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PERMIT NO. 1179
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2024 - JANUARY1, 2025
VOL. 53 NO. 47 $1.00
Haitian – American Group
Condemns
Trump’s Mass
Deportation Plan
Submitted by Nycaribnews
A Haitian community organization has
vehemently denounced Donald Trump, the
US president-elect, for allegedly preparing to
proclaim a state of emergency to implement a
mass deportation operation that would involve
Haitian immigrants.
Executive Director Guerline Jozef praised
the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for
bringing a lawsuit to hold the US Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency
accountable for providing specific information
about Trump’s implementation of his plan, he
noted, “Such a proposal represents an alarming
threat to human rights, the rule of law,
specifically those seeking asylum and safety.”
The new initiative will reportedly target
unauthorized immigrants.
According to Jozef, such a scheme would
cause “an unprecedented wave of detentions
and deportations that would disproportionately
impact Black and brown immigrants”.
“This plan risks further marginalizing
vulnerable populations including Haitian
migrants, many of whom fled severe insecurity,
gang violence, and humanitarian crises in
search of safety and stability in the United
States,” she noted.
Adding, “Mass deportations under the guise
(Cont’d on page 3)
Main suspect in Jamaican
Journalist Barbara Gayle
murder captured
By Sheri-kae McLeod
(Source: Caribbean
National Weekley)
The main suspect
in the brutal murder
Barbara Gayle
of veteran Jamaican court reporter Barbara
Gayle has been apprehended.
According to the Jamaica Gleaner, police
captured the individual hiding in bushes along
Grange Lane in St. Catherine on Tuesday. His
identity has not been revealed.
Earlier in the day, Gayle’s stolen vehicle, a
2018 grey Mercedes-Benz 180 CL, was discovered
abandoned on Dyke Road in Portmore, St.
Catherine.
The 67-year-old journalist, a long-serving
court reporter for The Gleaner, was found dead
inside her Caymanas Estate home around 10:00
a.m. Monday by a neighbor. Authorities have
confirmed that she suffered a fatal throat slash
in what is being described as a gruesome act of
violence. Reports had indicated that her car and
Continue
reading
online at:
thewestside
gazette.com
Trump and Vance Sabotage
Bipartisan Funding Bill, Pushing
Government Toward Shutdown
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior
National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
President-elect Donald
Trump and Vice Presidentelect
J.D. Vance torpedoed
a bipartisan government
funding bill Wednesday,
plunging Congress into
chaos just days before a
looming shutdown. Their
joint statement threw the
stopgap measure’s passage
into serious doubt, especially
in the Republican-controlled
House where Trump’s sway
remains formidable.
The Westside Gazette Newspaper
The bill, designed to keep
the government funded until
March 14, now faces almost
certain collapse. Without
congressional action, a
shutdown will begin at 12:01
a.m. on Saturday. House
Speaker Mike Johnson’s
plan to avert that outcome
was already facing fierce
opposition from his party’s
far-right members. Trump
and Vance’s last-minute
intervention may have sealed
its fate.
“Republicans must GET
SMART and TOUGH. If
Democrats threaten to shut
down the government unless
we give them everything they
want, then CALL THEIR
BLUFF,” Trump and Vance
declared. They accused Senate
Majority Leader Chuck
Schumer and President Joe
Distinguished Alumni of
Broward County Public
Schools Recognized
at Broward Education Foundation’s
2024 Hall of Fame Award Breakfast
Presented by Publix Super Markets Charities
Ceremony Honored Education, Business
and Community Leaders
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL. --
Distinguished leaders in education, business
and the community who are alumni of Broward
County Public Schools were honored at the
2024 Hall of Fame Award Breakfast presented
by Publix Super Markets Charities. The
celebration took place on Friday, December 1
at First Baptist Fort Lauderdale.
In addition to receiving their award at the
breakfast, the 2024 honorees are recognized
with an engraved granite star on the BrightStar
Credit Union “Walk of Fame” plaza at the
Broward County Public Schools district office
as well as on the Wall of Fame in the lobby
of the building. BrightStar Credit Union is a
longtime valued partner of Broward Education
Foundation.
As the clock ticks toward Saturday, there is no alternative
plan in sight. Trump’s influence over his party continues
to reshape Capitol Hill, with millions of Americans now
bracing for the fallout of a potential shutdown.
Biden of holding up aid to
farmers and disaster relief,
laying blame on Democratic
leadership.
The statement sparked
a wave of fear among
GOP lawmakers, with
many perceiving Trump’s
opposition as the final blow to
Johnson’s deal. It also raised
questions about whether
Johnson, facing a speakership
challenge in just over two
weeks, still retains Trump’s
crucial support.
Johnson unveiled the
text of the funding plan
Tuesday night, but rightwing
Republicans attacked
it for accommodating too
many Democratic priorities.
With conservative defections
threatening the bill’s passage,
Continue reading online at:
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Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
Submitted by Ciera Campbell
TAMARAC, FL – During the
City of Tamarac’s Regular
City Commission Meeting on
Wednesday, Dec. 11, the Tamarac
City Commission unanimously
appointed District 4 Commissioner
Dr. Kicia Daniel as the City’s Vice
Mayor.
Dr. Daniel, who has served on
the Tamarac City Commission since
November 2022, is also a Director
on the 2024-2025 Broward League
James Griffin, Principal Boyd H. Anderson High School;
Darrell Hardge, President, New Dimension International
Training & Consulting; Sue Colton, Board member, Broward
Education Foundation and Dr. Valerie Wanza, Chief Strategy
& Innovation Officer, Broward County Public Schools
Dr. Howard Hepburn, Superintendent, Broward County
Public Schools; Torey Alston, Executive Director &
CEO Greater Miami Expressway and James A. Knapp,
president & CEO Broward Education Foundation
(Photo credit: Downtown Photography)
of Cities Board of Directors.
“I am honored to step into the
role of Vice Mayor of Tamarac,” said
Dr. Daniel. “I will continue to work
alongside my fellow elected officials
and residents to meet the needs of
Tamarac families, businesses and
constituents.”
Dr. Daniel’s appointment marks
a historic milestone. She becomes
the first African American woman
to serve in this capacity in the City’s
61-year history.
A leader in education, Dr.
@TheWestsideGazetteNewspaper
A Holiday
MESSAGE
from Bobby R. Henry, Sr.,
Publisher of the
Westside Gazette
This holiday season,
our heartfelt wish
for all is PEACE.
“For unto us a Child is born,
unto us a Son is given; and the
government will be upon His
shoulder. And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
— Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)
As we celebrate, let us embrace the
diversity of traditions that bring joy
and meaning to this season:
• Merry Christmas to those celebrating
the birth of Christ, the Prince of Peace.
• Happy Kwanzaa to those honoring
the rich cultural heritage, unity, and
values that uplift our community.
• Happy Hanukkah to those
commemorating the Festival of
Lights and the triumph of faith and
perseverance.
• And to all others celebrating different
holidays or simply reflecting during
this time, we wish you blessings of love,
joy, and togetherness.
This season, let us pray:
• For those who have suffered, that
they may find relief and healing.
• For those once hated, that they may
be embraced with respect and love.
• For conflicts to be resolved with
understanding and tranquility,
replacing the shadows of war with the
light of peace.
(Cont’d on page 5)
Historic Appointment: Dr. Kicia Daniel Becomes Tamarac’s First
African American Woman Vice Mayor In The City’s 61-Year History
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
Thursday
Dec 26 TH
Fri
78°
71°
Cloudy
Sunrise: 7:04am
77°
70°
77°
68°
76°
67°
Sunset: 5:35pm
Sat Sun Mon Tues
78°
67°
WESTSIDE GAZETTE IS A MEMBER:
National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)
Southeastern African-American Publishers Association (SAAPA)
Florida Association of Black Owned Media (FABOM)
78°
66°
momentous occasion
er students, faculty,
, and friends to
PAGE 2 • DECEMBER 26, 2024 - JANUARY 1, 2025
the University’s
lishment – securing
position in Home
gious “Retool Your
ition and receiving a
,000 grant dedicated
ancement.
ler temperatures and
the collective spirit
ost 135 participants,
epot Daytona Beach
r Therese Watsonforces
in yesterday’s participated in the vote for B-CU. These enhancements
ort. will help create more vibrant and engaging spaces for
Spreading Their mission Holiday Magic with Black Excellence:
, involving our students to retreat on campus for a brain break or
Zeta
projects
Chi’s Mission of Joy and Love
ssembling bookcases find inspiration through the downtime.”
tdoor dining sets to Home Depot’s “Retool Your School” program,
rcade games, foosball established in 2009, has been a beacon for positive change,
ball hoops, hockey providing over $9.25 million in campus improvement
tennis tables. Even grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities
er conditions couldn’t (HBCUs). Beyond the competition, the Office of Alumni
ication, with the only Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
www.thewestsidegazette.com
iveness after
ated service.
e to 30,000
have been
or at least
ut receiving
ncome-driven
will now see
n.
Biden credited the success
of these relief efforts to the
corrective measures taken
to address broken student
loan programs. He asserted
that these fixes have removed
barriers preventing borrowers
from accessing the relief they
were entitled vibe like to no under other. the law.
College
Prep
behement
adjective
(noun)
Word of
the Week
being at rest; inactive or
motionless; quiet; still: a
towering behemoth.”
quiescent mind.
someone or something that
is abnormally large and
powerful.
Comes from the Hebrew
word b’hemah (beast)
Bro. Von C. Howard
Fort Lauderdale, FL – Close your
eyes and imagine this: a lively beat rolling
down the streets of Broward County,
Florida, not the jingling of sleigh bells
but the unmistakable groove of “Atomic
Dog.” That’s right—Santa Que and his
Que Elves are coming to town! With
the bass bumping and the purple-andgold
sleigh stocked with gifts, they’re
delivering more than just toys—they’re
spreading Black joy, love, and a holiday
HOW TO USE IN A SENTENCE:
“The newly built skyscraper
loomed over the city like a
Word Search - By Kamar Jackson
Bro. Michael Bostick, Esq.
The president outlined the
broader achievements of his
administration in supporting
students and borrowers,
including achieving the most
significant increases in Pell
Grants in over a decade, aimed
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
This cherished tradition started in 2019 by three brothers of
Zeta Chi—Von C. Howard, Michael T. Bostick, and Chad E.
Walker—is more than a feel-good holiday event. It’s a powerful
movement of giving, unity, and excellence that touches the
hearts of families across our community.
From Dream to Tradition
It all started with a simple yet impactful idea: roll through the
neighborhoods on Christmas Eve and spread the season’s magic. In 2019,
Santa Que made his first appearance, leading the charge as children ran
out to
quiescent
greet the purple-and-gold sleigh, their faces lit up with joy.
Then 2020 came, and while the world slowed down, the mission didn’t.
Santa Que pivoted, delivering gift cards directly to families who needed
them most, proving that love always finds a way.
In 2021, [ kwee-es-uhnt, the tradition took an kwahy- epic turn. Imagine ] Santa Que walking
into a store, picking out carts full of toys, and paying for everything—on
the spot. Shoppers were stunned; some cried as they witnessed Black love
in action. By 2023, the initiative took center stage at local schools, where
wide-eyed students had a front-row seat to the holiday magic.
HOW TO USE QUIESCENT IN A
SENTENCE
Friendly Competition with a Purpose
What fuels Zeta Chi’s holiday mission is the undeniable energy and
camaraderie of the brotherhood. Last year, Bro. Immediate Past Grand
Keeper of Finance Johnnie B. Smith, Jr. set the fundraising bar sky-high,
ensuring It’s possible Omicron Epsilon that other Chapter (Bethune-Cookman volcanoes with University) was on
top in the Christmas Challenge.
long
But the
quiescentperiods
Fourteen Knights of Purple
may
Reign
also
(ZX
have
2020) and The Talented
Tenth subtle Minus but One protracted (ZX 2022) weren’t warning far behind. periods Together, their collective
generosity pushed the mission to greater heights, showing that a little
as well.
friendly competition can create a whole lot of love.
And it’s not just the brothers stepping up. For the second year running,
Smitty’s Wings Sistrunk opened its doors for the annual toy drive, where
the community turned out strong with toy donations and holiday cheer.
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
Leia’s Mathematics
Corner
Word Search
List Compiled
by Kamar
Jackson,
Freshmen
at Dillard
High School
SANTA’S ELVES WRAPPING PRESENTS
SANTA’S ELVES ARE WRAPPING GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS.
EACH ELF CAN WRAP 5 PRESENTS IN AN HOUR. IF 4
ELVES WORK TOGETHER FOR 3 HOURS, HOW MANY
PRESENTS WILL THEY WRAP IN TOTAL?
125
+ 25
276
- 24
Created by Leia Palmer 3rd grader!
www.thewestsidegazette.com
Return of
‘Kids for Cash’
and a Look
Within
By Robert C. Koehler
More than 15 years after the
“kids for cash” scandal shocked the
nation, it’s back, stirring not just
public incredulity but, for some,
soul-slicing memories of hell on
Earth.
This is thanks to Joe Biden’s
decision to grant clemency to
Michel Conahan, one of two
juvenile-court judges in Luzerne
County. Pennsylvania, convicted
of accepting cash from private
detention centers – as much
as $2.8 million over a period of
about six years – in exchange for
sending them children (my God,
as young as 8-years-old) convicted
of petty offenses, such as fighting,
shoplifting, underage drinking,
to serve prolonged sentences in
prison.
Conahan, along with Mark
Ciavarella, had collected cash for
sending more than 2,300 children
to prison. Many of them were
scarred for life by this experience.
Some committed suicide.
“My son did nothing more than
anything that most of us as kids
did, you know, experimenting
and living his life and making
mistakes, that we usually all get
to just learn and evolve and grow
from. He did nothing more than
be at an underaged drinking party
with tons of other kids, but he was
caught.”
This is Sandy Fonzo, speaking
recently with Amy Goodman in
a highly emotional interview
on Democracy Now, in the wake of
the news of Conahan’s clemency.
Her son, a senior in high school,
a star wrestler, spent a month in
the juvenile detention center just
as his senior year was beginning.
He came out lost, emotionally
shattered, wound up getting into
a fight and had to stand before
Judge Ciavarella again. This time
he was walloped with an eightmonth
sentence.
“He lost his senior year.” Sandy
said.
“He never had the chance to
wrestle again, any chance that he
had for a scholarship. He came out
of there very bitter, very angry,
pent up with anger. He couldn’t
look you in the eye. I don’t know
what happened in that facility. My
son was a very big, strong, proud
boy, and he came out broken.
“. . . It changed him. It broke him.
It stole his youth, his childhood.
He would never, ever recover. And
it just became too much, and he
shot himself in the heart.”
Kids for cash! Her son wound up
killing himself – and that’s just
one story out of, presumably,
thousands. A kid does a “bad”
thing and, whoops, off to prison
with you! At the time, I wrote in a
column:
“Many of these kids had never
been in trouble before and many
of the offenses that netted jail
time were trivial in the extreme.
Sixteen-year-old Hillary T., for
instance, who lampooned her
assistant principal on MySpace,
was given a three-month sentence.
(With a lawyer’s help, she got out
after one.) Kurt K. was in the
company of someone who was
caught shoplifting at Wal-Mart;
accused of being a ‘lookout,’ he
wound up doing almost a year of
jail time. Jamie Q. exchanged slaps
with a friend during an argument;
she also was sent away for almost
a year. She was 14.”
While the judicial corruption of
“kids for cash” is glaring, that’s
hardly the entirety of the issue.
As I read and remember the
details, I see something far larger
quietly looming in the background,
behind the judges’ criminality –
behind what I called at the time
“the blurring of the line between
profit and state.” It’s the system
itself: structured on the value
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
Deeply Rooted
Harris Urges Young Americans To
‘Stay In The Fight’
By Jovonne Ledet
In Post-Election Speech
Vice President Kamala Harris urged her
supporters to “stay in the fight” following her
election loss to President-elect Donald Trump.
On Tuesday (December 17), Harris delivered
her first major remarks since conceding the
election to Trump, per Politico.
“In moments like this, the true test of our
character is how resilient and persistent we
are to pursue the future that we all can see,”
Harris said during a speech in Maryland. “Do
we throw up our hands, or do we roll up our
sleeves?”
During the speech, Harris declined to
include details about her next political move,
which has been rumored to be either a run for
California governor in 2026 or a presidential
run in 2028. However, Harris did confirm that
she would remain involved in politics.
“No one can walk away,” the vice president
Missouri’s death row had
nearly 100 inmates in the
1990s. Now, it has 8
By Jim Salter,
The Associated Press
(Source: Miami Times)
Missouri ‘s status as one
of the most active death
penalty states is about
to change for one simple
reason: The state is running
out of inmates to execute.
