Capital Outlook

FSU initiates to create most veteran-friendly campus in nation. . . Page 5 50 Cents

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Vol. 37, No. 44: Section 01

Tallahassee, T allahassee, Florida

Nov.. 3 - Nov. 9, 2011 Nov University women

PRST STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Tallahassee, FL Permit No. 562 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

(left to right)Leon County Superintendent Jackie Pons, State Sen. Bill Montford, Commissioner Andre Gillum, Comcast Vice President and General Manger KC McWilliams, Sen. Bill Nelson, Comcast Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Melissa Maxfield and Rep. Alan Williams.

By Ashley Hogans Outlook Staff Writer

In an effort to make sure all families have internet access,

Living history Person of the Week

Albert McLeod Bethune Jr.

By Terrika Mitchell Outlook Staff Writer

It was the 1920s and Albert was fortunate to grow up in a home with running water, electricity and ceiling fans – luxuries very few African Americans in Daytona got to enjoy at that time. It would be several years, though, before Albert realized just how fortunate he really was.

“I must have been about 30 years old before I took into

Comcast launched a program that will provide affordable internet and computers for low-income families.

The Internet Essentials pro-

gram was launched at Griffin Middle School on Oct. 27. The program is designed to help families with children who receive free school lunches under the

National School Lunch Program.

The Comprehensive Broadband Adoption Program will help close the digital gap and make sure more Americans experience all See COMCAST, Page 2

8 1363 E. Tennessee St, Tallahassee, Fla. 32310

Comcast launches Internet program for lowincome families

Inside LOCAL / 3

Court battle begins over ballot measure

OPINION / 4

By Lilly Rockwell The News Service of Florida Special to the Outlook

Briefs

A proposed change to the state constitution making it easier for taxpayer funds to go to religious institutions does not adequately explain that fact to voters who will be asked to decide, an attorney for critics told a circuit judge Oct. 27.

Representing a coalition of public education and religious interests, attorney Ron Meyer told Second Circuit Judge Terry Lewis that a proposed constitutional amendment passed by lawmakers earlier this year is misleading because it disguises the true intent behind the amendment, which is scheduled for a vote in November 2012.

The Oct. 27 court hearing was the first in a lawsuit filed in July that is spearheaded by the Florida Education Association, other public school advocates and religious leaders throughout the state.

Opponents of the proposed amendment – called Amendment

New prisioner re-entry center coming to Tallahassee Community College Several years ago, Jim Murdaugh, then director of Tallahassee Community College’s Florida Public Safety Institute, had the idea of partnering with the Florida Department of Corrections to locate a prisoner re-entry center on the same campus as the institute. The center will take prisoners from other institutions that are within three years of their release dates. Once at the center, they will receive help with substance abuse, vocational training and job-readiness preparation.

Attorney Ron Meyer 7 – are primarily concerned that taxpayer dollars will be used to support scholarships, known as vouchers, for private school students.

The proposed amendment deletes a provision in the state constitution that says public funds cannot be used to aid religious institutions, a prohibition known as the “no-aid provision.”

The proposal then adds a sen-

See POW, Page 2

Second Circuit Judge Terry Lewis tence saying the state can’t deny funds to a person or entity based on religious identity or belief.

If approved, Meyer said the proposed amendment would require the state to direct public taxpayer dollars toward religious institutions, opening the door for expansions of programs such as private school vouchers and weakening the state’s historic separation of church and state.

See COURT, Page 2

FAMU ROTC students equipped to serve America

EDUCATION / 5 RELIGION / 6 COMMUNITY NEWS / 8

Lawyer Francisco Ramos Jr. is working for tips When Francisco Ramos Jr. became a lawyer 14 years ago, some of the more experienced attorneys at his firm often spent time advising him and other young lawyers. Now, they have Ramos as a virtual mentor. The Miami attorney created a blog this year called “Tips for Young Lawyers,” tipsforyounglawyers. wordpress.com.

This Week’s Word Charlene Radler

FAMU Army ROTC officers

By Ashley Hogans

she graduates in the spring of 2012.

“I have learned a lot from this program and I have grown up tremendously,” Radler, from Santa Fe, Texas, said. “I’ve learned leadership skills, how to work as a team, discipline, how to use my time to the best of my abilities; because we juggle a lot in this program, we have to learn how to

Outlook Staff Writer

Charlene Radler, came to Florida A&M University (FAMU) to join its Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) program. This is an exciting year for the 21-year-old mother who has been commissioned to serve as a surface warfare officer once

Col. Harold Bass prioritize, and not let our grades and PT (physical training) drop, so it has really taught me time management.”

Radler will command a division and direct personnel operations aboard Navy vessels, such as aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, amphibious warfare ships and mine warfare ships.

This year, the Navy ROTC

program has 135 students – 60 percent from FAMU and 40 percent from Florida State University (FSU), an affiliate of FAMU’s NROTC program. According to Col. Harold Bass, director and professor of Naval Science at FAMU, this is the largest the class has ever been and it continues to See VETERANS, Page 2

“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.”

Philippians 4:4 (KJV)

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2011 Capital Outlook AHCA: Fewer Medicaid emergency room visits?

2

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By Jim Saunders

The News Service of Florida

Special to the Outlook With Medicaid facing more budget cuts, on Oct. 19 the state Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) floated the possibility of limiting patient visits to emergency rooms and doctors’ offices.

Acting Medicaid Director Justin Senior told a House health-care panel that the state also could reduce home health visits for Medicaid beneficiaries and slash the amount of inpatient hospital care the program covers.

“None of the cuts we’re proposing here are particularly palatable,’’ Senior said.

But at least some members of the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee appeared receptive to AHCA’s suggestion that the state should only pay for a maximum of 12 emergency room visits a year for each Medicaid

beneficiary. Such a move could save $12.2 million.

Chairman Matt Hudson, R-Naples, said such a move could drive people to get treatment from primary-care doctors instead of emergency rooms, which could improve their health care.

Rep. John Wood, RWinter Haven, appeared miffed that some Medicaid beneficiaries might go to the emergency room more than once a month, calling it “unacceptable.’’

“If we’re allowing that type of behavior, shame on us,’’ Wood said.

But Rep. Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, said severely ill people might need to go to emergency rooms more than 12 times a year. She also expressed concerns about who would get stuck paying for the care if a lowincome Medicaid patient went to the ER more than 12 times – and couldn’t afford to cover the bill.

“I’m truly concerned about limiting the emer-

gency room visits for those who are chronically ill or those who are terminally ill,’’ Cruz said.

The AHCA proposals came on the same day state analysts posted a report indicating lawmakers would have to set aside nearly $933 million in additional general revenue next year to continue covering current Medicaid budget needs.

With the struggling economy limiting tax collections, House and Senate leaders have already warned of cuts in the Medicaid budget.

AHCA offered budget-cutting proposals earlier this month that Hudson flatly rejected. Those proposals included cuts in the high-dollar Medically Needy and Meds-AD programs, which serve sick and old people who don’t qualify for typical Medicaid coverage.

That rejection spurred Senior to come back Oct. 19 with a new list. Some

POW from Page 1 consideration who my grandmother really was – her contributions and attainments,” said Albert McLeod Bethune Jr., grandson of educator Mary McLeod Bethune. “I really didn’t appreciate what she was doing during my early days. As I grew older and had to do a lot of research for individuals and myself, and represent the (former Bethune-Cookman College) a lot, I said, ‘Goodness. This mother dear of mine was something else.’ ” Bethune, 89, “oldest living direct-descendant” of Mary McLeod Bethune who is most noted for founding an all girls school, known today as BethuneCookman University (BCU), with $1.50. Albert Bethune Jr. was born in Miami then moved with his father, Albert Sr., to live in Daytona at six-weeks old.

Bethune Jr. said he grew up on the school’s campus, being reared mostly by his grandmother, and moving only once for an opportunity at higher education.

“In 1939, when I finished high school (at Bethune-Cookman) my grandmother felt that I was not getting the proper training from the instructors because of my relationship with the founder,” Albert said. “She decided, ‘Let me get you to another university where the instructors can pull out your possibilities.’ ” Possibilities were what his grandmother lived for.

He often refers to her as a social entrepreneur. While

he believes he didn’t inherit the trait, Albert said he often influenced his grandmother’s professional decisions. He remembers a particular occasion when he was 17 and petitioned for students to be able to dance face to face.

