TAHIR A. LEE (Christian Allen) - Photojournalist/Reporter
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Tattoos replacing Medic Alert jewelry
By Christian Allen, News 20 at Five
You've heard of Medic Alert Bracelets. But now, there is an alternative way to inform rescuers on patients’ medical conditions.
Tattoos have always been looked at as a fashion statement but now a small number of Americans are relying on them to possibly save their lives. Euphoria tattoo artist, Alian Rodgers says that transforming Medic Alert jewelry into tattoos will bring a positive aspect to the industry.
“Benefit to people that have diseases are anything like that where they have to wear bracelets or any type of identification for their disease or situation. Having a part in working with that I think would be a cool thing, and brings some legitimacy to our industry,” Rodgers said.
The American Medical Association does not specifically address medical tattoos in its guidelines. Doctors who have seen them thus far, say they are becoming more popular among diabetics. Tanya Tatum, Director of Health Services at Florida A&M University believes that it should be a personal choice for patient’s to either wear a bracelet or get a tattoo.
“Well, a tattoo certainly you’re not going to lose it, so that’s a benefit. However, I think people should probably judge on their own whether or not it’s something that may be a temporary condition or if it’s something that is permanent and never going away. If you’re a diabetic then you’re always going to be a diabetic for the rest of your life. So a tattoo might be simpler and easier,” Tatum said.
The National Tattoo Association is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about tattooing. A spokesperson from the NTA, who has a shop in Orlando, Fl says he does about one medical tattoo a year but has faith that the numbers will continue to peak.
A spokesman from the MedicAlert Foundation said that tattoos are unlikely to replace medical alert jewelry. But believes the markings would offer an easier way to give rescuers important health details.
Monday, February 20, 2012
NEWS BRIEFING
FAMU SIGN DEFACING
Those visiting FAMU’s campus are being greeted with an unpleasant surprise.
A Florida A & M University entrance sign at Wanish and FAMU Way is vandalized. News 20 at five reached out to campus police; however, they declined to comment. Students have mixed emotions about the incident. FAMU chemistry student, Timothy Rising, says he’s disappointed.
“I saw it the other day and it’s sad to know that a place of higher learning, post secondary education; someone would do that to a school. Whether it is from Florida State or someone at our very own school,” Rising said.
The message written on the sign read: “WAR, WAR MUSIC”. Currently, university officials have begun the process of covering the vandalism.
RECONSTRUCTION PLAN
Tomorrow from 6-8pm, The Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department is hosting a different workshop for citizens.
The workshop will provide information about the unveiling of the Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan. The focus of the workshop is to gather citizen input on strategies to survive an unexpected catastrophic event or natural disaster. Tallahassee resident Lynwood Gill agrees that preparation is key.
“A lot of people have their jobs here and if anything happens crucial we’ll be out of jobs. The buildings are old and have been here for years and years. If a hurricane, storm or something comes through here, how can we rebuild?” Gill said.
The workshop will take place on the second floor of the Frenchtown Renaissance building. Infrastructure restoration and financial considerations are all topics being discussed. The workshop is free and open to the public.
DUE FUNERAL
The family of Civil Rights leader Patricia Due had the opportunity to pay their last respects.
Patricia Stephens Due was laid to rest this past weekend. The human rights activist was most known organizing the nation’s first ever “jail-in”. Chandra Clark, an English professor, shared her thoughts and spoke on Due’s contribution to history.
“I think that we have lost a part of history. That we don’t exist in a vacuum and that there are others who have paved the way,” Clark said.
Family, friends and community members filled a memorial service held at Florida A&M’s Lee Hall before her burial in Quincy. Due participated in Tallahassee sit ins and fought against segregation. She will be remembered as a true advocate for basic human.
Those visiting FAMU’s campus are being greeted with an unpleasant surprise.
A Florida A & M University entrance sign at Wanish and FAMU Way is vandalized. News 20 at five reached out to campus police; however, they declined to comment. Students have mixed emotions about the incident. FAMU chemistry student, Timothy Rising, says he’s disappointed.
