Daytona Times - January 21, 2016

Storyteller gears up for Black History Month SEE PAGE 3

EE FR

JULIANNE MALVEAUX: State of the Union was class act with crass responses SEE PAGE 4

LIBRARIES TO FOCUS ON ‘TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD’ SEE PAGE 3

East Central Florida’s Black Voice JANUARY 21 - JANUARY 27, 2016

YEAR 41 NO. 3

www.daytonatimes.com

City to dig deeper into diversity issue Commission directs manager to seek out companies for employment survey

BY DAYTONA TIMES STAFF

The Daytona Beach City Commission moved a step closer last night to addressing the lack of racial diversity within the city’s workforce following complaints from residents and the local NAACP branch president.

Cynthia Slater, president of the Volusia-Daytona Beach Branch of the NAACP, had asked the commission to consider an independent evaluation to address the morale of employees and the culture at the city. For months, Slater and other residents have appeared before the commission questioning the city’s hiring and promotional process.

The commission voted 7-0 on Wednesday night to direct City Manager Jim Chisholm to seek information from research companies that conduct independent

surveys and have that information available by the end of February.

The vote came after a diversity update by Human Resources Director James Sexton. Wednesday night’s report came from a new, detailed 49-page diversity report, which was a follow-up to a preliminary report he presented at the Dec. 2 commission meeting.

Pay percentages The new report shows that a City of Daytona Beach workforce diversity analysis reflects

that 124 employees earn an annual base pay between $60,000 and $100,000. Of that number, 21 percent of those are racial minorities – not limited to AfricanAmericans – and 24 percent are female.

The analysis also shows that 25 workers earn an annual base pay greater than $100,000. Of that number, 24 percent are minorities and 24 percent are female.

At the December meeting, it was revealed that while the City of Daytona Beach’s Black population is 35.4 percent, only 18.7

A DAY TO REMEMBER

percent of the municipality’s workforce is Black. The city’s total minority workforce stands at 25 percent.

Departmental breakdown Sexton also pointed out in December that over the past two years, just 33 percent of the job applicants were racial minorities. The city has about 800 employees.

Wednesday night’s report Please see DIVERSITY, Page 2

B-CU inducts record number of students into honor society SPECIAL TO THE DAYTONA TIMES

PHOTOS BY DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Marchers in DeLand make their way from the MLK breakfast at Stetson University’s Rinker Field House to Earl Brown Park.

Locals reflect on the life and legacy of MLK

T

he morning was cold, but the reflections about the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. warmed the hearts of those paying tribute to the slain civil rights leader on Monday, the federal holiday.

As with other local cities, DeLand started out the day with an MLK breakfast, which was held at Stetson University’s Rinker Field House. The breakfast was followed by the annual MLK Civil Rights March from Stetson to Earl Brown Park where a community expo followed.

The speaker was Deforest “Buster” Soaries, pastor of First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, N.J. He’s also the author of “D-Free: Breaking Free of Financial Slavery.’’

The DeLand events were organized by the Greater Union Life Center.

A breakfast also was held at Allen Chapel A.M.E. in Daytona Beach, which was followed by a march.

Lynn Thompson, vice president for athletics at Bethune-Cookman University, and a minister, spoke at the MLK breakfast in Ormond Beach.

Above: Young violinist Leah Flynn entertains the crowd in DeLand.

Left: Volusia County Councilwoman Joyce Cusack addresses the breakfast crowd.

The Bethune-Cookman Chapter of the National Society for Leadership and Success, Sigma Alpha Pi Honor Society, recently held induction ceremonies for more than 160 new inductees. The ceremony took place on campus in Heyn Chapel.

“We are so proud of our new student leaders,” said Dr. Paula McKenzie, faculty advisor and associate professor of Communication in the Department of Communication Studies, Theatre and Dance. “This class broke all records. Of the 265 students who joined, more than 160 completed the induction process.”

Staff honored too In addition to students receiving their certificates of achievement, awards were presented to Dr. Hiram Powell, dean of the School of Performing Arts and Communication; the Rev. Kenya Lovell, chaplain; Junell McCall, assistant director of Student Activities and Involvement; Josh Cohen, Center for Information Technology; and Anthony Owens, National Society for Leadership and Success advisor.

“The society gives our students an opportunity to develop leadership skills through special training,” said Owens, assistant advisor and instructor/student success coach in the College of Undergraduate Studies.

The society’s motto is “We Build Leaders Who Make a Better World.” The mission is to help people discover and achieve their goals. It provides a community where like-minded, success-oriented individuals come together and help one another succeed.

Induction process It offers life-changing lectures from the nation’s leading presenters. Fall inductees heard four nationally known speakers, including: Al Roker, NBC News; author John Maxwell; and actors Jesse Eisenberg and John Leguizama.

Please see B-CU, Page 2

Documentary relives Robinson’s spring training game in Daytona COMPILED BY DAYTONA TIMES STAFF

The Halifax Historical Museum will commemorate Jackie Robinson’s history-making 1946 spring training game in Daytona Beach with a gala reception and documentary movie premiere.

On March 17, 1946, Robinson played in a spring training baseball game as a member of the Montreal Royals, the Dodger organization’s AAA Minor League team. On that day, the Royals played against the Major League’s Brooklyn Dodgers – the first time that a professional baseball game knowingly included an AfricanAmerican since 1887. The following spring Robinson would break

ALSO INSIDE

Consultants for the film were former Daytona Beach NAACP President James Daniels and Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis professor and former Daytona Beach News-Journal reporter Chris Lamb.

the Major League’s color barrier when he joined the Dodgers.

To commemorate that event, the Halifax Historical Society is inviting the public to participate in a celebration and the premiere of the documentary, “Oral Histories of Jackie Robinson’s 1946 Spring Training.”

March 17 event It will take place on Thursday, March 17, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Halifax Historical Museum, 252 South Beach St. Daytona Beach.

Free parking will be available in the parking lot off of Magnolia Ave. between Jackie Robinson Ballpark and the Daytona Beach

Residents interviewed

The Halifax Historical Museum will pay tribute to Jackie Robinson in March.

Library. Shuttle service will be available.

The Jackie Robinson Ballpark was established during the 1920s as City Island Ball Park.

The 25-minute documentary consists of videotaped interviews with local African-American residents who witnessed the 1946 spring training or resided in Daytona Beach when Robinson broke professional baseball’s color line.

The interviewees provide firsthand accounts of him Robinson playing at Kelly Field, located in Daytona Beach’s African-American community and the Royals’ spring training site, as well as the historic March 17th game at City Island Ball Park.

The documentary also explores

post World War II race relations in Daytona Beach. It features interviews with Daytona Beach residents James Daniels, Mrs. Larry Hyde, Jerry Murphy, Luther Laws, Carlton Scarlett, LeRoy Edwards, and Henry Fudge.

Funds for the film came from the Florida Humanities Council. Halifax Historical Society and retired professor Leonard Lempel and award-winning photographer and cinematographer Eric Breitenbach co-produced the documentary.

Single tickets for the event are $8 for Halifax Historical members and $10 for non members.

