Florida Courier - September 22, 2017

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Hollywood tragedy raises questions about nursing homes and disasters See Page B1

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SEPTEMBER 22 – SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

VOLUME 25 NO. 38

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TWIN TERRORS As Floridians recover from Hurricane Irma, a major earthquake rocks Mexico City, and Hurricane Maria shuts Puerto Rico down.

COMPILED FROM WIRE AND STAFF REPORTS

MEXICO CITY – Rescuers searched massive piles of rubble for any signs of life Wednesday morning – just prior to the Florida Courier’s press time Wednesday night – after dozens of buildings collapsed across central Mexico in Tuesday’s violent earthquake, which killed at least 225 people, injured at least 1,000 and caused chaos in Mexico’s capital.

Some 2,000 miles east of Mexico City, Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico early Wednesday, barreling north across the center of the island with powerful winds and flooding that were expected to destroy homes and leave thousands without power.

The storm knocked out power to the en-

tire island hours after it arrived packing 155 mph winds – just 2 mph short of Category 5 status – near the southern city of Yabucoa.

Life, death in Mexico Firefighters, soldiers and volunteers worked through the night clearing debris and scrambling to find survivors, at times working with bare hands and donated flashlights. There were a few moments of relief when several still-breathing, dustcovered survivors were pulled from the wreckage and transported to hospitals.

But many others were found dead.

At least 20 children and two adults died when a three-story school collapsed on the south side of the city. At least two See TERRORS, Page A2

GARY CORONADO/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

Rescue teams continued searching for students trapped in the rubble at a school in Mexico City after Tuesday’s earthquake there.

Brown and ‘stank’ Irma leaves her mark in Central Florida

BY JEFF WEINER ORLANDO SENTINEL / TNS

ORLANDO – Not content to damage homes, toss trees and knock out power to millions, Hurricane Irma has left behind a noxious brew of funk, too.

Residents across the Central Florida region Tuesday reported catching a whiff of a foul, rancid smell that officials blamed on dead fish, stagnant water, flooded ponds and rotting debris – but likely not sewage.

Juliana Calloway said she started to notice the smell Sunday – an acrid odor in the air outside her home in Altamonte Springs, like spent fireworks. At first, she feared a neighbor was burning debris. Soon, Calloway realized the stink wasn’t just in her neighborhood – it was outside her office in Winter Park, too, and at her son’s preschool.

Like ‘rotten eggs’ WANG YING/XINHUA/SIPA USA/TNS

2017 U. S. OPEN

Is Stephens the next Serena?

Sloane Stephens, who was born in Plantation (Broward County), returns a shot during her semifinal win against Florida resident Venus Williams in the U.S. Open. Stephens beat fellow American Madison Keys in the finals for her first career Grand Slam title on Sept 9. Read columnist Anthony Hall’s commentary about this year’s U.S. Open on Page A5.

“This morning, it was just so bad,” she said. “I have a 4-year-old, and he was like, ‘It smells like rotten eggs out here, Mommy.’”

The stench was reported in Orlando, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, Oviedo and Lake County, among other communities. Many took to social media Tuesday to complain.

Melanie Adamski, who lives near Wekiwa Springs State Park, said she

See SMELL, Page A2

SNAPSHOTS FLORIDA | A3

BOOKS | B2

Review of Gregory’s new book

FROM THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA

FMU dean stays with students during storm

Gas prices in Florida have hit a threeyear high after the combination of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.

The cost of a gallon of gas has gone up 46 cents in Florida in the past month, averaging more than $2.70, according to the AAA Motor Club.

NATION | A6

HEALTH | B3

White House hires HBCU initiatives director

ALSO INSIDE

Hurricanes drive up Florida gas prices

Some fast facts about opioids

Supplies delayed Hurricane Harvey slowed oil refining in Texas and began to increase the cost of gas. Then, Irma significantly increased demand in Florida as millions of people evacuated from the projected See GAS, Page A2

DAVID SANTIAGO/MIAMI HERALD/TNS

Cars line up for gasoline at a Marathon gas station in North Miami on Sept. 6 in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Irma.

COMMENTARY: CHARLES W. CHERRY II: RANDOM THOUGHTS OF A FREE BLACK MIND | A4 COMMENTARY: CLARENCE MCKEE: NOTHING ‘DEPLORABLE’ ABOUT THOSE RESCUING STORM VICTIMS | A5

FOCUS

A2

SEPTEMBER 22 – SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

No apologies for telling the truth ESPN Sports Anchor Jemele Hill used a social media account recently to describe President Donald Trump as a “White supremacist” and a “bigot.”

Good for her!

She should know very well about racists and racism, because she works at a company and in an industry that is permeated with company owners and employees that have historically hired staff members with racial attitudes and opinions in mind.

They have also have covered sporting and news events somewhat based on race.

No diverse events If you don’t know, more than a third of ESPN’s audience and viewers happen to be people of color. But a third of the events they cover are not about events that interest Blacks, Hispanics,

LUCIUS GANTT THE GANTT REPORT

Native Americans and other socalled minorities.

For years, there have been Black people in sports and in sports media that have stood up and spoken out about racism in politics, society and in everyday life.

Jim Thorpe talked about it, Jack Johnson talked about it, Jackie Robinson talked about it, Muhammad Ali talked about it, Jim Brown talked about it, Curt Flood talked about it, Craig Hodges talked about it, Bill Rhoden talked about it, Tommie Smith and John Carlos talked about it.

Other Black athletes and Blacks in sports media have voiced their opinions about White racism, White nationalism and White supremacy in every aspect of American society!

I’ve been there Before ESPN became a dream in somebody’s mind, Lucius Gantt covered sports on an international, not national, basis as a sports reporter for The Associated Press in New York and Atlanta.

In 1973, I wrote three of the top sports stories in the world, including “Baseball’s Unbreakable Records” (that is imitated every year) and one about brothers Jesus, Matty and Felipe Alou playing in the same major league baseball game at the same time at Yankee Stadium.

Did I talk about racism and discrimination while at AP? Yes! I talked about White supremacy before 1973. God knows I’ve talked about it all my life.

There’s a difference I applaud Jemele Hill’s thoughts about bigotry and the thoughts shared by Colin Kaepe-

rnick, Michael Bennett and others. But I think there is a difference as it relates to Hill.

When you apologize for saying the right thing, it says something about you!

Even when some people say truthful things, they can’t handle the truth, so to speak!

You don’t have to go back on social media when you are correct and say, “I’m sorry,” or “Any comment I made was just my opinion,” unless you feel a need to cover your ass or save your job!

None of the athletes and sports media people listed above felt a need to apologize about truthful descriptions of their feelings about racism. Just like me, they said what they thought was the truth and they didn’t care whether their employers liked it or not.

They all know The problem with today’s media folk is this, they know who they are and the people that hire them know who they are hiring.

Any Black person that gets hired

by ESPN is expected to have opinions that ESPN likes.

Yes, Bill Rhoden, who also

works for ESPN, is an exception.

But Jemele Hill is no Bill Rhoden.

There certainly are White supremacists, White segregationists, White nationalists and White racists here and everywhere else in the world. But there are also devils and beasts around every corner.

No apology from me I want you to know if you read something I write in The Gantt Report or hear something I say about racial bias, discrimination, supremacy, nationalism, animus or misconduct, I write what I mean and say what I meant!

Thank God there are Blacks and other people of color that will never, ever apologize for telling the truth!

Buy Gantt’s latest book, “Beast Too: Dead Man Writing,” on Amazon.com and from bookstores everywhere. “Like” The Gantt Report page on Facebook. Contact Lucius at www. allworldconsultants.net.

SMELL from A1

noticed it Monday. As a cancer patient, Adamski was already suffering nausea, so the smell was especially unwelcome. “It smelled kind of like something rotting – chemicals or sewage,” she said.

Officials say the rotten smell is common in the aftermath of a storm, such as Irma, which rampaged across the state last week with torrential rains and powerful winds.

Nothing new “As soon as we smelled that, it was like, there’s that smell again.

That’s the Fay smell,” said Alan Harris, emergency manager for Seminole County, referring to the tropical storm that caused heaving flooding in 2008. “I remember it very well.”

Government experts pointed to a variety of culprits.

Rotting fish are likely a factor because flooding can kill them off in large numbers by disrupting the salinity and oxygen levels in lakes, rivers and oceans, said Greg Workman, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

“I personally believe that there’s been multiple causes.

That’s just one of them,” he said.

“If you’re in an area where there was a fish kill, of course, decaying fish will give off an odor.”

Orlando officials also noted that heavy rains can saturate the groundwater, resulting in a sulfur-like smell similar to rotten eggs. The muck and sediment left behind as flooding recedes can also stink, they said.

RED HUBER/ORLANDO SENTINEL/TNS

Bob Williams of Longwood adds another load of yard waste from Hurricane Irma to a pile in front of his home. It stinks outside his house.

Probably not sewage The storm also prompted widespread sewage overflows when pumping stations lost power. While spilled sewage stinks, it’s unlikely to produce the rotten egg smell many described, or to blanket the entire region in a funky odor, officials said.

“You have to be right next to a lift station that’s overflowing to smell that – not miles from the lift station,” Harris said.

Irma also blanketed the region with fallen leaves, branches and entire trees. While it’s unlikely those are noticeably rotten al-

CAROLYN COLE/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

On Wednesday, Hurricane Maria pushed flooding rain onto the sidewalks of the Sheraton Old San Juan in Puerto Rico.

TERRORS children had been rescued, but up to 30 others and eight adults were still missing, said Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

He spoke late Tuesday outside Enrique Rebsamen School, surrounded by desperate parents waiting for word on their children.

tries and water. Dozens of people stood watch, their mouths covered with face masks, as volunteers atop a mountain of rubble passed debris down in buckets.

Others carted rubble away from the ground in wheelbarrows.

One rescue worker brought a yellow Labrador retriever to the top of the pile to sniff out bodies. Suddenly, workers dimmed the lights, cut off the generators and called for silence. They listened. A few minutes later, they resumed their work.

Kept working

Kids missing

Emergency crews worked through the night. Nurses set up a sidewalk clinic, while others walked around offering pas-

Dr. Karen Pina Fragoso said a handful of people had survived the collapse. She didn’t know how many adults remained miss-

from A1

ready, local governments are expected to need weeks to collect all the yard waste that residents have piled up since the storm.

Orlando has crews out collecting bundled or bagged plant debris seven days a week, said Mike Carroll, the city’s solid waste manager. Irma left behind about 300,000 cubic yards of plant debris in Orlando – four times as much as the city collected in all of 2016.

Overall, the storm left 1 million cubic yards of debris each in Orange and Seminole counties, according to early estimates. Both counties have drop-off locations

ing in the building, but she said at least three children were unaccounted for.

