Daytona Times, December 21, 2017

Which are better?

Fake or real trees SEE PAGE 5

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JULIANNE MALVEAUX: BLACK WOMEN DESERVE ‘HOOKUP’ FOR POLITICAL EFFORTS PAGE 4

NEW EXHIBIT AT DAYTONA CENTER INCLUDES ARTWORK BY LOCAL KIDS SEE PAGE 3

%AST #ENTRAL &LORIDA S "LACK 6OICE DECEMBER 21 - DECEMBER 27, 2017

YEAR 42 NO. 51

www.daytonatimes.com

Having their say on homelessness City, county leaders answer questions about shelter, housing during community forum Let the pros run it

BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES

Homelessness continues to be a blemish on American society.

It’s also prevalent here in Daytona Beach and Volusia County.

An open question-and-answer forum on Tuesday about the homelessness and the planned First Step Shelter was held at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 1014. N. Halifax Ave, Daytona Beach. It was hosted by the Daytona Beach News-Journal and moderated by Pat Rice, its editor.

Panelists included Daytona Beach Community Relations Manager, Dr. L. Ronald Durham; Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood; Catholic Charities of Central Florida Executive Director Gary Tester; and Ormond Beach Mayor Bill Partington.

“Homelessness is a countywide issue that needs a countywide solution. If you let the government run this, it will screw it up,” Chitwood said.

“The government’s job is to open doors and let professionals and social organizations handle

DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Panelists at Tuesday’s forum address questions about homelessness in the area. The forum included an update on the First Step Shelter. the situation. Government then needs to get the information out and assist people in getting to these organizations. We have the professionals here. We need to let them do the work.”

‘One safe zone’ Charlie Welsh noted that two thirds of homeless people are homeless not by choice and asked the panel what are they do-

ing for those in need right now, while they currently need help.

“We have one safe zone, which is an overnight place where indiSee HOMELESS, Page 2

Local Kwanzaa events to focus on meaning, relevance

BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES

A HOLIDAY TREAT FOR SENIORS Hundreds attend real senior prom in Daytona They dined. They danced. They caught up with friends. They made new ones.

Local residents 55 and older were treated to a senior prom on Dec. 18 at the Midtown Cultural and Educational Center in Daytona Beach.

The annual event was sponsored by VITAS Healthcare in partnership with the City of Daytona Beach.

More than 400 people attended this year’s senior prom, which was started in 2015 as part of the city’s holiday festivities.

As in the past, a king and queen were chosen. This year, the honor went to Mrs. Hazel Shaw, 90, as the prom king and Calvert Davis, 91, as the king.

Above: More than 400 seniors attended the Light Up Midtown event on Dec. 18.

Left: Mrs. Hazel Shaw and Calvert Davis were crowned the prom queen and king at the senior prom.

PHOTOS BY DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR.HARDNOTTS PHOTOGRAPHY.COM

While many are still preparing for Christmas and finishing up their holiday shopping, some local organizations already have their minds on Kwanzaa.

Local Kwanzaa celebrations will take place in Palm Coast, New Smyrna Beach and DeLand.

Organizers say the holiday – which celebrates family, community and culture – is as special and relevant as it was in 1966 when created by Dr. Maulana Karenga as an act of cultural reconstruction. Kwanzaa is celebrated from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.

“It is more important now because of the political constraints upon us. It’s important that we know where we came from and that we depend upon each other to survive,” said Brenda Andrews, chair of the Cultural Committee for the African-American Cultural Society in Palm Coast.

‘Celebrating our history’ The African American Cultural Society will hold its Kwanzaa event on Friday, Dec. 29 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Palm Coast Cultural Center, 4422 N. US Highway 1.

The Mary S. Harrell Black Heritage Museum in collaborated with P.E.A.C.E. Arts will host its annual Kwanzaa celebration from See KWANZAA, Page 2

Sears Swinton to be eulogized at Dec. 23 service FROM STAFF REPORTS

Family and friends of Mrs. Sears HooksBrown Swinton will celebrate her life during a service on Saturday, Dec. 23 at Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, 580 George W. Engram Blvd., Daytona Beach.

Mrs. Swinton, a longtime Daytona Beach resident and the grandmother of Daytona Times reporter Andreas Butler, died on Dec. 9. She was 80.

The Saturday service will begin at 11 a.m. Visitation is scheduled for Dec. 22 5-8 p.m. at RJ Gainous Funeral Home, 804 Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Blvd., Daytona Beach, and from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Dec. 23 at Allen Chapel.

“She was a very good person and a very

ALSO INSIDE

hard worker,” her sister, Sarah Pridgeon, told the Daytona Times. “She’ll be missed.’’

Her only son and youngest child, Rufus Brown, stated, “She was loved and she will be truly missed.’’

Born in Georgia Mrs. Swinton was born to Jim Hooks and Amy Glover Hooks in Warwick, Georgia on Feb. 14, 1937.

Her first child, Amy Lee, was born in 1953. She and her husband, Solomon Brown, had three daughters – Wanda, Shelia and Diana.

In 1959, she moved to Daytona Beach with her family.

She later met Junious “Bay” Swinton,

whom she married. They had two children, Mona and Rufus.

Mrs. Swinton worked at Daytona Linen Services for more than 20 years.

“I appreciate everything that my mother did for me. She worked really hard for so many years to provide for her family,’’ said daughter Shelia Brown.

‘Always had a smile’ Mrs. Swinton was a longtime member of Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church in Daytona Beach where she served as an usher and was active in the senior groups.

“Sears was involved in the church activities. She was a special woman. People knew her for her friendliness. She cared

for others even though she was disabled,’’ said longtime friend, Melvee Crumielle.

