NORTHEAST FLORIDA’S OLDEST, LARGEST, MOST-READ AFRICAN-AMERICAN OWNED NEWSPAPER The Florida Star Presorted Standard Happy Valentines Day! Homeless Man The Florida Star, P. O. Box 40629 U.S. Postage Paid Violently Jacksonville, FL Get Your Free Ticket The Georgia Star! Jacksonville, FL 32203 Permit No. 3617 Attacks Gas Impact Radio to see Station Clerk Can’t Get to the Store? Car and Truck Show AM1360 See (904) 766-8834 Have The Star Delivered! See Details Inside! Crime & Justice SINCE 1951 An Award Read The Florida Winning and Georgia Star Newspapers. Publication, Listen to IMPACT serving you Radio Talk Show. since 1951. www.thefloridastar.com Rated “A” by Still the people’s the Better choice, striving to Business Bureau www.thefloridastar.com make a difference. FEBRUARY 11, 2012 - FEBRUARY 17, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 5 50 CENTS Mayor Brown’s Department of Children and Business Building Summit Families worker Helps in Food Stamp Fraud nately none are located in Jacksonville. There appears to be no let up in Mayor Brown’s push for public- private partnership that will energize Jacksonville’s economy and create jobs. The mayor previously joined with Governor Rick Scott and Regional Chamber of Commerce president, Gerry Mallot on a five day economic develop- small businesses. The ment trip to Brazil to pro- Eddie Wilson Pack Makeba Hunter JOBS! JOBS! JOBS! microlending program mote Northeast Florida would allow small busi- A woman and a Department of Children and Families By: Dennis Wade and attract new business; Convention Center. The ness to receive loans up worker were arrested for fraud involving food stamps. the mayor introduced to summit’s registration was to $50,000; the current Eddie Wilson Pack, 53, was a Department of Children the City Council his three Mayor Alvin Brown closed early because of average for small busi- and Families worker and helped Makeba Hunter, 38, get part Government Reform is putting the convention- the overwhelming ness loans is $13,000. food stamp cards fraudulently. Hunter also got help from Proposal to make city al wisdom of small busi- response. The event was Mills commented that her incarcerated brother to get the names and Social nesses being the real job government more effec- attended by nearly 500 small businesses need Security numbers of inmates without them knowing. With creators into practice. people. Karen Mills, the tive and efficient. The access to smaller loans the information and help from Pack, Hunter was able to get There are over 80k of U.S, Small Business mayor has said “When it and that $50.000 can 24 EBT food stamp cards. comes to economic Continued on C&J-2 small businesses in Administrator was on make the difference when development, the buck Jacksonville looking for hand to highlight the considering starting a stops with me," and he Roland Martin suspended ROI (Return on importance of small busi- small business. There are wants those charged with Investment). nesses and to promote 178 nonprofit organiza- over ‘offensive’ tweets economic development The mayor launched establishing a tions in the country and initiatives to report Political analyst his Business Builder MICROLENDING pro- seven in Florida that offer Summit yesterday at the gram for Jacksonville’s directly to him. Roland Martin was sus- microloans but unfortu- pended by CNN on Prime Osborne Continued on A-2 Wednesday over tweets he sent during the Super The Florida Star Tuesday night at the movie Safe House Bowl. The LGBT commu- February 7, 2012 nity saw the messages as homophobic and advocat- ing violence against their Roland Martin members. They were sent in response to an ad featuring soccer player David Beckham in H&M briefs. One tweet said, "If a dude at your Super Bowl party is hyped about David Beckham's H&M underwear ad, smack the ish out of him! #superbowl." GLAAD said CNN ought to fire Martin: "Advocates of gay bashing have no place at CNN." Photo by F.M. Powell III The CNN contributor later formally apologized, issuing a statement: Some of The Florida Star readers who received free advance tickets to see the movie, Safe House, featuring Based on several tweets I made on my Twitter Denzel Washington, Tuesday night - Those in attendance felt the movie was great and was an eye opener to some feed on Super Bowl Sunday yesterday, I have been foreign and American operations. accused by members of the LGBT community of being supportive of violence against gays and lesbians AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMU Named One of the Most Popular and bullying. That is furthest from the truth, and I sin- National Universities by U. S. News cerely regret any offense my words have caused.The HERO OF THE WEEK statement from CNN was issued Wednesday after- and World Report noon. It says: "Roland Martin's tweets were regret- Hint 1: Born in Harlem, she table and