Jet articles from February 2008

Jet archives from February 2008

Celeb scene.
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] (A) Actresses and Holmes are interviewed on BET's "106 and Park" countdown show in New York. The two are promoting their new film Mad Money. (B) Actors Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman share a funny moment as they...

Obama takes his message West; next up, 'Super Tuesday'.(NATIONAL REPORT)(Barack Obama)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As the nation prepares for its biggest single primary day in U.S. election history on Feb. 5-dubbed "Super Tuesday"--a key battlefield will be the Western states. The major Democratic presidential contenders-Sen....

Rainbow/PUSH's Wall Street Project tackles home mortgage crisis.(NATIONAL REPORT)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rev. Jesse Jackson's recent Wall Street Project Economic Summit focused closely on the nation's emerging economic crisis in subprime mortgage lending practices and also called for equality in health care, education...

Two cities file lawsuits against banks amid foreclosure crisis.(NATIONAL REPORT)(Wells Fargo Bank)
February 4, 2008... U.S. cities are starting to file lawsuits against banks due to the subprime mortgage crisis that is causing foreclosures across the country. [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Baltimore, MD, is suing Wells Fargo Bank, alleging that the lender...

Writer's strike won't affect NAACP Image Awards.(NATIONAL REPORT)(National Association for the Advancement of Colored People )(Report)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... The Writer's Strike is having a major impact on the Hollywood awards season, traditionally the first two months of the year. So far the People's Choice Awards and Golden Globe Awards have altered formats because celebrities refused to cross...

Corrections.(NATIONAL REPORT)(Correction notice)
February 4, 2008... In the Jan. 28 issue, the assassin of the late civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was misidentified. James Earl Ray was convicted of the 1968 shooting of Dr. King on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. Ray died in...

Howard University Hospital.(People)(Howard University. Hospital to appoint Edward E. Cornwell III)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Edward E. Cornwell III, M.D., a Howard University alumnus and professor of surgery and chief of trauma at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, has been appointed surgeon-in-chief of the Howard University Hospital...

Dryades Savings Bank.(People)(Dryades Savings Bank to appoint Kimberly Young Lee)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Kimberly Young Lee, a former vice president of Entergy Corporation of New Orleans, has been appointed president and chief executive officer of New Orleans-based Dryades Savings Bank. Dryades, federally chartered in 1994, is a leading...

American Institute of Architects.(People)(American Institute of Architects to appoint Marshall Purnell)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Marshall Purnell, architect of record for the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial and design principal of Devrouax+Purnell Architects and Planners PC in Washington, D.C., has been elected the first Black...

Turner Broadcasting Systerm's Turner Animation.(People)(Turner Broadcasting Systerm's Turner Animation to appoint Brenda Freeman)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Brenda Freeman, former senior vice president of integrated marketing and promotions for Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group, has been named to the newly created position of chief marketing officer for the Turner Broadcasting Systerm's...

NAACP Legal Defense Fund.(People)(NAACP Legal Defense Fund to appoint John Payton)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] John Payton, noted civil rights attorney and a former partner at the Washington, D.C., law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, has been named director-counsel and president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund...

This week in Black history.
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] January 28, 1944-- Matthew A. Henson, explorer and adventurer, received a medal by Congress on this day for his role in reaching the North Pole. It was America's first official recognition of the explorer who...

Embraceable you.(Love & Happiness)(Steven Bryant)(Patricia Anne Hogan )
February 4, 2008... Embraceable You: Steven Bryant exchanged sacred marital vows with the former Patricia Anne Hogan at the Pilgram M.B. Church in Gary, IN. The bride is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Indiana University. She works as an exercise...

Destined to be.(Love & Happiness)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Destined To Be: Ursula Nadine Clark became the wife of Victor LaFate Murray during an enchanted double-ring ceremony at Sancho's Tropical Garden in Cozumel, Mexico. The bride is a graduate of Texas Southern...

The one I love.(Love & Happiness)
February 4, 2008... The One I Love: Mr. and Mrs. Franchot B. Wallace tied the knot at Dover Air Force Base in Dover, DE. The bride, the former Shana S. Williams, is a graduate of the Community College of the Air Force. She is an executive assistant and an Air...

