Florida Courier - April 19, 2013 by Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC

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APRIL 19 - APRIL 25, 2013

VOLUME 21 NO. 16

More GOP voting games Republican lawmakers reduce language interpreters BY MARC CAPUTO THE MIAMI HERALD / MCT

Desiline Victor, the 102-year-old North Miami voter who became a symbol of Florida’s elections woes, could again find it tough to cast a ballot now that the Republican-controlled state Senate voted Tuesday to crack down on foreignlanguage interpreters at the polls. The Senate approved the last-minute measure on what appeared to be a party-line voice vote as it amended a bill designed to reverse the effects of an election law that helped create long lines and suppress the vote in 2012.

WELFARE QUEENS? PART 2 Black Floridians in Miami and Tampa are pushing hard for Black business participation in pro sports deals involving millions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies, as things get tougher in the Florida Legislature.

BRINGING STATEWIDE HEAT sional sports seeking assistance from the state. That list would be ranked and then sent to the Legislature for a final vote. As of the Florida Courier’s press time late Wednesday night, all of the requests for taxpayer subsidies were still on track. And Black business activists are weighing in statewide, especially from Miami and Tampa, on the Florida Legislature.

BY JAMES HARPER FLORIDA COURIER

As the Florida Courier reported last week, four separate professional sports companies – the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins, the Orlando Lions pro soccer team, and Daytona International Speedway (DIS) – are asking the Florida Legislature to give them some $300 million in Florida taxpayer money over 30 years to build or remodel their respective sports facilities. There’s also a measure to increase funding for spring training stadiums. On Tuesday, members of the House Economic Affairs Committee narrowly supported an amendment that latched the DIS and Jaguar proposals together. That’s a move that some legislators believe could hinder both proposals, especially since this is the second time Jacksonville has asked for – and may receive – taxpayer money.

Similarities and differences

COURTESY OF THE MIAMI HERALD

In this screen capture, longtime South Florida activist Attorney H.T. Smith speaks in favor of the Miami Dolphins’ proposal for partial taxpayer funding. It’s the first time DIS has approached the state for tax funds. The Senate also has a proposal that would re-

quire the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to prepare an annual list of teams, spring training sites and profes-

Backers of each proposal claim the money offers the prospect of construction and long-term jobs, along with increased local economic impact. And though they all ask for millions of dollars, each request is different in some way from the others. Of the four proposals, only Miami’s will give local taxpayers a chance to decide for themselves. See HEAT, Page A2

‘LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL’ / 50th ANNIVERSARY

‘The cup of endurance runs over’

Not enough translators On Election Day at Victor’s polling station, there weren’t enough interpreters for the Creole-speaking native of Haiti and hundreds like her. Turnout was heavy. And lines lasted for hours – partly due to a slew of proposed state constitutional amendments placed on the ballot by the Florida Legislature. “My mom is a victim of this problem, if they’re going to change something it should be to make voting easier. Just make it easy,” said Victor’s godson, Mathieu Pierre-Louis, whom she raised as her own child. Victor, who couldn’t be reached, voted after an hour wait. Her struggle earned her an invitation and a shoutout from President Obama at his State of the Union address.

Laying in wait Now, months later, Republicans complained that they suspected the interpreters were helping cast ballots on Election Day in Democrat-heavy North Miami. Republican lawmakers waited until the new must-

AP PHOTO

The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., right, and the Rev. Ralph D. Abernathy were arrested for “illegal protesting” and released after eight days in the Birmingham, Ala. city jail on April 20, 1963. Log on to flcourier.com to read the “Letter” in its entirety.

See GOP, Page A2

SNAPSHOTS FLORIDA | A3

BUSINESS | B3

Slow change to state’s juvenile justice system

Employees being penalized for health issues

NATION | a6

FINEST | B5

Obama urged to invest in nation’s ‘dark ghettos’

Meet Bobbi Marie

ALSO INSIDE

FAMU bar exam pass rate best in history FROM STAFF REPORTS

FLORIDA COURIER FILES

FAMU law grads are shown in this 2009 file photo.

ORLANDO – For the first time in the history of the Florida A&M University (FAMU) College of Law, the first-time pass rate of the February 2013 Florida Bar Exam exceeded the state average. Law school graduates are required to pass the exam to be able to legally practice law in Florida. At 82.6 percent, FAMU beat the state average of 80.2 percent, better than five of the 11 schools reported – including the University of Florida, Florida Coastal, and Nova Southeastern. The score also exceeded the combined passage rate of the non-

Florida law schools. The good news comes on the heels of the College of Law’s continuing accreditation process and a March school site visit by the American Bar Association (ABA) that the school calls “routine.” FAMU must still submit additional information to the ABA for further consideration.

‘The right steps’ “We are extremely pleased with the efforts of the administration, faculty and students of the FAMU College of Law,” said Larry Robinson, interim president of FAMU. “This news could not have See FAMU, Page A2

COMMENTARY: CHARLES W. CHERRY II: RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A FREE BLACK MIND | A4 COMMENTARY: JESSE L. JACKSON SR.: OBSESSION WITH TESTING BEHIND SCHOOL CHEATING | A4

FOCUS

APRIL 19 – APRIL 25, 2013

Barack Obama and the class war Ever since the Ronald Reagan presidency, Democrats and Republicans have done their best to put and keep the malefactors of great wealth, the 1 percent, on top. Barack Obama has done nothing to alter this awful trend. Like all of his predecessors, he would never have become president if he hadn’t sided with the ruling classes. That simple fact explains everything the president has done to date and eliminates any pretense of mystery surrounding his actions regarding budget negotiations. His decisions to convene a deficit-cutting “cat food commission” and to propose austerity measures, including cuts to Social Security and Medicare, are easily understood when the

GOP from A1 pass elections bill was on the Senate floor – instead of in committee – to tack on the new limitation without taking any significant public testimony or receiving any evidence that any illegal act had happened. “This is a horrible amendment,” said Sen. Oscar Braynon, a Democrat who represents the North Miami area where Victor voted. “During the election, we couldn’t get enough interpreters,” he said. “The lines were long because of all the constitutional amendments. They were hard to read in English and they were even harder in Creole.”

Limited use But the architect of the amendment and the new elections bill, St. Petersburg Republican Sen. Jack Latvala, said his measure doesn’t ban interpreters, but it limits those who use foreign-language speakers for partisan ends. “It’s become kind of a political tool in many areas to have folks who stay at the precincts all day offering their services to go in and help people and in many cases in an intimidating fashion,” said Latvala – providing no examples. “What it does away with,” he said, “is the right of someone to stand outside a polling place and say, ‘I want to go in and help you because I’m here.’ It limits one person being able to do that 10 times a day.” But that’s a major change, says Braynon and liberal-leaning election-rights groups. If a person can only provide assistance to 10 people, then certain precincts could have required up

HEAT from A1 A hard lesson In 2009, after threatening to move his Major League Baseball team, multimillionaire Florida Marlins team owner Jeffrey Luria convinced Miami politicians to cover 80 percent of a new stadium’s $600 million-plus construction costs. Miami taxpayers will eventually pay $2.4 billion over 30 years to pay off the $500 million they chipped in for construction costs. By contrast, the Miami Dolphins’ proposed deal for taxpayer money is one of the most complex and restrictive in the recent history of public financing of pro sports businesses. Miami-Dade County would help pay for at least $350 million in stadium renovations by charging an additional “bed tax” at most Miami-Dade hotels. The stadium would be required to host a number of major sporting events, including Super Bowls – or pay a financial penalty to the county. The Dolphins would not leave MiamiDade for 30 years. The Dolphins would have to pay some of the money back in a lumpsum payment in 30 years. Billionaire Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is personally guaranteeing the Dolphins’ repayment. If he sells the team in the next five years, he pays a $20 million pen-

MARGARET KIMBERLEY BLACK AGENDA REPORT

foundations of our system are understood.

Under control We do not live in a true democracy. We live in a country controlled by corporate interests and wealthy individuals. They choose the politicians before we know their names and Barack Obama is Exhibit A in that regard. Barack Obama’s name was new to most Americans when he spoke at the 2004 Democratic

convention, but his presence was proof that he already had buy-in from the movers and shakers and that he was planning his run for the presidency even then. The ambitious senator knew where his bread was buttered and showed his acumen and his loyalties early. In 2006, Obama was only in his second year in the U.S. Senate when he spoke at an event convened by the Brookings Institution’s Hamilton Project, a neoliberal think tank created by Clinton administration Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin and Deputy Secretary Roger Altman. The speech is a cornucopia of right-wing fantasy made palatable by the supposedly liberal Black man. “Too many of us have been interested in defending programs the way they were written in 1938.” “The forces of globalization have changed the rules of the game.” “The coming baby boomer retirement will only add to the challenges.” “Most of us are strong free traders.”

Knows the language Like every smooth-talking politician, Obama knows how to use the right language for each audience and the audience was larger than those present in the room during his speech. Barack Obama became president because he told the Rubins and Altmans of the world that he was on their side while simultaneously convincing millions of voters that he was on theirs. That is a recipe for electoral success. Americans are uninformed and deluded in many ways, but they are not complete fools. Telling them that their Social Security benefits will be slashed is not a way to win votes. Convincing them that the other side is more evil and responsible for all the bad choices is a winner and Obama has mastered that art.

Time for change When a Democrat gets away with austerity and wars of aggression, it is truly time to admit that a new paradigm is needed. The

plea to stick with the Democrats should by now be completely discredited. Barack Obama has become the Teflon president like his idol Ronald Reagan. The next Democratic president may not be as gifted at dissembling but will definitely be as beholden to the rulers as Obama is. Changing the name at the top is not the solution. Changing all the assumptions about politics is the solution. Voting for the Green Party or other parties will be the answer for some. Others will disengage from the political process and choose other avenues of activism. It is time for everyone to decide where they stand – with the rulers or with the ruled.

Margaret Kimberley’s column appears weekly in BlackAgendaReport.com. Contact her at Margaret.Kimberley@ Black AgendaReport.com . Click on this story at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.

Miami resident Desiline Victor, a 102-yearold native of Haiti, joined First Lady Michelle Obama during President Obama’s 2013 State of the Union address.

FAMU from A1 come at a better time. The examination results clearly demonstrate that the right steps are being taken to ensure that our law students are prepared to enter their profession.”

Historical achievements

ROD LAMKEY JR./MCT

to 50 interpreters during the 2012 elections, Braynon said. “We had trouble finding five people to help interpret,” he said.

Possible lawsuit The new limitation could trigger a lawsuit because it violates the Voting Rights Act, which “says any voter who can’t read or write has a choice of who gets to help them,” said Gihan Perera, executive director of the liberal Florida New Majority. He pointed out that translators are already regulated and have to submit affidavits to affirm they follow the law and act in a nonpartisan way. Democrats were quick to note that Latvala’s inability to provide evidence of voter fraud by interpreters had echoes of the 2011 debate over the law known as House Bill 1355. It limited pre-Election Day early voting, loaded constitutional amendments on the ballot

alty, and the new owner is on the hook for repayment to the county. And before any of this happens, three things must occur. The Florida Legislature must agree to give the Dolphins a $90 million tax subsidy before the current session ends May 3; voters must approve the deal in a May 14 referendum, the cost of which the Dolphins will pay for up to $5 million; and NFL owners must award a Super Bowl to Miami when they meet May 21-22. Otherwise, the whole deal is off.

