. Everett aka "UNCLE BIUSTER" Missionary Baptist Church. 01/28/1932 06/28/2012 To my beloved husband, con- -. HONOR YOUR LOVED gratulation on your first 365 days of singing in God's choir. ONE WITH AN Just sing baby, nothing to stop you now. IN MEMORIAJ I Make sure you visit pet heav- en and see our beloved son IN THE MIAMI TIMES Goldie. Mamie, sons, grandchildren, I love you both always, great grands and a special 305-694-6225 Your loving wife, niece Geraldine Solomon. 11 -I- *., -. ..r' .<.,' ._'1 ., -. '.. : ^.1- +' .,:', ti - "- <,'-' -.- ^ . -- .* r -^ -'^-" , UrhFi~et Apostolic Revival Center 6702 N.W. 15th Avenue Order of Services Wmi Inrpl ,..,i vP,'J , -' i li IT I I? T I l,, i'i. ,I M. IffhiiN f l) pF,T St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church 1470 N.W. 87th Street 31yf:firll t, Liberty City Church of Christ 1263 N.W. 67th Street Order of Servihes I, Woot I I I ,i a, i, R l, h ,'r, III I, m I" ~ I'h,.. ,ljl,.,O-w p '.1,-3.F. Jordan Grove Missionary Baptist Church 5946 N.W. 12th Avenue Order of Services [ .,) IV O',h, '1 , i NIP IDUS , IN ',. hyl, I ,M W ,,, h, 4I, 4 ,, MI, i du t.0 )1', , New Vision For Christ St. John Baptist Church Ministries 1328 N.W. 3rd Avenue 13650 N.E. 10th Avenue12 .3Ae Order of Services Ordei cf Services ',Iill lihl I ) 'S0 I16 d SI i h l 'i .1)a M I d M, ',i.'' M, ". h II.,, i ,' .. :,4- iMiitrinin Wv'hip cI nfiTI I,, ,i,,', ... .-. tl, . -. ; Proyer mid Bible Sludy '^"'.^ di ijE '"l'f iij"'11"" lop''' Uy^4 '4 PA i. '" h,, ,, ', ;1 ,, ,' ,' *,P*", M eehiriq .. il.'P i P IT l W udl,,d, li.t llI ;,,t;. "1 a, 11;' '._23 "'':,I Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Brownsville 2799 N.W. 46th Street I *4j ,. I , ----. -- Order of Serimces S^ '.', ^ ,,, h,,- ....... 1i .... 'Rev -- _r i M,,I ,,i1'1,, ,r 'i,,. ,ti, I- "' ^ ^ ",~'ll'lI Wll .. .. CFYCORPORATE.ORG See the Grand Master of Celestial Lodge, Architect of the Universe (ome and I will give you rest. Yahweh Muatthew 11:28 P. 0 Box472-426 Marm., Fl. 33147-2426 lBs.com/jobs Zion Hope Missionary Baptist 5129 N.W. 17th Avenue Ili'~/ *Il4 I i .lllil,/.tii I f l Order of Services 1'Jd 1 ': ,h....i re l'* ,1 ,i, S*"... .. ".. l- ,, ., I,,,- , y - .i ,, ",T. i \^tS^ny \ P'l~~I.."' Vi-iH *"' Brownsville Church of Christ 4561 N.W. 33rd Court ..... .-- Order of Servi(es ,, 'l j,1), ;1 ,+l ...1'. LL 1.. ... ... Hosanna Community Baptist Church 2171 N.W. 56th Street _, '''' '''I '+ O o ....... Order of Services I iti Rev ChrlsLe Dn in New Birth Baptist Church, The Cathedral of Faith International 2300 N.W. 135th Street Order of Services Sunday Worship 7 a m, S I I amrn,/7p.m. Sunday S(hool 9 30 a m Tuesday (Bible Study) 6 45p m. Wednesday Bible Sludy 10:45 a rm I (800) 254-NBBC 305-685.3700 Fa. 305.685.0/05 *W iiewftbirlhbapisimiami org Pembroke Park Church of Christ 3707 S.W. 56th Avenue Hollywood, FL 33023 i Order ol 5ev,ces Sunday Bible Study 9 a Sm Morning Worship 10a m S' Evening War;hip 6pm Wednesday Gneral Bible SludV 7 30 p m led G r levision Program Sueic Foundaiion My33 WBFS, (om(asi 3 Sarurday 7.30 a m wB,," [,ei.nbloLepalk(hu lt (hr.iS] lomn p r,,,r iirporl,,']ui''bellsouih nhl | -.45 "Y -. y ... ^.:'n; - :.4 -. :; : ' I I 1 305-836-0942 Pastor Rev. Car Tlhe -Miami mines S b : pW. "- +: ,I I 19B THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 Hadley Davis Miami Gardens CYNTHIA PHILIPS, 67, housekeeper, died June 11 at Select Specialty Hospital. Service 10 a.m., Saturday at Grace United Community V Church. JACQUELENE HUNTLEY, 38, homemaker, died June 16 Service 11 a.m., |-r-' ,^ Saturday at ' Love Fellowship Ministries. . ANNIE McSWAIN, 79, s upecasor, r sor, died June 21 at Memorial West Hospital. Service 11 a.m., Saturday at Shekinah Glory Ministries. TRAMEKA LOVE WILSON, 37, cashier, hl died June 20 Jn at Jackson w . North Hospital. . Service 1 p.m., Saturday at Pentecostal Tabernacle International. JOHN BROWN, 77, died June 12. Services were held. JOE BETSY, 58, died June 9. Services were held. SARAH ROSS, 64, died June 11. Services were held. Grace DORIS L. COLE, 59, registered nurse, died June .. 18, Service 10 a.m., Saturday at New Shiloh Missionary Bap- tist Church. ELNORA RAHMING BAIN, 98, housewife, died June 13. Survivors: four daughters, Mae Dawn Harper, Velva Cosetta Ran- som, Kathleen Woods- Rich- ardson and Katherine Bain James; Son, Scottie Miller. Services were held. Royal EMMA LEE PRINGLE, 59, retired passport ?- - inspector, died Junep.m., Saturday home. Daughter of Deacon Johnson and the late Alma Viola Pringle. Service 2 p.m., Saturday at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Miami Gardens. EUGENE LONNIE EVANS, SR., retired business owner, died June 2 at Memorial Raven; special devoted friend S uPeggy Finley. Services were held in EugeJacksonville, JrFL. Gena, Eric, Todd and Erron Evans; grandkids, Christopher, Ian, and Raven; special devoted friend Peggy Finley. Services were held in Jacksonville, FL. MELVENE ROBINSON, 72, retired certified nursing assistant, died June 17 at Leesburg R e g i o n a l Medical Center. Service 11 a.m., D. PALMER- rS Saturday at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Miami Gardens. Wright and Young BERNARD TURNER, 67, retired, died June 21 at Ryder - Trauma Center. Service 1 p.m., Saturday at Antioch of Brownsville. VARDON ALONSO HADLEY aka "GUMMY", 43, clerk, died June 24 in Burtner, NC. include: mother, Barbara Cooper g rand mother, Mother Geneva Nance; son, Vardon Alonso Hadley, JR., and a host of family and friends. Arrangements are incomplete. DEACON WADE DAVIS, JR., 81, retired truck j driver, died June 20 at North- Shore Medical Center. Viewing-- 5-8 p.m., Friday at Holy Ghost Church of God, 8157 NW 22 Avenue. Service 11 a.m., Saturday at Pentecostal Church of God, 2295 NW 59 Street. WILLIE C. ROUNDTREE, 71, retired laborer, died June 22. Service 1 p.m., Saturday at. First Baptist of Brownsville, 4300 NW 23 Avenue, Miami, . FL 33142.,'. BETTY JEAN MORGAN, 74, nursing assistant, died June 24. Viewing 10a.m.- 8 p.m., Friday in the chapel. Service 2 p.m., Saturday at Drake Memorial Baptist Church. CLEVELAND 79, retired maintenance worker. Viewing 10 a.m. 8 p.m., Friday in the chapel Service 10 a.m Saturday at Gospel Arena M. THOMAS International Miami Church. ANNA MARIE WILLIAMS, 57, security guard, died June 23 at Aventura Hospital. Service 11 a.m., Thursday In the chapel. CHARLIE LEE WOOLFOLK, 98, housewife, died June 24 at Mt. Sinai Hospital. Service 11a.m., at Peaceful Zion MB Chui Saturday rch. NORRIS MARIE SOUTHWOOD SMITH, 83, operator, died June 18 at home. Service 10 a.m., Saturday at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Hollywood. Emmanuel BARBARA BFNNETT, 68, homemaker, died June 23 at - Jackson North :; Medical Center. *. Service 11 a.m., i-i'- S Saturday at Mt i . Tabor Baptist "Crh Church in Miami, Fred Hunter JERRY ARNOLD JENKINS, 63, died May 31 . at North Shore Nursing Home. Services were .-" held.' Hall Ferguson Hewitt MAGGRIE MCDANIEL, 85, retired nurs- - ing assistant, ..s died June 19 at I Jackson North. -. Service 11:30 l . a.m., Thursday :. - at Soul Saving p -.-. .:-" Church of Opa- locka. I Hadley Davis MLK ELAINE SMITH, 53, died June 19 at Kindred Service 11 am. Saturday in the chapel. JEAN CLAUDE REIMERS, 74, died June 22 --- at Berkshire Manor Hospital. Service 1 p.m., Saturady in the chapel. DAOUD TAFARI, 54, died June 21 at home. Services were hel held. MARQUIS O'HAIR, 21, student, died June 23. -J Arrangements h are incomplete. ELOISE STORR, 74, retired CNA, died June 25 at Memorial Regional Arrangements ... . ai-; incomplete. i ZANDREW KEMP, 56, died June 12. Services were held. JAMES HALL, 69, died June 12. Services were held. JOHN GUY, 73, died June 7. Services were held. WILLIE JAMES CALHOUN, SR., 82, died June 15. Services were held. MINNIE WILLIAMS, 84, died June 15. Services were held. Roy Mizell & Kurtz MARIA H. ARENAS, a native Miamian, was born March 10, 1947 (Christian Hospital) and "Overtown. Maria left us on June 21, 2013 at 4:13 p.m., at Memorial West Hospital, in Pembroke Pines, Florida. She is a retired teacher and school administrator with Miami Dade County Public Schools. She is a graduate of Miami Northwestern Senior High School, Class of 1965. She earned a Bachelors of Science in Speech and Drama from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, Masters of Science in Secondary Education Curriculum and Instruction from Nova University. Maria was a candidate for an EDd. from Nova University in Educational /Organizational Leadership. Rosary 6 p.m. today, at St. Philip Neri, 15700 NW 20 Avenue Road, Opa-locka, FL 33316. Service 11 a.m., Thursday at St. Maxmilian Kolbe, 701 North Hiatus Road, Pembroke Pines, FL 33024. Richardson VANNESS WHITE, 36, died June 24 at North " Shore Hospital. are incomplete. Hl _MB| ._. _- Paradise JEFFREY L. POPE, 48, died June 15 at Kendall Regional Medical Center. Service 12 p.m., Saturday at Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church. ,-A -" 5 T -:- dIP .; Gregg L. Mason DOLLIA ELOISE CLIETT, 64, administrative secretary, Mi- ami-Dade Clerk of Courts, died June 23. Sur- vivors include: son, Damon 'A . Cliett (Trenea); daughter, Samia Paramore (James); three grand- children; brothers, Hayward Reyn- olds, Bobby Reynolds (Sara Ann) and McArthur Reynolds; sisters, Clara Allen and Edith McGhee; and a host of relatives and friends. Viewing 5 7 p.m., Friday at Pen- tecostal Tabernacle, 18415 NW 7th Avenue. Service 10 a.m., Saturday at the church. Interment: Southern Memorial Park. Death Notice e l e * ** ,YVONNE B. -, TAYLOR- BENNETT, 67, homemaker, - ..,; . -^ *. died June 24. Viewing 2-8 p.m., Friday in the chapel. Service 11 a'' m., Saturday in -the chapel. Service entrusted - to Range Funeral Home. Happy Birthday- YVONNE B. TAYLOR- BENNETT, 57, homemaker, died June 24. Viewing 2-8 p.m., Friday in the chapel. Service 11 a.m., Saturday in the chapel. Service entrusted to Range Funeral Home. Happy Birthday In loving memory of, WW-7-- MRS. ANNIE MAE JACKSON ALLEN 06/24/1928 06/28/2012 Happy 85th Birthday Mud- da, we miss you. Sometimes when we first awake, we think that you're still here, And for a fleeting moment, the clouds all disappear. For you brought endless sunshine until you went away, And now we miss you des- perately each minute of the day. You would not like to see us sad, so what we try to do, Is live a bright and happy life in memory of you. For though well always miss you and it's dreadful being apart, We haven't really lost you, you're still here in our heart. Your loving children, Denise and Darrell Allen. Death Notice ELDER THOMAS BERNARD WALKER, 50, died June 23 at Jackson North Hospital. Viewing 6 p.m. 9 p.m., Friday at Eric L. Wilson Mortuary. Service 11 a.m., Saturday at Bethel Apostolic Temple, 1855 NW 119 Street, Miami, FL 33167. In Memoriam Card of Thanks In loving memory of, ANTHONY DARNELL FLOWERS "ANT" 05/24/1966 07/01/2012 God has you in His keeping and you will never be forgot- ten. Love always, The Flowers family. In Memoriam In loving memory of, ,., -.. _-% .. ;a - .. ;:. -.:.- .w ''* "3 The family of the late, CARL LEWIS please accept this open let- ter as our sincere thanks and appreciation for your many prayers, gifts, cards, flowers, words of comfort and other deeds of kindness during our time of bereavement. Special thanks to Richard- son Funeral Home for their outstanding service. Mere words cannot express how much your expressions of sympathy provided comfort and serenity during our diffi- cult time of loss. May God Bless and keep you always. The Lewis family In Memoriam In loving memory of, DEACON WOODROW FRANKLIN 08/14/1936 06/28/2012 It has been one year since God called you home, al- though it seems like yester- day. I sit alone in the darkness of despair and cry silent tears. My heart is broken into a million tiny pieces. The si- lence is deafening. The loneliness surrounds me and takes my breath away. This is the pattern of my life since that dreadful day. Without a clue, without a hint of what was to come, God took you away from me and calledyou home. .. . When the sun rises each day, I walk, I talk and I car- ry on trying to be strong.., but when darkness falls and evening comes, I cannot fall asleep, for this is when I miss you most all. Then I curl up and cry those silent tears, only to remember that you are no longer of this world. You now inhabit a place of no return, no matter the tears or how much I yearn. All I have left are memories. Cher- ish them I will, but would give everything I have for just one more day with you. So I will continue living, crying those silent tears, watching the shadows, miss- ing you and trying to be strong without you. Your loving wife, Rubye In Memoriam In loving memory of, CHARLES E. BLAKELY, SR. 12/25/1918 06/26/2008 Your loving wife, Alean; five children, three grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, ex- tended family and friends. We all miss you! The Blakely family. FIRST LADY JINNIE COOPER 01/15/2012 Mommy and daddy, we re- alize that earth lost is heav- en's gain. We send our love all the way from earth to glory; we will forever cherish you and your memories. Happy birthday mommy, happy one year homegoing. Mommy and daddy. Love always, Latravia, Tra'von and family Happy Birthday In loving memory of, V" GREGGORY GOSHA "VIK" 06/27/1979 01/01/2004 We love you always, The Gosha and Bentley families. .1 1 THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER THF NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER 20B THE MIAMI TIMES. JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 e ainment FASHION HIP Hop Music FOOD DINING ARTS & CULTURE PEOPLE r .. ... .. THE MP AMI TIMES CELEBRATING BLACK MUSIC MONTH J-n a.yo'hnnysan ucm -"M.a;king ao-""u ni an mc much more w Making a joyful noise and much, much more Miami native praises God from Paris to Perrine By D. Kevin McNeir kmcneir@miamitimesonline.com Miami native Johnny Sanders, 40, remembers doing his own rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" when he was just a second grade student at Carol City Elementary when his teacher told him that he had "a voice." And it was that positive influ- ence. he says. that showed him that he indeed had a gift that needed to be cultivated. Today he's a highly-respected gos- pel artist that writes his own lyrics, travels the world performing and has even garnered both a Grammy and Stellar Gospel Music Awards nomination for his debut CD "Life- SSAPP SAPP ADAMS time." But Sanders is more than just a singer -he's also a 20-year veteran in the field of entertain- ment programming, marketing and advertising, planning tours for such industry greats like Marvin Sapp and Vanessa Bell Armstrong. He recently returned to the States from Europe after a four-month stint as a featured lead vocalist for the Gos- pel 100 Voice Choir's 2013 Gospel World Tour. "We were in Rome for Easter and while it was cold and snowy, the choir was on fire for the Lord," he said. "The message in my music is always about love, hope, restoration and salvation. I think people come to gospel concerts because they realize that they can draw strength and inspiration from the music. It's still the kind of music that touches the heart and soul." MIAMI'S GOSPEL SOUND IS A VARIETY OF STYLES Sanders has shared his talent inseveral locally- and nationally- staged productions including Berna- dine Bush's "You Haven't Heard Me Till Now," Malik 'oba's "What's On the Hearts of Men" and several hit plays by Michael Matthews includ- ing "Money Can't Buy You Love" and "Secret Lover." And with two CDs under his belt, Sanders says he's back in the studio now working on his next project. But on Sundays, Please turn to SANDERS 3C TAP DANCING TEEN CURTIS HOLLAND HIS -BIG BREAK .