Author: Carma Henry

James C. Boyd Funeral Home Services

McWhite’s Funeral Home

       The Broward County community has lost one of its most treasured educators, historians, mentors, and servants with the passing of Maude Lewis Storr, who departed this life on July 2, 2026, just days shy of her 101st birthday. Born on July 16, 1925, Mrs. Storr spent more than a century demonstrating that a life dedicated to lifting others is a life well lived.

       Too often, young people are judged before they are understood. Instead of listening, we lecture. Instead of encouraging, we criticize. While correction is necessary, there is a difference between correcting someone with love and constantly tearing them down. Words have power. A few harsh comments can stay in a young person’s mind for years, while a few encouraging words can give them the confidence to chase their dreams.

One week ago, June 24, Venezuela experienced a pair of strong earthquakes, causing significant damage throughout the region and the loss of many lives. Beginning Monday, July 6, Broward County will launch a Countywide relief effort to collect and send essential supplies to the Venezuelan communities devastated by these earthquakes as they begin the difficult task of rebuilding homes, restoring power, and recovering essential services.

       This is not an endorsement of any candidate. It is a civics lesson. It is a history lesson. Before you cast your ballot, know the story of District 20.

‘Test Your Bible Knowledge’

       The Westside Gazette joins family, friends, former students, and the community in mourning the passing of James Freeman Jr., who peacefully departed this life on July 6, 2026, at the age of 79.

       The Westside Gazette proudly congratulates Florida International University College of Law Assistant Dean Phyllis Williams Kotey on being sworn in as a member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar, one of the legal profession’s highest distinctions.

       The Joseph Caleb Auditorium’s Caleb Around Town series celebrated a powerful chapter of American musical heritage on Sunday, July 5, 2026, with its Birth of Gospel in America Concert, held at Bethel Apostolic Temple. The evening honored the enduring legacy of Thomas A. Dorsey, widely recognized as the Father of Gospel Music, while uplifting artists who continue to carry his torch forward.