‘H.T.’ onboard Attorney H.T. Smith is known for backing causes and projects that will benefit Miami’s Black community, and has hard-won credibility by leading an economic boycott against Miami in 1990 for snubbing South Africa’s newly-freed Nelson Mandela. The boycott cost the Miami area millions of dollars in tourist and convention revenue. Smith is wholeheartedly backing the Dolphins’ project, as is Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce (M-DCC) President Bill Diggs. The stadium is located in Miami Gardens, a predominately Black city. Smith and Diggs spoke with the Florida Courier. Last week, Smith participated in a press conference, along with Dolphins management and Hispanic and GOP activist Jorge Ar-

and cracked down on voter-registration drives. Republican lawmakers said the bill was needed to cut down on fraud, but they provided no evidence of fraud committed during early voting – at which Democrats excelled. Plus, the bill that they said targeted fraud did nothing to target the most likely type of illegal voting: absentee ballots, which Republicans excel at casting. By limiting early voting and stuffing the ballot with lengthy, wordy time-consuming amendments, the GOP-led Legislature helped create long lines. Some people cast ballots well after midnight after eight-hour waits. Many dropped out of line, unable to early vote during the weekday and unable to cast ballots on Election Day because they had to get to work. Those problems should largely go away under Latvala’s new

rizurieta to appeal to their respective communities to back the referendum. Both are paid consultants to the Dolphins. Smith said he is supporting the project for the jobs that will come out of the renovation, especially for Blacks and other minorities if all goes as the Dolphins plan. He said that every legislative bill that involves taxpayer money should encourage a fair disposition of money to all communities. “Historically the Black community has been left out,” Smith explained. “The Black community should get its fair share of their tax dollars back,” he said, adding he would support “an aspirational goal” in the legislation for all four pro sports projects to hire minorities.

Dolphins agree to goals Smith said he also is working with the Dolphins to set an aspirational goal to hire at least 70 percent of its construction workers from Miami-Dade County, with 10 percent from the city of Miami Gardens and at least 20 percent from low-income areas. The project is expected to create 10,000 jobs. “The Dolphins would also provide a quarterly report on diversity hiring, contracting and purchasing, breaking down employees by race and gender,” Smith said. Smith said his sense right now is the majority of the

bill, which would increase early voting again, expand the types of sites where early voting can be offered and would limit lengthy ballot questions. A House bill has similar provisions to reverse the effects of HB 1355.

Democrats targeted? Miami-Dade has Florida’s largest number of foreign-born and foreign-language voters – many of whom lean Democrat – and would therefore be more affected by the limitation on interpreters in the Senate bill. SEIU Florida, a union, reported providing about 4,000 voters throughout South Florida with voter translation and literary assistance.

Herald staff writers Nadege Green and Mary Ellen Klas contributed to this report.

Miami-Dade community is against the referendum, “because people have not had an opportunity to understand the agreement.” “Taxpayers are not on the hook. The pro sports franchise has to take all the risk and assume all of the debt,” Smith said.

Long relationship Smith has been working with the Dolphins since 1995. He said that among their contributions to the Black community was $1 million to build a community center in Liberty Center. He also noted every time the Super Bowl is played at the stadium, it creates 4,000 temporary jobs; the Black community gets $500,000 toward projects. Smith also says he has faith the current Dolphin administration will follow through on hiring minorities for the project. For example, he said Black participation on the construction of Marlin Stadium was 22 percent. Smith revealed that Diggs will be sitting down with Dolphins management and the project team to set hiring goals. Smith also noted that the Dolphins already have agreements with leaders in the Black community to assist with education and mentoring programs, internships and scholarships that are related to sports medicine and sports business.

Written agreement Diggs said M-DCC wants

to have a “community benefits agreement” with the Dolphins. “It’s real simple. We want to support the referendum,” Diggs said, but first he wants the community benefits agreement signed by the Dolphins. “It (the agreement) is very progressive and radical. If you build a stadium, you are going to use our folks,” he said. “They can’t say we don’t have the ability to deliver. We have enough construction companies, trades, and people with particular skills. We will be able to meet the demand,” Diggs continued.

Action in Tally Diggs said he and MDCC will lobby Tallahassee for the Dolphins bill, and he is optimistic the bill will pass. He said his organization is currently working on putting together a statewide agency that advocates for Black business owners. Diggs and M-DCC should work with the Tampa Organization of Black Affairs (TOBA), which also is now involved in the pro sports legislation. Co-founded more than 30 years ago by Black lawyer-activist Delano S. Stewart and others, TOBA has relentlessly pushed for local Black businesses and more public-Black private partnerships in the Tampa Bay area. In a letter from board member James Ransom to selected legislators, TOBA is demanding that the

In addition to exceeding the state average for the first time, this rate represents the first time in FAMU’s history that the College of Law scored above 80 percent for either the February or July Bar Exam. The 82.6 percent rate represents a 17.1-point increase from the prior highest rate for the February 2012 exam. “We are very proud of our recent graduates and we commend them for the dedication they have shown to achieve this milestone,” said LeRoy Pernell, College of Law Dean. The history-making test passers will return to the College of Law on April 22 to be sworn in during the college’s ninth Oath of Admission ceremony. The public event will begin at 6:30 p.m.

four taxpayer subsidy bills be amended to “require stipulations that compel each potential recipient to commit to and show proof of actually spending funds with African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Indian, Women and certified Minority Business Enterprises, among others, in an ‘Equitable and Fair’ manner without sacrificing quality, service or significantly price.” The letter also offers suggested language.

No opinion Florida Democratic House Leader Rep. Perry Thurston represents a portion of Broward County, just north of Miami-Dade. All four pro sports bills will come before the Appropriations Committee on which he sits. He has not formed a opinion because the bills haven’t arrived yet to his committee. Thurston – a small Black business owner himself – said he is cognizant of the fact that non-White and minority businesses are left out of major construction projects, an issue he will raise when the bill is discussed. Thurston said those backing the bills for their construction projects should not worry that the legislative session ends May 3. “A lot can happen in three weeks,” he noted.

The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.

APRIL 19 – APRIL 25, 2013

FLORIDA

Slow change to state’s juvenile justice system Advocates pressing for more measures to curb abuse of incarcerated teens BY MARGIE MENZEL NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida House last week unanimously passed a bill protecting teens from abuse by staff in lock-ups run by the Department of Juvenile Justice – but for many advocates, the Legislature should be putting more protections in place. The Dream Defenders, a youth group focused on juvenile justice issues, called last week for protection from arrests at school for minor incidents. The group also called for an end to pepper spray and solitary confinement in jails run by Florida counties and to stop putting teens in the juvenile justice system for misdemeanor first offenses. Florida incarcerates more youths per capita than any of the 10 most populous states. Last year, more than 58,000 were arrested – a rate 40 percent higher than the national average. So members of the Dream Defenders staged a sit-in at Gov. Rick Scott’s office and called on the Legislature to give their bills a hearing, but the measure that passed on April 12 wasn’t on their radar screen.

Death sparks bill DJJ had asked Rep. Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart, to sponsor the bill (HB 353) after the death of Eric Perez of a cerebral hemorrhage at the Palm Beach Regional Detention Center in 2011. A 2012 inspector general’s report found that agency employees didn’t call for help because they thought Perez was faking his illness. A grand-jury report was scathing, but found criminal charges couldn’t be filed against the staff because there was no basis in state law. So HB 353 expands the definition of child abuse to include youths in DJJ

RED HUBER/ORLANO SENTINEL/MCT

The Dream Defenders hold hands on April 9, 2012, in Sanford before marching to the Sanford Police Department in protest against the handling of the Trayvon Martin case by police. The group held a sit-in last week at Gov. Rick Scott’s office in Tallahassee to push for the passing of a bill that protects youths from arrests at school for minor incidents. detention facilities. DJJ Secretary Wansley Walters said the bill was necessary but the incident itself was “an outlier – and it was swiftly dealt with. And that certainly sends a message.”

Policies changed Since Perez’ death, DJJ has developed a yearly audit to review its employees for compliance with policies and procedures, and a tool to screen potential employees for their ability to work with detained youths. The Palm Beach lock-ups telephones were reconfigured so teens could make free calls to lawyers, probation officers and the state abuse hotline. “We will not tolerate children being abused,” Walters said. “We will not tolerate children being neglected. Too many children have had that experience and found their way into our system, and our system will not do that to them.” She pointed to the Milton Girls Juvenile Residential Facility, which was closed last winter after a former guard was charged with child abuse for her treatment of a

15-year-old inmate.

Abuse exposed A DJJ surveillance video surfaced in which Shannon Abbott appeared to slam the girl into a wall, throw her to the ground and pin her. Although Abbott filed an incident report saying the teen had resisted, the video did not appear to support her, and she was found guilty last month. “I think there was a culture there that was really being kept secret and being hidden from our department,” Walters said. “But it has emerged, and fortunately law enforcement has gotten involved and people are being held accountable – after the fact, because within a few months of that incident, that program was closed. And that will be our approach throughout our system.”

SPLC lawsuit Perhaps the biggest issue for advocates, though, is what the Southern Poverty Law Center’s David Utter calls “state-sanctioned child abuse down in Polk County.” That would be SPLC’s top legislative priority, SB 506 by Sen.

EARTH IS A MEMORY WORTH FIGHTING FOR

Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, which would repeal a 2011 law (SB 2112) that allows Florida counties to run their own juvenile justice facilities. Three counties now do so – Polk, Seminole and Marion – but only Polk uses pepper spray on juveniles. SPLC has brought a federal lawsuit against Polk County and Sheriff Grady Judd for the practice, which Judd strongly defends. “Why would you rather us fight these kids – some of them well over six foot and 200 pounds – why would you want us to fight them on a concrete floor and take the chance of injuring them or us when they’re so incorrigible they won’t de-escalate, when a simple spray from the pepper spray de-escalates most opportunities for there having to be a physical fight?” Judd asked.

Pepper spray debate He said pepper spray quickly wears off, whereas many advocates say it shouldn’t be used on juveniles because their brains aren’t fully developed. “The overwhelming view in Florida and the rest of the nation

Senate prepares to replace no-fault auto insurance BY JIM TURNER NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE – A proposal to scrap the state’s no-fault auto insurance system was backed by a Senate committee on Tuesday, but the measure will rev in idle pending an anticipated appeals court ruling. The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee voted to support the measure (SB 7152), which gives up on last year’s effort to remove fraud from the state’s decade-old Personal Injury Protection (PIP) auto insurance system. The proposal would abolish PIP and set bodily injury coverage as the new bargain basement system. But the Senate measure will sit until a decision is reached on the state’s challenge to Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis’ ruling in March that sided a challenge by chiropractors and massage therapists to the 2012 law. “I’ve got it in a posture so we can deal with it and we’re poised to take action in the event that we get further direction from the courts,” said committee Chairman Sen. David Simmons, R-Maitland. “I think it’s important to wait and see if the court decision is resolved. When we get that information we’ll have a basis for making a decision.”