“I approached her with (the plea),” he said. “When a dance came up, she and I took the first dance and we were face to face. That gave the kids the OK. She was a person who moved very easily with change.”

The Morehouse College graduate and World War II veteran has acknowledged recent changes as well, especially in history education. Bethune said he works hard to keep his “Mother Dear’s” legacy as a civil rights activist alive.

Not only does he continue to tell his grandmother’s story, he tells it thoroughly.

Bethune said that he has worked in nearly every department on B-CU’s campus. His greatest contribution though – and possibly the greatest contribution to him – was as the university’s chief librarian and archivist, which he worked as for a combined 43 years.

Bethune was exposed to different financial agreements and president’s files.

“Being archivist of Bethune-Cookman, I was in control of all the documents,” he noted. “I had to read, assimilate and file everything. I knew the insides and outsides of what was going on. Any questions I may have had were answered.”

Today, aside from maintaining his family’s history, the father of eight said that he is enjoying retirement in Gadsden County, as an old man but not a senior citizen, with his wife of more than 40 years, Marian R. Bethune. While he chooses not to join any boards, organizations or committees, Bethune fights modestly for disadvantaged citizens in the county.

“In my growing up, I spent my time with what you call the common man,” he said. “I feel comfortable when I’m around the people of the street who did not have the privileges and opportunities that I had. I used to get a lot of slack from people in Daytona Beach and faculty and staff.”

Bethune has also remained connected to B-CU as a reference for university archives. However, he isn’t entirely satisfied with the current state of the institution.

“I’m very much discouraged by what is happening at Bethune-Cookman University,” he said. “I want the world to know that all of the prayers and help that they can give every day of their lives will be great because I know that my grandmother is in her grave – on that campus – rolling and rolling.”

Veterans from Page 1 grow.

“Just five years ago there was half that number,” said Bass. “The Navy and the Marine Corps have been pushing hard to increase the diversity of our marine corps. There’s a lot of pressure in recruiting the best. FAMU and other (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) are appreciated for the talent they can bring to the officer core.”

The NROTC program was established to develop mentally, morally and physically-prepared individuals to fulfill the duties set before them and to commission college graduates as naval officers.

Florida A&M University Army, Marine Corps and Navy ROTC graduates go on to serve in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan. Col. Bass, having

served overseas in 2008 in support of the Operation Iraqi Freedom, can relate.

Bass said when he enlisted in the Marine Corps toward the end of the Cold War, there were not as many casualties as today’s wars.

“Today, we have been a nation at war for 10 years and my freshmen were 8 years old when 9/11 (September 11) happened,” Bass said. “It is a distant memory to them. Some students may remember but it probably didn’t mean anything to them; And here they are – after 10 years of war; after 5,000 Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq – and they are raising their hands to serve their country. It’s amazing.”

The FAMU Army ROTC program trains officers for the U.S. Army, Army Reserve, and Army

National Guard. Many ROTC graduates have served the country in missions from the Korean War Conflict to current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Students at FSU and Tallahassee Community College are also able to take classes in the Army ROTC and Naval ROTC programs at FAMU if they meet the required criteria.

“I see the best that our country has to offer everyday in my students and I love every one of them for it,” Bass said. “I would say to the mothers and fathers of America who are entrusting their sons and daughters to the military, ‘There are a lot of great leaders out there waiting to lead your children and your family.’ ”

This is the first article of a three-part Bethunerelated series.

Terrika Mitchell may be contacted at tmitchell@ capitaloutlook.com.

Ashley Hogans can be contacted at ahogans@ capitaloutlook.com.

of the ideas on the list have been proposed in past years, such as eliminating services such as adult dental, hearing and vision care.

But Senior offered other ideas that have received little attention in the past, including placing a limit on ER visits and only paying for adults to visit generalpractice physicians twice a month.

Currently, Medicaid does not have limits on ER visits and has few limits on doctor visits. Also, Senior’s proposal would reduce the number of Medicaid-funded home-health visits from four a day to three.

The biggest savings, about $156 million in state, local and federal money, would come from reducing the inpatient hospital care that Medicaid would fund for each adult beneficiary, from 45 days a year to 23 days.

It is far too early to know whether lawmakers will move forward with any of the ideas when the 2012 Comcast from Page 1 the Internet has to offer.

“It’s very exciting for our school system,” said Jackie Pons, superintendent of Leon County Schools. “We want all of our children to have access to the internet and, coming in at this low price and the ability to purchase a computer for $150 will be a gate opener for all of the students at Leon County.”

State representatives and community leaders joined Comcast as they announced the Internet Essentials program. The internet service is $9.95 a month and includes a brand new computer for $149.99.

Comcast will also offer free digital literacy training in print, online or in person and a complementary Norton Security Suite.

“You have a lot of students whose parents don’t have the ability to provide them with high-speed internet that they need to complete work, go online and

legislative session starts in January. Along with having to measure the impact on patients, lawmakers also could face opposition from groups such as hospitals, which might get stuck with more of the cost of caring for low-income patients.

But Hudson said lawmakers will have to look at a wide range of options to balance the health and human-services budget.

Also during the meeting, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) offered a series of budgetcutting proposals that included slicing funding for substance-abuse and mental-health treatment.

Some Senate leaders have targeted adult mentalhealth and substance-abuse programs in the past, describing them as “soft” services, but the House has resisted such cuts.

Bob Sharpe, president and chief executive of the Florida Council for Community Mental Health, said DCF did not want to propose the cuts. But he said reducing the services could have spin-off effects, such as leading to child abuse by adults who have untreated mental-health or substanceabuse problems.

“It’s counterintuitive to cut the very services that are going to protect children,’’ said Sharpe, a former state Medicaid director.

But as Senior made clear, the agencies are grappling with trying to offer proposed cuts to the Legislature.

When a lawmaker asked Senior why AHCA had not proposed limiting physician visits in the past, he replied that “necessity is the mother of invention.’’

read books that they have been assigned,” said Rep. Alan Williams, D-Tallahassee. “So, these kinds of tools are affordable tools that Comcast has provided and will give parents, especially the children, the ability to access those tools that they need to be successful in school from day-to-day, but hopefully, in life.”

During the event, leaders discussed three key barriers low-income families face. According to Comcast representatives, there is a lack of internet relevancy and how it is useful, the cost of a computer and the cost of the internet service.

“Many low income families cannot afford computers and when you look at computers now, its $500 to $1,000, which absolutely takes out an entire group of people,” said Comcast Vice President and General Manager KC McWilliams. “The idea is not to make any money now,

but to build our communities so they can compete to get jobs and compete in the global economy, it’s a long-term investment but we have to start right this moment.”

Sen. Bill Nelson who contributed to this program, said he is excited for the children and families who will be able to take advantage of Internet Essentials.

“Technology is an essential part of everyday life across America,” Nelson said. “It’s important that kids in Florida have access to the Internet as they go through school and that they know how to safely use it as a tool for learning.”

There was also disagreement over whether the ballot summary explained that the proposal may violate the U.S. Constitution’s “free exercise” and “establishment” clauses that deal with the separation of church and state and protections of religious freedoms.

By requiring the state or other public entities to spend money on religious institutions, Meyer argued the proposal makes the state constitution inconsistent with the U.S. constitution.

But attorneys representing the state said language in the proposed amendment expressly prohibits the state from doing anything that would violate the U.S. Constitution.

The “no aid” provision in the state constitution prohibiting money from going to churches or religious groups is known as the “Blaine Amendment,” for James G. Blaine, a 19th Century congressman from Maine who lobbied unsuccessfully to get that restriction inserted into the U.S. Constitution.

After it failed, most of the states, including Florida, put similar provisions in their own state constitutions.

The Oct. 27 hearing also focused on a new law that allows the Attorney General to rewrite ballot summaries that are rejected by the courts for being mis-

leading. Meyer argued that the Legislature has the responsibility of writing ballot summaries, not a member of the executive branch of government.

“It crosses the line and delegates a purely legislative function to an executive branch member and that can’t be tolerated,” Meyer said.

Scott Makar, the Florida solicitor general, said it doesn’t make sense that Meyer agrees the attorney general could write the ballot summary in the first place, and then rewrite it, but doesn’t permit the attorney general to step in after the Legislature. He called that argument “nonsensical.”

