Daytona Times - May 22, 2014 by Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC

Deltas give scholarships to Flagler students SEE PAGE 3

EE FR

RAYNARD JACKSON: More self-reliance needed in Africa See page 4

How economy impacts young college grads

East Central Florida’s Black Voice MAY 22 - MAY 28, 2014

YEAR 39 NO. 21

SEE PAGE 5

www.daytonatimes.com

Poised to make a difference in DeLand Ex-wife of man run over by officer, career counselor seek commission seat in DeLand BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com

Rallies, meet and greets and eventual town hall Q&A’s are all on the schedules of DeLand’s Krystal Brown and Jessica Davis. The two are vying for DeLand’s City Commission Seat 3. Unlike Daytona Beach, where the city commission is broken up into

districts, DeLand’s commission is split into seats meaning any registered voter of DeLand can vote in the election – not only those within a certain address in a certain zone. The general election is Aug. 26. According to the City Clerk’s office, Vonzelle Johnson, who currently holds the seat, has not filed paperwork for re-election. He has until June 20 to decide if he will seek a second term.

Krystal Brown Brown, who held a United 4 Justice Walk last Satur-

Krystal Brown

Jessica Davis

day at the Chisholm Center in DeLand, recently gained national recognition after her ex-husband, Marlon Brown, suffocated under a police car after being chased by a DeLand officer. The officer has since been fired but not charged in the case.

Brown brought in Ben Crump, the attorney who represented the family of Trayvon Martin, to review the case. A year later, she has been motivated to run for office. “In that year, I’ve been very, very educated on the judicial system and not only that my eyes have been opened to other issues. Things that don’t appear to be evenly distributed such as the amount of money given out to certain parts of the city. It is eye-opening.” In reference to the sudden death of Marlon, Brown she said has two options. “Do I stand in my trag-

edy or on my tragedy? I stand on it. You can go on social media all day long, but if you don’t put feet on the ground, what is there? Some people may say that someone who doesn’t agree with what you are saying is mad or confrontational. But what is wrong is wrong and someone must speak up.” She continued, “I speak out on facts, I don’t go before any podium, or any microphone and rattle off emotional hoopla. No I come with facts. The facts that I have are ones I acquire from public record.” “People saw me do that and they said to me, ‘We

need you. Your voice is loud and true. We don’t need someone who is getting into City Hall riding on someone else’s coattails.’ I’m not trying to make friends or use this as a stepping stone for something else. I’m doing this for DeLand.” Brown received an associate degree degree with honors in occupational therapy and a certificate in nursing from Daytona State College.

Jessica Davis A career counselor for at-risk teens, Davis proPlease see DELAND, Page 2

Appreciation day for women in public service Stewart Memorial honors elected officials during annual Women’s Day BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com

Elected and appointed officials throughout Volusia County flocked to Stewart Memorial United Methodist Church in Daytona Beach to celebrate its annual Women’s Day on Sunday. Senator Dorothy Hukill, past and present Volusia County Council members including Freddye Moore, Joyce Cusack and Patricia Northey, judges, school board members, mayors and city commissioners were all in attendance. Judy Reiker, Oretha Bell and Lynne Plaskett were honored for their service as well. Daytona Beach City Commissioner Paula Reed was the keynote speaker and shared the importance of working together, noting that at the Women’s Day Service, women from multiple churches were able to come together and do just that – work together.

Many hats “When you think of all that women do, she’s a chauffer, a gardener, sometimes a maintenance worker, more often a cleaning woman, a housekeeper, ‘Oh I got some umhmms, I see you all must know about that,” she said. “A cook, sometimes the bookkeeper, the interior decorator, a caterer, often a psychiatrist, a secretary and sometimes a hostess.” “Some of us have done one or two, three or four and many times at the same time.” After reflecting on the many hats women wear in everyday life, Reed shared an article she read in a newspaper on the growth rate of women-owned businesses across the nation.

Raising them up “I was looking at the newspaper this week, something elected officials are supposed to do, to see what we said, or what they said we said,” Reed said, which roused laughter from the crowd. “And what I found

ASHLEY THOMAS/DAYTONA TIMES

Gwen Azama-Edwards, former Daytona Beach city commissioner and retired clerk (left) stands with Commissioners Paula Reed and Kelly White at the Women’s Day Service held at Stewart Memorial United Methodist Church. are women are starting companies at a fast pace. This newspaper out of New York shows that women-owned businesses are growing at a tremendous rate. “If you go to work for a new business it is a good chance that you will be working for a woman. Between 1997 and 2014, the number of women-owned businesses in the United States rose 58 percent. Twice

the growth rate for men. They are starting an estimated 1288 companies each day. Each day, yes! Up from 602 in 2011 and 2012. Wow! Somebody is raising them up!” In addition to female elected officials, other elected officials, including state Rep. Dwayne Taylor were in attendance.

Scholarships await students who remain drug-free BY ASHLEY D. THOMAS DAYTONA TIMES aysheldarcel@gmail.com

Tais Wilson takes an oath to be a good student and drug free while her father looks on.

ALSO INSIDE

The FUTURES Foundation for Volusia County Schools held its Take Stock in Children (TSIC) New Contract Signing and Senior Recognition Ceremony May 15. Volusia County Judge Dawn Fields presided over the swearing-in ceremony and shared words of encouragement with the new enrollees and their parents. The program assists ambitious, goal-oriented students to graduate from high school and attend college by offering college tuition scholarships and volunteer mentors. “Low-income students are se-

lected in eighth grade through an application process which includes writing an essay on why they should be selected. Once selected through a committee review process, they are paired with a mentor who beginning in ninth grade meets weekly for approximately 30 minutes on campus during the school term,” said Cynthia Ramirez, executive director of FUTURES Foundation for Volusia County Schools. “The Volusia County Take Stock In Children scholar must maintain a weighted GPA of 3.0 and maintain good citizenship,” added, noting that good citizenship includes no drug or alcohol use, crime or gang involvement. Upon achieving these goals, the students are awarded a Florida Pre-

paid tuition scholarship. The Florida prepaid scholarships purchased for these students are just over $16,000. Donations from community, state FUTURES/Take Stock in Children raises funds for these student scholarships through individual, community, civic and private donations and all contributions are matched 100 percent with dollars from the Florida Prepaid Scholarship Program. Students at the event had plans of entrepreneurship, medicine and the arts. “She has always been a good student, always been on the honor roll, but once she saw all the schol-