“Her disability didn’t hinder her. She always had a smile. She would be the first to give. She will be missed. She was small in stature, but Mrs. Sears when she spoke everyone knew that she meant Swinton what she said.’’

Her family said she enjoyed fishing and puzzles. She also was a big football fan who loved her Jacksonville Jaguars and Georgia Tech’s Yellow Jackets.

‘A kind nature’ Mrs. Swinton spent her life devoted to See SWINTON, Page 2

COMMENTARY: MARC MORIAL: NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE MOURNS PASSING OF PIONEER JOURNALIST | PAGE 4 SPORTS: HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL TEAMS PARTICIPATING IN HOLIDAY TOURNAMENTS | PAGE 7

7 FOCUS

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Volusia seeking summer camp providers Volusia County’s Community Assistance Division has funds for nonprofit organizations, cities, schools and churches to provide summer camp services.

A mandatory application workshop will be conducted for all interested applicants at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9, in Conference Room A of the Volusia County Lifeguard Headquarters, 515 S. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach.

Participating agencies must operate a camp from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for at least eight weeks this summer. Services should include supervised playground activities, sports, crafts and field trips for children ages 5 through 12.

Five-year-olds must have completed kindergarten, and 12-year-olds must be entering sixth grade.

Some experience Camps serving only special needs children may accept applicants currently enrolled up to and including high school. Camps are encouraged to provide opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity.

Applicants must have proven administrative capacity and at least one year of successful experience in providing summer camp programs.

They must reserve and enroll at least 20 scholarship-eligible children per site before entering into an agreement with the Community Assistance Division.

How to apply Funding will be provided from June 4 to July 27 through scholarships to children whose families are at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.

Providers will be paid per child at a weekly rate not to exceed the weekly rate established by the Community Assistance Division.

The Children and Families Advisory Board will recommend qualified agencies to the Volusia County Council for final approval.

Applications must be submitted by 4 p.m. Jan. 22.

Applications are available online at www.volusia.org/community_assistance/applications or by calling Jill Marcum at 386-736-5955, ext. 15593.

KWANZAA from Page 1 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 26, at the Alonzo “Babe’’ James Community Center, 201 N. Myrtle Ave., New Smyrna Beach.

Jimmy Harrell, executive director of the New Smyrna Beach museum, related, “It’s all about celebrating community, family and heritage. It’s really important, especially for kids.

We’re all about celebrating our history here at the Black Heritage Museum.�

Seven principles The African American Museum of the Arts in DeLand also will host a Kwanzaa celebration on Saturday, Dec. 30 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the museum, 325 S. Clara Ave. Kwanzaa adopted the Swahili language. The holiday is based on seven principles also known as Nguzo Saba. These principals are umoja (unity), kujichagulia (self-determination), ujima (collective work and responsibility), ujamaa (cooperative economics), nia (purpose), kuumba (creativity) and imani (faith). “It’s all about studying the history and culture of people of African descent.

We at the African American Cultural Society are all about educating people on our history and culture,�

Andrews reflected.

It’s growing The holiday is rooted in

DECEMBER 21 – DECEMBER 27, 2017

HOMELESS from Page 1 viduals can be as long as they follow the rules. We are discussing creating another in another area,� noted Durham.

Where’s the help?

Linda Smiley questioned the panelists on how they plan to house the homeless as well. She asked why they won’t help built affordable housing instead of helping developers build “fancy and empty condos.’’ “People need to distinguish the difference between affordable and low-income housing they are not the same, they’re completely different. There are developers willing to do those projects.

There are groups of people working on this issue and know how to get it done.

We are in discussions in just about every municipality,� Partington responded.

PHOTOS BY DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

A large crowd attends Tuesday night’s forum at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Daytona Beach.

Questions about shelter John Wagner asked if people getting out of jail or prison who are homeless would be allowed to go to the First Step Shelter.

Durham responded, “Yes, they will as long as there is room but not if the facility was full.�

A ground-breaking ceremony for the First Step Shelter was held last week. The facility will be located on Red John Road off Highway 92 near the Volusia County branch jail.

The panel discussed various issues such as the status of the shelter, transportation to and from the facility, services it will provide, who qualifies to live in the facility, and more.

Scenes from early last year when the homeless flocked to a county administration building in Daytona Beach following the ending of the Bridge Bed program at the Salvation Army also were mentioned. “When the Salvation Army ended their 180 program, we had moved 65 people into two hotels on US 1 for 10 days and worked on getting them jobs,� Durham explained. “We couldn’t move 18 people, but we put them in Restoration House, a program that is still going and has helped many people. We are now building a comprehensive shelter and working on transportation to get people into the facility,� he added.

Panhandling concerns Panhandling also was addressed because residents are concerned about

African culture but people of all races, ethnic backgrounds and religions celebrate it.

In Palm Coast, the African American Cultural Society has been hosting its annual celebration for 25 years. “Anything that doesn’t grow is dead. The event is definitely growing here in Palm Coast. There are larger numbers of AfricanAmericans celebrating the holiday both locally and nationally,� added Andrews.

The Kwanzaa event in New Smyrna also has seen progression during its 17-year history. “It has really grown.

We’ve been able to get more kids involved. We started out doing it at the museum, but now we use the ‘Babe’ James Center to accommodate larger crowd,� noted Harrell.

‘Daily affirmations’ In New Smyrna, the celebration will include singing, food, reflecting on the seven principles of Kwanzaa, and the presentation of an art mural by local artist Shyriaka “Shy’’ Morris of P.E.A.C.E. Arts Studios. “We should celebrate Kwanzaa because of its seven principles. The more we learn and understand our communities, the better off we become as a community. These principles should be daily affirmations to ensure that our communities are in unison and thriving economically for our future generations.�

Focus on economics In Palm Coast, the event

takes place during the day focusing on the principle ujima (cooperative economics).