So honored.(Love & Happiness)
February 4, 2008... So Honored: Michael McCray and Chandra Harris joined in holy matrimony at the Pearl Beach Resort in Moorea, Tahiti. The bride is a graduate of Illinois State University and the University of Tennessee. She is a journalist at the Knoxville News...

Deep in my heart.(Love & Happiness)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Deep In My Heart: Newman Christopher Robertson Jr. wed Yvette Trunier Oliver at Bonne Terre Country Inn in Nesbit, MS. The bride is a graduate of Tennessee State University and the University of Memphis. She is an...

Seven decades as one.(Love & Happiness)(Mr. and Mrs. Samuel J. to celebrate 70 years of marraige)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Seven Decades As One: Mr. and Mrs. Samuel J. Parker of Jasper, FL, celebrated 70 years of marriage with family and friends during an event hosted by their children at the Courtoy Civic Center in Jasper. Mrs. Louise Parker is an Avon distributor...

Tramaine Hawkins, Clark Sisters and DeWayne Woods Dominate Stellar Gospel Awards.(MUSIC)
February 4, 2008... The best of gospel music was recognized during he recent 23rd annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards ceremony taped in Nashville. Gospel legend Tramaine Hawkins won two Stellar Awards-Female Vocalist of the Year and Traditional Female for her...

Denzel is still America's favorite movie star.(NEWSMAKERS)(Denzel Washington)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... Denzel Washington, star of the highly acclaimed movies American Gangster and The Great Debaters, is still considered America's favorite actor for the second consecutive year, according to a recent poll. The two-time Academy Award beat out...

Nicole Richie becomes a mom; gives birth to daughter, Harlow.(NEWSMAKERS)(Harlow Winter Kate Madden)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Nicole Richie, co-star of TV's "The Simple Life," might be viewing life a bit more differently after becoming a first-time mother. Harlow Winter Kate Madden was born to the 26-year-old reality show TV star at...

Legend releases concert CD.(NEWSMAKERS)(John Legend )(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... John Legend fans who missed his Show Me Tour last year will get a chance to experience it all on the singer's new concert CD, Live From Philadelphia. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It is Legend's first new CD since the 2006's platinum-selling...

Wesley snipes' trial begins.(NEWSMAKERS)(Wesley Snipes )(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WESLEY SNIPES' TRIAL BEGINS: Actor Wesley Snipes gestures outside of the Golden-Collum Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Ocala, FL on the opening day of his tax fraud and conspiracy trial. Snipes cited more...

The boy is mine.(NEWSMAKERS)(Monica)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE BOY IS MINE: Grammy Award winning singer Monica is singing to a new tune with with boyfriend Rodney "Rocko" Hill after giving birth to her second son Romello Montez Hill. He was born 19 1/2" long tipping the...

Oprah gets her 'OWN' TV network.(NEWSMAKERS)(Oprah Winfrey to launch Oprah Winfrey Network)
February 4, 2008... Oprah Winfrey has added to her list of favorite things. The television queen is getting her own TV network. OWN-for Oprah Winfrey Network-will debut next year in nearly 70 million homes with cable and satellite, part of a deal recently...

Mary J. Blige, 50 cent, Tyler Perry among those named in steroids probe.(NEWSMAKERS)
February 4, 2008... A number of entertainers were named in connection with an Albany-based steroid investigation, but they are not part of an ongoing criminal probe, according to a published report. The Times Union of Albany recently cited unidentified law...

O.J.'s bail doubled.(SPORTS)(O.J. Simpson )(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... O.J.'s BAIL DOUBLED: O.J. Simpson listens as an angry judge doubles his bail to $250,000 for violating terms of his original bail by attempting to contact a co-defendant in his armed robbery case. "I don't know Mr. Simpson what the heck you...

Golfweek fires editor for cover's 'noose' imagery.(SPORTS)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Golfweek has apologized for putting a noose on the cover of its magazine to illustrate the controversy over a Golf Channel anchor's use of "lynch" in a comment about Tiger Woods. Dave Seanor, the vice president...

