The Westside Gazette

THURSDAY, MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2024
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PERMIT NO. 1179
A mother’s love is like no other... cherish yours.
Facing Unchecked
Syphilis Outbreak,
Great Plains Tribes
Sought Federal Help.
Months Later,
No One Has Responded.
PAGE 10
VOL. 53 NO. 14 $1.00
Remembering
Our Purpose
A Tribute to
James Alfred
Washington
By Bobby R. Henry, Sr.
While in Dallas to memorialize our
dear friend, James Washington, my
visit routinely found me engaged in
stimulating conversations as I saw old
friends and met new ones.
The common thread in all these
conversations was the future or the
plight of America’s Black Press. While
I said the common “thread”; it would be
more appropriate to label it the common
“lament.”
EVERYBODY I spoke to agreed that
the “old liberating voice” of the Black
Press is needed now - more than ever! For
too long others believe they can speak for
us.
There was unanimous support for the
need to rekindle the Spirit evident in our
documentary “Soldiers Without Swords,”
to report the news “without fear or favor”
and use the pages of our newspapers
to “Light the Road to Freedom.” We
cannot afford - literally - to fail heeding
Frederick Douglass’ admonition that
“Power concedes NOTHING without a
DEMAND!”
So, I start my “demand” brothers and
sisters of the NNPA-the Black Press of
America, with US. We must invigorate
the content in our pages. As the one true,
trusted source of news and information
expressly for the benefit of Black People,
we have no choice but to draw on the
giant historical reservoir filled with the
ink (and blood) of those publishers whose
memories we laud and cherish.
(Cont’d on page 12)
Simon Hankinson, senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation; Briana
Whatley and Clea Conner, CEO of Open to Debate.
FAMU Receives $237M Gift from
the Issac Batterson 7 th Family Trust
and CEO Gregory Gerami
Submitted by
FAMU Public Relations
Florida A&M University (FAMU)
received a $237.75 million gift from
the Issac Batterson 7th Family Trust
and Chief Executive Officer Gregory
Gerami to support student success
initiatives and athletics.
The donation is nearly double
the size of the FAMU Endowment
value - $121 million - and represents
one of the largest single personal
donations to a Historically Black
College and University (HBCU). It
also reflects Gerami’s desire to make a
transformational contribution that will
benefit FAMU students and student-
By Sylvester Robinson
Ms. Briana Whatley, a junior
from Miramar High School, won
the 2024 Incubate Debate National
Championship, claiming first place
and a $10,000 prize. The competition
was held in Jacksonville, Florida
on April 5 - 6, 2024. Briana debated
against 88 other high caliber
students from across the nation.
Incubate National Championship
is provided by Incubate partner
Open to Debate, the nation’s only
nonpartisan, debate-driven media
organization dedicated to bringing
multiple viewpoints together for a
respectful exchange of ideas.
During the Incubate Debate
Championship SSE exercise,
participants physically indicated
the strength of their beliefs by
standing on set positions and
moving from one to another
as their viewpoints shifted.
Congratulations are extended to
Briana Whatley on her outstanding
achievement! Winning the Incubate
Debate National Championship
is a remarkable feat, especially
given the high level of competition
and the complex topics debated.
(Cont’d on page 2)
GERAMI
athletes for generations to
come.
“This gift is breathtaking in
its generosity and its scope.
It changes the narrative
about what is possible for
FAMU. I cannot thank
Gregory Gerami and the Issac
Batterson 7th Family Trust
enough. Their names are
now etched into the annals
of Florida A&M University
in perpetuity,” said FAMU
President Larry Robinson,
Ph.D. “This donation will
(Cont’d on page 10)
A MESSAGE FROM
THE PUBLISHER
Why Not
Try Love
There is no fear in love. But
perfect love drives out fear,
because fear has to do with
punishment. The one who
fears is not made perfect in
love. I John 4:18 (NIV)
By Bobby R. Henry, Sr.
In the journey of life,
we often find ourselves
struggling with new anxieties
that arise from the process of
growth or the consequences of
our past choices. This journey
can sometimes feel like
navigating through a maze of
uncertainties, where even the
concept of time, influenced
by human constructs like
Daylight Saving Time, seems
perplexing and unpredictable.
During seasonal
transitions, frustrations often
abound, leading us to rely
on seemingly imaginative
predictions like groundhogs
to forecast the weather ahead.
Yet, amidst these twists and
turns, the act of breaking
new ground for personal or
collective growth is rarely a
smooth transition. It often
involves upheaval and
disruption, both externally
and internally. However,
if this process leads to a
spiritual or moral renewal,
as preached in Psalm 51:10,
“God, create a pure heart
in me, and make my spirit
strong again,” then it brings
about a profound sense of
peace and fulfillment.
Sometimes, finding
relief from our struggles
(Cont’d on page 11)
Workers vote on union
representation May 13-17
at Vance. Ala factory.
Mercedes
Benz Line
Against
Worker
Uprising
May Slip
By Pat Bryant*
A big battle between
workers at Mercedes
Benz Vance plant near
Tuscaloosa, Ala and its
German employer is about
to come to a head. Voting
(Cont’d on page 6)
DeSantis Signs Teacher Preparation Restrictions
By Ryan Dailey and Jim Turner
©2024 The News Service of Florida. All rights
reserved; see terms.
TALLAHASSEE --- Gov. Ron DeSantis on
Thursday signed bills that include seeking to prevent
“indoctrination” in teacher-training programs and
beginning to allow credit unions to hold state money.
The teacher-training bill (HB 1291) was one of
the most-controversial education issues of this year’s
legislative session, which ended March 8. It seeks to
prevent “identity politics” from being included in teacherpreparation
programs at colleges and universities.
DeSantis said the measure, which will take effect
July 1, “prohibits the indoctrination” of prospective
teachers.
“The Legislature on this looked at it and said,
‘We don’t want these teacherpreparation
programs to become
captive to some political agenda,’”
DeSantis said during a bill-signing
Continue reading online at:
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Thursday
May 9 th
Fri
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The Westside Gazette Newspaper
@TheWestsideGazetteNewspaper
WESTSIDE GAZETTE IS A MEMBER:
National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)
Southeastern African-American Publishers Association (SAAPA)
Florida Association of Black Owned Media (FABOM)

son - Photo credit: cnn.com
PAGE 2 • MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2024
n Unveils New
ng Student Loan
elief Measures,
sing 3.7 Million
eneficiaries
NNPA NEWSWIRE — If you always do
things for your child, and always tell them
what to do, they will not be able to make
their own decisions and learn how to be
ncing the
ncellation
al 74,000
wers. The
ributes to
g relief the
s provided
.7 million
lier this
ounced the
mentation
ion under
Voluntary
E) plan,
inistration
.6 million
canceling
bt. Biden
s to create
e student
What Do Kindergarten Teachers
Mean By “Ready for School?”
loan repayment structure
while providing life-changing
support to students and their
families.
“Today, my administration
approved debt cancellation
for another 74,000 student
loan borrowers across the
country, bringing the total
number of people who have
had their debt canceled under
my administration to over 3.7
million Americans through
various actions,” Biden said
in a statement on Jan. 19.
The beneficiaries of the latest
round of relief include nearly
44,000 teachers, nurses,
firefighters, and other public
service professionals who
independent. One good rule of thumb for
parents of toddlers: whenever possible, avoid
doing things for your child that they can do
on their own.
By Kristen J. Amundson
At this time of year, many preschool
parents are worrying about whether their
child will be ready for kindergarten. What are
the things their child should learn? Do they
need to make alphabet flash cards? Invest
in worksheets so kids can practice math. I
talked with kindergarten teachers to find
out what they think kids need to know to be
kindergarten ready. You may be surprised:
Readiness for school, teachers say, does not
mean that your child will have mastered all
the kindergarten skills on Day One. Instead,
it means that your child will take pleasure in
learning how to do things on their own.
One kindergarten teacher said to me, “I
can teach kids their ABCs. I can’t teach them
—at least not very efficiently—to help them
get along with others and to understand that
they aren’t going to get their own way all the
time in school.” If you always do things for
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior
National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
In a profound address at Voorhees
University’s 127th Commencement, National
Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)
President and CEO and civil rights leader
Dr. Benjamin Franklin Chavis Jr. delivered
a powerful message of hope, resilience, and
social responsibility to the graduating class of
2024.
The NNPA is the trade association of the
250 African American-owned newspapers
and media companies that comprise the
Black Press of America. David Miller, the
Bethune-Cookman University
celebrated a significant day of unity
and service on Thursday, Jan. 18,
at the Michael and Libby Johnson
Center for Civic Engagement
(CCE). This momentous occasion
brought together students, faculty,
staff, alumni, and friends to
commemorate the University’s
recent accomplishment – securing
the fourth position in Home
Depot’s prestigious “Retool Your
School” competition and receiving a
substantial $60,000 grant dedicated
to campus enhancement.
Despite cooler temperatures and
overcast skies, the collective spirit
prevailed as almost 135 participants,
led by Home Depot Daytona Beach
Store Manager Therese Watson-
Murray, joined forces in yesterday’s
successful effort. Their mission
was ambitious, involving projects
ranging from assembling bookcases
and indoor-outdoor dining sets to
constructing arcade games, foosball
tables, basketball hoops, hockey
sets, and table tennis tables. Even
adverse weather conditions couldn’t
a red elephant.
deter their dedication, with the only
have earned forgiveness after
a decade of dedicated service.
Additionally, close to 30,000
individuals who have been
in repayment for at least
20 years without receiving
relief through income-driven
repayment plans will now see
their debts forgiven.
publisher of Our Weekly newspaper in Los
Angeles, serves on the board at Vorhees.
“One historical note: this year marks the
197th year of the Black Press since the first
publication of Freedom’s Journal in March
of 1827,” Chavis remarked. “All across the
nation, we are reporting and highlighting the
achievements and graduations of students
who have triumphed at historically Black
colleges and universities (HBCUs).”
A class of 75 graduates, a host of faculty,
and guests gathered at the Leonard E.
Dawson Health and Human Resources
Center, where Dr. Chavis emphasized the
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
stripping the basketball court – a minor hiccu
more favorable weather prevails.
Dr. William Berry,
www.thewestsidegazette.com
Provost and Acting Pre
expressed excitement and gratitude, stating, “
excited about this project and grateful to all tho
The Westside Gazette Newspaper is honored to feature these editorial contributions made by local students.
After being found in contempt,
prosecutors presented a crucial piece of
evidence detailing the mechanics of hush
money payments allegedly orchestrated
by Donald Trump. The focal point was a
bank statement, elucidating the financial
intricacies behind these payments. This
revelation marked a significant turn in
legal proceedings, shedding light on the
alleged efforts to silence individuals with
whom Trump purportedly had affairs.
your child, and always tell them
The bank statement served as a
what to do, they will not be able
tangible link, providing insight into the
flow of funds and the parties involved in
to make their own decisions and
the transactions. Prosecutors argued that it substantiated their claims of Trump’s involvement in
learn how to be independent. One
orchestrating these payments, potentially implicating him in legal jeopardy.
good rule of thumb for parents of
This development intensified scrutiny surrounding Trump’s actions during his tenure
toddlers: whenever possible, avoid
as President, raising questions about potential violations of campaign finance laws
doing things for your child that they
and ethical standards. The presentation of the bank statement added weight to the
can do on their own.
prosecution’s case, prompting further investigation into Trump’s financial dealings
Kindergarteners are expected
and potential legal consequences.
to take responsibility for their
As the legal battle ensued, the revelation of this crucial evidence underscored
belongings. They put their lunch
the gravity of the allegations against Trump and the significance of uncovering the
box in the right place. They hang up
truth behind the hush money payments.
their coat. During the day, they use
the restroom and wash their hands
By Layla Davidson *photo credit: cnn.com
by themselves. In the cafeteria,
children must put the straw in their juice box or
open the milk carton. They must get the foil on Follow the rule that teachers use when
top of the applesauce. “The whole first month they are teaching a new skill:
“They need my help retying them. If I have
in the cafeteria, we’re helping children learn to First, I do.
25 students, that’s 50 feet. And at 30 seconds
open things,” one teacher said. “They’re always Then we do.
per shoe tie, that’s 25 minutes a day I’m not
surprised that ketchup packages have a little line Then you do.
teaching them letters or numbers or how to
that shows you where to tear to get the ketchup
get along with others,” she said. That doesn’t
out.” So, teach your child how to do those things Whether it’s shoe tying or making a mean children have to be able to tie their
before the first day of school.
sandwich, start by showing your child what shoes before they start kindergarten. “Just
Let your toddler eat (and accept that mealtime to do. Then practice the same skill together, put them in different shoes,” the teacher
will be messy and s-l-o-w, at least at first). Let working side by side. Finally, let your child wisely advised. And really, just reread that
young children choose what they want to wear— do it alone, first while you watch and then part about shoelaces that have dragged on
and relax if they choose to wear the polka-dot shirt independently. And let me just say one the kindergarten restroom floor ending up in
with the checked pants. Encourage them to use word here about shoes—the bane of every the child’s mouth. You’ll probably keep your
the crayons they want to use in their coloring book kindergarten teacher. Shoelaces do not stay kid in Velcro shoes until they’re 20.
and do not be surprised if you see a purple horse or tied. “They drag on the floor. They drag
NNPA President Dr.
Benjamin F. Chavis Jr.
Inspires Graduates
with Powerful
Commencement
Address at Voorhees
University
“Voorhees University has come a mighty
long way since the university was first
founded back in 1897 by The Honorable
Elizabeth Evelyn Wright,” said Dr.
Chavis, who also received an honorary
Doctor of Environmental Justice from
Vorhees following the ceremony. “We
are all blessed to be gathered together
here at this providential moment, and I
pray that my remarks will encourage you
to keep pressing forward.”
participated in the vote for B-CU. These enhanc
will help create more vibrant and engaging spa
our students to retreat on campus for a brain b
find inspiration through the downtime.”
Home Depot’s “Retool Your School” pr
established in 2009, has been a beacon for positive
providing over $9.25 million in campus impro
grants to Historically Black Colleges and Univ
(HBCUs). Beyond the competition, the Office of
across the restroom floor. They go into kids’
Continue reading mouths,” online a kindergarten at: thewestsidegazet
teacher told me.
Biden credited the success
of these relief efforts to the
corrective measures taken
to address broken student
loan programs. He asserted
that these fixes have removed
barriers preventing borrowers
from accessing the relief they
were entitled to under the law.
College
Prep
Word of
the Week
The president outlin
broader achievements
administration in sup
students and bor
including achieving th
significant increases
Grants in over a decade
Continue reading onl
thewestsidegazette.
quiescen
volatile
[
(VAH-lun-tl)
kwee-es-uhnt, kwahy- ]
adjective - evaporating rapidly. 2 tending or threatening to
break out adjective into open violence; explosive 3 changeable
HOW TO USE QUIESCENT I
SENTENCE
HOW TO USE IN A SENTENCE:
being at rest;
The stock
inactive
marking
or
can be very It’s volatile. possible that other volcanoe
The motionless; protests are increasing, quiet; creating still: a volatile long situation quiescentperiods in the capital. may also
quiescent mind.
subtle but protracted warning p
as well.
List compiled by Kamar Jackson, Dillard High Freshman
Miramar’s Great Debater from Front Page
success is a testament to her
hard work, critical thinking,
and effective communication
skills. The fact that she
tackled pressing issues like
China-Taiwan tensions,
climate crisis, and college
diversity programs shows her
dedication to engaging with
important social and political
issues. The recognition and
$10,000 award are welldeserved,
and we wish her
all the best in her future
endeavors!
The esteemed judging
panel included Bill de Blasio,
former New York City Mayor;
Stephen Adoli, director of
admissions at the University
of Austin; Peter Boghossian,
founder of the National
Progress Alliance.
