Florida Courier - July 25, 2014

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VOLUME 22 NO. 30

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JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2014

DID HE HAVE TO DIE? In the 10th installment of the Florida Courier’s series on Blacks and mental health, we learn that community institutions are building partnerships with law enforcement to prevent needless killings of people with mental illnesses.

BY JENISE GRIFFIN MORGAN FLORIDA COURIER

After years of intermittent treatment for mental illness, Tinoris Williams was shot to death by a Palm Beach County deputy sheriff.

Choked to death?

First responders under fire for watching man die COMPILED FROM WIRE REPORTS

NEW YORK – The mourners trickled slowly into the Brooklyn church. Inside, the body of a 350-pound Black man lay in a casket, a man who in life was known to few outside of his Staten Island neighborhood.

In death though, Eric Garner – a father of six and a grandfather of two – has become a symbol of policing gone awry. He was videotaped as he was put into an apparent chokehold by New York Police Department cops and wrestled to the ground as he gasped, “I can’t breathe,” 10 times.

He lay motionless for more than seven minutes while cops stood by and a responding paramedic made a cursory examination, checking his pulse –then doing nothing else.

Garner’s death has jolted a city that began the year with a new mayor, Bill de Blasio, and a new police commissioner, William J. Bratton, vowing better lives for people such as Garner: Black men living far from the glassy skyscrapers and shaded brownstones of the well-heeled.

Tinoris Williams’ life ended violently on April 7 when he was shot in the head by a Palm Beach County deputy sheriff. The family of the 31-year-old said he had an extensive history of mental illness and needed treatment.

Earlier this month, the Williams family’s attorney announced their intent to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the sheriff’s office,

stating that Deputy Ernest Cantu used excessive force when he shot and killed the “mentally ill’’ Williams at an apartment complex in West Palm Beach.

Cantu and other deputies had been investigating reports of a burglary in the area when Cantu entered an apartment and was allegedly attacked by Williams, who was unarmed. The sheriff’s report states that a “violent struggle’’ ensued before Williams was shot.

Many charges dropped Sheriff Ric Bradshaw called Williams a “dangerous, violent felon’’ after the shooting, but records show that of the more than 30 arrests dating back to 2000, Williams had never been convicted of a felony.

And according to a WPBF TV 25 News investigation, of 26 cases and 35 charges, 28 were dropped or Williams was found not guilty.

See MENTAL HEALTH, Page A2

THE ISRAEL-HAMAS CONFLICT

The death and destruction continue

Time for change Before the service, a public viewing drew friends of Garner, civic leaders and strangers who only knew of his death through media reports. Earl Simms was among the friends.

“I just saw him last Wednesday,” said Simms, who had known Garner five years. Simms wiped away tears and sweat as he stood outside on the sweltering 90-degree day after passing by the casket.

“I’m quite certain that when See DEATH, Page A2

SNAPSHOTS FLORIDA | A3

St. Petersburg hires Black police chief NATION | A6

AKA installs new president

ENTERTAINMENT | B5

Beyonce and Jay Z’s ‘On the Run’ show to air on HBO

ALSO INSIDE

CAROLYN COLE/LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT

Women grieve for two of their relatives killed on July 18 in North Gaza as Israeli troops entered the Palestinian territory.

See Page A2 for a Black Agenda Report commentary on Black political leadership’s silence on the conflict.

Deregulation, subprime loans killed Black ownership SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

A new study from sociologists at Rice University and Cornell University found that AfricanAmericans are 45 percent more likely than Whites to switch, due to foreclosure, from owning their homes to renting them.

The study, “Emerging Forms of Racial Inequality in Homeownership Exit, 1968-2009,” examines racial inequality in transitions out of homeownership over the last four decades.

“The 1968 passage of the Fair Housing Act outlawed housing market discrimination based on race,” said Gregory Sharp, a postdoctoral fellow in Rice’s Department of Sociology and the study’s lead author.

“African-American homeowners who purchased their homes

in the late 1960s or 1970s were no more or less likely to become renters than were White owners.

“However, emerging racial disparities over the next three decades resulted in Black owners who bought their homes in the 2000s being 50 percent more likely to lose their homeowner status than similar White owners.”

Deregulation, exotic loans Sharp said the deregulation of the mortgage markets in the 1980s – when Congress removed interest rate caps on first-lien home mortgages and permitted banks to offer loans with variable interest rate schedules – and subsequent emergence of the subprime market are likely reasons Blacks were at an elevat-

ed risk of losing their homeowner status.

In 2000, African-Americans were more than twice as likely as Whites with similar incomes to sign subprime loans; among lower-income Blacks, more than half of home refinance loans were subprime.

“African-American homeowners’ heightened subprime rates were not only due to their relatively weaker socioeconomic position, but also because lenders specifically targeted minority neighborhoods,” Sharp said.

Other factors irrelevant Sharp noted that these inequalities in homeownership exit held even after adjusting for an extensive set of life-cycle traits, socioeconomic characteristics, characteristics of hous-

ing units and debt loads, as well as events that prompt giving up homeownership, such as going through a divorce or losing a job.

The authors used longitudinal household data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics for the period 1968 to 2009, with a study sample of 6,994 non-Hispanic Whites and 3,158 Black homeowners.

Sharp and his coauthor hope the research will prompt further analysis of additional factors that potentially contribute to racial disparities in homeownership exit, such as household wealth and residential location.

The study will appear in the August edition of Social Problems and was coauthored by Matthew Hall, a demographer and assistant professor of public policy at Cornell University.

COMMENTARY: CHARLES W. CHERRY II: RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A FREE BLACK MIND | A4 COMMENTARY: GIANNO CALDWELL: HOW TO END THE VIOLENCE IN ‘CHIRAQ’ | A5

FOCUS

A2

JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2014

Why the Black political class is paralyzed and silent on Israel, Gaza Sometimes a silence can be the loudest sound in the room.

The silence of our numerous and powerful US Black political class, not just on the current massacres of civilians in Gaza but on the incontrovertible fact that Israel has become a full-fledged racist ethnocracy, is deafening.

Not a word As Israeli troops massed around Gaza, the NAACP wrapped up its 2014 annual convention in Las Vegas without a mumbling word of solidarity with bleeding Palestinians.

Moral Monday’s Rev. William Barber was a guest on HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” but could not spare a single breath to discuss the morality of occupation, house demolitions, or Israeli apartheid. Al Sharpton is on MSNBC nightly, and can’t find time to cover the murderous assault on Gaza in any meaningful way.

You don’t hear a peep from the Congressional Black Caucus or the National Urban League, the National Action Network, Rainbow/PUSH, big-time Black pastors and businesspeople, or the rest of that crowd.

Symbols of struggle Our Black political class of

BRUCE A. DIXON BLACK AGENDA REPORT

preachers, politicians, big-time academics, pundits and aspirants has not been silenced by threats or fears of economic retaliation.

People like Black members of Congress, Al Sharpton and Rev. Barber are where they are because they don’t need to be told what their masters require. What they fear is something deeper; something that threatens the very foundations of their careers and legitimacy.

Their legitimacy depends on the hollow pretense that their Black faces in high places somehow constitute the continuation of the struggle of our people against racism, Jim Crow and injustice in general.

Their problem is the frank, vicious racism of Israeli apartheid which the Black political class feels obliged to support – at least as long as a Black president does so as well – is a threat to the Black political class’s brand as tribunes of the oppressed.

Broke up fight The 43-year-old, who according to various media reports weighed 350 to 400 pounds, suffered from asthma. He had a history of arrests for selling untaxed cigarettes in his working-class neighborhood.

On the afternoon of July 17, witnesses say, Garner had broken up a street fight between two other men when police approached

from A1

Jailed, not treated A report titled “The Treatment of Persons with Mental Illness in Prisons and Jails,’’ states that there are 10 times more mentally ill Americans in prisons and jails than in state psychiatric hospitals. There were an estimated 356,268 inmates with severe mental illnesses in U.S. prisons and jails. There were only 35,000 mentally ill individuals in state psychiatric hospitals.

“Regarding his criminal record and the fact that he’s been Baker Acted so many times, this is not uncommon with someone who is mentally ill,” Miami attorney Jasmine Rand

If Bush and Cheyney were still in the White House, some of the bravest among them might speak out just a little to remind us that Palestinians are human, too.

They might even say that occupation and dispossession are the real crimes.

But a member of their own class, a Black politician, is in the Oval Office. They don’t need to be silenced. They silence themselves – not out of fear, but out of craven opportunism.

Still, daily occurrences like the shelling of 10- and 11-year-old boys on a beach kicking a soccer ball make open support of Israel difficult more difficult for them than it used to be. So they do nothing, and they say nothing.

Nothing on Al Sharpton’s show. Nothing in their Moral Monday communiqués and marches. Nothing from the Urban League. Nothing from the Black church, which is pretty much an appendage of the Black political class these days.

Apart from Cornel West, not a Black face in a prominent face has stood up for the humanity of Palestinians and denounced the crimes of dispossession, occupation and invasion. To a man and a woman, it seems the rest of our glittering Black leaders hope the stench of genocide won’t stick to them and tarnish their precious brand – even as they support it with their silence.

he woke up Thursday, he didn’t expect this to happen,” Simms said, speculating that police were intimidated by Garner’s size and motivated by racism. “The racial profiling has to stop.”

MENTAL HEALTH

In 2012, he was found not guilty of reason of insanity and took mood-altering medication assigned by a psychiatrist.

An arrest report at the time shows that he had thrown a brick through his mother’s window and threatened to kill her and himself. When deputies showed up, he said he was “a Martian” and was acting under the authority given to him by the United States Constitution.

For the most part, our Black political class are not abject fools.

They absolutely know that Israel is the 21st Century’s premiere apartheid state, complete with Jewish-only roads and towns, frequent lynch mobs for Africans and Arabs, laws against recognizing mixed marriages, and completely different judicial systems, housing regulations, voting and property rights, depending on whether, as Max Blumenthal puts it, you’ve got “J-positive blood.”

They know the Internet makes it easy to find the words of prominent Israeli politicians in the Knesset and in government openly declaring that Palestinians ought to be moved or massacred, or justifying hundreds of atrocities from house demolitions and torture to acts of dispossession, mob and state terror.

Our Black political class knows that Israel is, to paraphrase Noam Chomsky, America’s landlocked aircraft carrier, weapons research test bed and nucleararmed military base in the middle of a couple hundred million Brown people and a good fraction of the world’s most easily accessible oil.

They know that unwavering support for whatever Israel does is part of the bipartisan zombie consensus, something that ruling Republicans and Democrats agree on – like privatizations, charter schools and bailing out the banksters.

And by now, Black leadership is deep in the slavish habit not just of agreeing with whatever the White House says, but of not speaking at all on policy matters till after the will of the Great Man and his administration have been made clear.

from A1

COURTESY OF YOUTUBE

Insanity defense

Different under Bush

DEATH

A paramedic and police officers stand by in the aftermath of a struggle to subdue and arrest Eric Garner, who was later pronounced dead.

He spent a total of 70 days in jail and in some cases received probation time. The only violent conviction was one count of battery from 2010.

They know

said earlier this month during a press conference.

Rand is representing Williams’ family.

“The majority of the charges were dropped because the court found he was mentally ill…The proper place for someone who is mentally ill is seeking treatment. That’s what the parents wanted – treatment for their son.”

Vicky Williams said at a press conference that her son was a good student through high school. When he returned home from college, things changed.

“He just went off to college and something happened to him in college.

When he came back, he wasn’t the same,” she remarked.