“I saw it the other day and it’s sad to know that a place of higher learning, post secondary education; someone would do that to a school. Whether it is from Florida State or someone at our very own school,” Rising said.
The message written on the sign read: “WAR, WAR MUSIC”. Currently, university officials have begun the process of covering the vandalism.
RECONSTRUCTION PLAN
Tomorrow from 6-8pm, The Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department is hosting a different workshop for citizens.
The workshop will provide information about the unveiling of the Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan. The focus of the workshop is to gather citizen input on strategies to survive an unexpected catastrophic event or natural disaster. Tallahassee resident Lynwood Gill agrees that preparation is key.
“A lot of people have their jobs here and if anything happens crucial we’ll be out of jobs. The buildings are old and have been here for years and years. If a hurricane, storm or something comes through here, how can we rebuild?” Gill said.
The workshop will take place on the second floor of the Frenchtown Renaissance building. Infrastructure restoration and financial considerations are all topics being discussed. The workshop is free and open to the public.
DUE FUNERAL
The family of Civil Rights leader Patricia Due had the opportunity to pay their last respects.
Patricia Stephens Due was laid to rest this past weekend. The human rights activist was most known organizing the nation’s first ever “jail-in”. Chandra Clark, an English professor, shared her thoughts and spoke on Due’s contribution to history.
“I think that we have lost a part of history. That we don’t exist in a vacuum and that there are others who have paved the way,” Clark said.
Family, friends and community members filled a memorial service held at Florida A&M’s Lee Hall before her burial in Quincy. Due participated in Tallahassee sit ins and fought against segregation. She will be remembered as a true advocate for basic human.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Chuck Hobbs GIves Pre-Law Student Group Reality Check - News - All News from Florida A & M and around Tallahassee - The Famuan - The Student Voice of Florida A&M University
Board of Governors Wants to Better Support State Universities in Florida - News - All News from Florida A & M and around Tallahassee - The Famuan - The Student Voice of Florida A&M University
Christian Allen
Correspondent
The Florida Board of Governors has for the last 18 months been striving towards new initiatives to be considered for legislation.
Various committees for the State University System met last week for a two-day Board of Governors meeting in efforts to become more of a supportive aid for colleges and universities throughout the state.
Top issues discussed were the revitalization of the 2010-2011 Annual Accountability Report along with an upgrade of online student services with the Florida College System and a recap on the PECO state school construction funds.
Included in the 26-page Annual Accountability Report document is the request for all 11 universities to comprise a "university work plan" that is to include a detailed layout of forward-looking information that would help to better resolve their challenges and visions.
The Board of Governors finalized its brand-new Strategic Plan (2012-2025) back in November. The Strategic Plan features a system that will focus primarily on productivity and excellence for all 11 universities within the State University System.
Florida A&M President James H. Ammons spoke about a crisis situation plan that could help students in the long run, instead of university budget cuts and higher tuition costs.
Board of Governors Chairman Dean Colson said, "Another tuition increase is needed to offset more anticipated budget cuts and improve academic quality."
Library system updates, academic programs and the use of web-based services were described as being an essential motive for the next couple of months.
A library task force was created to review databases and servers to detect improvements that could be done for the betterment of students. By July 2012, the goal is to have one powerful entity instead of two separate organizations that provide over 10 million unique records and 16 million purchases of the catalog to be used at no expense for students.
This includes journals, e-books, reference material and simple operational functions to connect schools across the state.
The topic of Robert Champion, a Marching ‘100' drum major, was brought up towards the end of the meeting and addressed briefly by Florida A&M Board of Trustee Chairman, Solomon Badger.
"Our top priority is to ensure and protect everyone on our campus. While still in the process of reviewing procedures of the Marching ‘100,' we are only allowed to release limited details due to further criminal investigation still pending and the amount of increased national attention," Badger said.