COMMUNITY: LUCAS TO BE HONORED AT STRAPP GOLF TOURNAMENT | PAGE 3 SPORTS: DAD OF TENNIS STARS WRITES ABOUT LIFE, RACE AND REALITY | PAGE 7

Please see STUDENTS, Page 2

7 FOCUS

MAY 22 – MAY 28, 2014

FSU presidential search shortlisted to Thrasher BY JIM TURNER NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

Powerful Sen. John Thrasher’s desire to be the next president of Florida State University has caused a search committee to “pause” the process so it can interview him for the position. Search consultant Bill Funk told committee members on Wednesday that the “irregular” step is needed because the “long-shadJohn ow” of the St. AuThrasher gustine Republican is keeping other qualified candidates from wanting to apply for the job. “We’re not endorsing John for the role,” said Funk, founder and president of Dallas-based consulting firm R. William Funk & Associates. “But we are saying that John is casting a long-shadow. It’s limiting our opportunity to put together the kind of pool that this committee and that this

university deserves.” The action, approved in a 15-9 committee vote, gives Thrasher an inside track for the job, which was vacated April 2 when Eric Barron left for the same post at Penn State University. FSU Provost Garnett Stokes has been serving as the institution’s interim president. The university’s Board of Trustees will get an up or down recommendation from the committee some time after the Thrasher interview, which is set for June 11.

Not a done deal Before the recommendation is given, Thrasher would also be required to take part in additional interviews with student and faculty groups that have indicated more opposition to his possible selection. Search committee member and Board of Trustees Chairman Allan Bense said the process isn’t “a done deal.” Bense, who spoke highly of hiring a president who can raise money, noted that Florida Atlan-

tic University trustees in January rejected former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux and current Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater when selecting a new president. “Everyone thought it was a done deal, one of those two folks was going to get it,” Bense, a former state House speaker, said of the Florida Atlantic decision. “Now just because we’re going to vet John Thrasher … that doesn’t mean he isn’t going to stand a rigorous test.” Thrasher, 70, has long been an influential figure in state politics and serves as chairman of Gov. Rick Scott’s re-election campaign. He served as House speaker from 1998 to 2000 and currently is chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. A 1965 graduate of FSU who also later received his law degree from the university, Thrasher has helped funnel millions of dollars in state money to the Tallahassee campus. Among other things, he played a key role in establishing the university’s medical school.

Dream Defenders call foul The decision to interview Thrasher quickly drew opposition from students and faculty. Several claimed Thrasher has “hijacked” the process by covertly maneuvering for the post. Search committee members had said in February the selection would weigh more on academic credentials than political connections. Jennifer Proffitt, president of the FSU chapter of the United Faculty of Florida, expected the process would lean toward Thrasher, but said the action Wednesday was more “blatant” than she anticipated. “I think this meeting effectively shut down anyone who would have applied,” Proffitt said. Regina Joseph, vice-president of the FSU Dream Defenders, said student opposition also stems from the anticipated negative image the campus will receive because, “This right-wing politician supports big business, and the fact that he supports the three-strikes (sentencing) law and various other laws that we feel are harmful to black and brown people.” None of the student or faculty representatives on the search committee voted in support of the motion to interview Thrasher. If Thrasher fails to get the

Art collection on display at YSG Center

Fired in 2013 Swindle was fired last year after a complaint by McBurney, but he successfully appealed that firing to the state Public Employees Relations Commission. The commission, however, said Swindle should receive a 120-hour suspension. Swindle challenged the discipline in the 1st District Court of Appeal. “We’re here to clear his name,’’ Sidney Matthew, an attorney for Swindle, said during oral arguments last week. “We want the discipline against him taken away.” But Sandra Coulter, an attorney for the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, which includes the highway patrol, said Swindle should be disciplined. “There was no policy out there that said you can write a false citation,” she said. A three-judge panel issued a one-line ruling Tuesday upholding the Public Employees Relations Commission decision.

“It is very important to me,” Tais chimed in, who plays the cello and piano and seeks a profession in the medical field.

arships that were available she’s been working her butt off even more,” Tais Wilson’s father said about his daughter. “She’s finished her her high school math classes and hasn’t begun high school yet.”

DELAND from Page 1

vides GED instruction and work readiness skills for high school dropouts age 16-21. “I’m passionate about working with those that others wouldn’t take an

And when those same individuals were asked about applying for the FSU job, many expressed similar concerns, as their Florida contacts told them the job was going to Thrasher, Funk said. Thrasher has yet to submit a resume, but Funk said the lawmaker is interested in the job and intends to apply. Thrasher has also received a number of letters of recommendation for the post, including one from former FSU president Talbot “Sandy” D’Alemberte. In the letter, D’Alemberte noted Thrasher’s involvement in opening the FSU medical school and argued that the ability to raise money should also be considered a key factor in the selection due to a loss of resources at state schools in recent years.

With no explanation, a state appeals court Tuesday ruled against a Florida Highway Patrol trooper who challenged a 120-hour suspension because he contended he was unfairly disciplined for giving breaks on speeding tickets to lawmakers. Trooper Charles Swindle said he was following a longstanding unwritten policy when he gave lessexpensive tickets for nonmoving violations – rather than speeding tickets – to Rep. Charles McBurney, R-Jacksonville, and Rep. Mike Clelland, D-Lake Mary.

Kimberly Griffiths, O’Dregon Smith, Isael Mancilla, County Judge Dawn Fields, Gabriela Soto, Tais Wilson, Alicia Black and Carolynn Boatfield stand before parents and stakeholders at a banquet honoring the commitment and oath of the new Take Stock in Children inductees.

from Page 1

Similar concerns voiced

Trooper loses appeal in lawmaker ticket case

The thought-provoking works of talented artist Doreen Hardie are currently on display at the Yvonne Scarlett-Golden (YSG) Cultural and Educational Center, 1000 Vine St. Her collection titled Serenity, Art that Speaks To the Soul, will be on display through July 11. Admission is free and the YSG community center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hardie’s oil paintings are done in an impressionistic style. She is strongly influenced by the late Greek painter Antonios Karafyllakis. Her works have been shown in several galleries and shows in the Washington, DC area including a one-man showing of her works at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. She has also shown at the Washington Convention Center at the National Urban League Art Expo in Washington, DC, at Fine Art at the Riverfront art show in Wilmington, Delaware and at the Off The Main art show in Soho, New York. – Staff reports

STUDENTS

search committee recommendation, the search process would restart, Funk said. Funk based his recommendation in part on the recent decision by the College of Charleston to hire South Carolina Lt. Gov. Glenn McConnell as its next president. “I’ve talked to some of the individual candidates in that search … and they felt like they were exploited and used and they don’t have very good feelings right now about the College of Charleston,” Funk said.