For more information about sponsorships, purchasing tickets and parking, call the museum at 386-255-6976, Tuesday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SPORTS: JACKIE ROBINSON FOUNDATION TAKING SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS | PAGE 7 PERSONAL FINANCE: MANY AMERICANS DON’T HAVE $500 TO COVER AN EMERGENCY | PAGE 8

7 FOCUS

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JANUARY 21 – JANUARY 27, 2016

Foreclosure crisis lingers in Black community

BY AVIS THOMAS LESTER URBAN NEWS SERVICE

Affluence is no antidote to foreclosure.

In Prince George’s County, Maryland — one of the United States’ wealthiest majority Black jurisdictions — the foreclosure crisis has hammered several solidly middle-class communities. These include Perrywood, a neighborhood of twostory homes near the county seat in Upper Marlboro; Marleigh in Bowie, where the local homeowners association mows the lawns of foreclosed residences that the banks don’t maintain; and Fairwood, where the median income is $170,000, according to the U.S. Census.

“They didn’t understand what it meant to take out a second mortgage, to refinance or to receive a subprime loan. They just made purchases,” said Bob Ross, president of the NAACP chapter in Prince George’s County. “So when the bubble burst, they were stuck.”

NAACP New York State Conference economic development chair Garry Anthony Johnson calls foreclosures “an epidemic” for people of color.

“It’s a troubling reality that African-Americans and other minorities continue to experience disproportionately high levels of unemployment, poverty and foreclosures,” Johnson said.

Predatory lenders Housing counselors and other experts told Urban News Service they blame unscrupulous lenders for the crisis. At a time when many prospective buyers were eager to purchase and as home prices skyrocketed, some lenders took advantage by offering Black buyers discriminatory loans, these observers said.

“They were products that were predatory in nature where the interest rates were inflated, there were prepayment penalties if you tried to pay the loan off or refinance and balloon payments,” said Charles R. Lowery Jr., the NAACP’s director of Fair Lending and Inclusion. “You wouldn’t get a loan that was suited to you, but the broker and the lender would make money because they sold it to you. That was their only concern.”

George Mason University law professor Todd Zywicki attributes the largest proportion of the fraud that occurred during the foreclosure crisis to homeowners and

Housing counselors and other experts say they blame unscrupulous lenders for the crisis. At a time when many prospective buyers were eager to purchase and as home prices skyrocketed, some lenders took advantage by offering Black buyers discriminatory loans, these observers said. lenders conspiring to “defraud” investors.

“Driven by very low interest rates and a deterioration of underwriting standards catalyzed by government policy, America turned into a nation of real estate speculators,” Zywicki, a senior fellow with the F.A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the university’s Mercatus Center, told Urban News Service. “Consumers were essentially living in their investments and rode up the housing appreciation, and everyone wanted to get into the party.”

‘Teaser’ rate mortgages Zywicki said many of the practices characterized as fraud — including what he called “teaser” rate mortgages or “complex” mortgages, such as negative amortization — contributed little to the crisis.

“In the end, what made the foreclosure crisis so bad was not fraud…but that housing prices ballooned and then crashed,” Zywicki said.

“When housing prices crashed, many people recognized that paying for a home that was $50,000 or $100,000 underwater was no longer a good investment. And the

largest driver of foreclosures was the deterioration of down-payment requirements and cash-out refinancing, which meant that when housing prices fell, many people fell into negative equity positions, at which point it became rational for them to default and walk away from their homes.

This dynamic was no different for minority and non-minority borrowers.”

In 2007, the NAACP filed suit against Bank of America, Citibank, HSBC, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo, alleging that these financial institutions had committed unfair lending practices. The NAACP dropped the suit against Wells Fargo after the bank agreed to invest in a “financial freedom center” to assist homebuyers of color. The lawsuit was settled in 2010 after the banks funded programs to help homebuyers, Lowery said.

Huge settlement In August 2014, then-U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the Department of Justice had reached a $16.65 billion settlement with Bank of America “to resolve federal and state claims against Bank of America and its former and current sub-

sidiaries,” including Countrywide Financial Corporation and Merrill Lynch.

“Under the terms of this settlement, the bank has agreed to pay $7 billion in relief to struggling homeowners, borrowers and communities affected by the bank’s conduct,” a Department of Justice statement said.

Last year, Cook County, Illinois, officials sued Bank of America and Wells Fargo in federal court.

They claimed the banks had targeted people of color with discriminatory loans that led them to foreclose. The suits alleged the banks’ actions had cost the county property tax revenue and left it responsible for maintaining abandoned buildings. The Wells Fargo suit was dismissed earlier this year.

Officials in Baltimore, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Memphis have also sued lending institutions in similar cases.

‘Help and Hope’ NAACP chapters across the United States are working to support people of color who are ensnared in foreclosure, Lowery said. On Nov. 14, more than 300 people attended a Prince George’s County NAACP “Help and Hope

for Homeowners” workshop at Largo High School. The event was the NAACP’s fourth this year, following similar gatherings in Chicago, Fort Lauderdale and Long Island.

One woman who attended the NAACP meeting in Maryland said she was there because she and her husband’s 3,800-square-foot home in the Woodmore South community was foreclosed after they failed to pay their mortgage for more than six months.

She was laid off from her paralegal job more than a year ago. Her husband owns an entertainment company. She said she and her husband bought their home for about $700,000 in 2008. It now is worth less than $500,000.

“My husband is in the luxury entertainment business, and when people started cutting back on luxuries, we had less money coming in,” she said. “Then I lost my job.”

This woman spoke to Urban News Service on the condition of anonymity to avoid the embarrassment that often affects those who face foreclosure.

“I have nightmares about driving my daughter to school and returning to find our things on the front lawn,” she said.

‘People were manipulated’ Phyllis Ellis, vice president of home ownership preservation for HomeFree-USA, based in Prince George’s County, said it is a misconception that most people of color who lost their homes in the foreclosure crisis intentionally signed mortgages that they knew were unaffordable.

“There were lenders who targeted minority communities,” she said. “People were manipulated, so they took the product they were offered when they may have qualified for a more traditional home loan. A lot of the problems originated from the types of mortgages that were marketed to our communities.”

The news going forward for Blacks is bleak, according to Algernon Austin, senior research fellow at the Center for Global Policy Solutions in Washington, D.C. Wages are still down and joblessness is still up.

“Data from the Urban Institute out to 2030 do not show a recovery,” Austin said. “[They show] a continued slide in terms of home ownership for Blacks. That’s pretty distressing. It doesn’t show any strong upward movement for Whites, either.”

B-CU

from Page 1

COURTESY OF B-CU

Students are shown after the induction ceremony at the university.

DIVERSITY from Page 1

showed a breakdown of minorities in each department. Here are the percentages of minorities working in the city’s major departments: City Manager: 27 percent Human Resources: 27 percent City Attorney: 27 percent City Clerk: 50 percent Development Services: 34 percent Leisure Services: 53 percent Finance Department: 29 percent Fire Department: 17 percent Police Department: 24 percent Public Works Department: 22 percent Utilities: 22 percent The city recently hired the Rev. L. Ronald Durham as a full-time employee earning $75,000 per year as asset management director/special projects. In this capacity, he will perform communi-

ty outreach and other special projects assigned

by Chisholm.

Slater: Create survey At Wednesday night’s meeting, Slater said she had glanced at the 49-page report and said she was disappointed that there was not a workshop on it and it didn’t include a summary. She then asked for a meeting with Chisholm and said she wants to see an independent evaluator hired to create and conduct an employee satisfaction survey.

