WHM
the orlando
Advocate
March 27, 2009
Pioneering Black Historian Dead at 94 See page 4
Story, page 3
John Hope Franklin
VISIONARY
1915 - 2009
See page 3
o r l a n d o a d v o c a t e . c o m
the Advocate Credo of the Black Press
“I shall be an ADVOCATE of the full practice of the principles implicit in “Life, Liberty and Justice for All.” I shall be an ADVOCATE for these human and civil rights on behalf of those to whom they are denied, and I shall turn the pitiless light of publicity upon all men who would deny these rights to others. I shall be an ADVOCATE for my country, my state, my city, and my race, but I shall ever be on guard that I will not forget the greatest good for the greatest number while seeking benefits for the small segments who are disadvantaged by their denial.”
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[email protected] http://orlandoadvocate.com Publisher Kevin Seraaj Managing Editor Louise Seraaj Production Manager Dihon Seraaj ~ Contributing ~ Writers/Reporters Frank Butler Cynthia Harris Sharon Fletcher Jones Lela Salter Columnists Judge Greg Mathis Sandra “Sandy B” Brown Derrick Drake Mary “Action” Jackson Basil A. Jones Kevin Seraaj Keysha Williams, Esq. Prophetess Yolanda Dean Photographers Janice LaBord Madonna Alexis Jennissha Casillas Paul Graine Circulation Manager Robert Brown Sales Derrick Drake, Manager The Adams Group Feotis Dean Lela Salter The Advocate is published weekly by Cornerstone Community Development Corporation of Orlando, Florida, and is available free of charge. ISSN: 1060-5715 This publication services the tri-county Orlando Metropolitan Statistical Area, consisting of Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Alachua Counties. It focuses on local issues; and features political, business and entertainment personalities.
Publisher’s Word One Test , Many Lives About 14 years ago, the Center for Disease Control began aggressively recommending routine HIV screening for all pregnant women. The accompanying media campaign, called One Test, Two Lives, gave healthcare providers tools to test pregnant women for HIV infection and help reduce the number of infants born with HIV.
Kevin Seraaj
Since then, the incidence of mother-to-child transmission has dropped by approximately 85 percent. Good news, clearly. But mother-to-child HIV transmission continues in this country to a great extent because many pregnant women are still not being tested. Dr. Richard Beigi got involved with the One Test. Two Lives. campaign because he wanted to be a part of an educational campaign that promoted HIV screening as a part of routine medical practice. Bergi believes that sharing statistical information with other doctors will help them see the need for incorporating regular HIV testing for their pregnant patients. After all, Beigi says, “the HIV test is easy–it is just a blood test.” And it really is just that simple. The bottom line for Beigi is that “HIV testing is quick and simple; and with effective treatments to reduce transmission, especially when detected early, physicians can play a critical role in reducing the spread of HIV.” If we can see an 85% reduction in mother-to-child transmission by educating pregnant moms, the possibilities for making a serious impact in HIV/AIDS transmission among adults becomes huge, as well. The major difference, of course, is that for most mothers information about how to keep their babies safe will serve as powerful motivation to act on the information given, while adults engaging in casual sex often have no similar depth of feelings about one another. So there is no similar motivation. Still, one would think there exists a compelling societal interest in keeping the spread of HIV to a minimum. And when the white gay community was the repository of the disease, there was. Not so today, when the most infected groups today are black gay men and their down-low brothers, and black women. It is interesting to note that only a handful of states today require a couple to get a blood test before getting married. Only the District of Columbia, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusettes, Montana and Oklahoma want to know if either party is infected with an STD-- and most of the time the test if to detect the presence of Syphilis. How much more important is it to know if your intended spouse has HIV? What do we say to the woman who says I wish one of my husband’s friends had told me he was infected-- because he never did? And the state where they were married didn’t require it, either. What do we say when a simple blood test could have spared her a lifetime of agony and regret? It may be unfortunate that we even feel it necessary to consider having the government require something we should be insisting on ourselves, but the reality is that many people will opt out of demanding a blood test from their significant other-- and some won’t even ask for it at all-- because asking for a blood test might suggest to my partner that I don’t trust her enough to volunteer on her own any critical information I might need. And then there is the other notion that the party who is infected simply doesn’t know he or she has contracted the disease. The extremely high incidence of AIDS among black females clearly says that either nobody’s talking or somebody’s lying. The disease is alive and well and being passed around in increasing numbers. In either case, prevention ought to be the higher priority, and a rethinking of blood tests before marriage might save a few lives. Or many lives. One test.
Views from across the political and social spectrum will from time to time appear in these pages; they do not necessarily reflect or represent the views of the publishers. Memberships: National Newspaper Publishers Association, Southeastern Black Publishers Association, Florida Press Association.
2 The Advocate
March 27, 2009
SPECIAL TRIBUTE: DEATH OF A GIANT
Black scholar historian of Black American experience by Martha Waggoner, Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C. - John Hope Franklin, a towering scholar and pioneer of African-American studies who wrote the seminal text on the black experience in the U.S. and worked on the landmark Supreme Court case that outlawed public school segregation, died Wednesday. He was 94. David Jarmul, a spokesman at Duke University, where Franklin taught for a decade and was professor emeritus of history, said he died of congestive heart failure at the school’s hospital in Durham. Born and raised in an all-black community in Oklahoma where he was often subjected to humiliating racism, Franklin was later instrumental in bringing down the legal and historical validations of such a world. As an author, his book “From Slavery to Freedom” was a landmark integration of black history into American history that remains relevant more than 60 years after being published. As a scholar, his research helped Thurgood Marshall and his team at the NAACP win Brown v. Board of Education, the 1954 case that barred the doctrine of “separate but equal” in the nation’s public schools. “It was evident how much the lawyers appreciated what the historians could offer,” Franklin later wrote. “For me, and I suspect the same was true for the others, it was exhilarating.” Franklin himself broke numerous color barriers. He was the first black department chair at a predominantly white institution, Brooklyn College; the first black professor to hold an endowed chair at Duke; and the first black president of the American Historical Association. He often regarded his country like an exasperated relative, frustrated by racism’s stubborn power, yet refusing to give up. “I want to be out there on the firing line, helping, directing or doing something to try to make this a better world, a better place to live,” Franklin told The Associated Press in 2005. In November, after Barack Obama broke the ultimate
March 27, 2009
racial barrier in American politics, Franklin called his ascension to the White House “one of the most historic moments, if not the most historic moment, in the history of this country.” “Because of the life John Hope Franklin lived, the public service he rendered, and the scholarship that was the mark of his distinguished career, we all have a richer understanding of who we are as Americans and our journey as a people,” Obama said in a statement. “Dr. Franklin will be deeply missed, but his legacy is one that will surely endure.” Obama’s achievement fit with Franklin’s mission as a historian, to document how blacks lived and served alongside whites from the nation’s birth. Black patriots fought at Lexington and Concord, Franklin pointed out in “From Slavery to Freedom,” published in 1947. They crossed the Delaware with Washington and explored with Lewis and Clark. The book sold more than 3.5 million copies and remains required reading in college classrooms. It was based on research Franklin conducted in libraries and archives that didn’t allow him to eat lunch or use the bathroom because he was black. “He was working in a profession that more or less banned him at the outset and ended up its leading practitioner,” said Tim Tyson, a history professor at Duke. “And yet, he always managed to keep his grace and his sense of humor.” Late in life, Franklin received more than 130 honorary degrees and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s Spingarn Award. In 1993, President Bill Clinton honored Franklin with the Charles Frankel Prize, recognizing scholarly contributions that give “eloquence and meaning ... to our ideas, hopes and dreams as American citizens.” Clinton awarded Franklin the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian prize, two years later, and gave him the role for which he was perhaps best known outside academia, as chairman of Clinton’s Initiative on Race. It was a job of which Franklin said, “I am not sure this is an honor. It may be a burden.” “John Hope Franklin was one of the most important American historians of the 20th century and one of the people I most admired,” Clinton said in a statement. “He graced our country with his life, his scholarship, and his citizenship.” As he aged, Franklin spent more time in the greenhouse behind his home, where he nursed orchids, than in libraries. He fell in love with the flowers because “they’re full of challenges, mystery” - the same reasons he fell in love with history. In June, Franklin had a small role in the movie based on the book “Blood Done Signed My Name,” about the public slaying of black man in Oxford in 1970. Tyson, the book’s author, said at the time he wanted Franklin in the movie “because of his dignity and his shining intelligence.” Franklin attended historically black Fisk University, where he met Aurelia Whittington, who would be his wife, editor, helpmate and rock for 58 years, until her death in 1999. He planned to follow his father into law, but the lively lectures of a white professor, Ted Currier, convinced him history was his field. Currier borrowed $500 to send Franklin to Harvard University for graduate studies.