Lewis gave no indication when he would rule in the case after the hourand-a-half hearing finished.

Both sides are expected to appeal the case all the way to the Florida Supreme Court.

This is the third lawsuit the Florida Education Association has spearheaded since the legislative session ended in early May. They are also involved in a lawsuit over changes to public employee pensions and have sued over a new teacher merit pay law that ties teacher salaries to test scores.

Ashley Hogans can be contacted at ahogans@ capitaloutlook.com.

Court from Page 1 None of this, Meyer argued, is disclosed to voters in the ballot summary.

“What they are doing is turning what has been the settled rule of religious freedom for the past 125 years on its head,” Meyer said. Later, he called it a “huge recalculation…of what the First Amendment provides.”

Florida law requires that a ballot title and summary adequately and accurately inform voters about the proposal’s real effect.

Along with an inaccurate summary, Meyer said the ballot title – “Religious Freedom” – was misleading to voters.

Attorneys for the state said the ballot summary and title are clear.

Daniel Nordby, the attorney for the Secretary of State, argued the intent of the constitutional change was “clearly and accurately explained in the ballot statement.”

Nordby said the summary discloses that the “no-aid” provision is being deleted and an “anti-discrimination” clause is being inserted. The intent of prohibiting the state from denying funds to a person or entity based on religious reasons was to remove a “constitutional cloud of uncertainty,” he said.

“It would allow religious-based institutions to participate in providing secular social services on even terms,” Nordby said.

Local

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2011

Business of the Month: Considerate community care

Martine Charles

By Terrika Mitchell Outlook Staff Writer

Health & Rehab Clinic is a triple threat for competing offices. It’s female owned, locally owned and its owners are community oriented.

Physicians Martine Charles and Marlaine Raymond of Health & Rehab Clinic offers standard chiropractic care, such as back pain, neck pain and muscle weakness. Additionally, the Life University graduates said they provide medical massage and therapeutic exercise treatments.

According to the company website, healthrehabdc.com, “chiropractic is an approach to health which utilizes the body’s inherent and natural recuperative powers.” At Health

Photo by TERRIKA MITCHELL

& Rehab Clinic, healing comes naturally and without prescription drug use or surgery. Spinal treatment is at the center of the healing treatment.

“The beauty of your body is your spine,” said Raymond. “Your spine is your framework.”

Charles recommends routine care, as you would do for a car or your teeth, to prevent spine-related aches in the future.

“The same way you have to go to the dentist is the same way you have to go to the chiropractor for spinal health,” she said.

Health & Rehab has been a part of the Tallahassee community since 2009.

The owners pride themselves in “providing outstanding professional service to (their) patients

with the upmost level of care in a comfortable and friendly environment.”

Car accident victims and walk-in patients are welcome alike. The beauty of this business may be its relationship to the community. Charles said the company sponsors different organizations “to provide what the community needs versus what we think they need.”

In the past, they have done community outreach with organizations such as the American Cancer Society, Big Bend Homeless Coalition and St. Peter Missionary Baptist Church.

As a member of the local community, Charles believes it is important to add a personalized touch to her business. Not only does she deliver service in a courteous and professional environment, but it is also “tailored to treat each patient’s individual needs.”

Charles noted that she cares for several returning clients as well as those they refer. Still, more business is always welcome.

“Prices vary based on the patient’s needs,” Charles said. “Discounted fees, with proper identification, for students, elderly and public servants are also offered.”

Health & Rehab Clinic is located at 108 W. 5th Ave and can be contacted at (850) 224-0033.

Terrika Mitchell can be contacted at tmitchell@ capitaloutlook.com.

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3

Youth of the Week: Working hard helps you achieve anything

By Alicia McKnight Outlook Contributor

“You can achieve anything, if you work hard and trust in God,” said Brandi LeAnn Johnson. The 17year-old Leon High School senior is no stranger to hard work and excelling in school.

Johnson is dual enrolled at Tallahassee Community College and taking honors and Advanced Placement classes at Leon.

“My favorite subject is English,” said Johnson.

With a 4.0 GPA, Johnson is ranked among the top 20 students in her class.

She has earned straight A’s since her freshman year of high school.

Johnson is also the president of the local National Achiever’s Society.

“This is a program under the Urban League’s Center of Excellence,” she said. “Only students in grades 3-12 with all A’s and B’s are invited to join the

honor society.”

With more than 2,000 volunteer hours completed so far during her high school career, Johnson has developed a skillful work ethic.

In 2008- 2009 Johnson was awarded Volunteer of the Year at Sabal Palm Elementary School.

“I have volunteered at Sabal Palm Elementary School in their after-school program tutoring students in math, science and writing skills,” said Johnson.

As a busy teen, she still finds time to fit a job in her schedule.

“I am a private home child care worker,” Johnson added. “I have a babysitting certificate from Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.”

During her spare time Johnson enjoys volleyball, cheerleading, playing video games, shopping, socializing with friends and entertaining children.

Johnson’s family val-

ues education and feels it is the key to the future.

“My parents are my role models,” she said.

“They both have outstanding work ethics and comes from a large family of high achievers.”

With high school graduation approaching, Johnson plans on attending college and enrolling in a medical program to become a gynecologist.

“I would love to attend the University of Florida or the University of Central Florida,” said Johnson.

Brandi Johnson

Ronald W. Holmes, Ph.D.: EDUCATION QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED In a time of an uncertain economy, this book provides solutions for improving America’s schools through federal funding, programs, services, community partnerships, accreditation and leadership standards. The book can be very helpful to school stakeholders such as parents, teachers, principals and district administrators since the topics focus on the K-12 environments. With a plethora of references to support numerous suggestions, discrepancies and issues, this book can be useful to graduate students, professors, researchers, university administrators and education state agencies. While America’s schools are faced with numerous challenges in today’s society such as the lack of family stability and parental involvement, this book also provides a roadmap for successful and struggling schools in the U.S. To order a copy of EDUCATION QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED, visit: http://www.authorhouse.com or call 1-888-280-7715, Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble (bn.com).

Once you know, there’s only one place to go.

Perhaps you’ve been running all over town to save a little bit here and a little bit there. When all the time, you could save just as much at Publix, and enjoy the shopping experience, too. So relax—we’ve got you covered. Go to publix.com/save right now to make plans to save this week.

to save here.

4

Opinion

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Publisher/President Rev. Dr. R.B. Holmes, Jr.

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Education Editor Dr. Ronald W. Holmes

Youth Editor Delaitre J. Hollinger

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Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2011

Black land loss increasing

By Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr.

NNPA Columnist

An old African proverb says, “A people without their land will be a people without a future.”

Way before the current housing mortgage crisis that disproportionately has negatively impacted black Americans, there had been a 20-year steady pace of land loss in the majority of black communities across the United States. Now today with the additional persistence of high unemployment for African Americans, there is a corresponding destabilizing increase in the daily rate of black land loss throughout the nation.

No one seems to know the exact statistics on this issue, but in nearly all reliable reports, in particular from states where African Americans are more than 30 percent of the population, more than 10,000 acres of land per day is now being lost. The reason why I am raising this phenomenon is because too often when we face a challenge for a long period of time, the sheer magnitude of the problem becomes understated and misunderstood.

During the last 20 years, dialogue about this continued crisis has moved from awareness to reaction to cynicism and now even

an emerging sense of hopelessness.

I do not believe black people in the United States, in the Caribbean, South America or in Africa can afford to be casual or hopeless on the global issue of land loss by black people.

No one seems to remember years ago that the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) helped to initially destabilize Zimbabwe because they disagreed with President Robert Mugabe giving native Africans millions of acres of their land back that had been stolen by Rhodesian farmers and businessmen. All human life is valuable.

We live in a world that too often seeks to triage the value of black life. But, we should never engage in self-destruction or self-devaluation! Black-owned land is of no less value.

Thus, we hope that after you read these words, you will survey the land that your family now owns and make sure that the taxes are paid because thousands of acres of are lost daily because abandonment or tax delinquency.

It is unfortunate that some of us do not even know the value of the land we live on or have inherited from our fore parents. It is so sad to go to most county courthouses to see the long list of properties that are sold for less than onetenth of the real value because family members, for various reasons, decided to let the family

property become the ward of the state or county.

But beyond the sheer monetary value of black-owned land across America are the tremendous potential health-related and self-determination benefits for the use of this land. So many of the diseases and serious health problems that African Americans face today are a direct result of not eating healthy food properly.

