Florida Courier - May 24, 2013

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A history lesson on Morehouse College

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MAY 24 - MAY 30, 2013

VOLUME 21 NO. 21

A MOREHOUSE MAN In a speech to more than 500 graduates of America’s only allmale historically Black college or university, President Obama focused on personal responsibility and ‘no excuses’ as the keys to success.

President Obama, accompanied by Morehouse College President John Sylvanus Wilson, Jr., waves to graduates, family and friends attending the college’s 129th commencement ceremony in Atlanta.

address, Obama urged For full coverage about Obama at Morehouse, read graduates headed to law Page A3 through A6 and B1. school to make sure they “defend the powerless” during their careers. He COMPILED FROM WIRE said new physicians should AND STAFF REPORTS find ways to “heal folks in communiATLANTA – President underserved ties,” and business school Obama urged Morehouse College graduates to use graduates should consider their education to help oth- “putting people to work, or ers and to work for “some- transforming a neighborthing larger than yourself,” hood.” citing the example of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Lu- ‘Widen your circle’ ther King Jr., a Morehouse Obama said his own sucalumnus. cesses have depended less In his commencement on his Ivy League degrees

and grades than on “the special obligation I felt, as a Black man like you, to help those who needed it most...

So it’s up to you to widen your circle of concern.”

Obama spoke to about 500 graduates and their families, and thousands of alumni and other onlookers. He and the school’s top leadership remained dry onstage during his 32-minute address to the graduating class of 2013, while everyone else got soaking wet during an occasionally violent thunderstorm that started almost immediately after the event began.

Umbrellas were not allowed on site, so the college handed out clear plastic ponchos which did little to keep people dry.

“I see some moms and grandmas here, aunts, in their Sunday best, although they are upset about their hair getting messed up,” he See OBAMA, Page A2

Wyatt wins lawsuit against B-CU

2013 MOORE TORNADO

Other Reed-era lawsuits continue Read the judge’s legal decision at www.flcourier.com.

BY JAMES HARPER FLORIDA COURIER

Still alive

Gene Blevins/Zuma Press/MCT

A woman is pulled out from under the rubble in Moore, Okla., on May 20 after a tornado with peak winds of an estimated 210 miles per hour hit the town.

At least 24 people were killed, including at least nine children. Read Oklahoma native Karsceal Turner’s commentary about the tornado on Page A2.

DAYTONA BEACH – Former Bethune CookmanUniversity head football coach Alvin “Shine” Wyatt, Sr. won his breach of contract lawsuit against the Daytona Beach-based school and has been awarded almost $770,000. The decision was announced Wednesday after a non-jury trial that concluded May 17.

Wyatt’s case was just one of 13 state and federal lawsuits and administrative complaints filed in less than two years against the school – and personally against former B-CU President Trudie Kibbe Reed – as indicated in a nine-part investigative See WYATT, Page A2

Gov. Scott quietly signs elections bill FROM THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

FLORIDA COURIER FILES

With new election changes, legislators hope that long voting lines are a thing of Florida’s past.

ALSO INSIDE

Gov. Rick Scott’s office confirmed Tuesday that he quietly signed a bill Monday aimed at cleaning up the voting problems that plagued parts of the state during the November elections.

Scott apparently signed the legislation (HB 7013) before heading to Chile for a trade mission. But the governor’s office didn’t announce the signing until Tuesday afternoon.

Fixes problems Elections reform vaulted to the top of legislative priorities after the November problems, which included some Florida voters not casting ballots until after television networks had projected President Barack Obama the winner nationwide. It also took days before Obama was declared the winner in Florida.

The bill would allow up to 14 days for early voting, though local supervisors could remain at the current eight days, and allows for more flexibility with early voting sites. It would limit the length of some ballot summaries for constitutional amendments.

And it would dissolve a committee that sets the date of the presidential primary and in-

SNAPSHOTS FLORIDA | B2

Coalition of Black Trade Unionists meet in Orlando

See SCOTT, Page A2

Residents urged to prepare for hurricane season BUSINESS | B3

Cramming gains foothold in cell-phone marketplace FINEST | B5

Meet Jasmine

COMMENTARY: CHARLES W. CHERRY II: Obama’s Morehouse speech gets a ‘B-minus’ grade | A4 GUEST COMMENTARY: Betsegaw Tadele: ‘we shall remember this day’ | A4

FOCUS

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MAY 24 – MAY 30, 2013

Requiem for my fellow Oklahomans People speak of the awesomeness of the movie “Twister.” For me, the movie evoked nightmares of my childhood, which entailed hearing the wail of a tornado siren while watching the news for any indication of where it was headed.

I recall vividly the wonder and terror rolled up in one package.

Happy my neighborhood was spared. Saddened by neighbors who lost every possession and those who lost their lives. As a teen, I wanted to become a storm chaser; instead I became a writer.

As a native of Oklahoma now living in Florida, I am flattened by the devastation, which occurred in my native state on May 20. I will attempt to give an account.

Happened again On May 3, 1999, 46 people were killed during an outbreak that tore through Oklahoma, the strongest of which was an EF5 that hit the towns of Moore, Bridge Creek, Newcastle, Midwest City and Del City. On Monday, nearly 14 years after Moore was destroyed by an EF5 tornado, it happened again.

The new Fujita scale, implemented in 2007, has six catego-

How it happens Karsceal Turner GUEST COMMENTARY

ries from zero to five, representing increasing degrees of damage by a tornado. Just like in the movie “Twister” an EF5 equates to the finger of GOD. As of the time I finally put the pen down, there were 24 dead, including nine children, from the largest tornado I’ve ever heard of in my life. It was billed as an EF5 with winds from 166 to 200 mph. The thing was two miles wide. Can you imagine a two-mile mass of swirling air coming at you? I hope you never have to.

The worst part of this ordeal to me is the helplessness I feel by not being there to help in the effort. I have made use of my immediate family, specifically my older brother Zack Phillips III. He is a utility worker in Oklahoma City (“OKC”) and is involved in the cleanup effort. Moore, the seventh-largest city in Oklahoma, is part of the OKC metro area.

Why do storms happen in the “Tornado Alley” states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri? It’s a battle of warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico colliding with dry air from the Southwest or the Rocky Mountains triggering thunderstorms and tornadoes.

How silly of me to think I could escape tornadoes on the beaches of the Sunshine State. I arrived in Florida in 1990 via my first duty station in the U.S. Navy. Although I’ve now lived in Florida for 20 years, it wasn’t the reprieve from twisters I’d hoped it to be.

The tornadoes found me.

My first experience was on Feb. 22, 1998, when seven tornadoes ripped through Central Florida, killing 42 people. This was the deadliest outbreak of twisters in Florida’s history and I was here for it.

Nearly a decade later, twisters would chase me again in Daytona Beach as four Christmas Day tornadoes in 2006 damaged hundreds of Florida homes, flipped airplanes at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and tore roofs off three apartment buildings. That one was only an F2 (winds of 113 mph to 157 mph).

At the time, I lived directly up

WYATT from A1 series published from June through September 2011 in the Florida Courier entitled “Crisis at B-CU.” There were legal actions filed by longtime professors, the former men’s basketball head coach, former football head coach Wyatt, and a former student who said she was raped by a group of basketball players and that the university tried to cover it up.

Serious issues The series also revealed that during Reed’s presidency, B-CU was on the American Association of University Professors’ list of “censured administrations,” which means that conditions for academic freedom and tenure are unsatisfactory at a college or university. B-CU was one of only 49 institutions nationwide on the censure list at the time and has yet to be removed.

The Florida Courier also published the results of a previously secret 360-degree presidential evaluation report that criticized Reed’s performance and that prescribed strong medicine to fix what ailed B-CU. Reed retired less than a year after the series was published, and was replaced by current B-CU President Dr. Edison Jackson.

FLORIDA COURIER FILES

Former Bethune-Cookman University head football coach Alvin “Shine” Wyatt, Sr. lost to FAMU and lost his job, but won his lawsuit.

Common theme The plaintiffs filing the lawsuits against B-CU were terminated for various justifiable reasons, at least from the school’s perspective – for criminal activity, for having sex with students, for abandoning the job, for poor performance, for falsifying academic cre-

OBAMA from A1 joked. “Michelle would not be sitting in the rain. She has taught me about hair.”

Serious talk “Just as Morehouse has taught you to expect more of yourselves, inspire those who look up to you to expect more of themselves, he explained.

“We know that too many young men in our community continue to make bad choices. And I have to say, growing up, I made quite a few myself.

“Sometimes I wrote off my own failings as just another example of the world trying to keep a Black man down. I had a tendency sometimes to make excuses for me not doing the right thing. But one of the things that all of you have learned over the last four years is there’s no longer any room for excuses.”

Obama said that having a degree doesn’t mean everything will be just fine.

“What was needed in (Morehouse President Dr. Benjamin E. Mays’) time, that spirit of excellence, and hard work, and dedication, and no excuses is needed now more than ever. If you think you can just get over in this economy just because you have a Morehouse degree, you’re in for a rude awakening. But if you stay hungry, if you keep hustling, if you keep on your grind and get other folks to do the same, nobody can stop you,” Obama exclaimed.

Then he turned personal, telling graduates to properly prioritize their lives.

dentials.

But almost all of the lawsuits, including Wyatt’s, have common themes – that the individuals filing the lawsuit were all terminated from B-CU improperly, either in violation of the school’s own procedure, their employment contracts – or both.

Wyatt successfully claim-

the block from Sutton Place, one of the apartment complexes that were partially demolished. But once again, I was spared.

Season starts Hurricane season begins on June 1 and lasts half the year for people in the Southeast. Unbeknownst to many of you, Florida actually reports a high number and density of tornadoes but not like those at home, which erase towns from the map.

Newsflash! Florida is the thunderstorm capital of the United States with the most thunderstorms per square mile, and some of those storms produce tornadoes. July is generally the most active tornado month in Florida.

Florida’s hurricanes can also pawn tornadoes. According to tornado expert Dr. Greg Forbes, Florida was No.1 on his list of tornado states. The combination of the spring tornado season and summer and fall hurricane season creates an almost year-round tornado threat for Florida.

I pray my Floridian neighbors take heed and better prepare for the impending season, which focuses on hurricanes – which spawn tornadoes.

I prepared a poem titled “Fin-

ing that B-CU breached his employment contract and was seeking more than $800,000 in contractual damages. That includes five years of his base salary of $90,000 per year, plus money allegedly due to him from TV appearances and other guaranteed income.

The suit also charged Bethune-Cookman with age discrimination under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act. Wyatt was 62 at the time he was terminated.

Wyatt signed a contract extension in 2005 that renewed itself annually with a satisfactory evaluation. Wyatt claimed that B-CU did not follow the terms and conditions of the contract, and refused to pay him the contractual benefits he was promised after he was terminated.

Circuit Court Judge Terrance Perkins agreed, though Wyatt didn’t get everything he asked for, including medical payments, TV payments and additional retirement benefits. Perkins also found no evidence that Wyatt was fired due to his age.

‘Classic’ casualty Bethune-Cookman University did not renew Wyatt’s contract after the Wildcats were dismantled at the 2009 Florida Classic by archrival Florida A&M University 42-6 at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

In a statement released soon after the game, B-

Wins, losses Wyatt spent 13 seasons as the head coach at his alma mater. He compiled a record of 90-54 with a .620 winning percentage. But over the last four seasons – from 2006-2009 – he was 23-21 with three 5-6 seasons.

The Wildcats had eight straight winning seasons under Wyatt from 1998 to 2005. He had been the winningest coach in school history.

In 2002, Wyatt led the Wildcats to an 11-1 record overall and won the MEAC at 7-1 and had a berth in the I-AA (now FCS) playoffs.

Had his critics Still, fans and critics had criticized Wyatt for years.

Many questioned his offensive system, the “Wyattbone’’ offense – a triple option/wing-T running at-

‘Discomforting pattern’

“I know that when I am on my deathbed someday, I will not be thinking about any particular legislation I passed; I will not be thinking about a policy I promoted; I will not be thinking about the speech I gave, I will not be thinking the Nobel Prize I received,” he said.

