Table of Contents Intro….3 City Council Members…..4 Bible Study…………………..5
Pastor Ford Release, Transform, Manifest…….6 Credits Graphic Design Tre Davis
Copy Editor
Fighting & Awareness against Breast Cancer……………..10
Van Della Fitzhugh
Publisher Rachelle Chevrin
Photographer
Model of the Month………………...12
Ogun
Writer Oshun
Community Sports Pics……………15 Black on Black Crime New Curfew in Lee County………...18 DCF DCF--Partners for Promise………...21
Intro from first issue
Fort Myers was one of the first forts built along the Caloosahatchee River as a base of operations against the Seminole Indians. Fort Denaud, Fort Thompson, and Fort Dulany (Punta Rassa) all pre-date Fort Myers. When a hurricane destroyed Fort Dulany in October 1841, the military was forced to look for a site less exposed to storms from the Gulf of Mexico. As a result of the search, Fort Harvie was built on the grounds that now comprise downtown Fort Myers. Renewed war against the Seminoles in 1850 caused a re-occupation and extensive reconstruction of Fort Harvie. Fort Harvie began in 1850 as a military fort in response to Seminole Indians who were in conflict with the area's settlers. It was renamed in 1850 for Col. Abraham C. Myers, who was stationed in Florida for seven years and was the son-in-law of the fort's founder and commander. In 1858, after years of elusive battle, Chief Billy Bowlegs and his warriors were persuaded to surrender and move west, and the fort was abandoned. Billy Creek, which flows into the Caloosahatchee River and runs between Dean Park and Fort Myers Broadcasting, was named after a temporary camp where Billy Bowlegs and his men awaited ships to take them west. The fort was abandoned and stood empty until December 1863, when Union Army troops re-occupied it during the Civil War. On February 20, 1865, the fort was attacked by three companies of Florida militia, determined to end the Union cattle raids against local ranches. The Confederate state troops demanded the fort surrender, but the Union commander refused, and sporadic firing continued through most of the day. The Confederates retreated after dark. One Union soldier was killed and three wounded in the Battle of Fort Myers. One Florida militiaman had been wounded. Even though the attack had been driven off, the Union troops abandoned Fort Myers the following month. The first settlers arrived in 1866, but not until 1882 did the area experience a significant influx of settlers. Three years later, however, when Fort Myers was incorporated, it was the second largest city after Tampa on Florida's west coast south of Cedar Key, larger than Clearwater and Sarasota, also growing cities at the time. Fort Myers first became a nationally known winter resort with the building of the Royal Palm Hotel in 1898. Access was greatly improved with the opening of a 28-mile (45 km) extension of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad from Punta Gorda to Fort Myers on May 10, 1904, giving Lee County both passenger and freight service. But what really sparked the city's growth was the construction of the Tamiami Trail Bridge across the Caloosahatchee River in 1924. After the bridge's construction, the city experienced its first real estate boom, and many subdivisions sprouted around the city.