Franklin’s doctoral thesis was on free blacks in antebellum North Carolina. His wife spent part of their honeymoon in Washington, D.C., at the Census Bureau, helping him finish. The resulting work, “The Free Negro in North Carolina, 1790-1860,” earned Franklin his doctorate and, in 1943, became his first published book. Four years later, he took a job at Howard University. It was the same year “From Slavery to Freedom” was published. Some of his greatest moments of triumph were marred by bigotry. His joy at being offered the chair of the Brooklyn College history department in 1956 was tempered by his difficulty getting a loan to buy a house in a “white” neighborhood. When he was to receive the freedom medal, Franklin hosted a party for some friends at Washington’s Cosmos Club, of which he had long been a member. A white woman walked up to him, handed him a slip of paper and demanded that he get her coat. He politely told the woman that any of the uniformed attendants, “and they were all in uniform,” would be happy to assist her. Franklin was born Jan. 2, 1915, in the all-black town of Rentiesville, Okla., where his parents moved in the mistaken belief that separation from whites would mean a better life for their young family. But his father’s law office was burned in the race riots in Tulsa, Okla., in 1921, along with the rest of the black section of town. His mother, Mollie, a teacher, began taking him to school with her when he was three. He could read and write by five; by six, he first became aware of the “racial divide separating me from white America.” Franklin, his mother and sister Anne were ejected from a train when his mother refused the conductor’s orders to move to the overcrowded “Negro” coach. As they trudged through the woods back to Rentiesville, young John Hope began to cry. His mother pulled him aside and told him, “There was not a white person on that train or anywhere else who was any better than I was. She admonished me not to waste my energy by fretting but to save it in order to prove that I was as good as any of them.” Associated Press National Writers Hillel Italie in New York and Allen G. Breed in Raleigh contributed to this report. The Advocate 3
Local News
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Florida to Get Additional $Millions for Energy Efficiency Improvements Block Grants to Support Jobs, Cut Energy Bills, and Increase Energy Independence
WASHINGTON – Vice President Joe Biden and Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced plans to invest $3.2 billion in energy efficiency and conservation projects in U.S. cities, counties, states, territories, and Native American tribes. This includes $168,643,400 for state, county and city efforts in Florida. A detailed breakdown is below. Today’s announcement builds on an investment of $302,073,474 in Florida weatherization and energy funding announced by the Administration on March 12th and detailed at energy.gov/recovery. “These investments will save taxpayer dollars and create jobs in communities around the country,” said Vice President Biden. “Local leaders will have the flexibility in how they put these resources to work – but we will hold them accountable for making the investments quickly and wisely to spur the local economy and cut energy use.” The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program, funded by President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will provide formula grants for projects
that reduce total energy use and fossil fuel emissions, and improve energy efficiency. The funding will support energy audits and energy efficiency retrofits in residential and commercial buildings, the development and implementation of advanced building codes and inspections, and the creation of financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements. Other activities eligible for use of grant funds include transportation programs that conserve energy, projects to reduce and capture methane and other greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, renewable energy installations on government buildings, energy efficient traffic signals and street lights, deployment of Combined Heat and Power and district heating and cooling systems, and others. To ensure accountability, the Department of Energy will provide guidance to and require grant recipients to report on the number of jobs created or retained, energy saved, renewable energy capacity installed, greenhouse gas emissions reduced, and funds leveraged. Funding is based on a
ORLANDO, FL– The Orange County Health Department kicked off an awareness campaign to remind families about water safety and the dangers of the amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, found in fresh water. This past Wednesday evening, the Orange County School District sent a recorded phone message home to every student and employee in the Orange County Public School System. With the help of the school district, the information was recorded in English and Spanish for nearly 177 thousand Orange County kids before they got out of school for Spring Break. The reverse 411 phone message describes how amoeba can thrive in any fresh water such as lakes, ponds, or rivers, and that children should remember to wear a nose clip or hold their nose when jumping in water or when swimming
to reduce the risk of infection from amoeba. The messages also remind families that when around water to avoid feeding or contact with wildlife. Families are reminded to never get in the water if a storm is in the area and not to dive in shallow water. Parents are reminded to keep their eyes on the kids, and encourage children to swim with a partner. People should seek medical attention immediately if getting sick after swimming. The safest way to prevent infection from an amoeba is to not swim in warm standing water, such as lakes, ponds, poorly maintained swimming pools, storm water holding areas or in places posted “no swimming”. Children are encouraged to avoid fresh water during the hot summer months because,
formula that accounts for population and energy use. “The Block Grants are a major investment in energy solutions that will strengthen America’s economy and create jobs at the local level,” said Secretary Chu. “The funding will be used for the cheapest, cleanest and most reliable energy technologies we have – energy efficiency and conservation – which can be deployed immediately. The grants also empower local communities to make strategic investments to meet the nation’s long term clean energy and climate goals.” Funding for state, city, and county governments in the state includes: Florida $30,401,600; ;Altamonte Springs- $177,700; Apopka - $153,600 ;Daytona Beach - $680,500 ; Deltona - $730,200 ; Gainesville - $1,198,500 ; Kissimmee - $605,800; Melbourne - $813,500; Ocala - $635,500 ; Orlando - $2,683,200 ; Sanford - $502,500; Titusville - $196,900; Brevard - $2,939,700; Orange - $ 7,522,900; Seminole - $2,925,100 ; Volusia - $2,411,200.
Water Safety and Amoeba Warning Go Home for Spring Break
4 The Advocate
as temperatures rise, so does the chance of infection. For more information on water safety, go to the Orange County Health Department website at www.orchd.com. For an in depth fact sheet on amoeba, go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov/ ncidod/dpd/parasites/naegleria/ factsht_naegleria.htm.
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State Farm Mutual and LYNX Expand Road Ranger Program
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ORLANDO - State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company and the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (LYNX) announced Tuesday a new sponsorship and expansion of the Road Ranger program in the Central Florida area. This partnership will keep and expand the Road Rangers program along Interstate 4 - one of the area’s busiest roadways in Orlando and surrounding areas. “State Farm has a long-standing commitment to improve auto safety nationwide, and we are strong believers in the safety services provided by the Florida Road Rangers,” said Michal Connolly, State Farm spokesperson. “Our State Farm mission - to help people recover from the unexpected - strongly aligns with the work of the Florida Road Rangers as they respond quickly to accidents to reduce the number of secondary crashes, help stranded drivers, and remove roadway debris.” This sponsorship will add three additional LYNX Road Ranger vehicles and increase the number of patrol hours in the high traffic area of I-4. Hours of operation for the 13 LYNX Road Rangers will be 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., with a patrol of five trucks (morning hours), eight trucks (midday) and five trucks (late afternoon until 10:30 p.m.), Monday thru Friday. Overall benefits include: Additional back-up for clearing and managing large crash scenes. Additional resources for assisting law enforcement and first re sponders. Additional resources for hurricane or other needed evacuations. Shorter response time. “Thanks to State Farm for recognizing how important the Road Rangers are to keeping traffic moving on one of Central Florida’s busiest roads. This partnership will ‘insure’ that everyone traveling this 75 mile stretch of I-4 will have access to the best roadside assistance program in America, “ said Linda Watson, CEO of LYNX. State Farm sponsors similar motorist assistance programs across Florida, supporting Road Rangers and Safety Patrol programs on Florida’s Turnpike, I-4 in and around Orlando, and in Broward and Palm Beach Counties. State Farm also sponsors similar programs nationally: the State Farm Safety Patrol on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Colorado’s E-470 Highway. The success of these programs has encouraged State Farm to move forward with the sponsorship of additional programs throughout the United States. “Partnerships like this are a win-win for everyone. Our State Farm sponsorship funding provides a long term, non-tax funding source enabling Road Rangers to continue to protect lives and property, assist motorists and reduce congestion delays,” Connolly said. “Private sponsorships such as this will save the state millions in operating costs over the years. This demonstrates how public and private partnerships can work together to meet a need that neither one could accomplish as well alone.”
March 27, 2009
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Local News Hankins Park Cultural Festival in Fourth Year - Provides Performance Opportunities for Local Talent ORLANDO, Fla. – Partnership For American African Development, Inc. (PAAD) has announced an OPEN CALL FOR ENTERTAINMENT for its fourth “Hankins Park Cultural Festival”. There are performance opportunities for live bands, National recording artists, cultural performances, Central Florida’s own home grown talents and much more. Youth choirs don’t let the opportunity to show off your best praise performance pass you by. Come get your trophy! It’s all hosted by a special Celebrity Guest on Saturday, May 9, 2009, from 11:00am to 5:00pm at the City of Orlando’s Dr. I. Sylvester Hankins Park Recreation site. There will be a special presentation honoring the legacy of Dr. I. Sylvester Hankins. There will be exclusive African art exhibits, free food, lots of family fun, vendors providing important and
helpful information for children and families and a special display of colorful motorcycles on Bikers Row. There will be something for everyone. This is a great opportunity for parents and/or guardians to register their children for the City of Orlando’s summer recreational and aquatic programs. This will be the perfect pre Mothers Day outing. Partnership For American African Development, Inc., (PAAD) is a not for profit organization that links Americans of African decent to African professionals and scholars throughout the Continent of Africa. Since 1995, PAAD has developed a network between professionals in America with those in Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and abroad to exchange goods and services for the betterment of mankind in an effort to promote and support cultural awareness through the Arts, Entertainment,
Education, Human Resources, Technology and Therapeutic Medicine. The City of Orlando’s Dr. I. Sylvester Hankins Park Recreational site is located on a 15.2acre park at 1340 Lake Park Court (previous address 3410 W. Columbia Street) which is at the corner of John Young Parkway and West Columbia Street. The center is centrally located in a residential area and is heavily used by neighborhood youth. Newly renovated in 2003 with a new facility that offers an array of recreation activities, including after school and summer camp programs For more information visit PAAD online at www.paadonline.com or mail your DVD performance, photo, bio and contact information to: PAAD, 6138 Burhley Court, Orlando, Fl 32809 Attn: HP Cultural Festival or call 407-351-1236
Right - PAAD Co-founder, Martha Brown extends warm welcome at 2008 Cultural Fes�val in Hankins Park. Photo courtesy K. Seraaj, Orlando Advocate
B-CU President Reed to Serve on Federal Judicial Nominating Commission B-CU President Trudie Kibbe Reed has been invited by U.S. Senator Bill Nelson to serve on the federal Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) established by Florida’s two U.S. Senators. The JNC is charged with making recommendations on the most qualified candidates to serve in certain federal judicial and law enforcement positions including U.S. District Judge, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Marshal in Florida. “Being asked to serve on the Judicial Nominating Commission is a tremendous honor and a great responsibility,” noted Reed. “The people of Florida deserve public servants in these important positions who maintain the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and knowledge of the law. By serving, I hope to provide valuable input throughout the selection process and uphold the values and commitment to the betterment of society embodied by B-CU’s founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune.”
6 The Advocate
“Senator Martinez and I tried to provide a process beyond the reach of partisan politics to help select the top candidates for jobs that involve upholding the public trust,” said Senator Bill Nelson. “We consider President Reed to be among the best and brightest in the state.” Recommendations made by the JNC to Senators Nelson and Martinez determine – subject to agreement by the senators – which prospective nominees are then forwarded to the White House for presidential consideration. To make recommendations, members of the JNC invite applications for open positions. Following a careful and thorough review, the JNC members then select finalists who possess the professional qualifications, character, integrity, intellect, experience, temperament, professional competence, maturity, capacity for growth and other characteristics necessary to perform the duties of the offices for which they are applying and
Trudie Kibbe Reed
uphold the public trust. President Reed will serve a two-year term as a member of the JNC’s Middle District Conference – one of three JNC conferences corresponding to each of the three federal judicial districts in the state. All members of the commission are volunteers and are responsible for any expenses incurred in connection with attending meetings of the conference.