- i.'w r-. Miami youth among finalists on "So You Think You Can Dance" SBy D, Kqvin McNeir k ni nir @,inianitime>onlini, corn 0 If you've been watching the popular television show, "So You, Think You Can Dance," you may have noticed a tap dancing wiz who has made it to the top 20 and who's also "hauntingly familiar." Actually, your intuition would be correct because one the entertain- ers that has made their way to tthe round of 20 includes Miami's own Curtis Holland, 19 The show airs on Tuesdays 8 p.m., when viewers can chose their favorite singer or dancer. Of course Curtis is hoping that fans will give him their vote so that he can stay alive in the competition. He is one of three tap dancers that Please turn to HOLLAND 3C Kids' book tells the tale of Billie Holiday and her dogs But did you know that her beloved pals were canines? By Terri Schlichenmeyer Miami Times writer Nobody listens to a thing you say. Grown-ups are always telling you to hush, be quiet, don't yell, and always use your inside voice (even outside). You know you're never supposed to keep secrets, but don't be a tattle- tale. Talk louder but stop shouting. Don't make so much noise. Speak The, BOOK --,a^.180 ---0K "c CORNER up, the grown-ups say, but the only people who listen really listen to a kid like you are your pets. And in the new book "Mister and Lady Day" by Amy Novesky, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton, you'll see that even famous people know who'll lend an ear. When Billie Holiday was a little girl, she dreamed of becoming a star. And that's just what happened: she grew up to be a famous jazz singer. People called her Lady Day and they loved to hear her voice. But even big- time stars get lonely sometimes, and they need someone to listen to their dreams and fears. Lady Day had her dogs.. There were, in fact, lots of dogs in Lady Day's life. There was a tiny poodle she carried in her pocket. She had a little spotted beagle, and two Chihuahuas that she fed with a baby bottle, a giant Great Dane, and a medium-sized terrier named Bessie Mae Moocho. There was a wandering mutt with a sad face who ran away but always found his way back home. But the dog that Lady Day loved the most was a boxer named Mister. SWherever Lady Day was, Mister was there, too. She knitted sweaters for him and bought him a mink coat. She cooked for him and even sang to him. When Lady Day performed at fancy clubs in Harlem, Mister was there - and sometimes, he even had a steak! When the show was over, he guarded Lady Day in her dressing room. Then, one day when her career seemed to be at its best, Lady Day got into trouble. She had to leave home, and Mister couldn't come. She cried Please turn to HOLIDAY 3C -Miami Times photo/Tony Brooks Stars come out at annual Black film festival Director and actor, Robert Townsend and friends. \ ,, S THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER 2C THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 fill F' j I. I' ,* -I * A " l: "> . s't "' 'K, I ' *'; 1 .'1 ', I' 1 .1> r t' : ', : .: :* ; t '..-'}. i -' A - '2*I -I C I'- ').' q i~ 5' i- r V xl S 9 I II I'IYI ^?it- *--** y.t- W-IL1- y^Tk>' ON THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER 3C THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 yB Dr Rihad Sra Congresswoman Fredericka S. Wilson, founder of the 5000 Role Models of Excellence, planned and celebrated with her staff and the community a 20th anniversary event at the Hilton Hotel. With more than 500 people in attendance it was a very grand affair Lj with Bishop Victor T. Curry addressing and thanking everyone for their attendance and support. Additionally, Dr. Ricky Holton made WIl inspiring remarks. But it was Wilson who sincerely shared the beginnings of the role models pro- gram and how her compulsion to create something concrete inspired her to reach out to others to mentor and assist her in making a dif- ference in the lives H of our Black boys. The initial group of mentors included: SDonnie Carter, Mi- Schael Johnson, l Fred Wallace, Dr. STee S. Greer. Jr., Dr. Richard Strachan, LSON Dr. John Johnson, II, Vince Dawkins, and Dr. George Koonce, Jr. Some of these dedicated men are no longer with us. Today the mentors in- clude Mark Beckford, James Brown, Rob- ert Parker, Paul Wil- son, Jr., Wilbert T. Holloway, Lt. Joseph P Schilolaci, Deputy :." Mayor Russell Ben- f - ford, and Judge Daryl HOLL Trawick. The dedicat- ed staff members working with this program include: Tammy Reed, Pamela Davis, Melodie Delancey, and Katrina W. Da- vis. A salute to this program which has provided millions of dollars in scholarship. Stella Johnson and the North Dade Sr. High School class of 1963 enjoyed a won- derful 50th year reunion re- cently with many activities that recalled their high school days and gave them the oppor- O A,- tunity to cama- raderie and en- joy each other. Among those " [. participating S were: Betty -H T. Ferguson, Frances M. Kearse, Leon WAY Phillips, Ben- C nie M. Grant, Althea M. King and William Lee. Former faculty members in attendance were: Octeon Cumabatch, Mildred A. Fer- guson, Dr. Harold Guinyard, Althea Samson, Portia Oli- ver, Percy Oliver, Dr. Richard J. Strachan and Raymond Thornton. Also, the Old Skool Gang was on hand to that en- tertain royally with songs from the era. P.A.C. T. ( People Acting For Community Together) had its Quarterly meeting S at St. Thomas Uni- versity where differ- -'-'" '1 ent denominations met to discuss seri- 1 ous community is- sues. They are ac- complishing some of their goals and CURRY Rev. Dr. Joeretha Capers, pastor, Eb- enezer UMC, received a banner for services rendered for their efforts in working on issues of crime, etc.in our community. Representing Ebenezer were Francena H. Scott, Corine IBradley, Samuel "Chase" Williams, Veronica Rahming, Mary Martin, Rene Greene, Betty Bullard, Celese and Cal- vin McRea, Rose Moorman and Marva Hill. Katrenia Colebrook, Beverly Hudnell, along with 'ministers and oth- ers representing Holy Redeem- er Catholic Church, St. Mary's Cathedral, New Birth Cathe- dral, The Church by the Sea, Opa Locka United Methodist Church, Notre Dame Cathe- dral, and Kelly's Chapel AME. The retired brothers of Sigma Alpha Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, met for the last meeting before closing down for the summer. Baljean Smith, president opened the meeting and Ernest Davis updated the minutes. Dr. Astrid Mack ap- prised the brothers of plans for having a recognition of 29th Grand Basilus, Dr. Edward Braynon with Smith and Johnny Stepherson spear- heading the activity scheduled for Saturday, August 10, 11:30 a.m. at the 94th Air Squad- ron. For more info., please call 1-954-435-1072. a a ~ Miami Northwestern Class of 1973 will be celebrating their 40th Class Reunion, June 27 30th, 2013. Contact Louise at 305-215- 3911. Jessie Trice Community Health Center invites you their Health Fair June 27th, at 9 a.m., at the Belafonte Tacolcy Center, 6161 NW 9th Ave. Contact Roselaine at 305-637- 6400. Booker High School in Sarasota Classes of 1935-70 are planning a reunion slated for June 27th 30th. Contact Sonja at 786-422-3456. K Miami Jackson High's Class of 1968 will be celebrating its 45th reunion, June 28-30th in Ft. Myers. And also meets the second Tuesday of each month. Contact Jackie at 305- 733-3174 Pillars of Strength Masonic Lodge #2 will have its 3rd Annual Charity Deep Sea Fishing Event June 28th, at 7:30 p.m., at the Miami Beach Marina. Contact Glen at 786- 326-8568. Miami Jackson and Miami Edison Classes of 1971 will have their 60th Birthday Celebration Banquet June 29th, at the Progressive Officer's Club. Contact Gail at 305-343-0839 a St. Agnes Episcopal Church will host their Family and Friends Day June 29th, at 11 a.m., at 1750 NW 3rd Ave. Call 305-573-5330. Legend Billie Holiday and her dog pals HOLIDAY continued from iC and cried, and promised him that she'd come home as soon as possible. She wasn't sure if she'd ever see him again. If she did, would he remember her? Would Mister be happy to see her when she returned? By giving young readers a sense of Billie Holiday's deep love of dogs, Novesky makes this true story into one that kids especially kids with cherished pets can com- pletely understand. Novesky lightly glosses over the kind of trouble that Lady Day found, but curious kids will find more of an explanation on the last page. On the flipside, littler children will love looking at the colorful collage-watercolors by Vanessa Brantley Newton. Overall, if you've got a young animal lover in your life, put this tale on the shelf and stick around. "Mister and Lady Day" is a book that 3-to-8-year-olds will want to listen to again and again. TS CR IE TO8 THEMII Cal Cayona 305-694-6214 Miami Northwestern Class of 1970 will have their Annual Seafood Picnic June 29th, at C.B. Smith Park, near Pavilion 15. Call 305-653-5326. The RJT Foundation, Inc. will celebrate their 1st anniversary in semi-formal black and white affair June 29th, at 7 p.m., at the Courtyard Marriot, 400 Gulf Stream Way. Contact Hope at 786-859-5897. Diaspora Arts Coalition presents The Sounds of Blackness June 30th, at 4 p.m., at the Joseph Caleb Center, 5400 NW 22nd Ave. Call 786- 237-5079. MOCA will facilitate their Summer Photojournalism Institute July 8th-26th, from 1-5 p.m., at 770 N.E. 125th St. Call 305-893-6211. i Island Faith invites you to their Free Poetry Workshop July 13th, at 10 a.m., at Eclectic Miami, 13227 NW 7th Ave. Call 786-273-5115. Miami Children Initiative's Christmas in July event will take place July 18th, at 11 a.m., at the Joseph Caleb Center, in the Community Room. For sponsoring contact Katt at 305-636-2227. 0 Booker T. Washington Class of 1965, Inc. will meet July 20th, at 4:30 p.m., at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center. Contact Lebbie at 305- 213-0188. The Norwood-Cromartie Family is notifying all family members for their reunion, July 26-28, in Valdosta, Georgia. Contact S. Browning 678-896- 0059 0 MOCA will facilitate their Summer Studio July 29th-Aug. 16th, from 1-5 p.m., at 770 N.E. 125th St. Call 305-893- 6211. 6 Liberty Square residents will delighted to hear that there will be a Liberty Square "Project" Reunion Aug. 31st, at 6:30 p.m., at 1165 NW 109th St. Contact Diana at 786-953- 8076. Range Park is offering free self defense karate classes, Mon. and Wed., at 6 p.m., at 525 NW 62nd St. Contact Clayton at 305-757-7961. 0 The Miami Alumni Chapter Tennessee State University meets every second Saturday, 9 a.m, at Picadilly Restaurant in Hialeah. Call 954-435-5391. The L.E.M. Program is open for summer camp registration for kids ages 6 and up, at M.B. Church, at 2125 NW 155th St. Contact Latoya at 305-454-0265. E S.E.E.K., Inc. will feed the homeless in the City of Overtown every first Saturday, at 2pm, at 14-15 St. and 1st Ave. Call 678-462-9794. N, Miami Class of connection. 4726. Northwestern 1979 make a Call 786-399- 0 Booker T. Washington Class of 1967 meets every third Saturday of the month, at 7 p.m., at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center, 6161 NW 22nd Ave. Call 305-333-7128. I CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FUR THEATERS AND SHUWTl11MES I ii Gospel music: Love, hope, salvation SANDERS continued from 1C when he's not on the road, he's part of the praise team and a choir member at Bethel Apos- tolic Temple in Miami. "I've been in gospel music for Most of my life and have to ad- mit, unfortunately, that gospel Artists still don't get the kind Sof respect that singers in oth- er genres do," he said. "Unless you have a mainstream sound like Kirk Franklin or Yolanda Adams, you sometimes have to go out on the chitlin circuit and really hustle in order to achieve financial success. But I'm used to jumping on buses and doing tours. As long as I can sing and praise God, I don't care where the stage is or the size of the audience. Miami may be a con- temporary city but gospel mu- sic tends to remain very tradi- tional because so many of us trace our roots to places like Georgia, Mississippi and the Carolinas where old school gos- pel was the norm. It's all about making a joyful noise." You can reach Sanders at blonja@gmail.com. Holland shines on the small screen HOLLAND continued from 1C walked "the Green Mile," that is being chosen for the Top 20 in season 10 of the show, after an impressive audition in Mem- phis. Wayne Grady, afterwards, immediately adopted Curtis as his "little brother."' After impressing the judges With a contemporary routine, Curtis found himself over- whelmed, shedding tears of joy S- and relief. While he is cur- rently not allowed to speak to the press due to the rules of Sthe competition, after that tele- vised performance he said, "I'm impressed with myself- I have never danced like this before." EARLY TRAINING PAYS OFF Curtis started his training when he was just three under the tutelage of his parents, Ed- win and Gaile Holland the owners and instructors at the Edwin Holland School of Dance [now the Next Generation Dance Academy]. Since then, he has had exten- sive training in ballet, tap and jazz later adding hip-hop and contemporary lyrical dance to his repertoire. Now a student at Middle Tennessee State Univer- sity, Curtis won the gold medal in the Miami-Dade ACT-SO dance competition in 2011 and 2012 at the local level and took the gold in the national compe- tition in 2012. He has choreo- graphed, taught classes and served as a youth leader at St. Agnes' Episcopal Church. His mother says that he when he got a chance to audition for "So You Think You Can Dance," she and the rest of the family were all behind him. "He's having the time of his life," she said. "He says it's like nothing he could have ever imagined. He hopes to one day make it to Broadway and has his sight on The Newsies and The Lion King. * But for now he's rehearsing, learning new routines and hop- ing to take the title on the show. Ever since he nailed his audi- tion, it's been fast forward." 9despicableme STARTS WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES m - ~j i; <..~i1 / .3 K, TIN ETI RATRS AND reac /'3D UNIVERSAL THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER 3C THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 eo ', '^ 64PS THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER 4C THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 Miami-Dade students to go digital 35oK devices to be given in new $65 ". . million plan /l /1 ; :, :....TT ,0 4-1,,.- DBy David Smiley Each of MiamiPDade's 350,000 public school stu- dents will have access to a digital device by 2015, ac- cording to a plan approved last Wednesday by the Miami- Dade School Board. Board members unani- mously endorsed the proposal by Superintendent Alberto Carvalho to lease more than 100.000 devices, which will be paid off over a period of up to six years. The $63 million initiative, among the largest in the country. aims to pro- vide devices such as laptops or tablets for students from kindergarten through 12th grade who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford them "It's unprecedented in the U.S., tnis type of purchase. said Justin Bathon, a direc- tor of the "University oLf Kentucky's CASTLE cen- ter on school Technology leadership. Last Wednesday's vote comes as federal and CARVALHO state goern- ments are pushing schools to'kard online testing and digital curricula, and during the early stages of a broad effort to move Miami-Dade s classrooms into the digital learning era. In Floridda, all state assessments will be taken online by the 2014,' 15 school year. By the follow - Ip IWI W A- .'*L -sV . The $63 million initiative aims to provide devices for students from kindergar through 12th grade who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford them. by 2015 ing year, state law requires that all schools have digital textbooks. Meanwhile, teachers are increasingly finding ways to incorporate computers and applications into lesson plans and homework, and School Board members are talking about revolutionizing educa- tion through technology. Students whose families can afford laptops and tab- lets like iPads might be well prepared. But Miami-Dade is among the poorer metro- politan areas in a country where 15 million children are estimated to be offline. Nearly a quarter-million students in the county qualify for free or reduced lunch. Carvalho said that would I put scores of students at a disadvantage without help from the district. ten "We will make digital access Please turn to DIGITAL 6C Senate group seeks deal on student loans Bipartisan proposal aims to stop doubling loan rates By Susan Davis --- .. S s. _.. ........ WASHINGTON A bipartisan coalition of senators is working on a compromise to avert an . impending July 1 doubling of subsidized Stafford loan interest rates that \would affect as many as 7 million' college students. ,' . The draft proposal gained momentum last 'etuI'. Thursday following a private meeting between Senate Democrats and White House chief of staff Denis McDonough, according i," "to senators who attended the meeting. "There's some meaning- ful bipartisan conversation : going on and I think we're starting to narrow down the Actual areas of agreement, and difference," said Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin; B AM A D-Ill., who added that it OBAMA remained possible to approve legislation ahead of the July deadlineine, when interest rates are set to .jump from 3.4 'percent to 6.8 percent. If the deadline passed, Congress could still address the loan rate retroactively. The compromise under negotiation would, cre- ate a three-tier loan-rate system for undergradu- ate, graduate, and PLUS loans which would be tied to the interest rate on a 10-year Treasury note and would be locked at the initial rate for the life of the loan. For example, under the draft proposal, inter- est rates today would be 3.81 percent for under- graduate loans, 5.31 percent for graduate loans, and 6.31 percent for PLUS loans. Each of the loan rates is lower than the 6.8 percent rate that would affect all borrowers if no action is taken. Senators working on the compromise include SPlease turn to LOANS 6C ' *-", '** '- f 'a^ ' i . . .. < -< "'. ' FAU looks to boost low graduation rate School to add more tutoring, student- monitoring software and advisers By Scott Trauis Florida Atlantic University [FAU]expects just 40 percent of students who started as freshmen in 2007 to have earned a degree by spring 2013. The national average is 58 percent. "We have all these students who are either flunking out or who knows what happens to them, and it's not right," said Jeffrey FemLngold, a member of the FAU Board of Trustees. In response, FAU is hiring more faculty and academic ad\ isers, using new software to monitor how students are doing and of- fering more tutoring programs for difficult courses, including math. The university is also review- ing its course schedules to offer more high-demand courses while expanding its online offerings so students don't get delayed be- cause required classes were full FAU is also adding amenities to its Boca Raton campus in hopes of keeping students until gradua- tion In recent years. the univer- sity has added a stadium. Fitness center, modern residence halls and new restaurants "This has always been a serious issue for us an institution, and we are aware the rates are low, and we kn.:'w i s an uphill battle." said Gitaniali Kaul. FAU's \ ice president for strategic planning. "We don't want to make excuses. We want to turn this around That s a Liern. The po:.,r graduation rate could hurt FAU Financiall,, as the state moves tro a systemrn that uses per- formance measures to determine how much funding each school gets. The University of Florida ex- pects to post the state's best Please turn to FAU 6C 529 plan makes college more obtainable But do homework, pick the right plan By Jeff Reeves There's little that you can be sure of in this crazy economic environment, but one thing that seems certain is that most kids need a college degree to get ahead - and that their college degree is going to cost a pretty penny to obtain. According to. the Natonal Cen- ter for Education Statistics;,.the average cost of tuition, room and board for the 2010-11 academic year hit about $13,600 at the average public, college and over $32,000 at the average private institution. Even adjusted for in- flation, that's roughly double the cost of public college in 1980 and triple the cost of a private school. Seeing all those dollar signs can be intimidating even for a.family that is reasonably secure in its finances. But don't fret: There are tools you can use to plan for your child's education and make sure According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average cost of tuition, room and board for the 2010-11 academ- ic year hit about $13,600 at the average public college and over $32,000 at the average private institution. college is within reach. And one of the best tools out there is a 529 plan. Here are the basic advantages: Tax-free profits. A 529 plan is an investment account. Gains on your 529 investments are tax-free and qualified withdrawals are taken tax free. Depending on cir- cumstances, some contributions to the account can be tax deduct- ible, too. Anyone can help anyone. You can contribute on behalf of any beneficiary, so 529s are a great way for extended family or friends to pitch in. You can save for yourself, a relative or neighbor. Transferrable to family. What if your son Jimmy doesn't go to college and use his 529 sav- ings? Well, you can transfer that cash to his sister Suzy's account instead with no penalty or even to Jimmy's spouse later in life or back to you as if you decide to go back to school. Use when you're ready. There is no time limit on when the funds in 529s need to be used. Clearly, having a dedicated savings account that grow your money tax-free is a great thing. Even so, 529 plans are not one- size-fits-all. For starters, there are dozens of plans available to you to pick from and they all have very different rules from fees they charge, to the minimum contribution and to the cap on how much you can save in the plan. As with any fi- nancial product, you need to read the fine print and compare plans to get the best option for you. Educate to Innovate: STEM programs for Black men By Janelle Rucker When it comes to exposing youth to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), the earlier the better. ' Acknowledging the importance of STEM education, the Obama' administration embarked on, Educate to Innovate in 2009 in an effort to encourage and prepare more children to work in these fields. Minorities spe- cifically need a boost, being the most underrepresented in STEM careers because of the lack of access to related programs and professionals Below are a few resources to jump start your education and career in STEM: NATIONAL SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS' SUMMER ENGINEERING EXPERIENCE FOR KIDS Each summer, 300 students in grades three through eight par- ticipate in the National Society of Black Engineers'SEEK camp H Held in different cities around the country, this free camp exposes participants to hands on projects and Black college students working on degrees, in STEM subjects.. The mentors guide students , through exercises and a design competition using math, science and prob- lemrsolving skills. Website: Nsbe.org/seek Please turn to STEM 6C Fear of school-grade plunge prompts call for state study By Leslie Postal Florida's superintendents fear their schools' A-to-F grades will drop this year, thanks to a new, tougher grading formula that could overshadow better student test scores. In response, the chair- man of the State Board . of Education last Tuesday called for a task force to study 2013 results from Oe Florida's battery of stanf- dardized tests and the grading rules in effect this year. BENN Florida grades its public schools based on student success and improvement on those tests. The grades often are viewed by the public as a key barometer of a school's quality. "We want to make sure that the system that is governing account- ability is the right system," said Chairman Gary Chartrand, at the board's meeting in Tampa. Chartrand asked Education Com- missioner Tony Bennett to quickly pull together a small group O. of superintendents, state educators, and maybe outside data experts. The flm group should meet as soon J as next week. '4,/. "If there needs to be a change," Chartrand added, Bennett would have time to recommend one before the ETT first batch of school grades are released. Those grades for elementary and middle schools are expected in July. The superintendents first shared their worries in a June 6 letter to Chartrand. They said they feared Please turn to STUDY 6C 5C THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 The origins of this month's By D. Kevin McNeir kmcneir@miamitimesonline.com Since 1979 and Jimmy Carter, U.S. presidents have decreed June as Black Music Month, or as President Barack Obama recently called it, African-American Music Ap- preciation Month. But despite our significant contributions that began with slave spiritu- als and evolved into the blues, ragtime, jazz, R&B, rock, soul, disco and funk and today's global phenomenon, hip-hop, very few people actu- ally give this month and its contributors their just due. Consider the prophetic state- ments made by Billie Holi- day's "Strange Fruit," Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come," and Gil Scott-Heron's "The Revolution Will Be Televised." True music lovers would jump at the chance to celebrate such a legacy. Yet, they remain silent. So, while most of mainstream media appreciation has chosen to ignore this month and our people once again, you can bet that The Miami Times will once again raise the banner, educating and enlightening our readers - even if no one else will. Look here in our Entertainment and Lifestyle section each week during June for a story about local musicians, both young and old, who proclaim without any reluctance, "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud." -Brad Barket Musician Bruno Mars performs at the Verizon Center on June 22 in Washington. Bruno Mars launches tour with Moonshine and magic Flashy retro looks and dance moves have all the ladies swooning By Carly Mallenbaum The event: Pop juggernaut Bruno Mars kicks off his Moonshine Jungle summer arena tour last Saturday night with a sold-out D.C. show in support of his second album, Unorthodox Jukebox. Location: Verizon Center, Washington. Opening act: Soul sextet Fitz & the Tantrums starts things off. (The group is tag- teaming the opening slot with London's "folktronica" star El- lie Goulding.) The merchandise: Many fans turn out wearing Bruno- inspired fedoras, but broth- ers John Montgomery, 45, of Covington, Va., and Monty Montgomery, 49, of Roanoke, are eyeing camo Moonshine Jungle caps to replace their John Deere ones. (Their as- sessment of Mars: "In between Michael Jackson and Prince.") Also on sale: plush gorillas, T- shirts with Mars' Afroed head and dark blue running shorts emblazoned BRUNO MARS in bright yellow caps across the seat. I heart Bruno: Sophia Nadder of Richmond, Va., 11, wears her heart on her black walking cast. The superfan, herself a singer, neon-painted the star's name on the Vel- croed boot she's sporting. Confident fan: Prettany Overman of Abington, Md., here in a "Doo-Wops" tee to celebrate her upcoming 20th birthday, credits Mars hit Just the Way You Are with boosting her low self-esteem. Lots of heart: Fitz frontman Michael Fitzpatrick and his band assemble in front a red LED heart that turns psyche- delic as the band breaks into Breakin' the Chains of Love. Audience participation: The crowd claps, stands, waves its arms and does call-and- response to a cover of Sweet Dreams as vocalist Noelle Scaggs and Fitz rock Mon- eyGrabber and show off fancy footwork in The Walker. Busted: Scaggs is on the ground taking pictures with fans before security swoops in to take her away. Golden: Loud screams erupt at the sight of a giant curtain with sparkly golden palm trees. Lights dim, the crowd stands and monkey sounds are heard over an African drum beat. An eight-piece band, plus Mars, all clad in red suits and cheetah-print shirts, dive into Moonshine. Some parrots join the fun on the video screen. She got me for everything: Closeups of fire, panthers and a tattooed woman? Must be Natalie. 'Treasure' time: The per- formance looks just like the song's new throwback music video, complete with Jackson 5 moves and a disco ball. Mars slings on a guitar, sweating, which he emphasizes with a big brow wipe. Money mashup: Billionaire (which Mars wrote), then Aloe Blacc's I Need a Dollar, to deaf- ening screams. It's getting freaky in this room: For Show Me, the band shows off Caribbean sounds and synchronized moves, then segues into Our First Time with gyrating and purple mood lighting. Heating up: Marry You gets a new bass line. Jumping and spinning is in order, as the guys sweat through their jackets and peer-pressure the crowd to wave. "I'm hot as hell," Mars says. "I should have thought about this suit." Last song from 'Jukebox' is up: If I Knew goes out to Bruno's special someone. Stage patter: Mars teaches the crowd how to say "damn" with feeling, before finding "a lucky lady to serenade to- night." He fakes one out by nearly picking her, moving on, then returning. "Allow me to introduce myself, I'm the dude on the ticket." Light 'em up: Things heat back up with fire and Runaway Baby. The stage lights up with moving squares of LEDs. Mars breaks out a megaphone and sings into it. The disco ball is back for 'Young Girls': He sings of "young wild girls, making a mess" of him, and intercuts a line of Girls Just Want to Have Fun. Sing-along: "The next song is the hardest for me to write and the hardest for me to sing." Of course, it's When I Was Your Man, with just Bruno, a piano and emotional notes. I'd do anything for you: After teasing us earlier, Mars goes into a drum- and trum- pet-heavy Grenade. Red mood lighting illuminates the stage as he sings "if my body was on fire." He's all about the electric guitar solos and sings the cho- rus in pieces before dozens of lights strobe. Big finish. Boom! Time for 'Just the Way You Are': Girls sing, no, shriek, the words. "I've been suffer- ing," he tells the audience. "Thank you guys for giving me the strength to come out here and sing" a reference to his mom, Bernadette Hernandez, who died unexpectedly earlier this month. The chants of "Bru-no" have begun: We still haven't heard Locked Out of Heaven. Mars rises from the stage on drums, wearing a Hawaiian shirt. He holds up his sticks and runs to center stage. The bandmates have their casual clothes on as they hop across the stage to Locked. Gold and red glitter falls from the sky. II I. Kanye West's Parkinson's disease lyric deemed offensive By Carrie Healey On the album's first track, "On Sight," the Grammy Award winner raps: "A monster about to come alive again / Soon as pull up and park the Benz / We get this b*tch shaking like Par- kinson's." Parkinson's disease is a neu- rodegenerative brain disorder that progresses slowly in most people, as defined by the Na- tional Parkinson Foundation. Individuals with Parkinson's can live with the disease for 20 or more years from the time of diagnosis, and there is current- ly no cure. Following the album's release, "On Sight" and its lyrical con- tent have come under fire by several Parkinson's disease or- ganizations. The American Parkinson Dis- ease Association's vice presi- dent, Kathryn Whitford, com- mented to TMZ, saying, "we find these lyrics distasteful and the product of obvious ignorance." Parkinson's UK con- demned the artist and his new track. "Life with Parkinson's is difficult enough without becom- ing fodder for insensitive celeb- rities, who should know better," said the association's CEO, Steve Ford, to The Guardian. "Kanye West has shown an in- excusable level of stupidity and cruelty towards people living with an incurable condition . . People with Parkinson's have to cope with intolerable social Kayne West performs during the Samsung Galaxy Notes II launch at Skylight at Moynihan Station. discrimination on a daily basis - often to the point where they are afraid to go out in public - and this sort of thoughtless, callous comment can only serve to make things even worse for them." The controversial lyrics have also come under harsh scrutiny from Tom Palizzi, Chair for Peo- ple With Parkinson's Advisory Council. Palizzi said on Cincin- nati's Q102: Kanye West is without ques- tion a richly talented and mul- tifaceted artist. With utmost re- spect for freedom of expression and the inherent controversial nature of art in general, there is, however, a fine line between expression and insensitivity," he said. "Many of us appreci- ate the lighter side of having a chronic and degenerative move- ment disorder, though as many interpret such statements as harsh and insensitive. As Chair and on behalf of PPAC, I would be delighted to help West bet- ter understand the truths and myths of Parkinson's. Notable people such as Michael J. Fox, Muhammad Ali and Ben Pet- rick, my peers and millions of others are testament to the enduring spirit of people with Parkinson's. Yeezus has also been widely condemned for West's misogy- nistic lyrics, such as: "Black girl sippin' white wine/put my fist in her like a civil rights sign." Academic and media person- ality Marc Lamont Hill tweeted that Kanye seems to have a "visceral hate for women oth- er than Donda West," his late mother. West, who recently became a father to a baby girl, has yet to respond to any comments. Senate to seek solution LOANS continued from 4C thorizes the Higher Education Act. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, to loan deal save $8.6 billion over the next 10 years if enacted. Cost sav- ings are critical for GOP sup- Richard Burr, R-N.C.; Tom Co- has been a staunch advocate port. burn, R-Okla.; Joe Manchin, of extending the current rates, The Republican-led House D-W.Va.; and Angus King, I- but he acknowledged Thursday has already approved a com- Maine. that consensus may be build- peting student loan plan, but The student loan debate is a ing around this deal. Harkin, it faces a veto threat from the rare circumstance in which the who chairs the Senate Health, White House. House Speaker White House policy position Education, Labor and Pensions John Boehner, R-Ohio, sent more closely tracks with Re- Committee, added, "Next year Obama a terse letter Thursday, publicans than congressional we will have the, Higher Edu- calling on him to put pressure Democrats. cation Act on the floor so the on Senate Democrats to pass a Both President Obama and things that are done now can bill. "With Republicans and you leading Republicans have of- be revisited." in general agreement on the fered proposals to tie loan rates But Harkin insisted that any policy, it is difficult to identify to the interest rates on a 10- final compromise would need any motivation other than poli- year Treasury note instead of to include caps on interest tics to explain why a solution current law which allows Con- rates. "A cap is not negotiable, has not already been signed gress to set the rate. We have to have a cap," Harkin into law," Boehner wrote. Democrats prefer a two-year said. Congress lowered interest extension of the current rate in Republicans were buoyed by rates on subsidized student order to allow more time to re- a report from the non-partisan loans in 2007 from 6.8 percent vamp the student loan program Congressional Budget Office to 3.4 percent but that legisla- next year when Congress reau- that said the proposal would tion expires July 1. Dade students enter the digital age DIGITAL continued from 4C a universal right for kids," he said. So the School Board autho- rized Carvalho to accept leas- ing rates from Bank of America Public Capital Corp. that would cost about $12 million a year from the district's general fund beginning in 2014. Through the agreement, the district would procure as many as 150,000 devices and distribute the first of three batches before Christ- mas. All devices it isn't clear what kind yet are expected to be delivered by August of 2015. The initiative would combine district-provided hardware with its "bring-your-own-device" policy that allows students to tote their own computers and tablets to class. The district sent secondary students home with surveys at the end of this school year, and preliminary results suggest 25 percent of kids have their own device. In July, companies will be asked to provide information about their devices, which offi- cials expect to distribute across subjects, courses or grade lev- els. The district is searching for affordable insurance options for families. "These efforts are going to position us to use technology to change what goes on in the classroom," said Sylvia Diaz, the district's administrative di- rector of instructional technol- ogy. Stars come out at Black film festival ,, Actor Boris j,--, Kodjoe poses . .,.