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PRESORTED STANDARD MAIL U.S. POSTAGE PAID DAYTONA BEACH, FL PERMIT #189
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A primer on what’s happening at the border See page B1
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JUNE 22 – JUNE 28, 2018
VOLUME 26 NO. 25
DRIP, DRIP, DRIP… Bethune-Cookman’s accreditation and financial credibility are endangered. The university and Interim President Hugh Grimes are targets of another multimillion-dollar lawsuit. A law school partner’s accreditation is stripped. A critical alumni association leadership election looms. nances, external finances and the Chief Executive Officer.” Accreditation is critically important for colleges and universities. Without it, institutions typically are not eligible to receive state or federal funds, including student loans. Students who graduate from unaccredited institutions may not be able to sit for professional licensing examinations.
BY THE FLORIDA COURIER STAFF
DAYTONA BEACH – Here’s an update on some of the latest events at Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU):
Now on probation On June 14, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), B-CU’s academic accreditation agency, issued a public statement announcing the university would be placed on a maximum two-year probation “following review of the institution’s response to unsolicited information alleging non-compliance with the standards related to the governing board, control of fi-
‘Serious sanction’ “Probation is the Commission’s most serious sanction, short of loss of membership, and can be imposed on an institution for failure to correct deficiencies of significant non-compliance” of SACSCOC’s standards, according to
Trump backs down Ends controversial family-separation policy
the statement. “Loss of membership” means B-CU would lose its accreditation. SACSOC alleges that B-CU “had failed to demonstrate compliance” in a number of specific areas, including integrity, governing board characteristics, financial resources, financial responsibility, and control of finances. “These (SACSOC) standards expect an accredited institution (1) to operate with integrity in all matters; (2) to have a governing board…that (a) is the legal body with specific authority over the institution; (b) exercises fiduciary oversight of the institution; (c) ensures that both the presiding officer of the board and a majority of other voting members of the
FLORIDA COURIER FILES
Bethune-Cookman University is facing a crisis unlike any in its recent history. board are free of any contractual, employment, personal, or familial financial interest in the institution; (d) is not controlled by a minority of board members or by organizations or institutions separate from it; and (e) is not presided over by the chief executive officer of the institution; (3) to have sound financial resources and a demonstrated, stable finan-
cial base to support the mission of the institution and the scope of its programs and services; (4) to manage its financial resources in a responsible manner; and (5) to exercise appropriate control over all its financial resources,” according to the statement. See B-CU, Page A2
2019 NFL PRO BOWL
Pro football all-stars return to Orlando
BY NOAH BIERMAN, SARAH D. WIRE AND ELI STOKOLS TRIBUNE WASHINGTON BUREAU / TNS
WASHINGTON – In a rare retreat amid continued outrage about his “zero tolerance” policy at the southern border, President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order to end the separation of immigrant families. His directive was expected to keep families together but in indefinite detention. That likely would open a new legal battle – over a landmark 21-year-old court settlement known as the Flores agreement under which the federal government agreed to hold minors no longer than 20 days.
‘Overrun by people’ Earlier in the day at the White House, speaking at the center of a table surrounded by Republican senators and House members, Trump said, “We’re going to keep families together but we still have to maintain toughness or our country will be overrun by people, by crime, by all of the things that we don’t stand for and that we don’t want.” “If you’re weak, you’re pathetically weak, your country’s going to be overrun with people,” Trump said. Scoffing that some equate being strong with having no heart, he added, “I’d rather be strong.” Trump’s reversal on the 6-weekold family separation policy was remarkable given his aversion to ever admit error or back down. That reflected the White House’s desperation to quash one of its worst crises to date – over a policy that drew condemnation from Republicans as well as Democrats, all four former first ladies, and conservative and liberal religious leaders.
Trump base unhappy Yet Trump risked angering the most anti-immigrant elements of his base, after days of insisting that family separation was an essential part of a tough immigration agenda to end what he calls his predecessors’ lax border enforcement, and prevent children from being used as “keep out of jail free” cards by child smugglers and other criminals. The crisis had consumed his administration for days as Republicans and Democrats reacted to searing pictures and audio of young migrant children crying at being separated See TRUMP, Page A2
ALSO INSIDE
STEPHEN M. DOWELL/ORLANDO SENTINEL/TNS
New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. dances on the field during a timeout during the NFL Pro Bowl on Jan. 29, 2017, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. The NFL announced Orlando will host the 2019 Pro Bowl, keeping the all-star game at Camping World Stadium for another year.
Poll: Kim Jong Un looks stronger than Trump after summit BY MARIA MENDEZ CQ-ROLL CALL/TNS
WASHINGTON – Kim Jong Un appears stronger than President Trump in the wake of their historic summit, according to a new Economist/YouGov poll. Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed a week after the meeting said Kim is a strong leader, up from roughly half in April. Just 51 percent said the same of Trump. While Trump has touted the North Korea summit as a huge success, saying he attained “the big thing,” Americans were less sure.
Edge for Kim About a third of respondents said it was successful, and 22 percent said it was not. An even larger number didn’t know what to think.
The closely watched event, held June 12 in Singapore, marked the first time the two countries’ leaders met face to face. Talks centered on sanctions and denuclearization of North Korea. Democratic lawmakers, along with some Republicans, slammed Trump for conceding too much. The president agreed to end joint military exercises with South Korea. Poll respondents gave Kim an edge in the negotiations. Sixteen percent said the U.S. got more out of the summit, while 27 percent chose North Korea. A quarter called it a tie. And just a quarter said they thought the North agreed to give up nuclear weapons.
Friend or foe? Perceptions of the isolated nation took a turn for the better. Ten percent of those surveyed said North Korea is an ally or friendly to the United States, twice as much as the previous week. Some observers found the performance overly gregarious. Meanwhile, the poll saw Trump’s friendliness spike. Asked if the president considers North Korea to be a friend or foe, 30 percent said the former, up from 14 percent June 10–12.
SNAPSHOTS
FLORIDA | A3
Rapper killed outside shop NATION | A6
New trial possible for Meek Mill Trump pushing Space Force HEALTH | B3
Latest on salmonella outbreaks
GUEST COMMENTARY: MARILYN M. SINGLETON: CREATE YOUR OWN HEALTH CARE ‘SYSTEM’ | A4 COMMENTARY: CHARLES W. CHERRY II: RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A FREE BLACK MIND | A5
FOCUS
A2
JUNE 22 – JUNE 28, 2018
Blacks and Hispanics must unite Black, Brown, Beige, Red and all other people of color around the must unite! If you don’t know, the White separatists and White supremacists of the world are uniting against you! The separation of children of color from their mothers and fathers that come to United States borders to seek asylum is the protest flavor of the day.
Many object Good and honorable people of all races, colors and creeds have spoken out against the devilish immigration policies of President Donald Trump and his attorney general, Jeff Sessions. Once separated, no one can say for sure where the infants are, where the toddlers are or where
LUCIUS GANTT THE GANTT REPORT
the young girls are once they are taken from their parents at the border between the United States and Mexico. I don’t march. But if that is your protest of choice, there will be protests in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and in many other cities on June 30. Just Google “June 30 immigration protests” and hopefully you’ll find an organized protest in your town.
I won’t forget Let me remind you of how
Trump and his bigoted cult of followers describe people of color. Mexicans have been called “drug dealers and rapists.” El Salvadorians have been labeled as “gang members, animals, murderers and criminals.” All Africans have been recognized by Trump loyalists as residents of “shithole countries!” Well, let me tell you about Africa. When Africa was ruled by Africans, your ancestors built pyramids that have stood pretty much intact for centuries. Africans were civilized when the ancestors of Donald Trump lived in caves and didn’t know what a bath was. Trump wants Black people to hate Africa and Brown people to hate South America and the Caribbean. Why? So the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, the commodity traders and modern-day colonialists can take and steal ev-
erything of value they can.
See for yourself
What do they want?
Don’t take my words for it. Look at what’s going on in Antigua and Barbuda; what’s going on in Cameroon; what’s going on in Ethiopia and in other countries across the globe. Black don’t just kill Blacks in Southside Chicago or in South Central Los Angeles. Some educated scholars believe the beef between Saudi Arabia and Yemen could easily be put into the Black-on-Black fighting basket! People of color must unite, because the people on earth that fear a Black planet want to wipe you off the face of the earth! Together we will live. Divided we will die literally, figuratively and certainly economically!
What’s in Africa that skinheads, neo-Nazis, Klansmen and bigots want? They want diamonds, gold, platinum, uranium, coffee, tea, rubber, copper, iron ore, shea nuts and shea oil, petroleum, wine, lumber, ivory, fish, agricultural products, cheap labor, continental control and every other mineral and natural resource that they can find! People of color must unite, because wrong-thinking paleskinned people of the world are united against you! America is not the only country that has racists and bigots. Every country has them at some level. Predominately Black African and Caribbean countries tout their “freedom,” but many Black countries are controlled by handpicked puppets that are loyal to the French, the Dutch, the Portuguese, the Germans, the Spanish and, yes, the Americans!
TRUMP
“It takes the heat off,” he added, “and that’s too bad.” Yet other Republicans were not optimistic that any of the party’s competing immigration proposals could pass and become law, given divisions between conservative and moderate Republicans and opposition from Democrats. Senate Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer has sought to put pressure on Trump to end the separations himself. “He seems content to let Trump own this,” said one senior Democratic Senate aide. Though lawmakers appeared blindsided by Trump’s reversal, many were relieved that he backed down.
from A1 from their parents after crossing the border from Mexico, many to seek asylum from violence in their home countries. The administration said more than 2,300 children were taken from their parents, who are detained for criminal prosecution, and held in separate detention facilities in 17 states. The separations climbed rapidly after the administration began its “zero tolerance” policy in May, requiring more criminal prosecutions rather than civil deportation actions. In the George W. Bush and Obama administrations, people crossing the border illegally or seeking asylum were released pending civil hearings in immigration courts. Trump has claimed as recently as Tuesday that 80 percent of those released never showed up for their court dates and disappear into the country, but federal data suggest that most do show up, though a significant number are unaccounted for.
High-level confusion As the administration and Republican lawmakers sought to resolve the crisis, the signs of confusion were evident. Kirstjen Nielsen, the Department of Homeland Security secretary, spent the morning at the White House, urging Trump to pursue congressional action to end the separation of families at the border, according to an ad-
Buy Gantt’s latest book, “Beast Too: Dead Man Writing,” on Amazon.com and from bookstores everywhere. “Like” The Gantt Report page on Facebook. Contact Lucius at www.allworldconsultants. net.
U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION’S RIO GRANDE VALLEY SECTOR
People taken into custody for allegedly entering the United States illegally sit in cages at a facility in McAllen, Texas. ministration official. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the longtime anti-immigration advocate who announced the family separation policy in May, was at the Capitol to meet with exasperated Republican lawmakers.
