In the wake of a report earlier this month that indicated Baltimore locks up a higher percentage of its population than any major metropolitan area in the nation, the city agreed to pay $870,000 to the victims of what some call “illegal arrests.” The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the […]
Category: NEWS
Posted inNational News
AAA Projects Increase in July 4 Holiday Travel
Fourth of July holiday festivities are traditionally synonymous with a weekend getaway trip. Whether it was beach destinations, hotel stays or simple trips to visit the in-laws, the popular choice for many vacationers was to take to the road. Although the recent economic fallout has put a hold on travel plans for many Americans over […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Preparing for the Fourth of July and Harborplace Birthday Celebration
The Fourth of July weekend is filled with excitement, cookouts and fireworks. However, if it was not for Ports of America Chesapeake, the title sponsor, Baltimore’s dream for an event-filled weekend would have gone without a blast, literally. Baltimore is not only celebrating America’s Independence but also the 30th anniversary of Harborplace. So, extra celebration […]
Posted inNational News
From Homeless to Medical School
Ryan Johnson is in his fourth year of medical school and has developed an educational platform that could revolutionize medical institutions in the future. Though he is on what many call the road to success, a rare illness and stretches of homelessness made Ryan’s path less than ideal. A native of Charlotte, N.C., Johnson, 33, […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Coppin Aims to Increase Graduation Rates
A year ago, the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research indicated that Coppin State University has one of the lowest graduation rates in the country. Addressing the issue, the university launched the Summer Academic Success Academy three weeks ago to nurture, retain and academically prepare incoming freshman. According to the study “Which Colleges Actually […]
Posted inNational News
Louisiana’s Black Communities Fear Oil’s Impact
NEW ORLEANS (NNPA) — As BP’s deepwater well continues to discharge oil into the Gulf, the economic and public health effects are already being felt across coastal communities. But it’s likely this is only the beginning. From the bayous of southern Louisiana to the city of New Orleans, many fear this disaster represents not only […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Memories, Tears at Funeral of Teen Drowning Victim
Hundreds poured into Hanover, Md.’s Kingdom Builders Church of God in Christ for a somber afternoon funeral service on June 29. Positioned at the front of the church was a pearl white casket holding the body of Walter Dines, a Maryland teen whose life ended thousands of miles away in a frigid Oregon river. Dines,18, […]
Posted inNational News
Analysis: GOP Resurrects Marshall as Target
WASHINGTON (AP) — Dead nearly two decades, the late Justice Thurgood Marshall looms improbably over Elena Kagan’s nomination to the Supreme Court, a resurrection in liberal robes courtesy of Republicans eager to cast President Barack Obama’s selection as a judicial activist-in-waiting. “Justice Marshall is a historic figure in many respects,” Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said […]
Posted inPrince George's County News
County Officials Try to Break Business Barriers
Prince George’s County officials are desperately trying to grow the commercial tax base in the county. However, they’re fearful there are perceived hurdles to making this happen. “In the minds of some, the county may be perceived as a place where it’s difficult to do business,” said Kwasi Holman, president and CEO of the Prince […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Fenty Hails Plan to End Homelessness
Mayor Adrian Fenty has joined with the District Department of Human Services to congratulate the U. S. Interagency Council on Homelessness on its release of the nation’s first comprehensive plan to prevent and end homelessness. The plan is entitled, “Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness,” and is the result of a […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Female Detention Center to Open in Southeast
For years, because it lacked adequate housing for juvenile offenders, the District resorted to placing them in facilities outside the city; most times, in other states as far as 300 miles away. This was particularly true for females. Last year for instance, of the more than 300 youths from the District that were detained in […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
‘Most Improved’ Students Recognized
WASHINGTON—Academic awards are usually given to students that excel on a consistent basis. But Councilmember Kwame R. Brown recently recognized 22 District students who may not have started off as “A” students but have worked their way past obstacles to a higher academic standing. They were students like Michelle Burris, of School Without Walls. Burris started […]