Pastor Gregory Ford, husband to Marjorie Kinchen Ford, Pastor, Leader, and Friend of First Assembly Cornerstone in Fort Myers, FL; born and raised in Naples, FL; recently sat down and discussed the trials and experiences he has had to endure before evolving into the powerful man he has become. Pastor Ford learned at an early age that he was in a fight for his life. A preemie, only weighing three pounds at birth, the first nine weeks after birth was inside of an incubator fighting for his life. Pastor Ford expressed that his mother use to tell him, “we could put you in the middle of a pillow, and you could roll over three times and still be in the middle”. His nickname was “Hambone” because he had a BIG head... as he continued to press his way through life he encountered one of the most traumatic moments at the age of eleven WATCHING HIS FATHER DIE RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM. Ford begins to tell the story of how his father was released from the hospital, not knowing that the doctors had already given up on him. His father wanted to come home. After watching his favorite show “GUN SMOKE”, he helped his father in the room on side of the bed. The last words my father said to me were, “Son go get me a glass of water”. As he left the room, he heard a loud noise. “I turned and ran back in the room to see my father lying on the bed”. Ford explained. Mother came running in the room to see what was wrong, and then I witnessed my father eyes roll in the back of his head. As mother began to scream, “PLEASE GOD NOT NOW!” all I could do is run. I ran so much until I could not run anymore. After my family found me and took me back to the house, the ambulance had pronounced my father dead. I did not recognize it took such a major toll on me in my life until about 10 years later. I became rebellious and disobedient. At 14 years of age, I was already free basing *drugs+. I was hanging with the wrong group that was 10-15 years older than I. I never hung out with kids my age, I played baseball and football, but that was about it. By the age of 13, I had experienced any drug imaginable: mushrooms, ecstasy, and cocaine, to almost any pill you could name. As a result, for 10 years I was wrapped up in this *drug+ world. My mother went on to marry a man by the name of Edward Chestnut. He was a very good man and he took care of my mother as a man is supposed to. At that time, I was around 16 years old and I thought to myself, “I’m the man of the house!” I told him *Chestnut+, “You’re not my father!” I felt that after my father died, my mother wouldn’t have a life besides me and I fought against them. I felt as if there was no *other+ man besides my father. “Well, my
mother thought differently,” said Pastor Ford while he laughed. At 15 years of age, my mom came to me and said, “Well Edward said it is either him or you, one has to go.” Guess who hit the door! My mother told me she was not going to throw away her blessing and a man that now treats her like a queen. Not looking at the facts that my *biological+ father was a drinker, hung out under the tree, void of family values, but that was my father, that’s all I knew at that time. I did not realize how good he *Chestnut+ treated my mother. I quickly became the “black sheep” of the family (the one that does all the bad first). That is what I became in my teenage years. I lied to my mom about catching the school bus when I knew my friend would be coming to pick me up at the bus stop. I was always into music so I would ride around and smoke marijuana, *with my friend+ then he would drop me off to my older brother’s house where we had *music group+ rehearsal that night. At the age of 17 years of age, after playing in a band that was performing on late night Halloween at Fleishman’s Park in Naples, FL., I left my brother’s house with my friend early that morning heading home – not paying attention, I remembered us coming up to the railroad tracks. I thought we stopped but did not because the train hit us. I remembered us slowing down, *but+ never heard a train. While being pushed down the tracks by the train, which hit the door where I was sitting head on, I ended up under the train! Four days later I woke up in my right state of mind, unknowing I was literally dead. I had been through brain surgery, to release the fluid from my brain. The doctors had already diagnosed that I would be a vegetable IF I were to survive. Miraculously, four days later, by the grace of God, I woke up asking questions about how I got in the hospital. (Laughs), now you would think that something that tragic would have changed me. Well it didn’t, seems like I got worse... You know I was young, and received a little money from the accident. Shoot I was balling! I went out and brought a candy red Camaro. I was on top of the world! Then I fell, I fell back down to nothing. Back on the drugs, I dropped out of school, and lost everything.
It was not until one day I was in the county jail getting ready to serve an 18 – month prison sentence for drugs that my life changed. I was in the cell, waiting for food to be delivered, and fell asleep. I began to dream, and in the dream I was back on the streets. It seemed so real because I was actually asking myself how did I get out. It seemed as if people were having church *outside+ in the streets. I saw my deceased aunt Lucy in the dream and I began to panic because I knew that soon it was going to be chow and if I wasn’t back in that cell, they would look for me and give me another charge. I did not want an escape charge as well, Ford laughed. In the dream, I began to try to hide so I walked through an alley and I fell on the ground in front of all those people trying to hide. All of a sudden I felt someone shaking me saying, “Ford, get up it’s chow time!” Oh man, when I woke up in that cell I was soaked with sweat as if I had taken a shower. At this time I didn’t want to eat, I wanted to talk to my mother. So I called her immediately, I explained my dream to her. I told her I seen my *deceased+ aunt. She asked if my aunt had spoken to me. I replied no and explained that she *my aunt+ was just looking at me. She said, “Ok, because you shouldn’t be talking to the dead!” Ford laughs. As she explained the dream to me, she said, “Son, God is showing you that this is your last chance and if you don’t get yourself together this time, he will leave you right there in that world.” That was all she needed to tell me! Still to this day, I’m terrified of that dream. Anytime I begin to think of doing wrong, (“yes, I’m human I’m not perfect.”) that dream will pop up and straighten me out. It has now been 22 years that I have been saved and on the journey for the Lord. I was blessed to be able to marry my wonderful wife, friend, and soul mate *Marjorie+. She has been on this journey with me all the way and I want the world to know Marjorie Ford that I LOVE YOU and thank you for all you have done! As I close this interview, my encouraging word to the world would be three words:
Release, Transform, Manifest. Release: God is speaking to us in 2012 that before the year is over, he will release his people who believe, trust, and rely on him.