John Stroger, first Black president of Chicago's Cook County Board, dies at 78.(CENSUS)(Obituary)
February 4, 2008... Former Cook County Board President John Stroger, the board's first Black president, recently died from complications related to a stroke, according to his son, current Cook County Board President Todd Stroger. John Stroger was 78. ...

Dule gets down.(the week's best photos)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dule Gets Down: Dule Hill. co-star of USA cable channel's "Psych" series, show off his tap dance skill on NBC's "Today" in New York. Watching his footwork are (I-r) the morning show's Ann Curry. Al Roker and Natalie...

Beauty of the week.
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] KIM POULTON is a model, promoter and also an aspiring songwriter who resides in Texas. In her spare time, she enjoys playing dominoes and watching football.

Lunch is served.(the week's best photos)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lunch Is Served: Corbin Bleu, from Disney's High School Musical, delivers bread to an elementary school in West Hollywood that won the "Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Bread Ultimate Lunch Switcheroo Contest." The prize...

In good hands.(the week's best photos)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In Good Hands: A Red Cross worker carries a young would-be immigrant in Los Cristianos on the Canary island of Tenerife, Spain. She was among 88 aboard a small fishing boat sailing from Africa to the Canaries in...

The 50th annual Ebony Fashion Fair presents Glam Odyssey to a sold-out audience in Birmingham.(FASHION)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] More than 3,000 fashion patrons attended the sold-out Ebony Fashion Fair's Glam Odyssey: A Fashion Journey Into Bliss And Beyond when it came to the Wright Fine Arts Center-Samford University in Birmingham, AL. ...

Eddie, Tracey: not married afterall.(ENTERTAINMENT)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The recent wedding of actor Eddie Murphy and film producer Tracey Edmonds was only symbolic--and that's as far as they plan to go. Murphy, 46, and Edmonds, 40, traded vows on New Year's Day on a private island...

DMX to pay $1.5 in defamation lawsuit.(ENTERTAINMENT)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rapper-actor DMX has been ordered to pay $1.5 million to the mother of his child after failing to appear in court to defend him self against allegations of defamation. DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, was...

Daughters of Ike Turner reveal performer's battle with cocaine addiction.(ENTERTAINMENT)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... A cocaine overdose, according to the San Diego County Medical Examiner's office, caused the death of rock 'n' roll pioneer Ike Turner (JET, Jan. 14). "We are listing that he abused cocaine, and that's what resulted in the cocaine...

Debbi Morgan and Darnell Williams rekindle their love on soap 'All My Children'.(ENTERTAINMENT)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To devoted daytime soap fans the names Angie and Jesse are synonymous with Black love. Now after two decades that love continues with actors Debbi Morgan and Darnell Williams reprising the roles of the characters...

'Bucket List' and 'First Sunday' big hits at box office.(ENTERTAINMENT)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... The Bucket List, starring Morgan Freeman, Jack Nicholson and Beverly Todd, was the No. 1 movie, pulling in $19.4 million in its first weekend of wide release. The heartwarming comedy drama tells the story of two terminally ill patients who...

For all to see: Keyshia Cole shares her journey of pain, progress on reality TV and new CD.(Cover story)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] You can't help but admire singer Keyshia Cole. When you listen to her CD, Just Like You, you hear the heart and raw, gritty soul of a 26-year-old woman who has been through a lifetime of pain and drama, but...

Acclaimed playwright David E. Talbert scores box-office smash with debut film.(ENTERTAINMENT)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] David E. Talbert has become a brand in the urban theater genre along with Tyler Perry (JET, May 21, 2007). And like Perry, Talbert recently crossed over to film and scored big with his first movie, First Sunday....

The Play list: a weekly ranking of the hottest Blacks in R&B, hip-hop and rap, according to radio airplay, CD sales, ringtones or single downloads.(Statistical table)
February 4, 2008... Top R&B CDs 1. AS I AM Alicia Keys 2. GROWING PAINS Mary J. Bilge 3. 100 DAYS, 100 NIGHTS Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings 4. JUST LIKE YOU Keyshia Cole 5. EXCLUSIVE Chris Brown Source:...

The Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Bash.(TeleVision)(Brief article)
February 4, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] VH1, Pepsi and the NFL have joined forces once again to bring the worlds of football and music together with The Pepsi Smash Super Bowl Bash. The one-hour concert will kick-off the celebration of the 42nd Super Bowl...

Ruby Dee wins at SAG awards.(Queen Latifah won as Best Actress )(Leslie David Baker in The Office)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... Ruby Dee Wins At SAG Awards: At L.A.'s Shrine Auditorium, veteran actress Ruby Dee displays the Screen Actors Guild Award she recently won as Best Supporting Actress in a movie for her role in American Gangster, starring Denzel Washington. She...

This week is: national school counseling week.(The JET Spot)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... This Week is: National School Counseling Week The national observance highlights the contributions school counselors make in assisting students to achieve success in school and plan for a career. Sponsored by the American School Counselor...

Celebrity birthdays.(National Cares Mentoring Movement )
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Announcing Anheuser-Busch's support as a founding sponsor of the National Cares Mentoring Movement (NCMM) with a $250,000 donation, Johnny Furr Jr. (I), vice president, community affairs and supplier diversity,...

Obama's sweep in South Carolina sets up super Tuesday face-off; huge black turnout led to victory in first Southern test, but can momentum continue nationwide?(NATIONAL REPORT)(Hillary Clinton)(Barack Obama)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Sen. Barack Obama's overwhelming victory in the South Carolina primary has set up a historic showdown against Sen. Hillary Clinton for Super Tuesday in the nation's largest-ever single-day primary. Black voters will...

Nation celebrates MLK's dream.(NATIONAL REPORT)(Martin Luther King Jr.)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Millions of Americans upheld Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream during the recent federal holiday. This year's theme, "Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day On, Not a Day Off," was carried out at special events, marches,...

Prosecutor launches probe.(NATIONAL REPORT)(Kwame Kilpatrick)( Kym Worthy)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... PROSECUTOR LAUNCHES PROBE: Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy, during a recent news conference at her office in Detroit, says she has opened an investigation following a newspaper report that Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and his top aide exchanged...

Eugene Sawyer, Chicago's 2nd Black mayor, succumbs at 73.(CENSUS)(Obituary)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... Eugene Sawyer, Jr., who became the second Black mayor of Chicago following the sudden death of Harold Washington in 1987, recently died of cardiac arrest at suburban Hinsdale Hospital. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sawyer, who had suffered a...

Died.(CENSUS)(Kenneth B. Smith Sr.)(Bernie Boston)(Ernie Holmes)(Obituary)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... The Rev. Kenneth B. Smith Sr., 76, United Church of Christ minister and longtime religious and civic leader in Chicago who served as president of the Chicago Theological Seminary and was instrumental in implementing the city's court-ordered...

Obesity surgery shows potential diabetes cure, study says.(HEALTH)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... A small new study gives the strongest evidence yet that obesity surgery can cure diabetes. Patients who had surgery to reduce the size of their stomachs were five times more likely to see their diabetes disappear over the next two years...

Dressed for Mardi Gras.(HEALTH)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DRESSED FOR MARDI GRAS: Patient Trintee Cross and Dr. Megan Gardner watch as volunteers from Kohl's Department Stores hand out gift bags and trinkets as part of their Mardi Gras parade for kids at the Children's...

This week in Black history.(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] February 5, 1958-- Clifton R. Wharton Sr. was the first Black to head a United States diplomatic mission when he became minister to Romania during the Eisenhower administration on this day. Wharton was born in...

Multiculturalism theme set for Black History Month.(BLACK HISTORY)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... In honor of its founder, Carter G. Woodson, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) has chosen the origins of multiculturalism as the theme for Black History Month. This February's official theme title is...

PBS series 'African American Lives 2' explores roots, race and identity.(BLACK HISTORY)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This week's PBS series "African American Lives 2" makes you want to stand up with pride and celebrate the historic strength, spirit and survival skills of African-Americans. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The...

