Daytona
Philip chosen to chair the American Heart Association Board See page 3
YEAR 38 NO. 37
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RAYNARD JACKSON: Obama needs PRESORTED a better reason to bomb Syria See page STANDARD 4
U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit #189 Daytona Beach, FL
‘Selfies’ changing the way we communicate See page 7
East Central Florida’s Black Voice
www.daytonatimes.com www.daytonatimes.com
SEPTEMBER 12 - SEPTEMBER 18, 2013
DB City Commission to vote on tax increase
PEOPLE SPEAK
City manager, previous commissions blamed for double-digit hike BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES STAFF Harperjames59@yahoo.com
DAYTONA TIMES FILES
Daytona Beach’s Leisure Services Department, which runs the Cypress Aquatic Center and has cut employees and services, can hire additional employees under the proposed budget.
No time to play
The Daytona Beach Vision Plan’s Community Vision Statement states that the city “move(s) in harmony with… a focus on a bright future with an expanded economy, a living experience enriched by world class cultural, recreational and educational opportunities available to everyone and a community where individuals flourish, families grow, economy thrives and guests long to return.” Some citizens argue that has not been the case during the past six years with James Chisholm as the city manager, a time when tax revenue to the city fell drastically because of property value reductions and the city reducing the tax rate.
Under Chisholm’s watch, there have been only two raises for city employees. Streets are crumbling. All departments are understaffed, forcing employees to do double duty with residents suffering as services are cut or reduced.
Substantial rise Daytona Beach City staff is now recommending to commissioners to raise property taxes 15.4 percent, from a 6.5 to 7.4-millage rate. The vote was 4-3 in favor at a September 4 meeting to support the increase. The final commission vote will be September 18 during a public hearing at City Hall on whether to finalize the increase. Resident John Nicholson blamed Chisholm for the problems the city is facing. “I told you so,” Nicholson said to Chisholm at the September 4 meeting. “We couldn’t keep rolling back (taxes). Don’t do rollbacks because eventually, you will Please see TAX, Page 2
MIDTOWN CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL CENTER
Butts, III returns to city BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES STAFF harperjames59@yahoo.com
Standing at the podium at Bethune-Cookman University’s Performing Arts Center (PAC), Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III recalled the last time he spoke at B-CU. It was in 2004. “Last time I was here was for Brother Cherry,” said Butts, who eulogized Daytona Times founder and former DaytoCharles W. na Beach City ComCherry, Sr. missioner Charles W. Cherry, Sr. during homegoing services at B-CU’s PAC nine years ago. “I want to thank the Cherry family for their love and support,” he said. Cherry, Sr., current Daytona Times Publisher Charles W. Cherry II, CEO Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, and Butts are all graduates of Atlanta’s Morehouse College. Cherry, Sr.’s funeral was the first one held in the PAC.
‘Wonderful energy’ Butts is the pastor of the internationally renowned Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York City. Butts is also president of the State University of New York (SUNY) College at Old Westbury. Before Butts addressed the students, B-CU President Edison Jackson said there is “a wonderful energy this place has – that of the Lord.” Jackson was speaking during the school’s convocation that he called the “official opening of the university.” He shared that some
Junior chefs at work Cathy Fowler, who taught a culinary class at Bethune-Cookman University and is a New York Restaurant School graduate, will teach children on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Center. Registration begins September 16; call Katherine Moore at 386-671-5542 for more info.
Please see BUTTS, Page 2
Orange Avenue streetscape cost increases $3 million BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES STAFF Harperjames59@yahoo.com
Daytona Beach city officials are now projecting the Orange Avenue streetscape project will cost $22 million – $3 million more than residents were told at their last public meeting in February. This is according to information provided to the Daytona Times from Daytona Beach Public Information Officer Susan Cerbone.
Public meeting Residents and property owners had another opportunity to talk to city officials September 11 about the long-awaited reconstruction and upgrading of Orange Avenue from Nova Road to Beach Street at a public meeting at City Hall. Cerbone said residents were told construction will start at Nova Road and progress eastward to Beach Street in eight-, two, and three-block segments. Access to commercial and residential properties will be maintained
throughout the project. This was a concern at the last meeting. Many residents were worried if the project started at Beach Street, there might be a possibility if the project ran out of funding, the west end of the strip would not get completed.
Starts next year Cerbone said construction is now expected to start in March 2014. “It is anticipated that it will take 2 1/2 years to complete the project due to its complexity and limited right-of-way,” she noted.
In addition to a totally reconstructed roadway base and surface, the project will also provide for all-new water, sewer and drainage systems, upgraded traffic signalization and street lighting, widened sidewalks, decorative crosswalks and underground utilities. “These improvements have been designed to improve drainage and safety, to eliminate environment pollution from leaking sewer lines and to vastly improve the aesthetics of the entire corridor,” Cerbone continued.
Delayed start Funding for the project is being provided from a 20-year Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Revolving Loan, Florida Department of Transportation grants, Volusia County and the City of Daytona Beach. Daytona Beach city officials had planned for bids for the Orange Avenue Streetscape project to go out to the marketplace on July 1. That changed when PubPlease see PROJECT, Page 2
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7 FOCUS
SEPTEMBER 12 – SEPTEMBER 18, 2013
Construction begins on Northwood Village II BY JAMES HARPER DAYTONA TIMES STAFF harperjames59@yahoo.com
Pictured, left to right, are Buz Ausley, Robin Courtney, Sonya Frazier, Steve Koenig, Deborah Hallisky, Anthony E. Woods, Joyours “Pete” Gamble, and John Kretzer.
The Housing Authority of the City of Daytona Beach’s board members and staff welcomed the construction of its newest development. Ground was broken September 5 on Northwood Village II. A 27-unit property will be constructed and located on 1.93 acres in unincorporated Volusia County. The total cost of construction is over $3.5 million. This will be the first new affordable housing of this type constructed in Daytona Beach in nearly 30 years, according to a press release provided to the Daytona Times. Among those in attendance at the groundbreaking included U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Field Office Director Buz Ausley; Daytona Beach Hous-
ing Authority board members Robin Courtney, Sonya Frazier, Steve Koenig and John Kretzer, and CEO Anthony E. Woods; Deborah Hallisky of Community Legal Services of MidFlorida, Inc.; and Daytona Beach Housing Development Corporation (DBHDC) CEO Joyours “Pete” Gamble. In September 2010, a concept meeting was held to discuss the development of the site and in September 2011, the Volusia County Council unanimously approved the zoning change necessary to allow for construction. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development approved construction of the development in October 2012 through its Fair Housing Equal Opportunity Department. The funding is primarily through the use of Capital Grant Replacement Housing Factor.
“The new property will be the catalyst for the future disposition of our Walnut Oak property. Also, the build will increase the agency’s total inventory count to provide affordable housing to seven additional eligible families,” Woods said. Gamble, the former CEO of the Housing Authority and now president of DBHDC, said the development would have an immediate impact by bringing more work to the area plus an annual increase of funding for additional affordable housing units. All units will be equipped with audible/visual fire alarm systems; fire suppression sprinkler system; Energy-Star appliances; stained wood cabinets; carpeting in living room and bedrooms; and vinyl flooring in kitchens, bathrooms and front entry. There will also be a picnic and barbeque grill area.