Fragoso said medics could still hear the voices of many survivors trapped in the building at 3 a.m.

But as daylight broke, the voices quieted.

The U.S. Geological Survey calculated the magnitude of Tuesday’s temblor at 7.1 and said the epicenter was about 80 miles southeast of Mexico City in the state of Puebla.

The quake struck 32 years to the day after another powerful earthquake that killed thousands and devastated large parts of Mexico City – a tragedy that Pena Nieto had commemorated earlier Tuesday.

Mexico sits in one of the world’s most seismically active areas, as the floor of the Pacific Ocean south of the country is sliding underneath the North American plate. Mexico City is prone to major damage in earthquakes because it was built on an old lakebed, which amplifies the shaking.

Thousands in shelters In Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, the wind howled on Wednesday, shaking high-rise buildings as Hurricane Maria drove white sheets of rain down empty streets.

Elsewhere in the capital, some shelters were already suffering storm damage Wednesday morning. Some of the more than 500 people sheltering at Roberto Clemente Coliseum posted video on Twitter showing doors snapping open even as guards tried to hold them closed, and evacu-

for residents who want to clear it themselves.

Pickup a challenge Carroll said finding contractors with the right equipment to pick up storm debris has been unusually challenging because many crews were already busy in Houston cleaning up the destruction from Hurricane Harvey when Irma set its sights on Florida.

To make matters worse, Irma was massive – causing damage in every population center in the state. Cities across Florida, Carroll said, are “all chasing the same disaster company resourc-

ees moving cots due to leaks in the roof.

Maria became the first Category 4 hurricane in nearly 80 years to hit the U.S. territory, home to 3.4 million people. Authorities had urged residents to leave their homes for 500 emergency shelters, and thousands of listened.

Hunkered down Migdalia Caratini, a lawyer who lives east of San Juan, rented a room at the Sheraton in Old San Juan to weather the storm.

She worried about those living in the center of the country, where many homes are wood with metal, zinc roofs that were likely to be ripped apart by the hurricane.

The country has been struggling economically, and leaders had planned to reduce public workers’ hours, shifting money from local to federal coffers, Caratini said. She hopes those

GAS from A1

path of the storm.

AAA spokesman W.D. Williams said prices should begin to slowly drop again over the next few weeks.

“Barring any more disruptive hurricanes as we have had, we expect prices to continue to drop over the next days and weeks,” Williams said. “Actually, we foresee before we celebrate New Year’s Day this year, that we’ll see the

es. Our primary contractor has had great difficulty getting more resources.”

Paying it no mind Not everyone was bothered by the funk.

Bob Williams of Longwood said he’d seen neighbors griping about the smell online, but he didn’t notice it until he spent a few hours Tuesday clearing branches. Though Williams detected a “slight odor of sewer gas,” he said none of the plant debris seemed to be rotting.

“It’s all dried up, and it doesn’t smell bad,” he said.

changes get suspended, at least immediately after the storm.

‘After Maria’ “They’re going to have to restructure. Puerto Rico isn’t going to be the same. It’s going to be before Maria and after Maria,” she said.

Others at the hotel had evacuated from other Caribbean islands where they had already survived Hurricane Irma earlier this month.

The Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan – which was still housing Hurricane Irma evacuees from other Caribbean islands – was preparing to accept thousands more after Maria.

Kate Linthicum, Andrea Castillo, and Molly HennessyFiske of the Los Angeles Times / TNS contributed to this report.

lowest prices of 2017.”

Won’t decrease quickly Williams said gas prices will not go down as quickly as they went up, but they are expected to drop about 30 cents a gallon in the coming weeks.

Gas prices in Florida averaged $2.16 per gallon a year ago.

“You can blame it on just simple economics,” Williams said. “Hurricane Harvey put a little crimp in our supply, and then Hurricane Irma actually bumped up demand a little bit.”

SEPTEMBER 22 – SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

FLORIDA

A3 But because of its unique setting and vulnerability to hurricanes, Monroe has long had stricter building codes than the rest of the state and has mandated some critical upgrades.

Elevation requirements Most importantly — homes must be elevated above the flood plain to allow storm surge, which is the deadliest part of a hurricane, to pass underneath living spaces.

Bottom floors can only be used for limited purposes such as storage and recreation.

“The idea was those walls would be breakaway walls to allow surge to go through without affecting the structure of the house,” said Ricardo Alvarez, a Miami-based expert on structural vulnerabilities.

That’s what happened to Grassy Key’s Seashell Resort, which sits directly on the Atlantic at Mile Marker 57. The surge punched through the walls — destroying the first-floor Caribbean suite and depositing crabs, coconuts and sea grass — inside the room. But the building itself did not topple.

Paying off CHARLES TRAINOR JR./MIAMI HERALD/TNS

George Ramos explains the level of the surge in the house he is a caretaker for on Sept. 10 after Hurricane Irma swept a 10-foot surge onto the house on Sumerland Key in the Florida Keys. He said it “sound like a war” as the water battered the property.

Sturdy Keys homes could be model for reducing damage

BY DAVID OVALLE MIAMI HERALD/TNS

right on the Atlantic side — and the storm was a direct hit.”

MIAMI — Built directly on the Atlantic Ocean in Summerland Key, Bob Chapek’s home stood in the crosshairs when Hurricane Irma slammed into the islands.

A terrifying 7-foot surge of sea water burst into the ground-floor garage as 130 mph winds relentlessly hammered the building.

But when the water receded and the winds passed, the concrete home elevated on stilts with hurricane resistant windows remained intact. The ground-floor garage — designed to give way to surge — was an unmitigated mess, along with the docks and yard. But the structure stood strong, the upper floor where people live untouched inside.

“In the grand scheme of things, given the magnitude of the storm, it’s such a sturdy house and so well-planned out, we weathered the storm as good as can be expected,” Chapek said. “And it’s

Tough building codes Although authorities are still assessing the full scope of the damage, Monroe County emergency managers, structural engineers and others who have conducted initial damage surveys believe that tough building codes specifically designed to withstand Florida’s fiercest hurricane may have spared the islands from outright obliteration from Irma.

Clearly, Irma’s steamroll over the Lower Keys left billions of dollars in damage that will take months, even years to clean up and repair. Many mobile homes were shredded, some wellknown older buildings and restaurants — Snapper’s in Key Largo, the Rainbow Bend Resort in Grassy Key — were devastated.

The electrical grid and sewage and water systems also suffered serious damage, posing perhaps the biggest hurdle to allowing res-

USF launches enhanced supplier diversity program SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

The University of South Florida System is expanding efforts to promote opportunities for a wider range of businesses across the region and the state to work with the university, including companies owned by minorities, women, and veterans.

The USF System Supplier Diversity program is being enhanced by recently hiring new leadership, launching a new website, creating training programs for university employees Terrie and holding communiDaniel ty outreach events.

The initiatives will provide additional opportunities for diverse businesses to work with the USF System in the procurement of goods and supplies, construction, professional services and other contracts.

Experienced leader Assistant Vice President Terrie Daniel, an experienced leader in the field of supplier diversity, joined USF in April to build the program through working closely with USF System purchasing agents, departmental buyers and the Facilities Management department.

She also actively represents the USF System in the business community through involvement in associations and organizations that promote the economic development of diverse businesses.

Prior to joining USF, Daniel was deputy commissioner of the State of Indiana Department of Administration, where she implemented and led the State of Indiana’s Supplier Diversity initiatives.

“There is great support from leader-

idents back into the Lower Keys.

Manageable damage But Chapek’s largely intact home underscores what could be a lesson for how to build homes in the future along the rest of Florida’s coastline, which is just as vulnerable to hurricanes.

Monroe County’s building standards are among the toughest in the nation and — at least for the newest single-family homes built after 2001 — they appear to have been up to the challenge.

Chapek’s home, built a dozen years ago out of precast concrete, has withstood brushes with at least six hurricanes with manageable damage — including a direct hit from Irma — the most powerful hurricane to hit the Keys in nearly 60 years.

“Monroe and Dade County definitely have the strongest building codes in the country when it comes to the wind and water,” said Allen Douglas, executive director of the Florida Engi-

neering Society. “We’re hopeful, when all the assessments are done, we’re going to find the codes stood the test.”

Pushed after Andrew The storm made landfall early Sept. 10 at Cudjoe Key, a small community 20 miles northeast of Key West and one island over from Summerland, as a Category 4 hurricane with winds estimated at 130 miles per hour.

Hurricane Andrew in 1992 was the catalyst for stricter building codes mandated statewide one decade later. The storm’s destruction of South Miami-Dade showed that many of the razed homes were shoddily built under weak standards.

Now, structures in Florida must be able to withstand winds of 111 mph and higher, while Miami-Dade and Broward buildings must hold steady against winds of at least 130 mph. In the Keys, homes must be built to withstand winds of up to 150 mph.

Contractors in the Keys have always had a reputation for making better buildings, and the improved standards helped even further, said Charlie Danger, the former Miami-Dade chief building inspector who led the charge to improve building codes after Andrew.

Danger believes the tough standards are paying off. He himself has a home in Islamorada, built four years after Andrew, that survived largely unscathed.

“In a general sense, we can say the work that was done in making a better code — and also putting a little bit of fear into contractors and telling them to be more responsible when they build — created a better stock of housing,” Danger said.

A vicious blow That’s not to say that the Middle and Lower Keys didn’t suffer horrific damage.

The storm inflicted a vicious blow, hurling heavy boats onto the Overseas Highway, crumpling gas-station canopies, exploding trailer homes and scattering branches, kayaks, refrigerators, gas grills, sections of roofs and all manner of debris across the islands. Muddy surge filled streets from Key Largo to Key West.

The director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency said last week that “initial estimates” were that a quarter of all Keys houses were “destroyed” and 65 percent suffered some damage.

ship for creating an effective, university-wide program that offers more robust ways to ensure increased diverse business inclusion in USF’s day-today business, as well as future growth,” Daniel said. “This new program will provide a better and stronger bridge between our educational community and the business community.”

Oct. 6 event Launched last month, the new Office of Supplier Diversity website provides business owners with a resource to learn about opportunities within the USF System, participate in upcoming events and connect directly with the program’s leadership.

USF also will hold a large supplier diversity event on Friday, Oct. 6 in the Marshall Student Center.

The all-day event brings together hundreds of local businesses and will feature interactive presentations and a panel discussion, as buyers from the USF System provide attendees with insights into the procurement process and how to successfully conduct business with the university.

“The heart of this program is about connecting diverse-owned businesses with the right departments so they can more actively compete,” Daniel said.

“To do that, we’re aiming to streamline the tracking of diverse spending across the USF System and better identify those opportunities.”

University honors Diversity and inclusion are core values for the USF System, and the university has earned national recognition for its commitment to these areas.

