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After 99 years in its existence, Churchill's Edgewood Country Club has finally ushered in its first black member: Edwin L. Edwards, owner of WPTT and several other TV and radio stations around the country. Edwards' acceptance of his invitation would have been sooner, had his efforts not been frowned upon by board member Patrick Thomassey, an attorney who had originally objected Edwards' appeal. Even though still a member of the Country Club, Thomassey has since resigned from the club's board. Thomassey has insisted his opposition had nothing to do with race, rather, it was due to Edwards' WPTT-22 television program, "Eddie's Digest," which included some very "unfair and slanted" coverage of the controversial 1995 death of black motorist Jonny E. Gammage. In the ongoing trials, Thomassey represented officer Mulholland, one of the officers involved in the inicident. Edgewood Country Club board President Raymond Dinmuzio had then asked Thomassey to step down from the board. Thomassey complied. According to Edwards, the key to his decision to join the club was the resignation of Thomassey, who had made a presentation this past spring against Edwards' inclusion into the club.Visit the OnTV Bulletin Archive.        
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