Smith Counts, Jr. dies Smith Counts, Jr. a resident of Ormond Beach who was a mobility instructor at the Rehabilitation Center for the Blind, died on September 8 at Halifax – Health Medical Center in Smith Daytona Beach. He Counts, Jr. was 70. Homegoing services are set for Saturday, September 14, at 11 a.m. at Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, 539 George W. Engram Boulevard, Daytona Beach. R.J. Gainous Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
PROJECT from Page 1
PHOTO BY JOHN REEVES
Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts III spoke at B-CU’s convocation this week, considered to be the official opening of the school year.
BUTTS from Page 1 students told him they made it to the school some “on wings and a prayer.” “With that faith,” Jackson told the students to “continue to believe some way or another you are going to make it” to eventually graduate. Jackson then introduced Butts as “a great friend” while Jackson was president of Medgar Evers College, before coming to BCU.
tax from Page 1 have a big increase. “Jim is trying to cover his butt,” he told the commission. “I don’t like big jumps. A little at a time increase is much easier,” said Nicholson, who told the commissioners to support the property tax increase. “Do it now. We have a lot of things on our plate,” he said.
Major reduction Since 2007, Daytona Beach has seen a cumulative reduction of $47.8 million in property tax revenue, according to Daytona Beach Chief Financial Officer Pat Bliss. Bliss reported during the September 4 City meeting that general revenue funds have dropped from $224.6 million in 2006 to $187.9 million in 2013-14. City expenditures have dropped from $222.7 million to $184.6 million.
Two jobs Butts said people always ask him why he has two jobs – pastor of a church and president of a college. “Because I am a Black man in America,” he said to laughter of the PAC audience, which was packed with students, faculty and local residents. Butts had sage advice for the students. “Without a trained mind and an inspired heart, you will go nowhere,” he said. “Develop a sense of savoir faire,” he said. “It’s important to know what to do in all situations.”
The number of full time employees has dropped from 967 to 800. That is a reduction of 17.3 percent since 2006, and the lowest personnel level since 1977. Since 2006, general fund revenue has fallen from $73.1 to $68.6 million. General fund expenses have fallen from $72.7 to $68 million.
Limited pain The proposed 15.4 tax increase for Daytona Beach property owners is not as drastic as it sounds. Property owners with homes valued from $70,000 to $200,000 will only pay an average of $15 to $100 more a year. This is after having received no increases in taxes and tax cuts over the past six years. Tom Cox, chairman of the Budget Review Committee, reminded the commissioners that the budget is “more than a collection of numbers. It represents an attempt to link what taxes are about and objective of city government.”
Butts also told the students it’s important for them to develop character. He said a lack of character is why so many people have difficulties in life.
‘See God’s face’
‘Yearn for luxury’ “Character is defined as ‘avoidance of luxury.’ We yearn for luxury at any expense to survive in the world,” he continued. “We buy more namebrand things than anyone,” he said, drawing more laughter. He told students that it’s important to save money and start investing in things such as property that will last. He also told them to develop an
Cox said Daytona’s budget has been a “defensive” budget during the past five years that dealt with reduction in property values and a cut in taxes to assist the citizens. “We can’t continue to cut expenses indefinitely. A tax increase is reasonable,” Cox said. Cox reported for the first time since the city has been operating red light cameras, revenues are projected to up by $600,000. Cox also noted city staff didn’t set the revenue bar too high, which means a number of projects will still be deferred, such as improvement of infrastructure throughout the city. He pointed out it makes sense to increase taxes if Daytonans want to improve or at least maintain their current quality of life. “When we say let’s invest in the community, there is pushback. It’s worth the investment,” he concluded. The commission’s expectations for the proposed budget include continued police, code and fire levels;
entrepreneurial spirit, including withdrawing financial support “from anything that is not helping your community.”
He advised them to be courteous to one another, and to see the face of God in each other. “Black people – we don’t see each other. We should recognize value of each individual. We do better in unity. “You don’t have time to play, dream or drift. Take what you do very seriously,” he concluded.
additional Leisure Services staffing; rejuvenation of city facilities and properties; and a three-percent salary increase for employees.
Takes some blame Zone 2 Commissioner Pam Woods admitted during the meeting that she is one of the reasons Daytona Beach residents are facing the large increase. She said during the last five years, property taxes were rolled back. One year, taxes did not increase or decrease. “We’ve had a commission in the last six years that has reduced the millage rate in this town, cut our employees and cut our costs,” Woods said, noting they can’t afford to do so anymore. Woods is worried if the Republican-controlled Florida House and Senate get their way next year, the city will lose control of setting its millage rate. Woods said proposed legislation would cap how much cities can raise millage rates, which could mean the city
lic Works Director Ron McLemore was informed that FDEP delayed their board meeting for the approval of a state revolving loan from June to October, causing the city a delay in bidding until the end of October or first of November. McLemore said the city wanted construction to begin on the project around the first of the year, but now that will not be the case.
Layers of funding The city applied for a $13,143,000 loan from Florida’s revolving funds for the project. In addition, a $4,697,000 Florida Department of Transportation grant and a $1,660,000 Volusia County grant will go toward the project. The Volusia County Council has already approved the $1.6 million. Upon the date of receipt of the county’s $1.6 million payment, the jurisdiction and responsibility to operate, repair, maintain, and control Orange Avenue from Nova Road to Beach Street shall immediately transfer to the city, according to an item on the County Council’s agenda. The county’s contribution was funded from local option gas taxes.
might not be able to fund city services with property taxes. Mayor Derrick Henry, along with Commissioners Woods, Patrick Henry and Paula Reed, voted for the increase.
Still ‘no’ Commissioner Robert Gilliland, who was on the commission when it previously cut taxes, said he still would not support a tax increase. “I can count,” he said noting there were four votes against Commissioners Kelly White, Carl Lentz, and him. “I’m sure this thing (increase in taxes) will pass. It’s just too much. I am not going to support 15 percent. Get it down to a manageable rate,” Gilliland said.
Percentage impact CFO Bliss told commissioners a 15.4 percent property tax increase will mean no reduction in the budget. A 14.1 increase will mean a $268,224 reduction; a 10
percent increase will reduce budget by $1,107,882; and a 5 percent property tax increase will cut the budget by $2,127,826. Supporting the increase will mean at least more two full-time and three parttime employees in the city’s Leisure Services Department, which had seen the biggest cut in services and employees in recent years. The additional funds for Leisure Services will allow Director Percy Williamson to hire employees to staff all the community centers that have been understaffed since the opening of the Yvonne Scarlett Golden Cultural and Education Center. The budget also includes $99,000 to paint Campbell Pool, Schnebly Rec Center, Sunnyland Park, Dickerson Center and the Peninsula Club. City employees will see a 3 percent increase in the pay, only the second increase during the last six years.
