The Wilmington Journal

MISSING
Serving Southeastern North Carolina since 1927 and an outgrowth of R.S. Jervay Printers established in 1901
EBONEE SPEARS
Wilmington Police are
continuing their search for
30 year old Ebonee Spears of
Wilmington. The local
Crimestoppers organization has
joined with the Wilmington Police
Department in offering a reward
of up to $5,000 for
information on Ebonee's
whereabouts. If you know
where Spears may be, call
Wilmington Police
at (910) 343-3600
or use Text-a-Tip.
News from the African American perspective without fear or favor
VOLUME 95 JULY 1, 2023-JULY 31, 2023 $1.00
NNPA Wraps Convention in Nashville with Powerful Messages
OUTside
Looking IN
“Concerns Mount
Among Democrats as
Black Voter Turnout
Drops, Impacting
Biden’s Reelection Bid”
SEE PAGE 4
Today’s
Black News
is
Tomorrow’s
Black History!
The
Wilmington
Journal
is a
recorder
of
Black History.
The theme of the conference and for this 196th anniversary of the Black Press is: The Black Press of America: Amplifying Progress,
Excellence, & Voices of Black America. Pictured is the NNPA Board.
BY STACY M. BROWN
NNPA NEWSWIRE SENIOR NATIONAL
CORRESPONDENT
President Joe Biden’s remarks in saluting the
Black Press of America during the NNPA’s annual
convention in Nashville, making it clear how
important African American-owned newspapers
remain, underscored the gathering’s theme.
Afterall, the theme of the conference and for
this 196th anniversary of the Black Press is: The
Black Press of America: Amplifying Progress,
Excellence, & Voices of Black America.
“Congratulations to the Black Press of America
for celebrating 196 years of serving communities
across our nation,” Biden stated in the address
which aired on July 1.
“Ida B. Wells once said, the way to right wrongs
is to turn the light of truth upon the wrong. That’s
the sacred charge of a free press. That’s the charge
African American publishers have pursued for
nearly two centuries,” Biden continued.
“With every story you publish, you make our
democracy stronger. Thank you for what you do to
turn the light of truth wherever your work leads
you. Thank you.”
Dr. Chavis and NNPA Chair Karen Carter
Richards praised the President for recognizing the
importance of the Black Press of America.
“The NNPA is especially honored to hear directly
from President Joe Biden for his continued support
and advocacy of the importance of the Black
Press of America,” Chavis stated.
“As we celebrate 196 years of the Black Press,
it’s always gratifying and encouraging to have the
support of the President of the United States. In
the wake of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions
on civil rights, the Black Press rededicates
our journalism to be a clarion voice for freedom,
justice, equality, and equity.”
Richards, who completed four years as NNPA
Chair, also thanked the President.
“To have the President of the United States take
the time out to be a part of our convention is of
course special,” Richards related.
“But it’s also a testament to just how vital the
Black Press remains. Collectively, as Black publishers
and Black business owners, we are
stronger than ever, and the President’s message
reinforces that.”
The week began with a chairman’s reception at
the National Museum of African American Music
sponsored by Nissan, with greetings and acknowledgments
from Richards; Chavis; and convention
planning committee chair Terry Jones, the publisher
of Data News Weekly in New Orleans.
The Wilmington Journal is now fully operating from a remote area.
Our building has much damage and some of our equipment is
still inoperable. Please continue to bear with us as we work to return to normalcy.
The Staff and Management of
The Wilmington Journal
Rosetta Miller-Perry, the publisher of the
Tennessee Tribune, served as host for the week.
A workshop on engaging the next generation
through culture and building pathways between
the Black Press and the next generation through
education included conversations with Houston
Forward Times Business Manager Chelsea
Lenora White, and Jarren Small, the CEO of
Educational Entertainment and Reading with a
Rapper.
The workshop stressed the importance of solving
the national literacy issue to reach the next
generation and provided publishers and attendees
with solutions to reach an untapped market:
schools.
Small and Dr. Chavis then discussed the “Black
Press State of Emergency Response through Hip
Hop, Education, and Literacy,” during a fireside
chat.
The Google News Initiative presented “3 Trends
to Grow Ad Revenues in 2023” with the global program
manager Tina Xiao.
Xiao briefed attendees on the top trends in ad
revenue and Google products aimed at helping
accelerate publishers’ digital transformation.
Longtime NNPA partner General Motors hosted
a lunch discussion on “Cultural Capital with
Diverse Consumers Through Storytelling,” moderated
by David Milledge, GM’s multicultural
marketing manager.
It included panelists Brandy Merriweather and
Tiffany Greene, both HBCU alums.
The Los Angeles Sentinel later presented
“Digital Transformation, Staying Accessible and
Relevant to Readers,” powered by Intuit, and featuring
Niele Anderson, the Sentinel’s Daily Brief
host.
Tania Mercado, the senior manager of communications
at Intuit, and Derrick Plummer, the
company’s director of corporate communications,
served as panelists.
They discussed the challenges of transforming
print to digital and how to accelerate that transformation
and overcome some of those challenges.
The NNPA Fund handed out its Messenger
Awards, honoring the best of Black newspapers.
The Sacramento Observer won 16 awards, including
Publisher of the Year for Larry Lee.
Chavis also interviewed Jessie Wolley-Wilson,
the president, and CEO of DreamBox Learning,
on emphasizing mathematics in education.
Dr. Wilford T. Ussery then presented
“Mathematics and Education for Black America.”
Diageo produced the video “Introducing
Multicultural Consortium for Responsible
Drinking,” presented by Sheila Thorne.
Also, Zillow presented “Housing Trends in
Black America,” with Tyrone Law, the senior public
relations specialist delivering with a focus on
the current state of housing, including homeownership
rates, home values and other trends affecting
the Black community.