Another shooting Williams’ death came just days after Palm Beach County Deputy Evan Rosenthal shot Matthew Pollow, 28, to death on April 2. A report stated that Pollow was shot outside of his mother’s apartment in West Boca after he lunged at a deputy with a screwdriver in his hand.

In the report, Pollow’s family members said he had mental issues and had previous run-ins with the law. Family members have called Pollow, who graduated from Florida Atlantic University, “a nonviolent person.”

Records show he

We led the way When our people were struggling against Jim Crow and US apartheid fifty years ago, those suffering under colonialism in Asia and Africa looked to us for their inspiration. African governments, Cuba, and China too welcomed, educated and sheltered

Bruce Dixon is managing editor of BlackAgendaReport. com. Contact him at bruce. dixon@blackagendareport. com. Click on this story at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.

him. A witness with a video camera recorded what happened next: Garner telling officers to leave him alone; police moving closer as Garner, sounding increasingly upset, tried to avoid being handcuffed and said, “Don’t touch me, don’t touch me.”

One officer approached Garner from behind and wrapped an arm around his neck. Three other officers joined in restraining Garner, who fell to the ground.

Someone put a knee in his back and pushed his face into the sidewalk.

“I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe,” Garner said, his voice becoming more muffled.

Within an hour, he was dead. Garner’s relatives say that despite his health problems, he would be

Visit these websites for help relating to mental health and mental illness.

Mental Health America: www.mentalhealthamerica.net OK2Talk: www.OK2Talk.org Mental Health America of Palm Beach County: www.mhapbc.org Substance and Mental Health Services Administration: www.samhsa.org

Community meetings Around the time of these tragedies, mental health experts in Palm Beach County had been strategizing with law enforcement and community groups on “breaking the connection between mental illness and the legal system.’’

Led by Mental Health America of Palm Beach County and its community partners, 400 students, teachers, parents, professionals, providers, first responders, faith advisors, leaders and advocates came together from January to April to share their stories and seek solutions.

Seven sessions were held throughout the county.

The sessions followed President Obama’s call in

All connected In the global struggles against colonialism, capitalism, and injustice we are all inextricably connected. We’re all obligated to carry a bit of each other’s burden, to stand up for each other when required. It’s a tradition. It’s international solidarity. That’s how this thing works.

But our Black misleadership class are not players. They are being played and playing themselves.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

checked himself into a mental health center in 2008 and told officers that he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Malcolm X, Kwame Toure, and many others when they toured the African continent and the world.

When the Vietnamese were under savage attack, they used to call to US Black soldiers in the night to ask and remind them, “Black man why are you here?

Your fight is at home.” It was their official policy until 1966 or ‘67 to spare Black soldiers they could have killed in close encounters when possible. Those brothers came back to inform youngsters like me who would have been drafted the next year so we could help organize in our Black communities against the imperial war.

When a nuclear-armed South Africa invaded Angola repeatedly in the 1970s and ‘80s, Cuba sent 60,000 troops – the majority of them of African descent – and its entire air force to fight across the Atlantic to fight, and turned the South Africans around.

2013 for a national dialogue on mental health. In response, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) launched a Community Conversations program.

#OK2Talk The goals of the campaign, titled #OK2Talk, were to initiate dialogue, to identify the needs of youth struggling with mental illness in Palm Beach, to develop solutions to support such youth and prevent interaction with the criminal justice system, and to spread awareness and reduce the stigma of mental illness.

Pam Gionfriddo, CEO of Mental Health America of Palm Beach County, said there’s a need for more treatment programs and more training for people working in the criminal justice system.

“What happens in my view is if we don’t catch the

alive if police had not piled onto him.

Focus on arrests In the aftermath of Garner’s death, Bratton cited Garner’s arrest record. He said that the corner where the incident occurred had been the source of numerous complaints from storeowners.

“Mr. Garner went into cardiac arrest while in the ambulance on the way to the hospital,” Bratton said, “and he died upon arrival.”

Illegal chokehold Bratton has said the grip that the police officer, Daniel Pantaleo, used on Garner “appeared to have been a chokehold,” which would make it illegal. Bratton also announced a “top-tobottom review” of training of New York’s more than

illnesses earlier, they are allowed to get worse…until they become a crisis,” she told the Florida Courier.

“We’re putting most of our dollars into crisis services.’’

Gionfriddo said services need to start on the front end, noting that the average age when people begin to experience mental health issues is 14 years old.

Available solutions Recommendations that came out of the community talks included: Encouraging more training and guidelines for all first responders that include early mental illness recognition and de-escalation strategies; Developing a separate program to evaluate individuals who might be considered for an arrest but could benefit from a mental health evaluation prior to transport to jail or a hospital emergency room; Creating a mental health system that improves coordination, cooperation, and communication among systems, including hospitals, schools, behavioral health care, law enforcement, and families; Decriminalizing mental illness by creating diversion options other than law enforcement.

More than 900 of Palm Beach County’s 2,400 law enforcement and corrections deputies have taken Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), which teaches officers how to handle people with mental illness or a substance use. The 40-hour training, which began in

30,000 police officers, especially in the area of use-offorce.

De Blasio, who was elected on promises to close the gaps between rich and poor, Black and White, said he found the video of Garner’s death “very troubling.”

Pantaleo’s gun and badge have been taken away pending results of an investigation, and a second officer who was at the scene has been put on desk duty.

Four emergency medical workers who arrived on the scene and who witnesses say did not try to revive Garner have been suspended.

Herb Boyd of the National Newspaper Publishers Association; and Tina Susman and James Queally of the Los Angeles Times/MCT contributed to this report.

Memphis, Tenn. in the 1980s, is called an effective police response program designed for first responders who handle crisis calls involving people with mental illness, including those with co-occurring substance use disorders.

According to a report released after the #OK2Talk community conversations, many participants said CIT is not enough, stating they “had been arrested, treated roughly, not provided with appropriate care or medications while in jail, and then released with no transition plan.’’

No help Tinoris Williams’ mother has stated that she tried to get proper care for her son and had tried on occasions to have a judge order mental health treatment but Tinoris wouldn’t show up for the court date.

“I don’t care what he did in the past,” she stated the day after he died. “I don’t care if he was found guilty on any of them charges.

If he had a felony, it still doesn’t justify what was done yesterday.’’

Jenise Griffin Morgan, senior editor of the Florida Courier, is a 20132014 fellow for the Rosalyn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. She is writing a series of stories on mental health for the Florida Courier.

JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2014

FLORIDA

A3 Monroe County today in anticipation of the issuance of marriage licenses.”

Garcia’s ruling on Florida’s same-sex marriage ban is the latest in a string of victories for gay rights advocates since a milestone U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year in the United States v. Windsor case that overturned the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Courts in 19 other states have since struck down restrictions on samesex marriages in lawsuits sparked by the Supreme Court ruling.

‘Unlikely to succeed’

STEPHEN M. DOWELL/ORLANDO SENTINEL/MCT

A July 17 party in Orlando, hosted by Equality Florida, celebrates a judge’s ruling in Florida that struck down a ban on gay marriage.

No same-sex marriages in Keys for now Monroe County judge ruled last week that couples could apply for licenses

BY DARA KAM NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

TALLAHASSEE – Gay couples won’t be able to tie the knot in the Keys any time soon despite a Monroe County judge’s decision last week striking down Flori-

da’s voter-approved constitutional ban on same-sex marriages.

Siding with Attorney General Pam Bondi and courts in other states, Circuit Judge Luis Garcia on Monday refused to lift a stay on his ruling that the prohi-

bition violates due process and U.S. constitutional protections against discrimination.

Instead, Garcia ordered a hold on his July 17 ruling to stay in place until appeals are complete or he decides otherwise. The automatic stay was prompted by Bondi’s appeal, filed almost immediately after Garcia issued his ruling last week.

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

– Book review, School Library Journal • How low expectations of Black students’ achievements can get them higher grades; • Want a great grade? Prepare to cheat!

• How Black students can program their minds for success; • Setting goals – When to tell everybody, and when to keep your mouth shut;

Mirroring other court decisions, Garcia ruled in favor of Aaron Huntsman and William Lee Jones, two Key West bartenders who sued Monroe County Clerk of Court Amy Heavilin for refusing to grant them a marriage license.

Lawyered up In an emergency motion filed Monday morn-

ing, lawyers for the couple asked Garcia to order Heavilin to start issuing marriage licenses, arguing that the state has little chance of winning its appeal.

Heavilin has said she would be prepared to move forward with gay marriages if the court orders her to do so, the lawyers wrote, and “couples are gathering in

St. Petersburg hires Clearwater police chief FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

The police chief for the City of Clearwater has been hired to lead the St. Petersburg Police Department.

St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman announced Monday that Chief Anthony Holloman, who has headed the Clearwater since 2010, had been hired for the position.

“I am pleased to have Chief Holloway leading the St. Petersburg Police Department. The men and women of the SPPD will come to know a strong leader in Chief Holloway.

Anthony I look forward to working Holloway with Chief Holloway as he helps make the St. Petersburg Police Department the envy of the law enforcement community around the world,” Kriseman stated.

Selected from more than 100 applicants, Holloway replaces Chuck Harmon, who retired earlier this year. The 52-year-old Holloway will receive $155,000 per year for the position.

Chunks of cash head to Democratic Party NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

• Black English, and why Black students must be ‘bilingual.’ …AND MUCH MORE!

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

Facebook ccherry2 excellencewithoutexcuse

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

Twitter @ccherry2

Continuing a pattern, a group fighting Gov. Rick Scott’s re-election bid has sent another $500,000 to the Florida Democratic Party, according to newly filed campaign-finance reports.

The group, known as “Florida For All,” contributed the money to the party on July 8, after also making a $740,000 contribution to the party on June 30 and a $700,000 contribution on June 20, reports posted on the state Division of Elections website show.

Florida For All had raised a total of $2.76 million through July 11, with money flowing to it from organizations such as the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and a Democratic Governors Association PAC. A committee closely aligned with gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist’s campaign also has been funneling large amounts of money to the state Democratic Party, records show. As an example, the committee, known as “Charlie Crist for Florida,” sent $400,000 to the state party on July 8.

“Since Windsor was decided, an unbroken wave of federal and state courts across the country have concluded that state laws barring same-sex couples from marriage violate basic due process and equal protection principles,” lawyers for Huntsman and Jones wrote in Monday’s motion.

“The state of Florida was unable to identify even a single substantive justification for (the Florida Marriage Protection Act) before this Court and is equally unlikely to succeed on appeal.”

But Bondi’s lawyers asked Garcia to “maintain the status quo” as other courts have done throughout the country. Both sides anticipate that the U.S. Supreme Court will ultimately decide the fate of samesex marriage bans.

Garcia’s ruling is the first court decision regarding the “Florida Marriage Protection Act,” approved by 62 percent of voters in 2008. Six gay couples filed a similar lawsuit in MiamiDade County, but a judge has not yet ruled in that case, and a separate federal case in Tallahassee is also pending.

Decades of experience Holloway also served as police chief in Sommerville, Mass., from 2007 to 2010.

The Sulphur Springs native grew up in Tampa. He joined the Clearwater Police Department in 1985 as a patrol officer. Positions at the Clearwater Police Department, have included patrol officer, community policing specialist, an undercover vice and narcotics detective, a patrol sergeant, and patrol division commander.

Pledge to community While a sergeant in the Clearwater Police Department, he attended Eckerd College in St. Petersburg and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business management in 1999. He received his master’s degree in business administration in 2001.

“My pledge to this community is to establish a good working relationship with citizens and community leaders from South St. Pete to Tyrone to Gandy, and everywhere in between. I’m going to park my car, walk the neighborhoods, and talk to you,” Holloway stated.

“My pledge to the policing professionals of this great department is that I will meet and talk to every single one of you, as well.

