Page 19 - Florida Sentinel 11-15-16 Online Edition

National
Former WNBA Player Is New Mayor Of Hometown
Dania Beach, Florida’s new mayor, Tamara James.
Canada’s Website Crashes As Reality Of A Trump Victory Loomed
DANIA BEACH, FL --- After a fruitful career on the hard- wood, former Washington Mystics player, Tamara James, plans to take her tal- ents back to her hometown.
The 32-year-old activist was recently named mayor of her old stomping grounds, Dania Beach, Fla., Broward County’s “oldest community” the Miami Herald reports.
In a statement issued to the SunSentinel, James thanked her supporters for furthering her dreams of enacting change in her community. “I plan on being a voice for our residents, promoting smart economic growth and unifying us as a city... I’m looking forward to winning championships for the oldest city in Broward County.”
Marijuana Legalized In California, Maine, Massachusetts And Nevada
As the electoral votes began to stack up in Donald Trump’s favor Tuesday night (November 8), the Citizenship and Immigration website for Canada took in so much added traffic that it crashed.
CNN and a number of other websites reported on the out- age.
“Those considering fleeing to Canada after #Election-
Night may have some trouble accessing the immigration website,” a tweet from CNN read.
Those visiting the Citizen and Immigration website, which is now up and running again, can apply to visit, study, work or immigrate to Canada or apply for citizenship, a per- manent resident card, or refugee protection.
A tweet sent on Election Night from the official Twitter account for the country of Canada appeared to welcome the idea of an influx of immi- grants.
“In Canada, immigrants are encouraged to bring their cul- tural traditions with them and share them with their fellow citizens,” the verified account tweeted.
9 Black Women Are Elected Judges In Jefferson County, Alabama
Judges Javan Patton, Elisabeth French, Agnes Chappell and Debra Bennett Winston.
Several states opted to pass favorable legislation laws in favor of recreational and med- ical marijuana usage on Elec- tion Day. The states are California, Maine, Massachu- setts and Nevada. Florida also passed a medical version.
The Northeastern state of Maine isn’t widely recognized for its progressive attitudes, but in the wee hours of the morn- ing Wednesday (November 9), their Question 1 proposition barely squeaked with a win to approve the recreational use of weed for anyone who wanted to roll up. There is no age limit.
According to the Bangor Daily News, the ballot was so highly contested that the oppo- sition is already thinking re- count, as there is reportedly a narrow margin of some 4,000- odd votes that separate the yay or nay columns.
“It’s very disappointing that Maine has passed a law that is going to make lawful posses- sion under age 21,” Scott Gagnon, the leader of the re- sistance told the press. He also revealed he and his team don’t plan to concede until the fat lady sings and asks for the joint to be passed to the left-hand side.
With last Tuesday’s votes, legal marijuana is also making significant inroads in the Northeast. “Marijuana legaliza- tion has arrived on the East Coast,” Tom Angell of Mari- juana Majority told the Wash- ington Post via email. “What Colorado and other states have already done is generating rev- enue, creating jobs and reduc- ing crime, so it’s not surprising that voters in more places are eager to end prohibition.”
On the West Coast, Nevada voters elected to allow anyone over 21 to possess as much as one ounce of marijuana or one- eighth of an ounce of concen- trate, the Reno Gazette-Journal reports. Much like California, the new law will impose a 15 percent tax amongst dispen- saries and is said to generate an estimated $20 million for the state’s school system.
In a great stride for repre- sentation Tuesday, nine Black women were elected to be- come judges in majority Dem- ocratic Jefferson County, Alabama, The Birmingham Times reported.
The Black women who came out on top in the district and circuit courts were : Javan Patton, Debra Bennett Winston, Shera Craig Grant, joins her twin sister,
Shanta on the bench; Nakita “Niki” Perryman Blocton, Tamara Harris Johnson, Elisabeth French, Agnes Chappell, Brendette Brown Green and Annetta Verin, are to be sworn in next January.
Last Tuesday night was a big night for women of color across the states ― not just in local politics, but in federal po- sitions, as well.
After spending almost 20 years in a North Carolina prison, Kalvin Michael Smith is a free man. Smith was convicted of armed rob- bery and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, in- flicting serious injury. In his early twenties, Smith was ac- cused of severely beating a pregnant 33 year old woman to almost death, ending in a 29 year prison sentence. A crime Smith says he did not com- mit.
The victim, Jill Marker, an assistant manager at the Silk Plant Forest Store, on Dec. 9, 1995, gave birth to her son while in a coma. She now re- quires around the clock care. Smith maintained his inno- cence and fought to prove that in a court of law. His efforts were not in vain. On Wednes- day he was ordered to be freed. Smith wiped away tears as a judge ordered his release.
Smith, 45, was released just after 11:35 a.m. Thursday from the Forsyth Correctional
Kalvin Michael Smith and one of his attorneys, Cheryl Andrews as he leaves prison.
Center, where he had been serving up to 29 years after a Forsyth County jury convicted him in 1996.
Smith is free but he’s also a convicted felon. And more than anything, Smith and his team of lawyers want to change that.
His case is Winston-Salem’s most prominent allegation of wrongful conviction.
The Winston-Salem Journal published a series of stories in
2004 raising questions about the police investigation and prosecution. Chris Swecker, former assistant FBI director, and the Silk Plant Forest Citi- zens Review Committee both reviewed the case and con- cluded that the police investi- gation was flawed. His case was recently featured on MTV’s documentary series, ”Unlocking the Truth,” and the show’s co-host, Ryan Fergu- son, who was exonerated of murder after 10 years in prison, came to Wednesday’s hearing in Forsyth Superior Court.
The Journal’s series showed that Winston-Salem police failed to thoroughly investi- gate Kenneth Lamoureux, a man with a history of vio- lence who was seen at the Silk Plant Forest store the day of Marker’s assault. Don Williams, the lead detective, dropped him as a suspect when Lamoureux, who died in 2011, moved to Charlotte.
Inmate Featured On MTV Doc ‘Unlocking The Truth’ Released From Prison After 20 Years
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 19