Settlement to be challenged Officials said the administration is not ending its “zero tolerance” policy, which criminally prosecutes more people who cross the border illegally. Instead, the administration is looking at how it can override or overturn a 1997 legal settlement known as Flores that restricts the
amount of time that families can be held in immigration lock-ups together, the official said. The administration has argued that the settlement forced it to lock up children separately from their parents. Past administrations mostly avoided that by releasing the parents with their children pending civil hearings, and by not pursuing criminal prosecutions as well as civil deportation actions. The Trump administration is considering a lawsuit to challenge that settlement. Also, the president’s order, assuming it holds children in detention for longer periods than currently permitted, is likely to
B-CU from A1 Familiar complaints SACSOC’s list of deficiencies closely track complaints and allegations made both by former Board of Trustee members as well as in lawsuits filed against B-CU and its last two presidents – Dr. Edison Jackson and current interim president Hubert Grimes. SACSCOC will reconsider B-CU’s accreditation status following a report to be submitted by the institution early next year, followed by a spring 2019 SACSCOC site visit to Daytona Beach. Following that, SACSCOC could take BCU off probation; continue accreditation and probation followed by another report and visit; or deny accreditation and “remove the institution from membership with SACSCOC for failure to comply with the Principles of Accreditation.”
Fitch downgrades bonds Fitch Ratings, Inc. is a credit rating agency that evaluates the creditworthiness of companies and institutions, including colleges and universities. But instead of numerical scores used in evaluating the ability of individuals to pay loans, Fitch uses letters, pluses and minuses. A rating of AA+ is considered the best. It goes down from there: AA, AA−, A+, A, A−, BBB+, BBB, BBB−, BB+, and so on. The downgrade was just the latest of a series of decreases that may make some of B-CU’s larger creditors nervous.
Sliding for years As recently as September 2014, B-CU had an A+ rating. By December 2014, the rating was downgraded two notches to A-; slid another two notches as of December 2016 to BBB; one notch to BBB- in June 2017; then to Fitch’s latest downgrade one notch to BB+ on Wednesday. “The downgrade…reflects Fitch’s view that mounting pressures, including recent placement of B-CU on probation by its primary accreditor, ongoing litigation, and still weak though improving financial performance, are not in aggregate consistent with an investment-grade rating,” the Fitch
Dr. Edison O. Hubert Jackson Grimes
Robert Delancy
statement said. The company also cited “heightened risk from uncertainty regarding pending litigation…and resulting possibility of disruption around fundraising, enrollment or in other areas of operation.”
Uncertain outlook The news was not completely bad. The company pointed to operational improvements including “solid demand, growing enrollment and strengthening though still negative operating margins,” and that B-CU has enough monetary reserves to provide “financial cushion.” But Fitch also warned that B-CU’s credit rating could further worsen depending on the results of the SACSCOC probation, the effectiveness of B-CU leadership’s corrective action plans, and resolution of the various lawsuits.
Grimes dragged into court On May 4, Wells Fargo filed a lawsuit in Volusia County alleging that B-CU and other entities that were parties to the controversial dormitory construction deal had defaulted on an $85 million mortgage. (The Wells Fargo lawsuit is only one of four such lawsuits that B-CU has either filed, or from which it is defending itself. All of legal actions filed against B-CU related to on and off-campus housing are requesting millions of dollars in damages.) On June 7, one of the defendants in the Wells Fargo lawsuit, a group called USRA BC Investors LLC, took the litigation a step further by filing an action against Grimes personally, alleging that he abused “various positions of trust” as a consultant to BCU, then as its general counsel, and finally as its interim president. The investors allege that Grimes cut them out of the dorm deal at various times, and that he was fully aware of all the terms
invite a legal challenge. That is why some in the administration advocate a legislative solution, and why Trump said he expects his order to be followed by action in Congress.
No legislative fix Some lawmakers who’d been hopeful that the pressure created by the outcry would force agreement on a long-sought, comprehensive immigration compromise expressed frustration that the president is opting to act on his own. “It takes care of a political problem, but it doesn’t take care of a policy problem,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told reporters.
and conditions of the complex deal – contrary to the university’s assertions in a separate lawsuit that B-CU leadership was clueless as to the details, and that the university’s leadership was defrauded by Jackson and his cohorts. USRA accuses Grimes of fraud, negligent misrepresentation, negligence, and violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. As of the Florida Courier’s late Wednesday night press time, court files indicate that Grimes had not been personally served with a copy of the latest court action.
Law school partner decertified According to an article posted on Law. com on June 11, the American Bar Association (ABA) withdrew accreditation from BCU’s law school partner, Arizona Summit Law School. The action was related to the school’s poor bar exam passage rate. According to a YouTube video posted in March 2017 titled “B-CU Provides Facts About Law School Partnership,” the university considered partnerships with both Arizona Summit and Florida Coastal School of Law. Both schools are owned by the same for-profit company, InfiLaw Corp. Both of them have also run into accreditation problems with the ABA. The video features Grimes speaking in his role then as university general counsel and following up on then-President Jackson’s law and social justice initiative which would allow students at B-CU to attend law school.
‘Wide open’ for students “As we looked around the landscape, Arizona Summit…started this conversation with us about the possibility of us partnering together,” Grimes said then. “Anyone that’s going to set up scholarship support services, academic support services, and everything that is needed in order to pass the bar exam and be a successful lawyer, I think it’s wide open for our (criminal justice) students and addresses a deep need.” The Law.com article states that Arizona Summit “will lose its accreditation unless it successfully appeals a decision by the ABA…to withdraw the Phoenix school’s accreditation due to a variety of shortcomings related to its admissions and educational program.
Harsh reaction The separation policy, which he has falsely blamed on Democrats and the requirements of current law, triggered the most intense backlash from lawmakers and the public since his first attempt in 2017 to impose a travel ban against several Muslim countries, which triggered chaos at airports nationwide. Republicans in tough races were facing questions about family separation just months before the midterm elections. Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., said he typically doesn’t like executive orders, but that he supports anything “to put this behind us.” Democrats said Trump’s sudden reversal showed the crisis was one of his own making. “The president created this problem, the president is free to fix it,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar, DCalif.
“Enrollment plummeted from nearly 1,000 students in 2011 to 200 last fall, according to data from the ABA. In 2010, 78 percent of the school’s first-time takers passed the Arizona bar exam. By February 2018, just 20 percent of Arizona Summit graduates passed the bar exam. The pass rate was also 20 percent for the previous exam in July 2017.”
Alumni leadership fight B-CU’s National Alumni Association (NAA) sued B-CU for allegedly violating the Board of Trustees’ own rules when the board terminated or refused to seat trustees designated by the NAA. The NAA holds its annual national convention from June 27 to July 1 in Orlando and will elect a new slate of national officers. Robert Delancy, a B-CU alumnus and a retired Internal Revenue Service special agent, is running for the National Alumni Association (NAA) president. Delancy – chosen in 2017 by the NAA as its appointee to B-CU’s Board of Trustees – has questioned B-CU’s leadership about the school’s finances and the dorm deal for years. As a consequence, Delancy and the NAA say trustees illegally refused to seat him.
‘Open your minds’ “The time for political correctness is over!” Delancy stated in a widely disseminated e-mail to alumni dated June 16. “The school is now in full survivor mode due to a clueless, inept (Board of Trustees) that is more concerned with their own misguided sense of self-importance rather than their fiduciary responsibility to Bethune-Cookman University. “Alumni, open your minds and accept the fact that no major corporate sponsor, major philanthropic foundation, or most Alumni, will support Bethune-Cookman University with the current leadership in place: a leadership that willingly and without doing any type of due diligence accepted and signed off on anything Edison Jackson presented to them. “B-CU is now a listing ship without bilge pumps, and those in charge are merely threading (sic) dangerous waters, not to save the school, but to survive until the BCU ship capsizes and they can swim away and avoid acceptance of any responsibility. HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE!!!!!”
JUNE 22 – JUNE 28, 2018
FLORIDA
A3 existing conditions.”
Changes outlined If the lawsuit by Florida and other states is successful, it would do away with key parts of the law that require insurance companies to sell health policies to people regardless of preexisting conditions and prevents charging more because of the conditions. The provisions benefit people who aren’t covered by employerbased plans or Medicaid. When asked about the lawsuit last week, Scott briefly outlined changes he thinks could lower health-insurance costs. The governor said the changes should be incremental but said he supports “allowing more competition (among insurers), we gotta let people buy the insurance that fits for their family and we’ve got to reward people for taking care of themselves.”
Before the law
RED HUBER/ORLANDO SENTINEL/TNS
Gov. Rick Scott, center, stands next to his wife Ann, left, on April 9, confirming his run for U.S. Senate. He made the announcement at ODC Construction in Orlando. On Monday, the governor made his announcement about pre-existing conditions, the same day Sen. Bill Nelson held a meeting in Orlando with people with pre-existing conditions.
Governor pushes back on pre-existing conditions Lawsuit against Obamacare could result in protections being eliminated. BY CHRISTINE SEXTON NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
TALLAHASSEE – Responding to a torrent of criticism from Democrats, Gov. Rick Scott on Monday repeated past statements that he supports maintaining protections for people
with pre-existing medical conditions who purchase health insurance. “My position has not changed – I do not agree with efforts to remove pre-existing conditions,” Scott said in a statement distributed by his U.S. Senate campaign and not the governor’s office. “I’ve continued to say that it is important to cover individuals with pre-existing conditions and that every American, including those with pre-existing conditions, should have the ability to buy any kind of insurance they want.”
Nelson meeting The statement came the same day that U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson – Scott’s opponent in this fall’s election – held a meeting in Orlando with people who have preexisting conditions. During the meeting, Nelson discussed a lawsuit that 20 states, including Florida, have filed against the federal Affordable Care Act that could result in those protections being eliminated. A pivotal moment in the lawsuit happened this month when
President Donald Trump’s administration decided it would not defend the Affordable Care Act.
Dems pounce In the immediate aftermath, Scott avoided directly discussing the potential impact of the lawsuit, despite his history of being critical of the health care overhaul pushed by President Barack Obama. Democrats pounced on Scott’s statements. Florida joined the lawsuit at the direction of Attorney General Pam Bondi. Scott’s statement on Monday still did not completely address the lawsuit, but he said that “Obamacare is a disaster and costs way too much, but keeping pre-existing provisions should be a part of any health care reform. I disagree with efforts to dismantle protections for those with pre-
Prior to the federal law, there was no requirement in Florida that insurance companies offer policies to people, regardless of their pre-existing medical conditions. Scott has maintained that he supports the protections that policies must be sold to the sick. But the federal law also makes clear that insurance companies cannot charge higher premiums based on pre-existing conditions or use of health care services. It established adjusted community rating, which barred insurers from raising premiums based on health status, medical claims or gender, among other things.
Tension on protections When pressed about the price protections, Scott campaign spokesperson Lauren Schenone said the governor “does not agree with efforts to remove pre-existing conditions. Period.” But Marshall Kapp, professor emeritus and former director of Florida State University Center for Innovative Collaboration in Medicine and Law, said maintaining pricing protections for sick people while rewarding those who are healthy could be at odds. “There does seem to be a tension between those two things,” Kapp told The News Service of Florida.