offensive. Language that demeans is incon- began her career as a model, U.S. News and World Report named Florida appearing in Vogue in 1956. A&M University (FAMU) as one of the Top 15 most sistent with the values and culture of our organization, Hint 2: Her first major popular national universities in the nation. FAMU is and is not tolerated. We have been giving careful con- award was for acting in "The the only historically black college or university that is sideration to this matter, and Roland will not be Blacks," an off-Broadway pro- ranked in the Top 15 with other Ivy League universi- appearing on our air for the time being." duction by Jean Genet. ties such as Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Massachusetts Martin remained on CNN through Tuesday, con- Hint 3: She portrayed Institute of Technology and Princeton. University of tributing to its Election Center coverage Tuesday Harriet Tubman in "A Woman Florida is the only other university in Florida to be night. Called Moses" in 1978. listed in the top 20. Several conservatives, however, felt Martin's Hint 4: Some of her more One of the best indicators of a school’s populari- Twitter transgressions did not warrant a suspension. recent films include "Idlewild" ty among students is the school’s yield—the percent- Martin did not return a request for comment. No (2006), and "Why Did I Get age of applicants accepted by a college who end up word on how long he will remain off CNN's airwaves. Cicely Tyson Married Too?" (2010), and "The enrolling at that institution in the fall. In fall 2010, Help" (2011). FAMU accepted 4,993 and the first year enrollment We would like to read your opinions at: Cicely Tyson (born December 19, 1933) is a successful was 2,815; therefore, 56.4 percent of the students www.facebook.com/TheFloridaStarNewspaper Oscar-nominated actress and is also known for many other who were accepted were enrolled as part of the fall or accomplishments. 2010 class. www.thefloridastar.com Opinion/Editorial............A-2 I Church...........................A-3 Looking for customers to patronize your Wish to give us a News Story? Talk of the Town...............A-4 Call (904) 766-8834 or Send it to: N Around the Area............A-6 business or utilize your services? If you Caribbean News.............A-7 [email protected] S Local..........................B-1 answered YES, then you need to place an ad I Columns........................B-2 in The Florida Star or Georgia Star! [email protected] Sports...........................B-4 D Crime & Justice..(A).C&J-1-4 CALL 904/766-8834 to place your ad TODAY!! Prep Rap...........(B).PR-1-4 E Classified & Business...B-7 Check, Money Order, or Credit Cards Accepted PAGE A-2 THE STAR FEBRUARY 11, 2012 Beyond the Rhetoric: Public Hearing Your Pharmacy May be in Danger By Harry C. Alford State Road 15 (US 1 / New Kings Road) From SR 104 (Dunn Avenue) to I-295 The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is considering whether to allow a corporate merger that could result in great strides backward for African Americans and others suffer- Duval County, Florida ing from economic and health ills. Financial Project ID: 426964-1 Stick with me, because it gets a little complicated. Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI) and Medco Health Solutions are giant, multi-billion dollar Please join the Florida Department of Transportation for an informal public hearing to corporations that control prescription drug benefits for hundreds of millions of Americans. discuss proposed plans for SR 15 (US 1). The hearing will be held: Thursday March 1, Known as pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), these companies decide which pharmacies 2012 at the Lincoln Villa Center, 7866 New Kings Road, Jacksonville, FL 32219. people can visit, what prescription drugs are available for purchase, and how much these The hearing will be an “open house” format from 4:30-6:30 p.m. with a public com- medications will cost. They also decide how much community pharmacies will be paid for ment period beginning at 6:30 p.m. The proposed transportation improvements include filling prescriptions. milling and resurfacing, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements, the instal- The potential merger affects so many people, and raises so many antitrust issues, that lation of a raised concrete separator which will result in the closure of two median open- the FTC is reviewing it to see if it should be allowed at all, and if so, under what condi- ings to improve the operational and safety aspects of the roadway. As of February 9, 2012, tions. project documents will be available for your review during normal business hours at the If these two companies are allowed to join forces, they will control the majority of the Highlands Regional Public Library, 1826 Dunn Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32218.