Daytona Times - March 7, 2013

Church seminar teaches participants how to communicate See page 2

E

Daytona

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit #189 Daytona Beach, FL

E FR

RAYNARD JACKSON: An apology to Jesse Jackson Sr. Page 4

A ROUNDUP OF LOCAL SPORTS See page 7

East Central Florida’s Black Voice

www.daytonatimes.com www.daytonatimes.com

MARCH 7 - MARCH 13, 2013

YEAR 38 NO. 10

Family of teen shot in head: ‘Stop the violence’

PEOPLE SPEAK

Argument over car leads to another critical injury of young Black male

BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES butleramj@yahoo.com

An argument over a stolen vehicle left a teenager critically wounded in the Madison Heights subdivision of Daytona Beach on Tuesday afternoon.

While Jiron Dent, 17, lies in

a local hospital bed from a shotgun wound to his head, his family has issued a plea to young people “to stop the violence.’’

The teen is reJiron Dent lated to a young Black man – Rayshard Mitchell – who died from a gunshot wound in December.

Shortly after noon on Tuesday, police responded to a 911 call in reference to gunshots.

At the scene, they found Dent bleeding profusely on the passenger side of a Red Ford 500 from a gunshot wound to the head. The teen was unresponsive and unconscious and taken to Halifax Medical Center. He was listed in grave condition.

The shooting took place on Florida Street at the intersection of Phillips Street near Georgia Street.

Four suspects Reports indicate that the vehicle was being trailed by a gray

Dodge Charger. Both vehicles were reported stolen, according to police reports.

Police say the occupants of the Charger fired upon the Ford. One of the occupants ran out of the vehicle and headed southward on Heineman Street.

Two of the occupants of the vehicle were caught shortly by the Daytona Beach Police Department (DBPD) and a third suspect was found later hiding under a house in the area. A sheriff’s helicopter and canine dogs aided in the search and capture of

the third suspect. A gun also was found and recovered in the area.

George Green, Jr., Justin Nelson and Tijuan Isaac were all arrested.

Green, 18, was charged with grand theft auto and resisting arrest without violence. Green also had warrants for failure to appear in reference to battery, grand theft and burglary.

Nelson 22, was charged with motor vehicle grand theft and violation of probation.

Isaac, 18, was identified as the Please see SHOOTING, Page 6

Will Blacks get in on Speedway construction action?

BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES harperjames59@yahoo.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEELE STALLIONS MOTORCYCLE CLUB

Members of the Steel Stallions Motorcycle Club of Central Florida participated in a Bike Blessing Ceremony last year during Bike Week in Daytona Beach led by Apostle Muriel Fuqua of Word and Praise Family church (seated on a motorcycle in the center). Also pictured from left to right are president Hector Rodriguez, Sharonda Cowell, Sabrina Thayer, Anthony Booze, Angela Williams, Ted Wolf, vice president Daelwyne Leonard, Harold Lowe, Jeremy Nelson, Gloria Beamon White, Cynthia Wilson, Johnette Martin and Zachary Edwards.

Black Bikers ready to roar into the city Vendors, entertainment planned along MLK and Bethune boulevards

BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES harperjames59@yahoo.com

Hundreds of thousands of bikers will be invading Daytona Beach March 8-16 and among them will be a number of Black bikers, including members of the Steel Stal-

lions of Central Florida Motorcycle club.

The club was established in 2007 and today many of its members live in Daytona Beach.

Dee “Lendog” Leonard, who lives in Deltona, is the vice president of the group.

“We enjoy the sport of motorcycling as well as the desire to serve Central Florida communities,” Leonard told the Daytona Times this week.

CEOs, entrepreneurs

group is to discredit the typical stereotype of the urban biker.

“We pride ourselves on not only being a multicultural club but also open to both men and women who ride both sport and classic cruisers,” explained Leonard.

“Our current membership expands the spectrum of law-abiding members who hold titles such as CEOs, entrepreneurs, corporate managers, retired military and civil service. We are strong believers in quality rather than quantity.’’

Black, Hispanic or female business owners would like to do work on major construction projects. They just have to figure out how to get in the door.

Daytona International Speedway President Joie Chitwood announced last month that $250 million will be spent for a complete overhaul of the Speedway’s frontstretch grandstands, from creating an iconic entrance to the facility that includes escalators to the stands, football-field-length “neighborhoods’’ that include video screens, bars and themed restaurants.

In addition, the redevelopment would see every seat in the Speedway frontstretch replaced with new and more comfortable seating as well as the addition of more restrooms and concession stands within easier access points for all fans.

Will the Speedway identify and work with minority-owned contractors, suppliers, etc.?

Too late?

Leonard noted that the group does a number of projects. The group has fed the homeless at the John H. Dickerson Center, provided school supplies at Derbyshire Park, and organizes the annual Steel Stallions Cancer Motorcycle Ride every October.

“These are only a few of our efforts we’re

Orlando Attorney Veronica Anderson of Anderson and Associates told the Daytona Times this week that she is worried the money the Speedway is planning to spend already has been earmarked for contractors who are not minorities.

“That’s planning. They decide who is going to do contracting. They already have budget for construction. They have already made a lot of commitments,” said Anderson whose firm is recognized in Florida as a leader in small, disadvantaged, minority and women business enterprise

Please see BIKERS, Page 2

Please see SPEEDWAY, Page 2

Community service

Leonard said one of the goals of the

Sisters raised in Daytona about the business of helping others

BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES harperjames59@yahoo.com

Two sisters, born and raised in Daytona Beach, are entrepreneurs who are trying to help others be successful in business.

Even though Debra Barrs-Paul and Daphne Latimore now live in different cities and states, their work involves starting businesses and helping busi-

nesses to be successful.

Paul-Barrs moved back to Daytona Beach in 2005.

She recently put together what she called the Daytona Beach Business Expo and Job Fair last month at the Midtown Cultural and Educational Center.

Business owners and employers showcased their businesses and took job applications from potential employees.

“Our goal was to have

Debra Barrs-Paul

Daphne Latimore

as many African-American businesses participating to make sure that they also got the exposure they

needed,” Barrs-Paul said.

Barrs-Paul explained that when she moved back to the area one of the first things she learned was that many in the community didn’t know what businesses are available for their needs.

Expert on events The expo was an opportunity for locals to connect with the businesses and give those in attendance

ideas on how to start their own businesses,” BarrsPaul said.

Barrs-Paul, who considers herself an event planner, said she also has been working to bring other businesses to the area. She is a former executive director of the Volusia Flagler Chamber of Commerce and one in Duval County.

She has helped organize national conferenc-

es, grand openings, workshops and parades.

“As an African-American woman in business, I find that in some cases I am well accepted with the business that I am offering. Event planning isn’t easy by far but it is fun, and when the plan comes together and your client is extremely happy you can say job well done,” said Barrs-Paul.

Please see SISTERS, Page 2

7FOCUS

R2

Expect Votran delays and route changes during Bike Week SPECIAL TO THE DAYTONA TIMES

Bike Week brings heavy traffic and Votran riders should expect some delays, interruptions and possible route deviations. Schedule delays will begin Wednesday, March 13, and will continue to occur through Sunday, March 17.

“Votran will make every effort to notify customers as soon as the detours and route deviations are expected,” said Steve Sherrer, Votran general manager. “Buses will be rerouted to secondary roads when traffic becomes congested.”

The latter part of Bike Week tends to affect Votran routes/schedules more than the earlier days, added Sherrer. Detours are subject to change without notice.

Some deviations Votran route deviations during Bike Week include the following: • The buses will be unable to use Main Street be-

bikers from Page 1 involved in the Daytona Beach community.