Florida wants voting case moved to state court NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA
Secretary of State Ken Detzner is asking a federal court to let the state courts decide a dispute over whether early voting sites should be allowed on state university or college campuses. In May, the Florida League of Women Voters filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Tallahassee, alleging the constitutional rights of students at the University of Florida and Florida State University were being violated by a 2014 interpretation of a state law by Detzner’s agency that found early-voting sites were not specifically authorized on university campuses. The lawsuit alleged the state was placing “an unjustifiable burden on the voting rights of hundreds of thousands of eligible Florida voters” and that Detzner’s policy “disproportionately” impacted the state’s younger voters.
June 15 motion In a motion filed on June 15, lawyers for Detzner, who was appointed by Gov. Rick Scott, asked U.S. District Judge Mark Walker to “abstain” from deciding the case. “A state court, interpreting state law, can decide the case on narrow, statutory interpretation
Florida rapper shot dead outside motorcycle shop BY ALEX HARRIS AND MONIQUE O. MADAN MIAMI HERALD/TNS
MIAMI – South Florida rapper XXXTentacion was shot and
grounds and, perhaps, avoid any constitutional issues,” the motion said. “A state court’s interpretation, reviewed by a single state appellate court, has the added benefit of binding all Florida trial courts and promoting consistency throughout Florida.” The motion also noted the federal court could grant a stay in the case, while the League of Women Voters and other plaintiffs seek a review in state court.
2013 law cited The motion also said the alleged constitutional violations were not “cognizable” since most of the students said they had voted early in prior elections and that there are early-voting sites approximately one mile from both universities. A key issue in the case is a 2013 law that expanded early-voting sites from supervisor’s offices, city hall and public libraries to “any fairgrounds, civic centers, courthouses, county commission buildings, stadiums, convention centers, government-owned senior centers and governmentown community centers.” Detzner’s 2014 interpretation, which was made at the request of the city of Gainesville, determined that a university campus did not meet the definition of any of the authorized voting sites.
killed on Monday afternoon while shopping for a motorcycle in South Florida, the Broward Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Twitter. The 20-year-old artist, whose real name is Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy, had risen to prominence with the song “Look at Me” on SoundCloud shortly after he was arrested on charges of domestic abuse against his pregnant girlfriend. He denied the charges recently
GEORGE SKENE/ORLANDO SENTINEL/TNS
University of Central Florida students wait in a long line to vote at the then-UCF Arena during the 2008 presidential election. A new lawsuit alleges that the constitutional rights of students at UF and FSU were violated because early-voting sites weren’t authorized on the campuses.
to the Miami New Times. His latest album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
What videos show Deputies say the shooting happened at a popular shop called RIVA Motorsports. Two videos from different angles circulating on Twitter show a man that looks like Onfroy slumped in the driver’s seat of a black BMW i8 with the doors up while witnesses and BSO depu-
ties check his pulse on his neck. According to the Miami New Times, Onfroy’s girlfriend accused him of smacking her in the face, holding her under water and shoving a barbecue fork into her genitals. Kanye West took to Twitter Monday evening to express his condolences. “Rest in peace I never told you how much you inspired me when you were here thank you for existing,” he wrote.
MATIAS J. OCNER/MIAMI HERALD/TNS
XXXTentacion performs at the Rolling Loud Festival in downtown Miami on May 6, 2017.
EDITORIAL
A4
JUNE 22 – JUNE 28, 2018
Create your own health care ‘system’ Small business association health plans and expanding health savings accounts (HSAs) are among several tools to increase health care choices. However, one element in the medical care cost analysis that is rarely addressed is personal responsibility for one’s health. Politicians are reluctant to “blame the victim” (patients) so they criticize the health care “system.” It is not the government’s job to keep us healthy. Estimates of 2016 U.S. healthcare spending averages $10,345 per person. Purchasing insurance makes up the bulk of the spending: $3,852 annual insurance premium, $4,358 to meet the deductible, for a total of $8,210.
Sick minority But most of the actual spending on medical care is for 5 percent of the population, mainly for chronic conditions. Eighty-six percent of the nation’s $2.7 trillion annual health care expenditures (2010) were for people with chronic and mental health conditions. Up to 40 percent of lost years of life from each of five leading U.S. causes (heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, and unintentional injuries) are preventable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Sadly, opiate use disor-
MARILYN M. SINGLETON, M.D., J.D. GUEST COMMENTARY
der jumped from 52nd on the list in 1990 to 15th in 2016.) Research suggests that smoking, poor diet and overeating, and lack of exercise are the most important determinants of premature death. Over the last 25 years the percentage of Americans with healthy lifestyles (exercise, good diet, “normal” body fat, non-smoking) has dropped from 6.8 percent to 3 percent. More than two-thirds of all adults and nearly one-third of all children and youth in the United States are either overweight or obese.
One example The CDC reports that 9.3 percent of Americans have diabetes. Will this problem be solved by expanding government “healthcare” programs? No. In 1965 when Medicare and Medicaid were established, 1.2 percent of Americans had diabetes. This number had doubled by 1975, even with more sources for medical care, and continued to rise at the same rate despite the implementation of the ACA. The American Diabetes As-
We earn more than $1 trillion, but we have a problem African-Americans have annual consumable dollars (after taxes) of more than $1 trillion per year. If we were a nation, we would have the 17th largest gross domestic product in the world. We have more wealth than any nation in South America, Africa, the Middle East and beyond, according to the Selig Business Center at the University of Georgia. But unlike most nations, we do not have a process that allows us to recycle those dollars. The money comes into our communities and then jettisons out. We have the old saying, “The eagle flies on Friday and Saturday we go out to play.” As Malcolm X once said, “That eagle (paycheck) may fly on Friday, but by Saturday noon it is one dead bird.” We recycle nothing.
HARRY C. ALFORD GUEST COLUMNIST
We don’t own The problem is we don’t pride ourselves in investing. We hardly own anything. Booker T. Washington admonished us by saying if we would only build our own businesses and do business with each other, we as a people would not only survive; we would thrive. One hundred years later, we are still “stuck on stupid.” We are about the only mass of people who do not do business with each other to recycle our precious dollars and build wealth.
Left can't face scornful FBI it created I would not be surprised if much of today’s mainstream liberal media and millennium elites have no idea whom former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover was and how he trampled on the civil rights of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He despised MLK as a tool of a Communist conspiracy dangerous to America during the civil rights movement, even keeping him under surveillance.
Sound familiar? Given what we've learned from the Department of Justice (DOJ) inspector general’s report, Barack Obama’s DOJ and FBI leadership were not too different in engaging in political bias and animus against Donald Trump than was Hoover’s FBI against King. Hoover believed that King was a threat to the nation. James B. Comey’s FBI leadership, as the
CLARENCE V. MCKEE, ESQ. GUEST COLUMNIST
report reflects, had the same view about Trump. When Peter Strzok – the agent in charge of the FBI investigation of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia – was asked by his colleague if Trump would ever be president, he responded, "No. No he won’t. We’ll stop it." Really? How? He should be asked that question when he appears before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.
True reflection Remember when Hillary called Trump supporters a “basket of
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: THE FBI AND DONALD TRUMP
sociation estimates that in 2017, diabetes and its related complications accounted for $237 billion in direct medical costs – a 26 percent increase from 2012. The price of poor lifestyle choices is staggering. For the years 2009-2012, the costs for direct medical care due to smoking was at least $170 billion. Medical costs linked to obesity were estimated to be from $147 billion to nearly $210 billion per year.
Let’s face it Many Americans have been duped into ignoring responsibility for their own health. With the drug companies’ relentless ads, prescription drugs have become the equivalent of “As Seen on TV” products. These ads send the unstated message that the latest diabetes or lung disease medication will take care of you so you do not have to take care of yourself and possibly avoid these diseases in the first place. Seventy percent of Americans take at least one prescription medication. And the same government geniuses that permit food stamps to be used at fastfood outlets mandate overpriced insurance products that include “free” preventive care. But the high-priced cholesterol medication will cancel that out, right? No sane person would wish a chronic condition on anyone, or deny treatment for such patients. But preventive health begins at During the 1980s, Black Enterprise magazine began with the intent of glorifying Black entrepreneurship. The magazine now spends most of its time and effort discussing working in the White corporate world. That’s different from being self-made Black millionaires. The mission was lost. Every time we start moving in the right direction, we eventually get sidetracked. There was a breakthrough in the movie industry via the production of “Sweet Sweetback’s Badass Song.” Melvin Van Peebles produced this film for a mere $500,000 investment over 19 days of production. It became a blockbuster hit. Was this the start of Black investment in the motion picture industry? No! White filmmakers started producing “blaxploitation” films like I-95 going north.
Poached, pilfered No matter what the genre is, we get diverted. They would not let us play major league baseball. So when the Negro Leagues became successful in our communities, they poached our talent like Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, deplorables?” That was a true reflection of what liberal Democrats and progressive and liberal media elites thought of Americans supporting Trump – and probably still do. What America did not know was that high-level operatives in the FBI had the same denigrating and degrading attitude about Trump supporters. As reported in numerous media outlets, an FBI employee told an FBI attorney after Trump’s victory that Trump supporters were, “all poor to middle class, uneducated, lazy POS that think he will magically grant them jobs for doing nothing. They probably didn’t watch the debates, aren’t fully educated on his policies, and are stupidly wrapped up in his unmerited enthusiasm." Sounds like a post-election conference call between Clinton advisers and the Democratic leadership – or a regular staff meeting of executives at most cable and broadcast networks and major newspapers.
Silence from Dems Have we heard cries of outrage
NATE BEELER, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH, OHIO
home. Changing behaviors requires someone who connects with patients, will take time to listen and help identify personal motivators for change. This requires a physician who will spend time with you, not a storefront “doc-in-thebox.” Direct pay practices (DPC) offer quality time, service, and chronic disease management. These physicians are not constrained by insurance companies’ and the government’s paintby-the-numbers treatments.
Unused services Health insurance is necessary for big-ticket items like hospitalizations. But there is no need to pay thousands for services that Hank Aaron, etc., until they controlled our baseball stars and the Negro Leagues died. There was a time when our HBCUs produced the best football players on earth. That started to erode as they integrated major college programs to outrecruit our HBCUs for talent. Now National Football League starters are predominantly Black, but that newfound wealth does not stay or recycle in our communities. We are First World in income and Third World in investment and financial strategies. We are like fruit growing on the vines for someone else to come by, pick the best, and take away. Entrepreneurship is the only way for us to climb out of the economic hole we dig for ourselves.