School Board’s Kat Gordon to Serve on Selective Service System Local Board Kathleen “Kat” Gordon has been appointed to the Selective Service System Local Board 084 for the State of Florida. Mrs. Gordon will serve her term for a length of time as determined by the President of the United States. Among other duties, the board guarantees the optimal use of human, material and fiscal resources should a national emergency be declared by the Congress or the President. Mrs. Gordon will serve as an unpaid member of this board. The Selective Service System is an independent agency within the Executive Branch of the Federal government. Mrs. Gordon was named the 2007 Teacher of the Year for the New Beginnings Education Center in Osceola County; she received the Distinguished Dove Award for being selected Osceola County’s Vocational Teacher of the Year and she was selected Denn John MS Minority Educator of the Year and later became Osceola County’s Ida S. Baker Minority Educator of the Year. Mrs. Gordon has been awarded by her church, St. Mark A.M.E., for her civic and social involvement in her community. In 2006, she received the Junior Achievement’s Educator of the Year Award. In addition, she received the Humanitarian Award at the 2006 Annual Scholarships and
Volunteers Awards Dinner sponsored by Orange County Mayor Richard T. Crotty and the Board of County Commissioners for services on the Head Start Policy Council and Community Action Board. In October 2007, the College of
Kathleen “Kat” Gordon Education at the University of Central Florida named Mrs. Gordon as one of its “Alumni of the Decades” as part of its 40th anniversary celebration. In February 2008, Mrs. Gordon received an award from the Osceola Classroom Teachers Association for her dedication and service to cultural diversity within Osceola District Schools. March 27, 2009
The ‘Best of Times and Worst of Times’ for Black America Na�onal Urban League’s The State of Black America® 2009 Report Shows Black and White Equality S�ll Needs Work (NEW YORK) – As the entire country observed the historic election of President Barack Obama amid one of the worst economic crises this nation has ever seen, these are the ‘best of times and the worst of times’ for black America. The National Urban League, today, released the State of Black America (SOBA) 2009 report which shows that while the entire country is hurting during these tough economic times, African-Americans are disproportionately hurting worse. The annual State of Black America report is a barometer of conditions for African-Americans in the United States. It includes the National Urban League’s Equality Index, a statistical measurement of the disparities between blacks and whites across five categories: economics, education, health, civic engagement and social justice. This year’s report shows an overall slight decline in the status of blacks as compared to whites, moving from 71.5 percent in 2008 to 71.1 percent in 2009. The only sub index that increased over the past year was in health at about 1.1 percentage points. This was largely because the gap narrowed for those without health insurance. The report this year takes a look back at the past five years of the Equality Index to view trends of progress and decline. Between 2003 and 2007 the poverty rate and home ownership rate declined for blacks but increased for whites. Even as both groups made progress in educational attainment, the progress was slower for blacks. During the same period while white children saw increases in “preprimary” enrollment of about 3 percent, black children saw a decline of about 1 percent, causing the education gap to grow, not shrink. The report this year shows the trend continues. This year’s National Urban League report reminds the country that the election of President Obama does not mean the work of civil rights is done. “The election of the first black president does not mean we can all now close up shop and go home,” said the National Urban League President and CEO Marc H. Morial. “Instead, it’s more important than ever that the National Urban League and other organizations and individuals committed to positive change work even harder to March 27, 2009
National Urban League President, Marc Morial lift up our communities and move this country forward.” Martin Luther King, III, in the foreword to the report, says President Obama’s election does not mean his father’s dream has been realized. “His election is not the fulfillment of the Dream,” King wrote. “This is because President Obama is not the only character in this narrative, nor is he the story’s only writer. The American narrative cannot realize its greatest promise unless the narratives of all its peoples are part of that promise. In other words, realizing the American Dream must be a complete possibility for every American.” The theme for this year’s report is “Message to the President.” There are essays from experts, and letters to the president from ordinary citizens about the condition of African-Americans with recommendations on how President Obama and his administration might address them focusing on key areas such as green jobs, housing and schools and education. “For the first time we have a president whose political base is in a city so we feel that he can better understand the issues and concerns of urban America,” Morial said. “We want to make sure that we work with the administration to ensure that urban America is included in the policies coming forth to help this country recover economically. Only then can we begin to close the equality gap.” For the fifth consecutive year, Pfizer has sponsored The State of Black America report. “We applaud the National Urban League on its continued effort to spark important national dialogue around crucial issues, such as the health status gap endured by black America,” said Forest Harper, vice
president of Capability Development at Pfizer. “We have a lot to do before we can achieve the goals of eliminating health disparities, and ensuring that all Americans have affordable access to quality health care regardless of health status or income. Pfizer is pleased to partner with the National Urban League and, together, continue to promote wellness and disease prevention programs, as well as patient assistance programs, like Pfizer Helpful Answers that has helped millions of patients get access to Pfizer medicines for free or at a savings.” This year’s report also looks at trends from another perspective – economic expansion periods. What the numbers show is that trends between blacks and whites were more similar than different in
key areas like median household income, poverty, unemployment and home ownership. During the economic expansion period from 2001 – 2007 (known as the jobless recovery period) there was a decline in real median household income for blacks and whites and an increase in the rate of poverty. Real median household income from 2001 – 2007 declined 1.7 percent for blacks and 3.9 percent for whites and poverty rates increased 7.9 percent for blacks and 5.1 percent for whites. By contrast, during the 1990s while trends were still similar, African-Americans saw tremendous progress. For the duration of the ‘90s expansion, real median household income grew by 23.6 percent for African- Americans and 13 per-
cent for whites while poverty rates declined by 30.6 percent and 17 percent, respectively. The State of Black America 2009 report notes that it will take more than just relying on the Obama administration to make a difference in urban America. While they should hold government officials accountable at all levels, individuals must participate in order for change to happen. “President Obama has stressed that change comes from the bottom up, not the other way around,” Morial said. “It is up to all of us – as citizens and advocates – to take a more active role in governance at all levels to make sure our voices are heard from City Hall to the State House to the halls of Congress to the White House.”
The Advocate 7
National News
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Black Publishers Celebrate Black Press Week at White House
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WASHINGTON (NNPA) “ A historic delegation of 50 Black publishers and their guests, who convened at the White House last week for a Black Press Week award to President Barack Obama and his family, received equal praise from the First Family for the work of the Black Press of America. It was a delegation of the more than 200-member National Newspaper Publishers Association, honoring America’s first Black President for his NNPA Newsmaker of the Year selection by awarding him with a book of front pages of Black newspaper from his historic Nov. 4, 2008 election. “The reason that I’ve been able and Michelle has been able to do what we’re doing is because of the extraordinary support and thoughtfulness with which you’ve covered our campaigns and our activities and so I am very thankful to you,” President Obama told the publishers during the ceremony in the State Dining Room March 20. “You are welcome in this house, the people’s house, and we are looking forward to continuing to spread, not just our stories, but the stories of struggle and hope and hardships that so many people are going through right now, making those stories real and putting a face to the numbers and statistics because that’s how we end up being able to inspire the country as a whole to make the kind of forward progress that we need.” It was a light-hearted atmosphere for the president and First Lady Michelle Obama, dealing with dire issues, as well as for the publishers whose daily lives are focused on the long-held mission of equal justice for African-American people. In remarks interrupted several times with cheers and applause, Obama and First Lady Michelle appeared genuinely touched by the magazine-styled book awarded to 8 The Advocate
them, by NNPA Foundation Chair Dorothy R. Leavell, publisher of the Chicago and Gary Crusader newspapers. NNPA’s Newsmaker of the Year is the highest annual honor bestowed during Black Press Week, the March, 16, 1827, birthday of the Black Press, now in its 182nd year. “We are so happy to be here and to also congratulate you “ and to let you know that we’ve got your back,” said Leavell as the room erupted with cheers and applause from the publishers. Leavell then gave the President and First Lady the 80-paged document titled, ‘’The Black Press Committed to the Cause’’. On the back of the book of Black Press front pages are the words of Anthony Newly and Leslie Bricusse’s song, “Feelin’ Good” as a reflection of how musical themes flowed throughout the campaign. The lyrics were part of an essay written
We hope you will enjoy looking at them,” Leavell said. “Well, that’s beautiful,” the President responded, flipping through the book as he asked First Lady Michelle to speak first. “This is such a special award,” she began. “When you’re in the middle of the news making, you don’t realize how much news you made until it’s over. But, this is very special coming from this organization, this membership because you’ve followed us through this journey. And to honor us as a family is what makes it special because you recognize that we have been going through this as a family, as a community and all of you know the ins and outs that come along with this.” This is the third Newsmaker award for President Obama. In 2005, he received it as a junior U. S. senator and rising star in Black America and in the Democratic Party. He received it again last year
President Obama kisses his Mother-in-law, Marian Robinson on inaugura�on day. She is credi�ed with helping to keep Michelle Obama calm. by former Gary, Ind. Mayor Richard Hatcher that was published in the Chicago Crusader. ‘’We want to honor you”
as a leading presidential candidate, poised to make history. Because he could not attend the annual gala due to Senate votes last year, he
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promised to receive the award at the White House if he won the election. Both his win and the award are now a part of historic record. Returning the honor, Michelle Obama stressed that the historic record of the plight of African-Americans have been kept all along in Black newspapers across America. “You know our story. Our images, our journey our path are not foreign to you. And we are reminded of that when we read our story in your stories. It feels different. I often say I finally recognize myself when I read your papers,” she said to applause. “On behalf of the Obama family, the girls and Grandma (her mother, Marian Robinson, who lives with the family), we thank you so much.” NNPA has approximately 215 members, but the White House limited the delegation to only 50 due to available space. Before greeting and shaking hands with each member of the delegation, the President drew laughter
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and applause during remarks in which he reflected on his three-time win of the award. “I just want to thank all of you for this extraordinary honor of being a newsmaker three times. I will try to be a little more low key for the next four years. I don’t want to be like a seven-time (loud laughter) ... because other people will feel left out,” he said. Obama said the award was “especially gratifying” because the whole family was being honored this time, including their daughters, Sasha, 7, and Malia, 10. He praised his wife for her part in helping the historic election to come to fruition. “I could not have done this without Michelle,’’ he said, calling her the foundation of the Obama family. ‘’Each and every day makes me realize how lucky I am [that she is] married to me,” he said. He added that the children bring light moments to his life that take the edge off of the daily grind of tough
issues. “After you’ve had a bad day, there’s nothing like coming home to Malia and Sasha and them telling you all kinds of strange things and you laugh and makes you appreciate why we do what we do,” he said. “It’s for the next generation and we couldn’t have done this without my mother-in-law. She keeps Michelle calm. And there’s that old saying, “When Mama’s happy, everybody’s happy,” he said as the publishers chimed in with the popular quote. “And so we try to keep Mama happy,” he said. The First Lady’s happiness is not only personal, but for the nation, she said: “Every day when I see his calm, his composure, his commitment to his staff, his ability to connect to so many communities in this time of crisis, I am more confident than ever that I would not want anybody else in this house in this seat at this moment in time than my husband, President Obama.” March 27, 2009
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by Hazel Trice Edney NNPA Editor-in-Chief
The Orlando Advocate
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Relationships You Are What You Like by G. Craige Lewis Gal. 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
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s I travel the country, I talk to lots of so called Christians. Many of them say things like.....”Christian gatherings are not as fun as the club or secular parties” or “ Christian music is not as good as secular music”. Well, God gave me a good reason why many of his people feel this way. It’s because Christian things are not in them!! What is the club and secular parties usually about? Let’s see, sex, adultery, fornication, bad language, immorality, homosexuality, lesbianizm, all kinds of sinful promotions. What about secular music? False god worship (india arie, jill scott, jayz, etc.), sex (tpain, lil wayne, r.kelly), drugs, violence, money glorification, etc.)
