Bring that Week Back: Week of Oct. 1, 2009
Bring that Week Back: Week of Oct. 1 | 2009
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Chicago Loses Bid for 2016 Olympic Games - In what some onlookers are calling a blow to Obama's presidential image, Chicago lost its bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games. After a big push with a boost from three famous Chicagoans - President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey – the IOC eliminated Chicago in the first round. The winning city is Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the first South American host in Olympic history.
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Suspects Nabbed - Four Chicago teenagers are in police custody charged with first-degree murder in connection with the tragic beating death of 16-year-old honor student, Derrion Albert. Silvonus Shannon, 19, along with Eric Carson, 16, Eugene Riley, 18 and 17-year-old Eugene Bailey are held without bond in Cook County jail after video footage shows them repeatedly beating Albert, who they mistook for a rival gang member. Albert was walking home after leaving school and had no gang affiliation.
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"Not My Son" - Ava Johnson, mother of Eugene Riley, one of the suspects in Derrion Albert's beating death, says the man in the video is not her son.
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Stop The Violence - The brutality of Albert’s murder has sparked national outrage, calling for a crackdown on gangs in Chicago and throughout the country. Leaders in the hip-hop community - like Queens rapper Nas, who wrote an open letter regarding the killing - challenge our youth to stop the violence. Nas appeared on “106 & Park” on Thursday to address the issue.
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Luda and T.I. Help Flood Victims - Atlanta rap superstars Ludacris and T.I came together to help Atlanta flood victims still cleaning up from a downpour that left at least 10 people dead and has destroyed more than 400 homes. Each man has donated upwards of $10,000 to the recovery effort. Ludacris, through his foundation, has also agreed to partner with Sam's Club and Home Depot to provide food and building materials for impacted families.
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Republicans Want You To "Die Quickly" - On Tuesday, Rep. Alan Grayson, a Democrat from Florida, accused Republicans of having only one solution to our health care problem: “Die quickly.” His words have drawn fire from Republican leaders in Congress but Grayson, who is quickly becoming a lightning rod for the Democratic Party, says he owes no apology to the GOP. He said Republicans should be apologizing to the American public instead.
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First Lady Visits Sesame Street - As part of the 40th anniversary of the longstanding children's series, “Sesame Street,” First Lady Michelle Obama will appear on the show to promote gardening and healthy living. The show will air Nov. 10.
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Back to School - Music superstar Wyclef Jean wants his degree. In an effort to inspire young people to take education seriously, the former Fugees member will enroll at Berklee College in Boston to pursue his BA in Music. He will also work with Rev. Al Sharpton to encourage young people to attend class.
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Nas Writes Anti-Violence Statement - Long considered one of the most conscious emcees in hip-hop, Nas decided he could not sit by after seeing video footage of the tragic death of 16-year-old honor roll student Derrion Albert in Chicago late last week. Nas wrote an open letter in which he told our teenagers, or "Young Warriors,” that they are "fighting the wrong war."
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Rihanna Counter-Sues - Singer Rihanna filed a counter-suit against a neighbor who accuses her of driving on his lawn with her friends. TMZ reports that Rihanna filed her response in L.A. Superior Court, denying all charges. The neighbor, Christian Moeller, says sometimes the pop star and her friends drive across his lawn to get to her driveway and even park their cars on his lawn.
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“Authentic” Barbie - Barbie is getting an ethnic facelift. Mattel, the company behind the doll series, is releasing a new line of Black dolls, the “So In Style Series,” that is closer to the authentic looks of Black women. The series is created by Stacey McBride-Irby, an African-American mother of two who wanted to create a line of dolls to mirror the image of people of color.
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Facebook Shuts Down Poll - The United States Secret Service continues its investigation of a poll created on Facebook that asked whether President Barack Obama should be assassinated. The poll was created Sunday, but brought to the attention of federal agents and Facebook officials Monday. The poll asked if Obama should be killed, and the choices were: 1) Yes 2) Maybe 3) If he cuts my health care and 4) No. Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt said in an email to BET.com that a third-party developer is to blame.
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All-Black Janet? - Rumors are circulating that Janet Jackson will mourn the death of her brother Michael by wearing all black for a year. While some say it is true, other entertainment blogs, Web sites and shows contradict the report. We'll keep you posted on BET.com.
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Obama Thinks Afghanistan Through - President Obama's advisors are split on how to handle the call for 40,000 additional soldiers to Afghanistan made by the General in charge of the mission. While some in his cabinet believe a larger force is needed to win the fight against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, others believe it is time for a pullout of larger troops in favor of a group of Special Forces soldiers to hunt for terrorists. The President is expected to make a decision within the coming weeks.
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Closure Threatens Ebony and Jet Magazines - EBONY and JET magazines, perhaps the most respected publications in history geared toward African-American readers, are on the auction block, Newsweek.com is reporting. “Johnson Publishing is seeking a buyer or investor for its flagship publication, Ebony, in an effort aimed at securing the survival of the nation's oldest magazine devoted to African-American life,” Newsweek.com reports. Ebony was established in 1945.
