Daytona Army colonel named grand marshall for NASCAR race See page 2
YEAR 37 NO. 27
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit #189 Daytona Beach, FL
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REV. JESSE L. JACKSON: Time for $10-an-hour minimum wage Page 4
Cultural Society honors Palm Coast graduates See page 3
East Central Florida’s Black Voice
www.daytonatimes.com
JULY 5 - JULY 11, 2012
Local heroes return with Congressional medals
PEOPLE SPEAK
Carter’s annual basketball camp draws international students BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES butleramj@yahoo.com
NBA star Vince Carter will hold his annual youth basketball camp next week in Daytona Beach. The Vince Carter Youth Basketball Academy will take place at the Vince Carter Athletic Center at Mainland High School from July 10 to 14. Children ages 6-17 have registered to participate in the annual event. Vince In addition to Carter teaching the kids basketball skills, the camp reinforces self-esteem, determination and education to the youngsters.
Started in 1998 PHOTOS COURTESY OF TOMMY HUGER
Dr. James Huger was escorted on the trip by son Tommy, who followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Marines.
Montford Point Marines honored during ceremony last month in D.C. BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES harperjames59@yahoo.com
A
group of African-American Marines from Volusia and Flagler counties who broke the color barrier during World War II were among hundreds who received the Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol on June 27. Dr. James Huger, Eli Graham, John Steele all of Daytona Beach, along with Robert Blanks of Orange City and Wilfred Carr and James Sharpe of
Palm Coast in Flagler County served and trained at Montford Point Camp, a segregated training facility for Blacks from 1942 to 1949. Huger attended the event with Graham Jr., Carr and Sharpe. Steele and Blanks were unable to go to Washington, D.C.
‘Proud victory’ “As an elected official, one of the proudest moments I have ever experienced in all my years of service was the day that the House passed the bill I introduced (H.R. 2447) to grant a Congressional Gold Medal to the Montford Point Marines,” said Congresswoman Corrine Brown in a press release. Please see HEROES, Page 6
Shown above are Montford Marine James Sharpe of Palm Coast, left, former State Sen. Tony Hill, Congresswoman Corrine Brown, along with Montford Marines the Rev. Edward Norman of Jacksonville, right, and Dr. James Huger of Daytona Beach.
Kids from all over the nation and Brazil are expected to attend. “It is great to see that these kids have such an interest in the game and that they are willing to travel so far away to learn about the game on and off the court,” Carter said. Over the years, the camp has served youth from Europe, Asia, the United States and South America. Carter has been doing the camp since he went pro back in 1998. Coaches from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut also will help run the camp in addition to past camp graduates. Carter will be working with the kids for four hours each day from 8 a.m. to noon.
A ‘favorite’ activity The Embassy of Hope, Carter’s Please see CARTER, Page 2
Filmmaker who grew up in Daytona debuts project at national festival BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES harperjames59@yahoo.com
Growing up in Daytona Beach in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Salenta Baisden could not have predicted that a film she helped write and produce would be featured at the 16th Annual American Black Film Festival (ABFF). Baisden, who graduated from Bethune-Cookman with a degree in math, now lives in California.
One of seven
Former Daytona Beach resident and filmmaker Salenta Baisden says her involvement in creative writing in high school paid off.
Her film “The Dark Party,” was one of seven chosen to be shown at the festival, which took place in Miami June 2023. “My experience at ABFF was very positive,” said Baisden, whose
mother, Ophelia “Fi Fi’’ Robinson, owns a Daytona Beach hair salon with daughter Kim Moten. Baisden said her film, a light romantic comedy about a guy who never gets the girl and whose best friend always gets the girl, was well received. Seven feature finalists were chosen out of 385 submissions. “The audience response was spontaneous laughter; some audience members were very vocal, which led to more laughter and fun,” Baisden remarked.
Advice for filmmakers After her film was shown, Baisden said she was asked for advice from future filmmakers who wanted to know how to get their projects finished, financed and
Salenta Baisden said her film, “The Dark Party,’’ a light romantic comedy, was well-received at the American Black Film Festival. The national festival was held in Miami last month. supported. “The festival made me feel more resolute in my plans to bring the project to market as soon as possible. I feel confident that the public will enjoy watching what we have created,” said Baisden, who already is working
on another project to be released in 2013. Baisden was mainly responsible for getting the money to do the film and was listed on the credits as executive producer and co-writer. Please see FILM, Page 2
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july 5 - JULY 11, 2012
Army colonel to be grand marshal of race at Speedway SPECIAL TO THE DAYTONA TIMES
Col. Greg Gadson
Highly decorated U.S. Army Colonel Greg Gadson will be the grand marshal for the Subway Jalapeno 250 Powered By Coca-Cola NASCAR Nationwide Series race on July 6 at the Daytona International Speedway. Gadson, who lost both of
his legs when he was injured by an Improvised Explosive Device, will give the starting command, “Drivers start your engines,” in the 120-lap, 250-mile race. He’ll also be introduced at the driver’s meeting, participate in the driver introductions and ride in one of the grand marshal cars during the
pace laps prior to the green flag.
Many medals Gadson has served in every major conflict of the past two decades, including Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm (Kuwait), Operation Joint Forge (Bosnia-Herzegovina), Operation Enduring Freedom
(Afghanistan), and Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq). Through his service, Gadson has been awarded the Legion of Merit, three Bronze Star medals and a Purple Heart among nearly two dozen medals and honors. He has continued to serve on active in various command and staff positions.
Daytona announces summer hours at pools BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES harperjames59@yahoo.com
As temperatures soar into the 90s and higher, summer hours have been announced for two public pools in Daytona Beach. The city also announced that lifeguards are needed to work at the pools. Campbell Pool, which is located on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard next to the John H. Dickerson Center, will be open from noon to 4 p.m. Monday and Wednesdays and 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Swim lessons at Campbell Pool will be announced at a later date. Admission is 50 cents.
Cypress hours The Cypress Aquatic Center, 981 George W. Engram Blvd., is now open Monday through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 to 7 p.m. On Fridays, the center is open 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m.
FILM from Page 1 From start to finish, Baisden said it took her five years to complete the film in order to enter it in competition and eventually a theatrical release. “There was a lot of down time. I wasn’t happy with the rough cut,” said Baisden about why it took so long to complete the film.
