Expert advice on managing money in 2016 SEE PAGE 8
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JEFFREY L. BONEY: Keep your chicken dinners and give us sound policy and advocacy SEE PAGE 4
HOW TO KICK OFF A YEAR OF GOOD HEALTH SEE PAGE 3
East Central Florida’s Black Voice DECEMBER 31, 2015 - JANUARY 6, 2016
YEAR 40 NO. 53
www.daytonatimes.com
Durham’s appointment ‘undermines Black people’ That was the statement offered by the local NAACP president on Daytona’s hiring of the minister and community leader. The mayor begs to differ.
BY PENNY DICKERSON DAYTONA TIMES news@daytonatimes.com
The recent appointment of the Rev. L. Ronald Durham as a full-time city government earning $75,000 per year with full benefits has added fuel to the ongoing adversity between the City of Daytona Beach and the local chapter of the NAACP. An African-American, Durham’s official title will be asset management director/special projects. In this capacity, he will perform community outreach and other special projects assigned by Daytona Beach
City Manager Jim Chisholm. While Durham is a well-respected community stalwart, the recent announcement by Chisholm is deemed Rev. L. Ronald as a decision that “undermines Black Durham people,” said Cynthia Slater, Volusia County-Daytona Beach NAACP president. “The city manager’s appointment of Reverend Durham to serve as community liaison for the city rais-
es the issue of accountability on his part,” Slater told the Daytona Times this week. “My question is, ‘Who is Chisholm accountable to?’ ” Durham resigned in May as senior pastor of Greater Friendship Baptist Church in Daytona Beach after 12 years. After leaving the church, he became a full-time community relations coordinator for Halifax Health Hospice in Volusia and Flagler counties.
Diversity report At a Dec. 2 commission meeting, city Human Resources Director James Sexton presented a report
that disclosed that of the 35.4 percent African-American population in Daytona, only 18.7 percent of the municipality’s workforce is Black. The city’s total minority workforce stands at 25 percent. From November 2013 through November 2015, non-Whites filled 33 percent of the city’s vacancies through internal promotions, Sexton noted. While Sexton’s diversity report fulfilled a previous commission request, the seemingly abrupt appointment of Durham negates the city’s claim to be “proactive” in hiring by posting open positions in Please see DURHAM, Page 6
F.R.E.S.H. BOOK FESTIVAL 2016
Orlando author to discuss ‘A White Man’s Woman’ at Jan. 9 event BY DAYTONA TIMES STAFF news@daytonatimes.com
Malvin A. WilliamsTyson, left, poses with Yamma Brown, the daughter of the late singer James Brown, at a book festival this year at the University of Central Florida.
W
hen the F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival gets underway this month in Daytona Beach, one of the featured authors will be Malvin Ann Williams-Tyson of Orlando whose book is titled “A White Man’s Woman.’’ Based on a true story, WilliamsTyson tells how a Black girl was molested and raped by White men while growing up in Arlington, Ga., a small town near Albany. That girl was Georgie Mae Lang, Williams-Tyson’s mother. Two of Williams-Tyson’s siblings have White fathers as a result of rape. “It is my mother’s biography. It illustrates how she was treated as a young teen in this small town in Georgia during the late 1950s and early 1960s before the Civil Rights Movement when Jim Crow laws were practiced very strongly. In addition to Jim Crow laws, there were also unspoken rules that tormented her during this time,” Williams-Tyson told the Daytona Times. “One of those unspoken rules in that town was White men could rape and have their way with young Black girls without any consequences and the Black community was not allowed to say anything or question their actions. Once that happened to a young Black girl, she was labeled and called ‘A White man’s woman,’ meaning that other White men in the community would target her also.’’ Williams-Tyson said her mother was first raped at age 16 and gave birth to her first son at age 17. The book goes into detail about the bitter hatred and abuse that Blacks Please see AUTHOR, Page 2
Malvin A. Williams-Tyson has been in the Army Reserve nearly 30 years.
Bethune-Cookman alumna finding success with innovative ‘Purse Props’ BY PENNY DICKERSON DAYTONA TIMES news@daytonatimes.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF LESLIE JOHNSON DORSETT
Leslie Johnson Dorsett created Purse Props after attending an event and realized there wasn’t a place for her purse. The floor was not an option. The compact style wallet opens up to form a purse stand.
ALSO INSIDE
Some women call them “handbags’’ while older generations prefer the more dated moniker, “pocketbooks.’’ The more fashionable millennial term is is a “purse,” and for as long as they have collectively crowded church pews, claimed their own movie theater chair or longed for public bathroom hooks to hang upon, the female gender’s most necessary accessory has sought an alternative to being placed on the floor. The latter is a known “no-no.’’ According to studies, the bot-
tom of a purse carries more germs than a bathroom toilet and “about a third of them have fecal bacteria on them,” confirmed Charles Gerba, a University of Arizona microbiologist who has studied bacteria living on handbags. Bethune-Cookman University alumna Leslie Johnson Dorsett has found the perfect alternative in her trendy invention, “Purse Props.” She has created a support device that is compact and practical enough to eliminate most medium to large purses, diaper bags, or tablet computer satchels from being placed on unsanitary surfaces. Further, Dorsett’s Purse Props
boast a sleek design, affordability, and are arguably the “next big thing” to add to the lady arsenal of must-have gadgets.
Impressive dossier Upon graduating from Bethune-Cookman in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in speech communication education, she began her 27-year educational track as an English teacher at Nova High School in Davie. A Florida native, she has spent the last 21 years as a certified school counselor and, in 1995, earned a Master of Science in guidance and counseling folPlease see SUCCESS, Page 2
COMMENTARY: MARGARET KIMBERLEY: BLACK LIVES DON’T MATTER IN ISRAEL | PAGE 4 ENTERTAINMENT:‘BLACK PANTHERS’ AND ‘CREED’ AMONG BEST MOVIES OF 2015 | PAGE 5
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7 FOCUS
DECEMBER 31, 2015 – JANUARY 6, 2016
Flagler leaders pay tribute to former Palm Coast Councilman William Lewis Funeral services celebrating the life of former Palm Coast Councilman William Alonzo Lewis, 84, was held Dec. 28 at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 5400 Belle Terre Parkway, Palm Coast. A repast preceded the interment, which followed at Flagler Palms Memorial Gardens. Mr. Lewis was of paramount importance as a large crowd gathered at the church. Among those attending were: Palm Coast Mayor Jon Netts, Vice Mayor Bill McGuire, Council members Heidi Shipley and Steve Nobile; City Manager Jim Landon, former Councilmen William Venne and Holsey Moorman; County Commission Vice Chairman Charlie Ericksen and Commissioners Barbara Revels and George Hanns; former County Commissioner Alan Petersen, former County Commissioner candidate Howard Holley, Palm Coast Fire Chief Mike Beadle, former School Board member John Fisher, countless city employees, former Flagler NAACP President Bob Williams, former Alpha Kappa Alpha Chapter President Sue Baety Fray, and others. “I thought Bill was a great example for young people to follow, especially young men of color. I would have hoped that people knew more about him, that people were more aware of him,” said Flagler NAACP President Linda Sharpe Matthews, who attended the funeral. “I think if young people were more aware of what his role was in being a council person that he would have been re-elected, despite his not being well and not campaigning like he normally would in past elections. “ I think he contributed a great amount to the Palm Coast community, and to art, you know, he was a lover of the arts, and I think his contributions as far as making
PALM COAST COMMUNITY NEWS JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY
sure that arts programs were funded by city money and helping to obtain grants, I think that was of tremendous impact too,” said Mrs. Matthews.