Transform: According to Romans:12:2 KJV, “Be ye not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind”. God is calling us into a transformation. It doesn’t matter where you started because inside of the worm is a butterfly. A lot of us don’t see that because we’re so busy looking at the worm. In all this time, looking at me as a crack head, inside the crack head was the preacher that was in the wrong place and if he would have gotten in the position inside that cocoon to be transformed. Manifest: That means that everything that God has said will happen and be seen and people will witness it. I feel God gave it to me as a revelation word and He is speaking to his people. I say to all God Bless and I will continue to lift this community in my prayers.
Fighting & Awareness Against Breast Cancer
On Sunday September 23rd Ink City Crew (ICC) Hosted the 1st Annual Breast Cancer Flag Football Tournament at the Firecats Field, the game started at noon with over 400 people in attendance came out to how support for the cause displaying some form of pink clothing, ribbon and or cheering on their favorite team. Over the pass several weeks 15 teams where formed together and they worked very hard with their daily or weekly and even weekend practices. The teams was birthed and named : Ink City Crew, ChoppaBoyz, Lowkey, 239Ent, GorillaZoneMag, TeamWillis, TeamTakeOff, ManorBoyz, Harry Dove, My BrotherKeeper, Team Renegade, The shenanigans, Da Real Deal, Charleston Park, C.M.G, which consisted of 20 men. The real issue here isn’t the forming of a teams or a gathering in the park, this was put together to promote breast cancer awareness and fund the cure. Everyone, everywhere really needs to support breast cancer & promote awareness. Please understand that just because of where we are in life or within the world doesn’t exempt ourselves, mothers, daughters, sisters, friends and other family members from this illness. Please know that this could happen to any of us. Young women seem to not take it as serious but breast cancer can affect anyone at any age. It can be worse than AIDS, Aids can be protected sometimes Cancer
can’t be detected; you can’t protect yourself from cancer. Young /Older women please take a couple hours out of your time to at least get a Mammogram or during your yearly physical if you’re not already doing so, earlier detection is best. If caught early, the chances of receiving Chemotherapy after surgery there’s a 30% chance of it not coming back but if the body rejects the Chemotherapy the chances of it coming back are 60%. Some women are in stage 4 and even surgery along with chemotherapy won’t help, only because it was too far gone when they were diagnosed. Some people always donated to the cause but never really understood the concepts of it. So please begin to research as much as possible because knowledge is pleasure and wouldn’t you rather have the pleasure of knowing rather than the displeasure of not knowing, while understanding the do’s and don’ts. Women, this is a cause worth supporting, you can Google Susan G. Komen and it will give you needed information on how to donate or become a part of the fight even if just walking for breast cancer. We all understand that we live very different lives but we are in the same world. We should come to realize and understand that thriving on helping people anyone, I would rather give $10-$40 to a cause, any cause, than to a club/alcohol (personal preference & not to be offensive
I’ve been there) because neither can save a life, but by donating you never know whose life you are saving and they appreciate it, one that could be your very own or a family member. It’s something to think about and a Life is always worth saving. The best way to fight breast cancer is to have a plan that helps you detect the disease in its early stages, when it’s treatable. In rare cases, breast cancer can occur in men. Though boys and girls begin life with similar breast tissue, over time, men do not have the same complex breast growth and development as women. At puberty, high testosterone and low estrogen levels stop breast development in males. Some milk ducts exist, but they remain undeveloped, and lobules are most often absent. However, breast problems, including cancer, can occur in men. Partners for Breast Cancer Care Inc., has assisted over 7,000 women and men in the past 6 years who have qualified for their program with the diagnosis and treatment cost for Breast Cancer. They have screened over 2,000 Lee County residents and funded 2,257 breast health procedures. Their mission is to rule out breast cancer and diagnose it. They are a non-profit organization who has been in Lee County for over 22 years and have diagnosed over 91 people in just the past 6 years. Lutheran Services of Florida (LSF) is a statewide nonprofit, human service agencies who are dedicated to helping all people in need regardless of religious affiliation, age, or national origin. Since LSF was established in 1982, more than 800,000 children and families have received assistance from vital LSF services, including Oasis Youth Shelter in Fort Myers. LSF hopes to expand services to promote healthy, emotional, educational, and physical development for children and families, proactively responding to changing public policies
POSITIVE TIME INVESTED IS NEVER TIME WASTED!
