Florida Courier - May 23, 2014

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MAY 23 – MAY 29, 2014

VOLUME 22 NO. 21

PRAYER – AND PARTNERSHIPS

In the seventh installment of the Florida Courier’s series on Blacks and mental health, we learn that progressive churches are building partnerships with state government and ‘secular’ organizations to bring mental health care to people in need.

BY JENISE GRIFFIN MORGAN FLORIDA COURIER

A comprehensive plan is in the works that could provide faith-based mental health treatment to scores of worshippers at AfricanAmerican churches in Jacksonville.

The plan was rolled out on May 16 during a “Mental Health and the Ministry”

workshop at Edward Waters College that was part of a three-day 32nd Annual Conference on Mental Health and the Black Community sponsored by the Northwest Behavioral Health Services, Jacksonville Association of Black Psychologists and the Jacksonville chapter of the National Association of Black Social Workers.

The team of licensed so-

cial workers and mental health counselors working on the project are hoping it will remove barriers to diagnoses and treatment among parishioners in the AfricanAmerican church.

“Most churches have health ministries and we want them to incorporate behavioral health into their health ministries,” said Jackie Nash, a retired licensed clinical social worker who spoke at the workshop. “We will provide training so they will know how to address the issues from a layman’s point of view. We’re not asking them to do professional stuff.’’

An ‘altar alliance’ The plan calls for faith-

based counseling and treatment to be provided by a network of partners, including trained chaplains, clinical pastoral counselors and mental health providers.

For the past two years, Nash and Steward Washington, a licensed mental health counselor, have examined health ministries of small and large churches in the Jacksonville area. They have identified about 900 churches in two zip codes in New Town, described as a traditional African-American working class community.

Nash said two of Jacksonville’s large churches that already are providSee PRAYER, Page A2

FLORIDA COURIER FILES

EL-HAJJ MALIK EL-SHABAZZ • MAY 19, 1925 – FEB. 21, 1965

Happy birthday to our ‘Black shining prince’

More terror in Nigeria 118 killed in twin bomb blasts

BY ROBYN DIXON LOS ANGELES TIMES (MCT)

ABUJA, Nigeria – More than 100 people were killed Tuesday in a pair of bombings at a bus terminal and adjacent market in the busy central Nigerian town of Jos, the latest in a series of attacks that has the country reeling.

The detonation of two vehicle bombs within half an hour seemed calculated to exact maximum casualties.

Although terrorist groups in other parts of the world have used the tactic, it was the first attack of its kind in Nigeria.

The blasts came two days after a suicide attacker set off a car bomb on a street lined with bars in the major northern city of Kano, killing four people. Police in that city averted another attack when an explosive device was found in an abandoned car on Monday, according to local news reports.

Citizens frustrated

FLORIDA COURIER FILES

Malcolm X, standing here under a portrait of his teacher and mentor The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, would have celebrated his 89th birthday on Monday, May 19, had he lived.

There is also mounting frustration about the government’s seeming inability to rescue 276 schoolgirls abducted last month by Islamic extremists in northeastern Nigeria.

See NIGERIA, Page A2

SNAPSHOTS FLORIDA | A3

Trial puts state’s redistricting process under microscope NATION | A6

National NAACP appoints new president/CEO SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

Study: Teens who expect to die young more likely to commit crimes BUSINESS | B3

Trying to make a living on parttime work

ALSO INSIDE

The NAACP National Board of Directors announced its selection of Cornell William Brooks to be the organization’s next national president and chief executive officer. He will become the 18th person to oversee operations at the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization in its 105-year history.

“Mr. Brooks is a pioneering lawyer and civil rights leader who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Association,” said Roslyn M. Brock, chairman of the NAACP Board of Directors. “We look forward to leveraging his legal

prowess, vision and leadership as we tackle the pressing civil rights issues of the 21st Century.”

Brooks currently serves as president and CEO of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice in Newark. A fourth-generation ordained minister, Brooks has worked to pass legislation reducing the impact of incarceration and the effects of housing foreclosures in the state.

Brooks has served as senior legal counsel for the Federal Communications Commission, executive director of the Fair Housing Council of Greater Washington, and as a trial attorney with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. He earned a bachelor of arts from Jackson State University, a master of divinity degree from Boston University School of Theology, and a law degree from Yale Law School.

Brooks will be formally introduced to the NAACP membership in July at its 105th National Convention in Las Vegas.

COURTESY NAACP

NAACP National Board Chairman Roslyn M. Brock, right, congratulates Cornell William Brooks on his new appointment.

COMMENTARY: CHARLES W. CHERRY II: RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A FREE BLACK MIND | A4 GUEST COMMENTARY: DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX: 60-YEAR JOURNEY FROM SEGREGRATION | A5

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FOCUS

MAY 23 – MAY 29, 2014

Six ways to know if you let White racism control your destiny, Part 1 We fill up the prisons for things that White guys get away with all the time. We are overrun with poverty as White families enjoy the wealth that was stolen from our ancestors. Black kids are blowing each other’s brains out with guns that politicians and wealthy people are allowing to be sold in Black neighborhoods rather than their own.

There is plenty to be upset about and we shouldn’t be afraid to say it.

Make them care But here’s the thing. Nobody cares what you think unless you make them.

The Democrats would rather march for gay marriage and immigration than take serious stands on mass incarceration and Black unemployment.

When’s the last time you heard a prominent Democrat make the Black unemployment crisis a top priority? If this were happening to White people, it would be the top story on the news every day of the week.

No one cares that nearly half

DR. BOYCE WATKINS GUEST COLUMNIST

of all Black men can’t find a decent job or healthcare. Nobody cares when our kids are uneducated and left unable to compete for scarce resources and opportunities.

The only thing that matters is whether or not we care about ourselves enough to fight.

An ‘invisible hand’ But some of us still believe that “the man” controls our lives.

We’re led to think that some invisible hand determines whether we’re going to be happy or sad, whether we’re going to be wealthy or whether we’re going to win.

If history has told us anything, it’s that other people DO NOT want us to win. It’s up to us to decide how our story is going to

PRAYER

HOW TO REACH THEM

from A1

ing behavioral health services to their congregations, the Potter’s House and Bethel Baptist Institutional, have been major supporters. Others on board include the state Department of Children and Family Services, the Casey Foundation and the Family Support Services of Jacksonville.

Nash and those involved in the project also are hoping to attract local, state and federal funding to cover the cost, which would include training health ministry teams at area churches to recognize signs and symptoms of mental illness to improve health outcomes of congregants.

Scarce funds According to the Jacksonville Community Council, a non-profit think tank that is conducting a mental health study, Northeast Florida is one of the most poorly funded regions in Florida. The council states that advocacy is critical to secure more funding for those who need treatment.

Nash said more churches are accepting a more responsible role in providing treatment. This shift negates the historical approach that encouraged members to primarily rely on kneeling before spiritual altars to heal psychological affects, including clinical depression and schizophrenia. Suicide and broken lives are the statistical sad results.

Seneca Howard

Vernon Washington

a full range of programs and services to prevent and treat mental illness, stated Vernon Washington, a local clinical counselor and minister who presented the plan to the pastors, lay leaders, community leaders and others attending the workshop held at Edward Waters College.

“The partnerships with local, state and federal agencies is designed to use a faith-based approach to increase public awareness regarding treatment availabilities for community-based mental health services,’’ he related.

Conflict of interest?

Nash shared that that many of the churches are just not equipped to help their members deal with behavioral health issues.

“I believe totally in prayer. I also know God has put in place other things to help prayer do what it needs to do,” she remarked.

Faith-based organizations are beginning to recognize that in addition to services of private and not-for-profit mental health providers, they too must provide

Embarrassment and fear of a confidentiality breach are two factors that cause congregations to suffer in silence. AfricanAmerican church leaders typically make counseling available with spiritually equipped ministry leaders, but that training rarely equates to the professional expertise of a clinical psychiatrist or licensed mental health worker.

“We have people sitting in congregations who have mental health needs, and I’m a believer,” added Vernon Washington, who also is a minister. “They are believing that God will solve all of their problems without any intervention from an outside source, and that is simply a misconception of what God is.”

The minister says he doesn’t believe pastors should counsel members of their congregation, calling it a conflict of interest.

“I believe counseling has gone off track in the church because people are not prepared, not trained,” he remarked.

NIGERIA

which has carried out similar attacks and claims to be holding the kidnapped schoolgirls.

Not equipped

from A1

The first blast in Jos, in the bus terminal, killed about 10 people, according to local media. Scores more died in the explosion in the crowded market. The National Emergency Management Agency put the combined toll at 118.

Police said the explosives were concealed in a minibus and a car. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks.

Jos, in Plateau State, is situated at the crossroads between the mainly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south.

Tuesday’s attack took place in a predominantly Christian part of the city.

But car bombs have not typically been used in the region’s communal violence. Suspicion was likely to be directed at the Islamist militia Boko Haram,

end. Here are a few ways to know if you’re allowing racist White people to control your destiny.

1. You spend the majority of your time complaining about things that White people will and won’t do for you.

Have you ever noticed that person who loves saying, “You know, the White folks won’t let us do it”? Many of us, including me, have made this and similar statements. When I came to my senses, I realized that this line of thinking can be counter-productive.

Racism gives us a great deal to be upset about. But every time we complain, we should start seeking out ways to overcome the problem in our personal lives.

Sitting around and festering in your misery is not the way to create the life you really want. There must come a point when you are busier finding solutions and healthy distractions than you are focusing on the thing that’s causing you so much stress.

When the racists in my job at Syracuse University were treating me unfairly, I decided to start my own business and triple my salary by becoming an entrepreneur. An easy cure for racism was knowing that I’d found a way to win and had no reason to upset with the jealous bigots down the hall. I refused to let them drag me to the insane asylum.

Hopelessness is a tempting sedative to ease the pain of diffi-

Expanding range?

The recent surge in violent attacks – and casualties – has raised fears that the group is expanding its area of operation.

Most of its attacks had been carried out in the northeast.

Designated a terrorist organization by the United States, Boko Haram has a cell-like structure and has become increasingly aggressive under its current leader, Abubakar Shekau. Its targets include schools, churches, bus terminals and markets.

Two car bombings in the capital, Abuja, have killed at least 120 people since last month. Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the first of them, an attack on April 14 that killed 75 people.

The same day, the group attracted international headlines with its abduction of more than 300 schoolgirls from the town

Jacksonville “Mental Health in the Black Community’’ initiative: Jackie Nash at jaxnash@ att.net or Steward Washington at stew1414@bellsouth.net.

Pastor Seneca Howard and Radical Faith Ministries: www.Radical-Faith. org,813.501.2796, info@ radical-faith.org Emotional Fitness Centers of Tennessee: Memphishealingcenter.com

Nash points out that their goal is to “create an environment of healing within the church and community that equips and fosters wholeness of mind, body and spirit.”