Keith Collins, the owner, and CEO of BlackOps
LLC, presented “Empowering Minority-Owned
Small Businesses to be Cyber Aware.”
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison
proved a crowd pleaser with his topic, “Ending the
Cycle of Police Violence in America.”
Google Tech Transformation Lab presented a
Q&A where publishers and attendees could learn
more about how they could become a part of
Transformation Tech, a new program helping
news publishers achieve digital transformation
through top-tier coaching and $20K in funding
from the Google News Initiative.
Reynolds hosted a lunch panel on “When Good
People Write Bad Public Policy: Stop the FDA
Menthol Ban,” a session that expounded on the
lived experiences and expertise of the nation’s
leading Black law enforcement professionals and
community leaders on the unintended consequences
of bans and prohibitions.
Bobby Henry, the publisher of the Westside
Gazette in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., won election as
NNPA Chairman, succeeding Richards, the publisher
of the Houston Forward Times.
During the NNPA’s Legacy Awards and Gala
Dinner, the organization honored Attorney
General Ellison along with Tennessee State
Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson.
Grammy winner Keith Washington closed the
gala with a mini-concert.
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2 STATE
Thursday, July 1-31,2023
ISSN 0049-7649
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1901 and T.C. Jervay, Sr.,
Founder of The Wilmington
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Is Nc Listening To V.P. Harris’ Warning About Florida’s False Black Scheme?
BY CASH MICHAELS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
PATRONIZE
OUR
ADVERTISERS!
THEY
PATRONIZE
YOUR
COMMUNITY
No, she hasn’t excoriated
North Carolina yet, but last
week, when Vice President
Kamala Harris blasted the Florida
Board of Education for corrupting its
statewide Black History studies standards
to portray slavery as something
which “benefited” enslaved Africans,
she struck a nerve well beyond the
Sunshine State.
Harris’ powerful takedown of the
revisionist Florida Black History curriculum
was a dire warning to the rest
of the country, including North
Carolina, that the conservative culture
war campaign to literally change the
documented racial history of the
United States into something more
politically palatable for the expressed
purpose of gaining more power, is proceeding
at an alarming clip.
In March, North Carolina’s
Republican-controlled House passed a
previously vetoed measure restricting
what teachers can discuss about
America’s racial history. In June, the
legislature passed a law banning discussions
about race in the state government
workplaces.
Against that backdrop, here is an
abbreviated version of the vice president’s
remarks in Jacksonville, Fla.
from July 21, 2023:
“…[W]hen I think about what is happening
here in Florida, I am deeply
concerned. Because let’s be clear: I do
believe this is not only about the state
of Florida; there is a national agenda
afoot. And what is happening here in
Florida? Extremist so-called leaders
for months have dared to ban books.
Book bans in this year of our Lord
2023.
And now, on top of all of that, they
want to replace history with lies.
Middle school students in Florida to be
told that enslaved people benefited
from slavery. High schoolers may be
taught that victims of violence, of
massacres were also perpetrators.
They insult us in an attempt to
gaslight us — and we will not have it.
We teach our children not only to tell
the truth, but to seek knowledge and
truth.
Well, I think we should model what
we say. These extremist so-called leaders
should model what we know to be
the correct and right approach, if we
really are invested in the well-being of
our children.
Come on — adults know what slavery
really involved. It involved rape. It
involved torture. It involved taking a
baby from their mother. It involved
some of the worst examples of depriving
people of humanity in our world.
It involved subjecting to people the
requirement that they would think of
themselves and be thought of as less
than human.
So, in the context of that, how is it
that anyone could suggest that in the
midst of these atrocities, that there
was any benefit to being subjected to
this level of dehumanization? In the
midst of these atrocities, that there
was some benefit?
So, it is not only misleading; it is
false. And it is pushing propaganda.
People who walk around and want to
be praised as leaders, who want to be
talked about as American leaders,
pushing propaganda on our children.
VICE PRES. KAMALA HARRIS
Pushing propaganda on our children.
And that’s what’s so outrageous
about what is happening right now: an
abject and purposeful and intentional
policy to mislead our children. And so,
let us be clear: Teachers want to teach
the truth. Teachers want to teach
facts. And teachers dedicate themselves
to some of the most noble work
Please see
HARRIS/Page 3
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State of North Carolina
Member of the National
Newspaper Publishers
Association, Inc.
Member of North Carolina
Black Publishers Association
PAPER!

Thursday, July 1-31, 2023 STATE
3
HARRIS
Continued from Page 2
any human being could take
on: to teach other people’s children
— for the sake of the
future of our nation.
And so, they should not then
be told by politicians that they
should be teaching revisionist
BY CASH MICHAELS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
North Carolina First
District Democrat
Congressman Don
Davis of Pitt County, an
African American, is making
no bones about where he
stands politically.
The Snow Hill native, minister
and former United States
Air Force commissioned officer
may have taken over former
Rep. G. K. Butterfield’s
congressional office when he
was elected in 2022, but Davis
is cutting a different path from
the politically progressive
Butterfield, and that was made
clear earlier this month when
Davis, a member of the House
Committee on Armed
Services, was one of a handful
of House Democrats voting
with conservative Republicans
in support of a new defense
budget that was loaded with
“culture war” amendments.
Davis’ Democrat colleagues
call the $880 billion NDAA
(National
Defense
Authorization Act) for Fiscal
Year 2024 an “extreme bill”
because beyond providing
funding for the U.S. military, as
it is supposed to do, the ratified
measure bans funding of
diversity, equity and inclusion
(DEI) initiatives; reimbursing
travel costs for female service
history in order to keep their
jobs. Our teachers who fear
that if they teach the truth,
they may lose their job. As it
is, we don’t pay them enough.