-., -.. ... .. w ith attendee at ABFF.,~ Actor and TV f personality " Nick Cannon. S" County investigates grade decline STUDY continued from 4C that although students had done better this year on some state tests, the grades would fall because of the new grading for- mula. They asked the board to "mitigate" some of that predicted fallout. The board adopted the new, stricter grading formula last year but it was not to be fully implemented until this year. Chartrand said he remains supportive of increasing stan- dards and holding schools ac- countable for student perfor- mance. But he also said he under- stood the superintendents' fear that the formula had "so many moving parts" that it was hard to fully understand its impact. The state, he added, needs to "make sure that we're care- ful and considerate, and we're thoughtful." Several superintendents spoke at the board's Tuesday meeting, urging board members to con- sider some changes. "The greatest threat is the dis- connect" between better student performance and what schools predict will be worse school grades, said Miami-Dade Su- perintendent Alberto Carvalho. "The public will not understand." FAU to boost its graduation rate FAU continued from 4C graduation rate, at 85 per- cent, followed by Florida State University at 76 percent. On the other end are Florida Gulf Coast University, 44 percent, Florida A&M University, 40.5 percent, and FAU with 40 per- cent. But most while most univer- sities have been showing prog- ress, FAU's rates have been flat for the past six years. One factor is FAU's relatively older 'students, said student government President Peter Amirato. The average age of under- graduate students is 24. "We have a lot of students who are married, have kids, have full-time jobs and it sim- ply takes them longer to gradu- ate," Amirato said. "On paper, that brings the numbers down." Another issue may be the caliber of student. The average SAT score for entering fresh- men is 1600 out of a possible 2400, That's more than 100 points below FIU and more than 300 points below UF. The average high school grade point average is 3.5, compared to 3.7 at FlU and 4.2 at UF. Kaul said the university may need to start looking at wheth- er too many students entering FAU would be better served at community colleges. "Access and success are two things important to our mis- sion," she said. "We've made progress in one area, and we need to make progress in the other." STEM program garners Black men STEM continued from 4C MATHEMATICS, ENGINEERING, SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT Since 1970, MESA has pro- vided classes, competitions and counseling in schools around the country to help "education- ally disadvantaged" students excel in STEM subjects. From elementary school through col- lege, MESA partners with edu- cators and students to offer services including MESA Day Academies, SAT/PSAT prepara- tion and professional develop- ment workshops. Website: ME- SAUSA.org ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) STEM ACCESS To encourage underrepre- sented minorities to take more advanced STEM classes, The College Board, DonorsChoose. org and Google teamed up to start the STEM Access pro- gram. Thanks to a $5 million grant, the program aims to start new AP science and math classes in more than 800 pub- lic schools across the country. The new classes are expected to start this fall arid last for at least three years.Website: Col- legeboard.org GATEWAY ACADEMY Part of Project Lead The Way, the Gateway Academy is of- fered to middle school students across the country to introduce them to STEM subjects. Hosted by local middle schools or high schools, the one- or two-week summer camp gives students hands-on experience, working on projects related to STEM subjects. Website: Pltw.org SUMMER MATH AND SCIENCE HONORS ACADEMY A project of the Level Play- ing Field Institute, the Summer Math and Science Honors Acad- emy (SMASH) gives minorities long-term guidance and ex- posure to STEM subjects that they might not have in their home schools. Students partici- pate in the program each sum- mer for three years, engaging in classes that sharpen STEM skills and prepare them for col- lege. During the school year, SMASH participants receive support, including SAT prepa- ration and college counseling. 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CROIX NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER THE 6C THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 Business B usirYess New tech startup planned WorkForce One to train people for technology jobs or to start a business By Marcia Heroux Pounds Startup Quest a new tech- nology-focused entrepreneurial program for the unemployed and under-employed who have college degrees or are veterans - is being launched this fall in South Florida. The new program is of- fered under a statewide grant through WorkForce One, Broward County's employment agency. "At the end of day, we hope to start some businesses or at least get (people) employed with technology companies," said Mason Jackson, president of WorkForce One, recently. In the 10-week program, Startup Quest plans to train a total of 300 people over three years to either start a business or become more marketable for a technology job. About 100 to 150 individuals will be accept- 'w *'.,i W - I I U Startup Quest plans to train a total of 300 people over three years to either start a busi- ness or become more marketable for a technology job. ed for each class, which kicks off Sept. 12. Startup Quest will provide those selected with "intense training and pairs them with a mentor who has been there and done it," Jackson said. Seattle entrepreneur Mi- chael O'Donnell is leading the program and will recruit local entrepreneurs to be mentors to selected class members. O'Donnell has 25 years of ex- perience in starting technology businesses, including Ask-Me Multimedia and StartupBiz. com. Please turn to TECH 8D Want to work from home? First go get a college degree Or here's another idea: Start your own business By Greg Toppo If higher wages and better benefits don't persuade you to get that college degree, here's another reason: It might free you from the shackles of a daily commute. Data out recently from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that college-educated workers are more likely to work from home than nearly any other group. Only the self- employed enjoy a higher rate of working at least part of their day at home. It's a "quiet revolution" that's growing steadily as the U.S. builds a high-tech knowledge economy, says Alan Pisarski, author of the Commuting in America book series. The kind of work such an economy demands often can be done by people who'd rather work at home and who are well-suit- ed to it, he says. In fact, Pisarski notes, in all but the nation's biggest metro areas, the percentage of people who work at home exceeds that of those who use public trans- portation. Simply having a bachelor's degree may be the fastest route to a workday spent on the couch with a laptop: Among workers age 25 or older, more Than one in three college- HOME ON THE JOB Percentage of workers 25 or older who worked at home on an average day, 2012. SU educated employees did some or all of their work from home last year. For those with just a high school diploma, it was one in eight. If you never finished high school, don't even dream of working from home only one in 20 employees with less than a high school diploma worked from home on an average day, according to the findings, part of BLS' periodic American Time Use Survey. Self-employed workers were nearly three times more likely to work from home than those who are on salary, and the highest-wage workers were about five times as likely as the lowest to work at home. Recent U.S. Census Bureau Please turn to DEGREE 8D WILL THAT BE CASH, CREDIT, PHONE? Promise of mobile payments slow to come into fruition By Tyler Wells Lynch Imagine: You've just finished pumping a tank of gas and it's time to pay up. Instead of having to swipe your card, enter your PIN, and wait for the system to approve the trans- action, you simply wave your smartphone across a terminal and leave. The technology to make these mobile payments has been available for years- so why isn't everyone using it? In short, it's because the market is young, highly com- petitive and not yet standard- ized. Fledgling start-ups and corporate behemoths alike are all vying for a piece of the pie. The biggest issue is a lack of consensus over which specific technology should spearhead the market, sort of like the old format war between VHS and Betamax. However, mobile pay- ment may involve even more service sectors from banks and payment processors, to network operators and third- party software developers - making for a complex, highly competitive field. Large companies are pushing for a set of mobile standards called near-field communica- tions (NFC). This hardware- based technology can transmit small amounts of data over a short distance between a Please turn to MOBILE 10D The survey of more than 1,000-people ages 18 to 34 by alternative financial products company Think Finance found that while 92 percent currently use a bank, nearly half, or 45 percent, say they have also used outside Please turn to PREPAID 8D Local insurer attends MDRT Annual Meeting Miami Times staff report Edwin Demeritte of Mi- ami, was among the leading financial representatives who further improved their pro- fessional qualifications and knowledge by attending the 2013 Million Dollar Round Tabel [MDRT] Annual Meet- ing. A 30-year MDRT mem- ber, Demeritte was joined by nearly 8,000 MDRT members, guests and speakers who at- tended the four-day meeting in Philadelphia. "Each year, MDRT does everything it can to create a beneficial annual meeting by providing quality speak- ers and content," said MDRT President D. Scott Brennan. "Members like Edwin leave the meeting with ideas they CFPB: Overdraft fees, still a problem By Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist A new report by the Con- sumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finds that overdraft fees continue to pose high risks to consum- ers, despite recent regulatory changes. The report focuses on the dreaded overdraft charge, the fees banks and credit unions collect for cov- ering customer transactions that exceed checking account balances. Sounds simple; but many times the terms that accom- pany these fees are complex, and too often the costs are out of A proportion to the overdrawn amount. Variations in how transactions are posted to checking accounts and limits , or the lack thereof on the number of fees allowed in a C'R single day can be confusing and harmful to consumers. Even though practices vary among institu- tions, one thing is consistent: consumers lose tens of billion to overdraft fees every year. For customers with only DWELL marginal bank bal- ances, the costs in- c u r red by overdraft fees can remove available funds for other household needs. "What is mar- keted as overdraft protection can, in some instances put consumers at great- er risk of harm," said CFPB's Richard Cordray. "Consum- ers need to be able to control their costs and expenses, and they deserve clarity on those issues." Please turn to FEES 10D ASSCATS P.A, ATTORNEYS AT LA\N S,1t lB'iPn,, ,_-k 1.,isi .'-ulL ir.d Suitrc -'I (',.r.il (I i.l!c,. Fl,,riJd, 1 $.t- - -------- --- Ph No. : i.t,--f'-t F 4. v, v. 3 lyre I I' ! Er n iil- hin-ii., nrl\ iicl L iI.,- in-, x v k iL *..'<**.i.l.* > 'j .n i ' r <'- -r,.[,. ^ ideil [LH >'.'.[ i'i.l n>.. ]] i~ur,- [ S < t r,m, I] [^ .*.l.. l, .l 'I t. I. I '- [ ipr r -. ; I, ,1,11 [S 'J )h,,, ll.i- ' I. ,.,, -,, Ei '. ,.lt,, li ni r " "^ - , , )) .. .... Lh^.r ,i t),..tl, |: )f r,".'2,', 1 \ ',r!i It / / '.'f L .,'* ,' *.r i / ' RcL^n.d ] (~..h n,., E-q [I .... ii, Ctyoe& ASSOciates. P.A. serves client ithrougtho t So uth Fltoridi. Mali.OOade, t owara a nd P.Inm Bech Co -nttcs. $as w, eft.jS O tnlrali 10c 0 rh o ijt9 0 !< r ois i important !c'is'on | t t should not based ote.y upon advertsement,; Before you decicOe ask us to end you tfree wflten. intoma uo t abou l o tor qua tifia O tts an i n0ex.te 1T dv Oltlonl is desi tned" or genera ntn'otmaton only The Informanton prsented should not bo Construed to b0 format togat advice ow iMe f ormal-to o a Oawyeroritnt reilaoalotnp ~0 '0.,, l I HS. 4 0/ Prepaid cards trendy with Millennial fans Quick access to cash and credit is the priority, survey finds By Ha dIey MaIoIm Millennials shell out for con- venience. That's what a new survey to be released Friday and given exclusively to USA TODAY suggests when it comes to the generation's use of alternative financial products that often come with high fees. EDWIN DEMERITTE can immediately use to im- prove their businesses, serve their communities and main- tain strong personal values." '0 Four major banks not following mortgage standards Performance By Julie Schmit Four of the na- tion's leading mort- gage services have not complied fully with new standards for handling home loans and must cor- rect the problems or potentially face fines, the government said Wednesday. The threat followed has improved, a review of the com- panies' dealings with homeowners in recent months by a moni- tor supervising the services' compliance with a $25 billion settlement with federal and state regulators last year. That monitor, Jo- seph Smith, issued his first major report Wednesday on how though well the companies - Bank of America, Chase, Citi, Wells Far- go and ResCap Part- ners (formerly Ally/ GMAC) are comply- ing with 304 servicing standards meant to protect consumers. The monitor tested the banks on more than a dozen stan- dards. Only ResCap Partners passed all of them, the report says. Bank of America failed in two areas, including loan-mod- ification document collection, which Wells Fargo also failed. Chase struggled with loan-modification decisions. "This report pro- vides the public with a new and transparent look into how banks are treating hom- eowners," said Shaun Donovan, secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Donovan said the services have im- proved their perfor- mance since the new standards took hold. They no longer sign off on foreclosure paperwork with little or no review or charge distressed borrowers a fee to process a loan- modification request. Workforce to train potential entrepreneurs TECH continued from 7D O'Donnell said Startup Quest is different from most business-startup programs that provide assistance to start a "lifestyle" business, such as landscaper, shop or restaurant operator. "This program is designed for people with advanced de- grees who are thinking about starting or going to work for a technology company whose work will be global," he said. But participants don't have to have a degree in technol- ogy, O'Donnell said. Individ- uals with education and ex- perience in business, human resources and other fields also are welcome. Students will work in groups with a mentor, devel- oping a business model for an emerging technology cho- sen for them from a univer- sity or federal laboratories. Startup Quest also is looking for about a dozen mentors with,.technology startup ex- perience. At the conclusion of the 10 weeks, each group will give a "Shark Tank" TV show-style presentation to venture capi- tal and business experts. O'Donnell said there were at least 300 patents coming out of the University of Flor- ida alone that are waiting to be developed into businesses. All state universities will be invited to participate in the program. "There are not enough en- trepreneurs," he said. Startup Quest is mod- eled on a program started in Gainesville last August. Of the 95 students in the program, 68 found jobs and 19 became self-employed, O'Donnell said. The program is funded through a $12 million state- wide grant from the U.S. Department of Labor. Bro- ward County is one of seven regions and the only one in South