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No charges for Chicago cop in Ronald Johnson shooting death CHICAGO — Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez’s decision not to charge a Chicago police officer who fatally shot Ronald Johnson III was made after virtually no independent investigation by her office and despite a police dashboardcamera video that shows Johnson being shot in the back while running from police, the lawyer for Johnson’s family said Monday.

“This is a joke,” attorney Michael Oppenheimer told reporters about an hour after Alvarez laid out her reasons for not charging Officer George Hernandez. “It is the blind leading the blind.”

Alvarez decided against criminal charges because the dash-cam video of the shooting shows Johnson wielding what prosecutors say appears to be a gun.

At a 75-minute news conference, Alvarez tried to support her decision by playing the video, a sample of 911 calls of residents reporting shots fired and recordings of

Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez speaks at a news conference Dec. 7, 2015, in Chicago where she announced that Chicago police Officer George Hernandez will not be charged in the shooting death of 25-year-old Ronald Johnson.

officers calling in updates on police radios of man with a gun.

But Oppenheimer, who in October 2014 filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Johnson’s family, said Alvarez appeared to have relied solely on the flawed investigation done by the Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates police shootings, and never seriously considered charges against the officer.

To bolster that claim, Oppenheimer played a portion of Hernandez’s video-recorded deposition taken a month ago as part of the lawsuit in which the officer says he had never been contacted by Alvarez’s office. The fact that Hernandez freely answered questions under oath for more than six hours indicates he knew he was free of any criminal probe, Oppenheimer said.

“How in the world does he know he’s not going to be indicted unless someone in Alvarez’s office told him?” the attorney said.

What kind of bartender are you?

“Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves]”, 2:14 (Amplified Bible)

By Bobby R. Henry, Sr. As I prepared to write today, I’m reminded of the scripture from Philippians 2:14. Our pastor preached on this particular verse in the past, and he titled it, “Stop complaining”.

This topic has allowed me to rethink what I thought was meant; don’t complain to people, but complain to God. I was wrong in my thoughts, because God does not want us to complain at all.

Pastor Davidson made use of several scriptures to call attention to the message of, “stop complaining.” As he pointed out in 1Corinthians 10:10 which says, “Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

(New American Standard Bible) (Cont'd on Page 6)

Broward Schools’ Runcie named Superintendent Of The Year

(Cont'd on Page 6)

What the world is saying about Donald T rump’s Trump’s comments about Muslims Much of the reaction to the Republican presidential candidate’s call has been critical

By Krishnadev Calamur Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, doubled down Tuesday on his remarks calling for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.”

Appearing on ABC’s Good Morning America, Trump compared his plan to the Japanese internment camps used by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II. “This is a president highly respected by all, he did the same thing,” Trump said. “If you look at what he was doing, it was far worse. I mean, he was talking about the Germans because we’re at war.

“We are now at war. We have a president that doesn’t want to say that, but we are now at war.”

But Trump rejected the idea that he was advocating the internment of Muslim Americans: “No, I’m not. No, I’m not.

No, I’m not,” he said.

Trump’s remarks Monday were in apparent response to the massacre in San Bernardino, in which an Illinoisborn man and his Pakistanborn wife killed 14 people and wounded 21 others. The FBI said the couple was radicalized.

Trump’s comments were nearly universally condemned—both in the U.S. and

“For some Jews, the sight of thousands of supporters waving their fists in anger as Trump incited against Muslims and urged a blanket ban on their entry to the United States could have evoked associations with beer halls in Munich a century ago,” he wrote.

(Cont'd on Page 13)

RUNCIE

By Staff Writer At a meeting in Tampa Wednesday that included the Florida School Boards Associatio, Broward County’s Robert Runcie was named 2016 Florida’s Superintendent of the Year.

Runcie, who has been the superintendent since 2011, was awarded the honor by the Flori-

da Association of Districts Superintendents.

In spite of a recent diversity study that did not favor the Broward County School Board, Superintendent, Runcie has sustained his position as an effective leader with respect to most Broward School Board members.

(Cont'd on Page 9)

Data provides insight to improve adolescents’ health Trump calls for a “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.” around the world. Here’s a roundup of global reaction: U.K. A spokeswoman for British Prime Minister David Cameron called the remarks “divisive, unhelpful and quite simply wrong.”

“The prime minister has been very clear that as we look at how we tackle extremism and this poisonous ideology, what politicians need to do is look at ways they can bring communities together and make clear that these terrorists are not representative of Islam and indeed what they are doing is a perversion of Islam,” she said.

Egypt A statement from Dar alIfta, the country’s official re-

Pleading Our Own Cause

ligious body, called Trump’s remarks “hate rhetoric.”

“Such hostile attitudes towards Islam and Muslims will increase tensions within the American society of which Muslims represent around 8 million peaceful and loyal American citizens,” the organization said.

France That tweet by the French prime minister translates to: “Mr. Trump, like others, stokes hatred: our ONLY enemy is radical Islamism.”

Global Media Writing in Haaretz, the leftleaning Israeli newspaper, columnist Chemi Shalev said Trump’s remarks “must have delighted the Caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi,” the leader of ISIS.

WWW.

By Jonathan Mermin, M.D., M.P.H., Director, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cross-posted from Huffington Post - Blog From AIDS.gov Young adults face the highest rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States. Here are the eyeopening facts: · Young adults aged 15 to 24 account for half of the 20 million new STDs that occur in the U.S. each year. · As compared to other groups, women aged 15 to 24 experience a disproportionate number of chlamydia and gonorrhea infections – many of which go undiagnosed. Left untreated, these infections can lead to serious consequences, including infertility. Every year more than 24,000 women in the US become infertile because

of an STD many did not know they had. · One in four new HIV infections are in people aged 13 to 24. Yet, only 22 percent of

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sexually experienced high school students have ever been tested for HIV. (Cont'd on on Page Page 7) 9) (Cont'd MEMBER: National Newspaper Publishers Association ( NNPA), and Southeastern African-American Publishers Association (SAAPA) Florida Association of Black Owned Media (FABOM)

Page 2 • December 10 - December 16, 2015

First Family lights National Christmas Tree Christmas at the White House

Obama appointee, FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn tto o deliv er FFAMU’s AMU’s FFall all deliver In a recent keynote address before the National Urban Commencement Address League, Clyburn underscored

CLYBURN From Elise Durham

The first family joined performers onstage for a song at the official lighting of the National Christmas Tree on the White House Ellipse.

(Photo by Cheriss May, Howard University News Service)

By Cheriss May, Howard University News Service WASHINGTON – On a brisk December night, the First Family joined hundreds of people to officially light the 2015 National Christmas Tree recently on the White House Ellipse.

The ceremony was hosted by Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon and featured performances from musical trio David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash; Fall Out Boys, Andra Day, Aloe Blacc, Scandal’s Bellamy Young, Kelsea Ballerini, Tori Kelly, Trombone Shorty, the Joyous String En-

semble and the United States Coast Guard Band.

There was also a special appearance by Miss Piggy.

The oldest full-time park ranger, 94-year-old Betty Reid Soskin, introduced President Obama. Soskin works five days a week at the Rosie the Riveter/ World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, Calif.

“Merry Christmas everybody, and thank you, Betty, for that introduction, for your extraordinary service as one of our park rangers, and for all of your - and your great-grandmother’s - contributions to this country,” President Obama

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said. “I want tips from Betty on how I can look that good at 94.”

After leading the crowd in a countdown, the President, First Lady Michelle Obama, their daughters, Malia and Sasha, and First Lady Michelle Obama’s mother, Marian Robinson, took the stage to light the tree at the 93rd annual National Christmas Tree Lighting.

“So on behalf of Michelle, and Malia, and Sasha, and Grandma, and Bo and Sunny (the family’s dogs), happy holidays to all of you,” President Obama said.

TALLAHASSEE, FL – On Friday, Dec. 11, 2015 at 6 p.m., approximately 800 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) students will start the next chapter of their lives as they receive their degrees in fields ranging from agriculture to architecture.

The University’s annual fall commencement ceremony will be held at the Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium, located at 1800 Wahnish Way. The event will include a special recognition of former FAMU percussion professor and United Way Lifetime Achievement honoree James Latimer. Latimer, who has performed with legends such as Duke Ellington, Alan Dawson, Max Roach, William Kraft, and Paul Price will receive an honorary doctorate degree. While at FAMU, he served as assistant director of bands under William P. Foster, Ed.D.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Mignon L. Clyburn, an appointee of President Barack Obama, will serve as the commencement speaker.

Clyburn served as acting chair of the FCC, following her appointment by President Obama in May 2013.

As commissioner, she is serving a second term for which she took the oath of office in February 2013. She is the longestserving member of the Commission, beginning her service at the FCC in August 2009 after spending 11 years as a member of the sixth district on the Public Service Commission (PSC) of South Carolina. She served as its chair from July 2002 through June 2004.

Prior to her service on the PSC, Clyburn was the publisher and general manager of The Coastal Times, a Charleston-based weekly newspaper that focused primarily on issues affecting the African-American community. She co-owned and operated the family-founded newspaper for 14 years.

A longtime champion of consumers and a defender of the public interest, Commissioner Clyburn is a strong advocate for enhanced accessibility in communications for disabled citizens and works closely with representative groups for the deaf and hard of hearing. She has pushed for media ownership rules that reflect the demographics of America, affordable universal telephone and highspeed Internet access, greater broadband deployment and adoption throughout the nation, and transparency in regulation.

the importance of using technology and broadband access as an “equalizer of opportunities.” She addressed the importance of high-tech companies utilizing the talent of graduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and state-supported schools, and the role these institutions play in closing the digital gap and connecting today’s youth with careers in technology.

Commissioner Clyburn is a member of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, Federal-State Joint Board on Separations, and the Federal-State Joint Conference on Advanced Services, all of which she chaired for three years during her first term at the FCC. She is the daughter of civil rights activist and U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn and is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. She holds a bachelor’s degree in banking, finance, and economics.

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Working with kids is a no-brainer

By Brandon Marshall Michi and I are passionate about early intervention and prevention for children who struggle with mental health and learning disorders. I know if we can get to kids early enough, we can change their lives. I decided to sit down with my friend Dr. Harold Koplewicz, president of the Child Mind Institute and a child and adolescent psychiatrist.

BM: Obviously mental health is inextricably linked to both your life’s work and mine.

