Ricardo Lewis Associate Editor The controversy surrounding the unwarranted forced resignation of Shirley Sherrod has shaken the beehive of racial controversy in America. Sherrod resigned from her federal job with the U.S. Department of Agriculture after snippets of a speech she gave at a local NAACP freedom fund banquet in March were published on the Internet. The website, biggovernment. com, posted a heavily edited version of the speech that Sherrod gave....

Pinkie M. Whitfield Executive Editor The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives’ North Florida Chapter (NOBLE) wants your gun. They are even willing to pay you for it to keep it from falling into the hands of a juvenile or worse, being used to commit a violent crime. “We have seen a spike in gun violence over the past year, primarily with African-American males being both the perpetrators and the victims.” said Captain Glenn Sapp of...

Ricardo Lewis Associate Editor Ken Armstrong sat on his couch watching the movies “Sniper” and “Sniper 2.” What was supposed to be a lazy day of relaxation would eventually turn into the inspiration for his first book. “After watching the movies I began thinking, what if the President had a secret assassin that was his last line of defense, someone that not even the Secret Service knew about,” said Armstrong. “I told my wife about the idea, and...

Kimberly Dantica Contributing Writer City commission candidate Kristin Dozier is “going back to school” to build economic development without risking environmental sustainability. “We need to have new ideas on economic development by utilizing the resources the universities provide which are future entrepreneurs, engineers and doctors. Right now 7-8 people who are graduating from engineering look elsewhere for jobs. We produce these phenomenal students...

Candidates for City Commission Seat 3

Candidates for City Commission Seat 5

R.B. Holmes,Jr. Publisher The saga of Shirley Sherrod has dominated the media for the last several weeks. This story will have a long shelf life, and we must use this opportunity to launch a meaningful conversation on race and racism. The Sherrod story definitely proves to us that race matters. It matters to the White House; it matters to FOX News; it matters to the NAACP; it matters to the USDA; it matters to the Tea Party; and it matters to the Right/Wrong...

Congressman Alcee Hastings Serving the 23rd District of Florida for nearly 20 years, Congressman Alcee Hastings has long been an outspoken advocate for progress and a champion for the rights of minorities, women and the elderly. Growing up in Florida, Congressman Hastings was a witness to the trials of segregation and racial disparity. These life lessons have guided him to where he is today and driven his commitment to ensuring the people of Florida receive...