President Barack Obama will address the 106th NAACP Annual Convention in Philadelphia, PA on Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
“We are honored to welcome President Obama back to our NAACP national convention,” stated NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock. “Our members are looking forward to President Obama delivering a powerful message that reinforces our commitment to being champions for civil and human rights in the 21st century.”
This is the second time Mr. Obama will address the NAACP’s National Convention as President of the United States. The NAACP values the opportunity to hear from elected officials, government leaders and candidates for public office.
“President Barack Obama, having spoken eloquently of grace to a grieving nation in a moment of crisis in Charleston, will now address the social and economic challenges of our time in the hometown of American freedom – Philadelphia, stated NAACP President and CEO Cornell William Brooks. Thousands of NAACP leaders, delegates, activists, youths, and supporters will welcome him to the 106th Convention of the NAACP in a moment in which his voice and our voices so desperately need to be heard. President Obama has been on the forefront of transformative change from civil rights to human rights over his term and in recent days. We in the nation eagerly anticipate his vision and plans for the difficult work ahead.”
This year’s convention will run from July 11 – July 15 under the theme “Pursuing Liberty in the Face of Injustice.” The NAACP will focus on building a broad based agenda around voting rights, criminal justice reform, health equity, economic opportunity and education equality ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Click here to see the schedule of events; click here to register for press credentials.
###
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP’s work and our five “Game Changer” issue areas here.
BALTIMORE, MD – In the weeks following a church massacre in which nine people were shot dead by a white nationalist at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, several predominantly black churches in Southern states have been burned. Federal authorities told The Associated Press that the blaze that destroyed the most recent church, Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church in Greeleyville, South Carolina, does not appear to be intentionally set by an arsonist. Three of the incidents are being investigated as arsons. Subsequently, the NAACP has released the following statement.
From Cornell William Brooks, NAACP President & CEO:
“The spike in church burnings in Southern states over the past few days requires our collective attention. When nine students of scripture lose their lives in a house worship, we cannot to turn a blind eye to any incident. As we wait for authorities to conduct their investigations, the NAACP and our state conferences across the country will remain vigilant and work with local churches and local law enforcement to ensure that all are taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of every parishioner. For centuries, African American churches have served as the epicenter of survival for many in the African-American community, as a consequence, these houses of faith have historically been the targets of violence. We will use every tool in our advocacy arsenal to preserve these beloved institutions.”
###
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest nonpartisan civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities. You can read more about the NAACP’s work and our five “Game Changer” issue areas here.
– 2015 marks Ford’s seventh consecutive year as exclusive automotive sponsor of the ESSENCE Festival, which kicks off this weekend in New Orleans
– Ford will give away a chance to win keys to a Ford vehicle of choice* to festival-goers who participate in the ride-and-drive event; participants can test drive some of the most stylish and fun-to-drive vehicles on the road today
– Festival-goers who sign up to test drive a Ford vehicle at the 2015 ESSENCE Festival will receive a $750** bonus cash offer on the purchase of any new 2014 or 2015 Ford vehicle by opting-in to Ford communications
– Other activities include an initiative exclusive to the ESSENCE Festival – Ford Warriors in Pink will donate $20 for each of the first 250 test drives to Young Survival Coalition; exciting performances at the Ford Superlounge; and live SiriusXM broadcasts from the Ford booth
DEARBORN, Mich., July 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — The 2015 ESSENCE Festival kicks off this weekend, and Ford will be on hand to help attendees celebrate and potentially walk away with keys to a brand-new Ford vehicle of their choosing* as part of its title sponsorship of the 21st anniversary of the event. The ESSENCE Festival is a cultural celebration featuring a mix of established names, promising newcomers and cherished festival favorites.
“Ford Motor Company shares in ESSENCE’s commitment to the African American community on this widely celebrated weekend of fun and empowerment,” said Shawn Thompson, manager, Ford multicultural marketing. “This annual festival is something we look forward to, seeking new ways every year to engage and excite consumers. The ESSENCE Festival affords us the opportunity to demonstrate our Go Further brand promise and showcase Ford’s latest vehicle lineup.”
Festival-goers will have the opportunity to take a test drive in Ford’s newest products at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, and receive a $750** cash offer on a new Ford vehicle for opting-in to Ford communications. Vehicles available for test drives include the 2015 Edge, Focus hatchback, Fusion, Mustang, Taurus, Flex, Escape, F-150 and Explorer.
The all-new Ford GT will be front and center at the Ford display. The all-new supercar serves as the pinnacle product of the newFord Performancegroup, setting new standards for Ford innovation in light-weighting, aerodynamics and EcoBoost®engine technology.
Warriors in Pink – Ford goes pink for breast cancer awareness 2015 marks Ford’s 21st year of support in the fight against breast cancer. Ford continues to tirelessly raise awareness around the disease, and festival attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the importance of early detection. To date, Ford has donated more than $115 million to the cause. The Ford Warriors in Pink line of apparel and accessories is available exclusively atwww.fordcares.com.
