Fundraising at the Capitol Will Money Flow Through the Districts Come Summer?
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Volume 97 Number 28 | FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 3, 2020 | MiamiTimesOnline.com | Ninety-Three Cents Domestic violence still breaking hearts Local efforts to combat domestic violence ongoing for 20 years with workshop. PENNY DICKERSON [email protected] The U.S. Dept. of Justice defines domestic violence in plain terms. It is a felony or misdemeanor crime punishable by law. On Monday, Feb. 24, New York City Supreme Court convicted Hollywood film mogul Harvey Weinstein of a criminal sex act in the first degree and third degree rape. When sentenced, Weinstein faces up to five to 25 years in prison. Weinstein’s crimes and high profile case demon- strate how domestic violence and sexual assault intersect. A known or unknown intimate partner may fundraising at the capitol Will money flow through the districts come summer? DANIELLA PIERRE half of the session gone and the $90-plus billion Miami Times Contributor budgets of the House and Senate have been pro- Dorothy Bendross Mindingall posed, local representatives and senators are The old Continuing Opportunities for a Purpose- eyeing their appropriations requests with mixed use power to intimidate, control or demean victims of rape or sexual assault. ful Education location on Northwest 54th Street feelings. The House’s proposed budget is $91.4 From holding the powerful accountable to protect- has seen better days. billion, while the Senate is $92.8 billion. With the ing vulnerable populations like children, lowering That may change. budget’s not matching, negotiations will be un- domestic violence cases in America requires hands- The owner of COPE, the former public school derway and some legislators may go home empty on community advocacy. that was used to educate pregnant teens, is re- handed. Dorothy Bendross-Mindinghall, Miami-Dade Coun- ty Public Schools board member for District 2, is one questing $1 Million from the Florida Legislature to State Rep. James Bush III is the sponsor for the advocate committed to seeing statistics lowered and renovate the space. Zeta’s appropriation project. So far this session, myths dispelled. Since 1996, the Beta Tau Zeta chapter of Zeta the Zeta’s $1 million has only had its first read- For the past 20 years, the former state representa- Phi Beta Sorority has been holding its meetings in ing, and nothing else. Typically a bill is sponsored, tive has hosted an annual workshop titled, No More Broken Hearts. The diverse gathering provides the the building. Now it needs a facelift for its “Zeta goes to a committee and then is discussed for community with information on domestic violence, Community Center classrooms." funding and, if approved, is dispersed around July prevention, intervention and available resources. The Zeta Blue Network is among dozens of 1. This year’s empowering theme is “Super Bold.” The for- and not-for-profit organizations seeking funds Bush said the Zeta’s request would preserve one-day, free event convenes Saturday, Feb. 23 from 9 from lawmakers in Tallahassee. With more than SEE BILLS 6A SEE HEARTS 4A F1 legislation fails, residents to fight in court she said events at Hard Rock Lawsuit filed after commissioners Stadium have already been in violation. vote did not go Miami Gardens’ way. “They’re breaking the law. PHILIPPE HENOLD BUTEAU noise-reduction barriers. And We know they’re breaking the Miami Times Contributor though they conceded to a law. Whether or not the judge school board rule regarding tells them to stop, we don’t County Commissioner Bar- school closures and offered a know which way it will go at bara J. Jordan’s legislation re- community benefits package, this point.” quiring local approval of For- Jordan’s constituents refuse County Commissioners mula One in Miami Gardens to give up an inch. voted to allow Formula One failed. By the time the vote was to hold an event in the coun- During the Board of Coun- made, Betty T. Ferguson, a ty in May 2018, more than ty Commissioners meeting vocal opponent of Formula four years after Miami began last Wednesday, a 6-6 vote One being in Miami Gardens, to prepare for the event on kept whether to adjust for had filed a lawsuit to stop F1 its streets. Residents there Formula One in the hands of cars from racing. forced F1 to propose a race the executive arm of county Ferguson said she knew the elsewhere. government. ongoing fight would be long. Jordan, as commission- The Public Works & Trans- “It’s been a long struggle er for Opa-locka and Mi- portation department will but we knew that it would ami Gardens, proposed an approve how F1 cars will race be,” Ferguson said. “It’s im- ordinance that would have on county property, barring a portant for us for young peo- required public hearings in court order. ple to see us standing up for Miami Gardens and a vote Representatives for Ste- our community. It will be the by the city’s elected officials phen M. Ross have moved young people who suffer the to allow automobile races in the track off Northwest 199 consequences.” the city. Street and said newer F1 cars Ferguson said their suit Jordan’s ordinance only ap- produce less carbon diox- will address the violation of plied to the stadium zoning ide and that there would be the noise ordinance, of which Carl Johnson speaks after a vote to give Miami Gardens say over Formula One fails. SEE FIGHT 4A BUSINESS................. ................................. 