Daytona Times - March 28, 2013

Diversity increases among students, but not teachers See page 5 YEAR 38 NO. 13

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

E

Daytona

E FR

Volusia votes to take board PRESORTED appointment from only Black rep Page 6STANDARD

A ROUNDUP OF LOCAL SPORTS

East Central Florida’s Black Voice MARCH 28 - APRIL 3, 2013

See page 7

www.daytonatimes.com www.daytonatimes.com

Who’s looking out for us?

PEOPLE SPEAK

A disastrous pro baseball deal in Miami provides lessons for political leadership

COMPILED BY TAMARA PATRICK

PEOPLE SPEAK

Ten years ago, the professional sports industry could have its way with local politicians anywhere in America. Many politicians seemed to think more like fans rather than as trustees of the public treasury, and they would lose their minds when it came to giving away hard-earned local and state tax revenue to help their teams.

Since then, evidence-based studies have emerged that debunk the myth of the widespread, trickle-down economic impact that pro sports has on local communities. And since the housing and economic crash of 2007 and 2008, the economic conditions

quick takes from #2: straight, no chaser

Charles W. Cherry II, Esq. PUBLISHER

of states, cities and counties nationwide have seriously deteriorated.

That’s the general environment in which Daytona International Speedway (DIS) is asking that it “keep’’ $166,000 of our tax money every month for up to 30 years – sales taxes that DIS would normally pay into the

state’s general revenue account – to help defray the $450 million cost of Speedway improvements.

Those improvements include increased and improved seating, concession areas, new entrances, and fan attractions. It also could include shops, restaurants, nightclubs, hotel rooms, movie theaters, apartment buildings, and even a gambling casino.

To our knowledge, this would be by far the largest single construction project in the history of Daytona Beach.

Please see SPEEDWAY, Page 6

Dr. Edison Jackson, who has served as BethuneCookman University’s interim president since last May, was named the university’s sixth president last week by B-CU’s Board of Trustees. His tenure began immediately and will conclude on July 1, 2016.

The Daytona Times asked B-CU students: What are your thoughts on Dr. Jackson being named to the position permanently and what are the main things you would like to see him accomplish?

President Jackson is a wonderful president. He has done a great job so far at Bethune-Cookman University. I couldn’t have asked for a better leader to lead our university in the right direction. I would like to see the university, however more enclosed.

Not directly off from the community but a safer, more secure campus.

D’Angela Harvey, 20, B-CU nursing student from Titusville Receiving the good news that President Jackson is now the permanent president of Bethune-Cookman University was the best news I’ve heard all semester. President Jackson supports every student at BethuneCookman University. He cares for our university and the changes he has made so far reflects it all. I would like to see him bring back more alumni involvement. We all know alumni are what keeps the school going and we need them to help better our school.

Tiara Anderson, 19, B-CU accounting major from Stockbridge, Ga.

PHOTO COURTESY OF B-CU

Dr. Edison Jackson is surrounded by students at Bethune-Cookman University.

Community pleased with Jackson as B-CU’s ‘permanent president’

BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES harperjames59@yahoo.com

Bethune-Cookman University’s Board of Trustees’ decision to ask Interim President Dr. Edison Jackson to be the school’s permanent president is welcome news to many Daytona Beach residents and supporters of the school.

Upon learning that Jackson had accepted the position, Daytona Beach Mayor Derrick Henry said the president’s unique vision, transformational style of leader-

Mom with HIV to be speaker at event on Saturday

BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES harperjames59@yahoo.com

Renee “LadyByrd” Burgess is a minority within several minorities. She is Black, female, a single mom, and she is HIV positive.

ship and unparalleled experience are a perfect fit for B-CU and the greater Daytona Beach area.

“I think the school and the community have hit the jackpot. His emphasis on economic development along with his desire to attract top-tier students will help lift the school to the elite status that he has envisioned,” Henry said.

“I look forward to supporting his goals for the university and working with him to bridge the gap between the university and the community and feel strongly that he will serve as pioneering leader and

Burgess found out she was HIV positive after learning she was pregnant. She said she was infected in 2007 by her husband who had knowingly infected her without telling her of his status.

Burgess’ husband was convicted and sentenced to prison after being charged with having sex with her and not divulging his HIV status.

“My children keep my hope for living alive. I can say on the new research and (new drug) discoveries that are being made do that (keep me alive), but I’d be lying. It’s the smiles and the laughter I get from my children,” said Burgess, who is now an HIV/AIDS activist.

mentor for the students.’’

Unanimous vote Jackson told the Daytona Times exclusively on Feb. 21 that “if asked, I will serve.”

B-CU Board of Trustees Chairman John W. Harrington announced March 20 that the board had voted unanimously to have Jackson as the university’s sixth president.

He replaced Dr. Trudie Kibbe Reed last May as interim presiPlease see JACKSON, Page 2

Story of forgiveness She will be the keynote speaker at the “I Am My Brother/Sister’s Keeper” HIV/AIDS Conference Saturday at Bethune-Cookman University’s L. Gale Lemerand School of Nursing, 739 W. International Speedway Blvd.

The March 30 conference, hosted by the Minority AIDS Network of Volusia/Flagler, is free to the public. The 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. conference will include a continental breakfast, lunch, door prizes and lots of information.

“We are delighted to have Ms. Burgess as one of our conference speakers,” said Dr. Bonnie J. Sorensen, director of the Volusia County Health Department. “The purpose of this Please see SPEAKER, Page 6

President Jackson has done a great job with all the changes he has made at Bethune-Cookman university. Our university is becoming bigger and better everyday. President Jackson is a very passionate leader and it shows through his actions. I want President Jackson to continue on pushing our university forward. I believe if he keeps doing what he is doing now that in the next five years we will be one of the top schools.

Ayanna Aaron, 21, B-CU business administration major from Miami I am elated that the Board of Trustees has granted President Jackson permission to continue on as the permanent president of BethuneCookman University. He has done a wonderful job so far accommodating the students’ needs. He has made changes for the better of our university. I would like him to keep on evolving and bettering our university. Our university comes from great history and though President Jackson has made modern changes we still have our history, which I know he values along with the students of BethuneCookman University.

Tiara Williams, 20, B-CU mass communications major from Cleveland, Ohio I love that he is our new permanent president because he is highly in touch with what the students want from the university! What I would like to see from his presidency are updates to the science building and expansion of the environmental science department. Our labs are outdated and we need better equipment for more accurate data regarding experiments. Also updated labs increase the safety of students and professors from accidental harm.

Kwanza Johnson, 20, B-CU environmental science major from Cleveland, Ohio I love our new president Dr. Jackson. From Day 1, he has been making a difference here at the great Bethune-Cookman University. Making him permanent was a great choice.

I would like to see him bring more emphasis to majors that might not be as popular as others but are just as important such as nursing and history. I look forward to watching the new president continue great changes at B-CU! Tiffany Wiggleton, 21, B-CU nursing major from Atlanta

Tamara Patrick, is a B-CU mass communications major who is interning this semester with the Daytona Times.

7FOCUS

R2 EASTER EVENTS Resurrection service at News-Journal Center Hope Fellowship Church invites the public to Resurrection Sunday service at the News-Journal Center, 221 N. Beach St., on March 31 at 10 a.m. Bishop Derek Triplett will deliver the sermon. More information: 386-226-1122.

Musical at Harbor Baptist An Easter musical celebration, entitled “It Is Finished,” tells the meaning and story of Easter through music and narration March 31 at 10:30 a.m. at Harbor Baptist Church, 428 Tomoka Ave., Ormond Beach. More information: 386-677-3116.

Egg hunt in Port Orange The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 270, 119 Howes Street, Port Orange, will host a children’s Easter egg hunt at 10 a.m. on March 30. To

BRIEFS Easter Seals to hold free developmental screening event Easter Seals is offering a free developmental screening event on April 20 with appointments available between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to visit with a qualified Ages & Stages Questionnaire evaluator to help assess your child’s individual progress toward typical milestones.

The results will help you see if your child’s developmental progress is on time and alert you to concerns that you can talk over with your health care provider.

Visit the Ages & Stages Questionnaires website and take the questionnaire online. Evaluation results will be emailed to you within two weeks, and you should bring your results with you to your developmental screening appointment at Easter Seals.

Hearing and early autism screening tools are also available.

Make a screening appointment at www.esvf.org.

Lawyers to honor women The Volusia Flagler Association for Women Lawyers is seeking nominations for its annual Woman of the Year Award.

Criteria include serving the people of Volusia and/ or Flagler County; making substantial contributions to an area of importance to women; integrating a work area or profession traditionally reserved for men; outstanding service in her chosen profession; achieving recognition in her field; serving as an example to other women. Candidates need not be an attorney for award consideration.