Earlier this year, USF was honored by the U.S. Education Trust as the top school in Florida and sixth best school nationally for closing the achievement gap between Black and White students. In addition, Military Times magazine ranks USF as the top school in the United States for veterans.

Dr. Michael Gary, right, is shown with students at Florida Memorial University.

Florida Memorial dean stays with students at shelter during Irma SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

It was never a part of his job description, but Dr. Michael Gary, the assistant vice president for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Florida Memorial University (FMU), really never gave it a second thought.

In preparation for Hurricane Irma’s visit, Gary and members of the FMU faculty and staff were busy getting students off campus and back to their homes safely. But some of the students did not have time or resources to return home and ride out the storm.

Wouldn’t leave them So, they stayed in a nearby shelter. Gary did not feel comfortable leaving his students there alone. And instead of heading to his own home, he opted to bunker down and stay with them.

“We made a promise to the parents and families who entrust their loved ones with us that we will guard, guide and educate them to the best of our ability,” Gary said. “I felt it was our duty to provide them with that extra security they needed during this turbulent time.”

Gary, as well as Vernon Martin, the associate director of Residential Education, and Michael Matos, a residence hall director, de-

termined they would also accompany the Miami Gardens university’s seven young men and seven young women at the shelter.

‘Humbling experience’ For many, it was their first time experiencing a hurricane, and the first time ever in a shelter.

“It was a unique and humbling experience,” recalls Gary. “We helped with everything – from offering our cots to the elderly and sick, to assisting with serving the meals and handing out water. We weathered the storm to get the food and water in the shelter, walking in the rain, through the floods, and doing whatever was needed.

He added, “It was an all-hands-on-deck type of situation. But there was a sense of gratitude and appreciation too as everyone was coming together to help comfort and support each other – such efforts of basic human kindness at its best.”

Lauded by president Gary decided to stay at the shelter instead of leaving to join his wife and son who headed for Atlanta a few days earlier. The same scenario applied to Martin, who is also married and Matos, who has two children. But they all elected to ride out the storm with their students.

“These dedicated men truly embodied the very essence of leadership and compassion,” said Dr. Michelle Howard-Vital, FMU’s interim president. “We are ever so grateful for their effort and commitment to go above and beyond for our students.”

The university reopened on Monday.

EDITORIAL

A4

SEPTEMBER 22 – SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

Hurricanes expose capitalism’s flaws Recent hurricanes in Texas and Florida reveal a great deal about the United States and how little it does for its people. Of course, hurricane winds destroy material things and injure and kill humans. But natural disasters also destroy the myths of American democracy, exceptionalism and greatness.

The people of Houston live in a city which has no zoning regulations, and where petrochemical companies control politics and therefore have an unjust impact on their lives. Floridians live under a similar system, where rightwing politics rule and no effort is spared to punish people because they are poor.

Poverty increases By every measure, America is a country where millions struggle daily because they have little or no income. Democrat Bill Clinton ended the right to public assistance 20 years ago, and of course poverty has increased.

Even American workers are poor, with half of them earning less than $31,000 per year. An unknown number don’t work at all, with official statistics omitting the plight of people who may not have worked for years – if ever.

These truths are too inconvenient to be exposed in a country that loves to love itself. But the propaganda of a great country is harder to promote when Texans and Floridians suffer not just because of nature, but because the system is not meant to help them.

In America, everyone is on their own in a dystopian “survival

nothing to help people devastated by acts of nature.

MARGARET KIMBERLEY BLACK AGENDA REPORT

of the fittest” nightmare. The only money that arrives for disaster victims comes from dubious private charities like the Red Cross.

In an ideal society, the government would repair homes, replace lost property and take other actions to make people whole again.

Few changes Twelve years after Hurricane Katrina, little has changed. When disaster strikes, the Red Cross fills its coffers as well-meaning individuals contribute in hopes of assisting others in need. The organization has been exposed as a racket, providing a meal and a blanket but little else, even as it markets itself as the most reliable charity in times of crisis.

If America is the world’s only superpower, it is because it has the largest military in the world and trillions of dollars in its treasury. Its military isn’t mobilized to move people away from natural disaster because that is not why it is exists.

The military-industrial complex has two purposes: making money for corporate interests and intimidating the rest of the world into complying with American dictates. This is a rich country, but the presence of a strong currency and rich individuals do

Why San Francisco’s Levi’s Stadium project is infamous The National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) and its kindred spirits have been fighting construction unions’ racist hiring and contracting tactics.

The unions have co-opted our politicians and civil rights organizations to the point that their Negro allies do the dirty racist work for them. One of the latest examples of this is Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, in Santa Clara, Calif.

Remember what happened The history of the planning and construction of this major project must not be forgotten by Black America. Right now, there are new stadiums in the planning stages throughout this nation and we must not allow any more Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) requiring union-only hiring and contracting.

While the Levi’s Stadium was

HARRY C. ALFORD GUEST COLUMNIST

being built, I recall a large sign posted at the project which read, “No Job Site Hiring: ALL HIRING DONE AT THE UNION HALL.” That meant that if you were not in a construction union, you were not going to be hired. Also, if your company was non-union, it would not receive any contracts.

Since Black and minorityowned businesses were 98 percent non-union due to discrimination, there would be no recourse to the contracting blockage.

Also, construction union employees almost exclusively live in rural areas outside our urban centers. While our cities are home to most Blacks, Hispanics and

Random thoughts of a free Black mind, v. 304 Jesus may arrive next week!

So says a Christian ‘numerologist,’ if there is such a profession.

The numerologist says Jesus’s drive-by is scheduled to occur 33 days from last month’s total eclipse – that would be Sunday, Sept. 24 – because “3” is a divine number in many ways, blah blah.

Interestingly enough, I’ve also heard that a lot from Floridians who are watching earthquakes, multiple historically strong hurricanes, and the pissing contest

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: DACA

QUICK TAKES FROM #2: STRAIGHT, NO CHASER

CHARLES W. CHERRY II, ESQ. PUBLISHER

between King Don Trump and “Rocket Man,” North Korea’s Kim Jong-un.

No helping hand The suffering in Texas and Florida shines a light on everyone’s condition in a dog-eatdog society. No one can expect a helping hand unless they are already among the “haves.”

Democrats and Republicans work together to reduce the tax burden on the wealthy, but do nothing to raise the minimum wage. Corporations like Walmart always get tax relief to operate and governmental relief for their impoverished employees. Cities and states race to the bottom to compete for the favors of the already wealthy and waste the public’s money in dubious ventures.

Yet after all the bowing and scraping to wealthy individuals and corporations, the masses of people can expect nothing when they are in need. Evacuation plans don’t accommodate the needs of poor people. Those in already dire straits may not be able to access shelter, if any can be found. Floridians fleeing hurricane Irma often found no room at the inn when they heeded warnings from officials.

Not just Trump The impact of climate change is and should be a topic for discussion in the wake of a devastating tropical storm season. It is easy to point fingers at Donald Trump, who has already chosen to remove the United States from the most recent international cli-

Asians, the White suburban areas are where the White union employees dwell while going to work in our neighborhoods.

How it went down Associated Building Contractors (ABC) is a partner organization with the NBCC. Together with other organizations, we fought the good fight on this and other projects. The following blogposts are from ABC’s reporting on the Levi’s Stadium horror: “Construction of the San Francisco 49ers’ $1.2 billion Levi’s Stadium, subject to a controversial government-mandated PLA, has been plagued by two fatal jobsite accidents and a protest by a coalition of community groups and activists outraged by the lack of construction contracts awarded to minority businesses.

“PLA advocates claim anti-competitive and costly PLA schemes promote safe jobsites and increase inclusion of minority contractors and minority construction workers from the local community. Obviously, this PLA is not delivering on its promises.

NATE BEELER, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

mate agreement.

But Trump has only been president for eight months. The damage to the ecosystem began decades ago, and the pre-Trump Republicans and Democrats had no interest in acting to save all life on the planet.

Democrats like Clinton and Barack Obama talked a good game, but they acquiesced as much as Republicans did to the fossil fuel and other industries that are responsible for global warming. They allowed oil drilling offshore and on public lands. They promoted the use of coal. They did so because they follow the rules set

– employed by Napa Reinforcing Steel was tragically killed while unloading a load of rebar, according to the San Francisco Chronicle…In June, stadium construction was halted after an accident killed a unionized elevator mechanic from Sacramento (nearly 118 miles, or a two-hour commute from the stadium).

“In September, a coalition of minority business groups and activists organized a protest at the 49ers’ home opener at Candlestick Park, according to an Oct. 5, 2013 article in The San Francisco Bay View.

“The protest was organized in response to practices permitted by the San Francisco 49ers and the Santa Clara Stadium Authority and executed by Turner Construction and its joint venture partner Devcon Construction, to exclude Black and minority contractors from participation intentionally and systematically on the $1.3 billion Levi’s Stadium project.

A fraction of work

“Yesterday, a worker from Vacaville, Calif. – nearly 85 miles away from the Santa Clara jobsite

“While the combined efforts of the (protesting) organizations have led to the award of over $25 million in contracts to Black and minority firms in recent months, the $25 million represents only 1.6 percent of the construction

My bootleg-preacher advice?

Read all of Chapter 24 of Matthew, not just a few verses. I guarantee Jesus ain’t gonna be here, at least not in the literal flesh, on Sunday, because “about that day or hour, no one knows…” not even a ‘Christian’ numerologist…

Is Florida living sustainable anymore? That’s a hard question for a Florida native. I believe manmade climate change is real, because that conclusion is backed by the same natural science that allows the National Hurricane Center to predict, with increasingly better accuracy, when and where storms will go.

My concerns? The randomness of the storms’ frequency and strength during a long six-month

storm season yearly; the financial cost of storm preparations – flood, homeowners’, or renters’ insurance, usually with high deductibles and limited coverage.

If you’re a homeowner, there’s plywood or shutters, generators, and possible repair and rebuilding. There’s the psychological stress and strain of preparation, and evacuation costs. There’s the politicians’ refusal to prepare for rising ocean levels and stronger storms.

Even with 10 years between major storms, how many Andrews, Charleys, Matthews, or Irmas can one take in a lifetime?

More later…

Rest in peace, Evangelist – It’s good to have a fan in life, and

Workers killed

Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher

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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by corporate interests.

Because capital is in control, tropical storms and droughts are occurring with greater severity and imperiling life around the world. It isn’t surprising that so little is done to protect humanity in these circumstances. The same system that creates catastrophes is unlikely to stem the consequences created by them.

Margaret Kimberley’s column appears weekly in BlackAgendaReport.com. Contact her at Margaret.Kimberley@ BlackAgendaReport.com.

budget for the stadium project.