Andrews told the Times, “We are celebrating on the day of ujima, which is economic cooperation. That is our need. We will have plenty of African-American vendors. We encourage attendees to support Black vendors and Black-owned businesses.�

Entertainment will include singers and steppers.

Dr. Frank Ross will lead the Grand March, which is an African storytelling tradition that tells African history and culture.

Shelter agreement Earlier that day, the First Step Shelter board of directors held a meeting.

They worked out an agreement with Catholic Charities of Central Florida to manage the facility. “The biggest item on the agenda was the contract between the two entities. It was a long and tough process for both,� said Durham.

The City of Daytona Beach owns the building. The First Step Shelter, Inc. a 501Š(3)non-profit organization, which oversees the facility, will pay Catholic Charities to manage, operate and maintenance the shelter.

The agreement gives Catholic Charities a $90,000 per year startup fee to be paid in monthly installments until the facility opens. When the facility opens, Catholic Charities get a management fee, which is 10 percent of the annual budget.

Above is one of the residents who spoke at the forum. scores of homeless people with signs asking for money, work and help. “There are laws that protect panhandling under the First Amendment under the Constitution. There isn’t much that can be done unless they get into threatening, violent or hindering behavior that threatens traffic and are arrested on the spot,� said Partington.

Chitwood added, “You used to be able to designate certain areas for panhandling but the Supreme Court ended that.�

Design work underway The city and architect team are reworking the design of the building. It was reported last week that the completion of construction would be pushed back from 2018 to 2019. “We are looking to speed up the design process and construction itself. We are hopeful and confident that it will be built in 2018. That is our goal,� Durham related. “We will do everything in our power to speed up that process. We are looking at incorporating city staff to help architect and final contractor to move the process along quickly as we possibly can.’’

T BU V S E BZ K B O V B SZ U I BU " .

Day of purpose The DeLand celebration will be held on the day focusing on the Kwanzaa principle nia (purpose).

It will include poetry, food, a guest speaker to be named and community involvement. The event is being sponsored by Volusia County and the Florida African-American Heritage Preservation Network.

More information African American Cultural Society, Palm Coast: 386-447-7030 African American Museum of the Arts, DeLand: 386-734-4004 Mary S. Harrell Black Heritage Museum, New Smyrna Beach: 386-4781934 More on Kwanzaa history: www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org

HOSTED BY JOJO

SWINTON from Page 1 her family and was always there for them, including her children and grandchildren. “She always had a kind nature and many in the

community referred to her as ‘Grandma,’’ Butler said.

Along with her parents, Mrs. Swinton was preceded in death by her brother, Madison Hooks and her husband, Junious Swinton.

She is survived by her five children: Amy Lee Hawkins of Cordele, Georgia; Wanda Brown-Moore, Shelia Brown, Diana Brown and Mona Brown,

all of Daytona Beach; and Rufus Brown of Killeen, Texas. Survivors include 18 grandchildren as well as 43-great-grandchildren and several great-great grandchildren; four sisters, a brother, and other relatives.

R.J. Gainous Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

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DECEMBER 21 – DECEMBER 27, 2017

New York retirees spearheading MLK program in Flagler The public has been invited to celebrate the life and legacy of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). It’s the 50th anniversary of the death of the nation’s greatest advocate of nonviolent liberation and humanitarian rights for all people.

All are invited, especially those with children and grandchildren, to continue the activist’s work, which was “the high point of national consciousness about Thea racial inequality.”

Smith Chapter 2 of the New York City Transit Retirees of Palm Coast will spearhead the MLK ecumenical program Jan. 15, 11 a.m., at Trinity Presbyterian Church, where the Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Beebe serves as the interim pastor.

PALM COAST COMMUNITY NEWS JEROLINE D. MCCARTHY

Miller to speak In an earlier interview, Thea Smith, MLK Committee Chair, said, “Over the past 25 years, the New York City Transit Retirees of Palm Coast have sponsored a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ecumenical program so the Flagler County community can come together to reflect and pay homage to this extraordinary man.

“Dr. King was a man who truly believed in equal justice for everyone; his legacy speaks for itself,” asserted Smith.

The committee chair says that the keynote speaker will be retired Master Chief Petty Officer John Miller Jr., who has

Health fair set for Jan. 11 at Daytona center The City of Daytona Beach will present its third annual Quality of Life Health Fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11 at the Peggy Schnebly Recreation Center, 1101 N. Atlantic Ave., Daytona Beach.

Residents of Volusia and Flagler counties are welcome to visit this health fair, which will be promoting healthy living.

Exhibits and more than 40 vendor

PHOTO COURTESY OF NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT RETIREES OF PALM COAST

Retired Master Chief Petty Officer John Miller Jr. has a reputation of a nononsense approach to learning. served 30 years of active duty service.

Distinguished career Miller began work in 1992 as a management trainer/facilitator with the FAA’s Center for Management Development in

COMMUNITY NEWS

Palm Coast.

He has a reputation of a no-nonsense approach to learning, which has proven highly effective.

His reputation is built upon successes with a wide range of organizations, including the Department of Transportation, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County; the University of North Florida Homeland Security; and the University of Arizona.

Miller and his wife, Marylyn, reside in Orange Park.

For further details, call Smith at 386446-4657. Trinity Presbyterian Church is located at 156 Florida Park Drive in Palm Coast.

Veterans benefit from ‘Jingle Bell Bowl’ The Palm Coast Yacht Club raised $2,172 in a bowling tournament for the local Disabled American Veterans.