The lethal injection
of Christopher Collings
on Dec. 3 left just eight
men on death row — a
figurative term since
condemned Missouri
inmates are housed
with other prisoners. By
contrast, nearly 100 people
were living with a death
sentence three decades ago.
Three of the eight
Missouri inmates will
almost certainly live out
their lives in prison after
being declared mentally
incompetent for execution.
Court appeals continue for
the other five, and no new
executions are scheduled.
Missouri isn’t alone.
Across the nation, the
number of people awaiting
the ultimate punishment
has declined sharply since
the turn of the century.
“We are in a very,
very different place than
we were 25 years ago
,and that’s for very good
reasons,” said Robin Maher,
executive director of the
Death Penalty Information
Center, a nonprofit that
doesn’t take a position on
the death penalty but is
critical of problems in its
application.
The Legal Defense
Fund’s Death Row USA
report showed 2,180
people with pending
death sentences this year,
down from 3,682 in 2000.
Missouri’s peak year was
1997, when 96 people were
on death row.
After reaching a height
of 98 U.S. executions in
1999, the annual number
hasn’t topped 30 since
2014. So far this year, 23
Haitian – American Group Condemns
Trump’s Mass Deportation Plan from FP
of a ‘national emergency’ are not only cruel but also a
blatant abuse of power,” Jozef added. “This is yet another
tactic to dehumanize immigrants and perpetuate racism.”
According to her, the Haitian Bridge Alliance has
urged all community leaders, advocates, and legislators to
oppose “these dangerous proposals” together.
Jozef stated, “We urge the incoming administration,
Congress, and the American public to resist efforts to
normalize xenophobic policies under the pretext of national
security.”
“We further call on the Congress to overrule Trump’s
proposal by passing a joint resolution out of the House and
Senate.”
Immigration advocates in New York recently voiced
their anger and concern over the incoming Trump
administration’s plans to repeal a federal policy in the
United States that prohibits ICE agents from making
arrests of Caribbean and other immigrants at or close to
“sensitive locations,” like places of worship, schools, and
hospitals, without supervisors’ prior consent.
According to immigration activists, Trump is anticipated
to revoke this provision along with several other planned
changes to immigration law as early as January 20, 2025,
his first day in office.
Photo: Getty Images
said. “We must stay in the fight because that
is the responsibility, in my opinion, that comes
with the privilege of being an American.”
Harris has kept a low profile since
conceding in the 2024 presidential election.
She reportedly spent a week in Hawaii with
her family before returning to office.
Earlier this week, Harris appeared at the
Democratic National Committee’s holiday
reception, where she thanked staffers and
encouraged them to stay engaged.
Harris on Tuesday directed her message to
younger voters.
“This struggle is not new: It goes back
nearly 250 years ago to Lexington and Concord,
generation after generation,” Harris said. “It
has been driven by those who love our country,
cherish its ideals, and refuse to sit passive
while our ideals are under assault.”
executions have been carried out —
six in Alabama, five in Texas, four
in Missouri, three in Oklahoma,
two in South Carolina and one each
in Georgia, Utah and Florida. Two
more are scheduled: Wednesday in
Indiana and Thursday in Oklahoma.
Use of the death penalty has
declined in part because many
states have turned away from it.
Twenty-three states and the District
of Columbia have abolished the
punishment, and five others have
moratoriums.
Even in active death penalty
states, prosecutors in murder cases
are far more inclined to seek life in
prison without parole.
In the 1990s, the nation was
typically seeing over 300 new death
sentences each year. By contrast,
21 people were sentenced to death
nationwide in 2023.
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
DECEMBER 26, 2024 - JANUARY 1, 2025 • PAGE 3
US Congresswoman
Yvette D. Clarke urges
Biden to protect
Black immigrants
By Yvette D. Clarke
(Source: CMC News)
WASHINGTON, United States (CMC) –
On Tuesday, Jamaican American Democratic
Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke joined lawmakers
and immigration advocates in urging the Joe Bidenled
U.S. administration to protect Black immigrant
communities during the lame duck session. The group
expressed particular concern about how Presidentelect
Donald Trump’s proposed immigration policies
could negatively impact Black communities, as well as
families of mixed immigration status.
Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants
and representative of the predominantly Caribbean
9th Congressional District in Brooklyn, held a press
conference at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. alongside
her congressional colleagues and advocacy groups.
The press event highlighted their shared commitment
to ensuring that Black immigrants are protected and
supported in the face of potential changes to U.S.
immigration policy.
The press conference came on the heels of a letter
Clarke and her colleagues sent to Biden, urging him to
exercise his existing legal authority and adopt several
executive actions.
These include, extending and re-designating
Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for currently
designated countries; clearing the TPS processing
backlog; finalizing a rule to provide auto-extensions for
work permits; taking immediate steps to priorities the
processing of work permits across all categories; and
designating special student relief (SSR) to Nigerian F-1
students studying in the United States.
“During President-elect Trump’s previous term,
we saw the Trump administration enact detrimental
policies, such as expanding migrant detention programs
and building a wall along the US-Mexico Border,”
lawmakers wrote in their letter. “Further in 2019, we
witnessed Immigration and Customs Enforcement
detain migrants at record-high levels with Black
detainees facing abuse at disproportionate rates.”
“With his pledge to conduct the largest mass
deportation in history and enlist the military to carry
out this plan, we are extremely concerned that people
of African descent will be targeted at higher rates,”
they added. “These actions are imperative to protect
innocent people and families from further disruptions
to their lives.”
The advocacy groups that joined the congressional
representative to show support and solidarity for this
effort included Nils Kinuani, African Communities
Together (ACT); Ronald Claude, Black Alliance for
Just Immigration (BAJI); Gbenga Ogunjimi, Nigerian
Centre; and Daniel Tse, Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA).
“The scapegoating of immigrants and immigration
has placed Black immigrants at a dangerous crossroads,
where they are both targeted by harmful rhetoric and
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
PAGE 4 • DECEMBER 26, 2024 - JANUARY 1, 2025
Westside Gazette
Calendar of Events
Kwanzaa event in Fort Lauderdale
Kwanzaa Ujamaa Celebration
Author Patti Roth
Kwanzaa is a holiday that focuses on African-American
heritage and values. Bass Park will celebrate Kwanzaa
Ujamaa, the fourth day, with a free event in Fort Lauderdale.
Ujamaa means cooperative economics and is the fourth
principle of Kwanzaa.
The Kwanzaa Ujamaa event in 2024 is 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday, December 27, at Bass Park with Afrocentric entertainment
and free entry. Bass Park is at 2750 NW 19th St.,
Fort Lauderdale 33311.
Kwanzaa Celebration
Spady Museum invites families to celebrate Kwanzaa
with purpose (Nia), Kuumba (Creativity) and Umija (Unity),
Thursday, Dec. 26 from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m., at Spady Musum,
170 N.W. Fifth Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444.
Virtual Kwanzza
Mayor Rodney Harris invites you to Virtuak Kwanzaa in
the Gardens, Saturday, Dec. 26 at 4 p.m. Live Entertainment
Cultural Pertormances History/Origin of Kwanzaee
and more. Watch Live Youtube Miami Gardens Public
Affairs FB Live City of Miami Gardens, FL Government
For more info call (786) 237-5079.
Event
Mén Beni Gardening Presents - Kwanzaa - Umoja Thursday,
Dec. 26 from 10 a.m. to 1p.m., EST, Arch Creek Park
1855 N.E. 135th St., North Miami Beach, FL 33181
Part of the 2024 - Kwanzaa - Environmental Edition collection.
Honoring Mama IMA, we set the foundation for
Kwanzaa with an Adinkra art workshop, fostering creativity
and sustainable practices.For more details, visit
Eventbrite.com.
Celebrating
M Ensemble Company Celebrating 53rd in the Spirit of
Kwanzaa, Friday, Dec. 27 from 7 p.m., at Sandrell Rivers
Theater, 6103 N.W. Seventh Ave., Miami, FL 33127
Tickets can be purchased at EVENTBIRITE.COM
For more Info call (305) 705-3218 Senior/ Student and
Group Rates Are Available.
Kwanzaa 365 Live
*Saturday, Dec. 28, from 3 - 6 at VFWPost 8195, 4432
Pembroke Pines, Rd., Hollywood, FL 33021.
* Tuesday, Dec. 31, from 4 to 8 p.m., at House of Kuumba,
745 S.W. Fourth St., Dania Beach, FL 33004.
* Wednesday, Jan. 1 2025 from 6 a.m. to 12 noon at
Hollywood Beach, FL A1A N. Ocan Dr.,/Evans.
4th Annual Kwanzaa Celebration
Join us for a vibrant in-person Kwanzaa celebration
filled with cultural traditions, music, dancing, and joy!,
Saturday, Dec. 28, 2:30 to - 5 p.m., at Where: Gaines
Park Rear Lawn, 1501 N. Australian Ave., West Palm
Beach. AARLCC of Palm Beach County, Inc.
Cost: Free
Celebrate this cultural event with the community! For
more details, visit Eventbrite.com.
Kwanzaa Celebration
Mary Williams Woodard Kwanzaa Celebration, Saturday,
Dec. 28 from 3 to 6 p.m., at Samuel K. Johnson
Youth Center, 4900 N.W. 12th Ave., Miami, FL 33127.
Kwanzza Celebration Ujamaa
Post 8195 Veterans of Foreign Wars presents Kwanzza
Celebration Ujamaa, Sunday, Dec. 29, at 3 p.m., at
4414 Pembroke Rd., West Park, FL 33023. For more info
call (754) 423-8480.
Celebration
Reclaiming our Royality Kwanzaa Celebration, Sunday,
Dec. 29, from 2 to 6 p.m., at 1409 N.W. Sixth St., Fort
Laudedale, FL 33311. For more details, visit Eventbrite.
com.
Celebration
Join us for an exciting Ujamaa celebration filled with
education and entertainment!
Sunday, Dec. 29, Northwood Rd, West Palm Beach
Hosted By: Ayze Hant of Let It Fo IC
Event Highlights:
• Community Market
• Kinara Lighting Ceremony
• Guest Speakers
• Food and Drinks Available for Purchase
Details:
• It a cover Charge
• Program Start Time: 6 p.m.
• Parking: Available on Northwood Road, 24th Street,
and in the parking lot behind Ivndr Lounge on 23rd
Street.
For vendor inquiries, email Info@vndrife.com. Don’t
miss this special celebration of culture and community!
Haitian Independence Day
Wednesday,
Jan. 1, 2025
from 2 to 6 p.m.,
EST at Miramar
Multi-Service
Complex 6700
Miramar
Parkway Miramar,
FL 33023
Deeply Rooted
LOCAL HAPPENINGS IN
BROWARD MIAMI-DADE
AND PALM BEACH
COUNTIES
HAVE YOUR COMMUNITY EVENTS
PLACED ON THIS PAGE
email:wgproof@thewestsidegazette.com
*********************************
Celebrate Announcements:
Call -- (954) 525-1489
Happy Birthday * Weddings
* Anniversaries
Retirements * Congratulations
The Westside Gazette Newspaper
Wishes Our
Advertisers, Readers, Supporters,
A Happy Kwanzaa
STAY
CONNECTED --
www.thewestsidegazette.com
HOLLYWOOD HILLS HIGH CLASS OF 1975
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
SOUVENIR JOURNAL 7860 W
COMMERCIAL BLVD UNIT 830 LAUDERHILL,
FL 33351
Greetings,
On behalf of the Hollywood Hills High Class of 1975 Alumni
Association - “The Class of Classes”, you are cordially
invited to support our 50th Year Reunion Celebration! The
purpose of our association and this event gives us an opportunity
to:
REUNITE - REMINICE- REMEMBER PAST CLASSMATES - CEL-
EBRATE OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND MORE IMPOR-
TANTLY, ASSIST ALUMNI AND THE COMMUNITY THROUGH
CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES, PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS TO LO-
CAL DESERVING STUDENTS AND FOSTER RELATIONSHIPS
BETWEEN THE ALUMNI AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY!
Thus, we ask for your support of this event by becoming
a Sponsor, publishing an ad in our Souvenir Journal, and/
or by making a Donation, which we will recognize your
support of our efforts. The Souvenir Journal will be a commemorative
keepsake for our members and provide an
excellent resource for you to promote your business to our
members and the community.
Sponsorship:
We would like to present three sponsorship opportunities
Spartan, Orange, and Blue. Each level includes a special
recognition in our Souvenir Journal. As a sponsor, you
will not only promote your business to our alumni but also
demonstrate your commitment to community building.
Dear Alumni of the Hollywood Hills High School Class of
1975,
As we approach our much anticipated 50th Class Reunion,
we have an incredible opportunity to come together
and create lasting memories while supporting our
alma mater and each other. To make this celebration truly
special, we are excited to offer the chance for classmates,
businesses, and community members to become
sponsors and place ads in our official Hollywood Hills High
School Class of ’75 Reunion Souvenir Journal.
The Hollywood Hills High School Class of ’75 Reunion Souvenir
Journal will be a beautiful, commemorative keepsake
that will be distributed at the reunion and cherished
for years to come. It will feature personal messages, business
advertisements, and shout-outs from classmates,
family, and community partners.
We are reaching out to YOU, our classmates, to canvas
potential sponsors and help fill the Ad Journal with
well-wishes, memories, and business advertisements. Your
support will help us cover event costs, fund class activities,
and contribute to our scholarship fund, ensuring a legacy
of support for future generations.
How You Can Support
1.Sponsor a Page or Place an Ad – Showcase your business,
recognize someone special, promote your services,
celebrate your personal milestones, family achievements,
or share a message of support to your classmates.
2. Canvas Individuals, the Community, and Local Businesses
– Reach out to friends, family, local businesses,
family-owned companies, and community partners who
may want to advertise to the reunion audience. Send potential
sponsors the form to submit their ads and payment.
Need Help or Have Questions?
If you have any questions, please reach out through
our Hollywood Hills Class of 1975 Alumni email at HOLLY-
WOODHILLSCLASSOF75@GMAIL or voicemail, or text (954)
900-9329.
Follow @TheWestsideGazette Newspaper on Social Media
+ WATCH episodes of the 2-Minute Warning via YT or FB
www.thewestsidegazette.com
Kwanzaa Ujima
(Collective Work & Responsibility)
Celebration at AARLCC
-All-ages event with music, dance, activities, plays,
spoken word & more -
BROWARD COUNTY, FL - Kwanzaa Ujima 2024, a community
celebration for all, is scheduled from 11AM to 4PM,
December 28 at Broward County's African American Research
Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC), 2650 Sistrunk
Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311. This free event features
music, dance, drumming, dance workshops, crafts, storytelling,
songs, giveaways, treats, an edutainment event by
Simunye, a theatrical performance featuring the Village
Academy and spoken word by Art Prevails. Featured author
Queen Mother Olori Iya Orite Olasowo-Adefunmi will
discuss her book, Seeds of Awakening: The Creation of Oyotunji
African Kingdom 1970-1995.
Highlights of Kwanzaa Ujima 2024 include:
• Kwanzaa Marketplace: Local vendors with unique items
for sale
• African Dance Family Workshop
• Face Painting
• Author Talk with Queen Mother Olori Iya Orite
Olasowo-Adefunmi (Noon)
• Drumming Procession (2PM)
• Simunye Performance: The History of Kwanzaa (2PM)
• Theatrical Performance featuring Village Academy
Youth Theatre Company
• Stories and Songs
• Make-and-take Kwanzaa activities
• Art Prevails Spoken Word Performance
• Fresh Fruit Giveaways
"Kwanzaa Ujima 2024 is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate
Broward County's rich African American heritage
and strengthen our community bonds," says Broward
County Library Director Allison Grubbs. "It's a reminder of
the power of unity and the importance of working together
to build a better future for our community."
Admission, parking and all Kwanzaa activities are free but
registration is requested. Food trucks will be onsite. For more
information, please contact Ramona La Roche, rlaroche@
broward.org or (954) -357-6227.
Deeply Rooted
CDC Reports South Carolina Legionella Outbreak Linked
to Industrial Water Jet Cutters and Floor Scrubbers
www.thewestsidegazette.com
DECEMBER 26, 2024 -JANUARY 1, 2025 •PAGE 5
Urbanization, climate change, and aging infrastructure are contributing to the rise in Legionnaires disease cases.
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior
National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
A recent investigation by the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention and the
South Carolina Department of Health and
Environmental Control has linked an outbreak
of Legionnaires’ disease to a manufacturing
facility’s water jet cutters and floor scrubbers.
