Doug Guetzloe

On Wednesday, an Orange County jury found political consultant Doug Guetzloe guilty on two counts of willfully failing to file a tax return.

Guetzloe, prosecutors say, earned about $375,000 in 2005 and 2006, but filed no taxes, cfnews.com reports.

He will be sentenced on May 21. Guetzloe could face a minimum of 15 months a jail, or serve a maximum period of two years in a federal prison.

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Ralph Messer tells African-Americans they are under a Voodoo Obeah Juju curse at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church

According to Messer, the African-American curse is three-fold: financial instability and poverty; sexual immorality and a curse that let’s them forget their roots.

See Video of Ralph Messer helping African-Americans to rid themselves of the Video Obeah Juju curse below.

Messer then offers to help the congregation break the curse by repeating after him, that they “denounce,” “refuse,” and rebuke” the curse, in the three areas.

“I speak death to that curse,” Messer tells the congregation in relation to the financial instability and poverty curse. “I am a king, I am an ambassador and now I claim this day … a release of finances.”

Regarding the sexual immorality curse, Messer again asks the congregrants to repeat after him and “stand against sexual immorality, renounce it from my bloodline and give us power to break the curse of sexual immorality.”

In relation to the third curse, Messer has the congregation repeat, “I am released, I now see my roots and they are Hebrews.. I receive my government,” and curiously have them renounce the accusations against Bishop Long.  Long was recently accused of sexual misconduct by five young men and though he initially refuted the charges, ended up settling with them.

“I renounce verbal accusations against my Bishop…” Messer declared. “I repent for that filth. I stand for that government of New Birth and Bishop Eddie Long…”

Shortly after this exhortation to African-Americans, Messer set off a firestorm by crowning Long king and wrapping him in a Jewish Torah Scroll.

Pastor Keith Johnson, of the Biblical Foundations Academy and former Chaplain of the Minnesota Vikings, has called on all African-American pastors to “ban together and demand that Ralph Messer apologize to the African-American community,” just as Messer has done to the Jewish and Messianic communities.

Johnson said it is appropriate for Messer to apologize “in honor of Black History month” and for the “sake of the sheep that are being harassed.”

He summed up Messer’s teachings this way, “This dangerous and unbiblical teaching must end immediately!”

Video of Ralph Messer helping African-Americans to rid themselves of the Voodoo Obeah Juju curse

Teens praying (Photo by Tom Hanson)

A bill that allows prayers at public school graduations, football games and other “non-compulsory” school events passed the Florida Senate Chambers last week and is now heading to the Florida House of Representatives.

The bill (SB 98), sponsored by Sen. Gary Siplin (D-Orlando) has been heavily criticized by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

“Why is the Senate committed to making this exclusionary, religiously divisive and unconstitutional school prayer bill a priority?” asked the ADL’s David Barkey in a statement Monday. “Isn’t it just common sense for our legislators to direct their efforts on measures that safeguard kids across religious, racial and ethnic lines, instead of on legislation that would divide them and their communities along religious ones?”

Siplin said, “the bill allows students an opportunity to further grow as students by exercising their freedom to express themselves through the delivery of inspirational messages without suppression or influence from school officials or any adults.”

The bill is being carried in the House by Rep. Charles Van Zant, (R-Keystone Heights) and is awaiting committee hearing.

Orlando City Commissioner Daisy Lynum (District 5)

At a workshop Monday morning during which Alex Martins, Orlando Magic CEO and Gary Sain, CEO, Visit Florida, provided highlights of the NBA All-Star Weekend, Lynum vaguely talked about the “city staff who had been working hard on some items which would be talked about later,” at the council meeting.

“A lot of work is being done behind the scenes to make everything pleasant for everyone and certainly fair and equitable,” she opined.

But at the City Council meeting, Lynum didn’t have a whole lot to add, except to say the NBA All-Star will bring lots of money to the community, more jobs and more opportunity.  While she referenced the workshop and the many public events surrounding the week-end, Lynum again made only a passing comment regarding the situation with the merchants.

“We have worked very, very hard,” she said. “….And with the merchants, that situation I believe, on our end, has already been taken care of, Mayor.  …We are really proud of what we have done.”

But perhaps it’s not a done deal with the merchants, as Lynum appeared to suggest.

The city has offered compensation to the group of African-American merchants as they will be outside a fence that is being constructed on Church Street for the NBA All-Star Weekend.

While the merchants wanted a sum of $3.5 million, the city has offered $3,000 each for the four larger businesses and $1,500 each for the six smaller shops.

Lorenzo Williams, of the law firm, Gary, Williams, Finney, Lewis, Watson and Sperando, who is representing some of the merchants says, its not good enough, considering the amount of money that will be pouring in over the NBA All-Star Week-end.