She acknowledges that many Blacks still are concerned they are going to be called “crazy” if someone learns they are seeking help. Nash adds that’s the reason it is important for churches who have people who don’t gossip working in their health ministries.

“There is still a stigma there and there’s a lot of education that will have to go on to get where we need to be,” she added.

Success in Tennessee While Nash and others are getting their program off the ground, a network of Black churches in West Tennessee have had success providing mental health – or as they call it, “emotional healing” – success for years.

In 2006, the state of Tennessee began to explore ways to get people into mental health treatment, said Pastor Dianne Young of the Healing Center Full Gospel Baptist Church in Memphis.

After much discussion, many meetings and research it was found that in West Tennes-

cult situations, but we must avoid the temptation of this drug at all costs.

2. You get upset when White people don’t like you or are afraid of being labeled the “angry Black man/woman.” It’s very difficult to challenge abusive conditions while at the same time maintaining favor with the descendants of your historical oppressors. White America will never congratulate us for fighting for true equality. That’s why they don’t EVER mention Malcolm X in most White-funded Black history museums.

For White America to give us permission to excel is like a basketball team cheering on their opponents for scoring the most points. There is a difference between someone liking you and someone respecting you. Standing up for yourself may earn you well-deserved respect, but it is not usually going to win you very many friends.

This is where self-esteem comes into play. If you love yourself, then you don’t need someone else to love you. If your own people love you, then you don’t need the racist down the hallway to think you’re a good guy.

Our speaking honestly and forthrightly about the injustices endured by our people might cause some to naturally complain about our behavior. But if we show up as a mighty collective force, they will get nervous

when they see us coming. That’s respect.

There’s an old saying that “Great women are rarely wellbehaved.” The same thing is true for great Black people. It’s hard to get what’s yours while being polite about it. Sometimes, you’ve got to be willing to fight.

3. You predict your future success by whether or not you’ve gained favor with powerful White people or establishments. It’s easy to think that befriending the right billionaire can get us ahead, or that gaining favor with our superiors might open doors for us in the future.

We can’t forget that there are typically many ways to skin the same cat. This means that even if these relationships dry up, there are other ways for us to achieve our personal objectives without hoping to receive a blessing from some benevolent White guy.

There are some of us who feel that the grip of White power is so great in America that there is barely any reason to get out of bed in the morning. I feel sorry for those who are so mentally defeated that we think the racists hold the keys to our future.

Bust through barriers. You are not meant to be a slave.

Next week: Reasons 4-6.

see, particularly among AfricanAmericans, it would take a trusted organization “to sound the alarm, advocate and promote mental health services,” said Young, whose husband, Bishop William Young, is the senior pastor of the Healing Center.

The church already was providing services through its Healing Word Counseling Center.

health centers, drug and alcohol treatment centers, hospitals and other local and state agencies.

Each year, the Emotional Fitness Centers of Tennessee hosts a grief and remembrance event for families that have experienced losses; conducts emotional fitness fairs; and biannually co-hosts the National Suicide and the Black Church Conference.

Added Dianne Young, “The dream is to see emotional fitness screenings become a part of our annual checkup and this ‘best practice’ move across the state and Tennessee become a model for the nation.”

From mental to emotional However, the Youngs developed a partnership with the state and became co-founders of the Emotional Fitness Centers of Tennessee. The name, she said, made it friendly to potential clients.

“In the Black community, historically needing mental health care meant you were ‘crazy’ so this need would be ignored and unmet. With the birth of the Emotional Fitness Centers of Tennessee, removing the word ‘mental’ and repackaging the services, an emotional fitness screening – though it is a mental health screening – is viewed as another checkup, an additional way of living a healthy life. The name helped remove stigma and calm fears associated with need and mental health services,” she explained.

Ten African-American churches now have Emotional Fitness Centers on their sites. Each church has one to four peer advocate liaisons at each site, a licensed professional counselor, a program manager and a navigator.

Oversight of the project is the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Young noted.

Thousands screened Since January 2008, the centers have screened about 4,000 people and more than 2,000 have followed through in getting the needed care. Treatment is free due to a grant provided through the state.

The centers have more than 25 partners, including mental

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a professor of finance at Syracuse University.

Florida pastor’s initiative Back in Florida, a Tampa pastor is gearing up for a “Mental Illness and the Church” online workshop set for June 5-July 24.

The workshop is hosted by Pastor Seneca Howard of Radical Faith Ministries, who also lives with mental illness. Howard, 29, told the Florida Courier that he was diagnosed as a child with borderline intellectual functioning, formerly referred to as borderline mental retardation.

“Living with this condition does not control your destiny. I overcome daily, and I fully intend to share my story, provide guidance and encouragement to others and help provide useful tools to help others overcome daily and reach their full potential,” he states.

His workshop, which includes biblical references to mental illness, includes professionals who discuss such topics as the six stages of grief, chemical imbalances, the effects of mental health disorders on a child’s education, and suicide.

Last year, Howard led a 13-week series on mental health at his church. In September, he plans to offer another brick-andmortar workshop on the subject.

Jenise Griffin Morgan, senior editor of the Florida Courier, is a 2013-2014 fellow for the Rosalyn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism.

of Chibok, some of whom managed to escape.

As the Nigerian military has grappled with how to free the girls without them being killed, there have been near-daily reports of fresh attacks.

‘Not be cowed’ Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, who has been under pressure over the deteriorating security situation, on Tuesday condemned the explosions in Jos and described the attackers as “cruel and evil.”

“The government remains fully committed to winning the war against terror, and this administration will not be cowed by the atrocities of enemies of human progress and civilization,” he said in a statement.

Jonathan also said that his government was determined to take every step necessary to secure the release of the abducted schoolgirls. A presidential committee plans to visit Chibok on

MARY F. CALVERT/ZUMA PRESS/MCT

Activists protest against the abduction of more than 200 girls by the group Boko Haram in northern Nigeria at a rally and demonstration in front of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 6 in Washington.

Wednesday on a fact-finding mission.

Nigerian lawmakers on Tuesday extended a state of emergency in three northeastern

states where Boko Haram is most active.

Thousands of people have died in the insurgency since 2009.

MAY 23 – MAY 29, 2014

FLORIDA

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Trial puts state’s redistricting process under microscope Coalition of votingrights groups say Republicans drew maps that ran afoul of constitutional standards

BY BRANDON LARRABEE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE – A high-stakes trial that could decide the future of the state’s congressional districts began Monday in Tallahassee, as a Republican political consultant testified that he didn’t influence the drawing of U.S. House Marc Reichelderfer lines in 2012.

The testimony of Marc Reichelderfer marked the beginning of the first-ever court battle over the state’s once-a-decade redistricting process under the anti-gerrymandering Fair Districts

amendments. Those constitutional standards, passed by voters in 2010, bar lawmakers from drawing lines intended to harm or favor parties or candidates when overhauling legislative and congressional districts after each U.S. Census.

Over three weeks, members of the Tallahassee establishment ranging from behind-thescenes aides and consultants like Reichelderfer to high-profile politicians like House Speaker Will Weatherford and Senate President Don Gaetz are expected to answer questions about their role in redistricting as it unfolded two years ago.

Former House Speaker Dean Cannon is also expected to be called to the stand during the trial.

Controversy over maps On Monday, Reichelderfer underwent hours of grilling by attorneys for a coalition of votingrights groups trying to persuade Leon County Circuit Judge Terry Lewis that Republicans drew maps that ran afoul of the constitutional standards. Democrats have long complained that part

of the reason that the government of a swing state like Florida is dominated by Republicans is because of gerrymandering.

Reichelderfer repeatedly denied that he provided specific feedback to Cannon and Kirk Pepper, one of the speaker’s top aides, on how to craft new districts that would help the GOP. “I didn’t give them maps that I drew,” Reichelderfer said. “I didn’t tell them where to draw lines on the map. I didn’t tell them which maps they should pick.”

‘Performance or geography?’

Any conversations Reichelderfer had with the two, he said, concerned “global” issues in redistricting, like how to avoid drawing lines that would dilute minority voters’ ability to elect candidates of their own choice, potentially leading to a challenge to the maps under the federal Voting Rights Act. David King, a lawyer for the groups currently fighting the maps, repeatedly pressed Reichelderfer on email conversations with Pepper, in particu-

lar. And he highlighted the fact that the political consultant often got a peek at proposed districts weeks before they were released by the House.

“But if you got the maps well before they were made public, it gave you the opportunity to give Speaker Cannon advice about the maps. Is that correct?” King asked.

“But I didn’t do that sir,” Reichelderfer responded.

King also highlighted a Nov. 27, 2011, email conversation between Reichelderfer and Pepper about a congressional map that Pepper provided to Reichelderfer through an online program known as Dropbox.

“Actually, the Webster seat is a bit messed up,” Reichelderfer wrote, referring to the Central Florida district of Republican Congressman Dan Webster.

“Performance or geography,” Pepper responded.

No seat at the table Reichelderfer said he didn’t specifically recall responding to Pepper. And he said he didn’t know for a fact that Pepper was trying to find out whether the

map was “messed up” because of geography or how it would perform politically.

“Well, how else could you interpret that three-word sentence?” King asked.

“I don’t know why he asked that question,” Reichelderfer answered.

During cross-examination, George Meros, an attorney for the Legislature, pointed to election results that went against the GOP or Republican incumbents, including the drawing of lines in South Florida that contributed to the defeat of firebrand Republican Congressman Allen West.

Meros also got Reichelderfer to say that, by the time the state’s online redistricting software and Census results were both available, political consultants like Reichelderfer were told that they would not “have a seat at the table” when lawmakers began drawing districts.

“And you didn’t have a seat at the table at any time from then until the map was enacted with regard to any line on that map, correct?” Meros asked.

“Yes, sir,” Reichelderfer said, “that’s correct.”

30 receive Governor’s Veterans Service Award SPECIAL TO THE COURIER

During a meeting of the Florida Cabinet on May 13, Gov. Rick Scott, joined by the Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs Executive Director Mike Prendergast, awarded 30 Florida veterans with the Governor’s Veterans Service Award for their service to Florida and the nation.

“I am privileged to honor these veterans for their service to our state and nation with the Governor’s Veterans Service Award,” Scott said. “Our veter-

ans served to protect the freedom that we enjoy as Americans, and today’s recognition is another opportunity to thank them for answering the call of duty.”

The Governor’s Veterans Service Award honors Floridians who have served in the military. The front of the medal depicts the seal of Florida. The back of the medal displays the five seals representing the five branches of U.S. military with an inscription that PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE reads “Honoring Those Who Served.”

Gov. Rick Scott stands with veterans he honored during a Florida Cabinet meeting.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FOR BLACK STUDENTS. NO EXCUSES. The classic guide from Florida Courier publisher, lawyer and broadcaster CHARLES W. CHERRY II PRAISE FOR ‘EXCELLENCE WITHOUT EXCUSE’: “This guide for African-American college-bound students is packed with practical and insightful information for achieving academic success...The primary focus here is to equip students with the savvy and networking skills to maneuver themselves through the academic maze of higher education.”