The outbreak, which occurred between August
and November 2022, resulted in 34 cases of
legionellosis, 15 hospitalizations, and two
deaths.
The investigation found that Legionella
pneumophila sequence type 36, a particularly
virulent strain, was isolated from two water jet
Fort Lauderdale Sailor Supports Navy Reserve Mission
at Home and Abroad
HOUSTON – Logistics Specialist
2nd Class Petty Officer Carl
Roche, a native of Fort Lauderdale,
Florida, serves as a Sailor in the
U.S. Navy Reserve and is assigned
to Navy Reserve Center (NRC)
Houston.
Roche joined the Navy 7½ years
ago, seeking an organization
emphasizing discipline and
professionalism.
“I chose the Navy because I knew
it would provide the opportunity to
travel and experience more while
maintaining a disciplined and
LS2 Carl Roche
(Photo By Cmdr. Cheryl Collins)
active environment,” Roche said.
their process as smooth as possible. I also
As a logistics specialist, Roche manages serve as the assistant command fitness leader,
tools, supplies, and resources, ensuring supporting Physical Readiness Tests to keep
mission readiness for both active and Reserve our Sailors mission ready.”
Sailors.
Sailors like Roche are vital to the Navy’s
“My role involves providing everything global mission, showcasing the strength
from office supplies to jet engines,” Roche said. and adaptability of the Reserve Force.
“It’s a job with significant responsibility, but I Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, chief of the Navy
enjoy what I do.”
Reserve and commander of the Navy Reserve
In addition to his logistical duties, Roche Force, emphasized the importance of this
supports reservists at Navy Reserve Center contribution, “Our Reserve Force is essential
Houston, helping them balance military and to the Navy’s mission, providing strategic
civilian life.
depth and operational flexibility,” Lacore said.
“I help bridge the gap between military Roche reflected on some of his proudest
and civilian life for our reservists,” Roche accomplishments during his Navy career.
said. “From uniforms and meals to assisting “One of my proudest accomplishments is
during drill weekends, my goal is to make being named Junior Sailor of the Quarter three
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
I Upended My Life to Take Care of Mama.
It Was One of the Best Decisions I Ever Made.
Deaconess Marie Trice
By Hazel Trice Edney
PART 2
(TriceEdneyWire.com) - It
was an autumn morning in
2018 when my phone rang
in Washington, DC and I’ll
never forget the sound of
Mama’s voice on the line. She
was calling from her home in
Virginia, 100 miles away. Her
voice, normally warm and
sweet, was instead rife with
anger.
“Who took the knobs off
my stove?!” she demanded.
My heart broke toward her.
All she wanted was to fry
herself an egg for breakfast.
How could I tell her that
we, her four adult children,
had met and decided to have
the knobs removed from her
kitchen stove? In order to
protect her life – we could
never again allow her to cook
on an open range because
her doctor had told us that
she was in the early stages of
Alzheimer’s/Dementia?
How could I tell her that
the stove where she had for
decades lovingly cooked all of
our family’s favorites during
the holidays was now off
limits to her – forever. Her
fried chicken, mac & cheese,
sweet potato and apple pies
would only be tasted in our
imitation recipes.
Hearing her angst, I
responded quickly in what
I thought was the best way
possible at that time in order
to avoid traumatizing her. I’m
sorry, but I lied. I told Mama
that the stove was broken and
Mama, award-winning Gospel
singer Deaconess Marie Trice, and I
enjoying a sweet moment together
before her bedtime early this year.
She had just turned 90.
that my son, her grandson,
Monte, had removed the
knobs temporarily until he
had time to fix it.
That did it. She slowly
calmed down. After all, in
her eyes, Monte could do no
wrong. We advised her to
start heating up frozen meals
in the microwave instead.
As the disease progressed,
it was not long after that
difficult conversation that
A Holiday MESSAGE from FP
True equality must be the goal of society, ensuring everyone has enough to eat, proper
shelter, access to healthcare, meaningful work, and the chance for an excellent education.
When these blessings are shared, all of humanity is uplifted.
Atonement requires the courage to acknowledge past wrongs, make amends, and move
forward with integrity. It is not about assigning blame but about stepping into the light of
accountability and allowing that light to heal and transform.
In moments of solitude and adversity, may we have the courage to do what is right,
guided by the goodness of God. When we embrace the PEACE that comes from Him, fear
loses its grip, and we are empowered to live with joy and purpose.
“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
— Luke 2:11 (NKJV)
This holiday season and always, may His eternal PEACE rule with truth, fairness, and
love. Let us rejoice in the blessings of each new day, remembering that “from the fullness of
His grace we have all received one blessing after another.” — John 1:16 (NIV)
We, the staff and family of the Westside Gazette, extend our warmest greetings to you
and yours. May God’s grace, mercy, and love surround you during this season and always.
Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah, and
joyous celebrations to all faiths and traditions. May the gift of
PEACE be shared with everyone!
It has been reported in 39 countries so far in 2022, and most of them are having their
first-ever cases of the disease, according to the WHO.
(Photo: iStockphoto/NNPA)
cutters and a floor scrubber used at the facility.
These machines, which aerosolize water, were
identified as the likely sources of infection
after multiple employees across different shifts
reported symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease
and Pontiac fever.
The outbreak came to light in September
2022 when three employees tested positive
for Legionella through urinary antigen tests.
Following these reports, the health department
issued a statewide advisory and worked with
facility management to notify employees and
encourage testing.
Health officials identified 10 confirmed
cases of Legionnaires’ disease, 20 probable
cases, and four probable cases of Pontiac fever.
The affected employees ranged in age from 18
to 65, with a median age of 40 years younger
than the typical demographic for Legionnaires’
disease. Men accounted for nearly 68 percent
of the cases.
The outbreak predominantly affected
we made another sacrificial
decision. We knew that
Mama could no longer live
alone. Period. We sought
professional in home care. But
that assistance was limited.
I resolved that the love
that she had bestowed upon
our family all of our lives was
enough for me to upend my
life in order to now take care
of her. So, I moved, a hundred
miles outside of D.C., to
become her primary caregiver
for as long as she needs me. For
me, it required maintaining
my home and business in D.C.
while commuting to DC often
and assuring that she is never
aAAA
This Week in Health: Reduce Holiday Stress
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! We have arrived at that
festive time of the year that brings friends and
family together in celebration. For many, the
holiday season also brings more than a dose
of stress. Manage stress before it becomes a
holiday downer. Sharing and giving are
important but take time for self-care
activities.
SELF-CARE ISN’T SELFISH
The American Heart Association (AHA) wants
to remind us all that taking care of ourselves is
critical to good heart health and overall wellbeing.
Self-care helps us to recharge. Try these
proven activities anytime, anywhere.
• Get some alone time. It’s okay to take a
breather when things get stressful.
• Talk to a friend. A chat (or venting
session) can help reduce stress.
alone.
It’s a decision that
thousands of family members
around the country are making
every day. An AARP article
reports that particularly
African Americans have a
sense of community and
culture when it comes to
caregiving. For me, it was just
pure love.
I moved in just as
COVID-19 hit the U. S.
Thankfully, neither Mama;
nor I caught the virus during
the pandemic. But there is
no one I’d rather have been
quarantined with. Still, it was
almost impossible to protect
Westside Health Brief
Marsha Mullings, MPH
December 24, 2024
employees working on the third shift, with the
highest attack rate at 3.8 percent. Prolonged
and overnight exposure may have contributed
to the higher rate, investigators surmised.
A comprehensive environmental
investigation involved testing 316 water
samples from various sources within the
facility. Legionella bacteria were detected in
samples from two water jet cutters, which
operated with water temperatures ideal for
bacterial growth, and one-floor scrubber used
to clean water overspray from the jet cutters.
The machines’ ability to aerosolize water made
them effective vectors for spreading Legionella
bacteria throughout the facility.
Upon confirmation of the contamination,
facility management took immediate action.
Both water jet cutters and all floor scrubbers
were taken out of service on September 18,
2022. Water jet cutters were decontaminated
using mechanical maintenance and biocide
treatments and resumed operation on November
her from an injury related to
her instability on her feet from
the Alzheimer’s. In 2019 she
had fallen and broke a bone
in her back. In July 2020, she
fell and suffered a fracture
to her hip for which she
had surgery. Last year, she
suffered a hairline fracture in
her lower leg, climbing into a
van to go to church
Now, five years since
I became her primary
caregiver, an award-winning
Gospel singer, Mama is now
90 years old, and wheelchair
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
• Spend time with pets. They can help
you manage anxiety and get you
moving more.
• It’s okay to say “no.” Give yourself
permission to set boundaries.
• Get some fresh air. Walking in nature
can improve your mood and relieve
anxiety.
• Unplug to recharge. Take a break from
social media, email and stressful
headlines.
SPEND TIME IN NATURE TO REDUCE
STRESS AND ANXIETY
If you’re
able to,
get back
to nature
to
energize
your
mind and body. Research has shown
spending 120 minutes a week in nature
improves health and well-being. Take the
time to care for yourself as you do for
others.
Have a wonderful and safe holiday season!
Source: American Heart Association;
www.heart.org
PAGE 6 • DECEMBER 26, 2024 - JANUARY 1, 2025
WESTSIDE
GAZETTE
Bobby R. Henry, Sr.
PUBLISHER
NEWSPAPER STAFF
Sonia Henry-Robinson
COMPTROLLER
Tawanna C. Taylor
ADMINISTRATIVE
ASST.
Pamela D. Henry
SENIOR EDITOR
Arri D. Henry
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Carma L. Henry
COMMUNITY NEWS
EDITOR
Sylvester “Nunnie’
Robinson SPORTS
Editor
Elizabeth D. Henry
CIRCULATION
MANAGER
NoRegret Media
WEBMASTER
Carma T. Taylor
DIGITAL SPECIALIST
Eric Sears
IT SPECIALIST
Ron Lyons
PHOTOGRAPHER
Levi Henry, Jr.: PUBLISHER
(Emeritus)
Yvonne Henry: EDITOR
(Emeritus)
WEBSITE:
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American Owned and
Operated
Newspaper Serving
Broward - Miami-Dade
and Palm Beach Counties
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PUBLISHERS
ASSOCIATION (NNPA)
AND FLORIDA
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CREDO -The BlackPress
beieves that American best
lead the world away from racial
and national
antagonisms when it accords
to every person, regarless of
race, color or creed, full human
and legal rights. Hating no
person, feaing no person, the
Black Press strives to help
every person in the firm belief
that all are hurt as long as
anyone is held back.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
GUIDELINES
We welcome letters from the
public.Letters must be signed
with a clearly legible name
along with a compete address
and phone number.
No unsigned letters will be
considered for publication.
The Westside Gazette reserves
the right to edit letters. Letters
should be 500 words or less.
The Gantt Report
Happy Holidays to TGR Family
By Lucius Gantt
Happy Holidays to all who
have enjoyed The Gantt Report
in 2024. I truly appreciate your
support in the current year and
your longtime support that has
taken place for many decades.
Ask any opinion writer, It’s
hard to study, research, and
write columns each, and every
week but God gave me the skill
and talent to use in my mission
to inform and enlighten my
people on this planet.
I don’t do holidays, but I
do adore my friends that do. I want to thank my man Terry
Mayfield and his wife and family for inviting me over for the
holidays every year. I missed their event this year, but Lucius
will show up at his house at any time.
I want to thank the media owners who publish and distribute
The Gantt Report. They get mad at me a lot, but they also
know which columns are read the most.
Believe it or not, only about 70 media owners and individuals
get TGR from me, but the column generates around 5000 views
each time it is posted by people other than me on the internet.
I believe most Black media companies in the United States
are currently owned or managed by Black women. I wish all of
them well.
It’s important for me to support Black women. I recognize
that 2024 has been disappointing for African American females.
After a surprising loss by Kamala Harris, sisters in the
hood were mad as hell! When your “cat” is mad, there isn’t too
much you can do about it. More than Black men felt female
anger, white women felt it, white men felt it, Black women who
didn’t vote for Kamala felt it, children and other relatives felt
it, coworkers felt it, neighbors felt it, and the whole world felt
it.
The end of the year is a good time for joy and peace. However,
I pray that Black women share and receive more love.
America’s Black media landscape has changed. At one time,
almost every Black household contained a copy of Ebony or
Jet magazines. Nearly every Black man and woman had read,
or heard of, The Pittsburgh Courier, The Atlanta World,
The Chicago Defender, or other Black newspapers.
Today, our people get their news from the internet and social
media. Black leaders are designated as such by white media
companies and our knowledge and wisdom are often reduced to
30-second social media posts made by charlatans and clowns!
Black women are truly queens. I think they are Gods on
earth.
Queens support their kings. No one loves their children more
than their mothers.
I want the Black queens I know to love the truth, love the
freedom fighters, love the freedom riders, love the community
activists, and love the men who will defend you with their lives!
This idea of Black leaders being designated by internet posts
must be discredited, abandoned, and ignored!
You see, Black leaders, women, and men; are like the
shepherds of the Black Flocks.
You don’t want your shepherd to lead you to a desert, you
want to be led to greener pastures, you don’t want to be led to
the local “Trap”, you want to be led to “the Promised Land”, you
don’t want to be led back to the plantation days, you want to be
led to freedom, justice, and glory days!
Black, women and men, let’s support each other. Don’t let
the 2025 devils divide us any longer!
I am still working on digitizing The Gantt Report to
guarantee that everyone can access the column around the
world.
Most internet posters merely copy, post, and comment on
other’s content.
The Gantt Report has 40 years of informative content, years
of television and radio experience, and recognition from my
media colleagues, media scholars, and educators. The Gantt
Report is unadulterated. TGR is the column that can’t be
imitated or duplicated, but you know that!
I’m trying my best to get TGR online as fast as I can. Bear
with me, please.
The People’s List of Trump’s Worst
(Part 1)
By Mel Gurtov
The List
Donald Trump has promised to
go after enemies of the people, and
will seek revenge against a list of
individuals and organizations. But we
the people have our own list. It consists
of nominees for top positions in the
Trump administration who should
never serve in government.
These people can be divided into three groups: super-rich
donors to Trump’s campaign who have bought their way into
an official position; supreme loyalists whose chief qualification
is subservience to Trump; and members of Trump’s extended
family. So far as I can tell, none of these people puts devotion to
the rule of law, the Constitution, and the public interest above
personal gain and support of strongman rule.
Donald Trump heads the People’s List, of course—the
convicted felon and demagogue who is once again creating chaos
in the political system rather than governing by bargaining
and consensus. This man constitutes the number-one threat to
America’s national security—not just in my opinion, but in the
opinion of numerous former US officials, many of whom were
appointed by Trump in his first term. They came to understand
that Trump is a wannabe dictator.
The Big-Time Donors
In the first category are around eight people so far who
have donated at least $1 million to Trump’s campaign and
have been rewarded with top-level jobs. Elon Musk comes
first with donations of over $262 million. He’s followed by
Linda McMahon, nominated for secretary of education, who
has donated over $21 million. Howard Lutnick, nominee for
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
Deeply Rooted
www.thewestsidegazette.com
The Westside Gazette, under the Management of BI-ADs, Inc., reserves
the right to publish Views and Opinions by Contributing Writers that
may not necessarily reflect those of the Staff and Management of
The Westside Gazette Newspaper and are solely the product of the
responsible individual(s) who submit comments published in this
newspaper.
Voters’ Connectivity +
Medium
“The Holy Grail, candidates campaigning to win a
political position must remember, failure to establish
voters’ connectivity is not an option!”
John Johnson II… 12/24/24
By Johns Johnson
America’s survival as a republic hinges
on the fundamental rights of voters
to participate in free public elections.
These rights are the cornerstone of
our democracy, empowering officials
of either political party to govern the
country. The ability to identify and
prioritize voters’ needs according to
their priorities is crucial for any party
to win elections. This underscores the
importance of voters’ connectivity,
whereby the medium becomes the
message (VC+M)
Marshall McLuhan gained fame as a communication theorist
in 1964 for popularizing the phrase “the medium is the
message.” He advanced the theory that “the medium used to
communicate a message is as important as the message itself.”
TikTok is a shining example of a powerful way to communicate
with viewers to gain their viewership and enrich the producers.
Warner Bros. in 1927 improved the medium of silent films
with the addition of sound. Have you ever asked yourself, “Why
do Movie studios add musical scores to their productions?”
Again, music infused the cinema, the medium, to help gain and
sustain viewers’ connectivity to the movie.
However, rather than attempt to provide strategies to attract,
sustain, and establish voters’ connectivity, only the following
social mediums are listed: TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X
(former Twitter) Truth Social, Podcast, and TV news broadcast.