‘I can do this’ Odeon Smith, a student interested in game design told the Daytona Times he understands the importance of the scholarship. “It can be a struggle to get money, and I know I

interest in. It’s the same when it comes to politics,” she remarked. “I want to make sure people have a voice. I want people to have adequate housing so they aren’t homeless and to work with those who others may say are at risk.” Davis says she is not using the seat as a personal platform. “It’s not about Jessica, it’s about DeLand.”

can do this.’’ “We are a team,” he added, referring to his family and mom, Connie Smith, who also was at the banquet. Mentors are being recruited to meet with students at their school to offer encouragement, motivation and serve as positive role models. Interested parties can complete an online application at futuresvolusia.org or call the office at 386-255-6475.

“I want to make a difference. I’ve always been behind the scenes,” said Davis who worked on campaigns to elect other officials, including President Barack Obama. I consider myself to be a liaison, to work together with the community so they can get things they want.” Davis is a graduate of Florida A&M University

with a degree in journalism and a minor in education. She says her reason for running for elected office was not a difficult decision. “I love DeLand and what it has to offer. It is a great place for my husband and I to raise our two-year-old daughter.”

3 7

MAY 22 – MAY 28, 2014 COMMUNITY DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006

M A YNEWS OR

Deltas give scholarships to Flagler students Recipients exemplified excellence in awards for scholarships The Palm Coast Flagler County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. The 2014 recipients are Andjie Jeudy of Flagler Palm Coast High School (FPC), Crystal Buchanan of Matanzas High School (MHS), Marcus Polite, FPC; and Widline Guillaume, MHS. The administrative liaisons were Lalita Thomas, chapter president; Kenya Ford, scholarship committee chair, and Sheryl Lewis, education development chair.

NAACP to meet May 27 Join the Flagler County NAACP for the May 27, 6 p.m., membership meeting at the African American Cultural Society, 4422 North U.S. 1, Palm Coast. The meeting scheduled for May 22 was announced in error. The May 27 meeting will provide the enrollment process and importance of early learning, presented by Abra Seay, coordinator of Early Childhood Education for the Flagler County schools. In addition to the membership, parents and guardians, other members of the community are invited. For further details, contact the NAACP at 386-446-7822.

Juneteenth set for June 14 The African American Cultural Society, Inc. (AACS), will again host the observance of Juneteenth come June 14 at the AACS cultural center, 4422 North U.S. 1, Palm Coast.

PALM COAST COMMUNITY NEWS JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY

Juneteenth is the only holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the United States. All are welcome to join in on this free cultural event, partially funded by the City of Palm Coast. While the program begins noon and ends 4 p.m., vendors will display their merchandise beginning 10 a.m. The program will honor African and African-American ancestors through song, dance, and dramatic performance. Parents are encouraged to bring children for an educational, entertaining experience. Freewill donations will help defray the costs, and will be gratefully accepted at the observance and online at www.aacspc. eventbrite.com. For details, contact Shirley Jacob by email at shirleyjacob@ bellsouth.net. Visit AACSPalmCoast on Facebook or contact AACS president Stephanie Ecklin at 386-447-7030, or email www. ourvoicesthrive@yahoo.com.

‘Sweet Soul of the 70s’ show Community activist/author Donna Gray-Banks dovetails with a chance to see a show at the Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center. Gray-Banks sends an email from Cuba Gooding, Sr., Main Ingredient’s lead singer, best known for “Everybody Plays the Fool.” Gooding will present

Lucas to be honored at Strapp golf tournament The 11th annual Elisha J. Strapp Invitational Golf Scholarship Tournament hosted by the Greater Friendship Scholarship Ministry will be held June 7 at the LPGA International Golf Course, 1000 Champions Drive, Daytona Beach. Celebrating 11 years, the comHarold V. munity and eduLucas, Jr. cation 2014 tournament honoree is Harold V. Lucas, Jr. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. with a four-person scramble, shotgun starts at 8:30 a.m.

Tournament contests include a $10,000 cash hole-in-one prize and auxiliary holes prizes are Callaway Razr X HL irons, roundtrip air tickets and a Sea Mist golf trip for two. The scholarship ministry raises funds to benefit early childhood learning centers and graduating high school seniors who are seeking higher education at an accredited educational institution to improve their skills and quality of life. For more information, e-mail sandrastrapp@gmail.com or contact tournament co-directors Ronald Gibson at 386.405.8589 or Lorenzo Hayward at 407-3416464.

Historic Preservation Board to meet May 27

Volusia County Council to issue certificates of designation for eligible historic resources such as structures, archaeological sites and historic districts; and certificates of appropriateness for demolition, alteration, relocation and new construction. The board advises the County Council on matters related to historic preservation policy, including use, management and maintenance of county-owned historic resources. For more information, contact Julie Adams Scofield at 386-7365953, ext. 12008, or jscofield@ volusia.org.

The Volusia County Historic Preservation Board will meet at 3 p.m. May 27, in the Frank T. Bruno Jr. County Council Chambers of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand. Members will consider a request for designation of the Joseph Underhill house in Barberville. The board also will receive updates from staff on current projects. The public is invited to attend and participate in the meeting. The board is appointed by the

Palm Coast plans Memorial Day Ceremony at Heroes park On Monday, the City of Palm Coast will have a public Memorial Day Ceremony to remember the men and women who have died while serving in the U.S. military. The ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m. at Heroes Memorial Park, 2860 Palm Coast Pkwy. NW, Palm Coast (1/2 mile west of the Flagler County Library). Guest speakers will be Retired Col. Gary E. DeKay of the Flagler County Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America; Commandant Jack Marshall of Marine Corps League Detachment 867, Commander Ronald Stark of Palm Coast Veterans

VFW Post 3282 to host Port Orange tribute The community is invited to attend Port Orange’s annual Memorial Day Ceremony on May 26

COURTESY OF PALM COAST FLAGLER COUNTY ALUMNAE CHAPTER, DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY

Included in the awards ceremony were Andjie Jeudy; Crystal Buchanan; Marcus Polite; former chapter president Dr. Pamela Jackson-Smith; Sheryl Lewis; and Widline Guillaume.

of Foreign Wars Post 8696, and Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts. The U.S. Armed Forces Flag Presentation will be conducted by the Flagler Palm Coast High School Air Force JROTC, Matanzas High School Army JROTC, and U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps’ St. Augustine Battalion. A Memorial Wreath presentation will be done by local veterans organizations. In addition to the mayor, who will emcee the ceremony, members of the City Council will attend the ceremony. In case of rain, the program will be moved to Palm Coast Fire Station 21, 9 Corporate Drive. For more information, contact the Palm Coast Fire Department at 386-986-2300. beginning at 10 a.m. VFW Post 3282 will host the ceremony at Veterans Park across the lake from City Hall, 1000 City Center Circle. For more information, call 386-506-5936.

