PQTVJGCUV"HNQTKFC‚U"QNFGUV."NCTIGUV."OQUV"TGCF"CHTKECP"COGTKECP"QYPGF"PGYURCRGT Vjg"Hnqtkfc"Uvct Rtguqtvgf"Uvcpfctf Vjg"Hnqtkfc"Uvct. R0"Q0"Dqz"6284; W0U0"Rquvcig"Rckf Lcemuqpxknng."HN Vjg"Igqtikc"Uvct# Lcemuqpxknng."HN"54425 Rgtokv""Pq0"5839 Korcev"Tcfkq CO3582 Can’t Get to the Store *;26+"988/::56 Have The Star Delivered UKPEG"3;73 Cp"Cyctf Tgcf"Vjg"Hnqtkfc cpf"Igqtikc"Uvct Ykppkpi Pgyurcrgtu0 Rwdnkecvkqp. Nkuvgp vq"KORCEV ugtxkpi"{qw Tcfkq"Vcnm"Ujqy0 ukpeg"3;730" YYY0vjghnqtkfcuvct0eqo Tcvgf"›Cfi"d{ Still the people’s vjg"Dgvvgt choice, striving to Dwukpguu"Dwtgcw yyy0vjghnqtkfcuvct0eqo make a difference. LCPWCT[""43."4234"/"LCPWCT["49."4234""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""XQN0"83"PQ0"5;""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""72"EGPVU Hktuv"Dkqvke"Cto"Tgekrkgpv"kp Tckugf"kp 62"Hnqtkfc"Ogp"kp"Ugz"Uvkpi Cogtkec"ku"kp"Lcemuqpxknng Rqxgtv{. Sharod Edwards is a Cneqjqnke"hqt Navy veteran. He 42"{gctu."Pqy" served as a Hospital Corpsman and was Tgegkxgf"c therefore a field medic Ocuvgt in Iraq where he lost his arm. Edwards has Fgitgg"cv":2 had his new arm for three weeks and is the first person in the Ujctqf"Gfyctfu."nquv"cto"kp world to have the arm. Ktcs"kp"4227 He originally had it on a trial basis but now, it is confirmed that this is his arm with hand, that he will keep. The arm works by muscle impulses that are higher in the arm. Edwards says he is so pleased to have this new addition to his body and so is his wife, children and dog. Tgf"Vckn"/"Vjg"Tgcn"/ Ms. Virginia Thomas URGEKCN"VQ"VJG Vjg"Oqxkg""cpf HNQTKFC"UVCT Lcemuqpxknng"Tgukfgpv Jan. 18, 2012 -- When Virginia Thomas of Jacksonville, Fla., received her master’s degree at age 80 last month from the What will you be doing Springfield College this Friday night? Take School of Human time to go to a movie, “Red Services Tampa Bay Tail.” Many young Blacks Campus, she built on a are not familiar with the goal set as a teenager in Tuskegee Airmen and how turbulent Watts, Los they were able to prove Angeles. “I was bound competence. and determined that Thomas Gary of someone in our family Jacksonville, joined the would go to college,” she Navy in 1945 pursuing his said. passion to fly airplanes. Thomas’ journey from an Vjqocu"Ngg"Ict{."Ut0 He met Mr. Charlie Fox, a orphan at age 10 raised in Tuskegee Airman who was inspired by Gary’s interest poverty by her loving in Aviation and accepted him as his prize student as he aunt and grandmother, to Osceola County, Florida - Osceola County Sheriff's detectives concluded a week taught him how to fly. Gary logged more than 3,250 becoming a respected long, multi-agency, undercover operation which resulted in 40 suspects arrested and hours of flying time while in the Navy. He was the professional in addiction charged with soliciting sex from a child via the Internet and other sex and drug relat- only black to attend Navigation School in Sanford in services, was fraught with ed crimes. Led by the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, Operation Red Cheeks was 1964 and was the first Black to fly into Iceland and challenges that would conducted January 8-16, 2012, in conjunction with detectives, officers and special Norway. have derailed most ambi- agents of the Central Florida Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. After serving 30 years of active duty, Gary worked at tions. A school dropout, “The success of this operation was the result of multiple local and state agencies the post office, giving 46 years to the U.S. she struggled with alco- working together in a cooperative effort. Florida Sheriffs and the Florida Sheriff's Government. holism for more than 20 Association has taken a strong proactive enforcement position to combat these pred- He is now an active Deacon and a 33`Mason. Learn years. In two unsuccess- ators statewide. These predators stalk the cyber community looking for children to why the movie is called “Red Tail”; let Mr. Gary and ful marriages, she had victimize. This operation resulted in 40 arrests which means at a minimum, 40 chil- those who met the challenge know you are proud and eight children. dren did not fall prey to a sexual deviant,” stated Sheriff Bob Hansell. EQPVKPWGF"/"C/4 appreciate of the doors they opened. Enjoy the movie! Eqpvkpwgf"C/4 Pkpg"Cttguvgf"hqt"Xqvgt"Htcwf"qt"Xqvgt Xcujcyp"Okvejgnn"/"Pqdqf{"Itgcvgt Ykpu"49vj"Uvgnnct"Iqurgn""Cyctf UwrrtguukqpA Rising Gospel Superstar Vashawn Mitchell Earns Judy Crumitie and eight others in Madison, Florida, near Tallahassee, Six Awards, Including were arrested and charged with voter fraud in connection to a local Artist of the Year; Kirk school board election in 2010, months after a new law was passed in Franklin, Mary Mary, Kim Florida that made it illegal for absentee ballots to be sent anywhere Burrell, The Rance Allen other