SEPTEMBER 12 – SEPTEMBER 18, 2013
COMMUNITY M ANEWS YOR
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DECEMBER 14 - 20, 2006
First Church offers youth activities, parenting seminar
Dr. Pamela Jackson Smith will speak about education at an upcoming parenting seminar in Palm Coast.
Philip chosen to chair the American Heart Association Board FROM STAFF REPORTS
Celeste Philip, M.D., MPH, was elected Chair of Health Equity to the American Heart Association, Greater Southeast Affiliate (GSA) Board of Directors. She is serving on the board during the association’s 2013-2014 fiscal year. The GSA services Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Puerto Rico. Philip is serving as the Interim Deputy Secretary for Health Deputy State Health Officer for Children’s Medical Services (CMS) for the Florida Department of Health in Tallahassee. She previously served the Florida Department of Health as medical director in Volusia County. Philip has been affiliated with the organization for three years. In that time, she has served as a member Dr. Celeste and a Chair of the GSA Health EqPhilip uity Committee. She has also represented the American Heart Association at the White House Community Leaders Briefing on Cardiovascular Health in February 2012. During the upcoming year, Philip’s leadership will help the organization impact heart disease and stroke, the No. 1 and No. 4 leading killers, respectively, of American men and women. “I am honored to continue to serve as a board member and look forward to helping the American Heart Association lead the fight to saves lives from cardiovascular diseases and stroke,” said Philip, “and to advance our affiliate’s strategies to improve heart health, particularly in communities of color who disproportionately suffer from heart disease and stroke.”
For years, First Church has been using the motto, “The Church Where the Spirit Flows,” which best describes Jesus’ five purposes for His church and putting in use the acronym FLOWS: Fellowship, Learning, Outreach, Worship, and Service. Each service, program, event, and ministry has been designed to fulfill one of the purposes. And so, I’ve cranked up the volume to announce the happenings on Saturday: First Church - the Rev. Gillard S. Glover, pastor - has begun activities for youth, ages 5-14, at the church’s principal location, 91-95 Old Kings Road North, Palm Coast. Every Saturday, young people are offered opportunities to participate in chess, Scrabble, monopoly, basketball and volleyball, music and dance. In addition, seminars are offered on etiquette, hygiene, proper attire, history, current events, and the Bible. The program is free and includes lunch. That’s every Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. So, if you’d like for your child to participate, send
Palm Coast
Community news
By Jeroline D. Mccarthy | Daytona Times word to facilitator Robert Huggins or Stephanie Dennis at 386-446-5759. ••• First Church has planned a free parenting seminar from a lineup of great speakers on how to more effectively connect with our youth. The seminar provides opportunities for questions and discussion on communicating, motivating, and educating our kids. One of the speakers, Dr. Pamela Jackson Smith, Homeless Education Coordinator/Parent Specialist for Flagler County schools, will address education and the role that adults play in helping students focus on studies and academic achievement. Smith has a vested interest in scholarship and service because she is program chairman of the African-American Mentoring
Program for Girls, which was established by Flagler County schools. Moreover, she is president of the Palm Coast/Flagler County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. The date is Sept. 14, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., followed with lunch. Participants must register with the church at 386-446-5759, because seating is limited. ••• First Church is honored to have Linda Gray Kelley cast in “A Lady Alone.” It’s about Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman in the U.S. to earn a medical degree, and who loses an eye to gonorrhea after choosing a celibate life. It’s about modern medicine, civil war medicine, the discovery of ether, and venereal disease in the military. Kelley, an international performer/playwright, produces, directs, and
gives a voice to her characters and the human condition. The show is complete with costuming and props. So why not support the theatre right in your own backyard? The curtain rises Sept. 14, 5 p.m. The ticket price is $15, and can be purchased at the door. ••• The Women’s Missionary Society of First Church has scheduled the monthly food giveaway for Sept. 14, 1-3 p.m., at 91 Old Kings Road North, Palm Coast. For additional details, call 386-446-5759. ••• As always, remember our prayers for the sick, afflicted and bereaved.
Happy Birthday to You! Birthday wishes to: Carmen Caldwell, Sept. 12; Dora Campbell, Sept. 14; Evangelist Faye Dadzie, Darryl Haywood, Jr., Sept. 15; Tim Duncan, Sept. 18. Happy anniversary to Ray and Sondra Henderson, Sept. 18.
Volunteers needed to clean up beaches FROM STAFF REPORTS
Volunteers are needed to remove trash and debris from Volusia County beaches and waterways on Saturday, September 21 from 8 to 11 a.m. There are many starting points throughout the county from Bethune Beach in New Smyrna Beach to Ormond Beach. Daytona Beach’s check-in point for beach cleanup is Sunsplash Park, 611 S. Atlantic Avenue, and Halifax Harbor Marina, 419 Basin Street for clean up in the Halifax River. A special memento will be given to all preregistered participants. Volunteers are encouraged to bring used plastic shopping bags and garden gloves. Don’t forget to wear sunscreen, comfortable clothing and shoes and bring plenty of water. Last year 1,332 volunteers cleaned 6,943 pounds of trash off 57 miles of our coastlines. More than 50 percent of the trash items collected in 2012 were related to shore-
Cell phones, iPods, tablets needed at Silver Sands Middle FROM STAFF REPORTS
Silver Sands Middle School has been chosen as one of Volusia County’s pilot schools participating in the Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT) program. BYOT is an educational development and a supplementary school technology-resourcing model where the home and the school collaborate in arranging for students’ 24/7/365 use of their own digital technologies to
East Central Florida’s Black Voice Visit us online at daytonatimes.com
Volusia County beaches are set for a cleanup on September 21. line and recreational activities like bottle caps, bags, plastic bottles and cans. About 43 percent of the trash collected was related to smoking. For more information about the cleanup, please call Volusia County’s Environmental Management Office at (386) 238-4716. Register by going to http://www.volusia. org. be extended into the classroom to assist their teaching and learning. The school needs the community to donate cell phones, iPods, and tablets (that have the capability to connect to Wi-Fi) to keep on hand for teachers to check out when students are not able to bring their own technology to classrooms. “Many students currently have Wi-Fi-enabled technology devices in their homes. However, many students are not as fortunate and their families cannot provide the extras,” said Assistant Principal Maite Porter. “We want all of our students to benefit from the opportunities that using technology in classrooms provides. Many people have these items lying around after a recent cell phone upgrade,” Porter continued. Contact Porter at Silver Sands Middle School at (386) 322-6175 to learn how to donate.
Free acting classes at Midtown Center FROM STAFF REPORTS
Acting is a dream for many that can come true now that classes are being offered at the Midtown Cultural and Education Center in Daytona Beach. Naima Perry, who has a Bachelor’s of Arts & Sci-
ences Degree in Speech & Drama from Florida A&M University, has performed abroad and owned and managed her own Acting School in Rome, Italy. Perry will be offering free acting classes on Tuesdays and Fridays from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
The children will do two performances during the year. Parents can register their child at the Midtown Center on September 16th. Contact Katherine Moore at 386-671-5542 for more information.