We continue to look for opportunities to remain ingrained in the city’s culture,” Leonard said.

The approximately two-dozen members of Steele Stallions will be

sisters from Page 1 Professional coach, consultant Her sister, who now lives in Northern Virginia, was the guest speaker at the recent expo in Daytona.

Latimore is the founder and chief executive consultant of D.B. Latimore Professional Services Group, LLC, a

participating in many of the Bike Week festivities that will be taking place throughout the city on Mary McLeod Bethune Boulevard, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Beach Street, and Main Street, and along A1A.

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2013

ginning Friday, March 8.

• Route 17A/B will use the International Speedway Boulevard Bridge. If traffic on International Speedway Boulevard becomes too congested, Route 17A/B will detour to the Orange Avenue Bridge.

• There will be service interruptions on International Speedway Boulevard. There will be no service to the Daytona Beach Flea Market.

• Route 18 will detour from North Atlantic Avenue (State Road A1A) at University Boulevard and use Halifax Avenue to travel to the Transfer Plaza beginning March 13.

• Night service will operate out of the Transfer Plaza from March 13-16. Sunday service will operate out of the Transfer Plaza on March 17.

• Routes 1, 18, 19 and the trolley will make service stops on S.R. A1A. Route 8 will make service stops on Halifax Avenue.

• The Beachside Trolley will be split into two routes. The North Trolley will travel west on Silver Beach Avenue, east on International Speedway Boulevard, and north on Granada Boulevard.

The South Trolley will travel west on International Speedway Boulevard, east on Silver Beach Avenue and south to Dunlawton Avenue.

Additional time for trips may be needed due to route detours. Votran riders are encouraged to plan routes in advance and to call for up-to-date route detours at 386-761-7700 in Daytona Beach, 386424-6800 in New Smyrna Beach or 386-943-7033 in West Volusia. Riders can learn more by visiting Votran on the web at www.votran.org.

A number of activities will be taking place at

the Daytona Beach International Speedway.

The “World Center of Racing” has several fan activities on tap during Daytona 200 Week, which runs Saturday, March 9 through Saturday, March 16.

The activities include free demo rides. Outside of the Daytona International Speedway, motorcycle enthusiasts can test-ride the lat-

est motorcycles from top manufacturers with free demo rides March 9-16. Riders must have a Department of Transp or tation-approve d helmet and motorcycle endorsement on their driver’s license to participate.

A complete list of Bike Week activities can be found at www.officialbikeweek.com.

boutique firm specializing in management consulting, professional coaching services and workforce seminars.

She has experience coaching and consulting senior leaders across diverse lines of business and has been credited for successfully transforming and aligning domestic and international organizations with corporate business needs.

Latimore has a master’s degree in public ad-

ministration from Troy State University and a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Bethune-Cookman.

She received an advanced leadership training and development through various corporate university programs, including Oxford University-Said Business School, University of Michigan and the University of New Hampshire.

Barrs-Paul said her sister is passionate

about advancing human resources as a profession and is committed to ensuring that people are an organization’s greatest resource.

The sisters are planning to make the Daytona Beach expo an annual event and hope to do more projects to do promote businesses in the area.

For more information, contact Barrs-Paul at 386-307-4456 or go to her website at http://www. unique4you.com.

Activities at Speedway

Community Calendar To list your community 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. Effective immediately, paid events will no longer be listed in the Daytona Times Community Calendar. You can advertise local events for as little as $35 per week. Call 813-319-0961 or email sales@daytonatimes for more information.

Compiled by the Daytona Times Sterling Court hosting events Sterling Court, an independent retirement community is hosting a number of events, activities and seminars free and open to the public in March at 1001 Alabaster Way, Deltona. The events include: March 8 at 2 p.m.: Let’s Talk Seniors, a session on fraud prevention; March 9 at 3 p.m.: Pot of Gold Bingo. Refreshments afterward; and March 10 at noon: An Irishthemed, chef-prepared meal. RSVP: 386-775-8004.

Community swap meet March 15, 16 A Community swap meet will be held March 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and March 16 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pyramid Community Café, 868 George W. Engram Blvd., Daytona Beach. Community members are asked to bring something they “no longer need and find something you do.’’ More information: Linda Carson, 386-322-6102, ext. 7, or email Corey Best at coreybest@rocketmail. com, or Maria Long at maria.long@ healthystartfv.org

County plans tourism workshop The Volusia County Council will host a follow-up workshop on March 8 to discuss the preliminary report of the tourism marketing study from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Ocean Center, 101 N. Atlantic Ave. Dan Fenton of the Strategic Advisory Group will be the facilitator. Public participation is welcomed.

More information: 386-736-5920.

County Fair & Expo to host events The Volusia County Fair & Expo Center will host a roller derby competition March 9; the Down the Street Bead Show & Sale March 9-10; Bike Week camping March 8-17, and the Deland Chamber of Commerce Business Expo on March 27. Parking is free at the Fairgrounds.

Mt. Calvary celebrates Women’s Day The Mt. Calvary Baptist Church of Palm Coast will host its annual Women’s Day service on March 10

SPEEDWAY

Largest usually hired Considering the Daytona Speedway is a private company, Anderson said that unless government funds require that it includes minority businesses, the largest companies are hired to get the job done.

When the Speedway was working on its “Daytona Live” project three years ago, Anderson was brought in by one of the contractors hired by the Speedway.

She said it was her job to do community outreach to prospective minority contractors Veronica located in Anderson the Greater Daytona Beach area.

“Apparently there was a discrimination lawsuit filed by an employee (against the International Speedway Corporation).

Under the stress of that, the city was asking them (the Speedway) to do outreach.

The contractor brought me on,” said Anderson.

Anderson said the contractor wanted to identify contractors who could do work for the developer on the construction site which was to include construction of retail stores, a movie theater and restaurants on property owned by the Speedway on the northside of International Speedway

Boulevard.

‘Put pressure on’ Anderson said she discovered there were a lot of small companies in Daytona Beach that might not have enough capital to do a big job as well as might have problems getting bonded.

She said her assignment ended because the economy went south and the project was put on hold.

“The community has to put the pressure on. The community has to say you are getting our tax dollars and you need to include us. The community should demand that Black people get jobs and contracts,” Anderson said.

Anderson also said Black subcontractors will hire Black workers. “Not that they don’t hire Whites.

When you hire a minority firm, they are willing to hire ex-offenders, give people a second chance,” she noted.

“Pack a city council (meeting). (Tell them) We want a written commitment. If we are not ready, we want assistance in getting ready. City commissioners can put pressure on them (Speedway). They can become publicly exposed and their consciences pricked. They can waive the bond,” Anderson added. “They (businesses) put barriers up that minority businesses cannot get over.

Somebody like me has to be on the inside (to tell Speedway), if you make the contract this size you have eliminated all of them.’’

No mention of minorities Chitwood made the announcement about the overhaul of the frontstretch after he and other Speedway staff received approv-

Cultural Council to meet The Cultural Council of Volusia County will meet at 9 a.m. March 22 at the Museum of Florida Art, 600 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand. Members will discuss the Cultural Council’s programs and upcoming activities.

The public is invited to participate.

More information: 386-736-5963, ext.

15872, or mfincher@volusia.org.

County Council moves retreat The Volusia County Council’s teambuilding retreat has been rescheduled for 9 a.m. March 28 in the first-floor training room of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand. There will be no public participation. More information: 386736-5920.