I’ve had my own battles and as you know, it took a lot of trial

MEET NADIA RICHARDS - FUTURE SCIENTIST WHO IS FINDING ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: African Americans have always made strides in the field of science. Our latest youngster who is rising in the ranks is Nadia Richards, a University of California graduate student. In this photo Nadia discusses her research in hydrogen fuel cells in hopes of finding an alternative energy solution that can curb our dependency on fossil fuels. See video at BlackTimeTravel

and error to get the right diagnosis and treatment. Why is it particularly important to get help to kids with mental health disorders as early as possible?

HK: You know, Brandon, you are one of my heroes.

You’ve accomplished so much

despite all the barriers in your way — but it didn’t have to be so hard. Your life could have been significantly easier if some of the behavioral symptoms you struggled with had been addressed earlier, and before your life was in crisis. And there are many kids who get stuck

December 10 - December 16, 2015 • Page 3

behind those barriers of mental health and learning disorders and don’t reach their potential.

Not enough people realize that three quarters of all psychiatric illness has its onset before the age of 24, and half before 14. And because kids are still developing, the earlier treatment is started, the better the prognosis. Working with children is a no-brainer.

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21st Annual Miami Dade North vs South All-Star Football Game *Fashion show by designer Tanya Marie McClendon of Miami.

Proceeds from this year’s soiree benefit the “Give Me Dignity Foundation” speaking out on sexual abuse of children in the Caribbean.

All-Star Game Kickoff is 7 p.m. and tickets are $12. For information, call 305-910-9010.

The head coach for the South is David Cooney from Southridge and the North head coach is Darryl Heildberg of Miami Norland.

MIAMI, FL - It’s simply an event like no other held in the country. The 21st Annual Miami Dade High School AllStar Football Game (North vs South). Various events kick off a weekend of celebration and competition by Miami Dade’s 100 best high school football players.

The most prestigious area in the country, the hotbed for high school football talent, will once again shine in the spotlight as the 21st edition of the Tournament of Champions MiamiDade High School All-Star Football Game on Saturday, Dec. 19 at Curtis Park (1901 N.W. 24 Ave.) in Miami.

The game, which had long featured the best of MiamiDade and Broward - and most recently - other athletes from southeast and southwest Florida - has returned to its roots this year with a showdown between the best of 305 - where the lines are drawn and the county is split into North and South.

“This is high school football at its very finest,” said game founder and organizer Wesley Frater. “Look on any NFL roster or watch a collegiate game on Saturdays and you will find that Miami-Dade County, the 305 area code is well represented.”

The Warren Henry Miami Dade High School Player of the Year Presentation will be Friday Dec. 18 @ 11a.m. at Warren Henry Dealership on 441.

Tournament of Champions, Inc. 21st Annual Coaches Soiree will be Friday night, Dec. 18 at Kroma Art Galler,y 3680 Grand Ave. in Coconut Grove at 6 p.m. Events and awards include: *The Miami Dade Chamber of Commerce High School Coach of the Year Presentation *Tournament of Champions, INC honoring of educators Dr. Steve Gallon, Dr. Karlton Johnson of Ely High and Ms. Angela Brown of Dillard Elementary

Elite Underclass Combine to be held earlier in the day In addition the North vs.

South All-Star event, the day will start off with a prestigious underclassmen combine that will feature some of the best upand-coming football prospects the entire south Florida region has to offer.

The combine will be the first forum of the off season to get rising seniors, juniors and sophomores into the spotlight.

Every player that attends will be listed and promoted along with player evaluations and videos that they have had from this past year.

This is a chance for many underclassmen in Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe, Collier and Palm Beach to come down and get on the map. Players attending this event will get out there for all to see and start the ball rolling for the upcoming season.

For information call (305) 910-9019.

Injuries may end Rams receiver Stedman Bailey’s football career, Jeff Fisher says

© Provided by Sporting News Rams coach Jeff Fisher said Monday that third-year receiver Stedman Bailey, who was shot twice in the head Nov. 24, may never again play football.

Bailey underwent surgery the next day. His injuries were never considered lifethreatening and he has been improving, but his injuries may have ended his NFL career.

“We’ll take care of Sted,” Fisher said of Bailey, who was eligible to return from a fourgame suspension this week but instead will be placed on the NFL’s non-football injury list.

“From a health standpoint, there’s a chance that he doesn’t play. However, based on what he’s done over the last 10 days, he may surprise everybody.”

Bailey, who is from Miramar, Fla., suffered a head wound after getting shot twice while sitting in a vehicle with three relatives in Miami Gardens.

A third-round pick out of West Virginia in 2013, the 25year-old Bailey had 12 catches for 182 yards and a touchdown this season. Over his brief career, Bailey has 59 catches for 843 yards and two scores.

He also had a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown in 2014.

Page 4 • December 10 - December 16, 2015

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Community Digest

Publix is Proud to Support Community News WHERE SHOPPING IS A PLEASURE

Yard Sale

Sell your goods, and keep your profits!, Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Northwest Federated Women's Club, 2161 N.W. 19 St., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Reserve your space contact (954) 7303442 or email nwwomansclub@bellsouth.net

Party

Toy Drive

Tyga’ Bryant presents “October in December” Holiday Social/Toy Drive, Friday, Dec. 18, 2015 at 2161 N.W. 19 St., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. We are fundraising and collecting items needed for various organization for kids that’s been affected by cancer such as the Chris Evert Broward Health Children’s Hospital. If you would like to make arrangements to have your donations picked up please call (954) 661-9100 or (305) 215-7199 or go to TYGAB.COM and click on donation

Happening at the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society Ali Cultural Arts hosts Brown Ballerina Block Party, Sunday, Dec. 13. 2015 at 8 p.m., at Ali Cultural Arts Center, 353 MLK Blvd., Pompano Beach, Fla. For tickets info call (954) 786-7824

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Fort Lauderdale Historical Society Bringing History to Life, 2015-2016 Calendar. All exhibits, events and lectures take place at the New River Inn Museum of History, 231 S.W. Second Ave., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. For time and additional info call (954) 463-4431 or www.flhc.org info@flhc.org Events * Monday, Dec. 21 - Holiday Lights Boat Tour * Sunday, Jan. 24 - (Native American History Month) Lecture Series * Monday, Jan. 11 - Governor Broward & His Legacy

Michael J. Satz State Attorney in collaboration with Howard C. Forman, Clerk of the Courts presents “ONE STOP” SEALING AND EXPUNGEMENT WORKSHOP: · Do you have an arrest record? · Do you qualify to have your record sealed or expunged?

If you were charged with a crime in BROWARD COUNTYA and the case did not result in a conviction, you may be eligible to have a single arrest record sealed or expunged. (Only cases that occurred in Broward County in State Court will be reviewed).

At the Urban League of Broward County, 560 N.W. 27th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (954) 584-0777, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015 from 3 to 7 p.m. (ID Required) For additional info please contact the Elizabeth Honorat at the State Attorney’s Office at (954) 831-7209.

Ball

The Greater Caribbean American Cultural Coalition & Premier Group continues its tradition of excellence and elegance with its 25th Annual Black and White Ball, Dec. 19, 2015 at 8 p.m., at the Woodlands Country Club in Tamarac.

Since its inception, the Black and White Ball has contributed tens of thousands of dollars to various South Florida charities, including the United Negro College Fund and Florida Memorial University. The 2015 Unsung Community Honorees are: Mr. John Ruffin – Local Businessman and Philanthropist, Dr. Celia Earle – First Woman Governor for Kiwanis International, John T. Hodgson – Radio Personality, Carlton Golding –Cleve Osborne – Radio Personality/Educator, Michael Aitcheson – Radio Personality, Mr. & Mrs. Dalton Lindo –Mr. Peter Webley – Caribbean Today Newspaper and Saints Netball Club.

For additional info call (954) 494-7596 or (954) 486-0818.

Happenings at African-American Research Library and Cultural Center

Multicultural Holiday Celebrations at Broward County Library

African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, 2650 Sistrunk Blvd., Fort Lauderale, Fla. For more info call (954) 357-6210. * Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015 at 11a.m., local author Julia Simeton will talk about her holiday book, The Town Santa Almost Missed. The author says, “This book will give you a whole new view of Christmas.

You will see what really goes on behind the doors in Santaville.

The characters—Unforgettable, Swifty, and Little Ms. Isyss—bring life to a town that was almost forgotten.”

-Thursday, Dec. 10 - Holiday Decorations, 4 to 5:30 p.m., Jan Moran Collier City Learning Library, 2800 N.W. Ninth Ct., Pompano Beach, Fla. For more info call (954) 357-7670 -Saturday, Dec. 12 - The Magic Toy Shop, ages 6 and up, younger siblings welcome with caregiver, 2 to 2:45 p.m., Alvin Sherman Library at Nova Southeastern University, 3100 Ray Ferrero, Jr. Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. For more info call (954) 262-5477 -Saturday, Dec. 12 -Super Saturday Holiday Open House: Grupo Naidy de Colombia Performance, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Make A Holiday Card with Barbara Freiberg, 10:30 a.m.to 1 p.m.; The Wonderful World of Puppets Performance, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Holidays Paper Magic and School Daze Workshop, 1 to 2 p.m.; Broward Women’s Choral Group Performance, 2 to 3 p.m., Main Library, 100 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. For more info call (954) 357-7444 -Saturday, Dec. 12 - Wrap it Up! Tween program, 3 to 5 p.m., South Regional/Broward College Library, 7300 Pines Blvd., Pembroke Pines, Fla. For more info (954) 201-8825 -Saturday, Dec. 12 - Amazonia Holiday Concert, 3 to 5 p.m., Weston Library, 4205 Aventure Blvd., Weston, Fla. For more info (954) 357-5420 -Tuesday, Dec. 15 - Children’s Big Winter Holiday Party, 6 to 7:30 p.m., W. Regional Library, 8601 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation, Fla. For more info call (954) 765-1560 -Wednesday, December 16 Create Holiday Decorations, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Carver Ranches Library, 4735 S.W. 18 St., West Park, Fla. For more info call (954) 357-6245 -December 16 - Celebrate the Season: Multicultural Holiday Story Time & Crafts, all ages, 6 to 7 p.m., Pembroke Pines Library, 955 N.W. 129 Ave., Pembroke Pines, Fla. For more info call (954) 357-6750 -Wednesday, Dec. 16 Family Night Storytime: The Polar Express Pajama Night.