He again outlined the Blue Ribbon Committee that was created earlier in January in honor of Robert Champion and assured that FAMU is continuing to comply with FDLE and cooperate in the ongoing investigation.
SGA President, Breyon Love had an opportunity to speak on the matter during the Board of Governors meeting as well.
Love stressed the fact that hazing is not a FAMU-only phenomenon; it is national. He expressed that the way to change the culture of hazing has to come from the students themselves with the necessary support from faculty, staff, and administration.
Correspondent
The Florida Board of Governors has for the last 18 months been striving towards new initiatives to be considered for legislation.
Various committees for the State University System met last week for a two-day Board of Governors meeting in efforts to become more of a supportive aid for colleges and universities throughout the state.
Top issues discussed were the revitalization of the 2010-2011 Annual Accountability Report along with an upgrade of online student services with the Florida College System and a recap on the PECO state school construction funds.
Included in the 26-page Annual Accountability Report document is the request for all 11 universities to comprise a "university work plan" that is to include a detailed layout of forward-looking information that would help to better resolve their challenges and visions.
The Board of Governors finalized its brand-new Strategic Plan (2012-2025) back in November. The Strategic Plan features a system that will focus primarily on productivity and excellence for all 11 universities within the State University System.
Florida A&M President James H. Ammons spoke about a crisis situation plan that could help students in the long run, instead of university budget cuts and higher tuition costs.
Board of Governors Chairman Dean Colson said, "Another tuition increase is needed to offset more anticipated budget cuts and improve academic quality."
Library system updates, academic programs and the use of web-based services were described as being an essential motive for the next couple of months.
A library task force was created to review databases and servers to detect improvements that could be done for the betterment of students. By July 2012, the goal is to have one powerful entity instead of two separate organizations that provide over 10 million unique records and 16 million purchases of the catalog to be used at no expense for students.
This includes journals, e-books, reference material and simple operational functions to connect schools across the state.
The topic of Robert Champion, a Marching ‘100' drum major, was brought up towards the end of the meeting and addressed briefly by Florida A&M Board of Trustee Chairman, Solomon Badger.
"Our top priority is to ensure and protect everyone on our campus. While still in the process of reviewing procedures of the Marching ‘100,' we are only allowed to release limited details due to further criminal investigation still pending and the amount of increased national attention," Badger said.
He again outlined the Blue Ribbon Committee that was created earlier in January in honor of Robert Champion and assured that FAMU is continuing to comply with FDLE and cooperate in the ongoing investigation.
SGA President, Breyon Love had an opportunity to speak on the matter during the Board of Governors meeting as well.
Love stressed the fact that hazing is not a FAMU-only phenomenon; it is national. He expressed that the way to change the culture of hazing has to come from the students themselves with the necessary support from faculty, staff, and administration.
Brenda Spencer is New Retention Director - News - All News from Florida A & M and around Tallahassee - The Famuan - The Student Voice of Florida A&M University
Christian Allen
Correspondent
With the recent revamping of university personnel, Brenda C. Spencer is bringing hope to FAMU while serving as the new director of retention.
She holds herself to a high standard and views serving her alma mater as an honor. Having the opportunity to improve the lives of students is something that Spencer holds close to her heart.
"I look forward to helping students successfully matriculate through college to graduation and achieve their academic and career goals," said Spencer.
As someone who has authority of the overall success of students there are issues that Spencer said deserve some attention. There are some inconsistencies as it relates to FAMU's academic policies and, in some cases, a lack of adherence to those policies, she said.
Spencer suggests the university enhance its technological infrastructure and move towards a paperless environment that would assist with noticing inconsistencies more frequently.
Damion Hunt, junior education student, expressed his thoughts on the need to update technology on FAMU's campus. "I believe it is very crucial that our student technology services be upgraded to compete with other top universities," Hunt said.
Spencer agreed with students. "We need to utilize technology to streamline business processes and offer more efficient services for our students," said Spencer.