Items needed include nominee name, mailing address, telephone number, and email, qualifications and reason for nomination (attach additional pages if necessary): nominated by (please include name, address, telephone number, and email.)

Nominations may be faxed to (386) 822-6452 or email tohathawayk@sao7. org by April 11.

Lyonia center sponsoring Earth Day poster contest Lyonia Environmental Center invites children, teens and adults to participate in an Earth Day poster contest by depicting the

register for the egg hunt, call 386-788-6800. Reservations are required by March 28.

Luther church hosting egg hunt Hope Lutheran Church will host an Easter egg hunt for toddlers to children in sixth grade March 30 at 9 a.m. at 594 N. Williamson Blvd.

Refreshments will be served and an Easter Bunny will be there.

Egg hunt in New Smyrna A free Easter egg hunt will begin March 30 at noon in Old Fort Park, 210 Sams Ave., New Smyrna Beach.

The hunt will be divided into three age groups: 2-4, 5-9 and 10-12. Children should bring a basket. The event is hosted by the City of New Smyrna Beach and the Canal Street Special Events Team.

More information: 386-4242175. theme, “Use water wisely.”

Entries will be judged on creativity, originality and how closely they relate to the theme. Prizes will be awarded to the top poster in each division: ages 5 to 9, ages 10 to 13, ages 14 to 18, and adult.

Artists may work on their posters at home, or in the center’s classroom from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, April 7. Posters must be submitted by 4 p.m. April 7.

Winners will be notified on April 14 and entries will be displayed in the center during Earth Week, April 21 to 27.

For more information, contact Environmental Specialist Shari Smith at ssmith@volusia.org.

Free familystrengthening workshop at Daytona State The Center for Women and Men at Daytona State College will host a free four-hour workshop to help parents strengthen their families from the inside out.

Participants will learn about the protective factors that need to be present in a family in order to keep it strong and healthy.

The Strengthening Families workshop is April 12 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Daytona State’s Daytona Beach Campus, Bergengren Hall (building 110), Room 112. Participation is free and open to the public. It is presented in collaboration with the Early Learning Coalition of Flagler & Volusia and StewartMarchman-Act Behavioral Healthcare.

“The Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program provides access to affordable child-care services to eligible students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to pursue post-secondary education,” commented Anthony Deobil, workshop coordinator and CCAMPIS project director.

“The aim of the Strengthening Families workshop is to educate parents about the importance of protective factors such as parental resilience, social connections, knowledge of parenting and child development, concrete support in times of need as well as social and emotional competence of children.”

CCAMPIS is a federal funded grant through the U.S. Department of Education.

To register for the April 12 workshop or for more information, call 386-506-4218.

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 28 – APRIL 3, 2013

Tuskegee Airmen, exhibit coming back to Volusia

BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES butleramj@yahoo.com

The Tuskegee Airmen are set to return to Daytona Beach next month.

The legendary Black pilot war heroes will be on hand for the ‘The Rise Above Tuskegee Airmen Red Tail Traveling Exhibit,’’ which tells their story.

The exhibit will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. April 3-4 at Campbell Middle School, 625 Keech St., Daytona Beach. The event is free to the public.

‘Inspiring story’ Three original members – pilots Charles “Doc’’ Holiday, Daniel Keel and Hiram E. Mann – are scheduled again to be at the exhibit.

“They have an inspiring story.

It is on the heels of Black History Month and they show that all kids can inspire to achieve,” said Daytona Beach’s Leisure Services Director Percy Willamson.

The City of Daytona Beach, City of New Smyrna Beach, Pepsi Bottling Company, Vistas Innovative Hospice Care, Mary McLeod Bethune Legacy Preservation Institute and the Courtyard Marriott are sponsors.

“We want to thank all of our business partners for their support in this endeavor. The city contributed as well and we are pleased that the business community saw fit to bring this exhibit and rich part of our history to our community,” Williamson added.

Rich history The Tuskegee Airmen are a group of Black fighter pilots during World War II. They were officially active from 1940-52.

They were members of the United States Army Air Corps and the

JACKSON from Page 1 dent after she announced she was retiring from the school after seven years of service.

“President Jackson has brought the emphasis on academic excellence and our core values that was sorely needed,” Harrington said.

Following his appointment last week, Jackson said, “It is quite an honor to be selected by the Board of Trustees of Bethune-Cookman University and serve as the permanent president ushering in a new era of excellence for this university.”

Jackson’s tenure began immediately and will conclude July 1, 2016. A search committee will be appointed in January 2015.

Third presidency Since arriving at the university, Jackson has established what he calls Freshman College, which provides new students a comprehensive first-year experience with structured support to ensure a seamless transition from high school to college.

He has established an Honors College to provide

PHOTO COURTESY OF CITY OF DAYTONA BEACH

Tuskegee Airmen Charles Holiday, Daniel Keel and Hiram Mann are shown during the exhibition last year. They are scheduled to speak in Volusia County next month. first Black aviators in the military.

The men often faced discrimination from their peers, including White pilots. The Black aviators were instrumental in integrating the U.S. armed forces.

They are known to have not lost a single aircraft or pilot to enemy fire or combat during World War II where they repeatedly flew missions that escorted bombers and protected them from enemy aircraft trying to shoot them down.

The Tuskegee Airmen flew the P51 Mustang model aircrafts, which are famous and noticeable for their red tails.

More kids this year It is estimated that around 500 people attended the event in Daytona last year, but officials are hoping for larger numbers next month.

“They were received tremendously well last year. The only thing is that we didn’t have as many kids because it was the spring break time

the university’s brightest students with a variety of opportunities to develop as scholars and what he calls “servant leaders.”

A date for the formal presidential inauguration will be announced next week.

This will be Jackson’s third presidency, having served as president of Compton Community College in Compton, Calif. and Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York.

Founder’s family responds Dr. Evelyn Bethune, granddaughter of B-CU’s founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, told the Daytona Times, “Dr. Jackson has shown himself to be more than qualified on paper.

He is spiritually gifted and has a true heart to serve.

He honors the legacy of my grandmother by putting students first and insisting that those employed by the university do the same.”

Bethune also noted, “He has strengthened relationships with the community and has a strategic plan for engaging the university and the community to become better and improve the quality of life for both. I support this decision 100 percent. It can only bring greater success

with our local schools. We are definitely looking for larger numbers of people to come out to this year’s exhibit,” stated Williamson.

Having the exhibit at Campbell is intended to educate, motivate and inspire children to succeed in life. It also aims to get more kids out to the event.

“Campbell is a great location.

They have about 600 kids who will get to see the exhibit. Teachers can just walk them down the hall instead of having to transport them somewhere. A lot of students will see the exhibit, watch the film and get to meet the heroes.”

The exhibit also will make a stop in New Smyrna Beach again. It will be at the Balloon & Sky Festival at the New Smyrna Beach Airport April 5-6. The famous Red Tail P51 Mustang aircraft will be featured at the show.

For more information or to reserve a group, contact the Daytona Beach Leisure Services at 386-671-8331.

to the university, the students, and the community at large. Hail Wildcats as the legacy of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune continues in excellence.”

Sara Bethune, another grandchild of Dr. Bethune said, “We shall see if he stays true to my grandmother’s dream. I believe if he does and if Satan stays out the way, he will do just that. Keep my grandmother’s dream.

Stay true to her wishes.”

Slater, Wagner responds Daytona Beach NAACP President Cynthia Slater, a Bethune-Cookman grad, was excited about the decision of the board.

“It is my belief that they (the board) made an excellent choice in selecting Dr. Jackson to serve as president of BethuneCookman University. I believe that he is ready to take the university to an even higher level of greatness by increasing ways to generate endowment funds, increased enrollment, recruitment of quality students and professors, and offering quality programs,” Slater said.

“I wish Dr. Jackson well, and want him to know that he has the full support of the NAACP.’’ Volusia County Councilman Joshua Wagner re-

sponded, “We are very blessed to have Dr. Jackson in our community.

I am very excited for the students as well. He brings a very high level of professionalism and passion to B-CU and our community will benefit in the successes of his hard work.’’

Other Daytonans excited Many others also were excited about the announcement.

Beauty salon owner Kim Moten, a lifelong resident of the city and a big supporter of the school, said she was happy about the selection.

“He seems to be a man of integrity that wants the best for this great institution. Just in this short time the campus seems to be moving in the right direction, one of pride and growth,” she stated.

Daytona native Leona Jackson stated, “I hope that he has a clear vision as he did with his work at Medgar Evers College that will help B-CU become the best institution possible.”

Local activist Ericka Sipp added, “I am enormously impressed by his successful efforts to the keep B-CU founder Mrs. Bethune’s dream flowing.”