Simon Hankinson,
senior fellow at the Heritage
Foundation; and Clea Conner,
CEO of Open to Debate.
“This is our best
tournament yet,” said James
Fishback, president and
founder of Incubate Debate.
“These students and the
rounds they delivered were a
model of civil, unbiased and
intellectually stimulating
debate. I am incredibly proud
of these exceptional young
minds.”
This
amazing
achievement culminated in
Briana presenting Miramar
High Principal, Winfred
Porter, with the National
Championship plaque
recognizing Miramar High
School as the home of the
2024 Incubate Debate
National Champion.
Congratulations Miramar
Patriot Nation and Ms.
Briana Whatley!
Miramar High Principal,
Winfred Porter and Briana
Word S
List Co
by Ka
Jack
Fresh
at Di
High S

www.thewestsidegazette.com
Deeply Rooted
MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2024 • PAGE 3
By Jim Saunders
©2024 The News Service of Florida.
All rights reserved; see terms.
TALLAHASSEE — With a law now
in effect preventing abortions after six
weeks of pregnancy, Florida healthcare
regulators Thursday released
emergency rules related to treating
medical conditions that pose dangers to
the lives of pregnant women or unborn
children.
The state Agency for Health Care
Administration published two rules
that apply to hospitals and abortion
clinics. The rules came a day after the
six-week law took effect, significantly
restricting abortion access in the state.
Regulators focused on certain
medical conditions that might occur
after six weeks of pregnancy and “can
“We are determined to close
the FAFSA completion gap,”
declared U.S. Deputy Secretary
of Education Cindy Marten.
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior
National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
With escalating
concerns surrounding
the tumultuous rollout of
the new Free Application
for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA), the U.S.
Department of Education
has announced an
initiative to provide muchneeded
support to students
and families navigating
the complex financial aid
landscape.
“We are determined to
close the FAFSA completion
gap,” declared U.S. Deputy
Secretary of Education
Cindy Marten. The
initiative comes against
the backdrop of frustration
and uncertainty among
applicants, as technical
glitches and bureaucratic
hurdles have plagued
the application process,
leaving many students in
limbo.
The U.S. Department
of Education’s multimillion-dollar
investment
in the FAFSA Student
Support Strategy is a
testament to its proactive
approach. The strategy
aims to boost completion
rates and empower various
organizations, which
would now be equipped to
expand advisory services
and extend support
hours, including evenings,
weekends, and summer
weeks, making them feel
valued and integral to the
process.
Additionally, the
initiative would facilitate
Donald Trump and Kanye West
meeting in October 2018.
Official White House photo.
State Issues Abortion Rules
present an immediate danger to the
health, safety and welfare of women
and unborn children in hospitals and
abortion clinics,” according to the rules.
Those conditions are “premature
rupture of membranes,” commonly
known as a pregnant woman’s water
breaking prematurely; situations when
prematurely ruptured membranes
cause doctors to induce births and babies
die; ectopic pregnancies; and treatment
of what are known as trophoblastic
tumors.
The rules involve record-keeping
and reporting about the treatments.
One of the rules requires hospitals to
have written policies and procedures
about maintaining records related to
treating the conditions. It also includes
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U.S. Department of Education Acts to Ease
FAFSA Woes Amidst Rising Concerns
submission clinics and
enhance communication
channels, providing
vital assistance to
applicants and their
families, particularly
those from marginalized
communities. “The
funding
we’re
announcing today will
support states, districts,
and community-based
groups to ensure that
every student who needs
help paying for college
turns in their FAFSA
form,” Marten affirmed.
The Department’s
efforts come at a critical
juncture, as students
across the country grapple
with the repercussions of
delayed aid packages and
uncertainty surrounding
By Ryan Dailey
college decisions.
Kenneth Seinshin, a
17-year-old from New
York City, recounted
his arduous journey
through the FAFSA
process, highlighting the
stress and frustration
experienced by many
applicants. “The whole
process just really
stressed me out,”
Seinshin lamented
to a New York Times
reporter.
Similarly, Clover
Schwalm, an 18-year-old
from Michigan, shared
her concerns with the
newspaper about making
college decisions without
complete financial
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
Graduation Events Draw
Security, Advisories
State university system Chancellor Ray Rodrigues
issued a memo about preventing disruptions of
graduation ceremonies.
©2024 The News Service of Florida. All rights
reserved; see terms.
TALLAHASSEE — Some Florida state universities have
ramped up security and issued advisories for graduation
ceremonies, amid an already heightened police presence on
campuses because of a wave of student protests.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrations stemming from the war
between Israel and Hamas have led to the arrests of dozens of
protesters on at least three Florida university campuses this week.
With graduation ceremonies in the coming days or underway,
some schools have reported increased security and signs detailing
what is and isn’t allowed at commencement events.
University system Chancellor Ray Rodrigues on Monday
issued a memo to presidents of the 12 state universities, urging
them to “protect the integrity of our commencement ceremonies
and ensure the safety of our students.”
“No commencement ceremony should be canceled, or
substantively modified, as a result of unruly demonstrators. These
ceremonies are important milestones for our graduating students,
and we owe it to our students to see to it that these ceremonies
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
Wake Up, Black Voters
Don’t Let Trump’s Lies Fool You
There is data that shows that the Democratic candidate for
president over the last five presidential elections since 2000
has averaged 90% of the Black vote with an average of only
8% for the GOP candidate. In addition, the overwhelming
concern of most Black voters continues to be race and
racism with a particular aversion to the reprehensible and
duplicitous Trump who has shown repeatedly that he is an
instigator of racial hate. Any relationship he has with Black
voters has been deceptive and disingenuous.
By Donald M Suggs | Word in Black
Diversity Dilemma:
Kim Godwin’s Exit from
ABC Sparks Debate on Black
Leadership in Television News
Godwin’s departure,
a surprising turn of
events, comes on the
heels of Disney’s recent
appointment of a veteran
executive to oversee
ABC News, a move that
effectively diminished
her authority within the
organization. Despite
having recently extended
her contract, Godwin’s exit
raised urgent questions
about the representation of Black leaders in television
news.
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior National Corres.
@StacyBrownMedia
Kim Godwin, a trailblazing figure as the
president of ABC News and the first Black
woman to lead a major network news division,
has unexpectedly resigned, leaving a significant
void in the ongoing struggle for diversity in media
leadership.
Godwin’s departure, a surprising turn of events,
comes on the heels of Disney’s recent appointment
of a veteran executive to oversee ABC News, a
move that effectively diminished her authority
within the organization. Despite having recently
extended her contract, Godwin’s exit raised urgent
questions about the representation of Black
leaders in television news.
In an earlier statement, Godwin expressed
optimism for the future, stating, “There is more
work to be done. Now let’s get to it.” She did,
however, emphasize the value of putting her
family first in a memo to staff that the Wall Street
Journal was able to obtain. She described her
departure as a challenging but necessary decision.
“Anyone who’s passionate about what we do
knows there’s no other business like it, so this
was not an easy or quick decision,” Godwin wrote.
“But after considerable reflection, I’m certain it’s
the right one for me as I look to the future and
prioritize what’s most important for me and my
family.”
Significant difficulties existed during Godwin’s
time at ABC News, including a notable incident
involving two daytime television hosts and
internal conflicts within the network. Despite
these formidable obstacles, Debra OConnell, the
executive appointed above Godwin, acknowledged,
and praised her substantial contributions to the
network.
Godwin’s journey in the media underscores
RODRIGUES
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
The fact that exit polls showed that Donald
Trump received 9% of the Black vote in 2016, the
highest number since George Bush in 2000, and then
won 12% in the presidential race in 2020 should be a
cause for concern.
Moreover, some recent polls surprisingly showed
that if the presidential election was held today,
17% of Black voters say they would vote for Trump,
and even more troubling, 20% say they would vote
for someone other than either Trump or President
Biden.
Black voters have been the largest and most
loyal voting bloc for Democrats for years, but there
has been a shift in the number of Black voters who
consider themselves Democrats.
That trend could be explained partially by a
number of younger Black voters with no direct
experience with the civil rights movement. They have
scant knowledge and no direct personal memory.
They feel disappointed with Democrats and the
Biden administration and seem willing to consider
Trump despite his blatant and toxic racial baggage.
This disconnection with the Democratic party
is felt most strongly with some young Black males,
many in critical battleground states like Michigan,
Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and
North Carolina where Democrats need every vote.
Most of these states have large concentrations of
Black voters in their urban areas. This is a special
issue in potentially close races like this one because
the Electoral College gives Republicans a massive
advantage in federal elections. This system allows
them to govern with a minority of the popular vote.
However, there is also data that shows that the
Democratic candidate for president over the last five
presidential elections since 2000 has averaged 90% of
the Black vote with an average of only 8% for the GOP
candidate. In addition, the overwhelming concern of
most Black voters continues to be race and racism
with a particular aversion to the reprehensible and
duplicitous Trump who has shown repeatedly that
he is an instigator of racial hate. Any relationship
he has with Black voters has been deceptive and
disingenuous.
Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of Black
voters cannot be bamboozled or deceived because we
know the record of his stance on healthcare with his
recent attacks on Obamacare, opposition to greater
diversity in the workplace and efforts to restrict
our voting rights as well as his racist, conspiracist
“birther campaign” that sought to undermine the
then-president, Barack Obama.
Still, we can’t simply ignore the reports that
Trump is possibly making inroads with Black voters
while Biden is losing support from us. Granted polls
have been shown not to be reliable predictors of what
Black voters will do. Actually, our biggest worry
should probably be third-party voting (third party
presidential candidates have no chance of winning.
This is a binary election and only a Democrat or
Republican can win) and potential voter apathy,
despite the high stakes in this contest to determine
whether Donald Trump is elected again.
Clay Cane, a Sirius XM radio host rightly said
that the 2024 presidential election is not just a choice
between the lesser of two evils, but this is an election
to see if we can stop Trump and his pernicious plans
to institute a future dictatorship to carry out his vile
policies. A Trump victory would be a grave threat to
the well-being of Black Americans for certain.
In any case, the Democratic party must recognize
the seriousness of the disenchantment of many Black
voters who don’t feel motivated to make it to the polls
and campaign more directly and intentionally in our
community.
Furthermore, we ourselves must make an
unprecedented and determined push to get to the
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com

PAGE 4 • MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2024
Westside Gazette Calendar
of Events
Deeply Rooted
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BROWARD MIAMI-DADE
AND PALM BEACH
COUNTIES
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PLACED ON THIS PAGE
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Libraries' Tameka Hobbs Named a 2024 Library Journal
"Mover & Shaker"
- Awards honor innovative, inspiring library professionals -
BROWARD COUNTY, FL - Broward
County Library Regional Manager
Dr. Tameka Hobbs has been
named a 2024 "Mover & Shaker"
by Library Journal, one of 50 library
professionals nationwide selected
for this honor. This annual award
recognizes emerging leaders who
are moving libraries forward for
the next generation.
Since joining Broward County
Libraries Division in November
2022 as the Regional Manager of the African American
Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC), Hobbs, a
historian, author, researcher, social justice activist and educator,
has developed or reimagined library initiatives that
promote and celebrate Black culture and history.
These include coordinating the launch of free Black history
"Saturday School" classes at Broward County Library
and "Celebrating Freedom & Florida," a three-day program
series in May linking Haiti and Florida's emancipation
holidays via free lectures, cultural performances and children's
activities. She has been instrumental in AARLCC's
participation in the 20th of May Digital History Project, an
online portal featuring historical documentation and narrative
interpretation of Florida's emancipation holiday, including
a Before Juneteenth: Emancipation in Florida mini
documentary.
"We are delighted that Library Journal has recognized
Dr. Tameka Hobbs as one of their 2024 Movers & Shakers,"
says Broward County Library Director Allison Grubbs. "She is
a champion for equitable access to library resources, and
her passion for African American history fuels her commitment
to ensuring everyone in our community feels welcome
and empowered to explore our collections."
Prior to joining Broward County Library, she served as Associate
Provost for Academic Affairs at Florida Memorial
University and their founding Director of the Social Justice
Institute. Before that, she was Director of Projects and Programs
for the John G. Riley Center and Museum in Tallahassee,
Florida, and Program and Education Coordinator
for the Library of Virginia in Richmond
The author of Democracy Abroad, Lynching at Home:
Racial Violence in Florida (2015), Hobbs won the 2015 Florida
Book Award for Florida Nonfiction and the 2016 Harry
T. and Harriette V. Moore Award from the Florida Historical
Society.
The 2024 Movers and Shakers, showcased in Library
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
Food Pantries
Broward County Emergency Food Pantries. Please see below
for a list of the Emergency Food Pantries and Soup Kitchens
available in Broward County.
NORTH BROWARD
*All Saints Catholic Mission,
3460 Powerline Rd., Fort
Lauderdale, FL 33309 (954)
801-8283. Father Bob: (954)
319-3514, Soup Kitchen: Daily,
2 - 3:30 p.m., Food Pantry:
Daily, 4:30 pm
*Christ Church—Blessings
Food Pantry, 201 NE 2nd
Street, Pompano Beach, FL
33060 (954) 771-7300. Food
Pantry call for Details.
*Cokesbury United Methodist
Church, 1801 NW 65th
Ave., Margate, FL 33063
(954) 972-3424
Food Pantry, Margate Residents,
call for Details.
*Haitian Evangelical Baptist
Church,153 NW 12th Street
Pompano Beach, FL 33060
(954) 479-7113. Food Pantry
Each Tuesday from 9 a.m. to
2 p.m.
*Our Father's House Soup
Kitchen, 2380 Martin Luther
Blvd.,Pompano Beach, FL
33061(954) 968-7550. Soup
Kitchen & Food Pantry,
Lunch Mon-Fri., from 11 a.m.
to1:30 p.m.
*Atlantic Baptist Church,
4850 West Atlantic Blvd,
Margate, FL 33063 (954)
974-8900.
Church, 801 SE 10th Street-
Deerfield Beach, FL 33441
(954) 428-8980. Food Pantry:
Mon, Wed, Fri., from 10:30
a.m. to 2 p.m.
*Gateway Community Outreach,
291 SE 1st Terrace,
Deerfield Beach, FL 33441
(954) 725-8434. Fax: (954)
725-8436. Homeless Prevention
& Food Program
Food Pantry—Must call before
coming to Food Pantry
location.
*Hopewell Missionary Baptist
Church, 890 NW 15th St.,
Pompano Beach, FL 33069
(954) 943.2141.Food Pantry
call for details.
*The Blessings Food Pantry
100 NE 44th St., Pompano
Beach, FL 33064 (954) 943-
0404. Food Pantry, by Appointment
only.
SOUTH BROWARD
Pentecostal Gospel Temple
Ministries, 900 S State Rd., 7
Margate, FL 33068 (954) 979-
9999. Food Pantry
from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (M-
Th).
*Temple Beth Orr, 2151 Riverside
Drive, Coral Springs,
FL 33071 (SW corner of Riverside
Drive and Royal Palm
Blvd on the north side of the
building) (954) 753-3232 Fax:
(954) 753-2559 Food Pantry,
Tue: 10 am - 12 pm
*St. Ambrose Catholic
Church, 380 S Federal Highway
Deerfield Beach, FL
33441
CENTRAL BROWARD
*Bethel Worship Center,
6060 Kimberly Blvd., North
Lauderdale, FL 33068 (954)
972-3321Food Pantry. Call
for Details.