“The results could provide an opportunity to influence change in the city,’’ she noted. Chisholm agreed to meet with her.

In a series of recent stories, the Daytona Times reported on Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) claims filed against the city that charge racial discrimination.

Employees who have filed EEOC complaints against the city have stated that fear of retaliation was a factor in their decision to come forward. In December, Sexton said that the city had received eight formal EEOC complaints in the past five years, and two were active.

IWantToBeRecycled.org

Each student who attended induction received a certificate, pin and T-shirt. The induction process required students to invest approximately 20 hours in leadership preparation by attending orientation, a leadership training day, three speaker broadcast events, and three success networking team meetings.

The National Society for Leadership and Success, Sigma Alpha Pi, is an honor society for leaders established on the BethuneCookman campus in 2009. The chapter has 500 members.

The B-CU chapter is one of 500 nationwide with a total membership of more than 500,000. The chapter supports students in their quest to find purpose, create a shared vision, challenge the status quo, inspire positive action, empower others, and seek constant improvement.

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JANUARY 21 – JANUARY 27, 2016 COMMUNITY DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006

M A YNEWS OR

Storytelling, ‘War Room’ lined up for Black History Month Linda Epps and artist Lawrence Green are stepping up and arranging an awesome Black History month, connecting for February paintings, photographs, poetry, reflections, and storytelling.

Epps, a natural for causes involving event planning, and Green, whose artwork debuted in opening the original World Trade Center, have rallied to find a storyteller, speakers and “War Room’’ movie, for engaging in Black History Month at the Ormond Beach Public Library, 30 South Beach St., Ormond Beach.

Epps and Green will have aboard moderator Imani Kinshasa, M.A., R.N.; storyteller Clara Bivens; and speakers Dr. Kwando Kinshasa and Gerri Wright-Gibson.

The Rev. Cheryl Daniels of First Church will deliver the prayer before “War Room,” the faith-based family drama, is presented Feb. 18, 4 p.m. Bringing style in song will be Vanessa Lloyd, DSSD (Data Structure and Systems Development).

Clara Bivens Bivens will showcase Feb. 10, 1 p.m. for adults and 3 p.m. for children.

“As a middle child of seven, I was an avid reader,” said Bivens in a press release. “I read any and everything I could get my hands on. As a result, I have a vivid imagination.”

The retired educator of 30-plus years attended Wilberforce University and earned a M.S. in administration from Buffalo State Clara College. She relocated to Bivens Florida five years ago from upstate New York.

“When I read that the group, Spin-A-Story, was telling stories at a nearby church, I went and immediately fell in love with storytelling,” she said.

She attended her first conference of the National Association of Black Storytellers in 1997 and was introduced as a member of the Tradition Keepers of the Black Storytellers of Western New York. Besides Juneteenth and Kwanzaa, the folklorists involve themselves telling stories at the library, presenting free workshops for children and adults, and narrating stories for other events.

Dr. Kwando Kinshasa Kwando Mbiassi Kinshasa, Ph.D., is a Professor Emeritus of Sociology in the Africana Studies Department of John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York. Prior to entering academia,

PALM COAST COMMUNITY NEWS JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY

Dr. Kinshasa spent 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps.

He sharpened his mind planning his lifelong career and entered the City University of New York in 1971, where he gave himself 12 years to acquire a Ph.D. in Social Psychology, of which was attained in 1983 at New York University.

Feb. 14, 2 - 5 p.m., will be Dr. Kinshasa’s moment to Dr. Kwando offer the African-American Kinshasa experience.

He considers his major mission to be a chronicler of the African Diaspora experiences vis-à-vis “migration and social conflict.’’

He has authored various books, among them which is “The Man from Scottsboro: Clarence Norris and the Infamous 1931 Alabama Rape Trial, in His Own Words” (McFarland, 1998, 2003). The book represents Dr. Kinshasa’s growing concern with the preservation of living history through primarily recorded (audio and visual) interviews.

In 2000, Dr. Kinshasa was a member of the five-person film Advisory Board that received a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant and helped produce the award-winning documentary, “Scottsboro: An American Tragedy.” At the 2000 Sundance Film Festival, “Scottsboro” was selected as one of the year’s top five documentary films. It was nominated for an Academy Award and was a finalist between the top two documentary films for the year 2000.

As a social psychologist, Dr. Kinshasa concerns himself with both micro and macro social indicators associated with human behavior. From his vitae, he references his 2006 book, “Black Resistance to the Ku Klux Klan in the Wake of the Civil War” (McFarland, 2006).

There, he reveals and discusses “those post-bellum (1865-1877) physical and psychological resistance factors by AfricanAmericans to racist acts and forms of intimidations primarily initiated by southern Whites sympathetic to the deposed Confederacy. The import of this work alerts the

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FOR BLACK STUDENTS. NO EXCUSES. The classic guide from Florida Courier publisher, lawyer and broadcaster CHARLES W. CHERRY II PRAISE FOR ‘EXCELLENCE WITHOUT EXCUSE’: “This guide for African-American college-bound students is packed with practical and insightful information for achieving academic success...The primary focus here is to equip students with the savvy and networking skills to maneuver themselves through the academic maze of higher education.”

– Book review, School Library Journal • How low expectations of Black students’ achievements can get them higher grades; • Want a great grade? Prepare to cheat!

• How Black students can program their minds for success; • Setting goals – When to tell everybody, and when to keep your mouth shut; • Black English, and why Black students must be ‘bilingual.’ …AND MUCH MORE!

www.excellencewithoutexcuse.com Download immediately as an eBook or a pdf Order softcover online, from Amazon, or your local bookstore ISBN#978-1-56385-500-9 Published by International Scholastic Press, LLC Contact Charles at ccherry2@gmail.com

Facebook ccherry2 excellencewithoutexcuse

for info on speeches, workshops, seminars, book signings, panel discussions.

Twitter @ccherry2

reader to forms of resistance utilized by defined groups lacking sufficient force for a more formalized confrontation.”

Gerri Wright-Gibson Gerri Wright-Gibson, LCSW-R, grew up in Huntington, Long Island. She’s the retired owner/CEO of East Counseling and Psychotherapy, clinically licensed in the State of New York.

As a private practitioner and mental health consultant, she provides psychotherapy for adults and children, specializing in children and family therapies, as well as developmental disabilities. She served as adjunct professor at Stony Brook University, School of Social Welfare, specifically engaged in “Caregiver Fatigue” and “Issues of SelfGerri Wright- Esteem.”

Gibson Wright-Gibson is an advocate for individuals with special needs - a hospice partner for endof-life individuals - and is committed to underprivileged youth through scholarship and mentoring programs.

She provides clinical supervision for mental health graduate students and is a distinguished lecturer in group dynamics, plus she develops workshops for presentation in the areas of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), life adjustment coaching, weight/stress management, and hypnotherapy.

Wright-Gibson, a resident of Ormond Beach, is involved with the Daytona Beach Symphony, serving on the board of directors for the Symphony Guild and the Symphony Society. She’s a book reviewer for independent publishers. Her favorite quote is “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

Wright-Gibson’s scheduled talk will take place Feb. 14, 2 - 5 p.m. with Dr. Kwando Kinshasa.

Epps and Green are counting on your support as the backbone of their endeavors.

