By Raynard Jackson NNPA Columnist I really had not planned on writing anything about the shooting in Newtown, Conn. because I didn’t have anything fresh or thought provoking to write. As I have indicated before, I can’t muster any extra sympathy for the tragic events in Connecticut when young kids are dying every day in Chicago and they barely get a mention in the news, and definitely not by this White Hous ...

By George E. Curry NNPA Editor-in-Chief WASHINGTON (NNPA) — Rejecting calls for him to move closer toward his Republican critics, a confident President Barack H. Obama kicked off his second term on Monday by making an impassioned plea for a more inclusive America. “It is not our generation’s task to carry on what those pioneers began,” Obama said in his inaugural speech. “For our journey is not complete unt ...

In an affair replete with symbolic doubles, President Barack Hussein Obama will re-take the oath of office as head of government in the United States of America on Sunday, Jan. 20, and again on Jan. 21, which is also officially the national Martin Luther King holiday. This will be the 57th inauguration ceremony for an American president, although Mr. Obama remains the 44th president of the United States. Th ...

After sparking widespread rumors of a comeback after the release of  “The Bravest Man in the Universe,”  album soul singer Bobby Womack has announced that he’s experiencing early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. “The doctor says, ‘You have signs of Alzheimer’s, “it’s not bad yet, but it’s gonna get worse” Womack revealed. Womack, 68, admitted that he’s having trouble remembering things, including the name o ...

RALEIGH – Gov. Bev Perdue today signed a Pardon of Innocence for the Wilmington 10 and issued the following statement: “I have spent a great deal of time over the past seven months reviewing the pardon of innocence requests of the persons collectively known as the Wilmington Ten. This topic evokes strong opinions from many North Carolinians as it hearkens back to a very difficult time in our state’s past, a ...

by Chelsea Battle Special to the NNPA from the Los Angeles Sentinel If the name Seth Brundle rings a bell, you’re probably thinking about the popular 1980’s Sci-Fi thriller, “The Fly”.  Chris McMullen, who goes by the nickname Seth Brundle, is flying to new heights in the fashion industry as a celebrity wardrobe specialist. It is a typical blazing hot day in Los Angeles, and Brundle sits relaxed, unaffected ...

Returned TIF Funds from United Airlines Will Foster New Programming; Efforts Directly Support Strategies from Plan for Economic Growth and Jobs; Program Constructed with Complete Cooperation and Support of Labor Unions Mayor Emanuel announced today that $1.25 million in recovered TIF funds will be used to create new state-of-the-art advanced manufacturing programs at Austin Polytechnical Academy, to train t ...

By George E. Curry NNPA Editor-in-Chief WASHINGTON (NNPA) – After riding to victory in Ohio on the strength of his successful auto bailout plan and a come-from-behind victory in Virginia and possibly Florida, President Barack Obama was re-elected on Tuesday to a second term. Obama was ahead of Republican challenger Mitt Romney Tuesday night by approximately 1 million votes in the general election, but is ex ...

By Freddie Allen NNPA Washington Correspondent WASHINGTON (NNPA) – After receiving poor marks for his performance in his nationally-televised debate with Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, President Obama received a much-needed boost from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ report showing that unemployment fell to 7.8 percent in September, the lowest it has been in nearly four years. The September rep ...

Bay Area attorneys John Burris, Matthew Kumin and Patrick Goggin joined forces to file a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of victims of the Chevron refinery explosion on Aug. 6. The resulting toxic plume released after a pipe failed in the troubled Crude Unit No. 4 covered areas in which thousands of residents live, work and play. More than 9,000 sought treatment after the fire. The toxic smoke rising from the d ...