*Christian Love Fellowship
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Deeply Rooted
MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2024 • PAGE 5
New Mammogram Guidelines: Breast Cancer Screening Should
Start at 40, Expert Panel Says
By Maggie O’Neill
Fact checked by Nick Blackmer
Maggie O’Neill is a health writer and
reporter based in New York who specializes
in covering medical research and emerging
wellness trends, with a focus on cancer and
addiction. Prior to her time at Health, her work
appeared in the Observer, Good Housekeeping,
CNN, and Vice. She was a fellow of the
Association of Health Care Journalists’ 2020
class on Women’s Health Journalism and 2021
Jessie Trice Community Health System
Recognizes National Nurses Week
Submitted by
Luisa Martinez
MIAMI, FL – National
Nurses Week, observed from
May 6 to May 12, is a time
designated by the American
Nurses Association to honor
the vital role nurses play in
providing quality patient care
and promoting community
health. The Jessie Trice
Community Health System
(JTCHS) proudly joins the
American Nurses Association
and the numerous healthcare
organizations across the
country in honoring the
tireless efforts and dedication
of nurses.
This year’s theme,
“Nurses Make the
Difference,” highlights
nurses’ compassionate and
nurturing nature in all
healthcare environments.
“Nurses are the heart and
soul of our healthcare system,”
said Ryan R. Hawkins,
President and CEO of
JTCHS. “Their unwavering
commitment to patient care,
the compassion and resilience
they demonstrate every day
inspires us all. We deeply
appreciate their dedication
and hard work.”
The Jessie Trice Com-
munity Health System
salutes all nurses nationwide
for their exceptional service
and dedication. Happy Nurses
Week!
The Jessie Trice
Community Health System,
Inc (JTCHS) is one of Miami-
Dade County’s preeminent
federally qualified community
health centers, governed
by a remarkably dedicated
Board of Directors (51%
of which are users of the
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
FDA Misses Deadline To Ban Cancerous Ingredients
In Hair Relaxers Commonly Used By Black Women
By Black Women
By Hunter Gilmore
(SourceADW)
The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) failed
to meet its own deadline for
banning formaldehyde in
hair-straightening products,
raising concerns about the
agency’s commitment to
protecting public health. The
proposed ban, which was
slated to take effect in April,
has yet to be implemented,
leaving many questioning the
FDA’s inaction.
According to NBC News,
the FDA has not provided
any explanation for the delay
in enforcing the ban, despite
previously announcing
plans for action in April as
part of the Unified Agenda.
This delay comes in the
wake of mounting evidence
linking certain ingredients
in hair-smoothing and hairstraightening
products,
commonly used by Black
women, to cancer.
A groundbreaking study
conducted by the National
Institutes of Health in
2022 revealed a concerning
correlation between the use of
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
class on Cancer Reporting. In her spare time,
she likes meditating, watching TikToks, and
playing fetch with her dog, Finnegan.
News Takeaway
The US Preventive Services Task Force
(USPSTF) released new recommendations
today, stating all women should start getting
mammograms at age 40.
Their previous guidance allowed that
women should start mammography no later
than age 50.
Breast cancer diagnoses rose on average
2% annually from 2015 to 2019, and that’s
one reason the task force said they’re
recommending earlier screening.
The US Preventive Services Task Force
(USPSTF) released updated guidance today
recommending that women get a mammogram
at least every other year beginning at age 40
and continuing until at least age 74.1
The recommendation marks a shift from
previous guidance from the task force which
recommended that women start getting
mammograms no later than age 50.
Breast cancer incidence has been on the rise
in recent years: From 2015 to 2019, the average
annual increase in cases was 2%, according to
the new recommendation statement, published
in JAMA.1
The recommendations were changed to
Yours in good health.
help doctors diagnose breast cancers earlier
and save more lives, Wanda Nicholson,
MD, MPH, MBA, chair of the USPSTF, told
Health. “It’s going to help women entering into
their forties,” Dr. Nicholson said, adding the
recommendations could avert 1.3 deaths per
every 1,000 women screened.1
Other institutions—such as the American
College of Radiology (ACR), the American
Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS), and the
Society of Breast Imaging (SBI)—recommend
annual mammograms for women when
they turn 40, Laura Dean, MD, a diagnostic
radiologist at Cleveland Clinic, told Health.234
Some providers say the new USPSTF
recommendations don’t go far enough to
protect women from breast cancer.
“While the task force recommends
screening every two years, annual screening
mammography saves the most lives,” Natasha
Monga, MD, a breast radiologist at The Ohio
State University Comprehensive Cancer
Center, told Health. “Starting annual screening
at age 40 also helps detect cancers when they
are smaller and more easily treatable, which
may lead to less aggressive treatment.”
But the new recommendations are a step
in the right direction, Dr. Monga added,
and experts say they could be particularly
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
May 6, 2024
This Week in Health: Stroke Awareness
Westside Health Brief
Marsha Mullings, MPH
–
–
–
–
TIAs are often labeled a “warning stroke.” Although
Situated across from Provident Park, Holy Cross Health Center is a beacon of health
and hope for Sistrunk and surrounding Ft. Lauderdale communities Today, we
provide an array of medical services designed to foster well-being,
from family medicine and pediatric care to annual wellness visits,
immunizations and disease prevention – empowering the
communities we serve to grow and thrive. For an appointment,
please call or visit us online. holy-cross.com • 954-542-4000
1409 Sistrunk Blvd, Suite 103
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33311

PAGE 6 • MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2024
Deeply Rooted
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The Westside Gazette, under the Management of BI-ADs, Inc., reserves the right
to publish Views and Opinions by Contributing Writers that may not necessarily
reflect those of the Staff and Management of The Westside Gazette Newspaper
and are solely the product of the responsible individual(s) who submit comments
published in this newspaper.
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Serving
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CREDO -The Black Press
believes that America
can best lead the world
away from racial and national
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when it accords to
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firm belief that all are
hurt as long as anyone is
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
GUIDELINES
We welcome letters from
the
public. Letters must be
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A Message from Sheriff Gregory Tony
Since taking office, I have
been committed to enhancing
the Broward Sheriff’s Office
(BSO) to better protect and
serve our community. Our
six core initiatives, known
as the BSO Pillars, have
been instrumental in driving
progress towards a more
progressive, transparent,
and efficient public safety
organization.
I am proud to share our
accomplishments:
- School Safety and
Technology: Our Real-
Time Crime Center has
investigated over 5,600 incidents, leading to 117 arrests,
and will soon expand to include additional staff, technology,
and partner agencies.
- Serving the Broward Community: Our Park, Walk,
and Talk program and Neighborhood Support Team have
fostered strong community relationships, with over 38,000
community encounters and 100,000 public safety materials
distributed.
- Training and Preparedness: Our new Research,
Development, and Training Center will provide state-ofthe-art
facilities for training and preparedness, enhancing
our response to critical incidents.
- Promoting from Within: We have promoted over 1,300
employees and expanded academic partnerships, providing
opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Recruitment: Strategic recruitment efforts have filled
over 2,000 positions, reducing vacancy rates and attracting
top talent.
- Accountability and Transparency: Our Office of
Inspector General ensures efficiency, economy, and
responsibility, and our annual report provides transparency
on tax dollar usage.
We remain dedicated to sustainable growth, excellence
in service, and a purpose-driven approach to public safety.
Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely, Sheriff Gregory Tony
India, Israel, and America’s
Double Standard
By Mel Gurtov
India is hailed as the world’s biggest
democracy, and Israel as the only democracy
in the Middle East. Yet both are led by
authoritarian rulers who are far more
interested in crushing opponents than in
promoting democracy.
This reality should be sobering for US presidents who,
whether Democrats or Republicans, have consistently given
both countries full support: India, as a bulwark against China,
and Israel, as a deterrent against Iran. But the challenge
comes when democracy is receding in India and Israel, and
human rights are under attack. The US has failed to meet
the challenge, instead finding ways to justify what cannot be
justified.
Speaking of aid to Israel recently, Secretary of State Antony
Blinken was classically disingenuous: “As we’re looking at
human rights and the condition of human rights around the
world, we apply the same standard to everyone. That doesn’t
change whether the country in question is an adversary or
competitor, a friend or an ally.” He also said we can count on
Israel to investigate its own violations: “This is what separates
democracies from other countries — the ability, the willingness,
the determination to look at themselves,” he said.
To state the obvious: First, the US doesn’t apply the same
standard to everyone, and second, Israel (and India and many
others as well) doesn’t investigate its violations of human
rights. If Blinken were honest—which might not be possible
in his job—he would acknowledge the longstanding US double
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
Heat—or Light?
By Winslow Myers
Civil disobedience, the willingness to break a
law and endure the consequences for the sake of
a greater moral good, enjoys a pedigree extending back through
King’s civil rights movement, Gandhi’s passive resistance to
India’s British colonizers, and even back to Thoreau, who went
to jail for a night rather than pay a tax that was being used to
fund the Mexican war of 1846-48.
Students risking arrest for calling their institutions to
stricter account should be commended.
University endowments can grow quite nicely without
investment in the arms trade or fossil fuels.
But universities are mostly wasting opportunities to fulfill
that part of their mission centered upon dispassionate inquiry.
Those Jewish and Palestinian college students shouting slogans
that some of them might not even understand generate plenty
of heat, but as to light—not so much.
Absent the active listening that ought to be a skill that
colleges require of all students, angry shouting itself, though
a quantum leap better than shooting, is a form of futile
violence. The same fanatic certainty, self-righteousness and
lack of humility we deplore in both Netanyahu and the Hamas
leader Yahyah Sinwar can be seen in the faces of some of the
students making non-negotiable demands of hapless college
administrators—who are themselves caught between the
unqualified student rage and faux-indignant demagogues like
Congressperson Stefanik.
For decades Len Traubman, a California pediatric dentist,
and his spouse Libby, a social worker, invited small groups
of American Palestinians and Jews to sit down together over
a meal and share their stories. Len is gone, but Libby, in
her 80s, persists. Participants welcome the opportunity to
experience each other in their full human dimension rather
than as oversimplified caricatures of the ‘enemy.’
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
America’s
Disastrous Dilemmas
“A democracy not worth defending isn’t worth saving.”
John Johnson II 05/08/24
By John Johnson II
America finds itself involved in not one but
three disastrous dilemmas simultaneously.
The war in Ukraine, followed by the war
involving Israel are deadly, costly, and
unfortunately reek with elements of war
crimes. Yet of the three dilemmas, the battle
to save America’s democracy from former
president Trump, and the Republican Party
constitute the greatest dilemma.
It’s important to realize that no country can survive funding
other countries’ endless struggles. The Defense Department
should be able to provide detailed information regarding the
costs, weapons and tactics required to defeat the enemy.
Senseless struggles, called wars, are a waste of human and
financial resources.
Remember, the Vietnam struggle cost $686 billion and
lasted 8 years. The Afghan struggle lasted 20 years, and cost
$2 trillion. America should heed the dilemmas of Brazil and
Venezuela which faced collapsing due to bankruptcies.
Again, America is funding two new wars/struggles. Thus far,
Ukraine has received $74 billion, and Israel has received $14.5
billion. Ironically, no new taxes flowed into the US Treasury.
None! The government just extended the debt.
America’s existential dilemma is spending hundreds of
billions to protect democracy abroad instead of defending it at
home. For what reasons Trump and the Republican Party are
attempting to dismantle democracy? The answer is simple!
Democracy is no longer relevant for the Republican Party
and their white supremacy base. It’s moving too fast towards
a more inclusive and perfect Union. Obama’s two terms as
president and Kamala Harris’ ascendancy to the VP position
literally threw gasoline on the white replacement dogma.
Despite America’s disastrous dilemmas, President Biden as
the Commander-In-Chief must convince voters in the words
of former president Lincoln, “A house divided against itself
cannot stand.” Also, Biden must inspire more voters to vote for
him rather than Trump.
In other words, do voters want a White House filled with
misfits and led by a convicted sexual assaulter with access to
our nuclear codes?
YOU BE THE JUDGE!
Mercedes
Benz Line
Against
Worker
Uprising
May Slip
from Front Page
begins on whether workers will be
represented by the United Auto
Worker (UAW) on May 13 through 17
and results will be announced May 17
by the National Labor Relations Board
(NLRB). UAW has been on a roll.
Southern worker oppression, tough
and unapologetic, seems crumbling.
A rather festive weekend of worker
support events attracted community
supporters in Birmingham and
Tuscaloosa.
The United Auto Workers has
filed a complaint with the NLRB of illegal company captive
employee meetings and firing of workers who are advocating
for unionization. Spokesman for Mercedes denies those
allegations. This union battle follows a massive win of workers
at the Tennessee Volkswagen plant, another German auto
giant in which workers chose the United Auto Workers by a
landslide. In Alabama, the main issue is pay and use of “temp
workers.” A company spokesperson would not comment on pay
structure.
Unionizing workers catch more hell in the South with
elected leaders promising industrialists to provide docile
workers in anti-union environments, nearly free land and no
or low property taxes, and companies sometime keep state
withholding taxes.
But feeling the power
grip over workers slipping
Governor Kay Ivey spoke in
the media to company officials:
“you need to fix this” referring
to the system of threats and
intimidation unique in the
South. Alabama is a right to
work state. That means every
attempt of workers to organize
is met with crushing company
and government opposition.
Employers can use the capital
punishment for workers--
-firing---with no recourse.
Workplaces that have unions
Former U.S. Senator Doug
Jones poses with two
Mercedes workers.
provide a level of protection
against unreasonable employer
actions complained of at
Mercedes Benz. Conversations
with workers and community leaders show excitement and
anticipation.
Several Democratic Party leaders came to support workers
in weekend events in Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. The festive
events with barbeque, music, and gelato in toasty heat. Former
U.S. Senator Doug Jones, Alabama Democratic Party assistant
chairperson Tabitha Isner, Birmingham’s Joshua Raby, the
party Disability Chair were among many others that mixed
with community leaders supporting workers.
Senator Jones said he was expecting as big a landslide in
Alabama as at the Volkswagen vote in Tennessee.
Austin Brooks, an employee who has been at the plant two
years was excited. But Brooks says workers are frightened to
the extent that many will not take a union flyer. Austin says
employees are temps for a year, and if they don’t rub anybody
the wrong may become permanent.
10-year employee Jacob Rines, was a temp worker at
Mercedes for 5 years 2 months and 19 days before he was
hired full-time. The six-foot six husky guy may have rubbed
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
The Gantt Report
Political
History
Repeats Itself
By Lucius Gantt
Many academic
and social
scholars
are quick to
say, “history
repeats itself”.
I am not
learned enough
to
judge the complete history
of the world, but I do know
the political history that
documents America’s major
political parties have both
solicited the votes of Black
citizens in the same ways for
more than fifty years.
I also know the “hot news”
of May 2024 are college
campus protests and the trial
of former President Donald
Trump is getting all the
headlines and most of the
opinions in editorial columns.
If you don’t know, Trump is
guilty of some type of criminal
misconduct and protests are
the people’s right, but it is the
outsiders provoking most of the
violence who have infiltrated
the demonstrations.
Anyway, slick talk and little
or no money have always been
an issue in Black communities
during election times.
Prepare yourself for visits
to your churches, school, and
social, fraternal, and other
organizations. No problem
with the visits but beware of
the bamboozles.
It’s a new Presidential
election year but the political
approach, political message
and the political benefits for
Black men, Black women,
Black businesses, and Black
communities has not changed.
Our political history continues
to repeat itself.
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
Cleaner
Transportation
Fuels Can Save
Lives
By Antoine M. Thompson
One of
the biggest
challenges in
communities
of color are
higher rates
of asthma and
respiratory
related illnesses. I know this
firsthand from growing up
in the inner city of Buffalo.
My family lived near NYS
Route 33, the Kensington
Expressway and so did my
grandma, one of my uncles
and at least one aunt. As a
kid I snored really bad and at
times, I experienced labored
breathing. Of course, my
physician said I had a mild
case of asthma.