10 The Advocate
As a Christian Man or Woman, When Should You Walk Away from a Relationship? by Nicolle Williams
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hether dating two weeks or two decades, one of the most daunting decisions in life is whether to stay in a relationship when you are conflicted. It’s no wonder the choice to stay or separate causes so much inner indecision…especially for Christian men and women. Not only is it utterly life changing, particularly when the relationship is long term, but there are so many thoughts, emotions, and rationalizations that play into both staying put and walking away: We may feel guilt about leaving, fear of being alone, and conflicting feelings of love, anger, resentment, discontent, and every other sentiment under the sun. And that doesn’t even account for the practical considerations: Will I be okay financially? Who will maintain our mutual friends? And how will we share custody if kids are involved? For all these reasons, many people push the thought of leaving from their minds, instead resigning themselves to a life of less love, joy, and spiritual/personal fulfillment than they deserve. Therefore, my goal here is to give you some guidance if you are struggling with whether to stay in a relationship or move on. Of course only you know for sure what is really right. But, considering the following factors should help you come to an honest conclusion. You should probably walk if… There is any form of mental or physical abuse This one’s not a “should”; this is serious. You feel better about yourself when you are not with him or her You feel happier, more relaxed, or more at peace when you are not with him or her He or she does/says things that are just plain mean I’m not talking about standard fighting. Every couple will argue. I’m referring to the feeling you get when a person is truly unkind…or when they hit below the belt just to hurt you. You feel he or she weakens your bond with the Lord rather than strengthening it This can include criticizing your Christian beliefs, displaying dishonesty, or engaging in immoral behavior. You don’t get a warm, fuzzy feeling when you think about him or her You are not physically attracted to him or her Of course that initial giddiness will be replaced to some degree by a deeper, more calm connection. But when you don’t like the person’s touch, smell, or kiss, the chem-
istry is just not there…and there’s no way to make it be. You are embarrassed to have people meet him or her I’m not talking about needing the approval of others, or about stupid stuff, like that he is a fashion failure. I mean the hesitancy to introduce the person to friends or family because you know in your heart that they don’t treat you—or others—with respect. You feel in your gut that he or she does not treat you properly While there is a wide range of what constitutes treating a partner “properly,” when someone is not, you know. You feel you have settled Or you think about others often, wondering whether there might be a more suited man or woman out there. Your main reason for remaining in the relationship does not have to do with love In other words, you are staying put primarily because you feel guilty leaving, worry you won’t find anyone else you want, or worry you won’t find anyone else who wants you. You feel in your gut that the relationship is not right Again, go with your gut. If you have been feeling for a long time like you are not leading the life you were meant to live, it’s a good indicator that you should seek something else. Additional exercises for deciding whether to stay or separate In addition to going over the guidelines above, there are two imagination exercises that I feel are helpful in evaluating if a relationship is right. The first is taken from Re-
gina Marie Johnson’s February 2008 Regina Gets Real column: Whenever I have to make a decision between two options (including whether or not to continue seeing a person), I close myself off in a quiet room, sit in a comfortable position, and take a few deep breaths to get relaxed. Then, I first imagine/visualize I’ve already made a choice to go with option A (for example, continuing to date a certain man). I then sit with that scenario in my mind and pay attention to how I feel inside (in my stomach and spirit and to what happens to my anxiety level: Does it make me feel anxious or calm?) After about 5-10 minutes, I do the same with option B (here, imagining that I’ve decided to move on from that man). Again, I pay attention to the feelings in the pit of my stomach. More often than not, the choice becomes clear . . . even if it’s not the choice that will bring me immediate (and often false) gratification. The most important thing with this exercise is that you let go of your attachment to either outcome and that you don’t rationalize. If your gut feelings lead you to an answer you don’t want, there can be no, “Well, maybe that’s only because of . . ..“ For this to work, you mustn’t try to talk yourself into making the “easy” choice. The second exercise is a variation on the above. Follow the same procedure, but instead of imagining simply that you’ve decided to stay with the man or woman, imagine your life 10 years from now as if you are still with the same person…and things are as they are now in your relationship (which, most likely,
>>> March 27, 2009
<<< they will be). Try to fill in the picture as fully
as possible, and sit with that for a few minutes. Again, notice your feelings: Is this a contented, comforting scenario or does it create internal anxiety? Statistical support for finding your happiness however possible I know it to be true in my experience: Those people—especially women—who are either single or in happy relationships are much better off (emotionally, spiritually, and physically) than those in unhappy ones. Now, a Fox News article cites studies that support it. According to a July 2008 piece, both happily married women and single women with “strong social networks and bustling careers” scored high on a happiness scale. In fact, the article concludes that, “If you are in a bad relationship and are constantly
worried, it will literally make you sick, we can’t trick our bodies. If you’re unattached, surround yourself with supportive friends and continue to pamper yourself. It’s so important for you (whether married or single) to fight for your own happiness.” The final word In summary, God gave us our gut intuition. Why wouldn’t we use it in deciding whether a relationship is right? On one hand, you certainly shouldn’t make a rush decision (i.e. after you feel discontent for only a week or two); and always remember that even “perfect partners” bring with them baggage and irritating idiosyncrasies. But if staying with someone isn’t making you happy most of the time, your best bet is to move on. Most importantly, don’t cling too closely to any outcome: As the saying goes, “Let go and let God.”
in the Advocate
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Layover or Final Destination? By Karen Triche
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was asked how you know if you’ve found the “right” one. Here’s my reply: I don’t know when I fell in love with my husband, I can’t tell you the moment, but I probably still remember some of the times I wanted to throw in the towel, but I just couldn’t do it. He stayed in my heart and on my mind. I prayed, and asked the Lord to show me, and HE did. I saw God’s love in him, and somehow I knew that he was the one. When I think back, his good always out-weighed his bad. If you can be you, it’s probably good, if you’re mask sits on the shelf, more than your face, you’ve probably got something worth while, and if you’re equally yoked, you’ve probably got a keeper. Did you notice the probably, well I put that there so you’d understand that if all of those factors exist, there is still no certainty that the relationship will work. You may not have the right person yet, but you’re definitely in the right game. Remember, free will still exist. If you’ve found that you want the same things, at the same time, desire each other, and accept the fact that equally yoked does not mean equally purposed, you’re of sound judgment, and asking the right questions. If you have given conscience thought to who they are and who you are, and you know that saved
March 27, 2009
doesn’t equal go, you may have something there. If they, like you, are saved, he or she makes you laugh and you can talk for hours, have similar goals, likes and passion. If holding hands feels right and you feel safe, free and happy I’d go with it. But, still be prayerfully patient, and remember, that my husband and I had a lot of issues. He and I didn’t look good on paper. He wasn’t what I’d imagined, but was everything I’d prayed for. After dating for years, and being married for sixteen, he still makes me blush, and gets my attention when he walks in a room. He loves me, and I him. But all of that
took work, prayer, time, prayer, compromise, prayer, laughter, prayer, tears, mercy, grace and did I mention prayer? If you’ve got a “good thing”, and it’s difficult, hold on, nobody said it would be easy, but it’s definitely worth it. This time I listened, I looked and I was patient, yea, the biological clock was ticking, and I wanted children, but I’d been fast and wrong before. This time I wanted it all. I asked for a man who would love me for me, provide for me, and be my friend. I knew I wanted children so I asked for that too. I wanted children and wanted to be a father, and that’s what I got. Don’t seek just look for an image, money, or prestige, look for like, love, commitment, kindness, thoughtfulness, goal oriented, working mate, who plans for the future and lives for the Lord. The first time I didn’t think it through, nor did I pray and wait for an answer. He was my friend and should have never been my husband, now he isn’t either. I know how it is to be alone, I understand what it feels like when relationships aren’t working and you’re trying to hold on, or the pain from failures or loss makes you not want to try again. I’m here for you. If you’re at a crossroad I’m available. I’m here to answer your questions, deal with your scenarios or to just pray with and for you, I’ll respond. Remember, open your heart, He’ll bless you beyond what you can ever imagine.
Well, when we as Christians enjoy these things, what does it do to our spiritual walk? How close to God can we be embracing and accepting all the things that he said “would keep us from inheriting the kingdom?” Many times we are in constant relationship struggles, financial struggles, low self esteem and sin addictions, you name it, and we wonder why we can’t shake it or get free from it. Well, what you put into your mind is what you become. If you fill your spirit with the things of God, you will become Godly. But if you fill yourself with things of the devil, you will become devilish! If God is in you, God will request good things. But if the devil is in you, he will request evil things. Take a look at yourself. What kinds of things do you like? What kinds of things do you embrace? What do you feed your spirit? What does your inner man like to eat? Just think about it hard enough and I’m sure you can link your struggles to the content of your daily pleasures. I promise you, if you promote the righteousness of God in your life, he will show in your actions. And you will walk in the things he promised instead of in the consequences of a mind filled with sin. Suggested Reading: Luke 8:14, Rom. 1:32, Phil. 2:13, Heb. 11:25, www.exministries.com ©2009 G. Craige Works All Rights Reserved
The Advocate 11
What you can do to save money - and more Family Features
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ith the volatile economy Americans are looking for ways to lower energy bills and extend natural resources now more than ever. Because petroleum is ingrained in our everyday lives - from transportation and tires to computers and every day goods such as diapers - many Americans are interested in options that will help reduce dependence on foreign oil as well. Here are a few helpful tips to lower energy bills and increase energy efficiency both at home and at the pump. Don’t Warm Up Your Car The best way to warm your vehicle is to drive it. Idling gets you zero miles to the gallon. More than 30 seconds of idling on cold days wastes fuel and increases emissions. Conduct Regular Car Maintenance Simple things such as properly inflated tires can improve gas mileage by about 3 percent. Replacing clogged air filters can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. It also is important to use your car manufacturer’s recommended blend of motor oil. Using a different oil can decrease gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent. Fill Up With Ethanol Using gasoline with 10 percent ethanol is a key component to lowering high gas prices and stretching petroleum supplies. Experts recently noted that ethanol has lowered gas prices by 15 percent, saving drivers some $70 billion at the pump this year alone. The production of just one barrel of ethanol replaces 1.2 barrels of petroleum. In total, the use of ethanol in gas and E-85 will displace the equivalent of 52 large oil tankers filled with imported crude this year. The production of ethanol and the abundance of corn positions corn growers to lead America’s transition into a new era of energy based on alternatives to fossil and imported fuels. Check your owner’s manual to find out about ethanol usage. Hybrid or Flex Fuel Vehicles The interest in highly fuel efficient vehicles will not go away anytime soon. Save money at the gas pump and help the environment by investing in a hybrid or a vehicle that runs on E-85, an 85 percent ethanol blend. Buy Locally Grown Foods Support your local farmers by choosing local meat, milk and produce when possible to eliminate the costly transportation bill. Packaging, transportation, energy, advertising and profits account for 24 cents of the food dollar - energy costs have an even greater impact with high oil prices. Turn Your Home Off According to the United States Department of Energy, 75 percent of the electricity used in the average home is consumed while products are off. Unplug your appliances or use a power strip to cut off the electricity when you aren’t using it. Screen Savers Don’t Save Screen savers do not reduce the energy your computer uses. Instead, switch computers to sleep modes or simply turn off monitors to save energy. Set Your Thermostat at 68 For every degree you lower the thermostat in the 60 to 70 degree range, you’ll save 12 The Advocate
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
5 percent on your home’s heating costs. Set the temperature even lower at night to save an additional 5 to 20 percent. Use Fluorescent Light Bulbs Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs, which use 75 percent less energy than incandescent. Open the Shades Open the shades or blinds and let the sun shine in during the day to naturally heat your home. Don’t forget to close them at night to help insulate against the cold. Following these easy tips can help lower your energy bills and reduce our country’s dependence on foreign oil sources. March 27, 2009
Get the Facts on Ethanol
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The use of alternative energy is becoming more common in everyday life. Here are some facts to consider about one alternative source, ethanol. -America’s corn growers are harvesting the second largest crop in our nation’s history, which means there will be enough corn to meet demands for food, feed and fuel as well as enough to provide strong exports to other countries over the course of the year ahead. -U.S. growers will have reserve estimated at more than 1 billion bushels for other needs, as identified. -Ethanol production creates co-products called distillers grains that are a high-protein source of animal feed and produces starch and corn oil that are used as common food ingredients. -U.S. farmers harvest two kinds of corn, field corn and sweet corn. Field corn is used to produce ethanol. It typically isn’t eaten by humans in its raw form. Sweet corn is eaten as a vegetable. -Blending ethanol with gasoline extends gas reserves and
lowers the price at the pump by about 15 percent, according to industry experts. Plus, ethanol was selected as an important replacement for Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), a carcinogenic oxygenate in fuel. -The Environmental Protection Agency concluded that ethanol reduces carbon monoxide emissions by as much as 25 percent, reducing ozone formation and the levels of greenhouse gases. Ethanol is cleaner than gasoline and helps reduce global warming. -Many studies have shown ethanol provides 20 to 50 percent more energy than it takes to produce. This includes the energy needed to plant, grow and harvest the corn as well as to manufacture and distribute the ethanol. For more information, visit www.ncga.com/ FoodandFuel/FoodAndFuel.asp.