“I will be thinking about that walk I took with my daughters. I’ll be thinking about a lazy afternoon with my wife. I’ll be thinking about sitting around the dinner table and seeing them happy and healthy and knowing that they were loved. And I’ll be thinking about whether I did right by all of them.”

After receiving an honorary doctor of laws degree, Obama quickly left the campus through a nearby classroom building. Later that afternoon, he attended a Democratic Party $10,000-perplate fundraiser sponsored by Atlanta Falcons pro football franchise owner Arthur Blank, founder of The Home Depot.

The Atlantic columnist Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote, “...some day historians will pore over (Obama’s) many speeches to Black audiences. They will see a president who sought to hold Black people accountable for their communities, but was disdainful of those who looked at him and sought the same…. those historians will see a discomfiting pattern of convenient race-talk….I think the president owes Black people more than this.”

On the Black Agenda Report website, commentator Tim Wise fumed, “..Obama knows how demanding a school Morehouse is. So to preach hard work to these men, as if they had never heard of it – as if they now intended to kick back and wait for things to be handed to them – is to not only insult their intelligence, but also to feed every vicious stereotype already held by too many White Americans about Black males, no matter how educated.”

Columnist Margaret Kimberley also castigated Obama.

“The poor graduates were not only forced to sit in a driving rain but were also insulted by a rank and ambitious politician...the president felt compelled to point out that there are Black people who make excuses, and don’t take care of their kids, and make bad choices and blah, blah and oh yes, blah...the Black people in the audience were part of the stage setting for the real audience, which was totally White.”

Response to Obama’s speech, though generally positive, was not universal.

Some commentators especially took offense at Obama’s call for “no excuses,” and his silence about whether the federal government had any responsibility to help improve conditions in Black America.

Georgetown University law professor Paul Butler told BlackAmericaWeb. com Obama’s address didn’t go far enough and that Obama should have told Morehouse students that he’s “sorry” for not doing more for Black men.

Karsceal Turner is a freelance writer. Click on this story at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.

CU Athletic Director Lynn Thompson praised Wyatt – after Reed, who testified at the trial that firing Wyatt was her decision alone, booted Wyatt out the door.

“Today marks the end of an era in Wildcat football that many have enjoyed and celebrated. Alvin Wyatt has been the epitome of a B-CU Wildcat. He has given so much to this university and it will be a tremendous challenge to find the right person to build on his legacy and take the Wildcat football program to new heights,” Thompson stated then.

‘Lazy afternoon’

Some naysayers

ger of GOD” to emphasize my feelings as I fought through tears this week: The morning of May 20 was normal. By the same afternoon, 24 people went to meet their maker.

ROBBED of life by the fury of a springtime Oklahoma twister…

After such devastation, believers lean and cling to the notion of this being the Lord’s will…in wake of the catastrophic still….

Cleanup has begun, but there isn’t a way to clean up dozens of lives affected…except thru embrace of a love from the heavens.

Indeed, even as we brace for another dose of the terror in the region known as Tornado Alley… with hands folded, I reflect on the fact that this could have happened to ANYONE in this great country.

And so I pray…This is why I pray, knowing full well, the Lord gives and the Lord takes away…

Still, ain’t no way of knowing what the Higher Power has in store for TODAY! Respect the finger of GOD.

Paul Richter of the Tribune Washington Bureau/MCT contributed to this report.

tack – saying it had become predicable and easy to defense.

At the 2009 Florida Classic, Wyatt’s last as head coach, the Wyattbone yielded dismal results. B-CU did not get a first down on its first four possessions and did not score until the final seven minutes of the game.

The Wildcats’ offense put up pitiful numbers during the 2009 Classic battle. BCU only managed 83 rushing yards and 259 total offensive yards, and committed three interceptions.

They finished 5-6 overall and 4-4 in the MEAC – the team’s third losing season in the last four years of Wyatt’s career.

New coach takes reins Soon after the Classic loss, a selection committee made up of coaches, former players, staff members and others put together by Reed fielded 87 applicants for the position. Five hopefuls were interviewed.

In December 2009, after nearly a two-month vacancy period, the school hired 39-year-old former Rutgers University wide receivers coach Brian Jenkins.

Since his arrival in Daytona Beach, Jenkins has compiled an overall record of 27-8, and a 21-3 mark in MEAC play. He has helped the Wildcats to two MEAC titles and two playoff appearances and has been named the MEAC Coach of the Year twice.

SCOTT from A1 stead require that vote be held on the first Tuesday that complies with party rules. Both Republican and Democratic delegations to national conventions lost members over the last several years as Florida vied for earlier primary dates.

Not far enough?

Democrats had consistently pushed for more far-reaching changes, arguing that the bill was essentially a series of tweaks and didn’t fix all the problems that they blamed on a 2011 law that restricted early voting and included a slew of other changes to Florida elections.

But most good-government groups applauded this year’s bill for the changes it made, and it nonetheless passed the House twice with all Democrats supporting it.

“Sometimes it felt like climbing a mountain with concrete boots, but with the governor’s signature on this election reform package, Florida has achieved what many of us thought at one time might be impossible: a huge improvement to our democratic process and a giant step forward for Florida voters,” said Deirdre MacNab, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida.

Except for a provision making sure the state’s gift ban for committees of continuous existence doesn’t lapse, which kicks in immediately, the bill takes effect Jan. 1.

BARACK OBAMA AT MOREHOUSE COLLEGE

MAY 24 – MAY 30, 2013

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Morehouse College – a history COMPILED FROM STAFF REPORTS

In 1867, two years after the Civil War ended, Augusta Theological Institute was established in the basement of Springfield Baptist Church in Augusta, Ga. Founded in 1787, Springfield Baptist is the oldest independent African-American church in the United States. The school’s primary purpose was to prepare Black men for ministry and teaching.

Today, Augusta Theological Institute is Morehouse College, located on a 66-acre campus in Atlanta. It enjoys an international reputation for producing leaders who have influenced national and world history.

Augusta Theological Institute was founded by the Rev. William Jefferson White, an Augusta Baptist minister, cabinetmaker and journalist, with the encouragement of The Rev. Richard C. Coulter, a former slave from Augusta, Ga., and The Rev. Edmund Turney, organizer of the National Theological Institute for educating freedmen in Washington, D.C.

Led by ministers From 1867 to 1871, White appointed five ministers to serve as Augusta Institute principals. White appointed the Rev. Dr. Joseph T. Robert, a trained minister and physician and the son of the author of “Robert’s Rules of Order,” the Institute’s first president.

In 1879, Augusta Theological Institute was invited

by The Rev. Frank Quarles to move to the basement of Friendship Baptist Church in Atlanta and changed its name to Atlanta Baptist Seminary. Later, the Seminary moved to a four-acre

lot in downtown Atlanta.

Following Robert’s death in 1884, David Foster Estes, a professor at the Seminary, served as the institution’s first acting president.

In 1885, when Dr. Samuel T. Graves was named the second president, the institution relocated to its current site in Atlanta’s West End community. The campus encompasses a Civil War historic site, a gift of John D. Rockefeller, where Confederate soldiers staged a determined resistance to Union forces during William Tecumseh Sherman’s famous siege of Atlanta in 1864.

In 1897, Atlanta Baptist Seminary became Atlanta Baptist College during the administration of Dr. George Sale, a Canadian who served as the third and youngest president from 1890 to 1906.

First Black president A new era dawned with the appointment of Dr. John Hope as the fourth president in 1906. A pioneer in the field of education and civil rights, he was the College’s first African-American president.

Hope, a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brown University, encouraged an intellectual climate comparable to what he had known at his alma mater. He openly challenged Booker T. Washington’s view that education for African-Americans should emphasize vocational and agricultural skills.

Atlanta Baptist College expanded its curriculum and established the tradition of educating leaders for all areas of American life. In addition to attracting a large number of talented faculty and administrators, Hope contributed much to the institution we

know today.

In 1913, Atlanta Baptist College was named Morehouse College in honor of Henry L. Morehouse, the corresponding secretary of the Northern Baptist Home Mission Society.

former president of the Interdenominational Theological Center. Prior to coming to Morehouse, Franklin served as Presidential Distinguished Professor of Social Ethics at the Candler School of Theology and senior fellow at the Center for the Study of Law and Religion, both at Emory University.

Colors chosen Dr. Samuel H. Archer became the fifth president of the College in 1931 and headed the institution during the Great Depression.

He gave the school its maroon and white colors – the same as those of his alma mater, Colgate University.

Archer retired for health reasons in 1937.

Dr. Charles D. Hubert served as the second acting president until 1940, when Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays became the sixth president of Morehouse College.

A nationally noted educator and a mentor to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Class of 1948, Mays is recognized as the architect of Morehouse’s international reputation for excellence in scholarship, leadership and service.

During the presidency of Mays – a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Bates College and the University of Chicago – the number of faculty members grew and the percentage holding doctoral degrees increased from two to 34 out of 65 teachers. The College earned global recognition as scholars from other countries joined the faculty, international students enrolled, and fellowships and scholarships for study abroad became available.

Morehouse received full accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1957, and Mays’ 14-year effort to win a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa at Morehouse was realized in 1968.

‘Five Wells’

CHARLES W. CHERRY II / FLORIDA COURIER

Chayla Cherry, Cole Williams and Charles W. Cherry III visited the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel, one of the iconic sites on the Morehouse College campus.

First alumnus In 1967, Dr. Hugh Morris Gloster, Class of 1931, became the first alumnus to serve as president of the College. Under his leadership, Morehouse strengthened its board of trustees, expanded the endowment to more than $29 million and added 12 buildings to the campus, including the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel and the B.T. Harvey Stadium.

Morehouse established a dual-degree program in engineering with the Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Michigan and Boston University. Gloster founded the Morehouse School of Medicine, which became an independent institution in 1981. He appointed Dr. Louis Wade Sullivan its first dean; Sullivan later became the school’s first president.

In 1987, Dr. Leroy Keith Jr., Class of 1961, was named eighth president of Morehouse. The College’s endowment increased to more than $60 million, and faculty salaries and student scholarships significantly increased. Construction of the Nabrit-Mapp-McBay Science Building was completed, and Thomas Kilgore Jr. Campus Center and two dormitories were built.

First Rhodes Scholar

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In 1994, Nima A. Warfield, Class of 1994, was named a Rhodes Scholar, the first from a historically Black college. Under Keith’s leadership, the “A Candle in the Dark” Gala was founded in 1989 to raise scholarship funds.

In October 1994, Dr. Wiley Abron Perdue, Class of 1957 and vice president for business affairs, was appointed the third acting president of Morehouse. Under his leadership, national memorials were erected to honor Dr. Benjamin E. Mays and internationally noted theologian Dr. Howard W. Thurman, Class of 1923. Perdue launched an initiative to upgrade the College’s academic and administrative computer information systems and undertook construction of a 5,700-seat gymnasium to provide a basketball venue for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.

On June 1, 1995, Dr. Walter Eugene Massey, Class of 1958, took office as the ninth president of Morehouse College. A noted physicist and college administrator, Massey called on the Morehouse community to renew its longstanding commitment to a culture of excellence.

Before joining the College, Massey held several notable positions, including senior vice president and provost of the University of California System, di-

rector of the National Science Foundation and director of the Argonne National Laboratory.

Expanded programs Morehouse expanded its dual-degree program in natural sciences with Georgia Institute of Technology; launched the Center for Excellence in Science, Engineering and Mathematics with a $6.7 million U.S. Defense Department grant; and established a new African-American Studies and a Center for International Studies named for former U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young.

The College was reaccredited by the Southern Association of Colleges of Schools, and the Division of Business Administration and Economics was accredited by the America Association of Schools and Colleges of Business, making Morehouse one of only a handful of liberal arts colleges in the nation with both AASCB accreditation and a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.

Construction was completed on Davidson House Center for Excellence, which serves as the president’s official residence and houses a mini-conference center on its lower level.

In 2005, a new Leadership Center (named the Walter E. Massey Leadership Center in 2012) was opened, with a comprehensive conference center, the Executive Conference Center (named the Shirley A. Massey Executive Conference Center in 2012). Other additions included the John H. Hopps Technology Tower, a 500car parking deck and an expanded campus bookstore.