Cultural arts advocate “He was an advocate for cultural arts particularly for the AACS - during those years when we were literally fighting for grants, he would certainly speak on our behalf and on behalf of all the organizations that were trying to put cultural arts to the forefront in our community of Palm Coast,” said Commissioner William Seeney of the Flagler Housing Authority and Budget and Finance Chairman of the African American Cultural Society (AACS). Mr. Seeney was among those attending the funeral. “I think he was really a strong proponent, a supporter of our organization in that regard. He was the one that would say, ‘We ought to increase the budget for cultural arts.’ I can remember those debates with other council people, who were not necessarily in favor of that,” reiterates Seeney. “The other thing, you know, Bill was calm and would think out the issues in a very rational way, in a very practical way, in that he never let things get too convoluted or confusing. He pretty much talked - you might say - straight talk in terms of
William A. Lewis
Linda Sharpe William Matthews Seeney
really putting the real issue out there, trying not to solidify everything, but treat the issues as one that is in the best interest of the people in the community, and that’s what I liked about Bill. He was very supportive, as you well know, in our (AACS) anniversaries - the 15th and the 20th,” said Seeney. “...He and I both were trying to gain appointments to the Board of Education a few years ago. Unfortunately, we both lost out to a fellow that’s not even in the area anymore. So we know that was fairly political in nature, if you will. That was my relationship with Bill. He encouraged those of us who were a little active in the community, to become more active - particularly in the political arena... I think his biggest disappointment is that we didn’t support coming to the council meetings... He felt that we needed to have a stronger presence... It would help him to advocate the things that had been identified as needs,” said Seeney.
Longtime community leader Mr. Lewis, a resident of Palm Coast since 1999 and coming from White Plains N.Y., passed away Dec. 20 in Florida Hospital Flagler. He was born June 18, 1931, in St. Augustine, a son of the late James and Minnie Beauford Lewis. Former Council member Lewis, a retired manager in the fields of finance and education, was selected to serve on the Palm Coast City Council in November 2008, representing District 4. Mr. Lewis had long been active in the community and local government.
He was a member of the Palm Coast Planning and Land Development Regulation Board for eight years and served on the Planning and Ordinance Committee from 2000-2002. His leadership experience included being chairman of the board of directors of the Advanced Technology Center in Daytona Beach, the leadership council board of the Daytona Beach Halifax Chamber of Commerce, and the advisory committee of the University of Florida Marine Extension Program. He was included in “Who’s Who” in Finance and Industry, a member of Kappa Alpha Phi Fraternity, and served on the Flagler County Futures Committee for the 2010 Flagler County Comprehensive Plan changes. He also was a member of the AACS and the NAACP. In 2010, he was given the Coretta Scott King Human Rights Award from the Chi Delta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Ivy Community Foundation. Mr. Lewis received a Bachelor of Science degree from Shaw University and a master’s in Public Administration from Pace University in New York and was a veteran serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. He spent most of his professional career working in New York, having worked in medical research; for the U.S. Treasury in the Savings Bond Division, as a private pension Investment manager, and finally as the complaint officer for the New York City Board of Education. He is survived by his son, Bartlett Lewis; his daughter, Pavalon Lee; a nephew, Craig Lewis; and a niece, Wanda Lewis. The family suggests contributions be made to the Endowment Fund of St. Thomas Episcopal Church of Palm Coast. ••• As always, remember our prayers for the sick, afflicted and bereaved.
Celebrations Birthday wishes to Charlotte Prince, Vivian Rowe, Dec. 31; the Rev. Annette Weaver, Jan. 1; Doris Vaughan Sheppard, James Major, Jan. 6.
SUCCESS from Page 1
lowed by a certificate in educational leadership from Nova University in 2004. She additionally holds a postmaster’s certificate in marriage and family therapy, which she obtained in 2014 from St. Thomas University (Miami). The 49-year-old author, motivational speaker and role model currently resides in Miramar with her husband of 23 years, Bernard Dorsett. Together, they’ve raised two children: Bryan, 22, and Bernae’, 21.
Concept launch A woman of faith, Dorsett offers a biblical scripture to best explain what seems like an occupational quantum leap that inspired her drive to become an inventor: “To whom much is given, much is required” (Luke 12:48). According to Dorsett, she was at an event for her daughter when she realized there wasn’t a place for her purse. “The floor is never an option for me,” declared Dorsett who believed a filthy surface is not an option for most other women either. “Purse Props was conceptualized about three years ago. We launched in October of this year, and it is now a business. I am working on developing other designs and have applied to the television entrepreneur investment show ‘Shark Tank,’ so let’s keep our fingers crossed,” added Dorsett.
Prototype and patent Dorsett’s first plan of action was to identify a product design. The
AUTHOR from Page 1
endured in Arlington and surrounding areas.
Jan. 9 presentation Williams-Tyson is scheduled to discuss her book at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 9, at the F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival. The event starts at 10 a.m. at the Midtown Cultural and Educational Center, 925 George Engram Blvd. Admission is $3. The festival actually kicks off at 7 p.m. on Jan. 8 with an Author Meet and Greet at the center, which will include a dinner. The cost of that event is $25. The evening will feature performances by Amy Alysia and the Soul Operation Band, poetry by Devery Broox. Special guest will be Brian W. Smith. Along with Williams-Tyson, authors participating in the weekend festival are Allie Bras-
The Purse Prop is available in red, pink, royal blue, caramel, brown and black. Leslie Johnson Dorsett hopes to get more financial help to promote her products from the TV show “Shark Tank.’’ result was a compact style wallet that opens up to form a purse stand. She then applied for a provisional patent and engaged multiple companies and entered an agreement with Blue Ring Technologies whose engineers instantly captured the vision for a practical and durable product. The next step was application for a non-provisional patent. Prototypes surpassed stress tests and proved to support 14 pounds of weight as the average contents
well, Michael R. King, Tanisha Renee, Bishop Derek Triplett, Dr. Evelyn Bethune, Daytona Times Publisher Charles W. Cherry II, Michael Pyle, Angie Bee, Sharon Lucas, Jannie Rogers, Tina Brown, Milton McColloch, Black Topp, LaQuita Cameron, Susin Peterson and Cynthia Parker White. The F.R.E.S.H. Book festival was created by Donna M. GrayBanks, community resource coordinator for the City of New Smyrna Beach. The F.R.E.S.H. stands for fiction, romance, erotica, spiritual and health. GrayBanks also is the author of “Ila’s Diamonds” and “Ila’s Diamonds II.’’
A taboo topic For Williams-Tyson, it’s an opportunity to showcase her book and discuss a topic that has been taboo in families for generations. Her mother, who is now 75, also plans to attend the book festival. Williams-Tyson was born in Edison, Ga. and raised in Orlando. She is a graduate of Jones
of a woman’s purse, filled with a bevy of confidential contents, weighs on average seven pounds. Moreover, the Purse Prop is collapsible and easily transfers to the inside of a purse or bag without the threat of contamination.