Nearly 100 Palm Coasters participated in the “Jingle Bell Bowl,” a recent communitywide event presented at Palm Coast Lanes.

Teams of five competed, and the tourney featured raffles and prizes from Hibbett Sports of Palm Coast.

Disabled American Veterans, or the DAV, was chartered by Congress to assist disabled veterans of the United States Armed Forces and their families.

Local Chapter 86 provides services, which include counseling, transportation assistance, and the resources of a food bank to members in the Palm Coast area.

The Palm Coast Yacht Club has staged major fundraisers for the Family Life Center of Flagler County, and maintains a historic role of 35 years as the organizer of a splash, recently showcasing the annual Palm Coast Holiday Boat Parade.

The club has active membership engaged in a variety of social and education-

3 7

al activities for boaters and non-boaters alike, and welcomes new members each month.

The Palm Coast Yacht Club was established in 1979, and continues to be a vital part of the Palm Coast community.

For further details, call 386-283-5166.

Parade of boats a holiday tradition A record number of 40 boats was in the mix on Dec. 16 at the 35th Annual Palm Coast Holiday Boat Parade.

The parade began at 6 p.m. and departed from Cimmaron Basin.

The fleet was escorted by boats from the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, Tow Boat U.S., the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Palm Coast Auxiliary of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland served as the parade’s grand marshal.

Flagler County Undersheriff Jack Bisland and his wife, Cindy, were aboard the parade’s lead boat, “Penury,” captained by Robert Ulis.

Lighted boats of every description illumined the Intracoastal Waterway, as well as Santa’s sleighs and Christmas trees, Christmas scenes of elves, reindeer, and even kayaks.

The Palm Coast Yacht Club inaugurated the Palm Coast tradition in 1983, and has been at the helm every year.

••• As always, remember our prayers for the sick, afflicted, the prodigal son, or daughter, and the bereaved.

Celebrations Birthday wishes to Bert Hinds, Angela Williams, Dec. 21; John Williams, Dec. 24; Mark Green, Dec. 25; and Shana Thompson, Dec. 26.

booths during the fair will focus on vision screening, flu shots, blood pressure checks, health care, insurance, healthy eating, and much more.

“Seniors will be excited to learn about the services offered to them in these counties,” said Leisure & Cultural Services Director Helen Riger. “This event is free for all ages and door prizes, food and live music by Bailey’s Best will be part of the fun.’’

For more information, call the recreation center at 386-671-3560.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE FOR BLACK STUDENTS. NO EXCUSES. J^[ YbWii_Y ]k_Z[ \hec <beh_ZW 9ekh_[h fkXb_i^[h" bWmo[h WdZ XheWZYWij[h 9>7HB;I M$ 9>;HHO ??

DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Zara Collins, Kamayah Perkins, Darine Elfgrani, Taylor Brown – student artists at Champion Elementary – are shown with Shyriaka “Shy” Morris, Mark Lewis, Marcellos “Neosoe” Walker and Joy Hayes.

PRAISE FOR ‘EXCELLENCE WITHOUT EXCUSE’: “This guide for African-American college-bound students is packed with practical and insightful information for achieving academic success...The primary focus here is to equip students with the savvy and networking skills to maneuver themselves through the academic maze of higher education.”

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Shyriaka “Shy’’ Morris stands by one of her paintings.

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Art for everyone The Men, Women, Children exhibit opened this month at the Yvonne Scarlett Golden Cultural & Educational Center. An opening reception was held on Dec. 13.

The new exhibit features the art of Shyriaka “Shy” Morris, Mark Lewis, Marcellos “Neosoe” Walker and Joy Hayes as well as special artwork by students at Champion Elementary School. The center is located at 1000 Vine St., Daytona Beach.

Mattie Carter, a teacher at Champion Elementary School, holds a painting she purchased from one of the artists.

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7 EDITORIAL

DECEMBER 21 – DECEMBER 27, 2017

Time to hook Black women up Senator-elect Doug Jones (DAL) did not have to win his battle against accused sexual molester and Republican candidate Roy Moore in the epic battle in Alabama on December 12.

He won because young people, some White women (most of them voted for Moore), and an amazing effort from Alabama’s African-Americans put him over the top. Some White folks crossed party lines for the first time, voting for Jones because Moore repulsed them. Some analysts have especially noted that White moms were more likely than other White women to vote for Jones.

woman she had not seen in a decade called her to thank Black women for saving the Senate from the likes of Roy Moore.

Everyone likes to be thanked, but Black women deserve more than thanks. We deserve the “hookup,” the connection – organizational, institutional and financial support for our efforts.

Showed up

Dems should contribute

But Black folks showed up and showed out – a larger percentage of African-American voters participated in this election than in the 2012 election of President Barack Obama. And 98 percent of African-American women voted for Doug Jones (along with 94 percent of Black men). Among Whites, 27 percent of White men voted for Doug Jones, along with 35 percent of White women.

In cyberspace, people are thanking Black women for their support of Doug Jones, on Twitter, and Facebook, and Instagram. A friend told me that a

JULIANNE MALVEAUX TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE

Black women’s organizations in Alabama should get immediate contributions from the Democratic Party. Indeed, some of the sisters who led the effort to get the vote out, like Congresswoman Terri Sewell, need to be consulted on how to effectively support Black women in Alabama.

The Democratic Party ought to cultivate Black women leaders in Alabama, so that they are poised to run for other offices. And since Doug Jones has a short term, and will be up for reelection in 2020, Black women need to be deputized to begin immediately work-

National Urban League mourns Simeon Booker’s death For many decades, including during my years as mayor of New Orleans, Jet magazine ran a column of happenings from around the country called “Ticker Tape.” I was honored that my work often attracted the notice of the columnist, Washington Bureau Chief Simeon Booker.