For further details, call 386-872-3227.

Fire department hosting job fair The fire department of the City of Palm Coast will have a job fair on Jan. 29, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Fire Station 25, 1250 Belle Terre Parkway. Applications will be accepted on site.

The starting annual salaries are $40,276 for firefighter paramedics and $36,489 for firefighter emergency medical technicians (EMTs). In addition to offering a mentoring program for new firefighters, the city contributes 17.5 percent to a 401(a) retirement plan and provides tuition reimbursement, among other competitive benefits.

Prospective applicants will have the opportunity to meet Deputy Fire Chief Jerry Forte, tour the fire station, and see the equipment.

For further details, contact Palm Coast Human Resources at 386-986-3718.

Black Heritage Day Festival coming The Afro-American Caribbean Heritage Organization (AACHO) will pull off its 35th Black Heritage Day Festival, a day of fun on Jan. 30, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the African American Cultural Society Center, 4422 U.S. 1 North, Palm Coast. The festival

Discussions at libraries to focus on ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ “To Kill a Mockingbird,’’ the 1960 Pulitzer Prize winner by Harper Lee, was selected by the Volusia County Public Library system to be the subject of its sixweek Big Read program.

The library system has scheduled 21 book discussions at library branches and other public venues. Library staff and guest moderators will lead “To Kill a Mockingbird” discussions at these times: • 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2: Midtown Community Center, 925 George W. Engram Blvd., Daytona Beach • 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2: Edgewater Public Library, 103 Indian River Blvd., Edgewater • 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3: Oceans Racquet and Recreation Center, Daytona Beach Shores • 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9: Daytona Beach Regional Library, 105 E. Magnolia Ave., Daytona Beach • 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9: Lake Helen Public Library, 221 N. Euclid Ave., Lake Helen • 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10 (en español): Del-

is open to the public.

Revel in a vendors’ sale of ethnic apparel, jewelry, arts and crafts, homemade baked goods, and Caribbean food. Community service information will be on hand.

A vendor’s fee is $25, and for a food vendor, the cost is $35.

Organizers have showcased the venue through an official color-guard opening, while featuring young people, dancers, church choirs, and a demonstration in martial arts. An exciting performance in music has been planned by deejay Ronald Robinson.

Financial support through journal advertisement will enable AACHO to award scholarships to deserving students.

A quarter page ad is $25; half a page, $50; full page, $100; and $10 charged for a business card advertisement. Checks are payable to the Afro-American Caribbean Heritage Organization.

For further details, call 386-445-8345, or 386-446-6935.

Rev. Glover to speak at ecumenical event It was only learned Sunday that the Rev. Dr. Gillard S. Glover will be the guest preacher at The Seventh Annual Flagler Ecumenical Celebration of Unity in Prayer and Song, set for Jan. 23, 1 to 2:45 p.m., in Flagler Beach. The celebration is coordinated by Dr. Chau T. Phan. It’s the site for a cavalcade of church choirs.

Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church 915 North Central Avenue, Flagler Beach - can be accessed from the 900 block of North Daytona Avenue.

For further details, contact Santa Maria del Mar Catholic Church at 386-439-2791.

Hear Lucille O’Neal at local church The Rev. Dr. Kevin James said in a news release that “Ms. Lucille O’Neal, mother of basketball star Shaquille O’Neal, will come to preach to our congregation on Jan. 31.

Please plan to attend our single-blended service that day at 10 a.m.”

Ms. O’Neal is a Bethune-Cookman alumna and trustee, as well as a community health advocate and author of the book “Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go.” She will touch on her years of “spiritual unrest and mental welfare.’’’ Her 59 years, four adult children and 15 grandchildren have helped her recognize where she went wrong in her struggles. She now Lucille guides others down a difO’Neal ferent path. She has values that generate hope and opportunities.

Bring friends and neighbors to the service at the Palm Coast United Methodist Church, 5200 Belle Terre Parkway. The telephone number there is 386-445-1600.

••• As always, remember our prayers for the sick, afflicted and bereaved.

Celebrations Birthday wishes to Raven Sword, Jan. 23; Sheldon S. Henderson, Jan. 24; Shaaf McGlown, Jan. 26; Master Roman Sword, Jan. 27. Happy anniversary to “B.J.” and Marva Jones, Jan. 25.

tona Regional Library, 2150 Eustace Ave, Deltona • 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10: Yvonne ScarlettGolden Community Center, 100 Vine St., Daytona Beach • 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10: John H. Dickerson Community Center, 308 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Daytona Beach • 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10: Bahamian Club, 4150 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach • 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 11: Daytona Beach Regional Library • 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13: Daytona Beach Regional Library • 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16: Schnebly Recreation Center, 1101 N. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach • 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16: SoNapa Grille, 3406 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna Beach • 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17: Deltona Regional Library • 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17: Port Orange Regional Library, 1005 City Center Circle, Port Orange • 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19: DeLand Regional Library, 130 E. Howry Ave., DeLand • 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 19: Oak Hill Public Library, 125 E. Halifax Ave., Oak Hill • 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20: Sweet Marlays’ Coffee, 214 S. Beach St., Daytona Beach • 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23: New Smyrna Beach Re-

gional Library, 1001 S. Dixie Freeway, New Smyrna Beach • 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25: Trails Community Building, 201 Main Trail, Ormond Beach • 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26: The Hub on Canal, 132 Canal St., New Smyrna Beach

‘Watchman’ on Feb. 3 Community members will discuss “Go Set a Watchman,” considered the “parent novel” of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3, at the DeLand Regional Library.

Reservations are not required for the book discussions.

The Big Read, which encourages community reading through programs designed around a single book, offers grants through the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Volusia County Public Library system, which received a $15,000 Big Read grant in 2015, selected “To Kill A Mockingbird” because of its timeless themes of tolerance and compassion.

The Big Read in Volusia County features more than 60 author talks, presentations, readings and book discussions. For a complete list of programs, visit www.volusialibrary.org/ TheBigRead.

For more information, call Karen Poulsen at 386248-1745, ext. 11213.

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7 EDITORIAL

JANUARY 21 – JANUARY 27, 2016

State of the Union was class act with crass responses President Obama did his thing when he delivered the State of the Union Address (SOU) last week. There was confidence in his speech, some off-the-cuff humor, and a little swagger when he rattled off his accomplishments and asserted that the state of the Union is “strong.”

I disagree with parts of the address, especially around economic issues. But I was delighted with the president’s forceful tone, and with his insistence of speaking both of issues and of our toxic political climate.

Consistent behavior Our president loves these United States of America, and he always has. He believes in our unity. He believes that we can come together, transcending party lines, for the good of our nation.

As he always has, he spoke of bipartisan cooperation, holding out an olive branch to House Speaker Paul Ryan and pledging to work with him on poverty and criminal justice reform.

“Democracy grinds to a halt without a willingness to compromise, or when even basic facts are contested, or when we listen only to those who agree with us. Our public life withers when only the most extreme voices get all the attention. And most of all, democracy breaks down when the average person feels their voice doesn’t matter; that the system is rigged in favor of the rich or the powerful or some special interest.”

Thus, with spirit, Obama offered important facts about eco-

JULIANNE MALVEAUX TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM

...it was amazing to watch House Speaker Ryan behaving like a bored child. He was mostly inexpressive, but he also fidgeted and rolled his eyes as if he could not be but so bothered. nomic distribution.