All aboard for this classic story, hot chocolate and a surprise gift. Also, special tours of the Florida Citrus Model Train Exhibit. All ages, wear pajamas!

6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Southwest Regional Library, 16835 Sheridan St., Pembroke Pines, Fla. For more info call (954) 3576580

EDUCATION MATTERS Every Child Deserves a Chance to Succeed.

NOTARY PUBLIC ON PREMISES 545 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Monday - Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Call for more info call (954) 525-1489

Happy Holidays To Your Family From Our Family

Westside Gazette Have A Safe & Wonderful Holiday Season TO HAVE YOUR COMMUNITY EVENTS POSTED PLEASE CALL -(954) 525-1489 FOR MORE INFO FAX -(954) 525-1861 OR EMAIL: wgproof@thewestsidegazette.com

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Opinion

December 10 - December 16, 2015 • Page 5

Westside Gazette

The Westside Gazette, under the Management of BI-ADs, Inc., reserves the right to publish Views and Opinions by Contributing Writers may not necessarily reflect those of the Staff and Management of The Westside Gazette Newspaper and are solely the product of the responsible individual(s) who submit comments published in this newspaper.

To Be Equal

Sounding the alarm:HIV’s hold in communities of color Marc H. Morial President and CEO National Urban League “Three decades into this crisis, let us set our sights on achieving the “three zeros” - zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDSrelated deaths. On this World AIDS Day, let us pledge to work together to realize this vision for all of the world’s people.” – Secretary-General Ban Kimoon, United Nations, World AIDS Day 2010 Over 30 years ago, America, and nations around the world, came face to face with HIV/AIDS—a devastating global, public health concern that

“Divisions”

By Pastor Rasheed Z Baaith ‘Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually: he soweth discord” (Proverbs 16:14) There can be no doubt that America is at war. At war with those from the outside who want nothing more than

decimated cities, communities and countries alike. In the three decades since its discovery, much has changed—and thankfully— much has improved. Today, advancements in prevention and treatment have led to a significant reduction in HIV transmission; the expansion of HIV screening and testing has resulted in far more people knowing there HIV status and getting help early; and new and better drugs are allowing those infected with HIV/AIDS to lead longer and better quality lives. That’s the good news.

But the news that should give us pause is that while we stand undisputedly victorious on a variety of battlefronts against this devastating epidemic, we are losing a costly war—one

that primarily claims young, male and female African-Americans and Latinos as its victims.

HIV/AIDS does not discriminate.

Sexual orientation, race or gender cannot protect you from HIV infection, but unfortunately, in far too many cases, those factors could increase your risk of infection. An estimated 1.2 million people are living with HIV infection in the United States today. Compared to other races and ethnic groups, Blacks and Hispanics are the groups most affected by HIV—accounting for a higher proportion of new HIV infections, of those living with HIV and of those ever diagnosed with AIDS. In 2010, African Americans accounted for 44 percent of all new HIV infec-

tions. While African Americans are 12 percent of the U.S. population, in 2011, they accounted for 41 percent of people living with HIV. Hispanics represent 16 percent of the population, but accounted for 20 percent of those living with HIV. In 2010, Hispanics accounted for 21 percent of new HIV infections. The numbers are graver still for African-American women. CDC statistics point to AIDS as the fourth leading cause of death among African-American women ages 35-44. According to the latest statistics, African-American women accounted for 64 percent of new HIV infections.

to destroy all this country is, and do it in as vile and horrific way as possible. That fact is bad enough but America is also at war with itself. This latter war may be more destructive than anything Muslim extremists can accomplish.

Everywhere one looks we can see and hear the deep rooted schisms tearing at the framework of this country.

Not just the North against the South but rich against poor, women against men, old against the young, conservative against what passes for liberal today; inner city against the outer city.

The government versus those it governs, teachers against students, whole cities against their police departments and young people killing each other because of colors or just because. Nothing is unopposed and nothing is off limits.

Of course opposing perspectives are nothing new for America. What’s different today is the vehemence, the mindless anger and what will be the long term effects of these conflicts about what America is supposed to be.

The linchpins of that construct are America’s politicians.

They are the spokespersons for the most extreme thinking present in this country coming from the right and the left. Compromise is a word today’s politicians refuse to utter, let alone employ as a strategy. They deliberately appeal to those they know are determinedly intolerant, reactionary, and needlessly infuriated. They call to people who are unhappy with America as it is and believe America’s reality is because of those who do not look or think like them. They believe they have to “take back America.” When I hear that I know that means they feel it’s time to “re-whiten” the White House.

Murder cover-up in Chicago

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By George E. Curry, George Curry Media Columnist As more information emerges in connection with Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke’s fatal shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald on Oct. 20, 2014, the more it appears that not only was an unjustified murder committed by a person who had sworn to uphold the law, there was a cover-up at every level.

Even worse, the cover-up seems to be still in effect today as Mayor Rahm Emanuel and other officials scramble to cover their tracks.

Let’s start with the videotaped incident itself.

Perhaps the most illuminating public account of the shooting thus far was provided by Stephen Patton, head of the city’s law department, when he appeared at the City Council’s Finance Committee hearing on April 13, 2015.

In urging the city to settle the case out of court for five million dollars, he noted that Van Dyke, referred to in his testimony as Officer A, was culpable because: • McDonald did not pose an immediate threat to Van Dyke; • McDonald was walking away from Van Dyke at the time he was fatally shot; • None of the other five officers on the scene saw fit to fire their weapons at McDonald, including Van Dyke’s partner; • No other people were ever placed in danger and • The use of deadly force in this case was unwarranted.

For the past year, Illinois and federal authorities have supervised a joint grand jury.

Will Obama be acknowledged as a transformative President?

By Roger Caldwell As President Obama completes his second term, the political pundits are debating if his time in office was transformative. In “Leadership by Peter Northouse,” the book established that a transformational leader must usher in dramatic change, through engaging, connecting, and motivating.

Based on the president’s most significant legislative accomplishment, the Affordable Care Act meets the criteria for a transformative policy.

President Obama succeeded where others failed for decades, and it would appear that more political experts would give him credit. Instead of working to improve the law, the Senate has passed a bill to repeal the ACA with the House, and when it reaches the president’s desk it will be vetoed.

The ACA was signed into law March 23, 2010, and it is the most significant regulatory overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. It was enacted to increase the quality and affordability of health insurance, and require insurance companies to cover all applicants regardless of pre-existing conditions. Without a doubt this legislation is transformational with

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR GUIDELINES The Westside Gazette welcomes your letters. Letters must be signed with name clearly legible along with a phone number and complete address. No unsigned or anonymous letters will be considered for publication. The Westside Gazette reserves the right to edit letters. The letters should be 500 words or less.

over 15 million Americans signing up for health insurance, but the conservatives and Republicans are calling this law a failure.

The Republicans and conservatives conversations are insulting and dismissive, but they also say President Obama failed to transform anything in his seven years as president. Seth Mandel, columnist of The New York Post says, “Poor President Obama. All he wanted was to be a transformational figure. Instead he’ll be merely a transitional one. For all the talk about Obama’s grand ambitions to remake the country in his image, current events make it crystal clear his role as a placeholder.”

The thing that makes this kind of talk so incendiary is that the writers actually believe what they are writing. With the signing of the ACA President Obama made healthcare a right, and not a privilege. This was a landmark decision, for a Black man with a middle name Hussein, and gets elected twice as the most powerful person on the planet, it was without question transformational.

But, the Republicans and conservatives would try to make Americans think that all the president has done is take vacations and play golf. Many Americans have forgotten the condition of the country when the president was voted into office. The country was experiencing one of its worst recessions since the depression, and all the major industries were on the verge of bankruptcy.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

Does the normal American need an assault rifle?

The Gantt Report

Afraid of the wolf

By Lucius Gantt It’s December 2015 and in these days and times more and more people are afraid of the wolf.

The devil’s news networks and the imperialist press suggest that the good and righteous people of America and the world should be fearful of the “lone wolf”.

If Goldilocks, the three bears and Little Red Riding Hood are not afraid of the big, bad wolf, you shouldn’t be scared of the wolf, either!

In my mind, there is no lone wolf!

No man, or wolf, stands alone. The forest wolf or the terrorist wolf is like any other wolf. Even if the terrorist wolf appears to strike alone, come from out of nowhere and goes on a suicide mission to kill him or herself and others that wolf has gotten instruction from someone else, inspiration from someone else or motivation from someone else!

Any wolf, four legged or two legged, that would use weapons of mass destruction on innocent men, women or children is not a brave wolf. That kind of wolf is a punk!

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

The global genius of President Barack H. Obama Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., says that the resilience and steady progress of Black America are not ultimately in the hands of our distractors or oppressors.

By Don Valentine

By Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., NNPA News Wire Columnist

The Founding Fathers put in the Second Amendment to the Constitution after realizing the need for the citizens to protect their property. This was not just from crime but from a government they found collectively not to be in their favor. They did not in vision, nor is there a need to have high volume assault weapons for the general populace.

The San Bernardino terrorists and the 26 killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School used, among other weapons, semi-automatic “Long Gun” rifles capable of carrying large rounds of ammunition. These rifles have an easy action cartridge allowing the shooter in one motion to easily reload another high volume cartridge. You could speculate this might be more fire power than you need to stop a “Car-Jacking” or “Home Invasion”. Unless we get invaded by Cuba, you are not going to need this kind of artillery. The right to State Militia is an excellent clause in the Constitution. It should be exercised when we ever get invaded by Mexico, but short of a full scale invasion the Second Amendment should be used with prudence.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

When you are considered by millions of people across the nation and throughout the world community to be the “Leader of the Free World,” that is an awesome and serious international responsibility. Do you remember when President Obama was first elected eight years ago? There were numerous pundits who questioned whether or not the first African American to be President of the United States of America had the fortitude and intellectual capacity to provide leadership not only across the country, but also on the worldwide geopolitical stage.

This month as President Obama prepares to enter his last year as President, it is important to state for the record that I believe history will one day stipulate that Barack H. Obama was in fact the most successful President of the U.S. That is a fact in terms of Obama’s leading the restoration of the nation’s economy, reducing the deficit, increasing employment, providing health care for the first time to millions of people, innovating the energy sector, leading the world toward environmental and climate protection, and challenging racism by irreversibly shattering the myth of white supremacy.