If you’re facIng foreclosure, TalK To your grandMa second. call The hope hoTlIne fIrsT aT 888-995-hope.

Make sure you’re talking to the right people. speak with hud-approved housing counselors, free of charge, at the homeowner’s hope hotline.

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2013

COMMUNITY M ANEWS YOR

3 7

DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006

Cultural society honors members at luncheon Richard Barnes, former Board of Directors chairman, greeted the crowd at an annual 2013 Awards Luncheon presented by the African American Cultural Society (AACS). He capably touted the honorees’ involvement.

Elegant, impeccable table settings were visible and indicators of the talented members in the organization. Edward Tucker Caterers had returned with Donald Bryant for his deejay sets. Chaplain Muriel Carey lifted the organization in thanksgiving.

It was said that the late President Clarence Mauge’ instituted that the awards be given annually since he had been honored with an AACS award in 1997.

Said guest speaker Robert Whiting, “Without community service, we would not have a strong quality of life. Community service and volunteering can lead one to be aware of their own strengths and blessings by being able to give to others.

Palm Coast

Community news

By Jeroline D. Mccarthy | Daytona Times “It takes discipline to regularly attend meetings, which are sometimes boring,” Whiting quipped.

Whiting, a board member, graduated magna cum laude in business administration and later earned an MBA with a concentration in finance from George Washington University.

He’s a retired federal exec, jazz musician, karate black belt, and researcher on the Nile Valley civilization, studying under Ankh Mi Ra, the only AfricanAmerican to write an Egyptian hieroglyphs grammar book. Whiting is a Flagler County school lecturer from the organization’s speaking bureau.

Award winners Board of Directors Vice

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 County Council retreat March 28 The Volusia County Council’s team-building retreat will begin at 10 a.m. March 28 in the Volusia Room of the Daytona Beach International Airport, 700 Catalina Drive. The public is welcome, but there will be no public participation.

Parking tickets will be validated. More information: 386-736-5920.

Cyber security, privacy review The Daytona section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers will host a review of cyber threats and measures one

Chairman William Seeney introduced the meritorious awards.

Lynda Baten, excursions and fund-raisers extraordinaire, is the AACS treasurer, chairman of the 20th Anniversary Hospitality Committee, and fundraiser of more than $10,000 from booking trips, among other offerings like chairing the Nominating Committee and being involved with the Ways & Means.

Vivian Richardson is the consummate AACS member that Seeney desires to be cloned. She’s the board of directors chairman, past president, former first and second vice president, among other benevolence like bringing Ambassador Andrew Young as the organization’s 20th anniversary

can use to protect that information at 8 p.m. March 28 at the Halifax Yacht Club, 331 S . Beach St. Dr. Remzi Seker, a professor in the Department of Electrical, Computer, Software, and Systems Engineering in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, will lead the discussion. More information: 386-671-3706.

Jewelers to debunk gemology myths Award-winning jewelers Tracy and Stacy, sisters and owners of Tracy & Stacy’s Masterpiece Jewelers in Daytona Beach, will present stories about jewelry myths and truths during a free program at 1 p.m. on April 3 at the Daytona Beach Regional Library at City Island. Door prizes will

Lynda Baten

Robert A. Brooks

guest speaker.

Diana McKie Robinson was pegged the face of the AACS, the first person to greet members and visitors. She’s the Cultural Center Administrator, the booking/scheduling manager, and the playwright/ director, who has presented two theatrical productions, raising $6,500, plus other contributions.

Awards Chairman Walter Boone and Ways & Means Chairman Sybil Dodson-Lucas provided a launching pad that President Edmund G. Pinto, Jr. took off, presenting the Distinguished Long-

be offered. More information: 386-257-6036.

Council officials to address chamber Two or more members of the Volusia County Council are expected to attend a meeting sponsored by Port Orange – South Daytona Chamber of Commerce to speak about county issues and take questions from chamber members at 7:45 a.m. on April 10. The meeting will be at the Riverside Pavilion, 3431 Ridgewood Ave., Port Orange. More information: 386-736-5920.

Public input sought on floodplain plan Volusia County’s Emergency Management Division and the county’s municipalities are soliciting public

Vivian Richardson

Dorothy Robinson

Term Service Awards.

Robert A. Brooks was conferred with significant handling of African American Studies at both high schools since Flagler County was the last in the state to desegregate its schools. Brooks was the first board of directors chairman, among other achievements.

Dorothy G. Robinson helped direct AfricanAmerican children in Bunnell and Espanola as Third Eye Computer Assistant Director. Not once has the organization failed a health inspection deserving of Robinson’s being the Amenities

input and comment for the final draft of the floodplain management plan. The draft plan will be posted on www.ecfrpc.org on April 3. Residents may give comments during a public meeting at 1 p.m. April 8 in the auditorium of the Daytona Beach Regional Library at City Island. More information: Call 407-2627772.

ECHO workshop April 9 The Volusia County Council will hold a workshop to discuss the Volusia ECHO program at 9 a.m. on April 9 in the first-floor training room of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand. More information: 386-736-5920.

Get the Medicaid Plan that Opens the Door

to the Health Care Your Family Deserves By choosing the TrueBlue Medicaid plan from Florida True Health, your family will get the quality service and support that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, now Florida Blue, has provided for nearly 70 years.

With TrueBlue, you can choose from a wide range of doctors, hospitals and pharmacies located near you. Choose TrueBlue today to get the health coverage your family deserves.

To enroll, call Medicaid Options at 1-888-367-6554 (TTY/TDD 1-800-653-9803) www.medicaidoptions.net www.fltrueblue.com

Florida True Health is an affiliate of Florida Blue. Both companies are Independent Licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Diana McKie Robinson

Chairman. She’s been the Executive Board Recording Secretary and a stakeholder in other duties.

The awards luncheon aspired and motivated the involvement that the founders had envisioned.

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

Happy Birthday to You! Birthday wishes to: Barbara Jackson, March 28, and Shirley Jones, March 29.

Volusia-Flagler family YMCA wins grant The state Department of Health Injury Prevention Program awarded a grant to the Volusia Flagler Family YMCA, which will give older adults the opportunity to participate in a program proven to substantially prevent their risk of falling.

The grant will allow for a limited number of full scholarships in tai chi: Moving for Better Balance, a program offered to seniors at the Four Townes Family YMCA, Port Orange Family YMCA, DeLand Family YMCA and Ormond Beach Family YMCA. The class requires standing and movement for about 45 minutes at a time. To qualify, individuals must be at least 62 years old and earn a verifiable household income of less than $35,000 per year. Individuals must be able to attend and participate in the class once a week through June 30.

For more information, call 386-7389622.

7 EDITORIAL

R4

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2013

White media masquerading as Black Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee, released his long awaited report last week called the Growth and Opportunity Project. It is basically a post mortem of last November’s election results and lessons learned.

The report stated the obvious: The Republican Party had problems with key demographic groups such as Blacks and Hispanics. To address this issue, Priebus has committed to hiring Black and Hispanic staffers and consultants to address some of the issues raised in the report.

Minorities hired Since the report’s release on March 18, some minority staffers have already been hired. Isn’t it amazing that Priebus has already hired more Blacks this year than President Obama?

But that’s something you’ll never read on the Web sites of either The Grio or The Root. Both are White-owned entities masquerading as Black media. When I say White-owned, I am referring to NBC in the case of The Grio and the Washington Post in the case of The Root. It doesn’t get much whiter than that.

As members of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) like to remind me, Black Media is by definition Black owned and operated.

Essence magazine is no longer Black-owned and we can see how the content has changed for the worst under Time Warner, the new owner.

Platitudinous Joy-Ann Reid, is managing editor of The Grio and like Obama, a Harvard graduate. In a recent column, she called Priebus’ engage-

RAYNARD JACKSON NNPA COLUMNIST

ment with the Black community “simply platitudinous.” Of course, she doesn’t define exactly what about Priebus’ efforts are “platitudinous,” whatever that means.

The Root is just as biased as The Grio. They thought so little of Priebus’ report that they didn’t even think it was worthy of one news story. One of their columnists did do the typical hatchet job on the report.

As a Black Republican, I am a first-hand witness to many of the deficiencies of my party and I have not been shy about expressing my frustrations. Equally true, I also am a first-hand witness to what my party is doing to correct these deficiencies and they deserve, at a minimum, a wait and see attitude; and at best, praise for some of the steps taken to this point.

Fair hearing, criticism I don’t think any party on the Left or the Right should be above critique. But after constantly criticizing the Republican Party, one would think The Grio and The Root would feel some obligation as supposed journalists to give the Republicans a fair hearing and give Obama fair criticism.

If these sites were taken to court and accused of false advertising, they would be convicted and ordered to pay serious damages to the public.

