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PERMIT NO. 1179
New Year Brings
10 New Laws
PAGE 3
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THURSDAY, JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2025
VOL. 53 NO. 48 $1.00
Jimmy Carter,
39th President
and Global
Humanitarian,
Dies at 100
How The Carrie Meek Foundation
fuels Miami’s growth, legacy
Lucia Davis-Raiford now leads the Carrie Meek
Foundation to honor her mother’s legacy.
By Amelia Orjuela Da Silva,
Miami Times Staff Writer
As the calendar turns toward
2025, The Carrie Meek Foundation
is laying the groundwork for an
expansive future that honors
the legacy of Congresswoman
Carrie P. Meek while addressing
the evolving needs of Miami-
Dade County’s communities.
From workforce development
in aviation to communitybased
safety initiatives, the
foundation is focused on building
sustainable, impactful solutions
for the region’s Black and brown
neighborhoods.
A legacy continued
Meek was a pioneering force
in American politics. As the
first Black Floridian elected to
Congress since Reconstruction,
she broke barriers when she won
the 1992 Democratic primary
at the age of 66. Over the next
decade, Meek shaped health,
education, housing, and economic
development policies to benefit
(Courtesy of The Carrie Meek Foundation)
her constituents. Even after retiring in 2002, she
continued her advocacy through the Carrie P. Meek
Foundation, which she established to expand upon
her work in Miami.
Lucia Davis-Raiford, the current president
and CEO of the Foundation and Meek’s daughter,
(Cont’d on page 12)
The Westside Gazette Newspaper
Carter is survived by his
four children, numerous
grandchildren and greatgrandchildren,
and a
legacy of public service that
transformed lives around
the globe. He will be buried
next to Rosalynn under a
willow tree near a pond
he helped dig in Plains.
By Stacy M. Brown
NNPA Newswire Senior
National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia
James “Jimmy” Carter, the
peanut farmer from Plains,
Georgia, who became the 39th
president of the United States
and later redefined the role of an
ex-president through decades of
humanitarian work, died Sunday
at his home. He was 100. His
son, James E. Carter III, known
as Chip, confirmed the death but
provided no immediate cause.
Carter had been in hospice care
since February 2023 after battling
an aggressive form of melanoma
that spread to his brain and liver.
Carter’s wife, Rosalynn,
with whom he shared 77 years
of marriage—the longest of any
presidential couple—died on
November 19, 2023, at 96. The
couple’s final years were marked
by their enduring love, and
Carter’s last public appearance
was at Rosalynn’s funeral, where
he sat in the front row in a
wheelchair.
Born in Plains on October 1,
1924, Carter grew up on a farm,
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DeSantis admin mum ahead of Jan. 1
deadline for summer food programs for kids
Submitted by
Jackie Lianos
As Black America and other minority groups brace for hostility and
uncertainty under the incoming administration of Donald Trump, the
death of former President Jimmy Carter has reignited an appreciation
for a leader who championed equality, justice, and humanity over selfinterest
and division. Carter, who died at 100, leaves a legacy rooted in
humility and service, demonstrating what true leadership can accomplish.
Carter’s presidency from 1977 to 1981 brought meaningful progress
in civil rights and inclusion. He appointed Patricia Harris as the first
Black woman to a presidential cabinet, naming her Secretary of Housing
and Urban Development and later Secretary of Health and Human
Services. Andrew Young served as the U.S. Ambassador to the United
Nations, further demonstrating Carter’s commitment to inclusion.
His administration included a record number of Black federal judges,
strengthened rules preventing discriminatory schools from claiming
tax-exempt status, and expanded food aid programs for impoverished
communities, many of which benefited Black families in rural areas.
In a previously published interview, Deputy Assistant to the President
for Reorganization Jay Beck spoke fondly of Carter’s dedication to
fostering opportunity for marginalized groups. “One of the things that’s
happened through President Carter over the years, he’s brought in
(Cont’d on page 10)
@TheWestsideGazetteNewspaper
(Source: Florida Phoenix)
D e S a n t i s
administration
officials haven’t said
whether the state will
again reject a federal
program that gives
low-income families
money for groceries
Florida has until Jan. 1 to tell the federal during the summer.
government whether it will administer More than 2 million
the SUN Bucks program. Shown is kids in the state could
a sign at a grocery store noting the again miss out on the
acceptance of electronic benefit transfer, SUN Bucks program,
or EBT, cards, on Dec. 4, 2019, in Oakland,
or summer EBT, if the
California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Florida Department of
Children and Families
doesn’t tell the federal government by Jan. 1 that it plans to
administer it, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates.
Low-income families received $40 per month per school-aged
child in a food assistance debit card through the program, but
Florida could be among 12 states skipping the program next
summer. While the feds are responsible for the funds families
receive, Florida would have to chip in 50% of the administrative
costs.
DCF officials did not reply when the Florida Phoenix asked
whether the agency would run the program next year, and the
governor’s office did not immediately respond to the Phoenix’s
request for comment.
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
As Trump Era Begins, Carter’s Legacy of Inclusion Endures
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National
Correspondent, @StacyBrownMedia
The death of former President Jimmy Carter has reignited an
appreciation for a leader who championed equality, justice, and
humanity over self-interest and division. Carter, who died at 100,
leaves a legacy rooted in humility and service, demonstrating
what true leadership can accomplish.
A MESSAGE FROM
THE PUBLISHER
Dreams can
come true
14
For God does speak—now
one way, now another—
though no one perceives
it. 15 In a dream, in a
vision of the night, when
deep sleep falls on people
as they slumber in their
beds, 16 he may speak in
their ears and terrify them
with warnings, 17 to turn
them from wrongdoing
and keep them from pride,
18 to preserve them from
the pit, their lives from
perishing by the sword.
Job 33:14-18
By Bobby R. Henry, Sr.
As we step into a New
Year, confused and uncertain,
I can’t help but wonder—
where are we truly headed?
Disaster seems inevitable
when we continue down this
path of disregard for life and
mutual respect. Wars are
fought without purpose or
preparation, and communities
are torn apart by division.
Families are pitted against
the government, citizens
against police. Who will
emerge victorious from such
chaos?
It feels as though we
are stranded on a desolate
island, straining our eyes for
a rescue ship, only to see the
ghostly figure of “The Flying
Dutchman” on the horizon.
Where is our hope? Where is
our recovery?
I reach for hope, but it feels
as fleeting as steam escaping
from a turbine—intangible,
searing, and elusive. Yet, the
strength of my spirit, shaped
by generations of resilience
and ancestral determination,
refuses to stop reaching.
Slowly, I come to realize
Thursday
Jan 2 nd
Fri
77°
67°
(Cont’d on page 3)
Cloudy
Sunrise: 6:48am
77°
68°
79°
69°
80°
69°
55°
74°
Sunset: 5:28pm
Sat Sun Mon Tues
WESTSIDE GAZETTE IS A MEMBER:
National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)
Southeastern African-American Publishers Association (SAAPA)
Florida Association of Black Owned Media (FABOM)
80°
68°
PAGE 2 • JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2025
www.thewestsidegazette.com
Celebrates Day of Service with
Depot’s “Retool Your School” #1
B-CU
Colleagues in Crisis:
Workplace mental health issues
University more favorable weather prevails.
worsening, national survey finds
okman
gnificant day of unity
Thursday, Jan. 18,
l and Libby Johnson
Civic Engagement
momentous occasion
er students, faculty,
, and friends to
the
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
ort. Their mission
, involving projects
ssembling bookcases
tdoor dining sets to
rcade games, foosball
ball hoops, hockey
tennis tables. Even
er conditions couldn’t
ication, with the only
By Sarah Baldry, Stacker
(Source: Miami Times)
In a revealing new
report titled “Colleagues in
Crisis,” Wysa, a provider of AIdriven
mental health support,
has uncovered troubling
insights into the mental
health
University’s
challenges facing
American workers. Based on a
2024 survey of over 2,000 U.S.
employees, the report reveals
that mental health struggles
are not only prevalent but
also worsening, with many
workers feeling unsupported
by their employers.
The key finding of the report
is stark: One in five American
employees have been bothered
by thoughts of self-harm
or suicide in the two weeks
leading up to the survey. This
figure climbs to nearly one
in three (32%) when looking
at the past year. This data
highlights an urgent need for
comprehensive mental health
support in the workplace, as
American employees grapple
with both personal crises and
concern for their colleagues.
Mental Health Struggles
on the Rise
The “Colleagues in Crisis”
report draws attention to
how workplace pressures
compound mental health
struggles. Over one in five
employees (22%) reported
being concerned that a
colleague might harm
themselves or take their
own life in the past year — a
heavy burden to bear while
managing their own wellbeing.
Younger workers were
especially affected, with 35%
of those aged 18-24 reporting
thoughts of self-harm in
the past two weeks alone,
surpassing rates among older
age groups.
This data paints a sobering
iveness after
ated service.
e to 30,000
have been
or at least
ut receiving
ncome-driven
will now see
n.
concession being the postponement of painting and
stripping the basketball court – a minor hiccup until
Dr. William Berry, Provost and Acting President,
expressed excitement and gratitude, stating, “We are
excited about this project and grateful to all those who
picture of the emotional
strain facing U.S. workers.
With the rise of hybrid and
remote work, emotional
distance and isolation are
becoming more common, with
younger workers particularly
affected. Almost half of
workers aged 18-24 reported
feeling emotionally distant
from others, while 46% of
those aged 25-34 said they
felt isolated or withdrawn.
A Lack of Workplace
Support
Despite these alarming
trends, American workplaces
remain ill-equipped to handle
mental health crises. The
report highlights that 34%
of employees feel uncertain
about how to help a colleague
in distress, and only 32%
of workers have received
workplace training on mental
health in the past year.
Furthermore, 12% of
U.S. workers reported experiencing
a manager responding
inappropriately to a
colleague showing signs
of mental illness, highlighting
the need for better
training for leadership. The
data underscores the gap
between employee needs and
the support they receive,
particularly among younger
workers. Around 30% of
employees under 44 have
witnessed inappropriate
managerial responses to
mental health struggles,
emphasizing the need for
workplace reforms.
their work. These symptoms
reflect the emotional toll that
high-pressure, unsupportive
environments can have on
employees, particularly in
industries with demanding
schedules and limited
flexibility.
Industries like construction,
retail, and hospitality have
some of the highest levels of
mental health struggles. In
the construction industry,
40% of workers reported being
bothered by suicidal ideation
or self-harm in the past year,
while 22% of workers in retail
and hospitality have faced
similar challenges. With little
access to training or support,
workers in these sectors are
often left struggling in silence.
Stigma and Barriers to
Seeking Help
The report reveals a troubling
reality: Younger workers are
less likely to seek professional
support for mental health
struggles. Only 48% of
workers aged 18-44 said
they would seek professional
help outside of work if they
were suffering from severe
depression, compared to
62% of workers aged 45 and
older. Younger employees
are more inclined to handle
their struggles independently
by adjusting their work
environment or taking
time off, which impacts job
retention and productivity.
Adding to the issue, 38% of
employees believe that their
employer views mental health
as a personal or out-of-work
issue. Additionally, 12% of
workers fear their manager
would become more critical of
their work or question their
abilities if they disclosed a
mental health struggle, while
another 7% worry they would
be passed over for career
advancement opportunities.
What Workers Want
So, what can employers
do to better support their
employees’
quiescent
mental health?
According to the Wysa
report, workers aren’t looking
for superficial gestures —
they want real, actionable
A new report reveals that 57% of employees have experienced emotional distance,
isolation, or hopelessness as a result of their work
solutions. 50% of employees
want their employer to offer
professional mental health
support, and 24% expressed
interest in digital mental selfhelp
tools that can provide
round-the-clock support,
helping employees manage
their mental health both at
work and in their personal
lives.
Employees also want
emotional support from
their employers. 45% said
they would appreciate being
asked about their well-being
occasionally, while 37% would
value having a safe space to
discuss their mental health
concerns. Additionally, 39%
of workers said they would
benefit from paid time off to
focus on their mental health,
showing that small changes
in workload or flexibility could
have a significant impact.
participated in the vote for B-CU. These enhancements
will help create more vibrant and engaging spaces for
our students to retreat on campus for a brain break or
find inspiration through the downtime.”
Home Depot’s “Retool Your School” program,
established in 2009, has been a beacon for positive change,
providing over $9.25 million in campus improvement
grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities
(HBCUs). Beyond the competition, the Office of Alumni
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
Biden credited the success
of these relief efforts to the
corrective measures taken
to address
The Impact
broken
of Work
student
on
Mental Health
loan programs. The workplace He itself asserted often
exacerbates mental health
that these fixes have removed
struggles. The report reveals
barriers that preventing 57% of employees borrowers have
experienced emotional
from accessing the relief they
distance, isolation, or
were entitled hopelessness to under as a result the of law.
College
Prep
banal
adjective
(adjective)
Word of
the Week
being meaning: at rest; dull, commonplace inactive or
motionless; HOW TO USE quiet; IN A SENTENCE: still: a
The client rejected our proposal because they
quiescent mind.
found our presentation banal and unimpressive.
The Road Ahead:
Closing the Gap
The findings of the
“Colleagues in Crisis” report
underscore the urgent need
for workplaces to prioritize
mental health. Too many
employees are struggling
without adequate support,
with younger workers and
those in high-stress industries
particularly at risk. Employers
must take immediate action
by implementing training
programs, offering digital
mental health tools, and
fostering open conversations
about mental health in the
workplace.
As Wysa’s report demonstrates,
mental health
challenges in the workplace
are not only prevalent —
they’re worsening. The gap
between what employees
need and what they receive is
stark, but there are steps that
employers can take to close
that gap and create healthier,
more supportive workplaces.
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
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[ kwee-es-uhnt, kwahy- ]
With more than 48,000
Americans dying by suicide
each year, and millions
more struggling with mental
health crises, the stakes
couldn’t be higher. Employers
have a critical role to play in
HOW TO USE QUIESCENT IN A
SENTENCE
It’s possible that other volcanoes with
long quiescentperiods may also have
subtle but protracted warning periods
as well.
safeguarding their employees’
well-being, and the time for
action is now.
Methodology
Wysa commissioned this
survey in 2024. The survey
was carried out by Obsurvant,
an accredited MRS company
partner. Respondents were
incentivized and each
provided opt-in consent in line
with GDPR guidelines. The
survey was conducted online.
A total of 6,413 respondents
Continue reading online at:
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Leia’s Mathematics
Corner
LILA HAS 12 TOYS. SHE GIVES 4 TOYS TO
HER FRIEND LONDON AND 3 TOYS TO
HER FRIEND BELLA. HOW MANY TOYS
DOES LILA HAVE LEFT?
364
+ 24
across the U.S., U.K., and
Canada were surveyed with
a minimum of 2,000 surveys
completed in each market. The
sample was representative of
gender and region alongside
national representative
distribution of employed age
groups. Different recruitment
methods were used alongside
a supplier blend to remove
any potential single source
bias. Measures were taken to
ensure that no duplication or
456
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Created by Leia Palmer 3rd grader!
Words
compiled by
Kamar
Jackson
10th Grader
at Dillard
High School
Word Search
List Compiled
by Kamar
www.thewestsidegazette.com
Senate passes
Social Security
benefits boost
for many public
service retirees
JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2025 • PAGE 3
Biden Vetoes
Bipartisan Bill
to Create New
Federal Judgeships
The bipartisan bill will eliminate longtime
reductions to Social Security benefits for
people who receive pensions from work
in government, or public service jobs like
teachers, firefighters and police officers.