than a voter’s registered address. Police entered her home with Group and Smokie Norful guns drawn. It is felt that the new law is intended to disenfranchise, Also Score Multiple Wins. and has elements of race and class. Two-Hour Special from After President Obama was elected, states that were considered Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House Airs in Syndication Republican, passed new laws, especially those states that had a large from January 21 to February 26 in over 130 Markets; number of Democrats, minorities, elderly and low income. These laws Primetime Premiere on GMC February 11. were changed, according to the legislatures, to prevent voter fraud. Yet the changes made, including such things “I am grateful to stand here, a gracious Mitchell said, as no longer allowing early voting on the Sunday before election and more specific identification, such evidence as he acknowledged other artists in the category. to validate a female’s change of name from her birth name, no matter how long ago the change was made. All are The event was hosted by Dorinda Clark Cole and now required to have a government issued ID even to register and in Florida, you must show proof of name before Marvin Sapp. Ten awards were presented over the you can get a Florida State ID card or drivers license. All of the laws were put in place to be effective before the course of the two-hour Stellar Awards show. 2012 election. As the NAACP and other civil rights advise, get the documents now and vote in 2012. Church...........................A-3 Ykuj"vq"ikxg"wu"c"Pgyu"Uvqt{A K Talk of the Town...............A-4 Nqqmkpi" hqt" ewuvqogtu" vq" rcvtqpk|g" {qwt P Around the Area............A-6 dwukpguu" qt" wvknk|g" {qwt" ugtxkeguA" Kh" {qw Ecnn"*;26+"988/::56"qt"Ugpf"kv"vq< Caribbean News.............A-7 U Local...................B-1 cpuygtgf"[GU."vjgp"{qw"pggf"vq"rnceg"cp"cf kphqBvjghnqtkfcuvct0eqo Columns........................B-2 K Sports...........................B-4 kp"Vjg"Hnqtkfc"Uvct"qt"Igqtikc"Uvct# cfBvjghnqtkfcuvct0eqo Crime & Justice..(A).C&J-1-4 F Prep Rap...........(B).PR-1-4 ECNN";261988/::56"vq"rnceg"{qwt"cf"VQFC[## G Classified&Business...B6-B7 Check, Money Order, or Credit Cards Accepted PAGE A-2 THE STAR JANUARY 21, 2012 Tguqnxg"vq"Ocmg"4234"Vjg"[gct"Qh Hnqtkfc"Ugz"Uvkpi /"Eqpvkpwgf"htqo"C/3 Stephen Wesley Thomas, a professional golfer with 44 appearances on the PGA Eqoowpkv{"Cevkxkuo"Cpf" tour, is the highest profile suspect in the case. Police also arrested Bryan Woodward, the 29-year-old head coach of Gainesville's Gator Swim Club, not affiliated with the Rqnkvkecn"Ceeqwpvcdknkv{ University of Florida. “This operation should also be a warning to all parents to monitor and be involved Happy New Year! I am always prayerful and hopeful about the future of each new year. According to statistics, the African American com- with their child's computer activities,” said Sheriff Bob Hansell. munity is a faith based society. Although predominately Christian, we The following were arrested: as a people believe and actively engage in diverse religious activity. • Frederick David Adams, Occupation: High School Student Concurrently at the beginning of the year, many make resolutions. We • Samer Japer Al-Hubaydi, Occupation: Student, Embry-Riddle make promises and plans so that this incoming year, can be better than • Jason Bacchus, Occupation: Sales Representative, Cell Phone Distributor the former year. I would like to suggest that, in 2012 we take action on • Christopher Baker, FL. Occupation: Unemployed our hope for a better new year. Let’s resolve to make the year 2012: A • Christopher Batman, Occupation: Self-Employed YEAR OF COMMUNITY ACTIVISM AND POLITICAL ACCOUN- • Marvin Alfonson Bell, Occupation: College Student Ejgt{n Yknnkcou TIBILITY. I will present some strategies and resources of how we as • Dennis Bluemke, Occupation: Don Lee Wheeler Fencing a community, can work our faith to get results. Charles James Buffington, Occupation: Construction I believe community activism is the key to causing our elected officials to be accountable • Sergio Cardenas, Occupation: Unemployed for their political decisions and policies. Community activism is more much more than telling an elected official off. Community activism is intelligently and strategically voicing • Lucas Bartholomew Clarke, Occupation: Student, Golf Academy of an issue or need in your community. It is more than working with citizens who have the America authority and power to take action; to address and solve the stated issues or needs. You dear • Shane Daniel Cousins, Occupation: Soldier, U.S. Army Reserves reader, can make a difference. Stop fussing, start solving problems. So, here is Community • Gary J. Durso, Occupation: Areole Technician Activism 101. I will also use an example of a real community problem.