Renovations were made to several dormitories, classroom buildings, Archer Hall Recreation Center, Chivers-Lane Dining Hall and the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel. Also during his tenure, the College produced its second and third Rhodes Scholars: Chris Elders, Class of 2002, and Oluwabusayo “Tope” Folarin, Class of 2004.

$100 million-plus In June 2006, the College successfully completed Morehouse’s most ambitious capital campaign – raising a record $118 million. The same year, Morehouse became the permanent custodian of the coveted Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection, which includes more than 13,000 handwritten notes, sermons, letters, books and other artifacts belonging to its most noted alumnus.

On July 1, 2007, the Rev. Dr. Robert Michael Franklin Jr., Class of 1975, took office as the 10th president of Morehouse College. He was

During his tenure, Franklin led the institution forward with his vision of the “Morehouse Renaissance,” which he accomplished in part by establishing the concept of the “Five Wells,” an ideal to cultivate men of Morehouse as “Renaissance men with social conscience and global perspective” who are well-read, well-spoken, well-traveled, well-dressed and well-balanced.

Under Franklin’s leadership, the College reaffirmed its commitment to academic vigor, qualified by re-accreditation in 2009 by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The Quality Enhancement Plan focused on internationalization, global learning and world perspective. In a project initiated by Massey, Franklin oversaw the completion and opening of the $20 million Ray Charles Performing Arts Center and Music Academic Building, a 75,000-square-foot facility named after the late legendary musician.

Franklin led and supported cultivation efforts that increased the total number of new donors by an average of 1,000 per year. The College generated in excess of $128 million since 2007 in grants and contracts, private fundraising and federal appropriations.

In January 2013, Dr. Willis B. Sheftall, Class of 1964, served the College as acting president, before returning to the position of interim vice president for Academic Affairs and interim provost.

Wilson onboard On January 28, 2013, Dr. John Silvanus Wilson Jr., Class of 1979, took office as the 11th president of Morehouse College. Wilson previously served as the executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), which serves as the liaison among HBCUs, the White House, 32 federal agencies, and the private corporate and philanthropic sectors.

Wilson’s career in education began in 1985 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he served for 16 years in various roles and ultimately as the director of Foundation Relations. In this role, he helped to manage two record-breaking capital campaigns, with combined results approaching $3 billion.

In 2001, his career led him to the George Washington University, where he served for eight years, filling such critical leadership roles as an executive dean and an associate professor. His research focused on best practices for the sustainability and stability of colleges and universities, as well as transformative advancement and finance in higher education.

After graduating from Morehouse, Wilson continued his education at Harvard University, where he earned master’s degrees in theological studies and education, as well as a doctorate in education, with a focus on administration, planning and social policy.

As Morehouse prepares to celebrate its sesquicentennial in 2017, the College continues its long and unique history of delivering an exceptional educational experience that meets the intellectual, moral and social needs of students representing more than 40 states and 14 countries – a distinguished institution dedicated to producing outstanding men and extraordinary leaders to serve humanity.

BARACK OBAMA AT MOREHOUSE COLLEGE

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MAY 24 – MAY 30, 2013

‘We shall remember this day’

Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/MCT

President Barack Obama congratulates valedictorian Betsegaw Tadele after his valedictory speech at Morehouse College on May 19 in Atlanta.

Mr. President, illustrious leader of these United States; distinguished members of the platform party, faculty, staff, parents, guardians, and especially to my fellow classmates – Men of the Morehouse College graduating class of 2013 – ladies and gentlemen: WE SHALL REMEMBER THIS DAY.

Betsegaw Tadele GUEST COMMENTARY

Donning our gowns, straightening our caps, circling our necks with various representations of the excellence of our four-year journey, marching proud-

ly across a campus we have come to know and to love so well – Oh, we shall remember this day!

We came in as freshmen – marching together to be “welcomed to the House,” marching together to orientation sessions, marching together to divisional meetings, and advisement sessions, and finally to that in-

famous Parents Parting Ceremony where we said goodbye to our childhood and “girded up our loins” to engage the challenges of becoming a man.

Today, as graduating seniors, we came into this place – again marching together, brother to brother, but this time to leave to go our separate ways – to blaze new trails, to ford new streams, to chisel new stones into masterpieces that will leave the places where they stand better than we found them.

WE SHALL REMEMBER THIS DAY...

As we leave, to go out into a world that is sure to test our mettle, scrutinize our strong academic preparation, and challenge our resolve to lead lives not for our own glorification, but for service to others.

For we are world changers because we do not hesitate to recognize that though the world has come a long way, we still dare to imagine a better world – free of poverty, free of corruption, free of social ills, free of debilitating disease, and free of man’s inhumanity to man.

We dare to imagine a world where we are literally reaching for the stars.

We dare to imagine a world where we can all live harmoniously with one another.

And, yes, we dare to imagine a world where brotherhood and sisterhood characterize all human relationships.

WE SHALL REMEMBER THIS DAY….

Because our parents and guardians, our teachers and our mentors, our role models and our trailblazers made it possible for us to achieve and encouraged us to excel in arenas never engaged before. Today, we must say, “ Thank you!”

WE SHALL REMEMBER THIS DAY… Because this Commencement, this glorious day of celebration and exultation gave us the rare opportunity to be among the few graduates anywhere who will remember 50 years from now who was their Commencement speaker.

We can never forget that on this day, we the men of the 2013 graduating class of Morehouse College were privileged and honored to hear words of indescribable inspiration from one who demonstrates every day that there is no “impossible” and there is no “unbelievable” and there is no “unachiev-

able” if you have the audacity to hope –words lived out every day by President Barack Hussein Obama.

It is this daring attitude, this willingness to challenge the naysayers and the scoffers that will take us – members of the dynamic Morehouse College graduating class of 2013 – to places never dreamed before, all because we came to an institution called Morehouse College, all because we came to a place that enabled us to grow, develop, achieve, believe, and excel.

And for this, our hearts will forever sing: Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit Make us steadfast, honest, true, To old Morehouse and her ideals, And in all things that we do.

Betesegaw Tadele, a native of Ethiopia, was a computer science major who graduated from Morehouse College with a 3.99 grade point average.

He will soon begin working as a software tester for Microsoft Corporation.

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

Obama’s Morehouse speech gets a ‘B-minus’ grade This year, I celebrated the 35th anniversary of graduation from Morehouse College. Coincidentally, President Barack Obama spoke at the 129th Commencement celebration of my beloved alma mater. (Given my consistent criticism of Bro. Prez’s policies, God obviously has a sense of humor.)

As a member of a class “in reunion,” I was one of the hundreds of Morehouse alumni who were there front and center. I could see, hear, and ‘feel’ the live interchange between Bro. Prez and the listening audience.

I also watched the speech again online prior to writing this analysis. (We linked it at www.flcourier.com.)

My evaluation:

Speech development: A His speech had almost everything: offthe cuff observations; sharp details that were highly relevant to the primary listening audience; touches and flourishes that a primarily Black audience could understand. There was also enough ‘general’ content and references to America and other racial groups as befitting the man who, as we are told so nauseatingly often, is “the president of the United States, not the president of Black America.”

Bro. Prez paid homage to Morehouse’s history and acknowledged the new graduates’ immediate desire to make money, but still challenged them in relevant ways.

As is now traditional, he personalized his main points by pointing out three success stories of Morehouse Men in the graduating class: one who was a father of three who graduated on his third try; one who grew up in a foster home, then became an outstanding scholar who will attend an Ivy League law school; and one who helped desegregate the University of Georgia and was returning for his 50-year class reunion.

Obama turned personal, and reflected on what was most important in his life; not fame, but family. And he took his time, speaking for more than 30 minutes.

Thematically and stylistically, it was a very good address – other than the glaring lack of specific relevant policies outlined below.

Policy content: D Bro. Prez blew a major opportunity. And because he’s the U.S. president, policy content is weighted higher than all the other evaluation factors.

There is no place on earth that is more historically and progressively Black, male, and righteous than Morehouse College – the home of Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, Dr. Howard Thurman, MLK, and too many Black male pioneers and barrier-breakers to count. The president was at the epicenter, the “Mecca” of assertive and principled Black manhood on this planet.

If this wasn’t the place to lay down a ‘doctrine’ concerning the issues causing disproportionate pain in Black America, especially among men and boys – unemployment, massive incarceration, dysfunctional education, etc. – what was? If not at Morehouse, where?

If not to “Morehouse Men” – the closest thing Bro. Prez will have to a highly accomplished “band of brothers” who completely understand the hell he’ll catch over eight years – to whom? (Remember when he advocated his “justifiable war” doctrine in 2009 when he received the Nobel Peach Prize?)

His speech was heavy on personal responsibility – ironic, given the personal and professional achievements of gen-

quick takes from #2: straight, no chaser

Eye contact, gestures, facial expression: A

He kept effective contact with the audience. His gestures were appropriate and his facial expressions were more relaxed than usual, given the general friendliness of the PUBLISHER audience. (Some people started lining up at 3 a.m. for a speech that was scheduled to erations of the Morehouse Men Bro. Prez start at approximately 11:45 a.m.) highlighted in the speech – including some who were in the rain-soaked audience. He Enthusiasm: A preached to the proverbial choir.

He had a good time. He chuckled during But the speech was light on governmental policy and proposed actions. And the impromptu remarks, and put his head back government still does have responsibil- and laughed a few times at the reaction of ity to even the economic playing field in the audience to some the things he said. an America in which these newly-minted Morehouse graduates will earn about 76 Audience response: B cents for every dollar a White male graduThe most enthusiastic response was from ate with equivalent education and experi- the graduates and their families, not older ence will earn.

Morehouse alumni.

Here’s a key passage: Historically, Morehouse students have “My job, as president, is to advocate for been notoriously tough on speakers, much policies that generate more opportuni- like the traditional Apollo Theater audience ty for everybody – policies that strengthen is tough on performers. At least one-third the middle class and give more people the of the alumni present had Dr. Benjamin E. chance to climb their way into the middle Mays, one of the greatest speakers in hisclass. Policies that create more good jobs tory, as their president during their Moreand reduce poverty, and educate more chil- house College tenures. Mays spoke often to dren, and give more families the security of students during his presidential era. health care, and protect more of our children Given the world-class quality of speakfrom the horrors of gun violence. That’s my ers, including teachers, administrators, job. Those are matters of public policy, and ministers, and guest lecturers who reguit is important for all of us Black, White and larly appear at Morehouse, Obama had big Brown – to advocate for an America where shoes to fill. He did well enough. everybody has got a fair shot in life.”

It is not enough for a president to advo- Details, nuances, language: A+ cate (definition: “to recommend publicly”).

Obama used buzzwords, jargon, and culA president must LEAD (definition: “to intural references that were very familiar to fluence, induce or cause”). And on so many issues that are critically important to Black the Morehouse audience, the largely, Black America, Obama has “advocated” and not audience at the event, and to the extended “led.” His speech confirmed to me that he Black American audience watching online doesn’t believe that “leadership” is his pri- or on television.

“You can tell a Morehouse man, but you mary function as president. Really? can’t tell him much;” a “trifling roommate;”

Charles W. Cherry II, Esq.

the “Morehouse Mystique;” the reference to “our brothers” who don’t have similar opportunities; “keep hustling, keep on your grind;” and he congratulated the allmale graduates for not getting distracted by all-female Spelman College. All of these were instantly familiar to everyone there.

He spoke about Black women “getting their hair messed up” in the rain and said First Lady Michelle Obama “told him about hair” – an allusion to Black women’s general aversion to getting their perms drowned by a few drops of water. It was a wink and a nod to Black culture without being overtly racial. (Expect right wingnut criticism anyway.)

Voice: AIn the beginning of his speech, he devolved into the fake Black Southern preacher style complete with a “moan” and a drawl (“…the Morehouse fam-leh,” and “it’s a Sun-deh” instead of “it’s a Sunday”). That’s something he has done before in front of predominately Black audiences.

He told the old “summa cum laude, magna cum laude, thank you laude” graduation joke. (Many of us laughed at the fact that he actually said it.)

I criticized him when he got “preacherly” when he delivered his MLK Memorial dedication speech in Washington, D.C. in 2011. However, perhaps due to situational awareness, he corrected himself about two minutes into the speech and finished it in his normal cadence and accent. He does get credit for catching himself.

