NAACP President Ben Jealous and former Department of Agriculture official Shirley Sherrod will deliver a keynote address at the annual meeting of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund in Epes, Ala. on Saturday, Aug. 21. Sherrod gained national attention after she was wrongfully terminated when a video of her speaking at an NAACP luncheon […]
Category: NEWS
Posted inNational News
Obama to Commemorate Fifth Anniversary of Katrina at Xavier University
President Obama will visit Louisiana on Aug. 29 to mark the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, according to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. The president will make remarks at Xavier University of Louisiana to commemorate the event. National Urban League CEO Marc Morial said that the president’s visit was a welcome decision, along with […]
Posted inNational News
Wyclef Jean’s Bid to Run for Haitian President Ends
After weeks of media hype, rapper Wyclef Jean’s bid for the Haitian presidency ended Aug. 21 after the country’s Provisional Electoral Council did not approve his candidacy. He was among 15 other candidates rejected in the race, council spokesman Richardson Dumel told reporters in Haiti. “Though I disagree with the ruling, I respectfully accept the […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
National Teacher’s Federation to Oversee D.C. Union Elections
In a measure to ensure fair practices are followed in the Washington Teachers Union elections, the American Federation of Teachers has placed the organization under its control. According to the AFT, the action is also part of an ongoing effort to make sure the elections are consistent with WTU’s constitution and don’t involve its day-to-day […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
DCPS Provides Online Tools for Smooth Back -to-School Transition
With classes slated to begin on Aug. 23, officials for the District of Columbia Public Schools system have announced new tools for providing a smooth transition into the new school year. In ensuring that all students and parents have access to information and support necessary for enrolling and attending classes, officials have established a comprehensive […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
District Purchases New Vehicles to Transport Elderly
Getting to and from doctor’s appointments and geriatric care facilities has just been made easier for District senior citizens, who lack their own transportation. According to an announcement this week by Mayor Adrian Fenty and Clarence Brown, director for the Office on Aging, the city shelled out about $649,000 for 11 new wheelchair accessible vehicles […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Interstate 295 Pedestrian Bridge Reopens
Eight months after it was closed for demolition of a pier and widening of the roadway, the pedestrian bridge over Interstate 295 re-opened this week, restoring important links to the Anacostia community. Completion of the project – DDOT’s largest bridge re-design to date at a cost of $300 million – marks another milestone in the […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Returning to Their Lives
Charges against Dale Lawton, Renard James, Dante Green, and Howard Smith-Cook were dropped and the men were released from jail Aug. 10. According to officials with the Division of Pretrial Detention and Services, the release took place the morning of their scheduled pre-trial hearing. They four Baltimore men accused of rape and arrested July 19 […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
KIMA Charter Challenges Revocation in Court
Despite community outcry, the Public Charter School Board last week voted unanimously to close the doors of the Kamit Institute for Magnificent Achievers Public Charter School, an Afrocentric charter school in Washington, D.C. However, even as KIMA follows the footsteps of a handful of sister facilities that had their charters revoked, its officials vowed to […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Organization Empowers Park Heights Community through Homeownership
The economy may still be in disarray as the housing market continues to be bombarded with foreclosures, but that hasn’t stopped one organization from creating new homeowners. Park Heights Renaissance (PHR) is a non-profit community development organization focused on revitalizing the Park Heights community. PHR’s goal is to implement the Baltimore City Park Heights Master […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Gray Fundraising, Popularity Outpacing Fenty’s
With the Sept.14 primary just weeks away, the fundraising efforts of incumbent Adrian Fenty and City Council Chairman Vincent Gray say a lot about where the contentious race could be headed. Added to that, according to a new citywide poll, Gray has gained a lead over his chief opponent – Leo Alexander is running a […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Local Currency Set to Debut in Baltimore
Baltimore may soon have its own local currency, or scrip, if Jeff Dicken of the Baltimore Green Currency Association has his way. Next spring Dicken, with partner Michael Tew, is planning to launch the BNote, a form of money that can only be spent locally. The object, Dicken said, is to have the money stay […]