When the majority of black people in the past lived on our own farms or in communities where there was a multitude of organic gardens, the overall health condition of our people was much better. The fundamental striving for self-determination and freedom is to be able to feed yourself, shelter yourself, and empower yourself economically from the bounty and produce of your own land and labor. Freedom is inconsistent with being dependent on others to do for you what God wants you to do for yourself.

Today, there is a gradual reverse migration of black Americans from the northeast and midwest back to the southeast. Will this trend lead to a reverse in black land loss?

Whether you live in a big city or a small town, the questions about land ownership and the economic development of the black community are most urgent and important. The black church and other institutions that serve our communities should put

a special emphasis on this issue.

The establishment of local “land banks” and other cooperative efforts to pool the resource potential of our communities should be given a priority.

The latest U.S consumer spending reports black American spending continues to increase annually. According to recent research by the Nielsen Company, Black American buying power by the year 2015 will reach in excess of $1.1 trillion. Wow, we are becoming trillion dollar spenders, yet losing more and more land.

We will not be able to create more wealth for generations to come, if we do not change our spending habits. What are we spending more on? Appreciating assets or depreciating assets? If properly done, land purchases can be a wise appreciating investment.

We owe it to our ancestors not to lose all that they worked and suffered so much for in the past.

Let’s turn our land losses into gains by reversing this awful trend. Stop black land loss now!

Let’s build for a better future.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. is senior advisor for the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) and president of Education Online Services Corporation and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network.

Sending troops to Uganda?

By Bill Fletcher Jr. NNPA Columnist

Reports that the Obama administration is planning on sending U.S. troops to Uganda to hunt down the so-called Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) sent chills up my spine.

The Lord’s Resistance Army, a group of maniacal terrorists running around Uganda for years, has been a major thorn in the side of the people of Uganda. Their atrocities are countless and it is in every one’s interests that they are destroyed. With that said, I ask myself, why is the U.S.A. sending troops there?

If the Obama administration wants to help Uganda defeat the

LRA, they should limit themselves to advising and training Ugandans to fight their own war.

Better yet, they should support the African Union in carrying out a coordinated, multi-country assault on the LRA (since the LRA crosses borders, including back and forth to what is now the South Sudan). They could also supply Uganda other forms of assistance to help the areas that are blighted by the LRA. But sending U.S. troops to Uganda starts to feel like an old film we have all seen, i.e., Vietnam.

Once U.S. troops are on the ground in Uganda, it almost automatically changes the dynamics of a struggle. The LRA, as terrorist as they are, can claim, much as the Al Shabab terrorists in Somalia, that they are fighting not just the Ugandan government

(in this case) but the U.S. government and its intervention. As we witnessed in Somalia, when Ethiopia invaded with the active support of the U.S.A. in 2006 in order to crush the Union of Islamic Courts (a conservative Islamist force that had stabilized the situation in part of Somalia), this inflamed the situation even more.

Instead of crushing Islamists, the Ethiopian/U.S. invasion provoked the growth of dangerous terrorists and warlords, a fact that author Jeremy Scahill has recently documented in The Nation.

A similar danger could await the U.S.A. through the deployment of troops to Uganda. While it is only alleged to be 100 troops, as we know from previous U.S. interventions, there is no reason to believe that the intervention will stop there, particularly if there

are U.S. casualties. Therefore, as the intervention grows, the battle cry against the U.S.A. will grow and with it the very real possibility of a prolonged engagement in Uganda.

The Obama administration needs to rescind its proposed deployment. It should support the African Union and other forces who wish to crush the LRA. But U.S. troops on the ground needs to be out of the question. Given the disasters in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, enough is enough.

Bill Fletcher Jr. is a Senior Scholar with the Institute for Policy Studies, the immediate past president of TransAfrica Forum, and the co-author of Solidarity Divided. He can be reached at papaq54@hotmail.com.

Media treats Obama much worse than GOP challengers Distribution/Graphic Design

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Editorial and Advertising Office Phone: (850) 8770105 Fax: (850) 877-5110 Email: info@capitaloutlook. com Website: www.capitaloutlook. com Annual subscription rate: $40 Published weekly on Thursday Advertising and Information Deadline: 5 p.m. the preceding Thursday Office Hours 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.

By George E. Curry

NNPA Columnist

News media coverage of President Obama is much more negative than stories about each of his Republican challengers, netting him almost four negative stories for every positive one.

That’s the conclusion of an extensive study by the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism. According to the report, titled “The Media Primary,” Texas Gov. Rick Perry received the most coverage and was subject to the most favorable coverage until several weeks ago, when he was overtaken in that category by Herman Cain.

“One man running for president has suffered the most unrelenting negative treatment of all, the study found: Barack Obama.

Though covered largely as president rather than a candidate, negative assessments of Obama have outweighed positive by a ratio of almost 4-1,” the report stated.

“Those assessments of the president have also been substantially more negative than positive every one of the 23 weeks studied.

And in no week during those five months was more than 10% of the coverage about the president positive in tone.”

The analysis of coverage in 11,500 news media outlets was conducted from May 2 - Oct. 9.

While 57 percent of Obama’s coverage was considered neutral, 9 percent was positive and 34 percent was negative. At the other end of the spectrum, 32 percent of Rick Perry’s coverage was rated

positive and 20 percent considered negative.

Every Republican candidate still in the race, except Newt Gingrich, had favorable coverage at least double that of Obama. In the cases of Michele Bachman and Herman Cain, it was triple the positive coverage of Obama and nearly triple for Republican front-runner Mitt Romney.

Only Gingrich had a higher percentage of negative coverage than Obama with 35 percent, just one percentage point higher than the president. However, Gingrich’s favorable coverage stood at 15 percent, six points higher than Obama’s.

Interestingly, although Perry did not enter the race until August – three months after the study began – he received more coverage than any other candidate.

Moreover, even after poor performances in the Republican presidential debates, he received the most flattering coverage over the period studied – 32 percent positive, 20 percent negative and the remainder neutral.

Coverage of Cain was 28 percent positive – two points higher than Romney – and 23 percent negative, which was four points lower than Romney’s negative coverage. Cain’s recent coverage has more positive than his overall numbers reflect because prior to his winning the Florida straw poll, he was largely ignored and received more negative coverage than in recent weeks.

The sour economy and Republican attacks are responsible for much of Obama’s negative coverage, according to the study.

“In many stories, Obama was the target of not only the whole

roster of GOP presidential contenders. He was also being criticized in often harsh terms by Republicans in Congress,” the study found. “Added to that, members of his own party began criticizing him on both policy and strategy grounds, particularly as his poll numbers fell. And for much of this period, the president’s coverage reflected the biggest problem on his watch – a continual flow of bad news about the U.S. economy.”

Even the killing of Osama bin Laden did not reverse the president’s poll numbers.

“One reason is that many of the references to his [Obama’s] role in the hunt for bin Laden were matched by skepticism that he would receive any long-term political benefit from it. Another was than bin Laden news was tempered with news about the nation’s economy.”

And that is the problem.

While journalists are compelled to cover stories about political warfare and the economy, they should not attack Obama or anyone else in news stories under the guise of providing context for readers and viewers.

An Associated Press story on May 2 is a textbook example of this problem: “A nation surly over rising gas prices, stubbornly high unemployment and nasty partisan politics poured into the streets to wildly cheer President Barack Obama’s announcement that Osama bin Laden, the world’s most wanted man, had been killed by U.S. forces after a decade long manhunt. The outcome could not have come at a better time for Obama, sagging in the poll as he

embarks on his re-election campaign.”

The news of bin Laden’s death was almost buried.

The story could have also been presented this way: “Despite former President George W. Bush’s promise to capture Osama bin Laden ‘dead or alive,’ it was his successor who delivered on that promise in grand fashion, prompting thousands of U.S. citizens to take to the streets in noisy celebration.”

Another option: “President Obama, who had his foreign policy credentials questioned repeatedly during the 2008 presidential campaign, delivered on a campaign pledge to kill Osama bin Laden if ever presented the opportunity, a surprise action that led to impromptu celebrations across the United States.”

Either approach would have provided more relevant context than AP wrapping its story in the highly-charged language of his Republican challengers.