Christian terrorists and the mark of Caine

By Oscar H. Blayton, George Curry Media Columnist Not all Christians are bigots and not all bigots are Christians, but the nonsense that is spewing from the mouths of many Christians in recent months has more than a few thoughtful people scratching their heads.

A white man walked into a Colorado Planned Parenthood health facility on Nov. 27 and began firing an automatic rifle. He killed three people and wounded nine. He did not know any of his victims personally. After being apprehended, the shooter, Robert Dear, said to the police, “No more baby parts.”

The next day, a debate began to rage over whether the killer should be called a “domestic terrorist.” Those who argued against labeling the shooter a “terrorist” said that because his motives were “unknown” at this time, the terrorist label should not be applied.

Let us step back and reflect for a moment. Would this argument be taking place if the shooter had been a Muslim?

Why do Christians get a pass when one of their numbers commits an atrocity?

There are those who would argue that Dear does not represent the many millions of Christians in the world.

This would be a satisfactory answer if it were not for the fact that many of the Christians who make that argument do not hesitate to tie all Muslims to the acts of a few violent extremists who claim affiliation with that religion.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

Can I get a witness… or an endorsement?

Jeffrey L. Boney says that Black ministers must go beyond simply meeting with political candidates and must step up and use their voice, influence and resources to go beyond building fancy edifices.

By Jeffrey Boney, NNPA News Wire Columnist I must tell you that one of the saddest displays I have witnessed over the past week has been the debacle surrounding several members of the Black clergy and their political meeting that was touted as an endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

I have been one of the biggest proponents of telling Black people not to put all of their eggs in one basket and encouraging Black people to avoid voting straight-ticket in elections.

It has been my belief and stance that we, as Black people, should develop our own collective agenda and present that agenda to every candidate, regardless of political party.

According to Merriam-Webster, an agenda is a list or outline of things to be considered or done.

An agenda lists the meeting activities in the order they’ll be presented from beginning to end.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

Page 6 • December 10 - December 16, 2015

www.thewestsidegazette.com

Westside Gazette

How an approach called ‘Shock and Kill’ could cure HIV From University of California San Francisco Current HIV medications can effectively prevent the

disease’s progression, but the virus can lurk for a lifetime in the body.

By integrating into the genome of immune cells, known

express a marker named CD4 that’s found on some kinds of T cells and macrophages. But only 3 to 5 percent of CD4 T cells circulate in blood. The rest typically live in organs such as the brain, lymph nodes, gut, female reproductive tract and other

What kind of bartender are you?

(Cont'd from FP) Not realizing how often our words encourage others to join in on whatsoever topic of expression, we also invite whatever the spirit of the moment is.

We engage by pushing and pulling others to move into the attitude of, “My situation is worst than yours”, for the sake of commiseration.

We moan and groan ourselves into a symphony of woe is me as we drift off into a state of obliviousness to all the goodness that God has bestowed on us.

By constantly complaining and allowing others to do the same, we are not setting good examples and thereby missing out on blessings. “I WILL bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1 (Amplified Bible) How can we bless the Lord and complain at the same time?

Our pastor in his sermon used an analogy of a wine room filled with all kinds of wines and how we sometimes spend too much time in that beautiful wine filled room. Here he played on the word whine.

Finding comfort in the whine room can lead one into dependence on whining. Its like the more whine you get the more whine you want and the more diversity of whines your palate thirsts for.

You’re no longer satisfied with just your whines, you long for the accompanying of other’s whines and before you know it, you’re a whine head and have developed into a connoisseur of whines.

When your name is mentioned, you are at the top of the whiners list of the World’s Best Top 10 Whiners.

Now when people see you coming they turn and go the other way because they do not want to be associated with, nor contribute to your drunken state caused by your consumption of whining.

You now have membership into the Whiners Club. This club’s connection stretches world wide and it does not discriminate, but you do not have to have a life time membership!

Fortunately, there are whinetenders who discourage whining by offering a better solution; a solution from a cup filled with salvation.

These whinetenders don’t offer whine or do anything else that will cause their brother/sister to fall. Romans 14:21 These whinetenders do not get drunk on whine, which show the way to wickedness. As an alternative, they be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18 If you must partake in wine let it be what Nehemiah 8:10 says: Nehemiah told the people, “Enjoy your good food and wine and share some with those who didn’t have anything to bring. Don’t be sad! This is a special day for the LORD, and he will make you happy and strong.”

“Do not waste time whining, filling your mouth with discontent and over looking the greatness that surrounds you as each new day God sends His blessings your way.”

By Bobby R. Henry, Sr.

Scanning electromicrograph of an HIV-infected H9 T-cell.

(Credit: NIAID) as memory T cells, HIV stays hidden as a piece of DNA in cellular reservoirs that drugs find difficult to destroy.

While patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) won’t develop full-blown AIDS, lurking HIV can lead to more insidious effects such as accelerated aging, heart attacks or diabetes that start earlier in life than people without HIV and other inflammatory dysfunctions.

And if therapy is interrupted, this latent reservoir awakens, makes viral copies and can infect more cells.

Although scientists have known about the reservoir for years, early research and clinical efforts were focused on improving ART to thwart AIDS symptoms and rapid deaths. As ART has improved, researchers can now focus on eradicating the disease. “We can finally talk about the idea of a cure without raising laughs,” said Mike McCune, M.D., Ph.D., chief of the Department of Experimental Medicine at UCSF. To truly cure patients, scientists are trying to find ways to target the HIV reservoir in a strategy known as “shock and kill.” The Foundation for AIDS Research’s (amfAR) $20 million grant to seek a cure for HIV aims to accomplish four broad goals: chart, understand, record and eradicate elusive reservoirs of HIV-harboring T cells.

“It’s difficult because you can’t leave even a single cell standing – you have to get every last latent cell,” said Steven Deeks, M.D., a UCSF professor of medicine who is one of four project directors leading each aspect of the grant.

Finding where HIV is hiding HIV can only infect cells that

locations.

“When we give ART, we knock out the circulating virus but we don’t knock out these cells residing in organs,” said McCune, whose team will find out where HIV hides in the body. “All these organs repre-

sent the immune system, and it’s important to understand where in that system the virus lives and in what state.”

Charting precisely where latent cells linger is the first step to eliminating them, explains McCune.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

No charges for Chicago cop in Ronald Johnson shooting death (Cont'd from FP) Johnson’s mother, Dorothy Holmes, told reporters she was upset with Alvarez’s decision and hoped a special prosecutor would be appointed to do a more thorough investigation.

“I want (Hernandez) charged with murder,” Holmes said.

Alvarez, in the midst of a tough re-election fight, dismissed claims by Oppenheimer that a gun had been planted by Chicago police at the scene, saying it was unsupported by the evidence.

“All of the evidence points to the fact that Mr. Johnson did indeed have a gun that evening,” she said, including statements from an acquaintance who heard what sounded like a gun being cocked by Johnson and a cartridge case matching the ammunition in Johnson’s gun discovered in the car he was riding in with friends that night.

Alvarez said “a careful analysis of the law” showed that prosecutors could not prove any criminal charges against Hernandez beyond a reasonable doubt. She called Hernandez’s use of deadly force “reasonable and permissible,” citing that Johnson was running toward a police vehicle and a public park on the South Side.

“Police officers are often forced to make split-second judgments in circumstances that are tense, uncertain and rapidly evolving about the amount of force that is necessary in any particular situation,” she said.

To show how such events can quickly turn tragic for po-

Dorothy Holmes, the mother of 25-year-old Ronald Johnson, speaks at a news conference Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015, in Chicago, asking that the dash-cam video of her son Ronald being fatally shot by Chicago police on Oct. 12, 2014, be released. lice, Alvarez also played a video “You know, I have a tough of an unrelated shooting in job,” she said. “I think I have which a fleeing suspect had the hardest job in this county. shot and wounded an officer And I have to make decisions giving chase. each and every day, each and Alvarez said Hernandez every day on cases like this … was aware of that shooting and and you know no matter what referred to it in his statement to decision I make, someone is investigators from the In- going to be unhappy.”

Oppenheimer, however, dependent Police Review continued to maintain that Authority.

“I’m not covering anything Alvarez was participating in a up. I have shown everyone in cover-up by law enforcement this room what we have done,” that began at the scene the Alvarez said in response to a night of the shooting.

The Police Department put reporter’s question. “We’re in out an official statement shortly different times now when we’re after the shooting that Johnson talking about transparency and had turned and pointed a gun what the public wants to see, at officers as he ran, prompting and that’s what we’re doing. I Hernandez to fire in fear of his have pretty much opened the life. door here for you to see our entire analysis and the evidence (Read full story on that we looked at and the videos www.thewestsidegazette.com) we considered.

www.thewestsidegazette.com

December 10 - December 16, 2015 • Page 7 Westside Gazette Prudential to offer individual life insurance to people with HIV HIV is no major barrier to Hep C treatment success

Names of people who have died of AIDS on San Francisco’s Castro Street. Prudential’s action shows that AIDS is becoming a chronic but treatable condition.

(Credit Justin Sullivan, Getty Images)

By Gina Ferazzi, Angeles Times

Los

In a first from a major American insurer, Prudential Financial will offer traditional individual life insurance policies to eligible people living with HIV, reports Kaiser Health News.

Although Prudential didn’t release specifics regarding pric-

ing and eligibility requirements, it’s assumed the cost would be higher than for a person who does not have HIV. Still, Kaiser noted that the announcement is a sign that HIV is increasingly viewed as a manageable chronic disease instead of a death sentence.

Prudential will offer convertible 10- or 15-year term life insurance to HIV-positive peo-

ple who are otherwise healthy.

According to Kaiser, an HIV diagnosis often results in an automatic denial of highervalue individual insurance policies. Legally, insurers cannot exclude people with HIV from what is called “guaranteed issue” group life insurance, but those are typically valued at less than $50,000.

“We have not yet seen the terms of the life insurance product being offered… but it seems like a fantastic development for people living with HIV in need of term life insurance,” said Scott Schoettes, HIV Project national director at Lambda Legal, an advocacy group for LGBT and HIV/AIDS community.

“Finally, an insurance company has realized that this is the right thing to do and that it is profitable from a business perspective to offer this product to people living with HIV. Now that there is one company out there doing this, it will encourage others to do the same when they see that there is money to be made in this market,” Schoettes told Kaiser.

