THE WESTSIDE GAZETTE POST OFFICE 5304 FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33310
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID FT. LAUDERDALE, FL 33310
PERMIT NO. 1179
Martin And Coretta King A war ded Awar warded Congressional Gold Medal PAGE 2
Early Symptoms Of HIV PAGE 11
South Florida African American HistoryMakers Included In Groundbreaking Archives Move To The Librar ess Libraryy Of Congr Congress
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NAN, Black Broadcasters stage candidates’ forum at New Birth
Sen. Rich, Congressman Hastings and former Gov. Crist. (Photo wwjr Photography) By Derek Joy The South Florida Chapter of the National Action Network (NAN) joined the Black Broadcasters in staging a political can-
didate’s forum at New Birth Cathedral of Faith. While Democratic gubernatorial hopefuls headlined the forum, a number of political incumbents and candidates were
on hand for the question and answer session. “Let tonight be the springboard for what we have to do. This is the National Action Network’s ‘Souls to Enroll - Opera-
tion Lemonade Part II’,” said NAN President Rev. Al Sharpton, in a brief introductory teleconference. A media panel of Black American journalists began with an answer to the question of the Black media’s impact. George Curry, editor of the National Newspaper Publishers’ Association (NNPA), Daytona Times/Florida Courier Publisher Charles Cherry III, Guy Thomas, publisher of the Haitian American Business News, Gospel Truth Publisher Sandy Walker, Joseph Beauville of Radio Mega and the Westside Gazette Publisher Bobby R. Henry, Sr., sat on the media panel. “Black media gives the Black community a voice. Without a voice we’re silent. The media and the church has been a motivator for change in our community,” Walker said. Cherry, who is also an attorney, said: “Freedom of the press is the most important right we have in our community. It’s a sense of mission that we continue to have despite obstacles, the economy and the internet.”
Leaning on the shield “Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and pierce me through and make sport of me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it.” 1 Samuel 31:4 By Bobby R. Henry, Sr. The expression, “Leaning on the shield,” has I’m sure many different meanings to several different fraternal orders and organizations as well as their sister affiliations. Be-that-as-it- may I’m sure that the crux of the matter is for help, safety and the reassurance of trust. As this country prepares to celebrate its day of independence, I can’t help but reflect on how America has leaned so heavily and dependently upon her shield of protection that was brought to this country in chains aboard ships stacked as cargo like sardines in a can in conditions not fit for swine. From that mournful day to this one, America has yet to recognize this human shield as a worthy emblem or as an ornamental badge of courage or identifying insignia for the services rendered in the continual viability of this country. In every war or enemy that has come against Americafrom without and from within-these human shields did not run, hide or scurry off to some distant country like trader dogs with tails tucked cowardly between their legs. Instead, they stood and are still standing in opposition to all comers who wish to bring America to her knees. (Cont'd on Page 12)
Broward Health is closing its (Cont'd on Page 9) school based primary care Human rights and faith-based groups call for federal centers and opening at new investigation into disturbing scalding death at Florida prison locations Darren Rainey died being blasted with scalding hot water; ACLU of Florida, Florida Justice Institute, Amnesty International, Florida Council of Churches, NAACP sent letter to Atty. Gen. Holder urging federal investigation into series of inmate deaths and abuse of mentally ill detainees in Florida facilities. MIAMI, FL – Recently, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida, along with the Florida Justice Institute, Amnesty International, the Florida Council of Churches, and the Florida Conference of NAACP Branches called on the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the disturbing scalding death of Darren Rainey at a Miami area prison. In a letter sent recently to Attorney General Eric Holder, the groups also called for the DOJ to investigate reports of mistreatment of mentally ill inmates at Florida correctional facilities.
On June 23, 2012, Florida corrections officers locked Mr. Rainey, a prisoner with mental illness, in a closet-size shower stall at the Dade Correctional Institution (DCI), a facility of the Florida Department of Corrections (DOC), as a form of punishment. He was left unattended, and after approximately two hours of being blasted with scalding hot water with temperatures that were later measured as high as 180 degrees, Mr. Rainey was found dead – his skin separated from his body.