President Obama knew he would be double-teamed by GOP congressional leaders and Republican candidates hoping to unseat him. But he probably didn’t expect the stealth attacks from major media outlets.

George E. Curry, former editor-in-chief of Emerge magazine and the NNPA News Service, is a keynote speaker, moderator, and media coach. He can be reached through his Web site, www.georgecurry.com. You can also follow him at twitter.com/ currygeorge.

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2011

Education

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How can schools utilize employees’ strengths to improve performance in the workforce?

Ronald W. Holmes, Ph.D.

Education Editor/Vice President

If “one bad apple does not spoil a show,” what should you do with the apple? Some people would say that you should get rid of the apple. Others would say, endure the apple or place the apple with other bad apples. When you consider real-world scenarios, school leaders may either fire an ineffective employee, tolerate the employee or transfer the employee to another setting to allow someone else to deal with the problem.

So, the questions to be asked are: How can schools use employees’ strengths to improve performance in the workplace? Is it possible to take what is unique about the employee and make them useful? How can author Marcus Buckingham’s nine strength roles be used to maximize employees’ contributions to the workplace?

At a workshop by author Marcus Buckingham, he discusses the concepts of focusing on strengths.

According to Buckingham, we each have specific areas where we consistently

“standout,” where we can do things, see things, understand things and learn things better and faster than other people can. Buckingham says that when we find ourselves in these “strength zones,” we are magnificent, self-assured and flushed with success.

The objective then is for the employee and the manager to understand the unique strengths and to focus and harness those strengths in the workplace. Simply put, Buckingham says “you are most productive and creative in those areas where you are already strong.”

So, organizations of all types, including schools, should focus on employees’ strengths rather than their weaknesses to make them feel useful in the organizations in order to improve performance.

As a vehicle to assess the uniqueness of employees, Buckingham created the “Standout” assessment that measures you on nine strength roles. Through a questionnaire, the assessment highlights your top two roles. They are seen as your greatest contributions and the “edge” you have on other employees

Ronald W. Holmes, Ph.D. in the organization. These roles include advisor, connector, creator, equalizer, influencer, pioneer, provider, stimulator and teacher.

Buckingham notes that in the teacher role, “you are thrilled by the potential you see in each person. Your power comes from learning how to unleash it.” In contrast, Buckingham says that in the stimulator role, “you are the host of other people’s emotions. You feel responsible for them, for turning them around and for elevating them.”

Specifically, Buckingham explains that in the questionnaire, you are asked to respond to different scenarios. He says that these scenarios were captured from stakeholders in industries of all types over the past 10 years. The results of your choices are

how teammates view you rather than how you view yourself.

According to research, only 20 percent of employees utilize their true talents in their organizations.

Buckingham suggests that businesses should harness their employees’ strengths and make their employees’ weaknesses obsolete. They should have discourse continuously to determine best practices for getting the job done proficiently in the organizations.

Buckingham notes that this might include benchmarking best practices from various organizations then using those practices that best fit their organizations.

He gives examples of how a best practice may work effectively in one organization but may not work the same in another organization. So the key is to make sure that the practice you adopt is germane to your organization.

To illustrate, Buckingham articulates how several hotel industries use various approaches, such as mascots and symbols, to improve performance in their organizations through the contributions of their

employees. He emphasizes, however, that hotel “A” could not use hotel “X” business profile identically because the climate of the two organizations are not the same. In order to transfer one business profile to another organization, Buckingham says that you have to grasp the understanding of the best practice and then make it fit your organizational profile. You cannot mix apples and oranges and expect the same result of another organization.

From a school perspective, Buckingham’s concepts can be applicable.

For example, school districts are faced with budgetary shortfalls. Research reports that policymakers in numerous states are providing flexibility to school districts to change their instructional calendar. Thus, the four-day school week provides a key best practice for when there are limited options in the school district budget. However, each school district has to assess the pros and cons of the best practice and then determine if the practice is relevant to its organizational profile.

As it is written, “one

bad apple does not spoil a show.” There are alternatives for dealing with the apple. Using Marcus Buckingham’s theory, every apple has its own uniqueness. When we recognize the apple’s strengths and focus on those strengths, there is where the genius lies.

Marcus Buckingham’s view of strengths is applicable to the school environment, whether we are focusing on employees or applying the concept to children. The ultimate goal is get the best performance out of people. The essential point is that people are most efficient and innovative when they operate in their strength zones rather than their weakness zones.

By focusing on the concept of strengths, people can activate their unique competitive advantage in the workplace.

Dr. Ronald W. Holmes is the National Superintendent of Education for the National Save the Family Now Movement, Inc. He is a former teacher, school administrator, and district superintendent and can be reached at rwholmes@capitaloutlook.com.

Barron announces initiatives to create most veteran-friendly campus in nation

FSU President Eric J. Barron announces several initiatives designed to provide support and services to assist military veterans in their transition to college. Listening is Jared Lyon, president of the university’s Collegiate Veterans Association and a Navy veteran.

Special to the Outlook Florida State University (FSU) President Eric J. Barron and the Florida State chapter of the Collegiate Veterans Association (CVA) today announced Oct. 31 several new initiatives that will help the university in its efforts to become the most veteranfriendly public university in the nation.

The initiatives are designed to provide support and services to assist veterans in their transition to college and successful pursuit of a degree. To launch the initiatives, a special Veteran’s Day screening of “Hell and Back Again,” directed by Danfung Dennis, will make its southeast premiere at Florida State’s Ruby Diamond Concert Hall on Nov. 11. The film is a 2011 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prizewinner.

“With nearly 25 percent of recently-separatedfrom-the-military veterans enrolling in college within two years, the need for support and assistance in the transition from military service to college student is obvious,” Barron said.

“Although FSU is already recognized as a ‘Military Friendly School,’ we want to do more for our studentveterans, while raising awareness about their educational needs and service to our country among the student body in general.”

The new initiatives include: • Establishing a Florida State Veterans Center, which will reach veterans of all generations. The center will serve as the focal point for all campus veteran resources, academic advising, orientation and transition programming, personal and rehabilitative support services, and assis-

tance with VA educational benefits and certification.

• Hiring a director of the Florida State Veterans Center, who will implement the center’s mission to recruit veterans who want to transition from military service to college life; support veterans by coordinating services; and promote awareness of Florida State’s veteran heritage and current issues facing student-veterans. In addition, the director will promote Florida State’s veteran-friendly initiatives nationally.

• Launching an annual Student Veteran Film Festival to raise awareness of veterans’ issues and support the establishment of a veteran’s center. This year’s screening of “Hell and Back Again,” which will benefit the proposed veteran’s center, will set the stage for what will become a multifilm event in future years.

“These initiatives are important because nationally veterans are graduating at a lesser rate than nonveterans,” said Jared Lyon, president of the CVA and a veteran of the U.S. Navy, where he served on multiple deployments around the globe from 2001 to 2005. “As an institution for higher learning, it is our responsibility to ensure that student-veterans have the resources available to them to be successful in their

goal of achieving a college degree.”

Because veterans tend to be older students – the average age of a studentveteran at FSU is 27 – they have been out of the academic environment for a greater period of time and often struggle with transition and isolation. In addition, some may be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or physical limitations.

Florida State is unique among universities because of the depth and scope of services it intends to offer, Lyon said.

“Not only is Florida State going to provide the services needed by student-veterans, the university also is going to try to identify the reasons behind these lower graduation rates while focusing on making the campus a more inviting and welcoming environment for veterans past, present and future,” he said.

Plans are under way to build a 35,000-square-foot building located on Jefferson Street near the Varsity Way roundabout. The proposal calls for bringing the Florida State Veterans Center, ROTC offices and a World War II museum together into one facility that would promote collaboration. In the meantime, the Pearl Tyner House at the Florida State Alumni Association complex on West

Tennessee Street will serve as the center’s temporary home. It will open its doors today and will be available to students from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

A university advisory board recommended establishing a center and hiring a director to oversee the center and services. Barron appointed the advisory board in spring 2011 after Lyon and several members of the CVA approached him about the need for improved support and services for veterans and their dependents at the university.

It was the students, however, who came up with the idea of hosting an annual film festival that is perhaps the first in the nation to be devoted to veterans issues. Florida State Interfraternity Council President David Ward approached Lyon about developing an event to support student-veterans, and soon the Student Veteran Film Festival was born.

