Volume 95 Number 25 | FEBRUARY 7-13, 2018 | MiamiTimesOnline.com | Ninety-Three Cents SHARING A HISTORY ONE MONTH AT A TIME OVERTOWN Some residents won’t stand for soccer stadium Community members skeptical of Beckham deal in their backyard ANDREA ROBINSON [email protected] A community meeting of Overtown public housing ten- ants about the proposed soccer stadium morphed into a session about distrust of county government and gave rise to fears that residents would be put out of their longtime homes. The residents of Culmer Gardens and Culmer Place attended the meeting called by the organization that opposes the sale of property by Miami-Dade County to the Longtime friends and gantry crane operators Eddie Fluker and Nathaniel Daniels embrace each other at group that has been award- PortMiami. The two are proud members International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Local 1416. ed a Major League Soccer franchise in Miami. The leaders of the Overtown/Spring Garden Community A brotherhood celebrates Collaborative called the meeting at the Reeves Park commu- nity center to update its storied 82-year legacy the Overtown neigh- borhood on where JANIAH ADAMS things stand. On Jan. [email protected] 28, former MLS star turned businessman In 2011, Cecelia Stewart took out her camera and began taking David Beckham an- pictures. Her pictures documented the work and lives of men nounced that the league who have been part of International Longshoremen’s Associa- awarded a franchise to his tion (ILA) Local 1416 located in Overtown. investment group to bring This year, as the union celebrates its 82nd year in existence, professional “futbol" Stewart compiled her pictures into a calendar that tells the sto- to South Florida. ry of the longshoremen. “Nothing has “I wanted to enlighten the community about our history and changed,” said Bish- our foundation and to encourage others to learn more about the op James Adams, the ILA Local 1416,” Stewart said. “I wanted to recognize the union, leader of the collab- because no one ever recognized them. I wanted to recognize Longshoremen operate the gantry crane spreader orative and senior SEE LEGACY 8A on the docks of PortMiami. pastor of the historic St. John’s Institution- Desperate times al Baptist Church in call for desperate NORTH DADE Overtown. He then spoke the group’s buzz “measures. phrase: “This is not a New development, big benefits done deal.” Bishop James Adams, But some tenants St. John Institutional who crowded into the Baptist Church Proposal to county could community center were perturbed by impact “generations” other things. Several of them received fliers that looked ANDREA ROBINSON like eviction notices but were announcements of the [email protected] meeting. Activists left the leaflets at doors throughout both complexes. A South American businessman’s dream “You didn’t have to scare us like this,” said one elderly of bringing an $85 million automobile club woman. and driving track to South Florida on coun- Adams apologized but said the tactic was designed to ty land near Miami Gardens is attracting capture residents’ attention. “Desperate times call for interest among residents, and supporters desperate measures,” he said. say it could be a game changer for the area. At the meeting, activists hinted that the conditions of The development company, 13 Pista and the two properties made Culmer Place and Culmer Gar- businessman Carlos de Narváez are seek- dens ripe for a potential sale by Miami-Dade County to ing a 99-year lease on the 160-acre site the Beckham investment group to build parking garages. to construct Drivers Club Miami. In ex- Others worried that the county would renovate the change, the developers have put together buildings and move tenants to far away neighborhoods a benefits package that includes the con- where they couldn’t return. struction of a regional government center Rendering courtesy of Drivers Club Miami SEE SOCCER 6A SEE CLUB 8A A rendering of the proposed Drivers Club Miami ‘I AM A MAN’ campaign garners spirit of Dr. King JANIAH ADAMS [email protected] Channeling the spirit of Dr. itation workers were crushed Martin Luther King Jr., local to death in Memphis in 1968. union workers held a moment Now, 50 years later, South of silence that brought them Florida leaders made an effort back to a seminal moment of to garner King’s presence in the Civil Rights Movement. their own backyards. Their signs read “I AM A The American Federation MAN,” the same wording used of State, County and Munic- during a King-led protests ipal Employees (AFSCME) that took place after two san- SEE MAN 8A Members of the AFSCME union participated in the mo- ment of silence in Miami for the two sanitation workers killed in Memphis. Reminiscent of the 1968 fight for labor workers (Right), South Florida union members carry on the struggle in hopes for change. BUSINESS ................................................. 7B LIFESTYLE HAPPENINGS ....................... 