The price is right The current retail price for a single Purse Props is $19.95 with an alluring marketing incentive of two for $36. Dorsett’s products are currently designed in an array of hues including red, pink,
High School and Florida State University. A computer analyst in her civilian career, she is a human resources Sergeant Major in the military. She has been in the U.S. Army Reserves nearly 30 years. Williams-Tyson said she was an adult when she learned of her mother’s abuse. The fact that her mother didn’t raise her and her siblings was troubling. “I did not know my mother’s story growing up. There were many secrets that caused anger in me. My grandmother raised my two brothers and I as well as her own three children,” Williams-Tyson explained. “Therefore my brother and I thought that we were all brothers and sisters until we entered elementary school my grandmother told us that Georgie was our mother. “Then once we all entered junior high school, we were told that my brothers have White fathers after they defended to the hilt that they aren’t White and indeed Black. They both were pretty devastated.’’
royal blue, caramel, brown, and black to complement versus distract from any designer brand. The perfect baby shower gift for a “mom-to-be,” they are also available in soft pink, baby blue and manufactured in the United States by Props Production, Inc.. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Dorsett’s invention piqued the interest of other Panhellenic organizations who seek to “bling’’ their organizations’ shields and Greek letters on Purse Props. “Although we just launched
in October of this year, we primarily targeted pre-sale orders,” said Dorsett, who received overwhelming response from family and close friends. “Our goal was to fill all orders by the holidays and special orders kept me busy. In 2016, I plan to attend several festivals and craft fairs to promote my design, which has caught the attention of All-star Products, the company behind the “As Seen on TV” merchandise, so I know I have an amazing product.”
‘The whole, ugly truth’
very strong-willed but has never totally healed, so I felt I needed to tell her story for her healing and the healing and liberation of many other women that encountered rape and molestation.’’ Williams-Tyson said the response to the book has been great and she has even received encouragement from Dr. Gwendolyn Goldsby Grant, an advice columnist for Essence magazine for 25 years. “Reactions from people have been overwhelmingly positive and sincere,” she stated. “Many of them felt the strength to share their own personal stories with me. In many cases, some stated that it was first time they could talk about their own tragedies and my book gave them the will to talk.’’ For more information about the festival, email freshbookfestivals@gmail.com, visit the website ilasdiamonds.sharepoint.com or call 386-627-4353.
Williams-Tyson said her mother was criticized for bearing mixed-race children even when the family moved to Orlando in 1963. She moved to South Florida the children were raised by their grandparents. “My anger began growing because I felt my mother should be with her children and there was never an explanation of why she was not with us. My first year in college I found the nerve to confront her and I went to her with a little chip on my shoulder. Then she sat me down and told me the whole, ugly truth about what she encountered.’’ Williams-Tyson said she had many questions for her grandmother. “I could never seem to get my mother’s label of “a White man’s woman’ out of my system. I would ask many friends and acquaintances if they had ever heard of that term and no one ever did. This haunted my mother for most of her life and she was
3 7
M AHEALTH YOR
DECEMBER 31,DECEMBER 2015 – JANUARY 6, 2016 14 - 20, 2006
Medical professionals aren’t keen on new hangover remedies BY KAVITA DASWANI ORLANDO SENTINEL/TNS
Unless you’re the designated driver, holiday parties are often associated with that wrecked morning-after feeling: nausea, dehydration, dizziness. And typical remedies — black coffee, aspirin, a greasy meal — might not always work. Which explains why health care entrepreneurs — among them doctors and surgeons — have introduced products intended to be taken before and during a night out, designed to head off the more unpleasant effects of drinking. The shots, capsules, waters, even tea bags, are designed to be tossed into a purse or pocket and consumed regularly throughout a night of partying. Many are said to work by helping the liver speed up the detoxifying process, or by flushing the body with electrolytes and B vitamins, as well as more nontraditional ingredients such as Japanese raisin tree, milk thistle and prickly pear extract.
Recovery Act Glutathione, the substance is produced naturally by the liver, is a key ingredient. Levels of glutathione are compromised by alcohol consumption, said Danielle Citrolo, manager of technical services at Kyowa Hakko USA, which manufactures glutathione for use in some of these hangover remedies. “It’s the master antioxidant in our body, and when we drink a lot of alcohol, we use it all up,” she said. “That impedes the body’s ability to metabolize the alcohol out of the system.” There are treatments inspired by the worst after-effects of alcohol poisoning — the kind that land the drinker in the emergency room. Medical doctors Romy Block and Arielle Levitan used to administer “banana bags” to those who end-
Detox specialist’s advice: Try a sports drink and eat bananas instead of products. ed up in a hospital after over-indulging; a bright yellow bag of IV fluids containing magnesium sulfate, thiamine and folic acid. The doctors have since launched Recovery Act, four banana-colored capsules priced at $5 containing the same ingredients. “The idea of hangover prevention is even more important than treating it,” Levitan said. “These vitamins and minerals work better when they’re taken while someone is drinking instead of waiting for the hangover effects in the morning.”
Wrong message? Some medical professionals are worried these trendily packaged and marketed anti-hangover treatments might be sending the wrong message. “Younger people may be attracted to the idea behind these products — that ‘If this is going to help me in the morning, I can go crazy tonight,’” said Damon Raskin, an internist in private practice who is also the medical detox specialist at Cliffside, a rehabilitation center in Malibu, Calif. Still, Raskin said, a big concern is the lack of regulation of these products. “Almost none of them are FDA (Food and Drug Administration)-approved, nor have they gone through rigorous studies to show that they do anything at all. Obviously, the best thing for a hangover is to drink in moderation, and not to get one.” Otherwise, he advises, “Take a multivitamin, drink a sports drink and plenty of water, eat a banana, have some food in you — you can get all the same benefits, and it would be a lot cheaper. These hangover products are not a get-out-ofjail-free card.”
COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES
Many people in the early stages of cardiovascular disease are asymptomatic, meaning they have no symptoms to indicate their health is at risk. That’s why the screenings are so important.
How to kick off a year of good health Check early for hidden risk factors of heart disease FAMILY FEATURES
A fresh beginning with a new year is the perfect time for a health assessment to ensure you are ready to take on a full and active year ahead. Even if you’re feeling great, it’s a smart practice to take time to identify potential problems before they become more serious health concerns. Early detection of ailments, such as cardiovascular disease, can significantly impact an individual’s ability to cope with the disease, allowing you to make adjustments such as changes in diet and lifestyle, or when necessary, drug therapies and other medical treatments. Delaying detection of this serious disease until its more advanced stages can have dire consequences. With these three steps, you can get a better picture of your cardiovascular health and identify silent, hidden risk factors (like plaque in your arteries) that you may not even know are there.
Check blood pressure Blood pressure measures how much force a person’s blood is putting on the artery walls as the heart pumps. High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when your heart has to work extra hard to pump blood throughout the body. High blood pressure often happens when arteries lose their elasticity through hardening caused by cholesterol, plaque or scarring. Many people do not experience symptoms of high blood pressure, so it’s important to have your blood pressure checked periodically. Screening for high blood pressure involves placing a pressure cuff around your upper arm to monitor both diastolic and systolic blood pressure. A normal systolic reading is between 90 and 119, and a normal diastolic reading is 60-79.