“Construction on Levi’s Stadium began about one and a half years ago and until the National Sports Authority entered the picture, a process reminiscent of the proverbial ‘good old boys’ network was being employed by the 49ers and their development team to prevent Black and minority contractor and professional services providers from participating on the project.”

Just the latest There it is, my brothers and sisters. It is only the latest in this continuing horror show known as construction unions’ Project Labor Agreements on publiclyfunded stadiums across our nation. Keep in mind that California’s population is over 54 percent minority. They get away with these atrocities not only there, but throughout America.

The time has come for us to rise and fight this modern-day horror which we live daily. You wonder why we have such high unemployment levels. This is why!

Harry C. Alford is the cofounder and president/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce. Contact him via www.nationalbcc.org.

Evangelist Doris James was a fan of your humble writer.

She told me if I ever became a ‘legitimate’ minister (I have a $10 Internet license to call myself “pope,” “bishop,” “apostle,” etc.), she would be my first member. Before her stroke, whenever I appeared at her home church, Dania Beach’s St. Ruth Missionary Baptist, she’d laugh about what I wrote that week in this short space.

I know her last few years were tough. But if anyone deserves to be “absent from the body and present with the Lord,” she does, in my humble opinion…

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SEPTEMBER 22 – SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

Nothing ‘deplorable’ about those rescuing Harvey, Irma victims All Americans can be proud of the countless acts of generosity, heroism, and unselfishness of those rushing to help victims in the aftermath of hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

In Texas, members of the “Cajun Navy” came from Louisiana to help rescue flood victims in Houston. Utility company crews from nearly 30 states rushed to Florida to help restore power to more than six million people. That’s 60 percent of the state.

And in New York, police and fire department teams went to Florida and Texas, assisting with rescue efforts there. Also, the 106thRescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard was deployed by New York’s Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo, directing them to these rescue efforts.

Many heroes

CLARENCE V. MCKEE, ESQ. GUEST COMMENTARY

Considered ‘racists’ Yet, I couldn’t help but think, that in other circumstances (referring to Hillary Clinton, the Democratic establishment’s coastal elites, and much of the hateTrump media, including many of the tuxedoed progressives on display at the Emmy Award ceremony) most of these heroic volunteers would be considered to belong to the “deplorables,” – that is “racists” and “rednecks” – because most of them most likely supported our current president.

Remember when Hillary said “ . . . you can put half of Trump supporters into what I call the basket of deplorables . . . racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic . . . “Clinton later said she regretted saying “half.”

These likely Trump supporters and heroes are the people who the highbrows at ABC and ESP (P for “Political”) N show contempt for when they fire personalities who make any comments in a pro-conservative vein, like Curt Shilling tweeting about transgender bathrooms or Hank Williams Jr. saying negative things about Barack Obama.

These, as well as the valiant work of the U.S. Coast Guard and other members of the military, were just a few of the acts of tireless, unselfish heroism of thousands of Americans expediting assistance to their fellow Americans in distress. No one cared about the race or color of the victims.

As I watched video and viewed pictures of the “Cajun Navy” rescuing Blacks and Whites from Houston’s flood ravaged homes, power company linemen in their trucks queued up ready for dispatch to various communities to restore power after Irma. Rescue teams from the New York police and fire departments convoyed, Should be fired Yet, Black liberal ESPN “Sportsassisting in both Texas and Florida, as did members of our military. Center” anchor Jemele Hill can

Malcolm X’s family gathers in Baltimore When folks think about the families of leaders such as Brother Malcolm X, it is limited, at best, to their wives, children and parents.

Many don’t even think of those relatives.

They fail to realize that he also had aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, first, second, and third cousins and grandparents. That’s why it was such a memorable experience in summer 2017 to attend the Little Family Reunion in Baltimore.

The Littles had invited me to speak at the reunion banquet held in the Reginal F. Lewis Museum of the Maryland African American History and Culture. Over 100 members of the family from at least 12 states – Alabama, Florida, Ohio, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois, New York, Mississippi, Connecticut and Maryland, plus Washington, D.C. – were part of the celebration.

Read book again After receiving the invitation, I decided to read again the chapter, “Ajar,” in the book, “Seventh Child: A Family Memoir of Malcolm X,” co-written by Brother Malcolm’s nephew, Rodnell Collins, and my-

A. PETER BAILEY NNPA COLUMNIST

self. The chapter begins as follows: “It was the summer of 1985.

Over 100 members of the far-flung Little family had gathered together in Memphis, Tennessee for its first-ever family reunion.

“A family member who was present described it as an awesome, electrifying and unforgettable moment when Oscar V. Little, the convener of the reunion and the family’s unofficial historian, announced that his extensive research, done at the archives in Washington, DC and Virginia had finally revealed the name of the Little ancestor whom a few of us (Rodnell wrote in the first-person) knew vaguely as an African kidnapped and delivered into slavery in South Carolina in the early 1800s. ‘“His name was Ajar,”’ Uncle Oscar told the stunned family members,’ “He was brought to slavery

Hail Sloan Stephens for her US Open win!

With pregnant Serena Williams sidelined, I really thought (or hoped) her sister Venus, age 37, would finally match Roger Federer, age 36, by becoming the oldest woman to win a Grand Slam title.

After all, Venus made it all the way to the final at the first slam of the year, the Australian Open, only to lose to Serena. Venus got knocked out in the round of 16 at the French Open; but she made it back to the final at Wimbledon, only to lose, in humiliating fashion, to lower-ranked Garbine Muguruza.

Sadly, she got knocked out in the semi-finals at this last Slam of the year, losing to unranked Sloane Stephens. More to the point, Serena returns next year, and there are many formidable young players now bidding for top ranking.

ANTHONY L. HALL, ESQ. FLORIDA COURIER COLUMNIST

cessful as this, let alone one during which she wins another coveted Grand Slam. She has 7; Serena, a record-setting 23.

Accordingly, the homage I paid to Venus in a July 2017 column might prove my last tribute to her – as a Grand Slam finalist.

But how about that Sloane Stephens, age 24? She has jumped more than 900 spots in the world rankings in a month and is now a Grand Slam champion, winning the U.S. Open against No. 15 seed and fellow American Madison Keys.

Never again?

According to CNN, “Stephens This is why I fear Venus will is the first American woman othnever have another year as suc- er than the Williams sisters to win

call the president a “White supremacist,” “bigot,” and “unfit” for office and still keep her job.

The likely reasons she was not fired is probably because 99 percent of the major network and cable elites share her views. But do ESPN viewers and those heroes of Harvey and Irma? It’s highly doubtful.

ABC/ESPN’s inaction on Ms. Hill reveals that the corporate brass has a similar view about Trump as well as those who voted for and support him, including many of the unsung heroes of the past few weeks.

These network and cable progressive bluebloods can favor and side with Jemele Hill all they want. They do so at the risk of turning off a vast audience of blue collar “deplorables” supportive of Mr. Trump and who were offended by her outrageous comments.

Hopefully they will decide that SportsCenter and ES-Political-N is not their cup of viewing tea!

As I recently said on Newsmax TV’s “America Talks Live,” ESPN should be apologizing to the president.

‘Black pass’ “Hill is getting a pass because she is Black and if you are a Black liberal you can say anything you want to against anyone on the right…ESPN will start to lose viewers…just as the NFL has” over the disrespect Colin Kaepernick and others have shown for the national anthem. Jemele Hill should have been fired!

Be assured that the media and Democratic elitists in New York,

in South Carolina in 1815.”’ Uncle Oscar told us that he first heard the name Ajar from an elderly Chicago-based relative named Temple Little. She was the daughter of one of the 22 children born to Tony (Ajar’s son) and Claire Little, Ma’s and Uncle Malcolm’s greatgrandparents. She told Uncle Oscar she had often heard her parents speak of a great-grandfather named Ajar.”

Great celebration With personal statements, dance, poetry and the noting of accomplishments of current Littles, they celebrated their ancestors.

There was also a “Guess Who?” questionnaire in which family member were requested to answer 17 questions such as the name of the person who started tracing their ancestry, the name of all 22 of Tony and Claire Little’s children, the family member who has visited the most countries and where, the name of seven family members who own their own businesses and, the easiest of all, the family member who coined the phrase, “By any means necessary.”

Karen May, who works with the Association for the Study of African American Life and History in Washington, DC, recently discovered that she is a member of the Little family. a Grand Slam title in 15 years.” It’s also worth noting that the semifinals were all-American too, and three of those four Americans are Black.

The elation I felt for Stephens more than compensated for the disappointment I felt for Venus.

And I hope it’s not damning Stephens with unfair expectations to say that she reminds me so much of Serena.

Many to come?

I’d be shocked if Stephens does not win many more Grand Slams.

Here’s to these young Americans eventually taking the baton and dominating women’s tennis the way the Williams sisters have over the past 15.

That said, I can’t resist sharing the delight I derived from watching that sourpuss glamazon, Maria Sharapova, get knocked out in the round of 16, especially after Caroline Wozniacki criticized of Sharapova’s playing at Arthur Ashe Stadium for one of her U.S. Open matches. Wozniacki was upset about the “star treatment” of Sharapova got even after she was suspended for failing a performance-enhancing drugs test.

Wozniacki echoed what I’m on

EDITORIAL

A5

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: HURRICANE SEASON 2017

PATRICK CHAPPATTE, THE INTERNATIONAL NEW YORK TIMES

Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., bent over backwards to resist commending Trump and Republican governors in Texas and Florida for doing what a Democratic governor did not do in Louisiana’s Katrina!

While victims of Harvey and Irma were being rescued and assisted by those whom many progressives and media pundits deplore as rednecks and deplorables, no doubt more than a few of were just looking for federal missteps so they could attack Trump.

In fact, there are those who believe that some of the pundits at MSNBC and CNN, and certain newspapers, would have preferred more loss of life and confusion in federal response so they could use these human tragedies to blame Trump. These are the very low levels both journalism and politics have sunk to in our nation.

mainstream media who criticized Trump’s so-called lack of empathy, and the first lady’s shoes, would not and do not associate with people like those in distress in Texas and Florida – unless they happen to be their housekeepers, drivers, hotel maids, lawn tenders, electricians, plumbers, or others they take for granted and look down upon, as did Hillary Clinton.

As we enter the last half of the Atlantic hurricane season, let’s hope the day will not come when these anti-Trump elites and their families need to be rescued by Trump’s “deplorables.”

Found her link

Little Family Reunion in Baltimore July 29-August 1, 2017. I quickly called the host, introduced myself and rattled off my Sumpter County, Alabama connection.

“Just over a month ago, I attended the reunion in Baltimore, met Little cousins, shared Little history and listened to Peter’s personal reflections about Brother Malcolm X, my cousin.”