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Wellness Family Routines
Health Tips
Raising Children Network
R Dangerous
A Soft Drink
J
ust one can of the popular stimulant energy drink Red Bull can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, even in young people, according to Australian medical researchers. The caffeine-loaded beverage caused the blood to become sticky, a pre-cursor to cardiovascular problems such as stroke. “One hour after they drank Red Bull, (their blood systems) were no longer normal. They were abnormal like we would expect in a patient with cardiovascular disease,” Scott Willoughby, lead researcher from the Cardiovascular Research Centre at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, told an Australian newspaper. Red Bull is banned in Norway, Uruguay and Denmark because of health risks listed on its cans. The Austria-based company, whose marketing says “Red Bull gives you wings”, warns consumers not to drink more than two cans a day. But Willoughby said Red Bull could be deadly when combined with stress or high blood pressure, impairing proper blood vessel function and possibly lifting the risk of blood clotting. “If you have any predisposition to cardiovascular disease, I’d think twice about drinking it,” he said.
Don’t Skip Meals to Lose Weight
outines are how families organize themselves to get things done, spend time together and have fun. Every family has its own unique routines. Routines help family members know who should do what, when, in what order and how often. For example, your family might have: · daily routines for getting ready in the morning, bath time, bedtime and mealtimes, greetings and goodbyes · weekly routines for housework like washing and cleaning · yearly routines involving holidays and extended family get-togethers. It makes sense that family life could be chaotic without some routine. But research has shown that there is more to it than that. Routines let your children know what is important to your family. When they are highly meaningful, routines are sometimes referred to as rituals and these play an important role in strengthening shared beliefs and values, and building a sense of belonging and cohesion in families.
Routines are good for children
An organized and predictable home environment helps children feel safe and secure. Routines built around fun, play or time together strengthen relationships between parents and children. Reading a story before bed, for example, can become a special time you spend with your child. Daily routines help set our body clocks – for example, bedtime routines help children’s bodies to ‘know’ when it’s time to sleep. Routines are a way of teaching your child ways to stay healthy, like brushing teeth, exercising, or washing hands after using the toilet. If your child needs to take medicine regularly, having a routine for this will make sure you and your child are less likely to forget.
Routines are good for parents
Regular and consistent routines help parents feel like they’re doing a good job of being parents. When things are busy and hectic, routines can help you feel more organized
and more in control, which will make you feel less stressed. A routine will help you complete routine daily tasks efficiently. Routines take effort to maintain, but once established they will let you do things on ‘auto pilot’ so you can think about other things while you work. As children get better at following a routine on their own, you can give fewer instructions and nag less because each step of the routine prompts the next step. The routines adopted by families are as diverse as families themselves. Following are some routines you could consider.
Daily living
W
ing
hen you skip meals, two things happen. First, your metabolism slows down. Second, since your brain thinks that you are starving it will tell your body to store any food that it does receive in the form of fat. In other words, skipping meals = weight gain. The best thing you can do for your body, no matter what your goals are, is to begin each day with breakfast and eat a supportive meal or snack every 3 hours. This in turn will fuel your metabolism, provide you with an abundance of energy and allow your body to burn more fat 24-7. Week of July 12, 2008:
of a Stroke
14 The Advocate
Getting ready in the morn-
· Going to bed at night · Eating meals · Hygiene and health – for example, brushing teeth, washing hands · Using family resources like the computer and telephone · Pocket money, given at a regular time and day · Homework · Quiet time each evening · Hobbies · Sports/exercise
Household responsibilities
Reduce the Risk
A single serving of fresh fruit or vegetables every day appears to reduce by 40% the chance that you will have a stoke. The potassium, magnesium, and fiber that is found in fruit and vegetables work together to control blood
·
toys
·
Tidying up, looking after
· Caring for pets · Looking after clothes and laundry · Chores – for example, setting the dinner table, packing away, unpacking the dishwasher · Shopping Once this routine is established, it’s not the child’s option to change the routine.
March 27, 2009
DID YOU KNOW? * Even though you might sound like a broken record, when you stick to a routine and repeat requests consistently, you’re helping your child develop useful habits that mean boring tasks like teethbrushing start to become automatic. * Research has shown that routines have health benefits: children living in families who maintain regular family routines have fewer respiratory infections, and those they have tend to be shorter. There is still some conjecture about why. It might be that the routines contribute to healthy habits like washing hands which prevent transmission of germs that can cause illness, or that they help protect children against the kind of stress that suppress the immune system. * Some children need routine more than others. A child’s temperament plays an important role in how he responds to routine or the lack of it. Some easygoing children can go with the flow, and quickly adapt to a changing environment. Other children are more sensitive, and more easily upset and unsettled by changes to their daily patterns. The same can be said for parents. * Routines can really help children with disabilities, and can be even more important for children who find it hard to understand or cope with change.
Interacting and fun
· Greetings and goodbyes · Eating meals together · Regular play and talk times with a parent each day · Taking turns in talking with family members about their day · Special one-on-one time with a parent · Special weekly meals (such as pancakes on Sunday night or cooked breakfast Saturday morning) · Family days (family activity) · Family DVD nights · Family meetings · Annual events · Story time (book reading) March 27, 2009
Social, religious and cultural
· Regular ‘play dates’ · Regular contact with your extended family and friends · National/state/local celebration days, annual fetes or outings · Saying prayers · Observing religious events Try writing down what you do on a typical day: · Which things do you do regularly with your family? Look at each of these and ask yourself whether life would be easier and more enjoyable if it ran more smoothly.
· Could children and other family members be involved more? · Are there activities you would like to do but aren’t doing?
The Advocate 15
Creflo Dollar presents... Y
ou could call Heart of God, CHANGE a showcase of the diversity and the depth of artistry that rest under the auspices of Creflo Dollar’s Arrow Records. Featuring numerous artists who deliver their praise in various styles, the project flows smoothly under the production hand of Aaron Lindsey, who ensures that the project’s eleven songs are unified in overall purpose and musicality. The album leads off with the raucously delivered and live-recorded “I’m Free”, written by Lindsey and Jordan Dollar, with lead vocals from the gifted Jonathan Phillips. Rife with edgy guitars and a bumpy rhythm line, the song sets the tone for the rest of the project. On “Lay It Down”, Deleon Richards steps up to the mic and delivers a contrasting
s many have found in recent times, there are no longer any guaranteed jobs. What you would do if your circumstances dramatically changed? Are your spending habits out of control or are you spending according to priorities? Do you have an accurate picture of your financial situation? On Wednesday, April 8th, at 12:00pm Tom Hoisington, CLU, ChFC, FICF from Consumer Debt Counselors will give a workshop at the JFS Women’s Forum. The topic will be “Budgeting and Saving for Challenging Times.” Attendees will learn about financial goals and objectives, types of savings plans, and percentages of income to invest. Mr. Hoisington has 20+ years of experience in the financial industry, including cash flow Tom Hoisington, CLU, ChFC, FICF management and budgeting techniques. There is $5.00 charge and a light lunch will be served. RSVP’s are requested by April 6, 2009. If you would like to join us for the forum, please contact Marni S. Chepenik at 407-644-7593, ext. 227 to register. The Women’s Forum is sponsored by Jewish Family Services and funded in part by JFS’ Marcia Witten Memorial Fund.
16 The Advocate
Arrow Records : 2009
Review by Stan North, gospelflava.com
soft praise. “Vessel Unto You” features Elizabeth Curry on a beautiful piano-accompanied melody that is wrapped with backing vocals from a small ensemble. Minister Dorsey Hammond, whose music Dollar describes as “a propelling force of rhythmic and harmonic freedom that excites and challenges listeners to come into deep fellowship with God”, sings on songs such as “I Praise” and “Oh Lord Most High”. Using vertically-directed lyrics, Hammond succeeds in melding a contemporary vibe with soulful delivery. Other highlights on this project include Jordan Dollar on “That’s Why I Love You”, and Michelle Swift on “Voice Of God”. With authentic worship that spans barriers both cultural and musical, Heart of God: CHANGE is a project to embrace.