– Book review, School Library Journal • How low expectations of Black students’ achievements can get them higher grades;

Court rejects appeal in 1,000year sentence NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

In a case stemming from a major U.S. Supreme Court decision about juvenile sentencing, a state appeals court Monday rejected arguments of a man who was sentenced to 1,000 years in prison for a series of crimes he committed in 1983 at age 17.

Arthur O’Derrell Franklin was convicted in Duval County in 1984 of 20 felony charges, including multiArthur ple counts of armed sexual O’Derrell battery, kidnapping, armed Franklin robbery and aggravated assault, according to Monday’s ruling by the 1st District Court of Appeal.

He was sentenced to 1,000 years in prison and, while he could be reviewed for parole, a judge retained jurisdiction over one-third of that sentence – effectively allowing the judge to veto any decision to grant parole to Franklin. The appeal, however, arose after the U.S. Supreme Court in 2010 banned life sentences without a “meaningful opportunity” for release for juveniles convicted of non-homicide crimes.

At commission’s discretion Franklin contended that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, in a case known as Graham v. Florida, made the 1,000-year sentence unconstitutional. But a threejudge panel of the state appeals court rejected those arguments, saying in part that Franklin, now 48, can be considered for parole. “(The) extreme length of a sentence does not in itself establish a Graham violation when that sentence is parole-eligible and no constitutional deficiency in the parole system has been established,’’ said the opinion, written by Judge Stephanie Ray and joined by judges Brad Thomas and Ronald Swanson.

Thomas wrote a concurring opinion that detailed Franklin’s involvement in rapes of three women. He also noted that a lower-court judge has agreed to relinquish the original veto power over possible parole decisions.

“It is ultimately within the discretion of the Florida Parole Commission as to whether appellant (Franklin) will be released on parole,’’ Thomas wrote.

“Based on this eligibility for parole, appellant’s sentence does not constitute cruel or unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution, for the simple reason that appellant remains eligible for parole release, and Graham did not hold that appellant must actually receive parole to comply with the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution.”

• Want a great grade? Prepare to cheat!

• How Black students can program their minds for success; • Setting goals – When to tell everybody, and when to keep your mouth shut; • Black English, and why Black students must be ‘bilingual.’ …AND MUCH MORE!

www.excellencewithoutexcuse.com Download immediately as an eBook or a pdf Order softcover online, from Amazon, or your local bookstore ISBN#978-1-56385-500-9 Published by International Scholastic Press, LLC Contact Charles at ccherry2@gmail.com

Facebook ccherry2 excellencewithoutexcuse

for info on speeches, workshops, seminars, book signings, panel discussions.

Twitter @ccherry2

Former WellCare execs going to prison NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

Nearly seven years after the FBI raided the company's Tampa headquarters, three former executives of WellCare Health Plans were sentenced Monday to federal prison, according to reports in the Tampa Bay Times and The Tampa Tribune.

The charges stemmed from allegations that the HMO defrauded Florida's Medicaid program. The investigation, which included information from a whistleblower, led to the company replacing top management.

The newspapers reported that former Chief Executive Officer Todd Farha was sentenced to three years in prison while former Chief Financial Officer Paul Behrens was sentenced to two years and former Vice President William Kale was sentenced to one year and one day.

Peter Clay, another former vice president, received five years of probation.

The prison sentences, ordered by U.S. District Judge James S. Moody, Jr., were less than recommended under federal sentencing guidelines, the newspapers reported.

Farha, Behrens and Kale will remain free pending appeals.

2 PSC seats up for appointments The state has started accepting applications for two seats on the Florida Public Service Commission, as the fouryear terms of Eduardo Balbis and Julie Brown are scheduled to expire in January.

Applications are due by June 17 to the Public Service Commission Nominating Council, which will later make recommendations to Gov. Rick Scott about the appointments.

Balbis and Brown are eligible to reapply for the jobs, which currently pay $131,036 a year. In his most recent selections for the utility-regulatory panel, Scott reappointed Commissioners Art Graham, Ronald Brise and Lisa Edgar.

EDITORIAL

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MAY 23 – MAY 29, 2014

The difficult math of inequality Thousands of fast food workers took to the streets this week, staging strikes in protest over their low pay. In states where the minimum wage has not been raised above the federal level, if a worker could put together a full-time, full-year schedule, she would earn just $15,080 a year.

Some people scoff at raising the minimum wage for these workers, on the basis that “they only flip burgers.” By that logic, what should you get paid if you are the chief burger flipper? Not much, right? Well, the CEOs of fast food restaurants average $11,884,000 in pay annually. That’s a lot of hamburgers to flip.

Inflation continues Here is where the math of inequality comes into play. We haven’t given minimum wage workers a raise in more than five years, yet inflation has continued.

WILLIAM SPRIGGS TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM

So minimum wage workers’ purchasing power has been falling. In 2009, $15,080 a year would place a single mother with a child above the poverty threshold. Today, she and her child would be living in poverty.

Let’s suppose the CEO wants his pay to keep up with inflation.

Assuming inflation runs as it has the last 12 months, he needs a pay raise of 2 percent, or $237,680.

That raise equals an entire year’s worth of pay for about 16 of his minimum wage workers. Company sales have to increase by almost a quarter million dollars to cover the CEO’s pay raise.

You can see the hard math that inequality creates. When one worker makes 788 times what other workers make, the math of how much it takes to increase everyone’s pay by the same amount gets tricky. Such a huge amount must go to just one worker. But raises for fast food CEOs haven’t simply kept pace with inflation.

Analysis by the Economic Policy Institute shows that the average fast food CEO’s pay has almost doubled since 2009.

Do the math Others look at the workers on strike and wonder what would happen to the price of their hamburger if the workers making $7.25 an hour got a raise. But the real question is, what is it doing to the price of your hamburger that one person got a $6 million raise since 2009. That raise is more than the combined annual earn-

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: HASHTAG ACTIVISM

ERIC ALLIE, CAGLECARTOONS.COM

Random thoughts of a free Black mind, v. 212 Exam #3: Lord willing, by the time you read this, I will have gotten a good report from my third colonoscopy since Dad died of colon cancer 10 years ago this year. (I’m also getting an upper gastrointestinal exam. Essentially, a doctor will run flexible cameras down my throat and through my rectum and take a look at my innards from both ends.)

I’m now thought to be at greater risk for colorectal cancer. I take no chances and get the procedure done more often than recommended for a person with no family history of colorectal cancer.

I know the procedure sounds like torture, but it’s not. The worst part is spending most of the previous day on the toilet cleaning out your digestive system so the doc can take a clear look.

The procedure itself is done under general anesthesia – you get put to sleep. I’ll be out like a light after receiving some of the best legal drugs that give you the best sleep you’ll ever have. I’ll get a report on my internal condition.

Some readers may consider this column in the category of “too much information.”

But if there’s something wrong with me, I’d rather know. Wouldn’t you? I want my life to be long and my health to last. Don’t you?

To the brothers: If a doctor’s finger (feeling your prostate gland) and a flex-

QUICK TAKES FROM #2: STRAIGHT, NO CHASER

CHARLES W. CHERRY II, ESQ. PUBLISHER

ible camera up your rear-end would give you more years on this beautiful planet with the people you love and who love you, wouldn’t you beat a path to a doctor’s office? C’mon, man! Get yourself some “Obamacare” and go see the doctor...

New NAACP prez/CEO Cornell Brooks: Nice background – an HBCU grad (Jackson State), Ivy League-trained lawyer (Yale) and theologian (Boston University). But I wasn’t impressed after hearing a radio interview in which he couldn’t outline organizational priorities or a plan for financial independence. I can’t see a former government lawyer who focused on interpreting regulations and passing legislation becoming an innovative hell-raiser and status-quo shaker that the NAACP and Black America now needs. Is he willing to “take it to the streets”?

Contact me at ccherry2@gmail.com.

Click on this story at www.flcourier. com to write your own response.

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.

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ings of 398 minimum wage workers making $7.25 an hour.

Congress could act to rebalance the equation, but Senate Republicans blocked a vote to raise the minimum wage. Despite appeals from workers, the president and the secretary of labor, and despite polls showing support from the American people, House Republicans have indicated they also would block a raise for workers.

If it doesn’t want to address the wage problem head-on, Congress could at least take action to get Americans back to work. A giant rally was held this week at the AFL-CIO headquarters with Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx to tell Congress it is time to pass the appropriations needed to put Americans back to work building bridges, fixing roads, updating sewer systems, providing more public transportation options and expanding port facilities. These are investments America must make to remain globally competitive. When we don’t

make these improvements, our deteriorating infrastructure becomes a mounting debt we leave for our children to pay.

Full employment is a sure way to help raise the wages of all Americans. Just like pushing up wages from the bottom, it changes the math of inequality. Having job choices, and standing on a higher floor for wages, puts workers closer to eye-to-eye with CEOs when bargaining for wages.

Congress has choices. It can raise the minimum wage. It can invest in America. Or it can continue to make it hard to address American inequality by standing for the 1 percent.

William Spriggs has been the Assistant Secretary for Policy at the Department of Labor since June 2009. Follow him on Twitter @WSpriggs. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

Health and the AfricanAmerican community The rate of AfricanAmericans suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels and other illnesses is forever increasing.

If we’re honest with ourselves for a moment, having a healthy lifestyle should be at the forefront within our community, however it isn’t. For some reason, the need to acquire stuff continues to dominate many households. Expensive homes, luxurious cars, and the need to spend money on things have become a major priority for some, while the need to embrace a healthy lifestyle is placed on the backburner.

Throughout my conversations with many AfricanAmerican professionals, I was shocked that eating well, regular exercise, and overall concern for health wasn’t a main concern for them. The idea of a healthy lifestyle wasn’t as important to them as their career.

Just listening to them showed me that their busy lifestyle and demands placed on them professionally has hindered their opportunity to take their bodies seriously. I’m concerned that if the African-American community doesn’t wake up to what’s important (their health), we will end up spending more on health care.

Wellness tips DR. SINCLAIR GREY III GUEST COLUMNIST

trol and Prevention, the top four causes of death for African-Americans are: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes. All of these have the potential of being prevented, if more concern is given to one’s health. Let’s face it - African-Americans are the most religious and the most overweight of any ethnic group. From 2007-2010, African-American women had the highest rate of obesity of any group and the African-American race (in general) outnumbered other groups in obesity. Something needs to be done.

Kevin Thornton, a fitness instructor in Atlanta, Georgia says, “AfricanAmericans need to make health and wellness a lifestyle and not look at it as a diet.” For so long, the word ‘diet’ has been used which brings about a strange connotation associated with it.