Race enters debate over booming radio ban NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

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A measure re-enacting the state’s law against loud playing of car stereos unanimously cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, but only after the panel rejected an effort to require police to keep track of whether the law is used more often to ticket Blacks and Latinos. The state had a statute that made it a crime to play a car radio too loudly, but it was thrown out by the state Supreme Court, because it treated different types of noise differently. The old law exempted political noise, or commercial noise, and the court said that was impermissible. The bill (SB 634) to restore the law would make it illegal for any type of sound coming from a car to be able to be “plainly audible” at 25 feet away or more. Violations would bring a $30 citation.

regarding the use of pepper spray in juvenile settings is at odds with Sheriff’s Judd’s practice,” wrote Magistrate Judge Mark A. Pizzo last month. “He would be wise to develop a plan for reducing the juvenile-on-juvenile violence and limiting the use of pepper spray.” Judd also said Polk County complies with the Florida Model Jail Standards, which are different from the DJJ standards, and that housing juveniles at the jail – separately from adult inmates – saves Polk County millions of dollars. Seminole County also operates its own juvenile detention center, and Major Scott Ballou told an audience at the panel discussion “Kids are Different: Youth in the Justice System” last month at St. Petersburg College that the cost was indeed a factor. “(Senate Bill) 2112 was born of years of frustration over detention cost reimbursement,” Ballou said. “I can tell you the last time we paid, the per diem rate was $282 per day per child – and that’s crazy.”

More bills Seminole County has cut the daily average number of incarcerated youths from between 40 and 50 to 15, he said. “That’s why we wanted to do it. It wasn’t to abuse children by any stretch of the imagination,” Ballou said. “Because of local control, we have a lot of options on detention avoidance.” Joyner’s bill repealing SB 2112 hasn’t been heard, nor has its House companion by Rep. Mia Jones, D-Jacksonville. Neither has SB 660/HB 603, requiring law enforcement to issue civil citations and provide diversion programs for first-time offenders who commit misdemeanors. Neither has SB 1374/HB 1039, intended to reduce what the Dream Defenders call the “school-to-prison pipeline” by requiring schools with zero tolerance policies to report to law enforcement only serious threats to school safety.

Warming to change Lewis ruled the law that Gov. Rick Scott signed last May illegally prevents accident patients from using PIP claims to pay for treatment by acupuncturists and massage therapists. He also found fault with the law’s lower limit on how much it will pay for non-emergency medical care. Simmons said he believes time remains during the regular session if the court rules against the state in the next week or two. “We wouldn’t want to have a special session if we could deal with it now,’ Simmons said. Insurance companies have indicated they are “warming” to the proposed auto insurance change. Meanwhile, Scott and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, proponents of last year’s law, have made public overtures that they’d prefer giving the 2012 reforms a chance to take hold. But Simmons said even if the court rules the law is constitutional he could see the Legislature eventually moving forward with his proposal.

Still some fraud “I think we’re finding that rates haven’t gone down. I think we’re finding the fraud is still prevalent and the litigation is voluminous and indications are that it’s going to get more voluminous,” Simmons said. ‘I think (PIP) is on its last gasp unless there is a dramatic reduction in litigation, in fraud and its rates. And that’s not happening.” According to OIR, of 135 rate filings sought since the 2012 law went into effect, 52 percent have been for a decrease in premiums. About 28 percent have shown an increase.

Racial profile concern Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa, had sought an amendment to have the new law require a check box on tickets to note the race or ethnicity of the person receiving it, with an eye toward determining whether it is used disproportionately against minorities. “The proclivity is that we make more noise than anybody else,” said Joyner, who is African-American. Several members of the committee, however, said Sen. Arthenia they were uncomfortable Joyner having the race of ticket recipients on the tickets, though it is done on other types of citations, such as those written for seat belt violations to track whether there is profiling occurring. The amendment failed before the panel approved the bill, sending it to the full Senate for a vote. A House version (HB 1019) of the bill, which also doesn’t include the check box requirement, is on the House calendar waiting for a floor vote.

EDITORIAL

APRIL 19 – APRIL 25, 2013

Cutting Medicare and Social Security equals deadly consequences If you are given a lethal injection, shot by a firing squad, hung by your neck, drowned, impaled, crucified, pushed off of a very high cliff or cut with a very sharp knife, it doesn’t matter. You are still dead! If you are living off of social security that you paid for with deductions from every pay check that you earned and your health care program is Medicare, also paid for by you, and those programs are cut, you might die from the political

every Democrat that supports his economic proposals will be attacked by the right and the left, attacked by liberals and conservatives and attacked by both rich and poor United States citizens!

Lucius Gantt THE GANTT REPORT

knife too. If President Barack Obama insists on cutting Medicare and Social Security programs to please rich people by limiting the amount of taxes wealthy Americans would be asked to pay, the president and

Attack on elderly The Republican right will say the president’s proposals constitute an attack on senior citizens and the Democratic left will say that Obama is trying to help his rich friends and campaign

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: UNPLUGGED INTERNET CAFES

JEFF PARKER, FLORIDA TODAY AN THE FORT MYERS NEWS-PRESS

Random thoughts of a free Black mind, v. 174 RIP, "Uncle Tommy" Gooden, 19332013: My kids asked me why I didn’t cry when I got the news. I told them I’m more familiar with death than they are, and it’s not such a shock. As I get older, death isn’t a distant eventuality anymore. It’s now ‘living’ around the corner... Boston Marathon bombing: Before I heard the details of this crime, a pressure cooker always reminded me of Julia T. Cherry’s neckbones and collard greens, especially the sssh-sssh-sssh sound it made while the food was cooking. Damn. Nothing is safe anymore in the world of global terrorism, not even my childhood memories of some of the best meals I’ve ever had... Politicians and guns: Speaking of life and death, the U.S. Senate couldn’t even pass a lackluster bill expanding background checks, even in the wake of Newtown. Politicians are generally a spineless lot whose main concerns seem to be preventing the death of their political careers. Murdered kids and grief-stricken parents can go to hell, as far as much of Congress is concerned. Bro. Prez’s sputtering, plaintive response to the Senate gun defeat doesn’t give me any confidence that he is ready to put his presidency on the line to fight the National Rifle Association and save some lives. When a politician accuses

quick takes from #2: straight, no chaser

Charles W. Cherry II, Esq. PUBLISHER

other politicians of “playing politics,” you know nothing will get done... FAMU College of Law: Schools are known by the successes of their graduates. The outstanding performance of FAMU’s law grads – the most racially diverse law school in the country – is a big middle-fingered salute to the various layers of FAMU haters throughout the State University System who want pharmacy, law, engineering, journalism and everything else to themselves. If you think FAMU’s exam scores won’t shake up the teachers’ lounge and the administrative suites at the Levin College of Law at my law school alma mater, the University of Florida, you don’t know the Gators. Success truly IS the best revenge. The Rattlers struck (striked?) again!

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

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

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

contributors at the expense of the elderly, the poor, the disabled and the needy. No one will declare that their vote for Barack Obama was a vote for him to limit tax increases for the richest Americans by cutting every social service program he could cut. Those of you that believe the President can do no wrong perhaps have eyes but still can’t see. Social Security and Medicare helps but even if you combine all of the benefits of both programs the total benefits will still not be enough for recipients to live a quality life style. Yes, the people that love Democrats the most and vote for Democrats every time they step into a voting booth are probably poor and many of the Democratic politician’s biggest supporters are elderly senior citizens.

Below poverty level

Believe this. People with full Social Security benefits still live below the poverty level, people on social security are still eligible for food stamps, people on social security are still eligible for Lifeline, or discount telephone service, and people living on social security are eligible to receive food from local food banks. If Democratic politicians think cutting Social Security and Medicare is good for people being helped by those programs, I’d like to see them live one month, just one month, on the monBuy Gantt’s book “Beast ey given to citizens eligible Too: Dead Man Writing” for social security benefits. online or at any bookstore, like The Gantt Report Pleasing donors page on Facebook and If the Democrats dreamed contact him at www.allabout living on Social Secu- worl dcon sultant s .net . rity and Medicare benefits Click on this story at www. they would wake up scream- flcourier.com to write your ing like they just had their own response.

Obsession with testing is behind rampant school cheating The Atlanta public school cheating scandal is but “the tip of the iceberg,” reports Bob Schaeffer, public education director of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing. A new FairTest report confirmed cheating incidents in 37 states and the District of Columbia in the last four years. It also lists 50 ways adults in public schools artificially boost test scores. When everyone cheats, you know something is wrong with the test. In fact, high-stakes testing — in which jobs and even the existence of schools depend on the results of a standardized test — is a perverse way to evaluate teachers and schools. As Isabel Nunez, associate professor at the Center for Policy Studies and Social Justice at Concordia University Chicago, writes, “Standardized testing has become monstrous” and is unsupported by the best research in the field. It’s the spearhead of an assault that is undermining public education, turning teaching from a life mission to a badly paid, insecure job, and putting children at risk. We better step back and take another look to build, not destroy our public schools.

Schools limited First, we have to get real about what schools can do. A school cannot thrive as an oasis in a social desert. Even the best teacher cannot reach a student who is plagued by an untreated

that need them the most.

Rev. Closing neighborhood Jesse L. schools has high costs. ParJackson, ents must find ways to transport their children longer Sr.

distances. Children must cross what often are contested gang boundaries. Roustoothache. Schools cannot ing parental involvement bear the blame for all the becomes even more difficult maladies of poverty, unem- if the school is across town. ployment, danger and pain. Parents with jobs matter. Ad- Invest in basics equate housing with a comAt this point, testing and puter in the house matters. Transportation to schools shutting down schools have matters. Nutrition and become a way to avoid inhealth care matters. School vesting in the basics. Let’s distance matters. Danger- start there. Make certain every child has adequate nuous streets matter. There is no shortcut to trition and health care. Proequal opportunity. School vide every child with prefunding remains sepa- school, smaller classes in rate and unequal. We know the early grades, after-school how to create great pub- programs, and affordable lic schools. We see them in training or college after high the affluent suburbs across school. the country. But in impovAnd then focus attention erished urban and rural ar- on the areas most in need. eas, children go without text Create jobs programs to put books, without computers, people to work doing work without adequate facilities that needs to be done. Raise to exercise. Don’t blame the the minimum wage, make teachers. Often the teachers health care not just mandareach into their own pockets tory but affordable. Build afto get needed supplies for fordable housing. their students. The schools will rise as the neighborhood rises. And inNo shortcuts evitably, they will flail as the There is no shortcut to neighborhood fails. Let’s provide every child high-quality teachers. The countries that are succeed- with a fair start. There is no ing respect teachers and pay better return on the dollar. them accordingly. The curKeep up with Rev. Jackrent policy — using highstakes testing to substitute son and the work of the for high pay, clear mentor- Rainbow PUSH Coalition ing, peer review, social re- at www.rainbowpush.org. spect — virtually guarantees Click on this story at www. that the best teachers will flcourier.com to write your not risk going to the schools own response. TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM

‘Chumps’ when it comes to politics As George Benson sang in “Moody’s Mood,” “There I go, there I go, there I go…” making up words again. I couldn’t resist this one in light of our penchant to choose sides when it comes to economics versus politics. It seems we cannot understand, nor act upon, the fact that by combining the two disciplines and leveraging the resulting power from such a sensible strategy we could build a stronger base and finally put an end to being ignored and taken for granted. So I made up this word in an effort to indoctrinate us, to condition us, to program us, or whatever you want to call it, so that Black people can stop being sacrificial lambs led to the political and economic slaughter.