“We wanted to create an event that was as entertaining as it was educational,” Ward said. “Our student-veterans contribute so much to our campus community, and it’s our duty both as citizens and Seminoles to raise funds and awareness for this great cause. We couldn’t be happier to help make this landmark event come to life.”

Working with Frank

Patterson, dean of the College of Motion Picture Arts, and Paul Cohen, director of the college’s Torchlight program, the students were able to secure the rights to screen the newly released documentary “Hell and Back Again” for the inaugural event.

“When we saw ‘Hell and Back Again’ at Sundance, where it won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize, we knew then that we needed to bring it to Florida State,” Patterson said. “I can’t think of a better venue to screen Danfung Dennis’ riveting documentary than the inaugural Student Veteran Film Festival.”

The film follows the life of 25-year-old U.S. Marine Sgt. Nathan Harris as he confronts the physical and emotional difficulties of readjusting to civilian life after his time fighting and being wounded in Afghanistan. Tickets for the event are $10 for Florida State students and $30 for the general public. To purchase a ticket, visit www. fsuvetfilmfest.com.

Student-veteran members of the Collegiate Veterans Association wear matching T-shirts proclaiming “I’m a VeteraNole.”

Two universities to co-sponsor conference on Publishing firm pledges 50 percent of profits for literacy of young black males Special to the Outlook The schools of library sciences at North Carolina Central University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will hold a conference next spring on improving literacy among young black males. The conference is funded in part by a $126,000 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency that supports the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums.

The conference, en-

titled Building a Bridge to Literacy for African-American Male Youth, will be held on the campus of the University of North Carolina.

“Extensive research shows that poor literacy skills among young African-American males have lifelong negative consequences,” stated Irene Owens, dean of the School of Library and Information Sciences at North Carolina Central University. “Libraries and librarians have always played an important

scholarships at HBCUs

role in promoting literacy, and yet there is no coordinated national effort to address this persistent socioeconomic problem.”

Charles Gray Special to the Outlook Irene Owens, Ph.D.

A new audio book company has pledged to

donate half of all its profits to scholarships for students at the nation’s historically black colleges and universities.

The company, ATuskegeeAudio.com, has produced 18 audio books. The first release is The Mushroom People by Charles R. Gray, who is CEO of the new publishing operation.

He started the company due to a lack of diversity in stories and fairytales for African-American children.

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Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2011 Religion Devotional –– “The Greatness of Joy”

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“The Greatness of Joy”

By Cleo Johnson Generally, we think of joy as a feeling of great pleasure or an emotion that comes from experiences such as receiving a college degree or a job promotion.

This joy is temporary and can be lost in a moment.

Christians seek spiritual joy that the world cannot take away. This joy is inseparable from our rela-

tionship with Jesus Christ and it comes from understanding our purpose of life in Jesus and the hope of living with God for eternity.

The joy of God and the love for His people were introduced in human history when God sent His son to die for our sins. The excitement of this joy runs through the entire biblical account of Jesus’ birth…

“He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth” (Luke 1:14).

Jesus’ joy was manifested through obedience in completing His father’s will on calvary. Jesus possessed an exuberant joy as the sacrificial lamb, who took away our sins and brought us the joy of salvation. His willingness to be obedient was evident when

He said, “...yet not my will, but yours be done…”

(Luke 22:42).

Jesus found strength in doing God’s will. Hebrews 12:2 says, “... who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame…”

Jesus realized that the way God would save His people and give us grace would be for Him to bear our sins upon the cross.

Jesus gives us His joy.

“These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full” (John 15:11). Jesus wants us to be full of joy – and to make sure we are, Jesus made an incredible promise.

What does it mean to have “the joy of Jesus?”

It means that we have a

profound understanding of God’s grace in our hearts (which is God’s unmerited favor toward us). This was the angels’ message to the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth. “…Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy…” (Luke 2:10-11).

Spiritual Joy is not the natural joy of human life that comes from things and stuff. It is a supernatural joy because it has a supernatural source – Jesus Christ. This joy has blessings and benefits of salvation.

1. We have Jesus Christ in us through the Holy Spirit. We belong to Him by the love of God. And, because we belong to Him, He has promised to care for us. (1 Peter 5:7) 2. We have His prom-

ise that He will not leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5) Imagine this! In a joyless world, where men run to and fro for something to comfort them in the midst of trials and tribulations, we have rest, joy and peace in Jesus Christ!

3. We have strength in the joy of Jesus. “… for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). When we are in despair, weak and fall into temptations, it is often because we are not living in the joy of Jesus Christ.

When we are fully abiding in Jesus we are strong against evil, we bear up under our burdens, and temptations seem to lose their power.

How do we maintain “the joy of Jesus?” We must obey the will of God.

Jesus’ obedience brought Him joy and this is also true for us.

In summary, through Jesus we have unspeakable joy because of what He did on the cross. Through Him, we have the joy of salvation and the hope of living with God for eternity.

Prayer - Father God, we thank you for Jesus Christ whose joy it was to do your will. We thank you for your grace – that from the beginning You willed to save us through your Son. We pray that our joy may be the everlasting joy that is found in Jesus Christ.

Help us, Father, to walk as children of the King in this world and to be obedient to your will. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Men’s Devotional –– “Lord, Set Us Free” This week, the Capital Outlook continues a nine-week series of Men’s Devotionals.

“Lord, Set Us Free”

By Joe Taylor The theme for the 25th Annual Men’s Retreat was “Lord, Set Us Free.” The supportive text comes from St. Luke 4: 18-19 which reads, “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Isaiah 61:1-3 proclaims, “The spirit of the Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and freedom to the prisoners; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of our God’s vengeance; to comfort all who mourn; 3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion; to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, festive oil instead of mourning, and splendid clothes instead of despair.

And they will be called righteous trees, planted by the Lord to glorify him.”

If we are to experience real freedom we must get our arms and mind around

this theme – Success is an inconvenience. It’s not about how you feel, it’s about a process. The key word is obedience – the Lord wants us to be free and he has put a rule book for us to obtain freedom – it is called the Holy Bible.

I want to share five steps to real freedom that the Lord has in store for us.

These five steps will create an inconvenience because they require you to do some things you don’t want to do and give up some things you like to do. Success (freedom) is an inconvenience.

1) Discipline – Follow the Ten Commandments and do the right thing. Deep down inside we all want discipline but the devil is busy. He is always recruiting with his strategic

use of distractions. Freedom requires discipline. We stated earlier that Webster’s definition of discipline is a system of rules governing conduct. The Lord has a system of rules governing conduct – it’s called the Bible.

2) Priority – We must map out a course that involves a step by step process of paying attention to what brings value to your life. Man does not decide his future. Man decides his habits and his habits decide his future. The bible talks about reaping what we sow.

Sow good seeds, you will have a good harvest. Sow bad seeds, you will have a bad harvest.

3) Persistence – Any degree of success (freedom) comes with a high degree of focus. I often refer

to the life of Abraham Lincoln who had a failed business, lost several senatorial races, lost several congressional races, endured the death of a sweetheart, suf suffered a mental breakdown, but became the president of the United States at age 52.

That defines persistence, the same patience and persistence that the Bible character Job had during his lifetime. We must learn to follow up and keep at it and never give up the pursuit of our purpose that He has for our lives.

4) Give of yourself – This is the most difficult and the least understood of the five steps. Sacrificial giving is fundamental to the success of any unit of people, and is required in God’s plan. Don’t be self selfish; The more you give, the

more you will receive. That involves your time, your talents and your tithes. The Lord loves a cheerful giver.

5) W Work Ethic – You will get out of anything what you put into it. Each day that the good Lord gives us on the top side we must work on our discipline, our priorities, our persistence, our giving and

our steadfast enthusiasm to obtain freedom. The W-word is not wish to be good, it is work to be good.

It is our prayer that these words will help to move the readers closer to freedom – the kind of freedom that only comes from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Reverend Dr. R. B. Holmes , Jr.

“The Christ Centered Church With a Program of Prayer and Progress ”

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2011

Capital Outlook

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connections We’ve made important moves to strengthen your network.

You may have heard. AT&T and T-Mobile are planning to come together.

What will that mean to you?

More cell sites and spectrum means better service sooner.

And it means your Internet is about to take a big leap forward with LTE — a super-fast mobile broadband technology.