WIKIPEDIA

Cuba Gooding and The Main Ingredient will perform in Daytona Beach on July 19 as part of the “Sweet Soul of the 70s’’ concert. “Sweet Soul of the 70s,” starring The Emotions, Harold Melvin’s Blue Notes, Peaches & Herb and, of course, The Main Ingredient!

Votran will have limited service on Memorial Day Votran will operate a limited service schedule Memorial Day, Monday, May 26. West Volusia routes 22, 24 and the Route 60 will not operate. Connecting SunRail Routes 30, 31, 32 and 33 will not operate, as there will be no SunRail service on Memorial Day. Route 20 will operate every two hours beginning with the 7:32 a.m. southbound trip at Northgate Plaza. Northbound trips will depart Market Place every two hours from 8:35 a.m. to 4:35 p.m. Routes 21 and 23 will operate on a Saturday schedule. East Volusia routes 1, 3, 4, 10, 15 and 17 will operate on the Sunday schedule. Buses will operate from the Intermodal Transfer Facility (ITF), not the Transfer Plaza. Routes 40 and 41 will operate every two hours. Route 40: The first Route 40 southbound trip will depart Dunlawton Avenue and U.S. 1 at 6:47 a.m. Northbound trips will depart Canal Street and U.S. 1 every two hours beginning at 7:47 a.m. through 5:47 p.m. Since there will be no buses on Swallowtail Drive for Route 40 to transfer passengers, the Route 40 will meet the Route 4 at Dunlawton Avenue and Church Street to transfer passengers going north. Route 40 will depart Wal-Mart every two hours from 8:14 a.m. through 4:14 p.m. Route 41: The first Route 41 southbound trip will depart Canal Street and U.S. 1 at 7 a.m. Regular trips depart every two hours from 8:50 a.m. through 4:50 p.m. The 2:50 p.m. trip departing Canal Street and U.S.1 will be the only trip serving Oak Hill. All other routes and New Smyrna Beach Flex service will not operate. Votran Gold will run limited schedule and times to coincide with the Memorial Day fixed route service. For Votran Gold service changes, contact a reservationist. Votran riders are encouraged to visit www.votran. org and click the “subscribe” button at the bottom of the homepage to receive timely notices about bus service changes. The website also provides up-to-date alerts and real-time bus information.

Free bus rides to SunRail now over The free Votran shuttles taking passengers from Gemini

Gooding requests you to visit their website at www.cuba-gooding.com for more detailed information. In addition, he requests

Springs Park and the Deltona Plaza to the DeBary SunRail station ended May 16. On Monday, SunRail began collecting fares for all boarding passengers. “This has been a very good opportunity for riders to learn about SunRail,” said Steve Sherrer, Votran’s general manager. “During the first week of the free Votran shuttle, we transported nearly 2,000 passengers to and from the DeBary station.” Votran will continue to operate SunRail routes 30, 31, 32 and 33 to and from the DeBary station. Service on these routes will be provided during peak commute times in the morning and in the evening. SunRail is a commuter rail system that operates Monday through Friday with most frequent service provided during peak morning and evening commute periods. Trains run less frequently between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., so passengers should refer to the SunRail schedule to plan their commutes. SunRail schedule information can be found at www.sunrail.com.

you spread the word! The concert will be the first in a series to be presented in the area. They are looking for the first performance to be a huge success. They have enlisted you into their army of “foot soldiers for good music!” The artists are the actual vocalists who sang the song so come and enjoy fantastic music. It’s going to be a lot of fun! More information is available now on the website. The performance will take place July 19. The doors will open 6:30 p.m. at the Mary McLeod Bethune Performing Arts Center, 608 West International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach. ••• As always, remember our prayers for the sick, afflicted and bereaved.

Celebrations Birthday wishes to: Betty C. White, Victor Jordan, May 22; Leonard Rowe, Sandra I. Nurse, Dr. Lawrence Gary, May 26; Audrey Thorpe, May 27.

• Services for adolescents ages 10 to 17 • Family-based intervention, counseling services, and prevention and intervention services • Basic needs services, including emergency intervention and assistance and financial stability Applications, funding criteria and a list of eligible services are available on the county website at http://volusia.org/ community_assistance/applications.stml or by contacting Children and Community Programs Coordinator Peggy Johnson at pcjohnson@volusia.org or 386-736-5955, ext. 15694.

Salvation Army to benefit from Pantry Cook-Off Event The Salvation Army’s first Pantry Cook-off Event is May 17 from 3 to 5 p.m. at 1555 LPGA Boulevard, Daytona Beach. The event is to raise awareness of the food pantry. Guests are asked to take canned goods and donations.

Funds available for children’s and community programs

Tobacco Free Partnership to meet June 2

Contingency grant funds are available for fiscal year 2014-2015 programs in Volusia County that serve children and the community. Applicant organizations must be incorporated in the State of Florida and registered with the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations and be able to demonstrate a minimum of one year of successful service delivery. Additional criteria regarding eligible services, agency capacity, and financial stability are also applicable. A workshop to review the application will be conducted at 9 a.m. May 23 in the first-floor training room of the Thomas C. Kelly Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand. Applications for contingency funds may not include requests for the following services: • Services for persons with disabilities • Infant and maternal health and early childhood • Services to seniors ages 60 and over • Nonschool-hour services for school-age children or youth development and academic programs

The Tobacco Free Partnership of Volusia County (TFPVC) will have an educational session on electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) at its next meeting on Monday, June 2 at 4 p.m. at the Volusia County Health Department (1845 Holsonback Road, Daytona Beach). Vicki Evans of NE Florida AHEC, a health education center, will cover health warnings, safety concerns, current use and regulation of e-cigarettes. The TFP-VC is a countywide, locally organized group committed to saving lives and improving the overall health and wellbeing of residents and visitors by reducing and/or eliminating the use of tobacco products. The partnership is organized to advocate on the local, state and national level for: prevention of the initiation of tobacco use among youth; protection from secondhand smoke; and, promotion of tobacco cessation. Anyone is welcome to attend this and any of the TFPVC meetings. For more information, call Kristen Mialki at 386-2740601.