The past 2024 Presidential election results indicated that the
Republican Party effectively utilized social media, along with
other communication channels, to establish voters’ connectivity.
This strategy led to a significant win for President-elect Trump.
He received 77,297,721 popular votes and 312 Electoral votes,
showcasing the power of social media in modern elections.
As you consider the role of voters’ connectivity in the political
landscape, it’s a crucial aspect of our democratic process that
we must prioritize.
YOU BE THE JUDGE!
To Be Equal
Working to Close the Vaccine
Gap is a Collective Effort
By Marc H. Morial, National Urban League President
and CEO National Urban League.
It is no secret how devastating the COVID-19 pandemic
has been for marginalized communities in this country. The
National Urban League quantified this impact in the 2020
edition of our annual capstone report, the State of Black
America.
As COVID-19 swept across the country, we sprang into
action through combined efforts from our affiliate movement
and public/private partnerships to save lives across the
country. In 2021, we launched All In, a joint effort with the
Center for Disease Control (CDC) to close the vaccination gap
in communities of color and underserved neighborhoods with
the help of our affiliates.
Even though we are past the peak of the pandemic, this is
the stark reality of our present situation:
COVID-19 remains a severe health threat. Over 43,000
Americans have died from COVID-19 in 2024 alone – and as
we enter the colder months, flu season, and holiday season, the
risk of severe infections and hospitalizations will continue to
rise.
We know that those with pre-existing conditions like COPD,
high blood pressure, and obesity are at greater risk of falling
seriously ill. People of color and marginalized communities are
also affected by these conditions at a disproportionate rate.
And beyond the risk of an acute COVID-19 infection, we cannot
ignore the devastating toll of Long COVID, which has impacted
roughly 18 million Americans. Long COVID can affect anyone,
regardless of age and health status, and is linked to more than
200 symptoms, including brain fog, debilitating fatigue, and
chronic pain.
Staying up to date with vaccinations to prevent and reduce
the severity of new strains of the virus is the best way to
protect ourselves from falling seriously ill. According to one
study, the total COVID hospitalization rate is approximately
11 times higher in unvaccinated adults. At the same time,
receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to fend
off longer term symptoms -– studies show vaccination reduces
an individual’s risk of developing Long COVID by 70%.
The good news is that updated COVID-19 vaccines are
available at pharmacies, doctor’s offices, and health clinics across
the country. For most Americans, the COVID-19 vaccine is free
because private insurance and other programs like Medicare,
Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program cover
the full cost. Americans who don’t have insurance can typically
find no-cost options in their communities through local
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
Frankly Speaking
I’m taking to
wearing brown
shoes all the time,
the S is getting deep
By Frank Wilson
I am always amazed by
the thought processes of some
of my fellow Americans.
It was not that long ago
that Donald Trump and others
were having conniptions
about Barack Obama’s place
of birth and his eligibility
to serve as President. Fast
forward and here we are with
Elon Musk who we know for
sure is South African running
every damn thing including
the President-Elect.
Where’s all the brouhaha?
Why are there no questions?
America can never seem
to lose it’s penchant towards
racism An unusually gifted
black man who more than
checked all of the eligibility
boxes was literally forced to
prove his citizenship while
a white man whose only
credentials are arrogance and
money has damn near free
reign to chart the future for
America thus the world.
Jim Jordan, Lindsey
Graham, Paul Hawley,
Jim Comer your silence is
deafening and my God Rand
Paul is floating the idea
of Musk as Speaker of the
House!
The Duffocation is about
to hit the Oscillator !
What’s the
best gift for
relationships this
holiday season?
Understanding
ourselves
By Melinda Burrell
We were
in one of
those finisheverythingbefore-theholidays
meetings,
pussyfooting
about an
accusation
someone had made. Suddenly
a colleague confessed, “My
hands are clenched. My
shoulders are tense.” He
paused. “If I listen to my body,
clearly I feel like I’m being
attacked.” As he described his
feelings, I recognized them
in myself. Judging by their
faces, so did the others.
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
Return of ‘Kids
for Cash’ and a
Look Within
By Robert C. Koehler
More than
15 years after
the “kids for
cash” scandal
shocked the
nation, it’s
back, stirring
not just public
incredulity but, for some,
soul-slicing memories of hell
on Earth.
This is thanks to Joe
Biden’s decision to grant
clemency to Michel Conahan,
one of two juvenile-court
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
www.thewestsidegazette.com
BUSINESS
UNITY IN THE
COMMUNITY DIRECTORY
Cell: 754-234-4485
Office: 954-733-7700 ext. 111
Fax: 954-731-0333
Kenneth R. Thurston
REALTOR, CPM, CAM
4360 W. Oakland Park Blvd Email: ken@acclaimcares.com
Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33313
Web: www.acclaimcares.com
Climate-Driven Insurance Crisis
Sweeps the Nation as Non-Renewals
and Premiums Skyrocket
Rising premiums and insurer withdrawals are creating
a financial disaster that threatens national property
values and economic stability.
“We know that many people today can afford a monthly
mortgage payment, but that securing the upfront costs
of homeownership can be a significant challenge,” said
Richard Winter, the vice president and Area Lending
Manager for Bank of America’s Baltimore region. (Photo:
iStockphoto / NNPA)
By Stacy M. Brown,
NNPA Newswire Senior
National Correspondent@
StacyBrownMedia
Homeowners across
the United States face an
escalating crisis as insurance
companies abandon highrisk
areas driven by climate
change. A newly released
Senate Budget Committee
report reveals that nonrenewal
rates for home
insurance have surged in
coastal regions, wildfire-prone
communities, and even inland
counties. Rising premiums
and insurer withdrawals are
creating a financial disaster
that threatens national
property values and economic
stability.
The Scope of the Crisis
The report, which analyzed
data from 23 major insurance
companies representing
65% of the homeowners’
insurance market, highlights
the widespread nature of the
problem. While states such as
Florida, Louisiana, California,
and Texas often serve as
focal points for insurance
instability, the crisis is also
spreading to less traditionally
vulnerable regions. In 2023,
states such as North Carolina,
New Mexico, Oklahoma, and
Hawaii ranked among the
highest for non-renewal rates.
Florida recorded the
highest average statewide
non-renewal rate, but Texas
did not break the top ten.
The data shows that severe
convective storms, wildfires,
and hurricanes drive insurers
out of markets, leaving
millions of homeowners
without coverage.
DECEMBER 26, 2024 - JANUARY 1, 2025 • PAGE 7
A Constant In Life
Is Change
Submitted by
Anthony Brunson, P.A.
Change is an inevitable part
of growth, both personally and
professionally. Embracing change
enables us to adapt, innovate,
and improve. It can initially feel
uncomfortable, but it often brings
valuable opportunities to learn and
evolve. As we face transitions, let’s
approach them with an open mind,
focusing on how we can leverage
new circumstances for positive
outcomes.
Audrey Robinson, a 10+ year member of Anthony Brunson P.A. has
transitioned to a new opportunity in her career. I wish to formally
thank Audrey for many years of service as a bedrock of Anthony
Brunson P.A.
These circumstances provide opportunities for her team members
and new members of Anthony Brunson P.A. to assume leadership
roles. Our team will continue to support each other in embracing
change and remain committed to continuous progress, ensuring that
we stay resilient and agile in our mission to serve you, our clients.
On behalf of the Anthony Brunson P.A. Team, we all wish the very
best to Audrey in her future endeavors.
Counties Hit the Hardest
Among the 100 counties
with the highest non-renewal
rates in 2023, 82 were coastal
or wildfire-prone. Counties in
North Carolina, New Mexico,
the Northern Rockies, and
Southern New England are
experiencing sharp nonrenewal
increases. The report
also identifies several inland
counties, including those in
Oklahoma and Montana,
where non-renewal rates are
rising due to the growing
threat of wildfires and severe
storms.
In North Carolina, 13
inland counties, including
Cumberland, Mecklenburg,
and Guilford, were among
the top 100 for non-renewal
rates in 2023. Despite being
away from the coast, the
report revealed that these
areas continue to suffer from
hurricanes and other extreme
weather events.
The Economic Fallout
The Senate report warns
that the rising wave of nonrenewals
and premium
increases could lead to
a nationwide collapse in
property values. Home
insurance is critical for
securing mortgages; without
it, homeowners are left
stranded financially, officials
stated in the report, which
parallels the 2008 financial
crisis.
The report notes that
“insured losses from natural
disasters in the U.S. now
routinely approach $100
billion a year, compared
to $4.6 billion in 2000.” As
insurers retreat from high-
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
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Cell: 954-464-7253
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133 N. State Road 7
Plantation, Fla. 33317
(Corner of Broward Blvd. & State Rd. 7
(954) 587-7075
FRED LOVELL, Lic. Opt.
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PAGE 8 • DECEDMBER 26, 2024 - JANUARY 1, 2025
CHURCH DIRECTORY
First Baptist Church Piney Grove, Inc.
4699 West Oakland Park Blvd., Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33313
(954) 735-1500 - Fax (954) 735-1999
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Church Website: www.fbcpineygrove.org
Dr. Ezra Tillman, Jr. Senior Pastor
WORSHIP SERVICES
Sunday ..... 8:00 AM & 11:00 AM In Person Virtual
Sunday School.......9:30 AM In Person
Bible Study on Wednesday.......11:30 AM & 7:00 PM In Person & Virtual
"Winning the World for Jesus"
Harris Chapel Church, Inc.
Rev. Stanley Melek, M.Div
e-mail: harrischapelinc@gmail.com
2351 N.W. 26th Street
Oakland Park, Florida 33311
Church Telephone: (954) 731-0520
SERVICES
Sunday Worship........................10:30 AM
Church School................................................9:00 AM
Wednesday (Bible Study).........11:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Living Waters Christian Fellowship
Meeting at Central Charter School Building #5
4515 N. St. Rd. 7 (US 441)
(954) 295-6894
SUNDAY SERVICE: 10 AM
Iwcf2019@gmail.com (Church)
lerrub13@gamil.com (Pastor)
Rev. Anthony & Virgina Burrell
Jesus said, ‘‘let anyone who is thristy come to Me and drink.” (John 7:37)
Mount Hermon A.M.E. Church
Reverend Henry E. Green, III, Pastor
401 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Phone: (954) 463-6309 Fax: (954) 522-4113
Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Email info@mthermonftl.com
SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES
Worship Service....................................9:00 AM
In person/www.mounthermonftl.or/YouTube Live/FaceBook
Church School.............................9:30 AM
BIBLE STUDY: Wednesday........................10:00 AM
Bible Study Wednesday ...............7:00 PM via Zoom
Meeting ID: 826 2716 8390 access code 55568988#
Daily Prayer Line.............................6:00 AM
(716) 427-1407 Access Code 296233#
(712) 432-1500 Access Code 296233#
New Mount Olive Baptist Church
Dr. Marcus D. Davidson, Senior Pastor
400 N.W. 9th Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Office (954) 463-5126 - Fax: (954) 525-9454
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Monday- Thursday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
WORSHIP SERVICES & BIBLE STUDY
Sunday Services: In Person
8:00 AM and 10:45 AM
Virtual..................9:00 AM
Sunday School....................9:30 AM
Wednesday Encountering Truth
Noonday Bible Study...........12:00 PM to 12:30 PM
Where the Kingdom of God is Increased through:
Fellowship, Ledership, Ownership and Worship
As we F.L.O.W. To Greatness!
Mount Nebo Missionary Baptist Church
2551 N.W. 22nd St., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
P.O. Box 122256, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
(954) 733-3285 - Fax: (954) 733-9231
Email: mountnebobaptist@bellsouth.net
Website: www.mountnebobaptist.org
WORSHIP SERVICES & BIBLE STUDY
(In Person)
Sunday..........................10:00 A.M.
Sunday School ....................8:30 A.M.
Tuesday Night Bible Study..............7:00 P.M.
“Reaching Our Wrold One Persons At A Time”
Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church
Dr. James B. Darling, Jr., Pastor/Teacher
1161 NW 29th Terrace; Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33310
(954) 581-0455 - (FAX) 581-4350
mzbc2011@gmail.com - www.mtzionmbc1161.com
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
Tuesday - Friday 11:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.
WORSHIP SERVICES
Sunday Worship...................................................10:15 A.M.
Communion Service (1st Sunday) .........................10:15 A.M.
2nd & 4th Tuesday Night Prayer Workshop/Bible Study................7:00 P.M
Wednesday Night Prayer Service.......................6:30 P.M.
Wednesday Night Church School ............7:00 P.M.
New Birth Baptist Church
Catheral of Faith International
Bishop Victor T. Curry, M. Min., D. Div. Senior Pastor/Teacher
ORDER OF SERVICES
Sunday Worship.............................9:30 AM
Sunday School ..............................8:30 AM
Tuesday Bible Study...................7:00 PM
Wednsday Bible Study..................10:30 AM
(305) 685-3700 (0) * (305) 685-0705 (f)
www.nbbcmiami.org
Deeply Rooted
New Creation Baptist Church In Christ
r.curry7me@gmail.com
Drive-Up Sunday Worship - 10 AM
4001 North Dixie Hwy.
Deerfield Beach, FL 33064
(954) 943-9116
newcreationbcic@gmail.com
Williams Memorial CME Church
644-646 N.W. 13th Terrace
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311
Office: (954) 462-8222. Email: inf@wmsfl.org
Reverend Errol Darville, Pastor
E-mail: erroldarville@gmail.com
WORSHIP SERVICES and BIBLE STUDY
In person, Zoom; 646-558-8636 ID: 954-462-8222, Stream: Facebook Live @ WMCMECHURCH
Sunday Church School..................... 9:00 AM
Sunday Worship Service ................10:00 AM
Tuesday Prayer Meeting...............7:00 PM
Tuesday Bibke Study................7:30 PM
"Celebrating over 100 years of SERVICES"
St. Ruth Missionsary Baptist Church
145 NW 5th Avenue
Dania Beach, FL 33004
(954) 922-2529
WORSHIP SERVICES
Wednesday (NOON DAY PRAYER.......................12- 1 PM
Sunday Worship Service ...................................10:00 AM
Website: www.struthmbc.org
"Celebrating 115 Years of Service"
Victory Baptist Church Independent
Pastor Keith Cunningham
2241 Davie Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
Church: (954) 284-9413
Sunday School .................................................9:45 AM
Worship Service Sunday Morning..................................11:00 AM
Sunday Evening Service.........................................6:00 PM
Bible Study...................................................7:30 PM
Wednesday Evening Bible Study & Prayer ........................7:00 PM
Saturday Morning Soul Winning/Visitation..............10:00 AM
Men’s Fellowship (Every 2nd & last Tuesdays)................6:00 PM
Ladies Fellowship (the last Saturday of each month)..........................5:00 PM
Youth Fellowship (Every Friday)...............6:30 PM
Discover GOD Let Us Help You Find The Way To Jesus Christ
We STRIVE to PROVIDER Ministries that matter Today to Whole Body of Christ,
not only the Believers, but also for those stranded on the “Jericho Road”!
“Celebrating over 85 Years of FAITH and FAVOR!
Come to the WILL.....We’ll show You the WAY: Jesus the Christ”
Shaw Temple A.M.E. Zion Church
Rev. Dr. William Calvin Haralson, Pastor
522 N.W. 9th Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Church: (954) 647-8254
Email: AMEZ522@Yahoo.com
SERVICES
Sunday School.................................................10:15 AM
Sunday Morning Worship.................................11:00 AM
Bible Study.....................................................7:30 PM
“Reaching beyond the four walls touching lives, touching communities”.
Jesus Christ Ministry Of Faith, Inc.
Jesus Loves You
Join Us Sundays
at 9 AM
477 NW 27 Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
JCMOFINC@gmail.com
The New Beginning
Embassy of Praise
The Most Reverend
John H. Taylor, Bishop, Sr. Pastor
Dr. ML Taylor, Executive Pastor
4035 SW 18th Street, West Park, FL 33023
Sunday Worship Service - 11:00 a.m.
Conference Line - 848-220-3300 ID: 33023
Bible Study - Tuesdays - 7:30 p.m.
Noonday Prayer - Wednesdays- 12:00 noon
Come Worship With Us For Your New Begnning!
Pastor David Deal, Jr.
www.thewestsidegazette.com
Every Christian's Church
SUNDAY @11:00 am
Phone (313) 209-8800 Conference ID 1948-1949
Bible Trivia
‘Test Your Bible Knowledge'
Questions:
1) Luke wrote his Gospel to a man named Theophilus. To whom
did he write the book of Acts?
2) Peter gave a speech at 9 a.m. What day was it?
3) The apostles chose seven ‘deacons’ to help them. Why?