I am looking forward to working with the outstanding men and women of the St. Petersburg Police Department.

He is married to Andra Dreyfus, an attorney in Clearwater.

Florida Blue could raise rates Major insurer Florida Blue could raise rates in 2015 for people enrolled through the federal health-care exchange after seeing a large number of older and sicker enrollees, Kaiser Health News reported Monday.

Patrick Geraghty, chief executive officer of the Jacksonville-based insurer, said the company remains committed to the individual health-insurance market. But Geraghty told Kaiser Health News that rates also could be affected by such factors as a relative lack of younger and healthier enrollees.

“We will be under tremendous financial pressure initially given the age, risk profile and high utilization of the new membership,” he said. “It is far from clear that large enrollment in the marketplace is a financially beneficial place to be.”

Kaiser Health News said Florida Blue, which formerly was known as Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, would not disclose its proposed 2015 rates. That proposal was submitted to state regulators last month. Florida Blue added 339,000 customers through the Affordable Care Act’s federal marketplace this year, according to Kaiser Health News.

EDITORIAL

A4

JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2014

Hip hop corner: Breaking the chains Rikers Island Correctional Facility in New York is in the news again. This time allegedly for officer brutalizing inmates. I did time at Rikers Island. No, not as an inmate, thank God, but as an employee. It’s another world behind those bars, where only the strong survive.

I remember my first day on the job when my director told me, “Never let them see you sweat.” I thought, what have I gotten myself into? The irony is when I was about 12, my mom and dad asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up. I said, ‘I want to work in a jail!” Both of them had a Fred Sanford ‘Elizabeth, I’m coming’ moment. They couldn’t fathom how they were raising their children

JINEEA BUTLER NNPA COLUMNIST

in an upper middle-class neighborhood to keep my brother and me away from crime and criminals and I wanted to pursue a career in criminal justice.

Vision cleared I can proudly say I graduated from Rikers University because it wasn’t until I went behind those walls did I see the world clearly. Countless amounts of Black and Latino men came through those revolving doors, sometimes twice and even three times.

In many cases, the time represented a rite of passage for the younger guys and most of the older ones were caught up because of the sins of their youth.

If a Caucasian or Asian got caught in the system, it was mostly because they were disconnected from their families.

Some people need to be locked up no doubt, but the Correction in the Department of Correction needs to happen, but in most cases it does not.

So many things hinder an inmate’s development that I began to wonder what is it all about? Population control at its finest; the practice of artificially altering the rate of growth of a human population.

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT AND TRAGEDY

MANNY FRANCISCO, MANILA, THE PHILLIPPINES

Random thoughts of a free Black mind, v. 219 More political hypocrisy – On Aug. 4, the GOP-dominated House of Representatives will go on a month-long ‘recess’ (their word, not mine) – essentially a taxpayer-paid month-long vacation. That fact doesn’t stop them from attacking Bro. Prez’s scheduled 16-day taxpayerpaid vacation to Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.

All of them ought to stay locked up in DC until they can get something productive done – if that’s even possible. However, Obama always takes his work with him, unlike our do-nothing congresspeople. At least Obama’s coming back two weeks earlier…

Black Democrats – Some are grumbling because we haven’t covered the ups and downs of next month’s Democratic primary very closely. News flash: 2014 is an election year. But the fact that your favorite candidate is running ain’t necessarily news. If you want guaranteed space about your candidate in the Florida Courier, buy an ad…

‘Gang’ fight – A secretive conservative organization is running hip-hop radio ads on Black-formatted stations rapping about how “Chain Gang Charlie” Crist was a hardnosed, tough-on-crime Republican 20 years ago who filled Florida’s prisons with Black men. A secretive liberal organization is sending out glossy direct mail pieces to Black voters calling

QUICK TAKES FROM #2: STRAIGHT, NO CHASER

CHARLES W. CHERRY II, ESQ. PUBLISHER

Crist a conservative Republican responsible for “a lost generation of African Americans.” Why are conservatives and liberals targeting Black voters? Because we’ll determine whom the next governor will be.

So why aren’t Crist’s people responding to this in Black-owned media?

I changed parties – I’m a temporary Democrat so I can vote in the August primary. After then, I’ll reregister with No Party Affiliation (NPA). Neither of the major parties deserves my long-term or permanent allegiance…

James Brown movie – Huhhh! Good God! I’m a JB fan, so I’ll be there when it opens (rather than wait for Netflix). But I expect to be disappointed. The Black Southern accent of Chadwick Bozeman, who plays the Godfather, is laughable.

Dude sounds like Kingfish from “Amos and Andy” (search YouTube if you’re too young to get that). Jamie Foxx in “Ray” he ain’t…

Contact me at ccherry2@gmail.com.

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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Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Cassandra Cherry-

Lock them away

The first thing I noticed was the dorm living quarters were set up like slave ships. You can immediately determine the design is a replica of the bottom of the ships where the slaves infamously laid side by side throughout the Trans-Atlantic African Slave Trade. The Bronx even has a ship on water that operates as one of the 10 jails. I realized two populations were locked up, the staff, which included me and the inmates or the overseers and the slaves.

The inmates will tell you quick that you can go home, which was very true. The epiphany came when I re- Throw in the towel The only way of avoiding alized that door locked behind me just like it does the experience is convincthem and I was volunteer- ing our brothers and sisters ing to be locked up every to throw in the towel on the

I have been increasingly concerned by the near hysteria in connection with the Central American immigrant children who have attempted to enter the USA, fleeing from poverty, crime and violence. The political Right in the USA is trying to make this the defining moment in their attacks on the Obama administration, playing to the worst and most xenophobic sides of the U.S. public.

The Obama administration, true to form, has done a very poor job in responding to this insanity. They have particularly avoided saying something that could change the entire tenor of the debate.

It goes something like this.

The immigration from Mexico and Central America cannot be understood outside of understanding U.S. foreign policy and, specifically, the relationship of the U.S. towards Mexico and Central America. Continuously, since the 19th century, the USA has interfered in the internal affairs of Latin America and the Caribbean. This has included direct invasions, e.g., the Dominican Republic in 1965; coups, e.g., the 1954 ouster of the Guatemalan President Arbenz; the promotion of insurgencies, e.g., the Contra war against the Sandinista government of Nicaragua; blockades, e.g., Cuba, Haiti (in the 1800s); and colonialism, e.g., Puerto Rico. As a

I’ve written about the need to end gun violence in the past and for some reason, I’m drawn back to the pain I feel internally whenever I read about violence taking the lives of so many.

In case you haven’t heard, over the July 19 weekend, gun violence erupted in Chicago injuring 40 people and killing at least four. One of the four killed was 11-yearold Shamiya Adams.

For some reason, there is more concern about what’s happening internationally then what’s plaguing communities and neighborhoods locally and nationally. Whenever we divert our attention away from the ills of what’s happening within our immediate surroundings, problems will continue to escalate.

1960s vs. 2014

Dr. Valerie Rawls-Cherry, Human Resources

While speaking at a local church over the weekend, I learned that this particular church (Cargle Chapel A.M.E. Church) in Walton County, Georgia was at the forefront of the civil rights movement in the 1960’s. Just reflecting on the many heroes and sheros who stood where I stood, I couldn’t help but draw from their strength to keep pressing on to end violence and violence in general. None of

Chicago Jones, Eugene Leach, Louis Muhammad, Lisa Rogers-Cherry, Circulation Ashley Thomas, Staff Writers Delroy Cole, Kim Gibson, Photojournalists

MEMBER National Newspaper Publishers Association Society of Professional Journalists Florida Press Association Associated Press National Newspaper Association

Jineea Butler, founder of the Social Services of Hip Hop and the Hip Hop Union is a hip hop analyst.

Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

solutions. What it is to suggest, however, is that people BILL would rather stay in their FLETCHER, own countries as opposed to migrating.

JR. NNPA COLUMNIST

result the entire region has been destabilized for more than a century. Added to that is that there exists a proliferation of U.S.-produced weaponry that has shifted, over time, from political battles to battles among and between various crime families.

Migration won’t disappear To all of this, of course, one must add the economic domination of the region by the U.S. This, most notably, includes NAFTA which destroyed Mexican agriculture and resulted in a mass migration of Mexicans to the USA. In order to address immigration, we must come to terms with the role of the United States in Latin American and the Caribbean. We cannot continue to act as if there is no correlation. We cannot continue to act as if the USA can avoid responsibility for the depth of the crises in these regions and simply say no to migration.

Yet, this is what most of the Republican Party and many Democrats seem to want to do. None of this is to suggest that the immigration crisis lends itself to easy

Provide support and cooperation That means that the U.S. can and should provide the necessary support to countries that are attempting to stabilize and grow. It should not be promoting or endorsing coups, as it did as recently as 2009 in the case of Honduras, or as it implies in its relationship to the Venezuelan opposition. It needs to be cooperating with the governments of Latin American and the Caribbean on the basis of mutual respect rather than imposing what it sees as solutions, a factor that has contributed to the near civil war situation involving criminal gangs in Mexico.

While the U.S. political elite, and much of our population, would rather forget history and ignore the role of the USA in the crimes against the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean, if we want solutions, we need to bite the bullet, so to speak, and come to terms with our own role.

There actually is no alternative.

Bill Fletcher, Jr. is a racial justice, labor and global justice writer and activist. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

Do something about violence plaguing our communities

Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher

Angela VanEmmerik, Creative Director

street game. Most are willing, as we see evidenced with hip hop artists who are no longer selling drugs for a living, but we have to present a viable alternative for those who feel the only way to survive is risking their lives on a daily basis for death or incarceration.

And those of you who want another opportunity to be successful, present yourself in a manner that is acceptable to the audience you are presenting to. If you can learn how to turn it up, you can definitely turn it down.

U.S. foreign policy led to border crisis

Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Chief Executive Officer

Jenise Morgan, Senior Editor

day exposing my mind to this inhumane treatment whether delivering it or experiencing it.

The Stanford Experiment showed us back in 1971 the serious detriment and psychological torment that takes place between the prisoners and the guards.

Gary Heyward, an officer who worked with me during that time ended up doing two years in prison and wrote an excellent tell all book appropriately titled ‘Corruption Officer’ which is being redistributed by a division of Simon and Schuster March 2015.

DR. SINCLAIR GREY III GUEST COLUMNIST

them would have sat back idly.

It’s apparent that the mainstream media isn’t doing anything to bring about peace. In fact, many within this mainstream structure will do their very best to avoid the topic because it doesn’t affect them personally. We cannot be naïve and think race and nationality doesn’t play a factor in what gets covered. Let’s face it - when violence or the threat of violence doesn’t affect certain areas, it’s often times overlooked by the ones with the means (political and financial) to make a difference.

My friend, it’s up to all of us to bring about a solution. In a real sense, all of us (no matter where we live or what we do) must come together to end violence. This is deeper than voting for new laws. It’s much more than getting on our knees and praying. We must initiate programs that will uplift and empower people. We must not wait on the government for funding. We

must use the resources we have at our disposal and learn to be resourceful.

Those who can, should I fully understand that some who will read this article will not respond to any call to action. They are content with the way things are until violence hits home. But I’m reaching out to those who care, not just for their children but for the children of any parent. I’m challenging those who want to make a difference to begin today.

Don’t wait. Each day of procrastination adds more fuel to the violence epidemic.

If we do our part, we will see a reduction in violence.

If we remain steadfast in our efforts, a change will take place. And if we hold on to the strength, courage, and works of our ancestors, I believe lives will be changed and transformed.

Dr. Sinclair Grey III is an inspirational speaker, motivator, radio personality, author, life coach, and committed advocate for change. Contact him at drgrey@sinclairgrey.org or on Twitter @drsinclairgrey.

JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2014

EDITORIAL

How to end the violence in ‘Chiraq’ Between July 3rd and July 7th, 82 people were wounded and 16 killed by gunfire.

If you think I’m talking about violence in Iraq, you’re wrong. I’m talking about happenings in “Chiraq,” a new nickname for Chicago — my hometown. This violence is an unfortunate way of life for many Chicagoans.

Victims ranged from as young as a 14-year-old boy to a 64-yearold woman. Professionals and non-professionals alike were affected. Not even a candidate running for public office escaped the violence in Chicago that recent holiday weekend.

Reminiscent of Iraq

GIANNO CALDWELL GUEST COLUMNIST NATIONAL CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY RESEARCH

and a lot of mothers addicted to crack cocaine and/or heroin. My mother was addicted to both.

My blessing was that, although my parents were not married, my father remained a part of my life and picked me up every weekend to spend time with him and his parents. This is where I learned how small businesses operate and how to legally earn an income.

I was very young when my mother checked herself into rehab to beat her addictions. She gave temporary custody rights to her mother while she recovered.

My grandmother took on her five grandchildren while also working. But a car accident changed her life. She was forced to survive on disability and welfare while struggling to make ends meet and raise children she did not birth.

Lawless violence mirroring a certain country across the planet is how the Windy City earned the dubious new monicker of Chiraq.

The numbers are beyond staggering, with nearly 1,200 shootings since the start of 2014.

Having grown up on the Chicago’s south side, I know first-hand about the problems plaguing Chicago, and that the solutions must go beyond the political gun control rhetoric.

To understand the problem, you must understand the culture Starts at home and history of Chicago.

I lived two realities. One was As a child born in the late 1980s, I perceived two notable things in where poverty was the norm and, my city: not many fathers at home in some instances, the lights and

A5

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: SALT LAKE CITY AND GAZA

gas were off at the same time. At other times, I lived a life where money was never really much of an issue. This, however, is rare.

In many instances, a south and west side Black family situation is poor, missing a father and largely missing a mother due to addiction. his leaves children open to the lure of gangs and the care and guidance they seem to offer.

I saw this often while growing up. The most significant example was the family across the street where the children received an upbringing similar to my own.

Their mom was on drugs and their grandmother cared for them. But there were so many of them that the grandmother could not contribute her full attention to each and every one while she worked a full-time job. As the kids got older, one joined a gang to find a sense This is the reality that too many of belonging. He robbed people Chicagoans live — then and now. and did other things gang memPeople often ask me what can bers are known for doing. be done to stop the murders in Chicago. For one thing, Black Resorting to violence unemployment is double that One day, the boy got into an argument with someone. He re- of White unemployment. Since solved the argument by going into most of the shooting happens in a barbershop where he shot and Black areas in Chicago, it seems killed the other guy as he was get- logical there needs to be investting his haircut. My former neigh- ment in community stabilization bor claimed he shot the guy be- such as jobs, improved schools cause he wanted to prove he was and access to opportunities. But a man despite not having an ac- it’s a two-way street. Residents tive father. must also make a conscious de-

PAT BAGLEY, SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

cision to abandon gang violence and (like my mother) get clean from drugs.

People are less likely to kill when they have something to live for. No law is going to be that effective.

Project 21 member Gianno Caldwell is the founder and principal of Caldwell Strategic Consulting. Write your own response at www.flcourier.com.

‘Apartheid Avenue’ two blocks from the White House Diplomats who abuse their immunity from prosecution to keep their “imported” domestic workers as virtual slaves are a repeated scandal. What has not gained as much media coverage and public exposure is the flagrant abuse of sovereign immunity by international organizations. For decades, the World Bank, the third-largest employer in our nation’s capital, has sustained racially discriminatory practices.

And within the last few months, an appeal to address the issue has seen inaction by the newest president of the World Bank, appointed in 2010 by President Obama. In 2009, the Government Accountability Project identified only four Black Americans out of more than 1000 American professionals working at the bank, not counting several thousand foreign nationals. The bank’s reply essentially was that there are not sufficient qualified Black Americans.

In fact, as the bank’s own internal reports have documented, dis-

tence and win the confidence of management before they were considered for assignments in other areas. This made it difficult for Black professionals to gain higher positions — and difficult for the TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM bank to retain skilled Black professionals who could find greater opcrimination is the root of the prob- portunities elsewhere. lem. In 1998, the Team for Racial Equality, consisting of senior offi- Avenue on 18th cials including the bank’s current The situation was so insulting chief counsel, reported that “The findings of three earlier World that a segment of 18th Street beBank studies send a clear message: tween Pennsylvania Avenue and G race-based discrimination is pres- Street has been unofficially christened “Apartheid Avenue.” To the ent in our institution.”

One of the serious issues that left of the Street stands the Bank’s the 1998 report and several subse- “J” building where Blacks are quent ones identified is the “ghet- largely segregated. To its right sits toization” (segregation) of Blacks the bank’s flagship building where in the Africa regional vice presi- Black professionals face glass dential unit, housed in a separate doors. Because of the bank’s imbuilding from the World Bank’s munity from U.S. courts, victims of main office, In 2009, a former se- racial discrimination are confined nior vice president explained that to an internal tribunal.

Since its establishment in 1980, Blacks were placed in the Africa regional section to give them op- the tribunal has dismissed all raportunity to prove their compe- cial discrimination claims filed

REV. JESSE L. JACKSON, SR.

Dogs eat better than 1 million children The South African charity Feed a Child (http://www.feedachild. co.za/) chose to highlight child poverty in South Africa by portraying a little Black boy being fed like a dog by a seemingly affluent White woman.

In the ad, the boy has his head on the woman’s lap, at her feet, on his knees, and licking off her fingers. The point, they say? According to the ad’s tagline “The average dog eats better than millions of children.”

The ad ran for about five days in South Africa and its airing generated such a maelstrom. Feed a Child withdrew the ad and “unreservedly” issued an apology. Ogilvy and Mather, the international agency that produced the ad, also apologized “unreservedly.” In her apology, Alza Rautenbach says, “Like a child, I don’t see race or politics – the only thing that is important to me is to make a difference in a child’s life and to make sure that that child is fed on a daily basis.”

Be realistic

DR. JULIANNE MALVEAUX TRICEEDNEYWIRE.COM

and Latin America, the same parallels were often made. Europeans justified their exploitation by referring to African people or Latin American Indian, or the people that Christopher Columbus “discovered” as “uncivilized” and less human than the colonizer. Sub-human beings.

Insensitive louts President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle have been portrayed as subhuman by racist bloggers. The New York Post published a cartoon, in 2009, of a dead ape, with the caption “They’ll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill.”

After a week of protests, Rupert Murdoch issues a tepid apology. At least the Feed A Child team chose apologize “unreservedly.”

The Feed a Child people are, at best, insensitive louts. They aren’t the only ones at fault though. The ad agency’s willingness to produce this ad is repugnant, and anyone who is thinking of using this agency might want to think again. There were people on the set when this ad was produced, or behind the scene in edit.

Should even one of them have made some noise, or are they so accustomed to African people being treated as animals that they had no quarrel with this offensive ad? It suggests that there were few, if any, Africans involved in the development and production of this reprehensible ad.

Perhaps that is why Alza Rautenbach does not see color.

I wonder exactly how long this woman has been living in South Africa, considering she “doesn’t see race.”

While the institution of apartheid no longer exists, the structural basis for apartheid is alive and well, given the level of poverty, the lack of jobs, and limited opportunities for education.

Either Ms. Rautenbach and her Ogilvy and Mather colleagues have their heads in the sand, or they are being disingenuous.

Not only is this ad racist, but it reinforces the tendency of some White people to associate people of African descent with animals, or as some sub-species, not human beings. In the United States, this harks back to slavery when African-Americans were seen as good enough to work to exhaustion, good enough to have sex Julianne Malveaux is a Washwith, but not good enough, by law, to be taught to read and write. Not good ington, D.C.-based economist and enough to be treated equally. In col- writer. Write your own response at onized parts of the African continent www.flcourier.com.

by Blacks. In contrast, according to GAP’s 2009 report, “Complainants of other races who allege racial discrimination or applicants claiming reverse discrimination have better prospects for compensation awards.” The expectation of change was high when President Jim Yong Kim was nominated by President Obama and confirmed as the first minority president of the World Bank in 2012, and opened his first annual meeting by saying that his life was “fueled by” Dr. Martin Luther King’s optimism about the human condition.

No answers yet

trast, he has not met with leaders of the DC Civil Rights Coalition, delegating this to his chief of staff.

The coalition submitted a petition calling on the president to (i) resolve outstanding cases of racial discrimination; (ii) establish an external commission; and (iii) introduce external arbitration as an alternative adjudicative outlet. To date, President Kim has not answered the coalition’s call.

The bank’s formal posture remains that the bank “has zero tolerance for discrimination” and that staffers with grievances have access to a “reputable, independent, and impartial tribunal.” What is clear, however, is that the reality still does not match the rhetoric.

It is time for President Kim to take aggressive action to shut down Apartheid Avenue.

To his credit, President Kim assumed personal leadership in advancing the bank’s agenda for equality for women and the LGBT community. In the last six months he published two op-ed articles on Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. is presiwomen and LGBT issues, met with external advocacy groups, and dent/CEO of the Rainbow/PUSH made presentations and chaired Coalition. Write your own resessions at related forums. In con- sponse at www.flcourier.com.

Payday lender ACE Cash Express fined $10 million For the second time in as many years, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has fined a major payday lender. On July 10, Director Richard Cordray announced that one of the nation’s largest payday lenders, ACE Cash Express, will pay $10 million in restitution and penalties for directing its employees to “create a sense of urgency” when contacting delinquent borrowers.

This abusive tactic was used to perpetuate the payday loan debt trap.

CFPB has ordered ACE Cash Express to provide consumers with $5 million in refunds and the same amount in penalties for its violations. The firm operates in 36 states and in the District of Columbia with 1,500 storefronts, 5,000 associates and online loans.

Considered a coercive tactic “We believe that ACE’s aggressive tactics were part of a culture of coercion aimed at pressuring payday borrowers into debt traps,” said Cordray.

“Our investigation uncovered a graphic in ACE’s training manual that lays out a step-bystep loan and collection process that can ensnare consumers in a cycle of debt. When borrowers could not pay back their loans, ACE would subject them to illegal debt collection threats and harassment.”

Commenting on CFPB’s actions, Mike Calhoun, president of the Center for Responsible Lending, said, “This enforcement action also confirms what our research found long ago: payday lenders depend on keeping vulnerable consumers trapped in an endless cycle of debt of 300-400 percent inter-

CHARLENE CROWELL NNPA FINANCIAL WRITER

est loans. . . .It’s real, it’s abusive and it’s time to stop.”

CRL research shows that payday loans drain $3.4 billion a year from consumers. Further, CRL has long held that the payday industry preys on customers who cannot repay their loans.

Trained to take Now, with CFPB releasing an item from ACE Cash Express’ training manual, that contention is proven to be true. The ACE graphic shows how the business model intends to create a debt cycle that becomes increasingly difficult to break and urges its associates to be aggressive.

Last year, another large payday lender, the Fort Worthbased Cash America International, faced similar enforcement actions when CFPB ordered it to pay $5 million in fines for robo-signing court documents submitted in debt collection lawsuits. Cash America also paid $14 million to consumers through one of its more than 900 locations throughout the United States, Mexico and the United Kingdom.

Additional developments On the same day that the CFPB’s enforcement action occurred, another key payday- related development occurred.