Ford will offer a number of additional activities in New Orleans tied to this year’s ESSENCE Festival. The Ford Superlounge at the Superdome will again bring some of the most exciting talent, including performances by Lianne La Havas, Elle Varner, Andra Day, Esperanza Spalding and others. Ford is partnering with SiriusXM to bring live interviews from the Ford booth at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center throughout the weekend, with Charlie Wilson, Avant, Raheem Devaughn, Tasha Page-Lockhart and many others on the schedule. Inspirational speaker, author and TV personality Iyanla Vanzant will also make an appearance at the Ford booth, handing out signed copies of her latest book.
Festival-goers can participate in the social conversation throughout the weekend by using the hashtags #Ford and #ESSENCEFest.
To learn more about Ford’s newest products, log on towww.ford.com.
*Any Ford vehicle with an MSRP that does not exceed $30,000.
**Test drive a Ford vehicle and receive $750 cash back on a new 2014 or 2015 Ford vehicle. May not combine with other private or commercial offers, owner loyalty and lease renewal programs. A/Z/D plan ineligible. Nontransferable out of household. Limit one per household. U.S. residents. Must redeem using original offer. Take new retail or lease delivery from dealer stock by Nov. 6, 2015. See dealer for complete details. Must be a registered attendee of The Backyard presented by ESSENCE Festival to be eligible.
About Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Michigan, manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 194,000 employees and 66 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visithttp://corporate.ford.com.
For news releases, related materials and high-resolution photos and video, visitwww.media.ford.com.
John P. Beasley of Columbia; Anthony J. Brooklere of Adamsville; James, I. Harrison, Jr. of Tuscaloosa; Charles E. Prickett of Hoover; and James O. Walker of Gardendale.
John P. Beasley of Columbia; Anthony J. Brooklere of Adamsville; James, I. Harrison, Jr. of Tuscaloosa; Charles E. Prickett of Hoover; and James O. Walker of Gardendale.
James O. Walker Inducted into the Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame July 1, 2015
MONTGOMERY, AL – On June 22, 2015, James O. Walker of Gardendale, AL was inducted into the Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame at the Alabama Pharmacy Association (APA) 134th Annual Convention and Trade Show held at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort in Destin, FL.
“One must only be in Jim Walker’s presence for a short time to recognize his love for pharmacy and those who practice it,” states Louise Jones, APA Executive Director.
The Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame was established in 2015 and acknowledges achievements by those engaged in the profession of pharmacy, whether alive or deceased, and recognizes their outstanding contributions or exemplary service to pharmacy and/or to healthcare. This can be demonstrated through exceptional achievement over the life of their career in pharmacy or an exceptional act during their career, or both.
Walker graduated from Auburn in 1957 and began work carrying on the legacy at Walker Drug Company with his father. He has served in numerous leadership roles in his community including President of the Birmingham Better Business Bureau, Secretary of the Birmingham Kiwanis Club, Sunday School teacher to 5 year olds at Canterbury Methodist Church, and Board member for Carraway Methodist Hospital for fifteen years.
Walker was honored with the 2010 Bowl of Hygeia Award and the 2002 APA President’s Special Achievement Award. He retired in 2003 but has never stopped working for the profession of pharmacy. He holds a special place in his heart for students and has led the APA Scholarship Endowment Fund efforts since its inception in 2012. This committee has a goal to raise one million dollars to ensure the ability of APA to assist deserving students with their financial expenses of pharmacy school.
The Alabama Pharmacy Association is a nonprofit professional organization with over 2,500 members statewide. The APA offers continuing education programs for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and members take a leading role in lobbying for pharmacy at the state and national level. The APA was established in 1881 and is the oldest professional organization for pharmacy in the state. APA members represent all practices of pharmacy and are committed to their profession and their patients.
###
Charles E. Prickett Inducted into the Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame July 1, 2015
MONTGOMERY, AL – On June 22, 2015, Charles E. Prickett of Hoover, AL was inducted into the Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame at the Alabama Pharmacy Association (APA) 134th Annual Convention and Trade Show held at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort in Destin, FL.
The Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame was established in 2015 and acknowledges achievements by those engaged in the profession of pharmacy, whether alive or deceased, and recognizes their outstanding contributions or exemplary service to pharmacy and/or to healthcare. This can be demonstrated through exceptional achievement over the life of their career in pharmacy or an exceptional act during their career, or both.
“Charles Prickett has been instrumental in protecting and promoting the interests of independent pharmacies and pharmacists throughout his career,” states Louise Jones, APA Executive Director.