And these are the people —
these extremist, so-called leaders
— who all the while are
also the ones suggesting that
teachers strap on a gun in the
classroom instead of what real
Black Centrist Democrat NC Congressman Votes With Republicans
members in need of an abortion;
and any display of the
LBGTQ Pride flags.
Those amendments were
sponsored by conservative
Congressman Chip Roy of
Texas, who has a well-known
record of opposing any issues
the right-wing describes as
“woke.” But even though
Republicans in the U.S. House
have a slim majority to pass
any measure they please, Rep.
Davis, a Democrat, joined
three other Democrats in supporting
Congressman Roy’s
anti-woke amendments, and
ultimately the final version of
the NDAA.
Why would the first-term
Rep. Davis, 51, come anywhere
near a right-wing political firebrand
like Roy? We asked his
congressional office in
Washington, D.C. by email last
week why Davis was one of
only four Democrats to support
the anti-DEI, antiwomen’s
choice, and anti-
LBGTQ amendments to the
NDAA, but got no response by
press time.
Rep. Roy has sponsored
some anti-critical race theory
bills in the recent past, as well.
Davis has opposed anti-CRT
measures while in the NC state
Senate, but that could change
given his recent vote against
DEI initiatives in the NDAA
budget.
But research into Rep.
leaders should be doing and be
engaged in reasonable gun
safety laws.
“…[T]here is a national
agenda afoot, understanding
that there are many aspects of
our history that some would
like to overlook, erase, or at
least deny — let us think about
then what this creates as a
moment for us to also then
Davis’ political background
shows that while he is one of
seven Democratic congresspeople
representing North
Carolina in the U.S. House, and
one of three African
American members of that
delegation, Davis is perhaps
the most moderate politically,
meaning it’s hard to be sure
where he stands on traditional
Democratic issues.
Having served in the North
Carolina Senate before running
for Butterfield’s First
District congressional seat in
2022, Davis had already established
a centrist track record,
voting against his party to
defund Planned Parenthood,
supporting several anti-abortion
measures, and even
obstructing some of Gov.
Cooper’s agenda.
In 2015, then state Sen. Davis
voted to support then
Republican Gov. Pat
McCrory’s anti-abortion agenda.
In 2017 and 2018, Davis
voted for budgets that allotted
at least $1 million for religious
anti-abortion crisis pregnancy
centers, later switching gears
to support Gov. Cooper’s veto
of those budgets.
In 2019, Davis was one of
two Democratic state senators
to vote for Republican “born
alive” legislation, making it a
felony “not to treat a baby
born in the course of a late
term abortion as a person.”
rededicate ourselves to the
coalition. Our responsibility
at moments like this to understand
nobody should be made
to fight alone. We are all in
this together.
We fought a war to end the
sin of slavery. A civil war.
People died by the untold numbers
in that war, many of
whom fought and died because
Gov. Cooper vetoed the measure
because existing law
already protected newborns.
Still, Davis was the only
Democrat to vote to override
Cooper’s veto.
Ironically, given his NC legislative
track record, Davis’
congressional campaign
insisted that he supports the
“fundamental right” of a
woman to choose an abortion,
and would codify Roe v. Wade
while in Congress.
“In Congress, I will fight
tooth-and-nail to protect abortion
rights and women’s
healthcare,” Rep. Davis
declared on Twitter after the
U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v.
Wade decision had been leaked
last year.
Rep. Don Davis may also
have another reason for being
a Republican-light centrist
Democrat - his congressional
district.
The First Congressional
District, as presently constituted,
consists of 19 counties
stretching from the northeast-
of their belief that slavery was
a sin against man — that it
was inhumane, that it was not
reflective of who we believe
ourselves to be as a country,
and certainly not reflective of
who we aspire to be.
Let us not be distracted by
what they’re trying to do,
which is to create unnecessary
debates to divide our country.
ern part of North Carolina
from the Virginia border,
through several counties of
the Inner Banks and the
Research Triangle.
Many of those counties, like
Bertie, Halifax and
Northhampton are primarily
rural with poor economies and
older populations, making the
district decidedly more conservative-leaning
thanks to the
legislature’s latest redistricting.
It’s one of the reasons why
the previous First District congressman,
Butterfield, decided
not to run for reelection.
Davis, also a member of the
House Committee on
Agriculture, is considered one
of four vulnerable Democrats
Republicans feel they can successfully
target in the 2024
elections thanks to a May N.C.
Let’s not fall in that trap.
And so, let us stand always
for what we know is right. Let
us fight for what is right. And
when we fight, we win.
Here in North Carolina,
conservative Republicans continue
to change laws governing
public education, intent on
changing the historical narrative
as they see it.
U.S. REP. DON DAVIS (D-NC-1)
Supreme Court decision allowing
the GOP to draw partisan
gerrymanders, which may
explain why Davis is playing it
so safe in Congress.
Legislative Republicans
plan to redraw congressional
districts in a few weeks, meaning
that Democrat
Congressman Don Davis is
likely to remain as politically
moderate as possible to keep
his seat when he is challenged.
Visit Our Website
www.wilmingtonjournal.com

4
COMMUNITY Thursday, July 1-31, 2023
Concerns Mount Among Democrats as Black Voter Turnout Drops, Impacting Biden’s Reelection Bid
BY STACY M. BROWN
NNPA NEWSWIRE SENIOR
NATIONAL
CORRESPONDENT
Democrats are increasingly
worried about a potential
drop in Black voter turnout
next year, particularly among
Black men, their most loyal
constituency, who played a
pivotal role in securing
President Biden’s victory in
2020 and are crucial to his bid
for reelection.