In truth, they are surrogates for the Democratic National Committee and are in the tank for President Obama. Instead of admitting

that, they claim to be an unbiased news source and claim to hire objective journalists and provide a platform for the full range of thinking and commentary within the Black community. They fail on all accounts.

Suddenly cynical They criticized Reince Priebus for his “cynical” efforts to engage the Black community. How is seeking to become more engaged with the Black community – something Blacks have been yearning for – suddenly cynical?

If you’re going to criticize, make sure you spread it around. It’s not fair to criticize Republicans while giving Barack Obama a pass. He has not added one Black to his cabinet in his second term. Yet, we’re supposed to line up, single file, behind him. When is he going to show that he has our best interests at heart?

Given Obama’s poor record meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus, I would not be surprised if Priebus hasn’t spent more time meeting with the Black community than President Obama?

Even more importantly, at least Priebus issued a plan of action after his meetings with Black folks.

Where is the president’s plan? You can’t criticize a plan that doesn’t exist. Legitimate media organizations should criticize the president for such neglect, but by definition that would exclude The Grio and The Root.

Raynard Jackson is president and CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC. He can be reached through his website, www.raynardjackson.com.

Click on this story at www.daytonatimes.com to write your own response.

Black leaders fail to hold Obama accountable How many African-Americans know that the president of the United States (POTUS) recently met with their leaders? How many among the African-American population know what the meeting agenda entailed, who was there, and what was accomplished at, or subsequent to it, regarding our plight and problems?

Late Black History Month 2013, the POTUS had Blacks to a meeting at the White House in the Roosevelt Room. The president discussed his “plan to strengthen the economy … and continue to build ladders of opportunity for those striving to get there.”

In perhaps the cruelest of ironies, the president praised the participants for their “steadfast leadership on issues critical to improving the economy.”

Obama’s policies The presidential meeting produced no programs to lift Blacks, nor their economies. According to White House, President Obama “reiterated his commitment to supporting policies that will directly impact those hardest hit by the economic crisis by making sure that America is a magnet for jobs, etc. …”

Instead of informing the “emperor” that his clothing was “threadbare and worn,” people at

the financial ills afflicting the Black communities are more real than Sharpton & Company admit.

WILLIAM The Black-White wealth disparREED ity is more than 20 to 1, Black homeownership rates are declining, BUSINESS EXCHANGE Blacks’ unemployment rates are nearly double those for Whites, the meeting gave a chorus of ap- and Blacks’ incomes are down. proval to the president’s agenda These discrepancies reflect a mixfor Blacks and their communities. ture of realism and low expectaThose in attendance included tions. the Rev. Al Sharpton, National Action Network; NAACP President Black agenda Ben Jealous; Avis Jones-DeWeever, Instead of devotion to White executive director of the NationHouse deceptions, organizaal Council of Negro Women along tions such as the Joint Center can with Ralph Everett, president,Joint point Blacks in the right direction Center for Economic and Political through program policy and leadStudies. ership development practices.

The Obama administration has Staged photo-op little interest in supporting Blacks Who is going to tell the “em- in the same ways it has gay and Laperor” he has no clothes? The on- tino groups. ly notable item to come out of the A Black agenda that addresses meeting was the staged photo-ops. the serious problems that plague Nothing of substance regarding an African-Americans needs to be agenda for African-Americans was presented to Obama, rather than discussed. In his post-meeting “picture taking moments” with statement, Sharpton commented, POTUS. “I and other leaders had a very significant discussion with the presiWilliam Reed is publisher of dent about concerns in the Afri- “Who’s Who in Black Corpocan-American community and the rate America” and available for civil rights community in general.” projects via the BaileyGroup.

The reverend insists that call- org. Click on this story at www. ing on Obama to be an “exponent daytonatimes.com to write your of Black views” is “just stupid.” But, own response.

Banks continue to peddle payday loans to Blacks disproportionately In today’s challenging financial times, the cost of living finds many consumers with an ongoing financial challenge to hold on until their next payday arrives.

In its latest report on bank payday lending, the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) found that although participating banks claim that their payday loan products are only for short-term emergencies and carry marginal risks, the real-life experiences were the opposite.

In fact, the typical bank payday borrower: is charged an annual percentage rate (APR) that averages 225 to 300 percent; took out 19 loans in 2011, spending at least part of six months a year in bank payday debt; and is twice as likely to incur overdraft fees than bank customers as a whole.

Charlene Crowell NNPA FINANCIAL WRITER

cific protections from payday lending on prepaid cards, no comparable protection exists on checking accounts.

CRL’s report also calls for regulators to take immediate actions to stop banks offering payday loans from engaging in this form of predatory lending.

Additionally, CRL calls for the following terms on small loan products: s minimum loan term of 90 days with affordable installments; an APR of 36 percent or less; underwriting based on an ability to repay; and no mandatory automatic repayment from the Social Security recipient In addition, more than one in consumer’s checking account. four bank payday borrowers is a Social Security recipient. This Opposition grows As opposition to bank payday comes on the heels of a key administrative change for seniors on and elder financial abuse grows, banking regulators are continuing Social Security.

As of March 1, all Social Security to hear from advocates, experts payments are issued electronical- and concerned citizens. Fortuly. And although seniors have spe- nately, advocates are determined

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: SPRING SNOWMAN

to press this issue in growing numbers.

In a letter dated March 13, for example, 278 organizations and individuals signed a second letter to regulators.

The letter states, “Payday lending has a particularly adverse impact on African-Americans and Latinos, as a disproportionate share of payday borrowers come from communities of color. Highcost, short-term balloon repayments, and the consequent series of repeat loans, have long been identified by regulators as features of predatory lending.

The coalition warns, “Please move quickly to ensure that payday lending by banks does not become more widespread and to ensure that those banks currently making payday loans stop offering this inherently dangerous product.”

Charlene Crowell is a communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending.

She can be reached at Charlene. crowell@responsiblelending. org. Click on this story at www. daytonatimes.com to write your own response.

BILL SCHORR, CAGLE CARTOONS

Race, Venezuela and legacy of Hugo Chavez In January 2004, as the president of TransAfrica Forum, I had the honor of leading the first African-American delegation to meet with the leaders of Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution.

It was important for us to conduct this visit in order to better understand what was transpiring but also to get a better sense of race, the Afro-descendant movement, and the revolutionary process in Venezuela.

Our delegation had the opportunity to meet with President Hugo Chavez on more than one occasion but the first real dialogue was more than memorable. Chavez gave us an overview of Venezuela’s history and what led to his winning power.

I thanked him for the meeting and proceeded to describe my feelings at the time of the 2002 coup. I mentioned to him and his colleagues that I was very sad upon hearing of the coup, and, of course, delighted when he was restored to power.

Faces of the crowd What really struck me at the time of the coup, however, was looking at the faces of the crowds on television. I looked at the crowds that supported Chavez and those who opposed him and at that moment so much of what was unfolding in Venezuela clicked for me. For, it was clear that Chavez had phenomenal support among the poorer and the darker parts of the Venezuelan population while the opposition looked like it could have walked in from Madrid.

One of the most important contributions of President Chavez and the Bolivarian process has been to help to put race on the table for discussions and action. Under President Chavez, renewed attention has gone to the indigenous and the Afro-descendant populations.

This attention, we should note, was not the result of Chavez alone, but a combination of factors with the most important being the actual social movements of the indigenous and Afro-descendant populations of Venezuela. It is critically important to grasp that in Venezuela, includ-

BILL FLETCHER, JR. NNPA COLUMNIST

ing in many progressive and Left circles, there is adamant denial of race as a factor in Venezuela’s reality.

Race factor The opposition to President Chavez, we should be clear, denies race altogether. In the Bolivarian movement the recognition of race and racism within Venezuelan society has been uneven.

But with the combination of the social movements plus Chavez’s support, race came to be openly discussed in Venezuela and actual steps were taken to address a very different form of White supremacy than the version with which we are familiar here in North America.

I had hoped to return to Venezuela and once again meet President Chavez. That will, obviously, be impossible. Chavez will be deeply missed by so many fighters for justice.

Struggle for justice His recognition of the importance of race and the struggle for racial justice placed him in a unique role in Latin America as a conscious ally of the movements of the Indigenous peoples and the Afro-descendant populations. His audacity alone was enough for one to love him, not to mention his humor and brilliance.

We cannot afford to lose fighters like Hugo Chavez which is why it remains so critical that genuine movements for social justice and transformation are producing new leaders of his quality each day.

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.

Opinions expressed on this editorial page are those of the writers, and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of the newspaper or the publisher.

THE CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS The Black Press believes that Americans can best lead the world away from racism and national antagonism when it accords to every person, regardless of race, color or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person. The Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief...that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.