Church giving away $10,000 in new shoes FROM STAFF REPORTS
Church at the Beach Cares will be giving away $10,000 in new shoes to children who need them
(while supplies last) on Sunday, September 15. Church at the Beach meets at the New Smyrna Beach High School every Sunday at 10 a.m. Church
GOSPEL HALLELUJAH WORLD WIDE RADIO MINISTRIES Visit us at the following location: 156 Volusia Mall 1700 W. International Speedway Blvd. (386) 258-5373 piccadilly.com
free app available at
Hosted by: Pastor 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!
at the Beach will be donating $10,000 in brand new shoes and working in conjunction with Payless Shoe Store on SR 44 in New Smyrna Beach. To be eligible for new shoes, families must come to church at the New Smyrna Beach High School campus on September 15 beginning at 10 a.m. For more information, contact Jennifer Kenerly via email at Jenny@churchatthebeachnsb.com or call 386-402-7309.
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7 EDITORIAL
SEPTEMBER 12 – SEPTEMBER 18, 2013
Obama needs a better reason to bomb Syria As Aeschylus, the Greek dramatist said, “In war, truth is the first casualty.” But in today’s political climate, just the threat of war sends truth fleeing, exacerbated by the lack of trust in our leaders and governing institutions. How can you tell when a politician is lying? Answer: When he moves his lips. Neither the president nor anyone else has yet to tell me why I and the American people should care about Syria. What is our national security interest in Syria beside the possible humanitarian angle?
Explain rationale I have my master’s degree from George Mason University in international business and have traveled the globe. I have been in the midst of some serious foreign policy issues in other countries and find it amazing that rarely does a country take the time to explain to its people the underlying rationale for a particular foreign policy initiative. There is a plausible explanation behind this in the U.S. Americans tend to be the least informed of most major nations when it comes to foreign affairs. So, when you combine a lack of awareness with mistrust of a country’s leaders, that’s a recipe for a misplaced foreign policy. The only thing that is certain about Syria is that someone re-
RAYNARD JACKSON NNPA COLUMNIST
leased a chemical agent that killed hundreds of people. That is the only thing that has been established as a fact.
No proof There has been no proof offered to the public that Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad was responsible for the chemical release. How do we know that it was not a terrorist attack or that it was not the rebels who did it to sway public opinion? Could our own CIA have done it to give Obama cover for going into Syria? In the immortal words of Ronald Reagan, “trust, but verify.” In today’s political climate (post-Iraq and Afghanistan), it is not enough for members of Congress to be given classified briefings in validating the case against Assad. The public must have the evidence put on the table for our own consideration. We can no longer just take the word of our elected officials. So, let’s assume that there is convincing evidence that Assad is responsible for the release of these chemical agents. Why should this be of any concern to the Ameri-
can people and how does this affect our national security? Moral imperative? Obama has stated that it is a moral imperative to punish Assad for using chemical weapons. But what is the definition of this moral imperative? Why is it not a moral imperative to go into Darfur (Sudan), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), or Nigeria? They have all been ravished with the killing of hundreds of innocent civilians by governments and terrorists. Are Middle Eastern lives more valuable to America than African lives? I am not necessarily opposed to engagement in Syria, but I would like to know why it is in the United States’ national interest to do so. If we do nothing, like in Africa, what are the consequences relative to the U.S.? Emotion is not a foreign policy. To continue to ask the American people to trust our elected officials without giving us the benefit of seeing the evidence for engagement in Syria is indeed a foreign policy.
Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC. Contact him at www.raynardjackson.com. Click on this story at www.daytonatimes.com to write your own response.
Segregation still harmful to Black students There are very few things that are as vile and predatory than cheating young Black students out of a decent education. There are two things that quickly come to my mind when I ponder this subject. There is also a third event that has developed in the last few years. Let’s begin at the beginning. When school segregation was ending as the civil rights era was beginning to yield results, two groups got together and concocted a scheme. In order to quickly integrate schools, the idea of school busing evolved. It seemed like a good idea to many who thought by having their children sit next to White people, their skills would automatically improve.
Busing demeaning Those who stood to gain from this were bus manufacturers (many more buses will be needed) and unions that would increase their membership through the increased number of bus drivers. So groups such as the NAACP and others were encouraged to lead the charge for school busing. The busing was pretty much one-way. Whites weren’t going to send their kids on a bus to sit with Black students. When twoway busing was being forced, the White students enrolled into private schools even if they had to quickly build the private school. Rapidly, many Black students, who enjoyed matriculating to
fits. All they had to do was declare their children very slow learners. For this, they would be assisted in applying to the U.S. DeHARRY C. partment of Health and Human ALFORD Services for financial assistance. NNPA COLUMNIST Some single mothers would make serious money from the monthly Black schools that had great lega- checks as the minds of their chilcies, were being forced to get up dren wasted away. early in the morning, get on a bus and arrive at a strange school that Segregation perpetuated didn’t welcome them. It was psyUnfortunately for the declared chologically demeaning and afslow learners, they were put infected grades and equal opportuto special education classes and nity. Eventually, great legacy schools taught very little. Many of the such as “George Washington accelerated classes of the rural Carver,” “Booker T. Washing- schools would become almost ton,” “Crispus Attucks,” etc. would 100 percent White students, while close wherever busing was occur- most of the Black students would ring. It was a major blow to our es- be wasting away in these special education classes. Again, segreteem and psyches. gation returned in a vicious way, thanks to fraud assisted by school Dummy checks officials and meddling White parI learned of the next evil event ents. A lot of this is still going on. while traveling through the South We, the National Black Chamvisiting local Black chambers. At ber of Commerce, have voiced different times I would hear the our concern about this, but little term “Dummy Checks” or “Stu- has been done. Through fraud, pid Checks.” Both former Con- they brought harm to young Black gressman Earl Hilliard (D-Ala.) students and perpetuated segreand current Congressman Benny gation. Thompson (D-Miss.) were vocal about this practice. Harry C. Alford is the PresWhite school officials devel- ident/CEO of the National oped an idea that would segregate Black Chamber of Commerce®. the classrooms at the expense of Website: www.nationalbcc.org. Black students. Officials would Email: halford@nationalbcc. talk to Black parents and show org. Click on this story at www. them how they could qualify for daytonatimes.com to write your Social Security disability bene- own response.
New football season, same offensive names I cannot let a football season open without raising the question of the names of sports teams generally and the Washington “Redskins” in particular. I continue to be absolutely amazed at the resistance on the part of team owners to changing the names of these teams, but also the tolerance by so many fans of these racist names. I have to pick on the Washington Redskins both because I was once a fan of the team, and also because I live in the D.C.area and have watched this situation closeup. As I raised in a column a few months ago, a poll was released this spring that indicated that most fans wanted to leave the name of the team as it is, despite the fact that it insults Native Americans. For some, this was seen as the end of the discussion because it appeared to vindicate the position taken by the team’s owners.
a White person calling one of us a “nigger” should be judged based on intent.