Libraries to host breast and cervical cancer programs Women between 50 and 64 who have no health insurance and limited income may be eligible for free Pap smears, clinical breast exams and mammograms through the Florida Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. Vickie Lawrence, a health outreach representative with the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County, will explain how the program works and share information about breast and cervical cancers and the human papillomavirus during
Hospice seeks volunteers for Palm Coast, Ormond Beach Halifax Health - Hospice is seeking volunteers to provide assistance for patients in the Palm Coast area and at the Ormond Beach Care Center, 235 Booth Road, Or-
Health care signup help available at library Trained navigators will offer enrollment assistance from noon to 6 p.m. Mondays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursdays through Jan. 28 (except Dec. 24) at the Daytona
Get cholesterol checked A simple finger-stick screening measures total cholesterol as well as three different kinds of lipids in your blood (HDL, LDL and triglycerides), which are important in determining your heart health. Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as the “bad” cholesterol and can build up in the walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain. Along with other substances, it can form plaque – a thick, hard deposit that can clog those arteries. High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is known as “good” cholesterol because it carries LDL away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it’s passed from the body. A high HDL level helps prevent heart disease, while a low HDL level increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. Triglycerides are the most common type of fat. Like cholesterol, they circulate in blood but are stored in the body for extra energy. A high triglyceride level combined with a low HDL or high LDL can speed up the process of plaque formation in the arteries.
Learn other risk factors Many people in the early stages of cardiovascular disease are asymptomatic, meaning they have no symptoms to indicate their health is at risk. Some common risk factors include age (55 and older), family history, tobacco use and high blood-pressure, other factors, such as high cholesterol, aren’t as easily observed. Preventive health screenings can give you a fuller picture of how risk factors may be stacking up. The screenings are designed by doctors and administered by trained professionals to help detect hidden health issues. Within a couple of weeks, you can receive easy-to-understand test results to share with your doctor so you can work together to prevent serious problems before they start. Medical detox specialist’s advice: Try a sports drink and eat bananas instead of ingesting new hangover products.
free presentations at four public libraries in January. The presentations, titled “For Peace of Mind,” will be held: • 5:30 p.m. Jan. 7, Daytona Beach Regional Library at City Island, 105. E. Magnolia Ave., Daytona Beach • 5:30 p.m. Jan. 14, DeLand Regional Library, 130 E. Howry Ave. • 5:30 p.m. Jan. 21, New Smyrna Beach Regional Library, 1001 S. Dixie Freeway • 11 a.m. Jan. 28, at the Port Orange Regional Library, 1005 City Center Circle For more information, call 800-2266110.
mond Beach. Volunteers also are need who can visit patients in their homes, nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Orientations are Jan. 12, 19, and 26 from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 156 Florida Park Drive, Palm Coast. More details: 386-425-4701 ext. 66400 or diane.adams@halifax.org.
Beach Regional Library, 105 E. Magnolia Avenue, Daytona Beach. Navigators will also be available from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9. Schedule appointments at 904-7628609 or by visiting www.getcoveredamerica.org/connector. Walk-ins are welcome but will have a longer wait time.
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7 EDITORIAL
DECEMBER 31, 2015 – JANUARY 6, 2016
Black lives don’t matter in Israel The United States does not have a monopoly on the lynch law murder of Black people. Israel, both America’s client state and master, is awash in racist state-sponsored violence. Palestinians are usually the intended targets, but Africans are inevitably caught in this terrorism too. The mob murder of Mulu Habtom Zerhom reveals everything that the world needs to know about Israeli apartheid and the settler mentality that it exemplifies. Zerhom was an Eritrean asylum seeker living in Israel, confined to one of the camps used to hold Africans. He was at a bus station where a Bedouin man shot an Israeli soldier. Zerhom was trying to flee, but was himself shot by the police. Video footage shows him lying bleeding and incapacitated as a mob of Israelis kicked him, threw chairs and benches at his head, and shouted “Son of a whore,” “Break his head” and “Kill him!”
Cop lied News reports say that Zerhom was mistaken for a terrorist, but the truth is simpler. Like his American counterparts, the policeman lies about Zerhom attacking him. Another video shows Zerhom on all fours, trying to get away from the chaos. The killer cop knows the routine about shooting Black people. Just claim to feel endangered and all is right with the world. He may have thought that Zerhom killed the soldier – or he may have instinctively reacted the way so many White people do when they see a Black face.
MARGARET KIMBERLEY BLACK AGENDA REPORT
Israel is an American occupier state in miniature with an indigenous population and immigrants who are treated like criminals. The two countries have more in common than the Zionist boosters want to admit. Israel is the world’s worst apartheid state. The Palestinian population is physically separated from the Jewish settler community, they are subjected to arbitrary arrest, abuse and outright murder. When they attempt to resist their oppression, they are met with a brutal response. They can be burned to death in their homes or shot by police who plant evidence on their dead bodies. The Palestinian people are victims of Israeli violence on a daily basis. They risk police brutality, theft of their land, the destruction of their homes, and murder. While the Israeli Defense Force and Israeli police perfect the art
No more chicken dinners; we need policy It happens every year. Yard signs placed by campaign operatives infiltrate our neighJEFFREY L. borhoods and litter our streets, BONEY hoping that you familiarize yourself with their respective political NNPA COLUMNIST candidate and translate that familiarity into a vote for that candidate. been how political candidates use gimmicks to obtain votes from Familiarity works the Black community – chickIt’s no secret why radio stations en dinners, barbecue cookouts, play the same songs over and fish plates, steak days, gift cards, over again. They want that song air conditioners for senior citito grow on you, even if you don’t zens, etc. All of these gimmicks initially like it. Very rarely does a have and continue to be used to song become popular after one or get people to vote for a particular two listens. Familiarity is the first candidate. Yet once they get the Black vote, step to a song becoming liked. That’s the reason why during we don’t hear from them again… election season, radio ads be- until the next election cycle. come more frequent, print mailers get sent out in mass quanti- No policies ty to registered voters, and teleIt always fascinates me the vision ads are placed during key way political candidates scurshows on the network. ry around during election seaOne act of political familiari- son trying to obtain votes to get ty that I’ve always disdained has elected or reelected. They vis-
Single payer more popular than Obamacare Boosters for the Obama administration claim that his Affordable Care Act is a legacy that qualifies Obama for permanent residence in the pantheon of progressive domestic policy presidents like Franklin Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson. Black Agenda Report takes the opposite position. In 2009, newly-elected President Barack Obama set the cause of universal health care back many years with his surprise endorsement of a Republican health insurance plan, hatched in the bowels of the Heritage Foundation in the 1980s, then championed by GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole in 1996 and Massachusetts Republican
GLEN FORD BLACK AGENDA REPORT
Governor Mitt Romney shortly thereafter.
Imposed on Dems Obama’s bill was written by the health insurance and pharmaceutical corporations and brutally imposed on the left wing of the Democratic Party, whose members were threatened with loss of party campaign support if
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: PLAYER CONCUSSIONS AND THE NFL
of brutalizing occupied people, their American counterparts arrive like pilgrims, learning how better to subjugate their own population.
Israeli control Israel would not exist at all without America’s direct intervention in 1948. Its continued existence is the result of American acquiescence and genuflection to what is technically a client state. But in a strange role reversal, politicians from presidents down to local city council members regularly travel to Israel in hopes of receiving political patronage from Zionists in this country. This hold on the political system is so complete, so entrenched, that no one dares to fight against it. Members of Congress who buck this system immediately pay a price and face well-funded opponents. Americans who want to advocate against the continued financial and military support of this monstrous system are left with nowhere to turn. Israel’s untouchability is bought and paid for by its American supporters. Zarhom was killed on camera, but not one politician in New York or Washington has spoken a word of protest. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blandly warned against citizens taking the law into their own hands, but no one has been arrested for a crime committed on camera. It shouldn’t be too hard to find people clearly photographed, especially when two of them gave interviews to the media. One
PAT BAGLEY, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
identified himself as Dudu and claimed to feel remorse. Another man named Meir Saka admitted to being an accessory to the crime. “I was guarding over him with a chair to make sure he wouldn’t move . . . and then I heard gunshots and I realized he wasn’t even a terrorist. There was this atmosphere; everyone who came in, it didn’t matter who was there, boom, kicked him.” In other words, “My bad.”