‘Budgeting & Saving’Women’s Forum at JFS A
Heart of God, CHANGE
Doctors Handcuffed By Government On Natural Remedies
A
s medical research continues to confirm that many natural remedies to common and sometimes catastrophic illnesses are safe and effective, many physicians find themselves in an untenable dilemma. While their Hippocratic Oath demands that they do no harm and are required to treat the patient in front of them regardless of the circumstances, they are prevented by law from recommending alternative natural therapies that may well help and even save many patients’ lives. The cause is a series of restrictions placed on them, and promoted vigorously by pharmaceutical companies who stand to lose millions if patients are guided toward non-pharmaceutical cures, according to Dr. Mary Zennett, author of Health For Us All: The Transformation of U.S. Healthcare, Third Day Press (www.healthforusall.com). She believes that we need to break the stranglehold placed on physicians, so that they can be true to their oath and help those patients for whom pharmaceuticals are not a solution. As medical science begins to accept the idea that natural remedies can be as effective, if not more effective, than pharmaceuticals, it seems the gap between those treatments and the patients who need them widen, according to Dr. Zennett. “Mainstream medicine may show considerable resistance; natural health followers are quite apprehensive about pharmaceuticals and the mainstream health care system as a whole,” she said. “Thus, we have two completely separate and distinct worlds of health care that rarely communicate and collaborate with each other. Yet patients are seeking this integration, from their doctors and from the health care system as a whole.” Moreover, there are many patients who can’t take pharmaceuticals because the side effects are too strong, or because they are taking other medicines that don’t interact well together. In many cases, the use of natural remedies may represent the only relief they will ever feel from their symptoms. “How can we claim to have the best
healthcare in the world when so many patients have to do without, simply because a powerful special interest group – pharmaceutical companies – are able to strong-arm the government into preventing doctors from even talking about them?” Dr. Zennett asked. “It seems like shades of George Orwell’s 1984 when the government can control what honest professionals are even allowed to say. It needs to end.” With the price of healthcare rising, and a strong push for healthcare reform moving through the oval office and Congress, there has never been a more conducive environment for the adoption of natural remedies into mainstream medical care, Dr. Zennett added. “Skyrocketing healthcare costs and shrinking federal reserves make wellness, prevention and natural health very appealing to legislators as US health care reform debates gear up for after the Presidential inauguration,” she said. “Bipartisan support of preventative medicine is favorable thus far, and is quite promising. Yet, competing interests and influences are positioned to threaten natural health inclusion in the US health care equation unless WE the people take a stand and make our voices heard.” Dr Mary Zennett, MD, MBA in Health Care Administration, has been a practicing psychiatrist of 22 years. Founder of National Alliance for Health Reform, she is committed to mobilizing a grassroots movement of citizens committed to patient centered, cost effective health reform that incorporates wellness and prevention. Mother of 2 young adult sons, she is committed to reforms that will improve quality of life for the next generations. Her motto is Patients First!
March 27, 2009
Opinions/Commentary/Forum Vantage Point
Dr. Ron Daniels
A
s it became increasingly clear that Barack Obama was poised to make history as the first African American President of the United States, it was also clear that this was potentially a big moment for the progressive movement - a time to articulate a vision for a new America and to organize to advance an agenda for reform and fundamental change. As the Obama presidency unfolds, the question is whether the progressive movement is prepared to seize the opportunity presented by this remarkable moment in history. In my view, the major theme of America’s history is the perpetual struggle to define the ultimate nature of “a more perfect union.” When George W. Bush proudly proclaimed himself a “strict constructionist” during his campaign for President in 2000, he was associating himself with a political tendency within the conservative movement that has sought to narrowly/literally interpret the Constitution in ways that would restrict democracy to White men with property, power and privilege. Indeed, the system which was birthed in 1787 was essentially “democracy for the few,” with women, Blacks, Native Americans and White men without property excluded from the franchise. The fate of the infant nation was placed in the hands of White men with property. The genius of the Constitution, however, is its “elasticity.” Through social and political movements, it can be stretched or constricted to include or exclude constituencies and categories of rights based on how it is interpreted. Historically, arrayed against the strict constructionists has been liberal-leftprogressive movements which have sought to stretch the Constitution to include those initially locked out and to expand civil liberties, civil and social rights in the quest to achieve a “more perfect union.” The Bill of Rights to the Constitution, the abolition of slavery, women’s suffrage, anti-trust laws and other statutes regulating business/corporations, labor rights, the reaffirmation of civil rights for Blacks and minorities, expansion of rights for women, consumer protection, environmental protection and recognition of rights of lesbian and gay people are a direct legacy of women and men, Democrats, Republicans, Socialists, Communists, independents, elected and non-elected leaders - the liberal-leftprogressive forces that have struggled to expand democracy. Taken together with the social safety network created during the New Deal and expanded by subsequent moderate-liberal administrations, a fragile March 27, 2009
The Obama Presidency Will Progressives Offer a Vision For a More Perfect Union? “culture of rights” was emerging to protect workers, poor people and the middle class against the rapacious nature of unbridled Capitalism. With the election of Ronald Reagan, a strict constructionist, we witnessed the opening salvo in the strategic effort by the conservatives to turn back the clock, to reverse the minimal gains achieved by liberal-left-progressive forces as a result of generations of hard fought, often bloody struggles. With the firing of members of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Association (PATCO), Reagan declared outright war on labor while unabashedly advocating economic policies to benefit corporations and the wealthy. He launched a ferocious attack on affirmative action and race based remedies and began the process of undermining the culture of rights by ripping huge holes in the social safety net. Reagan gained substantial popular support for his anti-labor and pro-corporate policies by persuading a sizeable segment of the American electorate that social programs were a heavy burden on the backs of the people. Employing race as a tactic to divide and exploit, there was the suggestion that Blacks and minorities were the exclusive beneficiaries of social programs. The rise to hegemony of the right gained momentum in 1994 when Republicans took control of both Houses of Congress. The rightward tide was so strong that Bill Clinton governed as a centrist who embraced some of the Republicans’ flagship initiatives, e.g., downsizing government, ending “welfare as we know it” and lobbying for the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The march to rightwing supremacy was consummated with the seizure of power by George W. Bush in the flawed 2000 election - ushering in one of the most reckless, corrupt, greed driven and dangerous eras in American history. Consequently, in my mind, there was no doubt that defeating the forces of the right was an absolute imperative in the 2008 election. The first order of business was to stop the damage and create space for progressives to maneuver. That an African American named Barack Obama was capturing the imagination of the nation and the world with his pledge to bring “Change” we could believe in was all the more promising. However, we should never have had any illusions that Obama was committed to or could by himself have the capacity to foster the kind of major reforms and fundamental change progressives would
The Gavel Support Healthcare Initiatives
T
Judge Greg Mathis
Three very powerful U.S. Congressmen are working together to create a bill that would, if passed, result in a large and historical overhaul of the nation’s healthcare. This partnership doesn’t guarantee the bill will get past Congress – many Republicans balk at the idea of ‘universal healthcare’ - but it is a step in the right direction. This kind of cooperation is needed if America is to make bold, much needed changes. As citizens, we must do all we can to support their efforts. 47 million Americans do not have health insurance. Seemingly minor illnesses escalate and turn into medical emergencies because the patient can’t afford a visit to the doctor. Families go bankrupt after an illness – and the resulting medical bills – cripples their finances. And some die because they couldn’t access quality care. Congressmen George Miller and Henry Waxman of California and Charles B. Rangel of New York are aware of the challenges the nation’s uninsured face. The men believe that most employers should help pay for their employee’s medical coverage. They also feel the government should offer a public health insurance plan for those who don’t have private insurance. It is these beliefs that fuel their efforts to produce a comprehensive health care bill. In the 1990s, then first-lady Hillary Clinton, at her husband’s urging, tried to work with legislators to create a plan that would provide healthcare for all citizens. Unfortunately, the political climate wasn’t ripe for such broad reform. Critics, then and now, say such a system would be too expensive and put too large a burden on the government and taxpayers. Universal healthcare does come with a high price tag. But it also comes with huge cost-savings
and benefits for everyone involved. A plan that emphasizes and promotes preventative care could dramatically cut spending on emergency care, which is much more expensive. Employers will see a reduction in the number of days an employee misses work due to a medical emergency. The government would see a decrease in the amount of money it puts into Medicaid and Medicare, two very expensive budget line items. Patients will receive treatment before an illness progresses to a critical stage and would receive tips on how to improve their health overall, all without worrying about how to pay for it. Children, the elderly and people of color are certain to win if universal healthcare moves from fantasy to reality. Members of these groups are far more likely to be un- or underinsured and are most at risk for experiencing financial hardship following an illness or dying because they didn’t have access to quality healthcare. A comprehensive system that guarantees health coverage for all would mean that everyone, regardless of their age, ethnicity or economic background, can go to a doctor when they need to. President Obama supports healthcare for all and is highly likely to support this bill. But first, it has to get past Congress. Write and call your U.S. Senator and Congressman, share your frustrations with the current healthcare system and ask them to support the three Congressmen in their efforts to revamp it. We have never had a better opportunity to make such a change. Let’s take advantage of it.
envision for a new America. This is not to say that what President Obama is doing is insignificant. The policy recommendations he is advancing mark a decided shift from the catastrophic policies of the Reagan-Bush era. But his incremental approach lacks an overarching vision and the bold policy prescriptions necessary to expand the culture of rights severely constricted by the reign of the conservatives. At a time when the Republicans, with their mascot “Joe the Plumber,” are accusing President Obama of leading the nation down the path to Socialism or the “Europeanization” of America, progressives should be seizing the opportunity created by the greatest crisis since the Great Depression to educate the American people about the urgent need for far ranging and fundamental
change. But, progressives seem locked in a mode of critiquing and refining Obama’s incremental agenda. This may be due to the utter relief of being rid of the horrific years under George W. Bush. However, relief from Bush is not enough. Now is the time for the progressive movement to boldly articulate its vision and program for a more perfect union. If we fail to act, we may miss our moment! Dr. Ron Daniels is President of the Institute of the Black World 21st Century and Distinguished Lecturer at York College City University of New York. His articles and essays also appear on the IBW website www.ibw21.org and www.northstarnews.com. He can be reached via email at
[email protected].