(Gustavo Fring via Pexels)
By Stephen Groves,
The Associated Press
(Source: Miami Times)
The Senate passed legislation early
Saturday to boost Social Security
payments for millions of people, pushing
a longtime priority for former public
employees through Congress in one of
its last acts for the year.
The bipartisan bill, which next heads
to President Joe Biden, will eliminate
longtime reductions to Social Security
benefits for nearly 3 million people who
receive pensions from work in federal,
state and local government, or public
service jobs like teachers, firefighters
and police officers. Advocates say the
Social Security Fairness Act rights a
decades-old disparity, though it will also
put further strain on Social Security
Trust Funds.
New Year Brings
10 New Laws
By Jim Turner
©2024 The News Service of Florida.
All rights reserved; see terms.
TALLAHASSEE --- A smattering of new state laws will
arrive with the new year, but the highest-profile change —
restricting access to social media for children — will not be
immediately enforced.
Ten laws passed during the 2024 legislative session will
take effect Wednesday. They were among 299 bills approved
by the Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis, the majority of
which took effect July 1.
The social-media restrictions were part of a bill (HB 3)
that was a priority of then-House Speaker Paul Renner,
R-Palm Coast, and became one of the biggest issues of the
session.
The measure seeks to prevent children under age 16 from
opening social-media accounts on some platforms. Parents
can give consent for 14- and 15-year-olds to have accounts,
but children under 14 would be barred from opening accounts.
Renner argued that social-media companies have created
addictive platforms that harm children’s mental health and
can lead to sexual predators communicating with minors.
In October, the Computer & Communications Industry
the hope I seek isn’t
somewhere out there—it’s
within me.
Still, we face a world
riddled with problems: the
poor can’t afford health care,
and even the wealthy struggle
with home insurance. People
move in search of a better
life, only to discover that
hate and ignorance follow
them. Disease, violence, and
injustice seem to touch every
corner of society. Homeless
camps stand as stark
reminders of a nation failing
its most vulnerable.
Drive-by shootings,
police brutality, and the
heartbreaking separation
of families persist like a
haunting refrain. Morning
after morning, the news greets
us with fresh reminders of
pain and suffering. Is this the
America we dream of?
It must get better. It can
get better. Nothing happens
without cause and effect. Are
we part of the cause, or are we
merely suffering the effects?
Our struggles have always
been fertile ground for growth.
Like soil that must be broken
The legislation has been decades in
the making but the push to pass it came
together in the final weeks — and was
completed in the final minutes — that
lawmakers were in Washington before
Congress resets next year. All Senate
Democrats, as well as 27 Republicans,
voted for the bill, giving it a final tally of
76-20.
“Millions of retired teachers and
firefighters and letter carriers and state
and local workers have waited decades
for this moment. No longer will public
retirees see their hard-earned Social
Security benefits robbed from them,”
said Senate Majority Leader Chuck
Schumer, D-N.Y.
The bill repeals two provisions —
the Windfall Elimination Provision and
the Government Pension Offset — that
limit Social Security benefits for certain
recipients if they receive retirement
payments from other sources such as the
public retirement program for a state or
local government.
“Social Security is a bedrock of our
middle class. It’s retirement security
that Americans pay into and earn over
a lifetime,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown,
A MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER from Front Page
to plant a seed, adversity often
paves the way for change. As
I reflect on these challenges,
I find comfort in the words of
the poem, Mother To Son by
Langston Hughes
Well, son, I’ll tell you: Life
for me ain’t been no crystal
stair. It’s had tacks in it, And
splinters,
And boards torn up, And
places with no carpet on the
floor-Bare. But all the time
I’se been a-climbin’ on, And
reachin’ landin’s, And turnin’
corners, And sometimes goin’
in the dark Where there ain’t
been no light. So, boy, don’t you
turn back. Don’t you set down
on the steps. ‘Cause you finds
it’s kinder hard. Don’t you fall
now- For I’se still goin’, honey,
I’se still climbin’, And life for
me ain’t been no crystal stair.
Dreams, as fleeting as they
may seem, are essential to
survival. As Acts 2:17 reminds
us, God pours His Spirit upon
us to dream dreams and see
visions.
In the spirit of the New
Year, I’ve been pondering my
resolutions. As I walked into
my office recently, the stench
of forgotten garbage struck
me—a stark metaphor for the
baggage we carry into each
year. Cleaning out the trash
took a bit of effort but was
surprisingly straightforward.
It made me wonder: why can’t
we approach our resolutions
the same way?
Resolutions, at their core,
are about renewal and selfimprovement.
They’re an
opportunity to take out the
trash in our lives, clean our
inner selves, and make a fresh
start. My first resolution this
year is to Improve my health
in all that that includes, from
seeking spiritual wisdom
with physical strength and
understanding to guide me.
On a broader scale, we all
need to address the “trash” in
our lives—be it bad habits,
toxic relationships, or societal
injustices. And if we see
someone else struggling with
their “trash,” let’s lend a hand
with clean hearts and pure
intentions.
“Dear God, I ask you to give
me the strength and wisdom
to do my part in making this
a better year for myself and
others. May this New Year
an Ohio Democrat who has pushed for
the proposal for years and will leave
Congress after losing reelection.
He added that the current restrictions
make “no sense. These workers serve the
public. They protect our communities.
They teach our kids. They pay into
Social Security just like everyone else.”
People who currently have reductions
in their Social Security benefits under
the exceptions would soon see a boost
in their monthly payments. But those
increased payments would also add
an estimated $195 billion to federal
deficits over 10 years, according to
the Congressional Budget Office.
Social Security Trust Funds were
already estimated to be unable to pay
out full benefits beginning in 2035, and
the change will hasten the program’s
insolvency date by about half a year. A
typical dual-income couple retiring in
2033 would see an additional $25,000
lifetime reduction in their benefits,
according to the nonpartisan Committee
for a Responsible Federal Budget.
Many of the bill’s opponents
Continue reading online at:
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Association and NetChoice, whose members include tech giants
such as Google and Meta Platforms, filed a federal lawsuit
challenging the constitutionality of the restrictions.
“In a nation that values the First Amendment, the preferred
response is to let parents decide what speech and mediums their
minor children may access — including by utilizing the many
available tools to monitor their activities on the internet,” the
lawsuit said.
The groups are seeking a preliminary injunction to block
the restrictions, and Attorney General Ashley Moody agreed
in November to delay enforcement until Chief U.S. District
Judge Mark Wilson rules on the injunction request. Walker has
scheduled a Feb. 28 hearing.
“In order to obtain a full record and obtain discovery, Florida
agreed to stay enforcement of its statute until the court rules on
the motion for preliminary injunction,” Chase Sizemore, press
secretary for Moody’s office, said in a statement in November.
The bill did not name social-media platforms that would be
affected. But it included a definition of such platforms, with
criteria related to such things as algorithms, “addictive features”
and allowing users to view the content or activities of other users.
The lawsuit repeatedly referred to sites such as YouTube and
Facebook --- while also saying the restrictions would not apply to
services such as Disney+. If social-media companies violate the
restrictions they could face penalties up to $50,000 per violation.
The measure also would open them to lawsuits filed on behalf of
minors.
Moody, however, wants to move forward immediately with
another part of HB 3 that requires age verification for access to
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
inspire us all to dream, to
hope, and to act with purpose.
In Jesus name, Amen.”
The decision, made in the final weeks of his presidency, has
drawn sharp criticism from Republicans and heightened
partisan tensions over judicial appointments.
By Stacy M. Brown, WI Senior Writer @StacyBrownMedia
President Joe Biden has vetoed bipartisan legislation that
would have created dozens of new federal judicial positions,
citing unresolved questions about its provisions and timing.
The decision, made in the final weeks of his presidency, has
drawn sharp criticism from Republicans and heightened
partisan tensions over judicial appointments.
The “Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies
Solved Act of 2024” (JUDGES Act) proposed adding 66 federal
judgeships over the following three presidential terms. Biden
rejected the bill, stating it lacked clarity and failed to address
how judicial needs and caseloads should be assessed adequately.
“I am returning herewith without my approval S. 4199,”
Biden wrote in his veto message to Congress. “S. 4199 seeks to
hastily add judgeships with just a few weeks left in the 118th
Congress. The House of Representatives’ hurried action fails
to resolve key questions in the legislation, especially regarding
how the new judgeships are allocated, and neither the House of
Representatives nor the Senate explored fully how the work of
senior status judges and magistrate judges affects the need for
new judgeships.”
Biden also criticized the bill for disproportionately benefiting
states where judicial vacancies have been intentionally left
open. “Those efforts to hold open vacancies suggest that
concerns about judicial economy and caseload are not the true
motivating force behind passage of this bill now,” he added.
The bill passed unanimously in the Senate, but faced
significant resistance in the House, where it passed earlier
this month on a largely party-line vote. Republicans, led by
Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), the bill’s sponsor, have argued that
the legislation addresses longstanding shortages in the federal
judiciary.
“Issuing this veto is partisan politics at its worst,” Young
said in a statement. “The president has chosen to prioritize
his party’s agenda over the urgent need to address judicial
understaffing.”
Democrats accused Republicans of delaying the passage
of the legislation until after President-elect Donald Trump’s
election victory, calling it a strategic move to give Trump
greater influence over the judiciary. Many Democrats have
been working to limit Trump’s opportunities to appoint
additional judges, citing concerns about his administration’s
efforts to reshape the federal courts.
“The efficient and effective administration of justice
requires that these questions about need and allocation be
further studied and answered before we create permanent
judgeships for life-tenured judges,” Biden wrote in his message
to Congress.
BlueYear
Resolution
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Westside Gazette
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Deeply Rooted
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AND PALM BEACH
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Miami Beach Jewish History Walking Tour Sunday,
Jan. 5 and Sunday, Jan. 12 at 10:30 a.m., at Jewish
Museum of Florida-FIU, 301 Washington Avenue, Miami
Beach, FL 33139.
Join us for a stroll through Miami Beach to learn
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JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2025 • PAGE 5
A Day Without Child Care
NNPA NEWSWIRE — On May 16, we will be closing
our childcare centers for a day — signaling a crisis
that could soon sweep across North Carolina,
dismantling the very backbone of our economy
By Emma Biggs and
Dee Dee Fields
As we end the year, we look
back at some of the important
viewpoints about early
childhood education shared
during 2024. Here’s one from
leaders in North Carolina
that applies on a national
level. On May 16, we will be
closing our childcare centers
for a day — signaling a crisis
that could soon sweep across
North Carolina, dismantling
the very backbone of our
economy: childcare. This
one-day action, organized
by a coalition of partners
under Child Care for NC:
United for Change, is not
merely a protest; it’s a stark
preview of the devastating
impact awaiting us as federal
pandemic-era funding ends.
Without decisive action, North
Carolina risks losing over
1,500 child care programs,
affecting nearly 92,000
children and their families.
This isn’t just about numbers;
it’s about our state’s future
and the lives of the working
families who depend on these
essential services.
We are not newcomers
to this field. With over
half a century of combined
experience in childcare,
we’ve dedicated our lives to
the education and well-being
of children. From operating
Bird Flu Virus shows mutations in first
severe human case in US, CDC says
Test tube is seen labelled “Bird Flu” in front of U.S. flag
in this illustration taken, June 10, 2024. (REUTERS/Dado
Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights)
By Reuters
Dec. 26 (Reuters) -- The
U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention said
on Thursday its analysis of
samples from the first severe
case of bird flu in the country
last week showed mutations
not seen in samples from an
infected backyard flock on the
patient’s property.
The CDC said the patient’s
sample showed mutations in
the hemagglutinin (HA) gene,
the part of the virus that
plays a key role in it attaching
to host cells.
The health body said, opens
new tab the risk to the general
public from the outbreak has
not changed and remains low.
Last week, the United
States reported its first
severe case of the virus, in a
Louisiana resident above the
age of 65, who was suffering
from severe respiratory
illness.
The patient was infected
with the D1.1 genotype of
the virus that was recently
detected in wild birds and
poultry in the United States,
and not the B3.13 genotype
detected in dairy cows, human
cases and some poultry in
multiple states.
The mutations seen in
the patient are rare but have
been reported in some cases
in other countries and most
often during severe infections.
One of the mutations was
also seen in another severe
case from British Columbia,
Canada.
No transmission from the
patient in Louisiana to other
persons has been identified,
said the CDC.
U.S. Whooping Cough cases
soar to highest level in a decade
Submitted by Sabrina
Malhi (Source: Philadelphia
Tribune)
Whooping cough continues
to surge in the United States,
with reported cases soaring
to more than 32,000 this
year - nearly five times the
6,500 cases recorded during
the same period last year -
marking the highest levels in
a decade.
Health experts cite as
main culprits for the increase
waning vaccination rates
and a loss of broad immunity
tracing to coronavirus
lockdown protocols.
The disease, caused by
the bacterium Bordetella
pertussis, is highly
transmissible from person
to person through the air.
Because of their immature
immune systems, infants
younger than 1 year old are
at highest risk of contracting
whooping cough - also known
as pertussis - and are at most
significant risk of severe
illness.
Vaccination rates with the
DTaP shot - which protects
against diphtheria, tetanus
and pertussis - declined from
March through September
2020 at the height of the
coronavirus pandemic.
But because people were
following pandemic protocols
such as masking and social
distancing, cases did not soar.
Some children who missed
getting their shots during
that period may never have
received them, experts have
said.
There are two types of
In this Thursday, May 3, 2012 file photo, Nurses Fatima
Guillen, left, and Fran Wendt, right, give Kimberly
Magdeleno, 4, a whooping cough booster shot, as she is
held by her mother, Claudia Solorio, at a health clinic in
Tacoma, Wash. A government study offers a new theory
on why the whooping cough vaccine doesn’t seem to
prevent outbreaks that well. In research involving
baboons, researchers found that while the vaccine may
keep people from getting sick, it fails to prevent the
germ from spreading, said one of the researchers, Tod
Merkel of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
pertussis vaccines in the
United States. The DTaP for
young children and the Tdap
for teenagers and adults.
The DTaP vaccine is
administered as a series
of five shots to infants and
young children up to age 6.
DTaP provides protection
against illness for 98 percent
of children within a year of
their final dose, and about 71
percent of children remain
protected five years later,
according to the Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention.
With the nation almost five
years removed from the early
days of the pandemic, cases
are back to pre-pandemic
levels, with more than 10,000
cases reported yearly - this
year, substantially more than
that.
Zachary Rubin, a pediatric
immunologist in Illinois, said
he has seen children in his
clinic with coughs that last
for months and said public
sentiment toward vaccines
has probably fostered
immunization hesitancy
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A participant at the Child Care for North Carolina: United for Change rally in Raleigh listens to a lawmaker
who’s a member of the state’s early childhood caucus.
small family childcare home
centers to managing large
facilities, our careers have
been built on the belief
that every child deserves
a nurturing, stimulating
environment to grow. Chronic
underfunding threatens the
very foundation of this belief.
I was thrust into the world
of childcare out of necessity
when I lost my childcare
voucher as a single mother.