Rights groups call for Congress to act on the voting
During a press conference highlighting the one-year anniversary of the Shelby County v. Holder case, Henderson said, “Voting is the language of American democracy: if you don’t vote, you don’t count.” Henderson added: “Discrimination at the ballot box is unfortunately still alive and well across America.” A study by the Leadership Conference on recent voting rights violations said, “Between 2000 and June 2013, there were 148 Section 5 objections or other Voting Rights Act violations recorded across 29 states. Texas had the most with 30.” The report also said that the abuses ranged “from an instance in Kilmi-chael, Mississippi, when the town cancelled a general election for the office of mayor and board of alderman after Blacks had come a majority of the registered voters, to the closure of polling places in heavily minority areas.” (Cont'd on Page 5)
ATTY. GENERAL HOLDER
By Freddie Allen NNPA Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON (NNPA) – One year after the United States Supreme Court gutted a key section of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, “the right to vote for all is under grave threat,” says Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, a coalition of nearly 200 civil and human rights organizations. Last summer, in Shelby County v. Holder, the Supreme Court struck down section 4 of the VRA, a key provision of the law that defined which states and jurisdictions with histories of voter discrimination had to pre-clear any changes to voting rules with the Department of Justice or a federal court.
Henderson, Rep. Fudge (D-Ohio) and Miller, talk about the 2014 Voting Rights Amendment Act at a press conference on Capitol Hill. (Freddie Allen/NNPA) After the ruling, Republican lawmakers in Texas, North Carolina and other states rushed to pass restrictive voter ID laws that often block poor and Black voters from the ballot
Pleading Our Own Cause
box. Attorney General Eric Holder, Department of Justice, and civil rights groups countered by filing lawsuits in a number of states across the country.
(Cont'd on Page 5)
WWW. thewestsidegazette.com Westside Gazette Newspaper
By Starla Vaughns Cherin While Broward Health is closing its school based primary care centers like William Dandy, Lauderhill Middle and Amadeo Trinchitella Deerfield Beach High School they are opening new, improved larger medical facilities one mile away from the previous locations. Operating since the 90’s, Broward Health’s school based primary care centers serve students, their families and the entire community with full service medical care from primary care for children and adults as well as obstetrics, specialty referrals, health counseling and social services. Having outgrown the spaces and planning for the future, to accommodate the newly insured influx expected from the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and those still uninsured due to Florida’s opting out of Medicaid expansion to states through the ACA, Broward Health sought sites that were visible from the street, easily accessible and larger. Expanded Hours The new facilities operate until 7 p.m. on Mondays and until 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Instead of two rooms for patient care there are eight. Instead of 10 waiting room chairs there are 35. “Our expanded hours and bigger facilities help with better patient flow for our current clients and the newly insured. It improves access to preventive health care services people put off and delay due to affordability,” says Vice President of Community Health Services, Jasmin Shirley.
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“There is another group of people who are still uninsured because Florida did not take the Medicaid expansion. They need access to care like anyone else. We serve them as well as those who pay operating on sliding fee scale based on income and household number. “All sites are open to anyone whether insured or not,” Shirley adds. “If you are below 200 percent of federal poverty level we can assess you and your household and charge based on income and number of people in household. We have offered these services at all of our sites since 1993.” Florida has the nation’s second-highest rate of uninsured residents younger than 65 — a total of about 3.8 million people, or about 25 percent of the state’s population, including more than 500,000 younger than 19, according to U.S. Census data in 2013. Broward County’s uninsured rate is 26 percent, or about 392,000 people. Caring Place Mrs. Dawna Wright-Mullings has been a client with Broward Health for 10 years. Originally she went to the Lauderhill location which was nearer her home. One day she was unable to get an appointment at the time she needed and was referred to the William Dandy location. She’s been going there ever since. (Cont'd on Page 9) MEMBER: National Newspaper Publishers Association ( NNPA), and Southeastern African-American Publishers Association (SAAPA) Florida Association of Black Owned Media (FABOM)