Watch ‘Forrest Gump’ under the stars The Daytona Beach Regional Library – City Island and Cinematique will feature “Forrest Gump” during their free book-and-a-movie series titled “Cinematique under the Stars” in March. The movie will begin at dusk March 22, in Riverfront Park on the corner of Beach Street and Magnolia Avenue. Moviegoers should bring lawn chairs or blankets. Hot dogs, popcorn, candy and soft drinks will be available for sale. The book discussion will begin at 10 a.m. March 25, in library’s board room. More information: 386-257-6036, ext. 16264.

Women’s Day at Lyonia Women can learn about yoga, nutrition, business etiquette and more during a Women’s Day celebration 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 9 at the Lyonia Environmental Center. Registration is required and may be made by calling 386-789-7207, ext. 253.

merous factors that will affect our plans,” he said.

Chitwood and the Speedway are awaiting approval of a bill submitted by Florida State Rep. David Santiago, which asked for a number of tax breaks Chitwood said the project would be contingent on if the project goes forward as planned.

If all goes as the Speedway wants, they then must go back before the city commissioners for permits.

If the Speedway comes before the city requesting permits for construction with something radically different, McKitrick said the Speedway might have to go before the planning board again.

from Page 1 consulting.

Some of the legal representation that the firm provides is as legal counsel to governmental entities with Minority and Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and race neutral Small Business Enterprise (SBE) programs.

at 11 a.m., 75 Pine Lakes Parkway South, Palm Coast. Evangelist Faye Dadzie of Joy River Baptist Church in Elgin, Ill. will be the speaker. More information: 386-447-5719.

‘No strict requirements’ Joie Chitwood III is the president of the Daytona International Speedway. al from the city of Daytona Beach and Volusia County government in January to proceed with the project.

He also noted during a press conference last month that the Speedway is willing to commit at least $250 million if the state Legislature agrees to give the track tax breaks that already apply to the NFL, MLB and other major sports in Florida.

Though Chitwood and others boasted about how many jobs will be created as a result of the project, there was no mention of any guarantee that Blacks and other minorities will receive any contracts to complete the project.

Daytona Beach Deputy City Manager Paul McKitrick told the Daytona Times in a recent interview the Speedway approached the city last summer about rezoning the Speedway property south of International Speedway Boulevard and property located on the northside of ISB.

McKitrick said rezoning was done separately for the northside and southside properties.

“Most of the track is owned by Volusia County.

The northside is owned by ISC or one of its subsidiaries,” he noted.

‘Major milestone’ In a statement released by the Speedway, Chitwood said “the review and unanimous approval of our Planned Master Development Application by the City Commission of Daytona Beach . . . is a major milestone in the pursuit of a potential significant redevelopment of Daytona International Speedway.”

“Both projects create the potential for a vibrant development at the gateway to our community with positive economic benefits to the region,” Chitwood continued.

“With this approval, we now can begin the work of developing the project details and evaluating nu-

McKitrick said currently there is nothing in writing that would force or encourage the Speedway to hire minority contractors.

“We’ve done it for city properties but there were no strict requirements.

“They (the Speedway will) pay the same fees any contractor will pay - water, sewer and impact fee,” Mckitrick noted.

In South Florida, which has a heavy Hispanic population, McKitrick said it is not uncommon for elected officials to have a “workforce composition” condi-

tion pertaining to public and private construction projects.

McKitrick said he does not know if there is the political will by Daytona Beach elected officials to have such a “workforce composition” attached to the Speedway property.

Chitwood was asked about jobs for minorities during the press conference by the Daytona Times. He sidestepped the question.

‘New front door’ He said he hopes to begin renovations “as soon as possible’’ to the 53-year-old structure that an independent study says provides a $1.6 billion yearly economic impact to the state.

Chitwood said the plan he takes to the International Speedway Corporation for final approval would have to be adjusted if the tax break isn’t provided.

He added that the ultimate goal is to create a “new front door’’ for a Daytona Beach community that he said hosts 8 million tourists a year.

The proposed project is subject to approval by senior management of the International Speedway Corporation (ISC), which owns the Daytona International Speedway, pending several economic stability factors as well as construction design and costs.

GOSPEL HALLELUJAH WORLD WIDE RADIO MINISTRIES Hosted by: Bro. Harold Ford and Prophetess Deborah Ford LISTEN TO WPUL 1590 Saturdays 10 am -noon Sundays 5am- 7am & 1pm-3pm Listen online at: www.wpul1590.com website: www.gospelhallelujah.com

Come let the Holy Ghost Get Ya!

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2013

COMMUNITY M ANEWS YOR

3 7

DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006

Church seminar teaches participants how to communicate We cannot turn away from conflict and reason that it’s too hard to tackle.

Conflict isn’t strange and periodically must be dealt with. We must give space and allow others to speak, so they’ll be understood, and we’ll become more caring.

Studies show that most of what we say is really not heard or understood. And so, First Church hosted a free, family-centered seminar titled “Communications,” which was the first in a series for a well-planned event on Saturday.

Other topics are scheduled for presentation: “Money and Finance,” “Parenting” and more. The series is free; seating was limited, and lunch and child care were furnished.

Marketing and promotional consideration were provided by Wilmoth Edwards, who holds a master’s in Information Systems, and his wife, Hazel Edwards, who earned an MBA from Harvard.

The Edwards put together the entire series. They are owners of Randolph Nias and Associates, a management/consulting firm.

Doctor, nurse share communication tips Dr. Irving Robinson, M.D., and his wife, Christine Huesner Robinson, R.N., illustrated the most effective ways to communicate. They joined the community in a lively discussion. There were other points impinging upon conflicts and solutions, but

only a few are discussed here.

Dr. Robinson, a retired obstetrician/gynecologist, is an assistant biology professor at the School of Science, Engineering, and Math at Bethune-Cookman University. Christine, a certified midwife, is an instructor for hospital and health care at the School of Nursing at Bethune-Cookman University.

The Robinsons described the tools for recognizing and managing conflict: • Misunderstanding or miscommunication may arise. Lack of cooperation and/or perceived lack of communication could develop. Unclear expectations and non-compliance are neither advantageous.

Moreover, conflict doesn’t have to result in winners or losers. There are times when one will be a winner, and another time, a loser.

• One must not play the victim.

• Non-verbal communication must be congruent with verbal communication.

• One’s perception is reality in that others cannot say that our perception is false.

• Personality differences make us the way we are.

However, because individuals may be of the same culture does not mean that there’s not going to be conflict.

• Were you defensive?

Nervous? Did you blame the other person? Did you take verbal shots?

The Robinsons provid-

All part of a well-planned event were Dr. Irving Robinson, Christine Robinson, the Rev. Gillard S. Glover, Wilmoth Edwards and Hazel Edwards. ideas. Urge the other to be open. Create a plan of action to follow and hear the other’s thoughts/wants/interests, and then you are able to “begin the dance of negotiation” in a spirit of fruit and love.

Palm Coast

Community news

By Jeroline D. Mccarthy | Daytona Times ed skills and knowledge of non-confrontation to allow those attending to think about who they are: • Avoidance style - This category represents those who deny there is conflict.

• Competitive style Those representing the category take a stance that they win while the other loses.

• Compromise style This is the non-confrontational style where one gives up something.

• Accommodative style - These persons are willing to lose in order that some-

one can win.

• Collaborative style This is an empowering category, allowing the contenders to reach mutual problem-solving.

Moreover, the right time and place must be chosen to discuss the conflict, making eye contact, maintaining good posture, and listening responsively. Discuss what you have agreed on first. Clarify the problem. Avoid paraphrasing.

Ask what you need. Eliminate emotion and defensive behavior. But, be objectively willing to discuss

AACS to host luncheon The African American Cultural Society (AACS) is proud to host the “Annual Awards Luncheon” on March 16, 1 p.m., at the AACS, 4422 U.S. 1 North, Palm Coast.