Protect the ‘tribe’ African-Americans will never be economically viable as a people until we understand the importance of “tribal protection.” Jews understand this very well. Chinese are masters at it. Their communities are filled with business activity that reand shame from Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and the usual Democratic cheerleaders for Special Counsel Robert Mueller, condemning the blatant political bias and derogatory comments and descriptions of Trump voters by FBI officials outlined in the report? Did we hear it from Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee when DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz and FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee? Do you think Democrats would be so silent if, instead of referring to Trump supporters, those FBI officials had directed their descriptive derogatory language at Blacks and Hispanics? There has also been very little outrage by those whom you would think would be guardians against governmental and law enforcement abuse of power – the mainstream press. Why? It could be argued that the reason is because they share the same opinions. The reaction of FBI officials after the election
Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher
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will never be used. Shifting all our personal responsibilities to the government has not improved our nation’s health. Imagine if the $1,000 spent on designer coffee or manicures were spent on foods and non-sedentary activities that improved health.
Dr. Marilyn M. Singleton is a board-certified anesthesiologist and president-elect of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons. While still working in the operating room, she attended UC Berkeley Law School, focusing on constitutional law and administrative law. cycles their dollars. They don’t practice this just for love; they do it for survival in this capitalistic society that we live in. You do business with “members of the tribe.” It is not racist, but a matter of self-protection and security. How can the small Korean population in Los Angeles become so viable and successful in business growth, while LA’s larger Black population stays at the bottom rung on the economic ladder? Simple. Koreans build their own businesses and do business with each other. The answer is right in our faces, yet we act as blind sheep led to slaughter. This $1 trillion means nothing if we don’t understand the principles of economic survival. Black America start building your own businesses and do business with each other. It is a matter of success versus slavery.
Harry C. Alford is the cofounder and president/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce. Contact him via www.nationalbcc.org. is a mirror image of the attitude of much of the mainstream media on election night – disbelief, disgust, and sadness.
‘The fix was in’ Americans are not the "deplorables" or "uneducated, lazy POS" that those in the inspector general's report and their like-minded political friends and much of the media think we are. As Sen. John N. Kennedy, RLa., asked Inspector General Horowitz: "Do you honestly believe that the American people are going to look at this report and look at those e-mails and not believe that there was bias and people acting on bias and that the fix was in at the FBI?"
Clarence V. McKee is a government, political and media relations consultant and president of McKee Communications, Inc., as well as a Newsmax.com contributor. This article originally appeared on Newsmax.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.flcourier.com; click on ‘Subscribe’.
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JUNE 22 – JUNE 28, 2018
Tiger Woods is becoming the Hugh Hefner of PGA players Tiger Woods’s wife famously burst their marital bubble. It happened around Thanksgiving Day in 2009 – when she reacted to breaking news about his cheating by taking one of his irons to his hide, and then to his car. I joined in the tabloid revelry with a column entitled, “Tiger’s Wife Serves Him a Fat Lip for Thanksgiving,” November 29, 2009. Fatefully, Tiger decided the best way to save his marriage was to take time off the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) tour for a stint in sex rehab. I thought that was a big mistake. I suggested at the time that, if anything, he should have given a one-off “Oprah-style confessional” and continued his career without missing a, er, stroke.
He’s gotta win In December 2009, I wrote, “Fans will readily forgive him of course. But winning tournaments in his inimitable fashion is the only way to eradicate bacchanalian images of his private life from public consciousness – even if not from the tabloids.” Except that, less than two years later, I was already venting frustration with his “Waiting for Godot”style comeback to win majors. I did so in commentaries like “Tiger! Tiger! Losing Fight,” published on August 15, 2011, which included a prescient observation and prediction: It is impossible to resist engaging in pop psychology to explain why he can’t even buy a win these days. Apropos of this, I cannot help remarking on how delusional Tiger sounded on Friday after what had to have been the most humiliating performance of his professional career, according to BBC Sport: “It’s a step back in the sense I didn’t make the cut but a giant leap forward in the sense that I played two straight weeks healthy.” A giant leap forward? Hell, if merely staying healthy, physically, for two straight weeks is a giant leap forward, then actually winning another major might take a miracle… But it’s plainly disingenuous for Tiger to suggest that chronic injuries have prevented him from winning. For this is belied by the fact that he not only seemed just fine throughout his winless 2010, but actually won his ‘last’ major, the
ANTHONY L. HALL, ESQ. FLORIDA COURIER COLUMNIST
2008 US Open, while in obvious pain caused by a knee injury. …
Mental, not physical One does not have to be a trained psychologist to diagnose that Tiger’s problems are more mental than physical. Because it’s self-evident that the public humiliation he endured following that domestic incident, which exposed his Charlie-Sheen like penchant for prostitutes, sapped him of the self-esteem and confidence that not only fueled his game, but instilled self-defeating fear in other players. Unsurprisingly, the media have focused on the fact that he lost his wife and a half-billion dollars in divorce payments and commercial endorsements. It’s arguable though that an even greater loss was the mental strength that gave him that invincible swagger, but which depended so much on reverence from fans and fellow players alike. That a physically fit Tiger announced after missing the cut that he won’t play another tournament until November is testament to how mentally vulnerable he has become. Indeed, one can be forgiven for thinking that he’d rather nurse his wounded pride than risk another ignominious cut. Except that this avoidance strategy will only make his performance anxiety more acute. And, given his now notorious sexcapades, how’s that for irony of ironies…?
There were two summits of world leaders held very recently. The one which got Americans’ attention was the Group of Seven (G7), comprised of Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Japan, and Germany. The meeting, held in Quebec, proved that Donald Trump means what he says. He campaigned on a theme of “America first” and he is making good on his slogan. That is to say he is acting on his belief in American exceptionalism and superiority. He has imposed tariffs on goods from China and Canada and Europe and created an oldfashioned trade war and many political crises.
of protest and shrieks about the evil Russians and their influence on Trump, but the consternation was all for naught. Russia has made it clear that it has broken up with the G7 and found a new suitor. Vladimir Putin was on the other side of the world in Qingdao, China where the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) was also meeting.
Didn’t behave well
‘My best friend’
Trump didn’t make a good impression by showing up late for meetings, leaving early, refusing to sign the final agreement and sending out Twitter posts calling the Canadian prime minister a weakling and a liar. The outrage over Trump’s bad behavior was magnified when he opined that Russia should be invited back to the group to form the G8 once again. There were howls
MARGARET KIMBERLEY BLACK AGENDA REPORT
While clueless Americans fumed and fussed about Putin, President Xi Jin Ping officially declared him a best friend, literally. He awarded Putin the first ever Friendship Medal and called him “my best, most intimate friend.” The SCO is made up of eight Eurasian nations including not only China and Russia, but also India and Pakistan. They all played well in the sandbox together.
Random thoughts of a free Black mind, v. 316 B-CU – In the Feb. 2 issue of the Florida Courier, I wrote one of the longest editorials in my tenure as publisher entitled, “It’s ‘Ride or Die’ Time for B-CU Alumni.” (If you are interested in reading or re-reading it in its entirety, search for it at http://flcourier.com.) Maybe some of my easier recommendations – settling the lawsuit filed by the B-CU National Alumni Association (NAA) against B-CU; Interim President
Missed the cut again
QUICK TAKES FROM #2: STRAIGHT, NO CHASER
CHARLES W. CHERRY II, ESQ. PUBLISHER
Hugh Grimes publicly issuing a statement that he is removing his name from consideration as the next permanent president of
A5
VISUAL VIEWPOINT: ‘EVOLUTION OF THE GOP’
the king of the majors with 18 wins. Sure enough, he hasn’t won a major since that incident nine years ago. And those were arguably the back nine of his most productive years as a pro. All the while, my lay diagnosis precluded me from having any sympathy for the show he made of blaming his streak of futility on chronic injuries. I refer you to attesting commentaries such as “For Tiger, Bad Play Causes ‘Pain,’ Not Vice Versa,” published on August 7, 2014; and “Tiger’s Back, but His Back Won’t Let Him Play?!Puhleeze,” published on February 6, 2015.
RJ MATSON, CQ ROLL CALL
the world again. Out here in the real world, the evidence to the contrary continues to pile up… This was a setback for the comeback, and it was impossible for anyone to watch Tiger Woods play Thursday and Friday and envision him winning more majors. I should clarify here that, notwithstanding the above, I’m on record declaring my belief that Tiger will win again; and not just some rinky-dink tournament, but a major. The problem is that Tiger himself made surpassing Jack’s 18 majors the standard by which we should judge his career. Therefore, it won’t do for him to catch lightning in a bottle just one more time. He has to catch it five times (or four at the very least) for anyone to credibly suggest that he is the Greatest Of All Times. Mind you, to put this quest for the Holy Grail of his sport into perspective, most players would be happy to end their careers with just two majors. That said, there is one abiding consolation: Tiger is still the biggest draw – not just in golf but in all sports. I conceded this point in “Golf: More about Tiger than the Game Itself,” published on July 25, 2014, “The Masters: All about Tiger Even When He Was Losing,” published on April 15, 2013, and, topically enough, in “The US Open: Tiger, Tiger, Tiger!” published on June 17, 2008, which includes this admission: “If Tiger Woods is not playing, I’d rather watch paint dry than watch golf.”
ing this year’s tournament when Tiger missed the cut. Brooks Koepka, age 28, won the second major in his six years on the tour. Which means that if he’s lucky, he might have four when he’s 34, and six when he’s 40 and already halfway through his back nine. Nothing demonstrates how Tiger once dominated the game quite like the fact that he already had 14 majors when he was just 32 in 2008. Of all the players on the tour, Phil Mickelson, now age 48, comes closest to Tiger with just five. And I hasten to note that Mickelson has completed the back nine of his most productive years too. But, unlike the Sisyphean Tiger, he’s playing just for the heck of it at this point. In any event, Tiger’s fellow players can be forgiven for propagating the hype that flashes of his bygone greatness are preludes to coming attractions. So long as there’s even a glimmer of hope of Tiger recapturing his faded glory, every tournament he participates in will be sold out, ensuring each of them of commensurate winnings. But in the meantime, Tiger is becoming to PGA players what Hugh Hefner became to Los Angeles playas: the most popular guy in the game who everyone knows can’t play or do it anymore.
ing attention. The two countries form in Xi’s words a strategic partnership. The partnership is intended to protect the two from American aggression, make money for them both, and bypass the hegemony of the American dollar. The United States is not the center of the world. China is the center of the economic world and Russia is its intimate friend. But only determined wonks knew that the SCO meeting was taking place at all. The information blackout was nearly complete, but the Belt and Road Initiative goes forward anyway. Instead of telling their viewers and readers that the world has changed, the press in this country did little except heap scorn on Trump and Putin and blather about how “our allies” were offended. The habit of making people think they should be sharing an identity with a foreign government is absurd. There is certainly no “we” or “us” for Black people when speaking of countries that grew rich because they exploited the rest of the world.
nadian Prime Minister Trudeau may have signed the Paris climate agreement, but he always sides with the interests of the fossil fuel industries. He is a younger, Whiter Barack Obama, full of imagemaking as a man of the people, but who never met a neoliberal policy he didn’t like. Britain and France are still practicing imperialism around the world, including assisting in prolonging the war in Syria. Yet Donald Trump alone is pictured as the evildoer who upsets the world order. The order needs to be upset, but not by any of the G7 leaders. They have created problems for most of the world’s people. No one should be concerned because Trump ruined the party held by the biggest thieves. The party held in China was also worthy of attention. A multi-polar world is a reality, whether Americans know anything about it or not.