We are going to deploy it to more than 97 percent of all Americans, giving you access to a cutting-edge wireless network and all the opportunities it brings.

So keep your bonds strong by reaching out to those you care about the moment they need you.

MobilizeEverything.com

© 2011 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.

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Community News

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2011

National Association of University Women 87th Southeast Sectional Conference Special to the Outlook 2011 Farm Fest When: Nov. 4 Time: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Location: FAMU Research and Extension Center Quincy, Fla. Call: 850-599-3546 ZumbaFest When: Nov. 12 Time: 10 a.m. – 12 Noon Where: Jack McLean Community Center Gym Cost: $10 Advance or $15 at Door Call: 850-556-0627 FAMU “College of Law Open House & Tailgate Party” When: Nov. 19 Time: 9 a.m. – 12 Noon Location: College Law 201 Beggs Ave. Orlando, Fla.

Attorney Carolyn Cummings was the chairperson for the conference.

history − last year the organization celebrated 100 years. NAUW is comprised of five branches throughout the United States including the Northeast, Southwest, Southeast, North-central and South-central. This year the association plans to help individuals outside of the United States.

“We hope to start an international branch in Liberia and we expect to do that in February of 2012,” Owens said. “When we go there, we will do some teacher training in the schools that they are trying to rebuild, that are run by high school students. It’s our goal to go over there and spend some time training these young people, so they can be better teachers for their elementary school students.”

are given the opportunity to work with so many children and adults. I feel like this gives me an opportunity to give back to the communities and serve children in Leon County in whatever way I can.”

The guiding precepts of NAUW are education, literacy, youth, health, national and international af affairs, and the community.

The members enhance their professional development, focus on community development, encourage and award scholarships for eligible students in the communities. The association networks with other organizations providing activities for youth focusing on literacy and other ongoing programs.

“We are very concerned about the literacy program that faces us in this country,” Delores Owens, the national president of

NAUW said. “We feel that we can make a difference by having all of our members in some way involved in a tutorial program, and we try to encourage each member to tutor an individual student to help them become a better reader or a lover of reading.”

In attendance for the 87th Southeast Sectional Conference were members from: Tallahassee; Atlanta and Augusta, Ga.; Columbia, S.C.; Charlotte, Clayton, Concord, Eastern-Wake, Elizabeth City, Goldsboro, Greensboro, Halifax, Hamlet, Hope Mills, Laurinburg, Lumberton, Lumberton-Fairmont, North Hampton, Raleigh, Roberson-Scotland, Smithfield, Wadesboro and Winston-Salem, N.C.; as well as Hampton and Richmond, Va. On Sept. 30 guest speaker Leon County

School Board Member Georgia “Joy” Bowen graced the podium. Also, the honorable Mayor John Marks and Leon County School Board Superintendent Jackie Pons greeted members during the annual conference.

NAUW members were entertained by the Tallahassee Girls Choir of Choice, praise dancer Mikayla Ross-Simmons, mime dancer Jase Lindsey, the Tallahassee Branch’s 2011 Scholarship recipient; Cecelia Madry and the Tallahassee Branch Choir.

A special presentation was given to the NAUW’s Tallahassee Branch founder, the Rev. Bernyce Clausell and M. Lucille Williams. The women are still involved in the organization today. Williams’ award was accepted by her son Ronald Williams, Ph.D. NAUW has a rich

Tallahassee Branch President Jerry Gilmore (left) with Delores Owens (right), NAUW national president.

Tallahassee Mayor John Marks

Members of the Tallahassee Girls Choir of Choice

On Sept. 30 through Oct. 1 the National Association of University Women (NAUW) Tallahassee Branch hosted its 87th Annual Southeast Sectional Conference.

The Tallahassee Branch is one of the largest branches of the NAUW in the Southeast Section.

It was founded more than 54 years ago by the Rev. Bernyce Clausell, and 13 women who became charter members. The branch continues to grow under the current leadership of President Jerry D. Gilmore, who has served for the past two years.

“Being a member of NAUW has been a rewarding experience,” Gilmore said. “I’ve had the opportunity to share my experience and knowledge with the Tallahassee Branch. We

Another glance at local Jack and Jill of America Inc. “Diamond Celebration”

John and Laurise Thomas

Dr. Vivian Hobbs

(left to right) Tamara Turnley Robinson, national vice-president representing the Southeastern Region, Eva C. Wanton, 13th national president, Zaneta Batchelor, Tallahassee Chapter president; and Sharon Bourgess-Jones, Immediate Past Member-atLarge

Wives and mothers of the Tallahassee chapter of Jack and Jill of America Inc.

Byron and Kimberly Menchion

Dr. Eva C. Wanton

(left to right) Cydeon Trueblood, former Tallahassee Chapter member; Cecka Trueblood Green, legacy member and Tallahassee Chapter Vice-President, with her husband, Marvin E. Green, Jr.

All Photos By LEWIS JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHY

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2011

Local/State

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9

It’s too risky for Florida’s image to roll the dice on casinos

By Beth Kassab, Business Columnist Special to the Outlook

Cue the dancing girls. Send in the dealers. And let’s roll the dice, fingers-crossed, that Las Vegas-style casinos will lift Florida from its economic malaise. After all, how bad can it be to let Florida’s worldwide brand forever be altered from familyfriendly beaches and theme parks to adult playground and money trap?

Just think of all the new low-wage service industry jobs that new casinos would inject into our economy. And don’t forget the crime and social problems that often follow casinos.

OK, so it’s that bad.

The latest push in South Florida and Tallahassee to allow three commercial casinos in Miami-Dade and Broward counties is in full swing.

This is the worst getrich-quick scheme we’ve seen in this state since swampland was peddled as a high-return investment.

And that is exactly what it is, an opportunistic grab at money and power seized when the state is grappling with historic unemployment, foreclosures and rotten consumer confidence.

The casinos – Malaysian company Genting Group, which paid $236 million for waterfront property in Miami currently occupied by the Miami Herald; and Las Vegas Sands, which is looking at another site – are touting themselves as potential shocks to restart a flat-line economy.

Certainly, limited gambling is already here, and the state hasn’t deteriorated into deviance and depravity.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida runs seven casinos from Tampa to Hollywood.

Voters in Miami-Dade and Broward counties approved limited slot machines by a slim margin in 2004. Dog tracks and Jai-Alai frontons have been around for decades. And the state itself profits from selling Lottery tickets.

But this latest play would likely just be the first step toward removing the limits on casinos in Florida.

The proposal calls for three new commercial casinos.

And that could be just the beginning.

Already we’re hearing noise from some Orlando hoteliers that if Miami gets full-fledged Vegas gambling Orlando may want it, too.

Before we know it, there could be pitches for commercial casinos all across the state, and then we risk going from limited gambling to unlimited betting that such moves are the right ones for the economy.

And there’s plenty of evidence to suggest otherwise.

Nevada, the bestknown tourism and gambling destination in the U.S., is not an enviable business climate. There isn’t a single Fortune 500 company unrelated to casinos based in Nevada; that state also leads the country in foreclosures. And Atlantic City, N.J., watched casinos cannibalize other

local businesses once they moved in during the 1970s.

Walt Disney World and other tourism and business interests are opposed to casinos in Florida for that very reason.

Casinos often subsidize hotel room prices and meal costs, which would put downward pressure on hotels and restaurants vital to Florida’s economy that aren’t offering bargain room rates along with free prime rib.

Disney is also concerned that its brand, one of the most recognizable in the world, and Florida’s Sunshine State image will be diminished over time.

But this shouldn’t be about protecting Disney or the interests of anyone else who profits off of Florida tourism’s status quo.

The argument should be focused on the state’s long-term outlook and our ability to take a step back from today’s economic

crisis and just say, “No thanks.”

For Florida, the path to prosperity in the form of high-wage jobs and new industries is better found the old-fashioned way: through a focus on education, creating a skilled and desirable workforce and fostering an environment where innovation and business can thrive because people are willing to invest in it.

That should be Florida’s gamble.

“Be Ready To Vote” campaign in the news

League of Women Voters of Florida teams with Microsoft, Florida supervisors of elections to reach voters via smartphone Special to the Outlook On Oct. 19, the League of Women Voters of Florida launched “Be Ready to Vote,” our voter service campaign for the 2012 election season, which will make voting as accessible and convenient as possible for Florida citizens!