4) Who were the first deacons chosen?
5) Saul ( later known as Paul ) was converted on the road to Damascus.
Why was he going there?
6) As Saul was traveling to Damascus to persecute Christians, what
knocked him to the ground?
7) Who said this as he died: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit…Don’t
charge them with this sin”
8) Why were widows weeping and showing Peter the coats Dorcas
had made for them?
Answers: 1) Acts 1:1 – Theophilus; 2) Acts 2:1 – Pentecost; 3)
Acts 6:4 So they could spend more time in prayer and preaching;
4) Acts 6:5 – Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, Nicolas;
5) Acts 9:2 - To arrest Christians; 6) Acts 9:3 – A bright light
from Heaven; 7) Acts 7:59-60 – Stephen; 8) Acts 9:39 - Dorcas
***Biblical note*** Long before modern tank warfare, people were
inventing battle machines. In Scripture, the great King Uzziah is
hailed for producing “machines mounted on the walls of Jerusalem,
designed by brilliant men to shoot arrows and hurl stones
from the towers and the corners of the wall” (2 Chronicles 26:15)
www.thewestsidegazette.com
Civil Rights Icon and Beloved Aggie,
Yvonne Johnson: A Life Truly Well Lived
By Todd Simmons /
12/09/2024 Alumni, College
of Education
(Source: North Carolina Agricultural
and Technical State
University
EAST GREENSBORO,
N.C. (Dec. 9, 2024) – A woman
who grew up in the community
around North Carolina
Agricultural and Technical
State University, earned a
master’s degree from A&T
and became the first African
American elected both to the
Greensboro City Council and
to the Greensboro mayorship
has passed, and the Aggie
family locally and nationwide
are mourning her death.
Yvonne Jeffries Johnson ’78
died Wednesday, Dec. 4. Tributes
have poured in over the
past five days from scores of
friends, including Congressional
representatives, Guilford
County and Greensboro officials
and both North Carolina
A&T and Bennett College,
where she earned her bachelor’s
degree. She was 82.
See services information for
Johnson below.
Johnson’s illustrious life
By Jeffrey Collins
(Source: AP)
Johnson speaks during a meeting of the Greensboro
City Council in 2022 in this photo illustration.
touched innumerable parts of
the community. The daughter
of a minister and niece of the
first African American to earn
a doctoral degree in dairy science,
she spent her childhood
on former North Carolina
A&T university farm land.
She graduated from Dudley
High School in East Greensboro
before going on to Bennett.
As a Bennett Belle, she
took part in the historic sit-in
demonstrations launched by
the A&T Four that not only
overturned a racist seating
policy for the Woolworth’s
lunch counter in downtown
Greensboro, but served as a
catalyst for public accommodations
protections in the Civil
Rights Act of 1964.
Johnson graduated from
Bennett the same year that
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
Kay Patterson, who rose from janitor at segregated
South Carolina capitol to state senator, dies
Deeply Rooted
VIEW OBITUARIES ONLINE AT
www.thewestsidegazette.com
******************************
Acknowledgments/ Announcements:
In Memoriam * Death Notices * Happy Birthdays
Card of Thanks* Remembrances
*******************************************************************
HAVE YOUR CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS PLACED ON THIS PAGE (954) 525-1489
Obituaries
Death and Funeral Notices
A Good Sheperd's
Funeral Home
& Cremation Services
Central
Mark Smart
– 37
Funeral
Service
was held
December
21t at AGS
Multipurpose Center..
Patricia
Taviere -63
Funeral
Service
was held
December
17 th at
Annie Laura
Sheppard Smith Chapel.
DECEMBER 26, 2024 - JANUARY 1, 2025 • PAGE 9
Inez Mack – 84
Funeral
Service
was held
December
21 st at James
C. Boyd’s
Memorial
Chapel with
Bishop Tony D. Mitchell
officiating.
Yvonne Joy
McPherson
– 61
Funeral
Service
was held
December
21 st at James
C. Boyd’s
Memorial
Chapel with Mrs. Willie
Phillips officiating.
McWhite’s Funeral
Home Services
Juanita
Alfreda
“Neet” Hicks
Funeral
Service
was held
December
21 st at
McWhite’s
Funeral Home Chapel.
John Willie
Hill Funeral
Service was held
December 20 th
at McWhite’s
Funeral Home
Chapel.
Lee Arthur
Pitts
Funeral Service
was held
December 21 st
at McWhite’s
Funeral Home
Chapel.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)
— Former South Carolina
Sen. Kay Patterson, who
rose from cleaning offices at
the segregated Statehouse to
serving as a state legislator
for over 30 years died Friday.
He was 93.
The South Carolina
Democratic Party announced
Patterson’s death saying he
“left an indelible mark on
our state. Senator Patterson
commanded everyone’s
attention with his wit and
wisdom.”
The statement did not list a
cause of death.
Patterson was born in 1931
in Darlington County and
raised by his grandmothers.
They recalled his hardheaded
spirit early, recommending he
not take jobs as a golf caddy
or shoe shiner because he was
likely to mouth off to white
people in segregated 1940s
South Carolina and get in
trouble.
Instead, Patterson served in
the military and then got his
teaching degree through the
GI Bill at Allen University.
While in college, he cleaned
offices at the segregated
capitol where he and other
Black people couldn’t be
unless they were working.
“When I was a janitor, Black
people couldn’t go in the
Statehouse,” Patterson said
in a 2004 interview with the
University of South Carolina.
“And then one day I came back
down here as a member of the
House and then in ’84, I came
back sitting in the Senate as a
senator. Now that’s a hell of a
long way to come.”
Patterson spent 30 years in
education and was elected to
the South Carolina House in
1974 and the Senate 10 years
later after U.S. Rep. Jim
Clyburn urged him to run for
the upper chamber seat.
In a statement, Clyburn
called Patterson “a trusted
leader, a tireless champion for
civil rights, and a treasured
friend. He was a person of
strength, determination, wisdom,
and a long proponent
of removing the Confederate
flag from the South Carolina
Statehouse dome.”
Patterson was also the first
Black person to serve on the
University of South Carolina
Board of Trustees since
Reconstruction.
Patterson was a key
member of both the House
and Senate, He served on the
budget committees in both
chambers and was a major
voice in support of civil rights,
public education and helping
poor people. He adamantly
demanded the Confederate
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
South Carolina state Sen. Kay Patterson eulogizes
former Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., during Thurmond’s
funeral service at First Baptist Church in Columbia,
S.C., Tuesday, July 1, 2003. (Tim Dominick/The State via
AP, Pool, File)
Merry Christmas
And Happy Kwanzaa;
& Very Happy New Year
From
The Westside Gazette
Management & Staff
Richard “Duke”
Walker – 28
Funeral
Service
was held
December 21 st
at Lighthosue.
James C. Boyd
Funeral Home Services
Maxine Craig
Gaskin - 61
Funeral
Service
was held
December
21at at First
Baptist Church
Piney Grove
with Rev. Dr. Ezar L. Tillman, Jr.
officiating.
Willa
Jane Ball
Funeral
Service
was held
December
21 st at New
Mount Olive
Baptist
Church.
Curtis Bean
Funeral
Service
was held
December 21 st
at McWhite’s
Funeral Home
Chapel.
Zillette Cadet
Funeral Service
was held
December 21 st
at McWhite’s
Funeral Home
Chapel.
Dale Ann
Hall-Scarlett
Memorial
Service
was held
December 18 th
at McWhite’s
Funeral Home
Chapel.
Roy Mizell & Kurtz
Funeral Home Services
Professor
Maxine
Bosket-
Newson – 74
Funeral
Service
was held
December
19 th at Golden Heights Church
Of Christ.
Martha
Irving Smith
Funeral
Service
was held
December
21 st at Roy
Mizell & Kurtz
Funeral Home.
May the God
of hope fill
you with all
joy and peace as
you trust in
him , so that
you may
overflow
with hope by
the power of the
Holy Spirit
Romas 15:13
PAGE 10 • DECEMBER 26, 2024 - JANUARY 1, 2025
Deeply Rooted
www.thewestsidegazette.com
New City Attorney Appointed
with $1 Million Annual Retainer
Hans Ottinot, a prominent South Florida attorney, has
been appointed this week as the interim city attorney for
Lauderhill, a role that comes with a significant price tag for
taxpayers. City records reveal that Ottinot will earn over $1
million annually in retainer fees.
Ottinot, who also serves as city attorney for Tamarac,
officially began his tenure in Lauderhill on Tuesday following
a swiftly convened meeting at City Hall the day prior. He
replaces Angel Petti Rosenberg, Lauderhill’s long-time city
attorney, whose resignation took effect on Monday.
According to an agreement signed by Lauderhill’s newly
elected mayor, Denise Grant, Ottinot’s law firm will receive
a monthly retainer of $85,446.30. This appointment adds to
By Cindy Arenberg Seltzer
BROWARD COUNTY,
FL – The Children’s Services
Council of Broward County
(CSC) is proud to announce
a $500,000 investment in
a collaborative partnership
with Legal Aid Service of
Broward County, the Broward
County Human Services
Department (BCHD), and the
Manne Foundation to expand
Legal Aid’s Homelessness
Prevention Program. This
initiative will provide critical
legal and financial support
to children and families at
risk of eviction, addressing
the growing housing crisis in
Broward County.
Broward County continues
to face significant housing
challenges, with inflated home
prices, rising rental costs,
and a shortage of affordable
housing leading to increased
homelessness among families.
CSC has been a longstanding
supporter of homelessness
prevention, leveraging
emergency flex funds to assist
families facing unexpected
financial hardships.
The new partnership
builds on the success of
the Manne Homelessness
Prevention Program,
stablished with a $1 million
investment from the Manne
Foundation in 2022. Over the
past 1.5 years, this program
has assisted 472 individuals,
including 200 adults and
272 children, by employing
dedicated legal professionals
to mediate between tenants
and landlords to prevent
evictions.
With the additional
$500,000 investment from
CSC, Legal Aid Services
will expand its program by
hiring an additional attorney,
Ottinot’s existing responsibilities in Tamarac, where city
records show he earns $600,000 annually in retainer fees, with
additional compensation for hourly work on litigation, labor
negotiations, real estate transactions, and utility issues.
Meanwhile, Rosenberg, who served Lauderhill for nearly
three decades, will continue to receive approximately $35,000
per month for the next five months during a transition period.
During this time, her firm will transfer all ongoing city
casework to Ottinot’s team.
“It is with mixed emotions that we move on and truly wish
the City of Lauderhill the best in the future,” Rosenberg wrote
in her Dec. 13 resignation letter. She reflected on her 28 years
of service, stating, “The City of Lauderhill has become a part
Announces $500,000
Collaborative Partnership to
Prevent Homelessness
paralegal, and legal assistant
to support families referred
by CSC-funded programs and
ChildNet. These resources
will focus on assisting families
facing temporary financial
challenges, ensuring they
receive the legal and financial
support needed to stay in
their homes.
The collaboration also
includes BCHD, which
recently increased its
funding for rental assistance
programs from $210,000 to
$360,000, recognizing the
critical need for homelessness
prevention. BCHD further
invested $1 million to expand
partnerships with Legal Aid
Service of Broward County
and Coast to Coast Legal Aid
Services.
“Homelessness prevention
is not only a cost-effective
solution but also a vital
investment in the wellbeing
of our children and
our community,” said Cindy
Arenberg Seltzer, CSC
President/CEO. “By
partnering with Legal Aid
Service, BCHD, and the
Manne Foundation, we hope
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HANS OTTINOT
of the fabric of my being.” Rosenberg has not publicly disclosed
the reasons for her resignation, and city officials have not
commented on the matter.
Ottinot’s contract with Lauderhill allows for additional
billing flexibility, covering expenses such as investigative costs,
court fees, mediator fees, and expert consultations, among
others.
With this new appointment, Ottinot and his team, consisting
of three to four attorneys, now represent the cities of Lauderhill,
Tamarac, and the Broward Village of Lazy Lake, according to
public records.
Jessie Trice Community Health
Foundation Spreads Holiday Cheer
at its Annual Toy Drive
500 toys were distributed to children in the Community
During this unprecedented
storm season, Hurricanes
Debby, Helene and Milton
caused significant impacts
across the state of Florida.
Florida Power & Light
Company (FPL) responded
swiftly to each storm,
restoring power to impacted
customers in a matter of days.
Just as importantly, FPL’s
enhancements to the electric
grid, including building
stronger infrastructure,
undergrounding power lines
and deploying smart grid
technology continued to
benefit customers and helped
to avoid outages and speed
restoration.
FPL’s response:
• Smart grid technology
helped avoid approximately
824,000 customer outages
combined during these three
storms.
• Underground power
lines performed about 5-14
times better during these
storms than their overhead
counterparts.
• Stronger infrastructure,
such as converting wooden
poles to concrete structures,
helped speed restoration
times following each storm.
Customers impacted by
each storm were essentially
restored within 1-5 days.
Looking back at this
hurricane season: 2024 was
a historic hurricane season.
In fact, it was the sixth year
since 1871 that Florida
experienced three landfalling
hurricanes in the same year.
• Hurricane Debby (Aug.
5): A Category 1 hurricane
that impacted Florida’s Big
Bend region less than a year
after Category 3 Hurricane
Idalia (Aug. 30, 2023)
made landfall in the same
region. Nearly 250,000 FPL
customers were impacted by
significant flooding, strong
winds and storm surge along
Florida’s west coast and north
region. Customers were
essentially restored in one
day.
• H u r r i c a n e
Helene (Sept. 26): A
Category 4 hurricane that
made landfall slightly west
of Debby’s landfall nearly
two months after the fact –
becoming the third hurricane
to impact that region in
less than a year. More than
680,000 FPL customers were
affected by the storm – which
brought widespread damage
throughout the Southeast
U.S. Customers were
essentially restored in
three days.
o After restoring power to
FPL customers following
Hurricane Helene, we
committed hundreds of
lineworkers, contractors and
support staff to assist with
restoration and rebuilding
across the Southeastern U.S.
• Hurricane Milton (Oct.
9): A Category three
hurricane at landfall, Milton
impacted Florida from coast
to coast less than two weeks
after Hurricane Helene.
Areas across the state were
FPL’s
storm-resilient
power grid
prevents more
than 800,000
outages during
active 2024
hurricane
season
affected by storm surge,
flooding, strong winds and
unprecedented tornado
activity. More than 2 million
FPL customers were impacted
by Milton. Customers were
essentially restored in five
days.
A message from FPL
President and CEO
Armando Pimentel: “This
year was a challenging
hurricane season for Florida
and much of the Southeastern
U.S. I’m proud of the way
our team worked together
and responded as quickly as
possible to get our communities
back on their feet. While this
hurricane season reminded
us that no electric grid is
100% stormproof, it also
showed that grid hardening
is making us more resilient
during hurricanes and severe
weather. Be assured, we
will continue our year-round
approach towards building a
stronger, smarter and more
storm-resilient electric grid
and our teams will be ready
for when the next storm
strikes.”
Looking forward: The
2024 hurricane season
showcased the importance
and need for preparation.
We encourage our customers
to refine their emergency
plans before the 2025
hurricane season approaches.
Customers and all Florida
residents can find useful tips
on www.FPL.com/Storm.
The Jessie Trice Community Health Foundation (JTCHF) and the Jessie Trice Community Health
System(JTCHS) distributed about 500 toys during their annual toy drive. The organization
collected toys through generous donations from community partners. The remaining toys were
donated to the Miami-Dade Police Department to ensure even more children could experience the
magic of the holidays. Pictured are members of the JTCHS executive team and board, alongside
members of the Miami-Dade Police. (Photos Credit: Ricardo Reyes, Sonshine Communications)
MIAMI, FL — Every
child deserves a merry and
bright holiday! With that
message in mind, the Jessie
Trice Community Health
Foundation (JTCHF) and
the Jessie Trice Community
Health System (JTCHS)
recently hosted their Annual
Toy Drive at the JTCHS
Dr. Fatima Zafar Center in
Liberty City.
During the event, which
was held in a drive-thru
format, JTCHF gave away
around 500 toys to children in
need. Adding extra excitement
and joy to the event, President
and CEO of JTCHS, Ryan
R. Hawkins, dressed as
Santa Claus. Children
were delighted to see Santa
greeting them and handing
out toys. Furthermore, they
enjoyed a festive atmosphere
with popcorn, cotton candy,
and a raffle, where a dozen
bicycles were awarded to
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Miami-Dade Chamber Celebrates
50 Years During Annual Gala
Leaders in Black Excellence Awarded for Achievements
By Miami Times
Staff Report
Black excellence was on
full display Saturday during
the Miami-Dade Chamber
of Commerce’s (MDCC) 19th
Annual Holiday Gala at the
Hilton Miami Downtown. The
event also marked 50 years
of MDCC’s commitment to
supporting Black businesses.