Missouri Gov. “Jay” Nixon vetoed a bill that purported to be payday reform. In part, Gov. Nixon’s veto letter states, “allowing payday lenders to charge 912.5 percent for a 14day loan is not true reform. . .

Supporters point to the prohibition of loan rollovers; but missing from the legislation is anything to address the unfortunately all-too-common situation where someone living paycheck-to-paycheck is offered multiple loans by multiple lenders at the same time or is encouraged to take out backto-back loans from the same lender. . . .This bill cannot be called meaningful reform and does not receive my approval.”

On the following day, July 11, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) fined a Florida-based payday loan ‘broker’ $6.2 million in ill-gotten gains.

According to FTC, the firm falsely promised to help consumers get payday loans. After promising consumers to assist them in securing a loan in as little as an hour, consumers shared their personal financial data. However that information was instead used to take money from consumers’ bank accounts and without their consent.

“Debt collection tactics such as harassment and bullying take a profound toll on people – both financially and emotionally”, said Cordray.

“The Consumer Bureau bears an important responsibility to stand up for those who are being wronged in this process.”

Charlene Crowell is a communications manager with the Center for Responsible Lending. Write your own response at www.flcourier. com.

NATION

TOJ A6

JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2014

No US ambassador in quarter of the world 43 awaiting confirmation

by Senate; 13 African countries without them

BY WILLIAM DOUGLAS AND JONATHAN S. LANDAY MCT

WASHINGTON — The United States does not have ambassadors in more than a quarter of the countries in the world, hindering U.S. efforts on issues ranging from counterterrorism work in Africa to the flood of children fleeing Central America for the U.S. border.

The vacancies are driven by the Senate, where President Barack Obama’s nominations for ambassadors are caught in a partisan feud between the Democrats and the Republicans, and by complaints that Obama is nominating an unusually large percentage of political supporters rather than career diplomats.

Currently, 43 ambassadorships are awaiting confirmation by the Senate.

Thirty-five of the nominations have been approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and are awaiting action by the full Senate.

“We’re going without our strongest voice on the ground every day in more than 25 percent of the world,” Secretary of State John Kerry said last week, noting that one-fourth of the 169 nations where the U.S. has embassies are without ambassadors. “We cannot lead if we are not there and we can’t be there if the Senate won’t confirm our best and brightest.”

Lack in Africa In Africa, the U.S. does not have ambassadors in 13 countries, a problem that will be underscored when the U.S. hosts a summit of African leaders next month in Washington.

Among the vacancies, the Senate has not acted on nominations for U.S. ambassadors to Cameroon and Niger, where the Obama administration says the lack of ambassadors complicates U.S. counterterrorism efforts in Africa’s Sahel region, including countering Boko Haram, the al-Qaida-linked militant group that abducted more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls in April.

In Central America, the Senate last week confirmed Obama’s nomination for ambassador in Honduras, which had been

MARY F. CALVERT/ZUMA PRESS/MCT

Davis Trumble of D.C. protests against the abduction of over 200 girls by the terrorist group Boko Haram in northern Nigeria at a rally and demonstration in front of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 6. The Obama administration says the lack of ambassadors complicates U.S. counterterrorism efforts in Africa’s Sahel region, including countering Boko Haram. vacant. And there’s still a vacancy in Guatemala, another Central American country where unaccompanied minors are leaving in droves.

The slow crawl of Senate votes stems in part from acrimony over Republican objections to Obama’s nominations for all posts and the change of longstanding rules by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to make it easier to pass some nominations.

Both parties blamed In protest, Republicans are routinely refusing to give the unanimous consent required to proceed on quick confirmation votes. Without consent, it can take up to eight hours on the floor to confirm a single ambassador.

Bob Silverman, president of the American Foreign Service Association, blames both parties.

“It’s a bipartisan failure of the Senate,” Silverman said. “It’s a Senate leadership problem … at the top. They just don’t see eye to eye, there are blowups, they don’t get along, they’re not able to agree on things that used to be routine.”

Silverman and some Senate Republicans also say that the White House has complicated matters by tapping a higher-thannormal percentage of cam-

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority installs new president FROM WIRE REPORTS

Dorothy Buckhanan Wilson of Milwaukee, Wisc. was installed this month as the 2014-2018 International President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She is the 29th Alpha Kappa Alpha woman to hold this position.

The event was the culminating highlight of the organization’s weeklong 66th international convention held from July 12-18 in Charlotte, N.C. Dorothy She is the only member Buckhanan in the 106-history of the soWilson rority to serve four consecutive terms on its international board of directors.

“I am humbled and excited by the opportunity to lead Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,” she said in a statement. “Its membership includes distinguished women who boast excellent academic records, proven leadership skills, and involvement in their local communities through advocacy and service.

“Over the next four years, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority will deliver an unprecedented amount of high impact, hands-on service programs in our local communities,” she added.

paign contributors, fundraisers and political friends — some of whom with questionable international expertise — for ambassadorships.

Historically, presidents have adhered to a “70-30” combination on ambassadorial nominees: 70 percent of them career diplomats, 30 percent of them political appointments.

Careerists vs. political Since taking office in 2009, 64.8 percent of Obama’s ambassadorial appointees have been careerists and 35.2 percent political, according to American Foreign Service Association statistics.

Only Presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan had higher rates of political appointees, according to the association.

And the trend appears to be accelerating in Obama’s second term. So far, 57.7 percent of his ambassadorial nominees are careerists and 42.3 percent political.

“They’re far away from that usual split — they’re a much higher percentage of politicals,” Silverman said.

“It’s a problem.”

“That affects the morale of the professional diplomatic corps,” said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a Foreign Relations Committee member. “The percent-

age of politicals is way too high, way too high.”

Quality questioned White House press secretary Josh Earnest stressed that the majority of Obama’s nominees still are career Foreign Service officers. He added that those who aren’t shouldn’t be dismissed by critics.

“I think it’s shortsighted to automatically rule out nominees that aren’t career Foreign Service officers,” Earnest said last month, lauding such highprofile appointments as

Caroline Kennedy to be ambassador to Japan and former Republican Gov. Jon Huntsman of Utah to China.

Still, several lawmakers and the American Foreign Service Association have questioned the quality of some of Obama’s political nominees. Stressing its concern, the association has urged the immediate confirmation of all “qualified” ambassadorial nominees by the Senate.

The State Department has proposed a compromise to address Republican concerns about the

qualifications of some political appointees.

Under the proposal, the Senate would approve with a single vote only nominees who are career diplomats, according to Assistant Secretary of State Douglas Frantz.

“It gets them into critical posts and it really helps us in Africa and Central America in a real way,” Frantz told McClatchy.

“It would also take pressure off the Republicans. It would be a positive step. If they did that, it would not look like this was blocking for the sake of blocking.”

ASCEND program The sorority’s international program theme is “Launching New Dimensions of Service’’ and the organization will address community needs via programs in traditional and new target areas.

The program consists of five target areas, one signature program and specifically targeted community service days. The sorority’s signature program, ASCEND, focuses on Achievement, Self-Awareness, Communication, Engagement, Networking, and Development Skills.

Participants will include high school male and female students with emphasis on academic, life, career and characterbuilding skills. The ultimate goal will be to motivate, engage and assist these students in reaching their maximum potential. The sorority will place additional emphasis on SMART careers (Science, Math, And Related Technologies).

265,000 members Initiated into the sorority in 1978 at Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina, she is the senior vice president at Goodwill Industries covering southeastern Wisconsin and metropolitan Chicago, the largest affiliate of the global enterprise that provides job training and career guidance for youths, senior citizens, veterans and people with disabilities.

Alpha Kappa Alpha, founded at Howard University in 1908, is the oldest Greekletter organization established by AfricanAmerican college-educated women and now has 265,000 members in 986 graduate and undergraduate chapters in the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Caribbean, Canada, Japan, Germany, South Korea and Africa.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES AND IMAGINE ENTERTAINMENT PRESENT A JAGGED FILMS/ BRIAN GRAZER PRODUCTION IN ASSOCIATION WITH EXECUTIWYOLAHVE FILMS ATATE TMUSIAYLCOR FILM “GET ON UP” CHADWICMUSIK BOSEC MAN NELSAN ELLIS DAN EXECUTIAYKROYDVE VIOLA DAVIS CRAIG ROBINSON OCTAVIA SPENCER MUSIC PRODUCER MICK JAGGER BY THOMAS NEWMAN SUPERVISORS BUDD CARR MARGARET YEN PRODUCERS PETER AFTERMAN TRISH HOFMANN JEZ BUTTERWORTH JOHN-HENRY BUTTERWORTH JOHN NORRIS ANNA CULP PRODUCED STORY

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PHOTOS BY ROBYN DIXON/LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT

Two refugee women were forced to flee their homes in northeastern Nigeria after attacks by the violent Islamist militia, Boko Haram. They fled to Fuga village, in central Nigeria, hoping to make a new life. The women were forced to convert to Islam.

SPECIAL WORLD REPORT

NO MERCY IN NIGERIA Islamic extremist group Boko Haram continues to destroy lives, churches and homes

BY ROBYN DIXON LOS ANGELES TIMES (MCT)

A

BUJA, Nigeria — When Boko Haram invaded her village last year, the Islamist extremists burned the churches, destroyed Bibles and photographs, and forced Hamatu Juwanda to renounce Christianity.

“They said we should never go back to church because they had brought a new religion,” the 50-year-old said. “We were going to be converted to Islam.”

The head of the village, a Muslim, presented her with a thick nylon hijab to cover her head and renamed her Aisha.

She submitted, smarting with rage. Women who didn’t wear the hijab were beaten.

“When I went to the market, I wore the veil,” she said. “But at home, I took it off and prayed.”

The gunmen returned time after time to the village of Barawa, shooting people, burning houses and wearing down the resistance of the villagers.

Commonplace horrors In September, the attackers came again: 30 turbaned men with covered faces, big guns and camouflage clothing. Juwanda’s husband tried to flee but was shot in the chest and killed.

Horrors became commonplace for Juwanda: She saw a young man shot in the head as he fled along a rural track. She watched a neighboring woman weep bitterly as gunmen abducted her with her children.

“She was crying, but they told her not to,” Juwanda said. “The leader of the group told her, ‘If you cry, it’s useless. If you don’t cry, it’s useless.’ ”

Girls kidnapped, boys killed In the last year, the government has lost control of vast swaths of the country’s northeast to Boko Haram with barely a fight. In a military-style campaign, the extremist militia has raised its black flag over villages, driven Christians from their farmland and houses, and dragged people from cars at roadblocks, killing “infidels.”

Boko Haram’s insurgency has killed 12,000 people and shattered the northern economy.

Schools have been shut down because of attacks that have seen hundreds of schoolgirls kidnapped and schoolboys burned alive in their dormitories.

The crisis encapsulates Nigeria’s myriad problems: its poor governance, its corruption, its abject neglect of the mostly Muslim north, which for years has been the poorest region of the country.

The military’s violent, scattershot approach to the insurgency alienated the public and helps explain how Boko Haram was initially popular in its sweep through the northeast.

Intensified attacks Support for Boko Haram has waned as its attacks on civilians have grown more ruthless.

But Nigerian President Good-

luck Jonathan, a Christian, and the military, lacking the capacity and apparent will to resolve the security crisis, remain deeply unpopular in the north.

Nigeria spends $5.2 billion a year on security but because of endemic corruption, much of that doesn’t make it to the military’s coffers.

“The army is unable to fight the war. The police are unable to maintain security,” said Clement Nwankwo of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Center, a think tank in the capital, Abuja.

“To me there are only two responses. Military force: Subdue them. And good governance.

You’ve got to deliver development. You’ve got to end corruption. That’s what brings it to an end.”