My younger brother
had a more serious case
of asthma. He carried an
inhaler and had hospital
visits when his asthma flared
uncontrollably. I would not
learn until after college the
role that transportation and
the environment built around
my community had on my
health and that of my family
and friends.
My elementary school
was within walking distance
of my home, but there was a
school bus depot nearby as
well as a few factories which
contributed to the poor air
quality in my neighborhood.
From 6th grade to 8th grade, I
rode a diesel school bus to the
other side of town. According
to a report from the Natural
Resources Defense Council
(NRDC), little did I know that
the pollution on that yellow
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thewestsidegazette.com

www.thewestsidegazette.com
BUSINESS
UNITY IN THE
COMMUNITY DIRECTORY
Cell: 754-234-4485
Office: 954-733-7700 ext. 111
Fax: 954-731-0333
Kenneth R. Thurston
REALTOR, CPM, CAM
4360 W. Oakland Park Blvd Email: ken@acclaimcares.com
Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33313
Web: www.acclaimcares.com
Too Many Meetings
In 2017, the Harvard Business Review published a survey
that highlighted an uncomfortable truth: 71% of respondents
regard meetings as a sheer waste of time. An all-too-typical
tale illustrates the absurdity. One meeting organizer routinely
distributed slide decks for every subteam in a department to
review in advance. When members dutifully showed up, she
just walked them through the decks. Why waste everybody's
time so flagrantly? If you must drag workers away from their
genuinely productive tasks, at least try to make the most of
each occasion.
Meeting overload drives teams bonkers
Contemporary executives spend about 23 hours per week in
meetings, up from 10 hours in the 1960s. The National Bureau
of Economic Research reported in November 2023 that
the number of meetings had escalated by 12.9% since 2020.
(Marketing and advertising are especially meeting-prone.) The
damage affects focus, engagement and productivity. A reliance
on Zoom and Teams communications has compounded the
problem.
The ultimate price is that such interrupted time interferes
with ''deep work,'' a concept coined by Cal Newport, a Georgetown
University computer scientist who studies the impact of
the digital age on work. He uses the term to discuss an undistracted
focus on a cognitively demanding task.
Employees complain that it is not merely the time, which can
be bad enough if you have to work late or weekends to make
it up, but also the inefficient squandering of that time. Some
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2024 • PAGE 7
Hospital Operator Files
for Bankruptcy
By Jim Saunders
©2024 The News Service of Florida.
TALLAHASSEE —
A company that operates
eight Florida hospitals filed
for bankruptcy protection
Monday, calling it a
“necessary measure to allow
the company to continue to
provide necessary care to its patients in their communities
without disruption.”
Dallas-based Steward Health Care filed for Chapter 11
bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern
District of Texas, the company said in a news release. It said it
does not expect day-to-day operations to be interrupted, with
hospitals, doctor’s offices and other facilities open.
“Steward Health Care has done everything in its power
to operate successfully in a highly challenging health care
environment. Filing for Chapter 11 restructuring is in the
best interests of our patients, physicians, employees and
communities at this time,” Ralph de la Torre, chief executive
officer of Steward, said in a prepared statement.
Steward operates Coral Gables Hospital, Hialeah Hospital,
North Shore Medical Center and Palmetto General Hospital
in Miami-Dade County; Florida Medical Center in Broward
County; Melbourne Regional Medical Center and Rockledge
Regional Medical Center in Brevard County; and Sebastian
River Medical Center in Indian River County.
Steward in 2021 acquired the Miami-Dade and Broward
hospitals from Tenet Healthcare Corp. It also has hospitals
in Arizona, Arkansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Ohio,
Pennsylvania and Texas.
Monday’s news release said Steward was finalizing an initial
$75 million in what is known as debtor-in-possession financing
from Medical Properties Trust, Inc. Debtor-in possession
financing is a type of funding for companies in Chapter 11
bankruptcy.
Steward also said it could receive up to an additional $225
million “upon the satisfaction of certain conditions acceptable
to Medical Properties Trust.” Steward and Medical Properties
Trust have reached deals in the past.
For example, Medical Properties Trust said in a 2021
news release that it had reached agreement to purchase the
five South Florida hospitals from Tenet in conjunction with
Steward’s acquisition of the operation of the hospitals. The
news release said Medical Properties Trust would lease the
facilities to Steward.
Steward has taken other steps to deal with its financial
issues, such as planning to sell its Stewardship Health physician
group to Optum, a subsidiary of UnitedHealthcare, according
to numerous news reports. But de la Torre’s statement Monday
indicated the Optum deal had been delayed.
“In the past several months we have secured bridge
financing and progressed the sale of our Stewardship Health
business in order to help stabilize operations at all of our
hospitals,” the statement said. “With the delay in closing of
the Stewardship Health transaction, Steward was forced to
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PAGE 8 • MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2024
CHURCH DIRECTORY
First Baptist Church Piney Grove, Inc.
4699 West Oakland Park Blvd., Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33313
(954) 735-1500 - Fax (954) 735-1999
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Church Website: www.fbcpineygrove.org
Dr. Ezra Tillman, Jr. Senior Pastor
WORSHIP SERVICES
Sunday ..... 8:00 AM & 11:00 AM In Person Virtual
Sunday School.......9:30 AM In Person
Bible Study on Wednesday.......11:30 AM & 7:00 PM In Person & Virtual
"Winning the World for Jesus"
Harris Chapel Church, Inc.
Rev. Stanley Melek, M.Div
e-mail: harrischapelinc@gmail.com
2351 N.W. 26th Street
Oakland Park, Florida 33311
Church Telephone: (954) 731-0520
SERVICES
Sunday Worship........................10:30 AM
Church School................................................9:00 AM
Wednesday (Bible Study).........11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Living Waters Christian Fellowship
Meeting at Central Charter School Building #5
4515 N. St. Rd. 7 (US 441)
(954) 295-6894
SUNDAY SERVICE: 10 AM
Iwcf2019@gmail.com (Church)
lerrub13@gamil.com (Pastor)
Rev. Anthony & Virgina Burrell
Jesus said, ‘‘let anyone who is thristy come to Me and drink.” (John 7:37)
Mount Hermon A.M.E. Church
Reverend Henry E. Green, III, Pastor
401 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Phone: (954) 463-6309 Fax: (954) 522-4113
Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Email info@mthermonftl.com
SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Worship Service....................................9:00 AM
In person/www.mounthermonftl.or/YouTube Live/FaceBook
Church School.............................9:30 AM
BIBLE STUDY: Wednesday........................10:00 AM
Bible Study Wednesday ...............7:00 PM via Zoom
Meeting ID: 826 2716 8390 access code 55568988#
Daily Prayer Line.............................6:00 AM
(716) 427-1407 Access Code 296233#
(712) 432-1500 Access Code 296233#
New Mount Olive Baptist Church
Dr. Marcus D. Davidson, Senior Pastor
400 N.W. 9th Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Office (954) 463-5126 - Fax: (954) 525-9454
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Monday- Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
WORSHIP SERVICES & BIBLE STUDY
Sunday In Person ..............8:00 AM
Sunday Virtual..................9:00 AM
Sunday School....................9:30 AM
Wednesday Encountering Truth
Noonday Bible Study...........12:00 PM to 12:30 PM
Where the Kingdom of God is Increased through:
Fellowship, Leaership, Owenership and Worship
Fellowship, Ledership, Ownership and Worship
As we F.L.O.W. To Greatness!
Mount Nebo Missionary Baptist Church
2551 N.W. 22nd St., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
P.O. Box 122256, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
(954) 733-3285 - Fax: (954) 733-9231
Email: mountnebobaptist@bellsouth.net
Website: www.mountnebobaptist.org
WORSHIP SERVICES & BIBLE STUDY
(In Person)
Sunday..........................10:00 A.M.
Sunday School ....................8:30 A.M.
Tuesday Night Bible Study..............7:00 P.M.
“Reaching Our Wrold One Persons At A Time”
Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church
Dr. James B. Darling, Jr., Pastor/Teacher
1161 NW 29th Terrace; Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
P.O. Box 5545; Fort Lauderdale, FL 33310
(954) 581-0455 - (FAX) 581-4350
mzbc2011@gmail.com - www.mtzionmbc1161.com
Sunday School...................................................9:00 A.M.
Sunday Worship Service..................................10:15 A.M.
Communion Service (1st Sunday)................10:15 A.M.
Wednesday Night Prayer Service....................6:30 P.M.
Wednesday Night Bible Study.............................7:00 P.M.
New Birth Baptist Church
Catheral of Faith International
Bishop Victor T. Curry, M. Min., D. Div. Senior Pastor/Teacher
ORDER OF SERVICES
Sunday Worship.............................9:30 AM
Sunday School ..............................8:30 AM
Tuesday Bible Study...................7:00 PM
Wednsday Bible Study..................10:30 AM
(305) 685-3700 (0) * (305) 685-0705 (f)
www.nbbcmiami.org
Deeply Rooted
New Creation Baptist Church In Christ
r.curry7me@gmail.com
Drive-Up Sunday Worship - 10 AM
4001 North Dixie Hwy.
Deerfield Beach, FL 33064
(954) 943-9116
newcreationbcic@gmail.com
Williams Memorial CME Church
644-646 N.W. 13th Terrace
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311
Office: (954) 462-8222. Email: inf@wmsfl.org
Reverend Errol Darville, Pastor
E-mail: erroldarville@gmail.com
WORSHIP SERVICES and BIBLE STUDY
In person, Zoom; 646-558-8636 ID: 954-462-8222, Stream: Facebook Live @ WMCMECHURCH
Sunday Church School..................... 9:00 AM
Sunday Worship Service ................10:00 AM
Tuesday Prayer Meeting...............7:00 PM
Tuesday Bibke Study................7:30 PM
"Celebrating over 100 years of SERVICES"
St. Ruth Missionsary Baptist Church
145 NW 5th Avenue
Dania Beach, FL 33004
(954) 922-2529
WORSHIP SERVICES
Wednesday (NOON DAY PRAYER.......................12- 1 PM
Sunday Worship Service ...................................10:00 AM
Website: www.struthmbc.org
"Celebrating 115 Years of Service"
Victory Baptist Church Independent
Pastor Keith Cunningham
2241 Davie Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
Church: (954) 284-9413
Sunday School .................................................9:45 AM
Worship Service Sunday Morning..................................11:00 AM
Sunday Evening Service.........................................6:00 PM
Bible Study...................................................7:30 PM
Wednesday Evening Bible Study & Prayer ........................7:00 PM
Saturday Morning Soul Winning/Visitation..............10:00 AM
Men’s Fellowship (Every 2nd & last Tuesdays)................6:00 PM
Ladies Fellowship (the last Saturday of each month)..........................5:00 PM
Youth Fellowship (Every Friday)...............6:30 PM
Discover GOD Let Us Help You Find The Way To Jesus Christ
We STRIVE to PROVIDER Ministries that matter Today to Whole Body of Christ,
not only the Believers, but also for those stranded on the “Jericho Road”!
“Celebrating over 85 Years of FAITH and FAVOR!
Come to the WILL.....We’ll show You the WAY: Jesus the Christ”
Shaw Temple A.M.E. Zion Church
Rev. Dr. William Calvin Haralson, Pastor
522 N.W. 9th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Church: (954) 647-8254
Email: AMEZ522@Yahoo.com
SERVICES
Sunday School.................................................10:15 AM
Sunday Morning Worship.................................11:00 AM
Bible Study.....................................................7:30 PM
“Reaching beyond the four walls touching lives, touching communities”.
Jesus Christ Ministry Of Faith, Inc.
Jesus Loves You
Join Us Sundays
at 9 AM
477 NW 27 Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
JCMOFINC@gmail.com
The New Beginning
Embassy of Praise
The Most Reverend
John H. Taylor, Bishop, Sr. Pastor
Dr. ML Taylor, Executive Pastor
4035 SW 18th Street, West Park, FL 33023
Sunday Worship Service - 11:00 a.m.
Conference Line - 848-220-3300 ID: 33023
Bible Study - Tuesdays - 7:30 p.m.
Noonday Prayer - Wednesdays- 12:00 noon
Come Worship With Us For Your New Begnning!
Romans 10:13
www.thewestsidegazette.com
Every Christian's Church
SUNDAY @11:00 am
Phone (313) 209-8800 Conference ID 1948-1949
Bible Trivia
‘Test Your Bible Knowledge'
1. Why are the names Rahab , Tamar, Bathsheba and Ruth
prevalent in the Bible?
2. What did Moses do to prevent him and Aaron from entering
the promise land?
3. The New Testament speaks about the ‘Pool of Siloam’. Who
built the tunnel that allowed the water to flow into the pool?
4. What is the distance between Bethlehem and Jerusalem?
5. Complete the following verse: For I know that in me (that is,
in my flesh), dwelleth no good thing: For………………..
6. Complete the following verse: If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just………………….
7. Initials CE, BCE, AD and BC stands for what?
8. What happened in the year 70 AD?
9. In Matthew 11:30 Jesus said “For my yoke is easy, and my
burden is light”. What is a yoke?
Answers – 1) They are in the lineage of Jesus; 2) Numbers 20:10-
12; 3) King Hezekiah (New Bible Dictionary); 4) 5-6 miles; 5)
Romans 7:18; 6) 1 John 1:9; 7) CE – Common Era, BCE – Before
Common Era, AD – anno Domini, BC – before Christ; 8) The
Jewish revolt. Jerusalem and the great Temple were destroyed by
the Romans; 9) a yoke is a wooden crosspiece that is fasten over
the necks of two animals.
Churches Tied to Civil Rights
Awarded National Park
Service Preservation Funds
Tabernacle Baptist Church in Selma, Alabama. (Photo
by Nyttend/Wikipedia/Creative Commons)
Submitted ADELLE M. BANKS, RNS
(Source Word&way)
(RNS) — Six churches are among 39 projects being awarded
grants from the National Park Service to preserve historical
examples of the Civil Rights activism of African Americans.
The recipients of the $23.4 million in awards include
the Historic Tabernacle Baptist Church Selma AL Legacy
Foundation. The foundation will receive $744,545 to help
protect the interior of the building and enhance its air quality.
The church was the site of the first mass meeting for proponents
of the voting rights movement and the spiritual home of several
presidents of the National Baptist Convention USA Inc.
“The Interior Department and the National Park Service
are entrusted with using the power of place to tell the story
of our country,” Jordan Fifer, a spokesperson for NPS, told
Religion News Service in a Friday (May 3) statement.
“Across America’s National Park System and in local
communities throughout our nation, NPS is working to
preserve and protect historic sites across the nation that hold
the physical memory of our nation’s history.”
Since 2016, the park service has awarded more than $126
million for various preservation projects through the same
African American Civil Rights grants program that will aid the
new awardees.
Fifer said that “a large number of our African American
Civil Rights grants fund churches and faith-based projects, as
they were such an integral part of the Civil Rights movement,
hosting meetings, speeches, experiencing violence — and even
where several marches started, like in Selma.”
Historic Campbell Chapel Restoration Project Inc., which
will receive $750,000 for structural damage repairs of the
Historic Campbell Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church
in Americus, Georgia. This building was designed by Louis H.
Persley, the state’s first African American registered architect,
and was influential in the Civil Rights protest in that Georgian
city.
Friends of Antioch Inc., which will receive $750,000 for
exterior and interior repairs of the Antioch Baptist Church and
Cemetery in Crawfordville, Georgia. The church was the site
of voter registration drives and planning meetings for Civil
Rights activists.
Famicos Foundation, which will receive $750,000 for
rehabilitation of St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church in Cleveland
for use as commercial space and a community center. The
church was a central meeting place for African American
activists.