Clarence V. McKee is a government, political and media relations consultant and president of McKee Communications, Inc., as well as a Newsmax.com contributor. This article originally appeared on Newsmax. com. Click on this commentary Don’t associate at www.flcourier.com to write You can bet that many in the your own response.

She noted, “Family history has been a passion of mine for decades. Missing branches, the brick wall, have had me relentlessly searching Little genealogy records for an absolute relationship with Malcolm Little, (Brother Malcolm X), for years. My Aunt Hattie Little (Rosie Little’s daughter) said we were related. I silently accepted her acclamation without any solid proof and would sometime quip, ‘We’re supposed to be related to Malcolm X,’ but I tipped around the actuality.

“My great grandfather, Ben Little and his daughter, Rosie Little, my grandmother, were the beginning connections. Discovering Malcolm’s father was born in Georgia snuffed out my Malcolm X light, although, my heart wanted the relationship.

“I logged onto the Noxubee County, Mississippi genealogy Facebook page and met Cousin Duane Perry, a Little. He forwarded a copy of his Little family tree tracing Malcolm’s ancestors to Sumter County, Alabama. Ben and Rosie Little were born in Sumter County, Alabama...

“When A. Peter Bailey stopped by my office and told me about the reunion in Baltimore, I told him I had recently discovered I was related to Malcolm. Wonders never cease. Peter informed me he would be the guest speaker at the

A great leader In my presentation, “Personal Reflections on Brother Malcolm X, A Master Teacher,” I relayed to the family why Brother Malcolm had such a powerful impact on me and others like me.

I explained that his knowledge, wisdom, determination, integrity, and self-assurance, immunized our minds from being infected by the deadly toxic disease which I call White supremacitis. I urged them to learn and teach all they can about their brilliant, legendary relative.

We should thank and salute the Little family for having provided us with one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century.

A. Peter Bailey’s latest book is “Witnessing Brother Malcolm X, the Master Teacher.” Contact him at apeterb@verizon. net. Click on this commentary at www.flcourier.com to write your own response.

$20 million from endorsement deals).

But I hope Serena proved to sponsors of all types that she is every bit as marketable as Sharapova. For this would pave the way for them to see young Black players as primary, not just substitute, endorsers.

In Stephens’s case, this should be very easy to do. After all, she clearly has the potential to match not only Serena’s play on the court but also Sharapova’s appeal in commercial ads.

With that endearing smile, she could probably sell tanning beds to Black folks. Not since Mary Lou Retton at the 1984 Los Angeles She’s No. 1 Summer Olympics has an athlete Sure enough, many corpo- performed and looked like such a rate sponsors turned to Serena sponsor’s dream. during Sharapova’s suspension.

Congratulations, Sloane!

Do much so that, according to Forbes, Serena finally topped the Anthony L. Hall is a native annual list of highest-paid female of The Bahamas with an interathletes last year. national law practice in WashSerena earned $28.9 million ($8.9 million from prize money, ington, D.C. Read his columns $20 million from endorsement and daily weblog at www. deals); Sharapova was second theipinionsjournal.com. Click – even though several sponsors on this commentary at www.fldropped her – with $21.9 million courier.com to write your own ($1.9 million from prize money, response. record saying about Sharapova.

Given the way Serena has dominated tennis over the past 10 years, we should demand explanations from the corporate heads who continually chose Sharapova instead of Serena to endorse their products. Think of the message this sent, especially to young Black girls about unfair treatment and to young White girls about preferential treatment.

Last year I wrote, “Perhaps [now that Sharapova has been exposed as just another Russian doper] major sponsors will sign Serena and make her the world’s highest-paid female athlete, belatedly.”

TOJ A6

NATION

SEPTEMBER 22 – SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

White House finally picks HBCU initiative head Announcement of businessman, former NFL player as director comes at two-day summit

makers, including members of the Black caucus, the United Negro College Fund and the Thurgood Marshall fund, called for the White House to postpone this week’s event.

BY WILLIAM DOUGLAS MCCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU/ TNS

Traditionally, the executive director has helped plan the meetings.

Holifield is the author of “The Future Economy and Inclusive Competitiveness,” a 2017 book that explains how demographics and innovation can help boost the nation’s economy.

A graduate of the West Virginia University and the University of Cincinnati’s colleges of law and education, Holifield co-founded ScaleUp Partners in 2011. Its website describes the consulting firm as providing “experienced insight and expertise to unleash a diverse pipeline of qualified workforce and entrepreneurial talent.”

Holifield was a star running back at West Virginia University, scoring 14 touchdowns and collecting 1,808 yards from 1983 to 1986. He played three games for the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals in 1989.

WASHINGTON – Johnathan Holifield, a consulting firm cofounder and former National Football League player, was named Monday to lead the Trump administration’s initiative on historically Black colleges and universities.

Holifield will be executive director of an effort that’s been stalled since President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February intended as a powerful statement that he viewed the health and wellbeing of the institutions as a priority.

He told HBCU leaders and advoJohnathan cates gathered at Holifield a two-day White House summit on Black colleges, which began Sunday, that he looks forward to helping the schools with their mission to boost this country’s competitiveness. He officially begins work Oct. 2.

Mixed reaction “There is no path to sustained new job creation, shared prosperity, and enduring national competitiveness without the current and increased contributions of historically Black colleges and universities,” he told the summit

Director’s experience

AUDE GUERRUCCI/ABACA PRESS/TNS

President Trump signs an executive order to support HBCUs on Feb. 28 in the Oval Office of the White House. held on the White House grounds at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

HBCU advocates’ reaction to the appointment was mixed.

Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president and CEO of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, said Holifield “has more than 20 years of multidisciplinary business and government experience, which will help lead the critical work of developing a robust policy and budgetary agenda to positively impact HBCUs.” The fund represents 47 publicly funded HBCUs.

‘A first step’ But Marybeth Gasman, director

of the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions at the University of Pennsylvania, questioned Holifield’s qualifications and Trump’s commitment to HBCUs. “I have some concerns that Holifield doesn’t have an HBCU experience,” she said. “He does have experience working across a few organizations and his self-published book is focused on inclusiveness. I wish him the best.”

Rep. Alma Adams, D-N.C., cochair of the Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus and a critic of Trump’s HBCU effort, called the appointment of Holifield a “first step for the White House as they strive to repair their relationship with HBCU leaders and members of Congress.”

She extended an invitation to Holifield to come to Capitol Hill “to learn more about the (HBCU caucus) and our legislative priorities,” said Adams, who is also a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Slow follow through Trump vowed to outdo the nation’s first Black president, Barack Obama, in supporting the nation’s historically Black colleges when he signed the executive order. It placed oversight of the schools directly in the White House. But Black college leaders were dismayed after the administration failed to quickly follow through.

Several HBCU leaders and law-

300,000 students HBCUs are any Black college or university established before 1964 with the principal mission of educating African-American students.

Collectively, they enroll nearly 300,000 students and receive money from the federal government through grants, contracts, appropriations and financial aid.

They received $4.7 billion in federal financial assistance in 2013, according to the latest report available. That sum accounted for 2.8 percent of federal dollars awarded to all higher education institutions.

Morial, Waters push Black Wealth 2020 movement need to institutionalize. We need to figure out what is the best approach and how do we go about this approach.”

In New York, Sanders has pulled together a group of local people who meet bi-weekly and envision, discuss and strategize on how they will economically impact the South East section of Queens. The meetings are private, he said, mostly so that they will remain focused.

BY HAZEL TRICE EDNEY TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE

Black Wealth 2020, a new movement aiming to change the course of Black wealth in America, is gaining swift support from national advocates of economic justice.

“The struggle for Black wealth is a legendary struggle. And so whether we’re talking about what we have attempted to do in the past or what we should be doing now, the fact of the matter is that African-Americans have not really realized their potential in this country,” said U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), ranking member on the House Financial Services Committee in a recent interview about the necessity of Black Wealth 2020.

“If Black people are to have a future and to move forward, we’ve got to not only build wealth by home ownership, where we can build up our equity and have money to turn around and invest in business opportunities, but we must also learn more about and be aggressive in going after franchises and getting involved with investment opportunities - all of that is extremely important. And now is a very crucial time in the history of Black people.”

Focus on travel

Above; Congresswoman Maxine Waters was among the first to interact with the Black Wealth 2020 founders.

Kept meeting Two years ago, Waters was among the first to interact with the then fledgling group, founded by Michael Grant, president of the National Bankers Association; Jim Winston, president of the National Association of Black-owned Broadcasters (NABOB); and Ron Busby, president/CEO of the U.S. Black Chambers Inc. At that time, the groups worked with Waters in an attempt to assure Black economic participation in a merger between NBC Universal and Comcast.

They were successful. The merger failed. But the groups continued to meet and has since grown to about 10 heads of organizations with economic justice as core values.

NUL impact They convene monthly to strategize on ways to significantly strengthen Black homeownership, Black businesses and Black banks by 2020 and beyond. In addition to Waters, their goals have attracted growing attention - and respect - from other major national leaders.

“What they are talking about is aligned directly with the work that we do on the ground,” said Na-

Left: Marc Morial said he has discussed the goals of Black Wealth 2020 with the organization’s leaders and said they are in sync with the goals of the National Urban League. tional Urban League President/ CEO Marc Morial.

Through the National Urban League (NUL), he manages one of the nation’s largest homeowner counseling services – 30-40,000 cases a year in 50 cities nationwide.

NUL also has about a dozen small business entrepreneurship centers “where we’re providing coaching and counseling classes to approximately 10-12,000 small businesses,” Morial stated.

Crucial but daunting Morial said he has discussed the goals of Black Wealth 2020 with the organization’s leaders

and they are in sync with the goals of the NUL. “I’ve met with them and I’m aligned with them,” he said.

“We invited Michael to come to our conference. I mean, my philosophy is I believe in being supportive of everyone because we’re all aligned. We’re not competing with each other...What they are doing in their thrust is very welcome because for a long time the Urban League has been sort of holding up the economic empowerment banner in the civil rights community.”

Morial agrees the work of economic justice is crucial, but he also concedes it is daunting.

“It’s a very tall order because we lost so much Black wealth in a 10-year-period. In the period since the recession, we’ve lost almost 10 percent of our homeownership and it’s difficult to rebuild it and renew it because Black people are also - like many Americans - suffering from income inequality, earnings suppression, and wage stagnation,” Morial added.

Chapters strategizing The success of Black Wealth 2020 is contingent upon it remaining consistent, expanding and strategizing, says New York Sen. James Sanders Jr., who was so impressed by the organization’s goals that he has established what he calls a chapter of Black Wealth 2020 in South East Queens, N.Y. “We consider ourselves a chapter of this amazing movement which is led by the people in DC. Now, having said that, we do hold the right to local creativity. The local group knows its community best and there will be no cookie cutter model that is right at all times for all people. There has to be local initiative, local ingenuity to achieve our purposes,” Sanders related.