That’s why it’s important that health and wellness become the new phrase that will trigger better health within our community. We simply cannot become reaction-oriented toReligious and fat ward sickness and illness; In a recent report from we must become proactive the Center for Disease Con- with our health.

How do we do it?

• We must watch what we eat. Unless we know what we’re eating and its nutritional contents, we will continue to slip and fall in our health. Cook more and eat out less.

• Exercise 3 to 4 times per week. When you’re involved in structured exercise, you’re training your body to perform at its optimal potential. In addition to this, your mind becomes clearer and you’re able to rid your body of harmful toxins.

• Do cardio everyday for at least 30 minutes. You can do this by going on brisk walks. Remember, you must exercise your heart.

Sitting on the couch and eating junk food or fast food will limit you and eventually hinder you.

Thornton went on to tell me that ‘having an accountability person who will help you and encourage you to live a healthier life is essential.’ With that said, we need to surround ourselves with people who are serious about their health.

Dr. Sinclair Grey III is a speaker, writer, activist, author and committed advocate for change.

Email him at drgrey@sinclairgrey.org or on Twitter @drsinclairgrey. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

Bring Back Our Girls – Not just a slogan One of my very good friends often quotes R. Buckminster Fuller, who was the chairman of his university’s design department and who designated himself as a ‘comprehensive anticipatory design scientist.’ Fuller’s most famous design is the geodesic dome, that circular puzzle most commonly associated with Space Mountain at Disney World. As a self-styled futurist philosopher, Fuller is also famously known for his quote, “I am a passenger on the spaceship Earth.”

The personal connection that Fuller makes for himself with Earth is a connection that he makes and accepts for humanity. It is a connection that I have seen firsthand in my travels across the nation and around the world, including my travels to much of Africa. There, I met many incredible people who share the same desires for their families as we do here in America — food, shelter, education, security, peace.

Those are the common threads that bind us all.

Haves and have-nots Our commonalities extend not only to the positive, but to the negatives, too. In the US, as well as on the continent of Afri-

Questions loom What factors influence DR. E. FAYE a seemingly lackluster reWILLIAMS, sponse to this abduction by ESQ. the Nigerian government?

TRICE EDNEY WIRE

ca, there are areas of metropolitan affluence that offer the best that money can buy and areas of poverty in which personal prosperity and security are tenuous, at best. Common to both of these parts of our world, my assessment is that the lack of opportunity and devastation of poverty result from the neglect of the “haves” who control available resources and who are wellinsulated from the effects of poverty.

Despite the problems of poverty or even those of the less affluent, there are few places in the world that would tolerate nearly 300 girls being abducted without massive police and military mobilization to find and retrieve them. I’m fully aware that in many US locations, and around the world, girls have been shot and killed, beaten, raped and have disappeared-never to be found, but not in such large numbers at once and not for the purpose of rape, prostitution and sexual slavery.

Why has it not sent out its forces in sufficient numbers to achieve a successful search? If incapable of finding them with its own resources, why has Nigeria not aggressively sought the willing assistance of world governments, which have already volunteered technologically sophisticated means to conduct a successful search? Is the failure to find these girls the result of a systemic cultural value that supports the convoluted idea that girls were born to serve at and for the pleasure of men?

Violence of this nature against women in any location in the world is unacceptable. Governments, organizations or individuals brazen enough to commit or support such acts of gender terrorism should be dealt with in a manner of harshness commensurate with their involvement in that crime.

Dr. E. Faye Williams is National Chair of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

MAY 23 – MAY 29, 2014

A call to end predatory small-dollar lending After waiting for more than a year for a hearing on a bill that would reform how small dollar loans operate, six U.S. Senators have now taken their concerns to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). A May 14 letter to CFPB Director Richard Cordray lays out how rulemaking could accomplish much of what proposed legislation has aimed to do.

Speaking in a united voice, Senators Jeff Merkley (Oregon), Dick Durbin (Illiois), Tom Harkin (Iowa), Tom Udall (N.M.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) said, “Sadly, the evidence shows that these loans trap consumers in a cycle of debt in which consumers end up owing more than the initial loan amount – an appalling practice that exploits the financial hardship of hard working families and exhibits a deeply flawed business model that does not consider borrowers’ ability to repay the loan.”

As sponsor and co-sponsors of the pending Senate Bill 172, Stopping Abuse and Fraud in Electronic (SAFE) Lending Act, the lawmakers urged CFPB to include the bill’s provisions in its rulemaking. Despite being assigned to the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee since January 2013, no hearing has been held on the SAFE Lend-

CHARLENE CROWELL NNPA FINANCIAL WRITER

ing Act. Should CFPB embrace the lawmakers’ request, its new rules would achieve many of the same lending reforms.

Relies on the negative The letter’s timing is also significant, following a CFPB public forum in Nashville in late March.

That event coincided with the Bureau’s release of its own payday research. After analyzing 11 months of borrowing at 12 million storefront locations, CFPB confirmed that the industry relies not on individual borrowers’ ability to quickly repay, but on their inability to repay, resulting in individual borrowers taking out many loans each year.

Additionally, CFPB found that four out of five payday loans are rolled over or ‘renewed’ within two weeks of when the borrower paid off a prior loan. Further, more than two-fifths of payday borrowers who were paid on a monthly basis – most of whom were public benefits recipients, including those on Social Security – had 11 loans in its 11-month

DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM

High School was in rather close proximity. A year later, Magnolia became the town’s junior high school, and Moss Point High was the school for everyone.

Time brings change Until 1970, though, the city’s educators had come up with truly bizarre ways to give a polite nod to integration. For a period, Black teachers went to teach in White schools, while White ones taught in the Black schools.

To this day I can’t figure out the proportional representation that had Black teachers in the White schools about a third of the time, with White teachers in the Black schools about half of the time. My

study period.

Earlier, research by the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) found payday borrowers are annually charged $3.4 billion in fees alone.The typical borrower takes out 10 payday loans in a year at interest rates averaging 391 percent over a year’s time.

Importantly, the Senators urged CFPB to include more small-dollar loans, not just payday, in its reforms.

“Although your authorities may differ from that of the states, one especially critical lesson is that laws should apply not only to payday loans but also to auto title and other consumer loans. This broad scope of coverage has been essential to ensuring that regulating predatory payday lending does not create opportunities for similarly harmful products disguised in different formats. We urge the CFPB to follow a similarly broad approach for any rules it crafts in the small dollar lending market.”

Unrealistic options Auto title lenders take title to the borrower’s car for security rather than direct access to the borrower’s bank account, as payday lenders do. CRL’s recent policy brief highlights these lenders’ routine disregard for borrowers’ ability to repay (http://lnkd.in/ bbEmSVJ).

numbers may be wrong, but both Black and White students were short-changed when they were robbed of the continuity of instruction.

On the days that Auntie Annie Mae had to go to the White schools she woke up muttering that this was not integration, and mumbling that “all these years after Brown” integration had not happened in Moss Point schools.

Since the “kid breaker” didn’t really yell, she took her frustration out on anyone who would listen, talking legalisms, history, and the way it ought to be.

Occasionally Auntie would say, “at least we aren’t in Virginia, then she would talk about the schools that actually closed rather than admit Black students. In that state developed a plan of “massive resistance” that denied funds to integrated schools, which had the effect of denying education to Black children for at least four years.

#BringBackOurGirls: Why we should care “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.”

– Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A real war on women, marked by murder, rape and slavery is raging in too many parts of the world. In fact and unfortunately, human trafficking is now thought to be among the fastest-growing illegal enterprises globally.

The latest and most grotesque example is the April 14 kidnapping of more than 200 girls from their Nigerian school by a terrorist group known as Boko Haram. The group violently opposes any activity associated with Western society and for the past several years has been waging a bloody campaign to prevent the education of Nigeria’s girls.

Yet, I have been asked by several people in the past few weeks why we should continue to care about events happening so far from our borders. The answer is simple: we cannot ignore the fact that attitudes that deny, question or compromise the value of women anywhere are harmful to women everywhere – no matter where they occur.

Subservient practices In many parts of the world and some cultures, outdated, patriarchal and inhumane ideas such as forced marriages, sanctioned wife beatings and even female genital mutilations continue to keep women subservient and

MARC H. MORIAL TRICE EDNEY WIRE

from contributing to society and achieving their full potential. Preventing girls from getting an education is also another unacceptable tactic used to continually oppress women around the world. As First Lady Michelle Obama pointed out in the White House weekly address in honor of Mother’s Day, “more than 65 million girls worldwide are not in school.”

In his Sunday New York Times column on May 11, Nicholas Kristof asked, “What’s So Scary About Smart Girls?” Simply put, nothing threatens oppressive, maledominated societies more than educated girls who are likely to have fewer children, become productive workers and boost their economies.

As Kristof puts it, “The greatest threat to extremism isn’t drones firing missiles, but girls reading books.”

Reports made The National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) reports that from 2008-2012, it received more than 65,000 calls to its hotline and received reports of more than 9,000 unique cases of human trafficking.

Of these, 41 percent of sex trafficking cases referenced U.S. citizens as victims, and women were referenced as victims in 85 percent of sex

trafficking cases. As distressing as these numbers are, they still do not represent the entirety of the problem because this data is based on reported incidents only. According to NHTRC, with an estimated 100,000 children in the sex trade in the United States each year, the total number of human trafficking victims in the U.S. reaches hundreds of thousands when estimates of both adults and minors and sex trafficking and labor trafficking are combined.

The awful drama unfolding in Nigeria has touched the heart of the world, and it has also raised the consciousness of an international community about the continuing fight for the rights of girls and women. As the father of two daughters, I cannot imagine the pain that the parents of the missing girls must be feeling. As a civil rights leader, it fuels my commitment to do what is within my power and influence to ensure that we #BringBackOurGirls everywhere.

While there is no scale or moral equivalence between what is happening in Nigeria and the treatment of girls and women in America today, we cannot ignore our own responsibility to fully educate and empower girls in this country, to champion equal pay, to end violence against women, and to stop the human trafficking of hundreds of thousands of children, girls and women each year.

Marc Morial is the president of the National Urban League. Write your own response at www.flcourier. com.

A5

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: NIGERIAN SCHOOLGIRLS

60-year journey from segregation Because I was a horribly illbehaved child, I found myself shipped from San Francisco to Moss Point, Mississippi in August 1969. My mother’s plan was that I’d spend my junior year in high school there and live with my schoolteacher aunt, Annie Mae Randall, who was somewhat affectionally known as the “kid breaker.” It was legend that if you did not understand rules she would beat them into you, but her method was unlimited interrogation, not physical correction (much).

In any case, I landed in Moss Point, fifteen years after the Supreme Court ruled that legal segregation was illegal. However, by ruling that the Brown decision should be implemented with “all deliberate speed,” many towns in Mississippi saw this as a signal to “take your own sweet time.” I ended up attending an all-Black high school, Magnolia High School, while the all-White Moss Point

EDITORIAL

NATE BEELER, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

By broadly addressing the varied forms of these small-dollar loans, CFPB’s rules would deliver reforms that would benefit consumers who reside in states where payday lending still allows triple-digit interest on debts.