Montana Historical Society, which will receive $497,712 for
repairs to stabilize the brick exterior and increase accessibility
at Union Bethel AME Church in Great Falls, Montana. It was
the state’s only African American church in operation when it
was organized in 1890.
Augusta Canal Authority, which will receive $750,000
for the rehabilitation of the Mother Trinity Christian Methodist
Episcopal Church in Augusta, Georgia. It was the first and
oldest church in the historically Black CME denomination after
enslaved and free African Americans who were worshipping at
another church formed their own congregation.
Other grant recipients
Cont'd on Page 9

www.thewestsidegazette.com
Churches Tied to Civil Right Awarded National Con’t from Page 8
conserve historical sites
such as the Howard Theatre,
a Washington, D.C., location
known for featuring Black
performers and prominent
speakers, and Atlanta’s
Ashby Theatre, where
African Americans could
watch movies without being
segregated from white
moviegoers and relegated to
less desirable balcony seats.
Other grantees will use
the NPS funding to conduct
historical surveys, including
one in Detroit that will
explore “the role of religion
in the struggle for equality,”
the park service said.
Campbell Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in
Americus, Georgia. (Photo by Michael Rivera/Wikipedia/
Creative Commons)
IN MEMORIAM:
Tribute to the Ministry, Life, and Legacy
of Reverend Dr. Cecil “Chip” Murray
How do you salute
a man who walked
amongst the angels?
You start by making
sure that history
accurately reflects
his name. This is my
modest contribution
to the telling of his
vital history and
legacy.
Rev. Dr. Cecil ‘Chip’
Murray
By John Hope Bryant
almighty right here on earth. That there is one
Rev. Dr. Cecil ‘Chip’ Murray.
How do you salute a man who walked It is impossible to communicate in an Op
amongst the angels? You start by making sure Ed the power and transformational impact
that history accurately reflects his name. This that this man had on my life, but I will try, by
is my modest contribution to the telling of his telling you a couple intimate stories about Dr.
vital history and legacy.
Murray.
Rev. Dr. Cecil ‘Chip’ Murray changed my When I first showed up at the church,
life. Life, literally.
the Rodney King Riots of 1992 had engulfed
He was more than a mentor or a supporter the city, and everyone important at the time
or a good friend to a ‘young man coming up.‘ seemed to be sitting in Rev. Murray’s office.
He was in every way — particularly during my This included the governor (the Republican
young evolving years as a young man in the Pete Wilson), the mayor (the legendary
making — my spiritual father.
democrat Mayor Tom Bradley, also an early
Rev. Murray and I met originally through mentor of mine), civil rights leader Rev. Jesse
my brother and friend Mark Whitlock, whose Jackson, the Catholic bishop, the Jewish Rabbi,
now Rev. Mark Whitlock, who leads one of the the Muslim Imam and every other whose-who
three largest AME churches in the nation – from the city had crammed into this one man’s
Reid Temple AME Church in Maryland. Back office — all seeking his approval and wise
then, he was an executive in the making, first counsel.
at a property title company, and then a banker As a young man of 26, who Rev. Murray
at Wells Fargo. But what Mark nor I knew had reluctantly agreed to mentor, I was invited
then was Rev. Murray had already decided, to come in and take a seat, even though I had
in his spirit, that our lives would both be zero role nor power nor responsibility.
transformed into a life’s calling.
One might say, I was actually in the way.
Very seldom do you meet someone that But Rev. Murray saw something in me, and
you believe is ‘other worldly.’ Someone that invited me in to take quiet seat in the corner
you genuinely believe, walks their talk, and when I showed up at his office, looking for a
might even qualify as a saint, on this earth. A way to help following the citywide unrest. It
true prophet from on high, representing God was after and in many ways because of this
meeting, that I ultimately founded Operation HOPE.
Rev. Murray told me to take my business skills (and my high
contacts in local finance) and put them to work ‘rebuilding our
community.’ Within the week, on May 5th, 1992, I organized
the first Bankers Bus Tour through a still smoldering South
Central Los Angeles. The result of this first tour was a
commitment from the assembled bankers to fund the rebuilding
of Handler’s Pharmacy, a Black owned pharmacy business
located at Western Ave and 42nd Street.
That was the first commitment to ‘rebuild’ by anyone, and
involved leaders from government, community and the private
sector. It also focused on a quality that later became my strength
and global calling card – outcomes and results. A focus on Ph.D
and Ph.Do too. I ended up founding Operation HOPE in 1992,
with a $61,000 grant requested by then Democratic LA Mayor
Tom Bradley to then Republican President George W. Bush. It
was an SBA 7J grant, made on a bi-partisan basis. This also
became a quality I would find useful for 30 years of ‘getting
stuff done.’
On the 10th anniversary of the Rodney King Riots – 22
years ago today, Rev. Murray and First AME Church partnered
together to host then US President George W. Bush in South
Central Los Angeles to salute the rebuilding, joined by 700
leaders from across the Southern California community,
inclusive of both major political parties and all racial groups.
Classic Cecil ‘Chip’ Murray.
Today, Operation HOPE is the largest financial literacy
coaching, counseling and economic empowerment organization
in the nation, with 300 full time HOPE Inside offices in 40+
states, and its partners have invested more than $4.5 billion
into our communities, raising credit scores, lowering debt,
increasing savings, and creating minority home owners and
small business owners. 1MBB has inspired, created and grown
more than 400,000 Black businesses since 2020 alone, equal to
more than 12% of all Black businesses in America. This is the
living legacy of Rev. Cecil Murray, which began in 1992.
But Rev. Murray also sparked and inspired something
much closer to home. He inspired me, but he directly mobilized
my brother and friend Rev. Whitlock to lead his newest church
initiative back then – something he boldly called FAME
Renaissance. Just some of the results of FAME Renaissance
and Dr. Murray’s most trusted senior team, which featured
(Rev.) Mark Whitlock, Rev. Dr. Steve Johnson and Peggy Hill,
included 300 Jobs for teenagers at Disneyland, every year for
10 years! 3000 jobs, a Fame Renaissance loan fund, a Fame
Renaissance venture Capital Fund, a Fame Renaissance
Transportation Program transported 1,000 000 people
annually, a Fame
Renaissance environmental protection program which
saved 1.5 billion square acres of water, a Fame Renaissance
Commercial Office Building of 75, 000 square feet, a Fame
Incubator Program – which trained 1000 entrepreneurs and
started 400 small business, a Fame Renaissance Home Loan
Program which funded five hundred homes, a FAME Housing
had affordable housing projects of 700 units with low to
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
Deeply Rooted
A Good Sheperd
Funeral Home Services
McWhite’s Funeral
Home Services
MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2024 • PAGE 9
VIEW OBITUARIES ONLINE AT
www.thewestsidegazette.com
******************************
Acknowledgments/ Announcements:
In Memoriam * Death Notices * Happy Birthdays
Card of Thanks* Remembrances
*******************************************************************
HAVE YOUR CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS PLACED ON THIS PAGE (954) 525-1489
Arrie Glover
- 76
Funeral
Services
will be held
May 11th at
Memorial
Temple MBC
Miami
Gardens.
Obituaries
Death and Funeral Notices
James C. Boyd
Funeral Home Services
James C. Boyd Funeral Home, Inc.
2324 Sistrunk Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311
(954) 584-3940
Contact – Mrs. Avis Boyd-Gaines, Owner
President, Licensed Funeral Director & Embalmer
James C. Boyd Funeral
Home, Inc.
2324 Sistrunk Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
33311
(954) 584-3940
Mrs. Avis Boyd-Gaines,
Owner
Funeral Director and
Embalmer
Mrs. Alexis Gainer-Sullivan,
Funeral Director
and Embalmer - Intern
Annie Mae
Guerin - 75
Funeral
Services
were held
May 4th
at James
C. Boyd’s
Memorial
Chapel with Cynthia Parker
Officiating.
Buddy
Newbold, Sr.
Funeral
Services
were held
May 2nd at
Sunset
Memorial
Gardens.
Position
Full-Time Operations Administrative Assistant – Apply within
Salary
$12.00 - $15.00/hour (salary can be increased base upon performance)
– one week paid vacation
Schedule
Hours per week (40) - 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Job Description
This full-time position will provide administrative and operational
support to the Funeral Service Team. Primary responsibilities
include, preparation of funeral service administration documents,
production of funeral service printed materials and additional administrative,
clerical and customer service duties.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Prepare, monitor and maintain family case files
- Type funeral service documents to include obituaries,
death certificates, veterans cemetery requests and social security
notification
- Design printed memorial tribute materials for funeral services
and ceremonies
- Scan and process photographs
- Prepare letters, certificates and other written correspondence
- Answer telephones and greet guests Requirements:
- The ideal candidate must possess; excellent verbal and
written communications skills; strong time management skills and
multi-tasking abilities; exceptional computer literacy: Microsoft
Office and data-entry, (additional Microsoft Publisher, Adobe Photoshop
and graphic design experience preferred) and typing skills
of 50 Words Per Minute.
- In addition, the ideal candidate need to encompass and
value the following personal and professional attributes: Confidentiality,
Accuracy, Adaptability, Flexibility, Teamwork, Professionalism,
Initiative, Dependability, and Honesty.
Gladys
Marie Rhett
84
Funeral
Services
were held
May 4th at
New Hope
Baptist
Church.
James E.
Denmark
Funeral
Services
were held
May 4th at
Christian
Church
Ministries.
Fedeolvina
Herrera
Funeral
Services
were held
May 5th at
McWhite’s
Funeral Home
Chapel.
Beverly
Ann Lawton
Funeral
Services
were held
May 3rd at
McWhite’s
Funeral
Home Chapel.
Toddrick
McConn
Funeral
Services were
held May 4th
at McWhite’s
Funeral
Home Chapel.
Quinton
Tanoris
Savage, Sr.
Funeral
Services
were held
May 4th at
McWhite’s Funeral Home
Chapel.
Junita Jones
Williams
Funeral
Services
were held
May 1st at
McWhite’s
Funeral
Home
Chapel.
Roy Mizell & Kurtz
Funeral Home Services
Jonas
Brewton,
Jr. –
59
Funeral
Services
were held
May 4th
at Lifeline
Christian
Fellowship
Inc.
Trust
In the
Lord
with all
your heart
and lean not
on your own
understanding.
In all
your ways
acknowledge
Him, and
He will
make
your paths
striaght.
Proverbs 3:5

PAGE 10 • MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2024
Deeply Rooted
www.thewestsidegazette.com
H E A L T H C A R E
Facing Unchecked Syphilis Outbreak, Great Plains Tribes
Sought Federal Help. Months Later, No One Has Responded.
The syphilis rate among Indigenous people in the Great Plains is higher than at any point in 80 years of records. More than 3%
of Native American babies born in South Dakota last year had the preventable and curable — but potentially fatal — disease.
Excerpts from the Great Plains tribes’ request
for emergency assistance from the federal
government. Credit: Photo illustration by Peter DiCampo/
ProPublica. Photograph by Anna Maria Barry-Jester.
Letter from Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board
obtained by ProPublica.
By Anna Maria Barry-Jester
(Source ProPublica):
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses
of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re
published.
It was 2022 when pediatrician Tom Herr realized just how
many babies on the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota
were already infected with syphilis when they took their first
breaths. He was seeing more and more patients who’d spent
their first weeks in a tangle of tubes that pumped antibiotics
into their tiny bodies. Some had died in the womb.
With growing alarm, Herr and other health officials spread
the word, appealing to bosses at the federal Indian Health
Service and tribal health authorities, writing op-eds and talking
to reporters. But as the months ticked by, the crisis mounted.
By 2023, an astonishing 3% of all Native American babies
born in South Dakota were infected.
Now, according to tribal leaders, the syphilis rate among
American Indians and Alaska Natives in the Great Plains
surpasses any recorded rate in the United States since 1941,
when it was discovered that penicillin could treat the infection.
On a map of rising syphilis cases nationwide, some
reservations stand out like a red alert.
Desperate for help, in late February of this year tribal leaders
from four Great Plains states took the extreme step of asking
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary
Xavier Becerra to declare a public health emergency. The
Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board asked the secretary
to deploy commissioned officers from the U.S. Public Health
Service to help diagnose and treat people for syphilis, and
to provide emergency funding for the tribes to improve their
response capabilities.
More than 10 weeks later, Becerra has not responded.
“We need to free up resources so we can take extraordinary
measures to respond to these extraordinary circumstances,”
said Meghan Curry O’Connell, chief public health officer for
the tribal health board.
Syphilis, which is transmitted primarily through sexual
intercourse, is easily treatable. But the disease is lifethreatening
when left unchecked. Babies infected in the womb
can be born in excruciating pain, with deformed bones, brain
damage or other serious complications. They can even die.
FAMU Receives $237M Gift from Front Page
reaching impact on our academic and
athletics programs. It will greatly enhance
our ability to provide scholarships for
students and also give us a boost in
recruiting top students, and recruiting
and retaining top faculty.”
Gerami is the founder of Batterson
Farms Corp and a champion of sustainable
agriculture and biodegradable hemp
products in Texas. He overcame early
adversity to become a prominent figure
in the industrial hemp business and a
pioneer in producing and selling highquality
hemp seeds.
Gerami’s vision for the future of farming
led to plans for the largest African
American commercial hydroponic
warehouse in West Texas. With a focus on
cultivating industrial hemp for various
applications, including pediatric cancer
therapeutics research, his commitment to
sustainable agriculture and community
welfare is evident.
Three years ago, Gerami, who is in his
early thirties, formed Batterson Farms
Corp., a San Antonio, Texas, based
hydroponic farming and hemp plastic
company that aims to produce bioplastics
and fresh, organic product year-round,
grown locally by Batterson and farmers.
In fall 2023, he first reached out
to the FAMU Office of University
Advancement’s Audrey Simmons Smith
about making a sizable donation. Gerami
said FAMU’s mission and direction,
research capabilities, especially in the
area of hemp production, are strongly
aligned with his company’s.
“FAMU has become like a family to our
The emergency declaration may be the only way to get
money in time to prevent more babies from getting sick or dying.
The typical funding processes — which go through the federal
budget or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention —
can lead to a delay of a year or more before money trickles
down to communities.
In response to questions from ProPublica about why Becerra
hasn’t replied to the emergency request, an HHS spokesperson
wrote that “HHS has received the request and will respond
directly” to the Great Plains tribes, but did not provide a time
frame for doing so.
ProPublica also sent questions about the outbreak to
Dr. Natalie Holt, chief medical officer for the Indian Health
Service’s Great Plains office. In response, IHS provided written
answers from both Holt and HHS.
The rise of syphilis cases among Native American
communities, particularly in some Great Plains states, is
“especially concerning,” Holt said. She said that Great Plains
IHS is working with the South Dakota Department of Health
and tribal partners to “maximize syphilis case identification,
contract tracing and treatment efforts.”
HHS wrote that it was “taking action to slow the spread with
a focus on those most significantly impacted,” noting that it had
held a workshop for tribes and created a national task force
to “leverage federal resources.” It also pointed to guidelines
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
Trust, our company and to me. Our morals
and our mission are in line with FAMU
and FAMU’s mission,” said Gerami,
who emphasized his commitment to the
University’s longterm sustainability and
growth.“It’s also about making sure that
we set FAMU on the path to being the top
HBCU in this country.”
Shawnta Friday-Stroud, Ph.D., vice
president for University Advancement
and executive director of the FAMU
Foundation, was involved in discussions
with Gerami from the onset.
“I cannot thank Mr. Gregory Gerami
enough for his beyond transformational
gift to Florida A&M University. It
will forever elevate FAMU’s tradition
of excellence and change the lives of
Rattlers yet unborn,”said Friday-Stroud,
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
Welcome to
the Proactive
Side of Care.