Florida participating in the program. Applicants don't have to be Broward County residents. Any state resident can apply if they are 18 or older, autho- rized to work in the U.S., is unemployed or under-em- ployed, and registered with Employ Florida, the state job site. Participants chosen by Startup Quest will be asked to commit to a Thursday afternoon program for 10 weeks at a location in Bro- ward County still being de- termined. Apply on WorkForce One's website at wflbroward.com by clicking on the "Startup Quest" button on the right side of the page. Millennials: Frequent users of prepaid cards PREPAID continued from 7D services including prepaid cards, check cashing, pawn shops and payday loans. For a generation in which many are find- ing themselves cash- strapped, in debt from student loans and underemployed, con- venience appears to trump getting stuck with extra charges when it comes to quick access to cash and credit. "It's flexibility and controllability that's really important for Millennials," says Ken Rees, president and CEO of Think Fi- nance. "Banks don't have great products for people who need short- term credit. They're not really set up for that." And he points out that more than 80 per- cent of survey respon- dents said emergency credit options are at least somewhat impor- tant to them. These are options that have been his- torically known for charging fees check cashing can cost up to three percent of the amount of the check, and more depend- ing on the company and how much you're S. FL makes top five BUSINESS continue from 7D Arora attributes much of the area's ranking to the large Hispanic population in the two counties. In 2011, ac- cording to the U.S. Census Bureau, 22.9 percent of the popula- tion in Broward Coun- ty was Hispanic. In Miami-Dade County, the Hispanic popula- tion was 64.5 percent. "Hispanics are the fastest-growing small- business community in the country," he said. Sharon' Geltner, a counselor at the Small Business Development Center at Palm Beach State College, agreed. "People who have the gumption to leave their homes and learn a new language usually have the gumption to start up a business," she said. Miramar resident Maria Catale is one of these business own- ers. Catale emigrated from Venezuela to the United States almost two decades ago, and is one of the co-founders of Only About Innova- tion LLC. The company was launched in 2009 to sell a pool cleaning device that one of the founders invented. The device became available for sale in October, but sales remained sluggish until spring, when, Catale said, warmer weather led to more pool purchases. "It was all little by little," she said. The company is still not profitable, but Catale is confident that sales will continue to grow in the future. Still, George Gremse, an adviser with Bro- ward SCORE, thinks growth is dependent on the type of busi- ness, and that some businesses can fail even if the overall en- vironment is conducive to growth. SCORE is a nonprofit organiza- tion that assists small- business owners or those looking to create small businesses. "If,you are going into VCR rental, of course it's going to be hard to grow," he said. For others, such as small-business owner Joseph D'Silva, growth can be elusive but profits consistent. D'Silva owns Wel- lington-based Power Blasters Pressure Washing Inc., which he founded two years ago after being laid off from the financial in- dustry. D'Silva and his two employees" power- wash between 100 and 150 high-end homes every year. The company has been consistently prof- itable despite shifts in marketing strate- gies, said D'Silva, who wants to continue "building the foun- dations" of his busi- ness before expanding more. cashing. Most pre- paid debit cards come with at least a monthly fee, and more fees for checking the account balance, ATM with- drawal or activation among others, found a survey of prepaid cards by Bankrate. corn in April. The Think Finance survey revealed that Millennials don't seem to mind. Nearly a quarter cited fewer fees and 13% cited more predictable fees as reasons for using alternative products, though convenience and better hours than banks won out over both of those as the top reasons. "With non-bank products . the fees are very, very easy to understand," Rees says. "The reputations that banks have is that it's a gotcha." These products may be winning because of marketing tactics, says Mitch Weiss, a professor in personal finance at the Uni- versity of Hartford in Hartford, Conn., and a contributor to con- sumer site Credit.com. "The way they ap- proach the business is, we're not charging you interest we just charge you a fee," he says. "When you think fee, your reaction is it's a one-time thing." Many companies that offer alternative products have devel- oped an online savvy and cool factor Millen- nials appreciate, Weiss says. MIA-Building 861, 862, and 863 Phase 2 Construction MCC-Q-043-A MCM is soliciting bids for this project under the MCC-8-10 Program at Miami- Dade Aviation Department: Scope: Provide structural and electrical repairs to include an electrical distribu- tion system and panel board upgrades and other miscellaneous work. Packages Bidding: CSBE Trade Set-Aside "A" Misc. Work, "B" Painting, "C" Roofing, "D" Doors/Hardware, "E" Drywall/Ceilings, "F" HVAC, "G" Electrical. Pre-bid Conference (Mandatory): Tuesday, July 9, 2013 @ 10:00 AM Location: MCM 4301 NW 22nd Street, Building 3030, 2nd Floor Sealed Bids Due: Tuesday, July 23, 2013 @ 2:00 PM Bonding required for bids of $200,000 or higher For information, please contact MCM's MIA offices (305)869-4563 . Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Transportation and Aviation Committee of the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners in the Commission Chambers, second floor, 111 NW First Street, Miami, Florida, during a meeting to begin at approximately 2:00 P.M. on July 10, 2013 to consider the Five Year Implementation Plan of the People's Transportation Plan (PTP). The Five Year Plan details in a single document all the County's transportation improvements contained in the PTP for the upcoming five year cycle expected to be funded by the Charter County Transportation Surtax Funds. It includes a detailed scope of work and budget for each project funded with surtax funds that is anticipated to be implemented during the five year period. This report represents the second annual update of the Five Year Plan. It documents current status of progress in the implementation of surtax funded projects versus the baseline provided in last year's initial plan. Future annual updates to the Plan will continue to monitor the actual implementation of the projects, their adherence to budget and schedule, and any changes to the Plan including project additions, deletions or deferrals. At the hearing, the Transportation and Aviation Committee will afford an opportunity for interested persons or agencies to be heard with respect to the social, economic, and environmental aspects of these projects. Interested persons may submit orally or in writing evidence and recommendations with respect to said projects. A person who decides to appeal any decision made by any board, agency, or commission with respect to any such matter considered at its meeting or hearing will need a record of all proceedings. Such person may need to insure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, including testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is based. All interested parties are invited to attend. For copies of the PTP Five Year Implementation Plan and/or for further information, please contact the Office of the Citizens' Transportation Trust, Stephen P. ClarkCenter, 111 NW FirstStreet, Miami, Florida 33128, phone: 305-375-1357; e-mail: citt@miamidade.gov; website: www.miamidade.gov/cltt. Miami-Dade County provides equal access and equal opportunity in employment and does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its programs or services. Auxiliary aids and services for communication are available with advance notice. For material in alternate format, a sign- language interpreter, or other accommodations, please contact Nya Lake at (305) 375-1357. Forleal dsonlne gotohft:/Ieglas*~miamidd.gov However, the compa- nies "consistently fail" to send notices and communicate deci- sions to stakeholders in a timely manner, Donovan says. Earlier this year, the New York attorney general threatened to sue BofA and Wells Fargo for similar defi- ciencies. "There is still work to be done," Smith said. Between October of last year and March 31, his office had re- ceived almost 60,000 complaints regarding the services. Of those, the big- gest number, almost 19,000, had to do with the single point of contact that banks are supposed to provide to distressed borrowers. They're often unre- sponsive or difficult to reach, the complaints indicate. Chase and Wells Fargo say they've cor- rected issues. BofA says it has fixed one area and is working to correct the other. Smith's oversight springs from a 2012 agreement between the services, federal agencies and 49 state attorneys general to address mortgage ser- vicing and foreclosure abuses. The agree- ment is known as the National Mortgage Settlement. Consumer advocates Public Forum Wednesday, June 26, 2013 10:00 am 12:00 pm South Dade Senior High School Auditorium 2841 S.W. 167th Avenue Miami, FL 33030 For more information visit: say it is encourag- ing that the review documented non-com- pliance but that more was probably missed. "It's hard to square a relatively small number of fails with S. the feeling on the ground of widespread non-compliance," says Kevin Stein, associate director of the non- profit California Rein- vestment Coalition. Part of the discon- nect may be in how the services' perfor- mance is checked, Smith says. For instance, so far he's only checked to see if they've established a single point of con- tact not how well their system works. Get a degree to work at home DEGREE continued from 7D figures show that the number of at-home workers rose sharply from 1997 to 2010, from 9.2 million to 13.4 million. For those working in computer, engineer- ing and science jobs, home-based work grew 69 percent from 2000 to 2010. Boulder, Colo., topped a list of cit- ies with high rates of at-home workers, at about one in nine. Pisarski says work- ing from home is "booming" in fact, it's the only transpor- tation trend that has been growing rapidly over the past 30 years. "One of the reasons for it is that the world is moving towards the kinds of skills, demands and capa- bilities that are fre- quently represented by people who can work at home," he says. Pisarski himself has worked at home for 25 years and says one of its obvious advantages is for older workers. They can not only keep working past age 65 but can do it with less stress and more flex- ibility. He recalled that this week, he rose at 5:30 a.m. and was at his computer by 6 a.m. "I can get a lot of my in- tense work done very early in the morning," he says. And on most Fri- days, he can take the afternoon off. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS BLOCK 55 249 NW 6th Street RFP # 13-003 The Southeast Overtown/Park West Community Redevelopment Agency ("CRA") is seeking proposals for Block 55 Plat Book "B" page 41, 249 NW 6th Street, Miami, Florida 33136. The CRA is declaring its intent to dispose of its interest in the referenced property and is seeking proposals from private devel- opers or any persons interested in undertaking to develop the property. Complete Proposals must be delivered to the City of Miami City Clerk's Office, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida 33133 no later than 3:00 pm, on July 23, 2013 (Closing Date). Any Responses received after the closing date and time or delivered to a different address or location will not be considered. RFP documents may be obtained on or after June 18, 2013 from the CRA of- fices, 1490 N.W. 3rd Avenue, Suite 105, Miami, Florida 33136, or from the CRA webpage. http://www.miamicra.com/seopwcra/pages/procurement.html COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF MIAMI 1490 Northwest 3rd Avenue, Suite 100 I Miami, FL 33128-1811 Tel (305) 679-6800 1 Fax (305) 679-6835 I http://www.miami-cra.org/ (#19336) NOTICE OF INVITATION TO BID OR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA 1450 N.E. 2ND AVENUE, ROOM 351 MIAMI, FLORIDA 33132 Solicitations are subject to School Board Policy 6325, Cone of Silence. For more details please visit: http://procurement.dadeschools.net BID NUMBER/ OPENING DATE BID TITLE/PRE-BID CONFERENCE Public Hearing Thursday, June 27, 2013 6:00 pm -8:00 pm Miami Carol City Senior High School Auditorium 3301 Miami Gardens Drive Miami Gardens, FL 33056 http://oeodadeschools.net SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY 086-NN05 OFFICE SUPPLIES 7/16/2013 084-NNO6 TREE, PALM AND SHRUB PRUNINGIREMOVAL 6/27/2013 Disparity Study PUBLIC MEETINGS Miami-Dade County Public School District (District) is conducting a Dispar- ity Study that will review the utilization of Minority- and Women-owned Busi- ness Enterprises (M/WBE) for the District. Construction and construction & design-related professional services firms are invited to find out more infor- mation about the study at the Public Forum, or provide testimony on their experiences doing business, or attempting to do business, with the District or its prime contractors/lead professional consultants at the Public Hearing. I I I THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER 8D THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 1 THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER 9 LEBRON JAMES, small for- DWYANE WADE, shooting CHRIS BOSH, center: The RAY ALLEN, guard: The all-time ward: The four-time MVP joined guard: The 2006 NBA Finals eight-time All-Star, like LeBron three-point leader signed as a the Heat from the Cavaliers in MVP was the No. 5 pick of the James, came to the Heat in a free agent with the Heat after his infamous 2010 televised free 2003 draft out of Marquette by sign-and-trade in 2010, costing years with the rival Celtics. agency pick, but it actually was the Heat. them two first-round picks. through a sign-and-trade that cost the Heat four draft picks. CHRIS ANDERSEN, center: The "Birdman" joined the Heat on a 10-day contract in Janu- ary, signed another, then was extended for the full season. MARIO CHALMERS, point guard: The NBA and NCAA champion was brought in via a 2008 draft-day trade after he was picked 34th overall by the Timberwolves out of Kansas. FUTURE MURKY FOR HEAT Big three have another year, but then what? By Jeff Zillgitt MIAMI Dwyane Wade slipped in the comment in his friendly, easy-going style. But his words carried a fore- boding message, even after the Miami Heat's rollicking champi- onship celebration last Thurs- day night. "I think people need to enjoy it a little bit, too," Wade said before Game 7 about his union with LeBron James and Chris Bosh, '"because one day it won't be here, and people are going to miss it. Let's stop getting rid of it while it's still here." He's right. One day, James, Wade and Bosh won't be on the Heat roster together, and because all three will be able to terminate their contracts with Miami after the 2013-14 season, the question becomes, when is that day? Heat owner Micky Arison re- cently told the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel that his concern next season is winning another championship, suggesting the Big 3 will play together again in 2013-14. But if the ownei- considers changing up things, he might entertain offers from other teams for Bosh. Trading James or Wade seems highly unlikely. James and Bosh will earn $19 million next season, and Wade is set to make $18.6 mil- lion. All three will make at least $20 million in 2014-15, and that puts some restrictions on what the Heat can do with the roster under the salary cap. Next season, the league's new luxury tax which was agreed upon by players and owners in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement kicks in, and it is a more punitive tax. Miami is looking at a nearly $37 million tax bill next season whereas in past seasons, it would have $18 million. Arison and Heat President Pat Riley undoubt- edly will be concerned about that number. While the Heat will look to improve the roster they have to based on how the postsea- son played out, being taken to two Game 7's they do have players locked in contractually for next season. Swingman Mike Miller is scheduled to make $6.2 mil- lion next season but could be cut with the amnesty clause, which allows teams to pay out a player's salary but avoid it counting against the cap. "One thing I've learned through 13 years of basketball is the business side of it, and I completely understand it," Miller said during the Finals. "But I've got a lot of basketball left." Big men Udonis Haslem and Joel Anthony are under con- tract through 2014-15, and guard Norris Cole's affordable rookie contract runs through at 2015-16. The Heat have a team option on the final year of guard Mario Chalmers' $4 mil- lion contract for next season, another reasonable contract for Miami. Chalmers played well