5C FAITH CALENDAR ................................... 8D Today CLASSIFIED ............................................. 13B SOCIAL WHIRL ......................................... 3C CHURCH LISTINGS .................................. 8D 81° SPORTS .................................................... 14B HEALTH & WELLNESS ............................. 9D CHURCH DIRECTORY ................................ 11D IN GOOD TASTE ......................................... 1C YOU & YOURS ............................................ 7D OBITUARIES ............................................. 12D INSIDE 8 90158 00100 0 Editorials Cartoons Opinions Letters VIEWPOINT BLACKS MUST CONTROL THEIR OWN DESTINY | FEBRUARY 7-13, 2018 | MiamiTimesOnline.com Credo Of The Black Press MEMBER: National Newspaper Periodicals Postage EDITORIAL The Black Press believes that America Publisher Association paid at Miami, Florida (ISSN 0739-0319) can best lead the world from racial and MEMBER: The Newspaper POSTMASTER: Published Weekly at 900 NW 54th Street, Association of America Send address changes to national antagonism when it accords Miami, Florida 33127-1818 Subscription Rates: One Year THE MIAMI TIMES, to every person, regardless of race, Prayer without works Post Office Box 270200 $52.99 – Two Year $99.99 P.O. Box 270200 creed or color, his or her human and Buena Vista Station, Miami, Florida 33127 Foreign $75.00 Buena Vista Station, Miami, FL Phone 305-694-6210 legal rights. Hating no person, fearing 7 percent sales tax for Florida residents 33127-0200 • 305-694-6210 can’t move mountains no person, the Black Press strives to H.E. SIGISMUND REEVES, Founder, 1923-1968 help every person in the firm belief that hen Opa-locka Mayor Myra Taylor decid- GARTH C. REEVES, JR., Editor, 1972-1982 all persons are hurt as long as anyone GARTH C. REEVES, SR., Publisher Emeritus is held back. ed to turn the Sherbondy auditorium into a RACHEL J. REEVES, Publisher and Chairman Wmakeshift church, she not only violated the First Amendment, but the trust of Opa-locka’s 16,000 residents. On Jan. 26, Taylor was slated to give her annual State Memo just might backfire on Trump of the City address for a place that once lacked suffi- KIMBERLY ATKINS, Boston Herald cient funds to meet the basic service needs to function. President Trump and Yet, Taylor decided to show up with a prayer cloth the congressional Repub- along with members of her church. Three pastors —one licans giving him cover from a Black church, a Nigerian church and a Hispan- may have won a major bat- ic church — gave invocations. A young vocalist danced tle yesterday in his public and shouted across the stage while he belted the lyrics campaign to discredit the to the gospel song, “Lean on Me.” Russia investigation, in- But sadly, now that Taylor is in her last term, and the cluding Special Counsel city is in disarray, the residents barely have anything to Robert Mueller’s criminal lean on. probe. But even if Trump uses The city is millions of dollars in debt with no stability the controversial memo within the government. It has a potentially hazardous he declassified over the utility system, and some would argue that the munici- objections of his own ap- pality should be dissolved. pointees as a basis to take All the while, the city’s mayor chose to stand in front aim at Deputy Attorney of a packed room to give her “testimony,” dedicating General Rod Rosenstein, only 15 minutes of her speech to the status of Opa-locka. FBI Director Christopher In the spirit of a pastor, she sprouted a couple of sen- Wray and even ultimately President Trump says GOP memo ‘vindicates’ him. tences about an imaginary “train of progress” between Mueller, he may not win using the committee as Nunes in, more agencies ate Intelligence Commit- giving praise for her colleagues and associates. the war. That’s especially true if Trump’s personal detec- could be in his crosshairs. tee to say, ‘we are going to The mayor should have used the platform she was giv- members of Congress in tive agency, tasked with Also left wounded is fix this mess,’ ” Fordham en to leave Opa-lockans with hope — a plan for survival both parties who value the finding dirt to sow doubt morale of the faithful fed- University law professor in the Armageddon of the mostly Black city. rule of law and have faith and confusion about the eral law enforcement and Jed Shugerman said. Although the Bible says that “faith the size of a mus- in our institutions step up. intelligence community, intelligence agents who tard seed can move mountains,” it would take more than The efforts of Trump FBI and Justice Depart- risk their lives. In a mes- In addition to conduct- just a thought, prayer or sermon to move Opa-locka to and his enablers have al- ment. sage to the FBI’s rank and ing their own investiga- where it needs to be. ready caused some ca- And now Nunes has an- file, Wray reminded them tion without the partisan- sualties, of course — the other agency in his sights.