Every 10 years, the United States is required to count the number of people— citizens and non-citizens—living here and in its territories. This year U.S. residents are being counted again. The census tracks, not just the number of people, but where those people are located. This process is important for a number of reasons, mostly […]
Category: NEWS
Posted inBaltimore News
Md. Senators Favor Young for Council Presidency
The ascension of City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to the mayor’s office on Feb. 4 will set off a new power struggle within the Baltimore legislature. City Council members will conduct a majority-wins vote as soon as next Thursday or Friday, with councilmen Bernard “Jack” Young and William Cole IV as the top contenders. However, […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Gray, Teachers Union Angered Over Rhee Comments
City Council Chairman Vincent Gray has launched an inquiry into District Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s recent statements about the city’s school system in a magazine interview. Rhee told Fast Company magazine that teachers fired last year as part of her efforts to reform the school system had been accused of sexually and physically abusing students or […]
Posted inNational News
State of the Union: Jobs No. 1 Priority
President Barack Obama, it seems, is the eternal optimist. Despite a year in which Republicans undercut his policies at every turn, the president renewed his call to bipartisanship very early on in his first State of the Union address Wednesday night, calling on lawmakers “to overcome the numbing weight of our politics.” He later said, […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Donnie Simpson Ends Long Run on WPGC
The relationship between long-time Washington radio personality Donnie Simpson and WPGC 95.5 has ended. Simpson, who made the Washington airwaves his home for 32 years, was also the host of BET’s former music video show, “Video Soul.” “I am filled with mixed emotions. Happy and sad. Happy about tomorrow’s possibilities, but sad about not talking […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
County Politicians Seek to Improve Quality of Life
For lawmakers in Prince George’s County, this year’s General Assembly is all about boosting the image of Maryland’s second-largest Black enclave. Members of the county’s delegation say they are working on various forms of legislation to improve residents’ quality of life and attract prospective residents. Sen. Nathaniel Exum (D-Dist. 24) is introducing a bill that […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Laura Murphy Returns to Head ACLU Washington Legislative Office
NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union today announced the appointment of longtime civil liberties and human rights advocate Laura Murphy as director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. Murphy previously headed the office from 1993-2005. “Laura’s career epitomizes effective, dynamic leadership and advocacy and she is the perfect person to head our legislative […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Pr. George’s Takes Brunt of O’Malley’s Cuts
Lawmakers in Prince George’s County are questioning the reduction in aid to the county in Gov. Martin O’Malley’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2011. The new budget sees a 2.5 percent reduction – $27 million – in aid for the county, the largest decrease for any jurisdiction in the state. In contrast, neighboring counties such […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Council Considers Legalizing Marijuana for Medical Use
The issue of legalizing marijuana for medical purposes has been on the minds of District residents since 1998 when they overwhelmingly voted for Initiative 59, a measure many believed would have been of particular benefit to the elderly. But Congress failed to give its nod of approval and it wasn’t until last month that the […]
Posted inNational News
Legal Experts Question Reversal on Corporate Campaign Ads
Legal experts and campaign reform advocates are decrying the U.S. Supreme Court’s Jan. 21 decision that reversed a years-long ban on corporate campaign spending, a move that opens the door for a deluge of negative campaign ads that could transform November’s mid-term elections. “It’s not a happy day; it’s a very, disturbing, disturbing decision,” said […]
Posted inNational News
Yele Haiti Vows Better Accounting
After admitting mistakes involving questionable financial practices, Wyclef Jean’s Yele Haiti charity foundation announced Jan. 22 that it has hired a new accounting firm to help manage its finances. The announcement was made just hours before a globally-broadcast charity concert called “Hope for Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief.” The foundation’s finances were […]
Posted inNational News
State of the Dream 2010 Report: Instant Changes for Minorities Recession Recovery
Even as the U.S. economy recovers, African-Americans and Latinos continue to disproportionately experience hardships in their frantic efforts to find work and maintain homeownership, according to a new report from the Boston-based United for a Fair Economy. Release of the 25-page report, “State of the Dream 2010: Drained – Jobless and Foreclosed in Communities of […]