Jet articles from June 2008

Jet archives from June 2008

The class of 2008.(Hampton University graduaton)(Photograph)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hampton University graduates rejoice in front of a video camera that pictured the institution's commencement exercises on two large screens at the school's Armstrong Stadium in Hampton, VA. They join the thousands of...

This week is hurricane preparedness week.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... It highlights the importance of awareness and preparation in reducing the effects of a hurricane disaster. Hazards accompanying hurricanes include storm surges, high winds, tornadoes and flooding. Families are urged to plan procedures to keep...

Energy-efficient water.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Energy-Efficient Water: Heating water for household use typically accounts for about 13 percent of your utility bill A quick way to cut down on that cost is to simply use less hot water. Take more showers than baths...

Celebrity birthdays.(The JET Spot)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] May 26 Lenny Kravitz [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] May 27 Andre Benjamin [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] May 29 Melanie Brown

Celeb scene.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] (A) Nelly performs at Radio 1's Big Weekend, the UK's biggest free music festival, at Mote Park, Maidstone in Kent. (B) Rapper and actress Eve (I) and actress Joy Bryant arrive for the Los Angeles Alexander McQueen...

NAACP chooses Benjamin T. Jealous as new president.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... The NAACP recently chose 35-year-old activist and former news executive Benjamin T. Jealous as its new national president, making him the youngest leader in the 99-year history of the organization. Jealous comes to the NAACP from the San...

Edwards endorses Obama.(John Edwards, Barack Obama)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Edwards endorses Obama: Receiving a big-time vote of confidence, Barack Obama gets a boost with a surprise endorsement from ex-rival John Edwards during a rally in Grand Rapids, MI. "Democratic voters in America have made their choice and so...

1st White valedictorian at Morehouse College embraced as a 'brother'.(Joshua Packwood)
June 2, 2008... Joshua Packwood turned more than a few heads four years ago when he became one of the few White students enrolled at Morehouse College. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] But it appears the entire country took notice as the 22-year-old from Kansas...

Making a change.(voter-registration)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MAKING A CHANGE: Gov. Deval Patrick helps Wendy Perez of the South End fill out a voter-registration application outside Back Bay Station in Boston. The state of Massachusetts' first Black chief executive is a...

Detroit Council takes step toward mayor's ouster.(NATIONAL REPORT)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... The Detroit City Council recently took the first step toward removing Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick from office over a scandal involving explicit text messages to his former aide. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The council's 5-4 vote begins a process...

New brigadier general.(Marcia M. Anderson)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... NEW BRIGADIER GENERAL: Col. Marcia M. Anderson, who was recently promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the U.S. Army Reserves, is pinned with her new general star by her husband, Amos Anderson (I), and her father, Rudolph Mahan, during a...

Farm bill would boost aid for healthy food, pay $100 million to Blacks in bias suit.(food assistance for African Americans)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives recently passed a $290 billion farm bill that not only provides more money to promote healthy eating in disadvantaged areas, but is being praised by Black farmers for...

Power to end stroke awards.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... POWER TO END STROKE AWARDS: Cass Wheeler, CEO of the American Heart Association, greets radio personality Myra J (c) and the Rev. Bernice King during the recent Power to End Stroke Awards gala in Atlanta. Myra J accepted the highest award, the...

Happy feet.(NATIONAL REPORT)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... HAPPY FEET: Kenny Smith of "Inside the NBA," Ernie Johnson (2nd, I) and Charles Barkley (with bright red painted toenails) joke with Samaritan's Feet founder Manny Ohonme as they show off their bare feet during a NBA playoff broadcast at the...

This week in Black history.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] May 29, 1973-- Thomas Bradley, lawyer, police officer and city councilman, was elected the first Black mayor of Los Angeles on this day. He went on to serve four terms as mayor. A native of Calvert, TX, Bradley...

Remembering the Pullman porters.(Brotherhood of the Sleeping Car Porters )
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] No one knew their name, but they made certain that the world would never forget them. The well-dressed men in uniforms, known as Pullman porters, provided first-class service to well-to-do White passengers during...