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

MARCH 28 – APRIL DECEMBER 14 -3, 20,2013 2006

M AYOR CULTURE

5 7

Immigration isn’t just a Latino issue Pathway to citizenship decision has great impact on Blacks, African descendants

BY FREDDIE ALLEN NNPA NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON – As lawmakers and special interests groups paint immigration reform as a critical component in shaping the future of Latinos living in the United States, Black leaders say that there is too much at stake, economically and politically, for Blacks to allow the debate to be framed in narrow terms.

Despite many reports, the pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals is just one ingredient in the multi-layered immigration policy, yet to be written, that will have far-reaching impacts for Blacks and African descendants in the United States and abroad.

“This is a very controversial issue on the ground in the Black community,” said Ron Daniels, president of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century, an organization that works to advance the social, political economic growth of the Black community in the United States and around the world.

“If you hear the leaders talk about [immigration reform], it sounds like everything is hunky-dory and it’s all kumbaya.”

Grumbling about ‘illegals’ According to Daniels, everything isn’t hunky-dory and Blacks aren’t singing old feel-good songs.

He hears the grumbling voices opposing immigration and the misconception that “illegals” flood the job market crowding out American-born workers, driving down wages and contributing to high rates of unemployment, nationally and in the Black community.

It’s not just disgruntled,

Companies and organizations that utilize the special visa and guest worker programs must make those same opportunities available to Blacks and documented workers before new permits are granted, stated the group.

It also wants to make sure that the immigration process provides equitable allocation of visas to Sub Saharan African countries, to the Caribbean and to countries in Latin America that are underrepresented.

More control, special visas

OLIVIER DOULIERY/ABACA PRESS/MCT

Various organizations protest the urge for Congress to pass commonsense, fair and just solutions to the broken immigration system in front of the U.S. Capitol on March 20. out-of-work Blacks that feel that way.

According to a recent Angus Reid Public Opinion poll, more than half of Americans oppose immigration and say that illegal immigrants “take jobs from American workers.”

Thirty-nine percent said that the number legal immigrants should be decreased.

Economic, political issue The Labor Department reported that the national unemployment rate was 7.7 percent and the Black unemployment rate was 13.8 percent in February. The jobless rate was 6.8 percent for Whites and 9.6 percent for Latino workers over the same period.

According to Daniels, opposition to immigration and the misconception that immigrants are to blame for depressing wages and taking jobs could hinder progress and support for any im-

migration bill that is crafted

by Congress.

Daniels and the Institute partnered with a number of groups from the African Diaspora to form the Pan-African Unity Dialogue (PAUD) to develop an immigration agenda tailored to meet the needs of Black Americans and Blacks of African descent in the U.S. and abroad.

“Immigration affects us all, immigration is local, national and international,” said Waldaba Stewart, economic advisor for Southern Caucus of Non-Governmental Organizations for Sustainable Development.

“Immigration involves economics and political power.”

A ‘Black’ concern too Stewart said that right now Blacks and African descendants are not being considered and it’s the fault of the Black leadership for not explaining the signifi-

cance of the legislation.

“That was our fault,” said Stewart. “We as a people acted as if immigration was someone else’s concern.”

The group said that any immigration reform needs to address a number of key issues important to the economic and political future of Blacks and people of African descent that reside in the United States.

The group wants the U.S. Commerce and Agriculture departments to foster partnerships between Blacks in the United States and Blacks in the countries where the federal government is already working to advance it’s own interests in agriculture.

Seeking equitable opportunities The group said that all legislation for immigration reform must include provisions that “are applicable to Blacks and other groups that are historically victims of racism.”

Experts say that both the powerful business lobby and labor groups want to change the way the guest worker program works.

Business owners want more visas and a streamlined process, while unions want more control over the number of special visas that are allocated during tough economic times.

Utilizing the special visas, companies import foreign workers to perform housekeeping, landscaping, food processing and other lowwage jobs that they claim that Americans no longer want.

PAUD said that the government needs to apply more pressure on those companies to pay a living wage and hire American workers.

The group also asserted that the immigration process should provide equitable allocation of visa quotas to Sub Saharan African countries, to the Caribbean and to countries in Latin America that have a disparity in processing of visa applications by people of African descent.

Black farmers not forgotten Daniels and the PAUD group also want provisions included in the immigra-

tion bill that will protect the interests of Black farmers in the United States and around the world.

Stewart said that because of globalization and discrimination in the industry, Black farmers who once controlled a quarter of agriculture industry in the U.S. now only make up about 7 percent.

Although Daniels said that he looks forward to working with leading Latino and Asian groups to address immigration reform, it was important for Blacks and African descendants to develop their own agenda first, so that all parties can benefit from a future coalition.

Latino interest groups are greatly concerned with any pathway to citizenship language that will ultimately go into the final bill.

Not an easy road According to 2009 Pew Research study, Hispanics account for 76 percent of the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States, including 7 million from Mexico alone.

If those immigrants became legal citizens, the nation could see a dramatic shift in economic and political power.

Daniels acknowledged that the road ahead isn’t going to be easy and that educating the Black community about immigration reform will be important in gaining their support, but it’s something that must be done.

“The worst thing that we can do is to not have this conversation or have this struggle because the power elites, the business community will end up pitting, the different groups against each other,” said Daniels.

“But to act as if there are no consequences, politically or economically, would be disastrous.”

Diversity increases among students, but not teachers

BY MAYA RHODAN NNPA NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON – As the pool of students in American schools grows more diverse, those studying to be teachers remain mostly White.

According to a new report by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, a national organization that analyzes teacher education programs, 82 percent of people who earned bachelor’s degrees in education in 2009-2010 school year were White.

The study surveyed more than 700 colleges and uni-

versities that train about two-thirds of the teaching force.

Nearly half of the U.S. student population is members of racial or ethnic minorities, yet only about one in five teachers are people of color. Only 6 percent of teacher candidates were Black and 4.2 percent were Hispanic.

Starting salary: $30,377 Of the 29 million students enrolled in public schools in 2010, 15 percent were Black and 23 percent were Hispanic.

“Unfortunately, we’re

seeing a smaller number of racial and ethnic minorities in front of classrooms for a number of reasons,” said Anthony Graham, the chair of the department of elementary education at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro.

“Salaries, for one, are an issue. Also, a lot of students are not interested, based on their own experiences. There are a lot of things that play into this.”

The average starting teacher salary is $30,377 according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Computer engineers make about $70,000 coming out of school.

HIRED Jasmine Green

Monitor Support Technician, Shands Hospital

JOB resOUrCes at EmployFlorida.com helped Jasmine choose a career path and find a job she loves.

You too can discover REAL RESULTS with Employ Florida.

1-866-FLA-2345 EmployFlorida.com

‘Pipeline approach’ Alternative programs that license teachers, but do not award degrees have a more diverse pool of students, with about 76 percent of the candidates being White, 7 percent Black, and 8 percent Hispanic.

“We have to a better job of a pipeline approach,” says Graham, whose program awards about 60 students with degrees in education per year.

“By introducing the career at an earlier age we can better showcase the benefits of returning to a community and uplifting it through teaching.”

Graham, however, notes that despite efforts schools may already have to recruit minority teacher candidates, many fail to pass the Praxis exam, the required teacher certification test.

“Despite the teachers we try to produce, we’re losing a number of them to this exam,” says Graham

Not passing the tests

Employ Florida is an equal opportunity program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. The Employ Florida telephone number may be reached by persons using TTY/TTD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711. Disponible en Espanol.

Treneicia Gardner, was a first-year teacher at Leschi Elementary School in Seattle last year. She said about being a minority teacher: “Absolutely, I feel like it makes a difference.’’

“We’re finding that college-bound minority students have so many career options,” said Sharon P. Robinson, the president of the association told the New York Times. “We have to develop some specific recruitment strategies to attract our share of those students into those teacher education programs.”

Between 2002-2005, Black teacher candidates had a Praxis passing rate of 52.1 percent, according to a study by the Educational Testing Service, which prepares the Praxis exams as well as the SAT tests.

White teacher candidates had a passing rate of 83.5 percent during that same period.

“It causes a ripple effect in terms of their own education,” says Kimberly Garrett, an assistant professor of early childhood education at Dominican Univer-

MIKE SIEGEL/ SEATTLE TIMES/MCT

sity in Chicago.

“They haven’t had proper teaching themselves so they aren’t able to teach.

It’s an additional struggle for Black and Hispanic students.”

also help students of color reach higher academic, personal, and social performance.

Importance of diversity

Garrett says, however, that although students benefit from having teachers of color, its more important for them to have culturally and intellectually competent adults in these roles than anything else.

“There is an aspect of value that someone from the same ethnic group brings to the classroom that helps to develop students on a deeper level,” says Garrett.