Memorably, it was through Booker’s column that my engagement to my wife, Michelle Miller, was announced to the nation. Booker, by then, was a civil rights legend, having chronicled far more momentous events. We join the nation in mourning his passing this week at the age of 99.

Courageous writer In person, Simeon Booker appeared the epitome of a bookish wordsmith, with his heavy eyeglass frames and natty bowtie.

MARC H. MORIAL TRICE EDNEY NEWS WIRE

But his mild-mannered looks belied his ferocity as a journalist and a civil rights warrior.

He gained fame as “the man from Jet” during his coverage of Emmett Till’s murder, funeral, and his murderers’ trial. His description of Emmett’s mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, at the funeral became instantly iconic: “Her face wet with tears, she leaned over the body, just removed from a rubber bag in a Chicago funeral home, and cried out, ‘Darling, you have not died in vain. Your life has been sacrificed for something.’”

Black women are making us proud We’re not so far from a time when Black people were denied the right to vote. These dismal times perpetuated slave-era subjugation of our community and foretold of a future without opportunity.

I’m not sure whether those who conspired to deny the vote to Black people, Black women particularly, understood how we’d use our vote, but they couldn’t have been happy guessing we’d vote in our own interests. This couldn’t be truer for Black women.

More involved Recently, including 2008 and 2012, Black women have participated in increasing numbers and solidarity against persons or policies that erode social gains made in the last half-century and reverse racial and gender

DR. E. FAYE WILLIAMS, ESQ. TRICE EDNEY WIRE

equality and justice.

Combined with other recent elections such as in Alabama’s Senate race, we understand the significance and power in our vote, especially that of Black women. Look beyond elections under national scrutiny. My home state, Louisiana, is a casein-point. When I ran for Congress, few women ran for office, but, look at Louisiana now!

Long list A long list of cities, towns and villages now have Black female

ing on his reelection campaign.

The White women around the country who cheered Black women on now need to open their doors and embrace the Sojourner Truth observation that, “Ain’t I a woman?” Too many women’s organizations are White women’s organizations. Don’t these women think they can learn a thing or two from the amazing way Black women organize, mobilize, and step up?

White women are often in the unique position to hook Black women up in politics and in the workplace, but they don’t offer the hookup as often as they should because it is challenging for them to step outside their comfort zone and embrace diversity. But when folk step out of their comfort zone, look at the results!

Not alone I’m cognizant of the fact that Black women weren’t the sole reason for the Jones victory. It is especially exciting to see young people reject Roy Moore. Millennials are far less partisan than their elders are. You can’t say they cross party lines, because many of them have no party affiliation.

But like Black women, young people in Alabama thronged to

He was there Perhaps more than any other journalist of his time, Booker most comprehensively chronicled the impact of the Urban League movement on civil rights and racial equality in the nation.

He covered President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s historic 1958 meeting with the “Big Four” civil rights leaders: Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; A. Phillip Randolph of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters; Roy Wilkins of the NAACP, and my predecessor as head of the National Urban League, Lester Granger. He rode a bus with the Freedom Riders in 1961.

He covered not only President John F. Kennedy’s 1962 summit with the “Big Six” – having expanded to include the leaders of the Congress of Racial Equality and the National Council of Negro Women – but also the frustration that followed and led to the 1963 March on Washington.

To create a realistic picture of the economic status of Blacks in 1960 for the fifth anniversary edition of Jet’s sister publication Ebony, Booker relied on the Na-

mayors. They don’t just serve in smaller jurisdictions. The state’s 3 largest cities – New Orleans, Shreveport and Baton Rouge – have Black women mayors. Having run for office in Louisiana and knowing the dangers and challenges of doing so, I’m naturally ecstatic about this progress.

It’s not hyperbole to state that no women have ever had to endure what this nation’s Black women have had to endure. Despite the rigors of our circumstance, we enthusiastically strive for the betterment of ourselves, our children, families, and our nation.

Like all women, Black women have faced sexism, sexual harassment/abuse, domestic abuse and even rape. We’ve also faced the struggles and violence of racism and classism, but we still rose to the challenge of strengthening our communities.

When Sojourner Truth spoke of her trials and asked, “Ain’t I A Woman?” her question was relatable to nearly every Black woman. When Rosa Parks refused to rise on that Alabama bus, uncertain about the con-

VISUAL VIEWPOINT: GENDER EQUALITY

BOB ENGLEHART, CAGLECARTOONS.COM

the polls to elect Jones. Their participation makes a strong case for generational inclusion when political strategies are being developed.

In any case, it is heartening to see Black women being thanked for doing what we always do – the work. I don’t just want thanks, I also want the hookup.

Send some money Those White folks who are thanking Black women might also send a contribution to Higher Heights, a Black women’s PAC named after Dr. Dorothy Irene Height. Or folks can send contributions to the Black Women’s Roundtable, which is part of the National Coalition for Black Civ-

tional Urban League’s research “to tell Black audiences what they already suspected: that the masses of Negro citizens were actually farther removed, relatively speaking, from the mainstream of American life than they were twenty years earlier.”

Before he found his own office space in Washington, Booker often worked out of the Greater Washington Urban League – and even hired away a staffer, E. Fannie Granton, as his first employee when he opened Jet’s Washington Bureau.

Remembering Young’s death In his autobiography “Shocking the Conscience, A Reporter’s Account of the Civil Rights Movement,” Brooker wrote about the tragic death of National Urban League Executive Director Whitney M. Young, who drowned in Nigeria in 1971. A friend, Brigadier General Daniel “Chappie” James, then the highest ranking Black officer in the Air Force, tearfully confirmed the news. ‘“He’s my hero,” he choked.