Prickett is a 1961 graduate of Auburn University. He and his wife of 56 years, Shirley, have raised three children (two pharmacists and a nurse). He is currently the owner of two pharmacies and is one of the original founders of American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc. (APCI) and signed their Articles of Incorporation. He has served three terms as APCI’s president and as a board member for 30 years.
Mr. Prickett has held many leadership offices in APA including Trustee, Speaker, and President. JCPA also benefitted from his leadership as Director, Treasurer and President. He has served as an Adjunct Clinical Instructor for Samford MSOP in past years. Honors bestowed upon him include the APA King Kourtesy Award, the Bowl of Hygeia, Samford’s Preceptor of the Year, Phi Lambda Sigma’s National Leadership Award, and Auburn’s Distinguished Alumnus Award.
His efforts to give back aren’t limited to his professional work, including his work with the Jefferson County Health Planning Commission, Bessemer Area Chamber of Commerce, Sertoma Club as a Troop Leader and Cub Scout Master, Eastern Valley Community Center, Aldridge Gardens, Hoover Historical Association, Fairfield Highlands Methodist Church, Shades Mountain Baptist Church, 56 years as a Mason in Flint Hill Masonic Lodge, and his governor appointment to the Alabama Historic Iron Works Commission.
The Alabama Pharmacy Association is a nonprofit professional organization with over 2,500 members statewide. The APA offers continuing education programs for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and members take a leading role in lobbying for pharmacy at the state and national level. The APA was established in 1881 and is the oldest professional organization for pharmacy in the state. APA members represent all practices of pharmacy and are committed to their profession and their patients.
###
James I. Harrison, Jr. Inducted into the Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 1, 2015
MONTGOMERY, AL – On June 22, 2015, James I. Harrison, Jr. of Tuscaloosa, AL was inducted into the Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame at the Alabama Pharmacy Association (APA) 134th Annual Convention and Trade Show held at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort in Destin, FL.
The Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame was established in 2015 and acknowledges achievements by those engaged in the profession of pharmacy, whether alive or deceased, and recognizes their outstanding contributions or exemplary service to pharmacy and/or to healthcare. This can be demonstrated through exceptional achievement over the life of their career in pharmacy or an exceptional act during their career, or both.
“The impact Jim Harrison has had on pharmacy in Alabama is immeasurable,” says Louise Jones, APA Executive Director. “You see his legacy every day in the lives of the many pharmacists and student pharmacists who have been personally or indirectly influenced by him”
Harrison was born and raised in Tuscaloosa. He accepted a basketball scholarship to the University of AL. After two years there, he transferred to Howard College to study pharmacy. In May 1956, he graduated with honors with memberships in Rho Chi, Kappa Psi, and ODK. Returning to Tuscaloosa, he began work with his father in the family’s drug store, Central Drug, in the heart of downtown Tuscaloosa. Soon a second store would be purchased on the U of A campus which he managed. In 1967 Mr. Harrison founded Harco Drug and initiated the growth and expansion of one of Alabama’s most remarkable retail operations. From the corporate office in Tuscaloosa, Harco grew to 153 stores in AL, MS and FL. In August of 1997, Harco merged with the Rite Aid Corporation.
Through the years, Mr. Harrison has received so many honors, it is only possible for us to share a few. He is an inductee of the Tuscaloosa County Civic Hall of Fame; the Alabama Healthcare Hall of Fame; and the Alabama Business Hall of Fame. He has received the Samford University Lifetime Service Award and Distinguished Service Award; Citizen of the Year Award by the Tuscaloosa Civitan Club, Tuscaloosa Area Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award, the NACDS Sheldon W. Fantle Lifetime Achievement Award, the APA Distinguished Service Award, the Auburn University Distinguished Service Award, the Governor’s Volunteerism Award, the Bronze Oak Wreath Award, the Pharmacist Achievement Award by Merck, and the National Human Relations Award by the American Jewish Committee, just to name a few.
He has been named Employer of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Man of Achievement, Family of the Year, and Retailer of the Decade.
37th street in Tuscaloosa has been re-named for him and they celebrated April 5, 1990 as Jimmy Harrison Day in Tuscaloosa and Northport.
He is a philanthropist to many deserving causes including the Catholic Church, the United Way, the University of Alabama, Rural Infant Stimulation, DCH Cancer Center, and most notably to pharmacy, he established the James I. Harrison School of Pharmacy at Auburn University.
Mr. Harrison and his wife, Peggy, have been married for 61 years and are extremely devoted to their five children and fifteen grandchildren.
The Alabama Pharmacy Association is a nonprofit professional organization with over 2,500 members statewide. The APA offers continuing education programs for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and members take a leading role in lobbying for pharmacy at the state and national level. The APA was established in 1881 and is the oldest professional organization for pharmacy in the state. APA members represent all practices of pharmacy and are committed to their profession and their patients.