“After years now of record corporate profits, working families won’t get more opportunity or bigger paychecks just by letting big banks or big oil or hedge funds make their own rules at everybody else’s expense.

“Middle-class families are not going to feel more secure because we allowed attacks on collective bargaining to go unanswered.

Food Stamp recipients did not cause the financial crisis; recklessness on Wall Street did.

“Immigrants aren’t the principal reason wages haven’t gone up; those decisions are made in

There is no shortage of words in the English language to describe Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. By now – more than five decades after his fiery delivery of the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. – you may feel as though you have heard them all: leader, hero, visionary, champion, inspiration, pacifist, orator and preacher, to name a few.

Of all the possible descriptions and titles that have been assigned to Dr. King, history has proven that his legacy endures in our collective American imagination and our national politics not because of what he was, or who he was, but because of what he did.

MARC H. MORIAL TRICE EDNEY NEWSWIRE

with action. Soaring rhetoric may move our hearts and imagination, but it is action that translates our seemingly impossible dreams into reality.

Dr. King’s all-too-short life was a monumental one that moved our nation to enact large-scale, coursecorrecting policies like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act, and genuinely contemplate a day when we would “transform the jangling discords of our Action, not words nation into a beautiful symphony Dr. King changed our society of brotherhood.”

Obama enters ‘the final kick’

Short and long There’s purity of effort in events that test skills unencumbered with devices (i.e., balls, bats, hoops, goalposts), time limits or referees that interrupt the flow of action. Events may be as short as 9.58 seconds for the 100 meters or a marathon longer than two hours.

Runners have no “breathers” and require full dedication, focus, determination, and endurance during their race. They finish with all of the strength they can muster, applying it to “the final kick.”

the boardrooms that all too often put quarterly earnings over longterm returns. It’s sure not the average family watching tonight that avoids paying taxes through offshore accounts.”

Economic weakness

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the gospel of action

Unashamedly, I am a fan of most sporting events. I find competitive tests of strength and skill compelling.

Most fans focus on events that hold the greatest popularity. Football, basketball, soccer, and baseball all get fan and media attention. I enjoy those, but find track and field uniquely impressive.

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: POISONED WATER IN FLINT, MICHICAN

DR. E. FAYE WILLIAMS, ESQ. TRICE EDNEY WIRE

Watching President Obama deliver his final State of the Union address, I envisioned the analogy between his presidency and the distance runner’s challenges.

Still running He started his race in 2009 with the intent to win for America. The goals of his final SOTU show that he plans to run without slowing down for the duration of his term.

I’ve written much of this before, but, President Obama’s detractors muddy the waters so much, his supporters must respond to balance the public discourse.

In his first term, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter

As I applauded, I was disappointed that Obama overstated our nation’s economic success. Yes, the unemployment rate is lower – but too many people have dropped out of the labor force. Yes, there are more jobs than there were eight years ago – but there are fewer jobs than there should be. Wages are stagnant.

It would not have hurt him to examine some of our economic weakness, especially if he highlighted the legislation he has sent to this Congress that would employ more people. Touting a strong economy genuflects to those who are enjoying this strong economy. Too many are not.

I’m not sure I’d call the state of the Union “strong.” The president said many of the right things about education, women’s issues, income inequality, and immigration; he could have said things differently, but one doesn’t expect policy details from a SOU address. I guess it is too much to ask that our president address the African- American community, even in a sentence. As I listened, I hoped that, in this last address, the president might acknowledge his staunchest supporters.

While President Obama exuded nothing but class, it was amazing to watch House Speaker Ryan

But he departed from this earth with unfinished business. Our nation has made undeniable progress since Dr. King described his dream of an America set free from the bondage of racial animosity, injustice and economic inequality. Today, people of color are achieving milestones that would have been impossible without the decades-long accumulation of constant acts of courage to make change happen.

But Dr. King did not dedicate himself to a life of action only to create wealth and opportunity for a privileged few, to diversify the palette of America’s corporate offices, or even the White House.

Proud, disheartened Dr. King would have likely been proud to live in a country that judged an African-American not on the color of his skin, but the content of his character, and elected him president. But he would be disheartened to witness the mounting rollbacks in voting

Fair Pay Act; orchestrated passage of health care reform resulting in fewer Americans without health insurance than ever before; orchestrated passage of the stimulus package, leading to 70 consecutive months of employment growth – the longest in the nation’s history.

He ended the war in Iraq; killed Osama Bin Laden; turned around the auto industry, leading to 2015 as the best sales year in history; increased support for veterans’ health issues and increased tuition assistance programs.

These were a fraction of his first-term accomplishments. In a more ambitious second term, President Obama has negotiated a deal with Iran, preventing development of nuclear weapons; overseen a two-thirds reduction in the budget deficit from 9.8 percent GDP to 2.9 percent in 2014; re-established diplomatic relations with Cuba; ordered federal contractors to pay workers a minimum of $10.10 per hour; and negotiated a 200-country deal to reverse global warming.

PAT BAGLEY, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

behaving like a bored child. He was mostly inexpressive, but he also fidgeted and rolled his eyes as if he could not be but so bothered. He behaved as if like he didn’t want to be there.

More Republican crass Are we surprised that Donald Trump was sour? Or that Sen. Marco Rubio who deigned show up had little relevant to say?

There was some Republican class. South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley offered a well-delivered and gracious partisan response.

She noted, “Some people think that you have to be the loudest voice in the room to make a difference. That is just not true. Often, the best thing we can do is turn down the volume. When the sound is quieter, you can actually hear what someone else is saying.

rights, disappointed to stand at the cusp of the ever-widening chasm of economic inequality, and disillusioned at the loss of Black lives at the hands of law enforcement.

Progress must not grow into passivity. Complacency will only serve to erode the gains our nation have made and can make under the constant vigilance and activism of its citizenry.

‘Hard’ things

Not coasting And though three-quarters of his second term is complete, President Obama concedes nothing and refuses to coast to the finish line.

In the SOTU, President Obama outlined his “kick to the finish.”

He remains dedicated to leveling the playing field for all Americans. He’s committed to criminal justice reform; the elimination of prescription drug abuse; growing an economy that affords greater promise to all citizens; development and use of clean energy sources; modern transportation systems construction; greater educational opportunities, including making college more affordable; major research initiatives to eliminate cancer; rededicating resources for Homeland security/protection and defeat of terrorists; reformation of the political process including expanded voting opportunities.

We have benefitted from seven years of enlightened leadership. It’s been leadership of diplomacy rather than conflict. It’s been a focus on universal oppor-

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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Charles W. Cherry, Sr. (1928-2004), Founder Julia T. Cherry, Senior Managing Member, Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Cassandra CherryKittles, Charles W. Cherry II, Managing Members

Julianne Malveaux is a Washington, D.C.-based economist and writer. Her latest book, “Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy,” is available for preorder at www.juliannemalveaux.com.

That better future is what Dr. King saw on the mountaintop. He did not live to get there with us, but his clarion call to justice lives on. We, as the heirs of the change he sought, should always make the MLK holiday a more meaningful one by engaging in civic, community and service projects. We should spend the day doing what Dr. King did for a lifetime: serving others.

But this is about more than a day. Full, unfettered access to voting will not be restored in one day.