The Washington Post analyzed
the Census Bureau’s
turnout survey and found
that Black voter turnout saw a
significant ten percentagepoint
decline in last year’s
midterms compared to 2018, a
more substantial drop than
among any other racial or ethnic
group.
While Democrats initially
downplayed these warning
signals due to other victories
in 2022, such as gaining a U.S.
Senate seat in Pennsylvania
and Senator Raphael G.
Warnock’s reelection in
Georgia, the decline in Black
turnout has become a significant
concern for the party as
they look ahead to the next
presidential contest in 2024.
States like Georgia, which
are crucial to Democrats’
strategy for mobilizing Black
voters in significant numbers,
saw lower turnout among
younger and male Black voters
in the midterms, according
to internal party analysis.
W. Mondale Robinson, the
founder of the Black Male
Voter Project, highlighted the
urgent turnout problem
among Black men, telling the
Post that many are “sporadic
or non-voters” registered but
haven’t voted in recent presidential
elections.
He expressed disappointment
that the Democratic
Party seems more focused on
converting conservative-leaning
white women in the suburbs,
considering Black men
as potential swing voters who
need targeted efforts to be
mobilized.
In response to the growing
concern, Biden’s political
team acknowledged the issue
and pledged to act, especially
among younger Black men.
Cedric L. Richmond, a former
Biden adviser now serving
as a senior adviser at the
Democratic National
Committee, emphasized to the
Post’s researchers the need to
connect with Black voters,
highlighting the benefits they
have received from Biden
administration policies.
The party aims to learn
from past shortcomings and
draw explicit connections
between its policies and the
well-being of Black communities.
The challenge is particularly
acute among Black men
who often feel alienated from
the political process due to
historical policies that
increased incarceration and
job losses in manufacturing
sectors.
Many express disillusionment
after experiencing
upheaval from a global pandemic
and witnessing escalating
violence in urban areas.
To win their support,
Democrats must focus on
highlighting specific policy
benefits rather than solely
concentrating on criticism of
former President Trump and
Republican extremism, the
analysts found.
Despite Black women historically
showing more robust
voting enthusiasm, concerns
over Black voter turnout also
extend to this group.
Biden’s reelection garnered
a tepid reaction in a
Washington Post/Ipsos poll of
Black Americans, with only
17 percent expressing enthusiasm
about another term.
The poll also revealed that
most Black Americans wouldn’t
consider voting for Trump,
but a significant portion is not
enthusiastic about Biden’s
reelection.
Terrance Woodbury, chief
executive of HIT Strategies, a
polling firm focused on
young, non-white voters,
Also, as much as Biden has praised Black voters and the Black Press, the campaign has done little thus far
to utilize Black-owned newspapers and media companies to help reach African Americans.
warned liberal groups of the
urgency to convince Black
voters that they have benefited
from Biden’s time in
office.
The messaging needs to
shift from attacking Trump
to emphasizing policy benefits
and addressing the belief
among Black Americans that
their votes don’t matter—a
significant barrier to voter
participation.
Brittany Smith, executive
director of the Philadelphiabased
Black Leadership PAC,
which mobilizes Black voters,
said she has noticed a
shift in how Black people
respond to get-out-the-vote
efforts.
Also, as much as Biden has
praised Black voters and the
Black Press, the campaign
has done little thus far to utilize
Black-owned newspapers
and media companies to help
reach African Americans.
“Everybody knows that
there’s no path, whether it’s
President Biden or any other
Democrat, federal or state,
there’s no path to win that
does not involve massive
turnout from Black voters,”
Cliff Albright, co-founder
and executive director of
Black Votes Matter, told the
Post.
“But they can’t just think
that it’s just going to happen
on its own. They’ve got to
invest in making that happen.”

Thursday, July 1-31, 2023 HEALTH
5
New Recommendation Calls for Anxiety Disorder Screening in Adults
BY STACY M. BROWN
NNPA NEWSWIRE SENIOR
NATIONAL
CORRESPONDENT
The US Preventive
Services Task Force (USP-
STF) has issued a new recommendation
stating that adults
aged 19 to 64 in the United
States should undergo
screening for anxiety disorders.
This marks the first final
recommendation from the
task force regarding anxiety
disorder screening in adults,
including pregnant and postpartum
individuals.
However, the USPSTF
found insufficient evidence
to support screening for anxiety
in older adults.
The recommendation also
aligns with the task force’s
previous guidance from 2016,
which advised screening all
adults for major depressive
disorder, including pregnant
or postpartum individuals
and older adults.
The USPSTF is an independent
group of medical
experts whose recommendations
influence doctors’ decisions
and insurance plans.
In recent years, the prevalence
of clinical depression
has been steadily increasing
in the United States, but it
experienced a significant
surge during the COVID-19
pandemic.
According to the US
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC),
approximately one in six
adults will experience
depression.
Although depression and
anxiety are distinct conditions,
they often coexist.
Consequently, screening
recommendations can help
clinicians identify patients
who may require treatment
for both conditions or either
one.
The USPSTF researchers
emphasized the need for
more robust screening, as
most individuals with anxiety
disorders do not receive
treatment within the first
year of symptoms, or sometimes
ever.
Only 11% of US adults
with an anxiety disorder
sought treatment within the
first year of onset, according
to research by the USPSTF.
The median time to treatment
initiation was 23 years.
In a study involving 965
primary care patients, only
41% of those with an anxiety
disorder received treatment.
Medical professionals can
perform screening for anxiety
disorders using questionnaires
and scales that evaluate
symptoms like feeling on
edge, uncontrollable worrying,
and difficulty relaxing.
Similarly, screening for
depression includes questions
about feeling hopeless,
having trouble concentrating,
losing interest in daily
activities, or having thoughts
of self-harm.