Film features ‘Cosby Show’ star The film was directed by and stars Kadeem Hardison, former child star of “A Different World” and “The Cosby Show.” She says her involvement in creative writing in high school paid off. Baisden, who says she is living the American dream, wanted to make sure anyone, not just Blacks, could understand and relate to her film. “Films pigeonhole Blacks into certain types of genre,” Baisden noted. Baisden said Hollywood is still a man’s world. She
At least one lane is open at all times for lap swimming. Residents also can reserve time at the pool for birthday parties and other events. The standard fee for a punch card for adults is $20 for 15 swims; youth $20 for 25 swims. Those not interested in obtaining a punch card can pay a daily admission rate of $3 for adults and $2 for youth (17 years and under). There is a youth swim team. Those seeking information for the program should call Darcy at 386-235-8231. The youth swim team operates from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday – Friday. Swimming lessons are also available. For children two years and older, lessons are $30 for five classes on Saturdays at various times. Adult lessons are Monday through Thursday starting at the earliest 6 p.m. The fee is $2 per class. Pre-registration is required. Aqua aerobic classes are available Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.; Noon to 12:45 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.
The fee is $2. The city also is accepting lifeguard applications. The starting pay rate is $8.94 an hour. Work schedules will vary days and evenings, Monday through Saturdays.
How to apply All lifeguards must have the ability to work a flexible 40-hour per week schedule without interruption. City of Daytona Beach background screening and physical examinations are required prior to employment. Lifeguard positions will remain open to applicants until filled. Apply by visiting the City of Daytona Beach Personnel O ffice. Applications may also be down loaded and printed by visiting www.codb.us. Applicants must have current American Red Cross Lifeguard, Water Safety Instructor, First Aid and CPR certification.
said her upbringing taught her how to deal with and relate to men in the business world. “I’ve been talked to by men that would make some women cry,” Baisden said. “There are a lot of Black women important to Hollywood. Women have great ideas. Hollywood needs to tap that resource,” she continued.
CARTER from Page 1 charitable organization, puts on the camp and is its main sponsor. Each year, Carter is delighted to hold the camp and work with the children. “This is always one of my favorite things to do each and every summer. I really look forward to working with the kids and helping them with their
Signup begins for next Citizens Academy
Marine Science Center, Ocean Center and Daytona Beach International Airport. They also will view county construction projects and shadow a county administrator for a close look at the organization.
Program limited to 25 residents
Applications are being accepted for Volusia County’s Citizens Academy, a hands-on awareness program designed to educate citizens about county government operations. Classes will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays from Aug. 21 through Oct. 30. The final class is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 12. There is no charge for the program, but applicants are asked to commit to attending all 12 classes. Members will meet at various county facilities, including the Emergency Operations Center, Tomoka Landfill, Volusia County Branch Jail,
Topics will include elections, growth management, community services, public protection, property assessments and budgets. Basic knowledge of computers is helpful as class materials are posted online and e-mail is used to communicate with class members. Applications are available online at www. volusia.org/citizensacademy and must be turned in to the county manager’s office by July 25. The program is limited to 25 participants. For more information, call Cindy Finney, program administrator, at 386-740-5160.
Community Calendar To list your event FREE, e-mail us at news@daytonatimes.com. No phone calls or faxes, please. Events are listed on a space-available basis, and in the sole discretion of the Daytona Times staff. For guaranteed placement, contact Lynnette Garcia, lgarcia@flcourier.org, phone 954-882-2946, for ad rates.
More to come Baisden learned a lot about the business while working at Warner Bros. for nine and half years. She worked for information services and was responsible for database of intellectual properties. She noted that all films have a life cycle. Baisden is currently a project manager for Bongo and says her film will at least be released on DVD. She left Daytona Beach in 1975 to move to Boston with her husband. She would eventually end up in California. She has a daughter named after her who also has a role in the film. Baisden said adjusting to different cities and people came easy to her.
Serving as an honorary captain, he was a source of inspiration for the New York Giants during their Super Bowl seasons in 2008 and 2012. He most recently appeared in the sci-fi film “Battleship.’’ For more information about the upcoming races, visit www. daytonainternationalspeedway.com.
Compiled by the Daytona Times
Salenda Baisden and Rodney Breedlove, also from Daytona Beach, are shown at the American Black Film Festival in Miami. Breedlove’s filmmaking team won a best “webisode’’ recognition at the festival. “I was raised with values so I could fit in with different groups of people. I can survive anywhere. I had a curiosity of wanting to live other places.”
sills,” commented Carter. Carter grew up in Daytona Beach and starred at Mainland High and led the Buccaneers to the state championship in 1995.
Carter’s career After high school, Carter starred at the University of North Carolina before being drafted by the Toronto Raptors in the 1998 NBA Draft in the T:7” first round. Carter, 35, has had an NBA career averaging 21.4 points per game
Baisden said though completing her first film was hard work, she sees producing two or three more films within the next five years.
through 14 seasons with the Raptors, New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks exercised an option for Carter’s services for the 2012-13 season on July 1 to keep him with the team. He is an eight-time all-star and is one of 37 players to score 20,000 or more points during their careers. For more information on the Vince Carter Youth Basketball Academy, contact the Embassy of Hope at 386239-8215.
1,000 sought for prayer The “Morning Glory”1,000 women in white in prayer will be held at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church on July 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 540 Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd. The church invites the public to attend. More information: www.droministries.com. Tutoring help available Partnering with St. James Academy, Elect Ladies Mentoring is offering tutoring services, school supplies, study spaces and encouragement for students 17 and up seeking a high school diploma. More information: 386-258-7199 or Electladiesmin@aol.com. Student portfolios on display The Daytona State College Southeast Museum of Photography announces the inaugural UCF Thesis exhibition featuring portfolios of recent work by graduating seniors in the University of Central Florida Photography program. Free admission. Daytona Beach Campus, Hosseini Center, 1200 W. International Speedway
Blvd. More information: 386506-4475. ‘I Am Ormond Beach’ reunion festivities The “I Am Ormond Beach” reunion festivities will be held July 12-14 to include a Liberia-Sudan Community Signs Dedication luncheon July 12 from 11:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. at the John D. Rockefeller Casements, 25 Riverside Drive; golfing at the LPGA International Legends Course July 13 at 9 a.m., fee $35; church service Sunday at the Historic New Bethel AME Church, 115 S. Young St. at 10:30 a.m.; and the Hometown Heros Award Ceremony July 14 at the South Ormond Recreation Center, 176 Division Ave. at 4:30 p.m. More information: 386-492-6275. Financial workshop set for caregivers The Caregiving Crossroads series will present the “How to avoid financial pitfalls caregiving can bring” workshop July 12 at 5:30 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn, 55 Town Center Blvd., Palm Coast. More information: 386-986-1931.
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JULY 5 - JULY 11, 2012
COMMUNITY M ANEWS YOR
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DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006
Graduates receive scholarships from Cultural Society African American Cultural Society (AACS) president Edmund G. Pinto Jr. is shown with committee member Erma Brooks; Tyler Swire’s mom, Hope Swire-Laws; committee chairman Jeanette Wheeler; and AACS board chairman Richard Barnes.
