By David SharpThe Associated Press PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Ann Allen loved going to church and the after-school social group led by a dynamic priest back in the 1960s. The giggling fun with friends always ended with a game of hide and seek. Each week, the Rev. Lawrence Sabatino chose one girl to hide with […]
Category: Prince George’s County News
Posted inBUSINESS
Governor Moore pledges $15 million to Lendistry to provide loans to socially and economically disadvantaged small businesses
By Megan Sayles, AFRO Business Writer, msayles@afro.com Gov. Wes Moore recently committed $15 million to Lendistry, a minority-led community development financial institution (CDFI). The company aims to provide capital to the small businesses of Maryland. With the funds, Lendistry will be able to deploy loans of up to $350,000 to small business owners who are […]
Posted inBaltimore News
Maryland legislators call for more recognition of Black soldiers killed in action
By Aria Brent, AFRO Staff Writer Congressman Kweisi Mfume, veterans and community members gathered at the War Memorial Plaza on May 29 to honor those they’ve lost to war. The Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training(MCVET) was given a $3,000,000 dollar check presented by Mfume, and representatives from MCVET spoke along with former Maryland […]
Posted inPrince George's County News
Prince George’s County leaders and residents divided over proposed two-year pause on townhome construction
By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer, tmcqueen@afro.com Prince George’s County Council Vice Chairwoman Wala Blegay (D-District 6) and Chairman Thomas E. Dernoga (D-District 1) have proposed legislation that would stop the production of townhomes in non-transit areas of Prince George’s County, Md. for two years. “The reason behind this legislation is infrastructure,” said Blegay. “We […]
Posted inMaryland Government
Maj. Gen. Janeen Birckhead, sole Black female National Guard leader, selected as top military advisor to country’s only Black Governor Wes Moore
By Colonel (Ret.) Edna W. Cummings, U.S. Army, Special to the AFRO Governor Wes Moore’s selection of Major General Janeen Birckhead as his top military advisor makes her the only Black woman in the United States currently in the role of a National Guard Adjutant General. Birckhead’s new job has two missions that consist of […]
Posted inNational News
East coast cities grapple with worsening air pollution as Canadian wildfire smoke engulfs the region
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent, @StacyBrownMedia On June 6, experts ranked New York as the city with the worst air pollution worldwide, as dense smoke from over a hundred wildfires raging in Quebec, Canada, drifted southward. The persistently poor air quality caused by the Canadian fires has been a cause for […]
Posted inHealth
Maryland therapists and 988 address increasing concern for Black male mental health
By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer, Report For America Corps Member, tmcqueen@afro.com Less than a year ago, beloved “The Ellen Show” star, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, lost his life in a battle with suicide. When the news broke it shocked many, as he usually carried a bubbly personality. This incident created a spotlight for the need […]
Posted inNational News
The Exchange. A unique collaboration to support diverse media
Bob Sillick | for Editor & Publisher Collaboration among news media outlets is not new, but The Exchange is a new collaborative effort that aims to create business and financial content for underserved communities. It’s a collaboration of local, diverse news media with decades of service to their communities, the Local Media Association (LMA), the Local Media […]
Posted inWashington D.C. News
A Memorial Day tribute
By Wayne E. Williams, Special to the AFRO When my long-term colleague Carolyn Long-Williams invited me to attend the reburial service and ceremony for her late husband, Pfc Lamar Williams, at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC), the suggestion captivated me. For years, Long-Williams and I were coworkers as special education teachers. We never mentioned or conversed […]
Posted inPrince George's County News
Commentary: How to create a strong, connected, and prosperous future for Prince George’s County
By Ann Brooks, Special to the AFRO In her recent State of County Budget Address, County Executive Angela Alsobrooks speaks to Prince George’s County’s “future proof budget.” In fiscal year 2024, nearly 82 percent of the county’s $5.4 billion budget will go to education, public safety and policing. While these investments will undoubtedly make our […]
Posted inMaryland Government
Comptroller Lierman completes first 100 days in office
By DaQuan Lawrence, Special to the AFRO Comptroller of Maryland, Brooke Lierman (D), was sworn into office on Jan. 16 as the first woman to serve in an independent, statewide office in the state of Maryland. In a one-on-one interview with the AFRO, Lierman discussed her career and path to the Comptroller’s Office, her experience […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
NAACP issues travel advisory for Florida
By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer, tmcqueen@afro.com On May 20 the NAACP Board of Directors issued a travel notice for Florida, warning individuals that Florida is “openly hostile” concerning Black Americans, people of color and people within the LGBTQ+ community. The notice advises the aforementioned groups to “understand that the state of Florida devalues and […]