“But it’s not just an ethnic match that’s important.”

“There was a special rapport that I had and do have with students of color that added to the experience,” she adds.

“But that doesn’t take away from the connection all teachers can have if they’re aware of their students and their varying needs.”

Garrett’s program has 36 candidates in early childhood education right now, only three are Black, two are Hispanic, and one is Asian.

Of Chicago Public Schools’ 400,000 students, 41.6 percent of students are African-American and 44.1 percent are Latino.

“The race and ethnicity of teachers is important because it supports a child’s developing self-image to see someone of authority they can relate to of have some level of comfort around,” Garret says.

According to a report by the National Collaborative on Diversity in the Teaching Force, teachers of color can not only help close the achievement gap, they

More than ethnic match

7 CLASSIFIEDS

R6

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2013

Volusia votes to take HAAA board appointment from only Black rep

BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES harperjames59@yahoo.com

Volusia County Council’s only Black representative is upset that a majority of her council members voted Feb. 28 to reduce the number of people she can appoint to the Halifax Area Advertising Authority (HAAA).

The vote of the council comes as attorney Ted Doran, who County Joyce Council AtCusack large Member Joyce Cusack, appointed to the board two years ago, announced this week that he is not seeking another term on the board. The HAAA determines how funds are spent to promote Daytona Beach and surrounding cit-

ies as a tourist destination.

Before Cusack was elected to the council, no Blacks had ever served on the board, which is funded by bed taxes paid by tourists who stay in area hotels and motels. The HAAA oversees the Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

pointments two years ago was Kathryn Bryant, who is Black. She resigned for personal reasons last July.

Doran is not the only HAAA board member who will be replaced for another two-year term when the County Council makes appointments at its April 4 meeting.

‘Direct target’

No Blacks

“This is a direct target at me and the chair. All of sudden this has to change,” said Cusack. Chair Jason Davis, who was elected to the board last November, also had his number of appointments to the HAAA board reduced.

“They took away one of my appointments because they didn’t like who I was appointing,” Cusack said of the four who supported the resolution led by Councilwoman Pat Northey.

Among Cusack’s first ap-

The lone remaining Black on the board, Sophia Huger, who was appointed by District 2 Council Joshua Wagner, also announced this week she was not seeking reappointment to the board. This will mean there are no Blacks on the board.

Wagner voted against the change in rules along with Cusack. “Not only does it reduce the amount of appointments for the Chair and the at-large member, it changes the way people

are reappointed,” Wagner said.

“If (appointee) they miss two meetings in one year, the original council member does not get an appointment. It moves to the next county council member in line,” he continued Wagner said Huger, who works as director of sales for Perry’s Ocean Edge Resort in Daytona Beach, did an amazing job while on the board and he has heard from several people who want to replace her and another vacancy he is responsible for filling.

“I have spoken to many individuals about the board appointments. However, I do not think we have received applications from any Black members of our community,” Wagner noted.

The HAAA shall consist of seven members who are selected by a majority vote of the county council.

Vacancy policy

ond absence.

In an interview with the Daytona Times this week, Cusack said the council reduced her number of appointments on the board from three to two.

Cusack also is upset that the council voted to prevent her and other members from appointing a replacement if their appointment quits or is asked to leave the board.

“If one of my appointments misses two meetings, I don’t have a chance to reappoint. Whoever I appoint, I have to make sure they are able to complete their term and they will not miss any meetings,” Cusack said.

The failure of an authority member to attend two meetings during any year ending on Dec. 31, regardless of reason, automatically creates a vacancy immediately following the sec-

Blacks don’t apply

speedway from Page 1 The Miami experience Cities have been burned by greedy sports franchise owners who have built ultramodern sports facilities subsidized by tax dollars, only to profitably operate or sell the franchises for a premium and laugh at the cities on the way to the bank.

Exhibit No. 1: Marlins Stadium in Miami.

In 2009, after threatening to move his Major League Baseball team, multimillionaire Marlins team owner Jeffrey Luria suckered local politicians into covering 80 percent of a new stadium’s $600 million-plus construction costs.

As the public became more aware of the circumstances surrounding the deal – including a no-bid construction contract without diversity and a local jobs requirements – the backlash was fierce. The mayor and supportive commissioners were thrown out of office by a voter recall. The city manager that guided the deal through local government was fired.

But a bad deal negotiated under pressure, and signed in blood, was done. Over a 30-year period, Miami taxpayers will eventually pay $2.4 billion to pay off the $500 million they chipped in for construction costs. (The Florida Legislature wisely refused to con-

speaker from Page 1 conference is to provide important information so people can make informed decisions about living healthy lifestyles, sex, stigma and faith.”

Burgess said it is important for her to share her story to help others Renee make inBurgess formed decisions.

“My ex-husband has been out of jail since March 16, 2012. He served four years out of a five-year sentence. I forgave him years ago. Before I even had him arrested, I forgave him,” Burgess told the Daytona Times.

“I just made sure he knew that I would never forget. He wants nothing to do with the kids, and I have 100 percent sole custody of them. However, he will be obligated to provide support for them.’’

‘Talk about it’ She also says it’s important to open up to family.

“People are so afraid to even just tell immediate family because of the stigma associated with the disease. They have to know that it’s OK to talk about it and that their story has a right to be heard,” she said.

“No matter how they became infected – the story they have whether it’s

COURTESY OF DIS

Daytona International Speedway’s proposed $450 million project may include doubling the current seating capacity to 300,000 people for a single race. tribute one dime at the time.)

Not identical Jeffrey Loria, an itinerant pro baseball franchise owner who stiffed both Montreal and Miami in search of the best deal, is not Bill France, Sr., who came to Daytona Beach and set up a local family business that has become a worldwide racing center during three generations of growth and development. The Marlins team, which used to be the Montreal Expos, is not Daytona International Speedway.

Still, there are lessons to be learned from Miami-Dade’s experience with Loria and the Marlins’ new stadium. Here are a few: • Negotiate. “Daytona” is the name of our fair city, but it’s also

about their status or their past life situations – can help probably save someone from taking that same path,” she said.

Healthy, active life In addition to her children giving her inspiration, Burgess says she stays healthy by taking her medicines. She also changed her diet to include and exclude certain things. “I also work out and I stay active. When you’re not active and you just sit around doing nothing, your body gets weak and restless,” she noted.

Burgess said over time it has become easier telling people she is HIV positive. Because of her honesty, she is now in a new relationship with someone who is not HIV positive.

“Surprisingly, it’s not as hard as people think it is for someone to be in a relationship and be HIV positive. When you are open about your status and people see that you’re willing to educate and you’re not trying to hide it, they seem to flock to you,” she explained.

Honest about status Burgess admits that before her HIV status became widely known she had a very hard time dating.

“That was mainly because I had to figure out how I disclose. Do I say it to them upfront or do I wait until we’ve dated and things seem to be progressing into a relationship? Ultimately, I decided to tell potential relationship partners upfront and that got

DIS’s legendary brand. Could DIS move, after more than 50 years in Daytona Beach, if it doesn’t get what it wants? (Anything’s possible, and we assume there’s acreage available in DeLand.)

But in exchange for supporting DIS’s request for $2 million in sales tax rebates a year – money that could go to education or infrastructure development, especially in a local Black community that’s been left behind – the city or the county shouldn’t be afraid to negotiate material terms and conditions that benefit “locals.”

There should be a preference to select project bidders who agree to use local subcontractors and small and minority-owned businesses. If DIS tells its builders that joint ventures with smaller firms, waiver or consolidation of construction bonds, quick

negative and positive responses and was definitely a learning experience,” she said.

Burgess said she particularly likes to give advice to young people who are dating or thinking about engaging in sex with someone.

“I tell them that the relationship needs to always have an open line of communication. I encourage them to know their status for any kind of STD before being sexually active in a new relationship,” she remarked.

“A lot of times people don’t get tested when leaving one love interest and going to the next and that’s how a lot of diseases are being passed. If they don’t want to get tested or don’t want to show you their results to any kind of STD test, then that’s your sign to move on.’’

A listening ear Burgess also said she tells people who ask her advice to always use protection.

“That doesn’t mean just a condom. There are other protective measures that people need to use when engaging in all sexual encounters, especially oral sex,” she continued.

In spite of her status, Burgess is leading a happy and productive life. In addition to raising her children, she is enrolled in college and loves telling her story to others.

“I have come to realize that every day I’m reaching and accomplishing a goal.

Every day I am reaching out to someone who needs

payment to subcontractors, apprenticeships, and internships with Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona State University, Embry-Riddle and the University of Central Florida are necessary to get work on the project, the builders will do it. Such local job experience and business capacity-building would multiply the long-term positive effect the project could have.