Nothing to say The Black ‘misleadership’ say nothing about Israel. Israel may bomb Gaza into oblivion, kill children playing football on a beach, or use them as human shields. The obvious violations of human rights never merited condemnation. There is no reason to believe these same lackeys will
CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS The Black Press believes that Americans can best lead the world away from racism and national antagonism when it accords to every person, regardless of race, color or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person. The Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief...that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.
Margaret Kimberley’s column appears weekly in BlackAgendaReport.com. Contact her at Margaret.Kimberley@ BlackAgendaReport.com.
it a church here, do block walks and knock on a door there, kiss our babies, shake our hands, and even give us stuff to get us out to vote. However, when it comes to developing solid policies to help the Black community, many of those same candidates disappear, never to be heard from again…until the next election cycle. Historically, many in the Black community have treated elected officials as if they are high-profile celebrities. Instead of talking to them about policy, many of us are looking to take pictures with them as if they are Hollywood stars, rather than as public servants elected to serve the people. When it comes to developing solid policy for the Black community, where is the evidence that we have held elected officials accountable for their failure to do so? There is very little reciprocity from those candidates once they become elected officials. I am talking about the elected officials that we continue to elect and reelect. Yet they have done very little to educate, equip and inform the Black community about key issues in matters concerning them, nor developed any
sound policy that has made a dif- must demand sound policy and ference. hold elected officials accountable for being real advocates for their constituents – us! What have they done? Ask yourself when was the last time one of your elected officials Same energy, effort drafted or advocated for policies The same energy and effort at the local, state or at the feder- these elected officials use to get al level that positively impacted elected or re-elected should be you? the same energy they use when it You may have been invited to a comes to sitting down with their fish fry, steak dinner or commu- constituents, understand their nity social event. But you know needs, and advocating for polithe Black community has been cies that positively impact the shortchanged when it comes to Black community. advocacy and policy. If the constituents of these We deserve to be treated like a elected officials have not propartner in a serious relationship, gressed, and are no more adnot some fling on the side, where vanced as a result of their leaderpoliticians whisper sweet noth- ship, it is time to start looking for ings in our ears to get the only new leadership. thing they really want – the Black Politicians, keep your chicken vote. dinners, barbecue cookouts, fish Elected officials are not high- plates, steak days, gift cards, air ly-paid Hollywood entertainers. conditioners for senior citizens, They are public servants and we etc. need to stop acting as if they are Give us what we really need: the hottest celebrity. sound policy and advocacy. We need effective policies deJeffrey L. Boney is an awardveloped. We must to stop allowing elected officials to make winning journalist for the promises to us, close the deal (get Houston Forward Times newsour vote), and forget or ignore us paper. Contact him at jboney1@ until they need our vote again. We texasbusinessalliance.org.
they resisted. Cleveland Congressman Dennis Kucinich was the last holdout for the “public option” – a scaleddown alternative to Obama’s corporate-based scheme – that finally disappeared altogether, as did Rep. Kucinich’s seat in Congress. It was redistricted out from under him. The White House justified its abandonment of the single payer health care, claiming compromise was necessary to get Republican votes. But the Democrats controlled both houses of Congress. Obamacare passed without a single Republican vote. As a consolation for the loss of the public option, Obama offered to create nonprofit health insurance co-ops in various states. However, more than half of these coops have gone out of business in an environment dominated by cutthroat healthcare capitalists.
Corporate takeover
Strong support
Our biggest concern seven years ago was that Obama was setting in concrete the corporate role in healthcare, planting the insurance and drug companies right in the middle of a multitrillion-dollar river of federal money – and that it would take decades to pry their profiteering hands loose. We still believe that. With every year, more companies and jobs are tied directly to the cash flow of the privatized system Obama created. As Bruce Dixon has warned, conservative judges are increasingly likely to rule that rolling back corporate pillaging of healthcare would constitute an illegal “taking,” a seizure of reasonably expected profits. Under Obama’s Trans-Pacific Partnership trade rules treaty, the corporations would win.
Therefore, it is encouraging that most Americans still support single payer healthcare in the form of “Medicare for all.” A new Kaiser Poll shows 58 percent of the public are in favor of Medicare for all, including 81 percent of Democrats. That’s only slightly below the high mark of single payer support in the months before Obama announced that he wasn’t really talking about single payer when he used the term “universal coverage” – he meant universal payment to private corporations, under penalty of law. Obama’s legacy is that he has made it far more difficult to dislodge the corporations from their parasitic role in U.S. healthcare.
Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher
Opinions expressed on this editorial page are those of the writers, and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of the newspaper or the publisher.
speak up for Zerhom, either. In 2014, much media coverage was given to basketball team owner Donald Sterling when his racist remarks were revealed to the public. Hardly anyone remembers what he said about Israel. “You go to Israel, the Blacks are treated just like dogs.” Sterling hit the nail squarely on the head with that statement. Israel is an American occupier state in miniature with an indigenous population and immigrants who are treated like criminals. The two countries have more in common than the Zionist boosters want to admit.
Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Sales Manager
W W W. DAY T O N AT I M E S .C O M
Dr. Valerie Rawls-Cherry, Human Resources
Charles W. Cherry, Sr. (1928-2004), Founder Julia T. Cherry, Senior Managing Member, Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Cassandra CherryKittles, Charles W. Cherry II, Managing Members
Jenise Morgan, Senior Editor Angela van Emmerik, Creative Director Cassandra Cherry Kittles, Willie R. Kittles, Circulation Penny Dickerson, Staff Writer Duane Fernandez Sr., Kim Gibson, Photojournalists
MEMBER
Florida Press Association
National Newspaper Publishers Association
Society of Professional Journalists
National Newspaper Association
Associated Press
Glen Ford is executive editor of BlackAgendaReport.com. Email him at Glen.Ford@BlackAgendaReport.com.
Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC, P.O. Box 48857 Tampa, FL 33646, publishes the Florida Courier on Fridays. Phone: 877-352-4455, toll-free. For all sales inquiries, call 877-352-4455; e-mail sales@flcourier.com. Subscriptions to the print version are $69 per year. Mail check to P.O. Box 48857 Tampa, Fl 33646, or log on to www.daytona.com; click on ‘Subscribe’.
SUBMISSIONS POLICY SEND ALL SUBMISSIONS TONEWS@DAYTONATIMES.COM Deadline for submitting news and pictures is 5 p.m. the Monday before the Thursday publication date. You may submit articles at any time. However, current events received prior to deadline will be considered before any information that is submitted, without the Publisher’s prior approval, after the deadline. Press releases, letters to the editor, and guest commentaries must be e-mailed to be considered for publication. The Daytona Times reserves the right to edit any submission, and crop any photograph, for style and clarity. Materials will not be returned.