“He’s my kind of guy because he gets in there and proves what a

sequences, she shared the uncertainty and concerns of every other Black woman.

Doing for self When Fannie Lou Hamer was chastised by her plantation owner for her audacity to register to vote, she demonstrated the courage of millions of Black women as she replied, “I didn’t register for you; I did it for myself.” We honor these women and the long list of famous and not-so-famous Black women who endured to make our lives better.

On Dec. 16, the National Congress of Black Women’s Baton Rouge, La., Chapter said “Thank you” to the late Dessie Lee Patterson, Louisiana’s first Black woman mayor. Mayor Patterson is the wind beneath the wings of current Black women mayors of Louisiana.

I celebrate this new generation of mayors and pledge continuing support. They are Mayor/President Sharon Weston Broome (Baton Rouge); MayorElect LaToya Cantrell (New Orleans); Ollie Tyler (Shreveport);

Charles W. Cherry II, Esq., Publisher

Opinions expressed on this editorial page are those of the writers, and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of the newspaper or the publisher.

CREDO OF THE BLACK PRESS The Black Press believes that Americans can best lead the world away from racism and national antagonism when it accords to every person, regardless of race, color or creed, full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person. The Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief...that all are hurt as long as anyone is held back.

Dr. Glenn W. Cherry, Sales Manager

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ic Participation. It is great to express gratitude, but it is even better to put your money where your mouth is.

Black women have always had to assert our place in the mainstream, and we have too often been ignored by our natural allies. And we still come through in a crunch. Those who are thanking us ought also to support us.

They need to hook Black women up!

Julianne Malveaux is a Washington, D.C.-based economist and writer. Her latest book, “Are We Better Off? Race, Obama and Public Policy,” is available at www.juliannemalveaux.com.

Black cat can do – with his head instead of a brick.”

“Chappie could probably write a list as long as both of his massive arms of the people who might not be where they were in their careers if it weren’t for the work of the Urban League, whose focus was jobs, jobs, jobs.

While other civil rights organizations hammered away at school desegregation, voting rights and public accommodations – all of which were important – the Urban League had its own niche – and it was economics – the economics of having a job, and after that a better job, until a Black man or woman reached his or her fullest potential.”

We are grateful now, as then, for Booker’s clear-eyed and fearless reporting. At a time when reckless accusations of “fake news” threaten to undermine the vital role of the Fourth Estate, we should honor his legacy by defending freedom of the press.

Marc Morial is president and CEO of the National Urban League.

Lori Bell (Clinton); April Foulard (Jeanerette); Irma Gordon (Kentwood).

Also: Rose Humphrey (Natchez), Shaterral Johnson (Grand Couteau), Donna Lewis Lancelin, (Baldwin), Erana Mayes (Melville), Wanda McCoy (Rosalind), Alma Moore (Boyce), Trashier Keysha Robinson (Village of Tangipahoa), Dorothy Satcher (Saline), Johnnie Taylor (Powhatan), Josephine Taylor-Washington (Clayton), Erana Mayes (Melville), Jennifer Vidrine (Ville Platte), and Demi Vorise (Maringouin).

They’re all to be commended.

The rising tide of their success floats the boats of us all. Their stories and ours tell the importance of our achievements and steel us against future challenges.

Dr. E. Faye Williams is national chair of the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. Contact her via www.nationalcongressbw.org.

Central Florida Communicators Group, LLC, P.O. Box 48857 Tampa, FL 33646, publishes the Daytona Times on Thursdays. Phone: 877-352-4455, toll-free. For all sales inquiries, call 877-352-4455; e-mail sales@flcourier.com.

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SUBMISSIONS POLICY SEND ALL SUBMISSIONS TONEWS@DAYTONATIMES.COM Deadline for submitting news and pictures is 5 p.m. the Monday before the Thursday publication date. You may submit articles at any time. However, current events received prior to deadline will be considered before any information that is submitted, without the Publisher’s prior approval, after the deadline. Press releases, letters to the editor, and guest commentaries must be e-mailed to be considered for publication.

The Daytona Times reserves the right to edit any submission, and crop any photograph, for style and clarity. Materials will not be returned.

5 7

MAYOR

DECEMBER 21 – DECEMBER 27, 201714 - 20, ENVIRONMENT DECEMBER 2006

oxide from the air and turning it back into oxygen.

Artificial materials To manufacture an artificial Christmas tree, you need PVC plastic, steel and aluminum, plus cardboard for the packaging and the resources to ship the trees from Asia, where most of them are made.

The total amount of raw materials needed to manufacture an artificial Christmas tree is roughly equal to the amount needed to make an upholstered patio chair.

What happens to the tree after the presents have been opened is another factor to consider. Some areas let residents compost real trees. Others incinerate them or send them to a landfill.

Each option has its benefits and drawbacks. Artificial trees can be donated to places like Goodwill and nursing homes, but their ultimate destination is a landfill — they can’t be recycled.

‘Break-even point’

DREAMSTIME/TNS

A 2017 Christmas tree survey found that 81 percent of Americans have artificial trees and 19 percent go for the real thing.

Real or artificial Christmas tree?

Report analyzes which one is better for the environment

BY JESSICA ROY LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

The question: Is a real Christmas tree better for the environment than a fake one?

The answer: It depends on your plans for the future.

Every year, 95 million families in America put up a Christmas

tree.

Deciding whether to go with the real thing or an artificial version involves lots of factors.

Some people don’t think it’s really Christmas unless their living room has that “real tree” smell.

Others would rather have Santa trap them in the chimney than spend the season sweeping up pine needles and crawling under the tree to refill the water.