Just us.(wedding of Belinda Nanette Smith and Allen Jay Daise )(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Just Us: Belinda Nanette Smith tied the knot with Allen Jay Daise at Sandals in Nassau, Bahamas. The bride is a guidance director with the Broward County School Board. She is a graduate of St. Thomas University and Troy University. The groom is...

The sweetest sound.(wedding of Chad Everett Boone and Nikki Michelle Johnson )(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Sweetest Sound: Chad Everett Boone joined in holy matrimony with Nikki Michelle Johnson at the Ritz Carlton Villa Padierna in Marbella, Spain. A graduate of the University of Texas at San Antonio and Union...

Deep in my heart.(wedding of Kennette Ransaw and Pierre Blackmond )(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Deep In My Heart: Mr. and Mrs. Pierre Blackmond pledged their eternal love at the Fresh Anointing House of Worship in Montgomery, AL. The bride, Kennette Ransaw, is a graduate of Alabama State University. The groom is also a graduate of Alabama...

Wedding bells.(wedding of Allen Brooks and Bettye L. Wilkes )(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Wedding Bells: Allen Brooks wed Bettye L. Wilkes at the Salish Lodge, Snoqualmie Falls, in Snoqualmie, WA. The bride, a grad of Ball State University and Golden Gate University, is senior vice president of community...

Destined to be.(wedding of Shavonne Dechelle Hinton and Jaron Jerrell Smith )(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Destined To Be: Shavonne Dechelle Hinton exchanged marital vows with Jaron Jerrell Smith during a double-ring ceremony at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church in Richmond, VA. The blushing bride is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University. She is a...

Circle of love.(wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Curry Sr. )(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Circle Of Love: Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy Curry Sr. commemorated 50 years of marriage with more than 200 family and friends during a reception at Franzee-Javys Banquet Hall in Ambridge, PA. Mrs. Leona Curry retired from...

Mary gives back.(Mary J. Blige and Steve Stoute's The Mary J. Blige and Steve Stoute Foundation )(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MARY GIVES BACK: Eight-time Grammy-winner Mary J. Blige and Steve Stoute, founder and chief creative officer of Translation Consultation + Brand Imaging, announce their new charity initiative FFAWN: The Mary J. Blige...

Rapper Remy Ma gets 8-year prison sentence in '07 shooting outside New York club.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Rapper Remy Ma was recently sentenced to eight years in prison for the shooting of a woman outside a Manhattan nightclub. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I feel so bad for all the physical and mental pain you've gone through," the...

Historic installment.(Karen Bass as first african american assemblywoman of California)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... HISTORIC INSTALLMENT: Assemblywoman Karen Bass smiles as she is sworn in as Speaker of the California State Assembly by her predecessor, Assemblyman Fabian Nunez, Bass' stepdaughter, Yvette Lechuga and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger during...

Mandela 'reluctantly' accepts his capital city's honor.(Nelson Mandela's Tshwane/ Pretoria Freedom of the City Award )(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Former South Africa President Nelson Mandela recently broke a vow he made several years ago, but this was a very special exception. The famed leader, who will celebrate his 90th birthday in July, accepted the Tshwane/ Pretoria "Freedom of...

Dream come true for Diddy's ex-assistant.(Heather Joy Thompson as foreign service officer )(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... DREAM COME TRUE FOR DIDDY'S EX-ASSISTANT: Last year Heather Joy Thompson, Esq. told JET that her "long-term goal" was to be a U.S. Foreign Service Officer after applying for the job in April 2006. This year, Thompson's dream became a reality...

Non-partisan nuptials.(Jenna Bush and Henry Hager's wedding, Kirbyjon Caldwell)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NON-PARTISAN NUPTIALS: Jenna Bush, daughter of President George W. Bush, exchanges vows with Henry Hager during a wedding officiated by the Rev. Kirbyjohn Caldwell at the Bush family's Prairie Chapel Ranch near...