Palm Coast
Community news
By Jeroline D. Mccarthy | Daytona Times Graduating students have benefitted from participation in “The Youth Black History Reality Show,” sponsored annually during Black History Month by the African American Cultural Society (AACS). Students have made learning fun, showcasing the contingency of African-American achievers – namely, Frederick Douglass, James Weldon Johnson, Shirley Chisholm, Barack Obama, etc. Scholarships have been awarded to the students, culminated by participation in the show, along with scholastic achievement, and represented by local churches and community. The ninth annual scholarships were recently awarded at the AACS, giving $1,000 each to Tyler Swire of Matanzas High School and Jocelyn Crockett of Flagler Palm Coast High School. Tyler T y l e r ’s Swire mom, Hope Swire-Laws, accepted the scholarship since Tyler was on duty, serving in the National Guard in Orlando. He begins basic training at Fort Jackson, N.C., on Aug. 21 while serving in the Florida National Guard and Army and enrolled in business administration at BethuneCookman University. Tyler has participated in
“The Youth Black History Reality Show” since its inception. Jocelyn, a Student Government Association Teen Trendsetter, is a member of the National Honor Society and the National Honor Society for Dance Arts. She will attend St. Johns River State College in St. Augustine where she plans to become a teacher like her mom, Susan Crockett. She has served the past two years as emcee for “The Youth Black History Reality Show’’ and has been involved since the show’s inception.
SIP exposes students to art The Flagler NAACP Youth and College Division and “Our Voices Thrive” (OVT) teen magazine have collaborated to create SIP, the Summer Internship Program in the Humanities and Performing Arts. Linda Sharpe Haywood is the NAACP branch president. The Flagler County School District and the Flagler County sheriff’s office are both SIP co-sponsors, which is a first for the county to dedicate to mentoring and developing emerging young artists. The seven-week summer program began June 11 at Phoenix Academy. It’s designed to serve approximately 50 youth regardless of race, sex or creed and provide workshops in dance, drama, filmmaking, poetry, creative writing, photography, cultural enrichment and problem-
Scholarship winner Jocelyn Crockett poses with committee chairman Jeanette Wheeler. solving. Students are provided the opportunities to explore their talents, challenge their interests, and expose their minds to greater opportunities. SIP has requested your partnership because most school budgets have been eliminated or have severely curtailed the humanities and art programs. James Baldwin, Maya Angelou,
Tyler Perry, Alvin Ailey, and Kenny Rogers are all artists who have benefitted from programs like SIP. SIP lacks funds and appeals to you because its photography workshop is run with two cameras. The students use their own cell phones to take pictures and download the pictures to computers. The Flagler school system has allowed the students to use the school’s comput-
ers. Moreover, supplies are needed – notebooks, pens, markers, etc. Instructors, visiting lecturers and established artists/teachers have all committed their time and talent to this volunteer effort. Once more, the ultimate field trip is an end-of-thesummer weekend to Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. Your generous resources also will enable the students to orchestrate a performing arts, end-of-the-summer production, “The Melting Pots.” It will link up with “Ashe,” an art show/performing arts performance, sponsored by the African American Cultural Society. So mark your calendars for this important date of Aug. 19 to attend “The Melting Pots.” More details will follow. To help, contact Stephanie Ecklin, NAACP SIP administrator, at 386-675-3774 or Katrina Townsend, director of Student Services, Flagler County Public Schools, at 386-437-7526, ext. 2300, or e-mail secklin@flaglercntynaacp.org.
Obama office opening in Palm Coast I’ve learned a lease has been signed and that President Barack Obama’s office will open in Palm Coast at 4882 Palm Coast Parkway. It will be near Sears Roebuck and Company. Folding chairs, tables and office supplies are needed. However, all items will be returned after the presidential election in November. ••• As always, remember our prayers for the sick, afflicted and bereaved.
Happy Birthday to You! Birthday wishes to: My dear friend Vera Burnett of the Bronx, July 6; Donald Bryant, Braxton Ragoonan, July 7; William Jones, July 8; Yolaine Goodridge, July 9. Happy anniversary to Milton and Darthula McQueen, July 6; and Douglas and Pat Brown, July 8.
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Obama’s affordable health care victory I was standing in front of the Supreme Court when news came that the court had upheld the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It was interesting to watch Republicans yell and scream at the court that rendered this dramatic affirmation of the president’s health care initiative. They were the same people who challenged the initial passage of the ACA and who’ve pushed back against everything the president has tried to accomplish. This court that gave Republicans their president of choice in the 2000 election and, now, the chief justice who led in awarding Republicans their victory in Citizens United have become targets of Republican wrath!
Huge victory I’m still reading details of this signature legislation of President Obama’s first term, but I already know this is a huge victory for the American people – especially millions of African-Americans. Republicans are trying to spin the decision as though it weren’t a loss, but their bizarre and erratic behavior at the Supreme Court disproved their statements. The misinformation they provided to those around them was more a function of their confusion and ignorance rather than anything else. As John Boehner pronounced the decision as giving them the energy to keep up the fuss about “Obamacare,” I and others proudly wore t-shirts that said, “I like Obamacare” – because I know President Obama Cares!”
Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. TRICE EDNEY WIRE
Risked his presidency When he ran for president, he promised us affordable healthcare. He has risked his presidency to do what he promised – improve the quality of health care and reduce the cost to taxpayers. He’s had unprecedented pushback since the bill passed, but he’s held firm because of his commitment to provide quality health care for all. Work remains to implement and improve ACA, but we’ll get it done! The president knows that being a woman doesn’t constitute a “preexisting condition” and pregnancy does not justify discrimination against women by insurers. The ACA assures that no one will ever again be denied care or charged more due to a pre-existing condition. He knew it was right to keep young adults on the family health plan until they are 26, including 410,000 more African-Americans. The ACA will increase funding to community health centers in all 50 states. In 2010, nearly 26 percent of patients served by U.S. community health centers were AfricanAmerican. More than five million African-Americans who now have private health insurance will keep coverage for preventive services for no extra cost, and more than 2.4 million African-American seniors with Medicare have already received free preventive services.
The ACA saves seniors about $600 a year on prescriptions; mammograms for women and wellness visits for seniors are also covered.
Stood firm As a constitutional scholar, the president was confident the court would do the right thing. Justice Thomas notwithstanding, the president stood firmly in support of the right of good health for the people, and he won. Insurance companies no longer have unchecked power to cancel policies, deny coverage or charge women more than men. The law will save lives by making health care more accessible and affordable – allowing us to diminish health disparities of African-Americans. Having overcome the health care hurdle, the president has the challenge of the distraction of a Republican attack on the credibility of Attorney General Eric Holder. Once that issue is resolved and despite opposition, he will again be able to fight for legislation to improve the economy. We can expect a renewed focus on building bridges, schools and roads, and putting people back to work. Let’s lean forward and stand with President Obama as he continues to bring us the “change” he promised in 2008.
