Washington Informer

WASHINGTON, D.C. -The 2nd annual AT&T Nation's Football Classic™ (ATTNFC), featuring longstanding rivals Morehouse College and Howard University, is offering fans the chance to get involved through a Twitter trivia contest and volunteer opportunities.

The Twitter contest challenges fans' knowledge of both Morehouse and Howard. Beginning on Monday, July 23, fans can win one of five ATTNFC Prize Packs by being the first to correctly answer a trivia question from the ATTNFC Twitter account (@NationsClassic). The prize pack includes a T-shirt, commemorative cup, mini-football and a pair of Classic game tickets. Additional contest details will be released at 1:30 pm ET on Monday from the ATTNFC Twitter account (@NationsClassic).

Interested persons can also gain hands-on experience working behind the scenes by serving as a volunteer during the AT&T Nation's Football Classic™. Volunteer opportunities are available in the following areas:

Grassroots Marketing: Aug. 27 - 31

Game Operations: Sept. 1; 10am - 8pm (Available in Shifts)

Public Relations Support: Aug. 27 - Sept. 1

Pepsi® Fan Festival (Pre-Game): Sept. 1; 9:30am - 4pm

Pulitzer Prize-winner William Raspberry, who served 40 years as a columnist for The Washington Post died Tuesday at his home in Washington, D.C. He was 76. His wife, Sondra Raspberry, said he had prostate cancer.

Noted for his fierce independent views on education, poverty, crime and race, Raspberry was one of the first black journalists -- the other was Carl Rowan-- to gain a wide following in the mainstream press.

Raspberry, who wrote a provocative opinion column for The Post that was also carried as a syndicated item in more than 200 newspapers across the country, retired in 2005.

As a depiction of his upbringing in the segregated South, Raspberry's columns would often focus on integration while opposing busing students in order to achieve racial balance.

"From the day Bill Raspberry wrote his first Post column, his advice was as wise and his voice as clear as anyone's in Washington," Donald Graham, chairman of the Washington Post Co., said in an interview. "To the city, Bill's columns brought 40 years of smart, independent judgment."

Raspberry won the Pulitzer in 1994, making him the second black columnist to achieve the honor. The Mississippi native began his career at The Post in 1962 as a teletype operator and within months began working as a reporter.

Raspberry covered the riots in 1965 in the Watts section of Los Angeles, and a year later began writing a column on local matters.

For more 10 years Raspberry, the son of two preachers, taught journalism at Duke University. Born in 1935 in the northeastern Mississippi town of Okolona, he graduated from Indiana Central College, now the University of Indianapolis.

Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker looks on as Pamela Creekmur is sworn in as Health Officer. Creekmur, who took the oath of office on July 10, was joined by her husband, J.C. and daughter, Rachael.

Photo credit – michael yourishin

Citing the heavy cloud of suspicion that has been hovering over his administration following a trail of convictions aligned with his 2010 election campaign, at least two D.C. Council members are calling for the resignation of Mayor Vincent C. Gray.

At-large Councilman David Catania and Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh said in interviews earlier this week they are demanding that Gray vacate his post immediately. According to Catania, it's the right thing for Gray to leave; and Cheh said it doesn't matter whether he had knowledge of any wrongdoings while seeking to unseat rival Adrian Fenty. Gray's who had been the Council chairman, won the election with assistance of an illegal shadow campaign. The campaign, which remains under investigation, involved laundering $653,000 that was donated by a local well-known businessman.

"Whether he knew or not about the shadow campaign, the time has come for the mayor to step down," Catania said in an interview Wednesday. "We know that his campaign engaged in a criminal conspiracy to undermine the election laws of our city, calling into question the legitimacy of the election and his legitimacy as mayor."

Cheh added that, "Whether or not he knew of the massive election fraud that was taking place in his name, he is responsible for it."

Meanwhile, Gray has said he has no plans to vacate his office.

During the recent dayslong heat wave, Jay Rock of Southeast D.C., attempted to cool off by dousing his head with a cold bottle of water. 

Temperatures had consistently remained in the triple digits, with the oppressive heat having blanketed the Washington region./Photo by Shevry Lassiter for The Washington Informer

CFederal authorities have determined that an illegal shadow campaign helped get D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray elected on 2010.

According to testimony documented in federal court on July 10, Eugenia "Jeanne" Clarke Harris admitted that $650,000 in illicit funding which helped pave the way for Gray to take the helm, was provided by a District businessman. She acknowledged that the money – that went unreported to the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance– was used for supplies, consultants' fees and other expenses for Gray.

"The 2010 mayoral election was corrupted," Ronald Machen, U. S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, said in an interview. "The mayoral campaign was compromised by back room deals, secret payments and flood of unreported cash."

A cover-up to mislead authorities began last year after an investigation was launched into Gray's campaign. In doing so, documents were forged and/or shredded, and tax returns for Harris's public relations firm, Belle International, were amended.

Harris, 75, a public relations executive, pleaded guilty to three federal and local charges. She has not been sentenced, but could reportedly face a prison term of two to three years and $60,000 in fines.

According to Harris's plea agreement, the businessman -- vaguely referred to as Jeffrey Thompson -- is listed a co-conspirator No. 1. He has not been charged, but the funds he provided were funneled through Belle International between late July and Sept. 14, 2010.

Gray, who once hired Harris as a communications consultant, has not been named in any court documents. But as a result of the improprieties aligned with Harris, his administration has marked its third credibility blow since May.

Meanwhile, Machen has vowed to continue the investigation until all parties involved have been held accountable.