###
John P. Beasley Inducted into the Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame July 1, 2015
MONTGOMERY, AL – On June 22, 2015, John P. Beasley of Columbia, AL was inducted into the Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame at the Alabama Pharmacy Association (APA) 134th Annual Convention and Trade Show held at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort in Destin, FL.
The Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame was established in 2015 and acknowledges achievements by those engaged in the profession of pharmacy, whether alive or deceased, and recognizes their outstanding contributions or exemplary service to pharmacy and/or to healthcare. This can be demonstrated through exceptional achievement over the life of their career in pharmacy or an exceptional act during their career, or both.
“ John Beasley has brought honor to the profession of pharmacy for over 60 years,” states Louise Jones, APA Executive Director. “He has served as a voice of pharmacy in Alabama as an independent pharmacist, in service to the Alabama Board of Pharmacy and as a state legislator.”
Beasley is a 1955 graduate of Auburn University. He served in the Army National Guard and Army Reserve from 1953-1960. His professional career has included serving as a president of APA and the Alabama State Board of Pharmacy. With a desire to make a difference, he served as a member of the Alabama House of Representatives from 1984-1994 and was elected to the Legislative Council and as Chairman of the Business and Labor Committee. In his community, Mr. Beasley has served in the Scottish Rite, on the Board of Directors for the Bank of Columbia, as the Director of the Chamber of Commerce for Dothan, as a Shriner, and as a Worshipful Master in the Masonic Lodge. He has been an Eagle Scout, a Deacon, a Sunday School teacher, and a past president of the Lion’s Club.
John has been honored with the Auburn Distinguished Alumni Award, the Bowl of Hygeia, and is an inductee in the Alabama Healthcare Hall of Fame.
The Alabama Pharmacy Association is a nonprofit professional organization with over 2,500 members statewide. The APA offers continuing education programs for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and members take a leading role in lobbying for pharmacy at the state and national level. The APA was established in 1881 and is the oldest professional organization for pharmacy in the state. APA members represent all practices of pharmacy and are committed to their profession and their patients.
###
Anthony J. Brooklere, R.Ph. Inducted into the Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame July 1, 2015
MONTGOMERY, AL – On June 22, 2015, Anthony J. Brooklere of Adamsville was inducted into the Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame at the Alabama Pharmacy Association (APA) 134th Annual Convention and Trade Show held at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort in Destin, FL.
The Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame was established in 2015 and acknowledges achievements by those engaged in the profession of pharmacy, whether alive or deceased, and recognizes their outstanding contributions or exemplary service to pharmacy and/or to healthcare. This can be demonstrated through exceptional achievement over the life of their career in pharmacy or an exceptional act during their career, or both.
“Anthony Brooklere has, by his work and accomplishments, brought honor to the profession of pharmacy,” states Louise Jones, APA Executive Director. “He is a part of the legacy of independent pharmacy in Alabama.”
Mr. Brooklere was born and reared in Birmingham. He graduated from Auburn in 1958 and has been practicing pharmacy for over 56 years. He and his wife, Sara Jean, have two children, both pharmacists. He and son Johnny own and operate Brooklere Pharmacy and Adamsville Pharmacy.
Mr. Brooklere has held multiple offices in APA including President and is also the past president of the Jefferson County Pharmacists Association (JCPA). He has served on the Advisory Council for Auburn University’s School of Pharmacy as well as the State Board of Pharmacy, including a year as President. He is a founding member and past President of American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc. (APCI) He is a charter member of the Forestdale Lions Club with 53 years of perfect attendance. His military service is filled with honors including membership in the Scabbard and Blade National Military Honor Society and as an Honor Graduate of the School of Military Medicine and Surgery. Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in Army Artillery and Guided Missiles, he also served as Assistant Commander of Brooke Army Medical Center in TX. Mr. Brooklere has been elected to the Adamsville City Council, served as Mayor Pro Tem of Adamsville, and is a Past President of the Forestdale Merchants Association.
Mr. Brooklere has been honored numerous times including awards for Industry of the Year, Auburn Distinguished Alumni, APA Service, Phi Lambda Sigma Alumni Leadership, Lions Club Community Service, Melvin Jones Fellowship for Dedicated Humanitarian Service, Lions International Key Member, Lou Columbo Community Service, and the Bowl of Hygeia.
The Alabama Pharmacy Association is a nonprofit professional organization with over 2,500 members statewide. The APA offers continuing education programs for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and members take a leading role in lobbying for pharmacy at the state and national level. The APA was established in 1881 and is the oldest professional organization for pharmacy in the state. APA members represent all practices of pharmacy and are committed to their profession and their patients.
###
Twenty-Three Pharmacists Inducted into the Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame
July 1, 2015
MONTGOMERY, AL – On June 22, 2015, twenty-three pharmacists were inducted into the Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame at the Alabama Pharmacy Association (APA) 134th Annual Convention and Trade Show held at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort in Destin, FL.