Dr. E. Faye Williams is national chair of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. Contact her via www.nationalcongressbw.org. Click on this story at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.
Homeownership declines as number of renters grows Despite some signs of housing recovery, America remains a nation burdened by high housing costs, according to a new report from Harvard University. The report, “State of the Nation’s Housing 2012,” finds some signs of recovery in the housing market in spite of continuing concerns about foreclosures and the border economy. Whether renting or buying a home, the number of households paying more than half of their incomes for housing now stands at 20.2 million. Despite declining home sale prices and record low rates for mortgages, the nation’s housing trends show a marked increase in renters, not homeowners.
Homeownership declines Among homeowners, home equity now accounts for the smallest share of household wealth since 1945 when recordkeeping began. Earlier this year, homeownership was at its lowest level since early 1997, dropping more than five percentage points for heads of households up to age 44 and slightly lower by 4.5 percentage points for those 45-54 years of age. The nation has not seen the last of foreclosures. More than 2 million homes in early 2012 are in some stage of foreclosure. Nearly half of 2011 foreclosures were clustered in only 10 percent of the nation’s 65,000 census tracts.
Other key findings: Charlene Crowell NNPA FINANCIAL WRITER
Compared to recent years, foreclosures have slowed. For example, the number of completed foreclosures was down from 1.1 million in 2010 to 890,000 in 2011. However, many imminent foreclosures were delayed in part as mortgage companies awaited the results of the recent mortgage settlement reached by the nation’s attorneys general. With several major lenders agreeing to the settlement terms, it is possible, if not probable, that the pace of foreclosures may speed up again.
‘Underwater’ increase These figures do not include the number of homeowners who now owe more than their home is worth. Today, more than one in five mortgage loans is underwater. Together, these loans represent $717 billion in negative equity. In the meantime, the number of renters surged by 5.1 million during the 2000s, the largest decadelong increase in the post-war era. Moreover, households earning more than $75,000 contributed nearly 20 percent of the increase in renters from 2006-2011.
• After paying for housing, $619 was all that was left to cover monthly living expenses for severely cost-burdened, low-income families in late 2011; • One in three 18-34 year olds lived with their parents in 2010, an increase of 1.95 million compared to 2006; • In 2001, the nation’s shortage of affordable housing units stood at 2.4 million; by 2010, that shortfall more than doubled to 5.1 million housing units. • The number of unemployed, severely burdened households surged from 3.8 million in 2001 to 5.8 million by 2010. The “State of the Nation’s Housing” findings echo an earlier housing report, “Housing Landscape 2012,” released by the Center for Housing Policy. That report noted the financial stress of the nation’s growing housing burden and, after analyzing Census data on housing costs and incomes, determined that housing affordability eroded in 24 states and now affects nearly one in four working households.
Charlene Crowell is the Communications Manager for State Policy & Outreach with the Center for Responsible Lending. Click on this story at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.
Saving our democracy – a loud wakeup call I had the recent privilege of attending the annual dinner of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights honoring Congressman Barney Frank and National Council of La Raza head Janet Murguia. After affirming the enormous progress our nation has made in overcoming bias against people of color and gays and lesbians, Wade Henderson, the very thoughtful Leadership Conference head, issued one of the most eloquent and sobering warnings I’ve heard about the enormous dangers to America’s democracy we face today. We must heed and act upon his words. “What happens this year will determine the future of American democracy for generations to come. This is the first presidential campaign conducted in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United. As with Dred Scott and Plessey v. Ferguson, this is a rare ruling that narrows, not widens, American democracy. The fortunate few with unlimited resources can engage in unlimited campaign spending
Marian Wright Edelman NNPA COLUMNIST
and big money could shout out the voice of the people. “An all-out assault on democracy is underway in America including: • Anti-voter laws from requiring photo IDs to restricting voter registration that seek to disfranchise vulnerable voters, including African-Americans, Latinos, low-income Americans, young people and senior citizens; • Attacks on newcomers to our nation, such as the anti-immigrant laws in Arizona and Alabama and copycats all across this country, that codify racial and ethnic profiling as legitimate law enforcement policy; • Restrictions on the right to organize unions and bargain for a better life and livelihood in the public and private sectors;
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: COLORADO FIRES
• A war on women’s rights, from earning equal pay for equal work to making her most personal choices without government interference; • Efforts to defund, de-unionize, demonize and privatize public services of all kinds, from our public schools to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security; and • The unprecedented obstruction of judicial nominations that has left the nation with more than 90 current and future vacancies on federal courts, making it almost impossible for most Americans to have their cases heard in a timely manner. “The old saying really is true: Justice delayed is justice deferred. But American progress must never be a dream deferred,” Henderson said.
Marian Wright Edelman is president and founder of the Children’s Defense Fund (www. childrensdefense.org). Click on this story at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.
DARYL CAGLE, MSNBC.COM
Time for $10-an-hour minimum wage Last month, legislators led by my son Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. called on the Congress to raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour, back to the levels it reached in 1968, and index it to inflation so it doesn’t lose value over time. Republicans in Congress will block a vote on this measure. Democratic leaders can’t figure out where they are on it. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce will unleash a horde of lobbyists to oppose it. But the reality is that this would be a no-brainer. And it is time for the president and sensible leaders in both parties to push for its passage.
Low federal wage The current federal minimum wage is set at $7.25 an hour. Eighteen states have higher mandates. The federal minimum wage was last raised in 2007 in a two-stage process to get to current levels. Because it is not indexed to inflation, the minimum wage has lost ground over time. In 1968, the floor was set at the equivalent of more than $10 an hour in today’s terms. Raising the minimum wage to $10 an hour would lift the wages of 30 million Americans – more than 20 percent of the work force. It would not only affect the wages of those who work for less than $10 an hour but also of those who make a little more, as employers would raise their pay to retain good workers. A staggering 40 percent of the workforce falls within that range. These are poor people, but they aren’t lazy. They work hard every day that they can. They take the early bus. They do the dirty jobs. They wait in job lines. They shower when they come back from work, not before they go to work. Raising the minimum wage would help the economy, putting money into the pockets of low-wage workers who would spend it.