The city expects about 50,000 out-of-town visitors and estimates the economic impact will be about $100 million over the NBA All-Star Weekend.

Orlando City Commissioner Phil Diamond (District 1)

Diamond said he voted against the $58 million-dollar development because the city was reneging on its commitment regarding the percentage of owner-occupied versus rental units, a major issue on the part of Baldwin Park residents.

An ordinance dating back to 1998 stipulates development in Baldwin Park should be 60 percent owner-occupied and 40 percent rental units, which the city is ignoring, Diamond said.

“I support good development, that’s for sure,” he said. “But I also feel if the city makes a commitment to a neighborhood, then I think the city ought to try to keep that commitment.”

Although the city had previously approved the Baldwin Park Phase 111 project in 2008, Diamond said the issue of the 60/40 split, contained in the ordinance had never really been dealt with.  Like others commissioners,  he said he was unaware of the stipulation until recently.

“People bought homes in Baldwin Park with the understanding that development would be reviewed and proceed in a particular way; the split was clearly set out in the ordinance,” he said. “There was never any kind of public hearing on that, never any kind of public decision and I think its wrong to change the rules of the game in the middle of the road.”

According to one Baldwin Park resident, Barbara Tinsley who testified before the commission Monday, the city’s website shows 37 percent owner and 56 percent rentals units in the community.

The Post Lake at Baldwin Park Phase 111 project entails the construction of 410 multifamily dwelling units, including a mix of one, two and three bedroom units.

While city staff assured the changes being sought by Post developers are consistent with the overall development plan for the area, Baldwin Park residents raised several issues relating to, degradation of Lake Susannah owing to population increase, lake front setback encroachments, building architecture, traffic congestion, among others.

Faith leaders and community members hold prayer vigil outside Sen. Gary Siplin's office on February 6, 2012, 1316 N. Pine Hills Road, Orlando. (Photo: WONO)

Jason Henry, a Democrat, running in District 39, who supported the community leaders said, the prison privatization is wrong and not right for communities.

“A large number of African-Americans are employed by the state and prison-privatization will get rid of at least 1,800 jobs,” he said. “It will disproportionately affect the African-American community where unemployment in some areas is over 20 percent.”

Unlike Siplin who supports the GOP effort to privatize prisons, Henry added that little or no money will be saved, citing a 2007 study undertaken by a Utah professor, who found no advantage to privatization.

Pastor Mike Davis who organized today’s prayer vigil said he hoped Siplin would re-think his support for prison-privatization.

“Privatization supports the prison industrial complex which will lead to a revolving door for Blacks, Latinos and anybody else in prison,” said Davis. “Prisons will be used for cheap labor and prisoners won’t have rights, won’t be able to vote ….once the system is set up.”

Davis elaborated, “Privatization of prisons is just a trap set up to keep people in jail and for the private sector to make money off of the people.”

Asked whether he thought it might be too late to stop the Republicans’ and Siplin’s effort to privatize state prisons, Davis said he believed with the people in Florida coming together, it could make the difference.

“We believe in the power of God to make a change and give Sen. Siplin a mindset to continue to serve the people of Florida and not laws that are contrary to us becoming productive citizens,” he said.

Florida has the third largest prison system in the U.S., with 144 facilities and just over 100,000 inmates.

Bishop Eddie Long being crowned King by Ralph Messer (see video below)

Rev. Wil Gafney, Associate Professor and Biblical scholar at The Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, writing for huffingtonpost.com, denounces Ralph Messer, the man who crowned Long, and who describes himself as a Jew.

See Video Below of Eddie Long being crowned King by New Birth.

“He (Ralph Messer) may well be some sort of Messianic Jew, a person who claims Jewish heritage and recognizes Jesus as the Son of God, but who is not part of one of the major Jewish movements: Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Reform, Renewal. He does not, however, represent recognizable Jewish thought or practice in his (mis-) representations of the Torah and other Jewish sancta — or for that matter, New Testament and Christian biblical interpretation and theology,” Gafney states.

Gafney goes on to debunk the claims made by Messer during the ritual with Long, as these relate to the Torah and Torah Scrolls.

Meanwhile, United Methodist pastor Keith Johnson of the Biblical Foundations Academy, joined others in expressing his shock and outrage over the crowning of Long by the “Messianic ‘rabbi’ Messer.

“Ralph Messer has been exploiting African Americans and making a mockery of the Hebrew roots of the faith for years,” Johnson said in a statement.

Johnson said, he first met Messer 11 years ago and had occasion to challenge him on his ability to read and teach the Hebrew language. He said it was obvious to him and others present, Messer failed on both counts.

“For the past ten years, I have seen Messer continue to throw around Hebrew terms he does not fully understand and misuse holy objects such as Torah Scrolls to manipulate people and bring them under his authority as a “rabbi” and a supposed ‘representative of the Jewish People and the Land of Israel,’” he elaborated in his statement.