The organizers are Awards Chairman Walter Boone and Ways and Means Chairman/First Vice President Sybil Dodson Lucas.

The“MeritoriousAwards” will go to Lynda Baten, Vivian Richardson, and Diana McKie-Robinson. The

“Distinguished Long-Term Awards” will go to Robert A. Brooks and Dorothy G. Robinson. All honorees are AACS members.

The ticket price is $25.

Contact Stephanie Robinson for tickets at 386-4397174, the AACS office, 386447-7030; or email: AACSPalmCoast@aol.com.

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

Happy Birthday to You! Birthday wishes to: Errol Hooke, March 10; Loretta Pete, Lorraine Trapp, March 13. Happy anniversary to John Lucas and Sybil Dodson Lucas, March 10.

T:11.5”

noW that mom

lives With us, more than ever.

Only those who care for others know what it’s really like to care for others. That’s why AARP created a community with experts and other caregivers to help us better care for ourselves and for the ones we love.

aarp.org/caregiving or call 1-877-333-5885

R4

7 EDITORIAL

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2013

Bush officials still denying trillion dollar lie “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/ or military consequences of the lie.

It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

– Joseph Goebbels Watching the TV special that reviewed information contained in the book, “Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War,’’ by Michael Isikoff and David Corn, brought back memories of articles and radio shows I had done during the run-up to “shock and awe” in March 2003. It reminded me of how callous and shameless those high level politicians were and how low they would go to get this country into an unnecessary war.

It gave me pause as I thought of the nearly 5,000 American lives that were lost, the tens of thousands of soldiers who came home incapacitated, minus arms and legs, and the 100,000 Iraqi men, women, and children killed in a war that was supposed to “liberate” them. This war was made even more tragic in that it cost more American lives than were lost in the World Trade Center on 9/11.

The Big Lie The authors of “Hubris,’’ as well as interviews of key individuals involved in the Big Lie, point out the sheer and utter disregard for truth, integrity, and human life.

JAMES CLINGMAN NNPA COLUMNIST

When Bush, Cheney, Rice, and Rumsfeld are asked if they now believe they made a grave error by going into Iraq, they all say, “No, I think it was the right thing to do.”

What hubris!

From the neo-con gang, i.e.

Feith, Wolfowitz, Perle, to Rumsfeld, Rice, Cheney, and President George W. Bush, one thing was crystal clear: They were going to war with Iraq regardless. They obviously didn’t care about weapons of mass destruction simply used the threat of WMD to scare everyone else into believing the biggest charade in history. I could hardly believe it when high level officials admitted on television, before the American public, that they were shocked at the lies that were being told by the Bush administration.

When Bush, Cheney, Rice, and Rumsfeld are asked if they now believe they made a grave error by going into Iraq, they all say, “No, I think it was the right thing to do.”

What hubris! It seems they have

no consciences and no fear of the fact that they will someday have to account to a higher court for their actions, irrespective of what they “think.”

Even now, after all the lies have come out and after most reasonable people know the Iraq war was not based on the premise put forth by Colin Powell at the United Nations, they still say they did the right thing. I don’t know how they sleep with the blood of thousands on their hands.

Unmitigated truth Now we have the long awaited unmitigated truth about what happened and how some of us were made to believe the lie. The lie cost $1 trillion and many lives, and it was recited and recanted, in spite of the fact that many insiders knew it was a lie.

But, the public, the electorate, the “people” believed the lie and were scared into thinking our soldiers were headed to Iraq to protect our shores and cities from a nuclear weapon Saddam did not have that would be fired at a place it could not reach.

To use those ominous words of George W. Bush and Condoleezza Rice, as lies go, they don’t get any bigger than a “mushroom cloud.”

We the people are being treated like mushrooms; they keep us in the dark and feed us cow manure.

Jim Clingman is an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati and can be reached through his website, blackonomics.com. Click on this story at www.daytonatimes.com to write your own response.

An apology to Jesse Jackson Sr. It’s time to man up – I was wrong about Jesse L. Jackson, Sr. First, some background. I wrote a column in 2008 under the title, “Winners and Losers from Election ’08” in which I listed Jesse Jackson, Sr. as one of the biggest losers of that year.

Here is what I said: “His past contributions to America are undeniable, but his future place is uncertain. Every time he opened his mouth in the past year, he said something negative about Obama. First, Jackson criticized Obama for ‘acting White’ because he was not as forceful as Jesse wanted regarding the Jena 6 case in Louisiana. Then there was the infamous Fox News open mic incident where Jackson is heard saying, ‘See, Barack has been talking down to Black people…telling niggers how to behave…I wanna cut his nuts out.’

Jackson eviscerated As much as I hate to admit it, Jackson got it right when he accused Obama of “talking down to Black people.” Everyone, including myself, eviscerated him for making the comment and accused him of being jealous of Obama.

How can we forget when

RAYNARD JACKSON NNPA COLUMNIST

Obama spoke at the Congressional Black Caucus dinner a couple years ago and told Blacks to “stop complaining?” Obviously, Jackson saw something in Obama early that the rest of us missed. Now, we are paying the price for it, especially Blacks.

The Blacks in America – along with a good number of Whites – wanted so badly to show the world that in 2008 our country could be held up as the model for true democracy and equality.

America wanted to prove that anyone, regardless of background, who played by the rules and had a vision, could finally be president of the United States.

Blinded by Obama To his credit, Jesse Jackson saw beyond the rhetoric and somehow had the ability to see deep inside of Obama’s soul and tried to warn us, however clumsy, of what we were getting. So, Rev. Jackson, again I was wrong and you were

right. You saw a level of arrogance and detachment from the Black community that most of us were blinded to – or didn’t want to see.

You knew he would not pay attention to the high unemployment rate in the Black community. You knew he would not spend much political capital on the high murder rate in Chicago. You knew he would continue to talk down to Black people.

You were rightly ostracized for the way you expressed yourself back in 2008. But on the issue of Obama’s disdain for Blacks; you must be embraced and brought back into the fold.

We wanted Obama to win on many levels. But Jesse Jackson, you have taught us that we should never allow emotions to cloud our judgment. I’m not always right, but I am rarely wrong – and this time, I was definitely wrong.

Raynard Jackson is president and CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a D.C.based public relations/government affairs firm. Reach him at www.raynardjackson.com, on Twitter at raynard1223. Click on this story at www.daytonatimes.com to write your own response.

Ending violence against women March is the official month to “discuss” women and it could not arrive too soon.

What is sad about both Black History Month (February) and International Women’s Month (March) is that too many of us think that those are the only legitimate times of the year to discuss the issues affecting these respective groups.

In either case, attention to the plight of women, in March or any other month, is warranted.

Last year seemed to be the year to attack women. The language of many on the political Right during election season was so phenomenally backward that in a different context you would have wondered whether it was all an act.

Burden on women Suggesting that there are acceptable and unacceptable forms of rape, for instance, once again puts the burden on women for the violence that they experience.

Stories over the past year about assaults on women in Egypt have made any sane person’s skin crawl. But we should recognize

BILL FLETCHER, JR. NNPA COLUMNIST

that such assaults — rape and molestation of politically active women — are not new.

There is a long history of rape and other forms of violence being used — domestically and internationally — as a means to subjugate politically active women, and those women who dare to speak out on social, economic and political issues, and not necessarily just on women-related issues.

Billion Rising Protest This year’s Billion Rising protests were aimed at bringing international attention to the matter of violence against women. The consciousness and concerns raised by this and other such efforts needs to be sustained throughout the rest of the year.