G. Eric Knowles, president
and CEO of the Miami-Dade
Chamber of Commerce,
thanked the audience and
honorees.
“Each of you in this room
have played an integral
role in our shared journey,”
Knowles said. “Whether as
business leaders, advocates,
or community partners,
you’ve helped elevate the
chamber’s mission to new
heights. Tonight, we reflect
on our history, celebrate
our achievements, and look
forward to the next 50 years
of excellence.”
“To all of our esteemed
guests tonight: the chamber
remains committed to
advocating for our small
businesses and the broader
community,” said NBC 6
South Florida news anchor
Constance Jones, who served
as the night’s mistress of
ceremony. “Advocacy is as
vital now as it has ever been.”
President and CEO of Ten
North Group Dr. Willie Logan
received the H.T. Smith
Lifetime Achievement Award.
Presenter Teri Williams
— president and COO of
OneUnited Bank — said the
Honorees
award “is presented to an
individual whose lifetime of
exceptional contributions in
community leadership and
philanthropic endeavors has
had a lasting impact on the
lives of residents here in
Miami-Dade County.”
Also honored were Carole
Ann Taylor, an entrepreneur
and founding member of the
Continue reading online at:
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www.thewestsidegazette.com
Deeply Rooted
From the Catwalk to Commencement: How a FAMU
SJGC Student Designed Her Modeling Career
DECEMBER 26, 2024 - JANUARY 1, 2025 • PAGE 11
Submitted by
Alonda Thomas
TALLAHASSEE --
As graduation at Florida
A&M University (FAMU)
approaches, senior Nevaeh
Palmer reflects on her
collegiate journey through
the School of Journalism and
Graphic Communication —
which was defined by a series
of unexpected opportunities.
For Palmer, a native of
Dallas, Texas, her freshman
year at FAMU began online
during the COVID-19
pandemic. Although she loves
being a Rattler now, FAMU
was not on her radar until
she visited the campus.
“I had already committed
to Prairie View. I had paid my
deposit and was trying out for
their dance team, but after
visiting FAMU’s campus
something about it felt like
home,” she says.
After breaking barriers
by becoming the first Black
captain of her high school’s
dance team, Palmer was
disappointed when she
learned she did not make
Prairie View’s dance squad.
However, her acceptance to
FAMU lifted her spirits and
she quickly decided to leave
Dallas for Tallahassee.
“I was able to get my
deposit back. I said goodbye to
my (Prairie View) roommate
and made plans for Florida,”
Palmer remembers.
Then, the pandemic
derailed her plans, and she
opted to attend FAMU from
home.
“Taking classes online
was sometimes challenging,
but I was happy to physically
be at FAMU the following
semester. I later joined the
Venom Pom Squad, and I
tried to soak in the whole
college experience,” she says.
“I met friends who were very
nurturing and took me under
their wing. FAMU really has
something for everyone.”
She was even able to
launch a new venture at the
University.
“I was approached to be a
Victoria’s Secret Pink college
representative for Prairie
View, but I was able to bring
the program with me when I
came to FAMU.”
Originally a business
administration major in
the School of Business and
Industry (SBI), Palmer soon
understood her passion was
not in spreadsheets. After
being featured in Pink’s
promotions, Palmer realized
she wanted to explore a
modeling career. She met with
the owner of a Miami-based
modeling agency who offered
some harsh, but ultimately
valuable advice.
“She told me to change
my hair, remove the lash
extensions, switch my major,
quit the dance team, and I did
everything she said. I knew
if I wanted this as a career
I would have to make some
sacrifices,” she says.
Her efforts proved
profitable. She later signed
with the Miami agency and
began receiving offers for
work with some influential
companies. However, Palmer
maintains the leap from
business and accounting to
the School of Journalism
& Graphic Communication
(SJGC) was not as shocking
as some would expect.
“My experience in SBI
taught me how to use my
elevator pitch, how to brand
myself and how to decipher
contracts. I use those lessons
daily, she offers. “But,
changing my major to graphic
design allowed me the
flexibility to pursue modeling.
It also fueled a passion I have
for marketing and provided a
much-needed creative outlet.
Palmer is currently
signed with Ford Models,
has previously appeared in
several music videos as well
as advertisements for major
fashion retailers, such as
Abercrombie & Fitch and
Hollister. She says balancing
academics and modeling was
not always an easy task.
“There have been times
when I have been asked to
attend a casting call with
very little notice and I’ve had
to decline,” Palmer says. “It
was important to prioritize
my studies and stay focused.”
Her dedication was
successful. She will soon cross
the commencement stage
and later trade her cap and
gown for photo shoots and
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Upon graduation, Florida A&M University’s Nevaeh
Palmer plans to pursue a modeling career, a passion
that she mastered during her time in the School of
Journalism and Graphic Communication.
catwalks. Her career plans
include pursuing modeling
while leveraging her degree
in graphic design to explore
opportunities as a creative
influencer. She credits FAMU
with equipping her with tools
to follow her dreams.
“Starting college during
the pandemic taught me that
life is unpredictable, but if you
remain open, opportunities
will flow in your direction,”
she says.
As she prepares for her
next journey, Palmer hopes
her story will inspire others
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NNPA
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DECEMBER 26, 2024
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ARIES- Move slowly concerning relationships this week.
People are a little edgy and they don’t know exactly
where you are coming from. Make full explanations.
Don’t assume that they know what’s on your mind.
Most of all, stay positive no matter what. Clinging to the
old will inhibit my growth this week. 6, 8, 20
TAURUS-Exercise will work off some of your excess
energy this week. Take a walk and remember that your
world is made up of many beautiful parts. The part you
are focusing on so intently this week is not your entire
world. Proceed accordingly! I celebrate with those
around me. 13, 29, 34
GEMINI-This week is a good week to dump any extra
baggage that has been pulling you down. You have too
much potential to throw away and waste your time on
issues that will amount to nothing. Stay focused on your
goals. Meet and spend time with people who will be
able to help you reach them. The word is in me. I bring
it forth. 7, 29, 44
CANCER-This is a good week for exercising that clever
mind of yours. Luck will be with you in all endeavors you
start. Luck is with you always because positive outlook
attracts positive vibrations. I enjoy looking at the road of
life sweeping just in front of me. 30, 41, 54,
LEO-Your careless ways with money are going to be
apparent this week. Financial mistakes you’ve made in
the past will be especially painful. Don’t conceal the pain
from yourself. It is a warning that you should take steps
to prevent future financial crisis. I let my friendships
guide my way. 5, 22, 35
VIRGO-Take advantage of the great weather and spend
time outdoors enjoying and relaxing with Mother
Nature. Learn a new sport, and spend time with family
and friends. Don’t take travel matters into your own
hands. Seek a professional who will be able to plan a
wonderful vacation for you without breaking your bank.
Cook up some goodies for your loved ones. I change
who I am by changing where I am going.
3, 20, 23
LIBRA-Everything seems to be moving along in a very
pleasant way this week. Friends are helpful, family is
supportive, even the sun seems to be shining just for
you! Enjoy this harmony and count your blessings. Finish
a task at work. The slowness of my week gives me time
to refresh my energy. 12, 26, 36
SCORPIO-The bond that you established with your
spiritual side works well in your relationship with a special
person. Speak of the reality of the intangible qualities of
life. Your lover will understand. Keep attention on the
financial matters you’ve been dealing with. I obey the
rules this week and avoid hassles. 3, 8, 24
SAGITTARIUS-If you need some time to yourself this
week, take it. You’ll be doing yourself an act of kindness.
Since you do so much for others, why not treat yourself
as well as you treat them? Your world is the way you are
living. Live with love. I get joy from giving good things.
19, 39, 42
CAPRICORN-Remember that exercise is a wonderful
tension-reliever if things get too intense this week. A
walk over your lunch hour could make all the difference
in how you feel this afternoon. Love yourself and reward
yourself with perfect health and happiness. Faith keeps
me calm in the storms of life.
Lucky Numbers: 44, 49, 51
AQUARIUS-You’ve done some of your own love
homework. Hopefully you’ve had an opportunity to
learn a new way of seeing the world and in that way
you’ve found a way of loving that is more natural for
you. The combination of sexiness and joyful focus can
create you a wonderful love experience. I get joy from
giving good things. 14, 23, 37
65
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77 78 79
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OCT.
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CAPRICORN AQUARIUS PISCES ARIES TAURUS GEMINI
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CANCER LEO VIRGO LIBRA SCORPIO SAGITTARIUS
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PISCES-If you want to keep your positive outlook intact,
avoid gossip and those who might want to just cry the
blues for no good reason. You’ll be happiest this week
if you keep busy and keep your opinions to yourself.
However, good advice is available from an older female
relative. Love is easier than breathing.
12, 30, 50
CALL FOR FORD(954) 557-1203
PAGE 12 • DECEMBER 25, 2024 - JANUARY 1, 2025
Deeply Rooted
www.thewestsidegazette.com
For the Week oF December 24 - 30, 2024
2 0 2 4 B C S P D I V . I " B A A D T E A M "
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE QB: Draylen Ellis, Sr., Tennessee State; RB: Irv Mulligan, Sr.,
Jackson State; Jaden Sutton, Sr., Delaware State; WR: JaVonnie Gibson, R-So., Ark.-Pine
Bluff; Caden High, So., SC State; TE: Keshawn Toney, Gr., South Carolina State; OL: Nick
Taiste, Sr., SC State; Carson Vinson, Sr., Alabama A&M; Connor Meadows, So., Tennessee
State; D’Andre Townes-Blue, Jr., Jackson State; Darius Fox, Sr., Howard; PK: Guillermo Garcia
Rodriguez, Gr., Prairie View A&M; KR: C. J. Evans, R-Sr., Tennessee State;
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE DL: Elijah Williams, Sr., Morgan State; Ckelby Givens, Jr., Southern;
Treqwan Thomas, Sr., Alabama State; Ashaad Hall, Jr., SC State; LB: Aaron Smith, SC State;
Andrew Jones, Jr., Grambling State; A. J. Richardson, So., Norfolk State; DB: Boogie Trotter,
Jr., Tennessee State; James Burgess, Sr., Alabama State; Kenny Gallop Jr., Sr., Howard;
Ke’Vric Wiggins Jr., Sr., Jackson State; P: Juan Velarde, Sr., NC Central;
2 0 2 4 B C S P D I V . I I / N A I A " B A A D T E A M "
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE QB: Isaiah Knowles, R-So., Albany State; RB: Jada Byers, Sr.,
Virginia Union; Walter Wilbon, Sr., Florida Memorial; WR: Brevin Caldwell, Jr., Johnson C.
Smith; Armone Harris, Jr., Clark Atlanta; TE: Kameron King, R-Sr., Fayetteville State; OL: Bruno
Onwuazor, R-Jr., Virginia State; Dalton Hall, Jr., West Virginia State; Jason Stovall, R-Sr., Miles;
Ahmed Brimah, Jr., Albany State; Larry Jones Jr., Gr., Virginia Union; PK: Brady Myers, Jr.,
Virginia Union; KR: Jaxon Williams, Fr., Benedict;
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE DL: Roc Dowdell, R-Sr., Miles; Isaac Anderson, Sr., Virginia Union;
Israel Nwokocha, Jr., Benedict; Jamichael Rogers, R-Jr., Miles; LB: Benari Black, Sr., Johnson
C. Smith; Ty’Metrius Patterson, Sr., Benedict; Sadiq Salawu, R-Sr., Bowie State; DB: Lashon
Young, Fr., Miles; Nick Blake, Jr., West Virginia State; Justin Fleming, Sr., Winston-Salem State;
Dahlil Wilkins, Sr., Clark Atlanta; P: Marvin Holmes, Sr., Virginia Union;
ONE
LAST
HURRAH!
Steven J. Gaither/HBCU Gameday Photo
NORFOLK STATE, PRAIRIE VIEW HIRE NEW COACHES;
2024 "BAAD TEAMS" UNVEILED; FINAL STAT LEADERS
© AZEEZ Communications, Inc. Vol. XXXI, No. 21
HOMECOMING!: Former NFL
iconic quarterback Michael Vick
returns to his roots in Tidewater
Virginia as the new head football
coach at Norfolk State.