“The Pharmacy Hall of Fame Inductees have, by their work and accomplishments, brought honor to the profession of pharmacy,” states Louise Jones, APA Executive Director. “These are individuals who clearly standout from the mainstream.”
The Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame was established in 2015 and acknowledges achievements by those engaged in the profession of pharmacy, whether alive or deceased, and recognizes their outstanding contributions or exemplary service to pharmacy and/or to healthcare. This can be demonstrated through exceptional achievement over the life of their career in pharmacy or an exceptional act during their career, or both.
Inducted, in person, on June 22, 2015 were: John P. Beasley of Columbia; Anthony J. Brooklere of Adamsville; James, I. Harrison, Jr. of Tuscaloosa; Charles E. Prickett of Hoover; and James O. Walker of Gardendale.
Inducted posthumously were the fifteen original 1881 founding members of the Alabama Pharmacy Association: Philip Charles Candidus, Charles Mohr, G. C. Stollenwerck, L. T. Bradfield, Hugo Plato, W. J. Hurd, J. E. Davis, John L. Davis, A. L. Stollenwerck, J. W. Hughes, William Hoyt, F. D. Nabers, C. M. Morrow, Y. P. Newman, S. W. Gillespie. Also inducted posthumously were James R. Kuykendall of Dekalb; William W. Walker; and Luania L. Thagard, both of Birmingham, AL.
The Alabama Pharmacy Association is a nonprofit professional organization with over 2,500 members statewide. The APA offers continuing education programs for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and members take a leading role in lobbying for pharmacy at the state and national level. The APA was established in 1881 and is the oldest professional organization for pharmacy in the state. APA members represent all practices of pharmacy and are committed to their profession and their patients.
Photo: Pharmacists inducted into the Alabama Pharmacy Hall of Fame on June 22, 2015. Pictured (L-R) Seated: James, I. Harrison, James O. Walker, Standing: Anthony J. Brooklere, Charles E. Prickett, and John P. Beasley.
###
Alabama Pharmacy Association Installs New Officers, Presents Member Awards July 1, 2015
MONTGOMERY, AL – The Alabama Pharmacy Association (APA) held its 134th Annual Convention and Trade Show at the Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort in Destin, FL on June 21-24. At the annual meeting, new officers were installed and annual awards were presented to outstanding members in recognition of their achievements.
New officers installed for 2015-2016 are as follows: President, Johnny Brooklere, R.Ph. of Mount Olive; President-Elect, Jared Johnson, Pharm.D. of Auburn; Vice President, Belinda Ballard, R.Ph. of Stevenson; Treasurer, Dan McConaghy, R.Ph. of Satsuma; Past-President, Rebecca Sorrell, R.Ph. of Pelham; Speaker of the House, David Brackett, Pharm.D. of Auburn; Speaker-Elect of the House, Stacey Giles, R.Ph. of Auburn. District Trustees are as follows: District 1 – Christy Garmon, Pharm.D. of Spanish Fort; District 2 – Allen Jordan, R.Ph. of Grove Hill; District 3 – Clay Bowen, R.Ph. of Dothan ; District 4 – Kelli Newman, Pharm.D. of Montgomery; District 5 – Brandi Corbett, Pharm.D. of Winfield; District 6 – Kathryn Bellingar, Pharm.D. of Birmingham; District 7 – Kaylee St. John-Bean of Ragland; District 8 – Gay Massey, R.Ph. of Section; District 9 – Audrey Newton, Pharm.D. of Florence; District 10 – Susan Adkison, R.Ph. of Cullman; District 11 – Garrett Aikens, Pharm.D. of Auburn; District 12 – David Darby, R.Ph. of Andalusia; Trustee at Large #1 – Bobby Giles, R.Ph. of Auburn; Trustee at Large #2 – Valerie Oakley, Pharm.D. of Florence; Academy Chair – Derrell Massey, R.Ph. of Section; Pharmacy Technician Representative – Paige Patterson, CPhT of Auburn; Auburn University Harrison School of Pharmacy, R. Lee Evans, Pharm.D.; Auburn University Student Representative, Lauren Smith; Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Michael Crouch, Pharm.D.; Samford University Student Representative, Zach Burns.
Awards were presented to the following members: Dan McConaghy, R.Ph. of Satsuma received the Bowl of Hygeia Award; Cole Sandlin, Pharm.D. of Auburn received the Lester White Good Government Award; Valerie Oakley, Pharm.D. of Florence received the Distinguished Young Pharmacist Award; Ronda Lacey, R.Ph., J.D. of Birmingham received the J. Wayne Staggs Distinguished Service Award; Frances Cohenour, Pharm.D. of Florence received the Excellence in Innovation Award; Michael Hogue, Pharm.D. of Mount Olive received the Generation Rx Champion Award; Timothy Fickling, CPhT of Foley received the Pharmacy Technician of the Year Award; Erin McCreary of Middleton, WI received the Joseph O. Dean, Jr. Student Professionalism Award; Tami Waters, of Daphne received the Mitchel C. Rothholz’ President’s Award; Johnny Brooklere, R.Ph. of Mount Olive received the NCPA Leadership Award; and David Brackett, Pharm.D. of Auburn received the Faculty Member of the Year Award.