Real attention needs to be focused on young men so that they

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: VOTING RIGHTS ACT

understand that violence against women is totally unacceptable. A different sort of attention needs to be focused on women such that those who experience violence do not internalize this experience, blaming themselves.

But the attention must also go to other women who, because of the male supremacist societies in which we live, will on occasion close their eyes and ears to the pain of victimized women, in the worst case joining in the chorus of putting the blame on women.

March 2013 is just the right moment to raise popular attention to violence against women. We have to shift the impulses, particularly of men, such that violence against women is not met with silence, nor met with excuses, but is met with support to women and condemnation of all perpetrators of violence.

Bill Fletcher, Jr. is a senior scholar with the Institute for Policy Studies. Follow him at www.billfletcherjr.com. Click on this story at www.daytonatimes.com to write your own response.

BOB ENGLEHART, THE HARTFORD COURANT

Black Americans’ never-ending challenge Within a matter of days late last month, four controversies erupted that acutely underscore the crux of Black Americans continuing challenge in this land.

In one, Emory University President James W. Wagner seemed to suggest that the bargaining among the delegates at the Constitutional Convention that produced the infamous three-fifths clause of the Constitution was a model of the value of compromise.

In the second, the Feb. 21 Bloomberg Businessweek magazine cover had a drawing, above the title, “The Great American Housing Rebound,” consisting of caricatures of grinning Black and Hispanic Americans cavorting in a house stuffed with dollar bills – suggesting that minority homeowners were gaming the mortgage system.

Five years ago, conservatives made similar charges in trying to pin most of the blame for the collapse of the nation’s housing bubble on Black and Hispanic borrowers.

The third controversy involved Dov Hikind, a prominent politician in Brooklyn, N.Y. who “corked up” in Blackface, sunglasses and a wild Afro wig, as “a Black basketball player,” to celebrate the Jewish festival of Purim. Before the volume of rebukes forced him to make an insincere apology, Hikind claimed that any criticism of his behavior was “political correctness to the absurd.”

Finally, and most importantly, on Feb. 27 the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a challenge to the most important provision of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the foundation of Blacks’ political advancement since the 1960s. The case was brought by officials of Shelby County, Alabama.

Just four years ago, the Supreme Court turned back a challenge to the Act in a case from Texas.

But in that case the justices sidestepped ruling whether the Act’s key provision – its Section 5 clause – was constitutional. That clause requires jurisdictions covered by the Act to get permission from the Justice Department or a special federal court before changing voting procedures.

Now, many analysts think the court’s conservative majority will strike it down.

LEE A. DANIELS NNPA COLUMNIST

tent. During the oral arguments, he called the Act a “racial entitlement” program.

It’s a point of view that a century and a half ago formed the foundation of the racist attack to destroy Reconstruction.

There’s another bitter irony to the Shelby case. The debate in the court comes amid a continuing blizzard of laws and regulations in at least 38 states since President Obama’s 2008 election to try to suppress the vote of Blacks and other Democraticleaning voting blocs.

Those efforts, widely publicized and attacked by civil rights and other groups, had just the opposite effect on Election Day 2012. They produced recordbreaking turnouts of Black, Hispanic and Asian-American voters that signaled a deeper maturation of these groups’ electoral power – and the growing peril shadowing the Republican Party’s ability to contest future presidential elections.

Unalienable rights That’s the broader framework encompassing the Shelby County case. It continues the historical pattern of America’s struggle over race and the meaning of democracy.

Every “proof” Black Americans forge that shows they, too, can claim the “unalienable rights” the Constitution declared belong to all human beings has always provoked a fierce reaction from those Whites who’ve staked their status and identity on excluding them.

Yes, the United States is a long way from the evil bargain James W. Wagner foolishly cited as an example of a “good” compromise. But we’re also a long way from the racial Promised Land some people foolishly think is just around the corner.

Lee A. Daniels is a longtime journalist based in New York City. His most recent book is “Last Chance: The Political Threat to Black America.’’

“Racial entitlement” Click on this story at www.

Certainly, Justice Antonin daytonatimes.com to write Scalia made it clear that is his in- your own response.

W W W.DAY TONATIMES.COM Central Florida Communications Group, LLC, P.O. Box 48857 Tampa, Fl 33646, publishes the Florida Daytona Times on Thursdays. Phone: 877-352-4455, toll-free. For all sales inquiries, call 877-352-4455; e-mail sales@ flcourier.com.

Charles W. Cherry, Sr. (1928-2004), Founder Julia T. Cherry, Senior Managing Member, Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC

Subscriptions to the print version are $59 per year. Mail check to P.O. Box 48857 Tampa, Fl 33646, or log on to www.daytona.com; click on ‘Subscribe’.

Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Chief Executive Officer

SUBMISSIONS POLICY SEND ALL SUBMISSIONS TO NEWS@DAYTONATIMES.COM. Deadline for submitting news and pictures is 5 p.m. the Monday before the Thursday publication date. You may submit articles at any time. However, current events received prior to deadline will be considered before any information that is submitted, without the Publisher’s prior approval, after the deadline. Press releases, letters to the editor, and guest commentaries must be e-mailed to be considered for publication.

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

Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Cassandra CherryKittles, Charles W. Cherry II, Managing Members

Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher Dr. Valerie Rawls-Cherry, Human Resources Jenise Morgan, Senior Editor Lynnette Garcia, Deborah Ford, Marketing Consultants/Sales Linda Fructuoso, Marketing Consultant/Sales, Circulation Angela van Emmerik, Creative Director Larry Steele, Circulation James Harper, Andreas Butler, Ashley Thomas, Staff Writers Delroy Cole, Kim Gibson, Photojournalists MEMBER National Newspaper Publishers Association Society of Professional Journalists Florida Press Association Associated Press National Newspaper Association

MAYOR LIFESTYLE

5 7

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13,14 2013 DECEMBER - 20, 2006

GREG GILBERT/SEATTLE TIMES/MCT

A close-up view of some of the healthful vending-machine options that are offered in city-run neighborhood recreation centers in Seattle.

Harvard researcher tells how to turn good intentions into action

BY LYNDA V. MAPES THE SEATTLE TIMES/MCT

SEATTLE — Hit the gym, or the couch? Save for retirement, or spend the

whole paycheck? Choose the chips, or the rice cakes in the vending machine?

Most people are going for the chips, finds David Laibson, a Harvard econo-

mist who presented some of his work on how people make choices at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in

Boston last week.

Laibson’s research consistently finds that people have a terrible time turning their good intentions into action.

And conventional interventions, such as providing education and even financial incentives, don’t necessarily help. For example, Laibson counted only a 0.1 percent increase in employees saving in a 401(k) plan even when study subjects were paid to listen to presentations about the benefits. “So financial incentives and education don’t do it,” Laibson said.

In another study, he gave subjects the choice between eating a piece of fruit and chocolate. He learned if the subjects were promised the food in a week, they would choose the fruit. But if it was a reward to be delivered the same day, they invariably chose the chocolate.

“The problem is the difference between good intentions for the future, and the reward today. If you get the reward today, you give it full weight. A reward in the future gets half the weight.”

Small steps help In the domain of exercise, this translates into people eagerly paying money for memberships they will rarely use. “If you ask me how many times I will exercise in the coming year I will say 364 times.

Just not today.

“The story with our diet, our savings, our exercise is we have terrible follow-through. So what do we do?”

The good news is that his experiments also showed

taking even small concrete steps toward a goal significantly increased the chances of meeting it. Even better was to start out in the right place, and have to undo it in order to fail.

Consider the 401(k) savings plan choice again. Laibson found that by putting the study subjects in a retirement plan on an optout basis, such that the employees had to sign a form to drop out, suddenly participation rates of those not already enrolled zoomed above 90 percent — and stayed there.