Choose economics

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Charles W. Cherry, Sr. (1928-2004), Founder Julia T. Cherry, Senior Managing Member, Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Cassandra CherryKittles, Charles W. Cherry II, Managing Members Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Chief Executive Officer Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher Dr. Valerie Rawls-Cherry, Human Resources Jenise Morgan, Senior Editor Lynnette Garcia, Marketing Consultant/Sales Linda Fructuoso, Marketing Consultant/Sales, Circulation Angela VanEmmerik, Creative Director Chicago Jones, Eugene Leach, Louis Muhammad, Lisa Rogers-Cherry, Circulation James Harper, Andreas Butler, Ashley Thomas, Staff Writers Delroy Cole, Kim Gibson, Photojournalists MEMBER National Newspaper Publishers Association Society of Professional Journalists Florida Press Association Associated Press National Newspaper Association

worst nightmare. Cuts in social services won’t just hurt Americans that get those benefits; many people will die if Medicare and Social Security are dismantled to please wealthy campaign contributors. Democrats that hurt the poor in order to please the rich are not Democratic friends, benefactors, supporters or saviors of America’s poor and elderly. If you cut Medicare and social security it will have deadly consequences and expose Democrats in Washington, D.C. as Democratic Assassins!

We do not have to choose between the two, but as I always say, if I had to choose I would definitely take economics over politics. Why? Isn’t it obvious that while politics runs most of our lives (because we have no real economic base) it certainly does not run the lives of those who are economically empowered? Whatever Wall Street wants Wall Street gets. The stock market hits record highs; but Black people are sinking lower in net worth and income. Black people are too busy watching the Wives of …, or Scandal, or all of those BET Award shows to recognize the subordinated consumer-oriented role we are playing in the economy. Like sister Sweet Brown said about the fire on YouTube, “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” As the war machine cranks up once again, the moneychangers are rubbing their greedy hands together in anticipation of another windfall from supplying the tools of war, the food for the troops, the equipment, the uniforms, and all the accoutrements necessary to dispose of those pesky Koreans, Syrians, and Iranians.

JAMES CLINGMAN NNPA COLUMNIST

Ignore political rhetoric We get a daily dose of political rhetoric and hardly ever take any economic medicine; it’s no wonder that many Black people see no way out of our economic/political dilemma. We have chosen political rhetoric over practical tried-and-true economic initiatives to free us from psychological bondage - a prescription that has not and does not work. As Malcolm said, “…you are chumps…” when it comes to politics; and I say we are pawns when it comes to economics. However, if we combine politics with economics and not be led around by the ears by socalled leaders who only care about themselves, their political connections, and the money they make from selling us down the road, we will be much better off than we are now.

Practice ‘Blackopoliticonomics’ So, turn off the television and start reading more, start learning more for yourself, and start initiating and participating in efforts, where you live, to combine and leverage your collective economic and political clout – a winning strategy for sure. In other words, start practicing “Blackopoliticonomics.”

Jim Clingman, founder of the Greater Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce, is an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati and can be reached through his website, blackonomics.com. Click on this story at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.

APRIL 19 – APRIL 25, 2013

EDITORIAL

There’s affordable health insurance for Florida small businesses and workers For years, we had a health insurance market that was broken for small businesses. Because they had less bargaining power, small businesses paid an average of 18 percent more for the same health insurance plan offered to the bigger business down the street, and their premiums could skyrocket if a single employee got sick. That made it hard for many small business owners to keep offering coverage and grow their businesses. But because of the Affordable Care Act, Florida’s small businesses and their employees are getting better choices, starting with new protections that limit the outrageous rate hikes many small business owners faced in the past. Take Steve Miller’s dilemma: The president of EPReward in Boynton Beach values his 10 employees who run his medical waste recycling business. Though his lowest paid employee makes 2 ½ times more than minimum wage and receives profit sharing, the one benefit EPReward can’t afford to offer its employees is health insurance. The cost for a company policy is greater than what employees can purchase individually.

DR. PAMELA ROSHELL and CASSIUS BUTTS

An important investment Instead, Miller offers a stipend in employees pay to offset their cost to insure themselves. Miller, for one, is looking forward to taking advantage of the benefits and affordable health insurance plans provided to businesses under the Affordable Care Act, saying the new health care law will go a long way in helping him attract and retain good employees who he considers “an important investment.” Beginning in 2014, Florida’s small business owners will have access to a new Health Insurance Marketplace – which opens for enrollment on Oct. 1 – that will allow them to make side-by-side comparisons to find a plan that fits their budget and that’s right for their businesses and employees. Each Marketplace will operate a Small Business Health Op-

Tax credits available Small businesses are also seeing savings thanks to new tax credits available to help them cover their employees. Many small businesses with 25 or fewer employees have already received a tax credit of up to 35 percent of their health insurance costs. And beginning in 2014, this tax credit will go up to 50 percent. That’s just one of the ways the law is bringing down costs for small business owners. Insurance companies must also now publicly justify every rate increase of 10 percent or more, which has led to a sharp decline in double-digit rate hikes. Starting in 2014, insurers will have to justify every proposed rate increase, even if it’s a 1 percent bump.

Costs rising slower And the law has also begun to slow rising costs across the system by reducing waste and fraud and promoting higher quality care that emphasizes coordination and

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq. TRICE EDNEY WIRE

age White person had never had the opportunity to wake up every morning and see a brilliant Black man on television who was the most powerful man in the world! Unless they were wed to FOX News and the O’Reilly, Hannity, Beck, Von Sustern programs, they would learn so much about us- so many good things they had refused to acknowledge before.

Brilliant Blacks So many of our people are brilliant in what they do, but never had a fair chance to be seen in a positive light in their daily newspapers or on mainstream televi-

The right wing seems determined to associate President Obama with any government program that helps people on the bottom. Thus the term Obamacare used to attack the health care program that President Obama fashioned and worked with Congress to approve. While Obamacare is not perfect, it brings more people into the health care system, and further solidifies the safety net that many have attempted to fray.

DAVID FITZSIMMONS, THE ARIZONA STAR

prevention. These changes in care delivery have contributed to the slowest sustained national health spending growth in 50 years. And while many small business owners have questions about the employer responsibility provision, it is important to note that businesses with fewer than 50 employees – that’s 96 percent of small businesses – are not required to purchase insurance. Of the remaining 4 percent of small businesses with more than 50 employees, most already provide insurance. So the number of businesses that will have to begin offering employee health insurance or pay a penalty is very small. No businesss owner wants to drop coverage for their employees. For many, their employees are like a family. For others, of-

fering health insurance is critical to attracting the kind of workers they need to succeed. By making the health insurance market work better for Florida small businesses, the law is letting them focus on what they do best: delivering great products and services, creating jobs, and growing our economy.

lenges-such as military families and childhood obesity. She was out making speeches and inspiring women of all backgrounds. With people who could not stand all these positive scenes and unbelievable accomplishments, insanity set in, and instead of grinning and bearing the strides America was making, they began trying to set us back to what they called “the good ole days”. Some make every effort to send Black people to the back of the bus, send immigrants of color back to from wherever they had come, send gay people back into the closet, and force women to go back to the kitchen! They began talking about taking back their country as though they didn’t take it from the Native Americans and as though immigrants and enslaved people had done nothing to build this country.

tried to block every thing President Obama supported-even if they had supported the same things in the past. They were tone deaf to the phrase “Where there is no justice, there will be no peace!” We may be going through a rough period as far as progress on equality and justice, but I still believe there are enough good people who will work through their prejudices and biases with which they were reared as they understand that those of us who’ve previously been left out, won’t turn back. I still have hope. No one can change the change for which we’ve worked so hard.

sion or heard on major radio stations. Now, here we are after the Obama victories. He’s there every single day! The madness really swung into high gear with the Tea Party, Michelle Bachman, Sarah Palin, Senator Ted Cruz and a whole lot of others. Some I didn’t mention because they were already on the list of what most of us have come to know as the “crazies”, such as Rush Limbaugh and his horrible ilk. Black women like our First Lady, Michelle Obama, had not often been seen on the evening news, except when they were there crying over a son or daughter who’d been shot or accused of being involved in some kind of wrongdoing. Now, here she was-beautiful, smart, Mom in Chief, presiding over social events for world lead- No justice, no peace Many in the U.S. House of Repers and their first ladies. She was dealing with real American chal- resentatives and the U.S. Senate

Obama should embrace helping the needy

Obamaphone

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: TAXES

tions Program, or SHOP, focused just on small businesses, where employers will be able to choose from a range of affordable plans to offer their employees.

‘No one can change the change’ The State of Equality and Justice in America” is a 20-part series of columns written by an all-star list of contributors to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Here’s the 13th op-ed of the series: The state of equality and justice in America is shameful – especially since the election of President Barack Obama. Unlike many of my friends who think America is going to hell in a hand basket, and have given up thinking things will get better for those who’ve been marginalized for so long, I still have hope for a better day. When Barack Obama was running for President of the United States, a close friend told me, “Mark my word. When Senator Obama is elected, some people will go absolutely crazy, and after he’s re-elected, they will go mad!” His rationale was that the aver-

DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM

Obama food Let’s not forget that it was Democratic President Bill Clinton who pushed the “welfare reform” that limited government assistance to 60 months or 5 years. Associating President Obama with government support to the poor is a subtle way of associating people of African descent with public assistance, and with the pejorative term “welfare”. This is a most understated form of racial coding, a coding that enabled former Congressman Newt Gingrich to describe President Obama as a “food stamps” President and to assert that our President “put” more people on food stamps than any other President in history. One in six Americans lives in poverty. More than one in four African-Americans and Latinos live in poverty. One in ten of all whites live in poverty. The Great Recession and economic restructuring have kicked these diverse groups of poor people, many who are grateful for food assistance, to the curb. President Obama has been responsive to this group of people to the extent that a hostile Congress has allowed it. If I were President Obama I’d be flattered by descriptions of Obamacare and Obamaphones. I would not even mind having food stamps being described as Obama food. Would we prefer to describe poverty as Romney starve, or sequester starve? Make it plain. Associating President Obama with health care, Lifeline telephones and healthy eating is to his credit, not his detriment.

Now these folks are running with the term “Obamaphone,” which speaks to the fact that President Obama has simply extended a Lifeline plan that was authorized by Republican President Ronald Reagan when it was clear that those who were either isolated by poverty or by their rural status needed telephones to connect themselves to the world. The Reagan program used taxes on some of us to provide telephones for the rest of us. People were able to get a telephone that offered basic service for a basic fee. With the onset of technology, Lifeline customers had the option of getting a landline phone or a cellular phone. This is not an Obama initiative. It happened in 1996. Those who get a subsidized telephone have numerous restrictions. They don’t get to choose their phone, but are offered whatever is available, usually a refurbished phone. They get 250 minutes a month if they get a cell phone. The 250 minutes is about 4 hours a month, or an hour a week. Obamaphone? Give me a break. Until the Tea Party began to hold sway on our national consciousness, Republicans were among those who embraced the notion that every American should have basic telephone service. Now, anything associated with government assistance is associated with President Julianne Malveaux is a D.C.-based Obama, despite the fact that both Democratic and Republican Presidents have at- economist and author. Click on this story tempted to assist people at the bottom, al- at www.flcourier.com to write your own response. beit with different levels of energy.