The Alabama Pharmacy Association is a nonprofit professional organization with over 2,500 members statewide. The APA offers continuing education programs for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and members take a leading role in lobbying for pharmacy at the state and national level. The APA was established in 1881 and is the oldest professional organization for pharmacy in the state. APA members represent all practices of pharmacy and are committed to their profession and their patients.
The gossip blogs are buzzing with rumors that Gabourey Sidibe has been fired from “Empire” after being noticeably absent from the last couple episodes of the hit showAccording to “reports”, Lee Daniels fired Gabby because her size has been distracting to viewers. However, we have to say that we would be surprised if this is true because Lee gave Gabby her big break with her role in “Precious.”
Plus, on February 13 Gabby RT’d a post from Empire’s Twitter account which was sending people to watch a preview of “Empire” and chat with the star.
Not to mention, Gabby has been all over Twitter hanging out with co-star and friend Jussie Smollett. She even lovingly referred to the budding star as her ” Valentine” and posted this cute picture:
It is interesting that Gabby has been MIA on the show but until Lee or Gabby officially say word, we are going to leave this as a RUMOR.
UPDATE:
It looks like Gabourey has responded to the rumors via Twitter. Last night Gabby posted a photo with Lee Daniels [below] along with a simple but direct response. She wrote, “Um…. Nope. #seeyaWednesdayNight#Empire.”
If ever a cause was unworthy, that cause was the US Confederacy. If ever a cause was righteously defeated, it was the cause of the US Confederacy. And if ever a flag was and is an insult to human decency and dignity, it is the US Confederate flag.
The mere fact this is still being debated in the United States, the fact there are those who continue to accord a nobility, valor, and romanticism to the Confederacy – regarded wistfully as the ‘Lost Cause’ by its adherhents – this is evidence of the deep polarization that divides a society yet to fully come to terms with its legacy of slavery, racial oppression, and barbarism.
When white racist fanatic, Dylann Roof, slaughtered nine people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, he unwittingly exposed the truth that the US Civil War remains the defining event in the nation’s history, which still today informs a cultural divide between North and South.
The reason for this lies not so much in the legitimacy of the Confederate/southern cause – indeed, how could a cause defined by the right to keep human beings as slaves ever be considered legitimate? – but in the weakness of progressive forces in succumbing to the mythology that has been ascribed to the Confederacy and to those who fought and died for it. Indeed if ever a society was crying out for the aggressive assertion of human rights, racial equality, and justice, it is the United States.
Racial oppression, whether delivered from the gun of a mass murderer in a South Carolinian church, or the gun of a police officer, has yet to be expunged in the land of the free, even though 150 years have passed since the Confederacy was defeated in battle.
There are historical reasons why this is so, but one in particular: namely the decision of the 19th President of the United States, Rutherford B Hayes, to end Reconstruction as a condition of his entry into the White House with the support of southern Democrats, a tawdry political deal known to history as the Compromise of 1877. It marked the end of a decade in which so-called Radical Republicans (referred to pejoratively as Black Republicans), in control of the US Congress, had driven forward a federal program to promote and uphold the rights of former slaves throughout the South, according them the full civil and political rights that their status as free men and women demanded. This was absolutely necessary immediately upon war’s end, when local politicians assumed control of state legislatures across the South and enacted ‘black codes’ with the objective of keeping the newly freed blacks in as close to a state of slavery as was possible, refusing to grant them their rights or the vote.
The reaction of the North was to divide the former Confederate states into military districts and occupy them with federal troops to ensure the protection of blacks from white racists and to enforce their civil rights. This was accompanied by the demand that those former Confederate states support the passage of the three post-civil war amendments to the US Constitution – the 13th, 14th, and 15th – outlawing slavery and granting rights of citizenship and the vote to every person born in the United States regardless of race or color, and in every state.
The end of Reconstruction in 1877, and the withdrawal of federal troops from states such as South Carolina, resulted in the plight of blacks in said states suffering a sharp reverse. The Klu Klux Klan’s influence and power as America’s first terrorist organization instantly made its presence felt, measured in the rise and entrenchment of white supremacy as a state and culture of segregation returned across the South. Blacks were lynched, murdered, and tortured with impunity from then on, and their status as second-class citizens entrenched.
This mindset remains a fact of life not just across the South but also across the United States, carried in the hearts and minds of right wing Republicans and a reactionary media that on a daily and nightly basis whips up divisions and spews prejudice and racial stereotypes with blithe disregard for common decency.