Even two years later, rates were above 88 percent. “It makes all the difference if you start out in the right place,” Laibson said.

Nudges needed In another experiment, study subjects were mailed letters encouraging them to have colonoscopy screenings. Just 33 percent of those who received the letter made an appointment.

But the researchers found that if they included a sticky note with blanks for a date and time to be filled in by the subject, screening appointments increased to 37 percent.

“Not a huge difference, but all we did was add a few drops of ink to the mailer and it drove participation up by about 10 percent.

“Using nudges, we can transform good intentions into taking actions.”

Post-50 divorce rate has doubled in past 20 years Factors include aging, loss of stigma and financial concerns

BY LESLIE MANN CHICAGO TRIBUNE/MCT

CHICAGO — One day in 2011, Virginia Koerber, Lake Villa, Ill., recalled, she “woke up with a new life.”

At 65, she got divorced.

“At an age when I had thought we’d travel and be retired, I was on my own,” she said.

People may marry with “forever” intentions, Koerber said, noting that her parents were married for 56 years, but “it doesn’t always turn out that way.”

Now, Koerber is part of a growing club: people who divorce after age 50. The divorce rate for this group doubled between 1990 and 2010, according to a study by the National Center for Family and Marriage Research at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

“This surprised us, because the rate for younger people has leveled off,” said lead researcher Susan Brown, a sociology professor. “In 1990, only 1 in 10 divorces were people 50

and older. Now it’s 1 in 4.”

Ignoring the ‘rules’ Brown attributes the increase to more seniors (“that huge segment of baby boomers”), more women with careers (“they don’t have to stay in empty-shell marriages for the money”) and more people ignoring their churches’ no-divorce rules.

Ironically, Brown said, some of the same factors that invigorate longtime marriages, such as children leaving home, cause others to end.

“The kids are gone, the marriage has been over for a while and one spouse decides she can’t take it anymore,” said James Pritikin, a Chicago-based lawyer and a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

The over-50 divorce rate is even higher among those who remarried.

“They have a lot of complications because of stepchildren and financial and health care decisions,” Brown said. “But they also know they can divorce, that life goes on.”

Different needs Demographics affect late-in-life divorces, the study found. Blacks have

Virginia Koerber poses at her home last month in Lake Villa, Ill. She became part of a growing trend for older Americans when she got divorced at age 65. the highest rates, followed

by Hispanics, then Whites and Asians. The more education, the lower the rate.

The unemployed divorce more than workers do; retirees have the lowest rate.

Looking ahead, the study predicted that even if the over-50 divorce rate remains steady, the numbers of divorces will climb because of the aging population.

Society will be affected by the “graying of divorce,” Brown said. “We need to look at these people the way we’ve looked at wid-

owhood. Many need help financially. They had fewer kids, and the kids aren’t always nearby, so they more often have to look outside the family for caregiving.”

The needs of divorcing clients past 50 are different from those of younger clients, Pritikin said.

“We have to make sure the ex has health insurance, which may mean getting COBRA (temporary health insurance) through her ex’s plan until she is eligible for Medicare,” he said.

“The spouse who doesn’t

have job skills may need (alimony). The most troubling part is the bulk of the marital estate is often tied up in home equity, but the home is worth less now or they’re underwater with their mortgage.”

‘Stigma is gone’ Even among seniors, said Pritikin, age makes a difference in attitude.

“People in their 50s and 60s are ready to get on with their lives,” he said. “But the 80-year-old is angry.

She’s going to be alone at a point when she didn’t ex-

pect this.”

The good news, Pritikin said, is society’s changing view of divorce.

“Used to be, you and your kids were tainted. Not now. The stigma is gone.”

Overall, Koerber considers herself lucky.

“My kids have their own lives, but they’re here for me if I need them,” she said. “My income is low, but at least I have a job and a house. I’m healthy. You know who my biggest support system is? Divorced girlfriends. We look out for each other.”

Focus, analyze, and take time to grow your brainpower, expert advises

BY NANCY CHURNIN DALLAS MORNING NEWS/MCT

Want to make your brain smarter?

Slow down and dig deeper, advises Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman, a neuroscientist who has spent nearly 30 years studying this question.

It’s not an easy prescription in a multitasking age where the pinging of messages distracts your train of thought and schools reward rote memory, she concedes.

But her research shows that the brain’s true growth occurs only when we focus, analyze and get those trains back on track. Chapman, founder and chief director of the Center for BrainHealth of the Uni-

versity of Texas at Dallas, discusses her findings in her new book, “Make Your Brain Smarter: Increase Your Brain’s Creativity, Energy and Focus” (Free Press, $26), written with Shelly Kirkland.

Expert: Technology can be bad for brains We talked to her recently. Here’s what she said: Q: Why do the frontal lobes play such a key role in your research?

A: Our frontal lobes pull together all the information from all the sources we have and help us figure out what to do with it. The frontal lobes have the most complex and vast connections across brain regions and are the last part of the

brain to fully develop, usually in our 20s, but they are also the first to decline because in our 40s we tend to go on automatic pilot in our thinking.

Q: Is technology good or bad for our brains?

A: Yes, it is. (She laughs.)

There is some good to staying connected. The problem is that we’re letting technology manage us more than we manage it. The more we keep ourselves in shallow, busy levels, the more our thinking gets fragmented, the more we are building a distracted brain that can’t focus; we’re building an ADD (attention-deficit disorder) brain. The frontal lobes require deeper-level thinking.

Q: What are the first

steps we can take right now to build a smarter brain?

A: Do one thing at a time and hyperfocus, instead of multitask. Try to think of two important things you do that have been on automatic pilot and repeated in the same way far too long and brainstorm ways to shake them up. Be creative. When you go to a movie, ask yourself what the messages are and how can you apply them to yourself. Every time you do something new or understand something new, that stretches and builds complex frontal-lobe connections. All of these are exercises for above the neck that help you think smarter, not harder.

TIPS FOR BRAIN HEALTH Advice from Dr. Sandra Bond Chapman: Practice the “brainpower of none” and quiet your mind. Your brain solves complex problems when you step away to reflect on ideas rather than pushing nonstop, so schedule periods of brain downtime to see “aha” moments.

Practice the “brainpower of two.” When writing your to-do list, focus on the two items that are the most pivotal to your success, will have the most impact, and will require the most attention and strategic thinking.

Expand your passion. Your brain is energized when motivational juices are flowing.

Get a good night’s sleep — a regular seven-eight hours. Your brain connects knowledge and experiences in new ways when at rest. Even a quick nap invites mind renewal and innovation.

Don’t check your email before bedtime. Give your brain a break.

7 CLASSIFIEDS

R6

shooting from Page 1 shooter, according to police reports. He was charged with aggravated battery on a person with use of a deadly weapon. Isaac also was charged with trespassing, possession of cocaine and possession of cannabis under 20 grams.

Police arrested a fourth suspect, Enrique Chapman, on Tuesday afternoon.

Arguing about car Police reports indicate that Chapman was the original driver of the gray Dodge but got out shortly after the shooting to get another vehicle.

“We have taken Mr. Chapman into custody on Wednesday afternoon. We now have all four suspects in custody,” confirmed Flynt.

According to reports, the occupants of the Dodge

(Isaac, Green, Nelson, Chapman) were arguing with the occupants of the Red Ford 500 (Dent and John Headon) over ownership of the Ford.

Reports say that the Ford then pulled off but was followed by the Dodge. The driver of the Dodge pulled next to the Ford and began to fire shots at it.

One resident at the scene who wished not to be identified told the Daytona Times, “The two vehicles were trailing each other and one opened fire on the other. I believe that I heard seven or eight shots. One of the guys ran out of the second vehicle. This neighborhood isn’t really violent but every now and then we have riffraff that comes here and does something.”

