Four FAMU football players sign to sports agencies in pursuit of NFL page....6
Bread & Roses Food Cooperative works to promote unity through volunteers page...4
Zombies have overrun popular culture. But have the undead overstayed their welcome? Find out how Donovan Harrell feels page...5
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www.TheFamuanOnline.com
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Board of trustees to meet on Thursday
In This Issue:
The FAMUan Investigates
Garage opening delayed
Asia Johnson copy editor
Florida A&M’s board of trustees will hold committee meetings today from 8:30 a.m. 3:30 p.m. The meetings will lead into an audit training provided by Ernst & Young from 3:30-5 p.m. and a dinner from 6:30-8 p.m. at the FAMU Alumni House. The committee meetings will be followed by a full body meeting Thursday at 8:30 a.m. in the Grand Ballroom. Topics of discussion will include the approval of a multi-year contract for the new football coach, Earl Holmes, who will reportedly earn a $200,000 yearly salary. Also, the BOT will discuss a $25 fee increase for FAMU students and $50 fee increase for those utilizing the New Beginnings Child Development Center. In addition, the board will discuss the approval of the Student Green Fee that was previously voted on by students. In an advisory released Tuesday, the university announced that the Department of Parking Services is closing the parking lot near the H. Efferson Manning Student Union Complex due to the meeting. Those attending the meeting are advised to park at the gravel lot on Osceola Street, Bragg Stadium and the lot on FAMU Way/ Martin Luther King Drive adjacent to the New Beginnings Child Development Center. The FAMUan newspaper will have reporters on site to bring you updates as the story develops.
Bianca McCracken/The FAMUan The parking garage will not open March 30 as previously scheduled. Officials have set May 6 as the new reopening date.
Donald Remy Correspondent The original March 30 reopening of the Florida A&M parking garage on Wahnish Way has been postponed to May 6, according to Samuel Houston, FAMU’s director of Facilities Planning and Construction. In an email correspondence to The FAMUan, Houston reported that Tampa-based Votum Construction LLC, the company contracted to make repairs to the garage, began work Monday. However, he did not clarify what caused the projected opening to be postponed.
According to Houston, the construction will last 90 days and is projected to cost $260,000. When asked if the renovations to the parking garage were related to safety issues, Houston replied, “A parking facility condition appraisal report from Walker Parking Consultants stated that the parking garage is safe and that only restorative work is required.” Houston said the renovations may be completed earlier than May 6. Hearing news of the delay in opening the garage, which has been closed since Dec. 15, caused concern among the student body.
Tanesha Bryan, a senior history student from St. Petersburg, said she feels unsafe since the garage closed. “I do miss being able to park in the parking garage because now I have to walk a lot further to get my car, which leaves me more accessible to robbery,” Bryan said. In response to students’ worries, John Kirby, assistant director of Business and Auxiliary Services, recommends students utilize parking in Bragg Stadium, the gravel lot on Osceola Street, the lot behind the old FAMU DRS and the gated lot beside the School of Business and Industry.
Former SGA president inspired by teen’s death Amber Mackie Staff writer Known as a musician, a singer and an organizer with the Dream Defenders, Phillip Agnew is dedicated to creating change in the African-American community. Born in Chicago, Agnew came to Florida A&M as a first-generation college student in fall 2003. “FAMU is really the only place that I could have gone to school,” he said. “It felt so right.” Agnew made the commitment to get involved on campus when he came to FAMU. He became freshman class president and continued to be part of the Student Government Association until 2007. In 2006, something happened that would forever change Agnew’s life. An African-American teen, Martin Lee Anderson, was killed at a Florida boot camp. He was suffocated and struck by guards who were restraining him while a nurse watched and did nothing. The teen’s death was believed to be a racially motivated murder. When the case was taken to trial, the all white jury found the defendants not guilty. Agnew served as student body president during this time. The attorney of Anderson’s family reached out to Agnew, asking him to get students and young people involved in raising awareness about Anderson’s death. Agnew formed a march from the Capitol with about 5,000 people in attendance demanding justice for Anderson. “I was only a freshman, but I will never forget that march to the Capitol,” said Sada McQuay, a graduate student and doctor of physical therapy candidate.
News Briefs
Obama urges stopgap budget deal to avoid deep cuts WASHINGTON (AP) —President Barack Obama urged Congress on Tuesday to pass targeted short-term spending cuts and higher taxes as a way to put off sweeping, automatic cuts that would slice deeply into military and domestic programs starting March 1. Obama’s appeal came as Congress’ budget office projected a yearly federal deficit under $1 trillion .
Courtesy of the Dream Defenders Martin Lee Anderson’s tragedy births spirit of activism for former FAMU SGA President Phillip Agnew.
“Phillip made us believe that we could make a difference, and we did.” The boot camp was shut down after Anderson’s death. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement commissioner, Guy Tunnel, also resigned from office. After working together with Florida State University and Tallahassee Community College organizers who wanted justice for Anderson, the protesters went their separate ways. But last year, they all reunited after the shooting of Trayvon Martin. Along with a group of 30 to 40 people, Agnew conducted a march for justice for Trayvon Martin and the arrest of George Zimmerman. This three-day march would be the beginning of a movement and the forming of an organization willing to fight for the rights of African-Americans and other underrepresented minorities – the Dream Defenders. Agnew quit his job and began to put all of his time
Fla. judge: No trial delay in Trayvon Martin case SANFORD (AP) — The murder trial for the Florida man charged in the shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin remains set for a June start after a judge Tuesday denied a defense request for a postponement. George Zimmerman’s lead attorney Mark O’Mara presented a motion to have the trial pushed back to November.
and dedication into the organization. He wants to find the root of the ongoing killings of innocent AfricanAmerican people. “There’s a difference between a moment and a movement,” he said. “We’re not moment people. Trayvon Martin happened, Jena Six happened, Troy Davis happened. And if you’re only focused on those cases and those moments, then you’ll never have anything to do because that will eventually go away.” Steven Pargett, North Florida Regional Organizer for the Dream Defenders, has worked very closely with both Agnew and the organization. “I’ve been involved in organizing and activism for the past three years or so,” Pargett said. “But Dream Defenders is the realest thing that I’ve ever found. Or should I say that found me.” Agnew, along with other Dream Defenders, organizes AGNEW, see page 3
Fla. lawmakers give mild criticism of Scott budget
Fla. justices hears breath testing machine case
(AP) — Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s $74.2 billion proposed budget isn’t winning a lot of praise so far from state legislators.Scott’s budget director on Tuesday spent nearly three hours going over Scott’s spending plan before a House budget panel.
(AP) — State Supreme Court justices were in a quandary during oral argument Tuesday on a request from three defendants for access to software that runs the only breath testing machines certified for use in Florida.