Next week: “In the bosom of the brotherhood”

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

General preparation: A Obama is a speaking machine, and rarely flubs speeches in public. He used only one Teleprompter, to his left, instead of the two he typically uses. I couldn’t tell if this was the first or second time he had gone over the speech, or if he had practiced it for days before he actually delivered it. And that’s one of qualities of a well-prepared speaker.

Effectiveness and value: BHe loses a full letter grade and more for the policy-free content of the speech. Still, the speech has symbolic value to counter the narrative of the violent, savage Black American male that is prevalent around the world, even in Africa. This wasn’t the 1995 Million Man March. But the image of mostly Black, all-male graduates on one side, and older, accomplished alumni wearing white Panama hats on the other, was still powerful.

Situational awareness: B Bro. Prez gave the entire speech during a driving thunderstorm, including loud, rumbling thunder and lightning strikes. He used the inclement weather in the speech, humorously acknowledging the audience’s discomfort and blaming it on the notorious stubbornness of the Morehouse Men who decided that the event would be outside, come hell or literally high water.

(Floridians live in the lightning capital of the world; we know the danger. I know someone who was killed by a lightning strike. Here, the event would’ve been immediately stopped. Obama could have asked that the event be cancelled for public safety, a decision I would have fully supported.)

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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MAY 24 – MAY 30, 2013

BARACK OBAMA AT MOREHOUSE COLLEGE

‘Nobody can stop you’

Here are edited excerpts of President Obama’s speech to the Morehouse College Class of 2013, delivered on May 19 in Atlanta during a driving thunderstorm.

Graduates, I am humbled to stand here with all of you as an honorary Morehouse Man. I finally made it. And as I do, I’m mindful of an old saying: “You can always tell a Morehouse Man – but you can’t tell him much.” And that makes my task a little more difficult.

But I think it also reflects the sense of pride that’s always been part of this school’s tradition.

Benjamin Mays, who served as the president of Morehouse for almost 30 years, understood that tradition better than anybody.

He said, “It will not be sufficient for Morehouse College, for any college, for that matter, to produce clever graduates… but rather honest men, men who can be trusted in public and private life – men who are sensitive to the wrongs, the sufferings, and the injustices of society and who are willing to accept responsibility for correcting [those] ills.”

It was that mission – not just to educate men, but to cultivate good men, strong men, upright men – that brought community leaders together just two years after the end of the Civil War. They assembled a list of 37 men, free Blacks and freed slaves, who would make up the first prospective class of what later became Morehouse College. Most of those first students had a desire to become teachers and preachers – to better themselves so they could help others do the same.

A century and a half later, times have changed. But the “Morehouse Mystique” still endures.

Academic competition Some of you probably came here from communities where everybody looked like you. Others may have come here in search of a community. And I suspect that some of you probably felt a little bit of culture shock the first time you came together as a class in King Chapel.

All of a sudden, you weren’t the only high school sports captain, you weren’t the only student council president. You were suddenly in a group of high achievers, and that meant you were expected to do something more.

That’s the unique sense of purpose that this place has always infused – the conviction that this is a training ground not only for individual success, but for leadership that can change the world.

Dr. King was just 15 years old when he enrolled here at Morehouse. He was an unknown, undersized, unassuming young freshman

who lived at home with his parents. And I think it’s fair to say he wasn’t the coolest kid on campus – for the suits he wore, his classmates called him “Tweed.” But his education at Morehouse helped to forge the intellect, the discipline, the compassion, the soul force that would transform America.

No fear

you can buy instead of what good you can do. So, yes, go get that law degree. But if you do, ask yourself if the only option is to defend the rich and the powerful, or if you can also find some time to defend the powerless.

Sure, go get your MBA, or start that business. We need Black businesses out there.

But ask yourselves what broader purpose your business might serve, in putting people to work, or transforming a neighborhood.

The most successful CEOs I know didn’t start out intent just on making money – rather, they had a vision of how their product or service would change things, and the money followed.

Some of you may be headed to medical school to become doctors. But make sure you heal folks in underserved communities who really need it, too. For generations, certain groups in this country – especially African-Americans – have been desperate in need of access to quality, affordable health care. And as a society, we’re finally beginning to change that.

But we’re going to need some doctors to make sure it works, too. We’ve got to make sure everybody has good health in this country. It’s not just good for you, it’s good for this country. hoods all across this coun- So you’re going to have to try – many of them heav- spread the word to your felily African-American – too low young people. few of our citizens have role models to guide them. Inspire others Communities just a couJust as Morehouse has ple miles from my house in taught you to expect more Chicago, communities just of yourselves, inspire those a couple miles from here – who look up to you to exthey’re places where jobs pect more of themselves. are still too scarce and wagWe know that too many es are still too low; where young men in our commuschools are underfunded nity continue to make bad and violence is pervasive; choices. And I have to say, where too many of our men growing up, I made quite a spend their youth not be- few myself. hind a desk in a classroom, Sometimes I wrote off my but hanging out on the own failings as just another streets or brooding behind example of the world trying a jail cell. to keep a Black man down.

My job as president is to I had a tendency sometimes advocate for policies that to make excuses for me not generate more opportunity doing the right thing. But for everybody – policies that one of the things that all of strengthen the middle class you have learned over the and give more people the last four years is there’s no chance to climb their way longer any room for excusinto the middle class. Poli- es. cies that create more good I understand there’s a jobs and reduce poverty, common fraternity creed and educate more children, here at Morehouse: “Excusand give more families the es are tools of the incompesecurity of health care, and tent used to build bridges to protect more of our children nowhere and monuments from the horrors of gun vio- of nothingness.” Well, we’ve lence. got no time for excuses. Not Those are matters of pub- because the bitter legacy lic policy, and it is important of slavery and segregation for all of us – Black, White have vanished entirely; they and Brown – to advocate for have not. Not because racan America where every- ism and discrimination no body has got a fair shot in longer exist; we know those life. Not just some. Not just are still out there. a few.

It’s just that in today’s hyBut along with collective per-connected, hyper-comresponsibilities, we have petitive world, with millions individual responsibili- of young people from China ties. There are some things, and India and Brazil – many as Black men, we can only of whom started with a do for ourselves. There are whole lot less than all of you some things, as Morehouse did – all of them entering Men, that you are obliged to the global workforce alongdo for those still left behind. side you, nobody is going to As Morehouse Men, you give you anything that you now wield something even have not earned. more powerful than the diNobody cares how tough ploma you’re about to col- your upbringing was. Nolect – and that’s the power body cares if you suffered of your example. some discrimination. And So what I ask of you to- moreover, you have to reday is the same thing I ask member that whatevof every graduating class I er you’ve gone through, it address: Use that power for pales in comparison to the something larger than your- hardships previous generself. Live up to President ations endured – and they Mays’s challenge. Be “sen- overcame them. And if they sitive to the wrongs, the suf- overcame them, you can ferings, and the injustices overcome them, too. of society.” And be “willing to accept responsibility for Strong men correcting [those] ills.”

You now hail from a linI know that some of you eage and legacy of immeacame to Morehouse from surably strong men – men communities where life was who bore tremendous burabout keeping your head dens and still laid the stones down and looking out for for the path on which we yourself. Maybe you feel like now walk. you escaped, and now you You wear the mantle of can take your degree and Frederick Douglass and get that fancy job and the Booker T. Washington, and nice house and the nice car Ralph Bunche and Langston – and never look back.

Hughes, and George Wash-

It was here that he was introduced to the writings of Gandhi and Thoreau, and the theory of civil disobedience. It was here that professors encouraged him to look past the world as it was and fight for the world as it should be. And it was here, at Morehouse, as Dr. King later wrote, where “I realized that nobody…was afraid.”

Not even of some bad weather. (I added on that part.) I know it’s wet out there. But Dr. Wilson told me you all had a choice and decided to do it out here anyway. That’s a Morehouse Man talking.

Think about it. For Black men in the ‘40s and the ‘50s, the threat of violence, the constant humiliations, large and small, the uncertainty that you could support a family, the gnawing doubts borne of the Jim Crow culture that told you every day that somehow you were inferior, the temptation to shrink from the world, to accept your place, to avoid risks, to be afraid – that temptation was necessarily strong.

And yet, here, under the tutelage of men like Dr. Mays, young Martin learned to be unafraid. And he, in turn, taught others to be unafraid...he taught a nation to be unafraid.

And over the last 50 years, thanks to the moral force of Dr. King and a Moses generation that overcame their fear and their cynicism and their despair, barriers have come tumbling down, and new doors of opportunity have swung open, and laws and hearts and minds have been changed to the point where someone who looks just like you can somehow come to serve as president of these United States of America.

So the history we share should give you hope. The future we share should give you hope. You’re graduating into an improving job market. You’re living in a time when advances in technology and communication put the world at your fingertips. Your generation is uniquely poised for success Make that money unlike any generation of AfAnd don’t get me wrong rican-Americans that came – with all those student before it. loans you’ve had to take out, I know you’ve got to Work to do earn some money. With But that doesn’t mean we doors open to you that your don’t have work – because if parents and grandparents we’re honest with ourselves, could not even imagine, no we know that too few of our one expects you to take a brothers have the opportu- vow of poverty.

But I will say it betrays a nities that you’ve had here poverty of ambition if all you at Morehouse.

In troubled neighbor- think about is what goods

ington Carver and Ralph Abernathy and Thurgood Marshall, and, yes, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. These men...knew full well the role that racism played in their lives. But when it came to their own accomplishments and sense of purpose, they had no time for excuses.

Every one of you have a grandma or an uncle or a parent who’s told you that at some point in life, as an African-American, you have to

work twice as hard as anyone else if you want to get by. I think President Mays put it even better: He said, “Whatever you do, strive to do it so well that no man living and no man dead, and no man yet to be born can do it any better.”

What was needed in Dr. Mays’s time, that spirit of excellence, and hard work, and dedication, and no excuses is needed now more than ever. If you think you can just get over in this economy just because you have a Morehouse degree, you’re in for a rude awakening. But if you stay hungry, if you keep hustling, if you keep on your grind and get other folks to do the same – nobody can stop you.

Set an example And that’s what I’m asking all of you to do. Keep setting an example for what it means to be a man. Be the best husband to your wife, or your boyfriend, or your partner. Be the best father you can be to your children.

Because nothing is more important.

I was raised by a heroic single mom, wonderful grandparents – made incredible sacrifices for me.

And I know there are moms and grandparents here today who did the same thing for all of you. But I sure wish I had had a father who was not only present, but involved.

And so my whole life, I’ve tried to be for Michelle and my girls what my father was not for my mother and me. I want to break that cycle where a father is not at home – where a father is not helping to raise that son or daughter. I want to be a better father, a better husband, a better man.

It’s hard work that demands your constant attention and frequent sacrifice.

And I promise you, Michelle will tell you I’m not perfect.

She’s got a long list of my imperfections. Even now, I’m still practicing, I’m still learning, still getting corrected in terms of how to be a fine husband and a good father. But I will tell you this: Everything else is unfulfilled if we fail at family, if we fail at that responsibility.

I know that when I am on my deathbed someday, I will not be thinking about any particular legislation I passed; I will not be thinking about a policy I promoted; I will not be thinking about the speech I gave, I will not be thinking the Nobel Prize I received.

I will be thinking about that walk I took with my daughters. I’ll be thinking about a lazy afternoon with my wife. I’ll be thinking about sitting around the dinner table and seeing them happy and healthy and knowing that they were loved. And I’ll be thinking about whether I did right by all of them.

Engage others

A5 You know the feeling As Morehouse Men, many of you know what it’s like to be an outsider; know what it’s like to be marginalized; know what it’s like to feel the sting of discrimination. And that’s an experience that a lot of Americans share.

Hispanic Americans know that feeling when somebody asks them where they come from or tell them to go back.

Gay and lesbian Americans feel it when a stranger passes judgment on their parenting skills or the love that they share. Muslim Americans feel it when they’re stared at with suspicion because of their faith. Any woman who knows the injustice of earning less pay for doing the same work – she knows what it’s like to be on the outside looking in.