Sports Pics
This was a recent status of Trevor, and the comments left by two followers. “I just read the City Council wants to make a new curfew for teens. It’s been tried before and failed because it punishes the good teens and the bad apples don’t abide by it anyway. Life is all about choices and decisions and living with whatever comes out of both. If you're doing the same things over & over and you continue to FAIL in love, friendships, jobs and etc it is YOUR FAULT until you decide to do something different! Repeatedly writing 2+2=5 is not going to make it right. Most of the so called Thugs/Goons want to do right; they just need to be shown a better way. It's hard to listen to someone wealthy telling you to stop doing what puts food on your table unless they can offer an alternative. Maybe if the City Council found some Jobs for these youngsters we would see a major turnaround in the crime rate.” Alphonso Hopson, said, “If they're going to implement a curfew in our community, they need to make it a national curfew beyond the hood with all the killings that’s occurring all over the country. Look down the suburbs that created the Colorado and Wisconsin massacres that just happened. This is just another tactic to justify locking young brothas up because the politicians know the youth are going to rebel and break curfew...“ Jonathan Purchase stated that, he wants to help and will continue to help the young men in Fort Myers to become productive citizens. He mentors about 20 young men between the ages of 16-23 and let them know their past is just that *THEIR PAST+ and the decisions you make today makes up your future that much better. He let them know that we all come the same background but just have different stories. We can use them to fuel of future and to make sure what happen in your pass will not happen to their children's children! I want everybody that like this post or commented to take the time out for one young man or women and help them pursue a better future. Sometime it takes a phone call or text, a hug, a trip to McDonalds, a trip to an event outside the city of fort Myers, help a student or young man read, and etc. but in all of these options please discuss the name of JESUS and let them know he has there back and he loves them like a father!
New curfew passes see when and what kind of penalties will be in place... Starting Sept. 19, Fort Myers minors under 18 can’t remain in any public place in the city after 9 p.m. on weeknights, and 11 p.m. on weekends. Minors will be exempt in some situations, such as if they are with a parent or another adult, or if they are coming to or from work or a school, religious or civic event. The curfew penalties: For a first violation, minors will receive a written warning and a $110 fine for each subsequent violation. Parents who knowingly permit their children to break curfew will be subject to a warning followed by fines of up to $250. Frustrated with the spike in city homicides, the Fort Myers City Council enacted a more stringent youth curfew Monday night to keep more kids off the streets and out of trouble. Council voted 6-1, with Forrest Banks, who thought the curfew was too strict, dissenting. Starting Sept. 19, Fort Myers minors under 18 will be ticketed if they remain in a city public place after 9 p.m. on weeknights, and 11 p.m. on weekends. The ordinance, which will go into effect after a 30-day educational period, trims the current curfew by two hours on weeknights and one hour on weekends.