7 EDITORIAL

MAY 22 – MAY 28, 2014

More self-reliance needed in Africa The recent kidnapping of the Nigerian schoolgirls has been all over the news which is a good thing. We need to take the emotion out of this issue and have a heart-to-heart talk with the leadership of Africa. I am very aware that Africa is not a country, but a continent made up of 54 countries. I am a big booster of the potential of all things Africa, but have been, and still am, a big critic of Africa. Everyone touts the potential of Africa as a continent, not just in terms of its vast natural resources (gold, diamonds, oil, gas, bauxite, etc.); but also in terms of its human resources. Well more than half of Africa’s population is under 18 years of age. They have a “youth bulge” that can be a great asset or a great liability. According to a report by the accounting firm of KPMG, Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to reach $2.6 trillion by the year 2020. Africa also has the fastest-expanding labor force in the world; there are more than 500 million people of working age (15 to 64) in Africa, and that number is expected to pass 1.1 billion by 2040 and larger than China and India. For the most part, my criticism of Africa has to do with its leaders and government bureaucrats, not the people. Many of the leaders are corrupt and selfish, interested only in the enrichment of themselves, their families and their cronies. On the other hand, the people

RAYNARD JACKSON TRICE EDNEY WIRE

of Africa only want three things: education, healthcare, and a job. This seems to be very reasonable and pretty much a universal desire; and one that should be easily achievable on the continent of Africa. But it’s not.

Constant U.S. involvement Africa reminds me of the kid who always wants to be treated like a “big boy,” but then constantly cries for his big brother to rescue him when he gets in trouble. Generally speaking, Africa wants U.S. investments yet can’t provide security for their own people. And if they fail to provide security at that level, there is no reason to believe African countries can provide security for foreign investments. What I find amazing about the abduction of the girls in Nigeria was the immediate cry from Africans for U.S. involvement in finding the girls. Why was there no cry for the involvement of the African Union (AU)? It’s almost as though whenever there is a crisis on the continent, Africans reflexively call on the U.S. or the United Nations (UN) for help, not the AU. The AU has been around for 12 years, so

no more excuses about it being a young organization. If African leaders want to be treated as an equal player on the world stage, then they must be willing to comport themselves in a manner consistent with that desire. Africa continues to lack the understanding and sophistication for why they need to constantly engage with the American media. During the crisis of the kidnapped Nigerian girls, I have yet to see or hear of any engagement by the Nigerian Embassy or the AU with the American media. But I put more blame on Africa for continuing to believe that any media outlet is going to do for them what they should be doing for themselves, i.e. telling their own story. If Africa continues to govern with a third world mentality in a 21st century world, they will continue to be ignored and marginalized. Africa wants Americans to view their continent as a tourist destination and a developing haven for foreign direct investment, but yet they can’t or won’t protect young girls attending school. Despite all this, I should be willing to take my family on a vacation to or invest my money on the continent? Really?

Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a Washington, D.C.-based public relations/government affairs firm. Write your own response at www.daytonatimes.com.

Boko Haram’s crime against the future Will the parents of at least 276 Nigerian girls kidnapped more than a month ago by the terrorist gang, Boko Haram, ever see their daughters alive again? That agonizing question has provoked intense diplomatic efforts involving the governments of the United States and several European and African countries, and an international, social-media-driven campaign to rescue the girls that include demands from some for the U.S. to, if necessary, take military action to get the girls back to their families. There is a great deal to be said about what this terrible crime reveals about, and what it could mean for, Nigeria. But, first, it’s important — even though it offers no comfort — to put this horror in its global context: as yet more evidence that even amid the technological advancements of the 21st century, human beings’ capacity for brutality seems to be as great as ever.

LEE A. DANIELS NNPA COLUMNIST

last year to stop waging chemical warfare against his own people, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has continued to do so in his campaign against rebel forces. Further, a report issued last week stated that the worldwide conflicts of the last two decades since the collapse of the Soviet Union ended the Cold War have forced more than 33 million people to become refugees — and that last year the number of those displaced rose to record levels. Four million of the eight million people displaced by war in 2013 lived in Syria, according to the report of the Norwegian Refugee Council. The report also determined that nearly 500,000 people in Nigeria were displaced by conflict last year, largely the result of Worldwide discomfort Despite the conventional wis- attacks by Boko Haram, which efdom, this failing isn’t to be found fectively controls the country’s just in Black Africa. Just last week, northeastern region. for example, the United Nationsappointed official seeking to end Mystery surrounds the civil war in Syria quit out of location frustration, underscoring that the Even if the Obama administrawar there, which has cost the lives tion, Great Britain and France, of 150,000 men, women and chil- the lead non-African actors in dren, will continue. Statements this, and Nigeria were so inclined, from French and U.S. officials left all the military and diplomatlittle doubt that, despite agreeing ic public statements made thus

far have ruled out a military rescue: because it’s not clear if all the girls are being kept in the same place; and because the Nigerian military, weakened by the country’s pervasive governmental corruption, would likely be untrustworthy in battle. Boko Haram’s threat to Nigeria is also furthered by the fact that its neighbors — Benin, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad — have themselves not tried to stop Boko Haram from using their border areas as a refuge from the sporadic Nigerian attempts to hunt them. Trying to forge the countries into a military pact against Boko Haram — to prevent it from threatening to destabilize any one of them — is the reason they, along with officials from the U.S., the European Union, France, and Great Britain, met in Paris at the end of last week. All this diplomatic maneuvering sounds very far away from doing anything that will end the terror those young Nigerian girls and their parents have been enduring these past five weeks. But the fact is, barring a surprise and unlikely military raid, the diplomatic option is the girls’ only chance of rescue.

Lee A. Daniels is a longtime journalist based in New York City. His latest book is Last Chance: The Political Threat to Black America. Write your own response at www.daytonatimes.com.

The browning of public schools after ‘Brown’ This is the 60th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision outlawing “separate but equal” schools. And like most major anniversaries, incorrect information surfaces as purported fact, doing a disservice to the accomplishment being celebrated as well as truth itself. In this instance, some have asserted that because of re-segregation, public schools in the South, where most African-Americans live, are more segregated now than when Brown was handed down. That is simply untrue.