• Trust, but verify. On the redevelopdaytona.com website, DIS and ISC make bold statements about their economic impact in Florida (18,000 permanent jobs and $1.6 billion to the economy) and the impact the project will have in Daytona (4,250 construction jobs and 1,300 permanent jobs). Have these numbers been verified by a noninterested third party? What if the economic im-

advice, encouragement, or just simply a listening ear,” she added.

“I never in a million years would have imagined the impact that I have made on so many people and to just think about all the lives in the future that will be impacted gives me butterflies of joy.’’

For more information and to register for the conference, call 386-274-0500, ext. 0662.

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

Cusack wants to see more diversity on the board and is also upset that more Blacks are not submitting their names to be on county boards.

“There are no Blacks who have applied to be on the HAAA board. They don’t apply. Anybody who applies and is qualified to serve on the boards, I will appoint,” Cusack said, recalling how she caught flack from Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood last summer when she appointed Pravin “P.M.” Patel, the owner of the Heritage Inn, a motel on Ridgewood Avenue the HAAA. Cusack said she will be reappointing Patel to the board in April since he was filling a vacancy of a board member who quit last year.

pact is smaller? Is the deal still worth doing?

• Be transparent. We don’t expect politicians to negotiate this deal in the media. But we do expect that proposals and counterproposals would be released to the general public. Agreements should be done completely “in the sunshine” and not with the use of secret documents or backroom deals.

Florida’s pro sports owners know that this is a bad time to ask even a Florida Legislature dominated by business-friendly Republicans for taxpayer contributions to their private businesses.

(Such payments to an individual would be called “welfare.”) And after a quick start through the Florida Legislature, the DIS proposal and similar proposal from the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and the pro soccer’s Orlando Lions seem to have lost some momentum.

Considering what DIS, the Jaguars, and the Lions are asking for – and the millions of our tax dollars that the Marlins, the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning (hockey), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL), the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic (NBA) are already getting – slowing the process down may not be a bad thing.

Contact me at ccherry2@ gmail.com; holler at me at www.facebook.com/ccherry2; follow me on Twitter @ccherry2.

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

MARCH 28 – APRIL DECEMBER 14 - 3, 20,2013 2006

MSPORTS AYOR

7 opportunities. We must expose kids to the game at an early age and provide the game to them competitively,” commented Roland.

Burton has tried to get Black athletes at the school from other sports, including football, basketball and track to play baseball.

“It’s really hard if they don’t play baseball. In high school, you specialize more in one sport and if you haven’t played baseball before or in a while it’s hard to pick up,” commented Burton.

Bucs looking for consistency

Marquise Edwards is shown warming up before a game. The Mainland High School Buccaneer plays as both pitcher and first baseman.

Mainland’s lone Black baseball player about helping team

BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES butleramj@yahoo.com

Marquise Edwards is a junior at Mainland High School who has a 3.0 grade point average with math as his favorite subject.

Edwards also plays first base and pitcher for the Buccaneers baseball team where he is the only Black player. Ironically, the school has a large AfricanAmerican population.

“Being the only Black player has been a good experience. I can tell my kids this someday,” responded Edwards “A lot of my

VOLUSIA COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS REVIEW friends joke about coming out and playing with me.

I tell them just come and have fun.”

Edwards has been playing baseball most of his life.

“I love the game. It is my stress-free place to go and get things off my mind. I started playing back when my cousin Buster Davis was coaching T-ball and I wanted to be on his team and I’ve been playing every

since,” stated Edwards.

Great attitude He isn’t the star player but Edwards will be needed to help the team be successful.

“The season started slow, but it’s picking up for me. I’m just trying to do my part to help. I think that I am best at fielding and hitting despite my recent struggles at the plate. I need to work harder on the mound,” commented Edwards.

Stated Michael Burton, Mainland’s head coach, “Marquise has all the tools in the world. He has to

learn how to mentally slow the game down and don’t let the stress get to him.’’

“As the only Black player, he has pressure to do well but he is a great kid who never talks back, has good grades, works hard and wants to win. His attitude is the best on the team. He shows that Black kids don’t have to be thugs, into rap music or popular culture,” echoed Travis Roland, assistant coach.

Roland is a former Buccaneer star football player who also stood out in baseball. He was a star football player at Bethune-Cookman University and now coaches Pop Warner youth football.

“I played baseball all my life. My family would tell you that it is my best sport.

I played here under Coach Burton but I fell in love with football. I still love baseball. I have the experience which helps me help others,” said Roland.

“Travis is great. He played for me and he knows how to do things. He left us for a few years but now he is

back,” added Burton.

Blacks and baseball Edwards is also aware of the declining number of African-Americans playing the game.

“I think that kids don’t come out for it and don’t have the love for it like they used too.

The sport needs to be advertised more in the Black community at all levels. It really needs to start at Marquise the youth Edwards level,” Edwards told the Daytona Times.

Roland also commented on Blacks and baseball.

“It’s tough coming from football. I coach a lot of Black kids that need father figures and positive male figures in their lives. We need to showcase the sport more in our community. This is the highest-paid sport and we are missing

The Buccaneers stand at 9-7 on the 2013 season, which has been up and down so far. They also are in the midst of a four-game losing streak.

“Our starting pitching has been good enough to win, but we have struggled at the plate. Our opponents have taken advantage of our weaknesses,” added Burton.

Mainland is led by seniors Adam Rosenberg (.487 BA, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 6 SB) and Matt Moak (.333 BA, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 3 wins, 2.68 ERA) while Austin Litke (.366 BA, 16 SB) has also helped out.

“Moak has pitched well.

Adam is our best offensive player and Litke has played well in center field. We need for our other guys to step up, which they are capable of doing,” stated Burton.

Some of those other guys are Logan Brownell (.455 BA, 1 HR, 10 RBI), Tyler Brownell (.314 BA, 1 HR, 6 RBI), Mike Johnson (.438 BA, 8 RBI) and Justin Duhaime (.345 BA, 1 HR). All will be needed if Mainland wants to contend for a district title and make a run at the post season.

“We have to put the ball in play, be more aggressive and play consistently,” responded Burton.

Prep Sports Seven Baseball 1. Spruce Creek (13-3), 2. University (13-4), 3. New Smyrna (10-3), 4. Trinity (7-5-1), 5. Taylor (12-4), 6. Father Lopez (8-4), 7.

Seabreeze (7-6). Lurking: Mainland (9-7), DeLand (8-8), Deltona (8-8-1).

Note: Records and rankings are as of Tuesday (326) at noon.

Track and bowling highlight Wildcats sports action BYANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES butleramj@yahoo.com

The Lady Wildcats’ bowling team went 2-2 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Bowling Championships at AMF Chesapeake Lanes in Chesapeake, Va. Bethune-Cookman (6065) is currently ranked 20th in the latest National TinPin Coaches Association poll.

B-CU entered the MEAC tournament as the sixth seed but fell to Florida A&M (4-2) in the opening match.

The Lady Wildcats went to the consolation bracket and picked up wins over Delaware State (4.53.5) and nationally ranked North Carolina A&T (4-2), but a loss to Hampton (4-1) prevented them from being able to bowl their way into the championship match.

“We were up and down all year. I thought we fought hard in the tournament but Hampton bowled better than us,” said Tony O’Neal, B-CU’s bowling coach.

Hilliard All-MEAC; team awaits fate B-CU’s Staci Hilliard was the top bowler for the tournament. Hilliard was recently named to the AllMEAC First Bowling team for the season.

The University of Maryland-Eastern Shore topped Hampton in the championship match. It was the sixth MEAC title for the Hawks.

B-CU ROUNDUP The Maryland team also is the two-time defending NCAA champion.

The NCAA Bowling Tournament Selection show took place on Wednesday after the Daytona Times’ deadline.

B-CU, like the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, is hoping to earn an at-large bid for the tournament and have a chance to play for the national title.

Track and field: B-CU fares well at Relays Rain shortened the Florida State University Relays in Tallahassee this past week but Bethune-Cookman still took away some good performances.

Kadian Dunkley (11:23.

80) finished fourth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and Sasha Smallwood (3.56m/11.8ft) took home sixth place in the pole vault for the Wildcats women.

On the men’s side, Barry Kimbrough (46-06m/15101ft) was sixth in the discus and junior Saint Preux (14.52s) was sixth in the 110m hurdles for B-CU. B-CU will compete in the University of North Florida Invitational in Jacksonville March 29-30.

Football: B-CU in spring practice The Wildcats’ football program kicked off spring football practice with a two-hour workout on

March 23.

“It’s good to get going.

The guys were moving pretty well. They worked hard during the offseason and it carried over to spring practice. It’s exciting,” commented Brian Jenkins, B-CU’s head football coach.