Special guest conductor.(Honda's ASIMO robot's performance)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... SPECIAL GUEST CONDUCTOR: Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) Resident Conductor Thomas Wilkins greets Honda's ASIMO robot on stage after it conducted the orchestra's recent performance of Impossible Dream. The robot's appearance helped the DSO's...

Where is ... Kris Kross?
June 2, 2008... The year was 1992 when Kris Kross made a huge leap into music history. Childhood buddies Chris Kelly, 13, and Chris Smith, 12, would go down as the first kid rap duo, achieving success in the underground rap market and the pop market. ...

Kerry 'Krucial' Brothers: one of the music industry's 'key' producers.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Music producer/songwriter Kerry "Kruciar' Brothers recalls nearly turning down the opportunity to work with an up-and-coming singer in the '90s. Her name was Alicia Keys. "1 was really into hip-hop production,"...

Celebrating freedom.(Michaelle Jean's visit in France)(Photograph)
June 2, 2008... Celebrating Freedom: During an official visit to France, Canada Governor General Michaelle Jean greets well-wishers after a ceremony marking the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Bordeaux. Jean is the first Black to hold her post,...

Stepping out.(Tatyana Ali )(Photograph)
June 2, 2008... Stepping Out: Actress Tatyana Ali of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" fame arrives at Step Up Women's Network 2008 Inspiration Awards luncheon held at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Christa Graziano.(beauty of the week)
June 2, 2008... CHRISTA GRAZIANO is a promoter from Fort Myers, FL. She enjoys music, shopping and laughing. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Sharpton speaks out.(Al Sharpton on police brutality)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Sharpton Speaks Out: Rev. Al Sharpton speaks to the press with Leomia Dyches at his side following a prison visit with her son Dwayne Dyches in Philadelphia. Dyches was one of three Black shooting suspects who were pulled over and videotaped by...

Sunshine state idol.(Syesha Mercado in Florida)(Photograph)
June 2, 2008... Sunshine State Idol: "American Idol" finalist Syesha Mercado, of Sarasota, FL, waves after singing the National Anthem before the start of the Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays baseball game in St. Petersburg, FL. The 21-year-old powerhouse...

Black musicians among new picks for National Archive of Recordings.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... More than a dozen Black musical performers, including Michael Jackson, Herbie Hancock and Art Tatum, are among the 25 selections recently added to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry for 2007. The recordings, considered...

Braxton delays Vegas show until June 6.(Toni Braxton)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Singer Toni Braxton's return to her Las Vegas stage show has been postponed once again. According to a spokeswoman for Harrah's Entertainment, the target date to resume "Toni Braxton: Revealed" at the Flamingo Las Vegas hotel is now slated...

Patti Austin sings to help end domestic violence.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Singer Patti Austin has written and recorded an inspirational song By The Grace Of God that sheds light on the devastating effects of domestic violence. She's the new spokeswoman for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence...

Jonnetta Patton, former manager of son Usher, starts independent record label.(JPat Records)(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The woman who guided the success of multiplatinum superstar Usher recently launched an independent record label. Jonnetta Patton, the president/CEO of the Atlanta-based JPat Management and Usher's ex-manager,...

Al Green still singing, preaching about love with new CD 'Lay It Down'.
June 2, 2008... Legendary maestro of love Al Green is ready to show people where good music came from, what it's all about and that it's here to stay with the release of his new secular album, Lay It Down. "I think this album is going to be a collector's...

Howard University brothers bring Black college experience to the internet.(Bison Roundup.com)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Howard University alum Bryndan Moore noticed he and a small group of friends were sending more than 800 e-mails to each other a month. This constant communication, he says, was the gateway into his new business,...

Fishburne, Merkerson, Stew garner Tony nominations.(Laurence Fishburne, S. Epatha Merkerson and Stew )(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Laurence Fishburne, S. Epatha Merkerson and Stew are among the Black Broadway actors and actresses recently nominated for Tony Awards. Fishburne is nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for his role as Supreme Court...