Putin and Xi arrived in Qingdao together on a high-speed train, something that Americans don’t even have. The symbolism shouldn’t be lost on anyone pay-
Margaret Kimberley is a cofounder of BlackAgendaReport.com, and writes a weekly column there. Contact her at No clean hands Margaret.Kimberley@BlackAAll of the G7 nations have prac- gendaReport.com. Click on this ticed slavery, colonial invasions commentary at www.flcourier. and or various genocides. Ca- com to write your own response.
the institution; the NAA establishing a fully transparent online giving program to financially fund a “shadow endowment” to be donated to the school after it rights itself; selecting a reputable search firm and get on with the task of selecting a new permanent president – fell on deaf ears. Maybe some of the medicine – the NAA calling a press conference demanding the resignations of the current Board of Trustees and Grimes as well as investigations by the Daytona Beach Police Department, the FBI, IRS, state and federal Departments of Education as to possible criminal, civil, and administrative violations by B-
CU’s leadership – is too bitter to swallow. But don’t fool yourself. Overall conditions have gotten worse at B-CU, not better. The accreditation probation is huge. The key finding of the Fitch downgrade and analysis is “uncertainty.” Not to mention that the school lost $18 million in operations over a two-year period. To paraphrase Albert Einstein or whoever, “The definition of insanity is expecting the same people to come up with a different result.” The folks that got BCU in quicksand ain’t gonna be the folks that pull the institution out. All they can do is write big checks to the endowment, then step aside…
‘Florida’s First Black Lawyers’ – Your humble writer, who is rapidly approaching early Social Security retirement age, was recognized as a Black legal ‘Trailblazer’ during a fabulous gala and party in Orlando put together by the Virgil Hawkins Florida Chapter of the National Bar Association. That’s the statewide organization of Florida’s Black attorneys. A special shout-out to Mississippi’s Judge Margaret Carey-McCray, whose meticulous class notes got me through the University of Florida’s College of Law, and who I hadn’t seen since 1982. More next week…
In fact, by his own admission, Tiger entered last week’s U.S. Open as healthy as he has ever been and, I suspect, as healthy as he will ever be. That’s why this latest cut is the cruelest and most telling of them all. According to CBS Sports, “The missed cut is Tiger’s second straight at a U.S. Open (2015) and his second of the season. … It’s just the eighth missed cut of his career as a pro at major championships but his fifth in his last seven majors.” He is now 42. But I felt nothing but pity when he tried to rationalize his failure. This included upbraiding a reporter for failing to see any flash of the once-dominant Tiger in his lackluster two rounds at Shinnecock Hills. To be fair, this tournament marked the 10th anniversary to the day of his last major win – at this very tournament no less. That he found himself rationalizing yet another cut, instead of hoisting another trophy, probably accounted for his testy defensiveness. But if he thought that reporter was being impertinent, imagine what he thought when he Can’t forget about it I am convinced that Tiger is los- read what critically acclaimed ing his very pubic fight to recapture sports journalist Pat Forde his mojo simply because he can- wrote about his play. not get that public humiliation out of his mind. And each humiliating Can he win again? loss will only make him more anxForde did so in a Yahoo! ious about playing his next tourna- Sports column titled, “Tiger ment… Woods Living in Denial FollowTiger is 35. So he can probably ing Brutal US Open,” published on compete, physically, for another June 15, 2018. The title says it all, five years. But if he still hasn’t won but his column includes echoes of his 15th major by this time next what I’ve been saying about Tiger’s year, then I fear he will never be play since 2011: able to compete well enough, menIn Tiger’s head, he’s just a tweak tally, to dethrone Jack Nicklaus as away from being the best player in
A tale of two summits
EDITORIAL
Putin explained why he was in no hurry to rejoin the G7, “the seven countries are wealthier, but the size of the SCO economies combined is larger. And the population is of course much bigger, half the planet.” American newspapers and television networks gave scant attention to the SCO, but instead chose to ratchet up Trump Derangement Syndrome. The photo of a seated Trump surrounded by his counterparts has been memed, analyzed and turned into a modernday Rorschach test. The G7 communique included language condemning Russia for undermining democracy, poisoning former spies and supporting the Syrian government. The ensuing civil war created by Western backing for the 2014 coup in Ukraine was also thrown in as if it were a kitchen sink. Conversely, the SCO communique spoke of cooperation, mediation of conflict, and implementation of the nuclear agreement with Iran.
Partnership against America
Anthony L. Hall is a native of The Bahamas with an international law practice in Washington, D.C. Read his columns and daily weblog at www.theipinionsjournal.com. Click on this I turned away commentary at www.flcourier. True to form, I stopped watch- com to write your own response.
Me? ccherry2@gmail.com
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JUNE 22 – JUNE 28, 2018
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Meek Mill exits the Criminal Justice Center after a hearing on whether Judge Brinkley should be removed from hearing Mill’s appeal, in Philadelphia, on May 24.
A new trial for Meek Mill? Judge needs more time to decide rapper’s fate BY MENSAH M. DEAN PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER/TNS
PHILADELPHIA – The judge who sent Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill to prison last fall for violating the terms of his 2008 conviction on drug and gun charges says she needs more time to decide whether he should get a new trial. Common Pleas Court Judge Genece Brinkley said at the end of a hearing Monday that she wanted to read more statements and court filings before ruling on the matter. The hearing, at which Mill, 31, Judge came face-to-face Genece with Brinkley for Brinkley the first time since she sent him to prison, followed a noontime rally in front of the city’s Criminal Jus-
tice Center.
Hundreds at rally Organizers of the “Stand with Meek Mill” rally were calling for the judge to grant the rapper a new trial, which his lawyers have repeatedly asked for and which the District Attorney’s Office does not oppose. Addressing the crowd of about 300 people at the rally, Mill said that he left a lot of innocent men in jail when he was granted bail in April. “I want y’all to know I will stand up for your family members for the rest of my music career,” the rapper promised. Mill said that he’d spent Father’s Day with his son, but that many other incarcerated men could not do similarly.
System called corrupt Earlier, Temple University professor and TV personality Marc Lamont Hill told the crowd that Brinkley, the police and the criminal justice system are corrupt. “You can’t behave your way out of a corrupt system,” Hill said, adding that Mill represents
“everyone they want to put in a cage. ... We are not just fighting for Meek. We are fighting to end this corrupt system.” “We’re not here for the accolades,” activist, actor, and filmmaker Sixx King told the crowd. “We have brothers and sisters who are victims of this.”
Diverse support S. Archye Leacock, executive director of the Institute for the Development of African American Youth, said during the rally: “The first thing we can do if we want to be constructive is to clean up the acts of our young people so they don’t get smeared and spend 20 years of their lives trying to figure out what to do.” Abigail Sutton, 34, held a “Justice 4 Meek” sign at the rally, but had not known about the event in advance. Sutton, who is White and lives in the Italian Market section of South Philadelphia, said she had stumbled upon the rally while answering a summons for jury duty. “I support him,” she said. “My boyfriend supports him. The system is set up to marginalize Afri-
can-Americans, and all minorities.”
‘Oppressive terms’ In a news release before the rally, organizers wrote that “Judge Brinkley refuses to treat Meek equally and, in the process, is wasting taxpayer dollars to pursue a case against the district attorney’s recommendation. “As a result, Meek continues to deal with the oppressive terms of his probation that keeps him and millions of others from living their lives, even after they’ve served their time.” On May 30, Common Pleas Court Judge Leon W. Tucker rejected the request from Mills’ lawyers to have Brinkley, 61, removed from the case, ruling that he lacked jurisdiction to disqualify a fellow judge who sits on the same bench.
National outcry On June 12, the rapper lost another legal battle when the state Supreme Court deadlocked 3-3 on whether Brinkley should be removed from the case, resulting in denial of an emergency petition from his lawyers to oust her. Although Brinkley has presided over the rapper’s case since he was arrested for selling drugs while armed in 2007, things heated up Nov. 6 when Brinkley ruled
that Mill had committed multiple violations of his probation terms stemming from his conviction on the drug and gun charges. She sentenced him to two to four years in state prison, touching off a national conversation on mass incarceration.
Support from celebs The Rev. Al Sharpton, comedian Kevin Hart and rap mogul JayZ were among a constellation of celebrities who frequently spoke in support of releasing Mill and replacing Brinkley. Billboards and bus wraps screamed support for the jailed rapper while his high-powered legal team pressed his case in a barrage of legal filings. On April 16, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office announced that due to questions about the credibility of Reginald Graham, the cop who arrested the rapper in 2007 and testified against him at trial a year later, Mill’s conviction should be vacated and he should get a new trial. Eight days later, the state’s high court responded by granting the rapper extraordinary relief allowing him to be released from prison on bail.
Staff writer Claudia Irizarry-Aponte contributed to this report.
FBI: In-flight sex assault reports on the rise BY COLIN CAMPBELL BALTIMORE SUN/TNS
BALTIMORE – The number of sexual assault reports aboard airplanes has grown by nearly two-thirds in recent years, according to the FBI. Sixty-three cases of inflight sexual assault were reported to federal authorities in the last fiscal year, the FBI said. That’s up from the 38 cases reported in the 2014 fiscal year, according to the agency, which has jurisdiction to investigate crimes on airplanes. Most in-air sexual assault cases go unreported and involve unwanted touching — a felony that can result in prison time, the FBI said. Incidents generally happen on long-haul flights when the cabin is dark, and victims typically report that they had been sleeping in the middle or window seats, often covered with a blanket or jacket, when they awoke to find their seatmate’s hands inside their clothing or underwear, the FBI said.
OLIVIER DOULIERY/ABACA PRESS/TNS
President Trump speaks during a meeting with the National Space Council on Monday at the White House.
Trump pushing Space Force as sixth branch of armed forces BY SAMANTHA MASUNAGA LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS
President Donald Trump signed a space policy directive Monday aimed at coordinating federal and industry efforts to manage space traffic and debris ahead of the expected launch of hundreds or even thousands of
small satellites. Trump also said he would direct the Defense Department and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to create the Space Force as a sixth branch of the U.S. armed forces. “We are going to have the Air Force, and we are going to have the Space Force,” Trump said. “Separate but equal.”
Helps companies? Written materials distributed by the White House about the space policy plan do not mention the Space Force. The plan, signed at the White House during the third National Space Council meeting, is intended to help companies rapidly access information about the location in space where they want to launch. This could help give companies more flex-
ibility in launch windows and prevent satellites from using their onboard fuel to maneuver away from potential collisions with other satellites or space debris, Scott Pace, executive secretary of the National Space Council, said in a Monday morning call with reporters.
Tasks assigned He emphasized that coordination efforts and development of a framework would not happen “overnight.” As part of the plan, federal departments and agencies will be assigned to various tasks related to space traffic and debris management, such as the Commerce Department’s job to make space safety data available to the public. The Defense Department will continue to maintain a catalog of space objects.