So honored.(Love & Happiness)
February 11, 2008... So Honored: Michelle Denise Hord married Nell Gabriel White at Manhattan's Riverside Church in New York. The bride is director of talent recruitment and development at ABC News in Manhattan. She is a graduate of Howard University. The groom is...

Great joy.(Love & Happiness)
February 11, 2008... Great Joy: Mr, and Mrs. Brandon Bowden joined in holy matrimony at the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, FL. The bride, Stefanie Gainey, is a graduate of Florida State University. She is an executive assistant to general...

A destiny of love.(Love & Happiness)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Destiny Of Love: Derek Anthony Layne Jr. made Ashley Yvette Brookins his wife at the Hilton Atlanta. The bride is a graduate of Spelman College and the University of Phoenix. She is a project manager at the...

The best.(Love & Happiness)
February 11, 2008... The Best: Christopher Forbers pledged his eternal love with Tina Moore at the Roostertail in Detroit. The bride is a graduate of Howard University and Washington University's School of Law. She is an attorney. The groom is a graduate of Florida...

Infinite love.(Love & Happiness)
February 11, 2008... Infinite Love: Dr. and Mrs. Robert Stringer commemorated 50 years of marriage with family and friends at Superior's Steakhouse in Shreveport, LA. Mrs. Lillie Stringer is a homemaker, Her devoted mate of five decades worked with IBM and for 16...

Joyful journey.(Love & Happiness)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Joyful Journey: Reginald Vaughn Simon wed Brittani LeShell Brewer at the Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church in Houston. The bride is a graduate of Southern University at Baton Rouge, LA. She is a seventh- and...

AKA's $1 million gift to Howard.(EDUCATIONm)(Howard University)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... AKA'S $1 MILLION GIFT TO HOWARD: Dr. James Donaldson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Howard University, receives a$1 million donation to Howard University in Washington, D.C., for the purpose of preserving the Alpha Kappa Alpha...

UNCF updates image.(EDUCATION)(United Negro College Fund)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... UNCF UPDATES IMAGE: Dr. Michael L. Lomax, United Negro College Fund president and CEO, helps to kick off the unveiling of the organization's new brand identity and logo on the campus of Spelman College in Atlanta. "UNCF is taking a bold step...

Bringing 'Raisin' to TV.(NEWSMAKERS)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BRINGING 'RAISIN' TO TV: Sean Combs waits for a photo shoot with his A Raisin In The Sun co-stars Sanaa Lathan (c) and Audra McDonald at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT. Combs executive-produced the...

Busta Rhymes sentenced to probation in assault on fan.(NEWSMAKERS)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... A Manhattan judge sentenced Busta Rhymes to three years' probation and 10 days of community service for assaulting his former driver and a fan. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The 35-year-old rapper also was fined $1,250, plus court costs, for...

Aid for Africa.(NEWSMAKERS)(Scott Rauch, president of Simmons Jewelry Co. to donate $311,535 to Russell Simmons)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AID FOR AFRICA: Hip-hop businessman Russell Simmons accepts a donation for $311,535 from Scott Rauch, president of Simmons Jewelry Co., on behalf of the Diamond Empowerment Fund (D.E.F.) The D.E.F., founded by...

Martin Luther King III and new wife are expecting first child; will name baby 'Yolanda'.(NEWSMAKERS)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The King line continues. Martin Luther King III has confirmed to JET/EBONY that he is married and that he and his wife, Arndrea, are anticipating the birth of their first child, a daughter, due in late May or early...

A move toward peace.(the week's best photos)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Move Toward Peace: As former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan (I) applauds, Kenya President Mwai Kibaki (c) shakes hands with opposition leader Raila Odinga outside the presidential office in Nairobi. At Annan's...

Keeping it green!(the week's best photos)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Keeping It Green!: Musician will.i.am and former Vice President Al Gore attend the recent Bon Appetit dinner at The Riverhorse in Park City, UT, celebrating the U23D film covering U2's 2006 South American stadium...