In other words, environmental considerations are probably low on most people’s lists.

Tree study

Grown on farms

But it’s something that Christmas tree growers and manufacturers think about. Their industry trade group, the American Christmas Tree Association, commissioned a study of the lifetime environmental impact of both real and artificial trees. (Calling them “fake trees” is something of a faux pas in the Christmas tree industry.)

In both cases, there are costs, according to the 2010 report.

To grow real Christmas trees, you need dirt, water, pesticide, herbicide and fungicide. Then you need gasoline to harvest and transport them, as well as the human labor to do all of that. (Some tree farms also spray the trees with colorant to maintain the vibrant greenery.)

There’s a common misconception about where real trees come from.

Lynn Wunderlich, who works with Christmas tree farmers in her role as farm advisor for the University of California Cooperative Extension, said many people assume the trees are cut down in forests and stolen from nature.

In reality, Christmas trees are grown on farms in California, Oregon, Washington, Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee and other states, and they are meant to be cut down.

Christmas trees — including the Monterey pine, which is the most commonly grown variety in California — are a bit less waterintensive than fruit trees, Wunderlich said. Also, while the tree is growing, it’s removing carbon di-

So which one has the greater environmental impact?

On a one-to-one basis, a real tree requires considerably fewer resources to create and get to the customer than an artificial tree, said William Paddock, the managing director of WAP Sustainability Consulting in Chattanooga, Tenn., who oversaw the peerreviewed study.

But if you plan to reuse your artificial tree, which most people do, the environmental impact eventually tips in favor of the artificial tree.

“Over the course of time, there is a break-even point,” Paddock said. “The question becomes, how many years does it take?”

The most conservative estimates suggest it takes nine years of use for an artificial tree to be a better choice than buying a real tree every year.

Paddock said six years is probably a more reasonable guess.

‘No bad choice’ There isn’t data on how long the average person keeps an artificial tree before disposing of it, but “not a lot of people use it once and never again,” he said. “My parents have the one we’ve had since I was 10 years old.”

The trade group’s 2017 Christmas tree survey, conducted by Nielsen, found that 81 percent of Americans have artificial trees and 19 percent go for the real thing.

Either way, the environmental impact is not particularly significant in the grand scheme of things.

“We believe there is no bad choice when it comes to a Christmas tree,” said Jami Warner, the trade group’s executive director.

“Choose either tree, relax, enjoy the holidays.”

Disease infects South Florida’s corals

BY DAVID FLESHLER SUN SENTINEL/TNS

FORT LAUDERDALE – A mysterious epidemic continues to sweep South Florida’s reefs, transforming corals into lifeless skeletons and threatening undersea structures that support tourism, provide hurricane protection and serve as homes to a vast range of marine life.

Called white plague, white blotch and other names, depending on the pattern of damaged or destroyed tissue, the disease has infected more than 20 South Florida coral species from the Middle Keys through Palm Beach County, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

On the reefs running from midMiami-Dade County through Martin County, scientists have observed a 35 percent loss of reef-building coral.

“The reef is in a state of emergency,” said Jennifer Stein, South Florida marine conservation coordinator for The Nature Conservancy. “It needs a lot of attention, a lot of research, a lot of focus, especially with this disease.”

Called bleaching The disease arose during a worldwide, three-year coral catastrophe called bleaching, in which unusually warm ocean water led many corals to expel the piece of algae that provided them with color and gave them a source of nutrition through photosynthesis.

Although coral can recover from bleaching, the ordeal weakens them and makes them vulnerable to disease. Particular-

ly hard hit was Australia’s famed Great Barrier Reef.

Despite the conclusion of the bleaching episode last summer, South Florida coral reefs have not recovered, with more and more corals falling victim to a disease that can kill within two weeks of infection.

Studies underway Scientists at universities, state and federal governments and environmental groups are racing to study the disease, in hopes of finding ways to stop it.

Corals are tiny animals that live inside skeletons they construct from minerals drawn from seawater. Generations of these skeletons form coral reefs, rocky structures built up over centuries, with a thin layer of living coral tissue on the surface.

Despite occupying only a tiny fraction of the footprint of the world’s oceans, coral reefs provide habitat for about a quarter of the world’s marine species.

Quickly spread South Florida’s reefs, the only near-shore reefs in the continental United States, draw thousands of visitors for fishing, diving and snorkeling and provide homes to fish, crabs, lobsters, sponges, sea turtles and other creatures.

Since appearing in South Florida in late 2014, as corals were weakened by bleaching, the epidemic has spread quickly.

A 35 percent loss of stony coral has taken place off the South Florida coast north of the Keys, judging from the losses seen at sites monitored by Nova Southeastern University, said David Gilliam, assistant professor of

NSU CRRAM LAB/TNS

A common coral called Montastraea cavernosa off the Broward coast, with the white margins shows the diseased areas and areas of exposed coral skeleton. marine and environmental science at the university’s Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography.

“Stony corals are what creates the reef,” he said. “If you don’t have stony corals, you won’t have continued reef growth. If the reef isn’t growing, it’s slowly dissolving. Without growth, the coral will get lost, and that will affect the entire community, from reef fishes down to lobsters.”

What is it?

Some species have virtually disappeared. Death claimed all but one of 65 colonies of pillar coral — rare, cucumber-shaped corals — being monitored from central Miami-Dade County to southern Palm Beach County, Gilliam said.

Very little is known about the disease, including whether it’s a single disease or related group of diseases. Scientists don’t know whether it’s caused by a bacteria, virus, fungus or other pathogen.

The state is spending $1 mil-

lion this year to study it and the water conditions that surround it, with another $1 million coming next year, according to DEP.