BILL FLETCHER, JR. Act of aggression NNPA COLUMNIST
from a different vantage point. It would be worth looking at polls that were taken in the South during the early 1960s to ascertain the level of White support for the continuation of Jim Crow segregation. The mere fact that a majority of people favor or do not favor something does not automatically settle an argument. Rather, it serves as a barometer, telling us about where people stand today but it does not necessarily tell us anything about the morally correct position. It is unclear why it needs repeating – especially to African-Americans – that the preponderance of opinion among Native American Polls misleading indicates that terms, such as “redLet’s flip the script for a mo- skins,” are racially offensive. This ment and consider the problem is not about intent any more than
The word is so patently offensive that, used by someone of another racial or ethnic group against us, it serves as an act of aggression. Someone can stand before us and tell us that they love us, but were they to name a team the “Kansas City Niggers,” there would not be enough love and sincerity in the world to override our objections. Send a note to the Washington Redskins owners. Ask them about the last time that they permitted someone to use terms like “nigger” in the offices of the Washington Redskins. If such terms are objectionable, why do they think that “redskins” is any different?
Bill Fletcher, Jr. is a senior scholar with the Institute for Policy Studies. Follow him on Facebook and at www.billfletcherjr.com. Click on this story at www.daytonatimes.com to write your own response.
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: OBAMA AND SYRIA
DAVID FITZSIMMONS, THE ARIZONA STAR
Blacks facing same questions, same issues 20 years later “The economic distress of America’s inner cities may be the most pressing issue facing the nation. The lack of businesses and jobs in disadvantaged urban areas fuels not only a crushing cycle of poverty but also crippling social problems such as drug abuse and crime… A sustainable economic base can be created in the inner city, but only as it has been created elsewhere: through private, forprofit initiatives and investment based on economic self-interest and genuine competitive advantage.” Michael E. Porter, “The Competitive Advantage of the Inner City,” Harvard Business Review, May-June 1995 Yes, nearly 20 years ago, another call for a little common sense was put forth regarding the problem of America’s inner cities. Today, we have the same questions, the same issues, and many of the same folks running around trying to get elected by offering to change things for the people who reside in what Ron Daniels calls “America’s Dark Ghettos.” We have talking heads misleading us on what it takes to make the appropriate changes necessary for our collective growth. All the while their pockets are being filled and ours are being emptied.
Trapped in poverty As Booker T. Washington once said, “There are some Negroes who don’t want the patient to get well.” We should be ashamed of ourselves. Sure, many Black people are doing quite well, individually, but far more are trapped in a generational cycle of poverty; and while personal choice and responsibility have led to many of their problems, their children had no choice in the matter. They are suffering the most from our dysfunction and lack of common sense when it comes to economic empowerment. Michael Porter’s words are not unique, and his prescription for success is not new. Our forbearers demonstrated how to empower themselves economically many years ago, and they did it under the worst of circumstances. They were not perfect; they were not educated; and they were not affluent. But they endured hardships and worked tirelessly with the understanding that it was up to them to take care of their chil-
JAMES CLINGMAN NNPA COLUMNIST
dren, and it was their responsibility to determine the direction of their own lives.
Power abdicated The key words in Porter’s quote are “economic self-interest and genuine competitive advantage.” Black people, especially at the ballot boxes across this nation, have abdicated the authority, power, and reasoning we once had with our votes. All too often we simply cast votes, not in our own self-interest, but as though we are voting in some local popularity contest. All a politician has to do to get our vote is hold our baby or show up at our church or eat a rib with us. Politics is about self-interest, the kind that Porter’s words speak about and the kind demonstrated by our ancestors. How can your vote be powerful if you simply give it away without reciprocity?
Competitive advantage As for “competitive advantage,” Black people in this country have several business niches from which we could grow our collective economy. Look at the products we buy, the foods we eat, and the services we use. Look at the high concentration of Black people in various cities – veritable economic enclaves themselves – except right now our dollars are going to someone else’s business, and not to our own. One problem is that many of us look at ourselves as being “competitively disadvantaged” and, thus, play into the self-fulfilling prophecy of not having the ability to open, support, and grow more businesses in the very neighborhoods where we live.
Jim Clingman is an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati and can be reached through his Web site, blackonomics.com. Click on this story at www.daytonatimes.com to write your own response.
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MAYOR
SEPTEMBER 12 – SEPTEMBER 18, 2013 DECEMBER 14 - 20, TECHNOLOGY 2006
‘Selfies’ changing the way we communicate BY KATIE HUMPHREY STAR TRIBUNE (MINNEAPOLIS) (MCT)
College student Emma Strub has been known to take pictures of herself 15 to 20 times a day. Alone or with friends, smiling or making a goofy face. She shares most of them on photo-messaging app Snapchat, posts others to Instagram, Twitter or tumblr. She, like so many of her peers, is a master of the smartphone self-portrait – the “selfie.” The snapshots are surging across social media platforms. On Instagram, there are more than 36 million photos tagged #selfie, 98 million tagged #me and countless others without the identifying hashtags. On Snapchat, users exchange more than 200 million photos and videos a day. They’re particularly popular among teens and tweens, and a staple for image-obsessed celebrities like Justin Bieber and Rihanna.
Declining culture? Depending on whom you ask, selfies are either the latest form of self-expression or portraits of narcissism on the rise, society in decline. Even Strub, 20, acknowledges the absurdity: “Selfies are so stupid, but then I’m sitting here taking 25 at a time.” Yet the selfie’s popularity suggests something beyond frivolous self-aggrandizing. It hints at a rapidly growing preference for
online conversations that prioritize images over words. Clearly, there is a symbiosis between smartphones, social media and selfies. “Our phones have front-facing cameras for a reason. It’s to take pictures of ourselves,” said Greg Swan, an avid selfie snapper and vice president at public relations firm Weber Shandwick. “People want to share pictures of themselves and what they’re doing.”
Influencing technology Apple introduced the frontfacing camera with the iPhone 4 in 2010, the same year the photo-sharing social network Instagram was born. Then, in 2012 came Snapchat, which exploded in popularity as users traded photos that then vanish. Video-sharing app Vine was launched in early 2013 without the ability to record through the smartphone’s front-facing camera, only to add that feature in a later update. Hello, video selfie. When snapping a picture or video is so easy, and there are so many social networks on which to share them, why not? “They’re funny and they make me smile and I can remember the moment later,” said Strub. “It’s definitely a way of expressing yourself and putting yourself in a light that you can control.”
Societal worries Yet that focus on image online, especially among young teens,
has some worried about a selfabsorbed society. After all, research from Harvard University showed that social media users get a bigger neurochemical buzz from sharing information about themselves than sharing information about others. “There (are) a lot of mixed messages about selfies,” said Pamela Rutledge, a psychologist and director of the Media Psychology Research Center. She doesn’t see any harm in selfies – people have always liked to see themselves in photographs and sought approval from others – but understands why some people recoil at the sight of so many self-portraits. “It violates some of those Protestant work ethic kinds of values, how you’re not supposed to brag and you’re not supposed to glorify yourself and all of that,” she said.