Judge Greg Mathis is national vice president of Rainbow PUSH and a national board member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
The Advocate 17
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18 The Advocate
March 27, 2009
First Lady Breaks Ground for White House Garden
GenmaHolmes:Roland Martin’s Interview with Ben Jealous
Roland Martin, political correspondent for CNN By: Darlene Superville, and The Associated Press Tom Joyner Morning WASHINGTON - TwentyShow, insix elementary schoolchilterviewed dren wielded shovels, NAACP’s rakes, pitchforks and CEO Ben wheelbarrows to help first Jealous lady Michelle Obama break about the ground on the first day of law suit spring for a produce and against herb garden on the White Wells Fargo House grounds. and several Crops to be planted other banks in the coming weeks on for instituthe 1,100-square-foot, tionalized L-shaped patch near the racism. Mr. fountain on the South Jealous Lawn include spinach, addressed broccoli, various lettuces, the records kale and collard greens, that banks assorted herbs and bluemust make berries, blackberries and public about raspberries. their lending ratios. Jealous stated that many of the blacks There will also be a applicants were put in subprime loans that actually qualibeehive. fied for conventional loans. Jealous also stated that African “We’re going to try to American were target specifically for this type of discrimimake our own honey here as well,” Mrs. Obama told First Lady Michelle Obama helps break ground on the White House kitchen garden, natory practices. I read the lawsuit several times prior to my posting the fifth-graders from Ban- with kids from Bancroft Elementary School. (AP) several weeks ago but I thought it would be interesting to croft Elementary School in pull out several key points of the lawsuit to further expand Washington before they on my original post. got to work on Friday. The school has its own community Obama recently helped serve lunch. The suit states: garden. Assistant chef Sam Kass said the garden will exist year 5. Wells Faro Bank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Home The students will be brought back to the White House round, and the crops will change with the seasons. next month to help with the planting, and after that to help He gave no estimate on how much produce the garden Mortgage, Inc target the African American community by harvest and cook some of the produce in the mansion’s would yield, but said, “It should be quite a bit, if we’re capitalizing on their relative lack of experience in dealing with banking institutions and mortgage loans. Upon inforkitchen. The first harvest is expected by late April. lucky.” Mrs. Obama said her family has talked about plantMrs. Obama, who has spoken about healthy eating, mation and belief, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and Wells Fargo ing such a garden since they moved to the White House said the garden’s purpose is to make sure her family, White Home Mortgage, Inc. are aware of the African American in January. House staff and guests can eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Community’s susceptibility to predatory lending practices, After she spoke, the students were paired off and She said she has found that her 10- and 7-year-old daughters but nonetheless engage in policies and procedures that they know will result in African Americans being steered toward handed a gardening tool. The first lady joined - first with like vegetables more if they taste good. a shovel, then a rake - and together they began pulling up “Especially if they were involved in planting it and less favorable loans. 6. Indeed, in 2006, the Center for Responsible Lending, the grass, dumping it into wheelbarrows and depositing the picking it, they were much more curious about giving it a a non-profit research organization, found that even when contents in a central location. try,” she said. “Are we done yet?” Mrs. Obama jokingly said at one Such a White House garden has been a dream of noted income and credit risk were accounted for, African Ameripoint. “I want to plant. Let’s harvest something.” California chef Alice Waters, considered a leader in the can were still 31% to 34% more likely to receive higher When finished, the students sat at three picnic tables movement to encourage consumption of locally grown and rate subprime loans, and that the disparities between them for treats of apples, apple cider and cookies baked in the organic food. She has lobbied the White House to plant such and Caucasians with the same risk factors were “large and statistically significant.” shape of a shovel. a garden for more than a decade. These particular points intrigued me more so than othSome of the produce from the garden will be served in “Fresh, wholesome food is the right of every Amerithe White House, including to the First Family and at official can,” Waters said. “This garden symbolizes the Obamas’ ers in light of recent charge to hold folks Accountable by Tavis Smiley. Again this is not a personal attack of Tavis, functions. Some crops also will be donated to Miriam’s commitment to that belief.” only a charge to him to do his research and get back to the Kitchen, a soup kitchen near the White House where Mrs. community that he often admonishes to educate ourselves on the issues, to know all the facts, and to dig deeper in our pursuit of being empowered. Section 11. states The NAACP brings this class action lawsuit seeking declaratory and injuctive relief based upon Sometimes it takes a change of scenery this in mind, we have been working with companies, bring your re- the Fair Housing Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and to create excitement, provoke action and local leaders, government officials, finan- sumes and also bring hard the Civil Rights Act. create opportunity. That is the reason we cial institutions and community advocates hitting questions, ideas and moved our April job fair to Orlando’s his- to bring together a job fair EVENT. an open mind to learn new The schedule is as follows: toric Plaza Theatre. We are bringing in new methods, tactics and hacks 10:15 - 11:00 ‘Looking for a Job in the to find jobs, networking light to our job fairs, based on feedback from job seekers, companies and looking at other Current Economic Climate’ opportunities and career im11:00 - 1145 ‘Personal Branding and provements. events and tactics that can help you find a new job, career or educational opportunity the Power of the Internet’ by Mark KruFor more information pinski to improve the value of your life. on the job fair, please send 11:45 - 12:30 ‘State of the City’ (pre- an email to greg.rollett@em The event will take place on Thursday, April 16th from 10am - 2pm and will not sented by a City or County Government ploymentguide.com and I will only include some great local companies, Official) do my best to get it answered 12:30 1:15 ‘Navigating as quickly as possible. but also high level speakers, presenters and workshops to enhance your job seeking ex- EmploymentGuide.com and its Suite of More updates, compaperience far beyond this one day event. We Web Sites by Patrick O’Brien’ nies and information can be 1:15 - 2:00 ‘Advanced Tactics for On- found at orlando.employmen all understand that looking for a job is like a full time job, and one day at an event is not line Job Seekers’ by Greg Rollett tguide.com. Please come prepared to meet with the end all be all for most job seekers. With Participants at the Orlando Fall Job Fair.
April Job Fair at the Plaza Theatre
March 27, 2009
The Advocate 19
INDEX
100 LEGAL NOTICES 110 ADOPTIONS 112 ANNOUNCEMENTS 115 ANTIQUES 120 AUCTIONS 130 BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES 135 EDUCATION 140 FINANCIAL 145 FINACIAL SERVICES 150 FOR SALE/RENT 160 HEALTH & MISC. FOR SALE 170 HELP WANTED 180 LEGAL SERVICES 190 MISCELLANEOUS 200 SUPPLIES 205 PET SUPPLIES 210 MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE 220 REAL ESTATE 223 RVs/TRAILERS 225 STEEL BUILDINGS 228 Vacations/ Resort Rentals 227 WEDDINGS/PERSONAL 229 WANTED TO BUY 230 YOUR AD COULD BE HERE
100 Legal Notices NOTICE OF ACTION BEFORE THE FLORIDA BARBERS’ BOARD IN RE: The practice of barbering Jessica Rodriguez d/b/a Cuttin’ It Up 5545 International Drive Orlando, FL 32819 CASE NO.: 2008015296 LICENSE NO.: BS1078528 The Department of Business and Professional Regulation has filed an Administrative Complaint against you, a copy of which may be obtained by contacting, Jamie Duran, Office of General Counsel, Department of Business and Professional Regulation, 1940 North Monroe Street, Suite 33, Tallahassee, FL 32399-2203, (850) 487-9651. If no contact has been made by you concerning the above by May 8, 2009 the matter of the Administrative Complaint will be presented at a hearing pursuant to 120.57(2), F.S. before the Florida Barbers Board. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons needing a special accommodation to participate in this proceeding should contact the individual or agency sending notice not later than seven days prior to the proceeding at the address given on notice. Telephone: (850) 257-6097; 1-800-9558771 (TDD) or 1-800-9558770 (v), via Florida Relay Service. Pub 3/27/09 4x
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NOTICE OF ACTION The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles Car Depot Leasing Inc. Case No. DMV 09-0310 “The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has filed an Administrative Complaint against you, a copy of which may be obtained by contacting the Division of Motor Vehicles, 2900 Apalachee Parkway, Room A-308, MS-61, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0500 or by calling (850) 617-3006. If you fail to file an elections of rights with the Department by May 8 th, 2009 in the manner stated in the Administrative Complaint, you will waive your right to dispute the allegations in the Administrative Complaint and the Department may enter a Final Order imposing an administrative fine or revoking or suspending your license.” Pub 3/27/09 4x SOLICITATION FOR BIDS The Orange County Board of County Commissioners is soliciting bids (IFB) and proposals (RFP) for a variety of goods and services, construction, and architectural/engineering services. Interested parties may receive documents via the internet at orangecountyfl.net. A list of open solicitations is also available on the County’s Bid Hotline at (407) 8360011, or view Orange TV, TWC cable channel 9. NEW FEATURE: Visit our web site (orangecountyfl.net)* and sign up for electronic notification of County solicitations. On the web site, select Services Online and click on Vendor Registration System. For assistance, please email
[email protected] or call (407) 836-5635. Pub 1/2/09 - 3/27/09
20 The Advocate
Notice
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NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.:2009-DR-003958 ANA JOHNSTON Petitioner and CHRISTOPHER ROBERT JOHNSTON, Respondent To: CHRISTOPHER ROBERT JOHNSTON, ADDRESS UNKNOWN YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for Dissolution of Marriage, including claims for dissolution of marriage, payment of debts, division of real and personal property, and for payments of support, has been filed against you. You are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to this action on JANE E. CAREY, ESQUIRE, Petitioner's attorney, whose address is Ashford-Gainer Bldg., 905 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL 32804, on or before April 30, 2009 and file the original with the Clerk of this Court at Orange County Courthouse, 425 North Orange Avenue, Orlando, FL 32804, either before service on Petitioner's attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the Petition. WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings. Dated March 16, 2009 LYDIA GARDNER CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT by Leslie Clements Deputy Clerk Pub 3/20,3/27/09 4x
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NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE
NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE
NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE
NOTICE OF ACTION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE EIGHTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR SEMINOLE COUNTY, FLORIDA
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA
CASE NO.: 09-DR-635-02D-L ORETHA JONES WATKINS, Petitioner and TERRY DEAN WATKINS, Respondent
Case No.: DR09-2914 ACQUANETTA C. BUFFORD, Petitioner, and STEPHEN A. CHARLES, Respondent
Case No.: DR09-003538 ANDREA HARRIS-WATKIN, Petitioner, and MARVIN WATKIN, Respondent
Case No.: 2009-DR-003538 ANDREA HARRIS-WATKIN Petitioner, and MARVIN WATKIN, Respondent
TO: STEPHEN A. CHARLES To: TERRY DEAN WATKINS, ADDRESS UNKNOWN ADDRESS: UNKNOWN
TO: MARVIN WATKIN ADDRESS UNKNOWN
TO: MARVIN WATKIN ADDRESS UNKNOWN
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that an action for Dissolution of Marriage has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to the Petitioner, ACQUANETTA C. BUFFORD, whose address is 2648 RENEGADE DRIVE, APT. 206, ORLANDO, FLORIDA 32818, on or before April 9, 2009, and file the original with the Clerk of this Court at 425 N. Orange Avenue, Room 320, Orlando, Florida 32801 before service on the Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in Copies of all court docuthe Petition. ments in this case, including orders, are available Copies of all court docuat the Clerk of the Circuit ments in this case, includCourt's office. You may ing orders, are available review these documents at the Clerk of the Circuit Court's office. You may upon request. review these documents You must keep the Clerk of upon request. the Circuit Court's office notified of your current You must keep the Clerk of address. (You may file the Circuit Court's office Notice of Current Ad- notified of your current dress, Florida Supreme address. (You may file Court Approved Family Notice of Current AdLaw Form 12.915.) Future dress, Florida Supreme papers in this lawsuit will Court Approved Family be mailed to the address Law Form 12.915.) Future on record at the clerk's papers in this lawsuit will be mailed to the address office. on record at the clerk's WARNING: Rule 12.285, office. Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires cer- WARNING: Rule 12.285, tain automatic disclosure of Florida Family Law Rules documents and information. of Procedure, requires cerFailure to comply can result tain automatic disclosure of in sanctions, including dis- documents and information. missal or striking of plead- Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including disings. missal or striking of pleadDated March 11th, 2009 ings. MARYANNE MORSE, CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT Dated February 25th, 2009 LYDIA GARDNER, CLERK COURT OF THE CIRCUIT COURT by Nancy R. Winter by Marc LaRusso Deputy Clerk Deputy Clerk Pub 3/13,3/20,3/27/09 4x Pub 3/13,3/20,3/27/09 4x
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that an action for Dissolution of Marriage has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to the Petitioner, ANDREA HARRISWATKIN, whose address is 8508 VALENCIA VILLAGE LANE, #103, ORLANDO, FLORIDA 32825, on or before April 23, 2009, and file the original with the Clerk of this Court at 425 N. Orange Avenue, Room 320, Orlando, Florida 32802 before service on the Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the Petition.