By Benjamin Ryan Recent trials of the latest hepatitis C virus (HCV) medications have brought more good news for people coinfected with HCV and HIV, showing hep C cure rates comparably high to those seen in studies including people who only have HCV. In one study, Gilead Sciences’ Harvoni (ledipasvir/ sofosbuvir) cured hep C in 96 percent of 335 coinfected participants, of whom 98 percent had genotype 1 of HCV and 2 percent had genotype 4.

In another trial, AbbVie’s Viekira Pak (ombitasvir/ paritaprevir/ritonavir; dasabuvir) cured 92 percent of 63 people coinfected with genotype 1.

In a study of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s recently approved

Daklinza (daclatasvir) and Gilead’s Sovaldi (sofosbuvir), 97 percent of coinfected participants who had genotypes 1 through 4 were cured. The hep C regimen did not negatively affect HIV treatment.

As of press time, Merck was expecting to receive word in January 2016 from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration about its application for approval of the single-tablet hep C treatment grazoprevir/ elbasvir. A recent study saw a 95 percent cure rate among 218 coinfected people who hadn’t received hep C treatment before. A respective 87 percent and 13 percent of them had genotypes 1 and 4, while one person had genotype 6.

Hailing all of these study results as great news for HIV/

HCV-coinfected people, Daniel Fierer, MD, an infectious disease specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, says the next goal is a regimen that effectively battles all six major genotypes of hep C. Gilead recently released impressive results from four major studies of such a regi-men—Sovaldi/velpatasvir—among those who only had hepatitis C.

Data provide insight to improve adolescents’ health

CDC builds partnerships with educators and communitybased organizations to reach young people with the education, testing, and prevention services they need.

(Cont'd from FP) These facts demonstrate that young people need help navigating the path through a healthy adolescence. This is why preventing STDs and HIV among young people – as well as the risky behaviors that lead to them – is a top priority for CDC. But we can’t stop what we don’t understand.

That’s why CDC reaches out to young people to collect vital information on their sexual health risks. In addition to tracking the occurrence of HIV and other STDs at national and state levels, we work with health and education agencies across the country to provide the biennial Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS).

For more than 20 years, the YRBS has provided an assessment of the health risks of our nation’s high-school youth, collecting data from more than 2.6 million students over the years.

In the spring of every odd-numbered year, anony-mous surveys are distributed to students in a nationally repre-sentative sample of US public and private high schools. To ensure that the data are available to everyone involved in helping American youth stay healthy and safe, the results are published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) as well as on the YRBS website. Besides giving insight into risk behaviors associated with STDs, HIV, and unintended pregnancies, the YRBS includes data on violence, alcohol and other drug use, unhealthy dietary behaviors, and in-adequate physical activity.

These results help parents, teachers, and other trusted adults better understand the challenges young people face and the issues for which they need guidance. For example, the 2013 YRBS survey data reported: · Almost half (47 percent) of high school students have had sexual intercourse. · One in five (22 percent) students drank alcohol or used drugs before last sexual intercourse. · One in seven (15 percent) students have had sexual intercourse with four or more people during their lifetime. · Four in 10 (41 percent) stu-

dents who had sexual intercourse in the previous three months did not use a condom the last time they had sex.

With a substantial proportion of American youth already sexually active, these data clearly speak to the need to reach them with clear, accurate information about HIV and STD testing and prevention.

Data from the YRBS are a valuable tool for helping parents, communities, health care providers, and schools take action to protect the health of our youth. Local school leaders can invest in programs tailored to their students’ needs — for example, by using these data, decision-makers can identify opportunities for student and teacher education and set priorities for improving health. CDC uses the data to guide communities in implementing and evaluating programs to reduce risk behaviors. The YRBS data also help federal, state, and local governments identify broader public health needs and track progress in meeting health goals. In addition, schools and community-based organizations use the information to develop new initiatives that help young people stay healthy.

These efforts to monitor and reduce risks are essential to keeping youth out of harm’s way CDC does more than provide data. It takes an active role in protecting the sexual health of youth by encouraging health care providers to address risk behaviors with their patients and improve STD screening and treatment as appropriate. CDC also builds partnerships with educators and community-based organizations to reach young people with the education, testing, and prevention services they need. At CDC, we use evidence-based approaches to connect youth to services tailored to their needs and information that helps them stay healthy.

StreetConnect, for example, helps homeless youth – many of whom have mobile devices – connect to health cli-nics and shelters via a mobile app. Another program, Smart Connect, helps teens connect to teen-friendly health providers.

We all have a role to play in helping to protect the sexual health of our young people – youth can be more aware of the risks they face, and parents and schools can get the information

they need to stay safe. Community organizations can reach at-risk youth and help connect them to prevention programs.

Health care providers can offer STD screening so that young people who are infected get the care and treatment needed to minimize effects on their health.

To improve the health of the next generation of American teens, we must take full advantage of the data at our disposal today.

To find out more, visit CDC’s Youth Online page.

Follow Dr. Jonathan Mermin on Twitter:www.twitter.com/ DrMerminCDC

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Page 8 • December 10 - December 16, 2015

AF amily T hat Prays T ogether, Stays T ogether Family That Together, Together

Church Directory

Worship T his and Every Sunday at the Church of Your Choice This

Bethel Missionary Baptist Church 2211 N.W. 7th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33061 Church: (954) 583-9368 Email: bethelmbchurchfl@att.net

Reverend Jimmy L. English PASTOR WORSHIP SERVICES Sunday Worship ............................................................. 8 a.m. & 11 a.m.

Sunday School ........................................................................... 9:30 a.m.

Wednesday (Prayer Service & Bible Study) ............................... 7:30 a.m.

Saturday (Women Bible Study) ............................................................ 8 a.m.

"Baptized Believers working together to do the will of God"

New Mount Olive Baptist Church 400 N.W. 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale 33311 (954) 463-5126 ● Fax: (954) 525-9454 CHURCH OFFICE HOURS Monday - Friday 8:00 - 4:00 p.m.

WORSHIP SERVICES & BIBLE STUDY Sunday .................................................... 7:15 a.m. 9:00 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

Sunday School ............................................................................ 10:00 a.m.

Wednesday Noonday Service .................................. 12:00-12:30 p.m.

Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting ............................................ 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday Night Bible Study ................................................... 7:00 p.m.

Where the kingdom of God is increased through Fellowship.

Leadership, Ownership and Worship F.L.O.W. To Greatness!

St Paul United Methodist Church 244 S.E. Second Avenue Deerfield Beach, Florida 33341 (954) 427-9407 EMAIL EMAIL:: Stpaulmeth@bellsouth.net WEBSITE WEBSITE:: saintpauldeerfield.com

Rev. Dr. Jimmie L. Brown Senior Pastor

SERVICES

Sunday School .................................................................................... 10 a.m.

Sunday Worship ................................................................................ 11 a.m.

Bible Study (Tuesday) ....................................................... 11 a.m. & 7.p.m.

WEEKLY SERVICES & EVENTS SUNDAY Worship Service (Communion 1st & 3rd Sunday) ........................................................... 10 a.m.

F.A.I.T.H. Academy for Children (Spiritual Formation) K-12 ................................ 10 a.m.

TUESDAY F.A.I.T.H. Academy for Adults (Spiritual Formation) - Office Complex ...... 10:30 a.m.

WEDNESDAY Worship & Arts Ministry Rehearsals (Open Auditions) - Sanctuary .............................. 7 p.m.

First Baptist Church Piney Grove, Inc. 4699 West Oakland Park Blvd.

Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33313 Office: (954) 735-1500 Fax: (954) 735-1939 fbcpg@bellsouth.net

Rev. Dr. Derrick J. Hughes, Pastor SUNDAY SERVICES Worship Services .......................................................... 7:30 & 10:45 a.m.

Children's Church ........................................................ 7:30 & 10:45 a.m.

Communion (First Sunday) ......................................... 7:30 & 10:45 a.m.

New Members' Class .................................................................... 9:30 a.m.

Church School .............................................................................. 9:30 a.m.

Baptist Training Union (BTU) .................................................... 1:00 p.m.

Wednesday (Bible Study) ...................................... 11:15 a.m.. & 7:00 p.m.

Harris Chapel United Methodist Church Rev. Juana Jordan, M.Div E-MAIL:juana.jordan@flumc.org 2351 N.W. 26th Street Oakland Park, Florida 33311 Church Telephone: (954) 731-0520 Church Fax: (954) 731-6290

SERVICES Sunday Worship ................................................. 7:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.

Sunday School .............................................................................. 9:00 a.m.

Wednesday (Bible Study) ........................................... 11a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Mount Calvary Baptist Church

800 N.W. 8th Avenue Pompano Beach, Florida 33060 Church Telephone: (954) 943-2422 Church Fax: (954) 943-2186 E-mail Address: Mtcalvarypompano@bellsouth.net

Reverend Anthony Burrell, Pastor SCHEDULE OF SERVICES SUNDAY

New Member Orientation ........................... 9:30 a.m.

Sunday School ................................................ 9:30 a.m.

Worship Service ........................................ 11:00 a.m.

WEDNESDAY Prayer Meeting ............................................... 6:00 p.m.

Bible Study ..................................................... 7:00 p.m.

"Doing God's Business God's Way, With a Spirit of Excellence"

Mount Hermon A.M.E. Church Reverend Henry E. Green, Jr., Pastor 401 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 Phone: (954) 463-6309 FAX 954 522-4113 Office Hours: Tuesday - Friday 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Email infor@mthermonftl.com

SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES Worship Service ..................................................................... 7:30 & 10:30 a.m.

Fifth Sunday ONLY .................................................................................... 10 a.m.

Church School ........................................................................................ 9:15 a.m.

BIBLE STUDY: Wednesday ....................................................................... 10 a.m.

Gems & Jewels Ministry Senior Wednesday Wednesday (Bible Study) .................................................... 12 Noon & 7 - 8 p.m.

Daily Prayer Line ...................................................................................... 6 a.m.

(712)432-1500 Access Code296233#

Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church 1161 NW 29th Terr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 33311 (954) 581-0455 ● Fax: (954) 581-4350 www.mtzionmissionarybapt.com

Dr. James B. Darling, Jr., Pastor/Teacher WORSHIP SERVICES Sunday Worship Service .............................................................................. 8:00 & 11:00 a.m.

Sunday School ............................................................................................................... 10:00 a.m.