Major depressive disorder
is diagnosed when an individual
experiences at least two
weeks of persistent sadness or
a lack of interest in everyday
This marks the first final recommendation from the task force regarding anxiety disorder screening in
adults, including pregnant and postpartum individuals.
activities.
If there’s a positive screening
result, it should be confirmed
through a diagnostic
assessment to determine
symptom severity and identify
any additional psychological
concerns.
Subsequently, health
experts said appropriate care
should be provided to
patients.
The USPSTF said it
acknowledges that potential
harms of screening include
false positives, which may
lead to unnecessary appointments
or treatment.
However, for most adults,
screening and subsequent
care can alleviate symptoms
associated with anxiety disorders
and depression.
Effective treatments for
anxiety disorders encompass
psychotherapy (talk therapy)
with a therapist, medications
like antidepressants or beta
blockers, and relaxation or
stress management therapies.
Treatment options for
depression include antidepressant
medication, psychotherapy,
or a combination
of both.
The USPSTF’s recommendation
emphasizes that if left
untreated, major depressive
disorder can hinder daily
functioning and increase the
risk of cardiovascular events,
exacerbate comorbid conditions,
or lead to higher mortality
rates.
Only about half of individuals
with major depression
are correctly identified.
Research also indicates that
anxiety disorders and depression
may be associated with
suicidal thoughts, suicide
attempts, and other selfdestructive
behaviors.
However, the new USPSTF
recommendations state that
there is currently insufficient
evidence to recommend
screening specifically for suicide
risk in adults who are not
displaying signs or symptoms.
This stance aligns with the
task force’s previous recommendation
from 2014, and the
USPSTF has called for further
research to understand suicide
risks among asymptomatic
individuals better.
Geographic Disparities Revealed in US Depression Rates, New Study Shows
BY STACY M. BROWN
NNPA NEWSWIRE SENIOR
NATIONAL
CORRESPONDENT
The US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC)
conducted a thorough analysis
that revealed significant variations
in the prevalence of diagnosed
depression among
adults across various states.
The recently published
report unveils intriguing findings,
indicating that the proportion
of US adults who have
ever been diagnosed with
depression varies considerably
based on their geographical
location.
According to the study,
which analyzed data from the
CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor
Surveillance System in 2020,
approximately 18.4% of US
adults reported having been
diagnosed with depression at
some point.
However, the percentage of
adults reporting depression
varied substantially from state
to state, ranging from an estimated
12.7% in Hawaii to
27.5% in West Virginia.
Researchers from the CDC
and the Oak Ridge Institute for
Science and Education in
Tennessee noted in the report
that there was a considerable
geographic disparity in
depression prevalence, with
the highest rates observed
along the Appalachian and
southern Mississippi Valley
regions.
Medical experts said the
findings shed light on the
urgent need for targeted
resource allocation to areas
where the prevalence of
depression is most significant.
The research team utilized
survey responses from nearly
400,000 adults across all 50
states and Washington, DC,
focusing on answers related to
previous diagnoses of depressive
disorders received from
healthcare professionals.
The data highlighted the ten
states with the highest prevalence
of adults reporting a
depression diagnosis: West
Virginia,
Kentucky,
Tennessee, Arkansas,
Vermont,
Alabama,
Louisiana, Washington,
Missouri, and Montana.
Further analysis at the
county level revealed an even
more comprehensive range of
prevalence, with depression
rates ranging from 10.7% in
Alaska’s Aleutians East
Borough County to 31.9% in
Logan County, West Virginia.
In addition to geographical
disparities, the study also
found notable variations in
depression prevalence based
on gender and age.
The overall prevalence
among women was 24%, compared
to 13.3% among men.
The recently published report unveils intriguing findings, indicating that the proportion of US adults who
have ever been diagnosed with depression varies considerably based on their geographical location.
Younger adults aged 18 to 24
experienced a higher prevalence
rate of 21.5%, while
older adults aged 65 and above
had a rate of 14.2%.
The study also highlighted
higher depression rates
among white adults and individuals
with less than a high
school education.
The most recent findings
support a different Gallup
report from May, which found
a comparable national prevalence
of depression among
adults in the United States.
The Gallup report indicated
that approximately 18% of
adults reported being
depressed or receiving treatment
for depression, representing
a significant increase
of over seven percentage
points since 2015.
The impact of the COVID-19
pandemic on mental health
cannot be overlooked, as it has
undeniably contributed to the
rise in clinical depression
rates, health officials said.
The Gallup data demonstrated
a notable escalation in
depression rates over recent
years, aligning with the overall
upward trend observed in
the US., officials stated.
TELL THEM YOU READ IT IN
THE
WILMINGTON JOURNAL!!

6
BUSINESS Thursday, July 1-31, 2023
Carlos Watson, Tech Founder of Ozy, Says Prosecution is Racially Biased
BY LAUREN VICTORIA
BURKE
NNPA NEWSWIRE
CONTRIBUTOR
Carlos Watson, the cofounder
of Ozy Media, is
loudly claiming on social
media and in a well-produced
video that he has
been targeted as a Black
entrepreneur in the mostly
white tech world.
Ozy collapsed after
Watson was indicted for
fraud in February 2023.
Federal prosecutors alleged
that Watson and his company
defrauded investors out
of “tens of millions.”
Prosecutors claim that
Watson ran a company that
was a fraudulent scheme to
fool financial supporters
based on false information
about Ozy.
But in the tech world,
over-inflating user data and
BY STACY M. BROWN
NNPA NEWSWIRE SENIOR
N A T I O N A L
CORRESPONDENT
success is generally standard
practice. Watson is
arguing that his prosecution
is racially biassed and
that he was using often used
tactics by tech entrepreneurs.