The truth

GEORGE E. CURRY NNPA COLUMNIST

20th century, 99% of Blacks in the South were still in totally segregated schools,” the report recounted. “Virtually no Whites were in historically Black schools, nor were Black teachers and administrators in White schools. For all practical purposes, it was segregation as usual or ‘segregation forever,’ as some of the South’s politicians promised. In the great majority of the several thousand southern districts nothing had been done.” Actually, there were two Brown decisions. The first, issued in 1954, outlawed segregated public schools masquerading as “separate but equal.” The court ruled “segregation is inherently unequal” and ordered the desegregation of schools. With no progress after a year, the court ordered in 1955, in a ruling sometimes called Brown II, that desegregation had to be carried out “with all deliberate speed.”

First, let’s dispense with the nonsense. “The claims that Black students in the South are no better off than they were before Brown, in terms of segregation, are obviously wrong,” the report stated. “They are ten times as likely to be in majority-White schools as they were when the Civil Rights Act passed.” The 42-page report is packed with illuminating facts about progress made in the wake of Brown and the subsequent retrenchment. But to appreciate the significance of Brown, it is necessary to understand what our schools looked like More of the same Nationwide, the percent of before the court decision. “Nine years after Brown, when Blacks attending majority White President John Kennedy called for schools has declined from a high the first major civil rights act of the of 43.5 percent in 1988 to 23.2 per-

cent in 2011, about the same level it was 1968. This did not happen by accident. “Throughout the l980s there was a strong legal attack on desegregation orders, led by the Reagan and Bush administrations’ Justice Departments and, in l991, the Supreme Court authorized the termination of desegregation plans in the Oklahoma City (Dowell) decision. The decline in Black student access has been continuous since l991,” the report observed. The report documents the strong connection between segregated schools and concentrated poverty. “In schools that are 81-100% Black & Latino, over three-quarters of the students are also enrolled in schools where more than 70% of the students live in poverty,” it stated. “In fact, half of students in 91100% Black & Latino schools are in schools that also have more than 90% low-income students. This means that these students face almost total isolation not only from White and Asian students but also from middle class peers as well.”

George E. Curry, former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine, is editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service (NNPA.) Write your own response at www.daytonatimes.com

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: GOVERNMENT HEALTH CARE

RICK MCKEE, THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE

Africans should bring specific agenda to U.S. President Barack Obama has invited 47 African Heads of State to come to Washington August 5-6 a summit around U.S. – Africa Trade. He invited leaders from across the African continent with the aim of strengthening ties with one of the world’s fastest growing regions. The summit is also a direct followup on the president’s trip last summer to Senegal, Tanzania and South Africa. This historic meeting, is aimed at increasing U.S. trade with Africa, stimulating job growth in the U.S., and promoting the economic development on the continent with the assistance of American companies in the areas of energy and power generation, agriculture, telecommunications as well as in other much needed areas. The idea for the summit or a White House conference on Africa was actually proposed to President Obama at the outset of his presidency in early 2009 by the Constituency for Africa.

Great opportunity The White House African Heads of State Summit in August will be a golden opportunity for African leaders to engage the United States on trade and investment and to position the region as a higher priority for the United States. However, to do so African leaders need to organize and strategize prior to coming here in August in order to come to a consensus agreement on not more than three priority agenda items as goals. It would certainly be more than appropriate and highly rational for African leaders to call on the Diaspora in the United States for specific ideas, suggestions and recommendations in advance of the summit. In the past, the approach by African countries to the United States was generally on a country-by-country basis — lobbying for bilateral support. Often the support requests came in the form of food aid, refugee assistance and other forms of humanitarian aid, to address famine, civil war or other crises that might be occurring. It also came in the form of weapons to combat insurgencies and coup d’état

MELVIN P. FOOTE NNPA COLUMNIST

in these countries. From the U.S. standpoint, the aid was often provided based purely on those African countries’ opposition to Russia and other cold war enemies, and not based on the essential economic and social development of their citizens. It did not matter if the country was democratic or not; whether the aid would be syphoned off or stolen by the leaders; or if the designated populations ever received the aid. It was all about the rhetoric. Today, much has changed; as much as Africa needs the United States, the United States now need Africa. Over the past 20 years, Africa has emerged as a primary trading partner for many countries, most notably China (which has invested billions in the development of African infrastructure in exchange for natural resources), as well as for India, Brazil, Turkey, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia and other countries seeking oil, gas, coal, diamonds and increasing markets to sell products. Things have gotten very competitive now, and it is no longer a given that the United States can generate influence, and get whatever it wants in Africa. To maximize the opportunity for a successful summit, African countries must caucus with one another on a regional basis and then take advantage of the African Union Summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea in July, to determine what it really wants from the United States that will advance the social and economic agenda of the continent.

Melvin P. Foote is the founder, president and CEO of the Constituency for Africa (CFA), a Washington, D.C.-based education and policy advocacy organization in support of Africa’s development. Write your own response at www. daytonatimes.com.

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MAY 22 – MAY 28, 2014 DECEMBER 14 - 20, EMPLOYMENT 2006

MAYOR

How economy impacts young college grads Blacks with degrees have harder time finding employment than Whites, new report shows

BY FREDDIE ALLEN NNPA NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON – Blacks with college degrees continue to fare worse than college-educated Whites in the labor market, according to a new report by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI). The report titled “The Class of 2014: The Weak Economy Is Idling Too Many Young Graduates’’ looked at the job prospects for high school graduates and college graduates during the Great Recession and the current economic recovery. “Unemployment of young graduates is extremely high today, not because of something unique about the Great Recession and its aftermath that has affected young people in particular,” stated the report written by Heidi Shierholz, Alyssa Davis and Will Kimball of EPI. “Rather, it is high because young workers always experience disproportionate increases in unemployment during periods of labor market weakness.”

High jobless rate The report showed that the unemployment rate for Black high school graduates (17-20 yearsold) rose from 30.4 percent in 2007 to 41.2 percent in 2011 and decreased to 34.7 percent. The jobless rate for young, White high school graduates was 13.1 percent in 2007, peaked at 24 percent in 2010, and edged down to 19.4 percent. Young Black college graduates also suffered high rates of unemployment following the Great Recession. In 2007, the jobless rate for young college-educated Blacks was 8.1 percent, but by 2010, a year after the official end of the recession, that rate ballooned to 20 percent. The report said that the jobless rate for this group of workers has improved to 13.1 percent. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate for White college graduates never reached double digits, even during the Great Recession. “Among young, White nonHispanic college graduates, the unemployment rate was 5.1 percent in 2007, rose to 8.6 percent in 2011, and improved to 8.0 percent,” stated the report.

PHOTOS BY FREDDIE ALLEN/NNPA

2014 grads at Howard University and around the country face an uncertain future.