Dr. Pamela Roshell is the U.S. Health & Human Services Regional Director and Cassius Butts is the U.S. Small Business Administration Regional Administrator. To receive information and sign up for updates, Florida small business owners can visit healthcare. gov. Click on this story at www. flcourier.com to write your own response.

Dr. E. Faye Williams is national chair of the National Congress of Black Women. This article is written in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. For more information, please visit www. lawyerscommittee.org. Click on this story at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.

The shifting sands of sequestration Sequestration is like the sand in an hour glass. When the sand starts falling, it does not seem to amount to much. The full section of the hour glass seems not to change, at least at first. Yet at a certain moment it becomes clear that the sand is disappearing and that what was once full is now approaching empty. When sequestration began, it began with a whimper. Discussions took place for months about the dangers of sequestration. We were led to believe that it was not very likely that it would actually happen because, after all, neither side really wanted to court such a potential disaster. We were wrong on a number of counts.

Republican advantage The first danger that we have to acknowledge is that sequestration actually is to the advantage of the Republicans. They are the ones looking for cuts. Yes, some of them are complaining about this or that cut, but the reality is that they are seeking cuts. In that sense, they can live with sequestration, or at least they think that they can. There is, as a result, no pressure on their side to end this. The second danger is precisely the hour glass problem. In the beginning, there seemed to be little damage. Federal workers, of course, were upset, but many people are prepared to write off federal workers. In fact, too many people have thought about sequestration as punishing federal workers for any number of alleged evils. So, large segments of the public have been willing to let it happen.

Punch line

BILL FLETCHER, JR. NNPA COLUMNIST

government should look like and what it should fund. Yet, with sequestration some strange things started to happen. An excellent example has been the closing of airport control towers around the country. In one story from the Midwest, prosequestration citizens were shocked to discover that sequestration meant that the airport control tower in their home town was going to be shuttered. Oops! Was that supposed to happen? Sequestration, as with other austerity measures, is a response to an imaginary crisis. The notion that the main problem facing the U.S.A. is debt is irrational. The main challenge is job creation and income. With job creation and income one gains tax revenue. Continuous cutting means fewer people on the payrolls and deeper levels of debt and poverty. One does not need to be an economist to see that reality. Sequestration and other austerity plans are aimed at strangling the government and forcing an end to various programs that have been won over the last century. While many people have watched and yawned as sequestration has unfolded, the reality is that the sand is dropping faster and faster, and soon enough we will all find that we have been touched by further unnecessary, and frankly immoral, cuts.

The third danger is that no one seems Bill Fletcher, Jr. is a Senior Scholar to have a clear sense as to how to arrive at a budget that would actually end with the Institute for Policy Studies. sequestration. That is the punch line: Click on this story at www.flcourier. there are vastly different views on what com to write your own response.

NATION

TOj A6

APRIL 19 – APRIL 25, 2013

Obama urged to invest in nation’s ‘dark ghettos’ Institute of the Black World plans ‘Day of Direct Action’ to address ‘War on Drugs’ and mass incarceration BY HAZEL TRICE EDNEY TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE

An organization that is escalating its call for the end to America’s so-called “War on Drugs’’ is organizing a ‘Day of Direct Action’ with a goal of pressuring President Barack Obama to address ways to repair the havoc the ‘war’ has wreaked in the Black community. “Against the backdrop of what the Institute of the Black World 21st Century (IBW) believes is a state of emergency in urban, inner-city neighborhoods, which we are calling dark ghettos, we come today to announce a day of direct action, Monday, June 17, to call upon President Barack Obama to end the War on Drugs and mass incarceration and to invest in America’s dark ghettos,” said IBW President Ron Daniels at a press conference held April 4 at the National Press Club. Daniels has established a coalition of like-minded groups called a “justice collaborative” in order to tackle the problems from several directions. The “Day of Action” will encompass a rally of sorts outside the White House.

From Prison A to Prison B Courtney Stewart, chairman of the D.C.-based Reentry Network for Returning Citizens described how he has experienced injus-

tices firsthand. “A lot of us when we come home we’re confused because we have to go from pillar to post to get papers signed and people shuffling us here and promising us jobs and referring us to this place and referring us to that place. We can’t go back – in many cases - to our communities; so therefore there’s a housing issue. Fifty percent of those who return to the district report to a shelter. That’s just like leaving Prison A and going to Prison B. The only difference is the shelter has no supervision. You have rape, drugs and all the other things that you can get caught up in that sends you right back through the system.” He said it takes an inmate nine months to two years to find a job after getting out of prison, causing hardships - for even nonviolent offenders - that could land him or her back in prison, he said.

‘Suffered enough’ A former inmate at the Lorton Reformatory, who was released in 1985, Stewart quoted Dr. King’s letter from the Birmingham Jail in order to make his point: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” It was 42 years ago that President Richard M. Nixon started the “War on Drugs.” It was said to be aimed at illegal importation as well as the street-level demand for illegal drugs. But, more than four decades later, the most visible and dominant results has been intensified police focus in Black communi-

20 percent to 68 percent. • According to the Global Commission on Drug Policy arresting and incarcerating people fills prisons and destroys lives but does not reduce the availability of illicit drugs or the power of criminal organizations. • States are spending approximately $17 million per day to imprison drug offenders or more than $6.2 billion per year.

IBW solutions

FILE PHOTO

According to the D.C.-based Re-entry Network for Returning Citizens, it takes an inmate nine months to two years to find a job after getting out of prison, causing hardships - for even non-violent offenders - that could land him or her back in prison. ties, resulting in astronomical rates of Black males in prisons; hundreds of thousands of Blacks and Latinos dead from gun violence; and police corruption, including profiling, brutality, and abuse of power. “We’ve come today to claim that we’ve suffered enough and suffered is the operative word. It’s time to bring an end to an ill-conceived and destructive policy and strategy,” Daniels said. Referencing a poster on the wall behind him, he said the logo for the initiative “graphically illustrates and depicts what millions of Black people know to be the truth. The war on drugs is a war on us.”

Troubling statistics IBW first announced its initiative two years ago up-

on the 40th anniversary of Nixon’s initiative. At that 2011 forum, dozens of social and political activists – including the Rev. Jesse Jackson U.S. Rep. John Conyers - gathered to discuss the extreme social ramifications of the anti-drug measures. Since then, not much has changed about the following statistics: • Black men are sent to state prisons on drug charges at 13 times the rate of White men. • Drug transactions among Blacks are easier for police to target because they more often happen in public than do drug transactions between Whites. • The disparities are particularly tragic in individual states where Black men are sent to federal prison on drug charges at a rate 57

times greater than White men, according to Human Rights Watch. • More than 25.4 million Americans have been arrested on drug charges since 1980; about one-third of them were Black. • The Black populations in state prisons are majorly disproportionate: For example, in Georgia, the Black population is 29 percent, the Black prison population is 54 percent; Arkansas 16 percent to 52 percent; Louisiana 33 percent to 76 percent; Mississippi 36 percent to 75 percent; Alabama 26 percent to 65 percent; Tennessee 16 percent to 63 percent; Kentucky 7 percent to 36 percent; South Carolina 30 percent to 69 percent; North Carolina 22 percent to 64 percent; and Virginia

These statistics reveal the need to take a holistic to dealing with low income and impoverished communities, which means just ending the war on drugs is not enough, Daniels says. Among the solutions that IBW is pushing: Intensify efforts to eliminate the disparity in sentencing between powdered and crack cocaine. Issue an executive order terminating the War on Drug and replacing it with a national initiative that treats drugs and drug addiction as a public health issue. Issue an executive order ending the practice of using incarcerated persons as prison labor. Publicly support decriminalization of the possession of small quantities of marijuana. Allocate more federal funds for drug education, counseling and treatment. Form a Presidential Commission to initiate a national dialogue on the regulation and taxation of drugs. Mobilize moral and political support for direct public sector jobs and sustainable economic development programs with priority inclusion of formerly incarcerated persons targeted to transform distressed Black communities.

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April 19 - April 25, 2013

Workers’ unhealthy habits having impact on insurance premiums See page B3

SHARING BLACK LIFE, STATEWIDE

New PBS show tells story of Central Park Five See page B5

SUN COAST / TAMPA BAY www.flcourier.com

SECTION

Emergency personnel assist the victims at the scene of a bomb blast on Monday during the Boston Marathon. STUART CAHILL/ BOSTON HERALD/MCT

In the midst of another storm The bombings in Boston put focus this week back on terrorism and national security

‘Act of terror’ As federal, state and local investigators scrambled to track down the culprits the day after two explosives-packed pressure cookers killed three people and injured more than 170 others, President Barack Obama sought anew to reassure the country that whoever was responsible would be found. “Clearly, we’re at the beginning of our investigation. It will take time to follow every lead and determine what happened, but we will find out. We will find whoever harmed our citizens, and we will bring them to justice,” said Obama, who for the first time referred to the bombings as “an act of terror.” The bombings were the first mass-casualty terrorist attack to take place in the United States since Feb. 18, 2010, when an anti-tax protester flew his small plane into the Internal Revenue Service office in Austin, Texas, killing himself and one other person and wounding 15 people.

Some attacks thwarted Experts noted that improved counter-terrorism efforts overseas, security measures and in-

WHITEHOTPIX/ VIA ZUMA PRESS/MCT

telligence sharing between federal, state and local authorities and with other countries have succeeded in thwarting major and minor attacks on Americans at home and abroad. “Literally dozens of plots have been disrupted and prevented since 9/11,” said Christian Beckner, deputy director of George Washington University’s Homeland Security Policy Institute. “For the most part, we’ve been extremely successful in preventing plots and making it much more difficult for al-Qaida ... to conduct attacks inside the United States.”

Worldwide cooperation Brian Jenkins, a terrorism expert at the RAND Corp., a California-based policy institute, pointed to what he said was “an extraordinary improvement” since 9/11 in intelligence internationally and domestically. At the international level, the unanimity of focus and degree of cooperation among the intelligence services and law enforcement organizations worldwide is unprecedented.” At least 37 of the more than 40 suspected al Qaida-related plots since Sept. 11, 2001, have been thwarted “as a consequence of bits of information from different foreign intelligence sources being assembled and passed along,” Jenkins said. “And it ends

up with a plot being thwarted in Europe or the United States. That is a remarkable change.”

200 m

BOSTON Charles River

Detailed

Finish line

Mandarin Hotel

Exeter St.

Boston Common

Marathon route Runners approach from west

About 12 seconds later, second blast at Boylston Street and Ring Road, about a block west

First blast at about 2:50 p.m., on north side of Boylston St. near the corner at Exeter St.

Ring Rd.