Several parents argued that the tighter curfew will create police records for honor students who are conducting late-night study breaks. Others said the council shouldn’t be telling them how to raise their children. Still, council pushed to make a statement. “People are laughing through their teeth because we talk and don’t do,” Councilman Thomas Leonardo said about the recent homicides. “We can’t sit here week after week and continue to see our citizens murdered and not do anything.” There have been 16 homicides in city limits this year. Two of the victims were under 18, and four of the homicides occurred between 9 and 10 p.m., police Chief Doug Baker said. Police will spend the next month educating the public on the new curfew. Minors will be exempt in some situations, such as if they are with a parent or another adult, or if they are coming to or from work or a school, religious or civic event. For a first violation, minors will receive a written warning and a $110 fine for each subsequent violation. Parents who knowingly permit their children to break curfew will be subject to a warning followed by fines of up to $250. Council will reassess the measure in seven months, analyzing if juvenile crime dropped as a result. Last year, 383 juveniles were arrested in Fort Myers, making up 7 percent of all arrests. “My concern is the unintended consequences,” said Fort Myers parent Jerry Elliott, whose two daughters are in Fort Myers High School International Baccalaureate program and are often out late studying with friends. “I think the bad kids aren’t going to care about the curfew. They’re creative. They’re just going to say that they were coming from a school event.” If a minor is seen past curfew, Baker said his officers will contact the child’s parent. If they can’t reach a parent, officers will take the child to his or her home. “We’re going to have some pretty decent kids with some records, but if that’s the price you want to pay,” said Banks, who wanted the curfew to be set at 10 p.m. on weeknights. “(Curfews) give police virtually unbridled discretion to stop, detain, harass and search teenagers. This can only encourage arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement,” the letter said. “After all, since the only determinant of whether a person is committing this ‘offense’ is whether he or she is a certain age, police can stop any young-looking person they choose as a potential violator.” Baker, who agreed with the ordinance, said the curfew wouldn’t impact his department. He said enforcing the curfew would be similar to enforcing a new statute on a traffic offense. “This ordinance is not to hurt anyone. It’s to identify two types of kids,” Baker said. “One set is on the cusp of crime and another set is in, doing criminal activity. We have an element in the city that is extremely violent and there’s no other place for them but prison. If you look at their arrest reports it starts with extremely minor offenses. You just look to interrupt the minor offenses.”
This Facebook status took a lot of hits and touched home for some of us. Listen at Trevor and the words of two of his followers. Black on Black Violence is at an all-time high, it's SO sad... News-Press.com is the worst news outlet in America in my opinion. When someone is a VICTIM of a violent crime it is important to remember they are someone mother, father, sister, brother,uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, son,daughter... It pisses me off how they report how someone got shot & then post the VICTIM's Criminal History, as if they are saying a person with a record deserves to be shot down in the streets. Then they have a comment section where every racist MF'er in Lee County chimes in on how they are happy the person got shot, one less animal on the street, how the black community is populated by a bunch of savages etc. LORD please show us the way to lift this Dark Cloud that is currently over our Community. “Trevor” Alphonso Hopson Racism is not the issue. A lack of accountability amongst Africans is the issue. Racism is only effective when we are not effective. It only has power because collectively we're powerless. It’s stupid to go to the children of our former slave master and ask them for anything. Everything we need is within ourselves. Some Brothas are flat out scared to unite. Fear paralyzes most black people. Afraid to speak up. Afraid of police officers. Afraid to unite and love one another. The killings are going to persist as long as men are being boys Period. He who controls your imagery controls you. The media is a powerful, racist social tool that’s designed to destroy and assassinate the character of African people. Racism can’t end because that would be the end of white supremacy. Racism is a survival tool that’s implemented to preserve the European race. They will never see you as there equal because that would be there demise. Black men are the most feared and hated beings because we're the most powerful. When the so called thug realizes his enemy fears him more than he fears his enemy, he will be everything he fears. Racist fear strong intelligent, powerful black men. Shywona Williams You know, I asked one time, why they felt the need to include the victim's arrest record. In response, someone wrote that they do that to hopefully show members of the community and surrounding are that it may have been an isolated event and that they shouldn't fear for their safety. If that's true, I can understand that. However, since I know better, I know that that's their way of investigating the story; trying to put out as much info as they can. Now I can see them releasing that info if it had been proven to have been directly related to his death. But to throw the victim's past in there like that is so cruel and heartless. I saw where you asked if any of them would help mentor in your community. The sad truth is that those animals don't care about the Dunbar Community or any other Black Community. In fact, they WANT us to kill each other; they are getting so much joy out of this. What's even sadder is that those same ppl commenting are teachers at our children's schools, doctors, lawyers, police officers, judges, principals, employers, etc.; but they're commenting there under fake names and profiles, so nobody knows who they really are. It's sad because they're the type of ppl who we trust our children's education to. They're the ones who we have to face (and we can't hide behind a fake profile) when we make a humanly mistake. They're the ones we have to go to when we need help or are trying to get a job; and this is how they really feel about us. I don't live in your community, but my heart goes out to those that do. Especially the younger ones. When I was growing up, we fought with our fists. You either win or lose, and if you weren't satisfied, you make em fade you again. It didn't hurt us, it made us stronger...and we lived to see another day. Nowadays, they ain't fighting, they shootin. And the ones who are willing to fight can't because their opponent got a gun, so now they got a gun too, and then we're faced with these situations. So the only way to help our communities is to step up and do it ourselves. Get our degrees, get in the classrooms, courtrooms, etc and take our children back. The process will be slow, but when we start sticking together and building our community up, things will start to change. Today, it seems everyone is out to see our ppl fail. Sadly, that's exactly what we're doing. We have to be the change we want to see.