Police brutality in communities of color will not end in one day. Economic inequality will not be resolved in one day. It will take days, years, decades and perhaps generations, but if we are wedded to the idea of a more perfect union, it is imperative that we continue Dr. King’s long and worthy climb to the mountaintop.

In his last State of the Union address to Congress, President Obama acknowledged the necessity of everyday acts of courage and quiet citizenship to move our nation closer to fulfilling its founding promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all its people.

“What I’m asking for is hard. It’s easier to be cynical; to accept that change isn’t possible, and politics is hopeless, and to believe that our Marc Morial is president and voices and actions don’t matter.

But if we give up now, then we for- CEO of the National Urban League. sake a better future.”

Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher

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.

And that can make a world of difference.”

Both Gov. Haley and President Obama are asking for civility in political discourse, and the loudest voices are rejecting that. Republicans attacked Haley because she said that Republicans needed to own their part in the “erosion of public trust.”

Crass responses to Nikki Haley’s comments suggest that the state of the Union is disruptively divided and weakened by the toxic nature of political discourse.

Jenise Morgan, Senior Editor Angela van Emmerik, Creative Director Cassandra Cherry Kittles, Willie R. Kittles, Circulation Penny Dickerson, Staff Writer Duane Fernandez Sr., Kim Gibson, Photojournalists

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tunity and earned, merit-based privilege. I hold faith with the President that unless we all – politician and citizen alike – embrace the idea that we are illserved by special interests that restrict the full potential and development of us all, our nation cannot realize its full potential.

In full stride As the president described the state of our Union, I visualized him as the runner moving ever more closely to his own personal finish line. Although he nears the end of his presidency, he runs in full stride.

The race is far from over, and I’ve made the commitment to join that race for however long it takes to achieve the goals of justice, equality and “a more perfect union.” For success, we must finish with that strong, final kick.

Dr. E. Faye Williams is national chair of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. Contact her via www.nationalcongressbw.org.

Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC, P.O. Box 48857 Tampa, FL 33646, publishes the Florida Courier on Fridays. Phone: 877-352-4455, toll-free. For all sales inquiries, call 877-352-4455; e-mail sales@flcourier.com.

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The Daytona Times reserves the right to edit any submission, and crop any photograph, for style and clarity. Materials will not be returned.

5 7

M AHEALTH YOR

JANUARY 21 – JANUARY DECEMBER 14 - 20, 27, 20062016

Health experts give the skinny on top diet trends

BY MARTHA ROSS SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS (TNS)

For your New Year’s resolution, maybe you have vowed to go gluten-free. After all, your neighbor said it’s her secret for shedding pounds and having that healthy, happy glow.

Or maybe you need a quick reboot after all that holiday eating and drinking. Wouldn’t a “cleanse,” of the sort touted by celebrities, do the trick? Similarly, perhaps you’ve been reading about how fasting a day a week helps set people on the path to a longer life.

But do these strategies and others making headlines really work? Are they actually good for you, and are they worth the attention, time and money that major life-style changes usually involve?

We checked in with health experts on the top diet trends they regularly encounter through working with clients or poring through studies. And here are their takes:

Gluten-free Some publications proclaim the gluten-free frenzy is passé.

But that’s not what experts are seeing, and these same publications note that an estimated third of American adults are anxious enough about gluten that they are looking for ways to reduce or eliminate it from their diets.

“Gluten-free foods are still selling strong,” says Sonya Angelone, a Marin County, Calif.-based dietitian and spokeswoman with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

But she and other experts say there is little evidence that most people need to say no to gluten — a protein humans have been consuming in wheat, barley and rye for thousands of years.

Going gluten-free is only medically necessary for the 1 percent of Americans who have been diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder where ingestion of gluten causes damage to the small intestines and can be life-threatening. Another small number of people have been told by their doctors they have gluten sensitivity, in which case splurging on birthday cake could trigger problems with digestion, immune and even cognitive function, adds Angelone.

Kevin Lomangino, managing editor of Health News Review, doesn’t doubt people’s claims that they feel better after giving up gluten, which is often associated with foods that are rich in refined carbohydrates. But it’s most likely a placebo effect, he says. “It’s not because there is anything bad about gluten. You feel better because you made a change.”

Mary Ellen DiPaola, an outpatient senior dietitian at UC San Francisco, says going gluten-free can be challenging but there’s no harm in it, if it leads people to cut back on high-calorie breads, pastas and snack foods — and as long as they replace those energy sources with healthy options like whole grains, legumes and vegetables. The problem comes when people believe that often pricey gluten-free sweets and snacks

GLENN KOENIG/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

Did you resolve to lose weight this year? There’s plenty of information out there on how to do it. Experts on health offer their take on the diet trends. are more nutritious.

“If you’re eating rice cakes all day, instead of potato chips,” says Angelone, “that’s not a healthy choice.”

Intermittent fasting Fasting is nothing new with saints, ascetics and regular people choosing periods of self-denial as a path to enlightenment, spiritually and otherwise. Modern-day advocates say intermittent fasting can help reduce obesity and diabetes, improve cardiovascular health and extend life.

Popular strategies have people going food-free for 24 hours once or twice a week, skipping breakfast or eating like a “warrior” — fasting daily for 20 hours, then eating one large meal, usually in the evening.

Experts say, sure, a day of fasting each week could reduce someone’s weekly calorie intake, which theoretically could help with weight loss, but overall, they discourage the practice. Its benefits haven’t been proven, and it’s not a long-term way to lose or maintain weight, says DiPaola.

Adds Lisa Cimperman, a registered dietitian at Cleveland’s University Hospitals Case Medical Center and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: “From a metabolic standpoint, we know that in periods of starvation, the metabolism slows down.” She adds that people are prone to overeat when they break their fast. “It just seems to set up a bad psychological game.”

Cleanses Apparently, we can’t help ourselves: We still look to celebrities for nutrition advice. Consider the popularity of “cleanse” diets, which, similar to fasting, promise quick weight loss as well as other short- and long-term health benefits.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s sevenday “Master Cleanse,” for example, involves a sharp reduction in food intake, supplanted by smoothies and occasional servings of “detox” fish or chicken.

Experts are generally skeptical of cleanse programs, because like fasting diets, they aren’t sustainable. They also may deprive people of sufficient nutrients as well as fiber for digestion. As for the idea that we need a cleanse program to remove unhealthy toxins from our bodies, Jessica Shipley, a dietitian at Stanford’s Nutrition Clinic, says: “We have organs in our body that are designed to remove toxins.”

Anti-inflammatory Experts describe “anti-inflammatory” as a loose term that, along with “clean eating” or “plant-based” diets, is simply another way of getting at a well-established idea: Weight management and improved chances of staving off chronic illnesses — heart disease, diabetes and cancer — come with diets that stress whole, unprocessed foods, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, little added sugar and a balance of fish and other lean proteins, carbohydrates and “healthy” unsaturated fats.

The idea comes from Andrew Weil, the Harvard-educated pioneer in integrative medicine, who says chronic inflammation in our bodies causes the majority of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, depression and even Alzheimer’s. The anti-inflammatory diet he created incorporates Mediterranean diet practices.

Shipley says other diet plans, which also stress portion control, serve this anti-inflammatory purpose, including the DASH, or the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, which is endorsed by the federal Department of

Health and Human Services.