“Black Wealth 2020 right now is a movement. It’s an idea whose time has come. And people all over the U.S. are coming to this independently with varying degrees of success of course. With that, we

Andy Ingraham, president/ CEO of the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators and Developers (NABHOOD, credits Black Wealth 2020 for supporting his efforts to connect with major African-American groups in order to encourage them to hold conferences at Black-owned hotels.

“This has been ongoing with a number of African-American and other minority-owned organizations - about creating MOUs (Memorandums of Understanding) and a relationship so that they can use our hotels around the country,” he said.

“At least $90 billion represents the total market value of the multicultural minority travel industry.

And our goal is to get more of that business - not only in our hotels but get more cities and more entrepreneurs to focus on gaining a share of that market.”

Frats, sorors reached Among the connections facilitated by Black Wealth 2020 is one between NABHOOD and Dr. Paulette Walker, who was then president of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and also chair of the National Pan-Hellenic Council’s Council of Presidents, an umbrella organization for all nine Black Greek-lettered fraternities and sororities.

In addition to discussing the use of Black-owned hotels, Walker also passed the information to the Greek-letter organizations and has left information on the movement for her successor.

“Having that kind of information was very helpful in terms of how we -when considering hotels, barbershops or whatever it might be - can spread the knowledge and the information base.

Because sometimes we have an information void,” Walker said.

“The more people are aware of the concept of Black Wealth 2020 and are aware of what can be done, the more widespread the agenda can be,’’ she added.

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IFE/FAITH Is diet soda really that bad for you?

See page B3

SOUTH FLORIDA / TREASURE COAST AREA

SEPT. 22 – SEPT. 28, 2017

SHARING BLACK LIFE, STATEWIDE

Glover makes history at Emmy Awards See page B5

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Messages are left on the sidewalk of the Rehabilitation Center of Hollywood Hills nursing home.

TOO MANY NURSING HOMES UNPREPARED Tragedy at Hollywood has eightened focus on new federal disaster-planning rules, which homes must comply with by mid-November.

BY JORDAN RAU KAISER HEALTH NEWS/ TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE

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t does not take a hurricane to put nursing home residents at risk when disaster strikes.

Around the country, facilities have been caught unprepared for far more mundane emergencies than the hurricanes that recently struck Florida and Houston, according to an examination of federal inspection records.

Those homes rarely face severe reprimands, records show, even when inspectors identify repeated lapses.

In some cases, nursing homes failed to prepare for basic contingencies.

Thousands of violations JOHN MCCALL/SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL/TNS

Hollywood Police chief Tomas Sanchez answers questions outside of a Hollywood nursing home that had no air conditioning after Hurricane Irma knocked out power. Nine of the residents have died as a result.

In one visit last May, inspectors found that an El Paso, Texas, nursing home had no plan for how to bring wheelchair-dependent people down the stairs in case of an evacuation.

Inspectors in Colorado found a nursing home’s courtyard gate was locked and employees did not know the combination, inspection records show.

During a fire at a Chicago facility, residents were

evacuated in the wrong order, starting with the people farthest from the blaze.

Nursing home inspectors issued 2,300 violations of emergency-planning rules during the past four years. But they labeled only 20 so serious as to place residents in danger, the records show.

Upkeep neglected In addition, a third of U.S. nursing homes have been cited for another type of violation: failing to inspect their generators each week or to test them monthly.

None of those violations was categorized as a major deficiency, even at 1,373 nursing facilities that were cited more than once for neglecting generator upkeep, the records show.

“That’s the essential problem with the regulatory system: It misses many issues, and even when it identifies them, it doesn’t treat them seriously enough,” said Toby Edelman, a senior policy attorney at the Center for Medicare Advocacy.

“It’s always the same story: We have some pretty good standards and we don’t enforce them,’’ he added.

See UNPREPARED, Page B2

“If you have not implemented and exercised plans, they are paper tigers. The emphasis from the surveyor has to be ‘Show me how you do this.’”

Dr. David Marcozzi associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “ MARCUS YAM/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

Search and rescue volunteers rescue patients from the Cypress Glen nursing home engulfed in floodwater in Port Arthur, Texas, on Aug. 30.

BOOKS

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Morrison shares thoughts on race, history in ‘Others’

BY DR. GLENN C. ALTSCHULER SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

BOOK REVIEW Review of “The Origin of Others’’ by Toni Morrison. Harvard University Press (133 pages, $24.95.)

Toni Morrison is a national – and international – treasure. As a senior editor at Random House, she introduced Black writers to generations of readers.

Her novels include “The Bluest Eye’’ (1970), “Sula’’ (1975), “Song of Solomon” (1977), “Beloved’’ (1987), “Jazz’’ (1992), “Paradise’’ (1997), “A Mercy’’ (2008) and “God Help the Child’’ (2015). “Playing in the Dark’’ (1992) established her as an insightful literary critic. Morrison has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the Nobel Prize in Literature, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In “The Origin of Others,’’ based on a series of lectures she gave at Har-

Gregory’s book breaks down Black history

BY JIM HIGGINS MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL/TNS

BOOK REVIEW “Defining Moments in Black History: Reading Between the Lies” by Dick Gregory; Amistad (256 pages, $24.99)

Fairly and with a touch of humor, the late Dick Gregory describes himself and his purpose in the opening pages of his new book: “People call me an activist, social critic, comedian, and, let’s not forget, conspiracy theorist. In this book, I have combined all of these talents to allow us to look at American history differently.”

Gregory died Aug. 19 of heart failure at age 84.

“Defining Moments in Black History: Reading Between the Lies,” completed before his death, is not as definitive as the title suggests, at least not by the standards of footnoted history. But it is a fair representation of Gregory’s passion for social justice and disdain for White suprema-

SEPTEMBER 22 – SEPTEMBER 28, 2017 vard University, Morrison reflects on an issue that is central to her work and her life.

Because they involve our “already known although unacknowledged selves,” she writes, encounters with strangers summon up feelings of alarm. They often “make us want to own, govern, and administrate the Other...to deny her personhood, the specific individuality we insist upon for ourselves.”

Race-based reminder Not surprisingly, in this slim volume Morrison focuses on the social and cultural construction of race-based Others.

To justify the enslavement of Blacks, she reminds us, southern physician Samuel Cartwright cited “unalterable physiological laws” demonstrating that ignorant, indolent negroes could have their intellectual and moral faculties awakened only when they were “under the compulsatory authority of the white man.”

Forced exercise, expended in cultivating cotcy obvious and subtle.

Blunt history lesson Your mileage may vary on “Defining Moments” depending on how much you already know about these subjects and what you may have learned — or not learned — in school.

I found some of Gregory’s writing on earlier American history to be the book’s most compelling elements.

After a crisp account of Nat Turner’s slave rebellion, Gregory reminds us (more bluntly than I’m putting it), that there were other slave rebellions, too.

“A whole lot of black folks resisted slavery,” he concludes. “The revolts I’m telling you about — these are just the ones somebody saw fit to write down.

Nobody knows how many more there were.”

Praise for raider, writer Gregory lavishes praise on John Brown, the legendary Harpers Ferry raider: “John Brown was a white

ton, sugar, rice, and tobacco, “benefited the negro as well as his master.”

Convinced that plantation slaves never had it so good, Cartwright claimed that runaways suffered from a disease he labeled “drapetomania.”

‘The color fetish’ Although the Jim Crow laws of the late 19th and 20th centuries are no longer enforced, Morrison points out, “they have laid the carpet on which many writers have danced to great effect.”

Morrison also explains how she framed Otherness – and what she calls “the color fetish” – in her own fiction. She has “been excited to explore” the allure, power, and thrill attached to racism and the “triumphalism and deception” experienced by Blacks in color-coding.

Morrison set her novel “Paradise’’ in an all-Black town in Ruby, Oklahoma, for example, to imagine “a deepening definition of ‘black’ and a search for its purity as defiance against the eugenics of ‘white’ purity.” She hoped to “simulman, but he may have been the best friend black folks ever had. He believed that slavery was straight up evil, and he didn’t want to hear about peaceful opposition to slavery — he knew it would take action to get rid of that mess.”

He restores outspoken vigor to Frederick Douglass, citing a speech Douglass gave in 1852 titled “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?”: “To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony.”

Explores Black jockeys As a boy, Gregory threw bricks at “those little black jockeys — you know, the ones you see holding lanterns on white folks’ lawns.”

Realizing that real jockeys rarely held lanterns, he investigates the history of those lawn statues, which leads him to the story of Jocko Graves, a free Black

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taneously de-fang and theatricalize race, signaling how movable and hopelessly meaningless the construct is.”

Otherness example These days, with millions of people moving across national borders to escape famine, oppression and war, Morrison reminds us that deconstructing Otherness has acquired a renewed urgency.

She gives a shout-out to Camara Laye’s “The Radiance of the King,’’ as one way to re-imagine racial clichés.

In the novel, Clarence, a European, has moved to an Africa that is suffused with light. Although the “natives” give him a cordial welcome, Clarence sees only hostility, and he, the White man, who had thought himself suitable to become an adviser to the African king, descends into depravity.

The novel, Morrison points out, forces readers to see what it feels like to be “marginal, ignored, superfluous, foreign,” to have one’s history stripped away: “in other words, to teenager too young to fight in George Washington’s army but able to help in other ways.

In the story Gregory repeats, Jocko freezes to death while holding a lantern on lookout duty to protect the revolutionaries.

This is a compelling story which may or may not be literally true in each detail.

David Pilgrim explores the multiple explanations offered for the Black lawn figure in an annotated article published by Ferris State University’s Jim Crow Museum of Racist Memorabilia: https://goo.gl/TbFhHb Carver’s contribution Also, he reminds us that George Washington Carver wasn’t just a guy who figured out things to do with peanuts, he was a scientist who promoted the practice of crop rotation, which Gregory argues saved the depleted soil of the South.

Gregory’s reflections on cultural and sports figures are more perfunctory, though even here he gets off a zinger occasionally.

He calls a scene in Mark

become a black slave.”

Finally, enlightenment Morrison must have been tempted to end on this note. Indeed, in the penultimate paragraph of “The Origin of Others,’’ she notes how often we “cling maniacally to our own cultures, languages while dismissing other’s’,…deny the foreigner in ourselves and resist to the death the commonness of humanity.”

Morrison chooses, however, to conclude by revealing that “after many trials, enlightenment slowly surfaces in Camara Laye’s European.”

As Clarence’s “cultural armor maintained out of fear” crumbles, the boy king takes him in his arms and declares, “Did you not know that I was waiting for you?”

Dr. Glenn C. Altschuler is the Thomas and Dorothy Litwin Professor of American Studies at Cornell University. He wrote this review for the Florida Courier.

Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn” where Huck and Jim go fishing “the first time in America you had a normal conversation between a black man and a white man.”

Conspiracy theories Then there are Gregory’s conspiracy theories, often hedged in the factually elusive ways made famous by talk radio: Presidents Kennedy (whom he dislikes) and Lincoln (whom he downgrades as a friend of Black people) were both killed for crossing big banks on monetary policy; White supremacy killed Bill Cosby’s son when Cosby was negotiating to buy NBC; White supremacists derailed Tiger Woods before he could reach Jack Nicklaus’ major championship record.

“Be careful with what you let into your mind,” Gregory writes in a different context, but that advice occasionally applies to his work, too.

UNPREPARED from Page 1 Prompted by Katrina In the wake of nine deaths at Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills following Hurricane Irma, heightened attention has focused on new federal disaster-planning rules, with which nursing homes must comply by mid-November.

Those were prompted by nursing home and hospital deaths during Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana in 2005.

Dr. David Gifford, senior vice president for quality and regulatory affairs at the American Health Care Association, a nursing home industry group, said facilities have gotten better at handling disasters after each one. Most evacuations go smoothly, he said.

“After each one of these emergencies we’ve learned and gotten better,” Gifford said.

‘Show me’ But advocates for the elderly say enforcement of rules is as great a concern, if not greater.

Dr. David Marcozzi, a former director of the federal emergency preparedness program for health care, said that inspectors — also known as surveyors — should observe nursing home staff demonstrating their emergency plans, rather than just checking that they have been written down.

“If you have not implemented and exercised plans, they are paper tigers,” said Marcozzi, now an associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “The empha-

sis from the surveyor has to be ‘Show me how you do this.’”

Inspections vary Gifford said pre-planning and drills, which are important, only go so far in chaotic events such as hurricanes.

“No matter what planning you might have, what we have learned from these emergencies is these plans don’t always work,” he said.

Nursing homes take surveys seriously and face closure if they do not fix flaws inspectors identify, he added.

Inspection results vary widely by state, influenced sometimes by lax nursing homes or more assertive surveyors, or a combination, according to an analysis of two types of emergency-planning deficiencies.

Few citations In California, 53 percent of nursing facilities have been cited for two types of emergency-planning deficiencies, and a quarter have been cited in Texas.

No nursing home in Indiana, Mississippi or Oregon was issued violations for those two emergency-planning violations during the past four years.

Asked to explain the rarity of severe citations in emergency preparation, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees inspections, referred a reporter to its emergency-preparedness mission statement on its website.

Unsafe temperatures The danger of high tem-

DAVID PURDY/BILOXI SUN HERALD/TNS

Nursing home residents are evacuated as Hurricane Ivan approaches on Sept. 15, 2004. peratures for elderly residents, which the Hollywood Hills case shows can be disastrous, has been well known.

In a heat wave in 2000, two nursing home residents in a Burlingame, California facility died and six others suffered severe dehydration, heat stroke or exhaustion.

During the past four years, inspectors have cited 536 nursing homes for failing to maintain comfortable and safe temperature levels for residents. Inspectors deemed 15 as serious, including two where patients were harmed, records show.

“There is undoubtedly little, if any, enforcement of the laws since we see the same tragedies repeated time and again,” said Patricia McGinnis, executive director of California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform.

ERICH SCHLEGEL/DALLAS MORNING NEWS/TNS

Family pictures and crosses in Helen Perret’s room are shown on Sept. 15, 2005, at St. Rita’s Nursing Home in Violet, Louisiana. The nursing home is where 34 residents were found dead after Hurricane Katrina struck.

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SEPTEMBER 22 – SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

A WORD OF THANKS

Another destructive storm, and another reminder

of what a positive difference people can make.

Publix extends heartfelt gratitude to the many

caring, selfless, and generous individuals who make

these tough times easier. Our dedicated associates

and business partners, our exceptional neighbors

and customers: you all remind us that we’re better

to g e th e r.

Some of our stores may have been affected by

the hurricane, but Publix is working hard to get

things back to normal as quickly as possible.

At the same time, we’re coordinating efforts

with local agencies to distribute basic necessities

within our community. We want to reach out

and help, just as so many others have.

Keeping Food Safe During a Power Outage Items in a full freezer will stay frozen for about two days with the door kept closed; in a halffull freezer, for about one day.

Refrigerated foods can keep for up to four hours.

Discard any perishable refrigerated foods that have been above 40oF for more than two hours.

Discard any food with an unusual odor, color, or texture. Remember: “When in doubt, throw it out.”

For additional information about food safety during power outages, call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline: 1-888-674-6854.

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SEPTEMBER 22 – SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

HEALTH

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PEDRO PORTAL/EL NUEVO HERALD/TNS

Workers clean up trees fallen at Brickell Avenue and 20th Street in Miami after Hurricane Irma passed over South Florida on Sept. 12.

Post-Irma health warning: Be aware of signs and symptoms of strokes SPECIAL TO THE FLORIDA COURIER

As Floridians recover from Hurricane Irma, health officials are asking individuals, especially those performing heavy physical activity, to be aware of the warning signs and symptoms of strokes.

A stroke can lead to severe brain damage and disability, or even death. A stroke happens when the blood supply to the brain is reduced, such as when a blood vessel to the brain bursts or is clogged by a blood clot.

This prevents the brain from getting the blood and oxygen it needs. Without oxygen, the nerves in the brain begin to die within minutes.

The type of disability caused by a stroke depends on the extent of brain damage and part of the brain damaged. The more time that passes without treatment, the greater the damage to the brain.

Warning signs Call 9-1-1 to get medical help right away if you have one or more of the following warning

signs of a stroke: • Sudden, severe headache with no known cause • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes • Sudden confusion, trouble talking or understanding speech • Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination

F.A.S.T. test The F.A.S.T. test is an easy way

to remember these symptoms.

F.A.S.T. stands for: F is for face: If one side of the face droops, it is a sign of a possible stroke.

A stands for arms: If the person cannot hold both arms out, this is another possible stroke sign.

S is for speech: Slurring words and poor understanding or comprehension of simple sentences is another possible stroke sign.

T stands for time: If any of the FAS signs are positive, it’s time to call 9-1-1 immediately.

Quick treatment Treatment within three hours of a stroke can often reduce longterm effects. Rehabilitation and prompt medical treatment can help a person recover from the effects of stroke and prevent another stroke from occurring.

For further information, contact your local county health department or visit http://www. floridahealth.gov/diseases-andconditions/stroke/index.html.

For more state and federal information on emergency and disaster planning, visit the following websites: www.FloridaDisaster.org, www.RedCross.org, www. ready.gov or www.fema.gov. The Florida Emergency Information Line: 1-800-342-3557.

This information is courtesy of the Florida Department of Health.

Some facts on the opioid epidemic MAYO CLINIC NEWS NETWORK/TNS

The opioid epidemic continues to affect thousands in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, deaths from prescription opioid medications — drugs such as oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine — have more than quadrupled since 1999.

Deaths from illicit drugs, such as heroin, also continue to be a major issue.

Dr. Michael Hooten, a Mayo Clinic anesthesiologist and pain specialist, has the latest on what the opioid epidemic entails.

What it is What exactly is the opioid epidemic? Is it about prescription drugs or heroin?

“It’s a combination of both problems.”

Hooten says back in the mid- to late 1990s, opioids were being recommended to treat chronic pain.

“The problems associated with long-term opioid use include, probably the most important is, addiction to the medication,’’ he said.

Today, the term for opioid addiction is “opioid use disorder.”

Heroin use rise “Symptoms of opioid use disorder include, primarily, an increasing preoccupation with the medications,” Hooten says. “So individuals will start organizing their lives and organizing their daily structure around taking that particular medication.”

And for some struggling with severe addiction, if they can’t get medication from their health care providers, they may turn to heroin. But you can break an opioid addiction.

“There are other non-opioid medications that can be helpful,” Hooten says. “There are other behavioral interventions that can help individuals learn to manage and cope with pain.”

DREAMSTIME/TNS

For some struggling with severe addiction, they may turn to heroin if they can’t get opioids from their health care provider.

Is diet soda really that bad for you?

BY KAREN D’SOUZA MERCURY NEWS/TNS

DREAMSTIME/TNS

Diet soda may not be as bad as some thought, studies show.

Just how bad is diet soda for you? It may be more complicated than you think. There may be hope for zero-calorie tipplers yet.

A spate of recent studies has diet soda lovers fretting over their bubbly beverages. Studies have shown that sucking down diet pop means you may be avoiding sugar and calories but overdosing on chemicals that can be dangerous to your health.

“Just get rid of it,” says Keri Glassman, R.D.N., as Women’s

Health reports. “It is filled with unhealthy chemicals, including artificial sweeteners, which actually make you crave more calories later.”

Adds the pounds The worst news is that diet drinks have been linked to the one thing they are supposed to avoid: getting fat. These sodas may lead to obesity, increased blood pressure and diabetes. Gulp.

But now there is a glimmer of hope for those of us who crave the snap and fizz of a can of diet soda getting cracked open, content in the knowledge that there is a zero calorie elixir to take the edge off the day.

Lifestyle counts Some experts believe that there may not be a causal relationship between diet soda consumption and health issues. It may be all the other bad habits that people have

that really hurt them.

If you are a couch potato or a smoker, the diet soda may not be the true culprit.

Health outcomes “Consumers of diet soda who engage in other lifestyle behaviors associated with poor health outcomes are at a greater risk than those who balance their intake of diet soda with other healthful habits,” says Cara Harbstreet, R.D., of Street Smart Nutrition as Women’s Health notes.

“The variables make it difficult to pinpoint whether diet soda consumption alone is the cause of negative health outcomes, or whether it’s the culmination of a number of factors…I lean towards the latter, since nothing in nutrition or health exists in a vacuum.”

So maybe if you hit the gym before you down that diet soda, it’ll all even out.

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SEPTEMBER 22 – SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

YOUR DOLLARS ARE

HARD AT WORK

Even a small donation can make a big difference

SupportHurricaneRelief.org

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SEPTEMBER 22 – SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

Meet some of

FLORIDA’S

finest

FINEST & ENTERTAINMENT

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Think you’re one of Florida’s Finest?

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

Thousands of Caribbean culture lovers converge on South Florida every year on the Columbus Day weekend to attend the annual Miami Broward Carnival, a series of concerts, pageants, parades, and competitions.

On Carnival Day, “mas” (masquerade) bands of thousands of revelers dance and march behind 18-wheel tractor-trailer trucks with booming sound systems from morning until nightfall while competing for honors.

Here are some of the “Finest” we’ve seen over the years. Go to www. miamibrowardcarnival. com for information on this year’s Carnival.