‘Ordinary kid’ Community activist Norma Bland is serving as a spokesperson for the family of the shooting victim.

“He is someone’s child.

He is an ordinary kid like everyone else. He is just a

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2013

victim of a tragic incident,” said Bland.

Dent is the cousin of Rayshard Mitchell, a 23-yearold who was found dead from a gunshot wound on Verdell Street back in December.

“We do not think that this shooting is related to that earlier shooting,” stated DBPD spokesman Jimmy Flynt.

Added Bland, “The family is calling for anyone with information in regards to this shooting as well Rayshard’s murder to please come forward with information to the Daytona Beach Police Department.

The family does not know if the incidents are connected.

“The family is just devastated and saddened by these events. The family is also asking for young people to please stop the violence.’’

Dent’s family plans to hold a press conference soon to discuss the shooting, Bland said.

Florida Health Care Plans www.fhcp.com EOE/AA A Drug Free – Smoke Free Work Place

Advertise For all local sales for The Daytona Times & WPUL AM 1590 News Progressive Talk, Sports & Inspiration call Deborah E. Ford at 386-492-2908 Ext. 12

This is personal.

Colorectal cancer is the 2nd leading cancer killer in the U.S., but screening helps prevent this disease.

Terrence Howard, actor/musician

If you’re 50 or older, please get screened. Screening saves lives.

1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) • www.cdc.gov/screenforlife

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

My Skills. My Benefits. My Future.

Are you a 35-60 year-old unemployed Veteran looking for a new career?

Veterans Retraining Assistance Program (VRAP) For more information visit

Provides eligible Veterans with education benefits for up to 12 months of training

www.benefits.va.gov/VOW "Helping Veterans Attain Personal and Economic Success"

Accepting applications beginning May 15th

Photo: Andrew Macpherson

She was the cornerstone of our family. But my mother died of colon cancer when she was only 56. Let my heartbreak be your wake-up call.

MARCHDECEMBER 7 – MARCH 14 -13, 20,2013 2006

MSPORTS AYOR

7

Wildcats sweep Rattlers on the diamond

BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES butleramj@yahoo.com

Bethune-Cookman opened Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) play by sweeping a three game series from archrival Florida A&M. “It’s always good to start off well in the conference and get things rolling the right way. We are in a good position. We want to get better each game and improve as the season goes along to get where we want to be,” said Jason Beverlin, B-CU’s head baseball coach.

Spruce Creek High alum Scott Garner pitched a complete game shutout for the Wildcats in a 7-0 victory in game two of a double header on March 2.

“It was good to throw strikes and go long to help our team. We needed a good outing form our pitching staff,” responded Garner.

“Scott threw the ball excellent. He rebounded from his last outing. He was tough and kept control,” added Beverlin.

Wildcats strike early B-CU (6-6, 3-0) struck early with a four run fourth inning to lead 4-0. In the inning, Anthony Stokes had a two-run double and Matt Noble an RBI single.

Stokes finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored while Noble was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Kelvin Singletary, Hunter Barfield, Kendal Weeks and Marlon Gibbs each had a hit for FAMU. The Wildcats won the first game 8-6 despite having only three hits while the Rattlers hurt themselves with six errors.

B-CU led 5-0 after six innings as pitcher Ali Simpson was shutting down FAMU. “We were fortunate to win that first game. We definitely played our best, but we were fortunate to win it.

Ali was cruising, but he got in trouble later due to location,’’ commented Beverlin.

Rally by Rattlers Florida A&M (0-11, 0-3) rallied to take a 6-5 lead after Marlon Gibbs double and scored on an error and Kendal Weeks grounded out to second to drive in a run in the top of the seventh inning.

Shaun McCarthy reached first on an error to score Matt Noble to give B-CU a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the eight inning.

Jordan Dailey pitched one and two-thirds innings in relief to get the win, Josh Johnson had a hit and two RBIs, Noble and Chris Biocic each had a hit and RBI apiece and Stokes an RBI for the Wildcats.

Josh Garrett went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Gibbs went 2-for-4 and Jared Walker had a hit with an RBI and two runs scored for the Rattlers.

B-CU took down FAMU 3-2 in the series finale the next day.

Noble went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Eros Modena

PHOTOS BY DUANE FERNANDEZ/HARDNOTTS PHOTOGRAPHY

Bethune-Cookman’s Anthony Stokes (33 in yellow) holds on Florida A&M’s Kendal Weeks (14 in black) at first base during a game at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. The Wildcats swept the Rattlers in the three-game series to open MEAC play.

B-CU ROUNDUP 2-for-4, Stokes 1-for-2 with an RBI and freshman Byron Ferguson got his first career win on the mound pitching two scoreless innings in relief for the Wildcats.

Weeks was 2-for-4 while Reginald Grant and Ryan Debi each had a hit an RBI for FAMU. The Wildcats hosted Central Michigan on March 5-6 and will travel to North Carolina Central on March 9-10.

Basketball: Wildcats fall on the road The road wasn’t kind to either of Bethune-Cookman’s basketball programs this past week.

The men’s team suffered a heartbreaking 6261 defeat to Norfolk State who remains unbeaten in MEAC play on March 1 and fell to Hampton 75-66 on Monday.

Adrien Coleman had 15 points and 12 rebounds, Javoris Bryant 12 points with 10 rebounds and Allen Dempster a career-high 14 points for B-CU against Hampton.

Against Norfolk State, Paul Scotland led the way with 16 points while Coleman and Kevin Dukes each had 12 and Alex Smith nine points with eight boards for the Wildcats.

The Lady Wildcats only scored 68 points in two games falling to Norfolk State 67-40 and Hampton 74-28.

Chastity Taylor tallied 19

points and Shaekyia Colyer 11 for B-CU against Norfolk. Sharnese Neal scored 12 points to pace the Wildcats against Hampton.

Both teams play at Coppin State on March 7 to end the regular season. Both programs will compete in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament in Norfolk, Va., from March 11-16.

Softball: Ladies split home opener Bethune-Cookman (313) split a double header with Niagara (2-7) in a home opener on March 3.

The Lady Wildcats exploded for a seven run fourth inning to win the first game 10-2.

Calesha Shelly went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored while Sophia Ortega was 2-for2 with two runs scored for B-CU. Shanel Tolbert got the win on the mound while Auriela Gamch and Michelle Banuelos-Smith each had a hit and RBI for the Lady Wildcats.

In the second game, Gamch, Simone Ceasar, Kelsi Rodney, Melissa Berouty and Breanna Chavez each had a hit for B-CU in a 5-2 loss.

The Ladies hosted Providence and Boston College on March 6 and 7 respectively. They hit the road from March 10-13 before returning home to face Cornell and Monmouth on March 18-19.

B-CU’s Sophia Ortega tags out a Niagara University (New York) base runner at first base during a recent game while teammate Aureila Gamch (2) backs up the play from second base and Breanna Chavez (32) looks on from third base.

The Wildcats defense gets ready while the pitcher Shanel Tolbert throws a pitch during the game against Niagara University.

Breon Allen moving on to East Carolina University COMPILED BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES butleramj@yahoo.com

Former Warner Christian Academy star and junior college All-American Breon Allen will play football at East Carolina University next season.

Allen played the last two seasons at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah.

In 2012, he ran for 1,632 yards with a school record 20 rushing touchdowns. AlBreon len was named Allen Western States Football League Player of the Year and National Junior College

VOLUSIA COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS REVIEW Athletic Association First Team All-American.