Another major concern is the number of students who are not achieving their maximum potential and are falling behind, taking breaks, or dropping out of college.
Many of these students need initialized counseling and additional support programs to address their special needs or circumstances.
Spencer hopes to implement that plan during her tenure as the new Director of Retention. She stresses the importance of viewing the area of retention as a university-wide initiative to unite the campus and provide services that promote lasting accomplishments.
Senior criminal justice student, Whitney Shivers agrees that some changes must be done in order to ensure student enrollment does not suffer.
"Over the years, I've seen many friends leave college due to crippling circumstances. Whether it is suffering with money or struggling to pass classes, if there was certain support programs, they may still be here and have the opportunity to graduate," Shivers said.
"I have already met with various campus representatives to determine how we can collaborate together to address the needs of our students and help them to overcome barriers within the educational process," said Spencer.
A strength Spencer continued to visit was the university's outreach service to the community.
However, she gave a list of possibilities that would be in the university's best interest to capitalize on, including new online education programs, STEM programs, articulation agreements with Florida's state and community colleges and advanced research initiatives.
"FAMU has a strong brand name and is poised for continued success," said Spencer
Spencer said retention will remain the key focus and it is important to set high expectations for students, think globally and adhere to accreditation standards while improving matriculation and graduation rates.
"I wanted to return to FAMU to assist the institution in achieving its retention and graduation goals, help students to better understand their purpose for being in college and provide them with the tools and resources needed to achieve their academic and career goals," said Spencer.
Correspondent
With the recent revamping of university personnel, Brenda C. Spencer is bringing hope to FAMU while serving as the new director of retention.
She holds herself to a high standard and views serving her alma mater as an honor. Having the opportunity to improve the lives of students is something that Spencer holds close to her heart.
"I look forward to helping students successfully matriculate through college to graduation and achieve their academic and career goals," said Spencer.
As someone who has authority of the overall success of students there are issues that Spencer said deserve some attention. There are some inconsistencies as it relates to FAMU's academic policies and, in some cases, a lack of adherence to those policies, she said.
Spencer suggests the university enhance its technological infrastructure and move towards a paperless environment that would assist with noticing inconsistencies more frequently.
Damion Hunt, junior education student, expressed his thoughts on the need to update technology on FAMU's campus. "I believe it is very crucial that our student technology services be upgraded to compete with other top universities," Hunt said.
Spencer agreed with students. "We need to utilize technology to streamline business processes and offer more efficient services for our students," said Spencer.
Another major concern is the number of students who are not achieving their maximum potential and are falling behind, taking breaks, or dropping out of college.
Many of these students need initialized counseling and additional support programs to address their special needs or circumstances.
Spencer hopes to implement that plan during her tenure as the new Director of Retention. She stresses the importance of viewing the area of retention as a university-wide initiative to unite the campus and provide services that promote lasting accomplishments.
Senior criminal justice student, Whitney Shivers agrees that some changes must be done in order to ensure student enrollment does not suffer.
"Over the years, I've seen many friends leave college due to crippling circumstances. Whether it is suffering with money or struggling to pass classes, if there was certain support programs, they may still be here and have the opportunity to graduate," Shivers said.
"I have already met with various campus representatives to determine how we can collaborate together to address the needs of our students and help them to overcome barriers within the educational process," said Spencer.
A strength Spencer continued to visit was the university's outreach service to the community.
However, she gave a list of possibilities that would be in the university's best interest to capitalize on, including new online education programs, STEM programs, articulation agreements with Florida's state and community colleges and advanced research initiatives.
"FAMU has a strong brand name and is poised for continued success," said Spencer
Spencer said retention will remain the key focus and it is important to set high expectations for students, think globally and adhere to accreditation standards while improving matriculation and graduation rates.