Communion Service (1st Sunday) ......................................................................... 11:00 a.m.

Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting ........................................................................... 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday Night Bible Study ................................................................................... 7:00 p.m.

Saturday (2nd & 4th) Christian Growth & Orientation .................................. 8:30 a.m.

But be doers of the Word - James 1:22 nkjv - “A Safe Haven, and you can get to Heaven from here”

New Birth Baptist Church The Cathedral of Faith International Bishop Victor T. Curry, M.Min., D.Div. Senior Pastor/Teacher 2300 N.W. 135th Street Miami, Florida 33167

ORDER OF SERVICES Sunday Worship ........................................................ 7:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.

Sunday School ....................................................................................................... 9:30 a.m.

Tuesday (Bible Study) ......................................................................................... 6:45 p.m.

Wednesday (Bible Study) ............................................................................... 10:45 a.m.

1-800-254-NBBC * (305) 685-3700 (o) *(305) 685-0705 (f) www.newbirthbaptistmiami.org

To Have Y our Chur ch placed in our Your Church Church Directory call us TToday oday (954) 525-1489

145 NW 5th Ave., Dania Beach, FL 33004 (954) 922-2529

Senior Pastor

6201 NW 57 Street Tamarac, FL 33319 954-721-1232 uccfaith@bellsouth.net faithbroward.org

Rev. Dr. Ileana Bosenbark, Senior Pastor

St. Ruth Missionary Baptist Church

Dr. Marcus D. Davidson,

Faith United Church of Christ

"Historically the First Church in the City of Tamarac!”

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Obituaries James C. Boyd Funeral Home ANDERSON Funeral services for the late Ronnie Jerome Anderson - 50 were held Dec. 5 at James C. Boyd’s Memorial Chapel with Rev. Joyce Wright officiating. Interment: Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens (Central).

GREEN Funeral services for the late Robert Lee Green - 63 were held Dec. 1 at James C. Boyd’s Memorial Chapel.

KING Funeral services for the late Christopher Lance King – 59.

McWhite's Funeral Home BRUCE Funeral services for the late Glennel Albert Bruce - 74 were held Dec. 5 at Gateway Church w3ith Rev. Renford Williams officiating.

Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens.

COTTON Funeral services for the late Stephen Jayce Cotton - 29 were held Dec. 5 at McWhite’s Funeral Home Chapel with Min. Samuel R. Health, MDiv officiating.

Interment: Forest Lawn Memorial Garden Central.

HAYNES Funeral services for the late Linda Jean PlummerHaynes - 63 were held Dec. 5 at New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens.

MCRAE Funeral services for the late Rebecca McRae - 99 were held Dec. 5 at Church in the Lord Jesus Christ Of the Apostle Doctrine with Bishop Joe C. Tisdale officiating. Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens.

ROBERTS Funeral services for the late Otis Roberts 75 were held Dec. 5 at McWhite’s Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Ricky Scott officiating.

WHITE Funeral services for the late Shirley Yvonne White were held Dec. 6 at Mount Olivet Seventh Day Adventist Church with Pastor Lucious Hall officiating. Interment: Forest Lawn Memorial Garden Central.

Roy Mizell & Kurtz Funeral Home CLARKE Funeral services for the late Kelvin Lloyd Clarke - 67 were held Dec. 5 at Roy Mizell & Kurtz Worship Center with Pastor James B. Darling officiating. Interment: Sunset Memorial Gardens.

WORSHIP SERVICES Wednesday (NOON DAY PRAYER) ............................................. 12 -1 p.m.

Wednesday (PRAYER MEETING & BIBLE STUDY) .................... 645 p.m.

Sunday Worship Service ................................................................. 10 a.m.

Fifth Sunday Worhip Service ............................................................ 8 a.m.

Williams Memorial CME “PRAYER IS THE ANSWER” 644-646 NW 13th Terrace Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311 (954) 462-5711(Ministry Office Line) (954) 462-8222(Pastor’s Direct Line) Email: wm_cme@bellsouth.net (Church} pastorCal50@yahoo.com (Pastor)

Rev. Cal Hopkins.

M.Div) Senior Pastor/Teacher

The WITNESS of “The WILL” Sunday Worship Experiences ................................................................ 7:45 and 11:00 a.m.

Sunday School ................................................................................................................. 9:30 a.m.

Tuesday Night Triumph {Prayer, Praise and Power} Prayer Meeting ................................................................................................................ 7:00 p.m.

Bible Study ........................................................................................................................ 7:30 p.m.

We STRIVE to PROVIDE Ministries that matter TODAY to Whole Body of Christ, not only the Believers, but also for those stranded on the “Jericho Road”!

“Celebrating over 85 Years of FAITH and FAVOR! Come to the WILL ... We’ll show You the WAY: Jesus the Christ!”

KIDS TALK ABOUT GOD Why did God create babies?

By Carey Kinsolving and friends “God created babies to entertain people,” says Jacob, age unknown. “They entertain by looking cute and talking baby talk. For some reason, people find it entertaining. Personally, I think it is silly.”

Jacob, just wait until you and your wife have your first baby.

You’ll be there with all the other dads saying, “Goo, goo, gah, gah.”

“God made babies to be his treasures. He loves every one,” says Ben. The Bible says children are a “heritage from the Lord.” In the agricultural economy of ancient Israel, children were compared to “olive plants all around your table.” Also, they were compared to “arrows in the hand of a warrior,” which is symbolic of strength. For a fuller picture of children being a blessing, read Psalms 127 and 128.

“The fruit of the womb is a reward,” declares the psalmist, in contrast to some people in our society who view their own babies as a hindrance to their lifestyle or career. Others refuse to be inconvenienced. They discard the reward by visiting the nearest abortion clinic.

“God created babies to keep the human race alive,” says Ben. God’s first command to Adam and Eve was “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). Babies are a vital part of God’s plan for mankind, and so are good parents.

“If babies weren’t born, they couldn’t learn about God,” says Madeline. Jesus said there were certain things he had hidden from the wise but revealed to the childlike (Matthew 11:25). The “wise” of whom Jesus spoke were those who had heard and seen God’s revelation in his teaching and miracles, but had not turned to God. In contrast, little children love to be taught.

God reveals himself to the humble, childlike and simple.

We must learn to depend on God as a child looks to a parent.

It’s akin to what Jesus taught about becoming as children to enter his kingdom.

The Lord responds to simple, childlike faith. The faith that depends on the Lord Jesus as the only hope for heaven is the same faith we need to trust him with everyday problems.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com) HICKS Funeral services for the late Dr. Deecdara Jackson Hicks, EdD. – 48 were held Dec. 5 at New Saint John Missionary Baptist Church, DeLand, Fl, with Bishop Eugene R. Collier III., officiating. Interment: Deland Memorial Gardens, Deland, Fla. J.E.Cusack Mortuary

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Westside Gazette Focus on Healthy Diets & Physical Activity of Today’s Students . . . How Can We Do Better

By Carolyn M. Schaeffer Old story… Obesity has become an epidemic in our society. Fast food, technology, and sedentary living has made it so that it has become an unescapable inevitable fate of each new generation. According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, approximately more than one third of children and adolescents are overweight and obese.

Public schools, families and communities are the biggest culprits not dealing with this issue. The schools especially have many options they can implement to reduce and eventually eliminate the numbers of children who are inflicted with this problem.

Due to budgets cuts that have eliminated Physical Education as part of the curriculum, increasing pressure on school testing, and socio-economic conditions that forces families to eat sub-par foods, schools have taken a back seat to their student’s heath care. How are our youth supposed to perform

their best in the classrooms without correct or adequate nutrition to feed their bodies and the physical exercise to keep their bodies fit? It is an unrealistic expectation.

Children spend most of their days in a school setting. I have observed over the years that children would be attracted to healthier eating habits if it is presented to them in a positive light at school. While offering a healthy, made-on-sight lunch at school, the students who bring lunch from home have become attracted to the hot meal.

Most of the boxed foods for these students are processed (such as “Lunchables®,” “Hot Pockets®,” or “Maruchan Raman Chicken Soup), high in sodium, and have very little or no nutritional value. We need to feed the brain and not just fill the stomachs.

Currently, we spend more than $140 billion per year on obesity-related health care costs. If we allow this to escalate, the cost will be transferred to the families by way of increased health coverage. We have also learned that pediatric

obesity has been related to cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, as well as increase the chances of developing chronic heart issues. Therefore we must, to quote Hippocrates, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

As a compliment to the nutrition, we need to aspire to return a regimental physical education program back into the general curriculum of educational institutes. With the growing addiction to technology, children have become less active. Schools and families need to limit the amount of sedentary activities (at home or in the classroom) and motivate them to engage in physical activities. As of now only six (6) states require that physical education be provided at every grade level.

With awareness comes resolution. Now that we are aware that we are driving off the road toward healthy living, we will adjust our direction and focus on a progressive path to wellness.

Broward Schools’ Runcie named Superintendent Of The Year (Cont'd from FP) Among Runcie’s successes, is an $800 million bond passed in November for renovation and technology to South Florida schools, he helped improve school discipline programs and further extended pedagogic courses like computer science,

debate, chess, and the arts.

Three board members — Abby Freedman, Ann Murray and Rosalyn Osgood – view Runcie as highly effective.

“Mr. Runcie continues to address challenges and deliver on solutions to move this district forward,” Freedman wrote.

Runcie has a “clear vision

for our district” and “is committed to providing a quality education for all children,” Osgood wrote.

In February, Runcie will represent the state of Florida as a finalist for the national award.

Congratulations Super-intended Runcie!

December 10 - December 16, 2015 • Page 9

Page 10 • December 10 - December 16, 2015

BUSINESS

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Beyond the Rhetoric: What happened to Black business loans?

Harry Alford says that the subprime mortgage crisis devastated the net worth of Black families and hurt Black businesses.

By Harry C. Alford, NNPA News Wire Columnist

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During the 2000 Presidential Election, President George W. Bush made a written pledge to the National Black Chamber of Commerce® (NBCC).

He claimed that he would focus on the doors leading to increasing capital access for minority businesses.

To our astonishment, he delivered on that pledge while Candidate Al Gore refused to make such a pledge. That pledge began eight years of positive growth in Small Business Administration (SBA) lending.