“There’s no one size fits all that works,” she remarked.

DiPaola cautions against making direct connections between diet and disease prevention, because diseases can be caused by a complex interplay of many factors — including genetics, environment and stress levels. Still, a healthy diet is part of a healthy lifestyle, “which can only help stave off or manage the effects of inflammatory illness or conditions,” she added.

Low-carb vs. low-fat Over the past few years, studies have tried to settle the question of which diet is best for weight loss: one that’s low in carbohydrates or low in fat? Studies seem to be swinging in favor of a lowcarb approach.

But does it matter? Shipley says all diets involving restricting food in various ways can lead to weight loss.

The question is whether you’re comfortable saying no to bread, rice, pasta or potatoes.

“The question is, what’s sustainable?” says Shipley.

“Do you like your lifestyle diet enough to feel confident you could live with it forever?” asks Yoni Freedhoff, a University of Ottawa assistant professor, blogger on weight management and author of “The Fix: Why Diets Fail and How to Make Yours Work.” “If the answer’s no, try something else.”

Probiotics, other supplements Health food stores, pharmacies and online retailers are stocked with a vast array of often highpriced pills, powders and multivitamins that promise to build muscle, help fat loss and boost your mood and immune system.

Increasingly popular are pro-

biotic supplements, which tout their “gut” health benefits, claiming to help boost the level of bacteria in the gastrointestinal system that are necessary for good digestion and overall health.

But experts say there is no need for most people to stock up on supplements — and contribute to what the National Institutes of Health estimate is a $37 billion a year industry. Supplements are only necessary for people who have a vitamin deficiency or a health condition that makes it difficult for them to absorb nutrients.

The rest of us? We can get our nutrients from a healthy, balanced diet, Shipley said.

Avocado a day?

Every year it seems there are headlines heralding the amazing and surprising health benefits promised by adding one particular food to your diet.

Last year, avocados were in the spotlight, following a Journal of the American Heart Association study that said daily consumption of the creamy fruit may lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and reduce risk of heart disease.

Lomangino with Health News Review says single-food stories, like those involving avocados, often originate from studies financed by related industries.

While those studies may offer valid information, they may also be limited in scope, and their results can’t lead to broader conclusions about reduced health risks.

There is certainly no harm in making avocados or any other food a part of a balanced diet, Lomangino said. But there’s no evidence that kale will protect you from cancer or that a daily avocado will prevent a heart attack. “The idea that there are any magic properties to any food,” he added, “is pretty dubious.”

Medicare tightening requirements for many home devices

DON BARTLETTI/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

Glenn Ferry, former special agent in charge of investigations with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has said that one Medicare scam involved motorized wheelchairs for patients who don’t need them.

BY KRIS B. MAMULA PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE (TNS)

Pre-authorization required

Medicare is taking aim at questionable medical claims again, this time by requiring pre-approval for a number of medical devices that patients use in the home.

Critics say the new policy will bog down the process for getting oxygen, power wheelchairs and a variety of other supplies to patients — items they need to keep from being readmitted to the hospital. But citing years of abuse from inflated claims, Medicare anticipates savings from the initiative of $10 million in 2016, rising to $100 million by 2025, without hurting patient care.

Penny Carey, president of Allegheny Health Network’s home medical equipment arm, is among the people who question the new policy.

“I don’t see how it can bring value to the consumer because you’re adding another regulatory burden,” she said. “I’m hoping it won’t, but if receiving authorization delays care, then the patient suffers.”

Starting Feb. 28, Medicare will require pre-authorization for some of the most commonly used home medical supplies, including oxygen, sleep apnea and related equipment in a strategy that commercial insurers have used for years to curb overuse of medical testing.

Seniors who have traditional Medicare fee-for-service will be affected by the new policy. People with Medicare Advantage health coverage will not be affected because those plans contract independently with providers.

Medicare last year spent about $6.3 billion on medical equipment that is needed at home to treat an illness or injury, significantly lower than the more than $7.4 billion the government spent in 2013. Requiring vendors to bid on supplying patients living in certain areas with specific kinds of equipment is credited for much of the savings.

And Medicare has had remarkable success with the pre-authorization lever in curbing power wheelchair claims. Claims for the

mobility devices shrunk by onefourth in the period from September 2012 to August 2015, according to Medicare. The pilot was conducted in 19 states and will be part of the program expansion that goes into effect nationwide next month.

Fraud claims Home medical equipment claim fraud is the stuff of legend. Medicare estimates that the agency improperly paid $1 billion for these claims between April 2006 through March 2007, at least partly due to fraud.

Separately, stolen beneficiary and physician identification numbers were used during a five-month period starting in October 2006 to bill the government $5.5 million from three home medical equipment offices, one of which was a utility closet containing buckets of sand mix, road tar and a large wrench — but no office equipment.

Providers acknowledge past abuses in the industry, but say that complicating patients’ ability to get medical equipment is not the answer.

“It’s a big deal,” said Tam-

my Zelenko, president and CEO of Bridgeville-based AdvaCare Home Services, which has four stores in the Pittsburgh area. “It’s going to have a greater impact on hospitals and patients than the durable medical equipment world.

“The beneficiary isn’t going to get what they need.”

Mixed bag Some hospital beds, power wheelchairs and oxygen concentrators are among the devices that will require pre-authorization from Medicare starting Feb. 28. Medicare said it would answer requests for approval within 10 days, with a provision for expedited review within two days.

Tom Sedlak, executive director of the Harrisburg-based Pennsylvania Association of Medical Suppliers, called the new rules a mixed bag, saying it may be too early to say whether unnecessary claims will be reduced or patient care affected.

“It could work,” Sedlak said. “Is it realistic in all hospitals? No. “We have to try to educate our physicians and case managers at hospitals.”

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7

JANUARY 21 – JANUARY 27, 2016 SPORTS DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006

MAYOR

Opinions differ on NCAA’s new NBA draft rules make up for players that remain in the draft.

Huggins took the opposite stance for those reasons.

“I think it puts the other 12 guys at a disadvantage,” Huggins said, referring to each team’s 13 scholarship players. “It’s great if the guy comes back. If the guy doesn’t come back, it’s probably too late to fill that spot. Or do you fill it anticipating he leaves?”

BY KELLIS ROBINETT KANSAS CITY STAR (TNS)

Two of the most influential basketball coaches in the Big 12 have differing opinions on the new, player-friendly NBA draft rules announced by the NCAA last week.

“It is a great, great, great first step,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. But West Virginia coach Bob Huggins disagree.

“Sometimes we make rules that are good for individuals that aren’t good for the whole,” he said. “I thought we should always do what is right for the whole team.”

Under the new rules, college basketball players will be allowed to test their draft stock multiple times as an early entrant and return to school if they remove their name from the NBA draft before the NCAA’s return deadline. That deadline is being pushed back to 10 days after the conclusion of the draft combine.

Early entrants will be able to participate in the combine and work out for each NBA team once per year without jeopardizing their college eligibility, as long as they don’t sign with an agent.

Why changes made In the past, players were

Another suggestion

STEPHEN M. DOWELL/ORLANDO SENTINEL/TNS

Thousands watch the NBA Draft live on the big screen during an Orlando Magic Draft Party at the Amway Center in Orlando on June 25, 2015. allowed to enter the NBA draft once as an early entrant and the NCAA withdrawal date was before the combine.