Beauty of the week.
February 11, 2008... KAANITA MOHAMMED is from Owings Mills, MD. She enjoys Salsa dancing and going to the movies. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For love of the game.(the week's best photos)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... For Love Of The Game: Former NBA star Scottie Pippen stands in front of the Annunciation Cathedral during a frigid sightseeing tour of the Kremlin in Moscow. Pippen was in the city to watch a Euroleague match between CSKA Moscow and Tau...

Keith's big day.(the week's best photos)(Essence Atkins)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Keith's Big Day: Actress Essence Atkins, of "Half And Half" fame, celebrates with guest of honor actor Keith Robinson (Dreamgirls), who also played her love interest on the TV series, during his recent birthday bash...

Michael Jackson's deluxe 'Thriller' celebrates top album's 25th anniversary.(MUSIC)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Michael Jackson's Thriller, the world's biggest-selling album of all time, is released this week (Feb. 12) as a special deluxe edition celebrating its 25th anniversary. The Thriller-25th Anniversary Edition...

Avon gets new senior vice president, general counsel.(BUSINESS)(Avon Products, Inc. to appoint Kim Rucker )(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... Kim Rucker has been named senior vice president, general counsel at New York-based Avon Products, Inc., the company recently announced. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rucker, who replaces Gil Klemann, who retired in December, also will be a...

Staying home.(BUSINESS)
February 11, 2008... STAYING HOME: A happy moment for Melonie Griffiths-Evans (l), standing with Cheryl Lawrence (c), an organizer with City Life/Vida Urbana advocacy group, after their demonstration successfully delayed Griffiths-Evans' eviction from her house in...

Nation's first Black-owned McDonalds reopened in Chicago.(BUSINESS)(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NATION'S FIRST BLACK-OWNED MCDONALDS REOPENED IN CHICAGO: Yolanda Travis, owner and operator of a rebuilt McDonald's on Chicago's South Side at 65th Street and Stony Island Avenue, celebrates its reopening. It was...

The playlist.(Brief article)
February 11, 2008... A weekly ranking of the hottest Blacks in R&B, hip-hop and rap, according to radio airplay, CD sales, ringtones or single downloads. Top R&B CDs 1. ASIAM Alicia Keys 2. GROWING PAINS Mary J. Bilge 3. 100 DAYS, 100 NIGHTS...

Ruby Dee gets Oscar nomination for best supporting actress in 'American Gangster'.(ENTERTAINMENT)
February 11, 2008... Ruby Dee says her husband, Ossie Davis, is up in heaven proud that she is nominated for an Academy Award. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "He's probably up there with a big smile on his face about this nomination," she says. The veteran...

Margaret Avery, the sassy 'Shug' in 'color purple,' back on silver screen.(ENTERTAINMENT)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] People still call Margaret Avery "Shug Avery," and that's all right with her. She originated the sassy, but sweet Shug Avery in the 1985 film The Color Purple. And her fans will never forget her famous line,...

Martin Lawrence's: 'Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins' shows importance of family.(Cover story)
February 11, 2008... NEVER IGNORE THE VALUE OF FAMILY, SAYS MARTIN LAWRENCE. In his latest comedy, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, the acclaimed comedian-actor plays Dr. RJ Stevens, a hotshot Los Angeles TV self-help guru who finds out the hard way the importance...

Lessons from Little Rock: A National Report Card.(TeleVision)
February 11, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hosted by actor/author Hill Harper, Lessons from Little Rock: A National Report Card revisits the story of the Little Rock Nine--the nine African-American students who first integrated an all-white high school in...

Celeb scene.
February 18, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] (A) Wyclef Jean performs during a benefit concert hosted by Usher at the Tabernacle in Atlanta. Proceeds from the NHL All-Star weekend event go to Usher's New Look Foundation. (B) Vivica A. Fox is all smiles...

Judge dismisses suit over post-Katrina flooding.(NATIONAL REPORT)(Brief article)
February 18, 2008... A federal judge said that his hands were tied by law after recently dismissing a class-action lawsuit against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over levee breaches following Hurricane Katrina. U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval ruled that...