“The U.S. legal system
criminalizes the actions of
black #entrepreneurs such
as OZY Media Founder
Carlos Watson while giving
their white counterparts a
pass. Black entrepreneurs
receive 1% of venture funding
and 51% of the prosecution,”
wrote Watson on
social media on June 21.
Watson’s legal defense
team is asking the
Department of Justice to
conduct a racial bias investigation
on the Brooklyn
prosecutors who are working
on his case. Watson
claims that the three white
prosecutors focused on him
have overwhelmingly prosecuted
Black people and
other people of color while
only ten percent of their
prosecutions are Black.
In February, federal prosecutors
accused Watson of
running Ozy “like a criminal
organization.”
“There’s a not-so-secret
track record of double standards
in prosecution of
Black people for identical
allegations as our counterparts.
Acknowledging this
does not suggest indifference,
but of the reality we
face,” wrote Dr. Nehemiah
Mabry on twitter regarding
Watson’s prosecution.
Ozy recently released a
statement regarding ten one
thousand dollar grants that
have not been delivered to
their “genius award” recipients.
Kenneth Montgomery, an
attorney on Watson’s legal
team, said in a statement
that, “the unwarranted
criminal charges brought
the company to a complete
standstill and forced the cessation
of operations. The
Watson family firmly
believes in making higher
education accessible to all,
which is why they co-founded
Achieva College Prep
Service well before Mr.
Watson founded OZY.”
Carlos Watson, 53, is a
graduate of Harvard
University, Stanford
University and Stanford
Law School.
Lauren Victoria Burke is
an independent journalist
and the host of the podcast
BURKEFILE and publisher
of Black Virginia News. She
is a political analyst who
appears regularly on
#RolandMartinUnfiltered.
She may be contacted at
LBurke007@gmail.com and
on twitter at @LVBurke
Federal Trade Commission Sues Amazon Over Deceptive Prime Subscription Practices
BY STACY M. BROWN
NNPA NEWSWIRE SENIOR
NATIONAL
CORRESPONDENT
Amazon is facing legal
action from the Federal
Trade Commission (FTC) for
allegedly engaging in deceptive
practices to entice consumers
into signing up for its
Prime service and making it
difficult for them to cancel
their subscriptions.
The suit marks the most
aggressive action taken
against the e-commerce giant
by FTC Chair Lina Khan,
who has been vocal in her
criticism of big tech companies.
The lawsuit, filed in the
U.S. District Court for the
Western District of
Washington, accuses Amazon
of utilizing “dark patterns,”
manipulative design tactics
on its website, to steer users
towards subscribing to
Prime.
Once consumers decided to
cancel, they encountered a
convoluted and confusing
process.
According to a statement
by Khan, “Amazon tricked
and trapped people into
recurring subscriptions
without their consent, not
only frustrating users but
also costing them significant
money.”
The lawsuit counts as the
first time the FTC has taken
Amazon to court under
Khan’s leadership as she
seeks to intensify regulatory
scrutiny over the company.
Given their influence in
online commerce, she has
been a vocal advocate for
more decisive action against
big tech firms.
While the FTC has been
investigating Amazon’s practices
for several years,
observers reportedly are
closely watching to see how
Khan will proceed.
Although the lawsuit falls
short of the extensive
antitrust case that Amazon’s
detractors demanded, it does
reflect a more considerable
effort by regulators to limit
the influence of tech giants
like Amazon, Apple, Google,
Microsoft, and Meta (formerly
Facebook).
The legal action comes
after Amazon settled previous
FTC cases that predate
Khan’s tenure.
Last month, the company
agreed to a $25 million settlement
over allegations that its
Alexa home assistant devices
had illegally collected children’s
data.
The FTC also resolved
another privacy case involving
Amazon’s Ring home
security subsidiary.
Amazon Prime has attracted
subscribers for years with
Photo: Ozy Media / Wikimedia Commons
OZY Co-Founder Carlos Watson sat down with President
Clinton on Nov. 9th 2013 to get his opinion on a number
of topics.
SCOTUS Strikes Down Student Loan Forgiveness Plan
The Supreme Court has
blocked President Joe
Biden’s ambitious student
loan forgiveness program,
which aimed to provide up to
$20,000 in relief to millions of
borrowers.
The decision comes as a
blow to the Biden administration’s
efforts to alleviate the
burden of student debt on
struggling individuals.
President Biden, determined
to support student
loan borrowers, plans to
announce new actions during
his upcoming address later
today.
The source reveals that
while the White House
strongly disagrees with the
Supreme Court’s ruling, they
had been preparing for such
an outcome.
Considering the decision,
the administration intends to
emphasize to borrowers and
their families that
Republicans are responsible
for denying them the muchneeded
relief that President
Biden has been fighting to
deliver.
The White House said it
remains committed to its
mission of easing the financial
strain on Americans burdened
by student loans.
Democrats for Education
Reform DC (DFER DC), an
organization dedicated to
improving education policies,
issued a statement
expressing disappointment
in the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Jessica Giles, Executive
Director of DFER DC, condemned
the conservative justices
for what she perceived
as their alignment with
Republican political interests.
Giles argued that the decision
has not only disrupted
the lives of over 40 million
student loan borrowers but
has also dealt a particularly
devastating blow to Black
Americans.
She asserts that the ruling
will exacerbate the racial
wealth gap, push numerous
borrowers into financial
hardship, and erode public
trust in the Supreme Court.
In response to this setback,
DFER DC urged Mayor
Bowser and the D.C. Council
to take proactive measures to
expand existing programs
aimed at reducing student
loan debt and fixing the flaws
within the higher education
system.
The organization said it
believes that local initiatives
The decision comes as a blow to the Biden administration’s efforts to alleviate the burden of student debt
on struggling individuals.
can help mitigate the negative
impact of the Supreme
Court’s decision and provide
much-needed support to borrowers
in the absence of federal
relief.