The attacks by the militants intensified last month.

Food, property gone When Boko Haram assaulted a village called Attagara, Michael Yohanna said he and others begged military commanders to defend it.

“They said they had not been given a command,” said Yohanna, an activist in the town of Gwoza. “Even as the attack was going on, they never came.” He said at least 150 people were killed in Attagara.

“As I’m talking to you now, no army has entered there,” he said.

“The insurgents came in military vehicles with an armored personnel carrier. They went to the central church and ordered a man to gather people. Then

Hamatu Juwanda was forced to don a veil and renounce Christianity when violent Islamist extremists invaded her village of Barawa last year in Nigeria. they just shot them.

“Women and children are just languishing in the caves and hills,” he said. “There’s no food.

The insurgents looted all the food, they looted all the property.”

Shot four times Haruna Zanga, 63, a farmer from a village called Gavva West, was lying outdoors on a mat when Boko Haram came in March last year. He was slow to see the danger. By the time he was running, militants were chasing close behind him in their SUV. He vaulted a wall into someone’s house, but the gunmen shot him four times.

“When they shot me, I just fell down. They thought I was dead,” he said. “They shot and killed four other people that day.”

As he recovered in a hospital in the northern city of Maiduguri, an old acquaintance who was a Muslim butcher offered a chilling warning.

“He told me to leave. He said, ‘Don’t go back to Gavva West, because if you go there, people are coming to attack that place.’

“I was terrified, but what could I do? I was feeling that they were wicked people bent on destroying society.”

The butcher told Zanga that the mountains near Gwoza were full of caves packed with Boko Haram insurgents.

More killings When he returned to Gavva West a month later, the attacks worsened. His grandson Peter Biye, 18, was abducted and killed for refusing to convert to Islam. Many girls and women were also taken.

In September, insurgents surrounded and attacked the village at dusk, killing nine people.

They burned 300 houses, leaving only 26 standing. Zanga and most other villagers fled the next day.

See NIGERIA, Page B2

EVENTS

B2

JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2014

STOJ

VASHAWN MITCHELL

Tamela Mann and Vashawn Mitchell are scheduled at the James L. Knight Center on Aug. 16 for a 7 p.m. show.

DOUG E. FRESH

ANITA WILSON

CHLOE RICE/DISNEY

Mickey and Morton Actor Joe Morton, star of ABC’s hit series “Scandal,” hangs out on July 18 with Mickey Mouse in the Magic Kingdom park at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista. Morton is nominated this year for an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama. The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards will air Aug. 25 on NBC at 8 p.m.

Too much to bear: 11 parents of girls have died since kidnapping FROM WIRE REPORTS

The kidnapping of 200 kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls by terrorist group, Boko Haram, has been too much to bear for some parents.

At least 11 parents have died since the mass abduction in April from the Chibok Government Secondary School, according to the Associated Press.

Plainly put, heart failure and high blood pressure due to the trauma from the abductions, have played roles in the recent deaths, says Pogu Bitrus, a community leader in Chibok. Additionally, several more fathers were killed during militant attacks.

“One father of two of the girls kidnapped just went into a kind of coma and kept repeating the names of his daughters, until life left him,” said Bitrus.

‘Bring Back Our Girls’ The militant takeover of Chibok hasn’t been helping the already disastrous situation as Boko Haram is now reportedly attacking villages in all of the surrounding towns causing survivors to flee to Chibok,

which is currently cut off from the rest of Nigeria due to the frequent attacks and unsafe environment.

Bitrus made it clear that the swelling population is depleting the already minute resources of the community.

“There are families that are putting up four and five other families,” said Bitrus.

“There is famine looming.”

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan met with the parents of the kidnapped schoolgirls and assured them that his government and military are doing everything they can to get them back home.

Although the presidential committee investigating the original kidnapping states that the girls are still missing, some of the young women who have escaped, are recovering with the help of counseling.

An anonymous health worker informed the Associated Pres of the grief and rape counseling programs that are being offered under USAID. A Bring Back Our Girls (#Bringbackourgirls) is an international campaign to bring the girls. More information about the campaign is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bringbackourgirls.

The Hip Hop Legends Jam 2014 will feature DMX, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rock, Rakim, Biz Markie, Black Sheep and Special Ed. The show is Aug. 9 at the Silver Spurs Arena at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee.

“Speechless’’ singer Anita Wilson will be one of the performers at the Allstate Tom Joyner Reunion during Labor Day weekend.

More information: www.blackamericaweb.com.

FLORIDA COMMUNITY CALENDAR Tampa: Candy Lowe hosts Tea & Conversation every Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. at 3911 N. 34th St., Suite B. The July 26 discussion will be on mental health and the Black community. More information: 813-394-6363.

Jacksonville: The Ritz Jazz Jamm featuring Jackiem Joyner is Aug. 2 at the Ritz Theatre.

Orlando: Lauryn Hill is scheduled Aug. 15 at the House of Blues Orlando.

Tampa: The Tampa Urban Music Fest with Anthony Hamilton and Lyfe Jennings is at the University of South Florida Sun Dome on Aug. 23.

Tampa: The Tampa Black Heritage Festival’s Entrepreneur’s Advisory Group will conduct a free Building Businesses for the Future seminar

from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Ella at Encore, 1210 Ray Charles Blvd. More information: www.tampablackheritage.org.

Jacksonville: The rapper T.I. takes the stage on Aug. 2 at the Aqua Nightclub & Lounge.

Orlando: Keyshia Cole’s Point of No Return tour stops at the House of Blues Orlando on Aug. 11.

Tampa: Tickets are on sale for the Drake vs. Lil Wayne concert on Sept. 4 at the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

Tampa: Tommy Davidson will be at the Improv Comedy Club Aug. 7-10.

Orlando: Pain’s “Drankin Patna Tour’’ stops at The Beacham in Orlando on Aug.

11 and Revolution Live in Fort Lauderdale on Aug. 12.

Boca Raton: John Legend’s The All of Me Tour makes a stop at the Mizner Park Amphitheater on July 27.

Clearwater: The crooner Maxwell is coming to Florida.

He will make stops in Clearwater, Orlando and Jacksonville in August. More information: www.musze.com.

Fort Lauderdale: The newly formed Carlton B. Moore Freedom Foundation is sponsoring two inaugural events on Aug. 22 at a reception at the Fort Lauderdale Woman’s Club and Aug. 23 at a bid whist tournament at the Elks Lounge. For tickets and more information, visit Facebook Carlton B Moore Foundation or EventBrite.com/CarltonBMooreFreedomFoundation.

Boko Haram attacks Fatal attacks against civilians in 2014* 300 fatalities 100 fatalities NIGER

Provinces under state of emergency Borno: 111,132 displaced

YOBE: 76,354 displaced Kano

Potiskum

Maiduguri Damaturu

Bama

Bauchi

NIGERIA

Jos CHAD

ADAMAWA: 67,326 displaced

Abuja

CAMEROON Makurdi

AFRICA Detail area Sources: IDMC, Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project Graphic: Len De Groot, Los Angeles Times

NIGERIA from B1

Zanga and dozens of others from the Gwoza area fled to Fuga village in the central of the country, where they have been offered refuge and land.

“The last attack was the worst,” Zanga said. “They burned the houses. Mine was the first one they burned.”

Last family survivor As Christian families left

Barawa one by one, Juwanda stayed as long as she could, clinging to her house and land, but the attacks grew more frequent. The last straw was witnessing the abductions of women.

When she finally fled the village in May, she was so petrified that she forgot to take the only photo of her brother, her last surviving sibling. It was hidden under a mattress so the militants wouldn’t see it.

She crossed the border into Cameroon. As soon as she reached safety, she tore off her black-and-whitechecked hijab, felt cool air

*As of June © 2014 MCT

on her throat and breathed free. She was safe.

“I was very happy,” said Juwanda, who later made her way to Abuja. “I felt the good, fresh air as if I’d come to a marvelous place I could hardly imagine.”

Juwanda is relieved to have escaped Barawa. But she remembers the things she lost: her husband, her small plot of farmland, her house, her Bible, all her clothes, a beaded cross she used to wear before she was forced to take it off.

And the photograph of her brother.

© 2014 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

, JULY 25 STARTS FRIDAY CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS FOR THEATERS AND SHOWTIMES

STOJ

JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2014

B3

BUSINESS

Many parents picking wrong cars for teens New report recommends best vehicles to buy for young drivers

BY JERRY HIRSCH LOS ANGELES TIMES/MCT

Many teenagers are driving cars that are poorly matched to their driving skills, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The institute released its first list of recommended used vehicles for teens last week after finding in a survey of 500 parents that 83 percent bought used, rather than new, cars for their teens to drive.

The organization reviewed crash ratings and safety features — such as electronic stability control systems — for used cars, and then obtained price data from Kelley Blue Book to build its list.

Mindful that families can have varying budgets, the group recommended cars along a broad spectrum of prices. It recommended, for instance, the Lincoln MKS from the 2009 model year, which starts at about $15,500, but also 2006 to ’08 Volkswagen Passats, which start at about $5,000 on the used market.

“These lists of recommended used vehicles can help consumers factor in safety in addition to affordability,” said Adrian Lund, the group’s president.

Car-buying guidelines The institute found that teens tend to drive small or subcompact cars that don’t offer good crash protection, and also older cars, from the 2006 model year or earlier. That’s a problem because older vehicles are less likely to have important safety features such as electronic stability control and side air bags.

Teenagers killed in crashes are more likely than adults to have been driving small and older vehicles, the institute said.

Among fatally injured drivers ages 15 to 17 from 2008 through 2012, 29 percent were in small or subcompact cars. That compared with 20 percent for drivers ages 35 to 50.

DETROIT FREE PRESS/MCT

A new teenage driver in Detroit uses her vehicle to get back and forth from work and school.

When picking a car for their new driver, parents should follow these guidelines: Avoid high-horsepower vehicles that could tempt teens into speeding.

Select bigger cars that have the mass to protect occupants in an accident.

Put young drivers in vehicles equipped with electronic stability control, which helps a driver maintain control of the vehicle on curves and slippery roads. Such systems are as important as seat belts, the insurance group said.

Parents should also pick vehicles with good Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration safety ratings.

“You don’t want to get your kid the spiffy red BMW

that will be tempting to race,” said Rosemary Shahan, president of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety.

Parents purchasing a used car for their teen should also check to see if the vehicle has been recalled but not fixed, Shahan said.

“There are something like 36 million cars out there that have a pending recall,” Shahan said.

Consider paying more The insurance group found that, on average, parents spend about $9,800 on a car for a teen. But the median point of car purchases for teens is far lower, at just $5,300.

“Unfortunately, it’s very

MCT

The 2006 Volkswagen Passat is on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s list of recommended vehicles for teenagers. difficult to get a safe vehicle for a teenager at the prices most people are paying,”

said Anne McCartt, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety senior vice presi-

Many neighborhoods impacted by ‘Zombie Foreclosures’

BY ALAN J. HEAVENS PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER (MCT)

Residential real estate has its own version of the 1968 cult classic “Night of the Living Dead.” You could call it “Zombie Foreclosures.”

RealtyTrac, a search engine that collects real estate data nationwide, defines the phenomenon: “Properties that have started the foreclosure process but have never been foreclosed and the homeowner has vacated.”

One in five U.S. homes in foreclosure, or 141,406, are zombies, it says.

Andrew Frank, of Long & Foster Real Estate in Blue Bell, Pa., said he’s been told that many zombies rose from the “robo-signing” era of 2008 through 2010, when some mortgage servicers didn’t bother to read foreclosure documents before submitting them to courts or other agencies for action.