Makes sense At a time when businesses are looking for customers, raising the floor under families just makes sense. And it would represent a measure of justice. As Rep. Jackson said: “We’ve bailed
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. TRICE EDNEY WIRE
out banks, we’ve bailed out corporations, we’ve bailed out Wall Street, we’ve tried to create sound fundamentals in the economy. Now it’s time to bail out working people who work hard every day and they still only make $7.25. The only way to do that is to raise the minimum wage.” Opponents of the minimum wage increase argue that it would cost jobs, forcing small businesses to lay off workers. However, repeated academic studies have shown that, even in a recession, raising the minimum wage has little effect on jobs. In fact, by putting money into the pockets of working families who will spend it, it helps generate demand, not reduce it. That’s part of the reason more than 1,000 business owners from across the country, led by the CEOs of Costco and the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce, supported the last minimum wage increase. President Obama should lead this drive, fulfilling the promise he made in 2008 to push for a higher minimum wage by 2011.
No break for workers Usually, minimum wage bills are coupled with tax breaks for small business. But in a reflection of how skewed our politics have been, small business has already gotten 17 tax breaks under Obama, while low-wage workers have yet to get a raise. With wages declining, onethird of homes with mortgages underwater, and businesses sitting on record profits looking for customers, America needs a raise. Let’s start by raising the floor.
The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. is president and CEO of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. Click on this story at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.
Opinions expressed on this editorial page are those of the writers, and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of the newspaper or the publisher.
THE CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS The Black Press believes that Americans can best lead the world away from racism and national antagonism when it accords to every person, regardless of race, color or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person. The Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief...that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.
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JULY 5DECEMBER - JULY 11,142012 - 20, 2006
BUSINESS MAYOR
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PHIL SKINNER/ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION/MCT
Maria Riggs restocks the shelves in her Revolution Doughnuts store in Decatur, Ga., on June 8. She was able to open her shop through Kickstarter, a crowd-funding website that lets small entrepreneurs get started on creative projects.
Internet services give business hopefuls a financial boost BY BO EMERSON ATLANTA JOURNALCONSTITUTION (MCT)
ATLANTA — A new doughnut shop, a graphic novel, a charming set of bed linens: Folks say they want these. And they voted with their pocketbooks. Reversing the usual order of things, the customers of Revolution Doughnuts, for example, bought those gooey pastries before the shop opened, through a crowd-funding enterprise called Kickstarter. Intended to fund creative endeavors, Kickstarter helps entrepreneurs raise money to record albums, shoot movies, publish books or open a patisserie. The creators then offer their supporters premiums for each level of contribution. It’s part of a new group of Web businesses, including Indiegogo and Crowdtilt, that are changing the way new projects are launched.
Short campaigns Generally they sponsor campaigns for a restricted period of time, during which the creator promotes the project through blogs, Facebook, Twitter
and on the crowd-funding website. At Kickstarter, if the campaign meets or exceeds its goal, the credit cards of those backing the project are charged, and the money is disbursed to the creator, minus a 5 percent fee to Kickstarter. If the campaign falls short of its goal, no credit cards are charged and no money is disbursed. The company keeps campaigns short — usually 45 days — to keep interests high. “It creates an urgency, a narrative arc where every project is a story,” spokesman Justin Kazmark said. “You’ve got to cross a finish line before you can move forward.” Kazmark said Kickstarter has funded 24,000 projects in three years with $240 million in pledges.
Start low A husband-and-wife team from Peachtree City, Ga., Jessica and Michael Healy, would like to turn their whimsical bed linens into full-time jobs. But their first bid on Kickstarter failed, falling just short of their $6,000 target. They went back again with reduced expectations and easily met their $1,000 tar-
get, which will allow them to produce enough headboards, duvet covers and pillows for three themed rooms — a dream just big enough to sleep on. “The key is, start low,” said Jessica Healy, 51, who works in graphic design for a T-shirt company. Her designs incorporate fanciful creatures and scenes and the kind of aphorisms that might come in a fortune cookie. One reads: “A world with our greatest imaginations exists just beyond our unbelief.”
New venture, new life Michael Healy, 56, who works for a lighting company, said the boost from the new Kickstarter project will give them more inventory for their product line, which they also sell on Etsy. The Healys were formerly missionaries in Russia and Finland. Their children are grown and their grandchildren are growing. Having moved to Georgia three years ago, they find themselves in a new venture and a new life. “Graphic design unlocked the artist in me,” Jessica Healy writes on her Kickstarter page.
‘Fairy quest’ After 25 years in the comic book industry, writing stories for such mainstream books featuring the Incredible Hulk and Spider-Man, and fringier series such as the Inhumans, Paul Jenkins of Cumming, Ga., probably has the connections to get a graphic novel such as “Fairy Quest” published without raising his own money. So why go to Kickstarter for cash? One reason, said Mike Smith, CEO of Jenkins’ company, ClockStop Entertainment, is “it’s a fabulous way to find our fans.” In fact, their fans find them, subscribing ahead of time and allowing the book to virtually sell out before it is published. After paying privately for a first printing of the 56-page hardcover book, Smith and Jenkins successfully raised $95,000 (their goal was $60,000) through Kickstarter to pay for a second printing.
‘Sidekick coming’ Jenkins, a Briton transplanted to North Georgia, already has another Kickstarter project in the works. It’s for a comic called “Sidekick,” which he describes as “Benny Hill with superheroes,” and his “Subterranean Homesick Blues”style promotional video features Jenkins himself in a fur coat and Union Jack T-shirt tossing cue cards in the air. What surprises Jenkins is how much money other comic artists have raised on Kickstarter, not with beautiful pictures, but with funny stories and a loyal
base of readers. One of the best examples is the Order of the Stick, a stick-figure comic with a long history on the Web that aimed for $57,000 so that creator Rich Burlew could re-create the comic on paper. Burlew raised $1.2 million. Said Jenkins, “It’s great for creators and it’s great for fans.”
Rolling in dough Maria Riggs and her husband, Joel, are betting crullers to dollars that their fried (and baked) treats will make Atlanta say “mmm, doughnuts.” They’ve been open about a month, and so far the lines have been out the door as customers wait for goodies that include an exotic caramel-and-bacon delight. The Riggses resorted to Kickstarter to help cover the cost of outfitting their bare-bones storefront on College Avenue in Decatur, Ga., because they’d already gone through most of their savings. Their goal was $10,000, which they exceeded, eventually raising $12,000. “It cost $20,000 to $30,000 to build out this space, and we needed $5,000 to $10,000 up front to build the coffee bar,” Maria Riggs said one a recent afternoon. It was 3:15 and a customer and his daughter were buying the last two of the day’s 700 doughnuts. (Most days the store sells 1,000.) Many of those who offered pledges had tried Riggs’ creations at different farmers markets, where
Prime domains
Top-level domains are at the top of the hierarchy of Internet domain names. The most common is “.com”, with almost 104 million domains registered.