COURIER
Another blockbuster film for Jackson See page B5
JUNE 22 – JUNE 28, 2018
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Eye-popping recipes See page B6
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Lirio Funes, 20, holds onto her daughter Melissa Funes, 2, just after being detained by local officials after crossing the U.S.Mexico border on March 15 in McAllen, Texas. CAROLYN COLE/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS
A PRIMER ON IMMIGRATION CHANGES BY MOLLY HENNESSEY-FISKE LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS
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ROWNSVILLE, Texas — This past month, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy of charging migrants in federal criminal court before their cases reach immigration court. When adults were taken to court, they were separated from their children, who are sent to shelters. (On Wednesday, President Trump signed an executive order to end the practice of separating children from parents illegally crossing into the United States. It might open a new legal battle, however, over the 21-year-old court agreement known as the Flores settlement under which the federal government agreed to hold immigrant minors no longer than 20 days. Immigration cases typically take much longer than that.)
Q. Trump administration officials, from Sessions to White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, have said immigrant families were being separated because it’s the law. What law are they referring to?
Here’s what’s behind the separation of children and parents at the US border.
MOLLY HENNESSEY-FISKE/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS
Central American families are camped out on a border bridge between Ciudad Miguel Aleman and Roma, Texas, on June 4. The migrants seeking asylum say they presented their documents to U.S. Customs officials on the bridge. But the officials said the families have to wait on the Mexican side of the bridge because there isn’t enough space for them to be processed.
A. They’re referring to Title 8 of U.S. Code 1325 and 1326. Federal district courts in border cities such as McAllen, Texas, are now packed with migrants charged with 1325, illegal entry, a misdemeanor, or 1326, illegal re-entry, a felony. The misdemeanor charge carries a potential six-month sentence, but most people are sentenced to time served. The felony charge carries a sentence of up to two years.
Q. Is charging immigrants in criminal court new? A. No. They have been charged, jailed, shackled, taken to court, convicted and sentenced en masse on some stretches of the border since 2005 through a Department of Homeland Security effort called Operation Streamline. At a court in the west Texas town of Pecos this past fall, dozens of Central American men in orange jumpsuits, shackled together, listened on headsets as a translator explained that they were collectively being charged, convicted and sentenced. What’s new is making no exceptions and charging all adults, including parents. Such prosecutions, which started this past year in Arizona and El Paso, Texas, are now done borderwide, with the greatest impact in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, where most immigrants cross into the United States. The goal is to eventually deter migrants, officials said. “There is a straight cause-and-effect with this. The number of (unaccompanied minors) and families has grown dramatically over the last few years because of not prosecuting family members. It’s a clear line — cause and effect. That’s why we have to do this,” a Homeland Security official said during a briefing with reporters on June 15.
CAROLYN COLE/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS
Migrants in McAllen, Texas wait to be transported to a detention center.
Q. Was the practice of separating parents and children being challenged? A. Yes. The American Civil Liberties Union sued on behalf of a Congolese mother detained in San Diego and a Brazilian mother who was charged in El Paso while their children were sent to shelters in Chicago. This past month, the Texas Civil Rights Project, Women’s Refugee Commission, University of Texas School of Law Immigration Clinic and Garcia & Garcia Attorneys also filed an Emergency Request for Precautionary Measures with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on behalf of separated families. The American Immigration Lawyers Association and other groups had already complained to the Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and the Office of the Inspector General challenging the separations.
Q. How were migrant children separated from their parents? A. In the Rio Grande Valley, Border Patrol agents who catch immigrant families had been advised not to separate them in the field, officials said. They wait until after they drive families to the central processing center in McAllen. Parents have complained to immigrant-rights groups that authorities don’t explain what’s happening or are deceptive. The Texas Civil Rights Project has documented cases of parents who said they were told their children were being taken for a bath at the processing center. Instead, the children were separated from the parents. Federal public defenders said they have heard similar accounts. Parents who appeared in federal court in McAllen earlier this month appeared confused about where their children had been taken, why and whether they would be reunified. When they asked the judge and Border Patrol agents for clarity, they did not receive answers. Homeland Security officials denied on June 15 that information was withheld from immigrants. Officials said that before parents in the Rio Grande Valley are taken from the processing center to court they are given flyers explaining the family-separation process in English and Spanish. The parents are also allowed to see their children before they leave for court and detention, officials said. “Accusations of surreptitious efforts to separate are completely false,” a Homeland Security official said.
Q. Are immigrant children being held on the border — where temperatures often climb past 100 in the summer — in tents? OLIVER CONTRERAS/SIPA USA/TNS
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, right, speaks as White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Kevin McAleenan listen during the daily press briefing at the White House on June 18.
ALEX MILAN TRACY/SIPA USA/TNS
A young girl holds a sign during a protest outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Portland, Ore., on June 17, as the Trump administration continued to separate children from their families in an attempt to curb illegal immigration.
A. This past week, Health and Human Services opened what it called a “softsided” and “semi-permanent” shelter for 360 unaccompanied minors outside El Paso in Tornillo, Texas. Immigrant advocates decried the desert shelter as a “tent city.” Similar facilities were erected after an influx of Central American families arrived in the United States in 2014, but See PRIMER, Page B2
EVENTS
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JUNE 22 – JUNE 28, 2018
CHANTE WAYANS & EARTHQUAKE
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FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR Chaunte Wayans
The Urban Comedy All Stars will perform on July 7 at the Charles F. Dodge City Center in Pembroke Pines featuring Earthquake, Joe Torry, George Wilborn and Chaunte Wayans.
Jacksonville: Catch Sandra Lynn on June 30 at the Ritz Theatre & Museum at 8 p.m. St. Petersburg: Reggae star Beres Hammond will be at Jannus Live on July 5, Fort Lauderdale’s Broward Center on July 6 and Hard Rock Live Orlando on July 7. Tampa: The Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival and TD Bank host a free workshop titled Technology: Protecting your Business Against Hackers at 10 a.m. June 30 at at the Entrepreneur Collaborative Center in Ybor City. Register at www. tampablackheritage.org. West Palm Beach: Chris Brown’s Heartbreak on A Full Moon Tour stops at the Coral Sky Amphitheatre on July 5 and Tampa’s MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre on July 6. Orlando: Curry Fest 2018 is July 14 at noon at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. Lauderhill: The Caribbean Village Festival is June 24 at Lauderhill Sports Park featuring Maxi Priest, Ky-Mani Marley, Alison Hinds and Majah Hype.
Earthquake
Jacksonville: Maze featuring Frankie Beverly and The Whispers will perform July 14 at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts. Tampa: True Prosperity Evangelist Outreach will host a Southern Cuisine Charity Cook-off at 5 p.m. July 14. Call 813-965-7796 for information about entering the contest and sponsorships. Orlando: Catch Beyonce and Jay-Z at Camping World Stadium on Aug. 29 and Aug. 31 at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
RICKY DERAE
Miami: Tickets are on sale for Nicki Minaj’s concert featuring Future on Oct. 19 at AmericanAirlinesArena and Oct. 20 at Orlando’s Amway Center.
The gospel artist will perform in a concert featuring Shirley Caesar on July 15 at the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale.
Jacksonville: Tickets are on sale for a Lauryn Hill concert on Aug. 2 at Dailey’s Place.
‘Deep Roots’ delves into slavery’s effect on Southern politics fellow citizens. Equally important was the reinforcing role of schools, churches, courts, political parties and other institutions.
BY DR. GLENN C. ALTSCHULER SPEICAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER
Barbour County has produced eight governors of Alabama, including some of the most virulent segregationists in the United States. One of them, William Jelks, denounced the Black man as “an ignorant devil, a foul blot, a blight upon the land, and a little short of savage.” Another governor, George Wallace, declared in his 1963 inaugural address: “Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.” By contrast, nearby Coffee County was the home of Governor “Big Jim” Folsom, who told his fellow citizens in a Christmas address in 1949, “As long as Negroes are held down by deprivation and lack of opportunity, the other poor people will be held down alongside them.” Folsom pleaded with Alabamians to do more than talk about fellowship and brotherly love: “Let’s start living it.”
Ruled by region In “Deep Roots,’’ three social scientists, Avidit Acharya (Stanford), Matthew Blackwell (Harvard) and Maya Sen (Harvard), account for the divergent views of the natives of southern counties. The authors claim that “behavioral path dependence” – the cultural and political attitudes of a region – can persist across generations, when they are reinforced by institutions, laws, families, and communities. Using sophisticated quantitative techniques, they demonstrate that Whites in areas where slaveholding was more prevalent “are today more conservative, more cool to African Americans, and more likely to oppose racerelated policies” designed to assist them.
Insight on racism “Deep Roots’’ is aimed primarily at academics. That said, the book contains valuable insights about race and racism in the United States. In the decades following the emancipation of slaves and the
PRIMER from A1 they were later dismantled. Health and Human Services is also considering whether to open temporary shelters at military bases near the border, as it did in 2012. Q. Has separating families discouraged immigration?
Movement’s impact
BOOK REVIEW Review of “Deep Roots: How Slavery Still Shapes Southern Politics’’ by Avidit Acharya, Mathew Blackwell and Maya Sen. Princeton University Press. 296 pages. $29.95 more tolerant, federally enforced Reconstruction policies of the 1860s and 1870s, the authors indicate, Black Belt elites, desperate to secure a large, cheap, docile workforce, and regain political power, used formal and informal institutions and violence to oppress African Americans. Lynchings, laws criminalizing Black vagrancy, disenfranchising Blacks and codifying segregation were more numerous in counties that had had substantial slave populations. During this pivotal period, racial attitudes of Whites hardened.
Inherited prejudice According to the authors, two mechanisms help explain the persistence and power of the new Jim Crow realities in Black Belt counties. Through intergenerational socialization, White children inherited the race prejudice of parents, grandparents and other relatives. Lynchings, for example, were communal events. Children attended, and at times, participated; many noticed, no doubt, that lynchers won praise from their A. It’s too soon to say. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said that because it can take Central Americans about a month to journey with a smuggler to the border, the impact of the new policy is unclear. The number of immigrants who sought asylum or were caught crossing the southern border in May — 51,912 — is about the same as the totals for the previous two months. Overall, the number of families
The Civil Rights Movement, the authors acknowledge, helped attenuate behavioral path dependence. The desegregation of schools evened out African American educational outcomes in the Black Belt and other parts of the South. Sharp household income variations were reduced as well. Because the federal government targeted the Black Belt in implementing the Voting Rights Act, Black registration rates there were even higher than elsewhere. Despite the substantial impact of the Civil Rights Movement and federal legislation, Acharya, Blackwell and Sen emphasize, differences in opinions on race and race-related policies between residents of the Black Belt and other areas in the South remain, “testament to slavery’s lasting political and cultural legacy,” and the difficulty of compelling Whites “to accept blacks as social or economic equals.”