THE STAT CORNER
WHO ARE THE BEST PERFORMERS IN BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS
FINAL 2024 FOOTBALL
INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS
Seniors and top numbers in bold
RUSHING YARDS CL G CAR YDS AVG TDS LNG AVG/G
Jada Byers, VUU SR 14 329 2061 6.3 27 75 147.2
Walter Wilbon, FLAMEM SR 10 147 1088 7.4 17 64 108.8
J’Mari Taylor, NCCU R-JR 11 196 1146 5.8 15 66 104.2
Irv Mulligan, JSU GR 12 205 1245 6.1 13 54 103.8
Jaden Sutton, DSU GR 12 184 1216 6.6 12 72 101.3
PASSING YARDS CL G CM - AT - INT PCT YDS TDS LNG YPG
David Wright III, CLATL JR 11 248-402-16 61.7 3271 31 68 297.4
Torrence Bardel, LANG JR 9 169-334-7 50.6 2464 21 76 273.8
Isaiah Knowles, ALB R-SO 10 190-289-8 65.7 2555 32 78 255.5
Draylen Ellis, TNST GR 13 257-415-8 61.9 3029 24 83 233.0
Darius Ocean, JCSU JR 10 170-300-5 56.7 2301 16 56 230.1
PASS EFFICIENCY CL G CMP- ATT- INT PCT YDS TDS LNG AVG EFF
Mark Wright, VUU SR 12 130-199-7 65.3 2263 21 90 188.6 188.6
Isaiah Knowles, ALB R-SO 10 190-289-8 65.7 2555 32 78 255.5 171.0
Romelo Williams, VSU GR 11 142-232-7 61.2 2322 21 91 211.1 169.1
Jamir Dismukes, ALL JR 10 113-192-10 58.9 1842 19 76 184.2 161.7
Kareem Keye, ALS R-FR 9 82-140-4 58.6 1355 11 84 150.6 160.1
RECEPTIONS/GAME CL G REC YDS TD LNG YPC YDS/G R/G
Brevin Caldwell, JCSU JR 10 85 1090 8 53 12.8 109.0 8.5
Armone Harris, CLATL JR 11 75 1004 14 54 13.4 91.3 6.8
Jamal Jones, CLATL JR 11 74 987 6 68 13.3 89.7 6.7
Kevin Allen, LANG SR 9 55 907 5 66 16.5 100.8 6.1
Nathan Rembert, MVSU SO 12 70 1038 4 76 14.8 86.5 5.8
RECEIVING YARDS CL G REC YDS TD LNG YPC RPG YG
Brevin Caldwell, JCSU JR 10 85 1090 8 53 12.8 8.5 109.0
Reginald Vick, Jr., VUU R-SO 10 42 1069 10 74 25.4 4.2 106.9
JaVonnie Gibson, ARKPB R-SO 12 70 1215 9 60 17.4 5.8 101.3
Armone Harris, CLATL JR 11 75 1004 14 54 13.4 6.8 91.3
Da’Shun Mitchell, SAVST SR 10 49 913 9 77 18.6 4.9 91.3
TOTAL OFFENSE CL G RUSH PASS PLAY YDS YDS/G
Torrence Bardell, LANG JR 9 371 2464 421 2835 315.0
David Wright, CLATL JR 11 116 3271 459 3387 307.9
Isaiah Knowles, ALB R-SO 10 76 2555 371 2631 263.1
Draylen Ellis, TNST GR 13 95 3029 490 3124 240.3
Eric Phoenix, SCSU GR 12 242 2603 378 2845 237.1
SCORING CL G TD FG XPT 2XP PTS AVG
Walter Wilbon, FLAMEM SR 10 20 0 0 0 120 12.0
Jada Byers, VUU SR 14 27 0 0 0 162 11.6
J’Mari Taylor, NCCU R-JR 11 17 0 0 0 102 9.3
Joel Felder, WVSU R-JR 11 17 0 0 0 102 9.3
Brandon Marshall, FVSU GR 10 15 0 0 0 90 9.0
ALL-PURPOSE YARDS CL G RUSH RCV PR KR YDS AVG
Jada Byers, VUU SR 14 2061 154 180 0 2395 171.1
Jamal Jones, CLATL JR 11 24 987 101 587 1699 154.5
Anthony Evelyn, LANE SR 10 55 686 157 582 1480 148.0
Brandon Marshall, FVSU GR 10 926 439 0 0 1365 136.5
Joel Felder, WVSU SR 11 976 478 9 0 1463 133.0
KICKOFF RETURNS CL G NO YDS TD LNG AVG
Jaxon Williams, BEN FR 10 17 665 2 96 39.1
C. J. Evans Jr., TNST R-SR 13 19 614 2 99 32.3
Jamal Jones, CLATL JR 11 19 587 2 84 30.9
Ja’qun Wilkins, JCSU SO 10 19 582 1 89 30.6
Travis Terrell Jr., JSU FR 13 18 551 2 96 30.6
PUNT RETURNS CL G NO YDS TD LNG AVG
Dejuan Bell, FVSU GR 10 19 399 3 70 21.0
Cameron Watts, ALB SO 10 13 250 1 64 19.2
Malique Leatherbury, MSU SO 12 16 286 0 63 17.9
Travis Terrell Jr., JSU FR 13 18 300 0 44 16.7
Maleek Huggins, B-CU R-JR 12 12 187 1 77 15.6
PUNTING CL G NO YDS TB FC BLK I20 50+ LNG AVG
Juan Velarde, NCCU SR 11 37 1658 4 16 0 14 11 70 44.8
Alexander Davis, MVSU SO 12 59 2556 8 9 0 8 13 80 43.3
Anthony Frederique, B-CU SO 12 66 2840 4 24 0 25 17 67 43.0
Austin McCready, ALAM JR 12 41 1758 5 9 0 13 9 57 42.9
Marvin Holmes, VUU SR 13 32 1372 1 4 0 10 10 61 42.9
TACKLES CL G POS SOLO Ast. TOT AVG/G
Benari Black, JCSU SR 10 LB 49 65 114 11.4
Andrew Jones, GSU R-JR 12 LB 57 65 122 10.2
Sadiq Salawu, BSU R-SR 10 LB 55 38 93 9.3
Jalil Lenore, CSU R-FR 10 LB 58 35 93 9.3
Devon Irving, LANE JR 10 LB 35 57 92 9.2
Aaron Smith, SCSU GR 10 LB 58 34 92 9.2
SACKS CL G POS SOLO Ast YDS TOT AVG/G
Treqwan Thomas, ALST R-JR 12 LB 11 2 59 12 1.00
Xavier Esquillen, SAVST SO 10 DL 8 3 56 9.5 .95
Caleb Grant, MHS SR 10 LB 9 1 68 9.5 .95
Ashaad Hall, SCSU JR 12 DE 11 0 56 11 .92
Ckelby Givens, SOU JR 13 DE 9 6 46 12 .92
Elijah Williams, MSU SR 12 DL 10 2 112 11 .92
TACKLES FOR LOSS CL G POS SOLO AST YDS TOT AVG/G
Ckelby Givens, SOU JR 13 DE 21 13 99 27.5 2.12
Andrew Jones, GSU R-JR 12 LB 14 13 71 20.5 1.71
Malachi Bailey, ALC JR 12 DL 15 9 79 19.5 1.63
Armonnie Wise, LANG SR 9 DE 12 5 57 14.5 1.61
Davion Watkins, LIV FR 10 DE 13 4 59 15.0 1.50
INTERCEPTIONS CL G INT YDS TD LONG AVG/G
Lashon Young, MILES FR 13 8 148 1 52 0.62
Nick Blake, WVSU JR 11 5 103 2 65 0.45
Stephan French, EWU SO 10 4 66 0 34 0.40
Kevin Larkins, LIV JR 10 4 41 0 25 0.40
Jeremiah Hudson-Davis, MILES SO 11 4 147 0 59 0.36
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE QB: Eric Phoenix, Sr., SC State; RB: J'Mari Taylor, Jr., NC
Central; Donovan Eaglin, Sr., Alabama A&M; WR: Karate Brenson, R-Jr., Tennessee State;
Nathan Rembert, So., Mississippi Valley State; TE: Tavarious Griffin, Sr., Alcorn State; OL:
Trent McDuffie, Jr., Hampton; Trevon Humphrey, R-So., NC Central; Cam Johnson, Sr., SC
State; Charles Davis, R-Jr., Florida A&M; Arelious Dunn, Sr., Alabama State; PK: Gerardo
Baeza, R-Jr., Jackson State; KR: Travis Terrell Jr., Fr., Jackson State;
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE DL: Malachi Bailey, Jr., Alcorn State; Jayden Broughton, Sr., SC
State; Joshua Nobles, Jr., Jackson State; Noah Miles, Jr., HOW LB: Stemarion Edwards, Sr.,
Alcorn State; Demarkus Cunningham, Sr., Alabama State; Jaki Brevard, Sr., NC Central; DB:
Jarod Washington, Sr., SC State; Kole Jones, Sr., NC Central; Amon Scarbrough, Sr., Alabama
State; MJ Hinson, Fr., Texas Southern; P: Anthony Frederique, So., Bethune-Cookman;
LUT WILLIAMS
BCSP Editor
ATLANTA, GA – For the first time, the
Black college SportS page is picking two all-
American teams – what we dub the "Baad Teams"
– from the 2024 football season (see above).
One squad will represent the HBCU
star players that compete in Div. I Football
Championship Subdivision (FCS) conferences
and the other representing the HBCU stars that
compete in NCAA Div. II or NAIA conferences.
The separation comes after the BCSP in 2023
went away from ranking the Top Ten teams in all
of black college football to BCSP Top Fives of
FCS and Div. II/NAIA teams. We revealed the
Final Top Fives last week.
Given this new designation, the BCSP will
now select offensive and defensive players of
the year and a coach of the year from each of the
divisions.
The runaway Div. II/NAIA offensive player
of the year for 2024 and leader of that team's
offense is Virginia Union senior running back
Jada Byers. The 5-7, 185-pound Bridgeton, New
Jersey native and VUU career rushing leader
capped off his remarkable four-year career with
his best season. He put up black college-bests of
2,061 rushing yards (147.2 yards per game), 27
touchdowns for 162 points and 171.2 all-purpose
yards per game. Byers led the Panthers to their
second straight CIAA title and third straight
NCAA Div. II playoff berth during his four years
at VUU.
This year however, with Byers as the catalyst,
the Panthers won the program's first two Div. II
playoff games on the road at Wingate and Lenoir-
Rhyne before falling on the road to eventual
national runners-up Valdosta State. VUU had lost
ten straight playoff games prior to this season.
His final year capped off a career that saw
him rush for 874 yards and nine TDs in 2021,
1,979 yards and 19 TDs in 2022 and 1,219
yards and 16 TDs in 2023. His 6,133 rushing
yards, 71 TDs and 426 points shattered fomer
VUU running back Andre Braxton's program
records of 4,989 yards, 27 TDs and 176 points.
At the skill positions, Byers is joined on
the first team by Albany State sophomore
quarterback Isaiah Knowles, the black college
leader in passing touchdowns (32) and completion
percentage (65.7%), Florida Memorial senior
RB Walter Wilbon (1,090 yards, 17 TDs), who
topped the black college ranks in yards per carry
(7.4 ypc.), and receiving leaders in J. C. Smith
junior Brevin Caldwell, who topped the charts
with 85 receptions (8.5 per game) and 109.0
receiving yards per game. The other receiver,
Clark Atlanta junior Armone Harris (75 rec.,
1,004 yards), was the leader with 14 TD receptions.
The rest of the first team offense includes all-
CIAA first team redshirt senior tight end Kameron
King (26 rec., 340 yds., 3 TDs) and Virginia State
junior and CIAA lineman of the year Bruno
Onwuazor, West Virginia State junior Dalton
Hall, Miles redshirt senior Jason Stovall, Albany
State junior Ahmed Brimah and VUU grad senior
Larry Jones Jr. on the offensive line.
The Div. II/NAIA Defensive Player of the
Year is J. C. Smith linebacker Benari Black who
led black college lists with 11.4 tackles per game
(114 total). Black edged out Miles freshman safety
Lashon Young for the individual award. Young's
eight interceptions were best among black college
players and second in Div. II.
On the first team Div. II/NAIA defense
line are Miles redshirt-senior Roc Dowdell and
redshirt junior Jamichael Rogers along with
VUU senior Isaac Anderson and Benedict junior
Israel Nwokocha. Benedict senior Ty'Metrius
Patterson and Bowie State redshirt senior Sadiq
Salawu are the other linebackers with WVSU
junior Nick Blake, Winston-Salem State senior
Justin Fleming and Clark Atlanta senior Dahlil
Wilkins joining Young in the backfield.
The first team placekicker is VUU junior
Brady Myers, (66 PATs. 90 pts.). The punter is
VUU senior Marvin Holmes (42.9 avg.) with
Benedict freshman Jaxon Williams as the kick
returner (39.1 avg, 2 TDs).
Third-year Miles head coach Sam Shade gets
the nod as the Div. II/NAIA Coach of the year.
The Alabama product and former eightyear NFL
safety led the Golden Bears to a perfect 9-0 mark
in winning the SIAC title and to their first Div. II
playoff win in a first round victory over Carson-
Newman.
Choosing the top Div. I (FCS) black college
players of the year on offense and defense was
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE QB: David Wright III, Jr., Clark Atlanta; RB: Brandon Marshall, Gr.,
Fort Valley State; Joel Felder, R-Jr., West Virginia State; WR: Reginald Vick Jr., R-So., Virginia
Union; Da'Shun Mitchell, Sr., Savannah State; TE: Travaunta Abner, Jr., Miles; OL: Jared Achuff,
Sr., Bowie State; Michael Todd, R-Sr., Fayetteville State; Ahmed Brimah, Jr., Albany State;
Austin Euler, Gr., Clark Atlanta; Andrew Dorsey, So., Fort Valley State; PK: Brady Myers, Jr.,
Virginia Union; KR: Dejuan Bell, Gr., Fort Valley State;
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE DL: Lamonte Hill Jr., So., Johnson C. Smith; Davion Watkins,
Fr., Livingstone; Robert Brown, Jr., Lane; Damian Lowery, Sr., Langston; LB: Caleb Grant, Sr.,
Morehouse; Jalil Lenore, Sr., Central State; Carl Poole Jr., Gr., Virginia State; DB: Shamar
Baker, Fr., JCSU; Malik Moore, Jr., Tuskegee; Stephan French, So., Edward Waters; William
Davis, Jr., VUU; P: Lucas Wynn, So., Benedict;
Byers, Black, Ellis, Jones lead 2024 "Baad Teams"
BCSP Notes
Michael Vick the new Norfolk State football coach
Excitement permeated the Norfolk State campus Monday as a
packed house, including local NBA Hall of Famer Allen Iverson and a
host of dignataries, were on hand as the Spartans introduced former NFL
first-round overall pick, star quarterback and four-time NFL Pro Bowler
Michael Vick as its new head football coach.
"It's awesome to look around this room and see the support," Vick
said from the stage at the NSU Student Center in a sit-down interview
following his introduction. "It means a lot when I say full-circle moment,"
the Newport News product said of returning to coach in the Hampton
Roads Virginia area. Vick grew up in nearby Newport News.
"I'm so glad I made this decision," Vick added saying that he
consulted former Jackson State and now Colorado head coach Deion
Sanders about the move. "It wasn't the easiest decision to make but, I love
the game of football, I love teaching it and this is just another step and the
start of a new journey."
Vick takes over from Dawson Odums who was let go after posting a
15-31 record in three years at the helm of the program.
Tremaine Jackson takes over at Prairie View A&M
Tremaine Jackson, fresh off leading Valdosta State to the NCAA
Div. II championship game Saturday, was named over the
weekend as the new head football coach at Prairie View
A&M.
Jackson, whose VSU team was ranked first in the
nation and knocked off SIAC champion Miles and CIAA
champion Virginia Union in this year's Div. II Super
Region II playoffs, announced following VSU's 49-14 loss
to Ferris State in the championship game Saturday, that he was leaving the
Blazers to take over the Panthers' program.
Jackson is no stranger to the Southwestern Athletics Conferencce
(SWAC). He played at Texas Southern in the 2002 and 2003 seasons and
later served on the TSU coaching staff from 2008 to 2011. He had posted
a 30-9 record in three years at VSU.
Jackson takes over from Bubba McDowell who was let go after
posting a 17-18 record in three seasons.
Byers Black Shade
Ellis Jones George
Jackson
a little tougher because there were several
outstanding performers to choose from.
On offense, Tennesse State senior quarterback
Draylen Ellis who topped the black college FCS
lists in passing yards (3,029, 233.0 ypg), TDs
(24), attempts (257) and completions (215) and
Arkansas-Pine Bluff redshirt sophomore wide
receiver Javonnie Gibson, who topped all black
college receivers with 1,215 receiving yards
including an HBCU Div. I best 17.4 yards per
catch, were the most prolific.
The BCSP goes with Ellis as the DI Offensive
POY and his head coach, former Heisman Trophy
winner Eddie George, as the Coach of the Year
after the pair led TSU to a share of the OVC/Big
South title and an FCS playoff berth for the first
time since 2013.
The running backs are SWAC rushing
leader and Offensive Player of the Year, senior
Irv Mulligan (1,235 yds., 13 TDs) of league
champion Jackson State and Delaware State
senior and MEAC rushing leader Jaden Sutton
(1,216 yds., 12 TDs). Joining Gibson at receiver is
sophomore MEAC receiving leader Caden High
(62 rec., 908 yds., 7 TDs) of league champion
South Carolina State. SC State grad Keshawn
Toney (28 rec., 307 yds., 3 TDs) is the tight end.
The offensive line includes Alabama A&M senior
Carson Vinson, SC State senior Nick Taiste,
JSU junior D'Andre Townes-Blue, Tennessee
State sophomore Connor Meadows and Howard
senior Darius Fox.
Grambling State junior linebacker and
SWAC Co-Defensive POY Andrew Jones, whose
122 tackles were the best in black college football
and ninth in all of the FCS, takes the defensive
POY award over game-changers in Morgan State
senior lineman Elijah Williams (54 tackles, 15.0
tackles for loss, 11 sacks) and Howard senior
defensive back Kenny Gallop Jr. (77 tackles, 7.0
TFL, 3 sacks).
HBCU sacks leaders Treqwan Thomas (Sr.,
Alabama State), Ckelby Givens (Jr., Southern)
and Ashaad Hall (Jr., SCSU) are the other
linemen. Aaron Smith (Sr., SCSU, 92 tackles)
and A. J. Richardson (So., Norfolk State, 100
tackles) are the other linebackers.
Aeneas Williams award winner James
Burgess (Sr., Alab. St.), first team all-OVC/Big
South junior Boogie Trotter (Jr., Tenn. St.) and
JSU senior Ke'Vric Wiggins are the others in
the secondary. NC Central senior Juan Velarde
(44.8-yard avg.) is the punter with Prairie View
A&M grad Guillermo Garcia-Rodriguez the
placekicker. Tennessee State redshirt senior C.
J. Evans who averaged 32.3 yards per kickoff
return including two for TDs is the kick returner.
CORRALLED!!
Kansas City defensive back JOSHUA WILLIAMS (#2, FAYETTEVILLE
STATE) takes down Houston QB C. J. Stroud for a sack. (chiefs.com photo)
BCSP NFL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
For NFL games of December 19 - 23, 2024
DEFENSE
– #2 JOSHUA WILLIAMS, DB, Kansas City (3rd season,
FAYETTEVILLE STATE) - In Kansas City’s 27-19 win over Houston
Saturday, Williams started at cornerback and had five total tackles,
three solos, and was credited with one sack for -12 yards and one
pass defended. Willams played 34 defensive snaps (58%) and four on
special teams (17%).
OFFENSE
– #72 TERRON ARMSTEAD, OT, Miami (12th season, ARKANSAS-
PINE BLUFF) - In Miami’s 29-17 win San Francisco, Armstead
started at left tackle as the Dolphins rushed for 166 yards and a TD
and passed for 215 yards while the line did not surrender a sack. He
was in on all 67 offensive snaps (100%).
SPECIAL TEAMS
– #6 JAMIE GILLAN, P, New York Giants (6th season, ARKANSAS-
PINE BLUFF) - In the Giants’ 34-7 loss to Atlanta, Gillan punted five
times for 210 yards (42.0-yard average) with a net average of 40.8
yards. He landed three punts inside the 20 and had a long punt of 51
yards. Gillan was in for six special teams’ snaps (25%).
www.thewestsidegazette.com
SPORTS
Nunnie on the Sideline
By Nunnie Robinson, Westside Gazette Sports Editor
The CFP began on Friday night in
South Bend, the home of the Notre
Dame Fighting Irish who hosted state
rival Indiana. Their 27-17 victory over
the Hoosiers wasn’t as close as the score
indicates. This set the theme for other
blowouts: Penn St.’s rout of SMU and
Ohio St.’s demolition of Tennessee, a
team certainly more talented than they
showed Saturday in the cold confines
of the horseshoe against a motivated
Buckeye team that lost at home to
rival Michigan.