5 7
DECEMBER 31, 2015 – JANUARY 6,DECEMBER 2016 ENTERTAINMENT 14 - 20, 2006
MAYOR
‘Black Panthers’ and ‘Creed’ among best movies of 2015 BY DWIGHT BROWN NNPA NEWS WIRE
Movies have become a great comfort in what has been a tumultuous year. They’ve entertained us. Made us laugh, feel courageous, scared, romantic and educated us too. It’s a perfect time to reflect on the films, performances and Black artists who made 2015 special. And might as well get a head start on the high-quality movies that will contend for Oscars and be released in theaters and on DVD/VOD in weeks to come. The
‘Amy’ Amy Winehouse burned bright like a firefly and died just about as quickly. Her jazzy, smooth and tortured Billie Holidayish voice haunts the soundtrack. Her infamous drug addiction and self-destructive relationships are on view. A brilliant and sobering documentary by director Asif Kapadia. (***1/2)
‘Black Panthers: Vanguard of a Revolution’ Whittling down what must have been countless hours of possibilities (archival footage, interviews, photos) into a thought-provoking and coherent documentary about the Black Panthers was done expertly by director/producer/writer Stanley Nelson and editor Algernon Tunsil. Few stones are left unturned.
‘Creed’ Only an ingenious filmmaker (Ryan Coogler) could fathom a continuation of the Rocky saga that is as much of a crowd pleaser as the original. Michael B Jordan steps up as
ANALYSIS Apollo Creed’s son Adonis, and he takes his punches with grace. Sylvester Stallone digs deep to render his best performance ever as the aged pugilist Rocky Balboa. A knockout.
‘The Revenant’ After the success of his Oscar-winning film “Birdman,” one might have thought filmmaker Alejandro G. Inarritu might miss a beat. He didn’t. His tale of a frontiersman, who survives a brutal bear attack, is left for dead then seeks revenge for his son’s murder, is a violent and riveting experience. Leonardo DiCaprio deserves the Oscar for Best Actor for sheer brilliance and guts.
‘Room’ A young woman (Brie Larson) and her vulnerable son (Jacob Tremblay) have been locked up in a shed and held hostage for years. They plot their escape. A deceptively simple script (Emma Donoghu), directed with skill and restraint (Lenny Abrahamson), turns into an astounding and heart-wrenching film that never loses its dramatic edge.
‘Sicario’ FBI Field agents Kate (Emily Blunt) and Reggie (Daniel Kaluuya) seek revenge when a drug cartel kills their colleagues. They team up with a smarmy Defense Department “contractor” (Josh Brolin) and a mysterious figure (Benicio Del Toro) to hunt the bad guys. Imagine “Zero Dark Thirty’’ tequila style. Genius direction (Denis Villeneuve), perfect screenplay (Taylor Sheridan) and superb ensemble acting.
Stanley Nelson’s “Black Panthers: Vanguard of a Revolution’’ is a thought-provoking documentary that traces the rise and the fall of the movement.
‘Son of Saul’ First-time filmmaker László Nemes has written and directed a devastating Holocaust drama based on an innovative creative strategy: “The camera is his [Saul’s] companion; it stays with him throughout this hell.” The audience witnesses a very personal story about a man determined to give a dead teenager a proper burial at Auschwitz. The claustrophobic cinematography keeps you astonished.
‘Straight Outta Compton’ This isn’t some chump change Sundance indie movie about the rap group NWA and hip-hop culture. This is a full-fledged, bigbudget looking homage to the L.A. rap scene, that smartly, emotionally and historically capsulizes the life and times of Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre and ev-
eryone around them who caused the big bang that popularized West Coast rap music. An Oscar-caliber film.
‘Timbuktu’ We read how Islamic fundamentalists are encroaching on the basic liberties of people in Africa and the Arab world. Veteran filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako (Bamako) approaches this complicated social phenomena by creating a simple allegorical tale about a sheepherder who comes under the wrath of an Islamic tribunal and the results are deadly. The film is as spiritual as a biblical passage.
‘Wild Tales’ If a past transgression has been eating your soul alive, these twisted vignettes could be your remedy. Tales of revenge, miscalculations, deceit, un-
bridled anger and jealousy beyond anything you can fathom are doled out with a wicked sense of humor by director Argentinean writer/director Damian Szifron. Macabre and hysterical.
Honorable mentions “ ’71,’’ “Beast of No Nation,’’ “Bridge of Spies,’’ “Burnt,’’ “Concussion,’’ “Da Sweet Blood of Jesus,’’ “The Danish Girl,’’ “Ex Machina,’’ “Freeheld,’’ “Furious 7,’’ “Inside Out,’’ “Love and Mercy,’’ “Mad Max: Fury Road,’’ “Spy,’’ “Trainwreck,” “Trumbo,’’ “What Happened, Miss Simone?’’
Overrated “Carol’’ (Sterile. Everyone wears new clothes like they’re in Saks’ store window.) “The Martian’’ (After 10 minutes, we know Matt Damon’s coming home.) “Spotlight” (Go watch an episode of “Law & Order’’
and save your money.) “Truth’’ (Dan Rather made a big mistake and so did this film’s producers.)
Worst movies “Fifty Shades of Gray’’ (It sets women back 50 years) “Irrational Man’’ (Woody Allen, who is on autopilot, forgot to press the start button.) “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.’’ (Boring actors: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer. Boring movie) “Our Brand is Crisis’’ (Sandra Bullock has rarely made a wrong move. Until now.) “Pan’’ (How could anyone ruin the legacy of Peter Pan? This is how.) “Southpaw’’ (Everything that was wrong with this boxing movie was right in “Creed.’’)
Read more reviews by NNPA News Wire Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com.
R6
7 CLASSIFIEDS
DURHAM from Page 1
public places including Bethune-Cookman University, the F.A.I.T.H. organization and several state colleges, namely the University of Central Florida, Daytona State College and University of Florida. Commissioner Paula Reed had suggested including the state’s three HBCUs: Edward Waters College, Florida A&M University and Florida Memorial University.
Suspect timing Durham’s appointment was reportedly “an at-will position appointed by the city manager,” which had been both vacant and part of the city budget for years. According to reported statements by city spokesperson Susan Cerbone, “Such positions do not have to be advertised or posted.” “I have worked closely with Reverend Durham on many committees since his coming to Daytona Beach. However, he is not able to, nor is he responsible for resolving the city’s problems,’’ Slater noted, adding that Mayor Derrick Henry has previously stated that Durham is “able to bridge people and agencies who don’t get along.” Slater related, “This issue has absolutely nothing to do with people and agencies not being able to get along. It has everything to do with fairness and equal opportunities for minorities in city government. With all due respect to the mayor, I hope that he is not being undermined.’’
DECEMBER 31, 2015 – JANUARY 6, 2016
Mayor endorses decision In an exclusive interview Tuesday with the Daytona Times, the mayor said he had learned of Chisholm’s decision to appoint Durham just minutes prior to the Dec. 16 commission meeting. “We usually have a briefing weeks before meetings, but due to my hectic schedule, Chisholm informed me just before the meeting that he had hired Durham and would Cynthia announce it at the meetSlater ing, said Henry who added that he had no qualms about the decision. “I am responsible for judging the city manager’s performance and his hiring Durham will in no way impair my management. Everyone knows this so it’s not a secret. If I were in the Derrick city manager’s position to Henry hire people, Ronald Durham would be one of the first people I’d look to hire because he’s eminently qualified,” added Henry who also said he didn’t ask “Why?” because he really didn’t have time to dissect it.