Most common
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103.9 million
.com .net
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© 2012 MCT Source: Whois Source Graphic: Chicago Tribune
she attracted a long list of fans. Others couldn’t wait to see a doughnut shop in Decatur. “A lot of people who donated said ‘you’re right around the corner from me,’” she said. Contributors received varying rewards, depending on the level of their contribution, including Scoutmob-type discounts. (At the $250 level, the prize was a party for up to 11 children.) Her doughnuts are bigger and more substantial than the mass-produced pastries from big chains, and they also cost more. Riggs calculates that her customers are willing to pay $2 per doughnut for locally sourced organic ingredients and such premium add-ons as high-quality chocolate and crunchy bacon. (The bacon-caramel oddity is her best-selling creation.)
Workforce board to increase scholarship money for job seekers The Center for Business Excellence (CBE), the regional workforce board that oversees the One-Stop centers of Flagler and Volusia counties, has announced that it will increase the amount of money that it will invest in scholarships
for job seekers. The CBE previously offered its scholarship money in a tiered system: Tier 1 offered up to $2,500 per customer; Tier 2, $4,000; and Tier 3 up to $5,000. The tier allocation was based on potential salary
earnings upon completion of the training. Therefore, higher expected income carried more scholarship funds. The new system will offer scholarships up to $7,500 for each customer seeking employment in a tar-
East Central Florida’s Black Voice Visit us online at daytonatimes.com
geted occupation. The targeted occupations are defined as jobs within industries that have more than 10 job openings each year and earnings of more than $10.21/hour.
Review the lists The list of targeted occupations is available at www.onestops.com/ staff/TOL-WR11%2020112012%20mod.pdf. The training must be provided by an approved provider. The list of approved providers is available at www. onestops.com/Jobseekers/ Approved%20Training%20 Vendors.pdf.
The first deadline for application for the upcoming academic year is July 20. Anyone interested in pursuing a scholarship should review the list of targeted occupations and approved training vendors to find a suitable match. Then contact the local One-Stop Employment Center for a skills assessment and further program details.
Center locations Daytona Beach – Speedway Business Plaza, 359 Bill France Blvd., Daytona Beach. Phone: 386- 3237001. Orange City – 822-1
Saxon Blvd., Orange City. Phone: 386-740-3232. Flagler – 20 Airport Road, Suite E, Palm Coast. Phone: 386-586-5169. The CBE is a Florida private non-profit corporation, designated as the administrative entity, planner and grant recipient of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA) funds, the employment and training funds for the State of Florida Welfare Transition Program (WTP), and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for Region #11, consisting of Flagler and Volusia counties.
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HEROES from Page 1 “They answered our nation’s call at a time when our society was deeply divided along racial lines. As such, many of their contributions went unrecognized and many times they were not given the respect and recognition they deserved as Marines, as Americans, and as patriots,” said Brown who was present when the veterans received the medals last month. “This is a proud victory for the Montford Point Marines, as this Gold Medal will forever anchor their role in the history of our nation’s great military,” she concluded.
Highest civilian award In 1942, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt allowed African-Americans to join the Marine Corps, they were not sent to the traditional boot camps. Instead, this group of Marines was segregated and completed basic training at Montford Point on Camp Lejeune, N.C. The medal is the nation’s highest civilian award given by Congress. The “Montford Point Marines” received the award for serving with valor during the war, even as they were subjected to discrimination. “African-Americans were not allowed to serve in any wars until World War II in 1942,” said William McDowell, a former Montford Point Marine who accepted the medal on behalf of his fellow Marines and family members in Emancipation Hall at the Capitol. “Unfortunately, it took a world war to make it happen, but it happened. I don’t think any of us ever imagined that something like this would ever happen in our lifetime.”
This is a proud victory for the Montford Point Marines, as this Gold Medal will forever anchor their role in the history of our nation’s great military.” Congresswoman Corrine Brown
JULY 5 - JULY 11, 2012
“Restricted to training for support roles, AfricanAmerican Marines had to wait for their chance to prove themselves on the battlefield. But the chance finally came in the Pacific Theater, where many saw combat in some of the bloodiest battles of World War II, including Iwo Jima, Saipan and Okinawa, and carried out their duties with great courage and heroism,” he said. Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, Senate majority leader, told the audience that while the African-American Marines fought for the rights of others overseas, the injustice of discrimination still prevailed on their home fronts.
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Gained respect
Perseverance, patriotism McDowell said it was a “privilege and an honor to stand before [the audience] and receive the Congressional Gold Medal for [them] and 18,700 other brothers who served this nation and the corps, with courage and commitment. This award belongs to them because collectively, [we] did what we thought was impossible … [and] made history.” Several congressional leaders also addressed the audience. California Rep. Nancy Pelosi House minority leader spoke of the Montford Point Marines’ toughness and determination. “In the time of these Marines – in an age of inequality – breaking the color barrier in the Marine Corps took nothing less than perseverance, patriotism and courage of extraordinary proportions,” she said.
In bloodiest battles Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, noted that many of the Montfort Marines seized the opportunity to defend their country in combat.
“They were trained to fight injustice overseas; meanwhile, they suffered discrimination every day,” he said. “They were trained to fight tyranny abroad, while their friends and family suffered oppression here at home … Although they were assigned support roles in the Pacific Theater, many had the chance to prove themselves in battle as well. Some cleaned up the ash after the bomb was dropped over Nagasaki,” Reid added. House Speaker Rep. John Boehner of Ohio said African-Americans gained respect as full-fledged Marines. “Letting African-Americans] serve in the Marine Corps was called an experiment which didn’t last very long,” Boehner said. “Toward the end of the war, the Marine Corps commandant said the experiment was over, [and] that the men who trained at Montford Point were ‘Marines, period.’ ”
Information from the U.S. Department of Defense was used in compiling this report.
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JULY 5 - JULY 2012 DECEMBER 14 - 11, 20, 2006
MHEALTH AYOR
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Orders for kids meals decline as restaurants offer healthier choices BY JOYCE SMITH MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPER/MCT
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kids used to walk into a restaurant and be happy with chicken nuggets, fries, and a flimsy dinosaur toy. After beefing up restaurant sales for decades, a new report shows sales of kids meals are on the wane with children no longer craving the pint-sized servings with toys as they once did. Better meal deals, economic factors, fewer children’s birthday parties at restaurants and a big push toward more healthful options led to a 6 percent decline in orders of kids’ meals with a toy in 2011, compared to 2010, according to the report from NPD Group. But, according to industry experts, two other trends are driving the changes in children’s menus: Children seem to have more sophisticated palates today, and there’s a desire to seem more mature at a younger age. Kids who are accustomed to playing Xbox and other game systems at younger and younger ages don’t want kids’ meal toys.