Schedule your mammogram today.
BaptistHealth.net/Mammo
833-596-2473
If you don’t have a referring physician or medical professional to write a prescription for you, call
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available for patients without health insurance. No further services will be discounted. If further
care is necessary, you can count on Baptist Health Cancer Care to provide you with the most
comprehensive care. For additional information, please visit BaptistHealth.net/Mammo.
May 2024
A prescription and
appointment are required.

www.thewestsidegazette.com
MIAMI, FL – Miami-
Dade County Commissioner
(District 9), Kionne McGhee, is
proud to announce the highly
anticipated return of Jazz in
the Heights, with a special
Southern Soul Mother’s Day
Edition showcasing local
small businesses. This vibrant
community event will take
place on May 11, 2024, from
5:00 PM to 10:00 PM at Zoo
Miami, located at 12400 S.W.
152nd St., Miami, FL 33177.
Commissioner Kionne
McGhee is dedicated to
supporting small minority
businesses in the local
community, and Jazz in the
Heights serves as a platform
to showcase their talents
Deeply Rooted
and contributions. Since its
inception, Jazz in the Heights
has provided opportunities for
190 businesses to participate,
including food trucks, party
rentals, audiovisual services,
nurseries, catering companies,
MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2024 • PAGE 11
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kionne McGhee Amplifies Small Businesses
in Miami-Dade at the Jazz in the Heights - Southern Soul Mother’s Day Edition
A Decade After Water Crisis, Art Brings Hope and Healing to Flint
The Flint Public Art Project’s mission is to organize
public events, workshops, permanent and temporary
installations to inspire residents to reimagine the city,
reclaim vacant and underutilized buildings and lots, and
use innovative tools to steer Flint’s long range planning.
(Photo: Explore Flint & Genesee – Flint Public Art Project)
SAN DIEGO VOICE AND VIEWPOINT — A decade after the
water crisis began, health implications from ingesting
the unsafe water as well as financial burdens continue
to plague residents. Keyon Lovett, 34, a multi-disciplinary
visual street artist, creatively known as The Art School
Dropout, who moved back to Flint in 2021, says that while
there is much rebuilding left to do, the community is also
beaming with progress and hope — and that is, in part, due
to Black artists in the city.
By Nadira Jamerson, Word
in Black
“Flint’s Still Fighting”
is Word In Black’s series
about the decade-long water
crisis, and the resulting
struggles and triumphs still
transforming the majority-
Black city.
When the water crisis
hit Flint, Michigan, in 2014,
residents were left with
more than just contaminated
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
clothing boutiques, jewelry
shops, cosmetics retailers,
public works firms, and
artists.
McGhee’s small business
support dates back to 2022
with the launch of the Small
Business bootcamp initiative.
In partnership with Tools for
Change and Neighbors and
Neighbors Association, Inc.
(NANA), small businesses
have annually been afforded
the opportunity of a 4-week
transformative experience,
providing an intensive
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
means
humbling
ourselves, acknowledging
our vulnerabilities, and
kneeling down in surrender.
Surprisingly, this act of
surrendering can be the first
step towards overcoming
challenges and embracing
positive change. On the
other hand, reverting to old
habits or behaviors often
requires a painful process
of self-examination and
purification, akin to distilling
the mind and purging
ungodly fixations.
Overcoming the
consequences of our
unfavorable decisions
demands a deeply rooted
moral compass and an
A MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER from Front Page
unwavering commitment
to weathering life’s storms
without succumbing to moral
decay. While the arrival of
spring symbolizes renewal
and growth, sustaining this
growth requires making
conscious choices that ensure
resilience and steadfastness
in the face of adversity.
After a figurative
rainstorm of trials and
tribulations, there’s often
a sense of refreshment and
rejuvenation. The world
appears vibrant, and there’s
a profound peacefulness
in the air. Yet, amidst the
beauty of renewal, we’re
also confronted with societal
challenges, including
violence and injustice.
At the heart of many
societal issues lies fear (False
Evidence Appearing Real)—
the fear of the unknown, the
fear of loss, and the fear of
others. This fear can manifest
in destructive behaviors and
attitudes, spreading cycles
of violence and oppression.
However, addressing the root
cause of this fear requires a
deeper understanding of the
transformative power of love.
As 1 John 4:18 suggests,
perfect love casts out fear. By
returning to the fundamental
principle of love, we can
dismiss the darkness of fear
and usher in a new era of
harmony and compassion.
Love, unlike fear, is the
beginning and the end; it is
the catalyst for a positive
change.
In essence, embracing
love over fear is the key
to rise above self-imposed
limitations and peep into true
peace and a bit of spiritual
awareness. It’s a journey that
requires some humbling,
courage, and unwavering
faith in the changing power
of love. And as we navigate
through life’s uncertainties,
let us remember that with
enough love, we can find
stillness amidst the storm,
knowing that love conquers
all and that ultimately, “this
too shall pass.”
Dexter Murray proposed to Khadeeja Dooling on
Saturday, April 4 on Fort Lauderdale Beach. Pictured
are Lateefah, Vernon, Mary, Khadeeja, Dexter,
Rashida, and Mia.
No two hearts
are the same
That’s why we have a team of experts who treat a full range
of cardiovascular conditions and provide customized
care that fits your individual needs.
Artwork by Ema Shin.
Find a physician today, BrowardHealth.org/CardiacCare
CUSTOM CARDIAC CARE
M0000_BH_Cardiac23_WestSideGaz_13.25x10.75-PRESS.indd 1
1/31/23 4:33 PM

PAGE 12 • MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2024
Deeply Rooted
www.thewestsidegazette.com
20 th Commemoration of the Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore Cultural Center
By Pat Bryant
Around 150 persons met
on a recent Saturday in
April to celebrate the 20
year development of the
Harry T. Harriette V. Moore
Cultural Center in Mims,
Florida. Set in the heart
of Florida’s orange grove
region, the commemoration
celebrated the lives of Harry
T. and Henietta Moore.
Their Mims, Fla home was
dynamited Christmas night
1951, ending their careers
as educators and fearless
Pompano Beach Arts Partners with Blanche
Ely High School to Feature Young Artists
By Kay Renz
Pompano Beach Arts, in
conjunction with Blanche
Ely High School (BEHS), is
proud to present Artists of
Tomorrow: Visions of Today,
an end of year exhibition
highlighting the passions
and creativity of a select
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group of youthful artists.
The exhibition highlights
the unique perspectives and
experiences of teens within
BEHS. The artists being
showcased are students from
9th through 12th grade, and
each one has a passion for art
making. The students have
taken their time to cultivate
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their creative vision and share
their interests in painting,
drawing, textiles, and threedimensional
artwork with the
community. The exhibition
will be mounted at Pompano
Beach Cultural Center May
7 - May 31, 2024. Admission
is free. For more information,
www.pompanobeacharts.org
“We are delighted to
collaborate with Blanche Ely
High School in bringing a
wider audience for the artwork
of the tremendously talented
young artists who grace our
city,” said Ty Tabing, Director,
Cultural Affairs Department.
“Pompano Beach Arts values
our community partnerships,
and this one, demonstrating
the deep well of talent of the
young people involved, is
particularly compelling as we
look toward the future of the
arts in our city, as well as in
the world at large.”
The visual arts are
an essential part of the
curriculum in Broward
County Public Schools. The
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
Watch Now
freedom fighters in the Civil
Rights Movement. The Ku
Klux Klan blast that killed
them brought international
attention to their Florida
freedom struggles. The Ballad
of Harry Moore was written
by poet Langston Hughes,
and sung by Sweet Honey and
the Rock.
More than 50 years after
the bombing, the publicly
funded Harry T. and
Harriette V. Moore Memorial
Park and Cultural Center
was developed. The Moores
were leaders in a Movement,
that later killed Jim Crow
segregation, which many
racists are trying to resurrect
today.
By Don Valentine
“It occurred to me shortly
after that that it was an
absolute necessity for me
to declare homosexuality,
because if I didn’t I was a part
of the prejudice. I was aiding
and abetting the prejudice
that was a part of the effort to
destroy me.”― Bayard Rustin
Bayard was one of
Dr. King’s most trusted
lieutenants during the famous
March on Washington in 1963.
Biography.com described
his pivotal role: “Bayard
Rustin began his lifelong
activism work after moving
to New York in the 1930s,
where he was involved in
pacifist groups and early civil
rights protests. Combining
THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF POMPANO BEACH
2024 REVISED REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
FOR
Among the attendees
were Biden administration
Assistant Secretary of Health
and Human Services Cheryl
Cambell, NAACP Chair Leon
Russell, Florida Historical
Society Executive Director
Dr. Ben Botemarkle, Former
Florida Senator Tony Hill,
Bill Gray, president, and
Gloria Bartley, secretary of
the Moore Memorial Center,
and Darren A. Pagan, the
great grandson of the Moore’s,
and Bobby Henry, the chair
of the National Newspaper
Publishers Association,
and publisher of the Fort
Lauderdale Westside
Gazette Newspaper,
While commemorating
the Moore’s lives and their
“He never hid himself!”
Succinctly put, we must
get out of our comfort zones
and “… get about Our
Father’s business…!” What
do we have to lose, you ask?
EVERYTHING!
Why should Black
America - jostled and pushed
about DAILY, flimflammed,
and bewildered by the
propaganda mills of some
mainstream media, social
media - not have the benefit
of our rebuttals? Why are
our voices silent when the
perspectives available online
Bayard Rustin
nonviolent resistance with
organizational skills, he was a
key adviser to Martin Luther
King Jr. in the mid-1950s.
With labor leader A. Philip
Randolph, he originated the
idea and led the organizing
effort for the 1963 March
on Washington. It remains
one of the largest peaceful
demonstrations in American
history and paved the way for
the passage of key civil rights
legislation.”
Bayard was born 1912 in
West Chester, Pennsylvania,
and raised in a Quaker family
that was engaged in civil
rights activism. He attended
Wilberforce University,
Cheney State Teachers
College, and City College
of New York. The National
Park Services noted, “In
and over the air DO NOT
reflect the lives lived in the
communities we serve?
The reflections of those
who spoke on the life of our
dear, departed brother, Jim,
convinced me that we – the
NNPA - must do something
different than what we’ve
grown accustomed to doing.
Our RESPONSIBILITY to
Black America, bequeathed
to us by Russwurm &
Cornish, by Douglass, Wells,
Rolark, Sengstacke, Murphy,
Reeves, Goodlett and all
CO-DEVELOPMENT PARTNER
2024-001
The Housing Authority of Pompano Beach (HAPB) is
requesting qualification statements from experienced
developers (Co-Development Partners). The RFQ will be
available on Wednesday, April 10 th , 2024 a t : https://
ha.internationaleprocurement.com/requests.
html?company_id=49804.
The full scope of services and requirements are outlined in the
solicitation package on the above website.
All responses to the RFQ must be delivered to the HAPB, as
directed in the solicitation document, by 4:00 p.m. EST, May 13 th ,
2024. Responses received after this time may not be accepted.
HAPB is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and does not
discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion,
age or handicapped status in the employment or procurement of
services.
The Authority reserves the right to waive any informality in
qualifications and to reject any and all qualification statements if it
is in the best interest of the Authority to do so.
Movement, there was a
sense of urgency among
those present that America’s
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
the 1940s he met A. Philip
Randolph and worked with
him on various proposed
marches on Washington, D.C.
to protest segregation in the
armed forces and the defense
industry. Because of their
experiences together, when
Randolph was named to head
the March on Washington for
Jobs and Freedom in 1963, he
appointed Rustin as Deputy
Director and overall logistical
planner. In 1947, Rustin and
George Houser, executive
secretary of CORE, organized
the Journey of Reconciliation
which was the first of the
Freedom Rides.”
He was openly Gay and
proud to be in the vanguard
of the nascent Rainbow
community. President
Obama was effusive in his
admiration of the courage
Bayard displayed. The
Guardian magazine recorded
the President’s remarks to an
audience at the Smithsonian
National Museum of
African American History
and Culture: “Most of you
probably did not read about
Bayard Rustin in school,
Why? Rustin lived openly
and unapologetically gay in
the 1950s. Imagine that…”
“This is someone who was
courageous enough to be
who he was despite the fact
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
A Tribute to James A. Washington from Front Page
those nameless, faceless
SOLDIERS whose labors -
today - go unrewarded, is to
speak clearly, coherently, and
incessantly on behalf of Black
America.
Please don’t misunderstand
me. I am one hundred percent
convinced that we are up to the
job. I’m simply saying that WE
MUST DO IT!
In a nation hell-bent on
rolling back the hard-fought
gains chronicled in our pages -
in a nation that has stigmatized
affirmative action, DEI, CRT,
while thumbing its nose at the
constitutional protections paid
for in blood - in a nation that
our ancestors - stripped of their
humanity, dignity, and the
right to pursue happiness – DO
WE SIT SILENT??
I say NO! I say that the
NNPA - the Black Press of
America - MUST reclaim its
rightful place in the hearts and
minds of those who once relied
on us for Truth and Justice. Our
recent Lifetime Achievement
awardees, the Zipperts,
affirmed what we know to be
true – “…our readers depend
on their weekly paper for its
news and are upset with any
disruption in its delivery.”
It won’t be easy. It wasn’t
easy in 1827 when FREEDOM’S
JOURNAL exploded into the
American conscience. But fear
never moved a mountain. And
we’ve got mountains that need
moving.
Thank you, Dallas. Thank
you for the spirit evident
in the life of James Alfred
Washington. Thank you for
rekindling the Spirit that has
guided us for 197 years. Long
live the Black Press … we’ve
got work to do!

www.thewestsidegazette.com
Nation’s Growing Racial and Gender Wealth Gaps Need
Policy Reform Never-married Black women have 8 cents
in wealth for every dollar held by while males
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OF BID
SOLICITATIONS
Broward County Board of
County Commissioners is
soliciting bids for a variety
of goods and services,
construction and architectural/
engineering services. Interested
bidders are requested to view
and download the notifications
of bid documents via the
Broward County Purchasing
website at: www.broward.org/
purchasing.
May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, 2024
IN THE CIRCUIT
COURT OF THE
SEVENTEENTH
JUDICIAL
CIRCUIT IN AND FOR
BROWARD COUNTY,
FLORIDA
CASE NO.: FMCE
23-014901
JUDGE: AVALOS (38)
IN RE: THE MARRIAGE OF
XIMENA MUNOZ BOTINA,
Petitioner/Former Wife
and
ELIBARDO ZAPATA SAA,
Respondent/Former Husband
NOTICE OF ACTION
FOR PETITION
TO DOMESTICATE
FOREIGN
JUDGEMENT
TO: ELIBARDO ZAPATA SAA
ADDRESS UNKNOWN
YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for
PETITION TO DOMESTICATE FOR-
EIGN JUDGEMENT has been filed against
you and that you are required to serve a
copy of your written defenses, if any, to the
Petitioner, Edward A. Lopez, Esq., whose address
is 3440 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 415,
Hollywood, FL 33021 on or before May 13,
2024 and file the original with the clerk of
this Court at 201 Southeast Sixth Street, Fort
Lauderdale, Florida 33301. If you fail to do so,
a default may be entered against you for the
relief demanded in the petition.
Copies of all court documents in the 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.
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 27, 2024
Clerk of the Circuit Court
Marilyn D. Robinson, Deputy Clerk
April 18, 25, May 2, 9, 2024
By Charlene Crowell
As the November general
election nears, many economic
analysts have publicly
pondered why so many likely
voters are not impressed with
reports that point to more
hiring, or economic growth.
But if these experts spoke with
hard-working Americans,
they’d understand why so
many are disgruntled.