So your experiences give you special insight that today’s leaders need. If you tap into that experience, it should endow you with empathy – the understanding of what it’s like to walk in somebody else’s shoes, to see through their eyes, to know what it’s like when you’re not born on third base, thinking you hit a triple. It should give you the ability to connect. It should give you a sense of compassion and what it means to overcome barriers.

Class of 2013, whatever success I have achieved, whatever positions of leadership I have held have depended less on Ivy League degrees or SAT scores or GPAs, and have instead been due to that sense of connection and empathy – the special obligation I felt, as a Black man like you, to help those who need it most, people who didn’t have the opportunities that I had – because there but for the grace of God, go I – I might have been in their shoes. I might have been in prison. I might have been unemployed. I might not have been able to support a family. And that motivates me.

So it’s up to you to widen your circle of concern – to care about justice for everybody, White, Black and Brown. Everybody. Not just in your own community, but also across this country and around the world. To make sure everyone has a voice, and everybody gets a seat at the table; that everybody, no matter what you look like or where you come from, what your last name is – it doesn’t matter, everybody gets a chance to walk through those doors of opportunity if they are willing to work hard enough.

High expectations That’s what we’ve come to expect from you, Morehouse – a legacy of leaders – not just in our Black community, but for the entire American community. To recognize the burdens you carry with you, but to resist the temptation to use them as excuses.

To transform the way we think about manhood, and set higher standards for ourselves and for others.

To be successful, but also to understand that each of us has responsibilities not just to ourselves, but to one another and to future generations. Men who refuse to be afraid.

Class of 2013, you are heirs to a great legacy. You have within you that same courage and that same strength, the same resolve as the men who came before you. That’s what being a Morehouse Man is all about. That’s what being an American is all about.

Success may not come quickly or easily. But if you strive to do what’s right, if you work harder and dream bigger, if you set an example in your own lives and do your part to help meet the challenges of our time, then I’m confident that, together, we will continue the never-ending task of perfecting our union.

God bless you. God bless Morehouse. And God bless the United States of America.

So be a good role model, set a good example for that young brother coming up. If you know somebody who’s not on point, go back and bring that brother along – those who’ve been left behind, who haven’t had the same opportunities we have – they need to hear from you.

You’ve got to be engaged on the barbershops, on the basketball court, at church, spend time and energy and presence to give people opportunities and a chance.

Pull them up, expose them, support their dreams. Don’t put them down.

So if you’ve had role models, fathers, brothers like that – thank them today.

And if you haven’t, commit yourself to being that man to somebody else.

And finally, as you do these things, do them not just for yourself, but don’t even do them just for the African-American community. I want you to set your sights higher.

At the turn of the last century, W.E.B. DuBois spoke about the “talented tenth” – a class of highly educated, socially conscious leaders in the Black community. But it’s not just the African-American community that needs you. The country Click on www.flcourier. needs you. The world needs com to read the complete you. speech.

BARACK OBAMA AT MOREHOUSE COLLEGE

A6

MAY 24 – MAY 30, 2013

THE WHITE HOUSE

The Morehouse College Class of 2013 is caught in the rain but still reacts enthusiastically to President Obama’s speech.

It started with a phone call from the White House College administrator tells how president came to address Morehouse College

Dr. Watts: Some people were uncomfortable (with the rain), but I noticed that even though they were a little upset with being out in the rain they didn’t leave.

Morehouse ordered 12,000 ponchos and gave them out when each person came in.

Some people brought umbrellas in, (which attendees were informed was a prohibited item) Secret Service just walked over to them. They may have thought they were different or would be excluded. But Secret Service’s job is to protect the president. And they did an excellent job of that.

Everyone else was sending up prayers to stop the rain, but I was praying for God to please let this commencement go well and that everything be OK. Then I’ll worry about the rain later.

BY ASHLEY THOMAS FLORIDA COURIER

To have the president of the United States speak at your graduation is no easy feat. In fact, the office of the president rejects hundreds of speaking requests each year. So how did Atlantabased Morehouse College get the most powerful man in the world to deliver their 2013 spring commencement address, and what did it take to get him there? The Florida Courier interviews Dr. Anne W. Watts, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, to get the scoop.

Florida Courier: Before taking his seat as president of Morehouse College in January of this year, Dr. John Wilson Jr. served as the executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities since 2009. How did this connection aid in securing the president’s appearance?

Dr. Watts: Our president, Dr. Wilson Jr., worked at Dr. Anne the White House W. Watts up until the day he came to Morehouse College when he was named president. He was a part of President Obama’s administration and apparently President Obama was very impressed with him.

We had invited President Obama for the last three, four years and just decided, well, maybe it’s not going to happen and one day President Wilson was in a meeting (the Founder’s Day meeting in February) and he got this very important call and we saw him rushing out with the phone to his ear. He was very secretive and said nothing when he returned, so we just assumed it was a regular phone call that presidents get. When he was able to announce it, he told us that it was the White House calling and President Obama wanted to be the commencement speaker at Morehouse College this year.

The preparations Florida Courier: Once the president was secured as the speaker, how did planning arrangements move forward?

Dr. Watts: We had already begun the planning of our commencement in November. As chair of the committee, I had

PETE SOUZA/THE WHITE HOUSE

President Barack Obama is reflected in a mirror talking with Chief of Staff Denis McDonough before speaking at the commencement ceremony at Morehouse College in Atlanta on May 19. A painting of the president stands in the foreground. called our first meeting before we left for the holidays. Now we had March and April to prepare. We have a great deal of pageantry, a great deal of observance of rituals and those things that characterize a Morehouse College event.

Those things were in the process and then we were told a White House advance team and the Secret Service would be visiting us.

Florida Courier: What was the preparation like for graduates?

Dr. Watts: We kept them (students) informed at senior class meetings. One thing is that they had a certain amount of tickets for their family and in the past they had a certain amount of tickets but that was for reserved seating. The rest of the family could come in and they could sit in other sections. But this time everyone needed a ticket to come in period.

So that meant that some of them that came from large families had to make the tough decision to seat Grandma on this side and Grandmother on the other side and which cousin (would be able to attend).

Everyone (commencement attendees) had to go through magnetometers; everyone had to have a ticket. When the motorcade was entering the campus, everyone had to be seated. The rules and regulations were there. But the person from the advance team said to me ‘Dr. Watts, plan your commencement as you usually do. You all have one goal – to put on a commencement for these young men and their parents; we have one goal – to protect the president.’ With that type of partnership, a second team came and then this past week they returned in large numbers. The Georgia Secret Service also came.

Florida Courier: Tell us more about the Secret Service agents.

Dr. Watts: It was very exciting and just like you see in the movies. They were dressed in black suits with pinstripes. They all had on dark glasses and their shoes were dress shoes, but you could see where they were made for running, quick movement. Then they gave us their business cards and it had that silver star on it.

That was the Secret Service.

The Secret Service

‘No surprises’

Florida Courier: During the moderately short time frame available for preparation, how did security measures change due to requests made by the Secret Service?

Dr. Watts: They came within several weeks after we got the announcement. We told them what we normally do and they told us some things that we needed to do and we were soon made aware that this would not be a Morehouse College commencement in the normal sense of the word.

Florida Courier: What security measures were put in place?

Dr. Watts: Security was very, very tight.

The Secret Service came three times. Any time a new group would come, we’d show them a DVD from previous commencements as well as take them along the route for the motorcade. They wanted to see everything and said “no surprises, just no surprises.’’

Our campus is open and everything was closed off, barricades, dead zones, buildings that had to

be locked and Secret Service was telling the people putting chairs down and putting the stage up about security fences.

It was an exciting journey, but it was a lot of work, a lot of attention to detail. There were things that we planned to do and we could not do it that way this year. I was told from a gentleman from the White House to be fluid, and not to be fixed and we told them that we could do that. Near the end there were changes, there were restrictions.

Graduation Day Florida Courier: How did the day of the commencement go?

Dr. Watts: The stage had to be secured the morning of. A clean sweep of the campus was done at 4 a.m.; the dogs came in, then the magnetometers. The holding room for the president was designated and called “the hold” in the McCall building, a few feet from the stage. Then the doors were opened for the public. There were snipers on the roofs.

I was sitting on the stage and couldn’t see the snipers, but my friends sitting in the audience saw three. I’m sure they were on other buildings throughout the campus or in camouflage as well.

Also, there was security detail seated on the stage right behind President Obama; he was dressed in one of our robes so that he could blend in with the platform party.

Florida Courier: There was a lot of rain before, during and after the commencement, which was held outside. What measures did Morehouse have in place for commencement attendees. How did the Secret Service respond?

Now a ‘Morehouse Man’ Florida Courier: What was your most memorable moment of the entire experience?

Dr. Watts: It is something I will remember as long as I live. Even after President Obama was elected, in my wildest dreams, I never would think that I would be seated on the stage, two seats from him, shake his hand and I would speak from the White House podium.

You want to know if I’m excited? Yes I am, I’m still excited. I was content with seeing him on TV because I’m so proud of him and his beautiful story. It’s such an awesome story for history.

And as he walked in, everyone was standing and screaming and they were hollering and he was smiling and waving and he shook all the dignitaries’ hands and went to the board (of trustees) on the platform on the front row and shook their hands and I thought ‘oh I’m at the podium, I won’t be able to shake his hand,’ and when he finished giving his speech he came over to the three of us who he hadn’t had the chance to greet and he made sure that he came over to shake our hands.

While talking to students, he was talking their talk and had done his homework, even remarking that he knows it gets hard with Spelman nearby. He was just regular, but he was inspiring.

I know he is a mortal; we deify our rich and famous, our president, but not in deifying him I appreciate him so much and what he represents.

That was powerful!

Florida Courier: So the big question: Can President Obama say he shares anything new with the Spring 2013 graduates?

Dr. Watts: We gave President Obama an honorary degree, a Doctor of Laws. He became a Morehouse Man on Sunday.

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Mississippi Valley, FAMU facing off Sept. 1 in Orlando See page B4

SUN COAST / TAMPA BAY

May 24 - May 30, 2013

SHARING BLACK LIFE, STATEWIDE

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Kelly Rowland joins ‘X Factor’ See page B5

www.flcourier.com

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Graduates flank a Morehouse banner on Sunday morning.

A WEEKEND OF RITUAL

‘Morehouse Men’ returned to their alma mater from around the world last weekend to renew ties, celebrate with new graduates and their families, and hear from President Obama.

Above: Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher was there with his schoolmates and the Class of 1963.

Left: “Men of Morehouse” line up for baccalaureate ceremonies on Saturday.

G

raduates of the world’s only all-male historically Black college or university converged on Atlanta to renew ties with classmates and schoolmates, and to kick off a “Forever Morehouse” fundraising campaign initiated by the college’s most recent president, Dr. John Sylvanus Wilson, to secure Morehouse’s financial future.

In addition to baccalaureate and commencement, alumni immersed themselves in other activities.

Weekend events included a breakfast for 50-year alumni; a president’s welcome luncheon; and an Alumni Action Summit focused on strengthening the school’s endowment, better preparing Morehouse students to earn money after graduation, building a modern academic village on the Morehouse campus, preparing Morehouse to serve as an international institution serving the African Diaspora, changing the school’s administrative culture to be more customer service-oriented, making Morehouse a “thought leader” on African-American male education and development, discovering and developing the Morehouse “brand,” and other issues.

There was also a rite of passage ceremony for graduating seniors; an alumni mixer and picnic; a memorial service at the gravesites of Morehouse presidents Dr. Benjamin E. Mays and Dr. John Hope, both of whom are buried on campus; and an alumni banquet.

Individual classes in reunion also held their own events, usually in conjunction with their female counterparts and former classmates at Spelman College.

Morehouse’s leadership poses with President Obama and his honorary degree.

African drumming is a key part of Morehouse rituals. Here they lead graduates to the commencement services.

Above: Instructors lead the procession of their former students.

Left: Obama pointed out graduate Frederick Anderson as a role model during the commencement speech.

Photos by Curtis Compton / Atlanta JournalConstitution/MCT

Morehouse alumni line up to march with the Class of 2013 to commencement services.