R. Kelly's child porn trial opens with 8 White jurors, 4 Blacks.(Brief article)
June 2, 2008... Jury selection was recently completed in R. Kelly's trial in Chicago on child pornography charges with a panel of eight White jurors and four Blacks. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The trial is being held at Cook County Circuit Court. The...

Usher's fire: 'the power of love': marriage, fatherhood can't cool singer's musical passion.
June 2, 2008... If given the opportunity to have a sit-down discussion about the essence of Black music with any artist, living or dead, the person that Usher Raymond IV would chose is none other than the great Marvin Gaye. "I just think his mind was...

The playlist: a weekly ranking of the hottest Blacks & R&B hip-hop and rap, according to radio airplay, CD sales, ringtones or sing downloads.(List)
June 2, 2008... Top R&B CDs 1. SPIRIT Leona Lewis 2. E=MC2 Mariah Carey 3. THE ODD COUPLE Gnarls Barkley 4. AS I AM Alicia Keys 5. JORDIN SPARKS Jordin Sparks Source: Amazon.com as of 5/20/08 ...

'Johnny Mathis: wonderful, wonderful--the 50th anniversary celebration'.(television program schedules)(Brief article)(Calendar)
June 2, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Johnny Mathis celebrates his 50th anniversary in show business with a hit-filled concert, "Johnny Mathis: Wonderful, Wonderful--The 50th Anniversary Celebration," in Atlantic City. The program also includes new...

Celeb scene.(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] (A & B) At the 61st International Cannes Film Festival in southern France, actress Kerry Washington and entertainment mogul Sun 'Diddy' Combs take the spotlight during their arrivals on the red carpet for film...

Facing a new beginning: Obama looks beyond the primaries and Clinton to McCain as general election campaign focuses nationwide.(NATIONAL REPORT)(Barack Obama )
June 9, 2008... Barack Obama raised more than a few eyebrows when he boarded his sleek, chartered Boeing 757 campaign plane late on the afternoon of the Oregon and Kentucky primaries and headed to Iowa instead for a 20-minute speech, back to the state that...

Clinton apologizes for assassination comment.(NATIONAL REPORT)(Hillary Clinton )(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... In an interview with the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Argus-Leader, Sen. Hillary Clinton made an awkward reference to the 1968 assassination of then-presidential candidate Bobby Kennedy while trying to justify why she was staying in the race. "My...

Daddy's home.(NATIONAL REPORT)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... * DADDY'S HOME: Michael Vinson, 7, shares his excitement with the crowd at Biggs Army Airfield on Fort Bliss, TX, as his father, Sgt. Mike Vinson, walks off an aircraft which carried him and 200 other soldiers from the 1st Batalion, 7th ADA,...

New York governor recovers from glaucoma-related ailment.(NATIONAL REPORT)(David A. Paterson)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Hours after conducting a wide-ranging interview with EBONY Magazine, New York Gov. David A. Paterson was rushed to a New York City hospital complaining of severe migraine-like symptoms. After testing and evaluation, doctors at The Mount...

Teen wins $35 mil. In Powerball Lottery.(NATIONAL REPORT)(Jonathan Vargas)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... When Gaston, SC, construction worker Jonathan Vargas, 19, decided to play the Powerball Lottery, he relied on the ages of his family members to pick the six winning numbers for the $35 million. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Earlier this year...

Rice Visits Google.(Condoleezza Rice)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... RICE VISITS GOOGLE: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is greeted by Google Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer David Drummond at the Google head quarters in Mountain View, CA, during a recent visit to the West Coast, She toured the...

This week in black history.(Brief biography)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] June 2, 1875-- James Augustine Healy became the first Black Catholic bishop in the United States when he was ordained at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception on this day. Born on April 6, 1830, to a slave...

'The three doctors' embrace true meaning of fatherhood through forgiveness.(FAMILY)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rameck Hunt, Sampson Davis and George Jenkins didn't have their fathers in their lives growing up in inner-city Newark, N J, but as adults the three doctors found a way to put them there. It was forgiveness. ...