This personal crisis not only
led me into the field but has
fueled my commitment ever
since. At Pathway Preschool
Center, we’ve used the latest
round of federal funds to
improve teacher salaries
and enhance our facilities
significantly. These changes
aren’t just numbers on a page
— they mean that parents
can go to work knowing
their children are in safe,
stimulating environments.
This May 16, we are
not only closing our center;
we are taking our cause to
Raleigh, where we will join
hands with many to demand
sustained support. Without
the necessary funding or
resources, I will have to
aAAA
This Week in Health: Healthy Resolutions
2025 is almost here! Some of us will celebrate
extravagantly, others will ring in the new year
more quietly – perhaps at home, with family
or solo. Regardless of how we chose to
welcome 2025, we will most likely reflect on
the year that is quickly winding down and look
forward with hope and plans for a successful
year.
Resolutions are often at the top of our new
year to do list; after all, we want to start the
year off right, laying out our goals and plans
for self-improvement. Health goals often top
the list: weight loss, more exercise, smoking
cessation, etc. All worthy goals of course, but
sometimes unattainable because we set
unrealistic targets (excessive weight loss in a
short time, quitting alcohol cold turkey, for
example).
Health goals are best managed in consultation
with a health care professional, who may
guide certain targets such as weight loss or
reduction in the use of certain addictive
continue raising fees for
families and reducing our
hours to manage costs;
something we just cannot
afford to do. I am stepping out
because I know my center is
not alone in this battle. On
May 16, I’m bringing a busload
of staff from my center and the
families we serve to share our
personal stories, handwrite
letters to legislators and
speak out about what these
cuts mean for not only our
community and state but
the rest of the country. My
question to legislators is this:
“Who stands to lose care if you
don’t act now?” We will not
fail the marginalized Black
and brown children who will
be the most impacted by
your inaction, and until you
recognize the value of what
early childhood educators do
every day, we will not rest.
Like Emma, I started my
career in childcare to make
a safe space for my daughter
and give her the quality
experience I envisioned for
her. I did not know at the
time that there were so many
aspects of the profession that
were detrimental to childcare
December 31, 2024
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
Westside Health Brief
Marsha Mullings, MPH
substances. Consult trusted sources of
information about a variety of health topics.
The following are just a few of the most
reliable and well-vetted sources of
information on health and general well-being.
GENERAL HEALTH AND DISEASES INFORMATION
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) – a great source of information about
specific diseases, disease outbreaks, and
general health and well-being topics.
www.cdc.gov
World Health Organization (WHO) – a wealth
of information about diseases, outbreaks and
pandemics. Topics are often related to a
worldwide audience. www.who.int
National Institutes of Health (NIH) – The NIH
is the one of the largest health and medical
bodies in the US. It is the umbrella
organization for 27 institutes and centers,
including the National Cancer Institute (NCI)
and the National Institute of Mental Health
(NIMH) among others. You can find
information about numerous health and
disease topics. www.nih.gov
DISEASE-SPECIFIC INFORMATION
providers and that I would
face many costly lessons over
the years. Even though I still
love what I do and hold early
childhood education close to
me, I am completely drained
mentally, physically, and
emotionally. As the director
of Landeeingdam Daycare
Inc., I see every day how
crucial adequate funding
is to maintain quality care.
Thanks to the recent grants,
the additional assistance
I could afford was a gamechanger
for our children’s
daily educational experiences.
Without continued funding,
not only might I lose this help,
but we may also be forced to
cut services or close, decisions
that would reverberate
throughout our community.
On May 16th, I will stand with
Emma and other childcare
providers at Halifax Mall to
share my story and those of
the families we serve.
Financial instability is a
standard to many in our field,
forcing numerous providers
and childcare workers to
take on second jobs just to
American Cancer Society (ACS) – This is one
of the largest cancer-related nonprofits,
providing information, and help resources on
cancer. www.cancer.org
PAGE 6 • JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2025
WESTSIDE
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By Regi Taylor
Deeply Rooted
Press As the ‘Enemy’ Plus Black Journalists
As ‘Racist’ Equals Trump’s 2025 Payback
“Threats by Kash Patel, President-elect Trump’s pick for FBI director,
to use the power of the bureau to scrutinizenews outlets critical of the
incoming administration are sending a chill through the media.”--
The Hill, December 11, 2024
“I am your retribution!” At his first 2024
reelection campaign rally on March 25, 2023, in
Waco, Texas, former president Donald Trump,
pledged to his assembled supporters that on their
behalf he would seek ‘retribution’ against “those
who have been wronged and betrayed,” meaning
himself, if he is returned to the Oval Office.
In a hateful, menacing tone, Trump promised
his followers who were carrying placards that
read, ‘Witch Hunt: “I am your warrior, I am
your justice, I am your retribution.” For anyone
tempted to believe Donald Trump was engaging
in hyperbole, fifteen months later in June 2024,
Trump made the following statement in an
interview with talk show host, Dr. Phil: “Revenge
does take time, I will say that. And sometimes
revenge can be justified, Phil. I have to be honest.
Sometimes it can.”
Although Donald Trump earned a reputation
Copyright 2024 Regi Taylor All Rights Reserved
for unleashing his toddler-like vitriol on a wide
cast of characters over the years, showing no discrimination for whom he directs his ire, the one
institution he appears to have the strongest affinity for lambasting and demoralizing is the news
media. Trump’s declaration after taking office in January 2017 that the press was the “enemy
of the American people” sent shockwaves through the political and popular cultures, only for
Donald Trump to further amp up his animosity toward news organizations.
During a press conference nineteen months later, on November 7, 2018, Trump directed a
tirade against Jim Acosta, a Hispanic CNN White House reporter, for simply asking a question
Trump did not like, adding that Acosta was “a rude, terrible person” and suspending his White
House press pass. This episode was followed up by Mr. Trump remarking that he might rescind
the press credentials of other journalists that didn’t show him proper “respect.” Acosta’s White
House pass was restored days later by a judge after a court proceeding.
Also on that Wednesday, November 7, 2018, Mr. Trump attempted to bully highly regarded
A African American PBS White House correspondent, Yamiche Alcindor, referring to a
reasonable question she had asked as “racist!” Following up on a recent statement Trump had
made declaring himself a “nationalist,” Alcindor asked for clarification whether “some people
[might see] that as emboldening white nationalists?” A highly disturbed, emotionally reactive
Donald Trump retorted: “I don’t know why you say that. That is such a racist question!”
Two days later, November 9, 2018, still sulking from the imagined slight he felt the CNN
and PBS reporters of color had subjected him to, Trump directed his venom at African American
reporter, April Ryan, then a 20-year White House veteran correspondent and bureau chief for
American Urban Radio Networks, referring to her as nasty and stupid, and calling her a “loser”
who “doesn’t know what the hell she is doing.”
Apparently, having not fully expelled his angst directed at Ms. Ryan, during that same
November 9th press gaggle, Donald Trump refocused his bigoted attention to a distinguished
Harvard-trained female African American journalist, Abby Phillips, a CNN White House
correspondent. By Trump’s thin-skinned interpretation, Ms. Phillips’ inquiry as to whether
Trump wanted acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to suspend special counsel Robert
Mueller’s investigation into ‘Russia-gate’ was viewed as an egregious personal affront.
The snarling offensiveness and full-on condescension Donald Trump lobbed at Abby Phillips
in response was more than unwarranted, it was a momentary peek behind the veil of his rabid,
racism-influenced contempt for journalists. “What a stupid question that is. What a stupid
question. But I watch you a lot. You ask a lot of stupid questions,” was the bad-intentioned
rhetoric Trump hurled back at the reporter.
Despite unrelenting attacks against every major print and broadcast news organization over
the last ten years, including his favored propaganda network, Fox News, Mr. Trump has focused
his most virulent attacks on the Black Press, specifically targeting female African American
reporters.
Donald Trump’s racist propensity to denigrate Black female reporters is so pathological that
despite being in the middle of his recent reelection campaign where he pathetically courted the
‘Black’ electorate using blatantly racist tropes and slight-of-hand media tactics, he could not
contain his bigotry long enough to complete an interview before the National Association of
Black Journalists (NABJ) without sabotaging his appearance.
Not only was Trump uncouth and remiss by grossly insulting his Afro-Asian American
female political opponent, Kamala Harris, in the presence female African American journalists,
he directed repeated insults at those same journalists, particularly his hostess and moderator,
ABC News’ Rachel Scott, repeatedly calling her “nasty.”
As one who is perpetually hellbent on payback, I suspect Trump accepted the invitation
to appear before NABJ in the first place to avenge the letter of condemnation the association
issued six years earlier in response to the candidate’s 2018 attacks on April Ryan and Abby
Phillips. Donald Trump is that hateful.
This ominous cycle of events brings us full circle to Donald Trump’s dubious inauguration
in less than three weeks, and with it the remaking of an America that only the eldest among
us might crudely recognize. It doesn’t require a reading of the tea leaves or a rocket scientist’s
analysis of the data to understand where Donald and MAGA intend to take America – back, way
back.
Trump’s unbridled disdain for journalists as enemies of the people, coupled with his perception
that political opposition by the Black press who overwhelmingly supported Joe Biden, and then
Kamala Harris, constituting flagrant disloyalty, makes the Black press prominent among his
enemies and therefore to be targeted for the retribution and revenge he has been promising to
wield.
The already financially challenged Black news industry, consistent with the generally
declining news industry overall due to changes in demographics, nontraditional shifts in how
younger generations access and consume news and information, and a precipitous decline in
youth reading proficiency, makes Black journalism particularly vulnerable to whatever sinister
response may come from the new administration’s certain anti-press crusade.
The Supreme Court’s decision to untether Donald Trump from any legal restraints, literally
including political assassination, and most of the Republican party having been cowed, becoming
unabashedly submissive to MAGA, demonstrating their fealty by routinely rubber-stamping
Trump’s draconian policies and pronouncements, it is anyone’s guess what vicious tactics might
be employed to neutralize news media critics in general and the strongly Democrat-leaning
national African American news apparatus in particular.
The stage is set to openly make America hate again.
The Year Past and the Year Ahead
By Mel Gurtov
The global citizen agenda
for 2025 is very much like
that for 2024—and probably
for some years afterward. It
includes global warming and
related environmental crises;
US-China tensions; challenges
to democracy and peace in
Europe and Africa; interstate
and intrastate violence in
the Middle East; and nuclear
weapons upgrading. A new
addition to this list is another
Trump administration, which
creates the potential for
exceptional chaos in the US
and worldwide.
War
Wars in Europe and the
Middle East show no sign of
ending. At extraordinary cost
in lives and the economy,
Russia plows ahead in
its effort to exterminate
Ukraine. Vladimir Putin has
been declared a war criminal
by the International Criminal
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responsible individual(s) who submit comments published in this
newspaper.
Court, but he isn’t going to
be arrested. He shows no
interest in anything other
than a victor’s peace.
With Donald Trump’s
help, he may get it—a sizable
chunk of Ukraine’s territory
in exchange for a halt to the
fighting. European supporters
of Ukraine will be under
mounting pressure at home
to bring the war to a close
and reduce Europe’s cost. It’s
possible that 2025 could be
the year Ukraine is forced to
Loyal Unqualified Nominees
“A loyal, unqualified nominee lacking integrity
and morality is no friend to Democracy, the
rule of law, or the US Constitution!”
John Johnson II.. 12/24/24
By John Johnson II
Managing America’s government
of, for, and by the people is a tough
and challenging job for its President.
Consequently, it behooves a President
to surround himself with the most
competent and battle-tested Cabinet
Members in the Country. The urgency
of this need for competence cannot
be overstated. While loyalty is a lofty
qualification, a loyal, unqualified
nominee, even an unqualified
billionaire, is more dangerous than a
platoon of political opponents. It’s the competence that ensures
the stability and progress of our government.
President-elect Trump was a Mega Star of the hit TV show,
the “Apprentice” long before becoming the Commander-In-
Chief. Also, he was the highest-paid star at that time, earning a
half billion dollars. He was famous for identifying unqualified
Apprentices and issuing his trademark phrase, “You’re Fired.”
Nevertheless, the Presidency isn’t a TV show, despite its
many viewers and receiving endless media coverage. He has
a penchant and a quick temperament for firing unloyal and
incompetent Cabinet Members. Yet the more competent hired
lessen the need for firings!
Consequently, why would voters and certainly Senators be
comfortable supporting the President’s attempts to fill a host
of Cabinet positions with loyalists who are utterly unqualified
nominees for the position? The potential consequences of such
appointments could be not only embarrassing but dangerous.
It’s up to us, the voters and the Senators, to voice our concerns
and make informed decisions.
An unqualified loyal nominee sitting for a photo op is
drastically different from offering advice regarding a crisis in
the Middle East. Still, a President surrounded by a cast of loyal,
unqualified nominees doesn’t produce a strong government of,
for, and by the people.
2025: Hope for the Best,
Prepare for the Worst
By Tom H. Hastings
Here comes a new year. We are about
to transition from a bumbling elderly
president’s administration to a chaotic
malignant elderly narcissist’s attempt
at autocracy. What could possibly go
wrong?
But also, what could go right?
The US military has some 750 bases
in at least 80 other nations, with more
than 170,000 troops deployed overseas
in many of the countries of the world. To
date, there has been bipartisan support
for this, even though the rest of the world is filled with leaders
who are increasingly aggrieved by this--let’s be blunt: few
people like foreign soldiers patrolling their lands. We are those
foreign soldiers.
Maybe Donald Trump will reverse that. Maybe, in his
myopic and pompous Me First rule he will draw down some
of that global grasp. If he does, it could be a temporary
alignment between a belligerent braggart and a planetary
peace movement, the strangest of bedfellows. The interests of
Trump and the peace movement are radically different, but if
they overlap enough in practice, it could be some small step
forward in an unexpected shared practice.
Ah, you say, but that’s an invitation to the dictators of
the world to aggressively seek to invade and occupy other
lands. Look at Russia and Ukraine, Russia and all its former
Soviet republics, all of which are fearing a return to Russian
imperialism. Look at China, threatening Taiwan and who
knows where else.
True. In a world where might makes right, it seems sensible
to acquire massive military power and defend our country and
our allies.
But what if there were a different kind of might? After all,
with climate chaos threatening every country on Earth and the
military having the largest carbon bootprint of any sector of
the world’s human activities, our addiction to military power
is going to prove not just lethal to others, but also to ourselves.
A climate emergency that threatens to make planet Earth
uninhabitable means that continuing our pathetic dependence
on having a military in more places than any empire in human
history is ultimately simply self-inflicted harm.
What happens when Estonia is invaded by Russia? What
will Trump do then? What if he basically does what he said he
would--let Russia “do whatever the hell they want”?
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barter land for peace, as Pres.
Zelensky lately says he’s
open to discussing if Ukraine
can be protected from future
Russian aggression.
In the second year of
Israel’s war with Hamas, we
once again hear talk about
a cease-fire agreement that
would lead to an exchange of
hostages for prisoners. Maybe,
but the main stories in 2025
will be, 1) Israel’s expansion
into the occupied territories,
Lebanon, and Syria, 2) the
terrible destruction in Gaza
and the humanitarian crisis
there, both of which will take
generations
to repair, and,
3) turmoil in
Israeli politics
as the far
right under
Benjamin
Netanyahu
seeks not only
to establish a Greater Israel
by force of arms but also to
resurrect its anti-democracy
project in the name of judicial
reform.