in three of the four Finals wins and helps add an extra dimen- sion to the team. Forward Shane Battier is signed through 2013-14, and guard Ray Allen and forwards James Jones and Rashard Lewis all have player options for next season. Allen told USA TODAY Sports he will make a decision on his future after the season, and Jones and Lewis indicated they will return. The Heat also need to decide wlat they will do with Ander- sen: sign him in free agency in the offseason or look for an alternative. Right now, the Heat do not have a pick in June draft so any additions will be made through free agency or trades. The turnaround in the NBA season is fast. The draft comes a week after the Finals, and free agency opens four days af- ter that. When a news reporter asked James on Thursday about the future, he shot back, "Please don't ask me about my offseason training right now." With James, Wade and Bosh, the Heat will be the favorites for a third consecutive title. But they won't stand pat. Re- member, after winning the title in 2012, they added Allen and then signed Andersen almost midway through this season. "I mean, I have a few goals," James said. "My goal, one of my first goals is to continue to inspire the youth to want to play this game of basketball or to be better at whatever they do. Second thing for me is to continue to lead my team- mates. Every single day in practice, every single day in film sessions; I know the grass isn't always green and there's going to be trials and tribula- tions." UDONIS HASLEM, power for- MIKE MILLER, guard: The ward: The two-time NBA cham- 2000-01 rookie of the year pion signed with the Heat as an signed with the Heat in 2010 as undrafted free agent in 2003 out a free agent. of Florida and hasn't left. -W AAl NORRIS COLE, guard: The flat- topped point guard joined the Heat in a 2011 draft-day deal after being selected 28th overall by the Bulls out of Cleveland State using a pick the Heat previ- ously had traded for Chris Bosh. / - 1 ] --._. -- "^ SHANE BATTER, forward: The JAMES JONES, forward: JOEL ANTHONY, center: The former all-defensive team player The University of Miami (Fla.) Canadian big man signed with signed with the Heat in the 2011 product joined the Heat as a free the Heat as an undrafted free offseason. agent in 2008 but was waived agent in 2007 out of UNLV. in 2010 before being brought back on a smaller contract. TWO GREATS ARE UP FOR DEBATE Federer, Williams reign, but whose career is better By Douglas Robson Born seven weeks apart and the active leaders in Grand Slam hardware, Roger Feder- er and Serena Williams have staked viable claims as the greatest players of their genera- tion. But a late-career surge has thrust Williams into another debate: Is she the best player of her generation, regardless of gender? "I don't know if it's fair," ES- PN's Patrick McEnroe says of the comparison, "but it's real- ity." This much is for sure: Wim- bledon, which begins Monday, is their next chance to burnish legacies. Both 31-year-olds are de- fending champions. Both excel on grass. Both recognize they are playing for history and bat- tling father time. "They know exactly what they need to do now more than ever," John McEnroe said in a conference call with reporters this week. With her 16th Grand Slam victory earlier this month at the French Open, Williams moved two behind Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert for a share of fourth all-time among women. She is eight behind women's recordholder Margaret Court, but trails Federer, the all-time men's leader with 17 majors, by one. Some say comparing the two stars is like apples and orang- es. Federer has been a widely beloved champ throughout his career, rarely raising ripples off the court. Williams often has been a polarizing figure, beloved and derided, and a magnet for controversy in- cluding explosive comments that appeared this week in Rolling Stone. Plus they play in different depth pools, against different opponents under different cir- cumstances. "That's like saying, who is better, Steffi or Andre?" John McEnroe said of Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf. "You get into all different types of things. And I don't think there's an answer." But three-time Wimbledon champ McEnroe, who is com- menting for ESPN in 'London, agreed that Wimbledon is the venue where their games shine brightest a reason they have won 12 of 22 singles titles since 2002 (seven for Federer, five for Williams). "I do think for Roger that his best chance remains Wimble- don," John said. "And Serena has proved she can win and is a big favorite anywhere." ALWAYS A THREAT AT MAJORS Federer's obituary has been written before, but few would make a case that his best years are yet to come. He won an ab- surd 16 of 27 majors between a set down to beat 29th-ranked Mikhail Youzhny 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-4 to win the grass court tuneup at Halle, Germany. It ended a 10-month title drought that dated to the Cin- cinnati Masters in August - the longest since his first two titles in 2001-02. Roger Federer and Serena Williams with their Wimbledon prizes in 2012. Each of these stars can stake a claim as this generation's best player. his initial 2003 Wimbledon vic- tory and the 2010 Australian Open, but just one of his last 13. After a sluggish start to the season, a return to turf has again boosted his prospects for Wimbledon. Last week, Federer came from "Winning sort of solves ev- erything, really," Federer said after his victory. "So for me it's great, in terms of confidence." But there are still troubling signs. Federer hasn't beaten a top-10 player in 2013, and his serving statistics have slumped. Federer wasn't totally satis- fied with his form but felt bet- ter after finally earning a title. "There's still things I believe I can improve on, but I think that will then happen when the moment is there, when Wimbledon starts," he said. "But over all I'm very pleased with the way I played, and I'm happy with the week." Despite a gradual decline (by Federer standards) and an oc- casionally uncooperative back, the Swiss, who turns 32 in Au- gust, remains formidable, es- pecially on grass. The slicker surface suits his balletic footwork, his pinpoint serve, and his ability to punch balls back with his slice one- handed backhand, which stays low in the court. "Federer's combination of of- fense and defense is the best in history on grass," Patrick McEnroe says. "There still aren't that many guys that can beat him:" Few have. Federer leads all Open era players with 13 titles and a 121- 17 career record on grass. His .876 winning percentage is bet- ter than John McEnroe (.873) and Rod Laver (.840), who rank second and third. STILL GETTING BETTER Williams? Her best days might be ahead. Last year, she rebounded from a first-round exit at the French Open by firing a re- cord 102 aces (and just 10 double faults) on her way to a fifth Wimbledon title, tying her among active players with older sister Venus Williams. She hasn't slowed down, with wins at the Olympics and three of the last four majors, includ- ing the U.S. Open and Roland Garros. The American brings her take-no-prisoners attitude and a career-best 31-match winning streak (the longest in a single season since Venus ran off 35 in 2000) to London, where her biggest weapons - her raw power and potent serve - pay huge dividends. She is the overwhelming fa- vorite. "I think she's playing the best tennis of her career," said John McEnroe of Williams, who is 74-3 in the last 12 months. "She's not only in the best place I've ever seen, I think she's the best player that's ever lived. I said that a while ago. But she's cementing it in everyone's mind. She's just a level above anyone. There's no doubt about it." Williams still has off days - and can fire off-color remarks. She scrambled back from a 0-2 third-set deficit to beat Svet-. lana Kuznetosva in the French Open quarterfinals. This week she apologized for insensitive comments in a recent Rolling Stone about the 16-year-old victim in the Steubenville rape trial. 9D THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 Weather disasters cost nation $110o billion in 2012 K ti n a I By Doyle Rice With $110 billion in damage, 2012 was the second-costliest year for weather and climate disasters since record-keeping began in 1980, fed- eral climate scien- tists announced last Thursday. Only 2005 was costlier, record- ing $160 billion in damage, when Hurri- cane Katrina blasted the Gulf Coast. According to the National Climatic Data Center, the U.S. in 2012 had 11 sepa- rate weather and cli- Antitrust law can be used in challenges By Richard Wolf WASHINGTON Profit- sharing deals between brand- name and generic drug com- panies that preserve patents and prevent competition can be challenged as anti-com- petitive, the Supreme Court ruled Monday. The verdict was a victory for the federal government, which had contended that ar- rangements keeping generic drugs off the market benefit- ed companies at the expense of consumers. But the court, in a 5-3 de- cision written by Justice Ste- phen Breyer, did not automat- ically strike down such deals between drug companies. It ruled that the government must apply a "rule of reason" and challenge each deal in- dividually. That could lead to more lawsuits in the future. Breyer was joined by Jus- tice Anthony Kennedy and the court's liberal members. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the dissent. Justice Samuel Alito took no part in the case. The so-called "pay-for-de- lay" settlement, Breyer said, "simply keeps prices at pat- entee-set levels, potentially producing the full patent-re- lated $500 million monopoly return while dividing that re- mate events that each had losses exceeding $1 billion in damage. This follows another catastrophic year, 2011, when a record 14 separate billion- dollar disasters were documented. So is the weather really getting worse? "2011 and 2012 were truly extreme years climatologically, as we saw several types of all-time records shattered," reports climate scientist Adam Smith of the climate center. "We experienced historic tornado outbreaks and large-scale flood- ing in 2011, crip- pling drought and heat waves in both 2011 and 2012, and of course, tropical cyclones Irene and Sandy damaging the Northeast. "This is all com- pounded by the growing amount of property that exists in harm's way," Smith says. The 2012 events included seven severe weather/tornado events, two tropical storm/hurricanes, and the year-long drought and associ- ated wildfires. The two major drivers of damage costs in 2012 were Hurricane Sandy (at approximately $65 billion) and the year-long drought (at approximately $30 billion.) Sandy was also the nation's deadliest di- saster, causing more than 130 fatalities, the climate center reported. The year 2012 also brought the U.S.'s most widespread drought since the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s, as drought disaster declarations reached more than 2,600 of the nation's 3,143 counties. One expert isn't convinced the billion- dollar disaster list is all that relevant: "The billion-dollar disaster list is an interest- ing curiosity," says professor of environ- mental studies Roger Pielke of the Univer- sity of Colorado. "It has very little if any scientific or economic merit." "They find more disasters at the billion-dollar thresh- old, but the simple explanation for that is that we have more (and more valuable) property and belong- ings in harm's way," Pielke says."Further, a billion dollars is not what it used to be." However, Smith says that even with that caveat, the past couple of years have been unusual: "In 2011 and'2012, we have seen a sharp in- crease in the number of disasters that cre- ate damage in excess of $10 billion each." And as for the impacts of climate change, Smith reports that "there have been observed trends in some types of ex- treme events that are consistent with rising temperatures. These include heavy pre- cipitation events, more intense droughts and heat waves." "Drought and wild- fire risk are increasing as temperatures and evaporation rates rise. Research on climate changes' effects on other types of extreme events continues," Smith concludes. Mobile payments to be a reality Media wait for rulings in front of the Supreme turn between the challenged patenteee and the patent chal- lenger. "The patentee and the chal- lenger gain," he said. "The consumer loses." In his dissent, Roberts said the high court never has held that a competitor's decision not to challenge a patent vio- lates antitrust law. A settle- ment between the two drug makers in which money is ex- changed for dropping a legal claim is routine, he said. "In doing so, they put an end to litigation that had been dragging on for three years," Roberts said. "Ordi- narily, we would think this is a good thing." The deals are the product of a nearly 30-year-old federal law that aims to get generic drugs on the market as soon as possible. Without the oc- casional settlements, generic drug makers must win pat- ent lawsuits and if they lose, the patent runs its full course. The ruling leaves billions of dollars at stake. While con- sumers benefit most from ear- ly entry of generics which can slash drug prices by 85 percent or more settle- ments can reduce the dura- tion of brand-name patents, producing some savings. When generics are blocked for the duration of the patent - usually 20 years con- sumers lose the most. The case, Federal Trade Commission v. Actavis, in- .-- ... I;=. ._." 2" ' Court last Monday. volves the topical drug An- droGel that raises testoster- one levels in men. To ward off three generic companies that were challenging its patent, the FTC says, Solvay Phar- maceutical agreed to pay them $31 million to $42 mil- lion annually through 2015,t at which point they could en- ter the market with generic versions of the gel. The government charged that such deals give generic drug makers an incentive to sue and then settle for a quick profit, rather than challenge the patent in court and win. The generic drug makers argued that they win only about half the time, and when they don't, consumers lose, too. FED lays out plan to trim stimulus Bernanke ties easing $85B in bond buys to lower jobless rate By Paul Davidson WASHINGTON Fed- eral Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke for the first time laid out a likely road map last Wednesday for wind- ing down the central bank's unprecedented stimulus poli- cies starting later this year, sending the stock and bond markets reeling. At a news conference after a two-day Fed meet- ing, Bernanke said that if the economy and job market continue to improve, the Fed could begin "later this year" to scale back its $85 billion a month in government bond purchases that have juiced the economy and stock mar- ket. The Fed could continue to trim them until they're halted by mid-2014. Bernanke suggested that a key guidepost for the Fed is whether the current 7.6 percent jobless rate falls to seven percent by this time next year. Financial markets that were rattled on May 22 after Bernanke said tapering could begin "in a few meet- ings" were shaken further by his more detailed blueprint, which raised fears about whether economic growth might slow with less Fed support. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 206 points to 15,112. Ten-year Treasury yields rose to 2.31 percent from 2.18 percent. The Fed said it's keeping its stimulus at full throttle for now. It will continue to buy $85 billion a month in Treasuries and mortgage- backed securities until the labor market improves substantially. The purchases hold down long-term inter- est rates and have fueled the housing rebound and a blaz- ing stock rally. Bernanke emphasized that if the economy and job mar- ket falter, Fed policymakers could stop dialing back the bond-buying and even in- crease it again. He said that by tapering the purchases, the Fed is still adding stimu- lus to the economy just at a reduced level. He com- pared the action to "letting up a bit on the gas pedal as the car picks up speed, not to beginning to apply the brakes." The good news for bond in- vestors may be that markets have largely built in a rise in interest rates into prices. If the Fed begins to rein in the purchases as early as its September meeting, as many economists now expect, 10- year Treasury yields could rise initially toward 2.75 percent but then decline as investors shift money from stocks to bonds, says LPL Financial market strategist Anthony Valeri. Rates on many consumer and business loans, which are tied to the 10-year Trea- sury yield, could follow the same path. Bureau: Overdraft fees are harmful to consumers FEES continued from 7D The CFPB found that over- draft fees on debit card and ATM transactions in par- ticular are associated with higher rates of involuntary account closure. As a re- sult, the affected consumers become less able to open a checking account at another institution. The new CFPB report fol- lows a 2010 rule by the Fed- eral Reserve that required financial institutions for the first time to secure customer approval before enrollment in overdraft coverage for debit and ATM transactions. Wide variations in the number of "opt-ins" by institutions in- dicate that some are more aggressive than others in ob- taining consent forms from their customers. Following the announce- ment of the 2010 rule, the Center for Responsible Lend- ing [CRL] noted that the rule did not address clear abuses that customers experience once they are enrolled, in- cluding the exorbitant cost of debit card overdraft coverage or re-ordering transactions to maximize fees. And be- cause the size or frequency of the fees was not addressed, financial institutions have the incentive to secure as many opt-in forms as pos- sible. Previous research by CRL has found that: Most debit card transac- tions that trigger overdrafts are far smaller than the size of the overdraft itself; Most consumers surveyed would rather have their debit card transaction declined than have it covered in ex- change for an overdraft fee; In 2008, Americans aged 55 and over paid $6.2 billion in overdraft fees; Americans aged 18-24 paid nearly $1.3 billion in overdraft fees. CRL along with others including Pew Charitable Trusts, have also called for banning institutions from processing transactions from the largest to smallest. This change would diminish the number of overdraft fees charged and thereby free-up consumer monies for other items. In reaction to the CFPB re- port, CRL said, "We remain concerned about financial institutions that deliberately trigger overdraft fees by re- ordering daily transactions from the highest to lowest, often resulting in more fees from customers. This de- ceptive practice remains far too common despite fueling widespread litigation . We look forward to future stud- ies by the CFPB that will shed even more light on an issue that affects millions of Americans each year." MOBILE continued from 7D smartphone and a payment terminal, for instance making it perfect for what the in- dustry calls "contact- less" transactions. Plenty of current smartphones come with built-in NFC chips, including the Samsung Galaxy Nex- us and the HTC One. Apps such as Google Wallet allow users to make contactless pay- ments at NFC-enabled terminals like any of the 300,000 Mas- terCard PayPass loca- tions, including Mc- Donald's, Rite Aid and Hess. If that sounds like a hassle buying an NFC-capable phone, to use with a specific app, which only works with specific payment terminals it's be- cause it is. There are simply too many vari- ables. This high barrier to entry has convinced some major players, including Apple, to forgo NFC altogether. And when the maker of the world's best-selling smartphone isn't on board with something, consumers just aren't going to adopt in huge numbers. Smaller start-up- level companies are working to create more flexible payment services. Square, launched in 2009 by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, is one of the best-known in the space. Public Notice Housing For The Elderly Buenavista Apartments The waiting list for Buenavista Apartments, a HUD 202 Housing for the El- derly and Handicapped project has closed, due to high volume of applicants on the waiting list. The average wait is over two years. Therefore, lease ap- plications will not be given or received until further notice, for this particular project located at 3500 NW 18th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33142. CNC Management Inc. 305-642-3634/TDD 305-643-2079 EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITYEL.OI OPPORTUNITY CITY OF MIAMI ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Sealed bids 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 following: IFB NO. 368328: INVITATION FOR BID FOR DRUG SCREENING AND PHYSICAL EXAMINATION SERVICES CLOSING DATE/TIME: 11:00 A.M. THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2013 Detailed scope of work and specifications for this bid are available at the City of Miami, Purchasing Department, website at www.miamigov.com/procurement Telephone No. 305-416-1958. Deadline for Receipt of Requests for Additional Information/Clarification: Monday. July 8. 2013 at 5:00 P.M. THIS BID SOLICITATION IS SUBJECT TO THE "CONE OF SILENCE" IN ACCORDANCE WITH CITY OF MIAMI CODE SECTION 18-74 ORDINANCE NO.12271. Johnny Martinez, P.E. ', City Manager AD NO. 22189 ..... CITY OF MIAMI. FLORIDA NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC A public hearing will be held by the City Commission of the City of Miami, Flori- da on July 11, 2013, at 9:00 a.m., in the City Commission Chambers at City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, for the purpose of waiving the re- quirements of obtaining sealed bids for the sole source purchase of six hundred (600) electronic control devices (aka) Tasers, Style No. X2/X26P and related equipment, at an amount not to exceed $831,613.80, from Taser International, Inc., located at 17800 N. 85th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85255, for the Department of Police. Inquiries from other potential sources of such a package who feel that they might be able to satisfy the City's requirements for this item may contact Yadis- sa Calderon, Sr. Procurement Specialist, at the City of Miami Purchasing De- partment at (305) 416-1909. All interested persons are invited to appear and may be heard concerning such proposed acquisition. Should any person desire to appeal any decision of the City Commission with respect to any matter considered at this hearing, that per- son shall ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, including all testimony and evidence upon which any appeal may be based (F.S. 286.0105). In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, persons need- ing special accommodations to participate in this proceeding may contact the Office of the City Clerk at (305) 250-5361 (Voice) no later than two (2) business days prior to the proceeding, or at (305) 250-5472 (TTY) no later than three (3) business days prior to the proceeding. . Todd Hannon -.'- (#19337) City Clerk The Supreme Court demolishes drug firms' profit-sharing deals THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER 10D THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 2013 1 SeCTLN D Apartments 1 NORTHEAST AREA Section 8. One and two bedrooms. $199 security. 786-488-5225 101 A Civic Center Area Free Direct TV, free water, free parking, appliances, ceramic tile, laundry room, central air. One bdrm, $800, two bdrms, $900. Very quiet building. Verifiable income required. Call 786-506- 3067. 1545 NW 8th Avenue. 1140 NW 79 Street Two bdrms, one bath. $750. Stove and refrigerator. 305-642-7080 1212 NW 1 Avenue One bedroom, one bath, $450. Stove and refrigerator. 305-642-7080 1215 NW 103 Lane Two bdrms, gated security, tile, $750 mthly. 305-696-7667 1231 NW 58 Terrace MOVE IN SPECIAL! First' month moves you in. One bedroom one bath. $500 monthly. Free 19 inch LCD T.V. Call Joel 786-355-7578 1240 NE 200 Street One bedroom rear apt., one person, first, last month and $400 deposit. $800 a month. All utilities and cable included. Sylvia, 786-447-6673. 1245 NW 58TH STREET MOVE IN SPECIAL! First month moves you in. One bedroom, one bath. $550 mthly. Free 19 inch LCD TV. Call Joel 786-355- 7578 1250 NW 60 Street One bedroom, one bath $525. Free water. 305-642-7080 1261 NW 59 Street One bedroom, one bath. $550 305-642-7080 1348 NW 1 Avenue One bdrm., one bath $395 305-642-7080 135 NW 18 Street Move in Special First month moves you in. One bdrm, one bath. $395 monthly, two bedrooms, one bath. $495 monthly. Free 19 inch LCD TV. Call Joel 786-355-7578 1450 NW 1 Avenue One bedroom, one bath. $425, two bedrooms, one bath. $550. 305-642-7080 1520 NW 61 Street One bedroom, $595 includes stove, fridge, water, air. Bob, 305-495-8873 1540 NW1 Court Two bdrms, $675, three bdrms, $800, free water, quiet gated building. Call 786-506-3067 1648 NW 35 Street Three and one bedrooms, tile floors, central air. 786 355-5665 167 NE 59 St-Unit #2 Two bedrooms, one bath, $950. Section 8 Welcome. 954-914-9166 167 NE 59 St-Unit #5 One bedroom, one bath, $750. Section 8 Welcome. 954-914-9166 1718 NW 2 Court One bdrm, one bath, $425. 305-642-7080 1720 NW1 Place One bdrm., $525; quiet gated building, call 786-506- 3067 1801 NW 2 Avenue MOVE IN SPECIAL! First month move you in! Two bedrooms, one bath. $550 monthly. Free 19 inch LCD TV. Call: Joel 786-355- 7578 186 NW 13 Street One bdrm, one bath. $450. Stove, refrigerator. 305-642-7080 190 NW 16 Street Studios $450 and one bdrm $500. Call 786-506-3067. 1955 NW 2 Court One bedroom, one bath. $450. 305-642-7080 210 NW 17 Street MOVE IN SPECIAL One bdrm, one bath $450. 305-642-7080 2945 NW 46 Street One bedroom, one bath, $600 monthly. Call Mr. Perez, 786-412-9343 30 Street 12 Avenue Area One bedroom, 305-754-7776 3185 NW 75 Street One bedroom, close to metro rail. $650 monthly, first and last 305-439-2906 352 NW 11 Street One bdrm, $500, two bdrms, $650. Quiet gated building. 786-506-3067 6091 NW 15 Avenue Two bedrooms, one bath. $550. 305-642-7080 731 NW 56 Street One bdrm, one bath. Free water. $500 monthly. Call 786-328-5878 746 NW 61 Street One bdrm, $650, two bdrms, $850. Free water, quiet building. Call 786-506-3067. 8475 NE 2 Avenue One and two bdrms. Section 8 OK. 305-754-7776 ARENA GARDEN Move in with first month rent FREE BASIC CABLE Remodeled efficiency, one, two, three bdrms, air, appliances, 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/ OVERTOWN MOVE IN SPECIAL One or two bedrooms, qualify the same day. 305- 603-9592 or visit our office at: 1250 NW 62 St Apt #1. Overtown 305-600-7280 or 305-375-0673 MIAMI AREA One bedroom, appliances, water included. 305-688-7559 Business Rentals 9150 NW 17 Avenue Funeral Home. 305-633-5311 Condos/Townhouses 555 NW 210 ST #203 Beautiful lake view. Two bedrooms, two baths, central air, washer and dryer. $1200 monthly. 305-610-7504 MIAMI GARDENS AREA Two story three bedrooms, new appliances, first, last and security. $1200 monthly, 305-652-3124 SECTION 8 WELCOME! Three bedrooms, two baths units. Rudy 786-367-6268. 4127 NW 181 Terrace. Duplexes 135 NE 80 Terrace Newly remodeled, huge one bedroom, one bath, central air, $750 monthly. Section 8 Welcome. 954-818-9112. 14872 NE 16 Avenue Three bedrooms, two baths, central air, washer and dryer. $1,400 a month with a $1,000 security, Section 8 Ok. 786-303-8496 1890 NW 89 Terrace One bedroom, Call 786-587-3731 1942 NW 93 Terrace Two bdrms., one bath. $950 mthly. Section 8 Welcome. 954-914-9166 2320 NW 102 Street Two bdrms, one bath, $850 mthly. Free water, all appliances included, central air, free 19 inch LCD TV. Call Joel 786-355-7578 2355 NW 95 Terrace Two bdrms., one bath, tiled. Section 8 Ok. 305-205-3652 271 NW 46 Street Two bedrooms, one bath, $895, appliances, free water and electricity, 305-642- 7080. 349 NW 53 Street Two bdrms, one bath. $725 mthly. 305-632-8750 Mr. B 36 NW 52 Street One bdrm, one bath $695, two bdrms, one bath $975. Appliances, free water 305-642-7080. 364 NW 59 Terrace Two bedrooms, one bath, $750. Stove and refrigerator. 305-642-7080 414 NW 53 Street Nice four-plex, renovated two bedrooms, one bath, new appliances, 786-554-0397. 5420 NW 5 Court Large three bedrooms, two baths, Section 8 Welcome. $1300 monthly, $1000 security. Call 786-488-2264 6747 NW 5 Court Two bdrms, one bath, air, $850. 305-681-3736 6998 N.W. 5 Place One bdrm, one bath. $550 mthly. 786-312-6641 755 NW 114 Street Two bedrooms, one -bath. $900 mthly. First, last and deposit to move in. Own stove and refrigerator. No Section 8 or other programs. 305-788-3063 9302 NW 30 Ct Two bdrms, one bath, air, $900, 305-681-3736. NORTHWEST AREA Remodeled, two bdrms., one bath, Section 8 Ok, $1,000 mthly, Call 305-216-2724 OPA-LOCKA AREA 1136 Sesame Street Two bdrms, one bath. $900 mthly. 786-325-8000 Efficiencies 100 NW 14 Street Newly renovated, private bath and kitchen, utilities and cable (HBO, BET, ESPN). 24 hour security cameras, $185 wkly, $650 mthly. 305-360-2440 8291 C NW14 Avenue Large studio, with kitchen and bathroom area. Located across Arcola Park. Great for one or two person max. Rent $550 per month includes water. Security deposit $550 Call Sylvester 954-275-0436 9535-A NW 26 Avenue Large efficiency, tiled, air, yard, security bars and appliances. $600 monthly, includes water. 305-255- 5978 NE Biscayne Gardens Efficiency like a room back home, air, clean, convenient, private parking, major roads, fenced backyard. $650 mthly and security deposit. 305- 528-6889 SFurnished Rooms 1010 NW 180 Terrace Free cable, air, appliances and use of kitchen. 305-835-2728 1600 NW 56 Street Microwave, refrigerator, color TV, free cable, air, and use of kitchen. Call 305-835-2728 2010 NW 55 Terrace No Deposit Required. $140 moves you in. Aircable, utilities included. 786-554- 1198 211 NW 12 Street $400 a month, no deposit, utilities included, 786-454-5213 3042 NW 44 Street Big rooms, air, $115 wkly, move in $230. 786-262-6744 4744 NW 15 Court Clean room, air, $390 mthly. 305-479-3632 83 Street NW 18 Avenue Clean room. 305-754-7776 MIAMI GARDENS AREA Furnished or unfurnished rooms with living room. 786-663-5641 OPA LOCKA AREA 2170 Washington Avenue Clean rooms, $440 and $500 monthly. 786-277-3434 786-709-1775 Houses 10360 SW 173 Terrace Four bedrooms, one bath $1495. Appliances, central air. 305-642-7080 1283 NW 55 Street Three bedrooms, two baths. $1,100 mthly. 786-328-5878. 12950 W. Golf Drive Three bedrooms, two baths. Central heat and air and fenced in yard. $1300 mthly, $900 Security. 305-301-1993 13 AVenue NW 111 Street Waterfront! Totally remodeled three bedrooms, two baths, on Silver Blue Lake. Huge property, totally fenced, room for boat, close to Barry University and Miami-Dade College. Available July 1, $2250 monthly, call 305-772-8257 1312 NW 68 Street Three bdrms, one bath. $1200 mthly. 954-914-9166 133 St and NW 18 Ave. Three bedrooms, two baths. 305-754-7776 1476 NE 154 Terrace, Three bedrooms, one bath, air. $1300 mthly. Section 8 OK. 786-586-2894 1514 NW 74 Street Section 8 Preferred, three bedrooms, one bath, fenced yard, central air, ceiling fans, refrigerator, stove. Washer, dryer, security bars, awnings. Remodeled bathroom and kitchen. $1,250 mthly. $500 security. Call 786-218-4646. 17531 NW 32 Avenue Three bdrms., one and half bath, 'family room. $1300 monthly. Call 954-445-0539 1865 NW 45 Street Front Three bdrms, one bath. $1025 mthly. 305-525-0619 20513 NW 39 Court Lakefront, three bedrooms, one bath, appliances, $1300 a month, Section 8 okay, drive by, then call: 954-517-1282 2343 NW 100 Street Two bdrms, one bath, $825. Appliances. 305-642-7080 345 NW 187 Street Three bedrooms, one bath, $1250, A Berger Realty, Inc., 954-805-7612. 3919 NW 207 St Rd Four bdrms, two baths, totally remodeled after hurricane. A beauty. $1595 mthly. Section 8 ok. Call Joe 954-849-6793 5511 NW 12 Avenue Renovated three bedrooms, one bath, -can be used as a four bedrooms. Section 8 Ok. 786-554-0397. 863 NW 139 Street Four bdrms., two and half baths. $1650 mthly. $3500 move in. Complete renovation. Call Michael 786-488-3350 94 Street NW 23 Avenue Three bedrooms, includes stove, refrigerator, air, washer and dryer. No Section 8, $950, 305-790-8094. Liberty City Area Four bdrms, two baths. Section 8 welcome. 305-754-4140 LIBERTY CITY, HOLLYWOOD and WEST PALM BCH AREAS Three bdrms, two baths and two bdrms and one bath. ready in July and August. Only Section 8. 786-488-7628 MIAMI AREA Spacious four bdrms, two baths, plasma TV included. No credit check, Section 8 Welcome! Others available. 305-834-4440 MIAMI GARDENS Three bedrooms, two baths, garage, laundry and dining room, Near Calder Casino, Turnpike, Sunlight Stadium. First and security. $1400 mthly. Section 8 Only 305- 623-0493. Appointment only. References. MIAMI GARDENS AREA Three bedrooms, two baths, Section 8 Welcome. 786-234-5803 Near NW 14 Avenue and 134 Street Three bedrooms, two baths, garage, den, everything new. Try only $4900 down and $781 monthly with good credit. NDI Realtors, 305-655-1700 NOTICE OF INVITATION TO BID OR REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA 1450 N.E. 2ND AVENUE, ROOM 351 MIAMI, FLORIDA 33132 Solicitations are subject to School Board Policy 6325, Cone of Silence. For more details please visit: http://procurement.dadeschools.net BID NUMBER/ OPENING DATE BID TITLE/PRE-BID CONFERENCE 077-NN10 RFP: FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT (FSA) 7/25/2013 ADMINISTRATION SERVICES 076-NN10 Outside Agencies Qualified to Operate Alternative 7/18/2013 Education Programs for M-DCPS At-Risk Students #2 081-NN10 -Sports Medicine Program (Rebid) 7/16/2013 080/INN10 Inspection/Administrative Services for Elevators and 7/16/2013 Wheelchair Lifts (Rebid) CITY OF MIAMI. FLORIDA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING A public hearing will be held by the City Commission of the City of Miami, Florida on July 11, 2013, at 9:00 AM at City Hall, located at 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, for the purpose of considering a resolution to designate 850 SW 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33130 as a Brownfield Area. 850 SW 2nd Avenue will be developed into a multi-level apartment building titled "Vista Grande Apart- ments" and will consist of 89 one and two bedroom affordable housing units. The City Manager will present written findings to the City Commission which shall contain a complete analysis of whether or not 850 SW 2nd Avenue is an actual Brownfield Site, and whether or not the status of a property qualifying as a Brownfield Site is relevant for an individual property request for Brownfield Area Designation per Florida Statute 376.80 Section 2(b) (1-5). All interested parties are invited to appear and may be heard concerning this item. Should any person desire to appeal any decision of the City Commission with respect to any matter considered at this hearing, that person shall ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, including all testimony and evidence upon any appeal may be based (F.S. 286.0105). In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, persons need- ing special accommodations to participate in this proceeding may contact the Office of the City Clerk at (305) 250-5361 (Voice) no later than two (2) business days prior to the proceeding, or at (305) 250-5472 (TTY) no later than three (3) business days prior to the proceeding. ~-. Todd Hannon '; (#19340) City Clerk ,' STOP!! Behind in Your Rent? 24 Hour notice. Behind in Your Mortgage? 