Vigilance, intervention “Deep Roots’’ refutes the claim, attributed to sociologist William Graham Sumner, that “stateways cannot make folkways.” After all, Supreme Court decisions, civil rights legislation, and Justice Department enforcement have had an enormous impact on race relations in the United States. The authors remind us, however, that race prejudice, “triggered by historical forces and pushed forward by behavioral path dependence” is difficult to eradicate. Reducing inequalities between Blacks and Whites requires vigilance and forceful intervention by advocacy groups and the national government.
Dr. Glenn C. Altschuler is the Thomas and Dorothy Litwin Professor of American Studies at Cornell University. He wrote this review for the Florida Courier. caught crossing has actually increased 17 percent in the past six months, and by 37 percent in the busy Rio Grande Valley, according to Border Patrol figures.
Q. Are U.S. officials turning back asylum-seeking families at the border? A. Homeland Security officials insist families are not being prevented from seeking asylum at border crossings.
South Florida band Sensere releases single Sensere, a 10-member South Florida-based gospel soul band, has released “Win,’’ another single from its upcoming album. The James Brown, funk-inspired groove is the followup single to Sensere’s “Tis So Sweet.” “I grew up listening to Parliament and the Funkadelic, James Brown, Earth Wind and Fire, and so many others, so I knew I wanted a song that was soulful, with fiery horns, a funky baseline, and a powerful message that would replay in
Foundation accepting applications for Gaines literary award The deadline for submissions to the 2018 Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence is Aug. 15. Sponsored by Baton Rouge Area Foundation donors, the Gaines Award honors rising African-American fiction authors while also celebrating Louisiana native Ernest Gaines’ extraordinary contribution to the literary world. The Gaines Award is accepting novels or short-story collec-
“That is not true at all,” an official said. “They will be allowed to make their claim in court.” But just when immigrants can make a claim is unclear. Customs officials on border bridges have stopped scores of Latin American families that have camped out on the bridges with their children, sometimes for weeks, without access to showers or a steady supply of food and water.
your head after one listen, said Sensere’s leader, James Wright. “God created in us a winning spirit. We are not defeated and God did not create losers. So what is more powerful than claiming that promise ‘I will win’ and seeing it come to pass?” “Win” was written and produced by Wright, and longtime member/lead singer, Brian Williams. Featured artists include Paula Champion, Anesha Birchett and The Williams Singers. “Win” is available for download on all digital and streaming outlets (http://smarturl.it/ SensereWin). A music video is scheduled to be released this summer. For more information about Sensere, visit www.senseremusic.com.
tions published in 2018 as well as galleys for 2018 publications. The winner receives a $10,000 award. Submissions are judged by a national literary panel and the winner is announced in November. The award ceremony will be held on Jan. 24, 2019 at the Manship Theatre in downtown Baton Rouge. This event will honor the winning author and Gaines, author of “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman” and “A Lesson Before Dying.’’ Information on criteria and entry forms are available at www.ernestjgainesaward. org.
In Hidalgo, Texas, migrants were forced to wait even after they crossed to the U.S. side of the bridge. Those who asked to enter the U.S. to apply for asylum have been told they had to wait until there was detention space. Legal advocates insisted that was not a legal justification for blocking asylum-seeking families from entering the country.
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JUNE 22 – JUNE 28, 2018
HEALTH
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The latest on salmonella, cyclospora outbreaks Romaine lettuce and shell egg recalls fade, but there are several more warnings about foodborne illnesses. BY DAVID J. NEAL MIAMI HERALD/TNS
The U.S. consumer can be forgiven any Foodborne Illness Outbreak Confusion and Fatigue. As spring’s romaine lettuce-E. coli and shell eggsalmonella outbreaks faded after causing, respectively, five deaths and a record recall, news of three more foodborne illness outbreaks within a week drenched consumers. These aren’t just preventive warnings and recalls, such as when a food company yanks a product before people get sick after the product or food manufacturing facility tests positive for some contamination. That describes most recalls having to do with salmonella and listeria. The epitome of that is the 2017 Aunt Jemima frozen food recall, when listeria was found in the plant. These are outbreaks — people are already sick in multiple states. These re-
where: 60, 31 of which have been hospitalized, in five states. Michigan (32), Indiana (11), Missouri (10), Illinois (six), Ohio (one). What next: There might be more stores added to the distribution list. Note to those concerned in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Neither Publix nor Winn-Dixie are on the list.
Del Monte Veg Trays and cyclospora
calls and warnings are both reactionary and preventive. Here’s a breakdown of what’s what with each one.
Kellogg’s Honey Smacks and salmonella Food involved and recalled: Kellogg Honey Smacks cereal. On June 14, the company recalled its 15.3-ounce and 23-ounce boxes with best by dates from June 14, 2018, to June 14, 2019. On June 16, the FDA advised people throw out all Honey Smacks they have at home because “The recall notice accounts for all of the product that is on the market within the cereal’s estimated one year shelf-life. However, Honey Smacks products with earlier dates could also potentially be contaminated.” Where was it sold: The United States, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Aruba, Curacao, St. Maarten, the Bahamas, Barbados, Haiti, Panama, Guam, Tahiti and Saipan. What’s the problem: A salmonella outbreak traces back to Honey Smacks. Salmonella is one of the most common foodborne illnesses. It usually causes diarrhea, fever and stomach aches within 12 hours or three days of infection. Symptoms usually last four to seven days. Hospitaliza-
FDA
This is one of the recalled Del Monte Veg Trays. tion is rare, usually around 2 percent. Number of sick so far and where: 73 sick, 24 of which have been hospitalized, in 31 states. Alabama (two), Arizona (one), California (five), Connecticut (three), Georgia (two), Illinois (one), Indiana (three), Kentucky (one), Louisiana (two), Massachusetts (five), Maryland (one), Michigan (four), Mississippi (one), Montana (one), New Hampshire (one), New Jersey (three), New York (seven), North Carolina (three), Ohio (one), Oklahoma (two), Oregon (one), Pennsylvania (five), Rhode Island (two), South Carolina (one), Tennessee (one), Texas (two), Utah (one), Virginia (four), Washington (three), Wisconsin (one) and West Virginia (three) What next: The FDA is inspecting the manufactur-
ing plant that makes Honey Smacks for Kellogg. It’s possible other, similar cereals are made for other brands at that plant. There could be more recalls coming. Also, expect the sick count to rise as more get reported the Centers for Disease Control get more reports.
Pre-cut melons and salmonella Food involved and recalled: Pre-cut watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew and melon mixes produced at Caito Foods’ Indianapolis facility from April 17 through June 7. Where was it sold: They were sold in plastic clamshell containers at Walmart (Freshness Guaranteed); Whole Foods/Amazon (Whole Foods Market); Costco (Garden Highway); Kroger (generic label dis-
tributed by Renaissance Food Group); Walgreens (Delish); Trader Joe’s (Trader Joe’s); Jay C; Payless; Owen’s; and Sprouts (Sprouts Farmers Market). At first, the food was said to be distributed only in the Midwest. The June 15 FDA update expands that to retailers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. In a move rare for the FDA, it did what the USDA does and released a list of retail locations that received the fruit. What’s the problem: Salmonella. Number of sick so far and
Food involved and recalled: Del Monte 6-ounce, 12-ounce and 28-ounce Veg Trays with Dip, best by dates June 17 and before. Each one has baby carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and dill dip. The 28-ounce trays also have celery sticks. Where was it sold: Kwik Trip, Kwik Star, Demond’s, Sentry, Potash, Meehan’s, Country Market, Food Max Supermarket and Peapod stores in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota. What’s the problem: Cyclospora, described by the FDA as “a microscopic parasite of humans” that causes cyclosporiasis. Symptoms are “diarrhea, with frequent, sometimes explosive, bowel movements … loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps/pain, bloating, increased gas, nausea, and fatigue. Vomiting, body aches, headache, fever, and other flu-like symptoms may be noted.” Number of sick so far and where: 78 people, 4 of which have been hospitalized, in four states. Wisconsin (50), Minnesota (23), Iowa (three), Michigan (two). What next: The FDA admits it doesn’t know “which of the ingredients is the vehicle for this outbreak; each component of these vegetable trays is under consideration.” Also, the distribution list might get wider, as it did in the melon-salmonella outbreak.
LIFESTYLE
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JUNE 22 – JUNE 28, 2018
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CREATE AN ACCESSIBLE LIFESTYLE Enhance independence with mobility in mind FAMILY FEATURES
If you’re like the majority of the population, mobility is something you take for granted. However, once you or a loved one encounters an illness or disability that results in dependence on a wheelchair, your perspective is likely to change dramatically. Mobility is a major factor in a person’s independence, but when illness or injury hinders free movement, even a simple task like running to the store becomes a challenge. Fortunately, there are numerous options you can explore to improve mobility and accessibility if you or a loved one becomes reliant on a wheelchair or other assisted mobility.
Ramps in place of stairs Safety is a primary concern for someone whose mobility is limited. Even minor falls can cause significant injuries, particularly for seniors whose bones tend to be more fragile. When a loved one begins experiencing trouble with the steps, a ramp is a good solution. In fact, ramps aren’t just for those who are reliant on a wheelchair or other motorized device like a scooter. They are also a good solution for someone who uses a cane or walker, or someone who experiences pain or difficulty maintaining balance on the stairs.
Accessible vehicles and parking Getting out of the house is an important way to help someone whose mobility is compromised continue to feel connected to the larger world, and practically speaking, even if they’re not physically up to social engagements, chances are that doctor’s appointments will still be a necessity. However, parking limitations cause major challenges for wheelchair users. Not only is getting in and out of the vehicle a chore, 74 percent of people have personally seen a handicap accessible parking space being improperly used, according to a survey by BraunAbility. As a leading manufacturer of wheelchair accessible vehicles and wheelchair lifts, its Save My Spot campaign works to educate the public about the meaning and importance of handicap accessible parking. In addition to understanding and educating others about the proper usage of handicap accessible parking, chair users may benefit from wheelchair accessible vehicles that provide maximum maneuverability, such as the BraunAbility Pacifica, which delivers the most interior cabin space and widest doorway and ramp for ease of entry and exit.
Hand rails and grab bars Hand rails add another measure of safety in the home. They can add stability and support on staircases, ramps and other walkways, but they’re also beneficial in areas like the bathroom. A rail or grab bar near the toilet can help steady someone raising or lowering to use the facilities. Similarly, rails in or adjacent to the shower can assist with safe transitions into and out of the stall. Remember to follow all manufacturer instructions for installing rails to ensure they provide adequate support and can bear the weight of the user.
Bathroom modifications Proper hygiene goes a long way toward promoting overall wellness and independence, but a person with limited mobility may struggle using the features of a standard bathroom. In addition to safety rails and grab
5 FACTS ABOUT HANDICAP-ACCESSIBLE PARKING Handicap-accessible parking plays a critical role in giving chair users independence and mobility, making it important to understand the rules of the parking lot. To bring awareness to the challenges wheelchair users face, BraunAbility offers these reminders: 1. The striped lines next to a handicap-accessible parking
bars, devices such as shower stools and raised toilet seats can provide needed support. Depending on your circumstances, it may be necessary to consider renovations to include a roll-in tub or seated shower and a vanity with a counter at an accessible height.