Lenox Hotel

Statehouse

Copley Square

A look at the scene

feet

Americans who’ve grown accustomed to rigorous security procedures since the 9/11 attacks may have to endure new measures following the Boston Marathon bombings, but experts on Tuesday warned that no amount of extra precautions can guarantee absolute safety from a determined terrorist. “There is no way that people who run in marathons or people who go to baseball stadiums can be assured that they will be protected from IEDs (improvised explosive devices) 100 percent of the time,” said Dennis Pluchinsky, a former senior State Department terrorism analyst. “Terrorists will always find some holes, some gap (in security) to take advantage of.”

1,000 feet

50 ut 5

BY JONATHAN S. LANDAY, MARISA TAYLOR AND GREG GORDON MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS/MCT

Two bombs exploded near the finish line of the 117th Boston Marathon about four hours into the race. The area was filled with the 17,000 runners who had already crossed the finish line and spectators attending the annual Patriot’s Day race.

Abo

Martin Richard, 8 years old, seen in this Facebook photo, died in the Boston Marathon bombing. Richard was waiting to give his runner father a hug at the finish line.

Blasts near finish line

Old South Church

Photo bridge set up over Boylston St. marks the finish line

Boylston St.

Boston Public Library

Al-Qaida involvement doubted The last attack linked to alQaida took place on Nov. 6, 2009. U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a psychiatrist who was exchanging messages with a cleric of al-Qaida’s branch in Yemen, is awaiting trial on charges of killing 13 people and wounding more than 30 others in a shooting rampage at a medical facility at Fort Hood, Texas. Some U.S. officials and independent experts expressed doubts that al-Qaida was directly involved in the Boston bombings, although whoever was responsible may have been incited by jihadist propaganda. The terrorist network’s attacks traditionally have been more devastating and have been followed by claims of responsibility, they said. “It will surprise me if this is not domestic terrorism,” said Michael Greenberger, a former senior Justice Department official. “It would also surprise me if this is al-Qaida. But it can’t be taken off the table.”

remained “wide open.” Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano in a statement said, “There is no current indication to suggest that the events in Boston are indicative of a broader plot.” Nevertheless, she said that the department would maintain undisclosed “enhanced security measures at transportation hubs.” Security was boosted in cities, railway stations and airports across the nation after the bombings, and it was unclear how long they’d remain in effect.

Heightened security

Miami run still on

FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Richard DesLauriers told a Tuesday evening news conference in Boston that the list of suspects

The Mercedes-Benz Corporate Run in Miami on April 25 will go on as scheduled, with added security, said race direc-

Doctors, nurses ran to scene from nearby medical tent set up to treat runners

Dartmouth St. Source: Boston Globe, AP, Reuters, SB Nation, ESRI Graphic: Melina Yingling, Judy Treible, Robert Dorrell

tor Hans Huseby. Experts cautioned that absolute security can’t be assured at major public events. “These are soft targets and they’re very, very difficult to defend against,” Jack Tomarchio, a former principal deputy for intelligence and analysis for the Department of Homeland Security, said Tuesday. “I think what happened yesterday is going to be somewhat of a game changer. In the last couple of years, the idea of homeland security has become kind of blasé.’’

Susan Miller Degnan of The Miami Herald, Bill Lindelof of The Sacramento Bee and Scott Wuerz of The Belleville (Ill.) News-Democrat contributed to this article.

CALENDAR

FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR

APRIL 19 – APRIL 25, 2013

TOJ

DE LA SOUL

De La Soul will be at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre on June 7 for the Kings of the Mic Tour.

Jacksonville: Avant will be at the Florida Theatre Jacksonville May 24 for a 7 p.m. show. Orlando: An Art of Networking workshop teaching entrepreneurs how to “work a room so it works for you” will be held May 15 from 8 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. at the Chamber of Commerce building, 75 South Ivanhoe Blvd. RSVP is required. More information: 407-835-2486. Tampa: The Dance Theatre of Harlem presents “Gloria, Black Swan, Return and Agon’’ April 21 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. at the Straz Center. Tampa: The Tampa Bay Chapter of National Black MBA Association is hosting a networking social and membership drive April 23 from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Anise Global Gastro Bar, 777 N. Ashley Drive. More information: www.tampablackmba.org Jacksonville: Sample barbecue from up to 60 teams and cast your vote for the best barbecue in Jacksonville at the fifth annual Jacksonville Backyard BBQ Championships featuring food, live music and games April 27 from noon – 5 p.m. More information: danielkids.org. Jacksonville: The Ideas and Inspiration Home Show will be held May 3-5 at the Prime Osborn Convention Center featuring celebrities from HGTV. More information: www. ideasandinspirationhomeshow.com. St. Petersburg: The 2013 Men and Women of Distinction awards ceremony and luncheon will be held April 21 from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. at the St. Petersburg Country Club. More information: www.thegatheringofwomen.com. Tampa: The 2013 Black GIRLS Rock Tampa Bay Award Show showcasing local Black women who have worked in the Tampa Bay community within the business, civic, education, health and wellness as well as religious sectors will be held April 20 from 5:45 p.m. – 8 p.m. at 1301 South 78th St. More information: www.bgrtampabay. com.

JB SMOOVE

THE SPINNERS

Comedian JB Smoove will be at the Fort Lauderdale Improv nightly through April 20.

Tampa: The Black Businesses Bus Tour takes off again on April 20 – this time from Frank-El Soul Food, 1141 E. Fletcher Ave. Stops at Black businesses in the Tampa area. More information and RSVP: Candy Lowe at 813-394-6363. Jacksonville: Jazz and Blues group Fourplay will be at the Florida Theatre Jacksonville along with Harvey Mason, Chuck Loeb and Nathan East April 21 for an 8 p.m. show. Tampa: The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority’s Centennial Torch Tour makes a stop in Tampa on May 18. The day, hosted by the Tampa Alumnae Chapter, will include an event for students at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A Crimson Yacht Soiree on the Yacht StarShip starts at 6:30 p.m. More informa-

Former Alpha Kappa Alpha president Mary Shy Scott dies

SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is mourning the passing of Mary Shy Scott of Atlanta, who died on April 15. Scott was the sorority’s 23rd international president from 1990-1994. Speaking on behalf of Alpha Kappa Alpha’s 260,000 members worldwide, the sorority’s International President Carolyn House Stewart, hailed Scott as a pioneer, visionary, civil rights activist and leader whose contributions to the world are unmatched and unparalleled. “Mary Shy Scott was revered and leaves a legacy of love and service that is a model for all. Everyone she touched was inspired by her dedication, her grace and her rare sense of resolve and purpose,” declared Stewart. “She will be greatly missed and will be forever cherished.” Scott spearheaded the effort to erect the first non-military memorial to those who fought at Pearl Harbor. The memorial, in Mary Honolulu, was dedicated to the Shy Scott heroism of World War II veteran Doris “Dorie” Miller, an AfricanAmerican sailor and unsung hero.

Spelman alumnus A proponent of education, she leveraged her position as international president to forge a partnership with the Library of Congress in their mutual mission to promote reading. She also introduced the conceptual Ivy AKAdemy where every chapter committed to address the reading needs of African-American children. Scott’s influence extended beyond the sorority to the city of Atlanta. She is an alumnus of Spelman College and was a Class A member of the Human Rights Commission of the Atlanta City Council. The Dr. Mary Shy Scott papers, 1981-1996, 1999 are held at the Auburn Avenue Research Library. She was an elementary school music specialist whose commitment to education earned her an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Miles College in Birmingham, Ala. She is survived by her husband of over 60 years, Alfred, Sr.; daughter Alfredene Scott Benton; and two sons, Arthur and Alfred Jr.

Old-school R&B group The Spinners, who sang such hits as “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love” and “Then Came You,” will be at the Casino Miami Jai-Alai on April 20.

tion: Call 850-284-3386 or visit www.dstta.com. Orlando: Funny man Mike Epps will be at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre on May 24 and the Jacksonville Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts April 12. Tampa: 1990s rap stars Salt N Pepa are among the artists slated to perform at Funk Fest 2013 at Tampa’s Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park May 3 and 4. Concerts also are scheduled in Jacksonville and Orlando. Complete lineup: http:// funkfestconcerts.com.

De La Soul and Public Enemy will be at The Mahaffey in St. Petersburg during their Kings of the Mic Tour on June 6. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. St. Petersburg: Youths ages 7 to 11 can enjoy a night of football, kickball, ping-pong, foosball, video games and dance parties during “Freestyle Fridays” at the Fossil Park & Willis S. Johns Center, 6635 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N. First visit free; $6 each following visit. More information: 727-893-7756.

Jacksonville: The stage play and musical “Dreamgirls” will be at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts May 21 at 7:30 p.m.

St. Petersburg: First Fridays are held in downtown St. Petersburg at 250 Central Ave. between Second and Third Avenues from 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. More information: 727-393-3597.

St. Petersburg: LL Cool J, Ice Cube,

Fort Lauderdale: The Florida

Minority Community Reinvestment along with a coalition of Florida minority non-profits and neighborhood associations are hosting the 2013 Let’s Do Business Florida & Summit June 28-June 29 at the Westin Beach Resort & Spa. No cost to women-minority-veteran businesses and nonprofits. More information: www.letsdobusinessflorida.com. St. Petersburg: Athletic dogs from around the country will make their way to Spa Beach Park, 615 2nd Ave. NE to compete in the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge Eastern Regional on May 4 from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. This canine sporting event features dogs competing in a variety of “Olympic-style” events. Qualifying day: May 3. More information: www.barknetwork.com.

FAMU professor co-authors book with original Pip SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

Dhyana Ziegler, professor of journalism at Florida A&M University (FAMU), has co-authored a book with a member of the famous singing group Gladys Knight and the Pips titled “Midnight Train FROM Georgia: A Pip’s Journey.’’ The book is a memoir about the life of William Franklin Guest, one of The Pips, who also is Ziegler’s brother-in-law. “Midnight Train FROM Georgia: A Pip’s Journey’’ chronicles the life of Guest

from childhood through his life with Gladys Knight and the Pips and discusses his activities since the breakup of the group.

Forward by Marvelette Katherine Anderson-Shaffner of The Marvelettes wrote the forward of the book. She said, “ ‘Midnight Train FROM Georgia: A Pip’s Journey’ reminds me of all those fun times we had together. It was a wonderful time in the history of musical performance. It captures the love of family,T:7” entertainment and survival

Dhyana Ziegler

William Guest

in the music industry.” Ziegler grew up in the entertainment business. She said the Ziegler and Guest families have been united since she was 11 years old. “I lived the story,” she said. Paul Miliken, a features

reporter for Fox 5 Atlanta, said the book chronicles the life of one Atlanta man who made musical history. “...If you ever wondered where the name Pip came from, I found it in the book.” The book is published by Branden Books and available on Amazon.com. To view an interview with Ziegler discussing the book, visit http://www.youtube. com/watch?v=tFetQg0Ld1k &feature=youtu.be. Ziegler, an author and multimedia producer, has held several administrative positions at FAMU.