Clemson did manage to give Texas a
battle before succumbing to the talented Longhorns.
The blowouts led to searing criticism of the selection
committee for choosing teams with winning records against
virtually weak opponents, while teams with worst records but
stronger opponents were left out of the 12 team field. Certainly
3 loss teams from the SEC like South Carolina, Ole Miss and
Alabama would have been more competitive. Perhaps even the
Miami Hurricanes have a right to complain. The truth be told:
they all lost winnable games which kept them out of the CFP.
However, the selection committee must reevaluate criteria
for selection. Will conference champions continue receiving
automatic bids and how much emphasis will or should be
placed on strength of schedule. Will teams from stronger
conferences with worst won/loss records have priority over
weaker conference champions. Two things for certain: the CFP
selection committee has some retooling to do and the best CFP
games are yet to be played.
Women’s sports has captivated the country across the
spectrum - Caitlin Clark’s emergence as the face of women’s
basketball, both collegiately and professionally, Dawn Staley’s
South Gamecocks emerging as the next dynasty in women’s
basketball and Las Vegas’s Aja Wilson considered the best
player in the WNBA. Of course, the excitement related to
attendance, increased revenue and the garnered attention
hasn’t come without costs- misogyny, racial implications and
homophobia have at times reared their ugly heads. However, I
believe the enthusiasm, excitement, opportunities and support
for young girls and women’s sports will prevail.
Though many believed that Deion Sanders would bolt for
the NFL after this season, his impact on the college football
landscape is undeniable. What he began at Jackson State has
continued under his recommended replacement TC Taylor,
who led the Tigers to a Celebration Bowl victory and a Black
College national championship. Furthermore, the University of
Colorado has seen a significant increase in minority applications
because of Coach Sanders and the athletic program. I certainly
hope he stays at CU. Much of the nation will be watching and
supporting.
First it was the NIL, Name, Image and Likeness, which
began the move away from true amateur athletics as a way of
compensating athletes. Then revenue sharing which virtually
put college athletics in the pay for play category. Not that I
am against athletes being compensated; however, I do think
they’ve gone from one extreme- the theory that an athletic
scholarship was sufficient while hoarding the money for
themselves- to another- overpaying college athletes as if they
were professionals. I don’t know what the solution is, but seeing
players in the transfer portal waiting on the highest bidder or
having players realistically compete for multiple schools in a
4-5 year period is for me a bridge too far. And will all players on
a given team be fairly compensated or will those of lesser talent
or status be relegated to the book depository. Fairness, equity
and inclusion must be considered in this rapidly emerging,
evolution of college athletics.
What say you…..?
Why new Norfolk State coach Michael
Vick shed tears on NFL pregame show
(Photo by Ian Maddox for The Washington Post)
By HBCU Sports
(Source: HBCU)
New Norfolk State coach Michael Vick has begun to open
up why he decided to pursue the profession despite lacking
experience.
On Sunday, during an NFL pregame show on FOX, Vick —
hired by NSU — Friday went into detail about his motivation
and what it now means to be an HBCU football coach in his
hometown.
“When you got a chance to go lead young men in your
community, where I grew up watching this team,” said Vick. “I
got what it takes.”
Vick will be formally introduced as head coach at Norfolk
From
Westside
Gazette
Management
& Staff
Deeply Rooted
Against the Grain II
Don’t be like Shaq and Kobe
this holiday season
By Vaughn Wilson
The way the NBA is going with a heavy
concentration on three-point shots, probably
the last great guard-big man duo in
professional basketball might be Shaquille
O’Neal and the late Kobe Bryant. Shaq and
Kobe combined for three consecutive NBA
championships from 2000-2002. Both are
regarded as two of the Top 50 players ever
in the NBA. By most accounts they would both land in the top
20 players of all time.
For a long time the two were both inseparable and
synonymous. A friendly competition on their team somehow
spilled over and grew into a feud between the two. The reason
the disparity grew is of no concern. That is where fingerpointing
and the grey area come into play.
The Lakers were the last team to three-peat for NBA
Championships. O’Neal would migrate to Los Angeles after
starting a promising career in Orlando with the upstart
Magic. Bryant played for one team only…the Lakers. He was
regarded as a prodigy, following the footsteps of his father as
a professional basketball player. Bryant would bypass college
and go straight to the NBA from Lower Merion High School in
Pennsylvania.
The feud between Bryant and O’Neal grew to a nasty public
spectacle. In 2004, O’Neal was traded to the Miami Heat as
the Lakers prioritized keeping Bryant as Shaq was nearing the
end of his career.
The two had seemed like brothers for most of their
careers. Shaq and Kobe were almost a noun. They were a
thing. They graced the covers of magazines together, they
appeared on shows together, and shared the spotlight for
several appearances on national media stages.
However, unfortunately the distance between the two
grew. Comments, accusations, and just contention grew in the
public arena. Neither of the two would hold back when asked
about the other. Fans chose sides and that fueled the divide
even further. Talk shows took to the issue and made it even
bigger in the public eye.
O’Neal would go on to win a championship with Dwyane
Wade and the Miami Heat in 2006. Bryant would win back-toback
championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010. Bryant
would declare after winning his final championship “It’s one
more than him,” referring to O’Neal. From there, things would
only go further downhill.
Suddenly, there was no time to repair their relationship
that by O’Neal’s account could probably have been squashed
by time and conversation. It is one regret that he cannot
repair. He admitted that there were no deal breakers in their
relationship, but they just didn’t get together and put their
differences aside.
In a shocking helicopter crash in 2020 at the age of 41,
Brant passed away. His daughter Gianna was aboard and also
died. It sent shock waves through the entire world. Bryant
was a beloved figure across the globe. In all accounts, it was a
life ended too soon as he was only 41 years old.
O’Neal, who was a broadcaster on the TNT channel finally
was able to verbalize his feelings in public. It was a sorrowful
statement full of regret in a special interview around Bryant’s
demise. “I haven’t felt a pain that sharp in a while. Our names
will be attached together for what we did. People always ask
about our relationship and I tell em’ it’s like me and Charles
(Barkley). You’ve got two strong-minded people that are going
to get it done their way…gonna say certain things…the respect
will never be lost,” O’neal said.
“I’m going to do a better job of reaching out to people
instead of always procrastinating because you never know. I
could never imagine nothing like this. I wish I could say one
last thing to the people we lost. Once you’re gone you’re gone
forever and we should never take stuff like that for granted.”
Too many family, friends, and other relationships have been
strained by things that may have seemed monumental at the
time, but in fact they are miniscule to the grand scope of life. If
we learned nothing else from the pandemic and the sudden
departure of an astronomical number of family, friends, and
loved ones, it’s that tomorrow is not promised. In some circles
it almost appears cool to be at odds with someone else.
Don’t be like Shaq and Kobe. They went on with their busy
lives and never sat down and put the seemingly small matters
as compared to life and death, that divided them aside. Now,
for the rest of his life, O’Neal admits he will live with regret. He
has taken an oath not to allow that to happen to him again. We
should all be like Shaq in this take as we celebrate this holiday
season, call that friend or family member and celebrate that
there is life in your body to make amends. It will be a weight
lifted that in most cases you realize was not as heavy as either
of you made it.
HBCU football programs express interest in
Teddy Bridgewater to coach
By HBCU Sports
(Source: HBCU)
Nearly a week after retired NFL quarterback Teddy
Bridgewater led Miami Northwestern High School to a state
championship in his first season as coach, he has expectedly
drawn interest from elsewhere.
And elsewhere have been HBCUs with coaching vacancies.
Bridgewater, who played nine seasons in the NFL for seven
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
Photo: WVSN-TV
DECEMBER 26, 2024 - JANUARY 1, 2025 • PAGE 13
WG
Fins keep Scant Playoff
Hopes Alive with 29-17
Defeat of Niners
By Nunnie Robinson, Westside Gazette Sports Editor
In last week’s article I may have prematurely written the
Miami Dolphins off as having no chance of making the playoffs.
CBS’ Tony Romo outlined the very minuscule possibility,
indicating that they were mathematically still in the hunt.
Just as last week before the Texans’ defeat, the Dolphins must
win their remaining games against the Cleveland Browns and
the New York Jets, both winnable games on the road, as they
did Sunday against a depleted San Francisco 49er team.
The key is receiving help from other teams in the division
or conference like Indianapolis, Denver, Cincinnati and Los
Angeles. The Dolphins kept their season alive by virtue of
their 27-19 victory over the 49ers and are currently 9th in the
standings, trailing the Chargers, Broncos and Colts who are in
the sixth, seventh and eighth spots respectively. The Dolphins
and Bengals, with 7-8 records, are on the outside looking
in. One or more of the teams must falter and lose games for
the Dolphins to have any chance of securing a wildcard slot.
Basically, Miami must win out and hope for the best.
The Fins gave a supreme effort in securing the victory
capped by Kader Kouho’s game changing interception of 49er
quarterback Brock Purdy, which was followed by De’Von
Achane’s 50 yard touchdown run. He ended with 120 yards
rushing on 17 carries averaging 7.1 yards a carry.
The defense has made steady improvement under Coach
Anthony Weaver as certain players consistently stand out
including Zach Sieler, Jalen Ramsey, Calais Campbell, Jordan
Brooks, and Chop Robinson.
Tua played an exceptional game, throwing for his 100th
touchdown pass as a Dolphin. He also completed 22-of-34
passes (64.7 pct.) for 215 yards and a touchdown. Tight end
Jonnu Smith caught six passes for 62 yards. During the game,
he set the single-season franchise record for receptions and
receiving yards by a tight end.
We’ll see how the season shakes out, while believing that
this Miami Dolphins football team is capable of going far into
playoffs next season.
A’ja Wilson Signs One
Of Largest Nike Deals In
Women’s Basketball History
By Jovonne Ledet
(Source: Black Information Network)
Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson is again breaking barriers.
According to Essence, Wilson signed a six-year contract
extension with Nike, inking one of the biggest deals for
a women’s basketball player in history.
The extension comes after Wilson announced that her
signature shoe, A’Oe, will drop this spring ahead of the 2025
WNBA season.
“It’s been incredible working with Nike toward a dream of
having my collection, and it really is an honor to take this next
step and become a Nike signature athlete,” Wilson previously
said in a statement. “From my logo to the look of the shoe and
the pieces throughout the collection, we’ve worked to make
sure every detail is perfectly tuned to my game and style.”
The exact amount Wilson is receiving from her new
extension remains unclear, but the deal is said to be one of the
most lucrative for a women’s basketball player in history.
In 2024, Wilson made history as the first player to surpass
1,000 points in a single season.
The WNBA star said she hopes girls will feel empowered
when they wear her shoe.
“I hope when girls wear this shoe, they believe in themselves,”
Wilson previously said. “I want them to hopefully lace them up,
feel powerful and understand that nobody can stop them from
their dreams. Set those goals high. Go get them — that’s the
biggest thing.”
FAMU Legend Jacquay Nunnally Selected
for Black College Football Hall of Fame
Class of 2025
(Source: famuathletics.com )
TALLAHASSEE, FL -- Florida A&M University football
legend Jacquay Nunnally, one of the most prolific receivers
in NCAA history, has been selected for induction into
the Black College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025,
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
Photo: Getty Images
PAGE 14 • DECCEMBER 26, 2024 - JANUARY 1, 2025
Deeply Rooted
www.thewestsidegazette.com
Culture for Service and Service for Humanity’: Phi Beta Sigma Way touches down in Miami Gardens
Street renamed to honor 110-year legacy of Black fraternity
duty, it was instilled with the
motto “Culture for Service
and Service for Humanity.”
“Phi Beta Sigma has
consistently led by example,
setting the standard for
Submitted by Alonda
Thomas
FAMU Media
inclusivity and service,”
Parramore said. “The
fraternity’s work in civil
rights, education, and
economic empowerment has
inspired many.”
The Rho Sigma Chapter
was established in 1927
during the Jim Crow era by
community leaders like Dr.
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
Best Friends Forever: FAMU College of
Law Fosters Friendship Among Graduates
The City of Miami Gardens is honoring Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity with a street
renaming ceremony.
(City of Miami Gardens Florida Government via Facebook)
Liberty City.
(Instagram@rhosigma1927)
Florida Memorial University
celebrates 110 years of Phi
Beta Sigma.
(Instagram@fmu_official)
The Rho Sigma Chapter poses
during its Holiday Toy Drive.
(Instagram@rhosigma1927)
The Rho Sigma Chapter is
committed to helping residents
and seniors with groceries
throughout Miami Gardens
and Miami-Dade County.
(Instagram@rhosigma1927)
Marcelin Fils-Aime, Rho
By Amelia Orjuela Da
Silva, Miami Times Staff
Writer
On Dec. 19 at 4 p.m.,
the City of Miami Gardens
will host a street renaming
ceremony to honor the Phi
Beta Sigma Fraternity and its
Rho Sigma Chapter, marking
a significant moment in the
fraternity’s history. The
event, set to take place at Dr.
Lester Brown Park, follows
a resolution passed by the
city council on Oct. 23, 2024,
sponsored by Councilmember
Reggie Leon.
A portion of Northwest
191st Street, from Northwest
29th Avenue to 32nd Avenue,
will officially be renamed
“Phi Beta Sigma Way” as
a permanent tribute to
the fraternity’s dedication
to service, leadership and
community development.
Marcelin Fils-Aime,
president of the Rho Sigma
Chapter, stressed the
significance of the street
renaming.
The City of Miami Gardens
is honoring Phi Beta Sigma
Fraternity with a street
renaming ceremony.
“We’re making history
right now,” he said. “We’re
documenting this moment so
that 40 years from now, when
somebody arrives by that
street and wonders why it was
named ‘Phi Beta Sigma Way,’
they will know the impact we
had on the community.”
Marcus Parramore, a Rho
Sigma Chapter historian,
echoed this sentiment.
“It reassures me that
people value our fraternity’s
contributions to society and
want to ensure its legacy
endures,” he said.
Phi Beta Sigma was
founded in 1914 at Howard
University on principles of
brotherhood, scholarship, and
community service.
The Founding Vision
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity
was founded on Jan. 9, 1914,
at Howard University by A.
Langston Taylor, Leonard
F. Morse and Charles I.
Brown. Built upon principles
of brotherhood, scholarship,
community service, and civic
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
ORLANDO – Attending
law school can sometimes feel
like a long and challenging
process; however, two
graduates from the Florida
A&M University (FAMU)
College of Law discovered
friendship and motivation
through their collective desire
to pursue their dreams to
become attorneys. A chance
meeting for Christina
Lanzilla and Stephanie
Maines through a mutual
acquaintance birthed an
unbreakable friendship
forged during the demanding
journey through law school.
The new BFFs (Best Friends
Forever) will graduate and
participate in the Fall 2024
commencement exercises in
Tallahassee on Saturday,
Dec. 14.
Christina, unsure of
her path after earning
her psychology degree,
found inspiration during a
conversation with a family
friend who is in an attorney.
“When I went to speak
with the attorney about
possibly going to law school,
he informed me of all the doors
that having a juris doctorate
could open for me, even if I
had chosen not to become
an attorney. He also told me
about the reward of helping
others in the community,
L to r: Christina Lanzilla and Stephanie Maines pose for
graduation photos in celebration of completing FAMU
College of Law.
and the beauty of making
connections within the legal
field,” said Christina. “I
was hesitant, knowing this
would be a long, grueling,
and financially burdensome
decision, but he assured
me that it was nothing that
I couldn’t overcome with
a little persistence and
determination. I’ve always
classified myself as a very
driven person, so at this point
in my life, when I saw all the
opportunities law school could
provide for my future, I knew
there was nothing that could
stop me.”
Stephanie began her
legal journey as a paralegal,
encouraged by her mentor
– the same attorney – to
pursue law school despite her
initial doubts. That same day,
Stephanie shared her recent
acceptance to FAMU Law and
convinced Christina to take
the leap into law school.
“I told Christina that
anything she needed help
with in the application process
I would help her with,” said
Stephanie. “I told her I was
pursuing law school because of
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
Let BCT take you on a magical ride
This holiday season, take Broward County Transit to your favorite festivities,
shopping and more. Sit back, relax and enjoy the wonderment of the season.
It’s easy, simple and affordable! Just Try It. BCT takes you where you want to go.
To plan your holiday trips, visit Broward.org/BCT Or call Customer Service At 954-357-8400.