Wider doors and hallways While it’s not always possible to widen doors and hallways, this is an important consideration for someone
space indicate it is reserved for a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. These spaces are wider than regular handicap accessible parking spaces, offering room for people to safely lower a ramp and enter and exit their vehicles. 2. There is a difference between handicap accessible parking for cars and wheelchair-accessible vans. When the parking sign says, “Accessible Vans,” it is reserved for wheelchair-accessible vehicles only. Van accessible spaces are
who is heavily reliant on a wheelchair or other motorized device. If the chair can’t clear hallways and maneuver around corners, a person’s access to the home is severely limited, sometimes to the point of needing to find new housing accommodations. When considering whether the doors and hallways will meet your needs, remember to take into account any accessories or equipment, such as an oxygen tank, that may affect the chair’s turn radius. Find more ideas to promote independence and mobility at braunability.com/savemyspot.
easily identified by a striped access aisle on the passenger side. 3. Some people have hidden disabilities, and it may not be visibly apparent that they need a handicapaccessible spot. Not all people who require handicap parking access are reliant on wheelchairs. These spots are also intended for use by people with disabilities such as deafness or a recent injury. 4. Businesses are required to meet a quota for handicap accessible spots. The number of handicap accessible
parking spaces required depends on the total number of parking spaces in the lot, but at least one in every six handicap accessible spaces must be designated for a wheelchair accessible vehicle, according to the American Disabilities Act. 5. Wheelchairs continue to increase in size, requiring more room to maneuver in and out of vehicles, and therefore need extra space in a parking spot for the wheelchair user to safely access a fully deployed ramp.
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JUNE 22 – JUNE 28, 2018
FINEST & ENTERTAINMENT
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‘Incredibles 2’ is latest film in Jackson’s epic journey BY RONDA RACHA PENRICE URBAN NEWS SERVICE
LOS ANGELES – Samuel L. Jackson is, without a doubt, the hardest working man in Hollywood. To date, he has appeared in well over 100 films with a box office take of $7 billion and counting. That’s a Guinness World Record that Jackson, who appears in about four films each year, isn’t relinquishing anytime soon. In his latest, he reprises his role as Lucius Best, close friend to the Parr family who also doubles as the superhero Frozone, for Disney’s long-awaited animated sequel “Incredibles 2.” The 2004 original, “The Incredibles,” grossed over $631 million worldwide.
Early life Playing an animated character who can “shoot ice out of his hands” is very apt for Jackson who is generally considered the coolest cat in Hollywood. But it’s a long way from his childhood in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Raised during Jim Crow, Jackson, who turns 70 later this year, was very familiar with the color line, spending much of his early life in almost exclusively Black environments. His father was very absent while his mother was a sporadic presence for many years.
Aunt’s influence So Jackson’s maternal grandparents and aunt had a huge impact on his early life. From his grandfather, who worked as a janitor, Jackson learned the value of hard work and that still shows in his work ethic today. His Aunt Edna, a performing arts teacher, actually set him on the path to becoming an actor. “I was in the house with her and she was generally in charge of the pageant shows or whatever the happenings. She never had enough boys. Boys never volunteered. I lived in the house with her so she made me,” he said, reclining comfortably at the other end of a sofa. “She takes all the credit for this,” he laughed, outstretching his hands to highlight the luxuriousness of his The London West Hollywood room.
Morehouse man As a student at the iconic men’s college Morehouse in Atlanta that also counts Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Spike Lee among its alumni, Jackson became ferocious about acting.
Franklin posts about sister’s prison sentence Gospel star Kirk Franklin recently posted that his sister has received a long prison sentence but didn’t elaborate on the reason. “My sister was just sentenced to 30 years in prison,” he posted on Instagram on June 16. “I now feel the weight of wondering if I could have done more.” He has been open about his sister’s past drug addiction. “For over ten years, my younger sister was incarcerated in a facility here in Texas. She was in love with a young man who was drug dealer,” he said in 2015. “He introduced her to not only selling drugs, but using as well. When he was arrested for drug trafficking, she was arrested along with him.’’ He shares what happened after she served her time. “After a few months back into the free world, it became obvious to me rather quickly that my sister was still in prison. … She quickly started using again, becoming very reckless with her body, which turned into her using it as a means to pay for her habit.”
There he even met his wife of nearly 40 years, LaTanya Richardson, a serious actress attending Spelman. He also appeared in his very first film, the long-forgotten 1972 Blaxploitation era film about interracial romance titled “Together for Days,” later renamed “Black Cream.” In 1976, Jackson and Richardson moved to New York. “I never had a time when acting wasn’t going well,” said Jackson of those days. “I had times when acting didn’t pay as much as something else could have. But I’ve only had like one real job other than actor. I was a security guard . . . But other than that I’ve supported myself acting since 1978.”
Worked behind scenes Jackson’s strategy was to keep everything he did in the theater. “I did things I’d learned to do in college that wouldn’t take me out of the theater situation,” he said. “It was easier for me to say I have an audition to people who are in the theater and they go ‘good luck’ than if I had to go to my auditions and be like ‘who’s going to wait my tables?’ “I just didn’t put myself in that situation so I built sets, I hung lights. I did whatever was necessary to make money in the business I wanted to be in. I knew how to do it. It kept me close to the theater. I could watch people rehearse, read lines with them or do whatever. So I was always ready to go.”
On to stardom
JESSE GRANT/GETTY IMAGES FOR DISNEY
Samuel L. Jackson and his wife, LaTanya Richardson, attend the premiere of the “Incredibles 2’’ at El Capitan Theatre on June 5 in Los Angeles. The movie debuted on June 15 and raked in $180 million during its opening weekend. Jackson, who came through the theater ranks with Denzel Washington, Laurence Fishburne, Morgan Freeman and Wesley Snipes, was so good at being on stage that it seemed that not even drugs and alcohol could knock him off. But that was not true. When Richardson found her husband passed out, she sent him to rehab. As Jackson left rehab, Hollywood finally did call in the form of Spike Lee. Playing drug-addicted Gator
FLORIDA’S
finest
Purify in Lee’s 1991 film, “Jungle Fever,” starring Wesley Snipes, got Jackson recognized. His role as Jules Winnfield, the Jheri curled hitman with a penchant for quoting Bible verses and a flair for dropping a profane word or two in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film “Pulp Fiction,” made him a star. And he hasn’t stopped working since.
Diverse roles Over the years, Jackson’s appeal has broadened to point that
he has literally gone from last year’s “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” to an appearance as Nick Fury in Marvel’s recent superhero mashup “Avengers: Infinity War.” But “The Incredibles” franchise, which counts Jackson’s daughter Zoe among its many fans, is one of the few Jackson has done suitable for all ages. “I watched cartoons my whole life so being a voice of a cartoon character is kind of great,” he said. “And he’s a superhero. He’s got a superpower.”
Think you’re one of Florida’s Finest?
E-mail your high-resolution (200 dpi) digital photo in casual wear or bathing suit taken in front of a plain background with few distractions, to news@flcourier.com with a short biography of yourself and your contact information. (No nude/glamour/ fashion photography, please!) In order to be considered, you must be at least 18 years of age. Acceptance of the photographs submitted is in the sole and absolute discretion of Florida Courier editors. We reserve the right to retain your photograph even if it is not published. If you are selected, you will be contacted by e-mail and further instructions will be given.
Thousands of Caribbean culture lovers converge on South Florida every year before and during the Columbus Day weekend to attend the annual Miami Broward Carnival, a series of concerts, pageants, parades, and competitions. On Carnival Day, “mas” (masquerade) bands of thousands of revelers dance and march behind 18-wheel tractor-trailer trucks with booming sound systems from morning until nightfall while competing for honors. Here are some of the “Finest” we’ve seen over the years. Click on www.flcourier to see hundreds of pictures from previous Carnivals. Go to www. miamibrowardcarnival. com for more information on Carnival events in South Florida. CHARLES W. CHERRY II / FLORIDA COURIER
FOOD
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JUNE 22 – JUNE 28, 2018
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TOAST LIKE A BUTTERFLY 2 slices wheat bread large butterfly cookie cutter 1/2 avocado, mashed salt, to taste pepper, to taste 1 cheese stick 2 slices orange bell pepper 2 thin slices red bell pepper 6 black California Ripe Olives 3 green California Ripe Olives 1 sugar snap pea Lightly toast wheat bread and use cookie cutter to cut one wing from each slice.
FAMILY FEATURES
It seems that taking pictures of mouthwatering food to share online is all the rage for social media users. Food is art, and toast and its trimmings can be the perfect canvas. Creating a social mediaworthy slice requires a bit of creativity, some patience, quality and, of course, aesthetically pleasing ingredients. The versatility and distinct flavor profile of California Ripe Olives make them an ideal ingredient to fuel your imagination and add an extra bit of finesse to your edible creation. California farmers are responsible for producing more than 95 percent of the ripe olives consumed in the United States. From planting, pruning, harvesting and processing, they make sure the highest quality olives come from their farm to your table – one can at a time. Adding olives to any dish helps bring California sunshine into each bite. Put your creativity to the test with these delicious designs. For more delightful and artistic recipes with California Ripe Olives, visit calolive. org. A TOAST TO SUMMER 2 slices white bread, toasted 4 tablespoons cream cheese 3 crackers, crushed 1/4 cup sliced almonds handful leafy greens of choice (green onions, parsley, cilantro or chives) 2 black California Ripe Olives 1 green California Ripe Olive Slice each piece of toast into a square and place one above other on plate. Spread layer of cream cheese on bottom third of lower piece
of toast and cover spread with crushed crackers. Spread layer of cream cheese from lower-right corner to upper-left corner and, starting at bottom, layer sliced almonds on top of each other to create trunk spreading across both pieces of bread. Arrange greens into palm fronds at top of trunk. Use cream cheese as glue if they begin to slip. Arrange black olives and green olive as coconuts between top of trunk and base of leaves, covering bottom of leaves.
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SINGING IN THE GRAIN 1/4 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced 1 slice sourdough bread, toasted salt, to taste pepper, to taste handful of green California Ripe Olives, sliced into rounds 1 orange bell pepper, sliced 1 red bell pepper, sliced handful of black California Ripe Olives, sliced into raindrop shapes
Mash avocado and mix with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread on both wings. Slice cheese stick to fit between wings and act as body of butterfly. Slice orange bell pepper into antenna and red bell pepper into thin slices to line body of butterfly. Slice black olives in half, lengthwise, and place on upper and lower portions of each wing. Slice green olives into rounds and place on middle of each wing. Decorate plate with quartered olives and place sugar snap pea in center.
1 large sugar snap pea Arrange sliced avocado on toasted sourdough bread and top with salt and pepper, to taste. Slice green olive rounds in half and arrange in line beneath toast. Place one slice orange bell pepper below bread as handle and one small piece orange bell pepper above bread. Place one straight slice of red bell pepper on bottom edge of toast. Arrange black olive slices and sugar snap peas around toast as raindrops.