CHARLES W. CHERRY II / FLORIDA COURIER

FLORIDA

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MAY 24 – MAY 30, 2013

STOJ

Black trade union members convening in Orlando New CBTU president discusses impact of union membership for Black workers SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) and its 42nd International Convention is being held through May 27 in Orlando at the Buena Vista Palace.

This is the first CBTU convention led by the Rev. Terry Melvin, who was elected last year to succeed William “Bill” LuTerry cy, the legendary Melvin labor leader who had been CBTU’s only president since its inception in 1972.

This comes as the American labor movement tries to organize a workforce that is younger, more black and brown, a workforce battered by globalization, wage stagnation and ebbing confidence in shaky political leaders.

This moment certainly is not lost on Melvin, who is also the secretary-treasurer of the powerful New York state AFL-CIO. “CBTU will continue to be a reliable voice for progressive change within the labor movement and a key player in mobilizing Black voters on the national and local level.” However, he added, “CBTU also must – and we will – ‘reboot’ our own approaches to recruiting new members, building more active chapters and leading stronger coalitions.”

Four active chapters In Florida More than 800 union activists and guests from the U.S. and Canada, representing 77 international unions, are participating in CBTU’s skill-building and agenda-setting convention.

CBTU, which is dedicated to addressing the unique concerns of Black workers and their

communities, has more than 50 chapters in major U.S. cities and one in Ontario, Canada. There are four active CBTU chapters in Florida (Jacksonville, Central Florida, South Florida, and Broward County).

According to Melvin, what unions contribute to the economic stability of many Black communities and to a decent standard of living for Black working class families is ignored too often or under-valued by the mainstream media.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 2.2 million African-American workers – or more than one out of six Black employees – were covered by a union contract in 2012.

Bigger paychecks Moreover, Black workers who were represented by unions brought home bigger paychecks.

The wage differential between union members and workers not represented by a union is substantial – 25 percent – with unionized workers earning nearly $10,000 more per year than their non-union counterparts ($40,768 vs. $31,148), plus other negotiated benefits such as health care coverage and retirement plans.

The 2013 CBTU convention is featuring panels and presentations on the racial wealth gap, immigration reform, the dropout crisis in the Black community, and the pending implementation of Obamacare. A special town hall meeting also is scheduled to discuss the continuing threat of voter suppression schemes and measures to protect voting rights.

Co-founder among speakers Guest speakers include Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, Rep. Benny Thompson (DMS), ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and Larry Rousseau, executive vice president, Public Service Alliance of Canada.

CBTU President Emeritus Bill

Shown above are CBTU representatives. More than 800 union activists and guests from the U.S. and Canada, representing 77 international unions, are participating in the Orlando convention this week.

Lucy will be the special keynote speaker at CBTU’s Awards Banquet. As co-founder of CBTU in 1972, Lucy’s 40-year tenure at the helm of CBTU made him one of the most respected labor leaders in the world. His charismatic and strategic leadership has become the model for the next generation of union officers, including Melvin, whom he mentored as a member of CBTU’s executive council.

Impact of CBTU CBTU’s legacy is grounded in resistance and empowerment.

When CBTU was founded in September of 1972 in the midst of a bitterly partisan presidential election, the conservative leadership of the AFL-CIO – the powerful national labor federation – fiercely attacked CBTU’s bold, progressive political positions.

But the beat went on.

CBTU was one of the key supporters of the newly formed Congressional Black Caucus in the early 1970s and played a leading role in empowering African American voters through voter registration drives, voter education leaflets and get-out-the-vote operations. In 1984 and 1988, CB-

TU members gave a much-needed boost to Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.’s electrifying presidential campaigns. The beat went on.

Throughout the past 42 years, CBTU members have done it all: marched and been arrested; fought for jobs; saved hospitals from closing; helped hurricane survivors cope with devastation and tragedy; funded scholarships for students; empowered voters and elected presidents; fed and clothed the needy; defended labor rights and human rights; and groomed a new generation leaders.

Governor signs budget after cutting turkeys and projects

AMY BETH BENNETT/SUN SENTINEL/MCT

Thaddeus Hamilton, of Sunrise, left, holds an umbrella for his grandson Christian Hamilton of Lauderhill on Oct. 26, 2012, as they check out sand and debris onto the roadway on A1A between Sunrise Blvd. and NE 20th Street due to earlier flooding on Fort Lauderdale Beach. The flooding occurred as Hurricane Sandy was passing to the east.

Hurricane exercise held this week in Tallahassee Emergency managers preparing for storm season; urging residents in state to do the same SPECIAL TO THE COURIER

TALLAHASSEE – Florida’s State Emergency Response Team (SERT) hosted the 2013 Statewide Hurricane Exercise through Thursday at the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee. The annual exercise serves to practice Florida’s emergency plans and procedures for a potential hurricane-making landfall in the state, in preparation for the upcoming Atlantic Hurricane Season.

“Last year, Floridians were reminded of the significant impacts a tropical system can have on a community,” said Bryan W. Koon, director of the Florida Division

of Emergency Management. “Hurricanes and tropical storms are a reality of life in Florida, and I encourage all residents and visitors to take the opportunity to review their emergency plans and disaster supply kits in preparation for the upcoming Atlantic Hurricane Season.”

The 2013 Statewide Hurricane Exercise scenario centered on the potential landfall of two fictitious storms, Hurricane Kirk and Hurricane Lay. Hurricane Lay is named in honor of the late Brevard County Emergency Management Director Bob Lay, a nationally respected emergency manager.

The hurricane exercise included participants from different states and the United States Military.

The 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season begins Saturday, June 1. Florida residents are urged to make sure their families and businesses are prepared to follow the instructions of local officials if a hurricane threatens their community. Residents are urged to know the nearest shelter, make an evacuation plan and have a disaster supply kit.

For more information about the 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season in Florida, visit www.FloridaDisaster.org.

BY BRANDON LARRABEE THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

be doing that, rather than have a project like that.”

TALLAHASSEE – Gov. Rick Scott on Monday sliced a rafter of turkeys and plenty of other projects out of the formerly $74.5 billion budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, bringing an end to speculation about what the governor would do with the heftiest spending plan in state history.

In all, Scott cut just shy of $368 million in funding from the budget (SB 1500), bringing its overall total down to $74.1 billion. That’s still the largest that Florida lawmakGov. Rick ers have ever approved, Scott but the governor’s office says it’s one of the smallest since 2000 when population and inflation are factored in.

“We made strategic investments in this budget, while holding the line on spending that does not give Florida taxpayers a positive return on investment,” Scott wrote in a letter accompanying his vetoes. “In order to ensure all taxpayer funds are well spent, I have vetoed special legislative projects totaling $368 million.”

Tuition hike nixed

Long bike trail vetoed Scott announced by email that he had signed the budget and followed up with a brief press conference outside the Florida Department of Emergency Management’s headquarters in Tallahassee.

It marked another striking contrast with Scott’s history – his first budget signing, in The Villages, resembled a political rally, while he spoke about his decisions last year at an elementary school in St. Johns County.

He also signed 16 budget-related bills, among them an economic development bill (SB 406) that includes a sales-tax holiday for clothing and school supplies from Aug. 2 through Aug. 4.

The largest item vetoed by Scott was a $50 million trail for bikers and pedestrians cutting across the state from St. Petersburg to Titusville, filling in gaps in existing paths. While pointing out that he and Budget Director Jerry McDaniel like to ride bikes, Scott told reporters that he felt state agencies should handle which projects get funded through normal channels.

“We’re doing projects like that out of the Department of Transportation,” Scott said. “That’s the way we should

The governor also vetoed a 3 percent tuition increase at state colleges and universities, removing $26.4 million in funding for colleges and almost $18.5 million for universities, as well as $1.2 million for workforce education programs.

Scott, who has for months pressed for lower higher education costs, brushed away suggestions that he was meddling in universities for political reasons.

“This is not a political decision; this is the decision for Florida families,” he said. “Tuition cannot continue to go up the way it’s been going up.”

The proposed tuition increases were in budget fine print known as proviso language. While vetoing the proviso language could be legally dubious, Scott said he didn’t expect a court challenge.

“But if there is [one], we’re going to fight it,” he said.

Response about turkeys Scott’s vetoes in many instances tracked with the list of budget “turkeys” issued last week by Florida TaxWatch.

The organization said Monday that more than two-thirds of the items it highlighted were sliced by Scott.

“It is clear from the high number of vetoed projects that the governor carefully scrutinized all of the budget turkeys TaxWatch identified, which is the intent of the Turkey Watch Report,” said Dominic Calabro, president and CEO of TaxWatch.

Reaction to the vetoes broke down largely along party lines. Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, who had blasted TaxWatch’s list of turkeys last week, was far more mild in his reaction to Scott’s decision to actual veto the items.

“While many will disagree with some of Governor Scott’s line item vetoes, that is his constitutional role as chief executive,” Gaetz said.

But Senate Minority Leader Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, flayed Scott’s vetoes.

“His targets reveal a basic misunderstanding of the critical role local communities, and local community projects play in Florida,” Smith said. “Our economy hinges on many facets, and this funding was intended to infuse the areas that contribute to its struggling rebound.”

TOJ

MAY 24 – MAY 30, 2013

BUSINESS

Cramming gains foothold in cell-phone marketplace Federal Trade Commission filing lawsuits relating to companies tacking unauthorized charges to phone bills

BY EILEEN AMBROSE THE BALTIMORE SUN/MCT

Take a line-by-line look at your cell phone bill — all dozen or so pages. See a $9.99 charge for horoscopes, flirting tips or some such thing that you didn’t request?

If so, you’ve been crammed.

Once only a big problem with landline telephones, cramming — the placement of unauthorized charges on phone bills by outsiders — is gaining a foothold in the mobile-phone marketplace, regulators and consumer advocates say. Indeed, some landline crammers have migrated to wireless schemes as consumers switch to smartphones.

The Federal Trade Commission filed its first mobile

cramming lawsuit against a company last month, and the agency says more such cases are likely to follow. The agency held a one-day workshop earlier this month to explore mobile cramming and how to stop it.

“The cell phone industry is like the Wild West right now,” said Jim Chilsen, director of communications for the Citizens Utility Board, an Illinois-based consumer advocate, and a panelist at the FTC workshop.

Using a mobile phone to make purchases or pay bills can be convenient, particularly for those without a traditional bank account.

And mobile payments have been a boon for charities seeking to raise small sums from thousands of new donors following a catastrophe.

Fraudulent charges Mobile cramming typically involves commercial enterprises billing consumers without their permission or knowledge for horoscope, trivia or love tips sent by text message to mobile phones, regulators said. The extent of cramming is unclear. The wireless industry says it’s not

B3 circumvented easily by bad actors.

Surprise to consumers

Regulators say mobile cramming typically involves commercial enterprises billing consumers without their permission or knowledge for horoscope, trivia or love tips sent by text message to mobile phones. a growing problem. But the National Consumers League estimates Americans pay as much as $730 million a year in fraudulent charges.

“The complaints we receive really are just the tip of the iceberg,” said Philip Ziperman, an assistant attorney general in Maryland’s consumer protection division who attended last week’s FTC workshop. “The concern in my office is that as people increasingly use their mobile phones to pay for services, the problem is only going to grow.”

The wireless industry, which self-polices against cramming, several years ago set up guidelines on when outside parties are

allowed to place charges on a consumer’s phone bill. One key provision is the double opt-in, in which consumers must confirm twice they agree to a purchase before they can be charged for it on their monthly bill.

No major increase Usually, the initial optin occurs when a consumer signs up for a service on the Internet. Then the service or content provider sends a text message to the consumer’s mobile phone number, seeking a second confirmation.

Mike Altschul, a senior vice president and general counsel for the CTIA, a wireless industry associa-

tion, said cramming is not increasing, noting that the volume of complaints to regulators has remained steady in recent years.

Altschul said his group opposes new government regulations on cramming, arguing that phone companies and others in the industry would react more quickly to the latest fraud schemes.

“Regulation is so static,” he said. “It takes years for the government to investigate, craft (rules) and seek comments, and authorize a particular practice in an industry with technologies and fraudsters that are evolving every day.”

But regulators and consumer advocates said industry guidelines can be

Some consumers are led to believe the service they are signing up for online is free, regulators and consumer advocates said.