A thousand words While there are plenty of pictures posted with the goal of getting “likes” for a cute outfit or new hairdo, experts say the onslaught of selfies is changing the way we communicate. Why text “I’m happy” when you could post a picture of your smiling face? “An image is a much more powerful means of communication,” Rutledge said. “We’re becoming more fluid with text and images supporting one another.” Snapchat, in particular, pushes communication through imag-
DAYTONA TIMES FILES
These infamous ‘selfies’ of Rev. Eddie Long put his Georgiabased ministry on a downward spiral. es. The photo is front-and-center, and users can choose to add a short caption or doodle on the image before sending it. Fewer words, more pictures. Because the photos disappear (for the most part) in 10 seconds or less, it’s less about looking good and more about conveying an authentic moment. “It’s a fun way to talk,” said Kelly McCloskey, 13, of Minnetonka, Minn., a regular Snapchat user. “It’s just kind of cooler because you get what they’re saying more.”
“Going to baseball with 99 degree weather! #gonnamelt,” he wrote, posting the picture on Instagram. Erdahl’s stepdad, Sean Lanahan, said he’s heard kids say the photos help them feel connected, especially in the summer when they don’t see their friends as often. “It keeps that connection visually, which is more impactful than just a simple text,” he said, his stepson nodding in agreement.
Quick, effective
Maybe contagious
Selfie aficionados say the snapshots are a quicker, often more effective way of sharing information. That’s the kind of communication Alec Erdahl, 11, had in mind as he prepared for a baseball game on a hot summer afternoon. In the car, uniform on, he made a face of dread and snapped a selfie.
When Lanahan’s travel plans changed in the middle of a recent trip, stranding him in Washington, D.C., for an unexpected layover, he slipped into the city. “I thought the kids might get a kick out of me standing in front of the Capitol and White House,” he said. Lanahan snapped a selfie.
Apple kicks off iPhone tradein program BY DAN GALLAGHER MARKETWATCH (MCT)
RICHARD SENNOTT/MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE/MCT
Digital devices are taking over the task of reminders. Alerts can be set up to remind when to take out the garbage and other tasks.
Digital reminders take the place of nagging BY KATIE HUMPHREY STAR TRIBUNE MINNEAPOLIS / MCT
themselves can become overwhelming.
It used to be that Mom harped, “Sit up straight!” when you slouched. Now there’s a smartphone app with a belt that gives you a buzz if your posture slips. Other apps send reminders – by e-mail, text message or popup, on-screen alerts – to take medications, go for a run, get an oil change or clean out the refrigerator. As technology aims to help us solve all sorts of mundane problems, smartphones have morphed into digital nags. Repeated “suggestions” from a spouse can grate on the nerves, but users say it’s easier – and less abrasive – to let a device issue the orders. “I’ve set up an alert for my husband for garbage day,” said Sara Swenson, of Cannon Falls, Minn., who uses the app Cozi to help keep her family on track. “It’s about trying to get away from the nagging and make it be more of an electronic reminder that it’s garbage day every Tuesday.”
Stay on task
In wide use Such digital reminders are catching on. Evernote, an organization app that claims more than 50 million users worldwide, added pop-up reminders in May, saying they were one of the most requested features. Yet it’s unclear whether digital nagging is any more effective than the face-to-face kind. While devices may help us remember the little things, and be less likely to prompt eye rolls, the electronic alerts
Greg Osterdyk gets five to 10 alerts on his smartphone each day, some from his calendar app, others from a task management app called Remember the Milk. As mayor of Carver, Minn., and a business owner, he’s got a lot to remember. “It’s what enables me to handle more projects,” he said. “I can’t keep track of them in my head on my own.” He enters to-dos into the apps, and when the tasks are due, he gets an alert. “I had one today that was telling me there was an advertisement due to the newspaper,” he said recently. “A couple others were calls I need to make, people I need to contact.” For such real-time reminders, a little digital nagging is probably helpful, said Dr. Sheila Jowsey, a psychiatrist at the Mayo Clinic. She’s a particular fan of alerts sent by some airline apps that note updated flight information and gate changes. But it is unclear whether nudges from a smartphone alone can alter more important behaviors, such as establishing a fitness routine or quitting smoking, she said. “If you are significantly ambivalent and not quite ready to make that change, after a few reminders you’ll deactivate it,” Jowsey said. “It has to be something where you’ve come to the point in your own mind where you say, ‘Ok, I’m ready for this.’”
Annoyance factor Being constantly interrupted, even by reminders that you programmed, can derail productivity, said Audrey Thomas, owner of Organized Audrey. “If I’m focusing on something else and my phone is going off, then I lose focus on what I was working on,” she said. She recommends using technology for communication and organization, but turning off the alerts, especially for incoming e-mails, which she likens to needy toddlers. “Toddlers come up to you and pull on your pant leg and they never stop until you give them your full attention,” she said. “Put the nagging toddler in the playpen.”
No eye roll necessary Fans of digital alerts say that ability to turn them off is a key difference from human nagging. “The nice thing about these reminders is that we, as individuals, can control them,” said Mark Henderson, division chair for information technology at Mayo, who has been involved in developing its mobile app for patients, which includes a reminder features for upcoming appointments. Technology can also be more consistent in its instruction and less emotional than a human. Everybody has dealt with (and dished out) unrequested reminders, especially with family members. Researchers have found that repeated nagging can cause stress among couples, and even contribute
to divorce. “The digital delivery of something just cuts through all those innuendos, hidden meanings that sometimes are included in the spoken word but not in the pop-up text message that you get,” Henderson said.
No shame, blame People interested in getting fit are often drawn to apps because the digital nudges offer accountability without any shame or blame, said Shannon Fable, director of exercise programming for Anytime Fitness. The Hastings, Minn.-based chain of fitness centers offers apps and online tools for tracking workouts, including a feature that lets you schedule specific workouts in advance, and then send an e-mail reminder that day. Other fitness apps, like MapMyRun, will send an alert if it’s been awhile since the last jog. There are even wearable fitness gadgets like FitBit Flex and Jawbone Up that will buzz to remind people to get up and move at set intervals. “Where a device is better than a person, it can be anonymous,” Fable said. “It’s not judging me. It might nag me, but I can turn it off if I hate it.” Indeed, Monisha Perkash, CEO and co-founder of posture app LumoBack, said some people turn to the buzzing belt and related app because the verbal reminders in their lives are getting to be too much. “There are a lot of customers we have who do want their mothers or wives to stop nagging them,” Perkash said. “This is a more gentle way.”
SAN FRANCISCO – Apple Inc. said that it has launched an iPhone tradein program at its U.S. retail locations. The program will allow consumers to trade in older devices for credit on new products. Apple confirmed the program to MarketWatch, but said it is not widely marketing the service. The new program comes ahead of the expected launch of new iPhone models next month that could include an updated version of the iPhone 5 as well as a cheaper model – though Apple has not confirmed any new iPhones in the works, keeping with its penchant for secrecy. “IPhones hold great value. So, Apple Retail Stores are launching a new program to assist customers who wish to bring in their previous-generation iPhone for reuse or recycling,” the company said in an emailed statement. An Apple representative would not confirm the amount of trade-in credits that would be offered under the program. The amount will vary depending on device and condition. The 9 to 5 Mac blog said trade-in values would likely be in the $250 range for an iPhone 5 in good condition, with an iPhone 4 fetching a range of $80-$140, depending on type and condition.