Slater’s statements undermine According to Henry, Durham’s appointment was not pursued to “bridge the gap between the African-American community,” but he can’t be certain because he and the city manager have not had extensive
conversations. Further, he believes Slater’s assessment or statements regarding Durham being “close to him” undermine the healthy conversation that she has initiated as it relates to hiring. “My relationship with Durham is a sidebar that I don’t believe to be either relevant or accurate. My greater concern is the disparity in the diversity data presented and once we contrast ourselves with similar municipalities, we will make assessments accordingly,’’ said Henry.
Henry’s loyalties As for Chisholm, Henry stated the city manager deserves an opportunity to explain his choice to hire Durham to the city commission and, if as a body, or individually, they don’t agree with his decision, then it will be addressed. “My ability to assess the city manager will in no way be jaded by his city hiring,” Henry remarked. “Durham’s hiring was in no way made to ensure that I remain loyal to the city manager. I am not loyal to Chisholm; I’m loyal to the purposes and work of the city.”
Waiting game Slater has stated that the local NAACP branch has been bombarded with complaints from employees from the City of Daytona Beach throughout the years about “unfair practices in hiring and promotions within the city.” The organization has been advised by its statewide attorney to wait until the commission reports further data at its January 2016 meetings. Slater said she would withhold further comments on the matter until then.
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DECEMBER 31, 2015DECEMBER – JANUARY 2016 14 -6,20, 2006
7
SPORTS MA YOR
B-CU football players get invitation to Tropic Bowl SPECIAL TO THE TIMES
Marquis Drayton and Quentin Williams have been invited to participate in the Tropic Bowl, set for Jan. 17 in North Miami Beach. The game will take place at North Miami Athletic Stadium. The Tropic Bowl is an elite and exclusive FBS and FCS College All-Star game played in January, featuring some of the nation’s best seniors from both levels of Division I football. Drayton, a 6-1, 201-pound redshirt senior from Fort Lauderdale, has accepted the invitation. The starting free safety for the Wildcats the past two seasons, Drayton was a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) First Team selection following the 2015 campaign. He amassed 37 tackles, including 21 primary stops. He stepped in front of three passes for interceptions, taking one back 30 yards for a touch-
COURTESY OF B-CU ATHLETICS
Marquis Drayton and Quentin Williams were picked to participate in the Tropic Bowl on Jan. 17 in North Miami Beach. down against Morgan State in the year’s final home game. His three interceptions allowed him to end the year tied for third in the
league in that category. He would also finish the year second in the MEAC for kick return yards, averaging 23.4 yards per return.
Williams, the quarterback from Tampa, enjoyed, statistically, his most successful seasons in 2015. He finished the regular season as the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) leader in passing efficiency (187.2), third in passing yards per completion (16.45), tied for 23rd in passing touchdowns (19), tied for 39th in points responsible for (134), 40th in passing yards (2,171), tied for 40th in points responsible per game (12.2) and 46th in passing yards per game (196.9). In addition, Williams was just the second quarterback since Bernard Hawk to pass for over 2,000 yards in a season, matching Matt Johnson (2010).
Winning season As a team, Bethune-Cookman finished the campaign 9-2 overall, sharing a co-championship for the MEAC title – the school’s fourth in as many years, and the
fifth of its kind in the last six seasons. The Wildcats were victorious over in-state rival Florida A&M, 35-14 in the annual Florida Blue Florida Classic to secure their stake in the conference title. B-CU led the MEAC in several statistical categories, including scoring offense (31.4 average per game), total offense (445.0 average per game), rushing offense (191.8 yards per game), pass offense (253.2 average per page), and pass efficiency (164.1 efficiency). The Wildcats also hold top 10 positions in the FCS in passing yards per completion (sixth) and team passing efficiency (third). B-CU entered the STATS FCS Top 25 poll in the final ranking of the season (25th) and have slowly climbed the FCS Coaches Poll to reach No. 21. For more information about the game, visit TropicBowl.org. This story is special to the Times from B-CU Athletics.
Leaving Miami was right choice for Oklahoma’s Ahmad Thomas BY ANDRE C. FERNANDEZ MIAMI HERALD (TNS)
Ahmad Thomas wears No. 13 at Oklahoma so he can always remember how far he has come. It’s how old Thomas was when he lost one of the people most responsible for making him the man he is today. “My grandma died of cancer when I was 13, and that’s why I got that number,” Thomas said. “I still can hear her voice calling my name from across the house. I loved her, and she died when I still didn’t understand what death was so it hurt a lot. I had a great relationship with her.” T h o m a s ’ g r a n d m o t h e r, Shirley, helped raise Thomas along with his mother, Marvice, and aunt, Donnis, and kept him on a steady path to success that Ahmad took him from Thomas the rough neighborhoods in Miami’s Liberty City to the University of Oklahoma. Thomas became a standout defensive back in high school and starred for more than three years at Miami Central, where he was a part of state championships in 2010 and 2012. At Central, Thomas starred with a number of players who have since gone on to play and star at other colleges such as Dalvin Cook (Florida State) and Joseph Yearby (Miami) and scored some of notable victories against neighborhood rivals at Sun Life Stadium.
‘Nothing new’ Thomas was hoping for another when the No. 4 Sooners face No. 1 Clemson in the Capital One Orange Bowl — a College Football Playoff semifinal at 4 p.m. on Dec. 31. “[Playing in Miami] nothing new to me,” Thomas said. “I’ve played big games all my life. Ever since I was in Little League, I played semifinals, Super Bowl games, and now I played state games, and I’m back in the Orange Bowl. I just want to make the best of it and come out with a win.” Thomas enrolled early at Oklahoma his senior season and progressed into one of the top players in the Sooners’ secondary over the following two years. Thomas entered the game with 68 tackles (44 solo), which ranks third on the team, and has three interceptions this season. He’s part of a defense that ranks seventh nationally in interceptions with 19 and is 12th in defensive pass efficiency. This season, Thomas has played both at the free safety and strong safety positions. As a sophomore, he started every game at free safety and totaled 75 tackles and an interception.
Wise decision Thomas said the choice to leave Miami and go to college out-ofstate became clear when he started heeding the advice of family and his high school coaches. “I had to be wise, because you know, in Miami, there are a lot of things you can get into, a lot of wrong decisions you can make,”
RON T. ENNIS/FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM/TNS
Ahmad Thomas in action: Texas Christian University quarterback Trevone Boykin avoids Thomas of Oklahoma on Oct. 4, 2014 at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. The Horned Frogs upset Oklahoma 37-33. Thomas said. “I’m not saying I made all the right decisions, because I didn’t, but I made good decisions more than I made bad ones. I listened to people. I did what I had to do to get out of here, because if I didn’t really want to play football, I could have been in the streets.” Thomas reflected Sunday on all the people he knew growing
up that weren’t as fortunate. “I built a lot of friendships and then I started surrounding myself with the right people, and I started listening to them,” Thomas said. “It’s real hard to raise a kid in Miami because you’ve got drug dealers on the corner from your house. You’ve got people robbing people. My cousin’s husband’s friend just got killed
in front of his kids. I saw that on Facebook. “I can’t even count with one hand how many people I know that ended up dead or in jail. When I’m up at Oklahoma, I’m thinking, I’m glad I left, because I could have just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’m glad that I met the people that I met when I left. It’s just crazy.”
Youth basketball leagues scheduled in DeLand
PHOTOS BY DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM
Matt Retzlaff (8) of Southern Oregon tries to hold onto the ball as the Knights approach.