Growing up With more than 1.2 billion children’s meals sold annually, these special menu items aren’t going away soon. But kids’ meals are growing up. Big national chains, including Texas Roadhouse, Red Lobster and Applebee’s, along with small, locally owned restaurants like Story in Prairie Village, Kan., are adapting to the changing appetites of younger patrons. Children can order apples instead of fries, and freshly made pasta and English peas rather than fried chicken tenders and hot dogs. And older children — tweens and teens — are getting their own transitional menu items to match their new maturity.
Fewer fries Bonnie Riggs, a restaurant industry researcher at NPD Group, said children and their parents are responding to the promotions and packaging for healthful choices. They are eating fewer fries, carbonated drinks and desserts, and more fruit, smoothies and non-fried chicken.
A year ago, for example, Jack in the Box stopped putting toys in children’s meals and added options like Chiquita Apple Bites with caramel in its Kid’s Combo Meals. “They are more appealing to a parent than packaging a toy with lower quality,” said Brian Luscomb, spokesman for Jack in the Box.
Leaner Happy Meal Of course, when you think of children’s meals and toys, the McDonald’s Happy Meal is the category king. Introduced in 1979, Happy Meals account for about 10 percent of McDonald’s sales. But sales of Happy Meals were flat to slightly down in the first quarter of this year, said Neil Getzlow, a spokesman for the chain. McDonald’s said it was showing its commitment to children’s well-being by trimming the calorie count of its Happy Meal. It added apple slices and “kid-size” fries in the Kansas City market last November. “Families are eating differently than they used to when they go out,” McDonald’s said in a statement. “They may order a Happy Meal because kids love the specialness of their own meal, or they may share Chicken McNuggets, fries and then get their own drinks.”
Ready for Big Mac Consider the Wollard family. Until this month, mom and dad would routinely order four Happy Meals with the toys for their children, ages 3, 5, 7 and 8. They are Happy Meal’s target market. But eldest child Christian recently announced he was ready for a new milestone — his first Big Mac. Well, not an entire Big Mac, since his mother cut it in two so he could share it with his sister, Kate, 7. “I’m getting older and I don’t want to play with toys anymore,” said Christian, who spends time on Nintendo and Xbox at home. “The Big Macs look so good, and my 10-year-old cousin eats them. I follow what he does because he’s so cool.”
Mighty Kids Purchases of children’s meals with toys also are often driven by movie promotions like “Toy Sto-
Shown above is a promotion for McDonald’s healthier Happy Meal, which offers apple slices instead of French fries. ry” and “The Lion King.” “But there hasn’t been any big hit movie or tie-in to boost excitement,” Riggs said. Still, 4-year-old Elijah Gonzalez was pretty excited about his Happy Meal toy during a recent lunch at a Kansas City, Mo., McDonald’s. Before touching his food, he was ripping off the plastic wrapper on his figurine of Melman the Giraffe from “Madagascar 3.” But favoring the healthful choices, big sister Lily Gonzalez, 10, was hungry for her heartier Mighty Kids Meal, an “in-between” menu item, introduced by McDonald’s in 2001. Meals include six Chicken McNuggets or a McDouble burger, small fries and apple slices, along with fat-free chocolate milk, lowfat white milk or juice. Riggs said children want to seem more mature at an everyounger age, ordering what their older siblings or parents are ordering.
Ranger Meals Texas Roadhouse adapted to these changes when rolling out Ranger Meals in 2004, targeted to children aged 7 –to -12. The fullservice restaurant’s No. 1 Kids Meal is Jr. Chicken Tenders but the No. 1 Ranger Meal is the Andy’s Steak, a 6-ounce sirloin. “It makes them feel like they are a big girl or boy,” said Travis Doster, spokesman for Texas Roadhouse. Story, an upscale restaurant in Prairie Village, offers a children’s menu with such items as spaghetti and meatballs, gnocchi, whitefish fillet, English peas and parmesan risotto — all made from scratch with fresh ingredients. “My children like the familiar
but they will try stuff. And they like real parmesan instead of the stuff in the green tube,” said chef and co-owner Carl ThorneThomsen. “I don’t want them to eat additive-filled things, but simple things they can like forever.” Over a recent lunch hour, his 4-year-old daughter, Ella, took some big bites of English peas that her brother and sister helped shell.
Healthful menus According to Ella’s mother, Susan Thorne-Thomsen, she’s a big fan of fruits and vegetables. “Kids are getting about onethird of their calories from eating out,” said Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest. “Studies show the more often they eat out, the more likely they are to be obese. Children’s menus have become synonymous with junk food and it should be just the opposite.” “Healthful children’s menus” is one of the top menu trends in the National Restaurant Association’s “What’s Hot in 2012” survey of 1,800 professional chefs, including offering more wholegrain items for children. “Healthful kids’ menus items have been growing in popularity. Consumers are going in and demanding more healthful items and restaurants are providing them,” said Joy Dubost, director of nutrition for the National Restaurant Association in Washington.
‘Kids Live Well’ More than 100 restaurant brands representing more than
25,000 restaurants nationwide — chains and mom-and-pops — also are now participating in the association’s “Kids LiveWell” initiative, which was launched in July 2011 with 19 brands. Applebee’s, Chick-fil-A, IHOP, Outback Steakhouse and other restaurants are showcasing their healthful choices and parents are finding a growing selection of healthful children’s menu options like fruit and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and dairy products. For example, Applebee’s offers a new “Kids LiveWell-endorsed entree” — a grilled chicken sandwich with steamed broccoli and 1 percent milk or apple juice. Other options include orange juice, a side of applesauce or mac-andcheese. It is looking at expanding the offerings.
Darden joins in Last fall, Darden Restaurants Inc., which owns Red Lobster, Olive Garden and Longhorn Steakhouse, committed to reducing calories and sodium, and increasing choices on its children’s menu as part of the Partnership for a Healthier America. Darden also is set to make the healthful choice the easier choice, in a new initiative being rolled out at its more than 1,800 locations through late July. So a children’s order of broiled fish at Red Lobster will automatically come with fresh fruit and 1 percent milk. At Longhorn Steakhouse, the Kid’s Sirloin will be served with broccoli, fresh fruit and 1 percent milk. Young diners wanting such items as soda and fries will have to request the substitutions.
BRIEFS
Court: Husband not at fault in wife’s smoking death NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
The LATCH system makes it easier to be sure your child’s car seat is installed correctly every time. Just clip it to the lower anchors, attach the top tether, and pull the straps tight. To find out more, visit safercar.gov.