The defending MEAC champions are scheduled for 13 workout sessions during the spring.

Bethune-Cookman spring practices are closed to the public.

B-CU will hold its spring showcase (spring game) on April 20. The time and location will be announced.

Baseball: ’Cats swept On the Diamond, the Wildcats couldn’t master the cold weather as they were swept in a three-game series by Big 12 opponent Kansas State University.

The Wildcats of Kansas beat the Wildcats of B-CU by scores of 12-0, 9-2 and 6-3 over the weekend.

B-CU played the University of North Florida in Jacksonville on Tuesday night.

The Wildcats return to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play for a key threegame series at Jackie Robinson Ballpark with Southern Division opponent Savannah State University (15-8, 5-3) on March 30-31.

The Wildcats’ pitching leaders are Montana Durapau (3-2, 3.83 ERA), Anthony Stokes (2-1, 1.04 ERA) and Jordan Dailey (20, 1.90 ERA, 4 saves).

Anthony Stokes, a junior from Chesapeake, Va., proved to be B-CU’s biggest power hitter in 2012, batting .261 with a .497 slugging percentage and 41 hits.

The offense will rely upon Josh Johnson (.333 BA, 11 RBI, 6 SBs), David Lee (.261 BA, 1 HR, 15 RBI), Stokes (1 HR, 10 RBI), Brandon Turner (.266 BA, 8SB), Eros Modena (.302 BA, 13 RBI, 19 R) and Matt Noble (19 RBIs).

Stokes MEAC Pitcher of Week Junior Anthony Stokes was named MEAC Pitcher

of the Week on Monday.

Stokes pitched six scoreless innings with a 1.50 ERA to help B-CU defeat the University of South Florida 6-2 at a home game on March 19.

Softball: Wildcats get wins; ready for MEAC Looking to get the season going, the Bethune-Cookman softball team went 2-3

at the Florida Atlantic University Invitational in Boca Raton from March 22-24.

B-CU (6-27) lost to Iowa State (7-0) and host Florida Atlantic (twice/8-0, 9-0) but picked up wins over Dartmouth (2-1) and Elon (5-4).

Against Dartmouth, Aureila Gamch and Calesha Shelly had RBI singles while Samantha Gale pitched a complete game to get the win for B-CU. Gale pitched another complete game for a win against Elon while Kelsi Rodney went 2-fo4-with an RBI, Shamaria Engram 2-for-3 and Michelle Banuelos-Smith 1-for-3 with an RBI for B-CU. The Lady Wildcats begin MEAC play with a threegame series in Durham, N.C. against North Carolina Central from March 3031.

Fifteen of the next 18 games will be conference games – six against teams from Florida in the state and 11 games will be at home.

The Lady Wildcats are led offensively by Michelle Banuelos-Smith (.307BA, 4HR, 15RBI, 12R, 8SB); Aureila Gamch (.257BA, 1HR, 9RBI) and Kelsi Rodney (.253BA, 1HR, 12RBI, 16R).

Teammates Simone Ceaser (.260 BA), Shamaria Engram (.257 BA, 8R BI) and Calesha Shelly (.257 BA, 15 R, 16 SB) will also be depended upon.

Shanel Tolbert (2-19, 5.10ERA) and Samantha Gale (4-8, 4.71ERA) are the pitchers for B-CU.

R8

7HEALTH

MARCH 28 – APRIL 3, 2013

Feeding children a vegan diet growing in popularity even “chicken” nuggets.

“Just like the family next door,” Parker-Rollins says jokingly.

BY JILL ROSEN BALTIMORE SUN/MCT

BALTIMORE – Eleven-yearold Tyler Parker-Rollins says being vegan isn’t always easy. But he says it’s also “fun” and that he plans to be one “forever.”

His 9-year-old brother, Will, loved it when his friends tried vegan pizza at his birthday party and “they actually really liked it.”

Their little sister, Maya, who’s 5, says she’s vegan “because I love animals, and I don’t want pigs to be killed.” She then runs off to find her copy of “Charlotte’s Web,” which, she says, “is where I got that from.”

The Parker-Rollins kids, growing up in Lutherville, Md., are among a growing number of children whose parents are raising them vegan, without any of the milk or meat conventionally considered part of a growing child’s diet.

Going too far?

When she was pregnant, their mother, Lesley Parker-Rollins got a lot of “Are you sure you should do that?” and one friend accused her of “taking it too far.”

“If I knew you couldn’t be healthy and vegan, then no, I wouldn’t be doing it,” says the stay-at-home mom, who’s passionate about animal rights and became a vegan 15 years ago.

“For Tyler and Will and Maya, it’s never been this torturous thing or even close. It’s just that eating animals doesn’t make sense to them.”

In 2010, about 3 percent of children and adults in the United States were vegan, according to the Baltimore-based Vegetarian Resource Group.

Endorsed by dietitians

KARL MERTON FERRON/BALTIMORE SUN/MCT

Lesley and Ray Parker-Rollins (at ends of table) and their children Will, 10 (blue sweatshirt), Maya, 5, and Tyler, 11, eat dinner on March 7 at their home in Lutherville-Timonium, Md.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Academy of Pediatrics both endorse vegan diets for children — even infants and toddlers.

If parents are careful that their children are getting enough to eat and the right nutrients, Adina Fradkin, a clinical dietitian at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, sees nothing wrong with it either.

“People might ask how could a parent subject growing children to such a restrictive diet?” she says. “But as long as parents are on top of what vitamins and minerals their kids aren’t going to get and replacing them, a child is not going to be malnourished.”

For babies and young children, Fradkin says, vegan parents should be mindful of substituting key growth nutrients typically found in animal products.

Consult a doctor tracks the adult one.

“It’s a huge increase. In 1994, it was 1 percent,” Cunningham says. “Veganism and vegetarianism have become more accepted in society.”

He says parents of children who say they want to become vegan are also more likely now to allow the switch.

“It’s not as odd and scary as it may have been 10 years ago,” says the 43-year-old Parker-Rollins, who convinced her once “all cheese and steak sub” husband, Ray, to join her in giving up meat and dairy. “You can go to any Giant or Safeway and find everything you need.”

Huge increase

Drank soy milk

Two years later, vegan adults comprised 5 percent of the population, and though the group didn’t count vegan kids then, John Cunningham, the organization’s consumer research manager, suspects the children’s count also jumped 2 percent because the youth poll typically

Parker-Rollins breast-fed each of her three children — vegans endorse mother’s milk, which a woman willingly gives her baby unlike, say, cows’ milk that is meant for a calf, not a human.

She gradually introduced the kids to sweet potatoes, peas and applesauce, and then eventually

to proteins like tofu and chickpeas.

They drank fortified soy milk.

And when they were old enough, they all read “Benji Bean Sprout Doesn’t Eat Meat.”

The picture book about a boy who gets a hard time at school for being a vegetarian is a hit with parents who’ve given up meat.

Benji considers eating a hamburger to fit in, but in the end decides he’s happy being a vegetarian and the other kids eventually accept it — won over by Benji’s favorite dish, “neatloaf.”

Meat substitutes A school bully once harassed Tyler, Parker-Rollins says, trying to force a chicken leg into his mouth. Her son was “very upset.”

But even though her children are the only vegan students at Lutherville Laboratory Elementary School, she says they have run into few problems. Tyler says he’s been teased “almost never.”

The children’s packed lunches look like anyone else’s — peanut

WHAT IS A VEGAN? While vegetarians don’t eat meat, fish or poultry, vegans also don’t eat animal by-products such as eggs and dairy.

Percent of vegan adults in U.S. in 2012: 5 percent Percent of vegan children in U.S. in 2010: 3 percent Percent of vegan adults in U.S. in 2010: 3 percent Number of vegan adults in U.S. in 1994: 1 percent Vegetarian Resource Group

butter and jelly sandwiches or faux turkey ones made with Tofurky.

With the help of meatless “meat” products available at most mainstream groceries, dinners at the Parker-Rollins house include spaghetti and “meatballs,” “chicken” scallopini and

With B12, a vitamin important for the neurological system, parents may want to consider supplements. For calcium and vitamin D, usually found in milk, vegans can choose a fortified nondairy milk or look for fortified cereals. There is also a lot of calcium in certain vegetables and leafy greens.

Enough protein can easily be found in beans, legumes and nuts.

Because these foods are often filling, Fradkin said. Parents should be careful that kids are eating enough, too.

“Parents who are doing this for the first time just need to be careful about where they’re getting their information from,” she says.

“You want to talk to your physician about it or a dietitian to help to you navigate it.”

For more information about veganism: The Vegetarian Resource Group: http://www.vrg. org. For vegan recipes, including kid-friendly ones: http://www. vegweb.com.