Politics in Iran and Syria
is bound to be tumultuous—
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BUSINESS
UNITY IN THE
COMMUNITY DIRECTORY
JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2025 • PAGE 7
Trump Allegedly Studying Privatizing
USPS, But He Might Run Into Legal Issues
Submitted by
Jason Faulkner
(Source Yahoo! News)
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
Yahoo is using AI to
generate takeaways from
this article. This means
the info may not always
match what’s in the article.
Reporting mistakes helps us
improve the experience.
Generate Key Takeaways
According to reports,
President-elect Donald
Trump is weighing whether
to privatize the USPS
when he takes office. He’s
allegedly held discussions
about taking the postal
service private with a group
of transition officials and
commerce secretary pick
Howard Lutnick, according
to The Washington Post.
However, Trump will likely
face multiple legal hurdles if
he decides to move forward
with any significant changes
to USPS operations.
Trump has no authority to
privatize the Postal Service
The USPS has had issues
meeting its requirement
to be self-financing since
the Postal Accountability
and Enhancement Act was
passed in 2006. That act
required the Postal Service
to fully fund the medical
benefits for every potential
retiree in advance, which
was a major financial burden.
The Postal Service Reform
Act lifted that requirement
in 2022. However, the USPS
continues to struggle and
has reported a tentative $9.5
billion in losses for 2024.
Trump floated the idea of
privatizing the USPS during
his first term, which was met
with disdain by the public
and Congress alike. While
the Postal Service is part of
the executive branch, it’s an
independent agency, and its
operations aren’t under the
purview of the president. So,
Trump could not dissolve it
via executive order. He could
influence the agency’s future
by attempting to starve
it of funds or appointing
sympathetic members to the
board. Still, it would take an
act of Congress to actually
privatize the Postal Service.
However, the USPS
doesn’t have constitutional
protections. It’s a common
misconception that the
Postal Clause (Article I,
Section 8, Clause 7) of the
United States Constitution
requires Congress to
establish a postal system. It
reads:
“The Congress shall have
Power…To establish Post
Image Credit: Getty Images/UCG
Offices and post Roads”
The clause grants, but
doesn’t require, Congress
to create a mail system.
There’s also no imperative
that one be maintained if it
is created. As such, there’s
no constitutional barrier to
dissolving the USPS.
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PAGE 8 • JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 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
Have Your Church Placed On Our
Church Directory
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'
1) What did the eleven remaining disciples decide to do about the
lost of the twelve one, Judas?
2) What was the second miracle Jesus performed in Galilee?
3) How many books in the New Testament did Paul write?
4) What is Theology?
5) Can you name four attributes of God?
6) What is Soteriology?
7) What Book in the Bible you would turn to if you wanted to find
“Two people struck dead from lying to the church?
8) What Book in the Bible you would turn to if you wanted to find
”Faith without works is dead?
***Bible fact – Did you know that while running from Saul,
David pretended to be crazy as he ran into the enemy’s clutches
(Philistines) This act saved him from the wrath of Saul. (1st Sam.
21:12-15).
Answers – 1) Acts 1:24-26; 2) John 4:43-54; 3) 13 books, although
some feels that Paul authored 14 books; 4) The study of
God; 5) Immutability, omnipresence, omniscient, omnipotent; 6)
The study of Salvation; 7) Acts 5:1-10; 8) James 2:20
Denzel Washington Gets
Baptized at 70 Years Old,
Receives Minister’s License
(Source: Blacknews.com)
NATIONWIDE -- Denzel Washington was recently baptized
in a ceremony at a New York church a few days before he turns
70 years old. He was also granted a minister’s license, allowing
him to officiate at religious services and pursue ordination in
the future.
The Oscar-winning actor, currently starring in Gladiator
II, was baptized on Saturday at Kelly Temple Church of
God in Christ in Harlem, according to EURweb. The service,
streamed on Facebook, showed Washington in a white robe
being immersed in the church’s ritual pool, where he received
his baptism certificate.
Washington’s early life was shaped by his strong Christian
upbringing, with his father serving as a Pentecostal minister.
Though he attended church as a child, Washington’s personal
faith grew later in life. He now attends the West Angeles
Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles.
Washington called the baptism his “greatest
accomplishment,” and shared an emotional message about
faith during the service.
“It took a while, but I’m finally here… If [God] can do this
for me, there’s nothing He can’t do for you. The sky literally is
the limit,” Washington said.
Meanwhile, the event gained attention on social media.
Many praised his decision to hold the ceremony in a modest
church, while some questioned the speed at which celebrity
ministers are granted such responsibilities.
www.thewestsidegazette.com
Richard Parsons, Esteemed Corporate
Leader and Jazz Enthusiast, Dies at 76
Parsons, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015,
had scaled back his professional commitments in recent years
due to complications from the disease.
By Stacy M. Brown,
NNPA Newswire Senior
National Correspondent @
StacyBrownMedia
Richard Dean Parsons,
a distinguished leader in
corporate America renowned
for his roles at Time Warner
and Citigroup, died Thursday
at his Manhattan home. He
was 76.
Parsons, who was
diagnosed with multiple
myeloma in 2015, had
scaled back his professional
commitments in recent years
due to complications from
the disease. Lazard, the
financial services firm where
Parsons was a longtime board
member, confirmed his death.
Ronald Lauder, chairman
emeritus of Estée Lauder,
called Parsons “a colossus in
the worlds of business, media,
culture, and philanthropy.”
Parsons resigned from the
boards of Lazard and Estée
Lauder earlier this month for
health reasons, ending a 25-
year tenure with the latter
company.
David Zaslav, CEO of
Warner Bros. Discovery,
described Parsons as a “great
mentor and friend” and
credited him as “one of the
greatest problem solvers this
industry has ever seen.”
Born on April 4, 1948, in
Brooklyn, New York, Parsons
exhibited academic excellence
from a young age, beginning
college at just 16. He earned
his law degree from Albany
Law School in 1971. His
career began as a lawyer and
counselor to then-New York
Governor Nelson Rockefeller
and later included a role in
the White House during the
Ford administration.
Parsons transitioned to the
private sector as managing
partner at Patterson,
Belknap, Webb & Tyler and
later served as chief operating
officer of Dime Bancorp. In
1995, he became president of
Time Warner, overseeing its
entertainment and corporate
operations. He ascended
to CEO in 2002, where he
worked to strengthen the
company’s financial position
and reshape its portfolio. Most
recognized Parson as one of
America’s top executives.
Parsons played a critical
role during challenging
periods at both Time Warner
and Citigroup. He became
Citigroup chairman in 2009
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
CNBC’s ‘Squawk Box’ team discusses CBS’s interim
chairman after former CEO Les Moonves left the CBS
board amid sexual misconduct claims. (YouTube.com
Screen capture)
Cynthia “Tudy” Walden
Cynthia “Tudy”
Walden, born on
March 3, 1964, in
Sarasota, Florida,
to the late Frances
Bostic-Walden
and Willie Walden
Sr., passed away
peacefully,
surrounded by her
loved ones, at the
age of 60.
Cynthia served
with dedication for
26 years with the
School Board of
Broward County
before retiring due to
health challenges.
Her colleagues and
those whose lives she
touched will always
remember her as a
hard-working and
compassionate
individual who was
deeply committed to her community.
Tudy’s love for family was at the center of everything she
did. She leaves behind two beloved daughters: Shontae
Walden of Lauderdale Lakes, Fl,
Shakeda Williams-Standifer, and
her devoted son-in-law, Henry
Standifer Jr., of Pompano Beach, FL,
and her only son Waylon Milliard of
Thomaston ME. She was the proud
grandmother of Henry Standifer III,
Ayden Standifer, Ashton Standifer,
and Kyler Millard.
A celebration of Tudy’s life will
be held at Word of the Living God
Ministries in Pompano Beach Fl,
on January 4 ,2025 at 10 a.m. A
viewing will be held at Bell’s Funeral
Service on January 3, 2025 from 5
to7 p.m. All are welcome to come together to honor the
memory of this extraordinary woman who leaves behind
an indelible legacy of love and service.
Greg Gumbel, legendary CBS broadcaster, dies at 78
Deeply Rooted
Gumbel was a regular in CBS’s
coverage of both the NFL and
college basketball, always
providing a welcoming face
in either the broadcast booth
or the studio host’s chair. He
retired from NFL coverage in
2022 but continued handling
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
Deaconess
Patricia
Moore
Funeral
Service will
be held
January 4th
at Lighthouse
Worship
Center.
Tameka
Holliman-
Perdoma
Funeral
Service
will be held
January 4th at
St Paul Baptist
Church.
Casey Myers
Love And Grace
Funeral And
Cremation Service
Hattie Mae
Johnson - 96
Funeral
Service
ws held
December
28th at the
Calvary
Baptist Church.
Shanandra
Aunitra Jones
- 42
Funeral Service
was held
December 27th
at New Shiloh
Missionary
Baptist Church.
Latasha
Robertson - 47
Funeral Service
was held
December 28th
The
Calvary
Baptist Church.
the college hoops side of the
job until this year.
Gumbel stepped away
from covering the 2024 NCAA
tournament, with “family
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2025 • PAGE 9
James C. Boyd
Funeral Home Services
Neacy Mae
Graham – 89
Funeral
Service
was held
December 28 th
at Restoring
Grace
Community
Church with Dr. Jerome
Symonette officiating.
Derek
Nathainel
Harden, Sr. –
54
Funeral
Service
was held
December
30 th at James
C. Boyd’s
Memorial Chapel.
Janice S.
Harrell – 63
Funeral
Service
was held
December
30th at New
Mount Olive
Baptist Church with Rev. Dr.
Marcus D. Davidson officiating.
Apostle
Bolatito
Kuburat
Idown – 66
Funeral
Service
was held
December 28 th
at James C. Boyd’s Memorial
Chapel with Pastor Sam
Gbadebo officiating.
Betty Jean
Moore
Funeral Service
was held
December 28 th
at James C.
Boyd’s Memorial
Chapel with Rev.
Joyce Wright
officiating.
Emma Nell
Williams – 95
Funeral Service
was held
December 30 th
at New Mount
Olive Baptist
Church with
Rev. Dr Marcus D. Davidson
officiating.
McWhite’s Funeral
Home Services
Della Dean
Cooper
Funeral Service
was held
December 28th at
McWhite’s
Funeral Home
Chapel.
Charles R.
“Oola” Dorsey,
Jr.
Funeral Service
was held
December 28th
at Mt. Nebo
Missionary
Baptist Church.
Cynthia
Ferguson
Funeral
Service
was held
December 27th
at Star of
Bethlehem Missionary Baptist
Church.
Henry Paul Memory service on
December 27th at McWhite’s
Funeral Home Chapel.
Roy Mizell & Kurtz
Funeral Home Services
Deaconess
Carrie Robertson
74
Funeral
Service was
held
December
27th .
By Jjack Baer Staff Writer
(Source: yahoo!sports)
Greg Gumbel was a
mainstay for CBS Sports.
(Kyle Terada-USA TODAY
Sports)
Greg Gumbel, the popular
CBS broadcaster who spent
decades on the airwaves
covering a multitude of sports,
died Friday. He was 78 years
old.
His family revealed in a
statement to CBS News that
he died after a battle with
cancer:
It is with profound sadness
that we share the passing
of our beloved husband
and father, Greg Gumbel.
He passed away peacefully
surrounded by much love
after a courageous battle with
cancer. Greg approached his
illness like one would expect
he would, with stoicism, grace,
and positivity.
He leaves behind a
legacy of love, inspiration
and dedication to over 50
extraordinary years in the
sports broadcast industry;
and his iconic voice will never
be forgotten.
Greg’s memory will forever
be treasured by his family,
dearest friends, colleagues and
all who loved him. — Marcy &
Michelle Gumbel
CBS Sports also released a
statement praising Gumbel’s
impact on the world of sports.
A statement from CBS
Sports on the passing of
Greg Gumbel pic.twitter.com/
Bp4ixu7mWB
— CBS Sports PR (@
CBSSportsGang) December
27, 2024
For more than two decades,
PAGE 10 • JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2025
Deeply Rooted
www.thewestsidegazette.com
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – Broward
Health is pleased to announce the arrival of
Robert Dahl, MBA, FACHE, as chief executive
officer of Broward Health Imperial Point. In
his new role, which begins this week, Dahl will
lead Broward Health Imperial Point’s overall
administration and related regional operations
to ensure high-quality care and service for the
community.
A seasoned, high-impact executive, Dahl
has a proven history of long-term results
across large, multi-site hospital environments.
He most recently served as president and chief
executive officer of Ascension Saints Mary and
Elizabeth Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois,
where he provided strategic and operational
leadership for two campuses. During his
tenure, Dahl boosted service delivery and
patient satisfaction scores by closely aligning
administrative direction and patient quality
and safety measures. Ascension is one of
the largest safety net and behavioral health
hospitals in Illinois.
Appoints
New CEO of
Broward Health
Imperial Point
Submitted by Nina Levine
Dahl has also led other Chicago-based
healthcare organizations, including as
president and CEO of Ascension Resurrection
Medical Center, an award-winning,
community-based teaching hospital, and
senior vice president and chief operating officer
of Surgical Directions, a nationwide leader of
perioperative and anesthesia consulting.
“We look forward to Bob’s strategic vision,
results-driven outlook and deep knowledge of
healthcare administration,” said Shane Strum,
President & CEO of Broward Health. “I am
confident that under his leadership, Broward
Health will continue to deliver exceptional
care, advanced innovative practices and
strengthen its mission of improving the health
and well-being of the communities we serve.”
Dahl earned his Master of Business
Administration from Northwestern
University’s Kellogg School of Business in
Evanston, Illinois, and his Bachelor of Science
from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb,
Illinois.
Recognizing and Valuing Home-Based Child Care
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Home-Based childcare is essential because it meets the unique needs of certain
families whose special requirements are not met in other care settings. HBCC services are often preferred
by rural communities, families working nontraditional hours, families with babies and toddlers, Black
and Latinx families, and families of children with special needs.
By Susan Nobblitt
FAMU Announces Antonio Witherspoon
As New University Registrar
Submitted by FAMU Public Relation
TALLAHASSEE, FL. —Florida A&M University
(FAMU) announces Antonio Witherspoon as the new
University Registrar, effective Jan. 3, 2025. A threetime
graduate of FAMU, Witherspoon brings a wealth of
experience in academic administration, student services,
and civic leadership to his new role.
“Witherspoon’s deep connection to the University’s
mission and community will help propel the Registrar’s
Office forward in helping students achieve their
educational goals,” says Provost Allyson Watson, Ph.D.
MDC, a nonprofit organization based in
Durham, North Carolina, advances equitable
systems change in the Southern United States.
Our educational equity team supports home-based
childcare providers who work to transform systems
that created the current childcare crisis. Home-
Based Child Care (HBCC) serves most children
in North Carolina for early education. HBCC is
childcare provided in a home, rather than in an
institutional or outdoor setting. We focus on care
that specifically takes place in the provider’s home
and where the care is provided by individuals
who are not the legal guardians of the child being
WITHERSPOON
“His passion for student success and commitment to operational excellence make him an ideal
fit for this leadership role. His extensive experience and deep ties to FAMU’s mission will drive
transformative progress in the Registrar’s Office.”
