In a widely-expected move, U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens announced April 9 that he plans to retire this year, giving President Obama another chance to place his stamp on the nation’s highest court. Stevens, who turns 90 on April 20, said he wanted to give the president enough time to find and confirm […]
Category: NEWS
Posted inNational News
Father of 7-Year-Old Rape Victim Claims Lewis, Leary and Another, “had nothing to do with nothing”
The case against five men charged in the gang rape of a 7-year-old girl in New Jersey has taken an unexpected turn. According to the Associated Press, the child’s stepfather appeared at the Trenton courthouse April 8 claiming that three of the five accused men were actually trying to help the girl. “These […]
Posted inNational News
Steele Rebuffs Stiff Winds of Disapproval
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele defended his management of party affairs April 5 and attributed mounting criticism to his race and “street-wise” style of management. Appearing on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Steele was asked if he has a slimmer margin of error because he is African American. “The honest answer is yes. It just […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Early Census Returns Metro Area Fall Short
Despite a concerted effort to get the word out, Baltimore City lags in returns of U.S. Census Bureau forms. The national participation rate is 62 percent, but Baltimore is lowest in the state of Maryland with 55 percent as of April 6. However, Kimberly Manns within the Mayor’s Office of Communication and Policy is “cautiously […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Battle Engaged to Keep Pools and Centers Open
A couple weeks after the mayor proposed closing half of the city’s recreation centers and almost all pools for the summer, Councilman Carl Stokes called for an audit of the Department of Recreation and Parks. He said he believes there may be funds in the department that are unaccounted for and substantial enough to keep […]
Posted inBaltimore News
AFRO Security Guard Murdered
Charles Bowman, 72, was the source of smiles, assistance, goodwill and friendship at the Afro-American Newspapers and with his family. In the early morning hours of Thursday, April 8, that was taken away when he was killed during a robbery. Bowman headed to work at the AFRO for his 1-9 a.m. shift […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Baltimore Slots at Stand-Still
While progress has been made on slot parlors in other Maryland jurisdictions, Baltimore City is at a standstill. Baltimore City Entertainment Group (BCEG) appealed to the state board of contractors after their bid was denied by the Lottery Commission in December, and no proposals are currently being accepted. “We intend to issue a request for […]
Posted inHealth
Ohio-Based Cosmetologist Helps Women Battle Baldness
Gimmick commercials, dry shampoos and mythical greases aside, hair loss can be a complex problem to combat. While baldness is traditionally common among men, the idea that it’s a rarity among women is a fading tale. Over 21 million women are affected by hair loss and the matter has become increasingly common in African-American women. […]
Posted inNational News
After the Earthquake: Battling AIDS in Haiti
WASHINGTON — When Haitian Esther Boucicault first discovered she had contracted the HIV/AIDS virus, she was emotionally devastated. But soon her feelings of self pity gave way to action and she began a journey to stop the spread of the deadly disease. “I had to put a face to it,” said Boucicault. Put a face […]
Posted inNational News
Community Offers Prayers for Height
Well wishes from across the country continue to pour in for civil rights legend Dorothy Height, who remains hospitalized at Howard University Hospital after being admitted two weeks ago. More detailed information about Height, president emerita of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), who recently turned 98, was not immediately available. But, according to […]
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 inHealth
Study: Black Women Need to Breastfeed for Babies’ Health
WASHINGTON – It was a new study, but it didn’t tell Washington pediatrician Dr. Michal Young much that she didn’t already know. ?“It’s an established fact that there are children who die unnecessarily every year because they were not breastfed,” said Young, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Howard University College of Medicine and […]