Intense competition Carriers like AT&T and Verizon have been offering their own smartphone trade-in programs over the summer, and Apple has been widely expected to follow suit, given that the company is now in intense competition with Samsung as growth in the high-end of the smartphone market has slowed considerably. Analysts believe a trade-in program can help Apple hold on to iPhone users, as older devices can be used to lock in customers with new devices for another two years. The risk for Apple is that flooding the market with older iPhones could possibly cannibalize sales of newer products that offer higher profit margins. Toni Sacconaghi of Bernstein wrote earlier this month that Apple could reduce this risk by speeding up the replacement cycle – or the rate at which people upgrade their iPhones. A trade-in program could help customers upgrade their devices more frequently, depending on the terms. “Our analysis suggests that a decline in the average replacement cycle from (about) 2 years to (about) 1.8 years could fully offset the negative cannibalization impact from used phones to gross profit,” Sacconaghi wrote in an Aug. 12 report.
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SPORTS MA YOR
SEPTEMBER 12DECEMBER – SEPTEMBER 2013 14 - 20,18, 2006
Gabbert: It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that the Jags offense progressed past midfield. I’m not saying Gabbert is a coach-killer, but he’s been Jacksonville’s starter for three years, and the Jaguars are on their third head coach.
Coincidence? And will somebody also explain to me why subpar quarterbacks such as Gabbert and Josh Freeman and Brandon Weeden and Christian Ponder get opportunity after opportunity, year after year, to mature and develop, but one of the greatest winners in college-football history has been cast out of the NFL?
Look it up
DAVID EULITT/KANSAS CITY STAR/MCT
Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker J.T. Thomas scores the only points for Jacksonville with a blocked punt on Kansas City Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt (2) for a safety. The Chiefs won last week, 28-2.
Tim Tebow should be with Jaguars, Magic Johnson says BY MIKE BIANCHI ORLANDO SENTINEL / MCT
ORLANDO – Even Magic Johnson knows what should be done. “If the Jaguars are going to only score two points,” Johnson tweeted Sunday, “they might as well call Tim Tebow!” It’s pretty sad when an NBA legend who now owns a Major League Baseball team in Los Angeles knows
more about running an NFL franchise in Jacksonville than those who are actually running the NFL franchise in Jacksonville.
He gets it You see, Magic gets it and always has. First and foremost, he’s always believed sports should be fun and entertaining. In contrast, the Jaguars, for the last decade, have put a product out on the field that has
been mundane and unwatchable. And, yet, they steadfastly refuse to throw a bone – a Te-bone – to those dwindling few of us who still watch their games either in the stadium or on TV. Will somebody explain to me again why the Jaguars won’t give Timmy a chance? I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: When you have nothing, you have nothing
to lose. And, believe me, after watching the dismal Jaguars get blown out 28-2 by the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, it’s already clear to me after one week of the NFL season that the Jaguars have nothing.
Absolutely nothing. Here’s all you need to know about Jaguars starting quarterback Blaine
Dolphins get win, but not any answers
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – It didn’t happen the way anyone would have scripted it. In fact, with all the noise that was being made over Geno Smith’s coronation, it was hard to notice that it happened at all. But it did happen. Darrelle Revis played his first football game in more than 11 months Sunday. And his surgically repaired knee felt fine. So did his ego, as he didn’t really seem to mind the smattering of boos he got from the very same Jets fans who had cheered him for the first six seasons of his career.
And so it starts
“I don’t want to talk about it,” he said, walking down the stadium hallway to the team bus. “Ask coach.” Don’t say it’s just one game. Don’t say it’s a winning start. For anyone to think this Dolphins’ season moves beyond the previous years, you need to see some differences from years past on this offense. The only difference you saw Sunday from those haunted seasons of the recent past was Ryan Tannehill threw this offense out of trouble in the fourth quarter. That’s not something to sniff at. It’s big. It’s tangible. Tannehill took over at the 15-yard line early in the fourth quarter of a game up for grabs. And he had a message in the huddle that said he’s grown up. “This is a big-time drive for us,” he said. “We’ve got to put points on the board and finish off this game.”
Great from good These possessions separate the great from the good from the quarterbacks who get replaced. Tannehill had been good much of the day. But on this drive he was at his best. Zip. Twenty-four yards to Brandon Gibson. Zoom. Sixteen yards to Brian Hartline. Down the field Tannehill took this offense, completing 6-of-7 passes for 78 yards on a game-sealing drive
Isn’t one season of be-
BY BARBARA BARKER NEWSDAY / MCT
CLEVELAND – They got the win. They didn’t get answers. And the biggest one was the first out of the locker room Sunday, leaving celebrating teammates behind to walk down a stadium concourse with his face set in stone. “Ask coach,” Mike Wallace said, the words coming with steam on them. “It’s not my game plan.” Did he not like the game plan? “Ask coach,” he said after the Dolphins’ 23-10 win. Did he expect the ball thrown to him more? “Ask coach,” he said.
Not talking
Give him the keys
Just one reason Give me one logical reason why the NFL’s most moribund franchise wouldn’t want a perennially winning quarterback who would sell tickets, move merchandise and make everybody in the country want to turn on Jaguars games? I’m going to keep shouting it from the mountaintop until somebody in Jacksonville listens. IT’S TEBOW TIME!!! When you have nothing, you have nothing to lose.
Mike Bianchi is an Orlando Sentinel columnist.
Revis not much of a factor vs. Jets
BY DAVE HYDE SUN SENTINEL/ MCT
The season. The drama. And the question, even beyond Wallace’s temperament after a win, of whether the Dolphins filled enough holes this offseason to make more than a hopeful stab at the playoffs. Their strengths of years past remain their strengths as this first Sunday showed. Cameron Wake led a defense that had three interceptions, six sacks and held Cleveland to a telling 1 of 14 on third-down conversions. But the Dolphins’ weaknesses still remain their weaknesses, too. The offensive line that struggled? The running game that averaged less than a yard per carry? Wasn’t this supposed to be fixed through another offseason of moves? Then there was the home-run hitter, the $60 million buy this offseason, who had one catch for 15 yards. Again, a win is win. But, again, if Wallace is this unhappy with a win, what will he be like after a loss?
Never in history has there been a first-round draft pick like Tebow who has been given less of a chance to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. As far as I can tell, there’s never been a QB drafted in the first round who compiled a winning record (84) and took his team to the playoffs in his only year as a starter and never again started another NFL game. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying Tim Tebow will ever be a great NFL quarterback, but my point with the Jaguars has always been this: What’s the worst that could happen if they signed Tebow? That fans might actually want to buy a ticket or click on the TV and watch them? Seriously, are the Jags worried that Tebow would make them a punch line? They’re already a punch line. Are they worried that Tebow would become a sideshow? I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: A sideshow is better than no show at all.
ing interesting better than the last decade of being irrelevant? Why do the hapless Jaguars continually refuse to do what any logicalthinking person knows they should do: give the keys to this jalopy to the city’s most famous and favorite son? What is the downside of signing a hometown hero and making your franchise at least temporarily compelling? The Jaguars are already miserable. So what if they continue their misery under Tebow? Then they get the No. 1 pick and draft Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater. Good for them. At least Tebow, even if he fails, would make this season bearable. Let’s face it, nobody wants to watch the Jaguars right now, but if they sign Tebow and play him, then everybody will watch them. And, who knows, maybe, just maybe, Tebow would be able to work his magic with the Jaguars. Maybe he would do what he’s done every place he’s ever been: win. He won state championships in high school, national championships in college and even took the sad-sack Denver Broncos to the playoffs in his only year as a starter in the NFL.