GZM CLOSING STATEMENTS As we continue daily to strive to make it throughout the day, we as people need to strive to make another person’s day better if possible. Life is not easy for everybody; it throws curve balls. Rather it is you or Ronnie Tape, Larry White, Johnny Wardlow, Clarence Black, Tony Payne, Anthony Riggins, or celebrities: T.I, Lil Wayne, Lil Boosie, Plies, Gucci Mane, or Kanye West - money does not make you any different when it comes to obeying the laws of the land. I constantly, and will continue to pray for our youth to wake up and see that violence is not the way out. In my opinion, we are promised two places: graveyard or prison, and most will not make it to prison. Yea, it is a Gorilla Zone out here and it is not just Fort Myers but worldwide. We have to come together as black people to make and set an example for our younger kids. They are lost and full of pain feeling as if no one cares. The School System has failed us, some of our own pastors have failed us along with people in our community that is empowered to make a difference. So I ask, where can the youth go? What can do they do? If you call yourself a man, stand as a man! Every person named up above has been through the struggle or is going through it. Guess What! Not one of them won! NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY THEY HAVE OR HAD. I love all my people, but we have to find a solution to help these kids find another way out. Three deaths in 30 days... Is this something to be proud of? We have the most talent in the State of Florida right here in our city Fort Myers but the youth that are dying daily. I pray for better days…. God bless you all,
GORILLA OH HEAVENLY FATHER I COME TO YOU AS HUMBLE AS I KNOW HOW, NOT JUST FOR ME FATHER BUT MY FELLOW BROTHERS TOO. THAT WE CAN LOVE AND RESPECT EACH OTHER, HELP EACH OTHER STRIVE TO BE BETTER AS PEOPLE. LORD, WE ARE NO SAINTS, NONE OF US HAS BEEN PERFECT, BUT WE TRY OH LORD, TRY TO MAKE IT BETTER THAN IT WAS YESTERDAY. THIS ISNT AN EASY JOURNEY YOU HAVE CALLED ME TO DO OH LORD. BUT I KNOW IF YOU’RE WITH ME WHO CAN BE AGAINST ME? I PRAY CONSTANTLY FOR ALL MY BROTHERS LOCKED UP IN PRISON, THAT YOU WILL TOUCH THEIR HEARTS AND MINDS. SHOW THEM WHO YOU ARE GOD AS THEY KNEEL AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS. WE’RE ONLY ONE WRONG STEP AWAY FROM BEING WHERE THEY ARE. I PRAY THAT THEY PICK UP A PEN AND WRITE TO THE PEOPLE OUT HERE LETTING THEM KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH DAILY. I PRAY THAT FAMILIES STICK BY THEIR LOVE ONES IN THE TIME OF NEED EVEN IF IT’S JUST A GREETING CARD SAYING I LOVE YOU. LORD YOU ARE OUR KING, OUR FOUNDATION, OUR SAVIOUR, AND IT’S YOU OH GOD THAT HAS TO CONTINUE TO TOUCH LIVES AND REACH OUT TO THOSE THAT IS IN NEED. THESE THINGS I PRAY AND ASKING IN JESUS’ NAME. AMEN