The above activity soon began to disappear for two reasons: The effects of the subprime mortgage crisis and the lethargic activity coming out of the Obama SBA. President Obama figured the quick fix would be more and more regulation. In 2010, he signed the Dodd – Frank Amendment, which piled “mountains” of paperwork and rules onto our banking institutions. The push back was major banks began refusing to underwrite small loans, inclusive of the guaranteed SBA loans. When President Bush stepped down the SBA was doing over 8 percent in loans to Black businesses. Today, under the Obama apathy and immense regulations, the SBA is doing less than 1.8 percent in lending to Black businesses.

It got worse than this; the SBA began attacking the NBCC for letting out the news of the downward trend. They even claimed that I had no access to the percentages of loans, because no one tracks them. To my surprise, George Curry, who was editor of the National Newspaper Publishing Association took their “bait” and began believing them over the NBCC. Finally, after a white investigative reporter from the Wall Street Journal confirmed my allegations, George came around.

According to the Valley Economic Development Center, “SBA loans to African-Americans declined 47 percent between 2009 and 2013, even as overall SBA loan volume rose roughly 25 percent during the same period.” Doesn’t this paint the picture?

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

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Don’t let small dollar loans ruin your holidays Charlene Crowell says that by keeping track of receipts and balancing checkbooks, consumers using debit cards can usually limit or avoid overdraft fees. portantly, these

By Charlene Crowell, predatory loans NNPA News Wire Columnist often lead to conIn this wonderful time of the sumers paying year when family and friends more in interest gather in good cheer to celebrate and fees than for the holidays, nearly everyone the money borhas a number of lists. From rowed.

Research by the Center for greeting cards to shopping for gifts, decorations and more, lists Responsible Lending (CRL) has are made and reviewed to keep found that predatory payday pace with the barrage of sea- loans generate $3.5 billion in fees from repeat borrowers who sonal activities.

But if holiday lists seem big- are unable to fully repay the ger than budgets, turning to a original loan, usually in two high-cost, small dollar loan can weeks’ time. With average anturn joy and merriment into a nual interest rates at 391 perfinancial quagmire. The good cent, nine out of every 10 paynews is that with a timely real- day loans go to borrowers who ity check, most consumers can get trapped in five or more loans avoid holiday financial night- per year.

Like payday loans, car title mares.

A key step is to walk or drive loans are often marketed as an past the brightly-colored signs easy way to get cash without a advertising high-cost, small credit check – but with interest dollar loans. Both payday and rates that tend to be 20-30 times car title loans can provide quick higher than that of credit cards. cash, but the harms caused by (Read full story on these loans will likely linger past the winter’s cold. Most imwww.thewestsidegazette.com)

FUNdraising Good Times Five ways to improve donor relations

By Pearl and Mel Shaw We trust your year-end fundraising is going well. Perhaps you gained new donors during Giving Tuesday. Maybe your fundraising appeal letter is generating increased gifts from current donors. Perhaps your long-term donors are thinking of you as they complete their charitable giving for the year. In all cases there are people to thank and a “donor relations” program to launch or improve. There is much a small to mid-sized nonprofit can do to engage and retain its donors. Here are five suggestions.

1. Engage your volunteers, staff and board members.

Take a moment to ensure that those associated with your organization can “tell the story” of your nonprofit – quickly and accurately. Create 10 talking points. Share them. Make it fun – test each other: “Tell our story in less than 90 seconds.”

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

December 10 - December 16, 2015 • Page 11 Westside Gazette NFL: Kamar Aiken an example you can’t stop following dreams Miami Heat: Time for Dwyane Wade’s All-Star bid

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By D’Joumbarey A. Moreau If you drive around 113th Street and NW 27th Ave on a random Friday night during football season you might think to yourself that you’re at a real professional NFL game. The atmosphere that surrounds Nathaniel Traz-Powell Stadium on each Friday night would make anyone think that the Miami Dolphins were playing inside of the football field.

Then again, if you would watch the teams that Traz-Powell hosts each week you would think that some of the players could actually lineup for the Dolphins on Sunday. However, for the people who do manage to watch each game at Traz-Powell Stadium on Friday’s then they get blessed with the opportunity to see the local future talent who will play in the NFL

eventually, just in a few years down the road.

The best high school football games bar-none are played inside of South Florida. In the community, football is king and there aren’t more positions that are more popular to fans, citizens in the community and to children than a professional football player.

For Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Kamar Aiken, growing up in South Florida he too was one of the children that got exposed to the rigors of playing football in the city. His time playing football in the area only helped mold him into the player that he is today. Aiken was a standout player at ChaminadeMadonna High School where he played nearly every position on the field. He ended up winning the 2A state championship, made All-State and

Miami Dolphins & Miami Hurricanes:

Ryan T annehill or Brad Kaaya Tannehill

By D’Joumbarey A. Moreau Sometimes less really is more.

The University of Miami came into the season with a lot less talent because of losing seven players to the NFL. The program also got to see the departure of their head coach Al Golden mid-season after an embarrassing 58-0 home loss to No. 1 Clemson. In spite of having less talent and less leadership around the program, for some reason this team never found a way to give up. Instead of quitting and disappointing everyone, this team rose from the ashes and had themselves the best year under their leader and starting quarterback, sophomore Brad Kaaya. The

LEGAL NOTICES PUBLICATION OF BID SOLICITATIONS Broward County Board of County Commissioners is soliciting bids for a variety of goods and services, construction and architectural/engineering services. Interested bidders are requested to view and download the notifications of bid documents via the Broward County Purchasing website at: www.broward.org/purchasing.

Dec. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 2015 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO: FMCE 15-13154 DIVISION: 33 ORRETTE SHAWN FLOWERS, Petitioner and LORI-ANN DACOSTA, Respondent

NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE (NO CHILD OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT) TO: LORI-ANN DACOSTA Respondent's last known address 6613 Pebble Beach, North Lauderdale, FL 33068 YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for dissolution of marriage has been filed against you and you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on Orrette Shaen Flowers whose address is 6613 Pebble Beach North Lauderdale, FL 33068 on or before January14, 2016 and file the original with the clerk of this Court at 201 Southeast Sixth St., Fort Lauderdale, Floirda 33301 before service on Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so, a default may be entered against you for the relief demanded in the petition.

Dated November 30, 2015 HOWARD C. FORMAN As Clerk of the Circuit Court Edna Edmond, Deputy Clerk Dec. 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, 2015

Hurricanes now enter into the bowl season with an 8-4 record including big wins over teams like Duke, Virginia Tech, Nebraska and Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, Kaaya had himself a remarkable year in his in spite of having 20 fewer snaps than he did in his freshman year.

Kaaya in his freshman year threw for 26 touchdowns so the fact that he only threw for 15 in his sophomore year is a bit alarming.

However, the most important stat on any quarterback is their touchdown to interception ratio.

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Miami Hurricanes: Why hiring Mark Richt made the most sense

By D’Joumbarey A. Moreau The Miami Hurricanes were worried about how they were going to fix their program for the entire season. Fans hung banners to fly during games.

People were in attendance with a Michael Jordan crying face.

Talk radio got set ablaze each week when it came to the Hurricanes. However, when athletic director Blake James fired Al Golden from his head coaching duties there was much to ponder on how this program would reach prominence again. Who would’ve known that all it would take was a press conference?

Yes. In a simple press conference held by the new head coach of the Hurricanes, Mark Richt, he declared that the school was on its way to achieving bigger goals.

In his first press conference, Richt said this...”I do understand what’s expected,” Richt said.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

All-County honors and then found himself with a scholarship to the University of Central Florida. After going undrafted in 2011, Aiken finally got his opportunity with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent.

Fast forward three years later and Aiken saw himself released from the Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, and the New England Patriots. However, just when he was released by the Patriots, Aiken found himself a new landing spot, Baltimore and in week six of the regular season he scored his first career touchdown.

One could only imagine how tough it was for Aiken to finally get an opportunity with the Ravens. For a person to play for several different teams, after enduring so many road blocks and pillars along the way, the pain is now well worth it.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

By D’Joumbarey A. Moreau “LeBron is tired. LeBron is tired.”

That’s all you heard in the fourth quarter when the Miami Heat were putting a 20 point beatdown on the Cleveland Cavaliers inside of the Ameri-

can Airlines Arena. Ironically enough it was the Heat who were full of energy and not the usual James who has some of his best performances inside of the arena. The irony lies in the fact that Dwyane Wade who’s 33-years-old looked like the spry one in the game as he finished

with 19 points, five rebounds, four assists, and one steal in 29 minutes of work in a 99-84 home victory. Ironically enough, James was sitting on the court resting, when it was less than three years ago when Wade would routinely rest his body in order to get prepared for the playoffs.

Wade this season hasn’t been on a maintenance plan like he once was in the past, but what he has done like before is dominate against his opponents.

Many people might be holding their breath when it comes to praising Wade because they don’t know what to expect from someone who hasn’t played in at least 70 games since 2011, but everyone in Miami has seen how well Wade is playing.

Everyone in the city has started taking notice that their All-Star is finally playing at a true AllStar level.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

Page 12 • December 10 - December 16, 2015

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Just in Time for the Holidays ‘Sounds of the Season’

Staff Writer, ALMAH International If you enjoy soulful listen-ing, you are sure to delight in the clear, crisp sounds of saxo-phonist – Randy Corinthian’s long awaited Christmas album, Sounds of the Season — Vol. 1.

This new album is a com-pilation of some of our all-time favorite Christmas carols, such as O Come All Ye Faithful and Jingle Bells set to the smooth, soulful sounds of Corinthian’s horns.

The songs will take you back to the reminiscences of your childhood Christmas memories; keep you in the Christmas spirit; and definitely remind you of the reason for the season.

The songs on the album have been uniquely arranged for optimal listening enjoyment, and inspired by Corinthian’s genuine love and appreciation for the spirit of Christmas. In the true spirit of the season, he enlists the help of a few

friends to wholly discern his vision.

Silent Night highlights Patrick Ward on keyboard in an in-delible exchange, trading fours with Corinthian throughout the vamp. Mary Did You Know is introduced by a stirring narration from Dr. Sue (www.drsueandyou.net). The album also features contributions from Ansen Andre on guitar, and Taurus Lovely on drums throughout.

Sounds of the Season is a timeless treasure that would add to any collection of holiday favorites, and it certainly makes for a special gift. It appeals to a wide audience of sophisticated listeners, and especially to those with a discriminating ear for the artistic collaboration of live instruments.