Bishop Eddie Long being lifted up and paraded around New Birth church to cheers from the congregation (see video below)

Johnson said, he hopes by speaking out, others will be “spared from falling prey to Messer’s manipulative practices that offend both Jew and Gentile alike.”

Like Johnson, Rabbi Ira Michaelson, of Beth Tefillah in Clermont, Florida, echoed his outrage over Messer’s actions, pointing out he is not recognized by legitimate Messianic Jews.

“What Ralph Messer did is desecration of the Holy Scroll, the Torah,” he said.  ”No Jewish person would do something like this–target a particular group of people, namely, African-Americans.”   After the tears and abomination I saw, I felt straight outrage, Rabbi Ira added.

Rabbi Ira said there is an uproar in the traditional Jewish community over Messer’s actions which could reverberate as far as Israel.

There are rumors that Messer will be in Orlando over the week-end to crown pastor Paula White, new leader of the New Destiny Christian Center (NDCC), queen.

White, in a decision that sparked much controversy, succeeded the late pastor Zachery Tims, as head of NDCC at the beginning of 2012.

Video of New Birth Crowning Eddie Long King

Valencia College president Sandy Shugart (Photo: WONO)

“We’re becoming rather expensive in the community college world,” said Shugart, newsserviceflorida.com reports. “I think that’s a huge mistake.”

The House Education Committee has been working on a set of recommendations aimed at overhauling Florida’s higher education system, since Gov. Rick Scott’s declared push that greater emphasis ought to be placed on “STEM” – science, technology, engineering and math – degrees.

Shughart said he is concerned that if tuition fees were to increase students would be stranded in the middle of their education. “I think we would like to keep our doors as open as we can,” he said.

President of Northwest Florida State College, Ty Handy said, students in different areas of the state would respond differently to tuition increases.

“It is population, locality-driven,” he said, newsserviceflorida.com reports. “Some people can afford more, but many people can’t.”

Rep. Bill Procter (R-St. Augustine), chair of the House Education Committee said, before any recommendations are made testimony would be heard from another group of college presidents.

While state university presidents have pressed for greater flexibility in setting their own tuition rates, Procter said a case had been made for separate proposals for colleges and universities and this would be factored into any recommendations of the committee.

The committee is expected to wrap up its work by mid-February.

Orlando Magic Dwight Howard

The NBA has announced that Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard is this year’s leading vote-getter in the 2012 NBA All-Star Balloting program, with a league-best 1,600,390 votes. Howard will start in the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, marking his fifth consecutive NBA All-Star Game start and sixth NBA All-Star Game appearance overall.

The 2012 NBA All-Star Game, which will air live at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and ESPN Radio in the U.S., and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages, will be played at Amway Center in Orlando on Sunday, Feb. 26.

Joining Howard in the Eastern Conference starting lineup at the forward position are the Miami Heat’s LeBron James (1,360,680), the 2006 and 2008 All-Star Game MVP, and the New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony (1,041,290). The starters for the East at guard are the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose (1,514,723) and the Heat’s Dwyane Wade (1,334,223), the 2010 All-Star Game MVP.

Kobe Bryant, who joins Hall of Famer Bob Pettit (1956, 1958, 1959 and 1962) as the only four-time All-Star Game MVPs in NBA history, is joined in the Western Conference starting backcourt by the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul (1,138,743). The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant (1,345,566) and the Clippers’ Blake Griffin (876,451), making his first All-Star Game start, are the starting forwards. The Lakers’ Andrew Bynum, a first-time All-Star, gets the nod at center (1,051,945). This marks the first time since 1997 (Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley, and Seattle’s Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton) that two pair of teammates have been voted to start for one conference.

The 2012 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by Sprint, allowed fans around the world the opportunity to vote daily for their favorite players as starters for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game.

The dead man is 21-year-old Jose Simon-Dominguez, a Hispanic, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.

Simon-Dominguez was killed on January 13, last month, after an unnamed deputy encountered him acting suspiciously coming out of the woods in the 4500 block on Metric Boulevard, near Winter Park.

A statement from the Sheriff’s Office at the time of the shooting said, the unnamed deputy was in fear for his safety, as Simon-Dominguez did not comply when ordered to show his hands, but instead kept advancing toward the deputy.

It is not clear how many rounds were fired, but Simon-Dominguez was pronounced dead at the Orlando Regional Medical Center.

The deputy without a name, is a 7-year-veteran of the Sheriff’s Office.  Efforts to obtain the name of the deputy were not successful. He was patrolling the area at the time of the shooting.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement will conduct an investigation into the shooting, as well as, OCSO Professional Standards Unit.