Honorary doctorates for Earth, Wind & Fire.(EDUCATION)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... HONORARY DOCTORATES FOR EARTH, WIND & FIRE: Columbia College Chicago president Dr. Warrick L. Carter and vice president Dr. Eric V.A. Winston (c) congratulate founding members of the famed pop music group Earth, Wind & Fire Verdine White,...

This is love.(Love & Happiness)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... This Is Love: Minister Corey Eugene Robinson joined in holy matrimony with Tiffany Sakito Hall at the Pristine Lakeside Chapel in Jonesboro, GA. The bride, a graduate of Alabama A & M University, is a physician consultant at OMI Diagnostics....

Hope springs eternal.(Love & Happiness)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Hope Springs Eternal: Roger L. Turnbow made Rita Dzatugbui Afiademanyo his wife at the Moana Surfrider Hotel & Resort in Waikiki, Hawaii. The bride is a logistics specialist with the U.S. Air Force. She has a...

Treasured moment.(Love & Happiness)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Treasured Moment: Shondalyn Lynette Lucky became the wife of Jason Charles McIntyre at the Wright Grove Church in Houston. The bride is a graduate of Sam Houston State University and the University of Houston Gear Lake. She is a special...

Day in paradise.(Love & Happiness)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Day In Paradise: Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Baker pledged sacred marital vows at the Newport Beachside Hotel and Resort in Miami Beach, FL. The bride, Andrea Martin, holds a doctorate from Florida A & M University. She is pharmacy manager for Walgreens...

More than wonderful.(Love & Happiness)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] More Than Wonderful: Antonio Karlos Johnson tied the knot with Erica Alexis Fowler during an enchanted, double-ring ceremony at Volunteer Park in Plantation, FL. The bride is a graduate of Florida State University....

55 years of bliss.(Love & Happiness)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... 55 Years Of Bliss: Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Louis Brinson Jr. celebrated 55 years of marriage with family and friends during a gathering in Memphis, TN. Mrs. Hattie Mae Brinson, 78, retired after 45 years of service as a dry cleaners' presser. Her...

Jermaine Jackson ends 13-year marriage.(NEWSMAKERS)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Finalizing his divorce, Jermaine Jackson of the Jackson 5 clan has agreed to pay $50,000 in attorney fees for his ex-wife, Alejandra, and $50,000 in back child-support payments. In papers fried in Los Angeles Superior Court, Alejandra...

New baby for actor Sean Patrick Thomas, wife.(NEWSMAKERS)(Aonika Laurent)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Actor Sean Patrick Thomas and his wife, Aonika Laurent, recently welcomed the arrival of a baby girl. The newest family member, Lola Jolie, weighed in at exactly 7 pounds, according to People.com. "Now I have two gorgeous girls to...

Barkley repays $400,000 casino debt; says he will stop gambling for now.(NEWSMAKERS)
June 9, 2008... Former NBA star Charles Barkley has paid his debt to a Las Vegas casino that sued him after he failed to pay $400,000 in gambling loans. However, the civil law suit remains open, and it's going to cost the Hall of Famer $40,000 more to settle...

Janet readies for 1st tour in 7 years.(NEWSMAKERS)( Janet Jackson )(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Despite the high stress, long hours and sleepless nights, Janet Jackson is ready to hit the road on tour. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] She recently announced gearing up for a North American tour-her first in seven years, the Associated Press...

Mint condition's musical flow: band's 'art pieces' can't be rushed.(IN THE SPOTLIGHT)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Good music is worth the wait, the group Mint Condition believes. Their current album, e-Life, debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop chart. It arrives two years after Living the Luxury Brown. "Back when...

Philadelphia police fire 4 officers involved in taped beatings.(LAW & JUSTICE)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... "We have to be better than some of what we showed on the fifth of May. Unlike criminals on the street, we have rules that we have to abide by," Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said in announcing he'll fire four officers involved...