Good, bad news The global bleaching episode may be what touched off the epidemic. In the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans, tracts of oncecolorful reefs turned a ghostly white.

The bleaching was blamed on global warming and the temporary increase in ocean temperatures brought by El Nino, a periodic warming of the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Last June, the coral bleaching episode was declared over by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

“The good news is we didn’t have any more bleaching,” said Mark Eakin, coordinator of NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch program.

“The bad news is we had disease that followed in the aftermath of the bleaching.”

‘Worldwide issue’ In addition to bleaching, scientists say many other factors could have made corals vulnerable to disease, considering all the difficulties they face trying to survive along the heavily populated South Florida coast.

“The specific disease has not been identified and the causes can be difficult to determine because many factors contribute to coral disease rather than one distinct agent,” said Sarah Fangman, superintendent of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

“This is a worldwide issue and the subject of global study. We do know that reducing or eliminating local environmental stressors increases coral’s ability to fight disease and improves their likelihood of recovery and long-term survival.”

In South Florida, scientists say, the causes of stress to reefs are many and stem largely from the presence of millions of people, with their buildings, streets and sewage systems.

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M SPORTS AYOR

DECEMBER DECEMBER 21 – DECEMBER 2017 14 - 20,27, 2006

PHOTOS BY DUANE C. FERNANDEZ SR./HARDNOTTSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

Team photos were taken during the visit to the Speedway.

NAIA teams visit Daytona International Speedway before game

At the event: City of Daytona Beach employee John Cameron, City of Daytona Beach Employee Terry Johnson, former Bethune-Cookman and Alabama State football coach Brian Jenkins, former NFL player Ernie Mills, City of Daytona Beach employee Joe Chirillo and arena football player T.T. Toliver.

For the fourth year, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) football championship has been held in Daytona Beach. The teams have visited the Daytona International Speedway each of those years.

During their visit to the Speedway this month, activities included a group photo in Gatorade Victory Lane, pregame press conference, tour of the Speedway, luncheon in the Daytona 500 Club, and a panel with former NFL players.

The championship game was between defending champs, the University of Saint Francis (Indiana) and Reinhardt University Georgia).

Saint Francis won 24-13 during the championship game at Municipal Stadium on Dec. 16.

On display was the championship trophy, which went to Saint Francis.

Holiday hoops tournaments keeps team ready, showcases talent

BY ANDREAS BUTLER DAYTONA TIMES

While residents are enjoying the holidays, local boys and girls high school basketball teams will be hitting the hardwood.

Atlantic High School in Port Orange will host two consecutive holiday tournaments – the Execute to Impact Holiday Tournament from Dec. 21-22 and the Sunshine Classic Holiday Tournament Dec. 27-30.

These tournaments will include boys and girls squads and could be good for local teams.

“These tournaments definitely keep us playing and on site, especially when you’re currently playing on the road like us. We want to play as much as possible. We’ll get a total of five games out of these two tournaments,” said David Howard Sr., Atlantic’s boys coach.

Four local teams The Sharks are the hottest boys team locally, having jumped out to a 9-1 start heading into the Execute to Impact tournament.

“We want to keep our momentum going during these tournaments. We’ve won the Sunshine Classic three straight years.

It’s been good for our program.

These can also get you battletested for district tournaments and the playoffs,” added Howard.

The Execute to Impact Holiday Tournament will feature four local boys basketball teams – the Sharks, Mainland Buccaneers, New Smyrna Beach Barracudas and the University Titans.

The tournament will include Olympia, Cocoa, Leesburg, Crescent City and others.

On the girls side, local teams include local teams Atlantic and New Smyrna along with traditional state powerhouses Cocoa and Leesburg.

The tournament is being put on by legendary coach local Roy Lee, who is an assistant coach at New Smyrna for the girls program and former boys head

The Atlantic High Sharks are hosting two holiday basketball tournaments. coach at the school.

‘Quality teams’ The Sunshine Classic will include Atlantic’s boys and girls against teams from around the state and country as well as Canada, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. The tournament will be played at both Atlantic High and Warner Christian Academy in South Daytona.

Holiday tournaments also could provide some of the best talent in high school basketball from across the nation.

“You just don’t know who you will face. A lot of times these teams have Division I college prospects and some programs are national or state powerhous-

es. There are some quality teams.

In the past, we have played teams from Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas and more,” said Howard.

Ultimate goal Arthur Brooks, coach for Mainland Head’s girls, echoed, “These tournaments are really important. They can make or break your season. A lot of players aren’t as focused during the holidays, but your ultimate goal is to come together and play as a team while getting better.

“I like these tournaments because you just don’t know who you are going to face. It’s like starting from the beginning. You really have to adjust as a coach,

player and team.”

Lopez Invitational Mainland girls will play in the Father Lopez Holiday Invitational at Lopez in Daytona Beach from Dec. 27 through 29.

It will feature local teams in Lopez (9-2), Mainland (7-2), Flagler Palm Coast and University.

On the boys side, Father Lopez and Seabreeze are the local teams.

The Lopez tournament also will have teams from Kentucky, New York and Florida in both the boys and girls brackets.

Tourney in DeLand DeLand High’s boys team be-

gan its tournament on Tuesday and it will run through Dec. 22.

Joining the Bulldogs will be local teams in Pine Ridge, Calvary Christian and Deltona Trinity Christian.

It will also feature perennial state title contenders Orlando Dr. Phillips and Orlando Evans.

“We have some good local teams as well as some teams that are traditional state championship contenders so it should be competitive and fun for everyone,” said Sebastian Singletary, DeLand’s head coach.

For more on holiday tournament schedules, check school websites and maxpreps.com.

8

7DECEMBER 21 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; DECEMBER 27, 2017