Through the use of cutting-edge smartphone technology provided by a part-

nership with Microsoft Tag, Florida voters will be able to directly connect to their Supervisor of Elections to ensure that their voter registration information is current and complete.

For more information about “Be Ready to Vote,” visit BeReadyToVote.org and check out the following positive reaction to the campaign launch:

New app unveiled for voter information WDBO Orlando Oct. 19 Checking your voter registration status is now just a matter of pulling out your smartphone thanks to a new program unveiled Wednesday by the League of Women Voters of Florida. Florida is the first state to use this technology.

Forum addresses veterans’ needs

By Alicia McKnight Outlook Contributor

if they can get a little bit here hopefully they can get something going,” said Charles LeCroy, past commander of the American Legion Hall.

Allied Veterans gave a special presentation of $200,000 to the Veterans Foundation, a direct support organization of the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs. The organization also donated $5,000 to the American Legion Hall.

“Our organization has given more than 6 million to veteran organizations in the last five years,” said Jerry Bass, national commander for Allied Veterans,” he said. “We are proud veterans, helping other veterans.”

A portion of the donation will go toward emergency funds to veterans and their families. Additionally, some will go toward assisting the Entrepreneurship Boot Camp for Veterans with Disabilities at Florida State University.

“The donation will be

During the North Florida Veterans’ Forum and Luncheon on Sept.

22, guest speaker Patricia O’Neil presented a research piece entitled: A Study of Veterans’ Behavioral Health Needs, Gaps and Recommendations in Maryland and How it Might be Relevant to Florida Veterans.

“Target more outreach leaders of the faith communities to ensure awareness, knowledge and skill to ef effectively engage with Veterans and their families,” she said. “An effective outreach program needs to be developed by collecting veteran’s mailing and email addresses.”

O’Neil is recommending that Florida “develops a five-year strategic plan based on gap analysis that focuses on systematically closing gaps and ensuring behavioral health and social service needs of Florida veterans are effectively met.”

There are countless veterans in Tallahassee who do not know what help is available for them in Leon County.

“There is so much (left to right) Charles LeCroy, past cominformation mander of the American Legion and out there, another veteran.

used to assist veterans and their families who are in great need,” said LeCroy.

2011 Tax Roll

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Legal Notice Notice Under Fictitious Name Law Pursuant to Section 865.09, Florida Statutes NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned desiring to engage in business under the fictitious name of MVP Event Planning located at 122 Dawn Lauren Lane, in the County of Leon, Tallahassee, Florida 32301.

Vivian Pope intends to register the said name with the Division of Corporations of the Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida. Dated at Tallahassee, Florida this 28th day of October, 2011. PUB: Capital Outlook

Classified/Sports

Lady Rattlers tame SSU Tigers 3-0 in MEAC action

By Florida A&M Sports Information The Florida A&M Volleyball team picked up their sixth conference win of the season as they defeated the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference newest member Savannah State, 3-0 (25-8, 25-17, 25-14) here Sunday afternoon at the Al Lawson Center.

FAMU (8-12, 6-1 MEAC) had a pair of Lady Rattlers to finish in double-digit kills as Katherine Huanec finished with a team high 12 kills, followed by Maria Ceccarelli with 11 kills. Diana Gonzales led the Lady Rattlers in assists with 36, while Karol Marquez led the team in digs with 20.

The Lady Rattlers won the first set commandingly

as FAMU finished the set with a 9-0 run to win the set 25-8.

In the second set, FAMU pulled out a 25-17 win as they held off a late rally by SSU. In the final set, the Lady Rattlers would down the Lady Tigers 25-14, capping a 12-4 run by FAMU. SSU (0-21, 0-6 MEAC) was led by Bryana Gadis with a team high five kills, followed by Bianca Helton with three kills.

Ashlee Butler led the Lady Tigers in assists with 10, while Bridgette Stephens led the team in digs with 11.

The Lady Rattlers will return to action on Friday, Nov. 4 as they will travel to Greensboro, N.C. to take on the North Carolina A&T Lady Aggies in a MEAC contest.

Nov. 3 - Nov. 9, 2011

FSU Men’s Basketball 2011-2012 SCHEDULE Date Opponent / Event Location Time 10/31/11 vs. Indiana University of Pennsylvania TTallahassee, Fla. 7:00 p.m. ET 11/07/11 vs. Georgia Southwestern TTallahassee, Fla. 7:00 p.m. ET 11/11/11 vs. Jacksonville TTallahassee, Fla. 7:00 p.m. ET 11/14/11 vs. UCF TTallahassee, Fla. 7:00 p.m. ET 11/16/11 vs. Stetson TTallahassee, Fla. 7:00 p.m. ET 11/20/11 South Alabama TTallahassee, Fla. 3:00 p.m. ET 11/24/11 vs. Massachusetts Paradise Island / The Bahamas 4:30 p.m. ET 11/25/11 Harvard or Utah / Battle4Atlantis Paradise Island / The Bahamas TBA 11/26/11 Battle4Atlantis Paradise Island / The Bahamas TBA

T Tallahassee, Fla. 7:00 p.m. ET 12/11/11 UNC Greensboro TTallahassee, Fla. 1:00 p.m. ET 12/18/11 vs. Loyola Marymount TTallahassee, Fla. 3:00 p.m. ET 12/22/11 at Florida Gainesville, Fla. 7:00 p.m. ET 12/30/11 Princeton TTallahassee, Fla. 7:00 p.m. ET 01/04/12 vs. Auburn TTallahassee, Fla. 7:00 p.m. ET 01/07/12 at Clemson Clemson, S.C. 4:00 p.m. ET 01/10/12 at Virginia Tech Blacksburg, Va. 7:00 p.m. ET

01/25/12 at Wake Forest Winston Salem, N.C. 7:00 p.m. ET 02/01/12 vs. Georgia Tech TTallahassee, Fla. 7:00 p.m. ET 02/04/12 Virginia TTallahassee, Fla. 1:00 p.m. ET 02/08/12 at Boston College Chestnut Hill, Mass.

7:00 p.m. ET 02/11/12 vs. Miami TTallahassee, Fla. 1:00 p.m. ET 02/16/12 vs. Virginia Tech TTallahassee, Fla. 7:00 p.m. ET 02/18/12 at NC State Raleigh, N.C. 1:00 p.m. ET 02/23/12 vs. Duke TTallahassee, Fla. 7:00 p.m. ET

01/14/12 vs. North Carolina TTallahassee, Fla. 2:00 p.m. ET

02/26/12 at Miami Coral Gables, Fla. 6:00 p.m. ET

01/17/12 vs. Maryland TTallahassee, Fla. 9:00 p.m. ET

03/01/12 at Virginia Charlottesville, V.A..

7:00 p.m. ET

01/21/12 at Duke Durham, N.C. 4:00 p.m. ET

03/04/12 vs. Clemson TTallahassee, Fla. 12:00 p.m. ET

11/30/11 at Michigan State East Lansing, Mich.

7:30 p.m. ET 12/05/11 Charleston Southern

Live easy with diabetes management.

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Live easy with your

This is just one of the recipes we’ve created to help you manage meals.

Southwest Pot Roast With Pinto Beans Active Time - 20 minutes Total Time - up to 3 1/2 hours (Makes 6 Servings)

Apron’s Advice Complete your meal with steamed broccoli, brown rice, and unsweetened applesauce.

Ingredients 1 lb flank steak (or chuck roast) 1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 (14.5-oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (undrained) 1 (8-oz) package tri-pepper mix (fresh diced green, red, yellow bell peppers) 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes Aluminum foil 1 (15-oz) can fat-free pinto beans (drained and rinsed)

Prep • Preheat oven to 350°F. • Cut steak across the grain into 2-inch strips (wash hands).

• Chop onion.

Steps 1. Place meat in a baking pan.

Combine tomatoes (undrained), onions, garlic, peppers, oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes; pour over meat. Cover with foil; bake 2–3 hours or until tender.

2. Add beans to roast; bake, uncovered, 5 more minutes, or until beans are hot.

Shred meat, using two forks. Serve.

CALORIES (per 1/6 recipe) 240kcal; FAT 6g; CHOL 40mg; SODIUM 340mg; CARB 17g; FIBER 5g; PROTEIN 25g; VIT A 8%; VIT C 35%; CALC 8%; IRON 20%

Source: Publix Apron’s® Simple Meals

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