TOJ

APRIL 19 – APRIL 25, 2013

BUSINESS

Employees being penalized for health issues BY KATE SANTICH ORLANDO SENTINEL/MCT

If you’re overweight, have high blood pressure, smoke or are diabetic, your employer may soon require you to improve your health, get counseling on the issue or pay a fine, especially if you work for a large corporation. In an effort to rein in soaring medical-insurance costs — now estimated at more than $12,000 per employee — big companies are increasingly turning from incentives to penalties to change their workers’ unhealthy habits. The most recent example is CVS Caremark, which has ignited controversy by requiring its 200,000 employees to undergo screenings to record their weight, body fat, blood glucose and blood pressure levels. If they don’t do so by May 1, they’ll have to pay an extra $600 for health insurance in the coming year.

Workers penalized Already, 20 percent of firms surveyed impose consequences on employees if they “don’t utilize the health-awareness tools the company provides,” according to a recent report from human-resources researcher Aon Hewitt. And roughly 60 percent of employers said they plan to impose penalties in the next three to five years for workers who don’t take action to improve their health. The shift is drawing fire from patients’ rights groups, which consider the policies coercive and a violation of privacy. At Michelin North America, the tire manufacturer, workers with thick waistlines — 40 inches and over for men, 35 and over for women — will

have to pay up to $1,000 more a year in health insurance premiums than their leaner coworkers. And Honeywell International Inc. has imposed a $1,000 penalty for workers who undergo certain joint-replacement or back surgeries without first participating in a program that provides data on nonsurgical options. “We have had a lot of discussion about sticks versus carrots,” said Karen van Caulil, president of the Florida Health Care Coalition, an employer group. “Studies have shown that some people are more motivated by concerns of loss than by gain or positive reinforcement.”

‘Slippery slope’ But Dr. Michael Siegel, a professor at Boston University School of Public Health, sees policies such as CVS’ as “a slippery slope.” “What are people going to be penalized for next?” Siegel said. “Will they ask how many times you go out for fast food each week? Are they going to ask how much people drink? Are they going to ask about sexual behavior? What if an employee is having unsafe sex? It opens the door to asking people all kinds of personal questions that have nothing to do with how well you do your job.” For its part, CVS insists the policy is merely “the most effective way to encourage our colleagues to take control of their own health, reduce risks and manage their costs.” Further, chief medical officer Dr. Troy Brennan said the requirements “meet all federal and state privacy regulations.” The information will be handled by a third party, the com-

Florida Supreme Court could decide online travel tax fight BY JIM SAUNDERS THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

CVS Caremark employees will be required to pay an extra $600 for health insurance in the coming year if they don’t reveal weight and undergo health screenings. pany said, and not shared with any CVS personnel. Nor will there be penalties for workers whose results reveal health problems.

gram, gym membership subsidies, free filtered drinking water and perhaps time off from work for “health-promoting activity.”

‘Coercive’ and ‘invasive’

Smokers not hired

Patient Privacy Rights, a national bipartisan nonprofit based in Texas, labels the program “coercive” and “invasive” and complains it “doesn’t give patients any control over the extremely sensitive health information they are required to submit. Not only can they not be certain that their employer will never see this information, the data can also be collected, sold, and used in different circumstances without their knowledge or consent.” Supporters claim that’s farfetched. LuAnn Heinen, vice president of the nonprofit National Business Group on Health, said few employers would risk intentionally misusing such information. “It would be stupid on so many levels — for ethical reasons, for business reasons, for legal reasons, for employee relations,” Heinen said. “Of course, there is the fear of the technological glitch, and, yes, every once in a while somebody’s records get stolen.” Her agency recommends that employers implement more than a single incentive or penalty, but rather a comprehensive wellness strategy. That should include healthy food in the cafeteria and vending machines, a walking pro-

Only if incentives fail, she said, should penalties be considered. “What companies are really trying to do is get people more involved — to get more skin in the game,” she said, “because we are giving our pay raises to the health-care system, and we have been for a long time.” That’s because escalating health care costs have outpaced pay increases. Employees now contribute 42 percent more for health care than they did five years ago. In many ways, the trend toward penalties began with cigarette smokers, who for years have been charged higher rates on individual health policies before being banned from lighting up on employer property. Starting this month, Orlando Health joined the 4 percent of employers across the country who won’t hire smokers — period. While federal law bans employers from discriminating against workers with disabilities, insurance surcharges that penalize workers for unhealthy behavior have yet to be tested in court. Even if they withstand challenges, though, some business leaders say the harm to employee morale may make penalties unsavory in the long run.

TALLAHASSEE – After years of debate in courthouses and the Capitol, a high-stakes tax battle between counties and online-travel companies could wind up in the Florida Supreme Court. The 1st District Court of Appeal on Tuesday asked the Florida Supreme Court to resolve a dispute about whether companies such as Expedia and Orbitz are paying the proper amounts of tourist-development taxes to counties. The move, known as a certifying a question of “great public importance” to the Supreme Court, came after a three-judge panel of the appeals court ruled 2-1 in favor of the online-travel companies in February. Also Tuesday, a request for a hearing before the full 1st District Court of Appeal was denied.

17 counties involved Seventeen counties are parties in the case, which centers on whether online-travel companies have to pay tourist-development taxes on all of the money they collect from customers. The companies serve as sorts of middlemen between travelers and hotels, charging customers for room rentals and fees related to providing the service. The lawsuit – and others like it in Florida and elsewhere in the country – centers on whether the online-travel companies should pay tourist-development taxes on the full amounts they collect from customers, or only on the portions that go to room rentals. The companies contend the portions that do not pay for room rentals are service charges, which are not subject to the hotel bed tax.

Similar case pending Counties, however, argue that the onlinetravel firms should have to pay the taxes on the full amounts, which would lead to millions of dollars in additional revenues. The debate has flared repeatedly in the Legisla2.375" ture in recent years, though lawmakers have not resolved it. The counties that have been involved in the case are Alachua, Charlotte, Escambia, Flagler, Hillsborough, Lee, Leon, Manatee, Nassau, Okaloosa, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, St. Johns, Seminole, Wakulla and Walton. Also, a similar case is pending at the 1st District Court of Appeal that has been spearheaded by Broward County.

Look, a tall purple rectangle! To hear the homeowners’ story, go to MakingHomeAffordable.gov

If you’re struggling to keep your home, there is help. Making Home Affordable is a free program from the U.S. government that has already helped over a million struggling homeowners at risk of foreclosure. The sooner you act, the better the chance we can help you.

MakingHomeAffordable.gov | 1-888-995-HOPE (4673)

When you talk to your child, you build vocabulary, so everyday moments become learning moments. For more tips, visit bornlearning.org

EARTH DAY

TOj B4

Stoj

APRIL 19 – APRIL 25, 2013

By Alicia Potter Family Fun magazine

What can one family do to protect the environment? Plenty. We invited our readers to share their top green tips for the home — simple actions they’ve taken to reduce their impact on the environment that other families could adopt. As you’ll see, we received great advice from folks all over the country, but we owe special thanks to Julie Fuerstenberg of Sammamish, Wash., who appears six times on our list. Her family of five has made numerous small changes in their everyday routines to help keep the planet green. As all of our “ecofamilies” show, small steps — taken together — can add up to big benefits for the Earth.

We buy reusable shopping bags and use them for gift wrap. They are comparable in price to a paper gift bag, and they provide recipients with something that they can use. — Carrie Turney Independence, Ky.

We try to buy food grown locally or in the United States. This supports our economy and cuts down on the fossil fuel used to transport food across the world. — Julie Fuerstenberg Sammamish, Wash.

I make my own laundry detergent from Ivory soap, washing soda and borax. It takes me less time to make 31/2 gallons of detergent than it would take to drive to the store. I also stopped using fabric softener; I use vinegar in the wash, and skip the dryer sheets. — Dawn Disney Tucson, Ariz.

For gift-giving, our family has a rule: We purchase items only from garage sales. It keeps down costs for us and helps others find a good home for their used items. It’s fun to see who finds the best gift or bargain. — Stephanie Thompson Gig Harbor, Wash.

Our two girls bring home tons of paper from school. I save the sheets that have printing only on one side and use them for crafts and for printing emails and recipes. — Jeanine Martin Voorhees, N.J.

We purchased a kilowatt tester that shows how much electricity is used by the different plug-in devices around our home. This enabled us to see where we were using the most energy — and where we could cut back. — Julie Fuerstenberg Sammamish, Washington

This past summer, I purchased cups with lids and a Brita water pitcher. Now, instead of using bottled water from the store, we just refill our cups with the water from our pitcher. — Robyn Wilgis Windham, Conn.

I got my son, Raymond, a bento lunch box from Laptop Lunches. It has

five containers as well as a water bottle, fork and spoon, so it’s really helped us cut down on waste. It’s made making lunches more fun, as I’ve become creative with the foods I put in the containers. We also bought reusable sandwich bags called Happysacks. They come in different sizes and cute patterns and are machine-washable. — Heather VanMarten Manahawkin, N.J.

Water collected from faucets or showers while waiting for them to heat up can be used for pets, plants and more.

We signed up for the free National Wildlife Federation Backyard Habitat program ( http:// www.nwf.org/How-to-Help/ Garden-for-Wildlife.aspx ). This helped us change our backyard to make it more welcoming for wildlife. Our yard now has a butterfly garden and an owl

We keep a second recycling can upstairs in the bathroom. This makes it convenient for our family to recycle tissue boxes, magazines, toilet paper tubes, packaging and shampoo bottles instead of throwing them into the trash. — Julie Fuerstenberg Sammamish, Wash.

I help organize a Put & Take in my church community. People donate household items and clothes that they no longer want, and others take what they need. Instead of used things being thrown away, they go to people who need them. It benefits everyone. — Trisha Luong Las Vegas

My kids and I pick one or two days each week when we don’t drive our car. If we need to do errands, we walk. This reduces our carbon footprint, supports our local businesses and gets us an extra dose of fresh air! — Carolyn Thomas Arvada, Colo.

ns / Illustratio Daly e by Bob magazin n u F y Famil

During the summer, when we have the air conditioning on, we minimize the use of our stove and oven. We move our toaster oven and slow cooker to the screened porch and use those instead as much as possible. Less heat in the kitchen means less energy needed to cool the house! — Kary Phillips Mount Crawford, Va. For my children’s “no trash” lunches, I made reusable cloth napkins. For my 12-year-old daughter, I made napkins from fabric printed with flipflops and soccer and volleyball themes. My 4-year-old son has “Toy Story,” “Batman,” “Spider-Man,” and race car-themed napkins. We all use cloth napkins at home too. — Karyl Hoke Redwood City, Calif.

Readers share 25 great green tips

house, and we have added native plants that provide food for butterflies and birds. — Liza Ayuso Miami Shores, Fla.

We keep empty pitchers in our kitchen and bathroom and collect water from the faucet or shower while we are waiting for it to get hot. We use this water for plants, pets, birdbaths and more. — Sandi Hornung Grayslake, Ill.

My girls, Kenzie and Laney, and I are avid crafters. Instead of buying scrapbooking chipboard, we cut cereal boxes into shapes and cover them in patterned paper. — Kimmie Young Levittown, Penn.