An appeals court Wednesday ordered a new trial in a lawsuit against R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., after finding that a judge improperly allowed a jury to consider whether a husband failed to prevent his wife from smoking. The 4th District Court of Appeal sided with Jan Grossman, who sued R.J. Reynolds in the 1995 lung-cancer death of his wife, Laura. The jury verdict totaled $1,934,727, but R.J. Reynolds was determined to be only 25 percent at fault and required to pay $483,681. Laura Grossman was found to be 70 percent liable for her injuries, while her husband was found to be 5 percent at fault. The appeals court said R.J. Reynolds accused Jan Grossman of supplying his wife with cigarettes, smoking in front of her as she tried to quit and never encouraging her to quit. But the court said a Broward County circuit judge improperly included Jan Grossman on a verdict form that went to the jury. It said people do not have a legal responsibility to prevent their spouses from smoking. “At trial, Jan acknowledged his lack of judgment and ‘fault’ in buying cigarettes for Laura,’’ a three-judge panel ruled. “However, his testimony was an admission of moral responsibility, not legal liability.”
Shown above: GlaxoSmithKline’s diabetes drug Avandia. The Grossman lawsuit is one of thousands filed statewide against tobacco companies in what are known as “Engle progeny” cases. •••
State to receive $57 million in Glaxo settlement Florida will cash in on a record $3 billion national settlement with drug maker GlaxoSmithKline over charges the company unlawfully marketed and misrepresented some of its products. Florida was among a group of
states that joined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and went after the company in what is the largest such settlement on record. Specifically, the company allegedly misrepresented the efficacy of a handful of drugs, touted off-label uses, offered kickbacks to medical providers and improperly billed Medicaid. Florida’s cut will include $31.8 in federal monies and $24.9 million for the state’s Medicaid portion. “I am proud to say that this agreement makes Florida whole for the deceptive practices that misled consumers and defrauded the Medicaid program out of money,” Attorney General Pam Bond said in a statement.
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7 JULY 5 - JULY 11, 2012
HBCUs and Black Press revive partnership Relationship dates back to start of UNCF in 1944 BY FREDDIE ALLEN NNPA NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON – It was a reunion of sorts. The presidents of seven Black colleges met Black newspaper publishers for a breakfast consisting of French toast, eggs and bacon. The setting was last month’s annual convention of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. And the goal was a familiar one – explore ways to strengthen a unique partnership that predated the modern Civil Rights Movement. The relationship between Black colleges and the Black Press dates back to 1944 when Dr. Frederick Patterson, president of Tuskegee Institute and Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, founder of BethuneCookman University, established the United Negro College Fund UNCF, a federation of private Black colleges. Patterson utilized the Black Press to garner support for and increase the visibility of the fledgling organization and to also alert Blacks to the financial struggles of the 27 HBCUs sprinkled across the South at the time.
Significance of relationship In the book, “Envisioning Black Colleges: A History of the United Negro College Fund,’’ Marybeth Gasman noted the significance of the relationship between Black schools and the Black press to the survival of higher education in the Black community. “According to More-
house president Benjamin Mays, the UNCF required the support of the Black press including the Pittsburgh Courier, the Chicago Defender, the Baltimore Afro-American, the Atlanta Daily World and the New York Amsterdam News during this time as well as any time the Fund was asking for support: ‘It was important because all Negroes were reading and they were seeing how important it was, that the Negro colleges needed the Fund…You can’t get along without the media,’’ the author related. According to UNCF’s Web site, the organization has raised more than $3.3 billion and assisted in excess of 400,000 students attend college. Only the U.S. government has distributed more money than UNCF on higher education for African-Americans. “[Frederick Patterson] broached that idea through the Pittsburgh Courier,” said Raymond H. Boone, editor and publisher of the Richmond Free Press. “If it were not for the Black Press of that period, it’s a good chance that the idea wouldn’t have taken off. White papers were not publishing news about Black people and Black institutions in a positive way.”
More cuts in education Now, as the federal government cuts education funding to colleges and universities and threatens to double the interest rates on student loans, Black college presidents are again turning to the Black Press for support. “In the four years I served as president, we lost 50 percent of our state appropriations,” said Dr. George Cooper, recently retired
FREDDIE ALLEN/NNPA
Clockwise from second row: NNPA Chairman Cloves Campbell; Xavier University President Norman Francis; Fort Valley State University President Larry Rivers; Florida Memorial University President Henry Lewis III; the Rev. R.B. Holmes; South Carolina State University President George Cooper (retired); Virginia Union University President Claude G. Perkins; Tuskegee University chief of staff Tamara Lee (interim; and Clark Atlanta University President Carlton Brown. president of South Carolina State University. “The budget decreased from $26 million d to $11 million.” Ninety percent of the freshman students entering South Carolina State are eligible for Pell grants, said Cooper, meaning that their combined family income is less than $30,000. Cooper suggested that the Black Press can help HBCUs convey their commitment and mission of providing access to opportunities to parents and students.
Push for virtual communications Black colleges and universities make up 3 percent of the higher education institutions in the U.S. but nearly 25 percent of the baccalaureate degrees are
awarded to African-Americans, said Cooper Cooper also said that the Black Press can also explain federal legislation affecting Black colleges and students, including a proposal that could have doubled interest rates on subsidized Stafford college loans if Congress hadn’t acted. Lawmakers were forced to work on a rushed agreement to avoid the rate hike, based partly on political pressure and negative coverage in the media. Cooper also urged publishers to create a virtual communications network with HBCU presidents. “We don’t have to have conversations face-to-face, but if there was a quarterly virtual platform where we could engage each other, it would allow you to really
understand some of the issues that would impact us,” he said.
Relevance question still asked Even as smaller HBCUs struggle to survive, Norman Francis, president of Xavier University in New Orleans said that he still gets asked if Black colleges are even relevant today. “We need this partnership, what I’m seeing today is what I saw in the ’60s. It’s coming back around the next civil rights revolution will be on education,” said Francis. “I plead with you to answer the question ‘Why America needs Black colleges?’” Claude Perkins, president of Virginia Union University in Richmond said, “You need to get to know
us. You need to get to know who we are, what we do and what our values are.” Even as university officials implored the publishers to open their pages to the ongoing financial plight of Black colleges several of the publishers pushed back, noting that communication and effective partnerships live on a two-way street. “We’re almost 190 years old,” said John Warren publisher of the San Diego Voice and Viewpoint and the Florida Tribune. “We’ve been doing what we do a long time. We need your people to understand who we are and what we do from a standpoint of cooperation and not from a standpoint of second thought.”
Importance of media ownership For some publishers, the key to a beneficial relationship between the NNPA and HBCUs is showing students the importance of media ownership. “The Black Press was founded to speak out for our own cause,” said Boone. “That’s most important today at a time when corporate America has taken over the entire press and the political system through the money.” James Washington, publisher of the Dallas Weekly, said: “Some of these newspapers have bought a few houses, cars for people, sent some kids to school, put some money in the bank. That’s capitalism. The Black Press is an institution.” Just like the Black school, and the Black church, the survival of the Black Press is essential to the progress of the Black community, Washington noted.
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