When the news about the prophecy was fully revealed, the roll call room at the Eastern District police station momentarily became eerily quiet. As the emotional impact of the experience was slowly absorbed throughout the room, the Baltimore faith leaders and law enforcement officers attending that meeting in early October 2008 were astonished, and even […]
Category: NEWS
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Despite Scandal, DC Mayor Makes Pitch for 2nd Term
WASHINGTON (AP) — District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray pressed ahead Tuesday with his re-election bid but acknowledged he took a political hit from allegations that he led a “shadow campaign” with a convicted donor nicknamed “Uncle Earl.” With the Democratic primary just three weeks away, Gray is trying to convince voters in the nation’s […]
Posted inNational News
Sharpton Leads March over ‘Stand Your Ground’ Law
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The Rev. Al Sharpton led several hundred people on a march Monday to the state Capitol, where they rallied against Florida’s “stand your ground” law. Among those present were the parents of slain teenager Trayvon Martin and the family of Marissa Alexander, who was sentenced to 20 years for firing a […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Former Owner of D.C. Chartered Health Plan, Jeffrey Thompson, Charged with Funding Illicit Campaign Activity
WASHINGTON (AP) — Influential District of Columbia businessman Jeffrey Thompson was charged Monday with conspiring to violate federal and local campaign finance laws by funding off-the-books campaign activity for candidates including Hillary Rodham Clinton and district Mayor Vincent Gray. Thompson, the multimillionaire former owner of a well-connected accounting firm, was charged in a criminal information, […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Feds: DC Mayor Knew of Illegal Shadow Campaign
(Updated 3/10/2014) WASHINGTON (AP) — District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray knew about an off-the-books “shadow campaign” to support his 2010 bid for the office and personally requested the funds from an influential district businessman, federal prosecutors said Monday. Gray, who’s seeking a second term and faces seven challengers in the district’s April 1 Democratic […]
Posted inNational News
Cummings Discusses Issa’s Rude Actions at Committee Hearing
In an exclusive interview with the AFRO, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), discussed the events of a March 5 hearing held by House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, of which Cummings is the ranking member. During the hearing, former IRS employee Lois Lerner was questioned on the agency’s alleged targeting of conservative political groups. Chairman […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Maryland Senate Committee Approves Marijuana Decriminalization Measure
ANNAPOLIS – Maryland is one step closer to decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana this legislative session, but a series of hurdles remain. The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee on Friday voted 8 to 3 in favor of a measure that would shift possession of fewer than 10 grams of marijuana from a criminal offense to a civil one punishable by […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Bill Cosby Celebrates Opening of Ben’s Chili Bowl in Arlington, Va.
Ben’s Chili Bowl, the iconic fast-food restaurant founded on U Street in D.C., expanded into Northern Virginia with a grand opening celebration on March 6 at its new location on Wilson Boulevard in Arlington. The ribbon was cut by Bill Cosby and owner Virginia Ali, who stood proudly with her sons as their family restaurant […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Maryland House Votes in Favor of $10.10 Wage Hike
ANNAPOLIS —The Maryland House of Delegates voted 89 to 46 on Friday to pass Gov. Martin O’Malley’s proposal to raise the state’s minimum wage. If also passed by the Senate, the measure would gradually increase the base rate of pay for most workers from the federal level of $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
D.C. Council Approves Promise Scholarships
The D.C. Council on March 4 approved a so-called “D.C. Promise” bill that will provide higher education scholarships to low-income D.C. students. The new tax-payer scholarship would provide up to $7,500 a year to high school graduates to pay for college. The scholarship was introduced by Councilmember David Catania (I-At- Large), who is considering a […]
Posted inHealth
The Invisible Man
He is missing from the health care system. He is less likely to hold a job that provides health insurance. Otherwise, he is underinsured. Despite chronic poverty that cries out for relief, he often slips through the cracks of a frayed social safety net. Medicaid, focused on pregnant women and children, rarely includes him. He […]
Posted inHealth
Report: Black Women More Likely to Die from Breast Cancer
While White women are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer, Black women are more likely to die from it, according to a new report which found large and growing disparities in breast cancer mortality rates in the U.S. and many of its largest cities over the last two decades. The 2014 Racial Disparity in Breast […]
