Complaints from residents, a senator and AAA led to the D.C. Council vote to end arrests for drivers who failed to register their tags. The former law allowed officers to jail D.C. and out-of-state drivers with tags more than 30 days old. Upon the request of Mayor Vincent Gray (D), the D.C. Council voted on […]
Author Archives: Erica Butler
AFRO Staff Writer
Posted inWashington D.C. News
2nd Chavous Generation to Vie for D.C. Council
Next spring, another Chavous will seek the Ward 7 council seat. Following the footsteps of his dad Kevin P. Chavous, Kevin B. Chavous, will challenge incumbent D.C. Council member Yvette Alexander, D-Ward 7. Chavous said growing up in the District, generally, and Ward 7, in particular, instilled in him a strong sense of activism. That […]
Posted inNational News
Heckler Interrupts Obama Speech During MLK Dedication
As the presidential election nears, a heckler or two isn’t uncommon, but during the Martin Luther King, Jr. dedication, such an outburst by a man was simply not going to be tolerated. As Obama began to speak during the Martin Luther King, Jr. dedication Oct. 16, a heckler, who sat close to the stage, started […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Woman from New York City
“I was here in 1963 during the march on Washington, D.C.,” Norman Freeman Anderson said. “This is a monumental moment for me because I’m reliving history. It’s a beautiful occasion to come here today to see the unveiling. We’ve come a long way and we’ve got a long way to go. It’s wonderful to see […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Guidance Counselor from Bronx, N.Y.
“I’m here because I believe in the dream Dr. King had,” said Cynthia Brooks, 59, a guidance counselor from Bronx, N.Y. “Right now there is a need for jobs, there is a need for equality for everyone. This march today is a beginning,” she said of Saturday’s March for Jobs and Justice. “I hope Dr. […]
Posted inARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
College Graduate from Northern Virginia
“What brought me out today was the fact I’m just kind of upset about this economic situation and these enormous corporations aren’t paying their fair share we have really no social safety net,” said a recent 27-year-old college graduate from northern Virginia, who identified himself only as James. “I went to a public university and […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Organizers of “Occupy Wall Street” Ignite D.C. Protests
Scores of protestors opened their sleeping bags and erected tents at Freedom Plaza, not far from the White House, on Oct. 6 to continue a movement consisting of thousands of angry Americans participating across the country. Unlike the Occupy Wall Street movement, which began in New York last month, the D.C. movement called “October 2011” […]
Posted inNational News
DNC Chairwoman Wasserman Schultz: Democrats Should Not Take Advantage of African Americans
President Barack Obama is facing tough criticism from prominent Black leaders who said he has forgotten the poor. This onslaught makes the work of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Black vote more significant than ever for the 2012 presidential race. During a roundtable discussion at the committee’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., DNC Chairwoman […]
Posted inD.C. Community, Washington D.C. News
Comcast, FCC and DCPS Launch $9.95 Broadband Service for Lower-income Families in D.C.
D.C. children who are eligible for free lunch under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) will have access to cheap Internet service, digital literacy training and affordable computers as part of a nationwide Comcast initiative, launched on Tuesday. High-ranking officials, including DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson and FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, gathered at Ballou High school […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
DNC Press Secretary Is Battle-Tested for 2012 Campaign
Spending nearly eight years laboring inside the Beltway as a communication strategist, Melanie N. Roussell has reached a critical position that could make or break the reelection chances of President Barak Obama. As chief spokeswoman for the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the former press secretary for the U.S. Department of Housing must carefully craft messages […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
DMV Collects Nearly $1 M from Overdue Tickets
D.C. collected a total of $976, 341 in revenue within the first month of the DMV Ticket Amnesty Program, which started Aug. 1 and continues through Jan. 27, 2012. The program was launched to collect photo-enforced, moving violation and parking tickets in the District issued before Jan. 1, 2000. Under the amnesty, penalties are waived […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
D.C. Motor Vehicle Fees Increase, Starting Oct. 1
In an effort to help close a budget gap for fiscal year 2012, the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will hike its fees for many of its routine transactions, including duplicate licenses and temporary ID cards. Beginning Oct. 1, District residents will pay more than double for a duplicate driver’s license or […]