By far the most compelling evidence of this culture of racial prejudice, however, has been the treatment of the nation’s first black president, Barack Obama, since he entered the White House in 2009. Never has a US President been subjected to such a sustained campaign of demonization and hate as he has.
In the face of this campaign, his dignity has never wavered, nor his understanding of the racism that scars the country to this day. His eulogy at the funeral service of South Carolina senator and pastor Clementa Pinckney, one of the nine victims of the recent slaughter, culminated in an inspiring rendition of Amazing Grace, reminding us of what might have been if he’d been president of a truly post-racial America.
At the start of the Civil War in 1861 four million men, women, and children were being kept as chattel across the Confederacy. They were sold, raped, beaten, tortured and murdered upon the whim of their owners, men and women whose barbarity finds its modern day equivalence in the barbarity of the followers and members of the Islamic State.
There was nothing noble or romantic about the Confederacy, and its defeat marked a victory for human progress. But the waging of total war that ensured its defeat was not followed by the waging of total peace to ensure that the culture which gave rise to it was likewise consigned to history.
The plight of blacks and other minorities across the US today is a daily reminder of that failure, a measure of the weakness of generations of US progressives in their attempt to foment unity when they should have been fomenting justice.
The most passionate Radical Republican of them all, Thaddeus Stevens, put it best: “There can be no fanatics in the cause of genuine liberty.”
John Wight is the author of a politically incorrect and irreverent Hollywood memoir – Dreams That Die – published by Zero Books. He’s also written five novels, which are available as Kindle eBooks. You can follow him on Twitter at @JohnWight1
Washington, DC – June 30, 2015 On Thursday, July 2, on what would be Thurgood Marshall’s 107th birthday, the Thurgood Marshall Center Trust will screen the documentary film, “Pardons of Innocence: The Wilmington 10.” “Pardons of Innocence” recounts the turbulent history of desegregation from the late 1960s to 1971 as protestors fought for equal education for students of North Carolina’s New Hanover Public Schools.
Following the movie, a distinguished group of panelists will discuss the film against the backdrop of the range of social and racial issues that is riling the United States. The event, is free and open to the public, begins at 5:30 p.m., and takes place at the Thurgood Marshall Center for Service and Heritage, 1816 12th Street, NW.
The panel will be moderated by Civil Rights historian and labor activist Jamaal L. Craig. The other participants are Civil Rights leader Dr. Benjamin Chavis, Jr., currently president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association; Harvard University professor Lani Guinier; Elaine Jones, former president/director-counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; and James Ferguson, founder and president of Ferguson, Chambers & Sumpter, P.A.
About Thurgood Marshall: Marshall holds a special place in African-American history. Before he became this country’s first black Supreme Court justice, he forged a stellar legal career as a lawyer, judge and Civil Rights activist.
In 1936, Marshall became the NAACP’s chief legal counsel and founded the NAACP Legal Defense Fund four years later where he served as its first Director-Counsel. He was the key strategist and one of the lead attorneys in the decades-long effort to end racial segregation, and litigated a series of cases that would ultimately topple the pillars of segregation. As NAACP counsel, Marshall used the judiciary to bring about equality for African Americans, in an effort to ensure that blacks enjoyed all the rights and privileges of other Americans.
He argued “separate but equal” cases twice before the US Supreme Court in 1952 and 1953 and successfully challenged the law that legitimized “separate but equal” facilities for blacks and whites. In 1954, he and the NAACP legal team won the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case, as the US Supreme Court ended racial segregation in public schools.
He was the first African American appointed to the US Supreme Court in 1967 by President Lyndon Johnson and retired as Associate Justice in 1991.
###
About Pardons of Innocence: The Wilmington 10. The documentary film, produced by filmmaker Cash Michaels, details the labyrinthine road the activists had to travel to secure justice. After protests against an educational system that discriminated against black students, Wilmington, North Carolina authorities arrested 10 protestors: Chavis, eight black male students and a white female community organizer. A judge sentenced them to a total of 282 years in a sham trial for standing up for the rights of equal education for African-American students.
The protests by activists and hundreds of school children, led to an explosion of racial violence from white supremacists who drove through Wilmington’s black community, where they shot and killed several innocent blacks and burned buildings, including a white-owned grocery store. The Wilmington 10 was charged with conspiracy in connection with the firebombing and shootings. In 1977, after years of failed appeals in North Carolina courts, three witnesses for the state recanted their stories and admitted perjuring themselves.
Then-Carolina Gov. James B. Hunt refused to pardon the group but commuted their sentences in 1978. In 1980, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the convictions based on gross prosecutorial misconduct and a mélange of violations of the activists’ constitutional rights. While the appeals court directed North Carolina officials to retry the defendants or dismiss all charges, the state dragged its feet for the next three decades.