Assassin of Malcolm X seeks parole from New York State High Court.(LAW & JUSTICE)(Thomas Hagan)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Thomas Hagan, the admitted assassin of Malcolm X, says he's served more than 40 years for his crime and he's now ready to "lead a law-abiding lifestyle." Convicted of murder and imprisoned when he was 23, Hagan, now 66, filed papers in...

Keith Sweat: a single dad's formula for a loving family and loyal fans.(LIFESTYLE)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Singer Keith Sweat gives his all at whatever he does. He pours out his heart so much while performing that he appears to beg. Now his sexy singing and speaking voice has fans doing some begging of their own on...

Idol worship.(the weeks's best photos)(Brief article)(Photograph)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Former "American Idol" champions Jordin Sparks and Fantasia walk the red carpet to the delight of adoring fans during the show's recent season finale at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles.

Anteidra Martin.(beauty of the week)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ANTEIDRA MARTIN lives in Montgomery, AL and is a college student majoring in biology, When she is not in the classroom, she enjoys dancing.

Star Syracuse graduate.(Vanessa Williams)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Entertainer Vanessa Williams proudly displays her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree during recent graduation ceremonies at Syracuse University. A musical theater major from 1981 to 1983 before leaving to become the first...

Rage against immigrants.(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Impoverished South Africans chase immigrants near a squatters settlement outside Johannesburg, South Africa. Thousands of immigrants from Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi have been attacked by native locals claiming...

Sports families tackle high blood pressure.(HEALTH)
June 9, 2008... After living in the moment every day of his 14 stellar NBA seasons, Darryl Dawkins says his wife told him he had to change his lifestyle--he had to manage his health. "My wife told me to go to the doctor to get my blood pressure checked,"...

Men & prostate cancer: take action to save your life.(HEALTH)
June 9, 2008... On Father's Day, it's dad who gets a gift to show how much he is loved. By being proactive about his health, he could receive the ultimate gift--life. Retired Tampa, FL, banker Bob Samuels, father to three sons, was faithful about seeing...

Died.(Census)(Obituary)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Zelma Henderson, 88, the last surviving plaintiff in the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka case, which led to the historic 1954 Supreme Court ruling outlawing segregation in public schools, of pancreatic cancer... Jimmy Slyde, 80, one of...

Donna Summer returns with colorful new dance CD 'Crayons'.(MUSIC)
June 9, 2008... Seventeen years after her last full-length studio album, Donna Summer, the Queen of Disco, is back to reign over the dance clubs with her latest CD Crayons. Why a comeback after so many years? The reason she gives is simple. "Why not...

New edition's Michael Bivins hits high note as NBA correspondent for TNT.(CELEBRITIES)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Michael Bivins never had a childhood dream to become a singer. He wanted to be an NBA player. Not bad that he's doing both. Well, almost. Bivins, best known as a member of the group New Edition, now does NBA...

Laurence Fishburne to bring 'The Alchemist' to film.(CELEBRITIES)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Laurence Fishburne will team up with producer Harvey Weinstein to bring Paulo Coelho's best-selling novel The Alchemist to the silver screen in a $60 million-plus film adaptation. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] According to the Hollywood...

Revealing interview.(CELEBRITIES)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TV Judge Greg Mathis discusses his rise "from jail to judge" with Ed, Godpn, host of the syndicated TV program "Our World With BlackEnterprise," during a recent taping in Chicago. Mathis also talks about the upcoming...

Sheila Johnson empowers women with new documentary film.(ENTERTAINMENT)(Brief article)
June 9, 2008... Sheila Johnson is the executive producer of a powerful documentary A Powerful Noise. Johnson, CEO of Salamander Hospitality and co-founder of BET network, wants the 90-minute film to bring attention to the global issue of poverty among women....

Ashanti returns more empowered with 'The Declaration'.(Cover story)
June 9, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Singer/songwriter Ashanti said it wasn't her plan to be away from the music scene for four years. It was beyond her control because of conflicts with her record label, The Inc. Now that she's returned, the...