The changes were made, in large part, to help college basketball players make better decisions about when to begin their professional careers, as a rising number of early en-

trants have gone undrafted in recent years.

Self advises young players on their NBA hopes more than any other Big 12 coach, and approved of the changes.

“You are still going to have kids that go regardless of what everybody tells them,” Self said Monday on the Big 12 teleconference.

“You are still going to have that, but hopefully not as many. Maybe after this is tested for a year or two and we find out how it is working, some advanced steps can be made by the NBA, if it is working for them, that will help the kids even further.

“I don’t see a negative with it at all. I think what

we had before was broken.”

Harder on coaches?

The new rules are certainly a positive change for college basketball players, but they might make life harder on coaches.

Now they will need to plan for all contingencies and be ready to recruit late to

Kansas State coach Bruce Weber said he understands both sides, but from a coach’s perspective, he wishes the NCAA created new recruiting rules to counter the uncertainty of NBA draft hopefuls.

He suggested boosting the scholarship limit to 14 and allowing players to return to college after the draft, should they go unselected.

“It is very, very hard on the coach, especially if you go through it every year or several years in a row,” Weber said, “because you don’t know who your team is. Do you recruit a guy or do you not? Is he coming back? But I appreciate it for the kids’ sake, because so many kids make bad decisions and don’t listen to the right people. Hopefully, it will help there.”

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$7,500) to attend the college or university of their choice and are enrolled in JRF’s celebrated “mentoring curriculum.”

Fellowships too JRF’s four-year curriculum enables students to effectively navigate the college environment, explore career options, develop leadership skills, and embrace a commitment to service. Throughout the four-year program, JRF also promotes the values and character traits embodied in the heroic life of its namesake.

The JRF scholarship is awarded to outstanding high school graduates who plan to earn a baccalaureate degree from an accredited, four-year college or university.

To be eligible, all applicants must be graduating seniors and must belong to a minority group (African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, or Native American).

Applicants must also plan to attend an accredited and approved fouryear institution within the United States, must show leadership potential, must demonstrate a dedication to community service, and must present evidence of financial need.

Additional fellowships are given to JRF Scholars to pursue opportunities to work and study abroad and for post-graduate education.

Test requirements Applicants

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also

have a minimum SAT score of 1,000 combined on the math and critical reading sections or a composite ACT score of 22, and not possess a degree from a 2 or 4-year College when applying for the scholarship.

Jackie Robinson was an American baseball player who became the first African-American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era. In 1973, the Jackie Robinson Foun-

dation was created as a national, not–for–profit, organization to perpetuate his memory through the advancement of higher education among underserved populations.

The foundation’s strategic combination of financial assistance and support services results consistently in a nearly 100 percent college graduation rate.

For more details, visit www.jackierobinson.org.

B-CU’s LaRon Smith makes MEAC’s top list again

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B e t h u n e - C o o k m a n ’s LaRon Smith garnered his second Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of The Week honor of the season, it was announced on Jan. 18.

The 6-8 redshirt junior from Palm Bay had 21 rebounds and eight blocked shots in the Wildcats’ two games last week. Against Norfolk State, he sank two key free throws with 1:03 remaining that helped BCU down the Spartans 7270.

Smith is currently seventh in the nation in blocked shots per game, averaging 2.9 per contest.

He’s had posted five blocks in four of the last six games.

He’s also third in the MEAC in rebounding, av-

COURTESY OF B-CU ATHLETICS

LaRon Smith is a top player on Bethune-Cookman’s basketball team. eraging 7.8 per night.

The Wildcats (6-13, overall, 3-2 MEAC) travel to

UMES Saturday.

This story was courtesy of B-CU Athletics.

R8

7PERSONAL FINANCE

JANUARY 21 – JANUARY 27, 2016

Survey: Most Americans don’t have enough money to cover emergencies

BY GAIL MARKSJARVIS CHICAGO TRIBUNE (TNS)

Most Americans don’t have the money to handle common emergencies like a car breakdown or a trip to the emergency room for a broken bone.

In a national survey by Bankrate.com, 63 percent of people said they don’t have the savings to cover a $500 car repair or a $1,000 medical or dental bill. Only four in 10 Americans would be able to rely on savings to cover anything beyond their usual bills.

That suggests most people are living paycheck to paycheck, with common problems like a car accident or a sick pet upsetting their ability to pay.

The survey found that only 23 percent thought they would be able to handle an emergency bill by cutting other spending.

Another 15 percent said they would cope by borrowing from their family.

And 15 percent would depend on a credit card.

Not saving The findings mimic others and show that most Americans are financially vulnerable. Although consumer confidence numbers gathered each month by the Conference Board show Americans feeling good about jobs after recovering from the Great Recession, most still aren’t

stashing money away regularly.

A Federal Reserve study of the “well-being of U.S. households” in 2014 showed only about half of people saving regularly in a separate account like a savings account.

In December 2012, as the fear of recession was still fresh, the savings rate in the U.S. climbed to 11 percent, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. But it fell to 4.6 percent in August and was at 5.5 percent in November.

Prior to the 2008 recession and housing crash, Americans felt secure, and the savings rate dropped to just 1.5 percent when people were dipping into their home equity like a piggy bank — a practice that got many people into trouble when home values plunged.

Still rebuilding Since the recession, people have been rebuilding their finances after millions lost homes and jobs and had credit cards and other borrowing shut off by banks. As the pressure has eased, they’ve become more likely to spend.

The Federal Reserve reported in 2014 that only 47 percent of U.S. households surveyed were saving for unexpected expenses. And if Americans were fortunate enough to end up with $1,000 in extra in-

FOTOLIA/TNS

Forty-six Americans with incomes over $75,000 said they wouldn’t have the money to pay a $500 car repair, according to a study from Bankrate.com. come, almost half would spend some of it. Only 17 percent said they’d save the entire amount, while 20 percent said they’d devote the entire amount to paying down debt.

Currently, the people most able to weather an emergency are those with incomes over $75,000 or a college education, according to the Bankrate.com survey. Yet, even with incomes over $75,000, 46 percent said they wouldn’t have the money to pay a $500 car repair.

About 52 percent of people with college degrees

said they wouldn’t have $500 for the car emergency or $1,000 for an emergency room visit.

Lack of knowledge The issues seem to be both financial and behavioral. The St. Louis Federal Reserve reported that the median income of the middle class was 16 percent lower in 2013 than in 1989. But studies have also shown that people who are able to save are not doing it.

In a survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, most Americans said

they could afford to save $20 a week, or $20 more a week, but they didn’t think it would matter.

Research done by Annamaria Lusardi, a George Washington University economist, shows that only a third of Americans understand compounding.

In other words, they don’t know that if they borrow money and are charged interest, paying off their debts becomes difficult as interest builds up on old charges left hanging.

In a study just done with P r i c e Wa t e r h o u s e C o o pers of millennials, Lusar-

di found that 53 percent had carried over a balance on their credit cards without paying off charges fully. Nearly 30 percent were overdrawing on checking accounts.

If they had to come up with $2,000 within a month, only half thought they could do it. While many of the millennials surveyed were confronting financial challenges such as student loan debt, Lusardi found that only 24 percent demonstrated basic financial knowledge.