“Even though the defaulters have vacated, the courts forced the banks to restart the foreclosure process, which added to the already high volume at the time,” Frank said.

Slow process Zombies sit in all kinds

of neighborhoods, among the well-to-do and the less well-heeled, local observers said. In some cases, said Carol McCann, of Re/ Max Millennium in Philadelphia, many who received notices of foreclosure simply vacated, “assuming that the bank now owns the property.”

At the height of the foreclosure crisis, sales of distressed housing outpaced all others, depressing prices and undercutting efforts by homebuilders.

“If lenders put them all on the market for sale at once,” it would drastically change property pricing, said Noelle M. Barbone, office manager at Weichert Realtors in Media, Pa. That has little chance of happening, however.

“We have submitted good (purchase) offers to banks, but there is still way too much red tape to make anything move faster or get better,” said Val Nunnenkamp, of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Fox & Roach Realtors in Marlton, N.J.

Blighting neighborhoods Frank Dolski, of Coldwell Banker Hearthside in Lahaska, Pa., said zombie properties often sit as long

dent for research. “Our advice to parents would be to remember the risks teens take and consider paying a little more.”

All the cars on the group’s list have electronic stability control and provide good crash protection.

The group’s “best choices” for less than $20,000 also have good ratings for side crash protection, good head restraints and seats for rear crash protection, and good roof strength to protect occupants in rollover crashes.

Vehicles considered “good choices” for less than $10,000 have good or acceptable side-crash protection and head restraints rated better than poor.

The list of specific models can be found at http:// goo.gl/JqC3nB.

Can’t find your Social Security card?

Don’t panic MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

MARK RANDALL/SUN SENTINEL/MCT

Palm Beach County Sheriffs Deputy Luciano Kovalski approaches a bankowned home in Lake Worth in 2012 that had been, broken into, vandalized and may have been used for illicit acts like prostitution and drug dealing. as three years. In one case, in a “million-dollar neighborhood,” one property that has not been maintained has had an impact on the values of others.

“When the bank finally sells, the subject property will be tremendously affected,” Dolski said.

Attorney William D. Schroeder Jr. estimated he had 10 zombies in his client files.

“A number of my clients have surrendered them as part of a Chapter 7 (bankruptcy),” he said. “I notify the mortgage company departments and the

companies do not move forward.

“I personally believe their inventory is just too large and they are understaffed,” Schroeder said.

“The properties sit there blighting the neighborhood. I advise my clients to take the minimum steps to secure the property and keep it safe from the elements and vegetation.”

Wells Fargo has most RealtyTrac said Wells Fargo had the most zombies — 18,695 nationally.

Wells Fargo spokeswoman Barbara Nate said it does not comment on “reports issued by third parties.”

If a property is delinquent and vacant and has not yet gone to foreclosure sale, she said, Wells Fargo moves to complete the foreclosure quickly and maintain and secure the property in the interim.

She said the lengthy foreclosure timeline in certain areas “delays our ability to complete renovations to get many properties on the market and in the hands of new owners.”

Question: I can’t find my Social Security card. How can I get a new one?

Answer: First, consider whether you really need a new card. You only need to apply for a replacement Social Security card if you don’t know your Social Security number or if you need to show your card to a new employer or other entity. If you decide that you do need a card, you can replace it for free in three easy steps.

Step 1: Complete an application for a Social Security Card (Form SS-5).

Step 2: Show documents proving your identity and U.S. citizenship or immigration status.

Step 3: Take your completed application and original documents to your local Social Security office or your local Social Security card center. You’ll receive your replacement card in the mail in about 10 to 15 days.

You can find all the information you need, including what documents you will need to submit, at www.socialsecurity.gov/ ssnumber.

F0OD

B4

JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2014

TOJ

PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

A perfect picnic pairing Celebrate the summer sun with the ultimate in al fresco dining — a picnic with friends and the per­ fect pairing of wine. Kendall-Jack­ son Grand Reserve Chardonnay is a winemaker’s blend from hill­ side vineyards along California’s cool, coastal appellations. Made from hand selected grapes from the best estate vineyards, each lot is kept separate, barrel-aged and handcrafted — boutique winery style. With rich, tropical flavors accompanied by clean acidity and finesse, this elegantly lay­ ered wine exhibits a rich texture with a hint of vanilla and spice. It pairs deliciously with picnic foods like creamy goat cheese, garlic roasted hummus and crudites.

For more inform­ation, visit www. kj.com.

Refreshing anytime pick From crunchy, cool salads to succulent seafood, warmer weather inspires its own impres­ sive menu. If hosting a summer gathering or you need to bring a wine to enjoy and share as a guest, consider the bright, fresh and crisp flavors of La Crema’s Mon­ terey Pinot Gris. The winery has dedicated more than 30 years to exploring California’s finest cool-climate vineyards, and chose Monterey as the perfect region for growing its new Pinot Gris. Cool winds and fog help the wine de­ velop a natural, juicy palate with notable complexity and mineral­ ity. With aromas of white peach and subtle floral hints, it pairs beautifully with all the flavors of summer. For more inform­a­tion, visit www.lacrema.com.

FROM FAMILY FEATURES

The summer forecast calls for delightful weather and a calendar full of casual, fun-filled gatherings with family and friends. Make sure you’re prepared for all the seasonal soirees with delicious wines that enhance the mood and the good times.

A happy, summer hostess gift

Savor seafood pairings

When you’ve been invited to a joyful, warm-weather gathering, it’s only right to show the hostess your grati­ tude. Thank them properly with a distinctive wine, such as Julia’s Pinot Noir from Cambria Estate Win­ ery, a family-owned win­ ery located on the famed Santa Maria bench in Santa Barbara County.

Known for stylistically distinct bottlings, the winery focuses on smalllot practices, highlight­ ing individual vineyard parcels, clones and soil types, as well as wine­ making techniques. The namesake of proprietor Barbara Banke’s young­ est daughter, Julia’s Pinot Noir is richly-textured, with aromatics of dark fruit and spice. It’s a lush Pinot Noir any hostess would be happy to re­ ceive. For more informa­ tion, visit www.cambri­ awines.com.

A coastal inspired menu is a great way to please guests and show­case the fresh fla­ vors of the season. Be sure to pair your favorite shellfish, shrimp and other seafood dishes with a wine that’s as equally pleasing, such as the Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc. With a storied history in Sonoma County, the win­ ery has estab­lished a reputa­ tion for produc­ing Sauvignon Blanc that is crisp, vibrant and bursting with fruit. With flavors strongly influenced by the coastal influence of the Pacific Ocean, this So­ noma County wine is a nod to the region’s extraordi­nary volcanic soils and wide daily temperature range. Heighten your dining experience with a harmonizing glass of Matan­ zas Creek Sauvignon Blanc, which serves up a sense of deli­cacy, naturally mouth­ watering fruit and balanced acidity. For more inform­ ation, visit www.matanzascreek.com.

Great for grilled fare Flavorful pairing partners

SAUVIGNON BLANC n Meats and fish

Lighter entrees such as shellfish, sushi, sole and chicken n Fruits and vegetables Citrus fruits, melons, green apples and asparagus n Sauces All light sauces, such as citrus sauce n Desserts Light, fruity sweets such as sorbet and key lime pie

CHARDONNAY n Meats and fish

...........................

No matter what ingredients you use, there’s a perfect wine to complement every meal. This helpful pairing guide features three popular varietals for your next summer soiree:

...........................

Based in Sonoma County, MurphyGoode Winery is all about good wine, good times and good deeds.

The wine producer is a partner with Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit organization that provides emergency financial assistance to military families and wounded war­ riors. The winery’s red blend wine, Homefront Red, launched in 2013 to support veterans and military fami­ lies in need, with 50 cents from each bottle sold benefitting the organiza­ tion. To date, Murphy-Goode has raised more than $400,000 for the cause. A blend of Syrah, Merlot, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel, the wine boasts juicy black cherry and raspberry fla­ vors complemented by toasty vanilla notes. Each glass ends in a long fin­ ish, making for a food-friendly wine that pairs well with grilled dishes.

Available nationwide, this robust red will be a hit at your next barbecue or outdoor event. For more information, visit www.murphygoodewinery.com.

Pork loin, chicken, veal, shrimp, crab and lobster n Fruits and vegetables Avocado, potato, butternut squash, apples and peaches n Sauces Creamy, mild and buttery sauces, pesto and tropical salsas n Desserts Apple, pecan and key lime pie; yellow and pound cake

PINOT NOIR n Meats and fish

Roasted chicken, tuna, filet mignon, lamb and mild sausages n Fruits and vegetables Roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, figs, cherries and dried fruit n Sauces Mushroom sauces, light or medium red sauces n Desserts Vanilla pudding, milk chocolate, strawberries and cream or white chocolate

STOJ

JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2014

FINEST & ENTERTAINMENT

Meet some of

FLORIDA’S

finest

submitted for your approval

B5

Think you’re one of Florida’s Finest?

E-mail your high-resolution (200 dpi) digital photo in casual wear or bathing suit taken in front of a plain background with few distractions, to news@flcourier. com with a short biography of yourself and your contact information. (No nude/ glamour/ fashion photography, please!) In order to be considered, you must be at least 18 years of age. Acceptance of the photographs submitted is in the sole and absolute discretion of Florida Courier editors. We reserve the right to retain your photograph even if it is not published. If you are selected, you will be contacted by e-mail and further instructions will be given.

lynn College student and athlete Kendall is currently studying physical therapy.

He dreams of seeing himself in the lights of Times Square and on the big screen. Follow Kendall: @kroach2010 Credit: DC Bryant Photography

kendall

South Florida resident Lynn is very passionate about singing, dancing, and modeling. She can be contacted on twitter @_LynnAllen_.

CBS under fire for lack of diversity in programming

Beyonce and Jay Z’s ‘On the Run’ show to air on HBO

BY GERRICK D. KENNEDY LOS ANGELES TIMES (MCT)

BY SCOTT COLLINS LOS ANGELES TIMES (MCT)

Beyonce and Jay Z’s HBO concert special will debut Sept. 20.

HBO previously announced it would tape a pair of shows from the superstar couple’s “On the Run’’ summer stadium tour.

The special will be taped during their shows in Paris on Sept. 12 and 13 at Stade de France — the only international shows they’ve booked for the tour— and will feature more than 40 songs.

“This is a major musical event that belongs on HBO,” Michael Lombardo, president of HBO programming, said in an earlier statement. “It’s going to be a night to remember.”

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — CBS may be America’s most popular network, but critics claim its new fall lineup doesn’t reflect America.

The chairwoman of CBS Entertainment faced tough questioning about diversity during a meeting last week with reporters at a press tour in Beverly Hills. Critics attacked CBS for almost exclusively programming shows with large White casts but token or nonexistent minority representation.

“When we talk about diversity, we talk about the entire breadth of the network, not just one genre,” network chief Nina Tassler said in response to the criticisms.

She pointed out that the star of the scifi thriller “Extant” — which topped the ratings for its premiere two weeks ago — is Halle Berry, a Black Oscar winner. Lucy Liu, who costars in the Sherlock Holmes update “Elementary,” was also mentioned, as were other elements of CBS’ lineup.

Other projects

Touting ‘Extant’ “‘The Talk’ is one of the most diverse shows in daytime,” said Tassler, who attempted to move critics past looking at the fall shows, which she tacitly conceded may not paint the best picture of the network’s diversity efforts.

That lineup includes “Madam Secretary,” a political/ family drama starring Tea Leoni, as well as an “NCIS” spinoff headed by Scott Bakula.

“We have one of the biggest stars in the entire universe in one of our shows this summer,” she said, referring to Berry and “Extant.”