We shop for kids’ clothes, toys and books at thrift stores, consignment shops and on Craigslist.org. We’re not afraid of hand-me-downs; after a quick clean, they often look as good as new and work just as well! — Caroline Hudders Seattle

We installed a laundry line. We live in the Southwest, so we can line-dry our clothes yearround. As a bonus, my older kids (ages 8 and 10) and their dad help hang and take down the laundry. Less work for Mom, everyone spends time outside and we save on the electric bill! — Lynn Wilson Albuquerque, N.M.

Our kids are environmentally minded but had a bad habit of using lots of paper towels. No matter how much I nagged, our family went through almost a roll a day. So I gave a roll to each person and told them it was a contest to see who could make their roll last the longest. — Claire McLauchlin Rochester, N.Y.

We have a row of rain barrels hooked up to collect rainwater from our roof gutters. We then use it to water our garden and flower beds. — Julie Fuerstenberg Sammamish, Wash.

Our electric water heater is the biggest energy user in our home, so we put kitchen timers in each bathroom. This way, we can make sure our family of five keeps their showers five to 10 minutes long. We also bought a timer for our water heater and set it to heat water for 4 hours a day, rather than 24. We have yet to run out of hot water, and we’ve reduced our electric bill by 30 percent. — Julie Fuerstenberg Sammamish, Wash.

Last Christmas, my husband and I picked out hooded animal towels for our three children. A local seamstress embroidered the kids’ names on the backs. The towels were an instant hit! The kids know to hang up their towels after using them so that they are dry and ready to use for the next bath. This has significantly cut down on the amount of laundry we do. — Tracy Knudsen Spicer, Minn.

Instead of buying fruits and vegetables that have been shipped across the country, we buy a share in a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm. Its organic fruit and veggies taste great, so my kids eat more of them, and we love to visit the farm and see where our food comes from. — Leslie Harris Glenview, Ill.

Styrofoam is not readily recyclable where we live. We crush ours into small pieces and use it as filling in our beanbag chairs! We also use crushed Styrofoam pieces as packing material. — Julie Fuerstenberg, Sammamish, Wash.

We live in Florida, and we keep solar flashlights among our hurricane preparedness supplies. We don’t ever have to worry about replacing batteries. — Liza Ayuso Miami Shores, Fla.

STOJ

APRIL 19 – APRIL 25, 2013

FINEST & ENTERTAINMENT

Meet some of

FLORIDA'S

finest

submitted for your approval

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.

bobbi marie

andre’

Andre’ Alston is a 28-yearold health and fitness professional with a passion for healing and wellness through his South Florida client base as a licensed massage therapist and certified personal trainer. He also spends a good bit of time fitness modeling as well as delving into the art scene at various open mic lounge events around town. Contact Andre’ at MrAlston25@ gmail.com.

Bobbi Marie has been featured in catalogs and has taken part in beauty pageants in Broward County. The South Floridian says, “Being a model has always been this dream that I had and I’ve never once lost focus of it.” Contact Bobbi at bobbimarie12@gmail.com.

PBS documentary revisits Central Park rape case Young Blacks, Hispanics wrongly convicted in 1989 New York case BY SARA SMITH KANSAS CITY STAR/MCT

No video cameras captured the “wolf pack” of teenagers that swept through Central Park beating and harassing New Yorkers on April 19, 1989. But cameras were on later at the precinct where police were booking the youths they’d picked up for unlawful assembly. The black-and-white NYPD images from that night show scared Black and Hispanic teenagers waiting for their parents to show up and take them home. Then a 28-year-old White jogger was found raped and near death in the park, setting in motion one of the most spectacular failures of American justice in recent memory. “The Central Park Five,” documentarian Ken Burns’ collaboration with his daughter and sonin-law, takes us back to the ugly racial reality of New York City in the late 1980s, the days of crack and “subway vigilante” Bernhard Goetz, when no one felt safe.

Naïve kids Craig Steven Wilder, an African-American historian, describes his reaction to hearing the news about the jogger: “Oh please, don’t let it be us.” Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana and Korey Wise ended up going to trial because they were the most naive among the kids rounded up that night and the next morning. They were the ones whose parents didn’t push back, who didn’t know that cops have carte blanche to lie during interrogations. Eventually, they made a series of statements that never matched up with reality — or their co-defendants’ versions of the story. Detectives told them they would be witnesses and promised them that they could go home. “He just fed it to me. ‘What did he do? What did Antron McCray do?’” recalls Santana, who was

PBS

Defendant Yusef Salaam walks into a New York courthouse flanked by police officers in “The Central Park Five.” 14 at the time. “He gave me the names, I put ‘em in. I couldn’t tell you who they were, who they looked like. If he would’ve gave me a hundred names, I would have put a hundred people at the crime scene.”

Defense lawyer napped Around this time, politicians began chiming in, with thenGov. Mario Cuomo declaring, “This is the ultimate shriek of alarm.” Mayor Ed Koch scornfully dismissed the word “alleged” as he mocked the teenagers’ families. Nearly lost in the fear-mongering coverage of the city’s newspapers, beneath a headline that read “Koch Calls Them Monsters” was one small sidebar: “Suspect’s Tales Don’t Match Up.” The film lays out the compelling case for the five teenagers’ innocence, which seems clear in hindsight but was so poorly presented at trial that it couldn’t overcome the weight of the con-

fessions. One defense lawyer napped. “A lot of people didn’t do their jobs,” Jim Dwyer of the New York Times observes, a massive understatement.

Real rapist confesses When police and prosecutors realized they had found the DNA of only one still-unknown attacker, they never checked it against Matias Reyes, a serial rapist who’d been stalking the Upper East Side near the park when he was arrested that August. It would have matched. Instead, the teens watched the rape survivor testify in court, wishing she could remember what had happened to her. They were all convicted, with sentences ranging from five to 15 years. Ronald Gold, a juror in the trial of the first three teens, remembers holding out for as long as he could during more than 10 days of deliberations. In the end, though, he gave in to escape the pressure,

just as the defendants had. “I just went along with it,” Gold says. “Just to get out of there.” But the Central Park Five had learned not to do that anymore, and they all refused to capitulate in parole hearings for early release. Wise, who got the longest sentence, was the only one still behind bars in 2001 when he ran across Reyes in prison. The Upper East Side Rapist had a crisis of conscience and confessed, tossing out details 13 years later that only the assailant could have known.

Movie with a mission Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau threw out the Central Park Five’s convictions in 2002. Amazingly, prosecutors still insist they had the right guys. “I think that Reyes ran with that pack of kids,” said Linda Fairstein, who made her career with the case. “He stayed longer when the others moved on. He

completed the assault.” After refusing to cooperate with Burns, who made the film with his daughter, Sarah, and her husband, the city’s attorneys subpoenaed their unreleased footage based on the argument that the movie “crossed from documentary into pure advocacy.” The city lost that argument, but there’s no doubt “The Central Park Five” is a movie with a mission, in the same vein as this year’s “West of Memphis,” Amy Berg’s powerful effort that helped to free three men, one from death row. The West Memphis Three were just a different verse in the same song: a heinous crime, a populace on edge, a desperate police force wringing a false confession from a teenager. The documentary aired this week. If you missed it, check your local PBS listing for the repeat airdate. A DVD of the documentary also can be ordered online at www.pbs.org.

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APRIL 19 – APRIL 25, 2013

Boost your kitchen creativity with unexpectedly craveable sandwiches FFROM Family Features

It’s time to break out of your ordinary lunch routine and make boring turkey sandwiches a thing of the past. With a few innovative tricks, you can turn any regular sandwich into a delicious and satisfying meal. Versatile and delicious, a sandwich is perfect for any occasion, whether you’re sitting down with the family or packing for a lunch on the go. And you don’t have to be a professional chef to take a classic sandwich and turn it into a tasty meal. Try these simple tips and recipes to help boost your creativity in the kitchen: • There are things better than sliced bread: Give your sandwich a makeover by piling your favorite fixings on a better bread option, such as focaccia or whole wheat pita. The sky’s the limit — try waffles for a sweet and savory treat. • Embrace open-face: Load the toppings on each slice of bread, then pop the two sides into the toaster oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese. • Smart substitutions: Lose the calories, but keep the taste of your favorite BLT by using new Hidden Valley Bacon Ranch sandwich spread instead of mayo — you’ll get all the same flavor with a third of the calories. • Repurpose your leftovers: Make extra meat and vegetables for dinner, and use them for tomorrow’s lunch by placing leftovers between two pieces of your favorite bread. • Turkey sandwiches don’t have to be boring: Add walnuts, avocado or apple slices to jazz up a childhood favorite. • Go veggie: For the perfect Meatless Monday, try a sandwich on whole wheat bread with slices of avocado and tomato, topped with your favorite cheese — an instant vegetarian masterpiece. For more ways to turn a sandwich into something unexpectedly craveable, visit. www.HiddenValley.com.

Turkey Panini Makes: 1 sandwich Prep time: 10 minutes Olive oil 2 slices sourdough sandwich bread 1 tablespoon Hidden Valley Country Herb Ranch Sandwich Spread & Dip 2 slices (2 ounces) oven-roasted turkey breast 1slice (1 ounce) cheddar cheese (Havarti cheese as alternative) 2 tablespoons (about 1/4 pepper) roasted red bell pepper, cut into strips Arugula or lettuce leaves, optional For best performance in panini maker, brush outside of each slice of bread with olive oil. Spread other side of bread with sandwich spread. Top with turkey, cheese and pepper strips. Close sandwich and cook for 4 to 5 minutes in panini maker or on griddle, until cheese is melted. If desired, pull open and add lettuce before serving.

Italian Wraps Makes: 1 serving Prep time: 15 minutes 1/2 cup shredded rotisserie chicken 1/2 cup finely sliced spinach leaves 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 tablespoon finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh basil 2 tablespoons Hidden Valley Oven Roasted Garlic Parmesan Sandwich Spread & Dip, or more to taste 1 10-inch sun-dried tomato basil wrap Stir together chicken, spinach, cheese, tomatoes, basil and sandwich spread. Spoon onto wrap and spread to edges; roll up. For entertaining, slice into 1-inch pinwheels.

Spicy Pork Sandwiches Makes: 4 servings Prep time: 30 minutes Vegetable oil 1/2cup thinly sliced yellow onion 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper 1 pound lean pork strips, thinly sliced 1/4 cup Hidden Valley Spicy Chipotle Pepper Sandwich Spread & Dip 4 sandwich buns In large nonstick skillet, stir-fry onion and pepper in oil for 5 minutes. Add pork and cook for 5 more minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from heat and stir in sandwich spread. Serve spicy pork mixture on buns.

Salmon Pita Makes: 2 servings Prep time: 15 minutes 6 ounces fresh salmon fillet, cooked and chilled (about 1 cup flaked) or 1 pouch (5 ounces) ready-to-eat premium wild caught pink salmon, skinless and boneless 2 tablespoons minced shallot or red onion 2 tablespoons minced celery 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup Hidden Valley Oven-Roasted Garlic Parmesan Sandwich Spread & Dip 2 pita pockets 1 slice iceberg lettuce, optional Flake salmon; stir in shallots, celery and lemon juice. Add sandwich spread and gently stir to combine. Fill pockets with salmon mixture and lettuce slice.