Witherspoon currently serves in the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic
Affairs as a coordinator of administrative services where he manages daily operations,
coordinates university-wide projects, and provides comprehensive support to academic
leadership. He provides budget oversight, strategic resource allocation, and fosters collaboration
to address academic concerns effectively. Witherspoon’s commitment to academic excellence
is evident in his leadership of key university committees and his contributions to faculty
development initiatives.
Previously, Witherspoon served in the Registrar’s Office for more than 11 years, where he
spearheaded transformative projects, such as implementing innovative scheduling systems,
streamlining credit evaluations, and optimizing degree audit processes. His efforts significantly
improved student experiences, reduced processing errors, and enhanced operational efficiency.
“I am deeply humbled to return to the FAMU Registrar’s Office in this capacity,” says
Witherspoon. “The immediate past registrar, Agatha Onwunli, set a high standard for
innovation and trust, and I am committed to raising the bar even higher alongside a talented
team.”
cared for. North Carolina families rely on HBCCs
either by choice or necessity. It is estimated that
64% of North Carolina children are in home-based
child care outside of the formal licensing system
statewide. Amidst the growing conversation about
the need to sustain child care, 85% of all closures
of North Carolina child care businesses since
February 2020 have been licensed home-based
child care businesses. Home-Based childcare is
essential because it meets the unique needs of
certain families whose special requirements are not
met in other care settings. HBCC services are often
preferred by rural communities, families working
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UPCOMING ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITY
Working to make Dr. Martin
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Here are five actionable ways we can work toward
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4. Advocate for Nonviolence and Social Justice
Uphold Dr. King’s philosophy of nonviolence by participating in peaceful activism.
Stand against discrimination, injustice, and inequality by using your voice and platform
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5. Foster Unity and Understanding
Break down barriers by building relationships across cultural, racial, and religious
lines. Engage in meaningful conversations, educate yourself and others, and work to
create spaces where diversity is celebrated, and inclusion is the norm.
Carter’s Legacy of Inclusion Endures from FP
people to the government to work, prove
themselves, learn skills, and move up so
that the next time there’s a job opening in
management or whatever, they’re there. Boom,
they can move up,” Beck told television station
WALB.
Many observers said Carter’s relationship
with Black voters and civil rights leaders
formed the foundation of his leadership. Martin
Luther King Sr., known as “Daddy King,” was
an advisor and confidant, guiding Carter on
policies to advance civil rights. Coretta Scott
King, Andrew Young, and other civil rights
leaders saw Carter as someone who could
carry the movement’s progress forward. “He
was an upright man, different from the other
Southerners,” said Bobby Fuse, a civil rights
activist who supported Carter’s gubernatorial
campaign in 1970.
Carter’s ability to rise above the racism
entrenched in his Southern roots defined
much of his political career. As a young school
board member in Plains, Georgia, he resisted
pressure to join the White Citizens’ Council
and objected to his church’s exclusion of Black
worshippers. Rachel Clark, a Black woman
who worked on the Carter family farm, helped
influence his moral compass. She taught him
about selflessness and community, lessons
that guided him throughout his life. “He even
got teased in school for sounding Black,” said
Jonathan Alter, author of “His Very Best:
Jimmy Carter, a Life.”
When Carter ran for governor of Georgia in
1970, his campaign initially used dog whistles
to appeal to white voters. However, after his
victory, his inaugural address declared, “The
time for racial discrimination is over.” Carter
appointed Black judges, supported fair housing
laws, and challenged systemic racism in ways
that surprised even his critics.
Martin Luther King
Sr. praised Carter,
writing, “I know
a man I can trust,
Blacks can trust,
and that man is
Jimmy Carter.”
After leaving the Oval Office, Carter’s
commitment to service never waned. Over four
decades, he and his wife Rosalynn partnered
with Habitat for Humanity, building thousands
of homes for needy families. Mark Minick,
a Friends of Jimmy Carter Board member,
described Carter’s relentless dedication. “He
was initiating it, he was asking for volunteers,”
Minick stated in a 2023 interview. “He never
minded asking you to do anything, and if he did
ask you to do something, you’d figure out how
to do it.”
Carter’s human rights advocacy extended
globally. His negotiation of the Camp David
Accords remains a pivotal achievement,
securing peace between Israel and Egypt. Even
later in life, Carter stood firm on controversial
issues like Palestinian freedom. The Council
on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued
a statement recognizing Carter’s courage.
“President Carter was a humanitarian role
model,” said CAIR Executive Director Nihad
Awad. “Even when he faced vitriolic attacks
for his prescient book ‘Palestine: Peace, Not
Apartheid,’ he stood firm.”
Carter’s connection to the Black Press also
marked a historic milestone. In 1977, he invited
Black journalists to the White House for the first
time and issued Proclamation 4507, declaring
Black Press Day. That year coincided with the
150th anniversary of “Freedom’s Journal,” the
nation’s first Black newspaper.
“Whenever I had a chance to spend time
with President Carter, it was clear that he
didn’t just profess these values,” said former
President Barack Obama. “He embodied them.
He made that choice again and again over the
course of his 100 years, and the world is better
for it.”
From a peanut farmer to President of the
United States, “his incredible life, legacy, and
leadership are a testament to the power of the
American dream,” said House Democratic Leader
Hakeem Jeffries. “His commitment to humility,
kindness, and service to others will continue to
be a North Star for future generations of public
servants.”
Vice President Kamala Harris added, “After
leaving office, President Carter continued his
fight for peace, democracy, and human dignity
through the Carter Center. His life and legacy
continue to inspire me—and will inspire
generations to come. Our world is a better place
because of President Carter.”
Carter once said during his Nobel Peace Prize
acceptance speech, “God gives us the capacity
for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering.
We can choose to work together for peace.”
www.thewestsidegazette.com
JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2025 • PAGE 11
Preslavery Savants
By Don Valentine
Ever since the birth of our nation in 1776,
we’ve been treated to the heartwarming tale of
how slavery was, in fact, a benevolent act for
Black folks. Fifty years into our Union, South
Carolina Senator John C. Calhoun in his 1837
anti-abolitionist speech said, “Never before
has the Black race of Central Africa, from the
dawn of history to the present day, attained a
condition so civilized and so improved, not only
physically, but morally and intellectually.”
That mendacious sentiment has been
reinforced by the suppression of Black history
in schools.
The American Society for Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology (ASBMB) wrote, “Sadly,
the vast majority of discussions on the origins
of science include only the Greeks, Romans
and other Whites. But, in fact most of their
discoveries came thousands of years after
African developments.” Black cultures ignited
the field of astronomy with brilliant discoveries
that predated White colonization.
The Dogon tribe are an African tribal
people that live in Mali, and their culture is
steeped in ceremonial traditions centered on
Submitted by Kay Renz
Public Relations
Mark your calendars, music
lovers! Pompano Beach Arts
is thrilled to announce Jazz
Fest Pompano Beach will
return to the City’s beautiful
shore on January 24th and
25th, 2025. This 4 th annual
festival promises to be bigger
and tastier than ever before,
featuring a stellar lineup
of renowned jazz musicians
including Joshua Redman
& Gabrielle Cavassa, Judith
Hill, Randy Brecker, and
Jazz Funk Soul alongside
a vibrant new food court
with a New Orleans flavor!
This free festival will once
again be hosted by Mark
Ruffin of Sirius XM’s Real
Jazz. There is no charge for
General Admission tickets
but registration is required.
There are a limited number
of VIP Seats at $200 for a
2-day pass. Complete details
at www.pompanobeacharts.
org/jazzfest.
“This year’s event will
feature two days of critically
acclaimed artists who have
graced the stages of the biggest
jazz events in the world.
We are honored to produce
this landmark festival for
our community, shining the
spotlight on our City while
welcoming music lovers from
all over the state and beyond,”
said Ty Tabing, Director of
The City of Pompano Beach
Cultural Affairs Department,
operating as Pompano Beach
Arts. “Our Cultural Affairs
Department is grateful to the
City Commission for their
support of events like Jazz
Fest, which impact our City’s
economic development while
enhancing the quality of life
for our residents.”
During the next few months
more details about the festival
will be announced including
food vendors, art installations
and much more. Stay tuned
to the Jazz Fest page on our
website.
Jazz Fest Pompano Beach
2025 also has many attractive
sponsorship opportunities.
Pompano Beach Arts is proud
to welcome Visit Lauderdale
to our roster of supporters and
there are many partnership
levels available to showcase
businesses to the over 15,000
people expected to attend this
several extraterrestrial events. That tribe
of “uncivilized, illiterate savages, achieved
incredible feats of observation. The Dogans
identified Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s moons, and
the spiral structure of the Milky Way. They
even tracked the orbit of Sirius, a star system
so dense and faint that it’s invisible to the
naked eye.
Noteworthy are the Kenyans who built
Nabta Playa. It’s a structure known as the
African Stonehenge, and it was constructed
around 300 B.C., thousands of years before
Europe’s. Anthropology News wrote, “African
cultural astronomy exists in traditions and
knowledge passed orally from generation
to generation. Africans used knowledge of
the stars to chart seasons and to regulate
agricultural cycles and ritual calendars.
Celestial bodies were used to coordinate both
work and social activities; they played and
continue to play roles in divination, spatial
design, and decision making…” Nabta Playa
(the African Stonhenge) stands some 700 miles
south of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. It
was built more than 7,000 years ago, making
Nabta Playa the oldest stone circle in the
world. Astronomy.com suggested, “...possibly
Making Waves! Jazz Fest Pompano
Beach Announces 2025 Lineup
Free Music Festival Brings Grammy Winners and Rising Stars to City’s Shore
year’s festival. Learn more
at the sponsorship section at
www.pompanobeacharts.org/
jazzfest.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 24 th ,
2025 |LOCAL TALENT
STAGE │Great Lawn:
1:45-4:45 p.m.
Fernando Ferrarone
Trumpeter and Alto
Saxophonist Fernando
Ferrarone is a 2-time
DownBeat Award winner on
trumpet and alto saxophone.
He is a band leader, composer
and arranger. Fernando
attended Berklee College
of Music on a full tuition
scholarship in Boston. He
has performed in various
jazz festivals such as the
Monterey jazz festival and
the Montreal jazz festival
in Canada. Fernando has
performed throughout New
York City jazz clubs and
with bands including Sonora
Dinamita and Grupo Rebolu.
Internationally, he has
performed extensively in Peru
and Colombia.
Bop Shop Brass
Bop Shop Brass emerged
at the end of the pandemic,
born from the enthusiasm of
musicians eager to reconnect
and perform together. Their
journey began at various
farmers’ markets around
Miami, where they quickly
discovered a unique, groovy
sound that resonated
with their audience. By
meticulously curating
a repertoire filled with
undeniable BOPS, they’ve
been able to captivate listeners
across South Florida, sharing
their passion for music
and creating unforgettable
experiences for everyone who
hears them.
FRIDAY JANUARY 24 th
2025 │ Pompano Beach on
the sand:
Randy Brecker | Main
Stage 5:00 p.m.
Randy Brecker is a
Grammy® Award-Winner
legendary jazz trumpeter
and composer known for his
exceptional performances on
the trumpet and flugelhorn.
Born into a musical family
in Philadelphia in 1945, he
has left an indelible mark
on the world of jazz, R&B,
and rock for more than six
decades. Brecker has worked
with a diverse array of artists
and bands, including Blood,
Sweat and Tears, Horace
Silver Quintet, Art Blakey’s
Jazz Messengers, and the
Brecker Brothers Band.
Throughout his career, he has
released numerous albums
and earned multiple Grammy
nominations and wins.
Randy’s enduring passion for
music continues to inspire
new generations of musicians
and fans worldwide.
Adam Hawley | Main
Stage 7:00 pm
Adam Hawley, a celebrated
guitarist, producer, and
composer, has released four
albums and produced music
resulting in 16 Billboard #1
Hits. His album Escape was
the #1 Selling Album in the
nation in its first week, and
its debut single became the
Billboard and Smooth Jazz
Network Song of the Year for
2020. His fourth album, Risin’
Up, also saw chart-topping
success. In 2022, he achieved
four more #1 hits and the
2022 song of the year.
Joshua Redman &
Gabrielle Cavassa | Main
Stage 9:00 pm
Grammy nominated jazz
saxophonist Joshua Redman,
widely revered as one of the
greatest of his generation,
performs music from where
are we, his celebrated debut
Continue reading online at:
thewestsidegazette.com
Earth’s oldest astronomical observatory. It
was constructed by a cattle worshiping cult of
nomadic people to mark the summer solstice
and the arrival of the monsoons.”
These pioneering strides by African savages
Nabta Playa - African Stonehenge
are undoubtedly proof of intelligence. But,
it’s just as likely they stumbled upon it while
chasing their cows. To learn more on African
accomplishments read Duane Hamacher The
First Astronomers.
Broward County Transit Bus Operator Recognized for
Helping Visually Impaired Resident Across Busy Intersection
Broward County Administrator Monica Cepero, Jean Marceli and Coree
Cuff Lonergan, CEO/General Manager of Broward County Transit.
In the bustling rhythm
of Broward County, where
nearly two million residents
and visitors weave through
their daily routines,
extraordinary moments often
unfold quietly, unnoticed by
the masses. These moments,
however, have the power to
inspire and remind us of the
incredible people who make
our community thrive.
One such moment
happened at one of Broward’s
busiest intersections,
Flamingo Avenue and Pines
Boulevard—a place where
traffic seldom pauses. On
what seemed like an ordinary
day, Jean Marcelin, a threeyear
Broward County Transit
(BCT) bus operator, turned it
into something extraordinary.
While completing his bus
route, Marcelin noticed a
visually impaired gentleman
struggling to navigate
the chaotic eight lane
intersection. Recognizing the
man’s difficulty, Marcelin
didn’t hesitate. He stopped
his bus, stepped out, and
guided the man safely across
the bustling roadway to the
correct bus stop, ensuring his
safety and comfort.
This act of kindness didn’t
just impact the passenger;
it caught the attention of a
Broward County resident
who witnessed the entire
scene. The community rallied
to commend Marcelin for his
selfless action.
“I just thought about
what I’d want someone to
do for me,” Marcelin later
shared. “There’s always an
opportunity to help people.”
Service Beyond Driving
Marcelin’s extraordinary
deed reflects the deeply
rooted values that guide
public service professionals
like him. More than just
a bus operator, Marcelin
embodies the compassion
and commitment that form
the heart of Broward County
Transit.
This moment, amplified by
the community’s appreciation
recently led to Marcelin
receiving the prestigious
County Administrator’s
Shining Star Award. The
award honors his exceptional
service and the lasting impact
he’s made on the community.
Coree Cuff Lonergan,
CEO/General Manager of
Broward County Transit,
praised Marcelin: “Jean
represents the very best of
what it means to be a transit
professional. His empathy,
quick thinking, and
dedication to our community
are inspiring. He’s a shining
Continue reading online at:
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Jean Marcelin (left) assisting visually impaired Broward resident
PAGE 12 • JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2025
Deeply Rooted
www.thewestsidegazette.com
YOU AND A GUEST ARE INVITED
TO A SPECIAL ADVANCE SCREENING OF
TUESDAY, JANUARY 14 • 7:00 PM • AMC AVENTURA
For your chance to win a complimentary admit-two pass
to the advance screening, email us at
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Carrie Meek Foundation fuels Miami’s growth from FP
acknowledges the weight of building upon her
mother’s mission.