305-731-3591 1861 NW 166 Street For sale three bdrms, one bath, new kitchen granite counters, new paint, new floors. Try only $2900 down and $455 mthly. P&l with good credit, NDI Realtors 305-655-1700 3421 NW 213 Street For sale two bedrooms, one bath, remodeled. $1900 down and $455 monthly P&l with good credit. NDI Realtors 305-655-1700 ""****ATTENTION**** Now You Can own Your Own Home Today ***WITH*** FREE CASH GRANTS UP TO $65,000 On Any Home/Any Area FIRST TIME BUYERS Need HELP??? 305-892-8315 House of Homes Realty . ''*S'<'. : Fi^ ,, . Don't Lose Your Home We Stop Foreclosures Fast! Call now, 786-486-7217 ROOF REPAIRS 32 years of experience, all types of roofs. Call Thomas: 786-499-8708 or 786-347- 3225. Lic#CCC056999 ROUTE DRIVERS We are seeking drivers to deliver newspaper to retail outlets in Broward and ,Miami Dade. Wednesday Only You must be available between the hours of 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. Must have reliable, insured vehicle and current Driver License. Apply in person at: The Miami Times 900 N.W. 54th Street fle N N CO CD IA CEO .J ,,, u,, PROFESSIONAL CARE CERTIFIED LOW COST SERVICE SERVICE UP TO 8 WEEKS Daily appointments 175 Abortion without surgery WCOUPON SLejune Plaza Shopping Center 697 East 9th St 305-887-3002 I S S. *305-887-3002i Hialeah, FL 33010 i .. ............... .. .. B R IN G T H IS A D .... ........ ................................. Advanced Gyn Clinic Prolessonal, Sale Conlienlial Seriices THrmination Up to 22 Weeks Individual C',urnsIing Services B- Board Certified OB GYN's -Complete G','Nf Seivices ABORTION START $180 AND UP 305-621-1399 CITY OF MIAMI. FLORIDA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING A public hearing will be held by the City Commission of the City of Miami, Flor- ida on July 11, 2013, at 9:00 AM at City Hall, located at 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, for the purpose of considering a resolution to designate 144 and 152 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL 33130 as a Brownfield Area. 144 and 152 SW 8th Street will be developed into a multi-level apartment building titled "West Brickell View" and will consist of 64 one and two bedroom affordable housing units. The City Manager will present written findings to the City Commission which shall contain a complete analysis of whether or not 144 and 152 SW 8th Street is an actual Brownfield Site, and whether or not the status of a property qualify- ing as a Brownfield Site is relevant for an individual property request for Brown- field Area Designation per Florida Statute 376.80 Section 2(b) (1-5). All interested parties are invited to appear and may be heard concerning this item. Should any person desire to appeal any decision of the City Commission with respect to any matter considered at this hearing, that person shall ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, including all testimony and evidence upon any appeal may be based (F.S. 286.0105). In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, persons need- ing special accommodations to participate- in this proceeding may contact the Office of the City Clerk at (305) 250-5361 (Voice) no later than two (2) business days prior to the proceeding, or at (305) 250-5472 (TTY) no later than three (3) business days prior to the proceeding. ,. --. Todd Hannon -- ' (#19338) City Clerk '' - CITY OF MIAMI. FLORIDA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING A public hearing will be held by the City Commission of the City of Miami, Florida on July 11, 2013, at 9:00 AM at City Hall, located at 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, for the purpose of considering a resolution to designate 1026 SW 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33130 as a Brownfield Area. 1026 SW 2nd Av- enue will be developed into a multi-level apartment building titled "West Brickell Tower" and will consist of 32 one and two bedroom affordable housing units. The City Manager will present written findings to the City Commission which shall contain a complete analysis of whether or not 1026 SW 2nd Avenue is an actual Brownfield Site, and whether or not the status of a property qualifying as a Brownfield Site is relevant for an individual property request for Brownfield Area Designation per Florida Statute 376.80 Section 2(b) (1-5). All interested parties are invited to appear and may be heard concerning this item. Should any person desire to appeal any decision of the City Commission with respect to any matter considered at this hearing, that person shall ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, including all testimony and evidence upon any appeal may be based (F.S. 286.0105). In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, persons need- ing special accommodations to participate in this proceeding may contact the Office of the City Clerk at (305) 250-5361 (Voice) no later than two (2) business days prior to the proceeding, or at (305) 250-5472 (TTY) no later than three (3) business days prior to the proceeding.' ,. -. Todd Hannon Ce (#19339) City Clerk ADMIN ASSISTANT TRAINEES NEEDED! Train to become a Microsoft Office Assistant! No Experience Needed! Local career training gets you job ready! Train on campus or online 1-888-589-9683 MEDICAL OFFICE Training Program! Learn to become a Medical Office Assistant! No Experience Needed! Local Job Training and Placement available! 1-888-407-6082 Air Conditioner Repairs Washer, plumbing and roof. Call Gregory, 786-273-1130 Handyman Special Carpet cleaning, plumbing, lawn service. 305-801-5690 .$ . ', ,- S L6 ca E ,,i CB 'I em f [ I2 H IM IEJN 6JL ,21 Tr AIN 1BLC E SAE Sp T .... SPvR rS RT FRESHMEN CHAMPIONS. GWEN CHERRY BULLS .. . .. ;t -. ".-.',.:.' ,- "-. _- .- ,.. a* ,. S._a.:l. :. "^ :- -" : .- -- >.. g-_ -^ "^W #. ..... o: -,,,,- i {:'.-, "$-Y ;-g ..-".!.-.7;? { .^ .: "' :!./5"p:^ ;::g ,-..,,^ ^ {_ FRESHMEN RUNNERS UP: NORTHWEST B SSCLUBFALSCONSS Norland High I, .disappointed "with football w football JUNIOR CHAMPION s: LIBERTY CITYWARRIORs .... .....R,..O RS., . "". ~" ai 1S ^ S 1) i *i! ,t,.w AS V1 -," A.,DRS. --, -- ............. ""---'-"-- UNIOR UP:TALCOLCY RED RA RUNNERS No Fly Zone Youth League Football Camp offers training for ballplayers fundraiser Head Coach points out need for alumni support By Akilah Laster akilahlaster@gmail.com The Norland football program hosted a premiere fundraiser at the Hyatt Re- gency in downtown Miami earlier this month in an attempt to draw alumni and community support for necessary team expenses. While several Norland faculty and all coaching staff members attended the Las Vegas Casino Night themed fundraiser, the turnout was low with less than 30 in attendance. The fundraiser included an all you can eat buffet and open bar, several raffle prizes and a silent auction where attend- ees were able to win signed jerseys and helmets, designer purses and even a trip to the Playboy Mansion, all while play- ing popular casino games like: blackjack, poker and roulette. Norland Principal Reginald Lee, though disappointed in the attendance result, strongly urged the alumni to step up in the matter. "Just imagine if our former athletes gave back to what we do," Lee said. "Just Creator Harris says participation just as crucial for optimist By Akilah Laster akilahlaster@gmail.com Throughout the month of June more than 15 teams from the Overtown Optimist Club gathered to compete in the Brandon Harris No Fly Zone Youth League 7-on-7 Football Camp at three dif- ferent parks in Overtown and Liberty City. The free camp, presented by the Houston Texans cornerback, was. geared toward giving younger football players an opportunity to compete dur- ing the summer and keep the kids involved. "It gives the kids some- thing positive to do, as well as be around some of the coaches they will see at the next level," Harris said. "The more you stay in sports, the less time you have to get into negative things that go on in the community." More than 300 athletes from ages nine to 15 partici- pated in three weekends of 7-on-7 play and were able to take part in a Nike SPARQ Combine Training, while coaches were able to attend a Youth League Coaching Clin- ic one weekend at no cost. "I'm honored and thank- ful that Brandon Harris did this and gave back to the community," said Harold Ja- cob, head coach of the fresh- man group (ages nine to 10) champions, the Gwen Cher- ry Bulls. "I think this was a really good stepping stone." Harris, a native of the Overtown community, who has personal ties because his father, Tim "Ice" Har- ris, and older brother, Tim Harris Jr., coach football at Booker T. Washington, said that providing an opportuni- ty for optimist programs was crucial. "The whole idea of it is great," said Tim Jr. "An event like this for the youth leagues in South Florida is just another way to help prepare young student ath- letes for the next level. We're already looking forward to next year." Brandon Harris felt that the significance of youth sports are often mitigated compared to programs for high school aged athletes, but said they were just as important. "Youth programs are im- portant in Miami [because] there are a lot of negative in- fluences and football is a way to get away from [them] for a bit," Harris said. "It's about becoming a better person." The tournament even brought optimist teams from the Homestead area out to participate. "It was a really good tour- nament and we can take it into the season with us," said Ray Morrison, head coach of the winning sophomore group (age 11 to 12) Florida City Razorbacks. With the support of several esteemed local coaches and NFL players, Harris plans to continue and expand the camp next year, despite the amount of work that is re- quired. "I could not have done it alone, I've had a lot of sup- port," Harris said. "But we just wanted to make it a full experience for the teams." Heat, James hailed after second straight title By Simon Evans Lebron James and the Mi- ami Heat were hailed on Fri- day after clinching a second straight NBA championship at the end of an enthralling seven game NBA Finals. James, who scored- a game-high 37 points with 12 rebounds, was named the Finals MVP for the sec- ond straight year after hurt- ing the San Antonio Spurs with his mid-range jump shots and delivering a per- formance that earned him widespread praise. "This was one of the best NBA Finals ever, and one of the great Game Sevens LeBron James and the Miami Heat won their second straight NBA championship. LeBron meets expectations Ever since we first got wind of a kid from Ohio named LeBron James he was labeled the chosen one. Chosen to be the next big thing in his sport since he was in high school. The enormity of that pres- sure could be mind blow- ing. LeBron has dominated winning MVP's enduring the outrage that followed "the decision" and pair- ing up with his pal Dwy- ane Wade to finally win his first ring a year ago. Still the critics kept hammering away. After last Thursday's 95-88 hard fought win over the San Antonio Spurs in an epic game seven of the NBA Finals, LeBron James posed with his second consecutive NBA Chain- pionship and Finals MVP in each hand and stared down his haters and doubt- ers saying along the way "I ain't got no worries." This may have been the finest 48 minutes in the illustri- ous career of King James. We all look at James physi- cal stature and feel com- pelled that we should tell him what to do and how he should play this game. The great Spurs Head Coach Greg Popovich dared LeB- ron to shoot the basketball throughout the series and it seemed to be working for a while as King James num- bers were down from a bril- liant regular season. How- ever on this night, when the ever," wrote Michael Rosen- berg for Sports Illustrated, who described James as "the best basketball player in the worl." Such superlatives littered media reports of the Heat's 95-88 victory last Thursday which sparked loud celebra- tions on the streets of down- town Miami. "Lebron James at last seized control of his own narrative, leaving nothing to chance and no more room for debate," wrote Howard Beck in the New York Times. The Spurs, who had been half a minute away from clinching the title in Game Six, fought Miami all the lights were at their bright- est, on the biggest stage LeBron James delivered. He made big shot after big shot last Thursday night and looked totally comfort- able doing it, there was no indecisiveness or hesita- tion as James scored five 3-pointers. He displayed a variety of midrange shots, and in the frantic final sec- onds he delivered the dag- ger a 20-footer with 27 sec- onds left that gave Miami a seemingly safe four-point lead. It was the kind of per- formance that' legends are made of. It was not what he did, but when and how he did it. Just like Magic Johnson in 1980 with his way last Thursday and Heat players went out of their way to praise their opponents, with James embracing Tim Duncan in the post-game celebrations. "They pushed the Heat to the limit and elevated the elegance of the sport, the grace, the competitive fe- rocity and sportsmanship," wrote Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski. "As epic as these seven games had been a Game Six that'll be remembered as maybe the greatest Finals game this series was a referendum on everything basketball ought to be at the highest level," he added. masterful 42 point 15 re- bound and 7 assists per- formance that still reso- nates to this day. This was an all time legacy sealing performance from LeBron James. He finished with 37 points in the decisive Game 7 on the heels of pouring in 32 in a memorable Game 6. The questions and the doubts will persist but LeB- ron James has delivered on all that promise that we saw in the Akron kid in a man's body all those years ago. He is the best in the world and he is hungry for more. It appears as if he is on his way to getting just that. More. Not one, not two .. well you get the idea. Photo Credit: Akilah Laster Norland Principal Reginald Lee with Raffle Winner. say 'here you go Norland, I know you guys need it [and] I'm a former student [and] you guys saved my life.'" When compared to programs like Cen- tral and Booker T. Washington, whose football teams have travelled out-of-state for nationally recognized games, Norland has not done so recently; however, this year the Vikings plan to travel to Atlanta, Georgia to play Stevenson High School and a large portion of the funds will be allocated toward that trip. Head Coach Daryle Heidelberg said it was this trip that engendered the need for a more large scale fundraiser in order to cover the transportation expenses. "I just know personally there are only so many donuts and candy bars that we can sell and it's getting kind of redun- dant," Heidelberg said. "I'm always trying to think outside the box and be a trend- setter." The Vikings' athletic department has been very successful over the last few years with the football team making it to the playoffs for the last three seasons, in- cluding winning the 2011 Class 5A state championship. The boys' basketball team have won back-to-back state champion- ships in 2011-12 and 2012-13, while the girls' basketball earned two state champi- onships in the last five seasons. Academi- cally Norland is an "A" school, and will be again this upcoming school year accord- ing to Lee. "What more could you ask for, except it's time for the alumni to come back and be a part of what we do," Lee said. With the full support of Lee, Heidelberg said he plans to continue to try different and "more creative" ways to raise funds, but still recognizes that the support of the alumni will make all of the difference. Lee who said that the school has ful- filled its end of the bargain hopes that alumni will begin to take pride in the school's success. "There are a lot of great things happen- ing at Norland," Lee said. "It's about us reaching out to them and them wanting to give back." THE NATION'S #1 BLACK NEWSPAPER I 12D THE MIAMI TIMES, JUNE 26-JULY 2, 201351 |