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Tyson Beckford Said What?!! - During an appearance on the “Watch What Happens Live” talk show on the Bravo Network, a viewer asked famous model Tyson Beckford if he had to be intimate with a man, who would it be? After a brief pause, Beckford said he would “get on top” of Barack Obama with “Michelle holding the camera.”
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Vick Returns - NFL quarterback Michael Vick played in his first regular season game in more than two years on Sunday, as the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs. Vick finished with modest numbers, but received a mostly positive reaction from the Philadelphia crowd. There were some haters, however. Anti-Vick signs were banned and one protester was made to turn her t-shirt with an anti-Vick slogan inside-out.
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Obamas and Oprah Pitch Chicago - Chicago's favorite sons and daughters traveled to Denmark in an effort to bring the 2016 Summer Olympic Games to the Windy City. The president and first lady, along with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and Oprah Winfrey planned a presentation to the International Olympic Committee to make their case for Chicago as the host city.
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Shocking Murder-Suicide in N.Y. - Deciding to end his own life rather than to face possible prosecution, 28-year-old Sirmone McCaulla, a former Army reservist, was found dead in a Philadelphia apartment. McCaulla left a suicide note in which he admitted to stabbing 20-year-old Christopher Gutierrez in a heated exchange after the two bumped shoulders on a Manhattan street. The crime was caught by surveillance cameras.
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NBA Star Testifies - Former NBA star Jayson Williams takes the stand in his case against New Jersey law enforcement officials. Williams, who was acquitted of aggravated manslaughter in 2004 alleges racism is the reason he was targeted by the Hunterdon County Prosecutor Office.
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Jackson Family Sues - The estate of Michael Jackson is suing the Heal the World Foundation for allegedly using the music icon's likeness and name without permission. Papers filed in connection with the lawsuit suggest the organization has created Web sites and filed for trademarks in an attempt to appear to have a connection with Jackson. The late humanitarian created his own Heal the World Foundation in 1992; however, had no ties with the people mentioned in the lawsuits, says Jackson attorneys.
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In Recovery - University of Southern California running back Stafon Johnson is lucky to be alive after a tragic weight lifting accident on Monday. Johnson underwent seven hours of emergency surgery after a weightlifting bar slipped from his hand, landed on his neck, and crushed his larynx. Dr. Gudata Hinika, the trauma medical director at California Hospital Medical Center, feels Johnson’s muscles saved his life. “Had that been any one of us, meaning me, we would have not survived,” Hinika said.
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Case Settled - Virginia TV anchor and former president of the National Association of Black Journalists, Barbara Ciara, has settled a two-way assault case she and a Norfolk businessman had filed against each other. The judge says he was grateful and waived court fees for Ciara and her accuser.
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Hampton U. Hosts Marriage Summit - Hampton University hosted a summit on marriage, bringing together scholars, policy makers, students and others. The conference also marked the launch of the school's National Center on African-American Marriages and Parenting.
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Public Option Fails - Democrats and Republicans continue to battle over plans to nationalize the American health system. Two bills proposed to allow the government to create a “public option” or a health care business to compete with private insurers was defeated in committee. Democrats who support the measure said they will continue to get it through. President Obama has indicated improving the availability of health insurance is one of his top domestic priorities.
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I Am Not My Hair - Solange Knowles says she used to spend $40,000 - $50,000 every year on maintaining her coif when she had longer hair. On the “Oprah Winfrey Show” Wednesday, Knowles said she is enjoying the freedom her new short ‘do brings her although she might decide to one day grow her hair again. Knowles appeared with Chris Rock on the show, as he was promoting his new documentary, “Good Hair.”
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Lowery Prays for King Family Peace - Growing tired of a family feud between the children of Martin and Coretta Scott-King, Rev. Joseph Lowery, a civil rights pioneer who walked shoulder to shoulder with the family patriarch said it is time to cool the tension.
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Staying in the Game - “I’m blind but not oblivious,” said New York Gov. David Paterson, who insists he’s staying in the New York gubernatorial race even though the Obama administration has asked him to step down. Seeing Paterson as a liability to the White House and the Democratic Party, the White House last week encouraged him not to run to keep his post. He’s one of only two Black governors in the country.
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Robin Roberts Lends Her Voice - This Friday, Robin Roberts, the host of ABC's “Good Morning America” will be the “special announcer” at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in an effort to bring awareness to breast cancer. Roberts is a breast cancer survivor.
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A Local Hero - One man, two big moves in one week. A day after saving a man and young boy from a burning building by climbing in and bringing them to safety, New Yorker Horia Cretin proposed to his girlfriend on ABC's “Good Morning America.” Remembering the screams that drove him to action, the Bronx resident said, "You can't think at that time, you just have to do what's right."
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Deadly Sea Quakes - Just one day after an earthquake in the Indian Ocean triggered a deadly tsunami in American Samoa, another hit the coast of Indonesia. The brunt of Wednesday's 7.6-magnitude earthquake has led to the deaths of several hundred people. President Obama called a state of emergency in the American territory and has promised emergency aid to the people of Indonesia as well.
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Unlikely Duo - Rev. Al Sharpton and former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich put aside their political differences and continued their tour of U.S. school systems with a visit to 11th grade students in the Philadelphia Public Schools.