“Our tagline is ‘Legacy and Action,’ and our
mission is to operationalize programming in the
areas she supported,” Davis-Raiford said.
She explained that the foundation’s work
centers on four pillars: health, education, housing,
and economic development.
“We’re not legislators,” Davis-Raiford added.
“Her job was to craft laws that bettered the lives of
her people. Our job now is to work in those same
areas.”
The Future of Aviation
One of the Foundation’s most ambitious projects
is the Carrie Meek Aviation Workforce Innovation
Center, which Congresswoman Frederica Wilson
arranged funding for earlier this year with an
$850,000 grant. The center at Opa-Locka Airport
will provide underserved communities with
training and job opportunities in aviation and
avionics.
“Miami is a major transportation hub with
high-paying jobs,” said Wilson. “Too many workers
don’t know how to get into the aviation workforce
or lack the skills. That’s why I’m proud to support
this innovative job center, which will empower
workers with the skills and resources to land highpaying
jobs in the aviation industry.”
The innovation center will provide underserved
communities with training and job opportunities
in aviation and avionics.
“When we talk about aviation, everybody thinks
about pilots, and the fact of the matter is, if there
are no planes, pilots can’t fly,” she said.
This initiative targets communities like Opa-
Locka, Liberty City, Miami Gardens and Hialeah,
areas traditionally lacking career pathways in
high-demand fields. The program will expose
young people, beginning at middle school students,
to various aviation careers, from turbine engine
repair to avionics.
Hope for Communities
“We want to create an environment where that
middle school kid can get the exposure so that he
can make early decisions about what he wants to
do or she wants to do,” Davis-Raiford said. “Not
everybody’s going to college, but everybody needs
to be able to make a living, and there are very
healthy incomes to be made in this industry.”
The Foundation has partnered with Captain
Barrington Irving’s Experience Aviation, which
has developed a “flying classroom” to teach
young people about aviation. Irving’s school will
help shape the curriculum and provide hands-on
training.
Though the center is still in the early planning
stages, Davis-Raiford explained that they are
working on the infrastructure budget and looking
Carrie P. Meek was the first Black Floridian elected to
Congress and a strong advocate for the community.
(Photo credit: FlWomensHallOfFame.org)
for collaborations to sustain the project. The
facility will include labs for 3D printing, advanced
manufacturing, electrical systems, green
technologies, and other technical skills.
Tackling Gun Violence
Supporting Safer Communities Grant
While the aviation initiative represents a
new frontier, the foundation’s commitment
to addressing gun violence and public safety
remains a priority. Through the Supporting
Safer Communities Grant Program, funded by
a $7.2 million grant from Miami-Dade County’s
Community Violence Intervention Initiative
(CVI) in 2022, the foundation has awarded 82
grants to local organizations addressing violence,
particularly in high-crime neighborhoods.
“We’re creating a very robust network across
the county of community-based organizations that
can be mobilized for the kinds of things and positive
change that we want to see in our community,”
Davis-Raiford explained.
That network includes organizations
overseeing shelters around Miami-Dade County,
while others provide pet therapy to children and
families impacted by gun violence, helping to heal
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87211_WolfMan_WestsideGazette_6.5x10.75.indd 1
12/10/24 2:10 PM
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Deeply Rooted
Is Don Lemon Too Real for White People? New Twitter Show
JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2025 • PAGE 13
reserve the right to make decisions about our business
partnerships, and after careful consideration, X decided not
to enter into a commercial partnership with the show.”
Lemon’s reaction? “Clean up on Aisle X.”
Canceled, Now Beefing with Elon Musk. Here’s What We Know ...
The former CNN anchor was gearing up to premiere his new talk
show on X, f.k.a. Twitter, but things have just taken a turn.
By Shanelle Genai
Just as former CNN
anchor Don Lemon was
gearing up to debut his new
talk show on X/Twitter,
“The Don Lemon Show,”
it appears that’s no longer
the case thanks to a “tense”
exchange between Lemon
the social media site’s owner
Elon Musk.
Musk was set to be
Lemon’s first guest on his
talk show, which is set to
premiere on Monday, March
18. The Tesla founder
purported himself and the
site to be a proponent of
free speech and came in
partnership with Lemon to
provide a platform for him
to continue doing his good
work.
The Tea On What Elon
Musk Said In Creepy Don
Lemon Interview
Well, in a post to Lemon’s
official Instagram and
Twitter page, the deal is
now obsolete (“contract
terminated” were the
exact words from Musk as
reported by New York Times
contributing reporter and
author Kara Swisher) as
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Musk has decided to cancel
Lemon’s show following
their interview.
“Elon Musk is mad
at me and I just put out
a statement about what
happened between him, me
and the interview that he is
apparently so upset about.
But make no mistake about
this—this is going to be my
first episode of ‘The Don
Lemon Show’ this coming
Monday, March 18th,”
Lemon said in a subsequent
video message. “So make
sure you tune in. This does
not change anything about
the show except for my
relationship with Elon and
X. And there’s a whole lot
that went down. And I’m
going to tell you about it in
the coming days.”
He continued:
I know though that many
of you were not happy that
I was doing this in the first
place and you told me so. I
just want you to know that
I did this deal because not
only do I believe in free
speech, but I believed that
this was the best possible
chance for the work that I’m
doing to reach the largest
amount of people.
So speaking of free
speech, right? I thought the
first person to interview,
no brainer, Elon Musk,
the man who calls himself
a ‘free speech absolutist.’
I asked him to do it, he
willingly agreed to the
interview. Throughout
our conversation, I kept
reiterating to him that
although it was tense at
times—I thought it was
good for people to see and
hear our exchange and that
they would learn from our
conversation. Learn more
about him, learn more about
me. But apparently free
speech absolutism doesn’t
apply when it comes to
questions about him from
people like me.
Lemon went on to share
that the episode would still
be available for viewers
to watch and listen to
on YouTube and podcast
streaming platforms. He
said that he would still post
the interview on X/Twitter
despite Musk’s apparent
and alleged disdain.
In an ironic twist, this
kerfuffle between the
two comes just two hours
after Musk tweeted: “Free
speech is the bedrock of our
democracy.”
Mhhm.
In a subsequent tweet
in response to Lemon’s
announcement, X/Twitter’s
official business account
page posted: “X is a platform
that champions free speech,
and we’re proud to provide an
open environment for diverse
voices and perspectives. The
Don Lemon Show is welcome
to publish its content on
X, without censorship, as
we believe in providing a
platform for creators to scale
their work and connect with
new communities. However,
like any enterprise, we
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JANUARY 2, 2025
NUMBERS
(2-DAY
RESULTS)
Send Self
Addressed
Envelope and
$10.00 to:
C.L.HENRY or
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P.O.BOX 5304
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Purpose Only!
ARIES-It’s easy to take it easy! Just slow
down and let each moment arrive at its own
speed. You’ll get a lot done this week if you
get in tune with the rhythm of the week.
Each moment has its own beat. 9, 16, 42
TAURUS-Change is near, and it’s going
to be good. Clear your desk of pesky tasks
this week and get your mind free to receive
what life brings. Positive results help you
feel even more positive.
2, 25, 27
GEMINI-You are the boss of your week
this week, so act like the leader you are and
let the week follow you around. 1, 30, 41
CANCER-A steady stream of opportunities
is beaming your way, lucky you and they
contain endless variations of possibilities.
Wear your instincts like a rainbow colored
coat this week and gather the good resources
that you need.16, 23, 35
LEO-Some down time will work wonders
for you this week. You’ve been running
fast with your projects, and now it’s time to
slow it down. Try to spend time outdoors
and with nature. Enjoy! 39, 45, 48
VIRGO-Center yourself at every
opportunity during this busy week and
keep your quest for emotional and spiritual
balance in the forefront. 12, 23, 36
LIBRA-Happiness arrives and sits on your
shoulder like a bright butterfly this week. A
relationship can make significant progress
if you stay open to love. 15, 22, 44
SCORPIO-Take charge of a project at work
and get it finished up. It’s been languishing
on someone else’s shoulders and desk for
way too long. A sensible outlook will get
you far this week. 7, 12, 48
SAGITTARIUS-You may find yourself
faced with many distractions this week but
you’ll sail through and accomplish much
if you stay focused on each task and take
them one at a time. 3, 32, 46
CAPRICORN-Creativity is favored and
yours is especially favored with some
project that you’ve been working especially
hard on.: 14, 17, 29
AQUARIUS-Your new ideas combine well
with your will and skill. You get a lot done
at work this week. Be soft and forceful.
Make time for family life this week. 6, 22,
36
48
76
54
45 38
9 6 8
MIAMI RED
024
Pick 2
79
46
78
618
HOT
LEAD NUMBER
6
279/354
78214
POWERBALL
06-31-51-54-55 12 2x
DP 22-40-42-54-68 7
JUNE
98
58
Pick 3
78
PROFILES
MAY
APRIL
37
59
0899/8034
32
24
38
66
MAR.
14
25
39
67
FEB.
07
15
26
44
68
JANUARY 2025
02
03
08
16
27
45
69
69
26
04
09
17
28
46
77
05
11
18
29
47
06
12
19
33
48
JULY
13
AUG
22 23
34 35 36
SEPT.
13
OCT.
49 55 56 57
78 79 88 89 00 00
CAPRICORN AQUARIUS PISCES ARIES TAURUS GEMINI
48-36-74 27-35-42 43-06-82 25-22-41 25-43-84 23-89-24-
CANCER LEO VIRGO LIBRA SCORPIO SAGITTARIUS
12-39-38 51-06-54 06-47-32 46-25-19 17-38-39 42-67-05-
WHAT’S HOT? 24-15-02-71-43
LATEST LOTTERY RESULT as of Tuesday, January 2 at 5 p.m.
JACKPOT Triple Play
08-18-21-23-34-39
Pick 4 Pick 5
42589/35034
68
65
JANUARY 2, 2025
981409/580664
87
25
FANTASY 5
Mid Dec. 30) 01-18-19-20-24
Evening Dec. 29) 05-10-20-28-30
15
19
56
NOV.
DEC.
CASH4LIFE
03-13-28-42-48 4
29
17
63
34
73
11
34
FLORIDA MEGA MILLION
03-07-37-49-55 6 3x
55
68
Doublues
LOTTO
03-06-13-18-32-46
08-24-25-31-48-50
89
FRUITS, FRUITS & FRUITS
SOFT SHELL PECAN $7 a bag
AND THE BEST BOIL & ROASTED
PEANUTS ON THE PLANET PERIOD
QUART BAGS $10.00.
I am sorry it had to come this
No more FREE:
Onions, Bell Pepper, Tomoates
and Potatoes.
Prices will increased Jan. 1, 2025
CALL FORD -- (954) 557-1203.
PISCES-Before you spend your money
check the quality of the goods. This rule
applies to intangible goods as well. 21, 34,
45
CALL FOR FORD(954) 557-1203
PAGE 14 • JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2025
Deeply Rooted
www.thewestsidegazette.com
For the Week oF December 31 - January 6, 2024
M E N ' S 2 0 2 4 - 2 5 B L A C K C O L L E G E B A S K E T B A L L (Men's Standings and Weekly Honors)
CIAA
CENTRAL INTERCOLLEGIATE
ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
MEAC
MID EASTERN
ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SIAC
SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE
ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
SWAC
SOUTHWESTERN
ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
INDEPENDENTS
PERFECT
FITS
Steven J. Gaither/HBCU Gameday Photo
WELCOME ABOARD!: Former
NFL standout DeSean Jackson, at
Delaware State, latest former pro
footballer to take reins of a black
college program
SAM SHADE, DESEAN JACKSON NEW HBCU HEAD
COACHES; LISTING OF 2024 TOP ATTENDED GAMES
CONF
ALL
NORTH DIVISION W L W L
Virginia State 3 0 8 4
Lincoln (PA) 3 0 8 5
Bluefield State 1 2 7 5
Virginia Union 1 2 6 7
Elizabeth City State 0 3 6 5
Bowie State 0 3 7 7
SOUTH DIVISION W L W L
Fayetteville State 2 1 8 5
Johnson C. Smith 2 1 6 4
Shaw 2 1 7 6
Claflin 3 2 9 6
Livingstone 1 3 7 5
Winston-Salem State 0 0 3 6
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Ethan Garita, Sr., F, LINCP - Averaged 17 ppg.,
7.6 rebounds in three wins, MVP of HBCU CP3
Classic. Had 19 pts, 7 rebs., vs. Benedict, 19
pts., 11 rebs., vs. KSU and 13 pts., 5 boards vs.
Livingstone.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER
Peter Sorber, Sr., F, LINCP - Averaged 13.0
points, 7.5 rebounds in four games.
ROOKIE
Trey Minard, Sr., F, LIV - 11 pts., 3 rebs., 1 assist
vs. VUU, 7 pts., 4 rebs., 1 assist vs. BSU.
CONF
ALL
W L W L
Norfolk State 0 0 9 6
Delaware State 0 0 7 7
S. C. State 0 0 6 9
Howard 0 0 5 8
Morgan State 0 0 6 10
N. C. Central 0 0 6 10
Md. E-Shore 0 0 4 12
Coppin State 0 0 1 13
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Brian Moore Jr., 6-2, Gr., FG, NSU - 33 pts.,
5 rebs., 6 assists in win over High Point shooting
13 of 21 from the field, 6 of 6 at the line.
ROOKIE
Blake Harper, 6-2, Fr., G, HOW - Had careerhigh
34 points, 4 rebounds in loss to Hampton.
Shot 10 of 18 from the field, 12 of 15 at the
line.
DEFENSIVE
Julius Ellerbe III, 6-5, Fr., G, CSU - 12 points,
3 rebounds, 3 assists, 6 steals vs. Georgetown.
CONF ALL
EAST W L W L
Clark Atlanta 5 0 8 4
Morehouse 3 1 5 6
Edward Waters 4 2 8 5
Albany State 3 2 5 6
Savannah State 3 3 5 5
Benedict 2 3 2 9
Allen 1 4 3 6
Fort Valley State 0 4 1 10
WEST
Miles 6 0 9 2
Tuskegee 3 2 5 6
Spring Hill 3 3 5 6
Kentucky State 3 4 6 6
Central State 2 4 5 7
Lane 2 4 2 9
LeMoyne-Owen 1 5 1 11
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
NA
CONF
ALL
W L W L
Southern 0 0 5 7
Alabama State 0 0 4 8
Alabama A&M 0 0 4 9
Florida A&M 0 0 3 8
Bethune-Cookman 0 0 6 8
Arkansas-Pine Bliuff 0 0 3 10
Texas Southern 0 0 3 10
Grambling State 0 0 2 10
Miss. Valley State 0 0 2 11
Prairie View A&M 0 0 1 12
Jackson State 0 0 0 13
Alcorn State 0 0 0 13
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Reggie Ward Jr., 6-6, Sr., F, B-CU - Led
Cats with 19 points on 7 of 10 shooting and
had 10 rebounds, 4 steals in win over South
Florida.
NEWCOMER
Brayon Freeman, 6-2, Sr., G, B-CU - Had
18 points in 30 minutes in win over USF with
5 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 steal.
IMPACT
Keionte Cornelius, 6-0, Sr., G, ALC - Shot
7 of 15, had 22 points with six 3 pointers in
loss to UAB.