Allen is now Snow’s all-time career leading rusher with 2,404 rushing yards. He is also Warner’s all-time leading rusher.

Price to coach at Spruce Creek Andy Price, former head football coach at Warner Christian Academy, is coming back to Volusia County.

Price resigned from his head coach position at Titusville High on Monday to take the same

position at Spruce Creek High School. In one season, Price led a young Terriers squad to a 4-6 record.

Price led Warner’s program for 13 seasons where he went 11345 during that span. Under Price, the Eagles had 12 playoff appearances, including 10 straight from 2001-2010 and three straight Class 1B state title games from 2008-2010.

Spruce Creek went 12-28 over the past four seasons under Bob Goebel, including a 2-8 mark in 2012.

Attempts to reach Price before the Daytona Times’ deadline on Wednesday were unsuccessful.

Middle school basketball returns Once again, middle school

basketball is here. The Volusia County school district’s middle school basketball season is set to run from March 19 through May 16.

The Campbell Spartans are the boys defending champions while the Port Orange Creekside Cougars are the girls defending champions.

Middle school basketball began back in 2005. The sport returned in 2010 following a two year absence (2008-2009).

The East Side division consists of Ormond, Holly Hill, Campbell, Hinson, Silver Sands, Creekside and New Smyrna while the West Side division includes DeLand, Deltona, Southwest, Galaxy, Heritage and Riverside.

The two division champions will meet in the championship

game on May 21, which will be played at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach.

The sport has become quite popular over the years and showcases much of the future high school talent.

Check with schools and the Volusia County school district for schedules.

Prep Sports Seven Baseball 1. New Smyrna (7-0), 2. Spruce Creek (7-2), 3. Trinity (5-3-1), 4.

Flagler Palm Coast (4-2), 5. University (6-3), 6. Seabreeze (4-4), 7. Mainland (6-2), Taylor (8-2).

Others: DeLand (5-5) Father Lopez (4-1) Deltona (3-3-1).

R8

7CULTURE

MARCH 7 – MARCH 13, 2013

Kemba Smith’s case highlighted problem of Black women in prison.

Black women see dramatic fall in incarceration rates

BY FREDDIE ALLEN NNPA WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT

WASHINGTON – After years of being on the rise, the number of Black men locked behind bars in state and federal prisons decreased 9.8 percent between 2000 and 2009 while the incarceration rate for Black women fell 30.7 percent over the same period, according to a new study.

The report, “The Changing Racial Dynamics of Women’s Incarceration,” was issued by the Sentencing Project, a non-profit group that advocates for criminal justice reform.

As the incarceration dropped for African-Americans, the imprisonment rates for White women jumped more than 47 percent from 2000 to 2009 as

the number of White men in prison increased by 8.5 percent.

Some experts say that the uptick in methamphetamine abuse among Whites is one of several factors contributing to increase in that race’s incarceration rates.

“If we look at the numbers, it seems like the most significant part of the decline for Black women comes through fewer drug offenders,” said Marc Mauer, the executive director of The Sentencing Project.

‘War on Drugs’ The report found that women were more disproportionately affected by the ratcheting up of the “War on Drugs” 30 years ago. The adoption of mandatory sentencing policies

for drug offenses also ushered in a new wave of nonviolent criminals: the girlfriends of drug dealers.

“Since the only means of avoiding a mandatory penalty is generally to cooperate with the prosecution by providing information on higher-ups in the drug trade, women who have a partner who is a drug seller may be aiding that seller, but have relatively little information to trade in exchange for a more lenient sentence,” according to the report.

On the other hand, the boyfriend drug dealers usually had more information to trade and were thus able to negotiate softer sentences than their female partners. Researchers reported that 25.7 percent of women in prison were drug offenders compared to 17.2 percent for men.

‘Girlfriend problem’ One of the most notorious cases that illustrated the “girlfriend problem” involved Kemba Smith, a young college student that never sold drugs, but was found guilty by her association to an abusive, drugdealing boyfriend.

Smith, a first-time offender, was sentenced to 24.5 years in 1995 for conspiracy, money laundering and making false statements. Following a campaign by Emerge magazine, legal assistance by the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and a public outcry, President Bill Clinton granted her clemency in 2000.

Now, with increased access to drug treatment through community groups and changes in drug policies, the groups that suffered most are now reaping the benefits. In 2000, the report stated, Black women were incarcerated at a rate six times that of White women.

By 2009 that disparity between Black women and White women decreased to just less than three to one.

The incarceration gap between Black men and White men also narrowed falling 16.9 percent from 7.7 times – 6.4 times the rate of White men over decade.

Sentencing Project report During the first decade of this century, arrest rates for Blacks also declined in three major groups: violent crime (down 22.2 percent), property crime (11.5 percent) and drug offenses (11.8 percent). Whites saw increases in arrest for property crime (up 16.6 percent) and drug offenses (2.2 percent). The rate of Whites arrested for violent crime fell 11.1 percent.

Because of the study period, it’s unlikely that recent changes to the notorious Rockefeller drug laws and the implementation of the Fair Sentencing Act (that

reduced the disparity between the amount of crack cocaine and powder cocaine needed to trigger certain United States federal criminal penalties) had any impact on the changing dynamic of the racial makeup in our nation’s prisons.

The Sentencing Project report suggested that increased support for substance abusers and programs geared towards helping ex-offenders return to their communities were likely contributing factors to changes in the incarceration rates.

“These include initiatives such as treatment diversion programs, sentence reduction incentives for participation in prison programming, enhancing reentry support, and reduced technical violations of parole,” stated the report.

Other issues States also have turned to closing prisons in an effort to save money.

According to the report: “During 2011 and 2012, 17 states either closed or considered closing prison facilities, with a total capacity reduction of more than 28,000 beds.”

Nadirah Aasim, community advocate and former drug offender from Washington, D.C., said focus needs to remain on keeping women ex-offenders with drug problems from returning to prison. “[The authorities] need to see that women come with more issues than men come with,” said Aasim.

“We have to deal with the children, we have to find housing. It hurts us more when we can’t reconnect with our children.”

Aasim said that family issues for women ex-offenders are compounded by unemployment, readily accessible drug markets, and less than supportive probation officers.

By the numbers A 2007 report by the De-

Florida Strawberries

PLUMP JUICY and

RIGHT NOW Now is the time! Hurry to your neighborhood Publix and get plenty of fragrant, red-ripe, succulent strawberries. They’re fresh from Florida and more delicious than you can possibly imagine.

partment of Justice found that Black women stood a 34 percent chance of returning to prison following release compared to 26.4 percent of White women ex-offenders.

“In 1980, about 13,000 women were incarcerated in federal and state prisons combined representing 4% of the total prison population,” the Sentencing Project report found.

“Since that time, the rate of growth of women in prison has exceeded the rate of increase for men, rising 646% from 1980 to 2010, compared to a 419% increase for men. As a result, in 2010 there were 112,000 women in state and federal prison and 205,000 women overall in prison or jail; women now constitute 7% of the prison population.”

Aasim said that more programs that focus on helping women drug offenders are needed inside and outside of prison.

Recommendations The report outlined a number of recommendations designed to help lawmakers tackle the racial disparities that exist in sentencing policies, including the establishment of state commissions to help identify racial disparities in the criminal justice system and to study the impact of current and future sentencing policies on the race and gender makeup of prison populations.

Mauer said that he’s cautiously optimistic about the recent changes in the incarceration rates for Blacks.

“For a lot of people, I think the attitude is that, ‘this is a sad situation and there’s nothing that we can do about that,’” said Mauer.

“The [recent trends] show progress and we have an obligation to continue that progress and learn from it, too. So, I hope that policymakers would come away from this with that message as well.”