President Biden’s student
loan forgiveness program,
with an estimated cost of
$400 billion, was designed to
offer significant relief to borrowers
burdened by the
weight of their student loans.
However, with the program
now blocked by the Supreme
Court, the administration
will need to explore alternative
avenues to address the
pressing issue of student
debt in the United States.
“This Court clearly has a
self-imposed mandate to legislate
from the bench. They
have waged war on women,
unions, Black and Brown
Americans, the LGBTQ+
community, religious freedom,
and democracy,” the
Rev. Al Sharpton said in a
statement.
“In the last two days, they
have set their sights on college
students to either block
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, accuses Amazon of utilizing
“dark patterns,” manipulative design tactics on its website, to steer users towards subscribing to
Prime.
enticing promises of expedited
shipping, access to a
streaming video library, and
other benefits.
As of 2021, the program
boasted over 200 million
members, generating $35 billion
in subscription revenue.
However, the FTC claims
that Amazon made it exceedingly
challenging for customers
to purchase on its
platform without subscribing
to Prime during checkout.
Furthermore, the agency
argues that the company
made it arduous for users to
them from getting into elite
institutions or put a financial
albatross around their neck
so they can’t succeed.
“We applaud President
Biden’s commitment to following
through on this campaign
pledge, because millions
of Black and Brown
Americans are counting on
it.”
locate the page allowing them
to cancel the service, bombarding
them with offers
intended to dissuade cancellation.
The lawsuit comes after
years of media attention and
advocacy groups highlighting
the difficulties consumers
face when attempting
to cancel their Prime subscriptions.
In a 2021 complaint to the
District of Columbia attorney
general, the Electronic
Privacy Information Center,
an advocacy group, accused
Amazon of employing
manipulative design tactics
to frustrate users’ cancellation
intentions.
In a 2022 report, the FTC
pledged to crack down on
design practices aimed at
deceiving or obstructing consumers’
efforts to cancel a service,
emphasizing that they are
closely monitoring dark patterns.
With the lawsuit, the FTC
said it intends to send a strong
message that such practices
will not go unnoticed or
unchallenged.
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Thursday, July 1-31, 2023 NATIONAL
7
Man Arrested with Weapons in Obama’s Neighborhood Streamed Live After Sharing Trump’s Post
BY STACY M. BROWN
NNPA NEWSWIRE SENIOR
NATIONAL
CORRESPONDENT
Federal prosecutors
revealed alarming details in
a detention memo filed on
Wednesday, July 5, regarding
the arrest of Taylor Taranto,
a man apprehended last week
in former President Barack
Obama’s Washington, D.C.,
neighborhood.
According to the memo,
Taranto began live-streaming
in the area shortly after
resharing a social media post
from Donald Trump, the
Republican presidential candidate
claimed to share
Obama’s address.
The prosecutors urged a
federal magistrate judge in
the D.C. District Court to
keep Taranto detained pending
his trial for charges related
to the January 6, 2021, U.S.
Capitol attack.
In the filing, prosecutors
noted that Taranto not only
possessed weapons but also
made threats against House
Speaker Kevin McCarthy and
Maryland Democratic Rep.
Jamie Raskin.
In June, Taranto and several
others entered an elementary
school near Raskin’s
home.
The disturbing incident
was live streamed by
Taranto, who documented
the group’s actions, such as
wandering around the
school, entering the gymnasium,
and projecting a film
related to the events of
January 6.
The court filing revealed
Taranto’s motive behind targeting
the elementary school,
stating that its proximity to
Raskin’s residence influenced
his choice.
Taranto expressed his
intention to send a “shockwave”
to Raskin, whom he
perceived as harboring animosity
towards supporters of
former President Trump.
The memo quoted Taranto,
who stated, “he’s one of the
guys that hates January 6
people, or more like Trump
supporters, and it’s kind of
like sending a shockwave
through him because I did
nothing wrong, and he’s
probably freaking out and
saying s*** like, ‘Well he’s
stalking me.’”
Moreover, Taranto explicitly
mentioned the location of
the school, Piney Branch
Elementary School in
Maryland, which is adjacent
to Raskin’s residence.
Prosecutors emphasized
the immediate and severe
threat Taranto posed to the
public.
They argued that his words
and actions demonstrated his
potential danger to multiple
political figures and the general
public.
Further, they urged the
judge to consider the highrisk
Taranto would pose if
released, warning of potentially
catastrophic consequences.
Taranto, already subject to
an open warrant related to
the January 6 riot charges,
was apprehended last week
in Obama’s neighborhood
while possessing firearms.
The day before his arrest,
Taranto claimed on a
livestream that he possessed
a detonator.
On June 28, prosecutors
stated that Taranto made
“ominous comments” on
video targeting McCarthy,
proclaiming, “Coming at you,
McCarthy. Can’t stop what’s
coming. Nothing can stop
what’s coming.”
After witnessing these
threatening remarks, law
enforcement authorities
attempted to locate Taranto
but were unsuccessful.
The following day, on June
29, Trump allegedly shared
According to the memo, Taranto began live-streaming in the area shortly after resharing a social media
post from Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate claimed to share Obama’s address.
what he claimed to be
Obama’s address on the
social media platform Truth
Social.
Taranto, using his own
Truth Social account, reposted
the address.
Taranto further declared,
“We got these losers surrounded!
See you in hell,
Podesta’s and Obama’s.”
Shortly after, Taranto
resumed live streaming from
his YouTube channel while
driving through Washington
D.C.’s Kalorama neighborhood.
According to the government’s
filing, Taranto parked
his van and walked around
the residential area.
Due to the restricted
nature of the neighborhood,
United States Secret Service
officers began monitoring
Taranto almost immediately
upon his arrival and initiation
of filming.