CONF
ALL
W L W L
Langston 11 2 7 2
Lincoln (Mo.) 9 3 1 3
Florida Memorial 8 4 1 2
Hampton 8 5 1 0
West Virginia State 5 5 3 3
Tennessee State 4 9 0 2
NC A&T 4 10 0 1
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Tyler Chapman, 5-11, Jr., G, LINCM - Shot
12 of 16 from the field, 6 of 9 from behind
the arc for 30 points in win over Ohio Dominican.
Wayne Bristol Jr., 6-6, Gr., G, HAMP - Led
four Pirates in double figures with 18 points
in fifth straight win, 83-67 over Howard.
THE STAT CORNER
WHO ARE THE BEST PERFORMERS IN BLACK COLLEGE SPORTS
RANK 2024 - 2023)
1 - 1) MAGIC CITY CLASSIC - Oct. 26, Legion Field, Birmingham, AL
Alabama State (27) vs. Alabama A&M (19) 69,125
2 - 2) BAYOU CLASSIC - NOv. 30, Ceasar's Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Southern (24) vs. Grambling State (14) 63,207
3 - 3) FLORIDA CLASSIC - Nov. 23, Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
Florida A&M (41) vs. Bethune-Cookman (7) 56,453
4 - 4) STATE FAIR CLASSIC - Sept. 28 - Cotton Bowl - Dallas
Grambling State (34) vs. Prairie View A&M (36) 52,323
5 - 8) TUSKEGEE HOMECOMING - Nov. 9, Abbott Stadium, Tuskegee, AL
Miles (37) at Tuskegee (7) 47,311
6 - 9) CELEBRATION BOWL - Dec. 14, Mecedes Benz Dome, Atlanta, GA
Jackson State (28) vs. South Carolina State (7) 36,823
7 - 10) JACKSON STATE HOMECOMING - Nov. 2, Vet Stadium, Jackson, MS
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3) at Jackson State (41) 34,932
8 - 9) ALABAMA STATE HOMECOMING - Oct. 5, ASU Stadium, M'gomery, AL
Florida A&M (28) at Alabama State (13) 33,576
9 - NR) JACKSON STATE HOME GAME - Sept. 14 - Miss. Vet. Stadium, Jackson, MS
Southern (15) at Jackson State (33) 32,027
10 - 20) NORFOLK STATE HOMECOMING, Oct. 26, Price Stadium, Norfolk, VA
Howard (20) at Norfolk State (21) 31,876
11 - NR) HBCU NEW YORK FOOTBALL CLASSIC - Sept. 14, MetLife Stadium, E. R'thrfd., NJ
Morehouse (21) vs. Howard (35) 31,174
12 - NR) FOUNTAIN CITY CLASSIC - Nov., 9, Albany State Coliseum, Columbus, GA
Fort Valley State (15) vs. Albany State (20) 28,675
13 - 17) JACKSON STATE HOME GAME, Oct. 19, Veterans Stadium, Jackson, MS
Florida A&M (21) at Jackson State (35) 28,450
14 - 6) SOUTHERN HERITAGE CLASSIC - Sept. 14, Liberty Bowl, Memphis, TN
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (28) vs. Tennessee State (41) 27,584
15 - 13) W. C. GORDEN CLASSIC - Sept. 7, Veterans Stadium, Jackson, MS
Lane (7) at Jackson State (58) 26,700
16 - 24) SOUTHERN HOMECOMING - Oct. 14, Mumford Stadium, Baton Rouge, LA
Alcorn State (14) at Southern (24) 26,685
17 - NR) CHICAGO FOOTBALL CLASSIC - Sept. 21, Soldier's Field, Chicago
Morehouse (31) vs. Kentucky State (28) 25,823
18 - 21) NC A&T HOME GAME - Sept. 7 - Aggie Stadium, Greensboro, NC
Winston-Salem State (20) at North Carolina A&T (27, OT) 25,000
19 - NR) SWAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME - Dec. 7 - Miss. Vet Stadium, Jackson, MS
Southern (13) vs. Jackson State (41) 23,765
20 - 19) FLORIDA A&M HOMECOMING, Nov. 2, Bragg Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Texas Southern (28) at Florida A&M (52) 23,271
21 - 23) NC A&T HOMECOMING - Oct. 19, Truist Stadium, Greensboro, NC
Hampton (59) at NC A&T (17) 23,016
22 - 5) SOUL BOWL (ALCORN STATE HOME GAME), Nov. 23, Spinks-Casem Stadium, Lorman, MS
Jackson State (48) at Alcorn State (10) 22,617
23 - 21) SC STATE HOMECOMING, Oct. 26, Dawson Stadium, Orangeburg, SC
Delaware State (35) at South Carolina State (69) 22,169
24 - 16) SWAC/MEAC CHALLENGE - Aug. 24, Center Parc Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Florida A&M (24) vs. Norfolk State (23) 22,210
25 - 12) TURKEY DAY CLASSIC, Nov. 28, ASU Stadium, Montgomery, AL
Tuskegee (6) at Alabama State (34) 21,567
26 - NR) ALABAMA STATE HOME GAME - Nov. 16, ASU Stadium, Montgomery, AL
Jackson State (16) at Alabama State (10) 21,798
27 - NR) ALABAMA STATE HOME GAME - Sept. 7, ASU Stadium, Montgomery, AL
Miles (3) at Alabama State (24) 20,276
(2024) - 27 games over 20,000 - 32,535 average TOTAL 878,453
(2023) - 26 games over 20,000 - 33,341 average TOTAL 866,888
(2022) - 25 games over 20,000 - 38,165 average TOTAL 954,149
RANK 2024 - 2023)
HIGHEST ATTENDANCE AT 2024
BLACK COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAMES
HIGHEST ATTENDANCE AT 2024
BLACK COLLEGE HOMECOMING GAMES
1 - 1) TUSKEGEE vs. Miles - Nov. 9 47,311
2 - 2) JACKSON STATE vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff - November 2 34,932
3 - 11) ALABAMA STATE vs. Florida A&M - October 5 33,576
4 - ) NORFOLK STATE vs. Howard, October 26 31,876
5 - 17) FORT VALLEY STATE vs. Allen - Oct. 12 26,730
6 - 7) SOUTHERN vs. Alcorn State - October 19 26,685
7 - 3) ALABAMA A&M vs. Bethune-Cookman - Oct. 12 19,727
8 - 5) FLORIDA A&M vs. Texas Southern - November 2 23,271
9 - 8) N. C A&T vs. Hampton - Oct. 19 23,016
10 - 6) SC STATE vs. Delaware State - Oct. 26 22,169
11 - NR) GRAMBLING STATE vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff - Oct. 19 17,135
12 - 9) ALCORN STATE vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff - October 5 14,753
13 - 12) PRAIRIE VIEW A&M vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff - Nov. 4 14,224
14 - 10) CLARK ATLANTA vs. Miles - Oct. 19 14,809
15 - 14) NC CENTRAL vs. Morgan State - Oct. 26 13,910
16 - 15) ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF vs. Miss. Valley State - Oct. 26 12,437
17 - NR) WINSTON-SALEM STATE vs. Fayetteville State - Nov. 9 12,000
18 - 18) MOREHOUSE vs. Fort Valley State - Oct. 27 11,687
(2024) 18 games over 10,000 - 22,124 average TOTAL - 398,248
(2023) 18 Games over 10,000 - 18,773 average
(2022) 15 Games over 10,000 - 21,745 average
© AZEEZ Communications, Inc. Vol. XXXI, No. 22
BCSP Notes
With the great success of former NFL standout and Hall of Famer
Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders as head football coach at Jackson State,
it should not be a surprise that black colleges are increasingly turning to
men with similar profiles to lead their programs.
One testimony to this trend is that retired NFL veterans in former
Heisman Trophy winner and prolific star running back Eddie George
at Tennessee State and eight-year NFL veteran safety Sam Shade at
Miles not only led their teams to OVC/Big South and SIAC championships
respectively this season, but were chosen as the BCSP Div. I FCS and Div.
II coaches of the year on their respective levels.
The trend continued as former NFL No. 1 overall draft pick Michael
Vick was named the new head football coach at Norfolk State a week
ago and struck again last week as two accomplished NFL veterans are two
new hires.
Former outstanding NFL receiver/kick returner
DeSean Jackson named the new head coach
of the Delaware State Hornets
Former NFL standout wide receiver/kick returner DeSean Jackson
was named Friday as the new head football coach at Delaware State.
"We had great [candidate] choices, but it was very clear after we
got DeSean here on campus. It was really clear. We all kind of turned
and looked at each other once he left and said,
'That is our guy,'" said Tony Tucker, DSU's
newest athletic director and senior associate
vice president for Athletics and Wellness.
"The opportunity for me to help write
another chapter here at DSU is a oncein-a-lifetime
moment consistent with my
journey as a young boy finding his way to
manhood through mentorship, accountability,
Jackson
achievement, and discipline," Jackson
said in the university's announcement
of his hiring. "If we build that kind of culture at Delaware State
University, we will attract the right talent and radically change the
trajectory of this program. I cannot wait to get started."
Jackson, 38, a native of Los Angeles, played for six NFL teams
during an outstanding 12-year career in the NFL. The first six of those
years were with the Philadelphia Eagles where the 5-10, 175-pounder
established himself as one of the NFL's fastest and most feared deep threat
wide receivers and among the most dangerous kick returners.
In his career he posted five 1,000-yard receiving seasons three
with the Eagles and two with Washington and two others with over 900
receiving yards. He was selected to the Pro Bowl three times and was
the first player selected to the Pro Bowl at two different positions in the
same year when he was named to the 2010 Pro Bowl as a wide receiver
and return specialist. Jackson holds the record for most 60+ and 80+ yard
catches in all of NFL history.
He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of
the 2008 NFL draft after earning two first-team all-American designations
playing collegiately for the Cal Berkeley Golden Bears. He also played
in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams, and
Baltimore Ravens.
Tucker described Jackson as "the perfect fit" for the Dover HBCU.
"DeSean Jackson is a perfect fit for our institution - incredibly
competitive, optimistic about the prospects for our collective future, and
focused on the fundamentals of the institution: students first," he said.
Jackson's predecessor, Lee Hull, was 2-21 in two seasons leading DSU.
Jackson has received support from his first NFL head coach, Andy
Reid, L.A. Rams head coach Sean McVay, and Delaware State legend
John Taylor, Jackson's uncle.
“Having played football for many different coaches throughout my
career, each one has added a unique dynamic to my game," said Taylor,
who played nine seasons and won three Super Bowls with the San
Francisco 49ers. "I’m excited to see the new direction Coach Jackson will
take the team – his vision and leadership are sure to bring fresh energy and
opportunities for growth,”
Hoop Highlights
Norfolk State ladies get another big win
The Norfolk State Lady Spartans, under 10th-year head coach Larry
Vickers, got their second win over SEC competition as they won on the
road at Auburn Sunday, 73-67. The NSU ladies got their first SEC win this
season over Missouri, 57-54 on Nov. 10.
The win improves the early season record for the back-to-back MEAC
champions to 12-4 overall that includes wins at home over William &
Mary, and on the road at UNC-Wilmington, in Puerto Rico over Wyoming
and in Washington, DC over Saint Louis. Their losses have been at
Alabama (68-58), to Washington State (68-60 in Puerto Rico), to Green
Bay (55-54 in PR) and at Carolina (90-47).
They went into the week ranked 11th in the College Insider Women's
Mid Major Top 25.
The ladies have been led by 5-5 grad senior point
guard Diamond Johnson (17.8 ppg.) and
senior forward Kierra Wheeler (14.4
ppg., 8.5 rpg.). Johnson had a doubledouble
of 17 points and 11 rebounds in the
Wheeler
win over Auburn to earn MEAC Player of
the Week. It was her fourth weekly honor
this season. Wheeler has won the defensive
player of the week honor three times.
Johnson
NSU begins 2025 MEAC play at home vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore
on Sat., Jan. 4.
"DeSean is like a son to me — a fierce competitor on the field,
without rival, and a quality leader off of it," said Reid, who coached
Jackson in Philadelphia and is now head coach of the back-to-back Super
Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. "I could not be more supportive of
his desire to coach Division I football and would stake my career on his
success at Delaware State University. We are bound at the hip and are
forever family. I cannot wait to see where he takes the university and
where the university takes him. This is a win-win for everyone."
Delaware State will hold an introductory press conference for
Jackson at the MLK Center on campus on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025.
Amazon Prime will also release a documentary about Jackson's life in the
fall of 2025.
Sam Shade leaving Miles
to take over at Alabama A&M
Former eight-year NFL veteran and Alabama
product Sam Shade has seen his career
trajectory go forward since he joined the
coaching ranks.
In 2020, in his second year at Pinson Valley
High School, his team won the Alabama High
School Athletic Association 6A championship.
Shade He took over at Miles in 2022 and after 1-9
and 7-3 campaigns in his first two seasons, he led the Golden Bears to a
perfect 9-0 mark in SIAC play and the conference championship in 2024.
The Bears advanced to the NCAA Div. II national playoffs where Shade
led them to their first-ever playoff win defeating Carson-Newman in the
first round. They fell in the second round to eventual national runners-up
and the playoff's overall top seed Valdosta State. Miles finished 10-3 with
the ten wins representing the most in program history.
On Sunday, Alabama A&M Director of Athletics Paul Bryant
named Shade, 51, as the Bulldogs' 22nd head football coach. He succeeds
Connell Maynor who was let go following the 2024 season after seven
years at the helm. Maynor had a 40-32 record over his seven seasons. The
Bulldogs finished 6-6 this season.
"This is a new and exciting time to bring Coach Sam Shade to the
Hill," Bryant said. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and proven success
to a program ready to thrive. His vast resources in the state and impeccable
relationships with his team made him the perfect candidate for Alabama
A&M University."
During his eight years in the NFL Shade played for the Cincinnati
Bengals (1995-98) and Washington (1999-2002). He was the Bengals'
leading tackler in 1997 and ranked second on the team in 1998. He led
Washington in tackles in 1999. He played collegiately at Alabama where
he was a member of the 1992 national championship team and was a team
captain as a senior in 1994.
He was selected by the Bengals in the fourth round of the 1995 NFL
Draft. He previously coached at Samford and Georgia State as well as in
the NFL as an assistant special teams coach for the Cleveland Browns.
The date and time for Shade's official introductory press conference
will be announced by Dr. Bryant and the AAMU Athletic department.
packers.com photo
RUNNING FREE!!
Green Bay running back EMANUEL WILSON (#31, FORT VALLEY STATE)
runs for daylight in the Packers game Sunday vs. Minnesota. Wilson ran for
29 yards on six carries and scored on a 5-yard fourth quarter run.
BCSP NFL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
For NFL games of December 25 - 30, 2024
DEFENSE
– #90 GROVER STEWART, DT, Indianapolis (7th season, ALBANY
STATE) - In Indy’s 45-33 loss to the New York Giants, Stewart
started at nose tackle and had six total tackles, two solos with one
tackle for loss. He played 39 defensive snaps (70%) and 13 on special
teams (41%).
OFFENSE
– #31 EMANUEL WILSON, RB, Green Bay (3rd season, FORT
VALLEY STATE) – In the Packers’ 27-25 loss to Minnesota, Wilson
had six carries for 29 yards (4.8-yard average) with a long run of
16 yards including a 5-yard fourth quarter TD run. He was in for 20
offensive plays (32%).