Lost earnings The report said that high unemployment among recent college graduates is not because of a lack of education or skills for available jobs, “rather it stems from weak demand for goods and services, which makes it unnecessary for employers to significantly ramp up hiring.” High school graduates and college graduates also earn less than they did nearly 15 years ago. “The real (inflation-adjusted) wages of young high school graduates have dropped 10.8 percent, and those of young college graduates have dropped 7.7 percent,” stated the report. That means that, high school graduates lost about $2,500 in annual earnings and young college graduates lost approximately $3,000 since 2000. Despite the common belief

that college students often “shelter in school,” waiting until the economy improves, skyrocketing costs associated with higher education and enormous debt force many graduates to seek any work that they can find.

Increase in cost During the 2013-2014 academic year, the average total costs to attend a four-year in-state public school was $22,826. The average costs for a four-year private school was twice that at $44,750. “From the 1983–1984 enrollment year to the 2012–2013 enrollment year, the inflation-adjusted cost of a four-year education, including tuition, fees, and room and board, increased 125.5 percent for private school and 129.1 percent for public school,” the report said. “Median family income only increased 15.6

percent over this period, leaving families and students unable to pay for most colleges and universities in full.” College costs combined with a weak economy means that students that graduate in 2015, 2016, and 2017 will encounter similar high jobless rates and lost earnings. “They’ll never get those lost earnings back, those 10-15 years of reduced earnings, said EPI’s Heidi Shierholz. “That’s just gone.”

Recommendations She said that the high unemployment that young workers are facing right now is part and parcel of the high unemployment that’s going on in the labor market as a whole. “That means the solutions that will bring the unemployment tattoo restrictions took effect April 29.

Expensive to recruit

DAVID EULITT/KANSAS CITY STAR/MCT

Kyle Bayard, 20, lower right, shouts out the cadence during physical exercises in the parking lot behind the Army recruiting station on May 6 in Grandview, Mo. Entrance requirements for joining the military have become more stringent as the military prepares for fewer personnel over the coming years.

Military tightens up on recruiting process BY RICK MONTGOMERY KANSAS CITY STAR/MCT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Army Sgt. 1st Class Terrence Hoard must reach potential recruits early to set them straight. They think anybody can enlist. Many see the military as a last resort in a tough job market — but always an option, the youth assume. Truth is, the Class of 2014 now leaving high school will face more difficulty qualifying for the armed services than ever in the 40-year history of the all-volunteer force. So Hoard tells them long before graduation day: Don’t ever

get caught with a joint. Work out, shed weight. And be extra careful about getting tattooed. “We’re turning down twice as many as before,” said Hoard, who supervises the Army recruiting station in Grandview. His office several years back needed to sign up 16 to 20 soldiers per month to meet recruiting targets. Now, 10 or 12 will do.

Rejected ‘warriors’ Earlier this month, a dozen fresh recruits and wannabe warriors showed up for pushups and jumping jacks. Among them: Kyle Bayard of Drexel, Mo.,

whose lifelong dream of serving was held up for a year because he had been prescribed attentiondeficit medicine in high school. Mauricio Lonza maintained a B average in high school and through a couple of years at Kansas State University. But three times he failed the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery before he got a passing score. “Math was never my category,” said Lonza, 21. On Hoard’s desk were slips bearing the names of four local candidates rejected for having tattoos that crept too low on their forearms. All four were turned down the week after the Army’s

With the United States drawing down its troop numbers from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the active-duty prospects for a generation that grew up in the age of terror aren’t apt to improve, say area recruiters and educators. As it is, about four of every five adults who seek to join don’t qualify. “All this belt-tightening has caused the Department of Defense to chase after the same successful, highly motivated high school graduates that everyone else is chasing,” said retired Army Lt. Col. Mike Byrd, an instructor for Van Horn High School’s Junior ROTC program in Independence. “It’s very expensive to recruit,” he added. “We don’t have the flexibility we once had to get it wrong with one kid and hope the next one works out.”

Smaller military In February, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel unveiled plans to reduce the Army’s active-duty strength from its current force of 520,000 to 490,000 by autumn 2015. Should Congress stick with defense funding caps enacted in December as part of a federal sequestration agreement, the Army over the next two years could shrink toward an active-duty force of about 440,000, its smallest since before World War II. Further shrinkage would be necessary if sequestration fights resume in coming years, Hagel and other defense leaders said. Jessica L. Wright, acting undersecretary for defense personnel and readiness, recently told U.S. senators that the Pentagon’s budget plan spares only the Navy from force reductions next year. The Air Force, Marine Corps and military Reserve and Guard

rate down more broadly are also the same solutions that will bring the unemployment rate of young workers down,” she said. The report recommended restarting long-term emergency unemployment benefits, instituting work sharing programs to avoid layoffs, and allowing earlier access into Social Security and Medicare programs for older workers to improve job prospects for all workers, especially young workers. The report concluded: “The bottom line is that policies that will generate demand for U.S. goods and services (and therefore demand for workers who provide them), or policies that would spread the total hours of work across more workers, are the keys to giving young people a fighting chance as they enter the labor market during the aftermath of the Great Recession.” units would shrink over the next several years, Wright said, though troop cuts are not expected to be as deep as in the Army, the largest recruiter of all. What does this spell for America’s young adults, ages 17 to 24, already buffeted by 14 percent unemployment and ever-soaring college costs? “There’ll be fewer opportunities in military service, as there have been in the overall economy,” Byrd said. And fewer young veterans means less opportunity to have college costs covered by GI benefits.

Higher scores The Army nationwide is on pace to hit its fiscal year 2014 goal of signing up 57,000 recruits for active duty. That’s down from about 80,000 new recruits each year from fiscal 2005 through 2008. Only once, in 2005, did Army recruiters fail to hit their mark. In those years, much of their recruiting success was owed to commanders granting waivers for conduct and health issues that, in peacetime, would keep candidates out of the military. Only 86 percent of new recruits at the height of the war in Iraq had completed high school. Many with felony convictions were allowed in. Today, 99 percent of recruits have graduated from high school. The military branches expect higher scores in the ASVAB test, which quizzes candidates on tools and electrical circuitry as well as on language and math. Even a past misdemeanor may disqualify a potential recruit. “It’s not that we have a zerodefect mentality, because we don’t,” said Nathan Christensen, a Navy officer in public affairs for the Defense Department. “But it is true that the quality of military recruits right now is the highest it’s been in 40 years.”