Since 2005, no state has authorized high-cost payday lending. In fact, when voters have been given the opportunity to decide whether to allow or ban triple-digit payday lending, the overwhelming voter sentiment has been against payday. Arkansas, Arizona, Montana and New Hampshire are among the most recent states to ban this form of high-cost lending.

In 1969, most African-Americans had experienced de facto segregation, but few Californians had experienced the de jure segregation that Brow ended. Had I not the Mississippi experience, I would have thought that segregation was as much a fairy tale as Santa Claus, or as distant as “the old days.” Neither fairy tale, nor distant fact, de jure segregation is alive and well today.

New type of segregation

“Predatory payday lending has taken advantage of the fragile financial position of far too many hard working families”, wrote the Senators. “We encourage the CFPB to move as quickly as possible to propose rules that put a stop to predatory small-dollar lending practices, while preserving safer, more affordable alternatives.”

Charlene Crowell is a communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending. Write tour own response at www.flcourier.com. have the advantage of Advanced Placement (AP) and international Baccalaureate (IB) classes that are not often offered in those urban school districts struggling to provide bare basics. When colleges give students with advanced classes extra admissions consideration, they implicitly disadvantage those who did not have the opportunity to take advanced classes because of where they live.

There are dozens of other consequences to deacto segregation.

They include the racial achievement gap and unequal access to scholarship, internship, networking, and employment opportunities. Brown opened the door and, by ending de facto segregation, changed the terms and conditions of African-American life. It got us to the starting line, but we are still a long way from the finish line.

Today, schools are segregated by income and zip code, not by race. Cash-strapped urban school systems, largely funded by eroding property taxes, have fewer resources than well-funded suburban schools. There are also oases in urban public schools where higher income parents come together to fund activities at their neighborhood schools, such as sports and music, which have been eliminated from other public schools for financial reasons.

Julianne Malveaux is a DC K-12 school segregation transfers into an advantage for stu- based economist, author and dents from the best-financed educator. Write your own reschools. These young people sponse at www.flcourier.com.

Crist speech cancelled for fear of ramifications from Scott Governor Scott is a bully and that is how he operates in Florida. As Scott prepares for his campaign against Charlie Crist, the major movers and shakers in the state must support the governor, because he controls the states contracts. The Republicans control everything in the state and very few political leaders want to rock the boat.

Crist is now a Democrat, and he changed parties in 2012. All his life, Crist has been a Republican, and Scott is claiming that the ex-governor is a flip flopper, who is extremely confused. But after reading his speech that he was set to deliver at the Council of 100’s Spring General Membership Meeting, Crist is on point.

Political ramifications Ex-governor Crist was invited and confirmed to give a speech, at the Council of 100’s Spring General Membership Meeting in Orlando, but they cancelled at the last minute. It is unclear why Crist was cancelled, but we must remember that Scott is a bully. Many of the pundits and political experts in the state think the group blocked Crist’s speech in fear of political ramifications of offending Scott.

The Council of 100 is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of business leaders, which exists to promote the economic growth of Florida. The Council works closely with the governor and advises him on policy and position statements. All governors are members of the Council of 100, but in Orlando Crist was scheduled to speak 2 hours after Scott.

It is obvious that this did not sit well with the Scott camp, so Crist was censored, and many of the members of the council were upset. “It’s unfortunate that Rick Scott is apparently using every ounce of political pressure he has left to stifle healthy dialogue about the future of our state,” says Kevin Cate, a Crist spokesperson.

ROGER CALDWELL GUEST COLUMNIST

“This is a non-political organization,” a member said.

This is not the first time that a Scott critic has been blocked to speak at a state event, and it will happen again as the election gets closer. Diane Roberts, a Tampa Bay Times opinion writer who is a frequent Scott critic was cancelled from speaking at a staterun mission. Scott and his cronies will spend time, money, and energy to eliminate and censor the truth about his record, but it will be exposed.

Time for change This is the first time in Florida’s history that the incumbent governor will face off against his predecessor. Crist is calling himself the peoples’ governor and anyone can read Crist’s speech on his campaign website.

“I am running for governor for one simple reason. Tallahassee is broken, and it is time to put the people back in charge. We need a governor who will refocus the state on things that are important to all Floridians: good schools, affordable health care, respect for our environment and dignity for all our seniors,” says Crist in his speech.

From the very first day in office, Scott never cared about Floridians.

But in 2008, Crist kept crowded polls open so voters could vote. Crist is also a supporter for restoration of felons’ rights. It is time for a change in Florida, and we need a governor who works, and cares for the people.

Roger Caldwell is the president of On-Point Media. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

TOj A6

NATION

MAY 23 – MAY 29, 2014 was also a group of offenders — those who could think long term — who successfully reformed.

“What that tells us is you can’t just say all of these serious offenders are all bad and they’re all going to be bad forever,” said UTD criminologist Alex Piquero, who led the study.

Piquero said letting kids know “that your life now is not destiny” can make a difference.

“That’s the take-home policy message from this: It’s not a bleak thing,” he said. “We can turn some of these kids around if we give them these opportunities and we give them these consistent messages.”

Lost hope

NATHAN HUNSINGER/DALLAS MORNING NEWS/MCT

When Jordan Henderson was 18 he was arrested for drug distribution, he has turned his life around and now sees a positive future, in his Richardson, Texas, neighborhood on May 9.

Study: Teens who expect to die young more likely to commit crimes

BY SARAH MERVOSH DALLAS MORNING NEWS/MCT

DALLAS — Growing up in a North Dallas neighborhood plagued by drugs and gangs, Jordan Henderson envisioned just two options for his future: end up in jail — or the graveyard.

With little to look forward to, the 18-year-old began to pursue shortterm successes, getting in-

volved in drugs and criminal activity. He prayed that he’d live to see 21.

“We all like to think we can outsmart the system, but it never works out that way,” Henderson said. “We all end up in jail or dead.

I always thought it would be much better to be dead than in jail.”

Henderson’s choices shouldn’t come as a surprise, according to a recent

University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) study that found that teens who believe they will die young are more likely to commit crimes — and more serious ones at that.

Studied for years The study, released last month, asked more than 1,300 serious juvenile offenders in Arizona and

Pennsylvania one question: How long do you think you’ll live? Their answers ranged from 16 to 200 years old. Researchers then checked in periodically with them over a period of seven years and asked about subsequent criminal activity.

The youths who went on to offend most were the ones with a short-term mentality. Notably, there

For a long time, Henderson felt he had neither.

All the adults he knew had no college education, and many dealt drugs to make money, he said. Earlier this year, Henderson was arrested for distribution of marijuana — a felony charge that’s pending.

“I basically had no visible hope,” he said. “I thought to myself, this is the lifestyle that everybody before me shows, this is the lifestyle that everyone around me is doing and this is the lifestyle I have to choose.

“I was involved in that lifestyle not by choice, but because I felt I was condemned to that lifestyle,” he said.

That’s a mentality that 15-year-old Merl Lovings of DeSoto can relate to. His father is serving a 15-year prison sentence for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, and he said he has a cousin his age who is in jail.

Worries a lot Lovings has toed the path toward a life of crime as well. Last year, he said he stole a BB gun from

Wal-Mart with the intention of selling it. He planned to use the money to buy much-needed shoes for his brother.

“For the short term, man I was just like, if I do this I can get my brother some shoes and I can probably get an outfit or something,” said Lovings, who recently completed six months’ probation for theft. “But long term, I wasn’t really thinking about it.”

Lovings believes he’ll live to be about 50 or 60, but right now, he worries a lot about how to provide for his 6-year-old brother and 5-year-old sister. He recently began selling candy at school and around his apartment complex to contribute to the family’s income.

Navy or rap He spends less time focusing on his own future, a nebulous idea that might include joining the Navy or pursuing a rap career.

Piquero said that’s a typical dilemma for many juvenile offenders. “They have to basically survive today, and they can’t even think about 30 years from now,” he said.

Based on his study’s findings, Piquero said he hopes the government will do more to give disadvantaged teens opportunity to be productive citizens.

That means a bigger emphasis on education and jobs, he said.

But he said parents and teachers — everyday role models — can also have a huge impact by consistently telling teens that success is possible and encouraging them to develop longterm goals.

“You have to say it and mean it,” Piquero said.

“That’s a simple thing people can do, but the kids have to get the message consistently.”

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A TOUCH OF

AFRICA CLOSE TO HOME

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY WORLD

The “Festival of the Lion King,’’ a 30-minute show with cultural songs and dance, opens in June in the newly constructed Harambe Theatre at Disney World.

Disney celebrates continent with ‘Lion King’ events and new Harambe Nights

BY PENNY DICKERSON SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

T

he majesty of Africa kicks off in June as Walt Disney World celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Oscar-winning classic “The Lion King.’’ Global adoration has been demonstrated since the Animal Kingdom opened in 1998 as the resort’s largest theme park boasting a Kilamanjaro Safari, extinct animals, and related exhibits yet the 500-acre sprawl is a tribute to the continent many African-Americans may never experience due to the exorbitant cost of intercontinental travel.

Festival of the Lion King We all fell in love with young cub Simba’s coming of age story. Destined to be King, we rooted as he frolicked through jungles engaging mischief and innocently courting Nala. The “Circle of Life” narrative has since been popularized by Broadway and an endless demand of birthday party décor.

But highly lauded is “Festival of the Lion King,” Disney’s “most popular live show,” which has been on a six-month hiatus and reopens early June in the newly constructed Harambe Theatre.

The colorful allure of spectacular costuming and puppetry, cultural songs, djembe drums, stilt walkers, and dance combine onstage for a 30-minute, day-time only presentation of an inspiration story. Admission is free with an Animal Kingdom park ticket, which is comparable in price to a New York City matinee.

Harambe Nights Disney by night takes on a “Tale and Taste” of its own beginning June 7 with the soulful, African-themed debut of Harambe Nights which will run for 10 consecutive Saturdays and end Aug. 19. Harambe Nights is dubbed Disney’s first “hard-ticket” event ever held at Animal Kingdom.

“The Lion King - Concert in the Wild” is scheduled to run 55 minutes with the accompaniment of a live orchestra, choir and a bevy of brilliant features. A 7 p.m. welcome reception will offer imported wine, beer, soft beverages and African cuisine appetizers followed by the 7:30 p.m. main event. Renowned celebrities will narrate a “story-circle” emoting African folklore and remnants of the original Lion King tale.

Opening night welcomes Viola Davis (“The Help”) followed by the likes of David Allen Grier (“In Living Color”) and Joe Morton, best known as Olivia Pope’s dad on “Scandal.”

After the finale, Harambe raptness begins with a soulstirring street party and multiple buffet stations for an allinclusive price: adults $119 and children 3 to 9 year-old are $79; premium floor seating is $134 for adults and $94 for children.