When they get a text later about the service, they might delete the message, thinking it is spam. Some crammers consider this lack of a response a confirmation that the customer wants the service.

Complaints to regulators also are a poor measure of the extent of cramming, regulators and advocates said. Often consumers complain to their phone carrier — not regulators — when they’ve been crammed.

“Consumers don’t even understand this is happening,” said Kate Whelley McCabe, an assistant attorney general in Vermont, during the FTC workshop.

Her office released a survey this month of more than 800 consumers who were asked to review thirdparty charges on their cell phone bills. Nearly 80 percent were unaware that outside companies could tack on fees to phone bills, while 55 percent discovered charges they hadn’t known about.

Consumers can overlook unauthorized charges because they can be listed in an abbreviated form or under a name that’s not recognized, regulators said.

And frequently, consumers don’t read lengthy phone bills, particularly if using automatic bill payments, so they don’t catch cramming.

Boomers’ financial outlook darkens as retirement nears Advice to retirees: Create budget and watch the spending

BY DONNA GEHRKE-WHITE SUN SENTINEL/MCT

The Great Recession saw unemployment rates double and the housing bust that proved far stronger and lasted much longer than anyone had expected.

Through it all, retirement savings plans took a major hit.

The economy is improving now. But for baby boomers who can see the finish line of retirement in the not-so-far-off distance, the race is on to rebuild — or start over — with their retirement plans.

The clock is ticking — loudly. Finding work still isn’t easy. Neither is find-

ing safe investments with reasonable returns.

For Vilma Hart, 58, an unexpected layoff during the recession undermined her best-laid retirement plans.

“It was a rude awakening,” said Hart, a former corporate trainer and state caseload manager who was let go by the state in 2008.

“I could not find a job for a year and a half. I exhausted all my retirement savings.”

Hart took a part-time job with the AARP Foundation in 2010 so she could scrape by with her bills and also watch over her elderly mother. She hopes to find full-time work, but also understands the challenges ahead.

She has nothing saved for retirement now, and hasn’t yet been able to start saving again.

“I have to adapt,” she said. “I thought I had my

ducks in a row but it didn’t work out.”

‘In a world of hurt’ Hart is among the two out of every three baby boomers who are in some kind of unfavorable retirement situation.

Surveys spell out in detail the depth of the problem. About 63 percent of displaced workers during the recession dipped into their retirement savings to pay bills, according to a 2012 study by the nonprofit Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. Middle-aged workers were most at risk, the survey found.

Workers in their 40s and 50s had only a median $2,300 left in their retirement accounts.

Investment earnings for Americans 65 and over accounted for 10 percent of

TAIMY ALVAREZ/SUN SENTINEL/MCT

Sharon Hallback, 65, left her job to care for her mother in 2009. Since re-entering the job market, she has found it hard to find work. She found help with the AARP job training program in Hollywood, Fla. Her plight is common among baby boomers. their income on average in 2006 Now, it’s only 6 percent, according to a separate AARP survey of 2011 trends, the most-recent year available.

“This is going to be a huge story for years and years,” Florida AARP spokesman Dave Bruns said. Many boomers “are in a world of hurt. You have to wonder what their options are. Many say, ‘I’m going to work until I drop.’ ”

Overqualified counselor Sharon Hallback is 65 years old. She went back to school late in life and has two master’s degrees.

She still can’t find the right full-time job to help get her back on her feet.

“They say I am overqualified,” said Hallback, who has stopped telling some prospective employers about her degrees.

Hallback was a counselor who was hired by a private company to make home visits to help special needs children. But in 2009, her mother became gravely ill and Hallback ultimately lost her job because she refused to give up caring for her mother. “I will never regret what I did.”

She went on Social Security at 62 to bring in a monthly check. Her retirement savings accounts had been depleted by putting

her three children through college.

“I was a single parent,” Hallback said. “I had to pull out my money.”

She was able to find work at a juvenile program but has struggled since then to get by. She considers herself lucky that she got into an AARP program, working at a state workforce agency in Hollywood, Fla. Even with her Social Security benefits, making ends meet has not been easy. And saving for retirement? Out of the question.

Lots of competition Her warning to other baby boomers: If you think you want to get a part-time job to supplement your Social Security, realize it may be harder than you think to snag one.

“There are so many people looking for work — even part-time work,” Hallback said. “It didn’t use to be that way. But now there’s so much competition.”

To get to a comfortable retirement level, many baby boomers will have to reinvent themselves by working longer and resuming their saving — even if it means not financially helping their children and further shaving off living expenses, said financial planners and analysts who work with older workers.

Most who lost jobs will

have to rework their budgets to still save for retirement with smaller paychecks, said Florida’s AARP director Jeff Johnson.

“Chances are they are going into a much lower salary than they had before,” Johnson said.

Some boomers will also have to adjust to the new reality of more companies eliminating their 401(k) contributions to workers’ accounts, said Boca Raton financial planner Mari Adam.

But boomers can’t use that as an excuse not to save, Adam said. “They don’t save enough now,” she added. They especially must not help their children through college if that jeopardizes their retirement savings, Adam said.

“Their kids can get loans,” she said.

The key is to not to go through all the savings within a few years of retiring, added Craig Copeland, an analyst with the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

Some laid-off boomers who have managed to hold onto some savings can retire as long as they budget and watch their spending, said Plantation financial planner Ben Tobias.

“While comfortable, their retirement won’t be as comfortable as planned,” he said. “It’s happened to a lot of people.”

CALENDAR

B4

MAY 24 – MAY 30, 2013

TOJ

FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR Tampa: A Family Fun Carnival Day will be held at the Glazer Children’s Museum May 27 as well as open for families to enjoy over 170 interactivities and exhibits.

More information: http://glazermuseum.org.

Jacksonville: Join the Small Business Administration and ACCION USA on how to grow and finance your small business. Learn about financial assistance for women and minority business owners. The workshop is June 5 from 10 a.m.

- noon at the SBA District Office, 7825 Baymeadows Way, Suite 100B. Free. Registration required.

More information: Natalie Hall, 904443-1902 or natalie.hall@sba.gov.

Tampa: “Jazz in the Afternoon will honor Rose Bilar, a jazz singer/ entertainer/activist. The benefit is June 2, 4 p.m. at Mamma D’s Café, 1222 E. Scott St. More information: 813-401- 1829.

Oakland: The town’s annual Triple “A” Festival will be held June 7-8.

The festival is organized in collaboration with Orange and Seminole counties. The honoree is Mary Ann Carroll. The festival will be held at Speer Park, 331 N. Tubb St. More information: http://hapcotriplea. eventbrite.com.

Jacksonville: The Jacksonville Jazz Festival featuring Najee, Gary Staling, the John Ricci Quartet and others will be held through May 26 at 117 West Duval St. Orlando: Orlando Black Pride will take place May 28 through June 2 at the Best Western Lake Buena Vista Resort Hotel, Pirates Dinner Adventure and other venues throughout Orlando with a full schedule that includes educational events and church services for the lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual community. More information: orlandoblackpride.com.

Naples: The NAACP Leadership 500 Summit will be held through May 26 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Participants will attend interactive panel discussions, strategy sessions, and facilitated general sessions led by prominent private sector, non-profit, corporate and community leaders.

St. Petersburg: A free, two-part household budgeting seminar de-

TONI BRAXTON

CHAKA KHAN Chaka Khan will be at the James L. Knight Center July 20 for a 7 p.m. show.

Tickets go on sale at noon May 31 for a show by R&B artist Toni Braxton at the Mahaffey Theater in St. Petersburg on Aug. 28 at 7:30 p.m. signed for people who want to live better on less and/or to save to buy a home will be held May 30 from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. at the Sunshine Center, 330 Fifth St. N. A certificate of completion will be awarded. More information: 727-461-0618, ext. 4 or www.csfhome.org Jacksonville: Avant and Brian McKnight will be at the Florida Theater Jacksonville May 24 for a 7 p.m. show.

Winter Park: Adult hip-hop classes are held on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

244 Pennsylvania Ave. More information: 407-644-3430.

Orlando: Play games including Battleship, Candy Land, Chinese Checkers, Clue and many more at the Orange County Regional History Center, 65 E. Central Blvd. on May 31 from 7 p.m.-midnight.

Retro attire encouraged. $5 for non-

Football, marching bands and good food make a perfect combination for a good time in the upcoming football season.

On Labor Day Weekend, ESPN will bring a football team from a historically Black college and university in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) to the city of Orlando.

The 2013 MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney will showcase a matchup between the

Carr Performing Arts Centre, Orlando, July 20.

St. Augustine: Rap artist Kendrick Lamar will be at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre June 19 for a 6:30 p.m. show.

St. Petersburg: Kool & the Gang will be at The Mahaffey June 21 for an 8 p.m. show.

Tampa: State Rep. Janet Cruz will host a West Tampa Job Fair July 30 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Higgins Hall, 5255 N. Himes Ave. Admission for job seekers is free and an eightfoot table is free to employers. More information and to register as an employer: 813-673-4673.

Jacksonville: R&B trio TGT (Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank) will be at the Times Union Center Performing Arts Moran Theater in Jacksonville on July 3.

Jacksonville: Cedric The Entertainer will be at the Florida Theatre Jacksonville, July 19 and the Bob

St. Petersburg: LL Cool J, Ice Cube, De La Soul and Public Enemy will be at The Mahaffey in St. Petersburg during their Kings of the Mic Tour on June 6 and the St. Augustine Amphitheatre June 7.

St. Petersburg: Youths ages 7 to 11 can enjoy a night of football, kickball, ping-pong, foosball, video games and dance parties during “Freestyle Fridays” at the Fossil Park & Willis S. Johns Center, 6635 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. N. First visit free; $6 each following visit.

More information: 727-893-7756.

St. Petersburg: First Fridays are held in downtown St. Petersburg at

Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) and the Rattlers of Florida A&M University (FAMU) in the Florida Citrus Bowl.

More than a game The weekend is jampacked with more than just the game. The weekend will include a high school seminar featuring figures in the sport industry, a pep rally at Downtown Disney, a band showcase at Disney’s Epcot, a Legends’ reception honoring influential figures in the HBCU community at Disney’s

Former B-CU coaches to be honored during June 1 golf tourney

BY JAMES HARPER FLORIDA COURIER

The 10th Annual Elisha J. Strapp Invitational Golf Tournament takes place June 1 at LPGA International Golf Course in Daytona Beach. Honored during the tournament will be Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Little and former Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU) head football coach; B-CU former coach and athletic director Cy “Jack” McClairen; and avid golfer Willie “Bill” Flynt.

Little played at Bethune-Cookman and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993. He was with the NFL Miami Dolphins from 1969 to 1980 and was named an AFL All-Star. Little also served as head football coach of his alma mater, Bethune-Cookman from 1983 to 1991 and as head coach at North Carolina Central University from 1993 to 1998.

McClairen was the first Betune-Cookman Wildcat to be

Tickets are now on sale for the 2013 Allstate Tom Joyner Family Reunion Aug. 29 – Sept. 2 at Gaylord Resort in Orlando featuring daily concerts, seminars and events over the Labor Day Weekend.

members, free for members. More information: 407-836-7010.

FAMU, Mississippi Valley to compete in Sept. 1 MEAC/SWAC Challenge SPECIAL TO THE COURIER

TOM JOYNER

Contemporary Resort, the Great Heart & Soul tailgate at McCracken Field, and the ever memorable battle of the bands.

During the summer, as Mississippi Valley and FAMU prepare for the Sept. 1 game, journalism students from both universities will provide stories, profiling

their head coaches, key players and band directors.

The students also will share why they chose to attend a historically Black college and university (HBCU).

For more information about the game and weekend events, visit www.meacswacchallenge.com.

drafted into pro football. After a two-year tour of duty in the United States Army, McClarien began a successful NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

He was named to the NFL All-Pro team in 1958. McClairen also coached football and golf at Bethune-Cookman and served as the Director of Athletics from 1961 to 1972. He is currently the assistant golf Jack ‘Cy’ coach at B-CU. McClairen Flynt has participated in numerous tournaments and won many awards. In 1959, he graduated from Campbell Street High School in Daytona Beach before enlisting in the United States Navy. He owned and was president of Flynt Concrete Company for 20 years before his retirement. Flynt served on the Daytona Beach Golf Advisory Board for 10 years where he also worked with youth in the junior golf program.