“We don’t look at fall as the defining mark” of diversity.

A critic rebutted the point by noting that aside from Berry, the show’s other principal characters are all White.

Frequent summer topic Diversity has been a frequent topic of discussion at the press tour this summer. Last week, ABC Entertainment President Paul Lee discussed his network’s efforts and criticized the prevalence of series with all-White casts.

“America doesn’t look like that anymore,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tassler predicted a resolution

Halle Berry is the principal on the new show “Extant.’’ The other principal characters are all White. for the contract talks that have cast a cloud over the network’s biggest comedy hit, “The Big Bang Theory.” The sitcom is supposed to resume production at the end of July but the main cast members are currently without deals.

“I just love being able to answer these questions year after year,” Tassler said with a note of sarcasm after being asked about the trouble. “We’re feeling very confident that everything will work out.”

Late-night talk Another issue CBS is still working out is the precise timing of its late-night handoff.

Sometime next year, David Letterman will retire after more than 20 years on “The Late Show” and Stephen Colbert will take his place.

Colbert will retire his Comedy Central character — a pompous, obtuse conservative TV host — but keep interviews in the CBS show. Beyond that, he and the network are beginning to have discussions as to what shape the show will take.

“Will he have a band, will he not have a band? He’s thinking about all of those things,” Tassler said.

As for the 12:35 a.m. show currently hosted by the soon-to-be-leaving Craig Ferguson, it’s up for grabs. CBS is keeping an open mind about hosts and formats, even possibly ditching the desk-and-chairs interview setup.

“Would there be rotating hosts?,” Tassler asked rhetorically. “That’s always a conversation.”

The Carters’ “On the Run Tour will air Sept.

20 at 9 p.m. on HBO.

Despite a number of joint hits documenting their love over the last dozen or so years — “Crazy in Love,” “‘03 Bonnie & Clyde” and “Drunk in Love,” to name a few — and countless performances together, the pair had yet to tour together.

Last summer, Jay Z used HBO to debut “Picasso Baby: A Performance Art Film” built around his hit album “Magna Carta Holy Grail.”

Mr. Carter’s pop diva wife is currently the focus of “Beyonce: X10,” a 10-episode miniseries of flashy performances from her Mrs. Carter Show that premiered before HBO’s hit vampire series “True Blood”; last year she also revealed herself through the documentary “Life is but a Dream.”

“On the Run Tour: Beyonce And Jay Z” airs Sept. 20 at 9 p.m.

B6

CULTURE

JULY 25 – JULY 31, 2014

STOJ

Community groups pin hopes on Obama library There’s a good chance institution will be built in low-income Black neighborhood in Chicago

proposed the site of the former Michael Reese Hospital in Bronzeville. And the University of Illinois at Chicago has proposed two sites, one on its Near West Side campus and one in North Lawndale.

BY DAHLEEN GLANTON CHICAGO TRIBUNE/MCT

High expectations

CHICAGO — In a small garden in the South Side’s Washington Park neighborhood — blocks from a site proposed for the Obama presidential library — 18-year-old A.J. Jones has found solace tending organic leeks, asparagus and dinosaur kale.

“I used to always be going to parties and doing things with my brother that I shouldn’t have been doing,” said Jones, walking among rows of fresh fruits and vegetables that are harvested by young people and sold cheaply to neighborhood residents. “This gives me peace. It’s a place where I can think and relax.”

The Chicago Botanic Garden operates three urban farms in Chicago, but Sophia Shaw, the garden’s president and CEO, has bigger dreams: What if the Obama presidential library had an urban garden, one inspired by the garden first lady Michelle Obama planted at the White House?

Clinging to hope Across the city, groups that work with troubled and disadvantaged youths are joining campaigns to draw the library to their neighborhoods. Not only do they see a presidential library as an economic engine that would generate jobs and revitalization, they view it as a catalyst for social change, a means to curb violence and instill hope.

Some groups are approaching the library campaign with the same expectations and vigor they had during the 2008 presidential election. At that time, many African-Americans believed that the first African-American president would create an economic and cultural renaissance for Blacks.

Now, faced with an onslaught of youth violence and dwindling money for their organizations, some are betting that Obama will repay a debt to the Chicago communities that launched his political career and landed him in the White House.

“He gave them a feeling of hope for the future, that education, jobs, safety and all of those kinds of residential things would be more available,” said Timuel Black, a Chicago historian and longtime Obama supporter. “He owes the library to the people of Chicago, particularly those on the South Side.”

NUCCIO DINUZZO/CHICAGO TRIBUNE/MCT

Members of LYRIC – Let Your Rhymes Inspire Creativity – perform call and response chant “The Affirmation” in an effort to project positive vibes, community, and love during the open mic night event at KLEO Family Life Center on July8 in Chicago. The KLEO center is one of around a half-dozen organizations that have teamed up with the University of Chicago to garner support for its Obama Presidential Library bid.

Betting on nature Each group has its own vision for how the library could help it help the city’s youths.

For the Chicago Botanic Garden, “The possibilities are endless,” said Shaw, who has partnered with the University of Chicago to try to lure the presidential library to Chicago’s South Side.

The educational gardens it already operates — in Chicago at Washington Park, in Lawndale on the city’s West Side and at Gallery 37 in the Loop, plus one in Waukegan in Lake County — have taken hundreds of disadvantaged youths off the streets and taught them new skills.

“Can you imagine an expansive and thoughtful gardening program as part of the Obama presidential library that incorporated both beauty, nutrition and education?” Shaw said, adding that the botanic garden also would be willing to work on landscaping and design with any institution or group that lands the library.

Proposed sites The Barack Obama Foundation, the group responsible for examining bids and raising money to build the library, has said

The University of Chicago, UIC and Chicago State University — which proposes to build the library on its South Side campus — have all enlisted the support of neighborhood organizations to bolster their bids.

In Bronzeville, a coalition of community groups, the Barack Obama Presidential Library and Museum Campus Foundation, has begun a grassroots online campaign at obamacampus.com to raise $100 million — $99 each from 1 million people — to purchase the city-owned Michael Reese land.

But some economic experts said expectations for the library are too high — just as were the hopes for Obama’s impact on the lives of African-Americans after he became president.

Even if the library is located on the South Side, its scope likely will be limited to the immediate area surrounding the facility and will not directly affect communities like Englewood where residents are in dire need, according to Alvin Tillery Jr., an associate professor of political science at Northwestern University.

“We think of Woodlawn and Washington Park as satellites of Hyde Park. They are ripe for redevelopment. Even if it is located in South Shore, these are not the most marginalized communities we have,” said

Central theme?

JOSE M. OSORIO/CHICAGO TRIBUNE/MCT

Oluwapelumi Ajayi, 15, waters vegetable beds at the Windy City Harvest Youth Farm, operated by the Chicago Botanic Garden, on June 26 in Chicago. Groups and organizations from the Chicago Botanic Garden to the Boys and Girls Clubs in the city are looking to expand programs through the Obama Library and banding together to help bring the institution to Chicago. the library would be an extension of the president’s vision for economic opportunity and would cultivate a strong relationship with its surrounding community.

If Chicago is chosen to host the Obama library, there is a good chance it will be built in a lowincome, predominantly AfricanAmerican community.

While the president and first lady will make the final decision, the University of Chicago has proposed sites in Washington Park, Woodlawn and South Shore. Developer Dan McCaffery has proposed a site in South Chicago, on land that once housed U.S. Steel mills.

A community group has

Tillery, who also serves as chairman of the American Political Science Association’s task force on race and class inequality. “I don’t see a presidential library being a big job-creating mechanism.”

According to Tillery, all one has to do is look to the limited impact the United Center has had on the West Side. The stadium’s presence has not led to widespread job creation, and gentrification stops at the point where the majority of residents are AfricanAmericans, he said.

“It won’t happen without a broad economic development plan,” Tillery said.

Still, he said Obama could include that kind of economic development as a central theme of his library.

“Presidential libraries are whatever the president wants them to be. Will closing the racial and economic gap be a signature of his library? Only he knows that.”

Marion Barry promotes new book; helps D.C. paper celebrate 50th anniversary

BY AMYLIA JOHNSON TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE

Marion Barry walked down an aisle of the auditorium at the old Congress Heights School in Southeast D.C., stopping to shake hands with those in the audience.

Finally, he took the stage, proclaiming Washington the “grandest city in the world.” The former mayor and current Ward 8 representative on the D.C. City Council was ready for “A Conversation with Marion Barry,” the first in a series of events celebrating the Washington Informer newspaper’s 50th anniversary.

The event also was an opportunity for attendees to receive a signed copy of Barry’s book, “Mayor for Life: The Incredible Story of Marion Barry Jr.,” co-authored with Howard University graduate Omar Tyree. But many were just eager to hear from the infamous mayor his account of his life.

‘Black to the bone’ Barry spoke candidly to the crowd in the interview guided by Washington Informer’s publisher, Denise Rolark Barnes, using anecdotes and life lessons to give a small taste of his journey from the cotton field of Mississippi to four-time mayor of the nation’s Capitol his provocative book narrates.

At one point, the “Mayor for Life” described himself as “Black to the bone.” The majority Black

audience cheered and laughed in agreement. The audience was full of D.C. residents who have been supporters and admirers of Barry’s tenure as a public servant.

Some in the audience benefited from Barry’s summer job and youth leadership initiatives. Others credited Barry with giving them the grants and contracts to start or grow their companies over the years he has been in public office.

Civil rights worker When it comes to his younger years in Mississippi, Barry said early lessons on honesty, wisdom and courage largely shaped the way he views the world and the Black man’s role in it. These lessons came from his mother to whom he dedicates his book, which one reviewer describes as “a story of courage, empowerment, hope, tragedy, triumph and inspiration.”

“I was born on a farm,” he said.

“I went to a one-room school house.” The young Barry developed a love for learning, especially science. “I don’t know when I started getting that zeal, but I got it.”

At Fisk University, he was only a year away from completing a chemistry degree when he left academia to work in the Civil Rights Movement and fight against segregation.

“I was getting tired of chemistry anyway,” said Barry, the first chairman of the Student Non-Vi-

PHOTO BY AMYLIA JOHNSON

Barry spoke about his life and his new book at “A Conversation with Marion Barry,” the first in a series of events marking Washington Informer’s 50th anniversary. Informer Publisher Denise Rolark Barnes, right, conducted the interview. olent Coordinating Committee.

He attributes his success in civil rights and political campaigns to his desire to learn and the scientific logic he gained in college.

“It taught me to build,” he explained. “You have to be daring.”

Survived scandal The conversation also touched on dark times in his life, his infamous arrest at the Vista Hotel after the FBI videotaped him smoking crack cocaine. Barry was arrested in January 1990 and served a six-month jail term in a federal prison. He was serving his third term as mayor (1979 to 1991) when he was busted. Bar-

ry survived the scandal to win a fourth term as D.C. mayor from 1995 to 1999.

As a council member, he says he is committed to improving the economic life of Ward 8 residents, the poorest region in Washington.

“It’s hard to mobilize the city government,” he said. “It’s hard to get them to focus on what needs to be done.” Not only was the night a focus on Marion Barry but it was also an opportunity for the Washington Informer to bring attention to its charity groups, scholarships and other partners.

The Washington Informer was first printed during the Civ-

il Rights Movement in 1964, the same year that Barry came to D.C. The newspaper has become a symbol for the Black community, so it was fitting that Barry, an enigma in D.C. politics, be the first guest to celebrate the paper’s milestone.

“You can have the best vision in the world,” said Barry. “If you don’t have courage, it won’t matter.”

This story is special to the Trice Edney News Wire from the Howard University News Service.