It takes a village According to the Adventure Travel and Trade Association, “African-Americans spend an average of $40 billion dollars annually on travel.” If your last vacation was more than budgetary notion, Walt Disney World offers multi-generation-

Disney World is providing more cultural activities that may appeal to the African-American family.

al price breaks for you, the kids, and big momma too.

“Approximately 40 percent of U.S. domestic traveling parties visiting WDW are multiple households traveling together,” offered Disney sources and to address the growing travel trend, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort offers suites that sleep up to six. The Lion King Courtyard offers separate sleeping areas, multiple bathrooms, kitchenettes and family-friendly activities.

The whole village can vacation for a discounted price of up to 35 percent if you book before June 6.

For more information, visit disneyworld.com/harambenights or call 407-939-1319.

A plethora of events to celebrate Simba’s coming-of-age story are planned at Disney.

B2

WORLD

MAY 23 – MAY 29, 2014

STOJ

Childhood brought to a halt by war Former soldiers share their stories about conflict in Central African Republic

BY ALEXANDRA ZAVIS LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT

SIBUT, Central African Republic — Not long ago, Charly had all the money he needed. He had a rebel uniform that commanded fear in his hometown.

He had an AK-47, and he wasn’t afraid to use it.

He was still a boy, but he felt like a man.

Now he has returned to his old life. He is once again a helpless boy. The thought of it makes him sit rigid with anger, his eyes flashing.

“See the shoes I’m wearing?” the teenager snapped, pointing at a pair of dusty blue flip-flops. The soles were so full of holes that he might as well have been barefoot.

With the rebels, he said, it was different: “I had boots, a uniform and a gun in my hand.”

With the rebels, he had power.

The conflict tearing the Central African Republic apart has not only turned neighbor against neighbor.

It has brought childhood to a halt.

Children have seen their parents hacked to pieces.

They have watched as boys and girls just like them were shot or maimed.

Some have been forced to make cold calculations far beyond their years, taking up arms with the same fighters who upended their lives or killed their relatives.

Dangerous road Children have been pawns in virtually every conflict in this country plagued for decades by coups, mutinies and rebellions.

When a mostly Muslim rebel coalition known as the Seleka seized power a little more than a year ago, as many as 3,500 children were in the ranks of armed groups.

The number swelled to 6,000 or more as self-defense militias, mostly Christian or animist, started fighting back, UNICEF estimates.

Some, like Charly, were handed guns. Others toted cargo or were taken as sex slaves.

Children barely in their teens still accompany fighters along the rutted 100-mile road from Bangui, the capital, to Charly’s hometown, Sibut. Even by day, the road is dangerous. Armed men menace travelers from makeshift roadblocks; other fighters march the winding route with rifles and machetes slung over their shoulders and protective amulets draped around their necks.

The Seleka left behind nearly 400 children when they were pushed from power in January. Even as the fighting picked up again recently, UNICEF negotiated the release of more than 1,000 others from the self-defense militias.

The agency made some of the former rebel children available to tell their stories on the condition that their precise location and their full names not be used.

On a recent day, dozens of the children were gathering on a shaded veranda here. Some were about to perform a re-enactment of their lives with the rebels for visiting aid workers.

They carried wooden guns, brandishing the roughhewn toys with the ease

born of experience.

Several of them appealed to the visitors with shy, winsome smiles. A few were angry, shouting that they needed help.

A pregnant young girl was pushed forward. “See what they did?” a boy said of the rebels.

All about survival Sitting on a bench in a dim, windowless room, Charly recalled the day the rebels arrived.

It was more than a year ago. He was selling soap, sugar and other goods from a market stall. At 15, it provided his only income.

His father was dead, and his mother couldn’t support him.

The fighters streamed in on motorcycles and in pickup trucks, firing their guns, ransacking homes and businesses and setting them on fire.

“They were firing everywhere,” Charly said, his voice quavering. “I abandoned everything and ran.”

The fighters were with the mostly Muslim rebel alliance. Charly is Christian.

But something was more pressing than his fear of the rebels: survival.

“I entered the Seleka to feed myself,” Charly said.

At first, he recalled, the rebels were suspicious of the lanky local boy who appeared in their midst. Then they found out he could help them. He wasn’t afraid, and he knew the town.

“When they saw I was brave, and I could point out houses to rob, they accepted me,” he said. He was given a Kalashnikov assault rifle and sent on patrols around his hometown. His fear was replaced by swagger.

“Everyone saw me carrying an AK,” he said. “One day, an old woman tried to curse my grandmother. I was furious, so I shot her in the foot.

PHOTOS BY RICK LOOMIS/LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT

During civil strife in the Central African Republic, many children served as soldiers in the battles.

Mireille was just 14 when she was abducted by a commander in the Muslim-dominated rebel Seleka alliance and forced to be his wife for several months.

A program by UNICEF is aiming to return former child soldiers to regular lives in the Central African Republic. Jordy, 14, says he joined the Seleka after they ransacked his father’s kiosk and killed two relatives.

A determined grandmother At 14, Jordy doesn’t look much taller than the gun he carried for the rebels.

“It was a way to protect myself, and it was a way to survive,” he said.

It was also a way to seek revenge against the Seleka fighter he said had killed his brother and a cousin. One day, he spotted the man. Jordy wanted to shoot him, but other rebels intervened, he said dully.

He doesn’t like what he did with the Seleka.

“I did a lot of bad things,” he said, eyes downcast.

“I ransacked. I pillaged.

I took people’s things by force.”

When the rebels continued their advance on Bangui, Jordy, Charly and other youths went with them.

Some were forced to go, but others were enticed by the prospect of looting in the capital.

Jordy’s grandmother, who has cared for him since his parents separated years ago, followed him to Bangui to beg for his release. His commander agreed, but at first Jordy didn’t want to go.

“When I saw them starting to kill people, that’s when I left,” he said.

Jordy was fortunate to have his grandmother plead his case. Other children don’t even know where their relatives are — hundreds of thousands have fled their homes in the fighting. Humanitarian workers who are caring for some of the former fighters and sex slaves can spend months trying to locate the children’s families.

Hard to forgive Even when family mem-

A program by UNICEF is aiming to return former child soldiers to regular lives in the Central African Republic. bers can be traced, they may be reluctant to accept a former fighter into their homes. And children who are used to carrying weapons can find it hard to obey their parents.

Jordy said he hasn’t had any trouble with the mostly Christian and animist militias that are now ascendant in this area. He shares the same religion and ethnicity as the fighters.

“They even gave us food,” he said.

But in Bangui, militia members ransacked a center that helps the children; a boy who tried to join the anti-Muslim militias was killed when the fighters learned that he’d previously been with the Seleka.

In Sibut, some neighbors can’t forgive the children for joining the rebels.

Not long ago, a man who recognized Jordy assaulted him in the street, knocking him down.

Charly was sitting with Jordy as he told of being beaten. He put his arm around his friend, and they were two boys together against the world.

‘He deflowered me’ Mireille was 14 when a rebel colonel spotted her last year selling homemade alcohol by the side of the road. He announced that he wanted to marry her.

“I said, ‘No, I’m still young,’ ” recalled the slender girl with intricately braided hair. She sat hunched on a bench as she told her story, wringing her hands in her lap.

That night, the rebel showed up at her home, where she was with three siblings. Their widowed mother was out of town at a funeral.

Mireille was taken to a Seleka base. The colonel gave her a new name, Kadija. And he raped her repeatedly.

None of the other rebels were allowed to touch her.

The colonel assigned an aide to watch her when he went out looting.

“I wanted to escape, but I couldn’t because everyone had weapons,” she said.

After several months,

the colonel lost interest in Mireille and took other “wives,” including her older sister.

Mireille doesn’t know what happened to her. She tries not to think about it.

The reunification process has been especially fraught for the 78 girls freed by the Seleka. Like Mireille, most were sexually abused. Their families and communities often consider them tainted.

It took two weeks for Mireille’s mother to allow her into the house again.

At first, she stayed with neighbors who prevailed upon her mother, arguing that it wasn’t Mireille’s fault she had been taken. Church members also spoke on her behalf.

Today Mireille has no interest in getting married or starting a family. The colonel ended those dreams.

Over and over, she used the same words for what he did to her: “He deflowered me.”

She said she’d heard later that the colonel had died in battle. Her voice betrayed no emotion.

The way forward Many children still march with the fighters.

Those who have left struggle to find a way forward.

Mireille said she’d like to go back to school, maybe learn to sew. But schools in her area have been closed for months.

Jordy said he would like to try farming. “If the NGO here can help me to get cows, just so I can have some money, that will help,” he said.

Charly has already been approached by militias on the other side, eager to take advantage of his knowledge of the Seleka.

He regrets ever leaving the world of men to take care of his ailing mother.

“With a gun,” he said, “you always have money.”

Los Angeles Times staff writer Alexandra Zavis and photojournalist Rick Loomis spent two weeks in the Central African Republic reporting on the sectarian violence there. This is the second of several reports on what they witnessed.

S

MAY 23 – MAY 29, 2014

B3

BUSINESS

Trying to make a living on part-time work Nearly 7.4 million who can’t find full-time work doing jobs with fewer hours

BY MICHAEL KANELL ATLANTA JOURNALCONSTITUTION/MCT

For Velvet Bradley, a part-time job is a little like a tattered parachute — a hopeful notion that barely slows the fall.

Bradley, 43, works 10 to 25 hours a week at home, helping to run a small trade magazine. She sells ads and manages the database and website, but the pay is modest and the hours few — and she has been stymied trying to find full-time work since losing a managerial job.

In the past few months, she lost her car to bankruptcy and her home to foreclosure.

“I’m just trying to keep the utilities on and the Internet going,” said Bradley, who lives in Rockmart, Ga., 45 miles northwest of Atlanta. “It’s been two years of this and I have just had it.”

About 26.3 million Americans work part-time, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some want flexibility or are in school.

Some are satisfied padding a partner’s income.

But nearly 4 in 10 of parttimers — 7.4 million — have taken part-time work only because they cannot find a full-time job, the BLS estimates, based on surveys it uses to measure unemployment.

Higher demand The number of those involuntary part-timers rocketed to record levels as the recession deepened in 2008 and it slowly declined as growth restarted. The economy has slowly improved for nearly five years, renewing job growth and bringing down the jobless rate.

The number of parttimers who’d rather be full time remains historical-

BOB ANDRES/ATLANTA-JOURNAL CONSTITUTION

Velvet Bradley works part-time at the dining room table in her home, with her Italian Greyhound, “Sterling,” in her lap, while editing a magazine on April 22 in Rockmart, Ga. The living room behind her is empty because her house was foreclosed on and she was in the process of moving out. ly high, however: 4.7 percent of all jobs nationwide.

That’s down from the 2010 peak of 6 percent, but higher than other times since the early 1990s recession.