"I wanted to return to FAMU to assist the institution in achieving its retention and graduation goals, help students to better understand their purpose for being in college and provide them with the tools and resources needed to achieve their academic and career goals," said Spencer.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Tallahassee Regional Airport business increasing
By Christian Allen, News 20 at Five
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., – Since Tallahassee Regional Airport has received an award from The Federal Aviation Administration, the number of passengers who fly in and out of the airport has increased significantly. The Director of Aviation Department, Sunil Harman, says this is a positive trend that will continue.
“Other than being the capital of the state, the airport is also an extensive business travel airport. Other than the business of the legislature and the universities, it is a fast growing city and city of entrepreneurs. Many of those business people utilize Tallahassee airport as their extension away from the office,” Harman said.
The Tallahassee Regional Airport saw a 3.8 percent increase in passengers in the month of January. Credit for the increase is due to legislature starting up, more competitive fares and more seats being made available on airlines.
“Mostly because of the legislature stuff that has been going on, we’ve had a lot more passengers fly more on business occasions and stuff like that,” Floyd said.
With the recent restructuring and expansion of Tallahassee Regional Airport, offering a wide range of flights for passengers is beneficial. Starting March 25, 2012, the airport is offering a non-stop flight from the capital city to Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC as an extended service.
The airport says about 47,000 people traveled through it last month. Airlines will continue to partner with executive members of Tallahassee Regional in order to ensure their increase in passengers, continues to peak.
FAMU President Ammons to face tough questions
By Christian Allen, News 20 at Five
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., – FAMU President James Ammons will face tough questions this week. His proposal for a new anti-hazing plan will be released to the Board of Trustees and Board of Governors.FAMU SGA Vice President, Troy Harris says this is a vital time for Ammons and FAMU.
“It’s really important, it happens every year but the fact that everything has been going on this year. It’s really important because the Board of Trustees is going to pass down a judgement to actually send to the Board of Governors and they’re going to trust our evaluation. So if it’s good, it’s looking pretty good for FAMU,” Harris said.
The Board of Governors Inspector General, Derry Harper, gave President Ammons the deadline of February 7th, to submit all documents in regards to the University’s Anti-Hazing Strategy.
Paul Thompson, a senior pharmacy student, believes the review will be a successful one. “I think President Ammons has done a great job with handling the situation. I couldn’t imagine having to address the student body on something like that, hazing has been a problem for a very long time. With recent safety forums and anti-hazing forums he should just keep doing what he’s doing, and good luck at review,” Thompson said.
The Board of Trustees review will cover July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011 disregarding the period when FAMU experienced a having related death, within the Marching 100 band. Now it is up to President Ammons to keep FAMU’s flame eternal.
Facebook considers going public
By Christian Allen, News 20 at Five
For the first time ever, there’s much anticipation about Facebook considering going public. CEO and Founder, Mark Zuckerburg is projected to be worth $24 billion if selling shares to the public becomes a reality for daily users. Recording artist, Drew Jenkins says Facebook for him is a great promotional tool.
”Facebook going public for me as an artist is a big help because I have access to about 6,000 people worldwide through my Facebook page. So I have people in France, Iran and Norway listening to my music and see my music videos through Facebook,” Jenkins said.
The social-networking company would be ranked among the largest public companies in the world, alongside major businesses such as McDonald’s and Bank of America. Facebook’s value is set to range anywhere from $75 billion to $100 billion.
Facebook is estimated to make $5.7 billion alone in ad revenues this year. Many aren’t considered about privacy but more about making money which has become an intrical part of life.
Facebook is currently in the process of filing paperwork that would deem the site a public company. This will result in more advertising and coupon offers available to its users. David Marshall, a graduating senior in the school of business, explains his perspective.
“I think it’s great, it did wonders for GOOGLE when they went public. The IPO for Facebook as I read earlier would be close to almost $10 billion in initial capitalization and I think they should really capitalize on that point because their trying to make more money,” Marshall said.
There is much anticipation surrounding Facebook and what they plan to do in the near future. At the reported price, Facebook’s IPO would be the biggest ever in U.S. internet company.
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