In March 2011, the NNPA, at the urging of Wilmington Journal Publisher Mary Alice Thatch, voted to pursue pardons of innocence for the Wilmington Ten. Several NNPA stories after an examination of previously unseen court records by reporters, showed compelling evidence of prosecutorial corruption and mainstream publications such as the New York Times joined the chorus of demands that the Wilmington Ten be pardoned.
In 2013, outgoing Gov. Beverly Perdue granted pardons to each member of the Wilmington 10.
Looks like it’s officially one housewife down for The Real Housewives of Atlanta. The shocker is that it’s not Claudia Jordan as had been rumored but the show’s breakout star NeNe Leakes. Leakes announced her decision today.
Leakes, 47, – arguably the network’s biggest star, who’s been with the show since its inception – will not be returning for season 8. She says there comes a time when enough is enough.
“This was definitely a hard decision for me,” Leakes tells PEOPLE. “Me and my husband [Gregg Leakes] have been going back and forth on it for weeks now. But my contract is up and I just think this is the right time. This is my opportunity to spread my wings and do different things.”
She took to social media to further explain why she’s leaving.
The announcement comes with the news that Leakes will soon be focusing on totally new projects.
“I’m actually going to be doing a new primetime television show with a big legend,” Leakes teases of the series she begins filming this week. “All of my fans will get to see me be really happy, witty and funny and tell all of those one liners that I always have said on Housewives.”
It’s a positive new direction that the mother of two is more than happy to take.
“I feel a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders,” says Leakes, who throughout the years was the center of many arguments and altercations on the show.
Heflin, Ala. – After allegedly shooting at a black bear seen in Heflin, Ala., on June 16, 2015, a local man has been charged with breaking the state’s bear protection laws. While classified as a game animal in Alabama, there is no established black bear hunting season in the state. Black bears are also protected by state law due to low population numbers. The shooter was arrested and released pending a court hearing on August 5.
In Alabama, shooting at a black bear is a Class A misdemeanor, which carries a potential minimum fine of $2,000. Other penalties for attempting to take a black bear include the loss of hunting and fishing license privileges for three years and possible jail time.
The bear in Heflin appeared to be unharmed by the incident and was allowed to find its way back into a wooded area near Sugar Hill Road where the shots were fired.
Capt. Johnny Johnson, Supervising Conservation Enforcement Officer with the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) District 2 Office, assisted in the investigation on June 16 and said anyone shooting at a black bear risks serious consequences.
“Shooting a black bear in Alabama is a serious offense that could send someone to jail for up to a year in addition to the substantial fines,” Johnson said. “If you see a black bear, leave it alone. We want and welcome them in Alabama.”
Historically, a small population of black bear has remained rooted in southwest Alabama, primarily in Mobile and Washington counties. In recent years, bears migrating from northwest Georgia have established a small but viable population in northeast Alabama. WFF is currently working with other state and federal agencies to collect data on the state’s black bear population and movements.
Black bears are secretive, shy animals that will avoid human interaction. To avoid accidently attracting a bear to your home, feed pets just enough food that they can consume in one meal. Secure uneaten pet food, trash bins, bird and other wildlife feeders, as they are easy pickings for hungry young bears.
If you are lucky enough to encounter/observe a black bear, WFF offers these suggestions:
• Do not be frightened • Do not approach the animal • Do not run from the bear; back away slowly • Stand tall and upright and make loud noises • Avoid direct eye contact with the bear • Make sure the bear has an unobstructed direction to escape • Never purposely feed a bear
The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources promotes wise stewardship, management and enjoyment of Alabama’s natural resources through four divisions: Marine Resources, State Lands, State Parks, and Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries. To learn more about ADCNR, visit www.outdooralabama.com.
Family and friends, including Tyler Perry, continued to visit Bobbi Kristina Brown at a hospice facility in the Atlanta area on Sunday.
The iconic director/actor/entrepreneur joined the family and loved ones who’ve been gathered at her beside since she was transferred to the hospice on Wednesday, reports People.
The 45-year-old entertainment mogul has kept in contact with the Brown and Houston families in the months following the Jan. 31 incident that left the 22-year-old incapacitated.
Perry of course is close with the Brown and Houston families, especially Bobbi Kristina’s mother, the late Whitney Houston.
He also worked with Bobbi Kristina when she made a 2012 guest appearance on his TBS series “For Better or Worse.”
The Brown and Houston family members, who don’t normally get along, have put aside their difference to show support for Bobbi Kristina in what appears to be her final days, barring a medical miracle or divine intervention .
All of the foregoing is happening while the Fulton County District Attorney’s office reviews Bobbi Kristina’s case.
The review is reportedly in response to a claim filed by Bobbi Kristina’s court-appointed conservatory alleging her boyfriend Nick Gordon caused “substantial bodily harm” and stole $11,000 from her.
Meanwhile, a close relative of Gordon previously told People that they felt that he was being used as “a scapegoat” in the incident.
