Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s plan to reform the public school system in America is coming under fire from community groups. With many inner city school systems floundering, “Race to the Top” is being crucified as an unfair indictment of schools. “There’s a tremendous problem with Race to the Top and it’s fundamental,” said Nathan […]
Author Archives: George Barnette
Special to the AFRO
Posted inNational News
Furniture Executives: All Kids should have Beds
Each night, hundreds of thousands of kids go to sleep without beds—a crisis many say has been overlooked. In a 2007 report, it was estimated that over 250,000 children nationwide would sleep on floors every night. That number was too great for National Furniture Bank Association Executive Director Don Lawrence. “If every company in the […]
Posted inD.C. Community
First Potomac Realty Trust Signs Deals to Keep Businesses in P.G.
First Potomac Realty Trust signed new leases recently to keep two local businesses from leaving Prince George’s County. Vocus, a company that provides software for public relations management, and FF&E Logistics, a company that specializes in turnkey service for the hospitality industry, signed agreement deals in total of about 125,000 square feet in the Ammendale […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Officials to Combat Gang Violence
The gunfire that ripped through Washington, D.C., last week, killing four, has set off a renewed effort in the region to combat gang violence. “We really have to be careful that we don’t let gangs get a foothold and they’re attempting to,” said Del. Gerron Levi (D-Dist. 23A). “I think the recent events make it […]
Posted inHealth
D.C. Schools Change Food Service Culture
After the Centers for Disease Control release a report showing an 18 percent obesity rate among high school students, attacking the food service in Washington, D.C., public schools has been a hot button issue. “The health problems affecting our students are both real and significant,” said District Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh. The city is […]
Posted inBUSINESS
Hip-Hop Mogul Simmons Still Has Magic Touch
Throughout his storied career, New York-born media mogul Russell Simmons has helped bolster the image and scope of hip-hop culture. Now in his 50s, the multifaceted maven shows no signs of slowing down. With his new ventures, such as the Rush Card and his Global Grind Web site, Simmons has evolved into a business industry […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
New Senate Budget Raises Eyebrows
In a contentious, sometimes, emotional hearing on March 23, Maryland’s state senators wrangled over the state’s budget, trying to strike the delicate balance between funding programs and cutting the state’s deficit. However, for Prince George’s County, the hearing proved to be beneficial. Contention over the formula the state uses in calculating net-taxable income for the […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Community Organization Assists Pr. George’s Poor
With Prince George’s County facing unprecedented economic struggles, it has turned to United Communities against Poverty (UCAP) to help serve its most desperate citizens. “What makes UCAP really unique is that it has so many avenues where it can help the client,” said Caprise Coppedge, former housing counselor with UCAP. Created in 1964, UCAP has […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Juvenile Therapy Program Expansion to be Tested in Prince George’s
In Prince George’s County, the need for further supervision of juveniles has led Maryland’s Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) to expand its multisystemic therapy program — an intensive , family-based intervention project designed to address adjudicated youths and derelict behavior. While there were only five slots available for the program, a study conducted by the […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
County Executive Candidates Spar over Campaign Finance
Controversy over Rushern Baker’s campaign finance has become the first big issue of this year’s election season. While Baker may have formally announced his candidacy for Prince George’s County executive on March 17, controversy had been following him well beforehand. In January, Baker posted a $206,000 campaign contribution, but at the time there was no […]
Posted inNational News
CBC Spotlights Chronic Unemployment
On March 17, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) held a hearing to discuss the alarming unemployment rates among African Americans. Many in the hearing said there is funding out there, it’s just not getting to the places that need it most. “The national recession is certainly not over for mainstream America,” said Mayor Douglass Palmer […]
Posted inNational News
Immigration Reform Supporters Swarm D.C.
WASHINGTON — Thousands of people descended upon the National Mall on the afternoon of March 21 for the March for America rally, and while jobs and immigration reform were supposed to be the dual themes of the event, the latter seemed to dominate. Marchers carried signs saying “We’re All Americans” and “Latinos Aren’t Slaves” while […]