SPECIAL TEAMS
– #29 BRANDON CODRINGTON, DB/KR, Buffalo (1st season,
NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL) - In Buffalo’s 40-14 win over the
New York Jets, Codrington had two punt returns for 32 yards (16.0-
yard average) with a long return of 25 yards and two solo tackles on
defense. He played on 23 defensive snaps (37%) and three on special
teams (14%).
www.thewestsidegazette.com
SPORTS
Nunnie on the Sideline
By Nunnie Robinson, Westside Gazette Sports Editor
During this majestic season of
advent and as we anticipate the
awesome possibilities of 2025, sports
for many of us (at least for me) I
consumes much of our time. Though
I attempt to watch every bowl game,
the challenges, responsibilities, and
vicissitudes of life won’t allow.
In HBCU circles, the recent hiring
of Michael Vick by Norfolk State
University as its head football coach
continues a trend begun by Jackson
State’s fortuitous selection of Deion Sanders four years ago.
Tennessee State followed with Eddie George, who has molded
that program into a consistent winner. Teddy Bridgewater’s
state championship success at Miami Northwestern High
School ignited interest in him in HBCU circles before he did
a complete turnabout by signing with the Detroit Lions to
backup starter Jared Goff. The recent hire of all pro receiver
DeSean Jackson to revitalize Delaware State’s football
program solidifies the trend. The question begs: why high
profile, unproven former pros over experienced college
coaches? When schools like Norfolk and Delaware have
had years of failure, drastic change must be exacted. Name
recognition, bringing attention to a downtrodden program,
exciting boosters, alumni, and fan base, and turning around
a moribund program must be part of the calculus in the
hiring process. You probably noticed the celebrities that
“Prime Time” attracted at JSU and Colorado, and Michael
Vick’s press conference attracted NBA great Allen Iverson
and Hall of Famer Bruce Smith, both native Virginians.
In a reversal from that trend, Prairie View University
replaced former NFL star Bubba McDowell with Tremaine
Jackson, a rising star among minority coaches and a
Houston native, who led Valdosta State to the Division II
Championship in 2024.
With the portal, NIL and the transitory nature of college
football, the 3-5 year building a program model may be
obsolete.
Speaking of the CFP and the bowl season, the impact of
the portal was felt immediately by Oklahoma which lost 25
transfers in the portal, more than likely factoring in their
21-20 loss to Navy. Shouldn’t the portal remain closed until
the playoffs are concluded and a champion crowned. The
idea that players can transfer multiple times impacts the
integrity of the game. And the money issue is absolutely
insane. UM’s basketball coach, Jim Larranaga, resigned
because he couldn’t deal with the new landscape of recruiting
where players sell themselves to the highest bidder. Before
the sudden change, college presidents, athletic directors,
and administrators used the athletes to filled their coffers,
promoting amateur athletics with undervalued scholarships:
tuition, room and board, books and a $30 monthly stipend.
Student/athletes were punished for selling their jerseys or
taking money from supporters who saw their needs. Now
the tide has turned completely and the floodgates are wide
opened. Where is the common sense or middle ground? The
system, in its present state, is unsustainable and must be
rectified. Only time will tell.
Happy New Year and God Bless America
Did the Black College Football
Hall of Fame get it wrong
leaving out HBCU legends?
Rod Broadway won several Black College National
Championships as a head coach.
By HBCU Sports
(Source: HBCU)
The HBCU Sports crew examines the Black College
Football Hall of Fame 2025 Class and whether the voters
overlooked championship-winning HBCU coaches Rod
Broadway and Rudy Hubbard.
Deeply Rooted
Rickey Henderson, baseball Hall
of Famer and MLB stolen base
king, dies at 65
Henderson played for 9 teams in
his 25-year MLB career and won 2
World Series and an AL MVP award
Rickey Henderson played for nine teams over his 25-
year MLB career. He was inducted into the Baseball
Hall of Fame in 2009. (Jane Tyska/Digital First Media/East
Bay Times via Getty Images)
By Sean Leahy Contributing writer
(Source Yahoo! Sports)
Rickey Henderson — Baseball Hall of Famer, all-time MLB
stolen base king and widely regarded as the greatest leadoff
hitter ever — has died at the age of 65.
The A’s announced the news Saturday afternoon, as tributes
poured in from around MLB. A cause of death has yet to be
announced.
Henderson played for nine franchises over his 25-year MLB
career, including four stints with the Oakland Athletics. He
won two World Series and was named AL MVP in 1990. A 10-
time All-Star, Henderson was the AL stolen base leader an
unmatched 12 times and surpassed 100 steals in a single season
on three occasions — one of only two players to accomplish the
latter feat, alongside Vince Coleman.
In May 1991, Henderson’s base-stealing prowess earned
him a place in baseball history when he swiped his 939th
career base, breaking Lou Brock’s record. Henderson finished
with 1,406 career stolen bases in his final MLB season in 2003,
reinforcing the nickname “Man of Steal.”
It wasn’t just his feet that allowed Henderson to find success
— he also did it with his bat. Henderson hit 297 home runs,
drove in 1,115 runs and batted .279 in 3,081 games played. Of
those 297 home runs, 81 came in leading off a game, an MLB
record.
He also set MLB records for runs scored (2,295) and
unintentional walks (2,129).
“If my uniform doesn’t get dirty, I haven’t done anything in
the baseball game,” Henderson once said.
An impactful player all over the field
Henderson was born on Christmas Day 1958 on the way to
the hospital in Chicago, which later led to him saying, “I was
already fast. I couldn’t wait.”
After moving to Oakland when he was a child, Henderson
became a multi-sport star in baseball, basketball, track and
football. After turning down multiple scholarships to play
football in college, he signed with the Athletics in 1976 after
being drafted in the fourth round.
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
Former Philadelphia Eagles
receiver reported to be next
Delaware State football coach
By Chris Stevens
(Source: HBCU)
The 2010 Philadelphia Eagles could have a third of the head
football coaching jobs in the MEAC this season.
According to a report from ESPN college football reporter
Pete Thamel, former Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson is
expected to be named the new head football coach at Delaware
State. The Hornets are coming off of a 1-11 season and have not
won a MEAC game since November of 2022.
DSU fired Lee Hull in November after two seasons and a
2-21 record.
Jackson, 39, played 15 seasons in the NFL for the Eagles,
Washington Commanders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los
Angeles Rams, Las Vegas Raiders, and Baltimore Ravens
before retiring officially during the 2023 season. During his
career, Jackson caught 641 passes for 11,263 yards and 58
touchdowns.
He also rushed for four touchdowns and returned four punts
for touchdowns, most notably the “Miracle in the Meadowlands
II” in 2010, where the Eagles overcame a 21-point deficit to stun
the New York Giants and win the NFC East championship.
Thamel reported that Jackson recently had an on-campus
interview at Delaware State, and an agreement is expected to
be finalized soon.
Jackson will take over a Delaware State program that has
six MEAC championships to its credit but has not recorded a
winning season since 2012 under Kermit Blount.
Photo: YouTube
(Source: BlackDoctor.org)
JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2025 • PAGE 15
NBA Legend
Diagnosed with
Neurological Disorder
Hall of Famer and former Detroit Pistons guard Isiah Thomas
was known for his consistent high-level of play in the NBA for
years. Now, in his next stage of life, he’s balancing being a
commentator, business owner, philanthropist, and more while
dealing with a newly diagnosed condition.
During an appearance on the ‘Come and Talk 2 Me’ podcast
with former NBA star Mark Jackson, 63-year-old Thomas
revealed that he was diagnosed with the neurological disorder
Bell’s Palsy.
“I’ve gotten a lot of love from people saying, ‘Well Isiah’s sick.
What’s he going through?’” Thomas said. “And I haven’t really
told anybody, right? So, I got Bell’s palsy, and, again, that’s
why you see me like this. So, I appreciate the prayers and the
love, but that’s what’s happening with my mouth right now.”
“You look good to us,” Jackson responded. “You look great to
us.”
Many fans have long wondered if this was the case with Thomas
and he finally revealed the news. During an interview with
Forbes, Thomas noticeably had his lips appear asymmetrical
and his tongue seemed to move unevenly.
This sparked some fans to question what was going on and
one fan pointed out in the comments that he could have been a
stroke or something kind of disorder that looks like paralysis.
While they didn’t know the exact issue affecting Thomas, many
felt that something was wrong.
During his long career, Thomas averaged 19.2 points, 3.6
rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game. Thomas is regarded as one
of the best point guards to ever play in the NBA and he played
his entire career with the Pistons.
Thomas was a 12-time All-Star during his playing days,
winning the MVP award in the games twice. He also made the
All-NBA First Team three times, the All-NBA Second Team
twice, and was the league assists leader during the 1985 season.
What is Thomas’ Condition and How It Affects His Body
Bell’s palsy is a neurological disorder that causes temporary
or permanent facial paralysis or weakness on one side of the
face:
Symptoms
Symptoms include:
• Sudden weakness or paralysis on one side of the face
• A drooping eyebrow and mouth
• Drooling from one side of the mouth
• Difficulty closing one eyelid, which causes eye dryness
• Blurry vision
• Hearing problems, such as having things sound
distorted or unusual
Causes
Bell’s palsy occurs when the facial nerve (the 7th cranial nerve)
becomes injured or stops working properly. The inflammation
of the facial nerve may be caused by a virus.
Treatment
There’s no known cure for Bell’s palsy, but most people recover
completely. Treatments include:
• Artificial tears
• A patch to protect the affected eye
• Using tape to close the affected eyelid at night
• Medications such as corticosteroids or pain-relieving
medications
• Massage or facial exercises
• Botox injections
Who is more likely to get this Condition?
Bell’s palsy can affect anyone of any gender or age, but most
often affects people ages 15 to 45.
A risk factor is a condition or behavior that occurs more
frequently in those who have a disease or condition, or who
are at greater risk of getting a disease, than in those who
don’t have the risk factor. Risk factors for Bell’s palsy include
pregnancy, preeclampsia, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and
upper respiratory ailments.
The exact cause of Bell’s palsy is unknown. There is some
evidence that inflammation and swelling of the cranial nerve
VII is involved, but the reason for this swelling is unclear.
Possible triggers of Bell’s palsy may include:
An existing (dormant) viral infection, such
as herpes simplex or varicella (chickenpox)
Impaired immunity due to stress, sleep deprivation,
physical trauma, minor illness, or autoimmune syndromes
Infection of a facial nerve and resulting inflammation brought
on a disorder such as Lyme disease
Damage to the myelin sheath (the fatty covering that insulates
nerve fibers)
How He Built His Legacy on the Court
The youngest of 9 children, Thomas was born on April 30,
1961, in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up in the city’s West Side.
He started playing basketball at age three and would dribble
and shoot baskets as the halftime entertainment at Catholic
Youth Organization games.
Thomas’s father, Isiah Thomas II, was an army veteran
wounded in the Battle of Saipan.[1] He later attended trade
school, eventually becoming the first black supervisor at
International Harvester in Chicago. When the plant closed,
the only work he could find was as a janitor; the family fell
into hardship. Isiah Thomas II left the family when Isiah was
a young child.
Isiah Thomas III attended Our Lady of Sorrows School and
St. Joseph High School in Westchester, which was a 20-minute
commute from his home. Playing under coach Gene Pingatore,
he led St. Joseph to the state finals in his junior year and was
considered one of the top college prospects in the country.
In the Eastern Conference Finals of the 1991 NBA playoffs,
the two-time defending champion Detroit Pistons faced
the Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in the playoffs for the fourth
consecutive season. The Pistons had eliminated the Bulls in
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
PAGE 16 • JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2025
Deeply Rooted
www.thewestsidegazette.com
3 Generational Cycles Black People Can Overcome in 2025
will address and break these common generational cycles so that every generation after us is
closer to positive health in all aspects.
To help you get started, here are three generational cycles you and your family can begin to
overcome in 2025.
1. Refusing to Ask for Help
Like all generational cycles, they did not just appear out of nowhere. They each have a
history and justification behind them. More specifically, when it comes to asking for help, Black
people were never made to believe that others would help them. We have become accustomed
to being hurt by non-Black people and having to fight for our place so much in this country that
what was once a means of defense and growth, has now become a limitation.
When we refuse to ask for help, we are stripping ourselves of our basic human need for
relationships and assistance and holding ourselves to unrealistic expectations. Sometimes, we
will even risk slowing down personal or professional growth just to handle a situation ourselves.
Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com
A million taxpayers will soon
receive up to $1,400 from the IRS
By Shaun White
(Source: HBCU News)
From BLACKDOCTORS.org
Black Americans in this country have
always dealt with and overcome hardships.
Whether it be the hundreds of years of slavery,
the decades of fighting for civil rights, or the
modern-day oppression we experience in our
personal and professional lives, Black people
have always found a way to turn their setbacks
into setups for a bright and prosperous future.
However, while we can be credited for many
©2019 Aetna Inc.
2017279
of the greatest parts of modern culture, we
often fail to recognize how our hardships have
affected our physical, mental, and emotional
health as individuals and families. It has
become the norm for us to ignore “signs of
weakness” and uphold this narrative of a strong
Black man or woman. While this seems like
no big deal in your personal life, this can and
has become detrimental to the advancement of
Black people when passed from generation to
generation. However, in 2025 and beyond, we
Aetna is proud to support the
Broward County Public
Schools.
Aetna.com
Approximately 1 million
taxpayers will automatically
receive special payments of
up to $1,400 from the IRS in
the coming weeks. The money
will be directly deposited
into eligible people’s bank
accounts or sent in the mail
by a paper check.
The IRS said it’s
distributing about $2.4 billion
to taxpayers who failed to
claim a Recovery Rebate
Credit on their 2021 tax
returns. People who missed
one of the COVID stimulus
payments or had received
less than the full amount
were able to claim the credit.
But the IRS on Friday said
it discovered many eligible
taxpayers hadn’t done so.
“Looking at our internal
data, we realized that one
million taxpayers overlooked
claiming this complex credit
when they were actually
eligible,” IRS Commissioner
Danny Werfel said in a
statement.
Here’s more about the
unexpected cash this group of
taxpayers will soon receive:
What’s the likelihood I’ll
receive a check?
Sorry, it’s probably pretty
low. The IRS said most
taxpayers eligible for the
federal stimulus payments,
formally known as Economic
Impact Payments, have
already received them.
The special payments
announced by the IRS are
being sent to those taxpayers
who filed a 2021 tax return
but left the data field for the
Recovery Rebate Credit blank
or they filled it out as $0 when
they were actually eligible for
the credit.
How will this work?
Eligible taxpayers don’t
have to take any action.
The payments will go out
automatically this month
and should arrive by direct
deposit or check by late
January 2025. They’ll be sent
to the bank account listed on
the taxpayer’s 2023 return or
to the address IRS has on file.
Payments will vary but
the maximum amount will be
$1,400 per individual. The IRS
has posted information online
about eligibility and how the
payment was calculated.
IRS plans to send separate
letters to eligible taxpayers
notifying them of the special
payment.
What if I haven’t filed my
2021 tax return yet?
You still might be able to
receive the money. However,
taxpayers need to file a tax
return and claim the Recovery
Rebate Credit by the April 15,
2025 deadline, even if any
income from a job, business or
other source was minimal or
nonexistent, according to IRS.
How many rounds of
COVID stimulus payments
were there?
Three rounds of payments to
households impacted by the
pandemic totaled $814 billion.
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