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AUGUST 8 - AUGUST 14, 2019
YEAR 44 NO. 32
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‘Ready for a fight’ Democratic National Committee vice chair rallies area Democrats; urges participation on local and national levels. BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES
Local Democrats got an extra spark for the 2020 presidential election last week. Michael Blake, vice chair of the Democratic National Committee, delivered a fiery message at the Volusia County Democratic Black Caucus’ Second Annual Black & Blue Gala on Aug. 3. It was held at Bethune-Cookman University’s Center for Civic Engagement.
Blake also is a New York Assemblyman from the 79th district in the Bronx, New York. The gala is the annual fundraiser for the Volusia County Black Democratic Caucus, which aims to get local African-American Democrat candidates and other Democrats elected to local, state and national offices.
Time to fight The audience was encouraged to be ready for a fight in 2020. “We must be ready for a fight. We are fighting for the direction of our country. We are fighting for the soul of our country. Maybe we have forgotten how to fight. We fought during slavery, Jim Crow and civil rights,” Blake told attendees at the event. “We are fighting the prison indus-
trial complex, voter suppression, inequality, injustice and more. We are the Democratic Party. We fight for the people. That is who we are and what we do.’’
Calls Trump racist Along with the 2020 election, Blake addressed Amendment 4; the mass shooting in El Paso, Texas; racism; and voter apathy. President Trump wasn’t sparred in the congressman’s speech. “People from New York and New Jersey aren’t surprised. We know what he is. He is a racist, criminal, misogynist, xenophobe and more. We know what was passed on in his house. When those around him won’t speak up, we must,’’ Blake stated.
DAYTONA TIMES / 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Azama is city clerk, Dickerson Library
See DEMS, Page 2
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Michael Blake addresses local Democrats during an Aug. 3 gala.
Daytona settles Huger suit; city manager in hot seat BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES
Settlements totaling more than $1 million for two discriminations lawsuits against the City of Daytona Beach causing backlash. Meanwhile, scrutiny for the City Manager Jim Chisholm is at a high, with one local group calling for his ouster. During Wednesday’s night regular Daytona Beach City Commission meeting, commissioners voted 7-0 to approve a settlement on a lawsuit with its former facilities construction and maintenance manager, Thomas Huger, for more than $600,000.
2016 lawsuit Huger, 67, sued the city for age and race discrimination after he was passed over for promotion for public works director. He worked with the city from 2006 to 2017 and sued his employer back in 2016. In 2015, he filed a claim with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. His old job paid him $105,000 annually. The job went to David Waller, a then 44-year old White male. During Wednesday night’s meeting, some residents took advantage of the allotted public comment time to address their concerns. “These lawsuits for discriminations show that there is a lot going on in the city. They wouldn’t be here if employees didn’t feel that they are being treated unfairly. I was subpoenaed for court in the Huger case,” commented resident Marjorie Johnson. Ken Strickland added, “This is
Mandatory workshops set for ECHO grant program
Thirty-two years ago in 1987, the Daytona Times reported on Gwen Azama becoming the city clerk of Daytona Beach, and on problems at the Dickerson Center, which had its own separate library at the time. The library was later closed.
ALSO INSIDE
The Volusia County Environmental, Cultural, Historical and Outdoor Recreation (ECHO) Grants-in-Aid program is starting the 2019-2020 grant cycle with two workshops. Eligible applicants who wish to apply must attend at least one of these workshops: • 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, in the first-floor training room of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand
the second such settlement within a year. Women and minorities still feel the effects of this. The city manager is responsible and should be held accountable.”
Want ‘Chisholm gone’ Strickland is also chairman of Sons of the Beach and Friends. The group is an advocacy group dedicated to keeping access to beach driving open for everyone in Volusia County. A small group held a protest in the rain outside of City Hall before the commission meeting demanding that Chisolm be let go. “We want Chisholm gone. He is wasting money. We are losing our tax dollars. Just look at these two lawsuit settlements. We’re not going to stop protesting until he is gone,” Strickland stated.
Seeking change Strickland says people must come together in order to bring change. “We must have unity and put aside our differences no matter what neighborhood you are in. Whether it’s Midtown, beach side, Main Street or Beach Street, until we put in grassroots candidates and stop supporting those candidates that are bought and paid for, we will never get anything done or needed.” Huger’s settlement comes months after former city employee Sonja Wiles, a White woman, awarded a settlement of more than $450,000 for her suit against the city. Wiles worked as an administrative coordinator in the public works division for many years. See HUGER, Page 2
• 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, in the third-floor training room of the Volusia County Lifeguard Headquarters, 515 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach The workshops are open to the public. ECHO grants are provided through a competitive application process annually and are for the purpose of acquisition, restoration, construction or improvement of facilities to be used for environmental, cultural, historical and outdoor recreational purposes for public use. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporations, municipal governments in Volusia County, and departments of Volusia County Government. For more information, visit www.volusia.org/echo.
COMMUNITY NEWS: HALIFAX HEALTH TO HOST JOB FAIRS IN DAYTONA BEACH AND DEBARY | PAGE 3 COMMENTARY: E. FAYE WILLIAMS: A SECOND LOOK AT PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN | PAGE 4