Two points of view on conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart. The view of Michael Steele of the RNC is positive; he's invited Breitbart to head up a GOP fundraiser next month. The view of Shirley Sherrod is less positive; she's suing him.
There's an anti-incumbent mood among many voters nationwide, and seven-term Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D) is struggling to retain her seat. But her biggest obstacle is her name. In Detroit, thanks to her son, Kwame -- the former mayor -- the name Kilpatrick has been connected to courtrooms and scandal.
In remarks to the Urban League and in a taped TV appearance, President Obama said Thursday that the Shirley Sherrod firing last week showed how racial tension remains a problem for the nation.
Michele Norris talks to Lester Spence, assistant professor of political science and Africana studies at Johns Hopkins University, about President Obama's relationship to the African-American community.
The charges include allegations that the congressman failed to report rental income on vacation property in the Dominican Republic and over the course of nearly a decade failed to report more than $600,000 on his financial disclosure statements.
After the conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart posted an edited video of remarks she made about race, Shirley Sherrod lost her Agriculture Department job. She's been offered a new position. Now, she doesn't want an apology from Breitbart, but says she'll "definitely sue" him.
New York Democrat Charles Rangel, who has represented Harlem for the past four decades, is under investigation for potential ethics violations. See the details of his case, a history of his career and a look back at other recent ethics probes.
The Massachusetts state legislature has passed a bill that would change the way presidents are elected. It would leave the current Electoral College system and award its votes to the winner of the national popular vote.
Georgia:
New Page 1Georgia.gov Portal sites Agency Press Releases
The long closed wooden bridge will officially re-open at a
ribbon-cutting 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13th. City officials are expected to hold a brief
ceremony to recognize the groups that helped fund the repairs. The bridge has been
closed since it failed an inspection by the Georgia DOT in May of last year.
Pickens schools win big at reading bowl
By Angela Reinhardt
In a banner weekend for Pickens County schools,
Harmony Elementary, Pickens County Middle and Pickens High all placed
in top three positions at the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl’s North Georgia Regional Competition.
Host, Pickens Middle School (PCMS), welcomed 480 students from 48 schools in the North Georgia
region to compete by answering questions about books chosen from the Georgia Children’s Book
Award nominee list for elementary and middle school students, and books that received the
Georgia Peach Award for high school competitors.
PCMS received first place in the middle school division. Harmony Elementary School
took home third place in the elementary division, and Pickens High roped in a third place finish
in the high school division.
Following their first place win, PCMS moves on to the division championship at Luella Elementary School on Saturday, February 21, in Locust Grove where, if they take home another first place win, they will move on to the state championship in March.
“This was a red ribbon day for Pickens,” said Karen Gurty, PCMS media specialist and reading bowl infrastructure coordinator for the North Georgia regional event. “This competition really makes reading like a sport and allows students to shine where they have strengths.”
Gurty also said the competition became a “real community affair,” bringing together volunteer efforts from across the county.
The Retired Teacher’s Association, The Pickens County Reading Council, the Leo Club and others volunteered their time for the reading bowl, which was estimated to have attracted 1,500 students, parents and teachers from the North Georgia region.
“We’ve been very lucky with our town support, “ Gurty said. “This event was a full community effort.”
Kristie Moss, Hill City media specialist working behind the scenes, also said the experience was a real success, especially for the students involved.
“Students learned how to discipline themselves with others when they missed questions, or [when] they didn’t beat the buzzer. I was glad to see so many teams in the competition,” she said.
This makes the second consecutive year PCMS has hosted the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl, and according to Gurty, they have plans to host again in 2010.
“I was approached, and I agreed to do it again. The reason we do this is to support reading,” Gurty said. “Plus, this keeps our students who want to participate from having to travel so far.”
PCMS won the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl state competition in 2003-2004, and PHS took first place in state for the 2004-2005 school year.
To learn more about the reading bowl, visit http://glma-inc.org/readingbowl.htm.
Habitat for Humanity seeking home owner
By Maria Boling
Habitat for Humanity in Pickens County is beginning the Family Selection process for their next home. This energetic group of volunteers wants to attract the largest possible selection of applicants and therefore needs the public’s assistance.
The successful Pickens County applicant is chosen based on three simple criteria:
1) The applicants’ level of need.
2) Their willingness to become partners in the program (sweat equity).
3) Their ability to repay the no-profit, no-interest loan.
In some ways the above measures are very helpful in keeping the evaluation focused on the critical and appropriate requirements. On the other hand, this structure makes the window of opportunity limited and minimally addresses the many diverse situations of some applicant families.
Recommendations of families for selection to purchase homes from Habitat for Humanity are handled using the above criteria in a way that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, handicap, religion, national origin, family status or marital status.
Mark your calendar. Habitat for Humanity will open this window of opportunity and accept applications between March 30 and April 4. Make plans now!
If you know of a family in need of decent, affordable housing, please contact the Pickens County Habitat office located behind the Community Thrift Store on 135 Cares Drive in Jasper.
Potential applicants are encouraged, even urged to check into his home ownership opportunity.
The Habitat office can be reached at 706-253-2393. If no answer leave your name and phone number and a Habitat representative will be happy to contact you with more information.
Carrollton police have arrested two people in connection with the death of a missing University of West Georgia student, officials confirmed to Channel 2 Action News.