Randy Corinthian delivers in this artful pre-sentation of holiday gems.

Get your copy today!!

Order here: http:// rcmusicgroup.bigcartel.com/All inquiries: (754) 444-1278 – Email: NikColeManagement@gmail.com Website: www.rcmusicgroup.com.

Recognizing Our Glorious

The Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty was originally a Black woman. But, as memory serves, it was because the model was Black. In a book called The Journey of The Songhai People, as Dr. Jim Haskins (a member of the National Education Advisory Committee of the Liberty-Ellis Island Committee, professor of English at the University of Florida, and prolific Black author) points out that is what stimulated the original idea for that 151 foot statue in the harbor. He says that the idea for the creation of the statue initially was to acknowledge the part that Black soldiers played in the ending of Black African Bondage in the United States.

It was created in the mind of the French historian Edourd de Laboulaye, Chairman of the French Anti-Slavery Society, who, together with sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, proposed to the French government that the people of France present to the people of the United States through the American Abolitionist Society, the gift of a Statue of Liberty in recognition of the fact

that Black soldiers won the Civil War in the United States. It was widely known then that it was Black soldiers who played the pivotal role in winning the war, and this gift would be a tribute to their prowess.

Suzanne Nakasian, director of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island Foundations’ National Ethnic Campaign said that the Black Americans’ direct connection to Lady Liberty is unknown to the majority of Americans, BLACK or WHITE. When the statue was presented to the US. Minister to France in 1884, it is said that he remonstrated that the dominant view of the broken shackles would be offensive to the U.S. South because the statue was a reminder of Blacks winning their freedom. It was a reminder to a beaten South of the ones who caused their defeat, their despised former captives.

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Trump: Banning Muslims frfrom om US similar ttoo W or ld W ar II policy Wor orld War WASHINGTON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump on Tuesday likened his proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States to World War Two policies implemented by U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt against people of Japanese, German and Italian descent.

“What I’m doing is no different than FDR,” Trump said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” program in one of a round of heated television interviews where he defended his plan in the wake of last week’s California shooting spree by two Muslims who authorities said were radicalized.

“We have no choice but to do this,” the candidate seeking the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential race told ABC. “We have people that want to blow up our buildings, our cities. We have figure out what’s going on.”

Still, Trump said that Roosevelt’s policies were worse.

During World War Two, more than 110,000 people were forcibly detained in U.S. government detention camps.

Roosevelt issued the policies immediately after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, authorizing law enforcement to target “alien enemies.”

In an unusually lengthy interview on MSNBC, Trump said he did not know how long the ban on Muslims would last.

“Until we can get our hands around the situation, we have to do something and we have to do it now,” he said.

Critics have said Trump’s plan rejects American values by singling out people based on their religion and would also likely be illegal and unconstitutional. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of religion.

Trump’s was the most dramatic response by a presidential candidate following the San Bernardino, California, rampage, even as other Republicans have called for a suspension to U.S. President Barack Obama’s plan to allow 10,000 refugees from Syria.

The proposal drew a fresh wave of criticism on Tuesday from fellow Republicans, U.S. lawmakers and others.

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican, told reporters the plan is “not conservatism” and was not in the nation’s interest.

The proposal was criticized in France, which had its worst attacks since World War Two on Nov. 13 when shootings and suicide bombings in Paris killed 130 people.

What the world (Cont'd from FP) The “useful idiot” analogy was also used by Suddeutsch Zeitung, the German newspaper. The Telegraph, the rightleaning British newspaper, posted a quiz headlined, “Who said it: Donald Trump or Adolf Hitler?”

Support for Trump’s Remarks Geert Wilders, the head of the Dutch Freedom Party, a far-right group that is represented in parliament, supported Trump’s call.

Other Reactions In Pakistan, Asma Jahangir, the prominent humanrights activist, called Trump’s remarks “absurd.”

“This is the worst kind of bigotry mixed with ignorance,” she said. “I would imagine that someone who is hoping to become president of the U.S. doesn’t want to compete with an ignorant criminal-minded mullah of Pakistan who denounces people of other religions.”

Yenny Wahid, an Islamic activist and daughter of Abdurrahman Wahid, the former Indonesian president, told The Guardian: “I think the perspective of people here in Indonesia is that they see Donald Trump as a loser. We don’t really take his comments seriously.”

Trump’s remarks also prompted comparison on social media to Lord Voldemort, the villain in the Harry Potter series—a comparison that drew this response: “How horrible.

Voldemort was nowhere near as bad.”— J.K. Rowling ‘ @jk_rowling

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, in a post on Twitter, said “Mr Trump, like others, is feeding hatred and misinformation. Our only enemy is radical Islam.”

Two international refugee organizations also rejected Trump’s comments, saying U.S. presidential campaign rhetoric threatens resettlement efforts.

Muslims in Pakistan and Indonesia also denounced the plan.

On Tuesday, Trump reiterated that a ban would last until Congress acts. He also said

Muslim Americans would be allowed back into the country after an overseas trip.

Asked about its implementation, Trump told MSNBC that people would be asked about their religion at U.S. borders and that the ban would extend to Muslim leaders of other nations.

In a confrontational exchange with CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, Trump, his voice hoarse, defended such measures as necessary: “We’re at

war. Get it through your head, Chris.”

Still, he said he did not support internment camps, which Roosevelt had set up during World War Two. “I don’t want to bring to bring them back at all,” Trump said on ABC. He added his plan had “tremendous support” from thousands of people who “just want to see something happen.”

Polls have shown a stark divide between Republicans and Democrats in how they view Muslims.

(Read full story on www.thewestsidegazette.com)

December 10 - December 16, 2015 • Page 13

Page 14 • December 10 - December 16, 2015

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Westside Gazette

White House addresses the incarceration cycle: Prison, debt, & bail practice

By Angela Wills Information found in the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division’s investigation of the Ferguson Police Department earlier this year showed that a 67-year-old woman, who

lives in Ferguson, Missouri on a fixed income was put in jail for failure to pay a citation for trash-removal.

The court issued the senior citizen with fines totaling $1,000, which averaged out to monthly payments of $100. The

report indicates that the elderly woman was struggling to pay the monthly installments and was consistently threatened with jail time for failure to pay.

This woman represents only a tiny example of the large fines and routinely ordered arrests of residents with low or fixed incomes for failure to pay unaffordable fines.

Sally Quillian Yates, DOJ Deputy Attorney General, prepared a statement that read: “problems raised in Missouri and other areas of our country are why the White House and DOJ on Wednesday and Thursday convened a meeting of advocates, researchers, and criminal justice practitioners to dis-

cuss ways for more equitable alternatives to these problematic systems for fines, fees, and fixed bail.”

President Barack Obama’s second term has centered on criminal justice reform. Earlier this year, President Obama would become the first sitting president to visit a prison and he’s been very outspoken regarding the reduction of complaints about brutality in colored communities by revamping police departments.

Judges and state officials shared “ideas for creating a system driven not by profit, but by a commitment to fair and constitutional practices,” during the two-day event, according to a

Florida’s finest: Blanche Ely Blanche Ely was born in Reddick, Fla. to Deacon John General and Sarah Enock General.

When her mother passed away before she was two, Blanche was raised by her father & stepmother Amanda General.

Blanche Ely earned a bachelor of arts degree at Florida A & M University in Tallahasee, then went on to earn her master of education degree at Columbia University in New York.

She also held a Bachelor’s Degree in Life Instructions - Bachelor of Science Degree, Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, Fla., and Benedict College, N.C.; and Master’s Degree in Administration and Supervision, Columbia University, New York, NY. In 1923 Blanche G. Ely was named principal of what was then called the “Pompano Colored School.” When the wood framed school was destroyed in

a hurricane, a new school was constructed on the south side of Northwest Sixth Street. The 11th grade was added and, through Principal Ely’s efforts, students completing that grade were prepared to proceed directly to colleges.

As an educational leader she faced many challenges because Black students attended school only six months out of the year, from June to late December, until as late as 1951. The Florida State Constitution, State Department of Public Instruction and the Broward County District legally closed the school yearly for African American children to go to farm corps. At the time, the town’s economy consisted of mainly agriculture, domestic services, fishing and tourists. The students worked part time & full time on the farms.

In 1954, after the high school

was built in Northwest Pompano, graduates & others fought successfully to have the school renamed Blanche Ely High School in her honor.

As an educator she emphasized academic programs and nourished young teachers & administrators to continue her work. She was instrumental in securing funding for the migrant housing Project where a school was built, and from it emerged the Markham Elementary School. A housing project for low-income families was named Ely Estates, and NW 6 Ave was named for her.

She & her husband, Professor Joseph Ely, sponsored the firstt federally funded lunch program in Broward County.

In 1970, Broward County School Board “phased-out” Blanche Ely High School.

Principal Ely and Parent Teacher Association filed a law-

“Education, like music, is a universal principle. Learn the principles for yourself: basic truth, moral standard, reasoning and essential element.” Blanche Ely suit against School Board. The case went to Appellate and U.S. Supreme Courts, and Blanche Ely High School re-opened in 1975.

She initiated and implemented four schools, recom-

statement issued by Yates.

A Department of Justice memorandum reads: There is no principle underlying our criminal justice system more essential than that we must treat equally the wealthy and the poor. As former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy said in 1962, “If justice is priced in the market place, individual liberty will be curtailed and respect for law diminished.”

To the vast majority of Americans, this concept is a given; it’s innate to being American. This country banned debtors’ prisons under federal law back in 1833. In 1970, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a maximum prison term could not

be extended because a defendant failed to pay court costs or fines. A year later, those same justices ruled that a defendant may not be jailed solely because he or she is too poor to pay a fine. Again, in 1983, in a case called Bearden v. Georgia, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that the Constitution does not permit “punishing a person for his poverty.”

A report will be published by the DOJ that is based on recommendations set forth from the meeting, recommending steps that policymakers, lawmakers and legislators can take to revise the criminal justice system.

mended names for schools and principals: Pompano Migrant School aka Golden Acres, Coleman Elementary School, Markham Elementary school and Sanders Park Elementary School. She began an “Education Mecca” in Broward County.

Blanche General Ely died

Dec. 23, 1993 & is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Pompano Beach. The city’s first Black historical museum is set in the three-bedroom home of Mrs. Blanche General Ely at Northwest 15th Street and Northwest Sixth Avenue.