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MAY 22 –14MAY 2014 DECEMBER - 20,28, 2006

Beaten by White men

Richard and Serena Williams cheer for Venus Williams during her match against Conchita Martinez at the Family Circle Cup tournament match in Charleston, S.C. on April 18, 2004.

Williams had been in New York City since May 4 promoting the book and was scheduled to travel by train to Philadelphia right after his May 7 book signing. “My mother made me leave Shreveport because she was afraid I would get myself killed,” he said, doubling up in laughter. Born Feb. 16, 1942 to Julia Mae Williams, he was one of six children, and the only boy. During his talk before the book signing, he spoke of being beaten by a White man at age five-anda-half, because he dared to touch the man’s hand while giving him money and another beating by a White man at the age of eight. “The most important lesson from this was that my mother would never allow me to use White folks’ prejudice as an excuse for failure,” he said. “From that I learned not to allow anyone to define how and what I would do in life,” he told The Final Call.

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER/MCT

Saved man from lynching

Dad of tennis stars writes about life, race and reality Richard Williams shares experiences in ‘Black and White’ BY SAEED SHABAZZ NNPA NEWS SERVICE

PHOTO BY BERNARD JAMES

Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena, signs books at a bookstore in Manhattan, New York.

NEW YORK – Richard Williams, best known as the father of tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams, has written his first book. It isn’t about how to play tennis. “There are enough books out about tennis — tired of teaching tennis, tired of talking about tennis,” Williams told a standingroom only crowd at a mid-Manhattan Barnes & Noble book-

store on May 7, the day after the release of “Black and White: The Way I See It.” “I wanted to write a book of encouragement; the importance of my life and who I really am,” the 72-year-old icon said proudly. In the book, Williams looks back at the 2012 Wimbledon championship match, and how Serena had to overcome a lifethreatening medical problem to reach the final: “That morning so far from the place I was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. Wimbledon, with its White rule and its traditions and its royalty, was the other end of the world. Yet, were things so very different? In tennis, just as in Shreveport, there was a crowd and I had often heard it grow ugly.” “I still hear people calling me ‘nigger.’ I don’t know why people are calling it the ‘n’ word, call it what it is,” he told The Final Call in a quick interview granted by Williams.

Richard Williams also shared how one night he decided to dress up as a KKK member and attend a rally at the age of 9. They were getting ready to lynch a Black man. “Well, I was able to get him out of there with my squirrel gun, and, believe me, I rode my bicycle faster than ever before. And that is the beginning of my thinking in Black and White,” he said.

Poem for Serena In the book, Richard Williams shares a poem he wrote especially for Serena during her illness: “Step forward so you can see the light of day and know you are capable of conquering fear, defeating feelings of inadequacy, and rising above life’s circumstances. One who is able to prevail Is a shining example of power, strength, and confidence. It’s just a matter of faith.”

This story is special to the NNPA from The Final Call.

Tiger doesn’t know when he’ll return to competitive golf BY MARK HERRMANN NEWSDAY/MCT

In his first news conference since back surgery in March, Tiger Woods said Monday that, before the operation, the pain was so great he simply could not function. And he had doubts that his career could continue. He is better now, but he still cannot come close to answering the question the golf world is asking: When will he be back? “Forget about playing golf at the highest level. I couldn’t get out of bed,” Woods said Monday at Congressional Country Club outside Washington, site of the Quicken Loans National tournament that Woods will host for the benefit of his foundation starting June 26. “I was certainly doubtful at that point. What’s it going to feel like? Am I going to be pain free? Am I going to be able to actually do this again, where I can get out of bed, and go out there and play with my kids and play golf? All those things were up in the air.” The microdiscectomy March 31 gives him hope, but he has no timetable for a return. “I think that’s been kind of the realization to all of this, that there is no date,” he said. It seems highly unlikely he will be able to

play in that, or in the U.S. Open that begins June 12 in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Frustrating for Tiger All he can do is chip and putt. As for returning to competitive golf, “There really is no timetable.” Woods appeared at Congressional with representatives of Quicken Loans, a first-year title sponsor of his PGA Tour event. It will be disappointing to the company if the tournament’s main attraction does not play. Woods, having been surpassed by Adam Scott for the No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking, made it clear it is just as disconcerting for him. “I’d love to play, but I just don’t know,” he said. “That’s one of the more frustrating things. There’s no date, there’s no timetable. (I’m) just taking it day by day and just focusing on trying to get stronger and come back.”

Common operation The microdiscectomy is the most common operation performed by spine surgeons, said Dr. Andrew Hecht, chief of spine surgery at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. The rate of full

Tiger’s ex named Rollins’ top senior Elin Nordegren walks off the stage after speaking during commencement ceremonies at Rollins College in Winter Park on May 10. Nordegren, the former wife of Tiger Woods, was named the “Outstanding Graduating Senior” for Rollins College. STEPHEN M. DOWELL/ ORLANDO SENTINEL/MCT

ROBERT DUYOS/SUN SENTINEL/MCT

Tiger Woods grimaces as he follows through on his tee shot on the 12th hole during the final round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral on March 9 in Doral. recovery is very high. But there is no clearly defined recovery period. It can last three to four months or more.

He was bothered by back problems last August during The Barc lays at Liberty National, but at the time blamed the soreness on

President crashes little league game

ing?” the president said, before sidling up to a young girl whose arm was in a sling. “Hey, what happened? Were you sliding?”

EURWEB.COM

Not all impressed

President Barack Obama paid a surprise visit Monday to Washington’s Friendship Park, where a handful of teams were warming up for their big Little League game. Stepping onto the field in a tie but no jacket, Obama shook hands with the players and posed for photos with each team. “What’s going on people? How’s it go-

Some of the shocked parents reached for their smartphones to snap a quick photo, but not all of their kids were as impressed. Some held back, unsure of who Obama was, as their parents tried to lure them back onto the infield to join the president. “Daddy, let’s just play,” said one young boy, pulling his father by the hand. The “pitcher in chief” even got a chance to try

a soft hotel mattress. “I miss the game,” he said. “I miss getting out there and hitting balls and just playing.”

President Barack Obama greets players as he visits a little league baseball game at Friendship Park on May 19 in Washington, D.C. out his arm, tossing the ball from near the pitcher’s mound to 10-yearold Danny Ringel, who plays for the Tigers. The White House notes the visit came before Obama was sched-

uled to travel to Cooperstown, N.Y., on Thursday to speak at the Baseball Hall of Fame. That visit is focused on boosting U.S. exports, including tourism.

7MAY 22 – MAY 28, 2014