Prosecutors highlighted
Taranto’s repeated claims
that his actions were protected
by free speech as if uttering
the words “First
Amendment” absolved him
of trespassing.
The detention memo quoted
Taranto’s remarks captured
in his recording: “So
yeah, more than likely, these
guys also all hang for treason.
See how I said that? You
gotta be very safe and careful.
Someone warned me.”
As Secret Service agents
approached Taranto while
veering off the street into a
wooded area, he attempted to
flee but was swiftly apprehended
and arrested.
In their filing, prosecutors
disclosed that two firearms, a
“Smith and Wesson M&P
Shield” and a “Ceska 9mm
C.Z. Scorpion E3,” were discovered
in Taranto’s van during
his arrest.
Additionally, they found
numerous rounds of ninemillimeter
ammunition, a
steering wheel lock, a
machete, signs, a mattress,
and other items indicating
that Taranto had been residing
in the van.
While over a dozen other
firearms are registered to
Taranto, authorities said they
have yet to locate them.

Thursday, July, 2023 BUSINESS CARDS
8
HERE ARE OUR CARDS . . .
Whatever you’re looking for, consider these local businesses
FIRST
P & B COLLISON REPAIR
Phil Corbett
Owner
8584 Slocum Trail
Atkinson, NC 28421
Phone (910) 470-1138
Fax (910) 283-5215
(Coach) Columbus Pridgen
Bail Bonding
Make That One Phone Call Count
Mobile Phone:910-616-2519
Mobile Phone: 910-512-1372
EAGLE ISLAND
FRUIT & SEAFOOD
762-1193
“Biggest Little
Store
You Ever
Saw”
LIVE BAIT & TACKLE
Highway 421 North
Wilmington, NC 28401
Peter Grear, Attorney at Law
272 N. Front Street, Suite 300
Post Office Box 2279
Wilmington North Carolina 28402-2279
Email: pgrear@grearlaw.com
Phone: (910) 763-4671
Facsimile: (910) 763-0925
Toll Free (800) 222-8009
Areas of Practice:
New Hanover, Pender,
Brunswick, Columbus, &
Duplin Counties
Appointments only:
For cost and details: www.grearlaw.com
• CONSUMER BANKRUPTCY
• AUTO ACCIDENTS
• WORKERS COMPENSATION
• SOCIAL SECURITY
DISABILITY
• TRAFFIC TICKETS
• WILLS & ESTATES
John Wilder
Independent Associate
Executive Director
Small Business & Group
910-297-0925 or 888-286-0168
Opportunity Info 206-209-2022
www.Jwilder1.com
Support the Black Press
READ
• POWERS OF ATTORNEY
• DEED PREPARATION
• BUSINESS FORMATIONS
• CREDIT REPAIR
(Nationwide)
• ELDER LAW
Identify Theft: America’s Fasting Growing Crime!
Think you’re not at risk? Unfortunately you are.
Do you...
hand your credit card to servers at restaurants?
sign your credit cards?
supply personal information over the internet?
keep your Social Security number in your wallet or purse?
leave mail at your home or business for the postal carrier to collect?
throw away mail with personal information without shredding it?
Have you......
thought about writing or revising your will?
been audited by the IRS?
purchased a home?
been a defendant in a civil lawsuit?
signed a contract of any kind?
paid a bill you thought was unfair?
received an inaccurate credit report?
received a moving traffic violation you thought was unjustified?
had any type of legal question?
LEGAL EMPOWERMENT FOR YOUR LIFE
Your Family• Your Will• Your Money• Your Retirement•Your Car
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL
Owner/Operator
Mary C. Nixon
Bail Bonding Agent
3-N-1 BAIL
BONDING CO.
Home 910-675-1250
Cell 910-540-4406
Office 910-675-3840
P.O. Box 12831
Wilmington, NC 28405
NC LICENSE #2473
NATION WIDE SERVICE
604 Red Cross St.
Wilmington, NC 28401
910-769-2364
THE BENEFIT CONNECTION
We can help you!
We specialize in:
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group and individuals
Roth IRAs, 401-k's, 403-b's, annuities
Long term care and Medicare supplements
Regardless of your health or age
CALL US TODAY.
We can help you save money!
Personal and professional
service for over 30 years.
The Benefit Connection
321 North Front Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
910.763.3777 Phone
910.297.6997 Cell
Owen E. Metts, Sr., Licensed Agent
When experience matters, Call us today!
Monday - Friday 9 am-5 pm * 910.763.3777
We represent several insurance companies
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WILMINGTON JOURNAL
For Information
Please Call Us At
910-762-5502
Columbus Pridgen
Owner/Operator
NOW OPEN!!
SOUTH KERR
AUTO SERVICE
SAM
NEWKIRK
OWEN METTS REALTY
We can help!
OWEN METTS
REALTY
“For The right Approach
Call Coach”
•On site mobile repair
•All minor and major
repairs
•Foreign and Domestic
•New and used tires
•Valet service
OIL CHANGE $34.95
BRAKES $40.00 + PARTS
223B S. Kerr Ave.
Wilmington, NC 28403
910-233-7977
We specialize in the
following services:
• Buying, selling, or
investments real estate
• Real estate consulting services
• Loan modifications,
foreclosure counseling
• Credit and budget
counseling
•HUD Register Agent
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NEW LISTINGS NEEDED
DO YOU WANT TO SELL OR RENT
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WE MAY HAVE A BUYER OR RENTER
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321 North Front Street • Phone: 910-763-3777
Cell: 910-297-6997
Email: ometts@yahoo.com
ww.owenmettsrealty.com
OWEN E. METTS, SR.,
Licensed Realtor/Broker, Certified Housing Counselor
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