CHARLES W. CHERRY II / FLORIDA COURIER

Emmy Awards didn’t even pretend not to be political

BY LORRAINE ALI LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

LOS ANGELES — Subtext became text when issues of race, gender and national politics, long a part of Hollywood awards shows, took center stage at the 69th Emmy Awards telecast Sunday night.

“You can’t deny that every show was influenced by Donald Trump in some way,” said host Stephen Colbert in his opening monologue. “All the late night shows, obviously. ‘House of Cards.’ The new season of ‘American Horror Story.’” Pause. “And of course next year’s Latin Grammys, hosted by Sheriff Joe Arpaio.”

By tapping Colbert as host, the television academy all but guaranteed that the first Emmy broadcast of the Trump presidency would send a clear message — Colbert’s late-night career was resuscitated by his return to political satire. But it really wasn’t necessary. Sheriff quip aside, Colbert was barely joking.

‘Handmaid’s Tale’ shines The winner in the drama category was “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a Hulu series based on Margaret Atwood’s dystopian tale in which America becomes a theocracy in which dissidents are executed and all women become property.

“The Handmaid’s Tale,” which made history when it became the first streaming series to win top drama, swept all the big categories in which it was nominated — writer, director, supporting actress and actress.

And every one of those winners was played onto the stage at the Microsoft Theater by the 1960s Lesley Gore hit “You Don’t Own Me,” which meant the orchestra played that song a lot.

Glover makes history Most of the evening’s other big winners were from shows with strong, or fresh, viewpoints on other topics being argued across Fox, MSNBC, Twitter and at any extended family gathering.

Donald Glover became the first Black director to win in the comedy category, for “Atlanta,” the FX show in which he plays Earn, a rap music manager and young father. When he won his

for that sort of thing. Hello, sir, thank you for joining us. Looking forward to the tweet.”

second Emmy of the night, in the acting category, he was just as direct as Colbert.

“I want to thank Trump for making Black people No. 1 on the most oppressed list,” he said.

“He’s probably the only reason I’m up here.”

Women reigned

‘SNL’ wins four Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon, who spent the last year playing Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, respectively, on “Saturday Night Live,” won supporting actor and actress in a comedy series. “SNL,” which had its best season in years, won four Emmys on Sunday.

With the Creative Arts Emmy tally, it was the top winning show of the night and the excitement over “SNL’s” renaissance was palpable from the telecast’s opening minutes, during which Melissa McCarthy rode onstage atop a rolling podium dressed as former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, a role she won an Emmy for this year as well.

Except, in the most striking collision of entertainment and politics since the former host of “The Apprentice” took office, it wasn’t McCarthy, it was actually Spicer.

PHOTOS BY ROBERT GAUTHIER/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

Lena Waithe won for writing in a comedy series for her work on Netflix’s “Master of None,” specifically for an episode about a Black woman coming out as lesbian. She became the first Black woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing.

Writing award history

Spicer as himself Colbert asked him how big he estimated the Emmy crowd to be: “This is the largest audience to witness the Emmys, period. Both in person and around the world!” said Spicer, referring to his now infamous news conference defending Trump’s exaggerations about his inauguration crowd.

“Melissa McCarthy,” joked Colbert. “Everybody give it up!”

Howls erupted from the audience, which included McCarthy, who did not seem amused.

More politics It was impossible to divorce politics from the awards on stage — even a reunion of the stars of “9 to 5” turned into a brief red state-blue state situation when Dolly Parton, clearly uncomfortable with the loosely-veiled criticism of Trump by Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin — by quoting a famous line from that film — quickly pivoted by making a vibrator joke.

But it makes perfect sense af-

Undoubtedly, the absence of “Game of Thrones” which was not eligible this year, made room for first year shows, those made during the Trump era, to be honored. “Big Little Lies,” “The Crown,” “Stranger Things,” “Westworld” all took on topics of politics and power, betrayal and the ethics of an increasingly modern age.

We may not have our first female president, but female-driven narratives dominated nominations across top categories.

In addition to “The Handmaid Tale” sweep, HBO’s “Big Little Lies,” the story of an unlikely bond between four women starring Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon, won five Emmys on Sunday night, including for limited series; Kidman ended her acceptance speech for lead actress by expressing gratitude that the series shed light on the problem of domestic violence.

Donald Glover became the first Black director to win in the comedy category. He also won the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy award.

Sterling K. Brown accepts his Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

ter a year in which breaking news from Washington seemed to arrive as fast and furious as new shows.

What to watch? The James B. Comey trials or “Veep?” Trump’s contentious news conference speech or the warm fuzzy embrace of “This Is Us”?

shows — on broadcast, cable and digital platforms — increased by 71 percent.

A skit between late-night talk show hosts Seth Meyers and James Corden poked fun at people who said they had watched all the hot shows when it was physically impossible for them to have done so.

Colbert addressed the programming onslaught as well: “Of course, there is no way anyone could possibly watch that much TV — other than the president, who seems to have a lot of time

Hundreds of shows Last year alone, there were 455 original scripted television shows to choose from, compared with 182 in 2002. From 2011 to 2016, the number of scripted television

Lena Waithe won for writing in a comedy series for her work on Netflix’s “Master of None,” specifically for an episode about a Black woman coming out as lesbian. She became the first Black woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing.

The prize in the male category went to Sterling K. Brown for “This Is Us,” NBC’s touching drama about a modern family that is not the same “Modern Family” we’ve seen win Emmys over the last decade. “You are the best White TV family that a brother has ever had,” Brown said to those castmates who play his adoptive family.

It wasn’t Brown’s first Emmy — he won last year for his portrayal of Christopher Darden in “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” — but it was a big night for people of color. Riz Ahmed and Aziz Ansari, both Muslim and South Asian, also won in top categories.

FOOD

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SEPTEMBER 22 – SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

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Easy dinners that college students can master

BY GRETCHEN MCKAY PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE/TNS

College is full of challenges, what with having only four years to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life.

It also can be tough on parents, who often not only have to help pay for their kids’ higher education but also must feed and house them in the process.

It’s a bit of relief when college students finally move out of the dorms with their expensive meal plans, and into an apartment where they can make their own meals for much cheaper. Or at least that’s the plan until reality sets in.

Cheaper, healthier After going to classes, possibly working part time, doing homework, volunteering with student organizations and maintaining an active social life (it’s college, after all) there’s just not a lot of time for cooking.

So when your kid no longer can use a meal swipe for lunch or dinner, it’s tempting for her to fill up on fast food and fulfill late-night cravings with arteryclogging goodies from the local convenience store.

But there are easy ways for your child to incorporate cooking into his or her schedule — and it’s cheaper and healthier too.

They’re bound to have a box of noodles and a few stray packages of soy sauce from takeout Chinese. Why not add a few green vegetables and sliced chicken breast to create classic lo mein noodles?

They don’t even need a wok — any decent saute pan will work, and the dish comes together in minutes.

Bread is another college apartment staple, and when the slices are buttered and then soaked in a mixture of eggs and milk, topped with shredded cheese and baked, it transforms into a satisfying casserole that can be cut into squares for a graband-go breakfast or late-night snack.

Convenience, speed Skillet enchiladas are easier still, and after wolfing them down for dinner, the microwavable leftovers will be a welcome alternative to that MTO sandwich for lunch the next day.

In choosing recipes for college kids, convenience and speed is of the essence. A dish can’t require any hard-to-find ingredients, and it has to go from stove to table in short order.

For a generation that’s tuned into social media, it also helps if the food make for a great photo. Or as my daughter Olivia put it, is “Insta worthy.”

In that vein, we offer below some quick and easy recipes that even reluctant first-time cooks will easily master.

CHICKEN ENCHILADA SKILLET My daughter was so excited to eat this cheesy dish. And talk about easy. It took less than 10 minutes to prepare in a cast-iron skillet.

12 corn tortillas, cut into bite sized pieces 3 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken 10-ounce can diced tomato with chili 10-ounce can red enchilada sauce 8-ounce can tomato sauce 1/2 cup grated cheddar, divided 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack, divided 1/2 avocado, sliced thin

1/4 cup chopped cilantro Spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and heat the pan over medium heat.

Add the corn tortillas and cooked chicken to the pan and cook until heated through, stirring often.

Pour the undrained tomatoes, enchilada sauce, and tomato sauce into the pan with 1/4 cup of each cheese. Stir to combine well. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Sprinkle on the remaining cheese, top with the avocado and cilantro before serving.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Courtesy of Countryliving.com

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATEFLUFFERNUTTER COOKIES These no-bake cookies hit the sweet spot with an addictive mix of chocolate, peanut butter and marshmallow. They’re sticky, but no problem — you’ll want to lick your fingers.

6 cups cornflakes 1 cup mini marshmallows 1 cup mini chocolate chips 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup light corn syrup 1 cup creamy peanut butter Place cornflakes, marshmallows and

chocolate chips in a large bowl.

Combine sugar and corn syrup in a nonstick pot over medium-low heat.

When sugar has dissolved, add peanut butter, stirring to combine.

Pour peanut butter mixture over cornflakes and stir to combine. Quickly drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto waxed paper.

Let cookies cool and set for about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Adapted from “Halfway Homemade: Meals in a Jiffy”

by Parrish Ritchie (The Countryman Press, $24.95)

CLASSIC LO MEIN NOODLES Why order takeout when this classic noodle dish is so easy to make at home? While the recipe calls for fresh lo mein noodles, you can easily substitute fettucine or linguini pasta; I used fat egg noodles.

3 tablespoons oyster sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1/4 cup chicken stock 1 teaspoon corn starch 3 tablespoons cooking oil 2 teaspoons minced garlic 11/2 tablespoons thinly sliced ginger 1/2 pound chicken breast or thigh, thinly sliced 3 cups fresh lo mein noodles 1/4 pound baby bok choy, bottoms removed 3 scallions, cut into 11/2-inch pieces To make sauce, stir together oyster sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, chicken stock and corn starch in a small bowl.

Heat the pan to high and add the cooking oil.

Once you see wisps of smoke, add garlic and ginger and cook until light brown and fragrant, about 20 seconds. Stir in the chicken and cook until medium, about 1 minute.

Stir in the sauce; allow the sauce to coat all the ingredients and start to simmer, about 1 minute more. Add noodles and bok choy and toss to coat.

Cook until chicken is cooked through (about 1 minute more) and sauce starts to bubble into a glaze. Top with scallions and serve hot.

Serves 4 to 6.

From “101 Asian Dishes You Need to Cook Before You Die: by Jet Tila (Page Street Publishing, June 2017, $21.99)

Sharing Hope. Spreading Love.

Publix Charities is donating $5 million to the Feeding America® network, other nonprofits and schools across the Southeast to help alleviate hunger. Learn more at publixcharities.org/love.