A wealth of new research
spells out stark wealth and
income disparities that reflect
a far different economic
dynamic: people who work
full-time but find it difficult
to get ahead financially. Race
and ethnicity remain nagging
factors. But emerging gender
and occupational trends play
a large role as well.
A late March update of
the St. Louis Federal Reserve
Bank’s ongoing research on
wealth inequalities offers
several eye-opening data
points:
Overall, women had only
68 cents in wealth for every
dollar held by their male
peers.
When data was filtered by
race/ethnicity, never-married
Black women and nevermarried
Hispanic women
had 8 cents and 14 cents,
respectively, of the wealth of
white males.
Never-married Black
women, never-married
Hispanic women and nevermarried
mothers of any race
or ethnicity were the most
financially stressed. They had
very low levels of wealth to fall
back on in an emergency, or
to invest in financial stability
and mobility; and
Each of the never-married
groups is in the bottom third
of the wealth distribution for
U.S. households.
But low racial and gender
wealth is inextricably tied to
income.
An Institute for Women’s
Policy Research (IWPR) report
highlighted the inequities in
full-time workers’ pay.
“Equal pay for equal work
has been the law of the land
for more than a half-century,
yet women still cannot get
fair treatment when it comes
to employment and earnings,”
noted Jamila K. Taylor,
IWPR President and CEO.
“And it’s worse for women
of color, who face rampant
racial discrimination in the
workforce in addition to
ongoing pay inequities.”
Deeply Rooted
The report, The 2023
Weekly Wage Gap by Race,
Ethnicity and Occupation,
explores how these three
factors are intertwined. In
2023 overall, according to
IWPR, the wage gap for
full-time workers by gender
improved, but when race and
ethnicity were factored into
the analysis, a substantial
wage gap grew.
The median income of
white men in 2023 increased
more than all other groups,
but IWPR found substantial
wage gaps for Latinas and
Black women. Weekly median
wages for Black women
dropped to 65.8 percent in
2023, down from the previous
year’s 67.4 percent. Similarly,
Latina wages fell from 2022’s
61.4 percent to 59.2 percent in
2023.
The highest paying
occupations – management,
business, and finance
positions – brought white
men a median weekly income
of $1,905, according to IWPR.
But these same occupations
paid Black men $1,488, and
Black women earned even
less at $1,287 per week.
By comparison, service
occupations – paying less
than other occupations such
as sales, construction, and
transportation – paid median
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content and relaxed for the week.14, 35, 38
TAURUS-Lots of opportunities are swirling around
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22, 36, 49
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need to.6, 16, 40
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Everything is changing in Social Security benefit payments:
Seniors who will see changes in their monthly paychecks
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>Get rich thanks to these
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Deeply Rooted
www.thewestsidegazette.com
For the Week oF May 7 - May 13, 2024
2 0 2 4 B L A C K C O L L E G E B A S E B A L L (Tournaments, Standings and Tournament Dates)
SPRING
INTO
ACTION
Jackson State Sports photo
FIRED UP: New Jackson State
women's basketball coach
Margaret Richards promises to
not disappoint the Tiger faithful
and continue championships.
PRUNTY OUT AT HAMPTON; RICHARDS IN FOR
JSU WOMEN'S HOOPS; SOME SPRING RESULTS IN
SIAC
Southern IntercollegIate
athletIc conFerence
BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
TOURNAMENT
THURSDAY, MAY 2
Edward Waters 12, Lane 5
Spring Hill 4, Morehouse 3
Albany State 8, Kentucky 2
Savannah State 4, Miles 3
FRIDAY, MAY 3
Edward Waters 4, Spring Hill 3
Lane 7, Morehouse 4
Kentucky State 14, Miles 4
Savannah State 19, Albany State 3
Spring Hill 6, Kentucky State 5
Albany State 7, Lane 5
SATURDAY, MAY 4
Edward Waters 9, Savannah State0
Albany State 7, Spring Hill 3
SUNDAY, MAY 5 (CHAMPIONSHIP
Savannah State 7, Albany State 6
Edward Waters 10, Savannah State 5
SWAC
SouthWeStern
athletIc conFerence
CONF ALL
EAST W L W L
Florida A&M 18 6 23 23
Bethune-Cookman 17 7 27 21
Alabama State 16 8 25 21
Jackson State 12 11 29 16
Alabama A&M 7 16 11 34
Mississippi Valley State 1 23 9 31
WEST
Texas Southern 15 5 19 21
Grambling State 16 6 19 23
Prairie View A&M 13 8 24 23
Southern 12 10 19 24
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 5 17 14 31
Alcorn State 5 19 6 36
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
HITTER
Manny Souffrain, Jr., INF, B-CU - 3-for-3 with a HR
and five RBI and two runs scored in 9-3 win over FAMU.
PITCHER
Drew Lasseigne, Sr., RHP, SOU - Pitched seven innings
giving up 5 hits and one earned run with 9 Ks in 10-1
win vs. Alcorn State.
SWAC BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
May 22-26 • Chandler Stadium • Atlanta, GA
CAA
CONF ALL
W L W L
11th NC A&T 7 14 23 24
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tre Williams, Jr., 2B, NC A&T - In 2-1 series win
over Northeastern, Williams had hits in all three
games. He was 4 for 5 with a double and 3 runs
scored in 13-5 win in Game 1, 2 for 4 with a run
scored in 4-2 Game 2 win and 1 of 3 with a run
scored in 13-3 loss in Game 3. Finished 7 foir 12
(.583) with 5 runs scored in the series.
.
colonIal
athletIcS aSSocIatIon
CAA BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
May 22-25
Brooks Field
Wilmington, NC
UNDER THE BANNER
What's going on in and aroUnd BlacK collEgE sPorts
RICHARDS TAKES REINS OF JSU WOMEN'S HOOPS:
JACKSON, Miss. – With all the pomp and circumstance
that accompanied the rousing
introduction of head football coach
Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders in
2020, Margaret Richards was introduced
Monday as Jackson State's
new women's head basketball coach.
The occasion featured a police
Richards
escorted motorcade entrance with
sounds of the school's legendary
"Sonic Boom of the South" Marching Band providing the
bouncing musical backdrop for the packed press conference
held at the Lee E.Williams Athletic and Assembly
Center.
Richards was announced by Jackson State Vice President
& Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson as the seventh
head coach of the women's basketball program last
week.
She has a big job ahead following in the footsteps
of former JSU head coach Tomekia Reed who won five
Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) regular season
championships and three SWAC Tournament titles
and the NCAA Tournament berths that go with them in six
years leading the Lady Tigers. Reed left after this season
and was announced two weeks ago as the head coach at
Charlotte.
Richards was greeted by a fired-up and enthusiastic
JSU crowd.
"Since I stepped off that plane yesterday morning,
it's been nothing but love," Richards said. "This is a true
blessing and a dream for me to be able to lead this firstclass
program. And the support is unmatched, unlike any
other I've ever seen."
Richards, a 19-year collegiate coaching veteran
comes to Jackson State from Mercer where she joined the
staff after an eight-year run as head coach at Alabama
A&M where she paced the Bulldogs to nearly 100 wins.
Richards has served as an assistant at Kentucky
State, a graduate assistant at Louisville and head coach
at Saint Augustine's (2008-09). She led the Falcons to a
33-24 clip across two seasons, highlighted by an 18-10 record
and a Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
(CIAA) Western Division championship in 2009-10.
Richards also has had roles as an assistant coach at
North Texas (2010-11) and Weber State (2011-12), Western
Kentucky and Clemson (2015-16) season before being
named as Alabama A&M's fifth head coach on June 2,
2016.
PRUNTY OUT AS HAMPTON FOOTBALL COACH:
Hampton Director of Athletics Anthony Henderson
announced last Tuesday that Robert
Prunty is no longer the head footbal
coach of the Pirates.
The abrupt announcement
came at a press conference just before
the transfer portal closed and some
time after the team finished spring
Prunty
practice in early March. No explanation
was given for Prunty's dismissal.
Running backs and special teams coach Trent Boykin
will serve as the interim head coach for the 2024 season,
Henderson announced in the release. A Hampton spokesperson
said a press conference with Boykin is scheduled
for Wednesday, May 8.
Prunty had served as the Pirates' head coach since
2018. He went 26-29 in five seasons while navigating the
program from FBS independence, to the Big South, and
finally to the Colonial Athletic Association. Hampton went
5-6 in 2023, 3-5 in CAA play.
In Prunt's final season he was 3-1 against HBCU opponents
with wins over SWAC member Grambling State
(35-34), MEAC champion Howard (35-34) and fellow
former MEAC, Big South and now CAA member North
Carolina A&T (26-24). The Pirates lost to Norfolk State,
31-23.
JACKSON RELEASED BY LAS VEGAS ACES:
Two-time SWAC Defensive Player of the Year, 6-7
center Angel Jackson of Jackson State, the only HBCU
player taken in the 2024 WNBA Draft, was released by
the two-time champion Las Vegas Aces this week. General
manager Natalie Williams made the announcement
Jackson averaged 9.6 points and 7.0 rebounds in her
two seasons at JSU, while blocking 171 shots in 64 games.
Jackson transferred to JSU after playing her first three seasons
at the University of Southern California.
She was taken with the 36th overall pick in the third
round of this year's draft. Jackson helped lead JSU to
back-to-back SWAC regular-season titles in her two seasons,
going 35-1 in conference play.
BCSP Spring Round-Up
CIAA
Bowie State takes 2024 softball title
Glen Allen, VA – The three players at the top of the Bowie State
lineup – centerfielder Coreena Dunham, left fielder Presligh Braxton
and designated hitter/pitcher Lindsey George – went a combined 8 of 11
at the plate with eight runs scored as the Bulldogs downed Claflin 11-8
to claim the 2024 CIAA Softball title.
Braxton had a home run and Dunham had a double, the only extra
base hits for BSU (20-21), who came in as the third-seeded team from
the Northern Division. Dunham also had four stolen bases. Dunham and
Braxton were 3 for 4 in the title game while George wen 2 for 3.
The Bulldogs beat S. Div. second seed Fayetteville State 10-4 and
N. Div. top seed Virginia State 7-6 in Friday's first round. They dispatched
S. Div. third-seed Claflin to enter the championship round undefeated.
Claflin defeated VSU 8-1 Saturday to set up the championship match
Sunday with BSU.
2024 ALL-CIAA FIRST TEAM
P - Kara Green, Sr., VSU; C - Ellianna Henneberg, Jr., BSU; 1B - Mylia Knight, Fr., VSU; 2B - Jaya
Diggs-Hagwood, Jr., VSU; 3B - Miranda Wilson, Jr., WSSU; SS - Alaijah Pratt, Jr., VSU; OF - Jayla
Hill, Jr., BSU; Aliya Rose, So., LINC; Hailey Darrington, Jr., VSU; DH - Bella Coffman, Sr., BLST;
UTL - Jaelyn Jackson, Sr., CLAF
2024 ALL-CIAA SECOND TEAM
P - Jaelyn Jackson, Sr., CLAF; C - Jenna Nicolski, So., VUU; !B - Tia Brown, Jr., LINC; 2B - Zeta
Brown, Sr., ECSU; 3B - Skye Corum, So.,, VSU; SS - Cydney Cooper, So., CLAF; OF - Paige Whittington,
So., BLST; Alicia Carrington, So., WSSU; Malia Simmons, Jr., WSSU; DH - Akirra Pullen,
Sr., BSU; UTL - Malia Simmons, Jr., WSSU
Fayetteville State women, Virginia State men
take Track & Field titles
The Fayetteville State Broncos led both days of the two-day women's
track and field championship collecting a total of 174 points to claim
the league championship over runner-up Winston-Salem State (106),
and Saint Augustine's (79.5).
Virginia State clinched the victory for the men with 160 points to
take an 8-point win over runner-up Claflin (152) and Virginia Union
(93). Claflin held a 15-point lead over VSU until the Trojans captured
three of the top five spots for the discus throw; the final scoring event
of the meet. The trio of Mark Banberger, Jabari Blake, and Rayquan
Smith were first, third, and fourth, respectively.
Head Coach Inez Turner of Fayetteville State was named women's
coach of the year and VSU's Frank Hyland was men's coach of the year.
FSU's M'Smrya Seward captured the Women's
Field MVP award contributing 30 points with first-place
wins in the long, triple, and high jump events. VSU's
Banberger's won the Men's Field MVP Award with 28
points from winning the shot-put and discus throw. He
placed second in the javelin throw.
Kirwa
SAU's Malaysia Johnson was named
the Women's Track MVP with her
21-point contribution from first place in the 400 meters
and second place in the 200 meters and a leg on the
4x100 relay. The Men’s Track MVP went to the VSU's
Desmond Kirwa who accumulated 28 points by winning
the 1500 and 800 meters. He also finished second in the
5000 meters.
WOMEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: MEN’S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR:
Brianna Benloss, Fr., Winston-Salem State Desmond Kirwa, Virginia State
WOMEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: MEN’S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR:
M’Smrya “Shea” Seward, Fayetteville State Markus White, Virginia State
Benloss posted a personal best time of 11.75 in the 100 meters ranking her first in the CIAA,
third in the Atlantic Region, and 34th nationally. Similarly, her personal best time of 24.02 in the 200
meters places her third in the CIAA, third in the Atlantic region, and 24th nationally. In addition, her
contribution to the 4x100 relay resulted in a fourth-place finish with an NCAA qualifying time of 46.37.
Seward broke the FSU high jump record with a height of 1.65 meters. In the conference, she's
ranked first in both the high jump and the long jump. In the Div. II Atlantic Region, she is ranked
second in the high jump and third in the long jump.
Kirwa has earned NCAA provisional qualifier in the 800 meters, while also securing the top spot
in the CIAA rankings for both the 800 and 1500 meters. Adding to his impressive list of accolades,
Kirwa also broke VSU's 1500 meter record.
White is currently tenth in the NCAA for the long jump, securing the top spot in both the Atlantic
region and the CIAA and third in the CIAA for the triple jump.
SIAC
Spring Hill captures second softball title
COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Spring Hill softball team defeated West
Div. third-seed Lane in a pair of games in the 2024 Cricket SIAC Soft-
CIAA
ball Championship final to take home its second conference title in program
history at the South Commons Softball Complex on Wednesday.
Bailey Cox, Amanda Glowacki and Rycca Hinton led the Badgers
with two RBIs apiece in the first game of the day, an 8-4 extra-inning win
that forced the rubber match. Oscha Carter contributed with a 3-for-4
performance at the plate with a run scored and a walk.
Meadow Villar, Taylor Pittman, Kayla Coley-Drayton and Macy
Holt each tallied an RBI in the 4-3 win for Spring Hill in the evening
game. Coley-Drayton and Carter both went 2-for-4 at the plate and crossed
the plate once to help secure the Badgers' second SIAC tournament title
in program history. Leighanna Turk took the win in the final game after
tossing 3.2 scoreless innings and striking out three batters.
The championship marked the first since 2019 and the first under
Head Coach Hanna Lythberg.
Edward Waters wins first baseball title
Ferante Cowart's grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning
sparked Edward Waters to a 10-5 come-from-behind victory over Savannah
State to win the program's first SIAC Baseball Championship on
Sunday afternoon.
Down 2-0, Edward Waters (31-18, 21-11 SIAC) tied the score at 2
before falling behind 5-3. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Torry Jones
had a pinch-hit RBI on a bases-loaded walk to bring the Tigers within a
run at 5-4. Erickson Matos also earned an unconventional RBI after being
hit by a pitch with bases loaded to tie the contest at 5-5. Then, with
one out in the inning, Cowart sent a pitcher over the left-center field wall
for a grand slam to give EWU a 9-5 lead. John Nobles would later add an
insurance run on an RBI fielder’s choice, giving EWU a 10-5 lead.