Larry The tournament is hosted by the GreatLittle er Friendship Baptist Church of Daytona Beach’s Scholarship Ministry.

For more information about tournament, call co-directors Sandra Strapp at 386-212-2151 or Ronald Gibson at 386-405-8589.

250 Central Ave. between Second and Third Avenues from 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. More information: 727-393-3597.

Fort Lauderdale: The Florida Minority Community Reinvestment along with a coalition of Florida minority non-profits and neighborhood associations are hosting the 2013 Let’s Do Business Florida & Summit June 28-June 29 at the Westin Beach Resort & Spa. No cost to women-minority-veteran businesses and nonprofits. More information: www.letsdobusinessflorida.com.

Jacksonville: Ritz Jazz Jamm “Walter Beasley” will be at the Ritz Theatre June 1 for 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. shows.

Orlando: Kelly Rowland and the Dream bring their Lights Out Tour to the House of Blues June 6 for a 7:30 p.m. show.

STOJ

MAY 24 – MAY 30, 2013

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.

mike

jasmine Jasmine Akakpo is a former child model and actor who has recently made her way back in the entertainment industry. She has done work on TV shows such as “The Game” and “Drop Dead Diva” along with independent films through young filmmakers like herself. Jasmine takes pride in her fun, down-to-earth personality and loves working with others. Contact Jasmine at www.jasmineakakpo.com; www.facebook.com/jasmineakakpo.com or on Twitter: @jasmineakakpo.

Credit: BlackIce Bell Mike Garvey is a South Florida resident of Jamaican descent and a Marine Corps veteran who has bloodlines to historical leader Marcus Garvey. The aspiring actor and 1st Million Management talent has worked numerous projects, including appearances on Starz Network’s “Magic City,” “The Glades” (A&E Network) and “Burn Notice” (USA Network). Recently he played a security guard in the upcoming film “Pain and Gain.’’ Photo courtesy of 1st Million Management

Rowland added to ‘X Factor’ Former Destiny’s Child member and Latin singer join judges panel EURWEB.COM

Fox has confirmed that former Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland and Latin singer Paulina Rubio will be the new “X Factor” judges for season three, joining executive producer-judge Simon Cowell and his fellow lone surviving panelist from last season, pop singer Demi Lovato.

“It’s taken more than a decade but I’m delighted to finally be on a panel with three girls (I think!),” said Cowell in a statement. “Paulina and Kelly both have great taste and massive experience in the music industry and together with Demi, this is going to be a fun panel. It just feels like the

time to do something different.”

The newbies come with prior experience judging a music competition shows.

Rowland was a judge on the UK Paulina version of “X FacRubio tor,” while Rubio judged the Mexican version of “The Voice.”

“I am very excited to be reuniting with Simon Cowell and The X Factor family,” Rowland stated.

“It feels great to be able to take this journey here at home in the states!”

Focus on ‘Idol’ The new panel targets a diverse collection of music fans of varying ages: Lovato (age 20) is a current pop singer, Rowland (32) leans toward R&B, and Ru-

Kelly Rowland arrives at the 85th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 24.

bio (41) sings Latin dance music.

And of course Cowell (53) lends his experience as a music producer and talent spotter.

The deals were reportedly signed Monday afternoon, just time for Tuesday’s official launch of production for season three.

With “X Factor” on lock, Fox will turn its attention toward the judging panel of “American Idol.”

In recent weeks, panelists Randy Jackson and Nicki Minaj have said they won’t be back, Keith Urban says he’d like to return, and Mariah Carey hasn’t said anything. NBC’s rival “The Voice” firmed up its judges panel for the next two cycles last week.

Cowell, meanwhile, took a moment over the weekend to reminiscence about his former time at “Idol.” “Randy leaving Idol made me remember that Paula, Randy, me and Ryan had the best time,” Cowell tweeted. “I miss them.”

FRANCIS SPECKER/ LANDOV/ MCT

Esposito: Not every show is for everyone EURWEB.COM

Giancarlo Esposito understands that some of his diehard fans — who have shown support ever since his breakout role as Buggin’ Out in Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing,” may not be checking for him in his current gig on NBC’s “Revolution.”

The freshman drama had decent enough ratings for NBC to renew it for a second season last month, but let’s face it – Esposito’s role as militia leader Tom Neville isn’t generating nearly as much morning after, water-cooler talk as his Emmy-nominated “Breaking Bad” character Gustavo “Gus” Fring, the mildmannered drug kingpin who was quick to slice a fool’s neck with a box-cutter if something wasn’t right.

While “Revolution’s” Tom Neville has a similar mix of politeness that can turn to cold-blooded brutality on a dime, the show’s science fiction subject matter – survival following a worldwide blackout – may have turned some of his longtime fans away off the bat.

And Esposito, 55, says that’s okay.

“I think after having some success in the work I do, and being proud of what I do, knowing that you can’t always hit the mark or the bar that I set for myself, I’m able to accept that some people aren’t gonna dig this show, or they’re gonna

EURWEB.COM

Actor Giancarlo Esposito attends an NBC event at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on May 13. feel that some parts of it are weak,” Esposito said during interviews for the series. “I can acknowledge it and say,

‘Okay, I understand it, and I’m not taking it personally.’ Not every show is for everyone.”

Luckett, Wayans, Brant join ‘Single Ladies’ Letoya Luckett, Damien Wayans and Lesley-Ann Brandt are set for major recurring or possible regular roles in VH1’s “Single Ladies.”

Luckett, formerly of Destiny’s Child, will play Felicia Price, the icy and aloof founder and senior partner of Price Management, one of the most influential music management companies in the world.

Wayans will play David Berenger, April’s (Charity Shea) main foil at Price Management — a masterful sycophant, and a slick manager on the Atlanta music scene.

Brandt, best known as the original Naevia in the Starz original series “Spartacus,” will play Naomi Cox, a demure, sexy, scheming golddigger who is a constant thorn in Keisha’s (LisaRaye McCoy) side.

The forthcoming third season is set to air later this year.

Letoya Luckett

Damien Wayans

Lesley-Ann Brandt

TOj B6

FOOD

TOJ

MAY 24 – MAY 30, 2013

Potatoes make healthy meals in minutes FROM Family Features

Few things in life are harder to resist than the delicious aroma of a backyard barbecue. There is just something about the sizzle and smells of grilled fare that brings folks together.

The farm families who grow Wisconsin potatoes know how to please the palates of hungry crowds.

The natural flavors found in the many varieties of Wisconsin potatoes are easy to enhance with the addition of a few fresh ingredients and a little bit of smoke.

The Wisconsin russet potato makes for a great tasting baked potato, but its light and fluffy interior also holds up well when seared on the grill. Also great on the grill are Wisconsin yellow flesh potatoes, which have a justbuttered appearance.

The appearance of the trendy new blue and purple potatoes will certainly get guests talking. They add color and a subtle nutty flavor to your favorite dish. Everyone’s favorite dish at an out­door bar­ becue is often the potato salad. Wisconsin round red or white potatoes are both well-suited for salads as well as roasting, boiling, and steaming.

Potatoes are an ex-

tremely versatile and hearty vegetable. But the one thing all potatoes have in common is nutrition. Just what can Wisconsin potatoes do for you? Well, potatoes are: • Nutritional powerhouses. In addition to being fat-free, choles­terolfree, sodium free and gluten-free, a medium potato has just 110 calories.

• Rich in potassium. According to the USDA, diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure.

The potato is second only to the banana in the amount of potassium it contains.

• Packed with Vitamin C. A medium potato contains 45 per­cent of the daily recommended amount of Vitamin C. • Great source of fiber. The USDA reports that fiber helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower your risk of heart disease. Potatoes can also help make you feel fuller with fewer calories.

Grilled, fried, baked, roasted or boiled, few ingredients get every guest asking for second helpings like the versatile potato.

Find more health information, as well as recipes and purchas­ing tips, at www.EatWisconsinPotatoes.com.

Chicken and Potato Fiesta Grill Servings: 4 Ready time: 60 Minutes 1/2 cup prepared Italian dressing 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon chili powder 4 whole chicken legs with thighs, skin on 1 1/3 pounds (4 medium) red Wisconsin potatoes, cut into 1 1/4-inch cubes 2 tablespoons water 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 2 medium zucchini, cut into 3/4-inchthick slices 4 to 8 flour or corn tortillas, warmed (optional) Prepared salsa (optional) In small bowl, combine marinade ingredients; remove 1/4 cup and combine with chicken in reseal­able plastic bag. Turn to coat; marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes or up to 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Meanwhile, in microwave-safe dish, combine potatoes and water. Cover and microwave on high 9 to 10 minutes or until just tender; cool.

When potatoes are cool enough to handle, alternately thread with bell pepper and zucchini onto eight 10 to 12-inch skewers; brush with remaining marinade. Remove chicken from plastic bag; discard marinade from chicken.

Grill chicken over medium to mediumlow coals 30 to 40 minutes or until juices run clear, turning occasionally. About 10 minutes before chicken is done, add vegetables to grid; reserve marinade. Grill until tender and lightly browned, turning and basting occasionally with reserved vegetable marinade. Serve chicken and vegetables with tortillas and salsa, if desired.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Pesto Servings: 8 Ready time: 40 Minutes 3 pounds medium-size red Wisconsin potatoes Olive oil cooking spray 1/3 cup white or golden balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 3 cloves garlic, minced Freshly ground pepper to taste 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup finely minced fresh basil 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (optional) Place potatoes in a large microwave-safe bowl; cover with lid or plastic wrap. Note: If using plastic wrap, make sure plastic wrap is not touc­hing any ingredients and poke one small hole in cover to vent.

Micro­wave on high for 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender (cooking time may vary depending on micro­wave). Use oven mitts to carefully remove from microwave.

When cool enough to handle, cut potatoes in half or quarters and spray liberally with olive oil spray. Grill over high heat for 5 to 7 min­utes, turning occasionally, until grill lines are apparent.

Remove from grill and let cool.

Cut into bite-size pieces and place in a large bowl. Whisk together vinegar, oil, salt and garlic; pour over potatoes and toss lightly to coat.

Season with pepper, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, toss with Parme­san cheese and basil, then sprinkle with pine nuts.

Grilled Red Potato Skewers Servings: 4 Ready time: 20 Minutes 2 medium russet or Yukon gold Wisconsin potatoes or 6 red Wisconsin potatoes 2 medium zucchini 1/2 smoked sausage rope 4 12-inch skewers 1/2 cup Italian dressing Preheat grill. Cut potatoes in half. Cut zucchini and sausage the same width as potatoes. Place skewer through potato, zucchini and sausage. Repeat for each skewer.

Place skewer in dish and pour Italian dressing over skewers. Mari­nate in dressing for 5 minutes.

Place skewers on grill and cook 5 minutes each side, or until potatoes are done. Remove from grill and serve.

Little Havana Grilled Beef and Potato Salad Servings: 6 Ready time: 30 Minutes 2 pounds medium unpeeled Wisconsin potatoes (about 2 1/2-inch diameter), such as yellow flesh or round reds 2 teaspoons ground cumin Salt and pepper 1 beef top round steak, cut 1 inch thick (about 1 1/2 pounds) 3/4 cup prepared white wine vinaigrette 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed, drained 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro Cut potatoes crosswise in half; place in microwave-safe dish with 1 cup water. Cover and microwave on high 10 to 14 minutes or until almost tender, rearrang­ing once. Immediately rinse under cold running water; drain well.

Meanwhile, combine cumin and salt and pepper; press evenly onto beef steak. Place steak on grill over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, uncovered, 16 to 18 minutes for medium rare doneness, turning occasion­ally. Remove; let stand 5 minutes.

About 5 minutes before steak is done, brush potatoes with some of the vinaigrette. Place on grid around steak.

Grill 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown, turn­ing occasionally.

Carve steak into thin slices. Combine beef, potatoes, beans, cilantro and remaining vinaigrette in large bowl; toss gently. Serve immediately.