“We are creating a lot of part-time jobs in this recovery,” said economist Jeff Wenger of the University of Georgia. “Part of it is this business cycle being so weak. And some of it is driven by changes in business practices.”

Federal Reserve economists recently reported that many service-sector companies are leaning more heavily on part-tim-

ers than during previous recoveries.

The result is a lopsided labor market in which many candidates jostle around nearly every opening — and companies can use part-time positions as a stopgap, knowing workers have little choice.

ACA effect There also has been speculation and debate about whether the Affordable Care Act, which requires companies to offer health insurance once they reach a certain number

of full-timers, has prodded employers to make more jobs part-time. But the number of part-timers, while still historically high, has continued to dwindle as the ACA takes effect.

The ACA could also boost part-time work as a voluntary choice by making health insurance more available to people who don’t want or need a fulltime job.

Whatever the ACA’s effect, companies go with part-timers for a number of other reasons. Hiring permanent workers can be costly — in screen-

AT&T plans to buy DirecTV for $48.5 billion Acquisition criticized by media watchdogs, consumer advocates LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT

An open secret Media watchdogs and consumer activists, already critical of Comcast’s proposed takeover of Time Warner Cable, instantly blasted the AT&T-DirecTV news.

“The captains of our communications industry have clearly run out of ideas,” said Craig Aaron, president of the media reform organization Free Press. “Instead of innovating and investing in their networks, companies like AT&T and Comcast are simply buying up the competition. These takeovers are expensive, and consumers end up footing the bill for merger mania.”

ity. So companies generally shift from part-timers to permanent workers as the economy improves.

Only this time, not so much.

More than one-third of companies questioned in a recent survey said they are hiring a combination of part-time and permanent employees, and an additional 7 percent say they are only adding part-timers, said Scott Smith, CEO of the Lucas Group, the Atlanta-based, executive search firm that polled executives.

AARP board selects Jenkins as new CEO NNPA NEWS SERVICE

BY JOE FLINT

LOS ANGELES — The nation’s biggest phone company is about to become a giant in pay television.

AT&T Inc. reached an agreement to acquire satellite broadcaster DirecTV in a deal valued at about $48.5 billion, the two companies said on May 18.

“This is a unique opportunity that will redefine the video entertainment industry and create a company able to offer new bundles and deliver content to consumers across multiple screens — mobile devices, TVs, laptops, cars and even airplanes,” said AT&T Chairman and Chief Executive Randall Stephenson.

DirecTV Chief Executive Mike White said, “This compelling and complementary combination will bring significant benefits to all consumers, shareholders and DirecTV employees.”

Under the terms of the purchase, AT&T would pay $95 a share in cash and stock for DirecTV. The sale comes just three months after cable giant Comcast Corp. said it was acquiring Time Warner Cable for $45 billion and could spark even further consolidation.

ing, training and providing benefits. It is also a gamble: what if sales slow? Firms sometimes use part-timers as a stopgap until they are sure things are getting better.

And with so many jobseekers, companies figure a part-timer won’t likely be hired away for a full-time job that pays better. Parttime jobs are also a way to see someone’s work on the cheap, in case the company does want to hire full time.

On the other hand, fulltime workers can offer stability and better productiv-

By acquiring DirecTV, AT&T could shut down its much smaller U-Verse television service, which it delivers through its fiber lines.

AT&T and DirecTV have had onagain-off-again flirtations about combining for years, and it was an open secret in media circles that DirecTV and White were open to an exit strategy.

Soon after Comcast unveiled its plans to buy Time Warner Cable, AT&T reignited talks with DirecTV. The deal came together quickly, with both companies forming due diligence teams. Lawyers for both sides also researched the hurdles and scrutiny the sale would face from lawmakers and regulators.

If approved, the deal would potentially solve significant challenges facing AT&T and DirecTV.

Impact on U-Verse For El Segundo, Calif.-based DirecTV, which has more than 20 million subscribers around the country, being tied to AT&T would enable it to seamlessly package its television and high-speed Internet services. One of DirecTV’s shortcomings in the fight for customers is its lack of a broadband service.

A combined AT&T and DirecTV could face off against Comcast, which has spent billions improving

its broadband offering and is acquiring Time Warner Cable with an eye toward creating a nationwide cable and broadband behemoth.

By acquiring DirecTV, AT&T could shut down its much smaller U-Verse television service, which it delivers through its fiber lines. Doing that would enable AT&T to use DirecTV for television service and free up its fiber lines to increase broadband speeds to U-Verse customers.

There could be a backlash to winding down U-Verse as it would remove a competitor from the pay-TV arena.

“The industry needs more competition, not more mergers,” said John Bergmayer, a senior staff attorney at Public Knowledge. “We’ll have to analyze this carefully for potential harms both to the video programming and the wireless markets.”

Another reason DirecTV appeals to AT&T is the cash it generates. In 2013 the company posted $8 billion in profit on $32 billion in revenue.

DirecTV said it will keep its headquarters in El Segundo after the deal closes. The satellite broadcaster has 3,000 employees there.

The board of directors for the AARP, one of the nation’s largest and most powerful nonprofit advocacy groups, has unanimously selected Jo Ann Jenkins as its new chief executive officer.

Jenkins, who replaces longtime CEO A. Barry Rand, assumes her new post on Sept. 1.

“After an extensive, thoughtful and deliberative national search, the AARP board unanimously selected Jo Ann Jenkins as our new chief executive officer,” said Gail Aldrich, chair of the AARP board of directors. “Jo Ann is a seasoned leader and innovator. She has an obvious passion for AARP and she fully embraces the social Jo Ann mission. Jo Ann is an inspirationJenkins al leader who proactively engages at all levels of the organization and is comfortable operating in the public eye.”

Jenkins, who came to the AARP in March 2013, from a longtime post she held at the Library of Congress, currently is executive vice president and chief operating officer of AARP.

Alabama native In this position she has streamlined the organization’s strategic planning, technology and digital operations to enable AARP to devote greater resources to its core mission. She has led the development of the new enterprise-wide strategy that includes defining and facilitating operational priorities, as well as maximizing AARP’s mission.

A native of Mobile, Ala., she earned her B.A. degree from Spring Hill College in Mobile. She is also a 1998 graduate of the Stanford Executive Program, offered by the university’s Graduate School of Business.

Jenkins received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree on May 17 when she addressed graduates at Washington College’s 231st commencement.

She said she’s grateful to have been selected for her new job at AARP. “I truly believe that for every member of our society, age and experience can expand your possibilities in life,” said Jenkins. “I feel a great deal of responsibility for ensuring that AARP is here as a trusted ally for people 50+ and their families and that we protect the most vulnerable among us.”

B4

TECHNOLOGY

While it might not seem like a logical choice to bring portable electronic gadgets to the beach or pool, if you choose correctly, anything is possible. Just remember: There’s a big difference between water-resistant and waterproof. Here are a few rugged, waterproof items that are good bets for your summer fun.

BY GREGG ELLMAN MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE

MAY 23 – MAY 29, 2014

TOJ

BLUETOOTH, WATERPROOF EARBUDS GIVE YOU FREEDOM There are lots of choices for waterproof earbuds, but the Pump HD Sportbuds from BlueAnt are both waterproof and wireless up to 100 feet from your music source.

This distance applies mainly when you’re on the surface of the water or on land, since Bluetooth can only transmit underwater for a few feet.

A critical aspect to waterproof headphones is how they fit; the more secure, the better they sound. You can lose a lot of bass with loose-fitting earbuds, so to ensure a great fit, the Pumps come with seven different sizes of comfort seal tips and two sets of stabilizers.

All the controls are on the right ear, including volume and call answering, and they are iOS device certified.

They pair up like any other Bluetooth device and have an internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery that plays for up to 8 hours.

The earbuds are made with Kevlar shielding, which is used in bulletproof vests.

These headphones not only work perfectly for swimming, floating around a pool or just relaxing by the water, but they also are a great weather- and sweat-resistant product as well.

Details: $116, www.myblueant.com

PORTABILITY IS KING IN THIS WATER-RESISTANT SPEAKER The Divoom Voombox-Travel Bluetooth speaker is perfect for trips since it’s portable and splash-resistant.

It measures just 3 inches in diameter and has a metal carabiner built into its sturdy metal body, which is surrounded by shock-absorbing rubber, making it perfect for any pool, beach or backpacking excursions this summer.

The internal battery provides about 6 hours of battery life (USB charged, behind a removable rubber gasket) for sound, powered by a 2-inch driver and a 2-inch passive radiator, which deliver a great sound given the size of the speaker.

There’s also an internal microphone for hands-free poolside calls.

Details: $49 available in choices of blue, red, black or green trim; www.divoom. com

IPHONEOGRAPHERS WILL LOVE THIS PROTECTIVE CASE The Optrix PhotoX iPhone (5/5s) case is waterproof up to 33 feet, but it does a whole lot more than just protect your phone from getting wet.

While stored in the clear case, all your phone’s functions, buttons and LCD screen are fully functional — as they should be — but what makes this case really cool is the attachable photo lenses. A low profile lens, much like a 50mm lens, and a macro lens are included to enable your phone’s camera to take great photos both on land and underwater.

Fisheye (175 degrees) and telephoto (4x) lens attachments also are available ($40 each). The camera works fine on its own through the case, but the add-on lenses make it even better.

In the event you drop your phone while it’s in the PhotoX case, it should be safe since it’s rated to withstand drops up to 30 feet.

Details: $99.95, www.optrix.com

THIS WATERPROOF IPAD CASE FLOATS The Joy Factory’s aXtion Pro is a rugged waterproof case for iPads (4/3/2 and iPad Air) designed to withstand any environment, including continuous submersion up to 7 feet for an hour.

While the underwater safety feature is great, what I really like about this case is that it floats on its own, without an extra accessory.

The iPad’s touch-screen display, volume, camera and all the other features are accessible while in the case, and it even supports waterproof headphones.

Joy Factory claims the aXtion Pro case can protect your iPad from drops as high as 4 feet.

In addition, every aXtion case features a built-in locking port for a Kensington lock (sold separately). When you attach the lock to the case, it locks both of the top clasps, keeping the iPad secure.

Details: $129.95, www.thejoyfactory.com

‘GO ANYWHERE’ SPEAKER PERFECT FOR SUMMER FUN Fugoo’s portable Bluetooth (4.0) speaker is described by the company as a go-anywhere speaker that’s built to withstand the extremes.

To me, it’s a complete package right out of the box and delivers the “wow” factor with its powerful, clear sound.

But the amazing sound is far from the only reason to want this speaker. After you see the optional accessories available and how the speaker can be used with most any outdoor activity, you’ll be ready to hit up Google.

You get 360-degree sound coming from six drivers positioned on all four sides of the speaker. It’s waterproof up to 3 feet for up to 30 minutes, so when it falls in the pool, just get it out quickly. The design also makes it snow-, shockand sand-proof.