Due to EWU being in the final year of its three-year transition to the
NCAA from the NAIA, Savannah State will earn the SIAC's automatic
bid to the NCAA Division II Baseball Tournament.
Edward Waters will next turn their attention to the 2024 Tyson Foods
Black College World Series, which will take place May 8th-11th at Riverwalk
Stadium in Montgomery, Alabama.
SWAC
Texas Southern men, Alabama State women
take Outdoor Track & Field titles
BATON ROUGE, La.- The Texas Southern Tigers claimed the 2024
SWAC Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship title with 161
points. Jackson State was second with 133 points followed by Arkansas-
Pine Bluff with 102 points.
TSU's Jose Gonzalez won the 1500 and 5000 meters to earn the
Men's Most Outstanding Track Performer. Jackson
State's Davieon Center and Ledamian Rowell claimed
Most Outstanding Co-Field Performer honors.
Texas Southern head coach Clyde Duncan was
named the SWAC Men's Outdoor Track and Field Coach
of the Year after leading Texas Southern to titles in Cross
Country along with Indoor Track and Field and Outdoor
Track and Field. The TSU win marked the first time since
2011 that a SWAC men's program has swept cross country and track and
field titles in a calendar year.
The Alabama State Lady Hornets claimed the 2024 SWAC Women’s
Outdoor Track and Field Championship title with the Lady Hornets'
Shamia Jones winning the 1500 meters to earn the Most Outstanding
Track Performer. Florida A&M’s Breanna Brown-Marshall claimed
Most Outstanding Field Performer honors.
Alabama State finished with 139.3 points with Florida A&M claiming
second place with 129 points and Prairie View A&M third with 121
points. Alabama State head coach Ritchie Beene was named the Women's
Coach of the Year after leading ASU titles in both Indoor Track and Field
and Outdoor Track and Field.
MEAC
South Carolina State fals in
first round of NCAA tennis tournament
RALEIGH, N.C., May 4, 2024 - MEAC champion South Carolina
State women’s tennis season ended in the first round of the 2024 NCAA
Women;s Tennis Tournament with a 4-0 loss to No. 15 North Carolina
State.
S.C. State finished the 2024 season with a 16-5 record after claiming
its fourth consecutive MEAC championship, the program's 18th overall.
2 0 2 4 B L A C K C O L L E G E S O F T B A L L (Tournaments, Standings and Tournament Dates)
CEntral intErcollEgiatE
athlEtic association
SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
FRIDAY, MAY 3
Virginia State 10, Shaw 1
Bowie State 10, Fayetteville State 4
Winston-Salem State 8, Virginia Union 2
Claflin 9, Lincoln (PA) 3
Fayetteville State 4, Shaw 3
Lincoln (PA)10, Virginia Union 3
Bowie State 7, Virginia State 6
Claflin 12, Winston-Salem State 9
SATURDAY, MAY 4
Winston-Salem State 10, Fayetteville State 0
Virginia State 10, Lincoln (PA) 7
Bowie State 5, Claflin 4
Claflin 8, Virginia State 1
SUNDAY, MAY 5 (CHAMPIONSHIP)
Bowie State 11, Claflin 8
MEAC
Seward
Mid EastErn
athlEtic confErEncE
FINAL CONF ALL
W L W L
Morgan State 18 3 30 17
Howard 16 5 32 11
Coppin State 15 6 20 20
NC Central 14 7 18 32
SC State 8 13 11 28
Delaware State 5 16 14 28
Maryland ES 5 16 11 33
Norfolk State 3 18 4 42 .
MEAC SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
May 8-12, 2024
Norfolk State Softball Field
Norfolk, VA
SIAC
Southern IntercollegIate
athletIc conFerence
SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
MONDAY, APRIL 29
Spring Hill 5, Savannah State 0
Lane 6, Edward Waters 1
Tuskegee 13, Albany State 2
Fort Vallely State 7, Miles 6
Edward Waters 8, Savannah State 0
Lane 4, Spring Hill 3
Fort Valley State 10, Albany State 6
Tuskegee 13, Miles 4
TUESDAY, APRIL 30
Spring Hill 9, Fort Valley State 1
Edward Waters 9, Miles 2
Lane 2, Tuskegee 0
Spring Hill 6, Edward Waters 1
Spring Hill 6 , Tuskegee 3
Spring Hill College
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1 (CHAMPIONSHIP)
Spring Hill 8, Lane 4
Spring Hil 4, Lane 3
SWAC
Gonzalez
SouthWeStern
athletIc conFerence
FINAL CONF ALL
EAST W L W L
Florida A&M 19 5 23 18
Jackson State 15 8 29 17
Bethune-Cookman 16 8 18 30
Alabama State 15 9 25 27
Alabama A&M 5 19 9 27
Miss. Valley State 1 23 3 34
WEST
Prairie View A&M 23 1 28 17
Texas Southern 13 8 19 17
Southern 12 12 16 25
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 8 14 19 28
Grambling State 8 16 17 30
Alcorn State 5 19 10 34
SWAC SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
May 7-10 - Gulfport (MS) Sportsplex
© AZEEZ Communications, Inc. Vol. XXX, No. 41

www.thewestsidegazette.com
SPORTS
Nunnie on the Sideline
By “Nunnie” Sylvester, Westside Gazette Newspaper
Sports Editor
The 150th Kentucky Derby, held this
past Saturday at Churchill Downs
in Louisville, peaked my interest when
I learned that Bahamian trainer Larry
Demeritte had entered West Saratoga,
a horse that owner Harry Veruchi
purchased for $11,000, even more
remarkable when you consider that the
most expensive horse in the Derby -
Sierra Leone which finished second - cost
$2.3 million. The last time a minority
trainer entered a horse in the Derby
was in 1989 when Hank Allen finished 6th in the Derby with
a horse named Northern Wolf. Black trainers dominated the
Derby’s early years, winning seven of the first 17 from 1875-
1891. Good omens favored Larry, who was diagnosed with
cancer in 1996, as he has stayed the course in fulfilling his
dream of not just entering but winning a triple crown event.
The first omen was being assigned Barn 42, the same used
by Seattle Slew which won the triple crown in 1977. A second
good omen was Exaggerator, West Saratoga’s sire who finished
second in the 2016 Kentucky Derby and won the Preakness
and the Haskell. As I watched the race unfold, excellent
early positioning succumbed to a larger horse forcing West
Saratoga wide, coupled with the astonishingly high 20 horses
in Derby significantly weakening any chance of winning or
placing. A proud moment nonetheless.
With NBA playoffs in full swing, much has been made about
the L A Lakers’ firing of Head Coach Darvin Ham (after losing
a very competitive opening series to the defending champions
Denver Nuggets), who led them to the finals last year, won the
inaugural in-season tournament championship this year and
had a combined 90-74 won/loss record in 2 years. I can only
surmise that he didn’t have the support of LeBron James and
Anthony Davis. If the expectation is win a championship or
bust, then every head coach who doesn’t win that year’s title
should be fired.
The Heat’s expected early exit in playoffs was exacerbated
by Jimmy Butler’s ill-advised comment that the Heat would
have defeated the Celtics if he had played, a statement that
President Pat Riley took exception to when he opined that if
you’re not playing, then shut up. At Jimmy’s age and injury
history, extending his contract may not be prudent or feasible.
After some questionable calls - a phantom kicked ball and
an untimely called pick - favoring the Knicks, victory was
snatched away from the Pacers in MSG Monday night. Officials,
let the players decide the game on the court by being consistent
with calls. The Pacers/Knicks series should be competitive and
entertaining.
Not so much with the T-Wolves and Nuggets as the Anthony
Edwards led juggernaut has won the first 2 games in Denver,
the last convincingly. Perhaps the Lakers series took something
out of the Nuggets.
While the Boston/Cleveland series should prove anticlimactic,
don’t sleep on OKC and Dallas. NBA fans everywhere should
be thrilled, in hog heaven.
San Antonio’s phenomenal Victor Wembanyama has been
named unanimous Rookie of the Year for 2024.
One final note: The NBA season, 82 regular season games, is
too long. Driven by incredible, outrageous salaries, injuries to
players inevitably result, weakening the product on the court.
Also the 2 Minute report following games should be scrapped.
Broward FAMU Alumni Golf
Tournament
By Daryl Cox
Get ready Broward
County to tee off
with excitement as
the Florida Agricultural
& Mechanical
University (FAMU)
National Alumni Association
(NAA), Broward
County Chapter,
proudly presents
its Second Annual Scholarship Golf Tournament & Luncheon.
The event will take place on Saturday, May 25, 2024, at the
prestigious Jacaranda Country Club, 9200 W. Broward Blvd,
Plantation, Florida. The action kicks off with registration at
7:00 a.m., followed by a thrilling shotgun start at 8:00 a.m. It’s
a day filled with camaraderie, competition, and, of course, plenty
of fun games sprinkled throughout the course, all culminating
towards a mouthwatering luncheon.
But that’s not all—this event isn’t just about having a great
time on the greens; it’s about making a meaningful impact.
Proceeds from the tournament will go directly toward funding
scholarships for deserving local high school students aiming to
attend FAMU. With a legacy spanning over 61 years, the FAMU
NAA Broward Chapter has already contributed over $750,000
in scholarships to support FAMU students—an achievement
we can all be proud of!
Here’s your chance to join the cause and show your FAMU
Spirit. Gather your team for an unforgettable day of golfing
excellence. A foursome can register for $640, while individual
golfers can secure their spot for $160. And don’t worry, we’ve
got your lunch covered—every golfer receives a complimentary
feast. Non-golfers are also invited to partake in the festivities
by attending the luncheon for just $65.00. You may register or
donate by signing on to https://linktr.ee/famugolftournament .
For those looking to take their support to the next level, check
out our sponsorship opportunities available on this link. It’s an
incredible way to showcase your commitment to education and
community.
Ready to swing into action? Register now or reach out to
our dedicated Chairpersons, Daryl Wilcox at 954-303-1457 or
Millicent Bryant-Thrope at (954) 871-6727. Let’s come together,
hit the link, and make a difference—one swing at a time.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity to combine your love for
golf with your passion for supporting education. Mark your
calendars, gather your friends, and let’s make this year’s tournament
the best one yet!
Excitement awaits, so let’s make it a day to remember!
www.browardrattlers.org
Deeply Rooted
Are NBA Players Winning the
Money Game in the League
By Roger Caldwell
The average National Basketball
Association (NBA) player makes just over
$10,277,000 ($10 million) for the 2023-2024
seasons. The highest paid player is Stephen
Curry at $51,915,615, while 15 players are
paid the league minimum of $1,119,563.
It would appear that Basketball players
should have nothing to complain about,
because they are well paid for shooting a
basket ball. Many media and news reporters have stated to
basketball players: “shut up and dribble.”
In the NBA today 70% to75% of the players are Black and
now 50% of the coaches are Black with 30 teams in the league.
Diversity is now a business imperative, but 60 years ago the
first Black coach was Bill Russell, and racism was a reality.
In the old days making the NBA respectable was the goal
of the team owners, and the players were kept under control.
But in the 70’s a new generation of Black players entered into
the league. There were now Black players like Kareem Abdul-
Jabbar and Spencer Haywood who challenged the owners with
Black Power and demanded higher salaries.
In the late 70’s and early 80’s, this was the beginning of the
multimillionaire dollar contracts, and many players have no
idea what happened to the money. Many of the players bought
beautiful houses; many spent the money on partying, women,
drugs, and clothes. Even though the owners were trying to
control players, Hip-Hop was moving into the league.
Allen Iverson brought corn rolls in the game, and you
can’t divorce sports from the issues and times in which they
played. Enter “Black Ball” a timely book that explains why
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
Taravella Boys & Girls
Dominate District
By “Nunnie” Sylvester, Westside Gazette Newspaper
Sports Editor
Taravella boys and girls track and field teams won the District
Championships, with many athletes winning individual
district titles including Scary Fils, 1600 meters champion who
was apart of the winning 4 x 800 relay with Elijah Vessells,
Akeem Beckford, and Ali Mustafa. In addition Fils finished
second in the 800 meters, teaming with Vessells, Maleek
Lubin, and T’Yquez Jenkins. The 4 x 1 team didn’t fair quite as
well, finishing third. Members of that group were Ray Graham,
Miles Green, Ja’Michael Barnes, and Quentin Toussaint.
An outstanding performance was rendered by the phenomenal
Ajah Arscott who won the 100, 200, 400 meter, and 4 x 100 relay
for the girls. Her teammates included Damari Sibbles, Qyrah
Spann-Pierre, and Kiana Taylor. Spann-Pierre also won the
400 hurdles, while U’Myri Bain took first in the long jump.
Adding to the dominant performances was Sibbles, who also
finished second in the 200 and 400 meters and Katelyn Tenn,
second place finisher in the long jump. Proud and excited about
their district championship, the Trojans know that the best is
ahead of them as they focus on the regional competition which
will be held on Wednesday, May 8, 2024.
Photo: YouTube
Famed 1982 Cheyney State
women’s basketball team gets
Hall of Fame honor
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
Acrobatics and tumbling
at Morgan State
University: Making
history one flip at a time
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2024 • PAGE 15
WG
The Dillard sixth and seventh grade track team is setting
standards of excellence that could produce future
Olympians by the time they’re in college and beyond.
Under the tutelage of mentor and Coach Kevin Thomas,
former Dillard Panther basketball phenom, the team’s
outstanding performances led to them winning the AAU
Southern Regional Championship. Above are pictures
taken after their victorious triumph.
By Nunnie Robinson, Westside Gazette Newspaper Sports
Editor
One of the most overlooked professional sports franchises in
South Florida is that soaring hockey team AKA the Florida
Panthers who made a miraculous run toward the Stanley Cup
last year and are at it again.
After eliminating the state rival Tampa Bay Lightning,
the Panthers rested and waited patiently on the winner
between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Boston Bruins, a
series that at one point had the Bruins leading 3-1. However,
the Maple Leafs fought back, winning the next 2 games
before finally succumbing to the Bruins in Boston in a highly
competitive series. Ironically, the Bruins were attempting to
avoid repeating last year’s devastating result where, after
leading the Panthers 3 - 1, the Bruins allowed the Panthers
to win 3 in a row, thus eliminating them from the playoffs.
After defeating Toronto, the Bruins traveled to sunny South
Florida to play a well rested Panther team in the second round.
The Panthers, perhaps too rested and rusty, were lambasted
by the Bruins 5-1 on Monday night at Amerant Bank Arena.
Let’s hope that game one was an anomaly, not a harbinger of
things to come. Go Panthers!
The Miami Heat, after being soundly defeated by the Boston
Celtics, have several issues to resolve including PR concerns
based on Pat Riley’s renunciation of Jimmy Butler, who made
the asinine, outrageous and poorly timed statement about the
Heat defeating the Celtics had he played. Per Riley, if you’re
not on the court, shut up. Jimmy’s age, injury history and
salary demands make signing him problematic at best and
extremely unlikely at worst.
The Miami Marlins have a 10-27 record this year and have traded
star player Louis Arraez to the San Diego Padres, opening the
trading season in Major League Baseball months before the
MLB trade deadline and another All-Star player is reportedly
expected to be moved this summer. That’s all you really need to
know about this franchise. One that knows how to discover and
develop talent, having won 2 World Series in its brief history.
On the contrary, it also knows how to destroy and self-destruct.
It can’t all be because of poor attendance and community
support. I really understand why Derek Jeter and Kim Ng
bailed. Somebody prove me wrong.
And finally our Miami Dolphins who recently signed Odell
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
www.browardrattlers.org

PAGE 16 • MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2024
Deeply Rooted
www.thewestsidegazette.com
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