8B INSIDE Today CLASSIFIED ............................................. 11B 84° IN GOOD TASTE ......................................... 1C LIFESTYLE HAPPENINGS ....................... 5C 8 90158 00100 0 INSIDE Editorials Cartoons Opinions Letters VIEWPOINT BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY | FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 3, 2020 | MiamiTimesOnline.com MEMBER: National Newspaper Periodicals Postage Credo Of The Black Press Publisher Association paid at Miami, Florida (ISSN 0739-0319) The Black Press believes that America MEMBER: The Newspaper POSTMASTER: Big Insurance, stop Published Weekly at 900 NW 54th Street, can best lead the world from racial and Association of America Send address changes to Miami, Florida 33127-1818 national antagonism when it accords Subscription Rates: One Year THE MIAMI TIMES, Post Office Box 270200 to every person, regardless of race, $65.00 – Two Year $120.00 P.O. Box 270200 Buena Vista Station, Miami, Florida 33127 creed or color, his or her human and Foreign $75.00 Buena Vista Station, Miami, FL Phone 305-694-6210 unjust billings legal rights. Hating no person, fearing 7 percent sales tax for Florida residents 33127-0200 • 305-694-6210 H.E. SIGISMUND REEVES Founder, 1923-1968 no person, the Black Press strives to BENJAMIN F. CHAVIS JR. GARTH C. REEVES SR. Publisher 1919-2019 help every person in the firm belief that president/CEO. National Newspaper Publishers Association GARTH C. REEVES JR. Editor, 1968-1982 all persons are hurt as long as anyone RACHEL J. REEVES Publisher 1992-2019 is held back. Executive Editor It is a serious financial problem that far too CAROLYN GUNISS many African-Americans – from impoverished individuals to working-class families – face these days in the bewilderingly complicated health-care market: Getting hit with an unexpected bill after a hospital stay or visit to the emergency room. Show your heart some love this month Known as "surprise medical billing," these un- DR. SHAMARIAL ROBERSON, deputy secretary of health, Florida Department of Health expected costs arise when a patient goes to a hospital for emer- gency or non-emergency care, only to find out afterward that February is American or a loved one is at a risk of to nicotine, and your heart good news is that the Flor- one of the medical providers who administered care was not Heart Month, which makes heart disease, especially in health can be a great one. If ida Department of Health’s covered in the patient's insurance network. a good time to shine a the Black community. Afri- you or someone you know Tobacco Free Florida pro- This outrageous situation benefits one group and one group light on the leading cause can Americans who smoke uses tobacco, it may help gram offers free tools and alone: powerful insurance executives, who have managed to get of death among African could be placing themselves to know that just one year services that are proven to off the financial hook for such bills, even as insurers shrink -in Americans across the at much higher risk of heart after quitting, the risk of help people quit smoking, surance coverage networks to wring more and more profits out country: heart disease, ac- failure than those who have coronary heart disease is and they’re available to all of the system. cording to a national Vital never smoked or those who half that of someone who Floridians. These services But this predatory practice is overwhelming to a family al- statistics Report from the quit. still smokes, and the risk of include phone quit, web ready dealing with the emotional and financial burdens of a U.S. Centers for Disease In fact, smoking-related heart attack drops dramati- quit and local group quit medical crisis, typically adding thousands of dollars in unex- Control and Prevention. In diseases kill more African cally too. classes in your area. Even pected expenses that can wipe out savings accounts or other- 2017, heart disease caused Americans each year than The Centers for Disease things like two weeks of wise strain tight household budgets. about 23% of deaths among AIDS, car crashes, murders, Control and Prevention nicotine patches, gum or So, what can be done to stop and end surprise medical billing? non-Hispanic blacks, the drugs and alcohol abuse (CDC) reports that the vast lozenges are available for The good news is that both Republicans and Democrats in report shows.