Revis unconcerned
PHIL MASTURZO/AKRON BEACON JOURNAL/MCT
Cleveland Browns’ Ishmaa’ily Kitchen, top, and T.J. Ward take down Miami Dolphins running back Lamar Miller on a first-quarter run in Cleveland. The Dolphins won, 23-10. that ended with Daniel Thomas scoring from 2 yards. “We finally got in a comfort zone and took advantage of what they were giving us,” said Tannehill, who completed 24-of-38 passes for 272 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The Dolphins ranked 27th in scoring last year. They got rid of tackle Jake Long, receiver Davone Bess and running back Reggie Bush, who on Sunday had 191 yards of offense for Detroit. Bush wouldn’t have got that Sunday with the Dolphins. But Lamar Miller had 10 rushes for three yards before going out with apparent hamstring issues. The rushing offense had 20 yards total. How much will they miss Bush? And how to get Wallace the ball? For starters, they have to look at him. In the first half, Wallace wasn’t thrown to. That was a halftime discussion, because two passes were thrown to him on the first second-half possession. He had two deep passes thrown to him that didn’t connect. “He’s going to have a lot of passes thrown to him, believe me,” Tannehill said. Wallace left the locker, upset in victory, as a lot of Dolphins should have been on offense on some level. They got the win they wanted. But they didn’t get the answers they need for this season to succeed.
“That is really not my concern,” Revis said when asked about the fans’ reaction to him at MetLife Stadium now that he is wearing a Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniform. The one time when the crowd really got a chance to weigh in was late in the second quarter when he broke up a short pass intended for Santonio Holmes. Maybe that’s because Revis, who usually is considered the best defensive player on the field, wasn’t a huge factor in Sunday’s game. The Jets threw at Revis four times and completed one pass, a 13-yarder to Holmes in the first quarter. He deflected two passes and had
one tackle in his first game since he tore an ACL in Week 3 last season. When Revis played with the Jets, he was such a tough cover corner that he earned the nickname “Revis Island” in reference to the fact that teams preferred not to throw in his direction. On Sunday, no man was an island as the Jets seemed willing to test their former teammate.
Just ‘competition’ “It was great,” Revis said when asked if he felt he had been targeted. “Like I said earlier in the week, those guys have a game plan. Those guys, I know most of them really well. To me, it is all competition.” Tampa Bay coach Greg Schiano said the coaching staff had worked it out with Revis to play only as much as he thought he could. “I think that Darrelle played well,” Schiano said. “He got gassed out there. It was a warm day on that field turf when the sun was out. But from all preliminary signals, he came out OK.” The Buccaneers, of course, are betting that Revis will be much better than OK very soon, which is the biggest reason why they were willing to make him the highestpaid defensive player in the league by handing him a sixyear, $96-million contract. Said Revis: “It was just great for me to be out there and ready to go.”
DANIEL WALLACE/TAMPA BAY TIMES/MCT
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cornerback Darrelle Revis (24) stretches during warmups in a preseason game. The New York Jets defeated the Buccaneers last week, 18-17.
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Despite budget problems, Biden says East Coast ports must expand BY CURTIS TATE MCCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU / MCT
BALTIMORE – All of the ports on the East Coast “have to get in the game,” Vice President Joe Biden said Monday, and get ready to accept larger cargo ships that will come through an expanded Panama Canal by 2015. Biden, accompanied by Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and several members of Congress, presented a $10 million federal grant to the Port of Baltimore to widen its shipping channel and improve rail access. “More than ever, we are a maritime nation,” the vice president said, also flanked by Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and the state’s Democratic U.S. senators, Barbara Mikulski and Benjamin Cardin. Baltimore and Norfolk, Va., are the only two East Coast ports that are deep enough for the larger, “post-Panamax” ships, and others may have to catch up. “Post-Panamax” refers to ships larger than the current maximum size limits for the Panama Canal. “Unless we expand ports on the East Coast, we’re going to fall behind,” Biden said, referencing U.S. rival China, which has spent heavily on infrastructure.
Ports to pay In a time of scarce federal resources, port agencies will shoulder much of the cost. The American Association of Port Authorities
projects that the nation’s ports will spend $46 billion on improvements by 2017. That includes deeper and wider channels and harbors, upgraded dockside facilities and improved rail and highway connections. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave America’s ports a D-plus in its most recent infrastructure report card, and the society estimates that ports will need $16 billion more in public investment than will be available by 2020.
Florida included The Obama administration has set aside some funding for ports in its Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER program. Of the $474 million in program funds available this year, about $100 million went to port and port-related projects, including the $10 million for Baltimore. Other recipients include ports in Houston; Pascagoula, Miss.; Wilmington, Del.; and Duluth, Minn. Three Florida ports, at Miami, Bradenton and Jacksonville, received TIGER grants in 2010 and 2011. Among other East Coast ports, the Port of New York and New Jersey needs to raise a highway bridge to allow larger container ships to pass. To the south, the ports of Charleston, S.C., and Savannah, Ga., are working toward deepening their harbors and channels. Biden is scheduled to visit the Charleston and
AMY DAVIS/BALTIMORE SUN/MCT
Vice President Joe Biden, right, visits the Port of Baltimore with Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, left, where they were shown the new Panamax cranes by Maryland Port Administration Executive Director, Jim White, second from left, and Ports America Chesapeake president, Mark Montgomery, third from left. Savannah ports on Sept. 16, ahead of a trip to the Panama Canal. However, he said Monday that the Panama trip might be postponed because of the crisis in Syria.
Billions in impact In 2010, marine ports handled 70 percent of U.S. imports, valued at $944 billion, and 76 percent of U.S. exports, valued at $469 billion, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. President Ba-
rack Obama has set a goal of doubling U.S. exports by the time he leaves office, and port improvements are a critical part of that effort. “Moving cargo is the lifeblood of our economy,” Foxx said. Continued budgetary uncertainties in Washington hang over the nation’s aging infrastructure, with Congress and the White House frequently at odds on how to pay for repairs. The TIGER program was created as part of Obama’s
2009 economic stimulus and has continued every year since. The competitive, merit-based grants are popular with mayors and governors across the political spectrum.
GOP target The program enjoys support in the Democratic-majority Senate, which has budgeted $550 million for it next year. However, the Republican-led House of Representatives voted to eliminate the pro-
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gram, as well as other signature White House transportation efforts, including high-speed rail. Separately, the House was expected this month to consider a bill to authorize an array of water-related projects across the country, including improvements to ports and inland waterways, coastal protection and flood control. The Senate passed its version of the Water Resources Development Act in May.