The current models range from great looking to almost indestructible. The Style model is just that — really good looking. The Sport model is designed with a waterproof, super-durable cloth along with a

rubber trim for protection. The Tough model is made with fiber-reinforced resin and solid aluminum to protect it from “whatever your world throws at it” says Fugoo.

An internal battery is good for 40 hours (at 50-percent volume) and charges up in 31/2 hours.

But back to the main point: the sound. Inside are six symmetrically placed drivers, two tweeters, two mid/woofers and two passive radiators.

A powerful Digital Signal Processor adjusts the tones as the volume is increased, resulting in consistency at any level. There’s also an internal microphone for hands-free calls and use with Siri, Google Now or a Windows phone.

All these controls are accessible on the optional wearable and waterproof remote ($49.99).

A bike mount ($39.99), multi mount for use with a tripod, carabiner loop or a belt spring-clip ($29.99) and a strap mount ($29.99) are available for purchase.

Details: $199 for the Style or Sport model, $229 for the Tough; www.fugoo.com

PRITCHARD/MC

S

MAY 23 – MAY 29, 2014

FINEST & ENTERTAINMENT

Meet some of

FLORIDA’S

finest

submitted for your approval

B5

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.

marc

Marc is an aspiring actor/model who says he has a lot of passion for the industry.

He enjoys playing sports to include basketball, football, soccer and running track.

Contact Marc at sanssoucis.marc@yahoo.com or on Twitter at @plaxcoach1.

Abby B. is a South Florida resident, professional fashion model, and aspiring actress. She has been cast in a supporting role in several episodes of USA Network’s “Burn Notice.” Commercial credits include Royal Caribbean (cruise lines), a French auto maker, h.h. gregg and others. She appeared in Nikki Minaj’s “Beez in the Trap” video and was the featured lead ‘girl’ in DJ Khaled’s “B – and Bottles” featuring T.I, Lil Wayne, Ace Hood, and Future. Photo credit: www.mikemontoya.com / info@1stmillionmgt.com

abby “the dirtiest

damn Western comedy ever.”

Peter Travers

TREY SONGZ

103.5 The Beat Down 2014 concert is June 12 at the BB&T Center in Sunrise. Performers will include Kendrick Lamar, Trey Songz, Future and DJ Khaled.

MAXWELL

The crooner Maxwell, left, is coming to Florida He will make stops in Clearwater, Orlando and Jacksonville in August. More information: www.musze. com.

SOUNDTRACK ON BACK LOT MUSIC

West Palm Beach: The Kinfolks Soul Food Festival will be in West Palm Beach on May 23 and Lauderhill on May 24. Performers will include Bootsy Collins, Cameo, Morris Day & the Time, Confunkshun and Lakeside.

More information: www. ilovesoulfood.com.

FLORIDA COURIER

UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND MRC PRESENT A FUZZY DOOR PRODUCTION A BLUEGRASS FILMS PRODUCTION SETH MACFARLANE CHARLIZE THERON “A MILLION WAYS TOMUSICDIE IN THE WEST” EXECUTIVE AMANDA SEYFRIED GIOVANNI RIBISI NEIPRODUCED L PATRICK HARRIS SARAH SILVERMAN AND LIAM NEESON WRITTENBY JOEL MCNEELY PRODUCERS ALEC SULKIN WELLESLEY WILD

BY SCOTT STUBER SETH MACFARLANE JASON CLARK

BY SETH MACFARLANE & ALEC SULKIN & WELLESLEY WILD DIRECTED A UNIVERSAL RELEASE

BY SETH MACFARLANE

FRI 5/23 3 col (4.93”)” x 10” ALL.MDW.0523.FCemail

LT

FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR

© 2014 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS AND MRC

starts Friday, may 30

checK LocaL ListinGs For theaters and shoWtimes

Port St. Lucie: Scholarships are available for Christian Cultural Cathedral’s Path-

ways to Mind and Body Building Summer Program for children in grades 3 to 6.

Call 772-607-2628 or 772807-7771 for details.

Miami: Kelly Price will be at the Miami Love Parade 3 Homeless Benefit Concert on June 7.

Sunrise: The Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour is May 23 and May 24 at the BB&T Center.

Naples: The national NAACP Leadership 500 Summit is convening at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel through May 25. Details: www.1500.org.

West Palm Beach: Keb’ Mo’ is scheduled at BB King’s Restaurant and Blues Club on June 8 at 7:30 p.m.

West Palm Beach: The Lionel Richie: All the Hits All Night Long tour featuring Cee Lo Green stops at the Cruzan Amphitheatre on July 15.

Miami: The Seventh Annual Memorial Weekend Comedy Festival is May 25 at the James L. Knight Center.

Comedians will include J. Anthony Brown, Lunell, Earthquake and Marcus Combs.

F0OD

B6

MAY 23 – MAY 29, 2014

STOJ

FROM FAMILY FEATURES

Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world next to water. In fact, on any given day, more than 158 million Americans drink tea. Approximately 85 percent of tea consumed in America is iced, but the soothing and refresh­ing flavors of tea can also infuse fresh and unexpected charac­ter into a wide range of dishes, from desserts to popular finger foods like chicken wings.

What’s more, tea has been shown to have significant health benefits. As green, black, oolong and white teas all come from the Camellia sinensis plant, tea drinkers can reap the health benefits from whichever tea they prefer. The major bioactive compounds in tea, called flavonoids, are also found in fruits and vegetables but appear in very high concentra­tions in tea. In fact, new research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition links tea with cardiovascular health, cancer prevention, weight management, improved concentration and bone health, among others.

Delightful tea pairings Each type of tea has a distinct set of flavor characteristics. Peter Goggi, President of the Tea Council of the USA, explains the flavor profiles of black, green, oolong and white teas, and how to pair them with your favorite foods.

• Black teas from traditional

origins such as India, Sri Lanka and China, as well as English and Irish breakfast varieties and flavored black teas such as Earl Grey, are characterized by a strong, aromatic flavor. These teas pair well with dark chocolate, sharp cheeses, eggs, meats and heartier foods because of their rich flavor and tannin levels.

• Green teas, such as Sencha and Jasmine, have a more delicate flavor profile, characterized as grassy or citrusy, and pair well with subtly flavored foods, such as seafood, rice and vegetables.

• Oolong teas, such as Wuyi Shan and Pouchong, are charac­terized by a slight smoky flavor and a sweet, nutty finish.

These teas pair well with spicy or smoky foods, seafood dishes and fruit.

• White teas exhibit a natural sweetness and lightness; the subtle flavors pair well with mild tasting sweets or simple salads that don’t overpower the flavor of the tea.

Start sampling the many flavors of tea with these recipes, and visit www.TeaUSA.org for information about the role of tea in a healthy diet and lifestyle.

TEA-GRILLED CHICKEN WINGS WITH HOT GREEN DIPPING SAUCE Servings: 6 5 tablespoons black tea leaves, divided 1 1/2 cups boiling water (212°F) 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce 3 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (such as Nam Pla) 3 tablespoons Asian chili sauce (such as Sriracha) 3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 2 tablespoons minced garlic Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 18 large chicken wings, washed and dried Place three tablespoons tea leaves into small bowl and add boiling water; steep six minutes.

Strain tea and discard used tea leaves. Cool to room temperature and hold.

In spice grinder or with mortar and pestle, finely grind remaining tea leaves to dust. Transfer to medium stainless or glass bowl, along with soy sauce, fish sauce, chili sauce, oil, garlic and pepper.

Mix well. Pour in reserved cooled tea and mix.

Cut off tips of chicken wings.

Cut wings into two parts at joint, place in resealable plastic bag and pour tea-based marinade over wings. Seal well and mix to coat completely. Refrigerate overnight before preparing, turning bag every 12 hours.

To cook, remove wings from refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Remove wings from bag and discard marinade. Drain very well.

Preheat grill to medium. Grill wings until cooked through on both sides and juices are running clear, about six to eight minutes per side.

Serve Hot Green Dip­ping Sauce on the side.

HOT GREEN DIPPING SAUCE Servings: 6 2 cups fresh basil leaves 3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves 2–4 jalapenos, seeded and deveined 1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil Fine sea salt, to taste Ground black pepper, to taste Place basil, cilantro, jalapenos and vinegar in bowl of food processor. Pulse until smooth. With motor running, slowly pour in oil until smooth and incorporated.

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, scrape down sides of bowl and pulse again. Place in covered container and chill until ready to use.

Recipe courtesy of Culinary Tea

by Cynthia Gold, copyright © 2010.

Reprinted by ermission of Running Press, a member of The Perseus Books Group.

JASMINE WATERMELON GAZPACHO WITH CRAB Servings: 8 2 tablespoons loose-leaf Jasmine tea leaves 3 cups steaming water (175°F) 4–5 cups watermelon, peeled, seeded and chopped (1 small melon) 1/4 cup red onion, chopped 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons jalapenos, seeded, deveined and chopped 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped 1/2 cup lump crab meat 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil Sprinkle tea leaves into mediumsized bowl. Pour steaming water over leaves and steep, covered, for two minutes. Strain tea, discarding leaves.

Cool and hold.

In blender, combine watermelon, onion, mint, cilantro, basil, jalapeno and garlic, and puree. Transfer to container and stir in reserved tea until combined thoroughly. Cover and refrig­ erate at least six hours before serving.

To serve, ladle one cup soup into bowl and garnish with one tablespoon crabmeat and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil, drizzled.

Recipe courtesy of Culinary Tea

by Cynthia Gold, copyright © 2010.

Reprinted by permission of Running Press, a member of The Perseus Books Group.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

REFRESHING ICED TEA Servings: 4–6 1 quart fresh, filtered water, cold 8–10 black or green tea bags Bring filtered water to a full boil in teapot. Remove from heat and add 8–10 tea bags per quart. Steep for three to five minutes and pour over ice cubes or into additional cold water, based on desired taste.

To serve, pour into tall glasses filled with ice; garnish with lemon or mint and sweeten as desired.

Recipe courtesy of the Tea Council of the USA

DARJEELING TEA BARK Servings: 8 1 pound finely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate 2 tablespoons coarsely ground or crushed Darjeeling tea leaves Line baking sheet with parchment or silicone baking mat.

In top of double boiler over low heat, melt chocolate, stirring frequently, until 3/4 choco­late pieces are melted, only slightly warm to the touch. Remove pan from heat.

Stir in tea leaves; continue stirring until chocolate is melted and tea is evenly distributed.

Pour mixture onto baking sheet and spread evenly to 1/8-inch thick­ ness. Let come to room temperature, allowing bark to solidify, about four hours. When set, break into pieces.

Store in airtight, covered container at room temperature.

Recipe courtesy of Culinary Tea

by Cynthia Gold, copyright © 2010.

Reprinted by permission of Running Press, a member of The Perseus Books Group.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE LEGATO