OUT & ABOUT
NAIA football championship When the Southern Oregon University Raiders and the Marian University Knights of Indiana faced each other in the NAIA football championship earlier this month, the Daytona Times was there. The Knights defeated the Raiders 31-14 in the Dec. 19 game played at Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach. It was a rematch of the 2014 championship; the Raiders won that game 55-31. Here are photos from this year’s game taken by Daytona Times photojournalist Duane C. Fernandez Sr.
Above is Marian University’s marching band. Both teams brought their bands.
Girls and boys ages 4 to 15 can sign up for winter basketball leagues that will begin playing in January at two locations in DeLand. The rookie division, for ages 4 to 6, will play Tuesday and Thursday nights in the Chisholm Community Center gymnasium, 520 S. Clara Ave. The junior league, for ages 7 to 9, will play Monday and Wednesday nights in the old gymnasium at DeLand High School, 800 N. Hill Ave. The senior league, for ages 10 to 12, will play Tuesday and Thursday nights in DeLand High School’s old gymnasium. The teen league, for ages 13 to 15, will play Monday and Wednesday nights in the Chisholm Community Center gymnasium. The fee is $50 per child. Head coaches are needed; they will receive one free child’s registration. The registration deadline is Jan. 9. Parents may register their children at the DeLand Parks and Recreation office, 230 N. Stone St., DeLand, or during open registrations from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Jan. 5 or 9 to 11 a.m. Jan. 9 in DeLand High School’s old gym. The leagues are co-sponsored by the City of DeLand and Volusia County. For more information, call 386626-7280 or email rhodesc@deland.org.
R8
7PERSONAL FINANCE
DECEMBER 31, 2015 – JANUARY 6, 2016
11 steps to better money management in 2016 their strategies are sound. Reading gives you the opportunity to see your life, your goals and your finances through an alternative lens. Apply the strategies and shifts in thinking that align with your perspective and are likely to have a positive impact on your pockets.
BY ERIC EASTER URBAN NEWS SERVICE
Savings, bills, plans and budgets. These things rarely appear on yuletide shopping lists. Yet the days and weeks after Christmas and into the New Year often yield a frightening wake-up call. For many people, getting their finances in order is second only to losing weight among their New Year’s resolutions. But as with dropping those pounds, somehow watching those dollars and cents rarely happens. Fortunately, experts say, it’s never too late to start improving your financial health. This is as much about changing the way you think about money as adjusting your saving or spending habits. Urban News Service asked leading authorities Ben Carter and Guy-Max Delphin how readers can dedicate 2016 to bolstering their personal finances. Carter is the host and producer of “Manage Your Damn Money,’’ a YouTube series designed to help millennials make personal economics a part of their culture. Here is his advice.
Budget your time first Consider places where you’ve been wasteful with your time, energy and resources – not just your money. Often, life can overtake us with things we’re not obligated to deal with, pay for or spend time on. Ultimately, in one way or another, that costs you money. Take the time to consider what mundane tasks might be avoidable and how you might be able to make better use of your valuable time.
Audit your lifestyle How we live determines how much we spend. So, how much does your daily lifestyle contribute to your financial health? Do you really need cable TV? Has eating out become a daily occurrence? Do you really need to go to brunch every Sunday? Do you have more invested in shoes than stock? One of the easi-
Celebrate small victories Take a weekend to get all your online accounts and account statements in one place and take a look at your victories — money you’ve earned, saved and invested, or goals you’ve met in the past year. If you’ve made contributions to your 401(k) at work, celebrate. If you were able to pay off that nagging debt, celebrate. If you were able to save $750 for that trip you really wanted to go on, celebrate. Looking at the big picture can be overwhelming and sometimes prevent you from recognizing small steps you’ve made toward your goals.
Add financial goals to your to-do list COURTESY OF URBAN NEWS SERVICE
Ben Carter, host and producer of “Manage Your Damn Money,’’ a YouTube series, urges readers consider the following questions: Do you really need to go to brunch every Sunday? Do you have more invested in shoes than stock? est ways to keep money in your pockets is to stop finding ways for it to leave in the first place.
your income and makes saving a task you don’t have to think about.
Go automated
Learn more, read more
Three words: automatic savings plan. One of the most effective ways to save (and invest) money is by opening an account and setting automatic debits to put money away in a separate savings (or investment) account you don’t look at often. The day after payday, a portion of your automatic deposit should be headed to this separate account to ensure consistency and saving of the largest percentage of your income possible. This trains you to get comfortable with living on only a portion of
It sounds like a no-brainer, but finance confuses some people so much that even reading about it feels like a chore. Commit to learning something more about how to make your money grow. The true key to building wealth is creating multiple streams of income. Consider committing to finding new ways to put your money to work so it can be fruitful and multiply. Popular writers about money — such as Robert Kiyosaki, Michelle Singletary and Napoleon Hill — are popular because
Many people put these things on separate lists. Write your financial goals down and put them on your list of things to do every day as a reminder of what you’re working toward.
Have a money ‘vision Guy-Max Delphin is the CEO and president of Delphin Investments, a hedge fund management company based in New York that focuses on balanced investment strategies. Here are his words of financial wisdom. If you’re a small investor, be a contrarian. It can be hard not to follow the crowd around the water cooler, especially in good times. But if everybody is talking about a stock, chances are you’re too late. Have a unique vision for how you want to invest that matches what you believe in. If you’re relatively new to investing, a conservative strategy that minimizes your risk is always best. Then make small-size invest-
ments to limit short-term pain. Don’t bet the farm.
Adjust your plans Review and re-evaluate all of your insurance policies — homeowners, auto, rental, life and health. You may have started the policies a while ago, but do they adequately protect the life you live now? After that, check to see whether there are new deals or new products that will save you money on your premiums while giving the same protection.
Review portfolio If you’re a more experienced investor, review your portfolio to make changes that reflect new business trends or the current economic environment. Technology, especially, is changing rapidly. Do you think the same way about the industries you invested in as you did when you first invested?
Plan for the worst Nobody wants to think about dying, but the major difference between wealth in the Black community today and that of other communities has almost everything to do with what we leave behind for the next generation. Make a will or review the one you have and make sure your wishes are very clear about the management of your money and belongings.
Watch financial TV In general, you should avoid taking investment advice from a TV pundit. But channels such as CNBC can be very helpful in learning the lingo of Wall Street, stocks and finance and new developments in business and finance. That comfort can go a long way to making it easier to discuss money and planning with a spouse, your family or a financial adviser.
featured guests
Brian W. Smith
Allie Braswell
special guests Amy Alysia
Michael R. King
Devery Broox
Tanisha Renee
Bishop Derek Triplett
Malvin A. WilliamsTyson
Author Meet and Greet
F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival
Day 1 - Friday, Jan. 8, 2016 7 p.m.
Day 2 - Saturday, Jan., 9, 2016
Midtown Cultural and Educational Center
10 a.m.
925 George Engram Blvd. Daytona Beach, Florida Admission: $25 Dinner Provided by Tucker’s Catering
Admission: $3
And 12 other Renouned Authors Including International Artists Paul A. Hozell and Laurence ‘Blinky’ Walden
Tickets can be purchased through Paypal @ Freshbookfestivals@gmail.com or http://ilasdiamonds.sharepoint.com or by calling 386-627-4353
East Central Florida’s Black Voice
Also sponsored by: Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. - Daytona Beach Alumnae Chapter • Carolyn Hawkins - Realtor • Best Western Plus • International Speedway • Gary Yoeman’s Ford • Parkside Realty Group • White Sugar Brown Sugar • Author Michael Pyle