Across Black America
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Sep 16 2010
Here’s a look at African American issues and people making headlines throughout the country. Alabama U.S. District Judge C. Lynwood Smith Jr., granted a motion that allowed former Jefferson County Commissioner Chris McNair to remain free on bond instead of having to report to federal prison as a result of a bribery case. Five other individuals involved will report to prison next week, but Doug Jones, McNair’s attorney, was able to convince the judge that because of his clients age, 86, and recent stroke, that his sentencing deadline should be reconsidered at a new hearing in October. California According to research recently released by the Center for Responsible Lending, California leads the United States in the worst foreclosure crisis since the Great Depression. Across the country, foreclosures have hit an all-time high, with nearly one in 10 homes with a mortgage currently in some stage of foreclosure. In California, nearly one in eight—or approximately 702,000—homes are currently in foreclosure, the economy is in ruins and unemployment stands at 12 percent with higher rates in Latino and Black communities. These groups represent more than half of all foreclosures, with 48 percent of foreclosures hitting Latinos and eight percent hitting Blacks. These borrowers were more likely to receive higher-cost sub-prime mortgages with loan terms that typically increased the risk of default, compared to safer loans made to similarly situated non-Hispanic White borrowers. District of Columbia Incumbent Washington, D.C., Mayor Adrian Fenty and challenger Vincent Gray have pulled out all the stops in the closing hours of their race, and employed a host of 11th-hour strategies to earn a four-year term in the executive suite at the John A. Wilson Building. Fenty had schools chancellor Michelle Rhee at his side recently, as the pair kicked off the first day of early voting in the district, while Gray is looking to his council colleague former Mayor Marion Barry, to attract the support of some of the city’s poorest residents. Fenty cast aside his reputed arrogance during a recent debate, making what appeared to be an earnest plea for forgiveness. He has admitted he’s been aloof, arrogant, less than inclusive of other leaders in his administration, but promised to improve, if voters give him a second chance. |
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Sep 9 2010
Here’s a look at African American issues and people making headlines throughout the country District of Columbia After reading an article in Clubhouse Jr. Magazine, second-grader Justice Flora decided to respond to the publication’s summer challenge to collect shoes for those displaced in Haiti. Flora established a goal of 500 pairs of shoes collected by Aug. 15 and with a little help from his parents Justice began sending personalized letters to friends and family members in early July asking for their donations. Through the Flora family-concentrated effort, Justice’s goal was reached quickly. By the time his cutoff date arrived, his summer labor had translated into 1,120 pairs of donated shoes. The youngster’s contribution was substantial enough to place as the largest donation by a single family to the Shoes 2 Share Ministry, the nonprofit organization that sponsored the challenge. Indiana A 10-year-old girl was killed recently while playing in her Indiana home. The girl was accidentally shot after her mother’s boyfriend was acting carelessly with the gun and it went off, hitting the girl in the torso. The young girl was rushed to a hospital where she died. The boyfriend, 27-year-old Steven Bixler was arrested on preliminary charges of reckless homicide, but has since been released on bond. Minnesota Tensions have been rising in Minneapolis as Africans Americans and Whites have had numerous disagreements regarding the building of a new dog park. More that 15 percent of the dog owners in the city are African American, and they are all for a new dog park in the area, the controversy is regarding location. It has been suggested that the dog park be built on the already existing Martin Luther King Jr. Park. Most African American looked at even the suggestion of putting a dog park on the same property as a slap in the face to Dr. King, but most Whites were supportive of the idea. Blacks suggested that the $30,000 that would be spent to incorporate a dog park in the property would be better used to build an information trail in the park where at each stop you could read something new about the significant things that Dr. King did and sa |
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Sep 2 2010
Here’s a look at African American issues and people making headlines throughout the country. Alabama California District of Columbia Georgia |
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Aug 26 2010
Here’s a look at African American issues and people making headlines throughout the country. California National |
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Aug 19 2010
Here’s a look at African American issues and people making headlines throughout the country. Alabama More than 200 residents gathered outside of the Tuskegee courthouse recently waving signs showing their disapproval of the governor’s anti-gambling task force’s raid at Victoryland Casino, the largest electronic bingo operation and last non-Indian casino in the state. Many of the casino shut downs that have occurred recently have been in poor, African American populated areas and residents are angry because these closures are contributing to the already staggering unemployment rates in the state. Florida Kisha’s Kids opened its virtual doors to reveal a fresh, one-of-a-kind, online retail boutique filled with contemporary and vintage-inspired décor and accessories, depicting beautifully illustrated images of African American children. The idea was born out of a mother’s desire to find furnishings and accessories that were reflective of her kids, but brown skin and curly hair were almost impossible to find. So after four children and a growing frustration about not being able to find quality and culturally diverse room accessories, Kisha Holt began to put thought to paper. Creative thoughts have now blossomed into brown-skinned ballerinas, fairies, athletes, firefighters, and more on wall art, area rugs, picture frames, books, dolls and other kinds of décor. As an educator and a mother of African American kids, Kisha understands the importance of children identifying with, and being inspired by, positive images that are reflective of them. |