A man wanted in connection with the kidnapping and slaying of a Georgia man is now in custody after U.S. Marshals arrested him in the waiting area of a Brooklyn, N.Y. emergency room.
Police arrested the neighbor of a popular third-grade teacher who was found dead in her home. Officials say the woman's neighbor concealed her death, but no one has been charged with the killing.
PHOENIX (Reuters) - Police arrested at least 30 protesters who took to the streets of Phoenix on Thursday after Arizona adopted a new immigration law, even though its most intrusive provisions had already been blocked by a U.S. court.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New claims for unemployment benefits slipped last week, but stayed at a stubbornly high level that underscored the labor market recovery was having trouble gaining traction.
BOISE, Idaho (Reuters) - More than 2,000 miles from the Gulf of Mexico shoreline, a panel of U.S. judges heard arguments from lawyers on Thursday on how piles of spill-related lawsuits against BP Plc should be merged.
KABUL (Reuters) - The body of a second U.S. sailor who went missing in Afghanistan last week has been recovered, an Afghan police chief said on Thursday.
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Heavy monsoon rains in Islamabad on Thursday hampered recovery efforts at the site of a Pakistani plane crash that killed all 152 people on board a day earlier, a senior police officer said.
CAIRO (Reuters) - The Arab League said on Thursday it would back face-to-face peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel when the Palestinians believe the time is right.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Senate Republicans voiced objections on Thursday to the new START nuclear arms treaty with Russia, raising concerns that could delay efforts to hand President Barack Obama a foreign policy victory ahead of the November elections.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A House of Representatives ethics panel on Thursday began reviewing a "tentative agreement" to settle charges against Democratic Representative Charles Rangel, a congressional source said on Thursday.
TOKYO/DETROIT (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp said on Thursday it would recall nearly 417,000 high-end passenger cars and SUVs in the United States and Canada to fix steering problems.
The Internal Revenue Service today announced the opening of a special telephone line for taxpayers affected by the Gulf oil spill. Individuals who have questions about the BP payments or who are experiencing filing or payment hardships because of the oil spill should contact the IRS at 866-562-5227. The special services phone line will operate weekdays from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. In certain cases, the IRS can assist oil spill victims by suspending collection and examination actions. Taxpayers who need this assistance must request it. Others may decide to continue making payments because interest will continue to accrue on outstanding balances, even if some penalties are abated. Read more...
Scroll through Craigslist in cities along the Florida's Panhandle and in Alabama, and dozens of ads appear with offers for expensive training guaranteed to net jobs cleaning up oil. Just as the earthquake in Haiti, Hurricane Katrina and other natural disasters prompted an outpouring of financial help, people looking for a quick profit have surfaced since oil began gushing after the Deepwater Horizon incident in April, preying on people who are unemployed, looking to make fast cash in the stock market or donate to the needy. Read more...
Burglars who break into your home this summer may be after more than your jewelry and electronic equipment - they may also steal your identity. As you prepare to leave on vacation, it is important to protect yourself against both a physical and a virtual break-in. Read more...
USDA is reminding consumers that following safe food handling steps are the key to making your cookout safe and healthy for your guests and has four basic steps to help you Be Food Safe and declare independence from foodborne illness any time of year. Read more...
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), with the cooperation of seven firms, announced voluntary recalls of more than two million cribs to address drop-side hazards and other hazards that affect the safety of young children. The recalling firms are providing consumers with free repair kits to immobilize the drop sides or other remedies. Do not attempt to fix these cribs with homemade remedies.
The drop-side and fixed-side crib recalls announced today are of units manufactured between 2000 and 2009 Read more...
The recalled entertainment centers' shelves can detach and fall onto consumers when the entertainment centers are moved. The recalled entertainment centers with model names "Arts and Crafts", "Vineyard Manor", "Lake Cottage", "Studio One", "West Indies" and "Plantation Cove" were sold in various colors including dark brown, natural, black and white with fixed or adjustable shelves. Read more...
The Kroger Co. said today it is recalling select containers of Kroger Deluxe Chocolate Paradise Ice Cream sold in 17 states because it may contain tree nuts not listed on the label. Customers should return the product to stores for a full refund or replacement. The product was sold in Kroger stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. Read more...
McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., is recalling five product lots as an addition to the list of products included in the company’s January 15th, 2010 product recall. The additional lots involved are four product lots of BENADRYL® ALLERGY ULTRATAB™ TABLETS, 100 count, sold in the U.S.; and one product lot of EXTRA STRENGTH TYLENOL® Rapid Release Gels, 50 count sold in the U.S., Trinidad and Tobago, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico (FULL RECALLED PRODUCT LIST BELOW). This recall is a follow-up to the product recall that McNeil Consumer Healthcare announced on January 15th, 2010 and is being taken because the products were inadvertently omitted from the initial recall action. Read more...
In the wake of any disaster, many reach for their checkbooks and donate money to aid and rescue organizations. The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance cautions, however, that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is unlike previous disasters and offers specific advice to potential donors and volunteers. Read more...
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today proposed new consumer protections for air travelers, building on the Department of Transportation’s recent rule banning carriers from subjecting passengers to long tarmac delays and other deceptive practices. "Airline passengers have rights and should be able to expect fair and reasonable treatment when they fly," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. "With this rulemaking, we’re proposing to strengthen the consumer protections enacted last month and raise the bar for airlines when it comes to treating passengers fairly." Read more...