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that an action for Dissolution of Marriage has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to the Petitioner, ANDREA HARRISWATKIN whose address is 8508 VALENCIA VILLAGE LANE #103, ORLANDO, FLORIDA 32825 on or before April 23, 2009, and file the original with the Clerk of this Court at 425 N. Orange Avenue, Orlando, Florida 32801 before service on the Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the Petition.
Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court's office. You may review these documents upon request.
Copies of all court documents in this case, including orders, are available at the Clerk of the Circuit Court's office. You may review these documents upon request.
You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court's office notified of your current address. (You may file Notice of Current Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed to the address on record at the clerk's office.
You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit Court's office notified of your current address. (You may file Notice of Current Address, Florida Supreme Court Approved Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in this lawsuit will be mailed to the address on record at the clerk's office.
WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings.
WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain automatic disclosure of documents and information. Failure to comply can result in sanctions, including dismissal or striking of pleadings.
Dated March 9th, 2009 LYDIA GARDNER, CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT by Lakeysha West Deputy Clerk
Dated March 9th, 2009 LYDIA GARDNER, CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT by Lakeysha West Deputy Clerk
Pub 3/20,3/27/09 4x
Pub 3/13,3/20,3/27/09 4x
YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action has been filed against you and that you are required to serve a copy of your written defenses, if any, to it on ORETHA JONES WATKINS, whose address is 477 HIDDEN MEADOWS LOOP # 207, FERN PARK, FLORIDA 32730 on or before April 15, 2009, and file the original with the Clerk of this Court at 301 North Park Avenue, Sanford, Florida 32771 before service on the Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the Petition.
March 27, 2009
100 Legal Notices
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE NINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, IN AND FOR ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO.: 2009-CP-0000007-O PROBATE DIVISION IN RE: THE ESTATE OF DAVID E. JOHNSON Deceased. NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATION The administration of the estate of DAVID E. JOHNSON, deceased, Case is pending in the Circuit Court for Orange County, Florida, Probate Division, the address of which is 425 N. Orange Ave, Orlando, Florida 32801. The name and address of the personal representative and the personal representative’s attorney is set forth below. ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE NOTIFIED THAT: All persons upon whom this notice is served who have objections that challenge the qualification of the personal representative, venue, or jurisdiction, of this Court is required to file their objections with this Court WITHIN THE LATER OF THREE MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All creditors of the decedent and other persons having claims or demands against the decedent estate on whom a copy of this notice is served within three months after the date of the first publication of this notice must file their claims with this Court WITHIN THE LATER OF THREE MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE OR THIRTY DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF A COPY OF THIS NOTICE ON THEM. All other creditors of the decedent and persons having claims or demands against the decedent’s estate must file their claims with this court WITHIN THREE MONTHS AFTER THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE. ALL CLAIMS, DEMANDS AND OBJECTIONS NOT SO FILED WILL BE FOREVER BARRED The date of first publication of this Notice is March 20, 2009. Attorney for Co-Personal Representatives John D. Ellis, Jr Co-Personal Representatives Shelia Dianish Walker 1002 Fullwood Ave Crescent City, Florida 32112 Marcella J. Matherson 1075 Monk Ave Plymouth, Florida 32768 Law Office of John D. Ellis, Jr., P.A. P.O. Box 1161 Orlando, Florida 32802 (407) 894-1441 FBN: 0854565 Published 3/20, 3/27/09 2x
March 27, 2009
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The Advocate 21
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22 The Advocate
March 27, 2009
High Seas!
HARD
Across 1: In mourning 4: ‘Don’t cry over ___ milk’ 9: Following 14: Start to mature? 15: Craft entered gingerly 16: Ring-tailed animal 17: Historical period 18: Door attachment 19: Later showing 20: Good judgment 23: Like any number finishing with ‘9’ 24: Preserve, as fodder 25: Annie Oakleys 27: Lowlife 28: ‘All the world’s a ___’ (Shakespeare) 30: One-edged sword 33: Bird balker 37: Have markers out 38: Shellfish 39: Shrill bark 40: Make laws 43: Religious song 45: Puts the kibosh on 46: Navigator’s need 47: Some public transportation employees 50: Go by
54: PC bailout 55: Piercing 59: Paints amateurishly 61: Undemocratic law 62: Carp constantly 63: Block house? 64: Go along 65: Garbage bag closer 66: Honeydew, for one 67: Equals 68: Trite Down 1: Spot to park 2: Gas used in arc welding 3: Judges 4: Master of a research discipline 5: Like a wincer’s expression 6: Roadside stops 7: Theater section 8: Adolescent 9: Land area 10: Dr. No, to Bond 11: Edible tubers 12: Piano practice piece 13: Orange exteriors 21: Cats’ prey 22: Practices punching
Puzzles, Crosswords & Toons
26: Brief time, briefly 28: Improvises like Ella 29: Unresisting 30: Helios, to the Romans 31: Electrify 32: Solicit alms 33: Masher’s comeuppance, maybe 34: Scandinavian rug 35: Coat of many colors? 36: Secretary’s stat 38: Carbon copy 41: Mao follower? 42: Greg Brady, to Carol 43: Hard and soft mouth parts 44: Tiff 46: ‘Moon River’ lyricist 47: Lower, as a light 48: English class concern 49: Racing shell 51: Mottled mare 52: Slow critter 53: Urged (on) 56: Tide type 57: Upper hand 58: Word before irons or chains 60: Haunting sound
Cryptogram
Sudoku
OK, you asked for this! Now, break the code. Remember, single letter and two-letter words are the easiest. Letters don’t change. If “Z” represents “A” in one word, it will do so in all words! Answer is at bottom of page. Don’t peek unless you absolutely have to!
H EWURSW R JDXAWZZHXIRY AHZNWDSRI, EKM BHZUXOWDWB MNRM H UXKYBI’M YHOW XI SC IWM HIUXSW.
Word Search
Alarm Heat Rescue Blaze Helmet Safety Bravery Hose Siren Burn Hydrant Smoke Detector Inferno Station Emergency Ladder Uniform Extinguisher Net Volunteer Fire Paramedic Window Hat Pump
Here’s how to do a sudoku puzzle: Each puzzle is separated into 9 squares with 9 spaces in each square. Solve the puzzle by filling in the open spaces with “missing” numbers so that when you finish, each column and row contains every number from 1 to 9. (In column 1 for instance you see the numbers 1, 2, 7 & 9) Each number 1 to 9 can only appear one time in each column, and only 1 time in each row, AND only one time in each of the 9 squares. Have fun.
I BECAME A PROFESSIONAL FISHERMAN, BUT DISCOVERED THAT I COULDN’T LIVE ON MY NET INCOME
Cryptogram answer:
FIREMAN
exercise your numbers side
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BackPage the Orlando Advocate
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: CELEBRATING THE ACCOMPLISMENTS OF WOMEN OF ALL AGES
March 27, 2009
AIDS in Black America Out of Control
AIDS was first identified in the USA in 1981. The epidemic has now spread to every part of the USA and to all sectors of society. It is thought that more than one million people are living with HIV in the USA and that more than half a million have died after developing AIDS. American HIV surveillance data are not comprehensive so many statistics must be based on reports of AIDS diagnoses. In interpreting such AIDS statistics, it is important to remember that they do not correspond to new HIV infections. Most people live with HIV for several years before developing AIDS. People living with AIDS At the end of 2007, the CDC estimates that 468,578 people were living with AIDS in America, around 20,000 more than 2006. This number includes all people who have ever been diagnosed with an AIDS-defin-
ing condition and are believed to be alive, including many people who have recovered their health by taking antiretroviral therapy. Chart “A” shows the ethnicities of these people, revealing that black Americans have been disproportionately affected. Chart “B”below shows how adults and adolescents (aged 13 and over) living with AIDS most likely became infected with HIV. Just over 75% of adults and adolescents living with AIDS are men. An estimated 3,792 children aged under 13 were living with AIDS at the end of 2007. The vast majority of
these children acquired HIV from their mothers during pregnancy, labour, delivery or breastfeeding. People with AIDS are surviving longer and are contributing to a steady increase in the number of people living with AIDS. This trend will continue as long as the number of new diagnoses exceeds the number of people dying each year.
AIDS diagnoses and deaths In June 1981, the first cases of what is now known as AIDS were reported in the USA. During the 1980s, there were rapid increases in the number of AIDS cases and deaths of people with AIDS. Cases peaked with the 1993 expansion of the case definition1, and then declined. The most dramatic drops in both cases and deaths began in 1996, with the widespread use of combination antiretroviral therapy. Since 2000 the annual numbers of AIDS diagnoses have been relatively constant, with an estimated 37,041 in 2006. In total, an estimated 1,051,875 people have been diagnosed with AIDS in America. The death rate among people with AIDS has also remained relatively stable in recent years; there were an estimated 14,561 deaths in 2007. Since the beginning of the epidemic, an estimated 583,298 people with AIDS have died in the USA. Who is affected by AIDS? During the 1990s, the epidemic shifted steadily toward a growing proportion of AIDS cases among black people and Hispanics and in women, and toward a decreasing proportion in MSM, although this group remains the largest single exposure group. Black people and Hispanics have been disproportionately affected since the early years of the epidemic. In absolute numbers, blacks have outnumbered whites in new AIDS diagnoses and deaths since 1996, and in the number of people living with AIDS since 1998. The age group 35-49 years accounted for around half of all AIDS cases diagnosed in 2007. Around two-thirds of all people who have died with AIDS did not live to the age of 45.
A
HIV statistics At the end of 2007, the
CDC estimates that there were 571,378 people living with HIV/ AIDS in the 39 states and dependent areas that have a history of confidential name-based HIV reporting, based on reported diagnoses and deaths2. However, the total number o f people living in the USA with HIV/AIDS is thought to be around 1.1 million3. In the 34 states with a history of confidential namebased reporting, adult or adolescent males accounted for nearly three-quarters of new HIV diagnoses, more
“Arou n all pe d two-third s o died w ple who h of a it live to h AIDS did ve n the ag e of 45 ot .”
B
than two-thirds of whom were infected by male-tomale sexual contact. Heterosexual contact accounted for 83% of diagnoses among women and 14% among women. Injection drug use was the transmission route in 10% of male and 16% of female diagnoses in 2007. HIV was diagnosed in 159 children in 2007, all but 20 who became infected by mother-to-child transmission. Recent HIV reports represent a mixture of people with recent infection and others who may have been infected in the past but are only now being diagnosed. Among men who have sex with men, there has been a steady rise in new infections since the early 1990s. Interpreting HIV & AIDS statistics for the USA In recent years, the use of antiretroviral therapy has slowed the progression of HIV in many infected persons and hence contributed to a decline in AIDS incidence. B u t d bin a y despite the a g progress, “Black n and Black me there is as of sexual g devn i e yet no cure for b e ar AIDS. women AIDS.”
by HIV/ astated in Fenton ev -- Dr. K
o r l a n d o a d v o c a t e . c o m